17 Fascinating and Famous People of Alaska

You’ll meet plenty of captivating people in Alaska with absolutely zero interest in fame or celebrity. In fact, plenty of people move to Alaska to live their lives exactly as they please—under the radar.

However, Alaska does have its share of famous people and celebrities. Some were born in Alaska. Others simply spent formative years in the state.

Below, we’ll share a list of the 17 most fascinating famous people and celebrities associated with Alaska for one reason or another. The sheer breadth of how these people made their mark is just another reminder of the different personalities and lifestyles you’ll find in the Last Frontier.

Jewel Kilcher

Primarily Known For:

Her career as a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter

Lived In:

Anchorage and Homer, AK

As a musical artist, Jewel Kilcher has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide. But, in Alaska, Jewel might be better known as the girl who used to sing and yodel with her father, Atz Kilcher, around the state. Check out her skills in this video:

Jewel’s roots run deep in Alaska, where her grandfather was a state senator. Her family continues to live in Alaska and has documented their lifestyle in the reality show Alaska: The Last Frontier. Tune in to get a taste of what Jewel’s life was like before she hit it big.

Bob Ross

Primarily Known For:

His television show, the Joy of Painting, which introduced the world to “happy little trees”

Lived In:

Eielson Air Force Base, Fairbanks North Star Borough

Before enlisting in the Air Force, Bob Ross had never picked up a paintbrush. After his transfer to Eielson Air Force Base in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, he took a painting class at a U.S.O. club. He painted throughout his career with the Air Force, and many see the influence of the Alaska landscape in his paintings. Ross turned to painting full-time once he retired—and the rest is history.

Sarah Palin

Primarily Known For:

Serving as governor of Alaska and becoming John McCain’s running mate

Lived In:

Skagway, Eagle River, and Wasilla, AK

Alaska residents know Sarah Palin as the ninth governor of the state, and she achieved national attention as John McCain’s running mate in the 2008 presidential race. Since then, Palin has starred in her own television show and written a book. Her show, Sarah Palin’s Alaska, also featured her husband, Todd Palin, as well as her daughters Piper and Bristol (who would later be featured in Dancing with the Stars, as well as her own reality show). In 2022, Palin ran for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. She was defeated by Alaska Democrat Mary Peltola.

Wyatt Earp

Primarily Known For:

His participation in the shootout at the O.K. Corral

Lived In:

Nome, Alaska

Wyatt Earp is a name that most people associate with the American West during its era of explosive expansion and lawlessness. A lawman for much of the era, Earp passed through many of the legendary towns of that era—Dodge City, Deadwood, and Tombstone. In 1897, though, Earp and his wife headed north. By 1900, they’d opened the Dexter Saloon in Nome. They spent several summers in the town. The saloon is no more, but there is a sign posted at its original location, which is now occupied by Nome’s City Hall.

Side note: There’s also a rumor floating around about a gun that Wyatt Earp allegedly abandoned in Juneau. While it makes for a fun story, it hasn’t ever been definitively proven.

Curt Schilling

Primarily Known For:

Pitching through his tendon issues to help the Red Sox win Game 2 of the 2004 World Series

Anchorage, AK

As a Major League Baseball pitcher, Curt Schilling is a six-time All-Star and a three-time World Series champion. However, many people know him for his bloody socks—a result of a tendon issue that didn’t stop him from pitching through Game 2 of the 2004 World Series. (One of those socks currently sits in the Baseball Hall of Fame!) Schilling was born in Anchorage, but his family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he attended high school.

Valerie Plame

Primarily Known For:

His participation in the shootout at the O.K. Corral

Lived In:

Nome, Alaska

In 2003, Valerie Plame’s true identity as a covert operations officer for the CIA was leaked by a journalist. In addition to ending Plame’s covert career, it also resulted in a high-profile investigation and the conviction of Scooter Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney. While Plame spent much of her childhood in Pennsylvania, she was born in Anchorage.

Larry Sanger

Primarily Known For:

Co-founding Wikipedia

Lived In:

Anchorage, AK

Where would we be without Wikipedia? We have Larry Sanger and Jimmy Wales, who first registered the domain in 2001, to thank. Sanger moved to Anchorage at the age of seven and lived there until attending college in Portland. Today, Sanger lives in Ohio.

