The following are people either born, raised, or have lived for a significant period of time in the U.S. state of Arizona and/or the Arizona Territory.
Academia Russell Merle Genet – research scholar and astronomer Joseph Hilbe (1944–2017) – statistician, professor, and author Craig D. Idso – founder and chairman of the board of the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change Percival Lowell (1855–1916) – astronomer and founder of the Lowell Observatory Julia Robinson – mathematician Larry T. Wimmer – professor of economics Roger L. Worsley – educator
Art, literature, and poetry
Art Max Cannon (born 1962) – alternative cartoonist Bil Keane (1922–2011) – cartoonist James Rallison (born 1996) – cartoonist and YouTuber Paolo Soleri (1919–2013) – architect
Literature Clive Cussler (1931–2020) – author of the Dirk Pitt adventure novels and shipwreck explorer, part-time resident Diana Gabaldon (born 1952) – novelist Kevin Hearne (born 1970) – novelist Harold L. Humes (1926–1992) – novelist, co-founder of The Paris Review Stephenie Meyer (born 1973) – author, teen literature novelist, Twilight series Barbara Park (1947–2013) – author of the Junie B. Jones series Barrett Tillman (born 1948) – novelist and military historian Brady Udall (born 1971) – author Mary Whitebird (died 2010) – author
Poetry Ai (1947–2010) – poet and educator Jon Anderson (1940–2007) – poet and educator Jayne Cortez (1934–2012) – poet, activist, small press publisher and spoken-word performance artist Norman Dubie (born 1945) – poet, educator, Regents Professor of English at Arizona State University Alberto Ríos (born 1952) – poet, author, Arizona's first state poet laureate, Regents Professor and Katharine C. Turner Endowed Chair in English at Arizona State University Richard Shelton (born 1933) – poet, writer, and emeritus Regents Professor of English at the University of Arizona Jim Simmerman (1952–2006) – poet and editor Luci Tapahonso (born 1953) – poet and educator Ofelia Zepeda (born 1952) – poet and educator
Business
Steve Jurvetson, businessman and venture capitalist, was involved in companies including D-Wave, SpaceX and Tesla
Film, television, and theater
Erika Alexander (born 1969) – actress Rex Allen (1920–1999) – actor, iconic singing cowboy Steve Allen (1921–2000) – comedian, actor, known as the "father of TV talk shows"; first job was in Arizona Asher Angel (born 2002) – actor, Shazam! Samaire Armstrong (born 1980) – actress, Juliet Darling on Dirty Sexy Money and Anna Stern on The O.C. Jules Asner (born 1968) – actress and host of E!'s show Wild On! Jaime Lyn Bauer (born 1949) – soap opera actress, played Lauralee Brooks on The Young and the Restless and Laura Spencer Horton on Days of Our Lives Sandra Bernhard (born 1955) – actress, comedian; attended high school in Arizona Michael Biehn (born 1956) – actor, The Terminator, Tombstone Mika Boorem (born 1987) – actress, The Tom Show Aidy Bryant (born 1987) – actress, comedian, Saturday Night Live Brooke Burke (born 1971) – actress, model, TV personality, Dancing with the Stars Lynda Carter (born 1951) – actress and singer, known for Wonder Woman, 1972 Miss World USA Joan Ganz Cooney (born 1929) – TV producer of Sesame Street Brady Corbet (born 1988) – actor J'aime Crandall (born 1982) – ballet dancer Matt Dallas (born 1982) – actor, Kyle XY Ted Danson (born 1947) – actor, Cheers, CSI Rosemary DeCamp (1910–2001) – actress, Yankee Doodle Dandy, The Bob Cummings Show Andy Devine (1905–1977) – actor, Stagecoach, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Charles Dudley (1883–1952) – stage and film actor, studio makeup artist Barbara Eden (born 1931) – actress, I Dream of Jeannie Gail Edwards (born 1952) – actress, known for her roles in It's a Living, Blossom, and Full House Jack Elam (1918–2003) – actor Michael Ensign (born 1944) – actor, Boston Legal Danielle Fishel (born 1981) – actress, Boy Meets World and Girl Meets World Pablo Francisco (born 1974) – stand-up comedian, actor Sammi