Massachusetts, home to the stars?

Massachusetts has been the home for many Hollywood stars in their formative years. And as the home to 8 sports championships in the last 15 years, (working on 9), we have more than our share of local sports super stars as well. There's so many, I'll be building this post in stages, and the ranking is going to be biased. Here are the basic criteria. It really helps if you were born and or raised here. If you weren't you'd better be pretty special. It also helps if you live here NOW, especially if you weren't born here. And if you're a huge

 

 

  1. Tom Brady. (Brookline) He's the biggest star in town. How big? He could run for Governor, as a conservative Republican, and carry the blue state of Massachusetts. Yeah, I know, he's a California boy. But he's been here for 15 years, sold his mansion in California to live here, and he's TOM *freakin* BRADY. That puts you at the top of a lot of lists, including this one. He's even developed a Boston Accent.
  2. Curt Schilling. (Medfield) Curt's not from here. But he came to town to break "the curse", then helped to go out and do just that, and still lives here today. Good Enough for me.
  3. Ted Williams. (Brookline) Yes, he was born in California. Yes, he spent many of his golden years in Florida. All true. But he has a TUNNEL named after him, and that makes him a local.
  4. Doug Flutie (Natick) A high school hero, he went to Boston College and lit up the NCAA during his time at QB, culminating in the Pass that I will never forget. Had a moderately successful pro-career, including some solid seasons with the New England Patriots.
  5. Lou Merloni (Framingham), Lou's not headed to the Hall of Fame, but as a local boy who came up and played in some key moments for the Sox. Never flashy, he was the type of player where grit counted more than talent. Sox fans appreciate the role players too.
  6. Luis Tiant (Southborough) Luis recently sold his home in Southborough, but he was a supremely important Red Sox pitcher with a memorable windup and lived for years in my hometown. That gets you on the list.
  7. Marvelous Marvin Hagler, champion boxer (Brockton). If you think he's not a Boxing great, you don't know Boxing. Marvelous Marvin was born in NJ, but moved to Brockton at a young age, and was known for his training session on Cape Cod.

 

 

 

View Massachusetts Stars in a larger map

 

 

 

 

  1. Matt Damon. (Cambridge) A megawatt action star who is best known for his Drama based in Boston, Good Will Hunting, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Screenplay. Not bad.
  2. Mark Wahlberg, (Boston), One of the original members of "Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch", which had a surprising run in the sun despite that ridiculous group name, he parlayed that run into one of the more successful actors in Hollywood. He is watchable, and relateable, things which the glamour of Hollywood often obscures. He's proven immune probably from his formative years in city.
  3. Ben Affleck (Cambridge). Avid fans will know Affleck was born in California, but he moved here when he was two, stared and wrote "Good Will Hunting," and is a rabid BoSox fan. That checks the box for me. Oh, and he's also an award-winning director and has recently begun to reclaim his status as a leading actor in Hollywood.
  4. Denis Leary, (Worcester) Many comedians call the Bay State home. Leary has never forgotten where he grew up, is an enormous Bruins fan, and was a leading charitable figure after six Worcester firefighters lost their lives in a commercial building fire in 1999.
  5. Russell, Kurt (Springfield). If you grew up on 80's action flicks, Kurt Russell is one of your heroes. He's one of mine anyway. "Big Trouble in Little China" is a classic that will never get old. He also gets point for the turn in "Miracle," which is as quality a sports film as you can get. Oh yeah, and he has a son named Boston.
  6. Leonard Nimoy, (Boston).  Spock isn't really from another planet.  He's from Boston.
  7. John Krasinski, (Newton). John got his big break on "The Office", and has his career grow in leaps in bounds since. Not hard to see why, he's a funny dude.
  8. Amy Poehler (Burlington) A leading lady of comedy, who got her big break on her long run with SNL, and has since had a nice run in Hollywood as well. She was born in Newton, but raised in Burlington. Local gal all the way.

 

Added soon...

 

 

Carell, Steve (Concord)

Davis, Geena (Wareham)

Spader, James (Boston)

Thurman, Uma (Boston)

Lemmon, Jack (Newton)

 

Perry, Matthew (Williamstown)

 

Pompeo, Ellen (Everett)

Chiklis, Michael (Lowell)

Meghan Trainor (Nantucket)

Jay Leno (Andover)



Bill Guerin, hockey player

Marvin Hagler, champion boxer

Matt Hasselbeck, football player

Tim Hasselbeck, football player

Mark Fidrych, baseball pitcher,

Tony Conigliaro, baseball player

Nancy Kerrigan, Olympic figure skater

Howie Long, Hall of Fame football player, sportscaster

Rocky Marciano, undefeated heavyweight boxer

Aly Raisman (born 1994), Olympic gymnast

Jerry Remy, baseball player, broadcaster

Jermaine Wiggins, football player

Mike Milbury, hockey player and coach

Paul Azinger, golfer, TV commentator

Jerry Azumah, football player

Jeff Bagwell, baseball player

Mark Bavaro, football player

Vince Wilfork, football player





Affleck, Casey (Falmouth)

Benchley, Robert (Worcester)

Brennan, Walter (Swampscott)

Davis, Bette (Lowell)

Dushku, Eliza (Boston)

Edelstein, Lisa (Boston)

Francis, Arlene (Boston)

Hines, Connie (Dedham)

Janney, Allison (Boston)

Johnson, Amy Jo (Cape Cod)

JoJo (Foxboro)

Kaling, Mindy (Cambridge)

Schilling, Taylor (Boston)

Slattery, John (Boston)

Wahlberg, Donnie (Boston)

Witt, Alicia (Worcester)