8 celebrities you may not know live in Vancouver

Jul 21 2021, 8:22 pm

While tons of movies and TV shows shoot in Vancouver, you may not know that a slew of celebrities also call the city their permanent home.

As one of the best places to live in the world, it should come as no surprise that these A-Listers and beyond live in VanCity — keep scrolling for some big names you may find yourself next to at a local coffee shop.

Bryan Adams

Although Bryan Adams was born in Kingston, Ontario, he moved with his family in 1974 to North Vancouver. The “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” singer got his start in music right here in the Lower Mainland, going on to rock icon of the ’80s and ’90s.

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Bryan Adams/Shutterstock

Despite his massive success, Adams still calls Vancouver home — even buying and refurbishing the oldest brick building in Vancouver to become his Warehouse Studio. The singer also showed his hometown pride with a performance at the opening ceremonies for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

Sarah McLachlan

Sarah McLachlan is so associated with Vancouver, it’s hard to remember she hails from Halifax. The Grammy winner ended up in BC after she was offered a recording contract from Vancouver-based record label Nettwerk back in 1985 when she was just 17.

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Sarah McLachlan/Instagram

At the insistence of her parents, the “Angel” songstress finished high school and a year of post-secondary at Nova Scotia’s College of Art and Design before making the leap to BC — recording her 1987 album Touch right here in Vancouver.

The superstar has kept her home base on the North Shore for years, residing there with her two daughters India and Taja. In 2011, she opened the Sarah McLachlan School of Music, which is a free music school for at-risk youth in East Vancouver.

Michael Buble

The King of Christmas just so happens to be a Vancouver native — Burnaby, to be exact. Michael Bublé got his start singing right here in the Lower Mainland, regularly appearing at jazz clubs in and around the city.

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Michael Buble/Shutterstock

The future star was quickly noticed by big wigs like David Foster after performing at a wedding for Brian Mulroney’s daughter Caroline in the early 2000s. Bublé then convinced manager Bruce Allen to represent him, dropping his first album in 2003.

Bublé has gone on to become one of the biggest recording artists in the world — particularly thanks to his Christmas tunes — but he’s proudly called Vancouver home this entire time. The star built a 27,000-square-foot home in his hometown of Burnaby, where he resides with wife Luisana Lopilato and their three kids, Noah, Vida and Elias.

Elvis Costello

Another singer you might find yourself at a coffee shop next to is Elvis Costello. Although the British singer-songwriter isn’t a BC native, he’s become a part-time Vancouverite thanks to wife Diana Krall. Krall, who’s a three-time Grammy winner and eight-time Juno winner, is originally from Nanaimo.

Elvis Costello/Image: Wikimedia

Costello even chose Vancouver as the final stop on his 2018 tour, declaring, “it’s good to be home” in front of the cheering audience. He even performed during the Vancouver Canucks’ ill-fated playoff run in 2011 at Rogers Arena (specifically, he performed “Pump it Up” with the Odds).

The couple spent the majority of their quarantine time at their cabin on Vancouver Island with their 14-year-old sons, Dexter and Frank.

Eric McCormack

Another Toronto transplant. Canadian Eric McCormack actually hails from the east coast but calls Vancouver — specifically Point Grey — home.

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Eric McCormack at the Television Academy Presents An Evening Honoring James Burrows, Leonard H. Goldenson Theater, North Hollywood (s_bukley/Shutterstock)

The Will & Grace star splits his time between Vancouver and Los Angeles for work purposes. Since the popular sitcom wrapped in 2005 — before its 2017 revival — McCormack has stayed busy with several Vancouver-based projects. Notably, the actor shot Travelers in the Lower Mainland.

Jason Priestley

The star of Beverly Hills, 90210 isn’t just a Vancouver native — he still lives here (part of the time, at least). Priestley was cast in the iconic Aaron Spelling show after graduating from Argyle Secondary School in North Vancouver, which lasted for a decade.

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Stacey Newman/Shutterstock

Before his big break as Brandon Walsh, he dipped his toe into the acting world as a youngster, doing plenty of commercials and a CBC series Danger Bay. Since 90210’s end in 2000, Priestley has split his time — even investing in a Ucluelet property.

The actor has also kept a hand in Canadian projects, including a show called Hollywood & Vines with fellow Vancouver icon Terry David Mulligan. Most recently, the BH90210 reboot was partially shot in his hometown.

Anna Cathcart

Anna Cathcart is the adorable little sister in Netflix’s To All the Boys I Loved Before trilogy. The movies were shot here in Vancouver, where Cathcart was born and raised.

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Anna Cathcart, who plays Kitty Covey, Lara Jean’s younger sister (Netflix).

Before To All the Boys, Cathcart got her start on Odd Squad, which shot in Toronto, returning back to the Lower Mainland to work on Disney’s Descendants. The 18-year-old recently graduated high school in the Vancouver area, and as far as we know, still plans to call the city home!

Jacob Tremblay

At just eight years old, Jacob Tremblay became a household name after co-starring in Room with Brie Larson. Born and raised in Langley, Tremblay still lives in the quiet suburb with his dad, Jason, a criminologist, mom Christina and sisters, Emma and Erica.

jacob tremblay

Good Boys / Instagram

Now 14, Tremblay has stayed active in the industry — notably playing a young Justin Bieber (also a fellow Canadian by way of Stratford, Ontario) in the emotional video for “Lonely.”

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