Hanratty (born 1995) – child actress, The Unit, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody James Hatley (born 1997) – actor in adult films Alexa Havins (born 1980) – actress, All My Children, One Life to Live, Torchwood Amelia Heinle (born 1973) – actress, Victoria Newman on The Young and the Restless; also played Mia Saunders on All My Children David Henrie (born 1989) – actor, Wizards of Waverly Place, How I Met Your Mother, That's So Raven Catherine Hicks (born 1951) – actress, 7th Heaven, Child's Play; attended Gerard Catholic High School Earl Hindman (1942–2003) – actor, Ryan's Hope, Home Improvement Gregg Hoffman (1963–2005) – film producer Michael Horse (born 1951) – artist, actor, Twin Peaks, Passenger 57 Dominic Janes (born 1994) – teen actor, ER, Out of Jimmy's Head, Dexter Brad Johnson (born 1959) – actor, Always, Flight of the Intruder Chelsea Kane (born 1988) – actress, singer, Jonas, Fish Hooks Tanner Maguire (born 1998) – child actor, Young Shawn Brady on Days of Our Lives Leslie Mancia (born 1987) – model, contestant on America’s Next Top Model Cycle 6 Taryn Manning (born 1978) – actress, fashion designer, singer-songwriter Abigail Mavity (born 1993) – actress Josh McDermitt (born 1978) – actor, comedian, Dr. Eugene Porter on The Walking Dead Rachel Melvin (born 1985) – actress, Chelsea Brady on Days of Our Lives Jenny Mollen (born 1979) – actress Heather Morris (born 1987) – actress, Brittany Pierce on Glee Inde Navarrette (born 2001) - actress, Superman & Lois, Obsession Tarah Paige (born 1982) – actress, dancer, gymnast, Make It or Break It Mary-Louise Parker (born 1964) – actress, Weeds; graduated from Marcos de Niza High School, Tempe Valerie Perrine (born 1943) – actress, Superman, Lenny; attended Camelback High School Busy Philipps (born 1979) – actress, Cougar Town, Dawson's Creek, Freaks and Geeks Larry Pine (born 1945) – actor Greg Proops (born 1959) – actor, comedian Jenni Pulos – Jeff Lewis's assistant on Bravo's Flipping Out James Rallison (born 1996) – internet personality, animator Liz Renay (1926–2007) – actress Terry Rhoads (1951–2013) – actor Jennifer Rubin (born 1962) – actress, model Jayla Rubinelli (born 1984) – model, contestant on America’s Next Top Model Cycle 5 Kylee Saunders (born 1994) – Japanese-American singer Garry Shandling (1949–2016) – actor, comedian, The Larry Sanders Show David Spade (born 1964) – actor, comedian, Saturday Night Live, Tommy Boy, Just Shoot Me Fay Spain (1932–1983) – actress, The Godfather Part II, Al Capone, God's Little Acre Emma Stone (born 1988) – actress, La La Land, The Help, The Amazing Spider-Man Shayne Topp (born 1991) – internet personality, comedian, actor, Smosh, The Goldbergs Amber Valletta (born 1974) – actress, model Janet Varney (born 1976) – actress, On the Lot, The Legend of Korra, Stan Against Evil Kate Walsh (born 1967) – actress, Dr. Addison Montgomery on Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice Mare Winningham (born 1959) – actress, American Horror Story, St. Elmo's Fire, Georgia Scott William Winters (born 1965) – actor, Oz, NYPD Blue Shannon Woodward (born 1984) – actress, Westworld, Raising Hope, The Riches Nick Young – actor, Friend of the World Jason Zumwalt (born 1975) – actor, scriptwriter, voice of Roman in Grand Theft Auto IV
Government, law, and politics
Thad Allen (born 1949) – retired U.S. Coast Guard admiral; National Incident Commander under President Barack Obama John T. Alsap (1830–1886) – first mayor of Phoenix Joe Arpaio (born 1932) – former Maricopa County sheriff (1993–2016) Henry F. Ashurst (1874–1962) – one of the first U.S. senators from Arizona (1912–1941) Bruce Babbitt (born 1938) – former governor of Arizona (1978–1987), and secretary of the interior in the Clinton Administration (1993–2001) Harriet C. Babbitt (born 1947) – First Lady of Arizona (1978–1987), U.S. ambassador to the Organization of American States (1993–1997), and deputy administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (1997–2001) Walter