List of Famous people born in Illinois, United States of America

Jaren Kyei Merrell, known professionally as Shea Couleé, is an American drag queen, musician and fixture of the Chicago nightlife scene. Merrell is known for competing on season 9 of RuPaul's Drag Race and as the winner of season 5 of RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars. Born in Warsaw, Indiana, she began her drag career in 2012.

Marla Glen is an American singer who since 1998 has been based in Germany.

Jeremy Raymon Pargo is an American professional basketball player. Standing at 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m), he plays at the point guard position. In 2011 he reached the EuroLeague Final with Maccabi Tel Aviv, earning an All-EuroLeague Second Team selection in the process. He was the 2015 Israeli Basketball Premier League Assists Leader, and the 2016 Chinese Basketball Association assists leader. He is the brother of Jannero Pargo, who also played in the NBA.

Kevin Cordes is an American competitive swimmer who specializes in the breaststroke. He currently represents the Cali Condors which is part of the International Swimming League. Cordes was a member of the 2016 US Men's Olympic Swimming Team. He took 4th place in the Men's 100m Breaststroke at the 2016 Olympic Games. He is the current American record holder in the 50-meter and 100-meter breaststroke, and the 200-meter breaststroke.

Thomas Carroll Neal Jr. was an American actor and successful amateur boxer best known for his costarring role in the critically lauded film Detour, for having a widely publicized affair with actress Barbara Payton, and for later being convicted and imprisoned for manslaughter.

Steve Rushin is an American journalist, sportswriter and novelist. He was named the 2005 National Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association, and is a four-time finalist for the National Magazine Award.

Thomas John Peterson, better known as Tom Petersson, is an American musician who is best known for being the bass guitar player for the rock band Cheap Trick.

Phillipe Cunningham is the city councilperson for Minneapolis Ward 4 and one of the first openly transgender men to be elected to public office in the United States. In the Minneapolis City Council election, 2017, Cunningham won over 20-year incumbent Barb Johnson by 157 votes. Cunningham identifies as black, queer, and transgender.

John Royer "Jack" Garman was a computer engineer, former senior NASA executive and noted key figure of the Apollo 11 lunar landing. As a young specialist on duty during the final descent stage on 20 July 1969 he dealt with a series of computer alarms which could have caused the mission to be aborted.

Big Boy is a nationally syndicated American radio host and actor. From 1997 he has hosted the morning show at Los Angeles Rhythmic contemporary station KPWR until his move in February 2015 to KRRL. His stage name derives from his formerly large build, which he modified through duodenal switch surgery in 2003, leading to a nearly fatal weight loss of over 250 pounds.