32 celebrities that were born in San Antonio, including some that may surprise you
Whether they stayed in San Antonio for the long haul or grew up elsewhere, these celebrities were all born in the Alamo City. Many of them remain at the top of their game in the worlds of film, music and TV.
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Carole Baskin
When Netflix's true crime series Tiger King thrust Carole Baskin into viral fame in the spring of 2020, we were as surprised as anyone to find out that she was born in San Antonio. The CEO of Florida's Big Cat Rescue, who Joe Exotic tried to have killed in a murder-for-hire plot, revealed on YouTube that she was born at Lackland Air Force Base in 1961 and lived in a house on Wharton St. on the South Side. It's unclear for how long Baskin lived in SA, but it appears her family moved away when she was still a baby.
Photo via Netflix / Tiger King
Ricardo Chavira
Though he's starred in hit TV series from
Desperate Housewives to
Scandal, Ricardo Chavira arguably landed his greatest role yet in 2019: playing Tejana queen Selena's father Abraham Quintanilla Jr. in Netflix's new series about the pop star. Chavira was born in San Anto in 1971 and graduated from LEE High School — then named Robert E. Lee — and later attended the University of the Incarnate Word.
Photo via YouTube/
Netflix
Megan Thee Stallion
She may have grown up in Houston, but Megan Thee Stallion was actually born in Saan Antonio in 1995. The rapper, singer and songwriter made a huge splash in 2020 with her hit single "Savage" and for collaborating with Cardi B on the summer-shattering, sex-positive anthem "WAP."
Photo via YouTube /
Cardi B
Anthony Alabi
Born in San Antonio in 1981, Anthony Alabi went on to attend Antonian College Preparatory High School before moving on to play college football at Texas Christian University. First snagged by the Miami Dolphins in the 2005 NFL draft, Alabi played professional football untill 2009, when he retired to pursue acting. Most recently, Alabi has been featured on Disney's Raven's Home as Coach Spitz and starred opposite Tia Mowry-Hardict in Netflix's Family Reunion.
Photo via Netflix / Family Reunion
Chrysta Bell
Songstress and longtime David Lynch collaborator Chrysta Bell has roots right here in the Alamo CIty — she was born in San Antonio and went to Alamo Heights High School. Though her work with the enigmatic filmmaker originally began in the music sphere, she made her screen debut as FBI Agent Tammy Preston in the hotly anticipated 2017 return of Lynch's iconic TV series Twin Peaks.
Photo via Showtime / Twin Peaks
James Roday Rodriguez
Psych star James Roday Rodriguez recently re-embraced his Latino heritage by retaking his surrname after performing for years under the name James Roday. The San Antonio native was born here in 1976 and went to Taft HS before making his name playing a fake psychic detective on the long-running USA comedy series for eight seasons and two movies. Recently, he also played Gary Mendez on ABC's A Million Little Pieces.
Photo via ABC / A Million Little Things
Robert Rodriguez
Robert Rodriguez has been repping SA since being born here in 1968. The director, who went ot St. Anthony High School, is known for everything from
Machete to
Spy Kids, and announced in 2020 that he'd directed at least one episode of the second season of the hit Disney+ series
The Mandalorian.
Photo via Twitter /
Rodriguez
Jaremi Carey
Born in San Antonio in 1985, Jaremi Carey made his break a the runner-up on the fourth season of RuPaul's Drag Race as his drag persona Phi Phi O'Hara, and later placed 7th on the second season of RuPalu's Drag Race: All Stars. However, in 2020 Phi Phi went Bye Bye, as Carey announced his planned retirement of the persona on social media in May. Lately, Carey has been streaming on Twitch as ThePocketGay, playing hit games like Fortnite and Overwatch.
Photo via Twitter /
JustJaremi
Michelle Rodriguez
Action star Michelle Rodriguez came out kicking in San Antonio in 1978, and lived in Texas until she was 8. Her family later moved to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. Rodriguez may be best known for playing Letty in the Fast & Furious movies, but she's also appeared in other iconic franchises including Machete and Resident Evil.
Photo via Universal Pictures
Elizabeth Chambers
Born here in 1982, actress Elizabeth Chambers moved away as a toddler, but the actress couldn't stay out of SA. In 2012, she opened Bird Bakery with her then-husband Armie Hammer in Alamo Heights. In 2020 the couple announced their split, but no need to worry — it doesn't look like Bird's tasty cupcakes are going anywhere anytime soon.
Photo via Instagram /
elizabethchambers
