From athletes to actors to astronauts, Brevard County has an impressive number of celebrities who have called the Space Coast home at one point.
Whether they have graced magazine covers, made thousands of people laugh or won championship trophies, many of these stars — several of them born here — have spoken of Brevard fondly over the years. But who, out of all the celebrities, should be crowned the most famous Space Coast resident?
The list of potential candidates is long, but we had to whittle it down to just 12. Take a look and vote for the person you think deserves the top spot. We’ll report back in a couple of weeks with the champion.
Ariana Madix
Host of the popular reality show “Love Island USA,” the Melbourne native shot to fame starring on Bravo reality shows. She’s gone on to write books, open restaurants and compete on ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars” ballroom dancing competition in 2023. She also appeared on Broadway in the summer of 2024 as Roxie Hart in the “Chicago” musical. Madix has said she has fond memories of watching shuttle launches from her front yard while growing up and that she enjoys visiting Cedar’s Café when she returns to the area.
Ashlyn Harris
The Cocoa Beach native and Satellite High soccer star played on winning World Cup teams for the U.S. in 2015 and ’19. She won three NCAA titles with North Carolina, and Harris’ Scorps teams won state championships in 2002 and ’03. Harris was drafted into Women’s Professional Soccer by the St. Louis franchise in 2010, and her pro career included a stretch with the Orlando Pride from 2016-21. She was twice named the NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year. She was inducted in the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 2024
Buzz Aldrin
The second man to walk on the moon has long called Satellite Beach home. Aldrin is the last remaining Apollo 11 astronaut. The mission launched July 16, 1969, from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center. Four days later, Aldrin and Neil Armstrong walked on the moon while fellow astronaut Michael Collins circled the moon in the command module, Columbia. Following his time as an astronaut, Aldrin became an author, advocate on behalf of mental illness and avid speaker on behalf of human space exploration. He also was a contestant on “Dancing with the Stars,” and played himself on numerous TV shows and movies including “The Simpsons,” “30 Rock” and “Big Bang Theory.” Disney immortalized him by naming the “Toy Story” character Buzz Lightyear after Aldrin.
Carrot Top
Comedian Carrot Top was born in Rockledge and graduated from Cocoa High in 1983. Born Scott Thompson, the comedian has been a staple at the Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas for years. Carrot Top became well known for his full head of curly red hair and abundance of props while performing.
Darrell Hammond
This former “Saturday Night Live” cast member was born in Melbourne in 1965. He was a regular on SNL from 1995 to 2009 and later became the show’s announcer. The actor and comedian also has appeared in “Scary Movie 3,” “Epic Movie,” “Blues Brothers 2000,” and 2024’s “Unfrosted.”
Howard ‘Howie D’ Dorough
This Brevard resident is boy band royalty as one of the five members of the Backstreet Boys. The band shot to stardom in the 1990s with hits like “I Want it That Way,” “As Long as You Love Me” and “Everybody.” They recently completed a residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Dorough lives beachside with his wife and two daughters and remains active in the community. Earlier this year he opened the restauant Coa Lounge in Cocoa Beach with his brother. The pair also recently opened the Surf, a condominium complex.
Hulk Hogan
A legend in the wrestling world, the late Hogan lived in Cocoa Beach in the late 1970s. Back in the day when he went by his birth name Terry Bollea, Hogan worked as a bar manager in Cocoa Beach. He helped manage what was then known as The Anchor Club, located at the end of State Road 520. During his short time in Brevard County, Hogan said he also had a gym called Whitey and Terry’s gym. Hogan died in July 2025 at the age of 71.
Kate Chastain
This former Melbourne Beach resident gained fame on Bravo TV’s show “Below Deck” as chief stewardess in season 2. She went on to graduate from UCF with a degree in organizational communication. In a previous interview with FLORIDA TODAY, Chastain said she is “very proud to be from the Space Coast.”
Kate Upton
The actress and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model was born in Michigan, but Upton grew up in Melbourne. She first appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue in 2011. Upton landed the coveted title of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover model in 2012, 2013 and 2017. At 25 years old, the supermodel scored the top spot on Maxim’s Hot 100 list in 2018, appearing on the cover as America’s No. 1 beauty in the magazine’s Hot 100 world’s sexiest women issue. She’s also graced the covers of many other publications, including Vanity Fair, People magazine and Vogue.
Kelly Slater
The 11-time surfing world champion known by many as the world’s best surfer grew up in Cocoa Beach. A nearly 10-foot statue of Slater surfing welcomes Cocoa Beach visitors along Highway A1A. Slater was also the youngest (age 20 in 1992) and the oldest (age 39 in 2011) world surfing champion in history. He turned pro upon graduation from Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High, where he made straight As. A one-time underwear model for Versace, Slater has graced the cover of many magazines and was once named one of the “100 Most Beautiful People in the World” by People magazine. He’s also appeared in several commercials and TV shows including “Baywatch.”
Tim Wakefield
The former World Series-winning player with the Boston Red Sox grew up in Melbourne. Wakefield was a star first baseman at Eau Gallie High and Florida Tech. He was selected in the 1988 Major League Baseball draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates and later signed with the Red Sox, where he spent 17 seasons. While in the minor leagues, Wakefield switched from being a first baseman to become a knuckleball pitcher. He won World Series titles there in 2004 and 2007. Wakefield was nominated eight times by the Red Sox for the Roberto Clemente Award, presented to the player who best reflects the spirit of giving back to the community, winning the award in 2010. He and his family were extremely philanthropic in Brevard County with various endeavors, especially Space Coast Early Intervention Center. Wakefield died from brain cancer Oct. 1, 2023, at the age of 57.
Maj. Tony Nelson
It’s everyone’s favorite local astronaut. Well, fictional astronaut that is. Nelson helped put Cocoa Beach on the map in the popular 1960s TV show “I Dream of Jeannie.” While not filmed on the Space Coast — in fact mountains can be seen in some scenes — the show and its famous astronaunt, played by Larry Hagman, helped draw attention to the area.
Spitzer is a Trending Reporter. She can be reached at MSpitzer@Floridatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Who is the most famous Brevard resident? Choose from celebrities with Space Coast ties
Reporting by Michelle Spitzer, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
