List of people from California


California is a state in the western United States. It has more people than any other state in the United States. If California was a separate country, it would have the sixth largest economy in the world. California is probably the state with the most ethnic groups.

#
 12th Planet – record producer, DJ

A

 Willie Aames – actor
 Paula Abdul – dancer and singer (American Idol)
 Ansel Adams – photographer
 Jay Adams - skateboarder and surfer
 Ben Affleck – film actor and director
 Jhene Aiko – singer
 Jessica Alba – actress, model
 Jesse Aliganga – US Marine
 AJ Allmendinger – NASCAR driver
 Herb Alpert – trumpeter, music executive
 Tony Alva - skateboarder and surfer
 Helen Andelin – author (Fascinating Womanhood)
 Anthony Anderson – actor
 Melissa Sue Anderson – actress
 Paul Thomas Anderson – filmmaker
 Jennifer Aniston – actress (Friends)
 Nicole Aniston – pornographic actress
 Odette Annable – actress
 Steve Aoki – music producer, DJ
 Christina Applegate – actress
 Jon Appleton – composer
 Anne Archer – actress
 Eve Arden – actress
 Billie Joe Armstrong – musician, vocalist (Green Day)
 Lucie Arnaz – actress
 Maureen Arthur – actress (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying)
 Reginald "Fieldy" Arvizu – bassist (Korn)
 Anastasia Ashman – writer
 Sean Astin – actor (The Lord of the Rings)
 Jeff Atkinson – distance runner, Olympian
 Brad Ausmus – Major League Baseball player, manager
 Tracy Austin – tennis player

B

 Max Baer, Jr. – actor (Jethro Bodine of The Beverly Hillbillies)
 Ross Bagdasarian, Sr. – actor (Alvin and the Chipmunks)
 Diane Baker – actress (The Silence of the Lambs)
 Dusty Baker – MLB player and manager
 Banks – singer
 Tyra Banks – model and actress (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)
 Adrienne Barbeau – actress (Maude)
 Sara Bareilles – singer
 Travis Barker – drummer (Blink-182)
 Matt Barnes – National Basketball Association player
 Drew Barrymore – actress (50 First Dates)
 Judith Barsi – actress/voiceover artist
 Summer Bartholomew – Miss USA 1975
 Earl W. Bascom – rodeo pioneer, Hall of Fame inductee, actor, international artist/sculptor
 Baby Bash – rapper
 Bassnectar – musician, record producer
 Michael Bay – film director
 Amanda Beard – Olympic swimmer
 Beck – musician
 Captain Beefheart – musician
 Ed Begley, Jr. – actor and activist
 Stephania Bell — ESPN analyst, physical therapist
 Camilla Belle – actress
 Tory Belleci – filmmaker and model maker (MythBusters)
 Marcus Benjamin (born 1857) early biographer at Smithsonian Institution
 Candice Bergen – actress (Murphy Brown)
 Carolyn Beug – passenger aboard American Airlines Flight 11
 B.G. Knocc Out – rapper
 Mayim Bialik – actress (The Big Bang Theory)
 Barbara Billingsley – actress
 Rachel Bilson – actress (The O.C.)
 Thora Birch – actress
 Bradford Bishop – indicted murderer and at-large fugitive
 Bill Bixby – actor (The Incredible Hulk)
 Aloe Blacc – singer, musician
 Jack Black – actor (Tenacious D)
 Rebecca Black – singer
 Hank Blalock – baseball player (Texas Rangers)
 Mel Blanc – cartoon voice actor
 Sheila Bleck – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Ken Block – rally driver, gymkhana driver
 Andy Bloom – Olympic shot putter
 Betsy Bloomingdale – socialite
 David Blu (born David Bluthenthal) – professional basketball player (Maccabi Tel Aviv)
 Jonathan Blum – hockey player
 Brian Boitano − Olympic gold medalist (figure skating)
 Barry Bonds – baseball player (San Francisco Giants)
 Bobby Bonds – baseball player (San Francisco Giants)
 Aaron Boone – baseball player (Cleveland Indians)
 Scott Borchetta – president/CEO and founder of Big Machine Records
 Barry Bostwick – actor (Spin City, The Rocky Horror Picture Show)
 Kate Bosworth – actress
 Lo Bosworth – television personality, author, and entrepreneur
 Bruce Bowen – National Basketball Association player (San Antonio Spurs)
 Brandon Boyd – singer, musician (Incubus)
 Timothy Bradley – boxer
 Tom Brady – football quarterback (New England Patriots)
 Debbie Bramwell-Washington – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Benjamin Bratt – actor
 Ryan Braun – baseball player (Milwaukee Brewers)
 B-Real – rapper (Cypress Hill)
 Nicholas Brendon – actor (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
 Jan Brewer – Governor of Arizona
 Stephen Breyer – Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States
 Brigita Brezovac – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Beau Bridges – actor (The Fabulous Baker Boys, Stargate SG-1)
 Jeff Bridges – actor (The Big Lebowski)
 Lloyd Bridges – actor (Sea Hunt, Airplane!)
 Lance Briggs – football player
 Adam Brody – actor (The O.C.)
 James Brolin – actor
 Josh Brolin actor (No Country For Old Men, Gangster Squad)
 Albert Brooks – film actor and director (Lost in America)
 Brotha Lynch Hung – rapper
 Alton Brown – television host
 Jerry Brown – Governor of California (1975–1983; 2011–present), Mayor of Oakland, California
 Pat Brown – Governor of California (1959–1967)
 Willie Brown – 58th Speaker of the California State Assembly, Mayor of San Francisco
 Teddy Bruschi – football player
 Lindsey Buckingham – musician (Fleetwood Mac)
 Bill Buckner – baseball player
 Don Budge – tennis player
 Hunter Burgan – bass player for AFI
 Bobby Burgess – Mouseketeer, dancer for Lawrence Welk Show
 Olivia Burnette – actress
 Tim Burton – film director
 Reggie Bush – football player
 Shoshana Bush – actress
 Sophia Bush – activist, spokesperson, and actress (One Tree Hill, Chicago P.D.)
 Jeanie Buss – sports executive
 Cruz Bustamante – Lieutenant Governor of California
 Win Butler – musician, songwriter (Arcade Fire)
 Amanda Bynes – actress
 Kari Byron – artist and television personality (MythBusters)

