The most famous actors from Missouri

Don Cheadle has been acting since the late 1980s and has been part of many notable projects throughout his career. You may know him as "Rhodey," aka War Machine, in the Marvel films, but did you know he is from Missouri? Though Cheadle lived in several states during his childhood, the actor was born in Kansas City.

Springfield, Missouri, native Kathleen Turner began her acting career in the late 1970s and rose to fame following her film debut in Body Heat. You may remember her most as Chandler Bing's mom from Friends or recognize her voice as Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

Believe it or not, the birthplace of acting legend Dıck Van Dyke is West Plains, Missouri. Known for his stage work and iconic film roles in classics like Mary Poppins and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, he has forever left his mark on the world of entertainment.

Comedian and actor Cedric the Entertainer hails from the capital of Missouri, Jefferson City. What have you seen him in? The better question is, what haven't you seen him in? He's done it all, from Big Momma's House to being a commentator for a boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson. Yes, you read that correctly.

Yes, American Horror Story star Evan Peters was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, until relocating to Los Angeles. You may also know him as Peter Maximoff, aka "Quicksilver," from the X-Men movies and his portrayal of Jeffrey Dahmer in the Netflix series Monster.

Cindy Lou Who herself, Taylor Momsen, is also from the wonderful city of St. Louis, Missouri. Aside from How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Momsen is most likely known for her role as Jenny Humphrey in Gossip Girl. Although she is no longer acting, you can catch her and her band, the Pretty Reckless, on tour next year.

As it turns out, there are many talented people from St. Louis, including actor Kevin Kline. He's known for his work on the stage as well as in television and film, with some of his most reputable films including Sophie's Choice and A Fish Called Wanda. Or perhaps you recognize him for his voice work, particularly as Tulio in The Road to El Dorado or Mr. Fischoeder in Bob's Burgers.

Though brought up in Kansas, Miami Vice actor Don Johnson was born in Flat Creek, Missouri. Other noteworthy performances of Johnson's include his roles in the crime drama series Nash Bridges and such films as Django Unchained and Knives Out.

Cailee Spaeny, the star of Sofia Coppola's Priscilla, grew up in Springfield, Missouri. Spaeny's breakthrough role came in 2018 when she starred in Pacific Rim: Uprising, and she's certainly kept busy since then. You can catch her in the third installment of the Knives Out film series and the second season of Beef on Netflix in 2025.

Jon Hamm is most known for his role as Don Draper in Mad Men, but did you know he got his start in St. Louis, Missouri? Hamm was a high school acting teacher, with actress Ellie Kemper as one of his students, before moving to Los Angeles to seriously pursue a career as an actor.

Kansas City-born and St. Louis-raised actress Ellie Kemper is known for her comedic roles in The Office, Bridesmaids, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, where she got to work with her former acting teacher Jon Hamm. One of her most recent projects is the romantic comedy Happiness for Beginners, available on Netflix.

John Goodman, from Affton, Missouri, has had quite a career, having been a part of several beloved films and TV shows over the years. Some of his most memorable roles include Walter Sobchak in The Big Lebowski, Sulley in Monsters, Inc., and Dan Connor in Roseanne and The Conners.

Actress Dianne Wiest was born in the home of the Chiefs. Audiences most likely remember Wiest from such films as The Birdcage and Edward Scissorhands or her Academy Award-winning performances in Hannah and Her Sisters and Bullets Over Broadway.

Known for his good looks and films like Magic Mike and The Normal Heart, Matt Bomer was born in the town of Webster Groves in the greater St. Louis area. As for television roles, he starred in the series White Collar and recently played Negative Man in Doom Patrol.

St. Louis native Sarah Clarke is best known for her role as Renee, aka Bella's mom, in the Twilight film series, but her big break came when she landed a main role in the crime drama series 24. Before her acting career took off, Clarke was also classmates with fellow actor Jon Hamm.

Actor and comedian David Koechner of Tipton, Missouri, has made us laugh time and time again in some of our favorite comedies. He is most known for his collaborations with fellow Saturday Night Live and Second City alums Will Ferrell and Steve Carell, specifically as sportscaster Champ Kind in the Anchorman film series and Todd Packer in The Office.

Before moving to New York to study acting, Riverdale star Ashleigh Murray grew up in Kansas City. Murray continued to play Archie Comics character Josie McCoy in the spin-off series Katy Keene and received praise for her work on the Hulu original series The Other Black Girl.

Kevin Nealon did not grow up in the state of Missouri; however, the actor and comedian was born in St. Louis. Nealon has been a part of several popular films and television series over the years and has frequently collaborated with fellow former Saturday Night Live  cast member Adam Sandler.

The voice of Sadness in Disney and Pixar's Inside Out, Phyllis Smith, is also from St. Louis, Missouri. Aside from her voice work, you've probably seen her in various comedies, the Netflix original series The OA, or if you happen to be a fan of The Office, you know her as Phyllis Vance.

I suppose I should've called this list "The most famous actors from St. Louis and a few other places in Missouri." Raised in the suburbs of St. Louis, Sterling K. Brown has made quite a name for himself in Hollywood. He won Primetime Emmy Awards for his performances in American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson and This Is Us and received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for the film American Fiction.

What a force Doris Roberts was! Born in St. Louis and raised in New York City, Roberts’ career spanned decades. She won four Primetime Emmys for her performance as Marie Barone in the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond and was always everyone's favorite character, no matter who she played.