Hollywood might seem very far away from Columbia, Missouri but did you know that Brad Pitt once lived here?
Here we look at three famous Hollywood stars who once called Columbia their home.
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is a Missouri legend although it looks like he belongs to Los Angeles now. He is one of the most popular movie stars in the world known for his looks, his acting skills, humanitarian work, and family life.
Brad Pitt lived in Columbia in the early 1980s when he was a student at the University of Missouri (MU). He was a journalism major. However, he dropped out for a career in acting before he could complete his journalism degree. He later said that he regretted dropping out when he was so close to graduating with a degree.
At MU, Pitt studied advertising. Even then, he was known for his good looks and was reportedly called a "facejock" by his classmates.
Pitt still has fond memories of MU and has never hesistated to call out MU as one of the best journalism schools in the country.
Jon Hamm
You might think of him as the suave Mr. Don Draper from Mad Men but at one time he was studying for an English major at MU in Columbia. He graduated from MU in 1993.
Although he was an English major, he was heavily involved with the theater at MU and starred in some of the productions at the university. His professor and mentor at MU, Jim Miller, had this to say about Hamm "He was the most intellectual actor I have had in 30 years of teaching."
In Columbia, Hamm lived near the Blue Note which was a music venue. He lived at a house on 9th Street. Ham also worked part-time as a day care teacher in Columbia. He got along very well with the kids in daycare and he enjoyed taking care of them.
Chris Cooper
You might recognize him as a familiar face in some of Hollywood's most popular movies including American Beauty, The Bourne Identity, Adaptation, and more recently in Little Women (2019).
Cooper also attended MU in Columbia and majored in theater. He has described himself as being painfully shy but theater allowed him to open up and feel right at home. Cooper also took dance classes at Stephens College in Columbia.
And more,
Other Hollywood stars who at one time lived in Columbia include Kate Capshaw (Stephen Speilberg's wife) and Tom Berenger. Capshaw is most famous for playing the role of heroine in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Berenger is famous for Platoon and the Sniper movies.
Of course, these Hollywood stars came to Columbia because of MU which is famous for its journalism and theater degrees. These stars have always remembered their time in Columbia with much fondness. This goes to show that Columbia is indeed a great little city.
Sources: Missouri Legends, Vox Magazine, Mizzou Magazine, Wikipedia
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