C

 Scott Caan – actor
 Herb Caen – newspaper columnist (San Francisco Chronicle)
 John Cage – composer
 Nicolas Cage – actor
 Colbie Caillat – singer
 Cameron – professional wrestler, dancer
 Dolph Camilli – baseball player
 Ben Nighthorse Campbell – U.S. Senator from Colorado
 Nick Cannon – actor
 Mr. Capone-E – rapper
 Linda Cardellini – actress (Freaks and Geeks)
 Tucker Carlson – television host
 Adam Carolla – radio and television personality
 David Carr – football player
 David Carradine – actor (Kung Fu, Kill Bill)
 Ever Carradine – actress, daughter of Robert Carradine
 Keith Carradine – actor (Nashville)
 Robert Carradine – actor (Revenge of the Nerds)
 Pete Carroll – college and NFL football coach
 Adam Carson – drummer (AFI)
 Chris Carter – film producer, director and writer (The X-Files)
 Torry Castellano – drummer of The Donnas
 C-Bo – rapper
 Richard Chamberlain – actor
 Chanel West Coast – rapper, actress, model, television personality
 Brandi Chastain – soccer player
 Jessica Chastain – actress (Zero Dark Thirty)
 Cher – actress, entertainer and singer
 Joey Chestnut – competitive eater
 Julia Child – chef, author and TV personality
 Margaret Cho – actress, comedian
 Wasel Choi – artist and world traveler
 Amy Chow – gymnast
 Jamie Chung – actress
 Lana Clarkson – actress (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
 Les Claypool – bass player (Primus)
 Sasha Cohen – figure skater
 Lillie Hitchcock Coit – firefighter
 Keyshia Cole – singer
 Natalie Cole – singer
 Jerry Coleman – decorated soldier and sportscaster
 Chris Colfer – actor (Glee), author (The Land of Stories)
 Holly Marie Combs – actress
 Maureen Connolly – tennis player
 Mike Connors – actor (Mannix)
 Lauren Conrad – television personality, fashion designer, and author
 Elisha Cook Jr. – actor (The Maltese Falcon)
 Coolio – rapper
 Miranda Cosgrove – actress, singer (iCarly)
 Kevin Costner – film actor and director (Field of Dreams)
 Natalie Coughlin – Olympic swimmer
 Nikki Cox – actress (Las Vegas)
 Alan Cranston – U.S. Senator from California
 Bryan Cranston – actor
 Laura Creavalle – Guyanese-born Canadian/American professional bodybuilder
 Richard Crenna – actor
 William H. Crocker – philanthropist and founder of Crocker National Bank
 James Cromwell – actor
 Joe Cronin – Hall of Fame baseball player, manager
 David Crosby – musician
 Cameron Crowe – filmmaker
 Kaley Cuoco – actress (The Big Bang Theory)
 Jamie Lee Curtis – actress (Halloween)

