Ellen DeGeneres was born and raised in Metairie, Louisiana, before moving to Texas at 16 in the wake of her parents’ divorce. It wasn’t long, however, before she returned to her home state to start college at the University of New Orleans. She only attended for one semester, dropping out to pursue a career in stand-up.
But Ellen DeGeneres hasn’t forgotten her roots and has long shown her support for New Orleans, particularly after it was devastated by Hurricane Katrina. “If this was Washington or San Francisco … anywhere else, this wouldn’t be happening,” Ellen said at the time, she had been outspoken about her frustration with the slow pace of recovery.
Aaron Paul - Idaho
Aaron Paul was born in Emmett, Idaho. Many know Aaron Paul for his role as Jesse Pinkman on the popular series 'Breaking Bad.' The Idaho native began his career in the early 2000s, with a long list of appearances on shows like Suddenly Susan, The X-Files, CSI: Miami, Judging Amy, Criminal Minds, and Veronica Mars.
Growing up, Aaron moved around a bit and ended in Boise, Idaho. Aaron graduated in 1997 from Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho, after which he made the bold move to drive to Los Angeles in his 1982 Toyota Corolla with his mother and $6,000 in savings.
David Letterman - Indiana
Not much else is known about David Letterman's personal life, but we do know he grew up in the state capital of Indianapolis in Indiana. He graduated from Ball State in Muncie, and the college communications building is named after him. His late-night show has featured many exciting guests and earned him numerous awards and laughs.
Letterman began his broadcasting career as an announcer and newscaster at the college's student-run radio station, which now is part of Indiana Public Radio. But David couldn't help himself, and he was fired for treating classical music with irreverence. He then became involved with the founding of another campus station.
Anna Kendrick - Maine
Although Portland, Maine is known for its rocky coastline, we now know that it's also the hometown of Anna Kendrick. Little Anna began her career as a child actress in theater productions and earned her first Tony nomination when she was 12 but went back to her seaside hometown to attend high school. She later made her feature film debut in the musical comedy 'Camp.'
She is best known for her supporting role in the 'Twilight' movies and her starring role as Beca Mitchell in the 'Pitch Perfect' series. Anna is known for her sense of humor as well as her musical talent. In 2016, Anna Kendrick released a memoir titled 'Scrappy Little Nobody.'
Anna Faris - Maryland
Anna Faris made her acting debut at the tender age of nine at Washington's Seattle Repertory Theater. She refined her skills in improvisational theater; Anna Faris would later find roles in commercials and small local productions, though her future as an actress came into question as she pursued education further.
She spent her younger years in Baltimore when her dad was teaching at Towson University. The family moved to Seattle when she was six. Faris studied English Literature at the University of Washington after high school, later moving to London to begin working and writing and eventually moving to Los Angeles in order to pursue an acting career full time.