From Hicksville to Hollywood
Meet the celebs who genuinely came out of Nowhere-Ville to make it big…
From Hicksville to HollywoodHolly Madison
Astoria, Oregon
The daughter of a timber worker, Hol was born in the historic town of Astoria. We don’t think we’re in the Playboy mansion anymore, Toto.
Matthew Fox
Crowheart, Wyoming
With just 163 residents, Matt was certainly not going to get Lost in Crowheart. He must have been like a lamb to the slaughter on barn dance night!
Josh Duhamel
Minot, North Dakota
Gorgeous Josh was a quarterback in the small town of Minot. Bet the cheerleaders are kicking themselves now…
Adrien Grenier
Albuquerque, New Mexico
No wonder Ad plays Entourage’s naive Vince so well. They both started out in a town whose claim to fame is hosting the biggest Sci-Fi convention in the South West. Dork!
Jess Simpson
Abilene, Texas
Jess started out singing in her dad’s church in the heart of “The Big Country”, before becoming a newlywed.
Joe Jonas
Casa Grande, Arizona
Luckily, Ma and Pa moved him and his bros to trendier New Jersey before Nick came along. Explains why Joe’s fave movie is Dumb And Dumber, though.
Ashton Kutcher
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
When Demi was making GI Jane, Ash was a student, sweeping Cheetos dust off the factory floor in Cedar Rapids, to fund his trucker caps.
Kirstie Alley
Wichita, Kansas
Kirst was a high school cheerleader before getting her first taste of fame taking part in local TV game shows.
Wes Bentley,
Jonesboro, Arkansas
The son of two church ministers, the American Beauty star was born in the Cotton Belt town, which gained unfortunate notoriety for a 1998 school shooting by two boys.
Jamie Foxx
Terrell, Texas
The son of a yard worker and a domestic helper, the Ray star started out playing piano in church in a tiny community in Terrell. Mama din’t raise no fool!
Molly Sims
Murray, Kentucky
Before landing her career-making Sports Illustrated cover, Las Vegas star Mol, was just a small-town Sorority sister with a dream.
Kelly Ripa,
Berlin, New Jersey
The Hope & Faith star was discovered in a high school production of The Ugly Duckling and plucked out of ‘Noo Joisey’ forever!
Rob Lowe
Charlottesville, Virginia
Rob reckons he was raised in a “traditional midwestern setting”, but he escaped Sunday school and headed to LA. Cue a scandalous video tape and a stint in rehab.
Miley Cyrus
Franklin, Tennessee
Born Destiny Hope Cyrus, Miles must have broken dad’s Achy Breaky heart when she skipped out of their farm to pursue teen fame in Tinseltown.
Oprah Winfrey
Kosciusko, Mississippi
Perhaps Oprah ran out of neighbours in Kosciusko to offer her life lessons to, so had to move on to the densely populated showbiz capital.
Britney Spears
Kentwood, Louisiana
It’s known as the ‘Dairy Capital of the South’, so no wonder folks in Louisiana insist on extra cheese with their fried chicken, y’all.

