A Look At Local Talent

El Paso is known for its sunsets, food, and border-town culture, but did you know some of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces, award-winning talents, and cult favorites all got their start in the Sun City? From Oscar winners to Supreme Court justices to wrestling legends, here are the famous El Pasoans that might surprise you. And yes, we updated this list with your suggestions because you all clearly know your stuff.

1. F. Murray Abraham

Yes, that F. Murray Abraham, the Academy Award-winning actor who played Salieri in Amadeus, was born right here in El Paso. He even grew up performing in school plays at UTEP before heading to Hollywood. Beyond the Oscar, you have seen him everywhere: Tony Montana’s shady pal Omar in Scarface, the dignified Mr. Moustafa in The Grand Budapest Hotel, and the sharp-tongued Bert in HBO’s White Lotus. Fun fact? Abraham also voiced Khonshu, the Egyptian moon god, in Marvel’s Moon Knight. From Shakespeare to superheroes, this El Pasoan has done it all.

2. Alan Tudyk

Beloved in the nerd universe, Alan Tudyk is basically Hollywood’s secret weapon. Born in El Paso, he became known as the wise-cracking pilot Wash in Firefly before going full droid sass as K-2SO in Rogue One. But Tudyk’s voice work is where things get wild. He has voiced Hei Hei the chicken in Moana, King Candy in Wreck-It Ralph, the Duke of Weselton in Frozen, Iago the parrot in Disney’s live-action Aladdin, Joker in HBO’s Harley Quinn, and dozens of background characters across nearly every modern Disney animated film. If you have watched a Disney movie in the last decade, odds are you have heard Tudyk without even knowing it. Most recently he voiced a robot servant in James Gunn’s Superman who ad-libbed the name “Gary” and Gunn loved it so much he kept it in the final cut.

3. Debbie Reynolds

The original Hollywood sweetheart was born in El Paso before her family relocated to California during the Great Depression. She was discovered at age 16 after winning a beauty pageant, which catapulted her into Singin’ in the Rain and beyond. Reynolds later became known to a new generation as Aggie Cromwell in Disney Channel’s Halloweentown movies. Trivia gem: She had one of the largest Hollywood memorabilia collections in the world, including costumes from The Wizard of Oz and The Sound of Music.

4. Lupe Ontiveros

Born in El Paso, Ontiveros spent much of her career playing maids and working-class characters, a fact she openly spoke about with both frustration and pride. Over her 30-year career, she racked up more than 150 roles, including Yolanda Saldívar in Selena and a recurring role on Desperate Housewives. She once estimated she had played a maid more than 300 times in film and television, but she owned every role with depth and dignity, making her one of the most respected Latina actresses of her generation.

5. Lorenzo Lamas

El Paso-born Lorenzo Lamas became a soap opera icon in the 1980s as Lance Cumson on Falcon Crest, later revving up the action on Renegade. Trivia bonus: His flowing mullet became so famous in the 90s it had its own fan following.

6. Ron Stallworth

If you have seen Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlansman, you know the story: a Black police officer infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan over the phone while a white officer plays him in person. That man, Ron Stallworth, grew up right here in El Paso. One of you pointed out in the comments that he was actually born in Chicago, so we are updating that detail. But he is an El Paso product through and through and he still has his original KKK membership card issued under his real name because the group never caught on. Talk about receipts.

7. Gene Roddenberry

The man who created Star Trek was born in El Paso in 1921 before his family eventually moved to Los Angeles. The Sun City can still claim bragging rights as his birthplace. Star Trek debuted in 1966 and went on to become one of the most influential science fiction franchises in history. There is now an entire planetarium named after him in El Paso, where generations of students have learned to look up at the stars, just as Roddenberry invited the world to do.

8. Gabriel Iglesias

Courtesy: Rosie Saldana

While Fluffy is more strongly tied to California, Gabriel Iglesias spent time in El Paso growing up with extended family and has shouted out the city in multiple comedy specials. He is one of the few comedians with his own Netflix sitcom and has voiced characters in everything from Coco to The Looney Tunes Show.

