List of people from Vancouver

This is a list of notable people from, or who spent considerable time residing in, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by adding missing items with reliable sources.

A

• Alistair Abell, actor
• Mark Acheson, voice actor
• Alison Acheson, writer
• Jensen Ackles, actor and musician
• Sean Anthony, basketball player
• Fardaws Aimaq, basketball player
• Daniel Adair, musician
• Bryan Adams, singer
• Robert Campbell Aitken, electrical engineer
• Vikky Alexander, artist
• Glenn Anderson, NHL hockey player
• Pamela Anderson, actress
• Aslam Anis, health economist
• Omer Arbel, multidisciplinary artist and designer, co-founder of Bocci
• Arteezy, professional Dota 2 player

B

• Neeru Bajwa, actress
• Peter Bakonyi (1933–1997), Hungarian-born Canadian Olympic fencer
• Long John Baldry (1941–2005), actor and musician
• Fairuza Balk, actress
• Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks Forward
• Ashleigh Ball, voice actress known for her lead role in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic and lead singer of Hey Ocean!
• Joan Balzar, painter
• James Barber (1923–2007), cookbook author, aka "The Urban Peasant"
• Kathleen Barr, voice actress
• bbno$, recording artist
• AC Bonifacio, dancer
• Barry Beck, hockey player
• Gil Bellows, actor
• Vicki Berner (1945–2017), tennis player
• Ray Bethell (1928–2008), master multiple kite flier
• Jean-Luc Bilodeau, actor
• Linwood Boomer, actor and television producer and writer
• Eddy Boudel Tan, writer^[1]
• Sage Brocklebank, actor
• Troy Brouwer, NHL hockey player
• Rod Bruno, musician
• Karin Bubaš, artist
• Hy Buller (1926–1968), All Star NHL ice hockey player
• Brendan Burke, LGBT late activism

C

• Alexander Calvert, actor
• Kim Campbell, former Canadian Prime Minister
• Paul Campbell, actor
• Siobhan Carroll, professor, scholar and writer
• Anna Cathcart, actress
• Eliana Cuevas, jazz Latin singer
• Erin Cebula, TV personality
• Erica Cerra, actress
• Garry Chalk, actor
• Sarah Chalke, actress
• Alina Chan, biologist
• Angela Chang, Mandopop singer
• Peter Chao, comedian
• Osric Chau, actor
• Edison Chen, Hong Kong entertainer
• Ying Chen, Francophone author
• Fred Cheng, Hong Kong actor/musician
• Joyce Cheng, actress
• Kevin Cherkas, chef
• Kayi Cheung, actress, Miss Hong Kong 2007
• Charlene Choi, actress and singer
• Edward (Woo-Shik) Choi, actor^[2][3]
• Kevin Chong, novelist
• Tommy Chong, actor, comedian, musician
• Hayden Christensen, actor
• Frances Chung, ballet dancer
• Linda Chung, actress/musician
• Brandon Clarke, NBA player for the Memphis Grizzlies
• Christy Clark, provincial politician and former Premier of British Columbia
• Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin, artist and chef
• Meredith Coloma, luthier and musician
• Wayde Compton, author
• Torrance Coombs, actor
• Claire Corlett, actress and daughter of Ian James Corlett
• Douglas Coupland, author
• Christian Covington, National Football League player
• Richard Ian Cox, actor
• Michelle Creber, actress, singer, songwriter, dancer
• Amanda Crew, actress
• Roger Cross, Jamaican-Canadian actor
• Seán Cummings, actor and playwright

D

• Mackenzie Davis, actress
• Brian Day, doctor
• Yvonne De Carlo (1922–2007), actress, dancer, singer of Hollywood's Golden Age
• Haley de Jong, gymnast for the Georgia Gymdogs
• Jay DeMerit, MLS, World Cup soccer player
• Katherine DeMille (1911–1995), actress of Hollywood's Golden Age
• Neil Denis, actor
• Trevor Devall, voice actor
• Dana Devine, blood transfusion researcher
• Ranj Dhaliwal, writer
• Michele Di Menna (born 1980), artist
• Brian Dobson, voice actor
• Michael Dobson, voice actor
• Paul Dobson, voice actor
• Lexa Doig, actress
• Michael Donovan, voice actor
• James Doohan (1920–2005), actor ("Lt. Cmdr. Montgomery Scott "Scotty" from television show Star Trek)
• Audrey Capel Doray, artist
• Stan Douglas, artist
• Brian Drummond, voice actor
• Terry Dunfield, soccer coach, commentator and former player
• Jacqueline Dupuis, Executive Director of Vancouver International Film Festival

E

• Aileen Eaton, boxing promoter
• Aryana Engineer, actress
• Daniella Evangelista, actress, model
• Arthur Erickson, architect, urban planner
• Robin Esrock, travel writer
• Elise Estrada, singer-songwriter, actress
• El Phantasmo, professional wrestler

