This is a list of notable people who were born, raised, or spent significant time living in or being in the U.S. state of Florida.
Business NameNotabilityConnection to FloridaPaul Bilzerian (1950–)financier convicted of securities fraudBorn in MiamiSara Blakely (1971–)Businesswoman; founder and owner of SpanxFlorida State UniversityBorn in ClearwaterJames J. Greco (1958–)Businessman; chief executive officer and president of SbarroLives in Boynton BeachWayne Huizenga (1937–2018)Businessman; founder of Blockbuster Video, AutoNation, Waste Management, Inc.; owner or co-owner of the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League, the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League, and the Florida Marlins of Major League BaseballGraduated from Pine Crest School in Fort Lauderdale in 1956; Founded Waste Management, Inc. in Fort Lauderdale in 1971Robert James (1909–1983)Businessman; founder of Raymond James Financial, an S&P 500-listed financial services company headquartered in St. Petersburg Founded Raymond James Financial in St. Petersburg in 1962 Thomas James (1942/43–)Businessman; chairman of Raymond James Financial, an S&P 500-listed financial services company headquartered in St. Petersburg Lives in St. Petersburg; graduated from Stetson College of Law in St. Petersburg George W. Jenkins (1907–1996)Businessman; founder of PublixFounded Publix in Winter Haven in 1930 and resided in Lakeland until his death in 1996Jeffrey RosenPresident of Rose Art Industries, owner of Maccabi Haifa, and owner of the Miami MidnitesOwner of Miami MidnitesChip Skowron (1968/69–)Hedge fund manager convicted of insider tradingBorn in Cocoa
Politics and government NameNotabilityConnection to FloridaJeb Bush (born 1953)Former governor of Florida (1999–2007); brother of former president George W. BushLived in MiamiRon DeSantis (born 1978) 46th governor of Florida (2019–)Born in JacksonvilleNate Douglas (born 2000)Politician and educatorBorn in Celebration, lives in OrlandoRandy Fine (born 1974) Gambling industry executive, U.S. congressman from Florida (2025–)J. Dudley Goodlette (born 1948) Florida state representative (1999–2007) Lived in NaplesAbraham Katz (1926–2013)Diplomat, United States ambassador to the OECDBill Nelson (born 1942)Former U.S. senator from Florida (2001–2019), former U.S. congressman from Florida (1979–1991), NASA administrator (2021–2025)Born in MiamiJanet Reno (1938–2016)U.S. attorney general, 1993–2001; first woman to serve as attorney generalBorn in MiamiMarco Rubio (born 1971)U.S. senator from Florida 2011–2025; U.S. secretary of state (2025–)Born in MiamiDonald Trump (born 1946)President of the United States (2017–2021, 2025–), businessmanLives in Palm BeachMike Waltz (born 1974) 29th U.S. national security advisor (2025), former U.S. congressman from Florida (2019–2025)Born in Boynton Beach
Film and television NameNotabilityConnection to FloridaKirsten Bloom AllenActress and ballet dancerJoined the Orlando Ballet and graduated from Melbourne High SchoolElizabeth Ashley (1939–)Film and television actressBorn in OcalaAngela Bassett (1958–)Film and television actressLived in St. PetersburgMatt Battaglia (1965–)Film and television actor, producer, philanthropistBorn in TallahasseeSteven Bauer (1956–)Film and television actorGrew up in MiamiAmanda Bearse (1958–)Film and television actressBorn in Winter ParkShannon Bream (1971–)Reporter and anchor for Fox NewsGrew up in TallahasseeDelta Burke (1956–)Television actressBorn in OrlandoTom Byrd (1960–)Television actor (NBC's Boone)Born in Philippine Islands; raised in FloridaMaria Canals-Barrera (1966–)Film and television actressBorn in MiamiDiana Canova (1953–)ActressBorn in West Palm BeachDavid Caruso (1956–)Film and television actorLives in Miami BeachNoah Centineo (1996–)Actor and modelBorn in MiamiJonathan Chase (1979–)Film and television actorBorn in PlantationMerian