Discover the notable alumni of Carnegie Mellon University. The list includes people like Andy Warhol, Jeff Goldblum, Ted Danson, Joe Manganiello & Ethan Hawke. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as film & theater personalities, scientists, miscellaneous, singers and engineers etc.
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1
Andy Warhol(Visual Artist & Film Director Who was a Leading Figure in the Visual Art Movement Known as Pop Art)
Birthdate: August 6, 1928
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: February 22, 1987
Andy Warhol was an artist and filmmaker who played a key role in the visual art movement. Thanks to his extensive body of work, he has been the subject of various films, books, and retrospective exhibitions. Described as the bellwether of the art market, some of Warhol's works are among the most expensive paintings ever sold.
2
Holly Hunter(Best Known for Role as ‘Ada McGrath’ in the Film ‘The Piano’)
Birthdate: March 20, 1958
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Conyers, Georgia, United States
Holly Hunter established herself as an actress in the American film industry after being born into a middle-class household, proving to the world that talent and hard work can make dreams come true. She also serves as an inspiration to those suffering from partial hearing loss as she has achieved popularity despite her inability to hear with her left ear.
Birthdate: November 6, 1970
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Austin, Texas, United States
American actor, Ethan Hawke, is an acclaimed artist and has had a successful career. His breakthrough role was of a school student in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society. Training Day, First Reformed, Boyhood, Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight are some of his critically appreciated movies. He has also directed several films and acted in many stage productions.
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Ted Danson(Best Known for His Roles in the NBC Sitcom ‘Cheers’ and the CBS Sitcom ‘Becker’)
Birthdate: December 29, 1947
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: San Diego, California, United States
Known for his Golden Globe and Emmy Award-winning performance as Sam Malone in the sitcom Cheers, Ted Danson has also donated generously to various Democratic campaigns. The actor, who has graced the cover of GQ thrice, is also an environmental activist and has co-founded the American Oceans Campaign and Oceana.org.
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Joe Manganiello(Best Known for His Role as ‘Alcide Herveaux’ in the HBO Series 'True Blood')
Birthdate: December 28, 1976
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
American actor Joe Manganiello’s breakthrough moment came in 2009 when he bagged the role of a werewolf in the third season of the television series True Blood. He was part of the show for the next five years. He has also acted in several films and his notable films include Spiderman, Spiderman 3, Magic Mike, Sabotage, Pee-wee's Big Holiday, Archenemy and The Sleepover.
Birthdate: June 13, 1928
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Bluefield, West Virginia, United States
Died: May 23, 2015
The inspiration behind the movie A Beautiful Mind, John F. Nash was a legendary mathematician whose work in the area of game theory earned him the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. In his later years, he was riddled with mental illness. He later died in a car crash.
Recommended Lists:7
Victoria Pedretti(Actress)
Birthdate: March 23, 1995
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
8
Kurt Vonnegut(Writer Known For His Satirical and Darkly Humorous Novels)
Birthdate: November 11, 1922
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, United States
Died: April 11, 2007
Science-fiction author Kurt Vonnegut is best remembered for the novel Slaughterhouse-Five, which became a New York Times bestseller. The Hugo Award-winner had also fought against the Germans in World War II and expressed his anti-war and atheist views through his works, which also include short stories, plays, and autobiographical works.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: October 11, 1977
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Webster Groves, Missouri, United States
As a popular actor, Matt Bomer serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community as he publicly came out as gay in 2012. He also practices Transcendental Meditation and works for humanitarian causes. Known for his good looks, Matt Bomer has been featured in lists, such as TV's Sexiest Men and Hot 100.
10
Patrick Wilson(Actor and singer Best Known for His Role as ‘Joe Pitt’ in the TV Miniseries ‘Angels in America’)
Birthdate: July 3, 1973
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Norfolk, Virginia, United States
Patrick Wilson is an American actor, director, and singer. He is known for his contribution across all the three major acting mediums. Well-known for playing demonologist Ed Warren in popular supernatural horror film, The Conjuring, Patrick Wilson is often cast in horror films, due to which he has earned a reputation as a scream king in Hollywood.
