Hollywood celebrities may be attending movie premiers and other red carpet events filled with big city lights, but a few grew up on a couple of acres surrounded by animals and rolling fields. Here are some notable film and television celebs that actually grew up on a farm.
Melissa McCarthy
McCarthy is a comedian, producer and actress, with some of her most notable roles being in Bridesmaids, Mike and Molly and Gilmore Girls. She was born in rural Illinois where she grew up on her family’s corn and soybean farm. In an interview, she stated that it was the best way to grow up.
Jennie Garth
This actress was a star on the hit franchise Beverly Hills 90210. She also has appeared on many other television shows including Dancing with the Stars. She also had her own show on both HGTV and CMT. Garth grew up on a horse farm in Illinois.
Garrett Hedlund
You may know Hedlund from movies such as Friday Night Lights, Georgia Rule, Tron: Legacy, or perhaps Country Strong. Hedlund may be considered country strong in his own right because he grew up and worked on a 400 acre cattle ranch outside of Roseau, Minnesota.
Krysten Ritter
Ritter is a model, musician and an actor, who became a part of the Marvel Universe when she stared in the Netflix series Jessica Jones. She grew up on a 100 acre cattle farm in rural Pennsylvania. On the farm, she helped raise a calf whom she named Jake. As Jake grew, she would ride him around the farm.
Matthew Fox
This Golden Globe and Emmy nominated actor grew up raising longhorns and horses on a ranch out in Wyoming. He is best known for his role as Jack Shephard in the hit drama Lost.
Charlize Theron
Theron was born in Benoni, South Africa. Since she has been in Hollywood, she has won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe; she was also named one of Time magazines “100 Most Influential People in the World.” Her filmography consists of Mad Max: Fury Road, Monster, The Fate of The Furious, Bombshell, and the American remake of The Italian Job. However before all of that, Theron grew up on a farm in South Africa where she loved feeding and taking care of the livestock.
Eva Longoria
Longoria has appeared in shows like Beverly Hills 90210 and General Hospital; she also had a regular role on The Young and The Restless and was a lead in Desperate Housewives. Longoria was born and raised on a ranch near Corpus Christi, Texas, where she was no stranger to the outdoors.
Tom Wopat
Wopat is best known for his starring role as Luke Duke in the series The Dukes of Hazard. This “good ol boy” may not have been from Hazard County, Georgia in real life, but he does know what the farm life is about, as he grew up on a dairy farm in Lodi, Wisconsin.
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