We Love Philadelphia—Guess Which Famous Celebs do too…

People from all over love Philadelphia-it’s not just the locals…

Philadelphia is well-known for a variety of different things. Whether you think of it for its culture, nightlife, or even cheesesteaks, it is a city that is often thought of fondly. Check out what these celebrities have to say about our city, and see if you share any of the same thoughts!

Patti LaBelle
Singer
“I grew up in Southwest Philadelphia, attended Bartram High School, and you know I will always be a Philly girl-all the way! What I love about the city is that it’s a place that will embrace you, where you can be you.” –Philadelphia Magazine

Will Smith
Actor
"Nothing beats Philadelphia in the summertime."

Sylvester Stallone
Writer/Star “Rocky”
"Philadelphia's been like a real safe haven for me. The reason I'm here today is because of Philadelphia. They just backed the film. It was a real perfect blend of the character, which really represented the people of Philadelphia."

Mark Wahlberg
Actor, star of “Invincible”
"I'll tell you, I love Philadelphia. I have a lot of love and loyalty for the place. I feel very at home here. Once you put on the Eagles uniform, as long as you do them proud and give your all, as long as you don't pull a T.O., they're going to love you forever."

Kevin Bacon
Actor
“Philadelphia has a vibe - it doesn't feel like Boston or New York. There are a tremendous amount of looks you can get. You have a downtown that feels like an urban center, and you're not gonna find as many diverse working-class neighborhoods [in other places.]"

Brian Williams
Anchor and managing editor, NBC Nightly News
“I tell people Philly is a big small town. It’s all about loyalty and belonging. It has a social code all its own, and behavior and language all its own. You know that picture of the skyline taken from the blimp during Monday Night Football? That’s just one view of Philly. That’s the part the world sees. The real Philly is all about what happens at street level.” –Philadelphia Magazine

Kelly Ripa
Co-host, ABC’s Live with Regis and Kelly
“Philly is a unique combination. It offers both the big city and a small-town feeling. I, of course, am a born-and-bred Jersey girl—Berlin, Eastern High School—and I used to love to take the high-speed line to John Wanamaker’s Christmas light show. That show had a distinct smell and sound that can only be described as Philadelphia.” –Philadelphia Magazine

Oscar B. Goodman
Mayor of Las Vegas
“I think the big effect Philly has had on me is in my work to bring a major sports franchise to Vegas. I loved the Phillies, the A’s, the Warriors and 76ers, and the Eagles- I was never big on hockey. Sorry. But the pride I had in being a Philly fan formed the foundation of being proud to be part of a great city. I want to create that feeling for the people of Las Vegas.” –Philadelphia Magazine

Kevin Eubanks
Bandleader, NBC’s Jay Leno Show
“The thing about Philly that nobody gets is the amount of talent here. Its neighborhood people, but a pretty high caliber of neighborhood people. You realize that  when you leave and play with other people. Whether you’re playing street ball or music, if you played here, you can play anywhere.”  –Philadelphia Magazine

Andrea Mitchell
Chief foreign affairs correspondent, NBC News
“If you came to Philly to go to college, like I did-I went to Penn from 1963 to ’67, then worked in the city until 1976-you learned that it’s composed of small, well-defined communities tied together by fierce loyalties and rich in traditions. I learned everything I could about radio at WXPN on the Penn campus. What I especially loved was going out into the Philly neighborhoods, where I learned how to be a reporter and got to know the people who make Philly great.” –Philadelphia Magazine

Kobe Bryant
Guard, Los Angeles Lakers
“I have a lot of great memories of growing up on the Main Line and spending time in the city, which is just full of so much culture. But the memory that has stayed with me is playing in the district championships at the Palestra. I’ve played on a lot of storied courts, but it’s hard to describe the feeling of playing on that one. It’s definitely special.” –Philadelphia Magazine

Ana Ortiz
Actress, ABC’s Ugly Betty
“I would eagerly await the warm weather so we could go for a ‘swim’ in the Logan Fountain, which was a very ‘city kid’ experience that I treasure. I brought my little sister to the fountain when she was just about eight months old. I just remember seeing her face light up. The memory is so special because it was great to share something with her that I used to do.” –Philadelphia Magazine

Kat Dennings
Actress
“Philly is one of my favorite places in the entire world. I don’t have one great big specific memory; its more of a general fondness and love for Pennsylvania and growing up there.” –Philadelphia Magazine