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Some Of The Coolest People To Come Out Of Hamilton

Seriously, The Hammer is one talented city.

There's quite the talent brewing in The Hammer.

Hamilton, a city in Ontario just west of Toronto, is home to some of the country's mega talent, especially in the world of comedy and sports.

In 2016, the Toronto Star noted the city was "having a moment," mostly due to Hamilton's real estate market.

Below is a roundup of some of the city's biggest names: the award-winners, the internationally-known celebrities and stars who are making a name for themselves on a larger scale.

And of course, while we couldn't list every single cool person to come out of the city (there was a lot to choose from), let us know your favourites below.

The day job: Comedian/actor

The backstory: As one of Canada's most recognizable comedians, the 70-year-old has appeared in more than 60 films. The Hamilton-native received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award in 2008, one of the country's highest honours in the arts.

The cool factor: Yes, we also thought he was a cool dad in the "American Pie" series, but currently the producer and director also shares the screen with his son Daniel and daughter Sarah in the CBC hit comedy "Schitt's Creek."

The day job: Actress

The backstory: Born in Hamilton, the 38-year-old is known for her role as Kate Beckett on "Castle." The actress has three People's Choice Awards, a PRISM Award, and three TV Guide Awards. She currently lives in Los Angeles.

The cool factor: She is quite involved in community projects as well, with a focus on children's education and the environment.

The day job: Comedian/actor

The backstory: The 66-year-old actor, who is another recognizable face in Canada's comedy scene, is known for his roles on "Saturday Night Live," "Three Amigos" and on Broadway. While living in Hamilton, Short also attended McMaster University and had a role in the 1972 production of "Godspell" on campus.

The cool factor: In 2012 he worked on a comedy special for CBC called, "I, Martin Short, Goes Home" — his epic return to his hometown.

The day job: Author

The backstory: Born in Newmarket, Ont., the 59-year-old author is known for his novel, The Book of Negroes. With 10 ten works of fiction and non-fiction under his belt, Hill also has several awards for his writing. He currently lives in Hamilton with his family.

The day job: Rock band

The backstory: The Canadian band formed in Hamilton after the group's five members (Max Kerman, Mike DeAngelis. Nick Dika, Tim Oxford and Anthony Carone) all met at McMaster University, and they're proud of their Hamilton roots. Singer Kerman has also spoken about how the genre of rock itself is changing.

"It would be so boring if we made a mid-2000s-style indie record. All those bands that I grew up with and shape the way I think about being in a band — the Cons, the Weakerthans, Wintersleep, Broken Social Scene — that’s not really what I listen to anymore. They’re in my DNA, but I just feel like rock has gotten so conservative and doesn’t know where to go. It’s just dull to me. Top 40 pop is way more progressive.”

The cool factor: The band got its name after a campus-area street in Hamilton.

The day job: Singer

The backstory: Born in Hamilton (her sister and bandmate Natalie was born in Mississauga, Ont.), the 42-year-old singer is known for being part of the girl groups All Saints and Appleton.

The cool factor: All Saints dropped a new album in April 2016 called "Red Flag."

The day job: Rock musician

The backstory: Wilson was the former lead singer of '90s rock group Junkhouse and is also known for his work in Blackie and the Rodeo Kings. In the music industry for three decades, Wilson has worked with artists across the map. He is currently working with LeE HARVeY OsMOND, a psychedelic folk project.

The cool factor: We'd have to say Wilson's energy is probably his coolest factor. In 2015, at the age of 55, he said he had no plans to slow down anytime soon.

"I feel more vibrant as an artist and a human being than I ever have — at the age of 55, and a grandfather," he told The Canadian Press.

The day job: Singer

The backstory: The Hamilton-born singer was known as the frontman of Canadian soul and R&B group Jacksoul. Neale passed away in 2009 after battling lung cancer for seven months. He was 39.

The cool factor: To his family and friends, Neale was remembered as an "amazing individual" who had a "joyful presence."

"Wow. Canada really lost something special," friend and Toronto hip-hop MC Kardinal Offishall said in 2009.

The day job: Folk singer

The backstory: Born in Hamilton, the singer and songwriter was known for his unforgettable voice and folk music. He had four albums and eight more posthumous. Rogers tragically died in a fire in 1983. He was 33 years old.

The cool factor: Now known as a Canadian music cultural icon, he was one of the early musicians who popularized Celtic music.

The day job: Television host/radio host

The backstory: Known for his '90s gig as a MuchMusic VJ (or our favourite nickname "Rick the Temp"), the 47-year-old Hamilton-native is still in the Canadian entertainment industry, working as a co-host on "ET Canada."

The cool factor: Working in the entertainment industry, Campanelli has had the chance to do some pretty cool things: jumping off a cliff with Sean Paul, diving off a airplane with the Foo Fighters, and even fighting a pro-wrestler.

The day job: Actress

The backstory: The Hamilton-native is most known for her role in the Family Channel series, "Life with Derek." The 30-year-old actress was also a dancer and attended an acting program at Theatre Aquarius in Hamilton.

The day job: Rapper

The backstory: The Hamilton rapper was dubbed the city's "hip-hop bright spot" by Noisey in 2015, and currently has tracks listed on Soundcloud (seriously, give them a listen).

In an interview with Noisey, the rapper talked about some of his inspiration behind his more political lyrics.

"I would say I’m just motivated by life and my life experiences, especially growing up. My mom and my father came here as immigrants, so growing up was kind of like being in between Canadian culture and the culture my parents brought over as well."

The day job: Hockey player/coach

The backstory: The legendary former NHL player and coach was born in Hamilton in 1943. With a career both on and off the ice, he played for teams like the Los Angeles Kings and the Vancouver Canucks and was the coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Quinn died in 2014 after fighting a lengthy illness. He was 71.

The cool factor: In 2016, he was added to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

The day job: Actress

The backstory: Born in Hamilton, Robertson started her career in Toronto. She is most recognized for her work in "Maniac Mansion" and more recently "Murder in the First."

The cool factor: The 43-year-old also appeared in "Beverly Hills, 90210" as Clare Arnold.

The day job: Electropop group

The backstory: Formed in Hamilton in 1999, the group started with members Jeremy Greenspan and Johnny Dark. Dark soon left and was replaced by member Matt Didemus. The group has five albums, including "Big Black Coat," which was released in 2016.

The cool factor: You can listen to some of their work here.

The day job: Artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada

The backstory: A ballet dancer herself, Kain was born in Hamilton and later went on to train at the National Ballet School of Canada. Starring in many productions throughout her career before accepting her current role, highlights include performing in ballets such as "The Sleeping Beauty" and "Swan Lake."

The cool factor: Kain danced with Soviet-born ballet icon Rudolf Nureyev. In 2002, she received the Governor General's Performing Arts Award.

The day job: Retired football player

The backstory: Born in Hamilton, the former football player attended McMaster before playing in the CFL. The 80-year-old led Ottawa to a Grey Cup championship in 1969.

The cool factor: In 2012, he was inducted to Canada's Walk Of Fame.

The day job: Actress

The backstory: Born in Hamilton but raised in Winnipeg, Crewson is known for her roles in "Air Force One," "Revenge" and "ReGenesis."

The cool factor: She also worked on three projects as a producer.

The day job: Basketball player

The backstory: Born in Hamilton to a family of athletes (her sister is also a basketball player and her brother Darnell plays for the Edmonton Oilers), the 20-year-old is currently playing with the Connecticut Huskies and the Canadian national basketball team.

The cool factor: She won a gold medal at the 2015 Pan American Games.

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story indicated that Kylie Bunbury was born in Hamilton. She was born in Montreal.

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