Seattleites are people who are from or are residents of the city of Seattle. This is a list of well-known people who lived and currently live in the city of Seattle.
Lived in Seattle
Athletics
Business
Literature
Movies, television, and media
- Ken Jennings â Jeopardy! contestant and host, author, podcaster
- Jon Jon Augustavo â director
- John Aylward â actor (ER, Mad Men, House of Lies, Gangster Squad)
- David Michael Barrett â screenwriter and film producer
- Craig Bartlett â Hey Arnold! creator
- Bob Bingham â Jesus Christ Superstar actor
- Josie Bissett â actress (Melrose Place); ex-wife of Rob Estes
- Tori Black â porn star
- Dove Cameron â actress, singer
- Erika Christensen â actress
- Bobby Clark â actor
- Brett Davern â actor, podcaster, Awkward
- Graham Elliot â chef, restaurateur
- Fantasy A â actor (Fantasy A Gets a Mattress); rapper
- India Gants â model, winner of America's Next Top Model Cycle 23
- Tom Gorai â film producer
- Brian Haley â actor, comedian
- Sig Hansen â TV series Deadliest Catch
- Bianca Kajlich â television actress noted for role of Jennifer on Rules of Engagement
- Richard Karn â television actor, game show host
- Mike Luckovich â editorial cartoonist
- Dave Losso â stand-up comedian
- Beau Mirchoff â actor known for television series Awkward
- Brian Stokes Mitchell â Broadway actor and baritone singer
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan â actor, known for Grey's Anatomy, Watchmen, Magic City, The Walking Dead, Rampage
- Mark Morris â director, choreographer, dancer
- Janice Pennington â The Price Is Right model
- Megyn Price â actress known for roles on Grounded for Life and Rules of Engagement
- Nick Robinson â actor known for portraying Ryder Scanlon on ABC Family sitcom Melissa & Joey
- Omari Salisbury â journalist, videographer, media company owner
- Derek Sheen â stand-up comedian
- Jean Smart â actress, known for Designing Women, Kim Possible, Frasier, 24, Hacks
- Ryan Stiles â comedian, known for Whose Line Is It Anyway? (both U.S. and U.K. versions), and playing Lewis Kiniski on The Drew Carey Show, and Herb Melnick on Two and a Half Men
- Alison Sudol â actress, singer, songwriter
- Jen Taylor â video game voice actress
- Maiara Walsh â actress, Cory in the House, Desperate Housewives, Switched at Birth
- Zoe Weizenbaum â actress, 12 and Holding, Memoirs of a Geisha
- Rainn Wilson â actor, The Office
Music
Politics
- Yassamin Ansari â U.S. representative for Arizona
- Maria Cantwell â U.S. senator for Washington
- Jenny Durkan â mayor of Seattle
- Bob Ferguson â governor of Washington
- Steve Gunderson â politician in Montana
- Jay Inslee â former governor of Washington
- Pramila Jayapal â U.S. representative for Washington
- Jerry Lewis â California politician
- Gary Locke â U.S. Ambassador to China, former U.S. Secretary of Commerce, former governor of Washington
- Patty Murray â U.S. senator, former state senator
- Frank Murkowski â Polish-American politician, tenth governor of Alaska
- Lonnie Nelson â civil rights, Indigenous peoples, labor, peace, and social justice activist
- Marjorie Pitter King â first African-American woman to serve in the Washington State Legislature
- William Farrand Prosser â U.S. congressman from Tennessee, Seattle city treasurer, Yakima mayor
- Angela Rye â CNN political commentator
- Peter Steinbrueck â politician
- Lynn Woolsey â politician
Miscellaneous
Deceased
- Ann Reinking â actress, dancer, choreographer, All That Jazz, Micki + Maude, Annie
- Paul Jacob Alexander â newspaper publisher and Seattle City Councilman
- Paul Allen â co-founder of Microsoft
- Signe Toly Anderson â original lead singer of The Jefferson Airplane