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Josh Gad(Actor and Voice Artist Known for His Roles in the Films: 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Frozen' Series)
Birthdate: February 23, 1981
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Hollywood, Florida, United States
American actor Josh Gad is credited with bringing the famous character Olaf to life with his impressive voice-acting skills in the Frozen franchise. He is also credited with launching Reunited Apart, a YouTube series, which reunites the cast of popular movies. The series also encourages viewers to support charity organizations, such as No Kid Hungry, Project Hope, and Dig Deep.
12
Gabriel Macht(Actor and Producer Known for His Role as ‘Harvey Specter’ in the TV Series ‘Suits’)
Birthdate: January 22, 1972
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
The son of actor Stephen Macht, Gabriel Macht followed in his father's footsteps to become a popular actor and film producer in his own right. A vegetarian who practices green living, Gabriel Macht was one of the guests at Prince Harry's wedding to Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle.
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Ming Na Wen(Actress and Model Best Known for Voicing ‘Mulan’ in the Animated Film ‘Mulan’ and its Sequel)
Birthdate: November 20, 1963
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Coloane Island, Macau
Ming-Na Wen is best known as the voice of Fa Mulan in the Mulan animated film series and the video game Kingdom Hearts II. Fans also loved her as Melinda May in the series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., as Dr. Jing-Mei "Deb" Chen in ER, and as Rachel Lu in Inconceivable.
Birthdate: August 6, 1981
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Queens, New York City, New York
A passion for acting and singing since his early life, made Leslie Odom Jr an accomplished artist of stage, television, films and music industry. Debuting at the age of seventeen, his best performance came with the role of Aaron Burr in Broadway musical Hamilton. The talented artist also has three solo jazz albums and a published book in his resume.
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Pablo Schreiber(Best Known for His Roles in TV Series: ‘The Wire’ and ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’)
Birthdate: April 26, 1978
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Ymir, Canada
Best known as George "Pornstache" Mendez from the Netflix series Orange is the New Black, Pablo Schreiber also amazed audiences with his role of Nickolas "Nick" Sobotka in The Wire. He was nominated for a Tony for his Broadway play Awake and Sing! and narrated the audiobook American Psycho.
16
Cote de Pablo(Actress, Singer and Co-Host of the Latin-American Talk Show ‘Entertainment Tonight’)
Birthdate: November 12, 1979
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Santiago, Chile
Cote de Pablo is a Chilean-American singer and actress. She is best known for playing Ziva David in the popular action police procedural TV series NCIS. After co-hosting episodes of a Latin-American talk show titled Control, at the age of 15, Cote de Pablo went on to establish herself as a successful actress and musician.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: January 27, 1940
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
James Cromwell established himself as a leading character actor in American movies in the 1980s. Best known for his Academy Award-nominated role in Babe and his Emmy-winning role in American Horror Story: Asylum, he is also an animal rights activist and supported the Black Panther Party in the past.
Birthdate: November 21, 1956
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Paris, Tennessee, United States
A three-time Emmy Award and two-time Tony Award winner, Cherry Jones is a prominent theater actor. Not surprisingly, she was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2014. Cherry Jones is quite open about being a lesbian; she serves as an inspiration to millions of gays and lesbians around the world.
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Zachary Quinto(Actor)
Birthdate: June 2, 1977
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
20
Michael McKean(Known for Appearing in Television Series Like ‘Better Call Saul’ and ‘Laverne & Shirley’)
Birthdate: October 17, 1947
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Michael McKean is best known as Lenny Kosnowski from Laverne & Shirley and Chuck McGill from Better Call Saul. A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow, a song he co-wrote for A Mighty Wind, won a Grammy. He has appeared in many projects of writer-director Christopher Guest.
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George Peppard(Actor)
Birthdate: October 1, 1928
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died: May 8, 1994
Height: 6'0" (183 cm)
Birthdate: January 2, 1971
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: San Jose, California, United States
Actress, singer, and songwriter, Renee Elise Goldsberry, is a popular figure in Broadway theater. She is best known for her role in the musical Hamilton, for which she won a Tony Award. She is also active in films and TV shows. As a singer and songwriter, she is the winner of one Grammy Award.