D

 Carson Daly – television host
 Caroline D'Amore - musician, actress, model
 Spencer Daniels – actor
 Harry Danning – Major League Baseball All Star catcher
 Ted Danson – actor (Cheers)
 Iva Toguri D'Aquino (Tokyo Rose) – radio broadcaster during World War II
 Lindsay Davenport – tennis player
 Baron Davis – professional basketball player
 Jonathan Davis – singer, musician (Korn)
 Terrell Davis – professional football player
 Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris – husband and wife film directors (Little Miss Sunshine)
 Oscar De La Hoya – boxer
 Zack de la Rocha – activist, singer (Rage Against The Machine)
 Jayme Dee – singer, musician
 Tom DeLonge – singer, musician (Blink-182)
 Brad Delson – musician (Linkin Park)
 Bo Derek – actress
 Laura Dern – actress
 DeMar DeRozan – professional basketball player
 Emily Deschanel – actress
 Zooey Deschanel – actress, singer
 Dev – singer
 Cameron Diaz – actress (There's Something About Mary)
 Leonardo DiCaprio – actor
 Joan Didion – writer
 Trent Dilfer – NFL quarterback
 Daz Dillinger – rapper
 Joe DiMaggio – baseball player
 Roy Edward Disney – billionaire, nephew of Walt Disney
 DJ Quik – rapper, producer
 Canh Thong Do – Vietnamese American activist
 Nate Dogg – musician
 Snoop Dogg – rapper
 Ami Dolenz actress, daughter of Micky Dolenz
 Micky Dolenz – actor, musician, singer (The Monkees)
 Landon Donovan – soccer player
 Dr. Dre – musician, hip-hop producer, record producer
 Stacy Dragila – pole vaulter
 Mac Dre – rapper
 Dresta – rapper
 K. Eric Drexler – engineer
 Don Drysdale – baseball player
 Hilary Duff – actress, singer
 Tom Dumont – guitarist (No Doubt)
 Isadora Duncan – dancer
 Ann Dunnigan – translator, actor, teacher
 Robert Duvall – actor
 Jermaine Dye – baseball player (Chicago White Sox)

E
 Clint Eastwood – film actor and director (Million Dollar Baby)
 Eazy-E – rapper
 Dennis Eckersley – baseball player
 Aaron Eckhart – actor
 Anthony Edwards – actor
 Zac Efron – film and television actor (High School Musical)
 Danny Elfman – musician, composer
 Jenna Elfman – actress
 Sam Elliott – actor
 Anabel Englund – singer
 Chris Evans – convicted train robber
 Evidence – rapper

F
 Bill Fagerbakke – actor/voice actor (Patrick Star)
 Valerie Faris and Jonathan Dayton – wife and husband film directors (Little Miss Sunshine)
 Heather Fargo – Mayor of Sacramento, California
 Mia Farrow – actress
 David Faustino – actor (Married... with Children)
 Dianne Feinstein – US Senator from California, Mayor of San Francisco (1978–1988)
 Stacy Ferguson (Fergie) – singer, actress, composer (The Dutchess, Charlie Brown, Fergalicious)
 Shiloh Fernandez – actor
 Sky Ferreira – singer, model, actress
 Will Ferrell – actor
 Miguel Ferrer – actor (RoboCop)
 America Ferrera – actress
 Sally Field − actress (Norma Rae, Places in the Heart)
 Carrie Fisher – actress
 Peggy Fleming – figure skater
 Abigail Folger – coffee heiress, socialite, and murder victim
 Bridget Fonda – actress
 Lyndsy Fonseca – actress
 Jon Foreman – singer
 John Forker - actor
 Dian Fossey – zoologist
 Jodie Foster – actress (The Silence of the Lambs)
 Rickie Fowler – professional golfer
 Allen Fox – tennis player (ranked as high as # 4) and coach
 Dillon Francis – music producer, DJ
 Dave Franco – actor
 James Franco – actor
 Paulette Frankl – artist, biographer
 Bonnie Franklin – actress
 Missy Franklin – 2012 Olympic gold medalist (swimming)
 Suga Free – rapper
 Robert Frost – poet
 Del tha Funkee Homosapien – rapper
 Edward Furlong – actor (Terminator 2: Judgment Day)

G

 Becky G – singer
 Warren G – rapper
 G-Eazy – rapper, producer
 Guy Gabaldon – United States Marine Corps
 Lynx and Lamb Gaede – white nationalist twin singers and musicians
 Richard Gage – 9/11 Truth movement activist
 Trace Gallagher – journalist
 The Game – rapper
 Eric Garcetti – mayor of Los Angeles
 Jeff Garcia – football player
 Jerry Garcia – musician (Grateful Dead)
 Wolfgang Gartner – music producer, DJ
 Kyle Gass – musician (Tenacious D)
 Dirk Gates – network entrepreneur (Xirrus)
 John Gavin – actor, ambassador
 Sage the Gemini – rapper
 Inara George – singer, musician (The Bird and the Bee)
 Jason Giambi – professional baseball player (New York Yankees)
 Tyrese Gibson – actor
 Frank Gifford – football player and sportscaster
 Brad Gilbert – tennis coach
 Melissa Gilbert – actress (Little House on the Prairie), producer
 Sara Gilbert – actress (Roseanne)
 Lillian Moller Gilbreth – engineer (Cheaper by the Dozen)
 Danny Glover – actor
 Donald Glover – actor, singer
 Rube Goldberg – cartoonist
 Phillip Gonyea – drummer, percussionist (Against The Will)
 Adrian Gonzalez – baseball player
 Drew Gooden – professional basketball player (Cleveland Cavaliers)
 Jeff Gordon – NASCAR driver
 Joseph Gordon-Levitt – actor
 Robby Gordon – NASCAR driver
 Marjoe Gortner – evangelical minister
 Mark-Paul Gosselaar – actor
 John Grabow – Major League Baseball player (Chicago Cubs)
 Gloria Grahame – actress
 Andy Grammer – singer
 Farley Granger – actor
 Ulysses S. Grant – 18th President of the United States of America
 Stephen Girard Whipple, 49er, newspaper editor, Union Army officer, and politician
 Brian Grazer – Oscar-winning film and television producer
 Beatrice Gray – actress
 Billy Gray – actor, motorcyclist
 Paul Gray – musician (Slipknot)
 Joanie Greggains – radio show host, health and fitness expert
 Sasha Grey – pornographic actress
 Nash Grier - viner, youtuber and actor
 Merv Griffin – talk show host, singer, television producer (Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune)
 Florence Griffith-Joyner track athlete
 RL Grime – music producer
 Josh Groban – singer
 Vince Guaraldi – musician (A Charlie Brown Christmas)
 Kimberly Guilfoyle – television personality
 Natalie Gulbis – golfer
 Brett Gurewitz – guitarist (Bad Religion)
 Tony Gwynn – Hall of Fame baseball player
 Jake Gyllenhaal – actor