F

• Isaiah Faber, rapper, songwriter, and record producer
• Bruce Fairbairn, musician, producer
• Jessie Farrell, singer
• Wally Fawkes, (1924–2023), jazz clarinetist and satirical cartoonist
• Gordon Fee, New Testament scholar
• John Ferguson Sr., professional hockey player
• Jodelle Ferland, actress
• Nathan Fielder, comedian
• Rod Filbrandt, cartoonist
• Nigel Findley, fantasy, science fiction, and RPG author
• Noel Fisher, actor
• Ben Fisk, soccer player
• Brendan Fletcher, actor
• Nathan Fong, chef^[4]
• Luke Ford, actor
• William Wasbrough Foster, mountaineer, soldier, politician, business executive, and chief constable of Vancouver
• Andrew Francis, voice actor
• Daniel Francis, writer and historian
• Jeff Francis, Major League Baseball player
• Leonard Frank, photographer
• Robert Friedland, mining magnate
• Rhys Fulber, musician, producer
• Freddy Fuller, boxing champion
• Nolan Gerard Funk, actor

G

• Emmanuelle Schick Garcia, film director and writer
• Austin Gary, author, songwriter
• C. E. Gatchalian, playwright
• Dan George, actor and chief
• William Gibson, writer
• Shelley Gillen, producer, screenwriter and songwriter
• Greg Girard, photographer
• Evan Goldberg, writer, producer and director
• Matthew Good, singer-songwriter
• Rodney Graham, artist
• Jennifer Granholm, former governor of U.S. State of Michigan (2003-11), current US Secretary of Energy under President Biden (2021-present)
• Nancy Greene Raine, Olympic champion and Canadian senator
• Grimes, singer-songwriter, director, musician, actress
• Julia Grosso, soccer player for the Canada national team
• Aaron Guiel, Major League Baseball player
• Trevor Guthrie, singer

H

• Meredith Hama-Brown, actress and filmmaker
• Jansen Harkins, NHL player for the Pittsburgh Penguins
• Rich Harden, Major League Baseball player
• Jillian Harris, ABC's 5th Bachelorette
• Laura Harris, actress
• Chris Haslam, professional skateboarder
• Joel Haywood, basketball player
• Maryke Hendrikse, voice actress
• Gregory Henriquez, architect
• Meghan Heffern, actress
• Ed Hill, stand-up comedian
• Matt Hill, voice actor
• Brent Hodge, film director and CEO of Hodgee Films
• Bert Hoffmeister, commander of the 5th Canadian Division in the Second World War, then president of MacMillan Bloedel
• Jacob Hoggard, lead singer of the band Hedley
• Clive Holden, poet, film director and visual artist
• Antony Holland, actor
• Bob Houbregs, NBA player for the Milwaukee Hawks, Baltimore Bullets, Boston Celtics, and the Fort Wayne Pistons; general manager of the Seattle SuperSonics; member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
• Harrison Houde, composer, actor
• Barbara Howard, sprinter
• Jono Howard, Canadian-born writer who works primarily on animated children's shows
• Elva Hsiao, Mandopop singer

I

• Robert Ito, former actor
• Daniel Ingram, musician
• John Ireland, actor
• Britt Irvin, actress, musician and voice-over artist
• Katharine Isabelle, actress

J

• Joshua Jackson, actor
• Liam James, actor
• Michael Janyk, Canadian alpne skier
• Janyse Jaud, actress and singer
• Jazzy B, actor, singer
• Sarah Jeffery, actress, dancer, singer
• E. A. Jenns, poet
• Carly Rae Jepsen, singer
• Avan Jogia, actor
• Ryan Johansen, ice hockey player
• Alexz Johnson, actress, singer
• Vera Johnson, singer
• Manny Jacinto, actor, comedian
• Christopher Judge, actor
• Jenna Talackova, trans woman model, actress and television personality

K

• Evander Kane, National Hockey League player
• Paul Kariya, National Hockey League player
• Earl Keeley, football player
• Peter Kelamis, voice actor
• Alexander Kerfoot, National Hockey League player
• Conor Kerr, author
• Cevin Key, musician
• Samuel Khouth, voice actor
• Margot Kidder, actress
• Terry Klassen, voice actor and director
• Kristin Kreuk, actress
• Sean Michael Kyer, actor

