15 famous people from Oregon: most notable Oregonians

15 famous people from Oregon: most notable Oregonians

Oregon, located in the Western United States, is home to over 4 million people. The state is not only known for its geographical diversity but also its numerous talents. Who are the most famous people from Oregon? Some Oregonians have excelled in their trades and put their state on the global map.

Famous people from Oregon
Oregon celebrities Domantas Sabonis, Kaitlin Olson, and Ndamukong Suh. Photo: @dsabonis11, @kaitlinolson, @ndamukongsuh on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

Being a worldwide celebrity is not one of the easiest things to do because you have to be outstanding in what you do. However, there are numerous famous Oregonians with remarkable feats. They started their careers from humble beginnings, and gradually, the world noticed their immense talents, and they are now superstars.

Famous people from Oregon

From actors to singers to comedians to authors, Oregon is among the states with remarkable talents. Wondering which notable persons hail from the state? Here is a compilation of celebrities from Oregon.

Matt Groening

Famous people from Oregon
Matt Groening speaks at The Simpsons Panel during the 2019 Comic-Con International at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo: Amy Sussman
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 15 February 1954
  • Age: 69 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

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Matthew Abram Groening is among the famous people from Portland with a prosperous career in Hollywood. He is a cartoonist, writer, animator, and producer. He has worked on numerous projects, and he is famous for The Simpsons, Futurama, Disenchantment, and the comic strip Life in Hell. Matt has won multiple awards, including 13 Primetime Emmys.

Beverly Cleary

Celebrities from Oregon
Cleary at home in Carmel Valley. Photo: Christina Koci Hernandez
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 12 April 1916
  • Date of death: 25 March 2021
  • Place of birth: McMinnville, Oregon, United States

Beverly Atlee Cleary was a successful author of children’s books and young adults’ fictional stories. Her first book was published in 1950, and since then, more than 90 million copies of her books have been sold worldwide. She won prestigious awards such as the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award (1975) and the National Book Award (1981).

Chael Sonnen

Famous people born in Oregon
Chael Sonnen attends Build to discuss Bellator MMA at Build Studio in New York City. Photo: Desiree Navarro
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 3 April 1977
  • Age: 46 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: West Linn, Oregon, United States

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Chael Patrick Sonnen is among the famous Oregonians, and he made his name as a mixed martial artist during his heyday. Currently, he is a submission grappling promoter and mixed martial arts analyst. He had an impressive fight record, winning 30 and drawing 17 of his 48 fights.

Sally Struthers

Oregon celebrities
Actress Sally Struthers attends the premiere of Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life at the Regency Bruin Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Jason LaVeris
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 28 July 1947
  • Age: 76 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

Struthers is an actress and activist. She commenced her career in acting in 1974 and has been featured in over 70 movies and TV series, winning two Primetime Emmys. Sally is known for her roles in All in the Family, The Getaway, Gilmore Girls, and Five Easy Pieces. She was a spokesperson for ChildFund and advocated for the rights of impoverished children.

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Linus Pauling

Oregon's famous people
American chemist and multiple Nobel Laureate Linus Pauling at a laboratory. Photo: Nancy R. Schiff
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 28 February 1901
  • Date of death: 19 August 1994
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

Linus Carl Pauling is one of the historical figures from Oregon. He was an outstanding scientist, peace advocate, author, and educator. He significantly contributed to science knowledge, publishing over 1200 papers and books. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962.

Bridgette Wilson

Famous Oregonians
Bridgette Wilson-Sampras attends the 55th Annual Mrs. Universe Competition at The Shrine Auditorium. Photo: Patrick McMullan
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 25 September 1973
  • Age: 50 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Gold Beach, Oregon, United States

Bridgette Leann Wilson Sampras is one of the notable persons from Oregon who has made a mark in the entertainment industry. She is a singer and ex-actress known for portraying Dorrit in Carpoolers and Lisa Cramer in Shopgirl. She also had a modelling career and won the Miss Teen USA Award.

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Phil Knight

Famous people from Portland
Phil Knight gestures during the second half of the game between the Texas Tech Red Raiders and the Oregon Ducks at Jones AT&T Stadium in Lubbock, Texas. Photo: John E. Moore III
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 24 February 1938
  • Age: 85 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

Philip Hampson Knight is an American tycoon and philanthropist. He is the co-founder and chairman of Nike, a leading sports equipment and apparel company. According to Forbes magazine, he is the 18th richest person in America, with a net worth estimated at $41.1 billion.

Paige VanZant

Famous athletes born in Oregon
Paige VanZant speaks during the annual Web Summit technology conference in Lisbon, Portugal. Photo: Pedro Fiúza
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 26 March 1994
  • Age: 29 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Dundee, Oregon, United States

Paige Michelle VanZant is a mixed martial artist, professional wrestler, author, bare-knuckle boxer, and model. She competed in the UFC in the flyweight division. Her fight statistics include eight wins and five losses. She boasts a significant following on Instagram, where she shares her modelling shots and endorses brands such as Reebok and Monster Energy Drink.

