Top 25 Famous People from California

Top 25 Famous People from California

Originally written by Lilian on January 2022. Edited by Charity K on May 2023 and Updated by Ian S on March 2024.

California is the 2^nd largest state in the United States. It comes in a shy second after New York.

This vast state shares its borders with Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada. Los Angeles is home to Hollywood, the world’s biggest film industry.

There are several attractions in this state that are not only entertainment-based. Many tourists go to Disneyland, Universal Studios, Griffith Park as well as Getty Centre.

California, home to Silicon Valley, has attracted several budding actors and actresses, technology innovators and entrepreneurs, entertainers, and several other talents.

One of the famous persons is Arnold Schwarzenegger who was not only an actor but also an elected governor of California.

From celebrities, politicians, and innovators to entertainers, the list of famous people from California is endless.

Below is a list of the top 25 famous people from California.

1. Dwayne Johnson (the Rock) – Wrestler/Actor

If you are like me you would remember him from his days as a wrestler in WWE, his catchphrase was you smell what the Rock is cooking?

After he left the wrestling ring, Dwayne got into acting where he has flourished. He has lent his voice in Moana, acted in the franchise Fast and Furious, and Ballers among many others.

The Rock has also featured in his autobiographical sitcom Young Rock (2021). He is also a published author of a New York Times Bestseller, The Rock says.

One thing about Dwayne Johnson is that he has an incredible work ethic. He follows a strict routine daily, something he attributes to his father.

2. Bruce Lee – Martial Artist

Photo sourced from Wikimedia

Bruce Lee, whose birth name was Lee Jun-fan, was a Hong Kong and American martial artist, martial arts instructor, actor, director, and philosopher.

Lee was the founder of Jeet Kune Do which is a hybrid martial arts philosophy. It is a combination of different combat disciplines that paved the way for modern mixed martial arts.

He played different roles in several Kung Fu films especially when he was still based in Hong Kong. Bruce was featured in five feature-length films back in the 70s.

After his films hit the world, he became world-famous for his smooth and fast moves. Unfortunately, his life was cut short in 1973. He was only 32.  

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3. Tom Brady – Football Quarterback

Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. is a football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League.

Brady spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots. He was a central contributor to the franchise’s dynasty from 2001 to 2019. This was after he played college football at Michigan.

His skill and talent earned him a place in the NFL’s draft steal. As an athlete, he has excelled in passing yards, completions, touchdown passes, and games started.

What is admirable about this Californian athlete is that he has never lost a season. Additionally, he is the only quarterback to have won a Super Bowl in 3 different decades.

4. Tom Hanks – Actor

Photo by John Bauld – Wikimedia

Tom Hanks was born in the San Francisco suburb of Concord in 1956. While in college at Cal State Sacramento, Hanks enrolled in the theatre program where he seriously pursued acting.

He started his career as a comic which brought him fame especially his role in the sitcom Bosom Buddies.

Later on, he transitioned to more serious roles like Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, Cast Away, and Apollo 13. He won several awards for these films.

His unquestionable talent on-screen has earned him two Academy Awards out of six nominations.

Other honorary awards that Tom Hanks has received include a Kennedy Centre Honour (2014) and a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama (2016).

5. Dre – Businessman

His official name is Andre Romelle Young but is known professionally as Dr Dre. He is popularly known for his earphones and Bluetooth speakers, Beatz by Dr Dre.

Dr Dre is an American rapper, record producer, and entrepreneur. He is also the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics.

Dre began his career in 1985 as part of a rap group known as World Class Wreckin’ Cru. His big break to fame came after he joined the gangsta rap group NWA.

They popularized hip-hop and mostly highlighted violence experienced in street life.

In the early 90s, Dre was a key figure that made West Coast G-funk more popular by producing slow and heavy beats for this hip-hop sub-genre.

It was in 2008 that he released his first brand of headphones, Beats by Dr Dre. He has also been featured in several TV commercials.    

6. Courtney Love – singer-songwriter

Photo by Liguz, Andrzej – Wikimedia

Courtney Michelle Love is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She was a famous figure in the alternative and grunge scenes of the 1990s. She had a great career in music for over four decades.

In 1989, Courtney formed Hole, an alternative rock band in which she was the lead vocalist. It was through this band that she became popular.

