Famous residents connect their careers to Central Texas
From actors born in local hospitals to directors who filmed there, numerous celebrities maintain deep ties to the Austin region.
By Layla Petrov ·
Austin has become a home base for a wide range of entertainers, from local birthplace to long-term residency.
Several high-profile actors have roots in the city that extend beyond simple tourism. Dakota Johnson was born at Brackenridge Hospital in 1989 while her father, Don Johnson, was filming a noir movie in the area. Johnson arrived to cut the umbilical cord and then returned to the set in La Grange to film a fight scene that night. Amber Heard was born and raised in Austin, attending St. Michael's Catholic Academy before leaving at 16 to earn her GED. She later pursued acting in Los Angeles and made her film debut in the 2004 movie Friday Night Lights, which was shot primarily in Odessa.
Local filmmakers have also built their careers in the region. Ethan Hawke was born in Austin while his parents attended the University of Texas. He later worked with director Richard Linklater on Before Sunrise in 1995 and filmed Boyhood around the city in 2014. Hawke has mentioned enjoying visits to local spots like AFS Cinema and the Continental Club. Mike Judge, the creator of King of the Hill, is a longtime resident who filmed his 1999 movie Office Space in a southeast Austin office complex. In a 2025 GQ interview, Judge noted that the city changed dramatically around 2013, though he believes some of the old Austin remains.
Other notable figures include directors and actors who attended local schools or universities. Owen Wilson and Luke Wilson both attended UT Austin but did not graduate. While in school, Owen Wilson met Wes Anderson in a playwriting class. They later became roommates and co-wrote the 1996 film Bottle Rocket, which marked the acting debuts of both brothers and the directorial debut of Anderson. Anderson credited meeting Wilson in a university corridor for his 2024 Oscar win. Ben McKenzie, known for the role of Jim Gordon, was born in Austin and attended St. Andrew's Episcopal School. His grandfather, Robert F. Schenkkan, was a professor at UT Austin who helped start public radio stations KUT and KLRU.
The list of connections includes figures from various media and entertainment fields. Tom Ford, the fashion designer, was born in Austin before being raised in San Marcos and Houston. He recalled spending time at his grandparents' ranch in Brownwood and visiting Aquarena Springs. The family has been in Texas since the 1830s. Nelly, known by his birth name Cornell Haynes Jr., was born in Austin but raised in St. Louis. He returned to the area for a performance at PBR Gambler Days in August 2026 and played the Two Step Inn music festival in Georgetown in 2025. Jensen Ackles and Jared Padalecki, who starred in Supernatural, both live in Austin with their families. Ackles has a home on Lake Austin, while Padalecki lives in the Hill Country. Former Austin Mayor Steve Adler declared June 23 as Supernatural Day.
Other residents include Renée Zellweger, who was born in Katy, Texas. She enrolled at UT Austin where a drama elective sparked her interest in acting. She later starred in The Return of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre in 1995, which was filmed in Pflugerville. Elijah Wood lived in Austin for five years after buying a historic home in Bouldin Creek in 2012. He sold the property and moved to Los Angeles in 2020 but told Texas Standard in 2024 that he still feels the city is home. Mehcad Brooks was born in Austin and attended Anderson High School. He described his upbringing as a multicultural experience where people considered themselves Austinites first. Adrian Grenier moved to a 46-acre ranch in Bastrop in 2020. He told People in 2023 that he liked the down-home vibe of the area. Stone Cold Steve Austin was born in Austin, though he was raised in Victoria and Edna. He currently has a home in San Antonio.
