Famous People Born Today

Chris Pratt

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1979

Birthplace: Virginia, Minnesota, United States

American television and film actor, Chris Pratt won critical applause, commercial success and numerous awards for his work in The Lego Movie, Guardians of the Galaxy and later Jurassic World. However, before these, he made a name for himself with television shows Everwood and Parks and Recreation. Interestingly, he landed his first role while waiting tables at a restaurant.

Lana Del Rey

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1985

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York, United States

Singer and songwriter, Lana Del Rey broke into the world of music when her debut single, Video Games, became viral in 2011. She then gained international fame with her debut album Born to Die in 2012. Over the years, she has released a numerous chart-topping albums. Violet Bent Backwards over the Grass, a collection of poetry, is her first book.

Juliette Lewis

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1973

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Daughter of actor Geoffrey Lewis, Juliette Lewis gained fame as a child actor. She is best known for her Academy Award- and Golden Globe-winning role in Cape Fear. She won the Pasinetti Award for Natural Born Killers and has also been part of a rock band. She also follows Scientology.

Jane Russell

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1921

Birthplace: Bemidji, Minnesota, United States

Died: 2011

Jane Russell was an American actress and singer. Renowned for her beauty, Russell was considered one of the leading sex symbols of Hollywood in the 1940s and 1950s. In 2009, Glamour magazine named her in its list of 40 Most Iconic Movie Goddesses. Her contribution to the entertainment industry was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Meredith Baxter

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1947

Birthplace: South Pasadena, California

Meredith Baxter is best known for her portrayal of Elyse Keaton in the sitcom Family Ties. She also delivered Emmy-nominated roles in The Young and the Restless and Family. She is a breast-cancer survivor. After three heterosexual marriages, she started a relationship with and married her lesbian partner, Nancy Locke.

Joko Widodo

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1961

Birthplace: Surakarta

Joko Widodo, the current president of Indonesia, has previously been the mayor of Surakarta and the governor of Jakarta. He initially owned a furniture business and later joined the Democratic Party of Struggle. He introduced universal healthcare as Jakarta’s governor. Fortune named him one of "The World's 50 Greatest Leaders."

Jean-Paul Sartre

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1905

Birthplace: Paris, France

Died: 1980

Jean-Paul Sartre was a French philosopher, writer, literary critic, and political activist. One of the most important personalities in the philosophy of phenomenology and existentialism, Sartre played a crucial role in 20th-century French philosophy. His work continues to influence literary studies, post-colonial theory, sociology, and critical theory. He was honored with the 1964 Nobel Prize in Literature.

Edward Snowden

Listed In: Activists

Birth Year: 1983

Birthplace: Elizabeth City, North Carolina, United States

A Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) employee who came into the limelight after leaking confidential information from the National Security Agency (NSA) in 2013, Edward Snowden has been variously called a “hero", “whistle-blower", and “traitor". A controversial figure in USA, he was granted asylum in Russia, where he now lives with his wife.

Michael Gross

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1947

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Michael Gross, brother of comedian Mary Gross, is best known as Steven Keaton from the sitcom Family Ties. He also appeared as Burt Gummer in the Tremors movie franchise. He is an amateur railroad historian and owns a huge collection of rail souvenirs. He has voiced several animated characters, too.

Rebecca Black

Listed In: YouTubers

Birth Year: 1997

Birthplace: Irvine, California, United States

YouTuber and pop singer Rebecca Black soared to fame with her viral video Friday, which was, however, panned by many critics. Her YouTube channel, where she posts her songs and other videos, has gained a huge fan base. She came out as queer on the Dating Straight podcast in 2020.

Tyler Childers

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1991

Birthplace: Lawrence County, Kentucky, United States

Ray Davies

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1944

Birthplace: London, England

Height: 6'0" (183 cm)

Gretchen Carlson

Listed In: Media Personalities

Birth Year: 1966

Birthplace: Coon Rapids, Minnesota, United States

Known for her stints on Fox News and CBS News, TV journalist Gretchen Carlson made headlines when she accused Fox CEO Roger Ailes of having sexually harassed her earlier, eventually causing him to resign. The former Miss America is also a skilled classical violinist and a Juilliard alumna.

Mariette Hartley

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1940

Birthplace: Weston, Connecticut, United States

Mariette Hartley is an American actress who won the Primetime Emmy Award for her portrayal of Dr. Carolyn Fields in the popular television series, The Incredible Hulk. She also has several Primetime Emmy Award nominations under her belt. An advocate of suicide prevention and medications for bipolar disorder, Mariette Hartley works towards increasing awareness of the disorder.

Tony Scott

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1944

Birthplace: Tynemouth, England

Died: 2012

Tony Scott was an English actor, film director, and producer. He directed several highly successful action and thriller films including Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop II. He graduated from the Royal College of Art and began his career directing commercials. He soon shifted to films and enjoyed tremendous success. He died by suicide in 2012.  

Benazir Bhutto

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1953

Birthplace: Karachi

Died: 2007

Benazir Bhutto was a Pakistani politician who served as Pakistan's prime minister in two separate terms and became the first woman in a Muslim majority nation to lead a democratic government. She was assassinated, at the age of 54, and after her death has been revered by many as an icon for women's rights.

Viktor Tsoi

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1962

Birthplace: Saint Petersburg, Russia

Died: 1990

Viktor Tsoi, the lead singer of the legendary Russian rock band Kino, broke the hearts of his fans across the world when he died in a tragic car crash at age 28. A symbol of rebellion, Tsoi transformed rock music from an underground movement to a mainstream phenomenon in Russia.