- Richard Lee Armstrong â professor and geochemist
- Jo Baer â painter
- Bob Bartlett â politician
- Lawrence James Beck â sculptor
- Frank T. Bell â United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries (1933âÂÂ1939)
- Barbara Berjer â television actress
- Max Brand â author (pen name of Frederick Schiller Faust)
- Gerald Brashear â musician, played with Wyatt Ruther, Ray Charles, Della Reese, Cecil Young Quartet
- Chester Carlson â physicist and inventor
- Carol Channing â actress, Hello, Dolly!, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Thoroughly Modern Millie
- Irma Schoennauer Cole â swimmer, civil servant
- Chris Cornell â musician, Soundgarden, Audioslave, Temple of the Dog
- Don Coryell â NFL coach
- Marian Cummings (c. 1892âÂÂ1984) â first woman in the US to gain a commercial pilot's license
- Warrel Dane â musician, singer for Sanctuary, Nevermore
- Jennifer Dunn â politician
- Frances Farmer â actress
- Pete Fleming â missionary to Ecuador
- Keith Godchaux â musician
- Kathi Goertzen â longtime news anchor for KOMO 4
- Richard F. Gordon Jr. â astronaut
- Bonnie Guitar â singer
- Ed Guthman â journalist
- Ivar Haglund â folksinger and restaurateur
- Jimi Hendrix â rock guitarist and singer
- Steven Hill â actor, portrayed Adam Schiff in the TV series Law & Order
- Eldon Hoke (aka El Duce) â drummer and singer of rock band The Mentors
- Art Hupy â photographer
- Fred Hutchinson â baseball player and manager
- Ruth Jessen â golfer
- Gary Kildall â scientist, inventor and founder of Digital Research
- Ed Lee â first Asian American mayor of San Francisco
- Gypsy Rose Lee â actress and burlesque star
- Mary Livingstone â comedian and wife of Jack Benny
- Kevin McCarthy â actor
- Mary McCarthy â author, critic and social activist
- Rob Roy McGregor â U.S. Navy rear admiral and decorated submariner
- Alfred M. Moen â inventor and founder of Moen Incorporated
- Margaret Murie â environmentalist
- Mako Nakagawa â Japanese American advocate, educator, and activist
- Harley D. Nygren â admiral and engineer, first Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps
- Adella M. Parker â suffragist, politician, lawyer, and high school teacher
- Walt Partymiller â cartoonist
- Tuulikki Pietilä â graphic artist and professor
- Guy Bates Post â stage and film actor
- Jon Brower Minnoch â heaviest recorded human in history, weighed 635 kg or 1400 lbs
- â artist, ceramicist
- Hal Riney â advertising executive
- Ron Santo â Hall of Fame baseball player
- Bell M. Shimada â fisheries scientist who pioneered the study of the tuna fishery in the tropical Pacific Ocean
- Robert Stroud â convicted felon, "Birdman of Alcatraz"
- George Tsutakawa â painter, sculptor and professor
- Emmett Watson â journalist
Moved to Seattle
Living
- Zaid Abdul-Aziz â former Seattle SuperSonics power forward
- Dustin Ackley â former Seattle Mariners outfielder
- Sherman Alexie â author
- Kimball Allen â writer, playwright, performer, gay activist, author of Secrets of a Gay Mormon Felon and Be Happy Be Mormon
- Jeff Ament â bassist of Pearl Jam
- Brian Atwater â geologist
- Anomie Belle â musician
- BenDeLaCreme â actor, drag queen, 5th place and Miss Congeniality of Rupaul's Drag Race Season 6
- Jeff Bezos â former CEO and founder of Amazon.com
- Christopher Boffoli â photographer
- Jeff Borowiak â tennis player
- Bosco â drag queen; contestant and finalist on Rupaul's Drag Race Season 14
- David Brewster â publisher and journalist
- Terry Brooks â author
- Robert Brown â musician, lead singer of Abney Park
- Ed Brubaker â comics writer and artist
- Peter Buck â musician in R.E.M.