9. Sandra Day O’Connor (Your Suggestion, And A Great One)

This one blew people’s minds in the comments and rightfully so. Sandra Day O’Connor, the first woman ever to serve on the United States Supreme Court, was born in El Paso on March 26, 1930. She attended the Radford School for Girls and graduated from Austin High School in 1946, finishing sixth in her class. She went on to Stanford Law School and was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Ronald Reagan in 1981. There are multiple schools in El Paso named after her today. Born right here in the 915.

10. Vikki Carr (Your Suggestion, And She Is A Legend)

Born Florencia Vicenta de Casillas-Martinez Cardona right here in El Paso in 1940, Vikki Carr became one of the most celebrated singers of her generation. She won three Grammy Awards, received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Latin Grammys, and earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She sang for five sitting U.S. presidents. Dean Martin called her the best female singer in the business. Frank Sinatra said she possessed his kind of voice. Bing Crosby and Ella Fitzgerald both named her among their favorite female singers of all time. El Paso raised a legend and we do not talk about it nearly enough.

11. Eddie Guerrero (Your Suggestion, And How Was He Not Already On This List)

WWE via YouTube

Born and raised in El Paso and a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School, Eddie Guerrero became one of the greatest professional wrestlers who ever lived. He came from El Paso’s legendary Guerrero wrestling family, a dynasty his father Gory Guerrero built right here at the El Paso County Coliseum. Eddie went on to become WWE Champion, won titles across every major promotion in the world, and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. His catchphrase “Viva La Raza” was a shoutout to his Latino heritage. His finishing move was called the Lasso from El Paso. He passed away in 2005 at only 38 years old but his legacy in the 915 is forever. Viva La Raza, Eddie.

12. Sharon Tate (A Surprising El Paso Connection)

Sharon Tate was not born in El Paso but she walked our halls. The Hollywood actress and model, most remembered for her tragic murder by the Manson Family in 1969, attended Irvin High School during the 1959 to 1960 school year while her father was stationed at Fort Bliss. She lived just down the street from campus on Roanoke Drive. Her yearbook photo from Irvin still circulates online and is one of those El Paso connections that makes you do a double take every time.

13. Khalid (Still El Paso’s Biggest Ambassador)

Courtesy: Ware Portraits

Khalid was not born here but El Paso is where he became who he is. He moved to the Sun City before his senior year at Americas High School, and it was here that he found the confidence to write and record music. He was given the Key to the City in 2018. His EP Suncity was named after one of our most iconic drives. Every time he steps on a stage anywhere in the world, he shouts out the 915. You claimed him and he claimed you right back.

14. Don Bluth (The El Paso Kid Who Went to War With Disney)

If you grew up in the 80s and 90s, Don Bluth basically raised you. The Secret of NIMH. An American Tail. The Land Before Time. All Dogs Go to Heaven. Anastasia. Those are not just movies, those are childhood memories burned into your soul. And the man behind all of them was born right here in El Paso on September 13, 1937.

As a little kid in El Paso, Bluth used to ride his horse to the movie theater on South El Paso Street just to watch Disney films. He would go home and copy every drawing he could find. That obsession eventually landed him a job at Walt Disney Studios itself, where he worked on Sleeping Beauty, Robin Hood, The Rescuers, and Pete’s Dragon, eventually becoming one of the most powerful animators at the entire company.

Then in 1979, on his own birthday, he walked out. He took 18 fellow Disney animators with him and started his own studio from scratch, going head to head with the most powerful animation company in the world. The film he made to prove a point was The Secret of NIMH, and it was a masterpiece. He then teamed up with Steven Spielberg to make An American Tail and The Land Before Time, both of which shattered box office records for animated features at the time.

El Paso gave the world one of the greatest animators who ever lived, and most people have no idea he is one of ours. Now you do.

15. Aarón Sánchez (El Paso’s Secret Weapon In Every Kitchen On TV)

If you have ever watched Chopped or MasterChef and wondered who the cool judge sitting next to Gordon Ramsay is, that is our guy. Aarón Sánchez was born in El Paso in 1976 and grew up cooking traditional Mexican food alongside his mother, the legendary chef Zarela Martinez, right here in the 915. The family moved to New York when he was eight but El Paso never left him. He has won a James Beard Award, judged on both Chopped and MasterChef, appeared on Iron Chef America, and written multiple cookbooks. He also launched a scholarship fund specifically to help young Latino chefs get into culinary school. In interviews he still raves about Chico’s Tacos, the asadero cheese from the east side, and the food you can only find in El Paso. He literally named his memoir “Where I Come From.” We raised one of the most influential chefs in America and most El Pasoans have no idea he is one of ours.

