Shining Stars of Baltimore

BALTIMORE — Baltimore is the birthplace to a lot of talented people. From actors to musicians, you can find a piece of Baltimore anywhere in the country. Take a look at the list we’ve compiled and you might be surprised by a few faces!

Penn Badgley:
Most notably known for his roles as Dan Humphrey in “Gossip Girl” and more recently, Joe Goldberg in the popular Netflix series “You.” As Goldberg he goes through extreme lengths to insert himself into the lives of the people he loves. Badgley was born in Baltimore in 1997 and even expressed support of the city during the 2015 Freddie Gray riots.

Babe Ruth:
Arguably the greatest baseball player of all time, this old school slugger was born in Pigtown. His birthplace has since been turned into a museum. The museum houses sports memorabilia and history facts on Ruth’s life. He won 7 World Series Championships, 12 American League home run titles, 6 AL RBI titles and the 1924 AL batting title.

Michael Phelps:
This Olympic swimmer is one of the most decorated Olympians of all time. Earning 28 total medals and 23 of them were gold, he’s certainly had a decorated career. He became the youngest athlete to make the Olympic swim team in 68 years at the age of 15. His last Olympic experience was in 2016 at the Rio Games, and since then he’s started his own brand of swimwear and training gear.

Documentary about anxiety features Michael Phelps — RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – AUGUST 14: Michael Phelps of the United States speaks during a press conference at the Main Press Centre on August 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

Julie Bowen:
The second Hollywood star on this list, she played Claire Dunphy in the ABC sitcom “Modern Family” and she’s a two-time Emmy Award winner. Bowen also played Denise Bauer for three years on the series “Boston Legal.” Never afraid to rep her hometown, she hopes her career will bring her back to Baltimore. “I would love to get an acting job in Baltimore,” Bowen said in an interview.

64th Primetime Emmy Awards - Winners Walk — LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 23: Julia Bowen accepts the award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for “Modern Family” offstage at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences 64th Primetime Emmy Awards at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on September 23, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Michael Underwood/Invision for the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences/AP Images)

Mario:
The “Let Me Love You,” singer signed a record deal at the young age of 14. Music may have taken him out of Baltimore, but he’s also tried his hand at acting and modeling as well. His debut album was released in 2002. Growing up on both sides of the city, he went to both Pikesville Middle and Milford Mill Academy.

GRAMMY AWARDS MARIO — R&B singer Mario arrives for the 48th Annual Grammy Awards Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2006, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

David Hasselhoff:
One of the most well known actors around the world is from right here in Baltimore! Formally a judge on America’s Got Talent, his rise to fame came from the popular television series “Baywatch.” At its prime, the show brought in over one billion weekly viewers in over 140 countries. He also made a brief cameo as himself in the “Spongebob Squarepants Movie.”

Muggsy Bogues:
He became the smallest player to play in the NBA at 5’3. Bogues spent his 14-year career playing with the Washington Bullets, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors. He even had a small role in the blockbuster movie “Space Jam.”

Anna Faris:
You may know this actor from her reoccurring role as Cindy Campbell in the horror parody franchise “Scary Movie.” She spent the first six years of her life here before moving out west to Washington. Her father was a sociology professor at Towson University. She’s also done voice over work in “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” and “The Emoji Movie.”

Todd Gurley:
The free agent running back is not only a Baltimore native, but a big Orioles fan as well. He has rushed for for 6,082 yards and amassed 2,254 receiving yards over six NFL seasons.
He also led the NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2017 and in 2018 and helped the Rams reach Super Bowl 53 during the 2018-19 season.

Nancy Pelosi:
Known as a force in the Democratic Party, Pelosi has a long history in politics. She hails from the D’Alesandro family, a political powerhouse with two former Baltimore mayors and the first female speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. Her family grew up in the “Little Italy” area of Baltimore.

Mike Rowe:
“The dirtiest man on TV” used to kick it right here in Baltimore. Rowe is a TV host, writer, narrator, producer, actor and spokesman. He studied at Overlea High School and gained an interest in theater and singing. Rowe would go on to graduate from Towson University with a degree in communication studies in 1985. Best known for his work on the tv show “Dirty Jobs.” On the show he would perform disgusting jobs alongside the other employees.

Jada Pinkett Smith:
Long before she was married to Will Smith, the actress called Baltimore her home. She graduated from Baltimore School of the Arts, majoring in Theater and Dance. She attended the school at the same time as Tupac Shakur. Pinkett Smith grew up in the West Baltimore neighborhood known as Park Heights.