- Charles Burns â cartoonist
- Matt Cameron â drummer of Soundgarden and Pearl Jam
- Dyan Cannon â actress
- Roberto Carcelen â Olympian
- Neko Case â musician
- J.R. Celski â Olympic speed skater
- Michael Chang â tennis player, French Open champion
- Valentina Chepiga â IFBB professional bodybuilder
- Dale Chihuly â glass blowing artist
- Nick Collison â Oklahoma City Thunder forward
- Emily Compagno â former federal attorney, Oakland Raiderettes cheerleader, sports reporter, and analyst; current litigator, legal analyst, and Fox News contributor
- Dan Corson â artist
- Kathryn Cramer â science fiction editor (lived in Seattle 1964âÂÂ1985)
- Cameron Crowe â writer and director
- Chris DeWolfe â founder of MySpace
- Jim Donald â former CEO of Starbucks Coffee
- Mark Driscoll â co-founder and preaching pastor of Mars Hill Church
- C. J. Elleby (born 2000) â basketball player in the Israeli Basketball Premier League
- Rob Estes â actor
- Anna Faris â actress
- Brendan Fraser â actor
- Charlie Furbush â former Seattle Mariners pitcher
- Ari Glass â painter, designer and musician
- Jorge Enrique González Pacheco â Cuban poet
- Neile Graham â poet
- Nicola Griffith â author
- Dave Grohl â drummer of Nirvana; lead singer, guitarist of Foo Fighters
- Caren Gussoff â author
- Gary Hall Jr. â 10-time Olympic medalist
- Leland H. Hartwell â Nobel Prize winner
- Matt Hasselbeck â quarterback, Seattle Seahawks player
- Jenni Hogan â KIRO-TV traffic anchor
- Jerry Holkins â co-creator of Penny Arcade
- David Horsey â cartoonist
- Tom Hulce â actor in National Lampoon's Animal House and Amadeus
- Pramila Jayapal â U.S. representative, former Washington state senator
- Jane Jensen â game designer and author
- Phoenix Jones â superhero, vigilante
- Quincy Jones â musician
- S. T. Joshi â literary critic and editor
- Michael Kinsley â journalist
- Sascha Konietzko â founder and frontman of KMFDM
- Mike Krahulik â co-creator of Penny Arcade
- Jon Krakauer â author
- Jayne Ann Krentz â romance novelist
- Gary Larson â comic strip artist (The Far Side)
- Lusine â IDM musician
- Kyle MacLachlan â actor
- Dave Matthews â musician
- Taylor Mays â football player
- Jim McDermott â Congressman
- Rose McGowan â actress, Charmed, Jawbreaker
- Joel McHale â actor, host of The Soup on E! and star of NBC television series Community
- Mike McCready â lead guitarist of Pearl Jam (considered local, went to grade school â college in Seattle)
- Carol Milne â Canadian American sculptor
- Patrick Monahan â lead singer of the band Train
- Jinkx Monsoon â actor, drag queen, winner of Rupaul's Drag Race Season 5
- Gabe Newell â CEO and founder of Valve
- Krist Novoselic â bassist of Nirvana
- Bill Nye â "Science Guy", actor, comedian
- Yuji Okumoto â actor, The Karate Kid, Part II and Real Genius; owner of Kona Kitchen
- Trey Parker â co-creator of South Park
- Susan Powter â motivational speaker, dietitian, personal trainer and author
- Karen Prell â puppeteer
- Jeff Probst â host of TV show Survivor
- Julia Quinn â author
- John Ratzenberger â actor, played Cliff Clavin on TV series Cheers
- Richard Read â journalist, Pulitzer Prize winner, 1999, 2001
- Ron Reagan â radio talk host, son of Ronald Reagan
- Gary Ridgway â serial killer
- Tom Robbins â author
- Don Roff â writer and filmmaker
- Ryan Rowland-Smith â Seattle Mariners pitcher
- Dan Savage â advice columnist
- Howard Schultz â chairman of Starbucks
- Becky Selengut â chef and cookbook author
- Ross Shafer â comedian and television host
- Richard Silverstein â blogger
- Tom Skerritt â actor
- Quest Skinner â mixed media artist
- Alex Steffen â award-winning author and editor
- Neal Stephenson â science-fiction author
- Adam Stern â symphony conductor
