Famous People Born Today

Serena Williams

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1981

Birthplace: Saginaw, Michigan, United States

With 39 Grand Slam titles and four Olympic gold medals, Serena Williams is clearly amongst the greatest female tennis players in the history. With 23 Grand Slam singles win, she is just a win away from equalling Margaret Court’s record of 24 grand slam titles. She has bagged the top spot in WTA’s world ranking numerous times.

Olivia Newton-John

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1948

Birthplace: Cambridge, England, US

Died: 2022

Olivia Newton-John's breathy voice and stunning beauty made her one of the biggest pop stars of the 1970s. She charmed generations of movie viewers in the blockbuster film Grease. Following a string of country and soft-rock hits, Newton-John starred opposite John Travolta in the 1978 blockbuster Grease, considered as one the most popular movie musicals of all time.

Linda Hamilton

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1956

Birthplace: Salisbury, Maryland, United States

A popular American actress, Linda Hamilton is famous for being the first actress to portray the iconic Sarah Connor in the Terminator movie series. A brave woman, who has fought depression and bipolar disorder throughout her career, Hamilton suffered permanent hearing damage after firing a gun without using her ear plugs while filming Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Jim Caviezel

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1968

Birthplace: Mount Vernon, Washington, United States

Jim Caviezel is an American actor. He is credited with playing important roles in films that have touched the lives of people in many ways. After playing Jesus in the movie The Passion of the Christ, he has been serving as a public speaker at religious venues. He believes that his film Sound of Freedom would save children from sex trafficking.

George Gershwin

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1898

Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, United States

Died: 1937

George Gershwin was an American pianist, composer, and painter. His work Porgy and Bess is widely regarded as an American cultural classic and one of the 20th century's most important American operas. Many of his compositions have been used in films and television series. His life and work inspired the 1945 biographical movie, Rhapsody in Blue.

Talulah Riley

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1985

Birthplace: Hertfordshire, England, UK

English actress, Talulah Riley, has acted in films like Pride and Prejudice, The Boat That Rocked, The Summer House, White Frog and Inception. She’s also starred in television series like Westworld, Poirot, Marple and Nearly Famous. She’s acted on stage too and has written the novel, Acts of Love. She was married to billionaire entrepreneu,r Elon Musk, and is now divorced.

Christina Milian

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1981

Birthplace: Jersey City, New Jersey, United States

Christina Milian is best known for her hit tracks A.M. to P.M. and Say I. Fans have also loved her performances in the movie Love Don't Cost a Thing, as Vanessa in Grandfathered, and as Christine Parks in The Oath. She co-owns Viva Diva Wines and a food truck business.

T. S. Eliot

Listed In: Writers

Birth Year: 1888

Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States

Died: 1965

American-born British poet T. S. Eliot is best remembered for his poems The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, The Waste Land, and Ash Wednesday, and his plays such as Murder in the Cathedral. He won the Nobel Prize for literature and became a prominent figure of Modernist poetry.

Russ

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1992

Birthplace: Secaucus, New Jersey, United States

Rapper Russell James Vitale, better known as Russ, soared to fame with his Billboard-charting tracks What They Want and Best on Earth. He is also part of an Atlanta-based indie music collective named Diemon. Following a controversial tweet in 2017, he became the center of the “fuck Russ” viral meme.

Donna Douglas

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1932

Birthplace: Pride, Louisiana, United States

Died: 2015

Donna Douglas is best known as Elly May Clampett from the sitcom The Beverly Hillbillies. After retiring from acting, she juggled with a number of careers, becoming a real-estate agent, a motivational speaker, and a gospel singer. She has also written a Bible-themed children’s book and a cookbook.

Melissa Sue Anderson

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1962

Birthplace: Berkeley, California, United States

Melissa Sue Anderson started as a child actor and was initially seen in several commercials. She then gained fame with the role of Mary Ingalls in the long-running series Little House on the Prairie. She also starred in the film Happy Birthday to Me and later wrote a book.

Lilly Singh

Listed In: YouTubers

Birth Year: 1988

Birthplace: Scarborough, Toronto, Canada

Canadian YouTuber, comedian, and talk show host, Lilly Singh, is one of the world's highest-earning YouTubers. The recipient of four Streamy Awards and two Teen Choice Awards, she is an icon for women of Asian descent across the globe. She is also the author of a best-selling book. The multifaceted personality is also an actress.

