Famous People From Oregon

Chael Sonnen is a retired mixed martial artist. He is also a submission grappling promoter and mixed martial arts (MMA) analyst. He began his mixed martial arts career in 1997 and soon became a top contender in both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). He has also made a few film appearances. 

Actor, musician, and activist, River Phoenix. was the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor, Joaquin Phoenix. The child of “hippyish” parents, he had an unconventional upbringing. He began acting as a young boy and enjoyed a successful career. The promising young man died of a drug overdose when he was just 23.

Only person to win two unshared Nobel Prizes, Linus Carl Pauling was an American theoretical physical chemist, who received the 1954 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on nature of chemical bond and 1962 Nobel Prize for Peace for his efforts to stop nuclear weapon testing. Also a prolific writer and educator, he has published 1,200 books and papers.  

Katee Sackhoff would have pursued a career in professional swimming if not for a knee injury which she suffered early in her life. Apart from leading her to become an actress, the injury also made her practice yoga and transcendental meditation, which she continues to practice. Also known for her humanitarian work, she co-founded a motorcycle-riding charity called Acting Outlaws.

Kaitlin Olson is an actress and comedian. She started her career with the improvisational group The Groundlings and went on to become one of the most popular members of the group. She then established herself in the American TV industry, landing critical roles in series like Flipped. After marrying Rob McElhenney, Olson bought Skinner's Bar, which was renamed Mac's Tavern.

American–Australian naturalist Terri Irwin is best known as the co-host of The Crocodile Hunter, along with her husband, the late animal expert Steve Irwin. She has also been part of shows such as Croc Files and Crikey! It's the Irwins, and helped in the development of Australia Zoo.

Paige VanZant is an American mixed martial artist, model, and author. Although she spent over 13 years exploring dance forms like hip hop, ballet, and jazz in a dance studio owned by her parents, VanZant took up martial arts during her teenage years and went on to compete in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A multi-talented personality, VanZant also loves hunting.

Rebecca Schaeffer started her career as a model and is best remembered for her role as Patricia "Patti" Russell in the comedy My Sister Sam. She was shot to death at 21, by an obsessed fan named Robert John Bardo, who had been stalking her for a while.

Holly Madison is American model and television personality who made her presence felt on the small screen with roles in the TV shows,The Girls Next Door and Holly's World. A former girlfriend of Hugh Hefner, Holly Madison has the credit of leading the then-largest bikini parade with the Las Vegas mayor in 2009. Her memoir, Down the Rabbit Hole, briefly topped the bestseller list.

Sally Struthers is an American actress best known for playing Gloria Stivic in the popular sitcom television series All in the Family, for which she received a couple of Emmy Awards. Also a well-known activist, Struthers has been working towards improving the lives of impoverished children as part of her work as a spokesperson for the child development organization, ChildFund.

Long-distance runner Steve Prefontaine had competed in only one Olympic, finishing fourth in the 5000m race in Munich. However, he had begun breaking records since high school and excelled in cross-country running. His tragic death in a car accident after attending a party ended his life and his sports dreams.

Two-time Olympic decathlon champion Ashton Eaton began his international career in 2008, winning his first international medal, a silver, at the 2011 World Championships. In the following year, he won two gold medals, one in Heptathlon at the World Indoor Championships and the other in Decathlon in London Olympic Games, defending his Olympic title four years later in Rio de Janeiro.

Taya Kyle is an American political commentator and author. Since the death of her husband US Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle, Taya Kyle has been working towards the welfare of military veterans' family. In 2014, she established the Chris Kyle Frog Foundation as part of her work. In the 2014 movie American Sniper, Taya Kyle was played by Sienna Miller.

Zach King is an American actor, artist, and social media celebrity. He achieved international fame when he started posting videos on platforms like YouTube and Vine. Over the course of his career, Zach King has won several awards, including a Critics' Choice Award and Vidcon Golden Poop Award.

Aminé is an American rapper, songwriter, and singer. He is best known for his hit single Caroline, which took the US Billboard Hot 100 by storm by peaking at number 11 on the chart. In 2017, Aminé was nominated at the BET Hip Hop Awards under the Best New Hip Hop Artist category.

Dick Fosbury is an American former track and field athlete who specialized in the high jump. Widely regarded as one of the most influential athletes in track and field history, Fosbury revolutionized the high jump with a new technique which came to be known as the Fosbury Flop. Dick Fosbury also won the gold medal at the 1968 Olympics.

American Instagram sensation and model Hannah Stocking started her online career with Vine and later also gained fame for her comedy skits on TikTok. She has also hosted the YouTube Music talk show Mindie and has also appeared in the web series Amigos and in Blink-182's track She's Out of Her Mind.

Scott Hatteberg is an American former baseball player who played as a first baseman and catcher. In an illustrious Major League Baseball (MLB) career that spanned 13 years, Scott Hatteberg played for popular teams like the Cincinnati Reds, Oakland Athletics, and Boston Red Sox. He also represented the US national baseball team at the 1990 Baseball World Cup.

American figure skater, Tonya Harding, was the 1991 and 1994 US champion but her 1994 title was taken away after a controversy erupted regarding her ex-husband. He was charged with planning an attack on a rival American skater, Nancy Kerrigan. Tonya Harding was banned for life by the US Figure Skating Association after she pleaded guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice.