Oregon may not be as cool as Hollywood or New York City, but it certainly has more than its share of claims to fame. Here are five celebrities with surprising ties to the Beaver State.
Our Oregon Actors
American comedian and actor, Ty Burrell is best known for his role in the television series “Modern Family.” However, few know that the celebrity is actually from Grants Pass. In fact, as an avid Oregon Duck and Portland Trailblazers fan, Burrell was actually selected as the keynote speaker at the University of Oregon commencement ceremony last June. Even though the pandemic prevented graduates from attending in person, he spoke wisdom (and laughs) to them virtually.
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis – a well-known acting power couple – decided to take a new venture during quarantine and explore the winemaking business while giving the profits towards coronavirus relief efforts. When it came to choosing the wine region, they decided – after a virtual blind wine tasting with friends – that wines from the Willamette Valley were the winners. The couple worked with Oregon winemakers to create samples for their new quarantine wine.
When it comes to Hollywood legends, longtime actor Sam Elliot is hard to beat. Currently starring in the hit Paramount Plus series “1883,” Elliott has his schedule full. However, whenever he needs a break from the chaos of fame, he and his wife come back to their part-time home in the Willamette Valley near Eugene. Elliott spent much of his adolescent years growing up in Oregon, and even attended two terms at UO.
Our Oregon Musicians
Singer/songwriter K.D. Lang left Los Angeles for Portland, Oregon in 2012 after falling in love with the city while on tour. “Every time I toured Portland, I felt this innate sense of home,” she said in an interview with the Oregonian. “I don’t know why I always felt very comfortable and very intrigued by Portland ever since I started touring in the ‘80s.” In 2014, she bought a condominium near the Moda Center where she currently resides.
Art Alexakis of the band Everclear lived in the Portland area – something many from PDX would know if they listened closely to his lyrics to “I Will Buy You A New Life.” Though born in California, this Oregonian by choice was asked to represent Oregon’s 3rd congressional district in 2004.
Singer Meredith Brooks was born in Corvallis and grew up in Oregon City. Her singing career began as a member of the Eugene all-female-band Sapphire before she stepped out on her own and became famous for her song “Bitch.”
Our Oregon Writers
Oregon was the birthplace of Beverly Cleary. Her first novel – published in 1950 – saw many young people through the difficulties of growing up. She went on to be named a Library of Congress Living Legend.
We also have been the home to Jean Auel, who graduated from University of Portland, then wrote her Earth’s Children series of books, and was named an officer of the Ordes des Arts et des Lettres by the French Minister of Culture and Communication.
Speculative fiction powerhouse, Ursula K. LeGuin came to Portland in the 1960’s and, luckily, stayed. She went on to win nearly every literary prize out there, and fought for the rights of other writers who faced intolerance. LeGuin also resigned from the Authors Guild in protest of their support of the digitization of books by Google.
Raymond Carver, who was born in Clatskanie; and author of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Ken Kesey lived and taught in Eugene. Also, there is transgressional writer Chuck Palahniuk, feminist author Lidia Yuknavitch, and New York Times best seller Chelsea Cain.
Our Oregon Heroes
Two-time Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling was born in Portland. He’s known for being an educator, biochemist, engineer, and peace activist, as well as having been published more than 1,200 times. He was also called one of the 20 greatest scientists of all time. That’s probably why Oregon State University has a big archive of his in their Special Collections and Archives Research Center.
James Patrick “Mash” Dutton, Jr. was born in Eugene, then grew up to visit the International Space Station.
Did we miss someone? Please let us know!
By Rebekah Harcrow
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