20 Famous People From Michigan You May or May Not Know

Michigan is famous for producing incredible automobiles, flavorful fruits and vegetables, iconic foods, and frothy craft beers — but it has also managed to produce some pretty famous people.

Celebrities who hail from Michigan have long been proud to call the Great Lakes State home, and Michiganders love to support these famous people who always remain true to their roots.

Movie & TV Stars From Michigan

While many of these TV and film stars spend their days in Hollywood or New York City, their roots are here in Michigan. These are some of the most famous movie and TV stars from the Mitten State.

Tim Allen

Many consider actor Tim Allen to be the voice of Michigan largely thanks to his work recording the voice-overs for the infamous Pure Michigan ad campaigns in the early 2000s.

While Allen wasn’t born here, he relocated to the Metro Detroit area when he was a child and grew to love the state. In fact, the 1990s sitcom “Home Improvement” that catapulted him to stardom was set in Detroit.

Kristen Bell

Known for voicing Anna in the animated hit “Frozen,” as well as her role in “Veronica Mars,” Kristen Bell is one of the most memorable celebrities of our time.

Many people are surprised to find out that she grew up in Michigan and attended Shrine Catholic High School in Royal Oak. Bell is known to bring her family back to Michigan to experience the beauty and wonder of the Great Lakes.

Taylor Lautner

Becoming a household name after appearing in the “Twilight” movies, Taylor Lautner is a popular celebrity and well-known heartthrob. He’s also a Michigan native and was born in Grand Rapids and raised in the quiet community of Hudsonville — the original home of Hudsonville Ice Cream.

During his childhood, Lautner was passionate about martial arts, and it was his martial arts instructor who introduced him to the world of theater and film production. By the age of 7, he was auditioning for commercials and searching for roles.

Selma Blair

Selma Blair is an actress whose movie credits include the films “Cruel Intentions” and “Legally Blonde,” and she has become an advocate for those with multiple sclerosis.

Before she began her rise to stardom, however, Blair was just another one of us — a Michigan native growing up in the suburbs of Metro Detroit. She was born in Southfield and studied photography at Kalamazoo College before moving to New York City in her early adult years.

Verne Troyer

Often recognized for his role as Mini-Me in the “Austin Powers” movies, Verne Troyer was a celebrity from Michigan who passed away in 2018. He was born into the Amish community of Sturgis Michigan and spent most of his childhood working on the family farm.

J.K. Simmons

Academy Award Winner J.K. Simmons has enjoyed a lifelong career in film and television, famously appearing in films such as “Whiplash,” “Juno,” “For the Love of the Game,” and “The Cider House Rules.” While he was raised in Ohio and went to college in Montana, Simmons was born in Detroit.

Steven Seagal

Known for his martial arts training and intense action flicks, Steven Seagal is a high-energy actor who has starred in movies such as “Hard to Kill,” “Under Siege,” and “Fire Down Below.” Long before he entered the world of martial arts and movie-making, Seagall was just a kid growing up in Lansing Michigan.

Terry Crews

Today, Terry Crews is best known for being the engaging and entertaining host of “America’s Got Talent” and for having starring roles in the movie “The Expendables” and the TV series “Brooklyn Nine-Nine.” While he may be a Hollywood icon today, he will always be a Michigander at heart.

Crews was born in Flint where his aunt introduced him to music and instilled a love of the arts in him. He first went to Western Michigan University on an art scholarship, but once he tried out for the football team, he earned his degree on a full athletic scholarship.

Bruce Campbell

Bruce Campbell earned his celebrity ranking thanks to his role in the “Evil Dead” series, which became a cult classic. His love of performing, though, began in Michigan.

Campbell was born in Royal Oak and spent his time as a teenager making short films with his friends. He attended Western Michigan University where he began to establish the roots of his acting career.

Prominent Michigan Authors & Writers

These authors have penned best-selling books and even a few films, making them some of the most famous people from Michigan.

Mitch Albom

While many other Michigan celebrities were born in the state and relocated elsewhere, Mitch Albom is a Michigan transplant who has made the Detroit community his home.

His career as a longtime Detroit Free Press columnist has cemented his fame in the state. Meanwhile, Albom is also the nationally recognized author of several books, including “Tuesdays With Morrie” and “The Five People You Meet in Heaven.”

Terry McMillan

Born in Port Huron in 1951, Terry McMillan credits her love of reading and writing to her work in a library as a teenager. Today, he is most famous for writing novels that were turned into successful feature films, such as “Waiting to Exhale” and “How Stella Got Her Groove Back.”

Tom Stanton

Tom Stanton is a famous Michigan author who not only calls the state home but also creates non-fiction works about Detroit, its sports teams, and its history. He currently lives with his family in New Baltimore, and in addition to writing books about Michigan, he is a professor at the University of Detroit Mercy.

Famous Athletes From Michigan

Recognized nationwide for their athletic prowess and competitive edge, these are some of the most well-known athletes who got their start in Michigan.

Magic Johnson

Considered by many to be the greatest point guard in basketball, Magic Johnson not only led Michigan State University to a national championship victory but also helped the Los Angeles Lakers make it to five NBA championship games. Johnson was born in Lansing and stayed close to home for his collegiate career.

Serena Williams

Hailed as one of the world’s best tennis players, Serena Williams got her start in Michigan. Born in Saginaw, she spent her early years in the state, before moving to California where she began her tennis lessons.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Having retired as a world championship boxer who was undefeated, Floyd Mayweather Jr. is certainly considered one of the boxing greats of our generation. He was born in Grand Rapids to boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Sr., which means that the sport truly ran in his blood.

Singers & Songwriters From Michigan

With Detroit being known as the birthplace of Motown, Michigan has had a long history of producing some of the music industry’s most legendary celebrities. These are a few of the most famous singers and songwriters from Michigan.

Diana Ross

Many consider Diana Ross to be the voice and face of Motown, the music movement that put Detroit on the map. Having been born and raised in the city, she attended Cass Tech High School and joined her first singing group in her teens. Eventually, she became the lead singer of The Supremes and cemented herself as a true Motown legend.

Bob Seger

Born in Detroit and raised in Ann Arbor, Bob Seger is a household name in most Michigan homes. While he enjoyed local success early in his career, he grew to national fame thanks to songs such as “Night Moves” and “Old Time Rock and Roll.” Today, Seger still prefers to call Michigan his home.

Lizzo

Known professionally as Lizzo, Melissa Viviane Jefferson was born in Detroit in 1988 and spent her first decade of life enjoying everything the city has to offer. Today, she is a famous rapper, singer, and songwriter whose biggest hits include “Good as Hell” and “About Damn Time.”

Kid Rock

Raised in Romeo Michigan by parents who owned car dealerships, Kid Rock knows a thing or two about the Michigan culture and lifestyle.

His music career originated in the Detroit hip-hop scene, but his hits grew to include pop and country songs. Some of his most famous include “Cowboy” and “All Summer Long,” which is an homage to those quintessential Northern Michigan summers.

Eminem

Born in Missouri as Marshall Mathers, the rapper professionally known as Eminem moved to Michigan at the age of 11, and he quickly fell in love with the resilient community he came to call home.

Earning a reputation as part of the Detroit rap battle scene in the early ’90s, Eminem released his first single in 1995. Some of his most famous hits include “The Real Slim Shady” and “Lose Yourself.”

Discover the Famous People From Michigan Who Make the State Awesome

It’s always exciting to discover yet another Michigan celebrity, but it’s the locals who make this state an inviting and memorable place to visit. Begin planning your journey throughout Michigan, and you will soon find yourself meeting some of the most humble and hard-working people you have ever had the privilege of knowing.