These 25 famous celebrities from NJ, do you know them?

New Jersey is the birthplace and home of many people who went on to have a prominent place in our society, from award-winning actors and musicians to championship athletes — and even an astronaut.

The Garden State has the honor of claiming these famed individuals as its own.

These 25 celebrities call New Jersey home. How many do you know?

Anne Hathaway, Millburn

Although she was born in Brooklyn in 1982, Anne Hathaway spent most of her childhood living in Millburn. The award-winning actress has held many iconic roles such as Mia Thermopolis in “The Princess Diaries,” Fantine in “Les Misérables,” and Andy Sachs in “The Devil Wears Prada,” among many others.

Bruce Springsteen, Long Branch

Bruce Springsteen was born in Long Branch in 1949. He grew up in Freehold, where he attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, eventually switching to public education at Freehold High School. After a brief stint at Ocean County College and being rejected by the draft due to a concussion, Springsteen turned fully to music, and the rest is history. Springsteen, known as “The Boss,” went on to become a global superstar and remains one of the Garden State’s largest talents. He was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2008.

Buzz Aldrin, Glen Ridge

The second person to walk on the moon, Buzz Aldrin, was born in Glen Ridge in 1930 and grew up in Montclair. He was born as Edwin Eugene Aldrin Jr., with his nickname, Buzz, becoming his legal first name in 1988.

Danny DeVito, Neptune

Danny DeVito is an actor, director and producer who was born in Neptune in 1944. He was raised in Asbury Park and attended Oratory Prep High School in Summit, where he began to act in student productions. In 1978, DeVito scored his breakout role as Louie De Palma in “Taxi,” eventually earning an Emmy for best supporting actor in 1981. He has played key roles in numerous hit films and television shows and has done some work in production. He even has a production company called Jersey Films. DeVito was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2010.

Danny Tamberelli, Wyckoff

Born in Wyckoff in 1982, Daniel Tamberelli attended Ramapo High School in Franklin Lakes. He is best known for his roles as Arnold Perlstein in “The Magic School Bus” and Little Pete in “The Adventures of Pete & Pete.”

Elizabeth Gillies, Haworth

Elizabeth Gillies was born in 1993 in Haworth and raised there. She attended Northern Valley Regional High School in Demarest, but did online school after leaving in her freshman year to pursue acting. Gillies was cast as Lucy in the stage musical “13” and became famous for roles in “Victorious” and “Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll.”

Frank Sinatra, Hoboken

Born in 1915, Frank Sinatra was raised in Hoboken. He began singing professionally as a teenager, starting his career with bands and later establishing a successful solo career. He went on to become one of the most popular singers of the 20th century and one of the bestselling artists of all time. He was also an award-winning actor, featured in films such as “From Here to Eternity” and “The Manchurian Candidate.”

Greg Olsen, Wayne

Greg Olsen, born in Paterson in 1985, grew up in Wayne and attended Wayne Hills High School, where he played football and basketball with his father, Chris Olsen Sr., as coach. As a senior in 2002, he was one of three finalists for the Gatorade Player of the Year award and was a USA Today first-team All-American. Olsen attended the University of Miami in 2003 and became a starter for the Miami Hurricanes during his sophomore season. In 2007, the tight end was drafted by the Chicago Bears, and he also played for the Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks during his career. He became a broadcaster for Fox after his playing days.

James Gandolfini, Westwood

James Gandolfini was born in Westwood in 1961 and grew up in Park Ridge. He made his Broadway debut in 1992 and rose to fame in the role of Tony Soprano in the hit HBO series “The Sopranos.”

Jason Alexander, Newark

Jason Alexander was born in 1959 in Newark. Originally named Jay Scott Greenspan, he borrowed his father’s first name, Alexander, to create his stage name. Alexander grew up in Maplewood and Livingston, graduating from Livingston High School in 1977. He went on to study theater at Boston University, leaving the school without a degree after his third year to take a full-time acting job in New York City. Alexander began his acting career on Broadway and then moved to television, achieving worldwide fame on “Seinfeld.”

Bill Parcells, Englewood

Bill Parcells was born in Englewood in 1941 and grew up in Hasbrouck Heights. Before he began his sophomore year of high school, his family moved to Oradell, where he attended River Dell Regional High School. Parcells — also known by his nickname, “the Big Tuna” — went on to be a head coach in the NFL for 19 seasons for four teams, including the New York Giants from 1983 to 1990, during which he won two Super Bowl titles. He is the only NFL coach to lead four different franchises to the playoffs and three to conference championship games.

Jerry Lewis, Newark

Jerry Lewis, born Joseph Levitch, was born in Newark in 1926. He attended the Union Avenue School in Irvington, ultimately dropping out to begin his act as Jerry Lewis, entertaining audiences between features at movie theaters around North Jersey. In July 1946, Lewis and Dean Martin made their debut as a team at the 500 Club in Atlantic City, quickly rising to national fame in clubs, on television and in films. Lewis debuted his solo act in 1956 and was an instant hit, going on to continue his work in music, TV and films. Along with his immensely successful career in entertainment, Lewis is well known for hosting the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon.