Other than music, she is an actor and has appeared in supporting roles in films and TV series like Sid and Nancy as well as Straight to Hell.   

Her career was marred with love scandals, drug relapses, and rehabilitation.

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7. Natalie Wood – Actress

Natalie is most famous for her role as Maria, in the movie version of West Side Story. She was born in San Francisco to Russian immigrant parents.

Her career in film started in the 1970s. it was noted that her charming beauty scored several roles in television productions.

It was in Hollywood that she met her husband, a fellow actor, Robert Wagner.

Natalie’s role in the show From Here to Eternity (1979) won her a Golden Globe Award. She portrayed modern American womanhood in most of her roles. 

Unfortunately, Natalie died in a tragic boating accident at the age of 43.

8. Kristi Yamaguchi – Figure Skater

Photo sourced from Wikimedia

Kristine Tsuya Yamaguchi is a former figure skater. She was a two-time champion in the 1992 Olympics in the ladies singles.

Yamaguchi was the first Asian-American woman to win a gold medal in a Winter Olympic competition.

During the 1988 World Junior championship, she won as a pair with Rudy Galindo. Kristine is also a two-time national skating champion which she won consecutively in 1989 and 1990.

She was inducted into the USA Olympic Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2008, Yamaguchi was the celebrity champ in the 6^th season of Dancing with the Stars.

Furthermore, Yamaguchi is an entrepreneur who created a woman’s activewear in 2012. A philanthropist at heart, she donates part of the profit to support early childhood literacy.

9. Ronda Rousey – Professional Wrestler

Ronda Jean Rousey is a professional wrestler, actress, former judoka, and former mixed martial artist. She is best known for her time in the UFC and the WWE.

Rousey is fondly known for her longstanding nickname, Rowdy, which she inherited from the late professional wrestler Roddy Piper.

Rowdy began her wrestling career in 2018 after signing a contract with WWE. Her first appearance was that the 2018 Royal Rumble. 

At 34, Ronda made her debut in Wrestlemania subsequently, she won her first WWE and professional wrestling title, at SummerSlam.

She is the only woman to win a championship in both the UFC and WWE.

10. Kim Kardashian – Socialite & Businesswoman

Photo by Eva Rinaldi – Wikimedia

Kim Kardashian is one of the most highly-paid reality TV stars, with an estimated net worth of 40 million dollars.

Kim gained media attention with an infamous sex tape that was released just before the beginning of her family reality TV series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. She featured in the reality show with her siblings.

As an entrepreneur, Kim manages a series of retail and fashion businesses. She partnered with her sisters to launch several clothing lines, makeup, and intimate wear.

She passed her first-year bar exam in 2021.

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11. Jennifer Aniston- Actress

Jennifer Aniston is known for her roles as Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends. The show earned her a Primetime Emmy, Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild awards.

Jennifer has been on multiple magazine lists for the world’s most beautiful women. She has a net worth is an estimated $300 million while her box office gross is over $ 1.6 billion worldwide. 

She is also the recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and is the co-founder of the production company Echo Films.

12. Zendaya Coleman- Actress

Zendaya has received various accolades including two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In 2022, TIME magazine was named one of the most influential people in the world.

Her biggest success as a musician came with her Zac Efron collaboration Rewrite the Stars in 2017. The song reached the top 20 of several record charts and has received multi-platinum sales certifications globally.

Her role in the HBO teen drama series Euphoria made her the youngest recipient of the Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.

13. Zac Efron- Actor

Eva Rinaldi, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Zac Efron is a well-known actor who rose to fame in the 2000s for his role as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical trilogy.

Some of his other mainstream prominence films include The Lucky One, The Paperboy, Dirty Grandpa, Neighbors, and The Greatest Showman.

In 2016, Zac won the CinemaCon award for Comedy Star of the Year and Outstanding Daytime Program Host.

He won a Daytime Emmy Award for the Netflix documentary series Down to Earth with Zac Efron in 2021.

14. Leonardo DiCaprio- Actor

Leonardo DiCaprio is the recipient of numerous accolades including an Academy Award, a British Academy Film Award, and three Golden Globe Awards.