L

• Angela Lee, mixed martial arts
• Christian Lee, mixed martial arts
• David Lam, politician
• Tyler Labine, actor
• Evelyn Lau, poet and novelist
• Maggie Lawson, actress
• Mireille Lebel, opera singer/soloist^[5]
• Cory Lee, singer
• Mark Lee, singer-songwriter and member of South Korean boy group NCT
• Bill Leeb, musician, singer
• Lily Alice Lefevre, poet
• Bob Lenarduzzi, soccer player
• Darryl Lenox, comedian
• Sherwood Lett, soldier, lawyer, chancellor of UBC
• Andrea Libman, voice actress known for her lead role in My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic
• Jeff L. Lieberman, film director, writer and producer
• Shin Lim, close-up magician
• Trevor Linden, NHL hockey player
• Bernice Liu, actress
• Mary Livingstone (formerly Sadie Marks), actress; wife of Jack Benny
• Quinn Lord, actor
• Rochelle Low, field hockey player
• Crystal Lowe, actress
• Jessica Lowndes, actress
• Jessica Lucas, actress
• Milan Lucic, NHL player
• Alexander Ludwig, actor

M

• Norma MacMillan, voice actress
• Brandon Jay McLaren, actor
• Trystan Magnuson, Major League Baseball player
• Karen Diane Magnussen, figure skater
• Dan Mangan, musician
• Blu Mankuma, actor
• Charles Marega, sculptor
• Elsie MacGill, first female aeronautical engineer in the world
• Shaiju Mathew, author, filmmaker
• Scott Mathieson, Major League Baseball player
• Seok Matthew, singer in Korea, member of boygroup ZEROBASEONE (ZB1)
• Terry McBride, CEO and founder, Nettwerk Music Group
• Shane McConkey, professional freestyle skier
• Dean McFadden, Commander of the Royal Canadian Navy
• Ashleigh McIvor, Olympic champion skier
• Leah McHenry, musician and music educator
• Dave McKay, Major League Baseball player
• Cody McKay, Major League Baseball player
• Britt McKillip, actress
• Carly McKillip, actress
• Sarah McLachlan, singer-songwriter
• Mercedes McNab, actress
• Chris McNally, Canadian actor
• Andrew McNee, Canadian actor
• Scott McNeil, voice actor
• John H. Meier, financier and former business adviser to Howard Hughes
• Charles Merritt, winner of the Victoria Cross
• Kelly Metzger, voice actress
• Shay Mitchell, actress
• Brent Miller, actor
• Wentworth Miller, actor
• Colin Mochrie, comedian
• Moka Only, rapper, musician, member of rap group Swollen Members
• Kevin Moon, vocalist with Korean group The Boyz
• Cory Monteith, actor
• Greg Moore, racing driver
• James Moore, politician and senior Federal cabinet minister
• Justin Morneau, Major League Baseball player
• Kirby Morrow (1973–2020), voice actor
• Carrie-Anne Moss, actress
• Tegan Moss, actress
• Jane Munro, poet
• Michelle Mylett, actress
• Zhang Mo , table tennis player

N

• Ira B. Nadel, biographer and literary critic
• Nardwuar the Human Serviette, radio host and musician
• Steve Nash, NBA player
• Cam Neely, NHL player
• Kliph Nesteroff, writer, broadcaster
• Peter New, actor
• Alisha Newton, actress
• Kevin Nicholson, Major League Baseball player
• Mike Nickeas, Major League Baseball player
• Mayko Nguyen, actress
• Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, NHL player

O

• Brenna O'Brien, actress
• Victor Odlum, journalist, soldier, and diplomat
• Nivek Ogre, singer, musician
• Pat Onstad, soccer player

P

• J. I. Packer, Anglican theologian
• Fred Page, Hockey Hall of Fame inductee
• Frank Palmer, businessman
• Grace Park, actress
• Jim Pattison, entrepreneur
• Kit Pearson, children's writer
• Missy Peregrym, actress
• Emily Perkins, actress
• Kimberly Phillips, educator and curator
• Maddie Phillips, actress
• James Picard, artist
• Carly Pope, actress
• Powfu, singer-songwriter
• Daniel Powter, singer
• Carey Price, NHL goaltender for the Montreal Canadiens
• Jason Priestley, actor, director, producer
• Jaime Lo Presti, football
• Kirsten Prout, actress

Q

• Wanting Qu, singer-songwriter
• Juda Hirsch Quastel, biochemist, died in Vancouver

R

• Josh Ramsay, lead singer of band Marianas Trench
• Rascalz, hip hop group
• Michael Rasmussen, NHL player for the Detroit Red Wings
• Ryan Reynolds, actor
• Emily Bett Rickards, actress
• Morgan Rielly, NHL player
• Ryan Robbins, actor
• Rachel Roberts, actress, fashion model
• Claude C. Robinson, ice hockey executive and inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame^[6]
• Spider Robinson, author
• Wayne Robson, actor
• Coco Rocha, fashion model
• James Roday, actor
• Evan Roderick, actor and former ice hockey player
• Seth Rogen, actor, writer, and comedian
• Teryl Rothery, television anchor, actress
• Melissa Roxburgh, actress