H
 Walter A. Haas, Jr. – chief executive officer of Levi Strauss & Co.
 Steven C. Hackett – economist (Humboldt State University)
 Gene Hackman – actor (The French Connection)
 Sammy Hagar – musician (Van Halen)
 Merle Haggard – country music singer
 Joseph Hahn – painter, film director, musician (Linkin Park)
 Jackie Earle Haley – actor (Bad News Bears)
 Mark Hamill – actor (Star Wars)
 Laird Hamilton – surfer
 Harry Hamlin – actor (Clash of the Titans)
 Armie Hammer – actor
 Kirk Hammett – musician (Metallica)
 Daniel Handler – Lemony Snicket
 Colin Hanks – actor (King Kong)
 Tom Hanks – film actor, director, producer
 Peter D. Hannaford – political advisor to Ronald W. Reagan, author
 Jeff Hanneman – guitarist (Slayer)
 Dan Haren – professional baseball player (Oakland Athletics)
 Mariska Hargitay – actress (Law & Order: SVU)
 Jeff B. Harmon – film producer, director, actor
 Mark Harmon – actor
 Henry Harrower – endocrinologist
 Kevin Harvick – NASCAR driver
 Teri Hatcher – actress
 Henry Hathaway – film director
 Davey Havok – lead singer of AFI
 Tony Hawk – skateboarder
 Kristy Hawkins – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins – professional skateboarder
 Julie Hayek – Miss USA 1983
 Dennis Haysbert – actor (24)
 Jenna Haze – pornographic actress
 Patty Hearst – actress and newspaper heiress (Symbionese Liberation Army)
 William Randolph Hearst – newspaper publisher
 Lacie Heart – pornographic actress and nude model
 Ian Hecox – youtuber
 Simon Helberg – actor, comedian (The Big Bang Theory)
 Christy Hemme – professional wrestler and model
 Mariel Hemingway – actress (Manhattan)
 Pamela Hensley – actress
 Keith Hernandez – baseball player
 Barbara Hershey – actress
 James Hetfield – musician (Metallica)
 Jonah Hill – actor
 Jason Hirsh – baseball player
 Hit-Boy – rapper, record producer
 Dustin Hoffman – actor
 Trevor Hoffman – professional baseball player (San Diego Padres)
 Dexter Holland – singer, musician (The Offspring)
 Brenda Holloway – singer and songwriter
 Josh Holloway – actor (Lost)
 Mike Holmgren – football coach (Seattle Seahawks)
 Mark Hoppus – singer, musician (Blink-182)
 Hopsin – rapper, actor, record producer
 Taylor Horn – singer and actress
 James Horner – composer
 Sam Horrigan – actor (Little Giants)
 Nichkhun Horvejkul Thai-American singer and rapper of 2PM
 Bryce Dallas Howard – actress
 C. Thomas Howell – actor (The Outsiders, Red Dawn, Southland)
 Jerry Hsu – skateboarder
 Vanessa Hudgens – actress and singer (High School Musical)
 Kate Hudson – actress
 Phil Hughes – baseball player
 Yolanda Hughes-Heying – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Barry Hunau – illustrator
 William Hung – American Idol contestant
 Helen Hunt – actress
 Terry Huntingdon – Miss USA 1959
 Anjelica Huston – actress
 Nyjah Huston – professional skateboarder
 Timothy Hutton – actor
 Tiffany Hwang – singer (Girls' Generation)

I
 Crooked I – rapper
 Ice Cube – musician, actor
 Gabriel Iglesias – comedian
 Danny Im – member of Korean music group 1TYM
 Grant Imahara – electronics and radio control expert (MythBusters)
 Don Imus – radio personality
 Allison Iraheta – singer (American Idol)
 Kathy Ireland – model
 Chris Isaak – musician, actor
 Yasuhiro Ishimoto – photographer
 Phil Ivey – professional poker player

