List of Famous people born in New York, United States of America

Lee Smolin is an American theoretical physicist, a faculty member at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, an adjunct professor of physics at the University of Waterloo and a member of the graduate faculty of the philosophy department at the University of Toronto. Smolin's 2006 book The Trouble with Physics criticized string theory as a viable scientific theory. He has made contributions to quantum gravity theory, in particular the approach known as loop quantum gravity. He advocates that the two primary approaches to quantum gravity, loop quantum gravity and string theory, can be reconciled as different aspects of the same underlying theory. His research interests also include cosmology, elementary particle theory, the foundations of quantum mechanics, and theoretical biology.

Adam Horowitz is an American screenwriter and producer. He is known for co-creating the ABC fairy tale drama series Once Upon a Time with his writing partner Edward Kitsis. Days after the show ended in 2018, Kitsis and Horowitz were announced as showrunners for Apple TV's Amazing Stories.

Jane Hyatt Yolen is an American writer of fantasy, science fiction, and children's books. She is the author or editor of more than 350 books, of which the best known is The Devil's Arithmetic, a Holocaust novella. Her other works include the Nebula Award−winning short story "Sister Emily's Lightship", the novelette "Lost Girls", Owl Moon, The Emperor and the Kite, the Commander Toad series and How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight. She has collaborated on works with all three of her children, most extensively with Adam Stemple.

James Nachtwey is an American photojournalist and war photographer.

Nathaniel "Tiny" Archibald is an American retired professional basketball player. He spent 14 years playing in the National Basketball Association (NBA), most notably with the Cincinnati Royals, Kansas City–Omaha Kings and Boston Celtics. In 1991, he was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Michael Lee Moorer is an American former professional boxer who competed from 1988 to 2008. He is a multiple-time world champion in two weight classes, having held the WBO light heavyweight title from 1988 to 1991; the WBO heavyweight title from 1992 to 1993; the unified WBA, IBF and lineal heavyweight titles in 1994; and the IBF heavyweight title again from 1996 to 1997. He became the world's first southpaw heavyweight champion after defeating Evander Holyfield.

Benjamin Safdie is an American film director, screenwriter, actor and film editor, best known for working with his older brother Josh as a filmmaker, whose works include Good Time (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019).

Roni Horn is an American visual artist and writer. The granddaughter of Eastern European immigrants, she was born in New York City, where she lives and works. She is currently represented by Xavier Hufkens in Brussels and Hauser & Wirth.

Peter K. Unger is a contemporary American philosopher and professor at New York University. His main interests lie in the fields of metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and the philosophy of mind.

John Patrick Shanley is an American playwright, screenwriter, and director. His play, Doubt: A Parable, won the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2005 Tony Award for Best Play. He won the 1988 Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the film Moonstruck. He also went on to direct the films Doubt in 2008 and Wild Mountain Thyme in 2020.