S

• Mehdi Sadaghdar, YouTuber, comedian
• Joe Sakic, NHL player ("Burnaby Joe")
• Eliza Sam, Hong Kong actress
• Rhea Santos, newscaster, journalist
• Devon Sawa, actor
• Linus Sebastian, YouTuber, presenter, producer, writer
• Louise Schatz, Canadian-born Israeli artist and designer
• Conrad Schmidt, activist
• Sophie Schmidt, member of Canadian Women's National soccer team
• Drew Scott, television personality
• Jonathan Scott, television personality
• Jasmine Sealy, writer
• Brandon Segal, NHL player
• Michael Shanks, actor
• Kathryn Shaw, artistic director
• Stephen Lea Sheppard, actor, writer
• Kelly Sheridan, voice actress
• Tei Shi, singer
• Hide Hyodo Shimizu, Japanese-Canadian educator and activist, member of the Order of Canada
• Rebecca Shoichet, voice actress
• Lydia Shum Din-ha, elder sister of Alfred Sung; Hong Kong actress
• Christine Sinclair, captain of Canadian Women's National soccer team
• Robert Sing, Canadian soccer player
• Nelson Skalbania, entrepreneur
• Adam Sussman, entrepreneur
• Stephen Smart, former journalist
• Bill Smith, soccer player
• Colleen Smith, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player
• Ken Sim, ABC Vancouver partylist leader
• Gregory Smith, actor
• Trevor Smith, NHL player
• Cobie Smulders, actress
• Heather Spears, poet, artist, novelist
• Tabitha St. Germain, voice actress
• John G. Stackhouse Jr., writer and professor of religion
• Rita Steblin, musicologist
• Kennedy Stewart, academic and former Mayor of Vancouver (2018–2022)
• Dorothy Stratten, actress, model
• Jewel Staite, actress
• Arran Stephens, entrepreneur, writer
• Ryan Stiles, comedian, actor
• Sean Stubbs, musician
• Billy Suede, professional wrestler
• David Suzuki, environmentalist, scientist, broadcaster
• Brad Swaile, voice actor
• R. J. Swindle, Major League Baseball player

T

• Jenna Talackova, model, television personality
• Amanda Tapping, actress
• Ari Taub (born 1971), Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler
• Reece Thompson, actor
• Brent Titcomb, actor, singer, member of the Canadian band 3's a Crowd
• Alex To, Mandopop singer
• Lee Tockar, voice actor
• Eckhart Tolle, spiritual teacher
• Vincent Tong, voice actor
• Devin Townsend, singer, musician
• Jacob Tremblay, child actor
• Margaret Trudeau (now Margaret Trudeau Kemper), author; former wife of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau and mother of Justin Trudeau
• Nicholas Tse, Cantopop singer
• John Turner, former Prime Minister

U

• Hamilton Upton (1912–1965), Canadian flying ace serving in the RAF during WW2

V

• Emmanuelle Vaugier, actress
• Graham Verchere, actor

W

• Andrew Wilkinson, physician, lawyer and politician
• Larry Walker, Major League Baseball player
• Jeff Wall, artist
• Ian Wallace, artist
• Brian Wong, founder of Kiip
• Nolan Watson, entrepreneur and philanthropist
• Daniel Wesley, musician
• Martyn S. Williams, mountain and wilderness guide who is the first person in the world to lead expeditions to the three extremes, South Pole (1989) North Pole (1992) and Everest (1991)
• Chip Wilson, businessman and founder of Lululemon Athletica
• Finn Wolfhard, actor
• Kris Wu, actor and former member of South Korean-Chinese group EXO
• Charles Wilkinson, filmmaker and author
• Byron Wong, musician
• Jason Wu, Taiwanese-Canadian artist and fashion designer

Y

• Benny Yau, television presenter, singer
• Brandon Yip, ice hockey player
• Françoise Yip, actress
• Kelly Yu, singer

Z

• Alex Zahara, actor
• Chiara Zanni, actress

See also

•   Pacific Northwest portal

References

1. Brett Josef Grubisic, "Review: Boudel Tan delivers a story that’s enticing and smile-inducing". Vancouver Sun, July 30, 2021.
2. ""Parasite" Star Was Raised In Vancouver & He Even Went To SFU". Narcity. 2020-02-12. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
3. "This 'Parasite' Star Was Once Just A Kid In Canada Trying To Fit In". HuffPost. 2020-02-10. Retrieved 2022-05-13.
4. Gill, Alexandra (1 April 2020). "Revered, award-winning Canadian chef Nathan Fong dies at 61". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
5. Smith, Janet (1 December 2021). "Mezzo soprano Mireille Lebel keeps looking ahead in Vancouver Opera's Orfeo ed Euridice". Create a Stir. Retrieved 8 February 2024.
6. "Robinson dies". Lethbridge Herald. Lethbridge, Alberta. The Canadian Press. June 28, 1976. p. 32.