J

 Shirley Jackson – author
 Etta James – singer
 Jesse James – actor, welder, and chief executive officer of West Coast Choppers
 Gregg Jarrett – lawyer, journalist
 BC Jean – singer
 Richard Jefferson – professional basketball player
 Fran Jeffries – actress (The Pink Panther)
 Steve Jobs – computer pioneer, co-founder of Apple Computer
 Anjelah Johnson – actress, comedian
 Dwayne Johnson – professional wrestler best known as "The Rock"; now an actor (The Scorpion King)
 Jimmie Johnson – NASCAR driver and champion
 Kevin Johnson – basketball player and politician
 Keyshawn Johnson – football player
 Randy Johnson – baseball player
 Angelina Jolie – actress
 Jerry Jones – owner of the Dallas Cowboys
 Marion Jones – track athlete
 Matt L. Jones – actor, comedian (Breaking Bad)
 Rashida Jones – actress
 Tamala Jones – actress
 Ashley Judd – actress
 Jessica Jung – singer (Girls' Generation)
 Krystal Jung – singer (f(x))

K
 Pauline Kael – film critic
 Colin Kaepernick – NFL quarterback San Francisco 49ers
 Ryan Kalish – major league baseball outfielder
 Tony Kanal – bassist with No Doubt
 Gabe Kapler – major league baseball outfielder
 Khloé Kardashian socialite and reality-television personality
 Kim Kardashian socialite and reality-television personality
 Kourtney Kardashian socialite and reality-television personality
 Chris Kattan – actor, comedian
 Julie Kavner – actress
 Diane Keaton – film actress, director, producer
 Keb' Mo' – blues singer-songerwriter and guitarist
 Sally Kellerman – actress
 Minka Kelly – actress
 Anthony Kennedy – Supreme Court Justice
 Dom Kennedy – rapper
 Kirk Kerkorian – investor and philanthropist
 Kesha – singer
 Jason Kidd – NBA player and coach
 Val Kilmer – actor
 Elle King – singer, actress
 Kerry King – guitarist (Slayer)
 Regina King – actress
 Maxine Hong Kingston – author
 Thomas Kinkade – artist
 Matthew Knight – actor
 Suge Knight – record producer, music executive (Death Row Records)
 Nathan Kress – actor (iCarly)
 Kayden Kross – pornographic actress
 Mike Krukow – baseball pitcher and announcer (San Francisco Giants)
 Lisa Kudrow – actress (Friends)
 Greg Kurstin – musician, producer (The Bird and the Bee)
 Michelle Kwan – figure skater
 Iris Kyle – 10-time overall Ms. Olympia professional bodybuilder

L

 Shia LaBeouf – actor
 Remy LaCroix – pornographic actress
 Kendrick Lamar – rapper
 Adam Lambert – singer (American Idol)
 Ryan Lavarnway – major-league baseball catcher (Los Angeles Dodgers)
 Rick Law – illustrator and producer
 Tony Lazzeri – baseball player
 Amy Lee musician (lead singer of Evanescence)
 Bruce Lee – martial artist
 Jason Lee – actor (My Name is Earl)
 Cathy LeFrançois – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Janet Leigh – actress
 Jennifer Jason Leigh – actress (Fast Times at Ridgemont High)
 Kawhi Leonard – basketball player
 Brad Lesley – baseball player, cast member on Takeshi's Castle
 Adam Levine – musician (lead singer of pop/rock group Maroon 5)
 Monica Lewinsky – White House intern
 Huey Lewis – musician (Huey Lewis and the News)
 Juliette Lewis – actress
 Rob Liefeld – comic book writer
 Seven Lions – musician
 David Lipsky – golfer
 Blake Lively – actress (Gossip Girl)
 Heather Locklear – actress
 Jack London – author (The Call of the Wild)
 Lauren London – television personality, actress, and model
 Evan Longoria – baseball player
 George Lopez – actor and comedian (George Lopez)
 Mario López – actor (Saved by the Bell)
 Nancy Lopez – golfer
 Erik Lorig – football player (New Orleans Saints)
 Greg Louganis – Olympic diver
 Courtney Love – musician
 Kevin Love – basketball player
 Jon Lovitz – actor
 George Lucas – filmmaker (Star Wars)
 Lorna Luft – singer and actress
 Athena Lundberg – Playmate of the Month (January 2006)
 Ray Lynch – actor
 Cheryl Lynn – singer

