Louisiana: Fertile Ground for Actors
Louisiana is called home for a lot of actors. This is certainly not exhaustive! These are some of the most popular in recent years. Check it out!
Ian Somerhalder - Covington, Louisiana. His home town is just 20 minutes from where I live. Although I think he uses his cocked brow and smirk a little too much on the show, Vampire Diaries is much better because he’s on it - especially when he actually shows his acting chops.
Sam Trammell - New Orleans, LA. Unfortunately, True Blood is shot in Shreveport, LA, which is at least five hours away from his home town! Also, did anyone else think he was naked a whole heck of a lot this last season?
Pruitt Taylor Vince - Baton Rouge, LA. Hailing from the “Red Stick,” Vince has been in a ton of stuff. But I particularly enjoyed his performance as Otis on “The Walking Dead.” I can’t wait for the next season!
Reese Witherspoon - New Orleans, LA. Did you know her first name is actually Laura?
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Tim Mcgraw - Delhi, LA. I know he isn’t an actor, but he’s still pretty damn famous.
Tyler Perry - New Orleans, LA. Dressing drag as an old woman is uncommon, even on Bourbon. But this guy is pretty freakin’ funny.
Katherine LaNasa - New Orleans, LA. She had a bit part on one of my favorite shows, “Burn Notice.” She can be seen on “Alfie,” and most recently you can see her in “The Campaign” with Will Ferrell and Zach Galafianakis which was shot here in New Orleans a few months ago.
Britney Spears - Kentwood, LA. Again, not an actor…but geez. Louisiana really is fertile ground for performers, dontchathink?
Ashley Scott - Metairie, LA. This lovely lady was born where I’ll be living, and lived where I was born - Charleston, SC. Did you catch all that? Anywho, you’ve seen her in “Dark Angel,” “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” “Walking Tall,” “Strange Wilderness,” “12 Rounds,” and more.
RJ Mitte - Lafayette, LA. The birthplace of a couple of people on this list. This young man began acting to make friends, believe or not. Now he’s one of my favorite characters on “Breaking Bad.” I hope he finds out what his dad does one day…
Jared Leto - Bossier City, LA. He rose to fame opposite Claire Danes in “My So-Called Life,” and continued to choose excellent roles, such as the lead in “Requiem for a Dream.” This guy is simply intense. He freaked me out in “Panic Room” and branched off to a parallel music career by founding 30 Seconds to Mars with his brother.
Zachary Levi - Lake Charles, LA. “Chuck” anyone?
Sabrina Le Beauf - New Orleans, LA. I know she isn’t very popular today, but “The Cosby Show” is a classic, right? Did you know she’s like 54 years old?!?
Anthony Mackie - New Orleans, LA. He’s known for his role in “The Hurt Locker.” But I personally loved him in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” which was shot here in New Orleans. Maybe I’m biased.
Pauley Perrette - New Orleans, LA. She plays the eccentric Abby on “NCIS.”
Danneel Harris-Ackles - Lafayette, LA. You probably know her for her role on “One Tree Hill,” but I loved her little cameo on “How I Met Your Mother.” She’s also married to one of my favorite actors. Ten points to whoever knows without looking it up.
Pat Carroll - Shreveport, LA. You probably don’t recognize this young lady. But if you heard her talk, you probably would. She was the reason for some of my nightmares as a kid. Haven’t figured it out yet? She provided the voice for Ursula in “The Little Mermaid.”
Patricia Clarkson - New Orleans, LA. I got the chance to see this lovely lady up close during the Muses parade this past Mardi Gras season. It seems like she’s in everything, doesn’t it?
Harry Connick Jr. - New Orleans, LA. You knew his picture was coming up, right? This crooner is quintessentially New Orleanian, fo sho. One of my best friends personally witnessed his rise to fame, having been in the same music circles in the late 80s. As my friend says “The minute I heard his song featured on the ‘When Harry Met Sally’ trailer on TV, I knew he was going to make it main stream,” which is actually very hard to do as a jazz artist. But, of course, we know that this gentleman is immensely talented in so many, many things…it may have been just a matter of time.
Ellen DeGeneres - Metairie, LA. Another celeb hailing from “Metry.” Metairie is literally 10 to 20 minutes west of New Orleans, so she might as well be from New Orleans, right?
Sean Patrick Flanery - Lake Charles, LA. He was born there, but was actually raised in Texas. But that’s ok, I’ll still take it. You know this guy from “The Boondock Saints.”
John Goodman - New Orleans, LA. OK, technically Goodman is not from New Orleans, but he’s certainly a permanent transplant (like me)! You know him from “Roseanne,” but I loved him in “Treme” which is shot right here in New Orleans. I met my fiance on the set of that show. Anyway, Goodman is good friends with an old boss of mine. They are too large men that go out and fish, shoot the shit, and talk like yats. I really hope Goodman isn’t as big of a dick as my old boss is…
Barry Shabaka Henley - New Orleans, LA. Here’s another character actor who seems to be in everything, constantly working. Recently, he had a major role in “Collateral” opposite Tom Cruise.
John M. Jackson - Baton Rouge, LA. This guy was pretty popular in the 90s because of “JAG.” But most recently you’ll have seen him in “Bones.”
Eddie Jemison - New Orleans, LA. This guy can play a nervous neurotic like nobody else. He’s been in all the “Ocean’s” movies, as well as “Bruce Almighty,” “The Informant!” and a ton of cameos in television.
Angela Kinsey - Lafayette, LA. She plays our favorite stuck-up prude on “The Office!”
