List of Famous people born in North Carolina, United States of America
Austin Dillon
Austin Reed Dillon is an American professional stock car racing driver. He is the son of former driver and Richard Childress Racing (RCR) general manager Mike Dillon, older brother of Ty Dillon and grandson of Richard Childress. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE for RCR.
Karl Anderson
Chad Allegra, better known by the ring name Karl Anderson, is an American professional wrestler signed to Impact Wrestling, where he is one half of the current Impact World Tag Team Champions with Doc Gallows in their first reign. Anderson also makes appearances in All Elite Wrestling.
Brandi Love
Tracey Lynn Livermore, known professionally as Brandi Love, is an American pornographic actress.
William Joseph Burns
William Joseph Burns is an American diplomat and career ambassador serving as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency since March 19, 2021. He previously served as the United States deputy secretary of state from 2011 to 2014. He retired from the US Foreign Service in 2014 after a 33-year diplomatic career. From 2014 to 2021, he served as president of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Frank Beamer
Franklin Mitchell Beamer is a retired American college football coach, most notably for the Virginia Tech Hokies, and former college football player. Beamer was a cornerback for Virginia Tech from 1966 to 1968. His coaching experience began in 1972, and from 1981 to 1986 Beamer served as the head football coach at Murray State University. He then went on to become the head football coach at Virginia Tech from 1987 until his final game in 2015. He was one of the longest tenured active coaches in NCAA Division I FBS and, at the time of his retirement, was the winningest active coach at that level. Upon retiring, Beamer accepted a position as special assistant to the Virginia Tech athletic director, where he focuses on athletic development and advancement. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018.
Jermaine Dupri
Jermaine Dupri Mauldin is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, entrepreneur, record executive, and DJ. He was born in Asheville, North Carolina and was raised in Atlanta. He has worked with and produced for Kris Kross, Mariah Carey, Usher, Jay-Z, Nelly, Monica, Migos, Da Brat, Xscape, Janet Jackson, TLC, Aretha Franklin, Ludacris, Alicia Keys, Jagged Edge and Bow Wow.
Dexter Lawrence
Dexter Lawrence II is an American football defensive end for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). In 2015, he concluded his high school football career at Wake Forest High School in Wake Forest. He was ranked as the No. 2 recruit in college football's incoming Class of 2016.
Crystal Mangum
Crystal Gail Mangum is a woman from Durham, North Carolina, who is best known for making false allegations of rape against lacrosse players in the 2006 Duke lacrosse case. The fact that Mangum was a black woman working in the sex industry, while the accused were all white men, created extensive media interest and academic debate about race, class, gender and the politicization of the justice system.
David Branch
David Branch is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Middleweight division. A professional competitor since 2007, he has fought for the UFC, World Series of Fighting, Bellator, Shark Fights, and Titan FC. Branch is the former WSOF Light Heavyweight Champion and WSOF Middleweight Champion.
Mike Nifong
Michael Byron Nifong is a disbarred North Carolina attorney. He served as the district attorney for Durham County, North Carolina until he was removed, disbarred and jailed following court findings concerning his conduct in the Duke lacrosse case, primarily his conspiring with the DNA lab director to withhold exculpatory DNA evidence that could have acquitted the defendants.