M

 Mack 10 – rapper (Westside Connection)
 Theodore Harold Maiman – inventor of Ruby Laser Systems Laser
 Daron Malakian – musician, singer-songwriter, guitarist (System of a Down)
 Mia Malkova – pornographic actress
 Ricky Manning, Jr. – football player
 Josie Maran – actress and model
 Teena Marie – singer
 Cheech Marin – actor
 Shannon Marketic – Miss USA 1992
 McKayla Maroney – 2012 Olympic gold and silver medalist (artistic gymnastics)
 Dean Paul Martin – actor and musician
 Margaret Martin – professional bodybuilder
 Bobby Martinez – professional surfer
 Chris Masters – wrestler
 Tim Matheson – actor
 Bob Mathias – decathlete
 Misty May-Treanor – volleyball player
 Leigh McCloskey – actor, artist (Dallas)
 Pete McCloskey – politician
 Willie McCool – astronaut, killed in Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
 Maureen McCormick – actress
 Jennette McCurdy – actress, singer
 Audra McDonald – actress and singer
 Willie McGee – baseball player
 Ted McGinley – actor
 Jeremy McGrath – supercross racer
 Mark McGwire – baseball player
 Robert McNamara – former United States Secretary of Defense
 Katharine McPhee – singer, actress
 MC Eiht – actor, rapper
 MC Hammer – musician
 MC Ren – rapper
 Casey Mears – NASCAR driver
 Edwin Meese – United States Attorney General (1985–1988)
 Rodney Melville – judge
 Mike Mentzer, professional bodybuilder and 1979 Mr. Olympia heavyweight champion
 Lee Meriwether – actress and Miss America
 Casey Merrill – football running back
 AJ Michalka – actress, musician
 Aly Michalka – actress, singer
 Phil Mickelson – golfer
 Miguel – singer, producer
 Johnny Miller – golfer and TV commentator
 Jon Miller – sportscaster
 Marisa Miller – supermodel
 Penelope Ann Miller – actress
 Reggie Miller – basketball player (Indiana Pacers)
 Stanley Miller – chemist
 Norm Mineta – U.S. Secretary of Commerce and Transportation
 Liza Minnelli – singer and actress (Cabaret)
 Marilyn Monroe – sex symbol, actress (Some Like It Hot)
 Elizabeth Montgomery – actress (Bewitched)
 Shemar Moore – actor
 Terry Moore – actress (Mighty Joe Young)
 Alex Morgan – United States national women's soccer team striker
 John Morrison – wrestler
 George Moscone – Mayor of San Francisco
 Shane Mosley – boxer
 Elisabeth Moss – actress
 Bethany Mota – youtuber
 Jason Mraz – singer, musician
 Megan Mullally – actress
 Marcus Mumford – singer, musician (Mumford & Sons)
 Bill Mumy – child actor (Lost in Space)
 Noah Munck – actor (iCarly)
 Eddie Murray – baseball player (Baltimore Orioles)
 Lenda Murray – IFBB professional bodybuilder (Los Angeles)
 Dave Mustaine – musician (Megadeth)

N
 Anna Nalick – singer-songwriter
 Randy Newman – composer, musician
 Gavin Newsom – Mayor of San Francisco (2004–present)
 Joanna Newsom – singer, harpist
 Lorenzo Neal – Pro Bowl football player
 Richard Nixon – 37th President of the United States
 Lyn Nofziger – author, journalist and White House Press Secretary (under Ronald Reagan)
 Isamu Noguchi – artist
 Bradley Nowell – singer, musician (Sublime)

O
 Willis O'Brien – film special-effects artist
 Dagmar Oakland – stage and screen actress
 Frank Ocean – singer (Odd Future)
 Lefty O'Doul – baseball player
 Larisa Oleynik – actress
 Edward James Olmos – actor
 Elizabeth Olsen – actress
 Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen – actresses and entrepreneurs
 Omarion – musician, singer
 Ryan O'Neal – actor
 Tatum O'Neal – actress
 Heather O'Rourke – actress
 Emily Osment – actress, singer
 Haley Joel Osment – actor
 Jimmy Osmond − singer

P

 Carson Palmer – football quarterback
 Gwyneth Paltrow – actress
 Cathey Palyo – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Leon Panetta – White House Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense
 Jerry Paris – film director and actor (The Dick Van Dyke Show)
 Grace Park – actress (Battlestar Galactica, Hawaii Five-0)
 Richard Park – ice hockey forward, New York Islanders
 Harry Partch – composer
 Audrina Patridge – television personality, television presenter, actress, and model
 George S. Patton – military commander
 Paula Patton – actress
 Corey Pavin – golfer
 Sara Paxton – actress, singer
 Gary Payton – professional basketball player
 Gregory Peck – actor
 Sam Peckinpah – film director
 Dustin Pedroia – baseball player
 Chris Penn – actor
 Sean Penn – actor
 Stacy Peralta- skateboarder, surfer and film director
 Melina Perez – professional wrestler
 Katy Perry – singer
 Michelle Pfeiffer – actress
 Paul Pierce – professional basketball player
 Chris Pine – actor
 Drew Pinsky – radio and television personality, physician, addiction medicine specialist
 Jim Plunkett – football quarterback (Oakland Raiders)
 Whitney Port – television personality, fashion designer, and author
 Chad Power – martial artist
 Stefanie Powers – actress
 Tristan Prettyman – singer, musician
 Tayshaun Prince – professional basketball player (Detroit Pistons)
 Freddie Prinze, Jr. – actor
 Jade Puget – musician (AFI)