C. Cooper (1893–1973)Film director, screenwriter, and producerBorn in JacksonvilleMatt Damon (1970–)Film actorLived in MiamiBrittany Daniel (1976–)Television and film actressBorn in GainesvilleBrad Davis (1949–1991)Film actorBorn in TallahasseeJohnny Depp (1963–)Film actorRaised in MiramarDimitri Diatchenko (1968–2020)Film and television actorLived in Holly Hill and Daytona BeachCreagen Dow (1991–)Film and television actorBorn in SebringFaye Dunaway (1941–)Academy Award-winning actressBorn in BascomGail Edwards (1952–)Film and television actressBorn and raised in Coral GablesRaúl Esparza (1970–)Film, television, and stage actorBorn in MiamiStepin Fetchit (1902–1985)Film actor and comedianBorn in Key WestJorja FoxTelevision actressLived in Melbourne BeachMegan Fox (1986–)Film and television actressPartly raised in St. PetersburgJosh Gad (1981–)Film actor, comedian, and singer best known for voicing Olaf from FrozenBorn in HollywoodAidan Gallagher (1969–)Film and television actorBorn in TallahasseeRobert Gant (1968–)Television actorBorn in TampaAndy Garcia (1956–)Film actorBorn in Cuba; raised in MiamiJoanna García (1979–)Film and television actressBorn in TampaMatt Gerald (1970–)Film and television actorBorn in MiamiMalcolm Gets (1963–)ActorBorn in GainesvilleSkyler Gisondo (1996–)Film and television actorBorn in Palm Beach CountyJulie Gonzalo (1981–)Film and television actressRaised in MiamiMel Gorham (1959–)Film and television actressBorn in Coral GablesAshley Greene (1987–)Film and television actressBorn in JacksonvilleCarla Gugino (1973–)Film and television actressBorn in SarasotaTony Hale (1970–)Film and television actorBorn in TallahasseeDarrell Hammond (1955–)Comedian from Saturday Night Live; actorBorn in MelbourneGina Hecht (1953–)Television and film actressBorn in Winter ParkWanda Hendrix (1928–1981)Film actressBorn in JacksonvilleCatherine Hickland (1956–)Soap opera actressBorn in Fort LauderdaleCheryl Hines (1965–)ActressBorn in Miami BeachCrystal Hunt (1985–)Soap opera actressBorn in ClearwaterJonathan Jackson (1982–)ActorBorn in OrlandoVictoria Jackson (1959–)Film and television actressBorn in MiamiCarter Jenkins (1991–)Film and television actorBorn in TampaSarah Jones (1983–)Film and television actressBorn in Winter SpringsVictoria Justice (1993–)Actress, singerBorn in HollywoodLawrence Kasdan (1949–)Film director and screenwriterBorn in MiamiArielle Kebbel (1985–)Film and televistion actressBorn in Winter ParkCatherine Keener (1960–)ActressBorn in MiamiDavid Labrava (1962–)Writer and actorBorn in MiamiBeth Littleford (1968–)Film and television actressGrew up in Winter ParkJennifer Lopez (1969–)Singer and actressLived in MiamiJosie Loren (1987–)Television actressBorn in MiamiVinicius Machado (1982–)Film and television actorRaised in OrlandoWilliam H. Macy (1950–)Film actorBorn in MiamiChris Marquette (1984–)Film and television actorBorn in StuartNatalie Martinez (1984–)Model and actressBorn in MiamiVelia Martínez (1920–1993)Actress and singerBorn in TampaDeLane Matthews (1961–)Television actressBorn in RockledgeButterfly McQueen (1911–1995)Film and television actressBorn in TampaJulio Oscar Mechoso (1955–)Film and television actorBorn in MiamiLeighton Meester (1986–)Film and television actressBorn in Marco IslandEva Mendes (1974)Film actressBorn in MiamiKaty Mixon (1981–)Film and television actressBorn in PensacolaMandy Moore (1984–)Actress and singer-songwriterGrew up in LongwoodJessica Morris (1980–)Soap opera actressBorn in JacksonvilleEnrique Murciano (1973–)Film and television actorBorn in MiamiChris Núñez (1973–)Tattoo artist and subject of TLC's Miami InkBorn in Miami BeachVictor Nuñez (1945–)Film directorBorn in DeLandFlip Pallot (died 2025)Television personalityFrom FloridaSarah Paulson (1974–)Film, stage and television actressBorn in TampaKimberly Peirce (1967–)Film directorBorn in MiamiCarlos Pena