Famous People From Hawaii

Former President of the United States, Barack Obama, has the distinction of being the first African-American president of the nation. A civil rights attorney and an academic, he has been credited with bringing about a significant improvement in America’s reputation abroad. His efforts to strengthen international diplomacy was recognized with the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.

American singer, Bruno Mars, is one of the best-selling artists of all time. He has a wide range of musical style like R&B, pop, funk, reggae, hip hop and rock. He is also known for his stage performances. Locked Out of Heaven, When I Was Your Man, 24K Magic and That's What I Like are some of his hit songs.

Australian actress and producer Nicole Kidman is one of the world's highest-paid actresses. She is the founder of the production company Blossom Films. She was twice named as one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. Besides acting, she has been a Goodwill ambassador for UNICEF since 1994.

An actor primarily known for his roles in the DC Extended Universe films, Jason Momoa is famous for his rugged good looks and raw sex appeal. He is of mixed Hawaiian and European descent. Beginning a career in entertainment in his late teens, he has now become an internationally renowned star. He has multiple tattoos.  

Hawaiian born singer, dancer and television personality, Nicole Scherzinger grabbed attention with TV show Popstars and later as the lead singer of the popular girl’s band, The Pussycat Dolls. She further created a place for herself with her solo albums, acting assignments, participation in reality singing and dancing shows and finally by becoming a judge on various reality shows.

Lauren Graham is an American actress popular for playing Lorelai Gilmore in the famous television series, Gilmore Girls. Apart from being an actress, Lauren Graham is also an author and has published a couple of books, including a memoir. Also known for her beauty, Lauren has graced the cover of magazines like Health, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Parade, and Self.

Considered one of the most underrated actresses, the late Kelly Preston left her mark in both films and television shows and across a variety of genres. The charming actress starred alongside big Hollywood actors including her husband John Travolta and made her presence felt in most of them.

Timothy Olyphant became known to a wider audience when he portrayed the character of a righteous, brooding Sheriff in the HBO series Deadwood, which ran from 2004 to 2006. He later played the same role in the 2019 film Deadwood: The Movie. He received critical acclaim for playing the role of a deputy US Marshall in the television series Justified.

Hawaiian musician Israel Kamakawiwoʻole began his career as part of the Makaha Sons. He later went solo with the albums Ka 'Ano'I and Facing Future and also lent his support to the Hawaiian independence movement. His ever-increasing weight caused him chronic issues and eventually led to his death at 38.

Maggie Q is mostly known for her roles in thrillers and action films/series, such as Mission: Impossible III, Designated Survivor, and Nikita. Audiences loved her in Divergent and its sequels. Named by PETA as one of the "Sexiest Vegans" of 2017, Maggie is also a prominent animal rights activist.

A singer-songwriter, actress, and comedian, Bette Midler is one of the most decorated American celebrities of her generation. She has won prestigious awards like Grammy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, and Tony Award. Also known for her charity work, Bette Midler founded a non-profit organization called New York Restoration Project in 1995.

Markiplier is a gamer-commentator, comedian, YouTuber, and actor. One of the most popular American YouTubers, Markiplier is also an entrepreneur; he is credited with co-founding Cloak, a clothing company. He also participates in fundraisers and charity live streams, often raising thousands of dollars for charity.

Bethany Hamilton is an American surfer. She serves as an inspiration to many surfers around the world as she returned to professional surfing even after surviving a shark attack in which she lost her left arm. Her 2004 autobiography, which narrates her experience, was adapted into a film titled Soul Surfer in which Bethany Hamilton was portrayed by AnnaSophia Robb.

Jacob Batalon is an actor who is best known for his role as Ned Leeds in Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. He studied acting at New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts and made his debut in a film in 2016. Since then, he has acted in many TV shows and movies, grabbing his first major role in the film Spider-Man: Homecoming in 2017.

Duke Kahanamoku was an American competitive swimmer and surfer. He is credited with popularizing the ancient Hawaiian surfing. As a swimmer, Kahanamoku won three gold medals in two different Olympics. Kahanamoku was inducted into both the Surfing Hall of Fame and International Swimming Hall of Fame. He has been also inducted into the US Olympic Hall of Fame.

At 10, Michelle Wie, born to an amateur golfer mother, was the youngest to participate in a USGA amateur championship. Though the Korean-American golfer, who is a five-time LPGA winner, had quit her career after her marriage to sports honcho Jonnie West, she later decided to get back to golf.

Actress and singer Auli'i Cravalho catapulted to fame for playing the titular character in the Disney computer-animated musical feature film Moana. She was still a teenager in high school when she started acting. A young woman now, she has appeared in many TV shows and films since her debut. She is openly bisexual. 

Robert Kiyosaki is an American author and businessman known for his internationally acclaimed book Rich Dad Poor Dad; his Rich Dad Poor Dad book series has sold more than 41 million copies worldwide after having been translated into 51 languages. Kiyosaki is also credited with founding the Rich Dad Company and Rich Global LLC, which filed for bankruptcy in 2012.

Marcus Mariota is an American football player. A quarterback, Mariota was an important member of Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL) as he led the Titans to three successive winning seasons. He currently plays for the Las Vegas Raiders. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, Mariota serves as an inspiration to many aspiring football players from Hawaii.

The youngest member of the US artistic gymnastics team at the 2012 London Olympics, Kyla Ross won the team gold at the event, and became the first female gymnast to win the Olympic, the World, and the NCAA championships. Now a youth gymnastics coach, she has also launched her own line of leotards.

Mark Dacascos is an actor, trained martial artist, and TV personality. He is proficient in the Wun Hop Kuen Do style of martial arts and has won several karate and kung fu championships. As an actor, he is best known for his role in the action-horror film Brotherhood of the Wolf. He is married to actress Julie Condra.  

Amanda Schull is an American actress known for her portrayal of Jody Sawyer in the 2000 teen drama film Center Stage. A former professional ballet dancer, Schull has also played important roles in other dance-based films like Mao's Last Dancer.

Ryan Higa is an American internet personality, comedian, actor, and musician. Best known for posting comedy videos on his YouTube channel nigahiga, Higa received the Best Video Blogger nomination at the 2014 Shorty Awards. From 2009 to 2011, nigahiga was the most subscribed YouTube channel. Ryan Higa is also credited with creating a K-pop band called Boys Generally Asian (BgA).

Daniel Inouye was a US Senator from Hawaii. He was the highest-ranking Asian-American politician until 2021 when Kamala Harris of Indian origin became vice president. Inouye is also known for his participation in World War II where he lost his right arm. For his bravery in World War II, he was honored with the United States’ highest military award, the Medal of Honor.

MMA fighter Travis Browne is a renowned heavyweight who is known for his association with the UFC. He had an undefeated streak for his first 14 professional matches. He was interested in basketball before he ventured into Brazilian jiu-jitsu at 26. He is nicknamed Hapa, because of his mixed ancestry.

Keiko Agena is an American actress best known for portraying Lane Kim in the popular comedy-drama television series, Gilmore Girls, for which she won the 2002 Young Artist Award under the Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Supporting Young Actress category. She is also credited with launching Drunk Monk Podcast.

Actor, Gavin Leatherwood, is best known for his role in Netflix's series Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. He loved to act from a young age and decided to pursue his passion as a career. He made his debut in the mid-2010s and has since appeared in many TV and web series. He also plays the guitar, ukulele, and piano.