I lived in Cincinnati for several years and the one thing I can say is that it is a very different city and provides an ambiance that is certainly not representative of anything remotely resembling Hollywood.
So, imagine my surprise to find out that Cincinnati has been home to a select few Hollywood stars.
Here are a few contemporary Hollywood stars who once lived in Cincinnati starting with the biggest of them all.
It doesn't get bigger than George Clooney himself.
George Clooney lived in Cincinnati when he briefly attended the University of Cincinnati (UC). Unfortunately, he never graduated but that doesn't matter because he is now one of the biggest Hollywood stars.
Clooney also lived in Mason from 1968 to 1974. Mason is about 22 miles from downtown Cincinnati so it is in the Cincinnati area. At Mason, Clooney went to Western Row Elementary School and St. Susanna. Clooney was remembered as a jokester by his classmates and even as a child, he had a penchant for theatrics and for making people laugh.
However, he didn't always have it easy. One classmate has even said this about him,
George was very hyper in grade school. Some of the kids were not real nice to him. His father was this famous TV anchorman, and some kids were mean to him because of that. - Clooney's classmate, Ann Harpen
Clooney also tried out for the Cincinnati Reds but he just couldn't make the cut as a professional baseball player.
Clooney has never forgotten his Cincinnati roots. Most of the scenes in his movie The Ides of March were filmed in Cincinnati. He does return to Cincinnati as he grew up there and his extended family may still live in the Cincinnati area.
Sarah Jessica Parker lived in the Clifton neighborhood
Next, on the famous Cincinnati residents list is Sarah Jessica Parker. She played the unforgettable character of Carrie Bradshaw.
Parker grew up in Cincinnati and used to live in the Clifton area. Clifton is the neighborhood that includes the Ludlow Avenue shopping and dining district. Nearby you have the University of Cincinnati.
Unlike George Clooney who had a famous father and grew up wealthy, Parker's parents struggled to put food on the table. She has mentioned that at times, the electricity would be shut off and the family could not celebrate birthdays and Christmases because they had no money. However, Parker's mother still ensured that the children had a good time and there would be trips to the ballet and theater in Cincinnati.
And a few others,
Actor (Ray) Cooper Thornton also lived in Cincinnati. He is a 92 graduate of UC. He has appeared in movies like Fracture, Flightplan, The House of Sand and Fog and more recently Gone Girl with Ben Affleck.
Then there is Dorian Harewood who has played in more than 170 TV and movie supporting roles. Some of his more famous movies include Gothika with Halle Berry, Space Jam, and Against All Odds.
Sources: The Enquirer, Wikipedia, UC Magazine