named FIFA's World Player of the Year (Chapel Hill) Grant Hill (born 1972), former NBA player, graduated from Duke University (Durham) Kyrie Irving (born 1992), attended Duke University, NBA player (Durham) Jesse Jackson (born 1941), politician, preacher, civil rights activist, graduated from North Carolina A&T State University (Greensboro) Marion Jones (born 1975), former basketball player for UNC-Chapel Hill and Olympic runner, winner of three gold medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics (Chapel Hill) Christian Laettner (born 1969), played college basketball for Duke University, former NBA Player (Durham) David Lynch (born 1946), film director and artist best known for directing the film Blue Velvet and the television series Twin Peaks, spent part of his childhood in NC (Durham) Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (born 1964 or 1965), terrorist known for masterminding the 9/11 attacks, attended Chowan College and obtained a degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (Greensboro) Richard Nixon (1913–1994), 37th President of the United States, graduated from the Duke University School of Law in 1937 (Durham) Arnold Palmer (1929–2016), professional golfer and four-time winner of The Masters Tournament, attended Wake Forest University (Winston-Salem) Mary-Louise Parker (born 1964), film and television actress; graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts; star of the film Fried Green Tomatoes and the television series The West Wing and Weeds; winner of Emmy, Tony, and Golden Globe awards (Winston-Salem) Missi Pyle (born 1972), film actress, graduated from the North Carolina School of the Arts, star of films such as Bringing Down the House, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Galaxy Quest (Winston-Salem) Philip Rivers (born 1981), star quarterback for North Carolina State University, set school records in passing yardage and touchdowns, currently the starting quarterback for the National Football League's San Diego Chargers team (Raleigh) Jada Pinkett Smith (born 1971), actress and singer, attended North Carolina School of the Arts, starred in the popular television series A Different World and in the movies The Nutty Professor and The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions'' (Winston-Salem) Lawrence Taylor (born 1959), former football player for the New York Giants and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, All-America football player for UNC-Chapel Hill (Chapel Hill) See also By location List of people from Asheville, North Carolina List of people from Charlotte, North Carolina List of people from Fayetteville, North Carolina List of people from Greensboro, North Carolina List of people from Raleigh, North Carolina