There are many famous faces that North Jersey is associated with. Since New Jersey has convenient access to both New York and Philadelphia, there are many famous people that call the Garden State home. Some celebrities have fallen in love with state so much that they base some of their material around the area they call home. Here are some of North Jersey’s most famous born-and-raised residents.
North Jersey’s Most Famous Residents
Frank Sinatra
Source: Wikimedia Commons
From: Hoboken, Hudson County
Before signing with Columbia Records in 1943, Sinatra would commonly perform at various theatres and bars throughout the city. After his death in 1998, Hoboken opened up a park in his honor right along the Hudson River, offering views of Lower Manhattan. If you’re interested in knowing his entire history with Hoboken, the Hoboken Historical Museum has a detailed map outlining every important Sinatra site throughout the city.
Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin
Source: NASA
From: Montclair, Essex County
Aldrin was originally born in Glen Ridge, and moved to Montclair, where he would graduate from high school in 1957. He then went to West Point and served as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. Buzz Aldrin is most well known for being one of the first humans to step foot on the moon. Recently, Aldrin started his own non-profit ShareSpace, which works to provide educational tools to educators at no cost to teach STEM subjects.
David Copperfield
From: Metuchen, Middlesex County, NJ
Although he currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada, magician and illusionist David Copperfield is originally from New Jersey. According to his biography, Copperfield was invited to join the Society of American Magicians at just 12 years old, and taught an adjunct class at NYU called “the Art of Magic” at just 16 years old. Starting in 1977, Copperfield made public appearances on ABC-TV. Today, he is considered one of the greatest illusionists in the world.
Whitney Houston
Source: Wikimedia Commons
From: Newark, Essex County
Throughout her career, Whitney Houston had strong roots in North Jersey. In an interview with Vibe Magazine, Houston said she started her career at age 11 when she was a part of the choir at New Hope Baptist Church in Newark. She then moved with her family to nearby East Orange and attended from Mount St. Dominic’s Academy, all while getting singing lessons from her mother, gospel singer Emily “Cissy” Houston. She is still the only artist to have seven consecutive number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100.
Peter Dinklage
Source: Wikimedia Commons
From: Morristown, Morris County
Peter Dinklage is known for his role as Tyron Lannister on HBO’s Game of Thrones. According to an article found in People Magazine, Dinklage got his first lead role in fifth grade during a production of Velveteen Rabbit. After attending Delbarton in Morristown, he attended Bennington College and then got a job as a project coordinator in New York. He received his first role in 1995 in the indie film Living in Oblivion.
Victor Cruz
Source: Wikimedia Commons
From: Paterson, Passaic County
While you might be familiar with how big of an impact Victor Cruz has had on the Giants in his six seasons with them, you may not know that he was born in Paterson. Cruz attended Paterson Catholic High School and played two positions: receiver and kick returner. Although Paterson Catholic High School closed its doors in 2010, various members of the school’s football team gathered at The Brownstone House banquet hall on West Broadway to celebrate Cruz’s success with the Giants, and to have his number retired at a charity ceremony in memory of his teammate, Jordan Cleaves.
Meryl Streep
Source: Wikimedia Commons
From: Summit, Union County
Meryl Streep is originally from Summit, but has lived in various places throughout Northern New Jersey. She moved to Basking Ridge and attended Cedar Hill Elementary School, which is currently considered one of the best schools in Somerset County, and Oak Street School, where she made her acting debut as Lousie Heller in the play The Family Upstairs. Streep would then act in numerous plays at Bernards High School in Bernardsville, and then attended Vassar College, where she got her first lead role in Miss Julie. After graduating with her masters from Yale, she then moved to New York and was hired at the Eugene O’Neill Theater Center, where she acted in five different plays in a six-week span.