List of Famous people born in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany

Heiko Antoniewicz is a German chef who uses techniques of molecular gastronomy, including sous-vide.

Florian Richard Wirtz is a German footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen.

Natascha Ochsenknecht is a German actress.

Jan Frodeno is a German triathlete. He is the gold medal winner in men's triathlon at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, 3-time winner of the Ironman World Championship in 2015, 2016, and 2019, and 2-time winner of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in 2015 and 2018. He is the world record holder for the long distance, set in Roth, Germany in 2016 with 7:35:39 hours.

Lewis Harry Holtby is a German professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship side Blackburn Rovers.

Carolin Emcke is a German author and journalist who worked for Der Spiegel from 1998 to 2006, often writing from areas of conflicts. From 2007 to 2014, she worked as an international reporter for DIE ZEIT. Her book Echoes of Violence – Letters from a War Reporter was published in 2007 at Princeton University Press. In 2008, she published Stumme Gewalt, in 2013 How We Desire, in 2016 Against Hate, and in 2019 Yes means yes and.... Carolin Emcke was honoured with several awards such as the Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels in 2016, and a Verdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland in 2017.

Claudia Jung is a German Schlager singer, actress, and politician.

Anja Hajduk is a German politician of the Alliance '90/The Greens since 1995.

Horst Heldt is a German football executive and former player who played as a midfielder. He is the current general manager of 1. FC Köln.

Marie Zielcke is a German film, television and stage actress.