John Travolta, Englewood

Born in Englewood in 1954, Travolta attended Dwight Morrow High School before dropping out during his junior year to move to New York City and pursue acting. After working on Broadway, he rose to fame on television in “Welcome Back, Kotter” and in major roles in films including “Saturday Night Fever,” “Grease” and “Pulp Fiction.”

Jon Bon Jovi

Jon Bon Jovi was born in Perth Amboy in 1962. He attended St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, ultimately graduating from Sayreville War Memorial High School. A rock and roll legend, Bon Jovi has sold millions of albums around the world, both with his band and as a solo artist. He also has a number of film and television acting credits. He was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2009.

Martha Stewart, Nutley

Born in Jersey City in 1941, Martha Stewart grew up in Nutley and graduated from Nutley High School. At 15 years old, she was featured in a television commercial for Unilever and modeled for companies like Chanel to get through college. She created a lifestyle empire famous for ventures like her magazine, Martha Stewart Living, and her television appearances.

Meryl Streep, Summit

Meryl Streep was born in Summit in 1949 and was raised in Bernardsville. The wildly successful actress has appeared in numerous film and television roles over the years. She has been nominated for and won loads of awards, was named a Kennedy Center honoree and received a Presidential Medal of Freedom, among other things. Streep is also known for philanthropy and has supported the work of various nonprofit organizations.

My Chemical Romance, Belleville and Kearny

My Chemical Romance was formed in 2001 and has since gone on to achieve massive success. The lead singer Gerard Way and his brother, bassist Mikey Way, as well as guitarist Frank Iero, were raised in Belleville. Guitarist Ray Toro was raised in Kearny. In August 2025, the band went on to become only the third Jersey band to headline MetLife Stadium as part of its “Long Live the Black Parade tour.” Belleville Mayor Michael Melham presented the rockers with a ceremonial key to Belleville during the show.

Paul Rudd, Passaic

Paul Rudd was born in 1969 in Passaic before moving to Lenexa, Kansas, when he was 10. He made his acting debut in 1991, when he starred in a Super Nintendo commercial, and went on to hold roles in films like “Clueless” and the “Ant-Man” franchise, as well as shows such as “Friends,” “Reno 911!” and, most recently, “Only Murders in the Building.”

Peter Dinklage, Morristown

Peter Dinklage was born in Morristown in 1969 and grew up in the Brookside section of Mendham Township. As a child, he would perform puppet musicals for people in his neighborhood and had his first theatrical success as the lead in a fifth-grade production of “The Velveteen Rabbit.” Dinklage went on to attend Bennington College in Vermont, and then moved to New York City, where he lived for 20 years before pursuing his acting career. He rose to fame in notable roles like Tyrion Lannister in “Game of Thrones,” Miles Finch in “Elf” and Finbar McBride in “The Station Agent,” which was filmed in Morris County.

Queen Latifah, Newark

Born in Newark in 1970, Queen Latifah — originally Dana Elaine Owens — grew up in East Orange. She attended Catholic school in Newark and Essex Catholic Girls’ High School in Irvington, but officially graduated from Irvington High School. She became known for her singing and rap career in the early 2000s, as well as her roles in films including “Chicago,” “Hairspray” and “The Pursuit of Happyness.” She went on to star in the TV series “The Equalizer.”

Shaquille O’Neal, Newark

Shaquille O’Neal, born in Newark in 1972, began playing basketball at the Newark Boys & Girls Club of America. Because his stepfather was in the military, he moved around to places like Germany and Texas, eventually settling in San Antonio and playing high school basketball. O’Neal was drafted by the Orlando Magic as the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA draft. He played for several other NBA teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat, won four NBA championships and had several jerseys retired.

Tara Reid, Wyckoff

Born in Wyckoff in 1975, Tara Reid began her screen career at just 6 years old when she appeared on the game show “Child’s Play,” followed by over 100 commercials for companies like Crayola, McDonald’s and Jell-O. She became known for her role as Bunny in “The Big Lebowski” in 1998, as well as other roles in films like “American Pie,” “Cruel Intentions” and “Scrubs.”

The Jonas Brothers, Wyckoff

The Jonas Brothers, comprised of Nick, Jevin and Joe, were raised in Wyckoff. While the band was formed in 2005, they took off around 2008 when Disney Channel’s “Camp Rock” was released. The trio also starred in “Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam,” as well as a series called “Jonas,” which ran from 2009 to 2010. The band was nominated for the Best New Artist award at the 51st Grammy Awards in 2008 and won the award for Breakthrough Artist at the American Music Awards. They have sold millions of albums worldwide and were inducted into the NJ Hall of Fame in 2025.

Whitney Houston, Newark

Whitney Houston was born in Newark in 1963 and grew up in East Orange. Houston got her start by singing background vocals for her mother’s band at 14 years old, and her first album was released on Valentine’s Day in 1985. She went on to become the most awarded female artist of all time, with more than 400 career awards, and one of the highest-selling music artists in history.

Zach Braff, South Orange

Born in 1975, Zach Braff grew up in South Orange and Maplewood. He attended both Columbia High School in Maplewood and Stagedoor Manor, a performing arts “training center” for youth actors in Loch Sheldrake, New York. Braff went on to star in the long-running series “Scrubs” and films like “Garden State” and “Manhattan Murder Mystery.”