Blackman – Republican member of the Arizona House of Representatives Jan Brewer (born 1944) – served as the 22nd governor of Arizona William Docker Browning (1931–2008) – federal judge Dean Burch – former chairman of the Republican National Committee César Chávez (1927–1993) – labor union leader Dennis DeConcini (born 1937) – retired U.S. senator (1977–1994) Doug Ducey (born 1964) – governor of Arizona (2015–2023) Paul Fannin (1907–2002) – former U.S. senator (1965–1977) and governor of Arizona (1959–1965) Randy Fine (born 1974) – U.S. congressman and gambling industry executive Jeff Flake (born 1962) – Arizona U.S. senator (2013–2019) Gabby Giffords (born 1970) – U.S. representative, wounded in the 2011 Tucson shooting Barry M. Goldwater (1909–1998) – longtime Arizona senator (1953–1965, 1969–1987), and 1964 Republican nominee for president George Nicholas Goodman (1895–1959) – five-time mayor of Mesa in three different decades John Noble Goodwin (1824–1887) – first governor of the Arizona Territory (1863–1866) Margaret Hance (1923–1990) – first female mayor of Phoenix, 1976–1983 Carl Hayden (1877–1972) – U.S. senator, holds the record for the longest service in the U.S. congress Katie Hobbs (born 1969) – incumbent governor of Arizona since 2019 Brad Hoylman (born 1965) – New York state senator Don Lorenzo Hubbell – Arizona state senator John C. Keegan – judge, legislator, mayor of Peoria Lisa Graham Keegan – legislator, superintendent of Public Instruction Denison Kitchel (1908–2002) – Scottsdale lawyer and the Goldwater presidential national campaign manager in 1964 Jon Kyl (1942–2026) – U.S. senator (1995–2013; 2018) Fiorello La Guardia – mayor of New York City Rex E. Lee (1935–1996) – United States solicitor general during the Reagan Administration John McCain (1936–2018) – Panamanian-born politician, longtime U.S. senator from Arizona from 1986 until his death, former navy officer, and 2008 Republican nominee for president Ernest McFarland (1894–1984) – former U.S. senator (1941–1953) and governor of Arizona (1955–1959) Rose Mofford (1922–2016) – first female governor of Arizona, 1988–1991 Janet Napolitano (born 1957) – 21st governor of Arizona Sandra Day O'Connor (1930–2023) – first female justice of the United States Supreme Court Mary Peters (born 1948) – United States Secretary of Transportation under President George W. Bush Ben Quayle (born 1976) – former U.S. congressman Dan Quayle (born 1947) – former U.S. senator from Indiana (1981–1989), and 44th vice president of the United States under George H. W. Bush William Rehnquist (1924–2005) – chief justice of the Supreme Court Stephen Richer – Maricopa County recorder Charles S. Robb (born 1939) – former governor of Virginia (1982–1986) and U.S. senator from Virginia (1989–2001) John Shadegg (born 1949) – former U.S. representative from Phoenix Stephen Shadegg (1909–1990) – political consultant associated with Barry Goldwater Marcus A. Smith (1851–1924) – one of the first two senators from Arizona John G.F. Speiden (1900–1970) – rancher and political insider, various state boards Jack Taylor – mayor of Mesa, 1966–1972; member of both houses, consecutively, of the Arizona legislature David King Udall – Arizona Territorial Legislature Don Taylor Udall – Arizona State Legislature Jesse Addison Udall – chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court John Hunt Udall – mayor of Phoenix Levi Stewart Udall – chief justice of the Arizona Supreme Court Mark Udall – senator from Colorado Morris "Mo" Udall (1922–1998) – U.S. congressman and former pro basketball player Nick Udall – mayor of Phoenix Stewart Udall (1920–2010) – U.S. congressman and secretary of the interior during the JFK and LBJ administrations
Journalism and media Noah Beck (born 2001) – social media personality Rachel Campos-Duffy (born 1971) – TV personality, The Real World: San Francisco, The View Cheryl Casone (born 1970) – anchor for the Fox Business Network and business correspondent for Fox News