LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky is home to UK sports fandom, fresh bourbon, and plenty of celebrities with ties to the state, including George Clooney and two members of the "Backstreet Boys," who were all born in Lexington.
Although many celebrities often call Los Angeles or New York home, you may not have known that these celebrities are from The Bluegrass State:
1. George Clooney
Stardom followed Clooney outside of his birth town of Lexington. The "Gravity" star found his way to Hollywood from Kentucky, becoming one of the most prominent Hollywood A-listers in town.
In 2020, Clooney appeared on The Howard Stern Show and explained to audiences that his Uncle Jack inspired his accent in the 2000 film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" after Director's Joel and Ethan Coen said that his character "was kinda of a hick."
Clooney expressed to Stern, "I'm from Kentucky, man" and noted that he went on to send the script and a tape recorder to his uncle. He then asked his uncle to read the whole script into the tape recorder and his character's accent was born.
2. Jennifer Lawrence
The "Silver Linings Playbook" star was born in Indian Hills, Ky. and apparently brought her Kentucky accent with her when she entered Hollywood.
In a 2015 appearance on the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert," Lawrence was asked by Colbert: "When does your accent come back?"
“I’m told by boyfriends when I’m yelling, and then probably maybe when I’m drinking,” Lawrence said. “But I don’t think I have one anymore.”
3. Josh Hutcherson
Before becoming world famous in "The Hunger Games" franchise, Josh Hutcherson was working his way toward the entertainment industry in Kentucky.
Hutcherson was born in Union, Ky. and, based on a 2013 photo of him at a UK Wildcats basketball game on eonline.com, he takes pride in his home state.
Further, while appearing on Conan in 2012, Hutcherson said that he is a "die hard UK fan," and has no problem painting his face to show team spirit.
4 & 5. Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell
"Backstreet Boys" members and cousins Kevin Richardson and Brian Littrell were born in Lexington and both were inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2015.
"When you hear the name 'Backstreet Boys' most people probably, automatically, don't equate it to Kentucky but two-thirds of the Backstreet Boys are strongly, deeply, rooted in Kentucky," Richardson emotionally expressed during the hall of fame acceptance speech.
6. Ashley Judd
Before "Kiss the Girls," "Double Jeopardy," "Heat" and "Divergent," actress Ashley Judd called Kentucky her home, and still does, displaying her love for University of Kentucky basketball on her social media accounts.
Although Judd was born in Los Angeles, her mother, legendary country musician Naomi Judd, moved Ashley and her sister Wynonna to Kentucky where she attended several schools, including the Sayre School in Lexington. Ashley ultimately graduated from UK.
Ashley has been notably present at several UK basketball games and has expressed her unwavering support for the team, wearing a UK shirt during several interviews.
7. Diane Sawyer
Before Sawyer was using her journalistic skills to craft a variety of human interest stories in the entertainment industry, she called Kentucky home.
She was born in Glasgow and reportedly grew up in Louisville, according to Kentucky to the World. Further, she made her way back to Kentucky after graduating college, where she began her career as a weather forecaster at a Louisville station.
8. Johnny Depp
Depp was born in Owensboro, Ky. before quickly making a name for himself in the entertainment world, starring in highly notable roles, including "Edward Scissorhands, "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, just to name a few.
During a press junket for his movie "The Rum Diary," Depp talked about his process of playing his character stating, "There's something that's bred into you in this kind of chivalrous southern gentlemen kind of thing..."
