10 Famous People You Didn't Know Were from Michigan

You call yourself a fan that follows and honors some celebrity? Do you know all about them? People say that your birthplace affects your life in general and those from Michigan carry it with them their entire life. There must be something about being surrounded by the Great Lakes that makes one more apt to strive for greatness. Here is the list of famous people you probably didn’t know were from Michigan. Maybe some of them were born in your neighborhood or went to same High School as you, who knows!

  Madonna

Veronica Ciccone, better known as Madonna is well-known the singer, songwriter and actress who started her life in Bay City. Although she now speaks with an inexplicable British accent, there is no denying that her early years in Michigan shaped her life for decades to come.

  Francis Ford Coppola

One of the greatest Hollywood influences in the commercial movies Mr. Coppola was born in Detroit. Interestingly enough, his father was a flutist in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra,. Everyone loved his Oscar-winning Godfather series which later enabled him to create his personal favorite Apocalypse Now. Even though his family moved to New York  soon after he was born what he remembers of Detroit left a strong impact to his life and career.

  Jerry Bruckheimer

Another Detroit-born film-related person is well known the producer of CSI shows as well of movies like Top Gun, Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, Enemy of the State, etc. Jerry stayed at his hometown until he turned 17 and went to college. He went to Mumford High School on the westside of town along with other notable almunia, Gilda Radner, Jemele Hill, and Derrick Mason.

  Butterbean (Boxer)

You’d think that a guy who shares the name with a vegetable might be in pretty good shape. This is definitely not the case with with Famous Boxer Butterbean, born Eric Esch from Bay City, Michigan. Although he now resides in Jasper, Alabama, the Michigan born fighter who once competed at well above 400 pounds is originally from the thumb area of Michigan.

  Bob Eubanks

Born in Flint, but later taken to California, Bob Eubanks has always called Vehicle City home. Bob was a TV personality well known for hosting many shows. He even got his Hollywood Walk of Fame star and a Grammy award for a life work. He is best known for hosting the game show The Newlywed Game.

  Terry Crews

Flint was a birthplace of yet another influential person. Actor Terry Crews well known for his appearance in “Old Spice” commercial and show Everybody Hates Chris once was a professional football, player. Started off in Flint Academy High School (now Flint Southwestern)  where he learned his first football steps. After graduation, he got the scholarship for West Michigan University. Nowadays he is best known for his role in the movie series The Expendables.

  Steven Seagal

Since we are talking about tough men we have to mention Steven Seagal, an icon among action movie heroes. He only spent five years of his life in Lansing, where he was born, but the Michigan spirit stayed within him, especially his respect for Motown and Blues music, which anyone from the area knows saturates our cities.

  David Spade

One of the most famous comedy actors in last few years, David Spade, was born in Birmingham. But, much like several others on this list, he is another person who moved from Michigan in his early life. He started off his career at Saturday Night Live from where he moved on to both small and big screens. He was nominated for numerous awards and in 2003 he received his Hollywood Walk of Fame star. You might not be the biggest fan of David Spade but, there is no denying, he has made his mark on our culture.

  Ken Jeong

When we’re talking about modern comedy actors it is impossible to forget a star of show Community and movie series The Hangover, Ken Jeong, who was born in Detroit. Even though he looks silly and amusing Ken is not a regular clown. He was a part of High IQ Team, he played the violin and was a member of a school council. He even finished his high school when he was 16, joining Duke University one year before his peers. Besides acting which made him famous, he is also licensed physician.

  Jack White

One of the most controversial musicians of our age, Jack White or, as his birth certificate says, John Anthony Gillis, was born in Detroit. He was a seventh son of a very religious family- so religious, he almost went to seminary school. Growing up, he learned about music from his older brothers and they certainly taught him well. In addition to numerous musical awards, Jack is also a bit of a philanthropist, paying the back taxes on fames musical venue The Masonic Temple and even opening up his new record store in Midtown Detroit.