16. John Cameron Mitchell (The El Paso Kid Who Became A Broadway Legend)

Born in El Paso in 1963 to an Army family stationed at Fort Bliss, John Cameron Mitchell grew up moving from base to base around the world. But his story is anything but ordinary. He wrote, directed, and starred in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, a rock musical about a genderqueer East German singer that became one of the most beloved cult films and stage productions in modern history. The Broadway revival won four Tony Awards. He also directed Nicole Kidman in Rabbit Hole and earned her an Oscar nomination for it, and more recently he played Joe Exotic in the Peacock series Joe vs. Carole. He is one of those artists where the more you dig into his resume the more your jaw drops. Born right here in the 915, raised by the world, and loved by everyone who has ever seen him work.

17. Paulina Chavez (El Paso’s Newest Star And She Is Just Getting Started)

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If you have been watching Landman on Paramount Plus, you already know Paulina Chavez. Born right here in El Paso, she plays a major role in the hit series alongside Billy Bob Thornton and is turning heads across the industry. She has also appeared in The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia on Netflix and Fate: The Winx Saga. She is one of the youngest and most exciting names to come out of El Paso in recent years and if Landman’s success is any indication, she is just getting started. Keep an eye on this one, El Paso. She is repping the 915 at the highest level.

18. Bobby Fuller (El Paso’s Rock and Roll Tragedy)

If you have ever heard the song “I Fought the Law,” you have heard El Paso. Bobby Fuller moved to the Sun City as a teenager and immediately fell in love with rock and roll. He built a recording studio right in his parents’ house, formed the Bobby Fuller Four, and recorded “I Fought the Law” right here in El Paso before taking it to Hollywood and turning it into a national top ten hit in 1966. The Clash covered it. Tom Petty covered it. It is one of the most covered songs in rock history and it was born in somebody’s living room right here in the 915.

Then in July of 1966, just months after the song became a hit, Bobby Fuller was found dead in his mother’s car outside his Hollywood apartment at just 23 years old. The cause of death has never been fully explained. His death was profiled on Unsolved Mysteries. He was inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame and the West Texas Music Hall of Fame. El Paso raised a rock and roll genius and the world was robbed of seeing how far he could have gone.

19. Phil Ochs (The El Paso Kid Who Took On The World)

Born right here in El Paso on December 19, 1940, Phil Ochs became one of the most important protest singers in American history. He moved to New York in the early 1960s and planted himself right in the middle of the Greenwich Village folk scene alongside Bob Dylan and Joan Baez. His songs “I Ain’t Marching Anymore” and “Draft Dodger Rag” became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War movement. Bob Dylan once said about Ochs that he just could not keep up with him and that he was getting better and better. That is a quote from Bob Dylan. About a kid from El Paso.

Ochs testified at the Chicago Seven trial, sold out Carnegie Hall, and became one of the defining voices of a generation. He passed away in 1976 at just 35 years old. He was not born in the 915 by coincidence. He was born here because this borderland has always produced people who feel things deeply and say them out loud.

20. Stevie Nicks (She Learned To Sing In El Paso And Never Forgot It)

Portrait Of Stevie Nicks

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Stevie Nicks is the first woman ever inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice, once with Fleetwood Mac and once as a solo artist. She is one of the most iconic voices in the history of rock and roll. And she learned how to sing right here in El Paso.

Nicks lived in El Paso from 1955 to 1960, from third grade through seventh grade. She attended Loretto Academy, Crockett Elementary, and Bassett Junior High. It was here in El Paso, driving around the city listening to Motown on the radio, that a little girl named Stephanie fell in love with the sound of her own voice. She told the New Yorker magazine that El Paso is the place where she learned how to sing. When Fleetwood Mac played El Paso in 2003, she stopped the show to tell the crowd that El Paso was the first city she and Lindsey Buckingham played when they joined the band, and that it was the most exciting night of their career because they knew it was going to work. El Paso will always have a special place in my heart, she said. It is the place where I learned how to sing. We feel the same way about you, Stevie.

