Orlando has been home to a host of celebrities, from Oscar-nominated actors to reality television stars, from sports icons both scandalous and loveable. Here’s a gallery of 39 of these celebrities who have called Orlando home over the years. Hint: there’s even a porn star!
A Bishop Moore High School attendee, Mandy Moore started her career as a singer, with her top 40 hit “Candy.” She then went on to star in numerous films, including Saved!, The Princess Diaries and Tangled.viaKerri Strug attended Lake Highland Preparatory School while living in Orlando. During the 1996 Olympics, she was one of the Magnificent Seven, the first U.S. women’s gymnastics team to win a Gold medal. Strug executed the vault (on an injured ankle) that would cinch the gold for the United States in the team gymnastic competition.
viaAnthony Perkins is best known for his Oscar-nominated role as Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. He worked on his acting chops here in Orlando, performing in stage productions while he attended Rollins College in Winter Park. viaBest known for her role on Curb Your Enthusiam Cheryl Hines is a central Florida native through and through, growing up in Melbourne and eventually graduating from UCF. Just this year, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.viaFred Rogers graduated from Rollins College, where they still honor him with annual sweater drives and other events. He is, of course, best known as the well-loved Mr. Rogers. viaJack Kerouac, beat generation author of On the Road, lived in Orlando with his mother while he was awaiting release of the book. While living here, he wrote The Dharma Burns, about his experiences with Buddhism. Kerouac’s old house is now owned by The Kerouac Project, a nonprofit organization that runs a residency program that allows writers to live in the house for three months, in exchange for readings of their works. viaEven though he was born in Germany, Daniel Tosh grew up on the Space Coast and graduated with a marketing degree from the University of Central Florida in 1996. One of his first jobs was as a telemarketer for Central Florida Research Park. His current jobs are much sweeter – he stars in Tosh.0 andBrickleberry.viaDJ Khaled graduated from Dr. Phillips High School, which is well known for its performing-arts programs. He now has an extremely successful rap career where he is known for collaborating with many other performers.viaDelta Burke, a true Orlando native, graduated from Colonial High School where she was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” by her fellow classmates. She was the youngest Miss Florida title-holder in the history of the pageant, but you probably know her best from her portrayal of Suzanne Sugarbaker in Designing Women.viaWayne Brady is a SAK Comedy Lab alumnus who was raised by his grandmother in Orlando. He is widely known for his improvisational comedy and can currently be seen on How I Met Your Mother.viaBoxer Antonio Tarver was born in Orlando in 1968. He is most well known for winning a bronze medal in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, as well as being the only fighter to have won the Pan Am Games, National Championships and World Championships all in the same year.vaiAmanda Bearse, who played Marci Darcy on Married with Children, attended Rollins College. Before that, she was a graduate of Winter Park High School. Nowadays, she works as a director for the Disney Channel.viaA.J. McLean moved to Orlando in 1990 to pursue an acting career with Disney and Nickelodeon television studios. In 1993, he and Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Kevin Richardson, and Brian Littrell formed the Backstreet Boys. McLean has since left Orlando for Los Angeles. viaDana Ivey is often mistaken for Dame Maggie Smith. She received her undergraduate degree from Rollins college and was awarded with an honorary doctorate from the same institution in 2008. She has gone on to do stage and film work. You might recognize her from The Addams Family, The Color Purple andThe Help.viaDrafted in 1992 by the Orlando Magic, Shaq made his home in Orlando. He announced his retirement from basketball in 2011 via Twitter. Shaq also has interests in real estate development projects that assist those in Orlando facing foreclosure.
viaOriginally from Philadelphia, Pa., Billy Gardell graduated from Winter Park High School in the mid-1980s. When he was still a teenager, he worked odd jobs at Bonkerz Comedy Club, eventually performing at their open mic night as a dare. He now co-stars alongside Melissa McCarthy in the Emmy winning television series Mike and MollyviaWelsey Snipes was born in Orlando and graduated from Jones High School. Since graduation, he has become famous for his movies, television work and, you know, tax evasion.