He received international stardom with the star-crossed romances Romeo and Juliet and Titanic. The latter became the highest-grossing film in 1997. 

In 2016, Leonardo was added to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in The World. He was later voted as one of the 50 greatest actors of all time.

It has been noted that his films over the years have reached $7.2 billion worldwide. On multiple occasions, he has been placed eight times in the annual rankings of the world’s highest-paid actors.

15. Jessica Alba- Actress

Jessica Alba is known for her role in the television series Dark Angel. Her performance on the show led to her receiving a Golden Globe nomination.

She received international acclaim after the film Honey which came out in 2003. The film led to other big-screen opportunities. 

Jessica co-founded the Honest Company, a consumer goods company that sells personal, baby, and household products, in 2011. 

She has been included on multiple magazine lists under the category of the world’s most beautiful women.

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16. Katy Perry

Ali Shaker/VOA, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Katy Perry is an influential American pop singer-songwriter and television personality from Santa Barbara, California. Dubbed the “Queen of Camp” for her eccentric style, she initially released an unsuccessful gospel album as a teenager before moving to Los Angeles to pursue pop music under her current stage name.

Her breakout came with 2008’s One of the Boys, led by the hit singles “I Kissed a Girl” and “Hot n Cold.” Her sophomore album Teenage Dream (2010) made history as the only album by a female artist to spawn five #1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. Further #1 smashes like “Roar,” “Dark Horse,” and empowerment themes on albums like Prism solidified her status.

With over 143 million records sold worldwide, she is one of the best-selling music artists ever. Perry has won numerous accolades, released an autobiographical film, voicing Smurfette in The Smurfs movies, and launched her shoe line. She currently serves as a judge on American Idol and is among the most-followed people on Twitter.

17. Marilyn Monroe

Sam Shaw, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Marilyn Monroe was an iconic American actress and model who epitomized sex symbol status in the 1950s and early 60s. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she had a tumultuous childhood in foster homes before marrying at 16.

Monroe began her career as a successful pin-up model which led to movie contracts and comedic “blonde bombshell” roles. Despite being typecast, she carefully crafted her public image and founded her own production company for more control over her career.

Celebrated for films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, The Seven Year Itch, and Some Like It Hot which won her a Golden Globe, Monroe struggled with substance abuse and mental health issues. Her highly publicized marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller ended in divorce.

On August 4, 1962, at age 36, a barbiturate overdose led to her death, which was ruled a probable suicide. Monroe remains one of Hollywood’s most legendary actresses and enduring pop culture icons.

18. Steve Jobs

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Steve Jobs was the co-founder and visionary leader of Apple Inc., pioneering the personal computer revolution alongside Steve Wozniak in the 1970s-80s. Born in San Francisco, California in 1955, Jobs dropped out of college but traveled to India before co-founding Apple in 1976.

Their early successes like the Apple II and Mac with its graphical user interface established Jobs’ reputation. However, he departed Apple in 1985 amidst power struggles but went on to found NeXT and fund Pixar. Jobs returned to a struggling Apple as CEO in 1997 and spearheaded its revival with iconic products like the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad through a close partnership with designer Jony Ive.

His design philosophies and marketing campaigns propelled Apple’s preeminent position until his death from pancreatic cancer in 2011 at age 56. Jobs was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022 for his immense technological innovations and impact.

19. Jake Gyllenhaal

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Jacob Gyllenhaal is an acclaimed American actor born in 1980 in Los Angeles, California to the Gyllenhaal family of filmmakers. He began acting as a child, with an early breakthrough in October Sky in 1999. Gyllenhaal earned his first Oscar nomination for 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, winning a BAFTA.

He proceeded to give praised performances in films like Zodiac, Prisoners, Nightcrawler, which earned another BAFTA nod, and Nocturnal Animals. Gyllenhaal has transitioned between indie dramas and big-budget fare like the Marvel hit Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Beyond film, he has performed on stage in plays and musicals, even earning a Tony nomination. Outspoken on causes, Gyllenhaal continues delivering powerful, transformative performances, with his latest being the 2024 remake of the classic Road House helmed by Doug Liman.

His impressive body of work has solidified Gyllenhaal as one of his generation’s most respected actors.

