
It’s no secret -Philadelphia is one of the world’s best cities. Not only are we the City of Brotherly Love, we’re a city full of famous faces who once called Philly home. From music legends to Hollywood stars, here are 25 of Philly’s finest celebs that are from our area. Can you recognize everyone on the list?
1. Will Smith
In West Philadelphia born and raised, Will Smith is indeed one of Philly’s most famous faces. An Actor, rapper, comedian, and producer, Smith is best known for The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and a slew of numerous blockbuster films.
2. Kevin Hart
Hart is a comedian and actor from North Philadelphia known for stand-up specials and films such like Ride Along and Jumanji.
3. Tina Fey
This Upper Darby native is considered one of the most famous people from Pennsylvania. A comedian, writer, and actress, Fey is best known for the cult-classic Mean Girls, as well as 30 Rock, and Saturday Night Live.
4. Questlove
The talented drummer, producer, and leader of the iconic group The Roots, hails from West Philly. When he isn’t curating one of Philly’s hottest festival, The Roots Picnic, you can find him leading the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
5. Pattie LaBelle
Legendary soul singer and actress known as the “Godmother of Soul” was born in the Eastwick section of Southwest Philly. The If Only You Knew singer, is also known for her famous sweet potato pies.
6. Bradley Cooper
This famous actor known for films like Silver Linings Playbook, A Star is Born, and American Sniper was born in Abington Township and grew up in nearby quaint Jenkintown. Indeed, Cooper is proud to be a Philadelphian, often showing his pride and what it means to be “a Philly guy.”
7. Lil’ Uzi Vert
The eccentric and fashionably-forward rapper known for hits like XO TOUR Llif3 and Money Longer hails from North Philadelphia. Lil’ Uzi began rapping in high school and branded emo rap to amass millions of fans globally.
8. Eve
Eve is a Philly-born rapper, singer, and actress known for hits like Let Me Blow Ya Mind and the sitcom Eve. The star just released a new memoir appropriately titled “Who’s That Girl” where she talks about many topics including growing up in West Philly and Germantown.
9. Pink (P!nk)
This Doylestown native is a international pop singer known for songs like Just Give Me a Reason and What About Us.
10. Jill Scott
Grammy-winning R&B and soul singer, poet, and actress Jill Scott hails from North Philadelphia. Additionally, the 2300 block of Oakdale Street in North Philadelphia was renamed Jill Scott Lane to honor the artist.
11. Meek Mill
Hold up, wait a minute, y’all thought I was finished? Meek is an iconic rapper known for the unofficial Philly anthem Dreams and Nightmares and his advocacy for criminal justice reform.
12. Kevin Bacon
Actor Kevin Bacon grew up in Philadelphia’s Fitler Square on the 2100 block of Locust Street and attended Julia R. Masterman High School. He is best known for films like Footloose and Hollow Man.
13. Lee Daniels
Daniels, born in West Philly, is a filmmaker and producer behind films like Precious and the TV series Empire.
14. Taylor Swift
This Berks County native grew up in West Reading, PA about 60 miles northwest of Philadelphia. On her recent Eras tour, Swift called her Philly stop her ‘hometown concert” showing just how much she loves Philadelphia.
15. Guion Bluford
Bluford was the first African American astronaut in space and is originally from West Philly. He attended and graduated from Overbook High School.
16. Kobe Bryant
Kobe Bryant is an NBA legend, born in Philadelphia who attended Lower Merion High School before his storied basketball career. Gone too soon, Bryant leaves behind a legacy and The Mamba Mentality that shaped him to be one of the greatest of all time.
17. PnB Rock
Rakim Hasheem Allen, professionally known as PnB Rock, was born in the Germantown neighborhood of Philadelphia. Rock brought to the forefront a unique and eclectic sound with hits such as Selfish, Feelins, and I like Girls. In 2022, the rising star was gunned down in Los Angeles but his legacy and impact on Philadelphia’s culture and music scene lives on.
18. Jazmine Sullivan
Sullivan, a talented R&B singer-songwriter known for her powerful voice and albums like Heaux Tales, was born in raised in North Philadelphia.
19. Boy II Men
Motown Philly back again! This legendary R&B group famous for hits like End of the Road and I’ll Make Love to You are indeed Philly natives. Although they hail from different sections of the city, the group members collectively attended the Philadelphia High School for the Creative Performing Arts. In honor of the group, a portion of the Avenue of the Arts was renamed Boyz II Men Boulevard.
20. M. Night Shyamalan
Shyamalan, a Philly native, is a world-renowned filmmaker known for The Sixth Sense, Signs, and Split. Philadelphia is the setting for many of his movies. Shyamalan was born in India but only spent his first six week of life there. He was raised in Penn Valley, PA, a Philadelphia suburb on the Main Line.
21. Rob McElhenney
This famous celebrity from South Philadelphia is an actor, writer, and producer, best known for creating and starring in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
22. Quinta Brunson
Brunson is a writer and actress who created and stars in the hit-sitcom Abbott Elementary. Earlier this year, the West Philadelphia native took home an Emmy award for Best Actress in a comedy, making her only the second Black woman since 1981 to win the coveted accolade.
23. Grace Kelly
Undeniably, Philly is a city of royalty. The Oscar-winning actress who later became Princess of Monaco was born at the now-closed Hahnemann Hospital and grew up in the close-knit neighborhood of East Falls in Philadelphia.
24. Da’vine Joy Randolph
Randolph, who hails from the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia, is a graduate of Temple University. Earlier this year, she took home her very first Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Holdovers.
25. Richard Gere
This handsome actor grew up in upstate New York but was born in Philadelphia. Gere is best known for a slew of classic blockbusters including Chicago, Pretty Woman, and Primal Fear.