Sacramento is a fantastic place to visit. And almost everyone who has been there knows what I'm talking about. After all, there's some spectacular landscape nearby, as well as a plethora of fascinating locations to explore.
Sacramento is an awesome place. Regardless, Sacramento wasn't always a big city; it has produced many remarkable and renowned residents from Hollywood actors, politicians, athletes, and many famous musicians.
Here are five famous people who grew up in Sacramento that you may recall from TV shows and movies:
1) Jessica Chastain
Jessica Chastain was raised in a middle-class family in a Northern California suburb after being born in Sacramento, California. She was persuaded to enroll for Juilliard as a theatre major by an actor in a production of "Romeo & Juliet."
With the support of a scholarship from one of the school's famed alumni, Robin Williams, she became a member of "Crew 32."
She is famous for famous film productions from Interstella, The Martian, and IT Chapter 2.
She had a busy year in movies in 2011. She has been nominated for and received several awards, including an Oscar nomination for The Help in 2011 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role.
2) Sam J. Jones
Sam J. Jones was raised in Sacramento, California, but was born in Chicago, Illinois. He attended Mira Loma High School in Sacramento and then joined the United States Marine Corps.
In Blake Edwards' (1979) comedic picture 10, Sam J. Jones made his cinematic debut. In 1980, he was cast in the cult film Flash Gordon, in which he played the famous character of Flash Gordon (1980).
Following that, he had a successful acting career, especially in television parts. Jones had a cameo as a version of himself in the comedy picture Ted (2012), which brought him back to the notice of moviegoers.
3) Sam Elliott
Sam Elliott was born in Sacramento, and he attended the University of Oregon, where he studied Psychology and English for two terms before dropping out. He returned to Portland and finished a two-year program at Clark College near Vancouver, Washington, where he was cast as Big Jule in Guys and Dolls.
Sam Elliott is the only guest nominated for an Emmy for his performance in the Robot Chicken (2005) TV series.
Sam was recently featured in a recent film called "A Star Is Born" (2018), in which he played the actor Bobby. The film was also nominated for an Oscar.
4) Merrin Dungey
Merrin Dungey was born in Sacramento, California, on August 6, 1971. She attended Rio Americano High School in Sacramento, California, where she graduated in 1989.
She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLA and was the youngest winner of the UCLA Acting Award.
She is an actress who has appeared in films such as Alias (2001), The King of Queens (1998), and Big Little Lies (2017).
5) LeVar Burton
LeVar Burton, also known as Levardis Robert Martyn Burton Jr., is an actor born in Landstuhl, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He went to the University of Southern California School of Theatre and graduated with honors.
He is most recognized for his roles in the Star Trek films and for directing the most Star Trek episodes by a Star Trek actor. He has directed more than a dozen episodes for each of the four modern Star Trek series.
On November 15, 1990, he was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California.
He also hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! and a Star Trek-themed Jeopardy event, which drew a lot of attention from fans and sparked a demand for him to host the original Jeopardy show.
Who's your favorite actor that grew up in Sacramento? Let me know your response in the comments below.