20. James Hetfield

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James Hetfield is an American musician renowned for his role as the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary songwriter of the iconic heavy metal band Metallica.

Hailing from California, Hetfield’s intricate rhythm playing and occasional lead guitar duties have earned him recognition as one of the greatest heavy metal rhythm guitarists. Metallica’s success, including nine Grammy Awards and 11 studio albums, is a testament to Hetfield’s exceptional talent.

He has been ranked among the top metal guitarists and vocalists by various publications, solidifying his status as a legendary figure in the heavy metal genre.

21. Gigi Hadid

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Gigi Hadid is a renowned American fashion model and television personality hailing from California. She gained international recognition when the British Fashion Council named her International Model of the Year in 2016.

Hadid’s illustrious career includes over 45 appearances in international Vogue editions and a ranking as one of the “New Supers” by Models.com. Since 2017, she has consistently been among the highest-paid models globally, earning an impressive $20 million.

Beginning her career as a child model for Baby Guess, Hadid later signed with IMG Models in 2013 and made her New York Fashion Week debut the following year.

22. Snoop Dogg

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Snoop Dogg, born Calvin Broadus, is a legendary American rapper and actor hailing from California. His meteoric rise to fame began in 1992 with his guest appearance on Dr. Dre’s debut single “Deep Cover” and album “The Chronic.”

Broadus has since sold over 23 million albums in the US and 35 million worldwide, garnering accolades like an American Music Award, a Primetime Emmy, and 17 Grammy nominations. His debut album “Doggystyle,” produced by Dr. Dre, debuted atop the Billboard 200 and achieved quadruple platinum status.

Broadus has consistently delivered chart-topping albums and hits like “What’s My Name?” and “Drop It Like It’s Hot.” Beyond music, he has starred in films, hosted TV shows, and explored different genres like reggae and gospel.

In 2022, Broadus acquired Death Row Records and released his 19th studio album “BODR,” cementing his enduring legacy in the rap game.

23. Mercedes Moné

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Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado, known as Mercedes Moné, is an American professional wrestler and actress from California. She is currently signed with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where she is a former IWGP Women’s Champion, and also appears in NJPW’s sister promotion Stardom.

Varnado gained immense popularity during her time with WWE from 2012 to 2022 under the ring name Sasha Banks. Her historic achievements include being the first woman to headline an NXT TakeOver event, the first to compete in a Hell in a Cell match, and the first black woman to headline WrestleMania alongside Bianca Belair.

Varnado has held numerous championships, including the Raw, SmackDown, and Tag Team titles, making her a Triple Crown and Grand Slam Champion. Outside of wrestling, she portrays Koska Reeves in the Disney+ series “The Mandalorian.” After creative differences with WWE, Varnado made her debut for NJPW/Stardom in 2023 as Mercedes Moné.

24. Tiger Woods

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Tiger Woods is a legendary American professional golfer from California, widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the sport’s history. He is tied for the most PGA Tour wins and ranks second in men’s major championship victories, holding numerous golf records.

Woods turned professional in 1996 at age 20 and quickly rose to dominance, winning his first major at the 1997 Masters in record-breaking fashion. He maintained the world’s number-one ranking for a combined 683 weeks across multiple stints. Woods captured 13 major titles during the first decade of the 21st century before personal struggles and injuries hampered his career.

However, he staged remarkable comebacks, winning the 2019 Masters after an 11-year major drought. Woods has achieved the career Grand Slam three times and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.

Despite a serious car accident in 2021 that jeopardized his future, he continues to inspire with his resilience and pursuit of excellence on the golf course.

25. James Harden

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James Harden, a California native, is an American professional basketball player for the Los Angeles Clippers and is widely acclaimed as one of the greatest scorers and shooting guards in NBA history. Harden played college basketball at Arizona State, where he was a consensus All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2009.

After being drafted third overall by the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2009, he won the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2012 and helped the team reach the Finals. Traded to the Houston Rockets in 2012, Harden blossomed into a superstar, leading the league in scoring thrice, winning the 2018 MVP award, and earning seven consecutive All-Star selections.

Following a trade to the Brooklyn Nets in 2021, he was dealt to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2022 before joining the Clippers. Harden has also represented the United States, winning gold medals at the 2012 Olympics and 2014 FIBA World Cup.