viaWarren Sapp was born in Orlando and played football for Apopka High School. Sapp helped lead the Tampa Bay Bucs to victory in Superbowl XXXVII. He has since retired from the game. viaDahvie Vanity is one-half of the duo Blood on the Dance Floor. Released in 2012, Blood on the Dance Floor’s album Evolution reached 42 on the Billboard 200. viaDana DeArmond calls herself the Internet’s girlfriend. She grew up in Orlando, graduated from University High School and, since 2005, has been a pornographic actress. Before that, she trained as a figure skater and was a street dancer at Disney.To be fair, only one of the Vlog Brothers can officially claim Orlando as home, but John Green has made Orlando like an additional character in his books, so we’ll claim him, too! Hank Green graduated from Winter Park High School. The Green brothers currently make a series of successful YouTube videos under the moniker “The Vlog Brothers.” viaBorn in Orlando, Kirsten Storms knew from the age of five that she wanted to be a soap opera actress. She eventually got roles in both Days of our Lives and General Hospital. Disney Channel fans may also recognize her from Zenon: Girl of the 21st CenturyviaDeanna Lund, a graduate of Rollins College, was best known for her soap opera work in the late 1960s. You may also recognize her as Anna Gram on the classic Batman television series. viaYou probably don’t recognize his face, but if you hear him talk, you’d recognize one of his million voices. Dee Bradley Baker, one of the more famous alumni of SAK Comedy Lab, has done voice over work for Star Tours, Adventure Time, American Dad, The Fairly Odd-Parents and much more.viaBarry Kerch is the drummer for Shinedown. He was a part of the Marching Knights drumline at UCF, where he graduated with a degree in Anthropology.viaHowie Dorough, the youngest of five siblings, was born and raised in Orlando. He, A. J. McLean, Brian Littrell, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson started the Backstreet boys in 1993. Since the Backstreet days have faded, Howie opened a real estate development company with his brother John. viaMatt Lauria graduated from Dr. Phillips High School and went on to roles in 30 Rock, Friday Night Lights and, most recently, Parenthood
viaRob Thomas, of Matchbox Twenty, dropped out of Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs at the age of 17. He went on to form the band Tabitha’s Secret, which split to eventually form Matchbox Twenty. viaHart of Dixie star Scott Porter graduated from Lake Howell High School in Winter Park. Prior to his role in Hart of Dixie, he had roles in Friday Night Lights and Speed RacerviaScott Stapp is best known as the lead singer for Creed. Stapp was born in Orlando and attended Valencia College.
viaCeleb chef Eddie Huang graduated with his BA from Rollins College. He is currently developing a television series based on his memoir Fresh Off the Boat, which is about his experiences growing up in Orlando.viaBeth Littleford, a graduate of Winter Park High School, is an actress and comedienne best known for her work on MTV’s The Hard Times of R.J. Berger and Disney Channel’s Dog with a Blog. You may also recognize her as the Cascade Kitchen Counselor. viaBelieve it or not, singer Terrence Trent D’Arby trained as a boxer in Orlando, wining the 1980 Florida Golden Gloves lightweight championship. He attended UCF for a year, but quit to join the U.S. Army. You probably know him best for his song “Wishing Well.”viaBrian McKnight is a graduate of Evans High School. An R&B/Soul singer, McKnight holds a Grammy record – he’s the person who has had the most nominations without a single win. viaIn 1920, Buddy Ebsen moved with his family to Orlando, where he learned to dance at a studio owned by his father. Ebsen attended Rollins college but had to drop out due to his family’s financial troubles. He is probably best known for his roles in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Beverly Hillbillies.viaEveryone knows that Tiger Woods lived in Windermere when his wife beat him with a golf club for stepping out with other ladies. Golfer Bubba Watson has since bought Tiger’s house of scandal. viaBrian Kleinschmidt and Ericka Dunlap were a married couple on the 15th season of The Amazing Race. They finished the race in third place overall. Brian and Ericka both attended the University of Central Florida, which is where they met and had a five-year-long courtship. Ericka was crowned Miss Florida in 2003. viaTwo-time Survivor contestant Kat Edorsson currently lives in Orlando. She is pursuing her BA at the University of Central Florida and works part-time for an undisclosed company where she claims to be a top producer.
viaBorn in Orlando, Jonathan Jackson and his family moved to Washington when he was young. On a trip to Universal Studios Orlando, he was bit by the acting bug and decided to pursue it as a career. He was a series regular on General Hospital, and he also starred as Jesse Tuck in the 2002 movie Tuck Everlasting.via. These days, Jackson is probably most recognizable for his role as Avery Barkley in the ABC series Nashville.