Q
 Kathleen Quinlan – actress

R
 Frances Rafferty actress
 Max Rafferty former California State Superintendent of Public Instruction, author and columnist
 Taylor Rain – pornographic actress and nude model
 Robert Redford – film actor and director
 Mason Reese – child actor
 Autumn Reeser - actress (The O.C.)
 Andy Reid – football coach
 Maria Remenyi – Miss USA 1966
 Jeremy Renner – actor
 Dane Reynolds – professional surfer (Quiksilver)
 Christina Ricci – actress (The Addams Family)
 Ariana Richards – actress
 Michael Richards – actor (Seinfeld)
 Nicole Richie – actress
 Sally Ride – astronaut (STS-7 and STS-41-G)
 Isiah Rider – basketball player
 Cathy Rigby – gymnast and actress (Peter Pan)
 Molly Ringwald – actress
 Jason Ritter – actor (son of John Ritter; grandson of Tex Ritter)
 Jenni Rivera – singer
 Naya Rivera – actress and singer
 Tim Robbins – actor
 Tony Robbins – life coach
 Jackie Robinson – first African-American player in Major League Baseball in the modern era
 Julia Robinson – mathematician
 Aaron Rodgers – NFL quarterback Green Bay Packers
 Dana Rohrabacher – member of the United States House of Representatives
 Jimmy Rollins – baseball player
 Jim Rome – sports radio host
 Rebecca Romijn – model, actress
 Tony Romo – football quarterback
 Kyla Ross – 2012 Olympic gold medalist (artistic gymnastics)
 Alexander Rossi – Formula One driver
 Josiah Royce – philosopher
 Pete Rozelle – NFL commissioner
 Keri Russell – actress
 Rene Russo – actress
 Marla Ruzicka – activist (Green Party)

S
 Bob Smale - pianist

T
 George Takei – actor (Star Trek)
 Amber Tamblyn – actress (Joan of Arcadia)
 Russ Tamblyn – actor (West Side Story)
 Amy Tan – writer (The Joy Luck Club)
 Tess Taylor – reality-television personality and Playboy Cyber Girl of the Year (2010)
 Scout Taylor-Compton – actress (Halloween)
 TeeFlii – rapper, producer
 Aimee Teegarden – actress, model
 Shirley Temple – child film star, former U.S. Ambassador to Ghana and Czechoslovakia
 Reggie Theus – basketball player and coach
 Robin Thicke – singer
 Joanna Thomas – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Pat Tillman – football player and soldier
 Jennifer Tilly – actress
 Kenneth Tobey – actor
 Alessandra Torresani – actress
 Alan Trammell – baseball player
 Danny Trejo - actor
 Lisa Tucker – singer
 Tyga – rapper
 Aisha Tyler – actress
 Tyler, The Creator – rapper, record producer (Odd Future)

U
 Chase Utley – baseball player

V
 Jasmine V – singer
 Karen Valentine – actress
 Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo – Mexican general, American politician
 Elle Varner – singer
 Jhonen Vasquez – comic-book writer and artist
 Casey Veggies – rapper
 Stephen Venard – lawman
 Julieta Venegas – singer, musician
 Ken Venturi – golfer
 Gwen Verdon – actress
 Victoria Vetri – model and actress
 Robert M. Viale – U.S. Medal of Honor recipient
 Antonio Villaraigosa – 51st Mayor of Los Angeles
 Roy Marlin Voris – World War II flying ace and founder of the United States Navy Blue Angels

W

 Lindsay Wagner – actress
 Bill Walsh – football coach
 Laurie Walters – actress (Eight Is Enough)
 Bill Walton – Hall of Fame basketball player
 Luke Walton – basketball player
 Andre Ward – 2004 Summer Olympics gold medal-winning boxer
 Earl Warren – 30th Governor of California, 14th Chief Justice of the United States (1953–1969)
 Jered Weaver – baseball player
 Ryn Weaver – singer
 Caspar Weinberger – United States Secretary of Defense
 Bob Weir – musician (Grateful Dead)
 Brian Welch – musician, guitarist (Korn)
 Russell Westbrook – basketball player
 Jill Whelan – actress (Airplane!)
 Shaun White – snowboarder
 Brandon Whitt – NASCAR driver
 Sidney Wicks – basketball player
 will.i.am – rapper, singer, record producer, and entrepreneur (The Black Eyed Peas)
 Emily Williams – early-20th-century architect
 Esther Williams – actress
 John Williams – composer
 Paul Williams – architect
 Serena Williams – tennis player
 Venus Williams – tennis player
 Ted Williams – Hall of Fame baseball player
 Dontrelle Willis – baseball player (Florida Marlins)
 Helen Wills – tennis player
 Brian Wilson – musician (The Beach Boys)
 Carl Wilson – musician (The Beach Boys)
 Rita Wilson – actress
 Ariel Winter – actress, model (Modern Family)
 Tamara Witmer – model
 Zachary Wohlman – boxer
 Victor Wong – actor (Big Trouble in Little China)
 Victor Wong – actor (King Kong)
 Kevin Woo – singer, television personality (U-Kiss)
 Beatrice Wood – artist
 Natalie Wood – actress (This Property Is Condemned)
 David Woodard – conductor
 John Wooden – college basketball coach
 Cynthia Woodhead – swimmer
 Shailene Woodley – actress
 Tiger Woods – golfer
 Steve Wozniak – inventor of the Apple Computer

Y
 Kristi Yamaguchi – professional figure skater
 Elliott Yamin – singer
 "Weird Al" Yankovic – parodist, musician
 YG – rapper
 Charlyne Yi – actress, comedian
 Tina Yothers – actress (Family Ties)
 Adrian Young – No Doubt's drummer
 Emily Mae Young – actress
 Nick Young – professional basketball player
 Young Noble – rapper
 Joon Yun – radiologist