- Mack Strong â retired Seattle Seahawks fullback 1993âÂÂ2007
- Sunday Nobody â meme and prank artist
- Ichiro Suzuki â baseball player, Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Miami Marlins
- Robert Swift â former Seattle SuperSonics and Oklahoma City Thunder center
- Geoff Tate â lead singer of Queensrÿche
- Lauren Tewes â actress
- Jason Thornberry â writer, musician
- Earnest James Ujaama â community activist and indicted associate of al-Qaeda
- Eddie Vedder â lead singer of Pearl Jam
- Guy Williams â basketball player, Washington Bullets and Golden State Warriors
- Ann Wilson â lead singer and flute player of Heart
- Mark Wirth â "fashion notable", local character
- Al Young â dragster driver
Deceased
- Harry Anderson â actor
- Frank Barsotti â professional photographer
- Jack Bechdolt â journalist for Seattle Post Intelligencer, illustrator/artist, author of thousands of short stories
- Fred Beckey â mountaineer
- Bill Boeing â aviation pioneer, industrialist
- Robert Bray â actor
- Edwin Frederick Brotze â cartoonist for the Seattle Daily Times
- Libbie Beach Brown â president, Seattle City Federation of the Woman's Christian Temperance Union
- Francis H. Brownell â businessman, president of the Seattle First National Bank
- Octavia Butler â author
- Frank Calvert â cartoonist for the Seattle Daily Times
- James E. Casey â United Parcel Service founder
- Ray Charles â musician
- Charlie Chong â political activist
- Kurt Cobain â Nirvana frontman, musician
- Frantz Hunt Coe â educator
- Alexander DeSoto â physician and philanthropist, founder of Seattle's first hospital
- James S. Ditty â photoengraver, Seattle Star
- James Doohan â actor; Montgomery Scott on Star Trek
- Ford Quint Elvidge â governor of Guam
- Frances Farmer â actress
- Kate Fleming â audio book narrator (voice-over actor) and producer
- George Frederick Frye â Seattle pioneer and politician
- Edgar Gott â aviation pioneer, first president of Boeing
- Carl F. Gould â architect, educator
- George Hager â cartoonist for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- John "DOK" Hager â cartoonist for the Seattle Daily Times
- Alex Haley â writer, author of Roots
- Anna Roosevelt Halsted â journalist, daughter of Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Victor Hanzeli â linguist, former Chair of the Department of Romance Languages and Literature at UW
- George H. Hitchings â scientist
- Alan Hovhaness â composer
- Edward Sturgis Ingraham â first superintendent of the Seattle Public Schools; mountaineer
- Don James â American football coach
- Ernest C. Jenner â illustrator for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer
- Russell Johnson â actor; Professor Roy Hinkley on Gilligan's Island
- Kent Kammerer â teacher and activist
- Jacob Lawrence â painter
- Brandon Lee â actor
- Bruce Lee â actor
- Denise Levertov â poet
- J. P. D. Lloyd â Episcopal cleric, the president of the Seattle Public Library
- Keye Luke â actor
- Betty MacDonald â author
- Helene Madison â three gold medals at 1932 Summer Olympics
- Benjamin Brown Martin â illustrator for the Seattle Daily Times
- Rick May â voice actor, theatrical performer, director, and teacher
- William Charles McNulty â illustrator for Seattle Star; teacher at Art Students League
- Asa Mercer â man behind the Mercer Girls, a model for the TV series Here Come the Brides
- Robert Moran â shipbuilder
- Marni Nixon â musician
- Henry O'Malley â United States Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries
- Alexander Pantages â theatrical entrepreneur
- Robert W. Patten â veteran, storyteller, inspiration for cartoon series
- Lionel Pries â architect, educator
- Henry Prusoff â tennis player
- Jonathan Raban â author
