Laverne Cox is the first transgender woman to star in a mainstream TV drama and the first to receive a Primetime Emmy nomination. Cox is also listed as a notable alumni at Indiana University. where she attended on a dance scholarship. On her time in Bloomington, Cox recalls "Moving from Briscoe residence hall to the more welcoming Collins Living-Learning Center. Growing as a dancer. Thrift shopping and adding dresses to my wardrobe."

Larry Bird is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick", located in southern Indiana, Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.

Letterman, born in Indianapolis to Harry Joseph, graduated from Ball State in 1969.

Since then, he has had a career filled with multiple Emmy Awards, as well as a Peabody Award for his production company. In 2002, TV Guide ranked The Late Show as the seventh-greatest TV show of all time. Letterman himself landed as the 45th greatest TV star of all time, in a separate ranking by the publication.

In 1983, Bob Ross’ show “The Joy of Painting” began filming in Muncie, Indiana. Today, the house where the show was filmed is open for tours, complete with real Bob Ross paintings, artifacts and a hands-on painting
workshop.

Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield, was born in Indiana and attended Ball State University. In 1978, his first Garfield comic strip was published in newspapers. Garfield is published in 2,600 newspapers worldwide and now has a movie franchise and a TV show. Jim Davis still resides in Indiana, where
he continues to produce Garfield comics.

Amelia Earhart, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic, lived and worked in Indiana for some time. Earhart joined the faculty of Purdue University, and in 1935 was chosen as a career counselor for women at the university. Earhart’s flight around the world was funded by the Purdue Research Foundation and with this money she purchased the airplane that she would fly on her final flight. She also used Purdue’s flight and engineering facilities to prepare her plane for the flight. In 1935, she visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where she served as a race official for the Indy 500.

Madam CJ Walker was an African American entrepreneur, and was recorded as the first self-made female millionaire in the United States. Walker established a laboratory and beauty school in Indianapolis, which saw great success. Throughout her life, she consistently gave back to her community with contributions to various African American organizations in Indianapolis. She was also active in local civil rights movements in Indianapolis, doing work such as organizing lawsuits to fight against discrimination by businesses. Today, Indianapolis houses the Madam Walker Legacy Center, a non-profit organization and historical landmark. The center is used as a venue to celebrate cultural diversity, empower young entrepreneurs and showcase local talent.

Orville Redenbacker, founder of the same-named popcorn brand, grew up in Brazil, Indiana and began growing his own corn at the age of 12. He went on to study agriculture at Purdue University. By 1965, Orville and his business partner had perfected their popcorn hybrid, as it was "light and fluffy," leaving "hardly any unpopped kernels.

Michael Jackson was born in Gary and this is where the Jackson 5 got their start. Anyone can visit his childhood home free of charge during daylight hours. His home was a two-bedroom house, but Joseph Jackson and his wife raised eight kids there. 

The award-winning television writer of “Glee” and “American Horror Story” is an Indianapolis native and Indiana University alumnus. He told the New Yorker in 2018 that he grew up in "Irish working-class Indiana," and he was a "rebellious teenager." 

Mötley Crüe's Mick Mars lived in Indiana from birth until his high school years. Mars says Huntington provided his first glimpse of a life in the spotlight. "It all started at the 4-H Fair when I saw (country singer) Skeeter Bonn playing at Hier's Park," Mars told IndyStar in 2005. "I was maybe 3 years old. He had on a bright orange suit with a bunch of rhinestones on it, and a big white Stetson hat. I was a little kid, but I was knocked over."

Hollywood legend James Dean was born in the small town of Marion, Indiana in 1931. He was raised by his aunt and uncle in the small town Fairmount, Indiana. Following his death, Dean was buried in Park Cemetery in his boyhood home of Fairmount, which has since become famous for being the hometown of the Hollywood star. Visitors from all over the country come out to this small Midwest town to see where Dean came from and honor him at his headstone. 

Born in Seymour, Indiana, John Mellencamp fell in love with music at an early age and was gigging in local bars by the time he was 14. His professional music career began in 1976 when MCA Records released his first album, The Chestnut Street Incident. His manager dubbed him Johnny Cougar out of his belief that nobody would buy a record by anybody named Mellencamp. His first hit was, "I Need A Lover" In 1982 his fifth album "American Fool" was the year's best-selling album because of his songs, "Hurts So Good," and "Jack & Diane". Hit singles during this period included "Small Town," "Rain On The Scarecrow," "R.O.C.K. In The U.S.A.," "Paper In Fire," "Cherry Bomb," and "Jackie Brown."

John Green, the author known for books such as “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Turtles All the Way Down,” was born in Indiana. He lived in a few different places before moving back to Indianapolis in 2007, where he has remained
since. He has said of his choice to stay in Indiana, “We fell in love in Indianapolis, especially with our friends here. But also with this place.” On July 14, 2015, the mayor of Indianapolis declared the day as “John Green
Day.” Many of his books are set in Indiana.