Readers: Who is the most famous person from Massachusetts?
A recent survey named Matt Damon as the most recognizable Bay Stater.
If you were asked to name a famous person from Massachusetts, chances are half a dozen names would come to mind immediately. From A-list actors and musicians to politicians, there’s no shortage of big names from the Bay State.
But who is the Massachusetts native with the most star power? According to a 2023 Fame Index report from Famouspeople.io, that title goes to Matt Damon.
The Cambridge native found early fame from his 1997 film “Good Will Hunting.” In it, Damon stars as a young man from Southie who has a genius-level IQ but works as a janitor at MIT. He went on to star in and produce a number of hit movies — most recently, the summer blockbuster “Oppenheimer” — but finds himself back in Massachusetts time and time again.
Damon topped the ranking of the most recognizable people from Massachusetts ahead of Conan O’Brien, Kurt Russell, Mark Wahlberg, and Barbara Walters.
It’s a solid list, but many other names come to mind. In Hollywood alone, there’s Chris Evans, John Cena, and Mindy Kaling. Not to mention historical figures like former president John F. Kennedy, civil rights leader Malcolm X, music icon Donna Summer, and writers Sylvia Plath and Henry David Thoreau.
Ben Affleck — who is so proudly from Massachusetts that he starred in the first-ever Dunkin’ Super Bowl commercial and once shut down production of a movie over his refusal to be seen in Yankees gear — didn’t even crack the top five.
The competition may be stiff, but we want to know: Who do you think is the most famous person from Massachusetts?
Tell us if you think the Fame Index got the ranking right or if there’s someone else who comes to mind when you think of recognizable Bay Staters by filling out the survey below or emailing us at [email protected]. We’ll reveal Boston.com’s ranking in a future article.
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