- Alfred T. Renfro â cartoonist, Seattle Star
- Theodore Roethke â poet
- Zola Helen Ross â author
- Ann Rule â true crime author
- Bill Russell â retired Hall of Fame basketball player and coach
- James Willis Sayre â theatre critic, journalist, arts promoter, and historian
- Jeff Smith â TV chef and author
- Layne Staley â musician, singer of grunge band Alice In Chains
- Henry Suzzallo â president of the University of Washington (1915âÂÂ1926)
- Sarah Truax â stage actor
- August Wilson â playwright
- Andrew Wood â singer of grunge band Mother Love Bone
- Lillian Yarbo â actress, comedienne, dancer, and singer
- Mia Zapata â musician
Athletes from Seattle
Musical groups
- Abney Park â steampunk band, formerly goth
- Aiden â rock band (emo)
- Alice in Chains â rock band (grunge/metal)
- Amber Pacific â pop punk band
- Band of Horses â previously known as Horses, indie rock band
- The Blood Brothers â post-hardcore band
- Blue Scholars â hip hop
- Brite Futures â indie pop
- The Brothers Four â folksingers
- Candlebox â alternative band
- The Classic Crime â alternative band
- Common Market â hip hop
- Dave Matthews Band â originated in Charlottesville, Virginia
- Death Cab for Cutie â alternative band
- Demon Hunter â metal band
- Earth â drone/doom band
- The Fall of Troy â post-hardcore band (originally from Mukilteo, Washington)
- Fleet Foxes â indie rock band
- Foo Fighters â rock band
- The Gits â rock band
- Grand Archives â alternative rock band
- Green River â rock band (grunge)
- Gruntruck - rock band (grunge)
- Harvey Danger â alternative band
- He Is We â indie pop
- The Head and the Heart â indie rock band
- Heart â rock band
- Hey Marseilles â alternative band
- Himsa â Metalcore band
- I Declare War â deathcore band
- Ivan & Alyosha â pop rock band
- Jake One â hip hop producer
- Jerry Cantrell - lead guitarist from Alice in Chains' solo career
- Quincy Jones â jazz musician
- KMFDM â industrial band
- Love Battery - rock band - grunge and psychedelic
- Macklemore and Ryan Lewis â hip hop/rap duo
- Mad Season - rock super group (grunge)
- Melvins â sludge metal band (originally from Montesano, Washington)
- Metal Church â metal band
- Minus the Bear â alternative rock band
- Modest Mouse â indie rock band (from nearby Issaquah, Washington)
- Mother Love Bone â rock band (grunge)
- Mudhoney â rock band (grunge)
- Murder City Devils â rock band (garage rock)
- MxPx â rock band (punk rock)
- Nevermore â metal band
- Nirvana â rock band (grunge) (originally from Aberdeen, Washington)
- Odesza â electronic/experimental
- Pearl Jam â rock band (grunge)
- Pedro the Lion â indie rock band
- Pickwick â indie rock band
- Tad - rock band (grunge)
- Temple of the Dog (grunge)
- The Postal Service â indietronica band
- Presidents of the United States of America â rock band
- Queensrÿche â metal band (from nearby Bellevue)
- Thee Satisfaction â hip hop/rap duo
- Schoolyard Heroes â horror punk/post hardcore (originally from Tacoma, Washington)
- The Scene Aesthetic â acoustic/indie pop band
- Screaming Trees - rock band (grunge) - originally formed in Ellensburg
- Shabazz Palaces â hip hop/rap duo
- Sinai 48 â a rock band that includes the former members of Buckingham Nicks
- Skin Yard - rock band (grunge)
- Sledgeback - punk band
- Smoosh â alternative pop band
- Soundgarden â rock band (grunge)
- Sunn O))) â doom metal band
- Kyle Townsend â record producer, musician
- Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players â indie rock/pop band
- Trial â political straightedge band
- Ugly Casanova â indie rock band featuring the main member Isaac Brock of Modest Mouse (from nearby Issaquah, Washington)
- Vendetta Red â rock band
- The Ventures â surf band
References