Feb 28, 2025 - Culture
Ellen Burstyn is Michigan's only Best Actress or Actor winner
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Ahead of Sunday's 97th Academy Awards, we dove into the Oscars' database to find out where past Best Actress and Best Actor winners were born.
Zoom in: Just one winner was born in Michigan — Ellen Burstyn, who won in 1975 for her performance in "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore."
- Born in 1932 in Detroit, Burstyn went to Cass Tech and modeled for the Hudson's department store, according to the Detroit Historical Society.
- She's also known for performances in "Requiem for a Dream" and "The Exorcist."
Between the lines: Steven Yeun, who grew up in Taylor and Troy and is well-known for his role in "Walking Dead," was nominated but didn't win an Oscar for Best Actor in "Minari" in 2021.
- J.K. Simmons, who grew up in the Grosse Pointe area, won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in 2015.