I always get a tremendous kick when I find out one of my favorite celebs is from Massachusetts, don't you? I can't explain it. I just think it's very cool. I almost get the feeling that I'm somehow closer to these people because their hometowns are in my state, you know?
Plus, having that knowledge of where your favorite actor, actress, or comedian hails from is awesome trivia to tell your friends at parties and get-togethers. Recently, BetMassachusetts.com took the time to find out which celebrities raised in the Commonwealth were the most popular.
They accomplished this epic feat by utilizing data from AhRefs.com, Keywords Explorer, and Google Trends to see who were the most searched Massachusetts celebrities over the past year. I'm happy to say that even a Pittsfield-born celebrity made the list!
By the way, for BetMassachusetts.com's research, a Massachusetts celebrity was defined as a living individual who resided for more than 10 years in Massachusetts during their formative childhood and teenage years.
Who AreThe 15 Most Well-Known Massachusetts Celebrities?
According to BetMassachusetts.com:
- Chris Evans - I have to admit that this one surprised me. Don't get me wrong, Evans (who's probably most well-known for portraying Captain America in the MCU) is very popular, I just thought someone else would take the top spot. By the way, Chris calls Boston home.
- Ben Affleck - Even though I like Affleck's (who's from Cambridge) acting, I think I like him more for his directing. Both Gone Baby Gone and The Town are favorites of mine!
- John Cena - This wrestler/actor hails from beautiful West Newbury and most recently showed his comic talents (not to mention almost everything else) on the Academy Awards telecast!
- Jennifer Coolidge - This wonderful actress is probably best known for playing Stiffler's mom in the American Pie movies but she was also terrific in Best In Show and both Legally Blonde movies. Jennifer was born in Boston.
- Mark Wahlberg - I thought Mark would have been higher on the list but coming in at #5 is no slap in the face. Mark grew up on the mean streets of Boston. Remember Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch? "Good Vibrations"!
- Matt Damon - Another actor who hails from Cambridge (just like his buddy Ben Affleck), Damon appeared in several great movies such as The Talented Mr. Ripley, Rounders, Saving Private Ryan, and of course, Good Will Hunting before he hit his stride playing Jason Bourne.
- John Krasinski - Another Boston-born actor, John initially rose to fame through the TV show, The Office and continues to work hard on the small(er) screen as the title character of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan. He's also an acclaimed director (A Quiet Place, A Quiet Place Part II, and the upcoming Imaginary Friends).
- Steve Carrell - Steve's hometown is Acton, Massachusetts. Like fellow actor John Krasinski, Steve also appeared on television's The Office. Steve has appeared in many funny comedies and he's also done some amazing dramatic work. He's also the voice of Felonius Gru in the Despicable Me movies.
- Meghan Trainor - Singer/Musician Meghan ("All About That Bass", "Made You Look") hails from Nantucket
- Elizabeth Banks - This lovely actress (and underrated comedienne) is probably best known for The Hunger Games and Pitch Perfect franchises, but I think I first saw her in Wet Hot American Summer (with another unknown at the time, Bradley Cooper). Banks hails from the bustling burg of Pittsfield!
- Uma Thurman - Probably best known for a couple of roles in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill movies and, of course, Pulp Fiction,Boston-born Uma was also terrific in Dangerous Liaisons.
- Amy Poehler - One very funny lady. Amy was born in Newton but grew up in nearby Burlington, Massachusetts. She's best known for being a formerSaturday Night Live cast member as well as acting on television's Parks and Recreation.
- Kurt Russell - Kurt is one of my all-time favorite actors. Just love this guy. Escape From New York. Overboard. Breakdown. Tombstone. The Thing. Big Trouble in Little China. Tequila Sunrise. The list goes on...Kurt's hometown is Springfield.
- Mindy Kaling - Mindy is another The Office alum who hails from Massachusetts (Cambridge). She is also the main creative force behind The Mindy Project.
- Joe Keery - Joe was born in my late Mom's hometown of Newburyport (Yankee Homecoming!). He's probably best known for his role on Stranger Things as well as the fifth season of TV's Fargo.
There you have it. The 15 Most Well-Known Massachusetts Celebrities. Check out BetMassachusetts.com's website here for more.
LOOK: The most expensive weather and climate disasters in recent decades
Stacker ranked the most expensive climate disasters by the billions since 1980 by the total cost of all damages, adjusted for inflation, based on 2021 data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The list starts with Hurricane Sally, which caused $7.3 billion in damages in 2020, and ends with a devastating 2005 hurricane that caused $170 billion in damage and killed at least 1,833 people. Keep reading to discover the 50 of the most expensive climate disasters in recent decades in the U.S.
Gallery Credit: KATELYN LEBOFF
LOOK: Things from the year you were born that don't exist anymore
The iconic (and at times silly) toys, technologies, and electronics have been usurped since their grand entrance, either by advances in technology or breakthroughs in common sense. See how many things on this list trigger childhood memories—and which ones were here and gone so fast you missed them entirely.
Gallery Credit: Stacey Marcus