Annie Parisse

Primarily Known For:

Playing ADA Alexandra Borgia on Law & Order

Lived In:

Anchorage, AK

Actress Annie Parisse was born in Anchorage, Alaska. Her mother was a teacher and her father a senior executive with Alaska Airlines. Parisse has played several roles in major movies, including How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and National Treasure. Parisse is probably best known for her role as assistant district attorney Alexandra Borgia on Law & Order.

Libby Riddles

Primarily Known For:

Being the first woman to win the Iditarod

Lived In:

Teller, AK

In 1985, Libby Riddles became the first woman to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, a nearly-1,000 mile race from Anchorage to Nome. She and her team won the race with a time of 18 days, 20 minutes, and 17 seconds.

Tommy Moe

Primarily Known For:

Being the first American skier to win two medals in a single Winter Olympics

Lived In:

Palmer and Girdwood, AK

By winning the gold medal in downhill skiing and the silver medal in the super-G event at the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway, Tommy Moe did something no American athlete had ever done: He won two skiing medals in a single Winter Olympics. Moe, who was raised in Palmer and trained in Girdwood, quickly became an Alaska hero.

Jack London

Primarily Known For:

His books, including Call of the Wild and White Fang

Lived In:

Yukon Territory, Canada

Jack London’s time in the Yukon was brief. His time in Alaska even briefer before he passed into Canada. However, his experiences during his journey from Juneau to Dawson City provided a great deal of inspiration for his masterpieces, Call of the Wild and White Fang.

Christopher McCandless

Primarily Known For:

Being the subject of Jon Krakauer’s Into the Wild

Lived In:

Denali

Christopher McCandless is a controversial figure in Alaska, the state in which he met his untimely demise. Jon Krakauer’s account of his life, Into the Wild, thrust McCandless’s freewheeling lifestyle into the spotlight. Many embraced his adventurous spirit. However, McCandless’s subsequent death (which may have been caused by poisoning, not starvation) also serves as a cautionary tale to aspiring adventurers who romanticize the Alaskan wilderness but remain unprepared for its realities.

Togo & Balto

Primarily Known For:

Saving the town of Nome from a diphtheria outbreak

Lived In:

Nome, AK

In the winter of 1924-1925, the town of Nome was dangerously close to an epidemic of diphtheria. Without a vital supply of life-saving antitoxin, the entire town faced possible death. A dogsled relay was set up, and two sled dogs played a key role in delivering the antitoxin that saved the town of Nome: Togo and Balto. Balto ran the last leg, and won much of the credit, but it was Togo who ran the most dangerous part of the route. Both dogs, as well as their handlers Leonhard Seppala and Gunnar Kaasen, deserve plenty of accolades for their heroism.

Irene Bedard

Primarily Known For:

Voicing Pocahontas in the 1995 animated Disney film

Lived In:

Anchorage, AK

Actress Irene Bedard was born in Anchorage, Alaska, where she graduated from Dimond High School. Although she’s played a number of roles, her most famous was that of the voice of Pocahontas in the 1995 Disney film. She reprised her role in the sequel, Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World.

Col. Archie Van Winkle

Primarily Known For:

Being the only Medal of Honor recipient from Alaska

Lived In:

Juneau, AK

Colonel Archie Van Winkle served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War as a member of the United States Marine Corps. During his distinguished career, he was awarded 19 medals, including the Medal of Honor for his participation in the Korean War. He is the only Medal of Honor recipient from Alaska.

Carlos Boozer

Primarily Known For:

Playing professional basketball for the Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls

Lived In:

Juneau, AK

When he played with the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears at what was then Juneau-Douglas High School (now Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé), Carlos Boozer and his teammates won back-to-back state titles. Boozer went on to play for four NBA teams: the Cleveland Cavaliers, Utah Jazz, Chicago Bulls, and Los Angeles Lakers. He also played for Team USA in the Olympics. The teams he played on won bronze in the 2004 Summer Olympics and gold at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The People You (Might) Meet in Alaska

Everyone in Alaska has a story. Some stories—and some people—are more well-known than others. But most all of them will be interesting—and worth getting to know while you’re spending time in Alaska.

Considering a permanent move to Alaska? We’d be happy to help! Our Anchorage-based team has assisted with relocations all over the state, and we’d love to assist you with a safe, easy, and affordable move. Just reach out to our team for a complimentary quote to get started.