Z
 Frank J. Zamboni – inventor
 Zendaya – actress, singer
 Anthony Zerbe – actor
 Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. – Chief of Naval Operations
 Daphne Zuniga – actress

Musical groups
 AFI – rock band
 As I Lay Dying – metal band
 Audioslave – rock band
 Bad Religion – punk band
 The Bangles – pop band
 The Beach Boys – pop band
 The Bird and the Bee – indie duo
 Black Flag – hardcore band
 Blink-182 – pop/punk band
 The Byrds – folk rock band
 Circle Jerks – punk band
 Concrete Blonde – alternative band
 Counting Crows – rock band
 Creedence Clearwater Revival – rock band
 Cypress Hill – hip hop band
 The Donnas – rock band
 The Doors – rock band
 Eels – alternative band
 Faith no More – alternative band
 Fishbone – alternative band
 Flogging Molly – Celtic punk band
 Geraldine Fibbers – alternative band
 The Germs – punk band
 The Go-Go's – pop band
 The Grateful Dead – folk rock band
 Green Day – rock band
 Guns N' Roses – hard rock band
 Hollywood Undead – rap/metal band
 Hoobastank – rock band
 In Fear And Faith – metal band
 Incubus – rock band
 Jane's Addiction – alternative band
 Jefferson Airplane – rock band
 Julien-K – synth band
 Linkin Park – alternative rock band
 Mad at the World – Christian rock band
 Maroon 5 – rock band
 Megadeth – metal band
 Metallica – metal band
 Minutemen – punk band
 The Monkees – pop band
 Mötley Crüe – hard rock band
 N.W.A. – hip hop band
 No Doubt – ska-punk band
 The O.C. Supertones – ska band
 The Offspring – rock band
 Oingo Boingo – new wave band
 Orgy – synth band
 P.O.D. – rock band
 Rage Against the Machine – rap/metal band
 Ratt – hard rock band
 Red Hot Chili Peppers – rock band
 Slayer – metal band
 Stone Temple Pilots – hard rock band
 Sublime – ska-punk, dub band
 Suicidal Tendencies – punk/metal band
 Suicide Silence – metal band
 Switchfoot – rock band
 System of a Down – metal band
 Tesla – hard rock band
 Third Eye Blind – rock band
 Thrice – rock band
 Van Halen – hard rock band
 The Wallflowers – rock band
 X – alternative/punk band

California transplants
 Samuel Brannan –  newspaper publisher
 Ashlynn Brooke – pornographic actress
 Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo – Spanish explorer
 César Chávez – labor leader
 Juan Bautista de Anza – Spanish explorer
 Gaspar de Portolà – Spanish explorer
 Dr. Dre – rapper and producer
 Larry Ellison – co-founder of Oracle Corporation
 John C. Frémont – Military Governor of California
 Domingo Ghirardelli – chocolateer (Ghirardelli Chocolate Company)
 Chick Hearn – National Basketball Association announcer for the Los Angeles Lakers
 William Redington Hewlett – co-founder of Hewlett-Packard
 Bob Hope – actor, singer, comedian
 Steve Jurvetson – venture capitalist (a managing director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson)
 James Lick – real estate baron
 Steve Martin – actor, author, comedian and film director
 Johnny Mathis singer ("Chances Are")
 Fritz Maytag –  former owner of Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco and is Chairman of the Board of the Maytag Dairy Farms* Thomas Mesereau – criminal defense lawyer
 Joe Montana – National Football League quarterback
 John Muir – naturalist
 Joshua A. Norton – British self-proclaimed "Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico"
 Buck Owens – country music performer
 Ronald Reagan – actor and 40th President of the United States
 Jackie Robinson – Baseball Hall of Famer who broke Major League Baseball's 20th-century color line
 Carlos Santana – Mexican musician
 Michael Savage – author, political commentator and radio host
 Charles M. Schulz – cartoonist
 Vin Scully – announcer for Major League Baseball's Los Angeles Dodgers
 Glenn T. Seaborg – chemist
 Junipero Serra – Spanish missionary
 Steven Spielberg – film director
 Leland Stanford – railroad baron, Governor of California, founder of Stanford University
 Ken Starr – lawyer, university law dean
 Levi Strauss – Bavarian clothing manufacturer
 John Sutter – Swiss real estate baron
 Marjorie Thompson – British peace activist
 Mark Twain – humorist and author
 Sarah Winchester – heiress, eccentric, builder of the Winchester Mystery House
 Charles Wood – musical theatre performer (original Hortensio in Cole Porter's 1948 Broadway musical Kiss Me, Kate)
 Chuck Yeager – US Air Force test pilot
 Ace Young – singer
 Steve Young – National Football League quarterback
 Lars Ulrich – musician (Metallica)

Related pages
 List of people associated with San Francisco
 List of people from Chula Vista, California
 List of people from Long Beach, California
 List of people from Los Angeles
 List of people from Orange County, California
 List of people from San Diego, California

References