20 Most Famous People from Alabama

1. Courtney Cox

2. Channing Tatum

3. Hellen Keller

4. Rosa Parks

5. Gucci Mane

6. Robin Roberts 

7. Tim Cook

8. Debby Ryan

9. Lionel Richie

10. Charles Barkley

11. Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer is an American actress who first gained recognition for her role in the 1996 film A Time to Kill. She received critical acclaim for her performance in the 2011 film The Help, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress as well as a Golden Globe. She also received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for her roles in Hidden Figures (2016) and The Shape of Water (2017).

She has also appeared in films such as Bad Santa (2003), Fruitvale Station (2013), Snowpiercer (2013), Get On Up (2014), The Divergent Series: Insurgent (2015), The Divergent Series: Allegiant (2016), Gifted (2017), Instant Family (2018), and Onward (2020). She received an Emmy Award nomination for her performance in 2020’s Self Made: Inspired by the Life of Madam C.J. Walker. She is also the lead in the Apple TV series Truth Be Told (2019–present).

12. Laverne Cox

Laverne Cox is a four-time Emmy-nominated actress, Emmy-winning producer, equal rights advocate, and public speaker with numerous ‘firsts’ in her career. Her groundbreaking role as Sophia Burset in the critically acclaimed Netflix original series “Orange is The New Black” drew global attention. This role made her the first openly transgender actress to be nominated for a Primetime acting Emmy, as well as the first trans woman of color to play a leading role in a mainstream scripted television series.

Laverne’s recent film credits include the Oscar-winning film “Promising Young Woman” with Carey Mulligan and the action comedy JOLT, which stars Kate Beckinsale, Bobby Cannavale, and Stanley Tucci. She is currently celebrating the global success of Shonda Rhimes’ nine-episode limited series ‘Inventing Anna’ on Netflix, in which she co-stars with Julia Garner and Anna Chlumsky.

13. Johnny Simmons

Jonathan James Simmons was born on November 28, 1986, in Montgomery, Alabama, to Cindy and Ben Simmons but moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career after graduating from high school. His move paid off quickly; despite having only one previous role in a video short, he landed the lead in “My Ambition,” a 2006 short film about a vampire-obsessed teenager.

He has played Dylan Baxter in Evan Almighty (2007), Chip Dove in Jennifer’s Body (2009), “Young Neil” Nordegraf in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010), Brad Hayes in The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), serial killer Adam “Balloon Man” Kemper in Elementary (2012), Peter Newmans in The Late Bloomer (2016), and Shane in Girlboss (2017), among others.

14. Roy Wood Jr.

Roy, who is currently a correspondent on ‘The Daily Show w/ Trevor Noah’, has been described by The Hollywood Reporter as “A Standout” and by Entertainment Weekly as “charismatic crankiness” for his brand of thought-provoking comedy. In 2016, ‘Variety‘ magazine named him one of the 10 Comics to Watch. He spent three years on the TBS sitcom Sullivan and Son before joining ‘The Daily Show’ and remains a regular.

He currently appears on ‘Conan‘, ESPN’s ‘SportsNation’, and Comedy Central’s @Midnight. He has also appeared on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam, Comedy Central’s Premium Blend, and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson. Wood has released three nationally distributed prank call albums: My Momma Made Me Wear This (2003), Confessions of a High School Bench Warmer (2005), and I’ll Slap You to Sleep! (2009). And recently released his first comedy CD, Things I Think, I Think (2013).

15. Ned Vaughn

Ned Vaughn grew up in Huntsville, Alabama, and began acting at the age of eight in a community theater production of “Oliver!” He found quick success in TV commercials and auditioned for the lead role in the feature film “The Rescue” and was eventually cast as the heroic son of a captured Navy Seal. After shooting the film in New Zealand and Hong Kong, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he has lived and worked since.

He previously served as vice president of the Screen Actors Guild before becoming SAG-AFTRA’s founding executive vice president. He resigned from that position on August 21, 2013, and announced his candidacy as a Republican for California’s 66th State Assembly District, which represents Los Angeles County’s South Bay region.

16. Hank Aaron

Hank Aaron was born on February 5, 1934, in Mobile, Alabama, and began honing his baseball skills while still a child. He is best known for breaking Babe Ruth’s record of 714 home runs, eventually reaching 755, which stood from 1974 to 2007. Aaron spent 21 seasons with the Milwaukee and then Atlanta Braves, making the National League All-Star team every year from 1955 to 1974.

He won three Gold Gloves in the outfield and still holds the records for most runs batted in and extra-base hits. Aaron was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982, receiving 97.8 percent of the votes cast. In 2002, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.

17. Jesse Owens

Jesse Owens, nicknamed “The Buckeye Bullet,” was an American track and field athlete who won four gold medals and set two world records at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Owens began his athletic career in high school, winning three track and field events at the 1933 National Interscholastic Championships. Two years later, while competing for Ohio State University, he tied one world record and broke three more before qualifying for and competing in the 1936 Olympics.

He is best known for his performances at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, where he won gold medals in the long jump, 100- and 200-meter dashes, and the 4 x 100-meter relay. He was the first American track and field athlete to win four gold medals at the same Olympic Games.

18. Nat King Cole

Nat “King” Cole (1919-1965) was a key figure in American popular music during the 1940s and 1950s. He was a popular jazz pianist, composer, and singer known for his smooth, silky voice. He was the first African American artist to host his own television show and fought for civil rights in a determined yet understated manner. He remains one of Alabama’s most well-known sons. Cole was inducted into the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in 1985, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. 

19. Mae Carol Jemison

As a doctor, engineer, and NASA astronaut, Mae Jemison has always aimed for the stars. She made history in 1992 as the first African American woman to travel to space. She has also written several books and appeared on numerous television shows, including one episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. In addition to her numerous awards, Jemison has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame.

Jemison is currently leading the 100-Year Starship project for the United States Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This project aims to ensure that human space travel to another star is possible within the next 100 years. She is also a member of the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine and has been honored by the National Women’s Hall of Fame, the National Medical Association Hall of Fame, and the Texas Science Hall of Fame.

20. Heather Whitestone

Heather Whitestone, best known for being the first disabled Miss America winner in 1995, is profoundly deaf. However, it hasn’t stopped her from achieving her goals and raising awareness about the deaf community during her reign as Miss America and beyond. As a motivational speaker and author of four inspirational books, she demonstrates compassion and intelligence in addition to her beauty.

Furthermore, Whitestone has served on several prestigious committees and boards in the United States, advocating for issues such as people with disabilities and the deaf. As an influential figure in the deaf community and the first woman with a disability to win Miss America, she demonstrates that growing up deaf does not have to limit your ambitions, but rather inspires you to achieve more than you ever imagined.