Celebrities You Didn’t Know Were From the South

Although the megastar has toured across the world, she is a Texan at heart. Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter was born and raised in Houston, Texas.

From Miss Congeniality to Hope Floats, this Academy Award-winning actress was born in Arlington, Virginia.

The actor, producer, activist, and two-time Academy Award winner was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky

The lovable Friends character, and star of the sitcom Cougar Town, was born and raised in Mountain Brook, Alabama.

The man of many roles was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, and raised in Florida, where he was the frontman of many garage bands before trying out for his first role in Nightmare on Elm Street in 1984. 

Born and raised with her five siblings in St. Matthews, South Carolina.

One of a championship team of U.S. Olympic gymnasts dubbed The Fierce Five  at the 2012 London Games, this Virginia Beach native came home with two gold medals.

The Transformers star was born in Rockwood, Tennessee, and raised in Saint Petersburg, Florida.

Jennifer Garner is many things—mom, sister, actor, activist, producer—but the role she identifies with most is being a Garner girl. And the Garner girls were raised in Charleston, West Virginia. Read her story here.

Steel Magnolias. Pretty Women. Notting Hill. My Best Friend’s Wedding. Ocean’s 11. Her hits go on. One of America’s sweethearts was born in Smyrna, Georgia.

Are you like Julia’s character Shelby? Take our quiz here.

Singer, songwriter, and everyone’s favorite guy from Memphis, Tennessee.

This American sweetheart was born in New Orleans but raised in Nashville, Tennessee. So it makes sense that her first Draper James store opened its doors in the Music City.  Read more about Reese’s Southern roots here.