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Bennet Omalu(Forensic Pathologist Known for His Research in ‘Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy’ in American Football Players)
Birthdate: September 30, 1968
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Idemili South, Nigeria
Nigerian-American physician, forensic-pathologist and neuropathologist Bennet Omalu is most-noted for discovering chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in American football players. He was serving at Allegheny County coroner's office in Pittsburgh at that time. He presently serves as President and Medical Director of Bennet Omalu Pathology, chief medical examiner for San Joaquin County, and as professor at the University of California, Davis.
Birthdate: November 14, 1962
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: West Orange, New Jersey, United States
Laura San Giacomo is best known for her award-winning portrayal of Cynthia in the movie Sex, Lies, and Videotape. She has also played significant roles in the film Pretty Woman and in the series Saving Grace, Just Shoot Me!, and NCIS. She is also associated with charities related to disabilities.
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Albert Brooks(Actor, Comedian and Director Known for His Films: 'Broadcast News' and 'Drive')
Birthdate: July 22, 1947
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Beverly Hills, California, United States
Albert Brooks is an American comedian, actor, writer, and director. Best known for his portrayal of a Jewish mobster in the action drama film Drive, Brooks has also played important roles in films like Broadcast News and Taxi Driver. Over the years, he has been honored with awards, such as the American Comedy Award and Boston Society of Film Critics Award.
Birthdate: April 27, 1922
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: December 24, 2012
Jack Klugman was an American actor best known for playing Oscar Madison in the popular TV series The Odd Couple, for which he received a Golden Globe Award and two Primetime Emmy Awards. Apart from being an actor, Klugman was also a Thoroughbred racing fan and owned a Thoroughbred racehorse named Jaklin Klugman, which competed in the 1980 Kentucky Derby.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: February 9, 1949
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Trenton, New Jersey, United States
Judith Light is an American actress and producer. Known for her work in TV and theatre, Light has won prestigious acting awards, such as Daytime Emmy Award and Tony Award. In 2019, her contribution to the entertainment industry was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Also an activist, Light has been advocating the cause of the LGBTQ+ community.
28
Rene Auberjonois(Actor & Director Best Known for His Role of 'Odo' on 'Star Trek: Deep Space Nine')
Birthdate: June 1, 1940
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Died: December 8, 2019
René Auberjonois is best remembered as Odo from the series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. He also delivered a Tony-winning performance in the play Coco. He had voiced many video-game characters, such as Karl Schafer in the Uncharted video games. He had also narrated many books, including several Pendergast novels
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: July 31, 1923
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: New Kensington, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: June 18, 2014
Stephanie Kwolek was an American chemist remembered for her invention of Kevlar. She worked at the DuPont Company for over four decades and was awarded the company's Lavoisier Medal for her discovery. In 1995, she was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, becoming the fourth woman to be inducted. She also won other awards including the Perkin Medal.
30
David Hornsby(Actor)
Birthdate: December 1, 1975
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Newport News, Virginia, USA
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
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George A. Romero(Film Director Known for His Iconic Horror Films: ‘Night of the Living Dead’ and ‘Dawn of the Dead’)
Birthdate: February 4, 1940
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Bronx, New York, United States
Died: July 16, 2017
Legendary horror filmmaker George A. Romero is best known for his Night of the Living Dead series and for popularizing the zombie film genre. He also gained fame for his collaborations with horror novelist Stephen King, the most notable of them being the film version of King’s novel The Dark Half.
32
James Gosling(Programmer, Inventor, Computer scientist)
Birthdate: May 19, 1955
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Calgary
James Gosling earned the nickname Dr. Java after he revolutionized the world of computer programming with his Java programming language. The Carnegie Mellon alumnus has had a 26-year stint with Sun Microsystems. The computer nerd has a picture of the first 1000 digits of √2 framed in his office.
Recommended Lists:33
Mariette Hartley(Best Known for Her Role in the TV Series ‘The Incredible Hulk’ and ‘Goodnight, Beantown’)
Birthdate: June 21, 1940
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Weston, Connecticut, United States
Mariette Hartley is an American actress who won the Primetime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Dr. Carolyn Fieldsin the popular television series, The Incredible Hulk. She also has several Primetime Emmy Award nominations under her belt. An advocate of suicide prevention and medications for bipolar disorder, Mariette Hartley works towards increasing awareness of the disorder.