21. Cormac McCarthy (The Greatest American Novelist Wrote His Best Work Right Here)

HBO Films & The Cinema Society Host A Screening Of

NEW YORK, NY – FEBRUARY 01: Writer Cormac McCarthy attends the HBO Films & The Cinema Society screening of “Sunset Limited” at Porter House on February 1, 2011 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images)

Cormac McCarthy is widely considered one of the greatest novelists in American history. No Country for Old Men. Blood Meridian. All the Pretty Horses. The Road. That is a resume that sits alongside Hemingway and Faulkner. And he wrote all of it in El Paso.

McCarthy moved to El Paso in 1976 and spent nearly 20 years living here, for much of that time in a tiny stone cottage behind a shopping center that he described as barely habitable. He did not care about comfort. He cared about the landscape, the border, the desert, and the stories that came out of this place. Blood Meridian, which Harold Bloom called the greatest American novel since Faulkner, was written here. All the Pretty Horses, which won the National Book Award, was written here. And The Road, which won the Pulitzer Prize, was inspired by a single night McCarthy spent in an El Paso hotel with his young son, looking out the window at the city and imagining what it might look like in a hundred years.

He once gave a rare interview to the New York Times, and the journalist flew out to El Paso to find him. That is where Cormac McCarthy was. Right here. Writing alone in the desert. Making masterpieces.

22. Aaron Jones (The 915 Is In His Blood And On His Fingers)

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Aaron Jones grew up right here in El Paso, played high school ball at Chapin High School, and took his talent to UTEP where he became the greatest running back in Miners history. The Green Bay Packers took him in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft and he spent the next seven years proving every team that passed on him wrong. He led the entire NFL in rushing touchdowns in 2019, made the Pro Bowl in 2020, and ranks third in Packers all-time rushing yards history. He then signed with the Minnesota Vikings and had over 1,100 rushing yards in the 2024 season.

But here is the thing about Aaron Jones and El Paso. He never left it behind. Every time he scores a touchdown he holds up nine, one, and five fingers before flexing his bicep. That is the 915 area code. He shows up to games wearing a sombrero decorated in team colors as a tribute to his hometown. He has hosted youth football camps in El Paso throughout his entire NFL career. Aaron Jones is one of the best running backs of his generation and he carries El Paso with him every single time he steps on that field.

23. Irene Ryan (Granny Was One Of Ours)

Before Granny Clampett was rocking on a porch in Beverly Hills, she was born right here in El Paso. Irene Ryan was born on October 17, 1902 at 412 East Franklin Street while her father was stationed at Fort Bliss. Her family moved to San Francisco shortly after but El Paso has always claimed her and rightfully so.

Ryan spent decades grinding through vaudeville, radio, and film before landing the role that would define her legacy. In 1962, at 60 years old, she auditioned for the role of Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies, tied her hair back in a bun, walked into that room feisty as all get out, and blew everyone away. The producers took one look at her and said that is Granny. The Beverly Hillbillies became the number one show on television and Ryan received Emmy Award nominations in both 1963 and 1964 for the role.

But here is what most people do not know. After the show ended in 1971, she did not retire. She went straight to Broadway and landed the role of Berthe in Bob Fosse’s musical Pippin. She was nominated for a Tony Award for the performance. She suffered a stroke during a show in March of 1973 and passed away six weeks later at 70 years old. She left her entire estate, worth over one million dollars, to fund the Irene Ryan Acting Scholarship, which still awards college theater students every single year to this day.

Born in El Paso. Buried as a legend. That is Granny Clampett.

El Paso might not have the nonstop Hollywood spotlight but its stars shine everywhere, from Supreme Court benches to Oscar stages to wrestling rings to WWE championship belts. You all came through with the suggestions and this list is better for it. Keep them coming.

Meet the El Paso Talent Making Waves in Broadway and Hollywood

Gallery Credit: Getty Images

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