Actors From Texas

Born into a family of mixed ancestry in Texas, actor Matthew McConaughey had an interesting childhood. He played sports as a young boy and aspired to become a lawyer. However, he ultimately changed course to venture into acting, a field where he was able to make a mark with his brilliant performances. He is also a producer.

Patrick Swayze, the American actor, dancer, singer and songwriter, was very popular during the 1980s. His movie the ‘Dirty Dancing’ catapulted him to stardom. Ghost was another of his hit films. Swayze died in September, 2009, at the age of 57 due to pancreatic cancer. His final role was that of a FBI Agent in the television series ‘The Beast’.

Actor, singer-songwriter, and comedian, Jamie Foxx became internationally famous for his portrayal of Ray Charles in the biographical film Ray, a role that earned him an Academy Award. He is also known for hosting his own television sitcom, The Jamie Foxx Show. Besides acting, he is also a Grammy Award-winning musician who has released four albums.

Veteran actor and filmmaker, Tommy Lee Jones, has had a career spanning over half a century.  he has played many notable roles onscreen and is especially known for portraying real-life characters like businessman Howard Hughes. He has won an Academy Award for his performance in the movie, The Fugitive. Tommy Lee Jones is an inductee to the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame.

Actor Woody Harrelson has been active in the entertainment world for over 40 years now. The son of a convicted hit-man, he had a difficult childhood and grew up in poverty. However, he was determined to build a good life for himself and earned a BFA in theater before venturing into acting. He is a vegan and an environmental activist.

Comic actor, screenwriter and producer, Owen Wilson has earned praise for acting in movies like Wedding Crashers, Midnight in Paris, Inherent Vice and The Royal Tenenbaums, the last of which he also co-wrote with his long-time friend, Wes Anderson. The charming actor has also lent his voice to animation movies like Fantastic Mr. Fox, Free Birds and Cars film series.

Versatile actor, Bill Paxton is recognised for his work in the movies, Apollo 13, Twister and Titanic, as well as the television series, Big Love. Before these, he began his career as a set-dresser, learnt acting under Stella Adler, did various minor roles and finally bagged films like The Terminator and Alien. His work as a director are Frailty and Fish Heads.

In 2018, Jim Parsons was named by Forbes as the world's highest-paid TV actor. His role as Sheldon Cooper in The Big Bang Theory has played a major role in determining his success as a TV actor. Apart from making him rich, the series was also responsible for earning him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

American actor, Ethan Hawke, is an acclaimed artist and has had a successful career. His breakthrough role was of a school student in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society. Training Day, First Reformed, Boyhood, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight are some of his critically appreciated movies. He has also directed several films and acted in many stage productions.

A man of many talents, Steve Martin is a successful comedian, actor, and musician. In 2004, he was ranked sixth in Comedy Central's 100 greatest stand-up comics list. Despite achieving great fame and success as a comedian and actor, Steve decided to pursue a career in music and began appearing seldom in films to record and tour with bluegrass acts.

Known for his Emmy-nominated performance as Eric Brady in Days of Our Lives, Jensen Ackles had initially wished to study sports medicine. He appeared in the series Supernatural, Dark Angel, and Smallville, and the film My Bloody Valentine 3D. He also voiced Jason Todd in Batman: Under the Red Hood.

Jared Padalecki is an American actor who has been open about his struggle with depression. The Always Keep Fighting campaign, which was launched by him in 2015, raised funds for To Write Love On Her Arms, a nonprofit organization that supports people struggling with addiction and depression. He also owns a '90s-themed bar called Stereotype, in Austin, Texas.

Alan Tudyk is best known as Hoban "Wash" Washburne from the film Serenity and the series Firefly. He has also appeared in the films DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story, Knocked Up, and 3:10 to Yuma, has voiced characters in animated features such as Zootopia, the Ice Age movies, and Frozen.

Chace Crawford's journey from working as a car valet to becoming an actor in the film and TV industry has been quite inspirational. He also serves as an inspiration to college dropouts and to those who suffer from attention deficit disorder as he established a successful career after being diagnosed with ADHD and dropping out of Pepperdine University.

Randy Quaid is an American actor who received critical acclaim for playing President Lyndon Johnson in the 1987 television movie LBJ: The Early Years. Controversy's favorite child, Randy Quaid could not work for almost a decade due to legal troubles; Quaid has been charged with burglary and defraud among other illegal activities.

A dynamic talk and lifestyle television host, Karamo Brown is also a reality television personality, actor, author, and an award-winning activist. Beginning his career with a small role in The Princess Diaries, he later switched to television, making his mark with the MTV reality series The Real World: Philadelphia.  Also a published author, he has three titles to his credit.

Lucas Till is an American actor best known for playing Havok in the X-Men movie series. He is also known for his portrayal of Angus MacGyver in the popular action-adventure television series MacGyver, for which he has received a couple of nominations at the Teen Choice Awards. Also a producer, Lucas Till has co-produced films like All Superheroes Must Die.

Brigette Lundy-Paine is one of the few American actors who are genderqueer; they came out as non-binary in 2019, preferring to be addressed by they/them pronouns. Apart from being an actor, Brigette Lundy-Paine also co-founded an art publication called Waif Magazine and a vocal band called Subtle Pride.

Isaiah Washington is an American actor who achieved popularity after playing Dr. Preston Burke in the popular medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy. After learning about his African roots with the help of a genealogical DNA test, Isaiah Washington traveled to Sierra Leone where he touched the lives of many by building a school and donating supplies to a hospital.

Tye Sheridan is an American actor best known for portraying the younger version of Scott Summers in the reboot X-Men movie series. Apart from being an actor, Tye Sheridan is also an entrepreneur and is credited with co-founding Wonder Dynamics, an AI production tools company, along with Nikola Todorovic.

Robby Benson is an American actor, filmmaker, composer, singer, and teacher. He gained popularity in the late-1970s when he established himself as a teen idol, appearing in films like Ice Castles and One on One. Apart from being an entertainer, Robby Benson is also a fundraiser and activist for heart research.

Don Swayze is an American actor known for his work in popular films and TV series. Over the years, he has also appeared in several stage shows. Don Swayze is also an avid skydiver and cyclist. He races cross country mountain bikes during his free time. He is also credited with establishing Swayze Ranch, an animal therapy ranch in California.