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Domantas Sabonis

Famous people from Oregon
Domantas Sabonis does an interview after an all-access Sacramento Kings practice at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California. Photo: Rocky Widner
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 3 May 1996
  • Age: 27 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

Domantas Sabonis is among the famous athletes born in Oregon and is a basketball player signed by the Sacramento Kings. His father is also a famous former professional basketball player. He has an impressive NBA career and is an All-NBA Team member and three-time NBA All-Star. He previously played for the Indiana Pacers and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Terri Irwin

Celebrities from Oregon
Animal Conservationist and TV Personality Terri Irwin attends the Steve Irwin Gala Dinner at SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, in Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, California. Photo: Paul Archuleta
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 20 July 1964
  • Age: 59 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Eugene, Oregon, United States

Terri Raines Irwin is among Oregon’s famous people. She is a conservationist, television personality, author and zookeeper. She is the widow of the late Steve Irwin, well-known as The Crocodile Hunter. Terri owns Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland and has appeared in multiple TV shows, such as Irwin Family Adventures.

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Ndamukong Suh

Famous people born in Oregon
Ndamukong Suh of the Philadelphia Eagles walks to the tunnel during an NFL divisional round playoff football game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Photo: Kevin Sabitus
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 6 January 1987
  • Age: 36 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

Ndamukong Ngwa Suh is one of the Oregon celebrities known for his prowess in American football. He plays as a defensive tackle and is currently a free agent. He played college football at Nebraska before beginning his NFL career with the Detroit Lions. He also played for the Miami Dolphins, Los Angeles Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Lisa Brennan-Jobs

Oregon celebrities
Lisa Brennan-Jobs during an interview. Photo: Nathan Congleton
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 17 May 1978
  • Age: 45 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Oregon, United States

Lisa Nicole Brennan-Jobs is a Brooklyn-based writer, also famous as the daughter of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. She has contributed to numerous articles in established magazines such as Vogue, Vanity Fair, The Harvard Advocate, and The Massachusetts Review. She is the author of Small Fry.

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Michael Cassidy

Oregon's famous people
Michael Cassidy speaks at the TBS People of Earth at Comic-Con NY 2016 at the Jacob Javitz Center in New York City. Photo: Cindy Ord
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 20 March 1983
  • Age: 40 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

Michael Cassidy is one of the most famous actors from Oregon. He has been featured in about 15 movies and TV series since debuting in 1979. He is recognised for his roles in Drake & Josh, Hellraiser, and Deadly Messages. He is also a stunt performer in numerous projects.

Kaitlin Olson

Famous Oregonians
Kaitlin Olson attends the Los Angeles premiere of "Blackberry" at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills in West Hollywood, California. Photo: Rodin Eckenroth
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 18 August 1975
  • Age: 48 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

Kaitlin Willow Olson is an established actress with over 40 movies and TV series appearances. She developed an interest in acting at the University of Oregon, where she performed stage plays before turning professional in 1999. Her notable movies and TV series are Finding Dory, The Heat, and Vacation. She won the 2017 Blimp Award.

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Zach King

Famous people from Portland
Zach King speaks on the Telling Stories Across Screens & Programmatic TV panel on the ADARA Stage at Times Center Hall during 2016 Advertising Week in New York City. Photo: Rob Kim
Source: Getty Images
  • Date of birth: 4 February 1990
  • Age: 33 years old (as of 2023)
  • Place of birth: Portland, Oregon, United States

Zach King is also one of the most famous people born in Oregon. He is an online influencer famous for his magic videos on social media. He boasts a massive fan following on Instagram and YouTube. He is also an actor who has been featured in approximately 23 movies and TV series as of writing.

There are numerous famous people from Oregon. The list above features only a few notable celebrities who have impressed people worldwide. Undoubtedly, it is one of the states with diverse rich talents.

Legit.ng recently published a list of famous people from Florida. The state is known for many things, and its people are some of the most prominent personalities worldwide.

How many Floridan celebrities do you know? It is one of the states in the US with many celebrities. Find out which people from Florida have made it big and are known worldwide.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Muhunya Muhonji avatar

Muhunya Muhonji (Lifestyle writer) Muhunya is a graduate of Agricultural Economics from Egerton University, Class of 2014, with a passion for storytelling and content creation. Since joining Legit.ng as a writer in July 2021, he has covered diverse topics such as entertainment, technology, business, and biographies. His journalism journey has seen him complete multiple professional courses, including the AFP Digital Investigation Techniques course (2023), the Google News Initiative course (March 2024), and Fact-Checking and Research training (September 2024). Email: muhunyah@gmail.com

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