Texans are awesome.
And by awesome, I mean really awesome.
We’re so awesome that even celebrities want to be Texans!
Check out these 12 celebrities who live in Texas:
1. Matthew McConaughey
Yup, it should come as no surprise that one of Hollywood’s proudest Texans still lives in the Lone Star State. When he’s not showing up to the sets of Dallas Buyers Club, Magic Mike, or Interstellar in his traveling RV, Matthew McConaughey calls Austin his home. In an interview with ABC News, McConaughey said he moved to Austin to be closer to his mom. How sweet is that?
2. Elon Musk
Billionaire, technology wizard, and … power broker? That’s right! Elon Musk lives in a tiny home in Boca Chica, Texas. The newly minted Texan created a new branch of Tesla in South Texas to sell electricity to the public. Musk recently told Joe Rogan that he also believes Austin will be the “biggest boomtown” in America, so it’s no wonder the entrepreneur chose Austin as the location for his new $1 billion manufacturing facility.
3. Joe Rogan
Speaking of Joe Rogan, the California transplant recently relocated his family to a beautiful waterfront home on Lake Austin. The MMA commentator and Fear Factor star had his new home completely redesigned into an “Asian-inspired modern mansion” equipped with an exquisite kitchen, floor-to-ceiling windows, and of course, a state-of-the-art home gym and recording studio.
4. James Van Der Beek
A series of unfortunate events landed the Dawson’s Creek star and his family in the Lone Star State. James, his wife Kimberly, and their 5 children were beginning to feel cramped in Beverly Hills. They settled on leasing a 36-acre estate about 45 minutes outside of Austin, where they plan to test the waters before permanently settling down in Texas. They’re excited to have some family and friends join them on the property in what Kimberly describes as a “very compound-like, village life”.
5. Scott Eastwood
With an iconic last name like Eastwood, it should come as no surprise that the son of the great Clint Eastwood would crave a slice of the cowboy lifestyle. The oh-so ruggedly handsome surfer, actor, and hunter visited Austin, TX in his college years and has been in love with Texas ever since. Since 2018, the former Californian has been expanding his car collection at his Austin home. His collection includes classics like a ‘61 Ferrari and a good ol’ pickup truck.
6. Chris Harrison
The Texas native has officially returned to his home state after leaving The Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise. Harrison settled down in the Barton Creek area of Austin so he could be a few hours away from his son, who attends Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. The long-time show host also recently purchased a stake in Steam Theory Brewing, a brewpub in Dallas (Harrison’s hometown) that features a full-service bar, full food menu, and games galore.
7. Sandra Bullock
If there’s one celebrity that was ahead of the Austin boom, it’s Sandra Bullock. The Miss Congeniality actress fell in love with the area when she came to film Hope Floats. Bullock bought her lakefront home there in 1997, but she’s owned and sold many different homes and businesses around town in the years since. Right now, Bullock’s real estate portfolio boasts her own restaurant, bakery, deli, and flower shop in downtown Austin.
8. Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles
Why lump these two together? Well, aside from the fact that they’re co-stars on the hit show Supernatural, they’re also real-life best friends. They also both happen to be Texas natives: Jared was born in San Antonio and Jensen was born in Dallas. Of course, both actors now live in Austin. Since settling in, Ackles founded a distillery with his wife and Padalecki started filming the Walker, Texas Ranger reboot. The town welcomed the duo with open arms, too: Austin Mayor Steve Adler declared June 23 “Supernatural Day.”
9. James Marsden
In an interview with Kelly & Ryan, the Oklahoma native says he’s been “vacationing” in Austin for over 20 years and finally decided to settle down there himself. The Westworld actor jokes that many of the other celebrities that have since moved to the area were following in his footsteps, but James Marsden really appreciates Austin’s “small town” feel and its proximity to his mom.
10. Adrien Genier
The Entourage actor, who’s best known for his role as Vincent Chase, attributes his move to the great state of Texas to his mom’s keen eye for real estate. Grenier says he got in early in many up-and-coming towns in America, like Williamsburg and Clinton Hill—and Austin is no exception. The UN Environment Ambassador (yup, you read that right!) has had a small place in Austin since 2016, but the pandemic inspired him to purchase more land, where he plans to create an environmentally conscious community.
11. Willie Nelson
If there’s one person that comes to mind when you think of Texas, it’s probably the great Willie Nelson. At the ripe, young age of 88, the country star can still be found touring music venues in every major city. But when he isn’t on the road, he’s at home on his Spicewood, TX ranch with his wife of 30 years, Annie. The long-time advocate for legalized marijuana recently launched his own cannabis company, Willie’s Reserve, which prides itself on honoring Willie’s philosophy of “my stash is your stash.”
12. Chris Klein
American Pie actor Chris Klein moved to Austin in 2013 because his wife, Laina Rose Thyfault, is a born-and-raised Austinite. After marrying in 2015 and welcoming their first child in 2016, Klein says Austin was the best place to raise their son, Frederick. Although Klein is a small-town Illinois native, he’s no stranger to the Texas lifestyle: he attended Texas Christian University in Fort Worth before settling in Austin.