5 Famous Actors You Didnt Realize Were Texan

Many of Hollywood’s biggest stars grew up in the Lone Star State. Did you know these five famous actors and actresses are originally from Texas?

Jamie Foxx

A man of many talents, Jamie Foxx, born Eric Marlon Bishop, is a natural when it comes to performing. Hailing from Terrell, Texas, Jamie started his career as a stand-up comedian and eventually branched out into both singing and acting. He is the first black performer to be nominated for two Golden Globes awards in the same year, for lead actor in his emotional performance in Ray (2004) and for supporting actor in Collateral (2004). More recently, Jamie has played prominent roles in films Django Unchained (2012), The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014), and Annie (2014).

Eva Longoria

Patrick Swayze

While it is no secret that heartthrob Patrick Swayze knew how to burn up the dance floor, it may come as a surprise that he grew up in Houston, where he was a student at his mother’s dance studio. He had several small supporting roles in TV shows and movies up until he hit it big with his breakthrough role as Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing (1987). Just a few years later, he kept up his success with his role of Sam Wheat in the blockbuster Ghost (1990), which was the highest-grossing film of that year. He struggled to find much success after those two films and eventually ended up back on Broadway working on the musical, Chicago.

Debbie Reynolds

El Paso has claiming rights to iconic classic Hollywood star Debbie Reynolds. At a young age, Debbie found her niche in musicals, leading to outstanding performances in Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and The Unsinkable Molly Brown (1964). Other noteworthy performances by Debbie include her titular role in Tammy and the Bachelor (1957) and as the voice of Charlotte in Charlotte’s Web (1973). Known for her boundless energy, Debbie had a successful 50-year acting career and will continue to be a household name for years to come.

Renée Zellweger

Renée Zellweger’s first major film role was somehow fitting for the Katy, Texas-raised actress: Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994). She followed up with her critically-acclaimed role in Empire Records (1995) and box office hit Jerry Maguire (1996). She is best known for her lead role in the romantic comedy Bridget Jones’s Diary (2001), which earned her nominations for both the Academy and BAFTA awards for Best Actress. She won two Best Actress Golden Globes for Nurse Betty (2000) and Chicago (2002), opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.