34
Blair Underwood(Best Known for His Role as Attorney Jonathan Rollins in the NBC Legal Drama Series 'L.A. Law')
Birthdate: August 25, 1964
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Tacoma, Washington, United States
Blair Underwood is best known as Jonathan Rollins from the series L.A. Law. He has played significant roles in series such as City of Angels and Dirty Sexy Money, and in films such as Deep Impact. The five-time NAACP Image Award winner has also won an Emmy and a Grammy.
Recommended Lists:35
Rob Marshall(Director)
Birthdate: October 17, 1960
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Birthdate: October 6, 1940
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Englewood, New Jersey, United States
Ellen Travolta, older sister of actor John Travolta, is best known for her performance as Louisa Arcola Delvecchio in the sitcom Happy Days and its spin-off, Joanie Loves Chachi. Fans also loved her in the series Charles in Charge and Makin' It, and the TV movie Elvis.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: September 16, 1986
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Heidelberg, Germany
Height: 5'11" (180 cm)
Birthdate: March 12, 1933
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Bethel Park
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
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Nancy Marchand(Actress)
Birthdate: June 19, 1928
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Buffalo, New York, USA
Died: June 18, 2000
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
40
Robert Foxworth(Actor)
Birthdate: November 1, 1941
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Houston, Texas, USA
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: April 5, 1933
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: May 17, 2005
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
42
Ivan Sutherland(Computer scientist)
Birthdate: May 16, 1938
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Hastings, Nebraska, United States
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Judith Resnik(Engineer)
Birthdate: April 5, 1949
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio, United States
Died: January 28, 1986
Judith Resnik was an American software engineer, electrical engineer, pilot, biomedical engineer, and NASA astronaut. She was the fourth woman and the first Jewish woman in space, logging 145 hours in orbit. Resnik, who died during the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, received several posthumous honors. Judith Resnik’s life and career inspired the 1990 TV movie Challenger.
44
Billy Porter(Singer)
Birthdate: September 21, 1969
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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Christian Borle(Actor)
Birthdate: October 1, 1973
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
Birthdate: September 11, 1957
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
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Caroline McWilliams(Actress)
Birthdate: April 4, 1945
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Seattle, Washington, USA
Died: February 11, 2010
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
Birthdate: July 17, 1976
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Kielce, Poland
Dagmara Domińczyk is a Polish-American actress best known for playing Karolina Novotney in the black comedy-drama TV series, Succession. The wife of popular actor Patrick Wilson, Domińczyk has also appeared in several films, including movies starring her husband. Also an author, Domińczyk published a novel titled, The Lullaby of Polish Girls, based on her upbringing in Poland, in 2013.
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Vinod Khosla(Businessperson)
Birthdate: January 28, 1955
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: India
50
Rachel Keller(Actress)
Birthdate: December 25, 1992
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Recommended Lists:The Carnegie Mellon University, situated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is one of the few notable educational institutions in the United States. The university is a brainchild of yesteryear American industrialist Andrew Carnegie and was started way back in 1900. Since then, this university has evolved significantly and has gained the reputation of being one of the best places to study. Several famous institutions are affiliated to the ‘Carnegie Mellon University’ and a wide range of courses are offered to students. ‘Dietrich College Of Humanities And Social Sciences’, ‘Mellon College Of Science’ and ‘Tepper School of Business’ are a few of these institutions. According to a popular internet source, more than 13,000 students from over a 100 nations are now pursuing their studies at Carnegie Mellon. The university has also grabbed attention in recent times for its notable alumni. Acclaimed artist Andy Warhol, actors Leslie Adom Jr and Zachary Quinto, as well as mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr are a few noteworthy names who once studied at this famous university. Andy Warhol is famous all over the world for his remarkable works of art and being the face of the ‘pop art’ movement. Mathematician John Forbes Nash Jr., another alumnus of Carnegie Mellon, is known for his outstanding contributions towards the field of Mathematics, especially the changes he introduced to Differential Equations and Game Theory. We have compiled a list of several notable celebrities who once studied at the Carnegie Mellon University’, read on.
