Sure, so many famous people have moved here, but what about the ones who were raised here?
For decades, Austin has been the incubator for some of the brightest talent around - from actors and directors to baseball players and politicians. You may know their names, but what's the scoop? Where are they now?
Contributed by Mariel Lindsay
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Glen Powell
Actor
Austin native, Glen Powell, is known for his recent roles in films like Top Gun Maverick, Hit Man, and Anyone But You. Not only did he grow up in Northwest Austin where he went to Westwood High School, but he also attended UT, as an econ major. He thanks his Austin roots for teaching him the importance of friendship and not letting labels define you. Here's to hoping we catch him back in his hometown sometime soon.
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Actor Ethan Hawke was born in 1970 in Austin to young married highschool sweethearts who had moved here to pursue higher education at the University of Texas. His career as a Hollywood actor began early, rising to fame in the 1980s in his signature role alongside Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society. He would go on to act in many films for the next few decades, starring in hits like Reality Bites, Training Day and Austin-based Boyhood. And despite having traveled the world and relocated to the East Coast, Hawke considers himself an “honorary Texan,” returning often. He even sat down with Eater Austin to discuss his favorite food joints in the city, praising in particular “the culture of ordering tacos.”
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Terrence Malick
Director
This director, screenwriter and producer wasn’t born in Austin, Texas but moved here as a kid and immediately set firm roots in the still-small city. He originally moved to Austin to attend a boarding school, St. Stephens Episcopalian. Soon after, his brother died tragically from suicide, a theme that Malick would go on to portray in future films. He began his directing career early in life, but took a mysterious 20-year hiatus from the industry before returning with the hit film The Thin Red Line. He would go on to produce a series of critically acclaimed films, always keeping Austin as his home base. He has been spotted out and about at popular local venues throughout the years, and Texas Monthly did a piece on the director’s unique relationship to the city. As for what he is up to now, he keeps mum but is most likely working on another one of his signature philosophical films.
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Amber Heard
Actress
Actress and model Amber Heard was born and raised in Austin, Texas until age 18 when she began her professional career, finally achieving fame for her role as Seth Rogen’s character’s girlfriend in 2008’s Pineapple Express. She met her now ex-husband actor Johnny Depp during Rum Diary, their film together. Their marriage lasted only two years, culminating in a vicious divorce in which each party argued domestic abuse by the other. Still, despite the negative press surrounding the divorce, Heard managed to snag her most significant major film role as a queen Mera in Aquaman. Future projects, however, remain up in the air.
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Lizzie Velasquez
Motivational Speaker
Motivational speaker, activist, and YouTuber Lizzie Velasquez was born and raised in Austin, Texas. Born with a very rare and previously undiagnosed congenital disease caused by a gene mutation, her body is unable to gain weight. With nearly zero percentage body fat, Lizzie was bullied mercilessly as a child. Then, as a teenager, she watched a YouTube video in which she was mocked as "the ugliest woman in the world.” She decided then to speak out publicly against bullying, a cause she pursued as part of her Communications degree at a Texas college. She would go on to give an explosively popular TedTalk in which she opened up about her condition and the bullying she endured. Lizzie has since gone on to publish multiple books, including a memoir and two children’s stories. She remains in Austin, continuing her work as a social media influencer focused on anti-bullying and kindness.
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Tom Ford
Fashion Designer
Fashion designer and filmmaker Tom Ford was born in Austin, Texas, though he largely spent his childhood in San Marcos, about half an hour outside the city. He loved fashion and design from the time he was a small child and went on to study art history and architecture, act in television commercials, and intern at a luxury label in Paris where he truly began to pursue fashion as his career. He quickly rose the ranks, becoming creative director of Gucci and Yves Saint Laurent before launching his own luxury designer brand named after himself. His label continues to garner accolades and dominate runways.
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Adriene Mishler
Yoga Instructor
If you know anything about yoga, you probably have heard of Adriene Mishler. The born-and-raised instructor-turned-YouTuber is maybe the most notable figure in the culture, and her business is based right here in the ATX. Adriene's YouTube channel is one of the Top 500 most subscribed in the world... so yeah, we're pretty proud to have a hometown gal as THE modern yoga expert and entrepreneur.
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Andy Roddick
Tennis Player
Tennis star Andy Roddick was born in Nebraska but spent his childhood in Austin, Texas, even moving back to the city as an adult after training with Venus and Serena Williams on the tennis court. Roddick achieved the height of his fame after he was named the world’s number one tennis player following the 2003 US Open. He went on to play several more years as one of the tennis greats before announcing his retirement at age 30 after the 2012 US Open. He has since dedicated himself to the Andy Roddick Foundation, his nonprofit organization focused on leading “a movement to expand high-quality learning and enrichment for students and families with the greatest need in our community.” He and his family have long resided in Austin, and sold their 15-acre estate and customized mansion here.
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Willie Wells
Baseball Player
Considered the greatest shortstop of the ‘20s and ‘30s, Willie Wells was born and raised in Austin, Texas where he attended Anderson High School. In an era in which black athletes were denied the opportunity to showcase their talents in the major leagues, Willie began his baseball career playing for the Austin Black Senators, a minor league in the so-called Negro National League. He also briefly attended a local Austin college before going on to play in Latin America, where he earned the nickname “El Diablo’ for his fierce speed and passion. Willie passed away in 1989, and was elected to baseball halls of fame in the United States, Cuba and Mexico.
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Carly Fiorina
Businesswoman
Born and raised mostly in Austin, Texas, Carly Fiorina’s father was a UT Law professor. Carly herself went on to attend prestigious colleges Stanford and MIT, earning advanced business degrees. She joined AT&T in 1980, eventually becoming the company’s first female officer in her role as senior vice president. She then stepped into leading operations at Lucent Technologies, where she played a key role in designing one of the most successful public stock holdings in U.S. history and was later appointed president. In 1998, Forbes magazine even named her “the Most Powerful Woman in American Business.” From there, she became CEO of the famous Hewlett-Packard (HP) technology company. In more recent years, Carly has dabbled in politics and focuses largely on her philanthropic efforts, like her nonprofit “Good360” that serves communities impacted by disasters, including COVID-19.
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Bob Armstrong
Politician
Democratic politician Bob Armstrong was born and raised in Austin and remained passionate about the city and Texas as a whole throughout his career. Bob stayed in Austin, receiving both his Bachelor’s and his law degree at UT before serving in the Korean War. Then, in the 1960s, he was elected to represent Travis County in the Texas House of Representatives, though his swearing-in ceremony was delayed after JFK’s assassination. He remained a representative until 1971, when he began his 12-year career as Land Commissioner, a role which he acquired the Big Bend Ranch for the state. He also served in the Department of the Interior under President Clinton, remaining active in the environmental community even after retirement. He passed away in 2015 and is buried in Austin at the Texas State Cemetery.
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Celebs Born In Austin:
- Dakota Johnson
- Stone Cold Steve Austin
- Ciara
- Nelly
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Who'd we miss?