Jr. (1989–)Television actor and singerBorn in WestonGina Philips (1975–)Film and television actressBorn in Miami BeachSummer Phoenix (1978–)Actress and modelBorn in Winter ParkDanny Pino (1974–)Film and television actorBorn and raised in MiamiSidney Poitier (1927–2022)Academy Award-winning actorBorn in MiamiBrett Ratner (1969–)Film and music video directorBorn and raised in Miami BeachMonica Raymund (1986–)Television actressBorn in St. PetersburgRiley Reid (1991–)Pornographic actressBorn in Miami BeachAshley Rickards (1992–)Television actressBorn in SarasotaGenesis Rodriguez (1987–)Television actressBorn in MiamiMaggie Rodriguez (1969–)Co-anchor of CBS's The Early ShowBorn in MiamiStephen Root (1951–)Film and television actorBorn in SarasotaBob Ross (1942–1995)Television presenter and artistBorn in Daytona BeachMickey Rourke (1952–)Film actorRaised in MiamiMaya Rudolph (1972–)Film and television actressBorn in GainesvilleRick Sanchez (1958–)Host of CNN's Rick's ListGrew up in HialeahPat Skipper (1958–)Film and television actorBorn in LakelandWesley Snipes (1962–)Actor and film producerBorn in OrlandoRachel Specter (1980–)Film and television actressBorn in TampaKirsten Storms (1984–)Television actressBorn in OrlandoBella Thorne (1997–)Television actressBorn in Hollywood, FloridaDaniel Tosh (1975–)Television comedianBorn in Germany; raised in TitusvilleWilmer Valderrama (1980–)Film and television actorBorn in MiamiAlexa Vega (1988–)Film and television actressBorn in MiamiBen Vereen (1946–)Actor, dancer and singerBorn in MiamiSofía Vergara (1972–)Film and television actressLives in MiamiBob Vila (1946–)Television home improvement personalityBorn in MiamiDave WilliamsonStand-up comedianBorn in MiamiHugh Wilson (1943–2018)Film directorBorn in Miami
Literature
NameNotabilityConnection to FloridaT.D. Allman (1944–)Exposed CIA secret involvement with the war in Laos and interviews with world figures; historian author of Finding Florida: The True History of the Sunshine State and Miami: City of the FutureBorn in TampaKristen Arnett (1980–)Fiction author and essayist; her debut novel, Mostly Dead Things, was a New York Times bestsellerBorn, raised, and lives in OrlandoDave Barry (1947–)Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and best-selling authorLives in Miami Shmuley Boteach (1966–)Best-selling author of 31 books including Kosher Sex and Kosher Jesus, Orthodox rabbi, radio and television hostLived in MiamiPat Frank (1907–1964)Author of Alas, BabylonLived in TangerineErnest HemingwayAuthorLived in Key WestCarl Hiaasen (1953–)Journalist and novelistBorn in PlantationZora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)Author and folklorist during the Harlem RenaissanceRaised in EatonvilleJames Weldon Johnson (1871–1938)Author, poet, and civil rights activistBorn in JacksonvilleStetson Kennedy (1916–2011)Author of Palmetto Country and civil rights activistLived in Jacksonville and St. AugustineDavid Nolan (1946–)Author of Fifty Feet in Paradise: The Booming of FloridaLives in St. AugustineMarjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1896–1953)Novelist and short story writerLived in Cross Creek, the setting for most of her workLillian Smith (1897–1966)Author and social criticBorn in JasperFlorence Duval West (1840–1881)PoetBorn in Tallahassee, Florida
Military NameNotabilityConnection to FloridaChester R. Bender (1914–1996)Superintendent, United States Coast Guard Academy: Commandant, US Coast GuardBorn in Burnsville, West Virginia; lived in Plant CityAlan Stephenson Boyd (1922–2020)First United States secretary of transportationBorn in JacksonvilleRoy Geiger (1885–1947)Marine Corps 4-star general during World War IIBorn in MiddleburgJoseph Kittinger (1928–)Aviation and space flight pioneerBorn in TampaJohn Young (1930–2018)Navy fighter pilot and NASA Gemini, Apollo, and Space Shuttle astronautRaised in Orlando
Music