Wade Phillips

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1947

Birthplace: Orange, Texas, USA

Andrzej Sapkowski

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1948

Birthplace: Łódź, Poland

Polish fantasy author Andrzej Sapkowski is best known for his widely translated iconic book series The Witcher, which has also been made into a Netflix series. While he initially studied economics and worked as a sales representative, he soared to fame with the short story Wiedźmin, which later became The Witcher.

Michel Platini

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1955

Birthplace: Jœuf, France

Michel Platini is a former football player, administrator, and manager. Widely considered one of the greatest football players of all time, this French footballer won the prestigious Ballon d'Or award three times during his glorious playing career. Michel Platini also played a key role as France's national team coach before he was banned from football by the FIFA Ethics Committee.

Joe Flaherty

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1941

Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

David Morrissey

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1964

Birthplace: Liverpool, England, United Kingdom

David Morrissey is best known for his portrayal of The Governor in The Walking Dead. A talented Shakespearean theater actor, he has also delivered an award-winning performance as Macbeth. He has also been seen in films such as Sense and Sensibility and The Reaping, and has directed various projects.

Carrie Preston

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1967

Birthplace: Macon, Georgia, USA

Height: 5'4" (163 cm)

Brandon Flowers

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1981

Birthplace: Henderson, Nevada, United States

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Maureen Stapleton

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1925

Birthplace: Troy, New York, United States

Died: 2006

Robert Pastorelli

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1954

Birthplace: New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States

Died: 2004

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Pierre Omidyar

Listed In: Business People

Birth Year: 1967

Birthplace: Paris, France

Maggie Siff

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1974

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Maggie Siff is best known as Tara Knowles from Sons of Anarchy and Rachel Katz from Mad Men. She was also part of the film The 5th Wave and the series Billions. She has promoted Betterment, a robo-advising service, and was part of the podcast You Must Remember This.

Erica Durance

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1978

Birthplace: Calgary, Canada

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

Khatia Buniatishvili

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1987

Birthplace: Batumi, Georgia

Khatia Buniatishvili is a Georgian-French pianist. Buniatishvili has been playing since the age of three and gave her first concert when she was just six years old. She then went on to play at an international stage at the age of 10. Buniatishvili is known for her association with Sony Classical, which has produced many of her solo piano albums.

Joana Ceddia

Listed In: YouTubers

Birth Year: 2001

Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Joana Ceddia is a Brazilian-Canadian vlogger, YouTuber, and former competitive runner and swimmer. She won an OFSAA gold medal in competitive school swimming before an injury ended her swimming and running career. Best known for her ironic and quirky sense of humor, Ceddia has received nominations for prestigious awards, such as Shorty Award and Streamy Award.

Doug Savant

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1964

Birthplace: Burbank, California

Max Schneider

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1992

Birthplace: Manhattan, New York City

Height: 5'8" (173 cm)

Nils Lofgren

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1951

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Nils Lofgren, the lead guitarist for Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band, had also been part of Crazy Horse, Neil Young's backing band. He had also formed his own band, Grin. While he mastered the accordion at 5 and learned the guitar and the piano by 15, he was also a talented gymnast.

Tom Chambers

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1959

Birthplace: Ogden, Utah, United States

Height: 6'10" (208 cm)

Lionel Rose

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1948

Birthplace: Victoria, Australia

Died: 2011

Lionel Rose was an Australian boxer who became the first Aboriginal Australian to win a world title when he defeated Harada for the world bantamweight title in 1968. This win made him a national hero and an icon among Indigenous Australians. In 1968, he also became the first Aboriginal Australian to be adjudged Australian of the Year.

Matt Kuchar

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1978

Birthplace: Winter Park, Florida, United States

Matt Kuchar is a golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He played collegiate golf and received the Haskins Award in 1998 as the nation's top collegiate golfer. He turned professional in 2000 and has won nine times on the PGA Tour. He has played for the US national team as well. He is married to tennis player Sybi Parker. 

Kathy Mattea

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1959

Birthplace: South Charleston, West Virginia, United States

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

Thaddeus Young

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1988

Birthplace: New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

Height: 6'8" (203 cm)

Al Hirschfeld

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1903

Birthplace: St. Louis

Died: 2003

Shirin Ebadi

Listed In: Activists

Birth Year: 1947

Birthplace: Hamadan

Nobel Peace Prize-winning human rights activist and lawyer Shirin Ebadi is known for her significant work with refugees, women, and children, and her countless books, such as Iran Awakening. In spite of being Iran’s first female judge, she found it difficult to establish herself in the male-dominated profession.

Rachel McLish

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1955

Birthplace: Harlingen, Texas, United States

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

Zuzana Čaputová

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1973

Birthplace: Bratislava, Slovakia

Zuzana Čaputová is a Slovak politician, environmental activist, and lawyer. In 2019, Čaputová became the first woman to be elected as the President of Slovakia. She also became the youngest Slovak president of all time as she was 45 years old when she was elected. In 2020, Zuzana Čaputová was included in Forbes magazine's World's 100 Most Powerful Women list.

Michael Malarkey

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1983

Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Rick Sutcliffe

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1956

Birthplace: Independence, Missouri, United States

Height: 6'7" (201 cm)

Derrick Coleman

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1967

Birthplace: Mobile, Alabama, United States

Height: 6'10" (208 cm)

Andrew Dismukes

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1995

Birthplace: Port Neches, Texas, United States

Françoise Sagan

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1935

Birthplace: Cajarc, France

Died: 2004

Pope Leo IX

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1002

Birthplace: Eguisheim, France

Died: 1054

Pope Leo IX went down in history as one of the most significant popes, due to his role in the Great East-West Schism of 1054, which separated the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. His idea of reforming the church including the removal of evils such as clerical marriage.

ʿAbd al-Ḥalīm Ḥāfiẓ

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1929

Birthplace: Al-Ḥalāwāt, Egypt

Died: 1977