Marty Robbins

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1925

Birthplace: Glendale, Arizona, United States

Died: 1982

Singer, actor, and multi-instrumentalist Marty Robbins was also a NASCAR driver. He played the guitar since his U.S. Navy days. Famous for his country and Western tracks such as Singing the Blues and El Paso, he also won two Grammys and appeared in films such as Honkytonk Man.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1936

Birthplace: Bizana, Eastern Cape

Died: 2018

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela had first met legendary anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela at a bus stop when she was barely 22. They ended up getting married the following year. Winnie’s journey was marred by bans and harassment by the South African government, but the determined social worker revolutionized South African politics.

George Raft

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1901

Birthplace: Hell's Kitchen, New York, United States

Died: 1980

Height: 5'7" (170 cm)

Julie London

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1926

Birthplace: Santa Rosa, California, United States

Died: 2000

Asuka

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1981

Birthplace: Osaka, Japan

One of the most promising young wrestlers from Japan, Kanako Urai, better known as Asuka and Kana (previously), has been making a name for herself as part of the WWE. Known for her multi-colored hair, she is a Grand Slam Champion, and holds the NXT, Raw, and SmackDown Women’s titles.

Sheri Moon Zombie

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1970

Birthplace: San Jose, California

Actress, model, dancer, and fashion designer Sheri Moon Zombie originally aspired to a voice-over artist but fate had other plans in store for her. A chance meeting with her future husband, musician Rob Zombie, motivated her to become a dancer. She started acting soon after and has appeared in many films and TV shows. She is a vegan.

Jeanie Buss

Listed In: Business People

Birth Year: 1961

Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States

Daughter of real-estate magnate Jerry Buss, Jeanie Buss inherited part of the NBA team Los Angeles Lakers’s stakes from her father. Jeanie, who has previously managed a roller hockey and a tennis team, was named one of the Top 20 Most Influential Women in Sports by Sporting News in 2005.

Zoe Perry

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1983

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

Ivan Pavlov

Listed In: Physicians

Birth Year: 1849

Birthplace: Ryazan, Russia

Died: 1936

Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov is best remembered for his research in classical conditioning. He became the first Russian Nobel laureate after winning the 1904 Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for his study of the physiology of digestion. His experiment on conditioned reflex using dogs is still studied in colleges.

Bryan Ferry

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1945

Birthplace: Washington, England

Jack LaLanne

Listed In: Miscellaneous

Birth Year: 1914

Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

Died: 2011

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

Martin Heidegger

Listed In: Intellectuals & Academics

Birth Year: 1889

Birthplace: Messkirch, Germany

Died: 1976

German philosopher Martin Heidegger was one of the greatest philosophers of the 20th century and is remembered for his work on phenomenology, existentialism, and hermeneutics. He explained his ideas in his book Being and Time. He also introduced the concept of Dasein, or “being,” characteristic of human beings.

Ricardo Quaresma

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1983

Birthplace: Lisbon, Portugal

Ricardo Quaresma is a Portuguese football player best known for his tricks, such as the rabona and curl. He played for Portugal from 2003 to 2018, during which he represented his team at three European Championships, including UEFA Euro 2016, which Portugal won. Ricardo Quaresma was named Primeira Liga Player of the Year in 2006.

Manmohan Singh

Listed In: Leaders

Birth Year: 1932

Birthplace: Gah, Punjab, British India (present-day Punjab, Pakistan)

Died: 2024

The 13th Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh became the first Sikh in office when he took office in 2004. A prominent economist and academic, he held several key posts in the Government of India in the 1970s and 1980s. Known for his humility, he has been described by the media as "one of the world's most revered leaders."

Kent McCord

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1942

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States

Kent Franklin McWhirter, better known as Kent McCord, soeared to fame with his role of Officer Jim Reed in the series Adam-12. He has also been part of films such as Predator 2 and Jigsaw. He initially gained fame with the series The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet.

Manny Montana

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1983

Birthplace: Long Beach, California, United States

Height: 6'1" (185 cm)

Nev Schulman

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1984

Birthplace: New York, New York, United States

Nev Schulman is an American TV host and the subject of a documentary film titled Catfish. Following the success of Catfish, Schulman hosted and executive produced MTV's Catfish: The TV Show. Apart from being a TV personality, Nev Schulman is also a founding member of the Young Leadership Committee for Leave Out Violence, a youth organization.

Shannon Hoon

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1967

Birthplace: Lafayette, Indiana, United States

Died: 1995

Shannon Hoon is best remembered as the lead singer of the rock band Blind Melon, which delivered chartbusting hits such as No Rain. He died of a drug overdose at age 28. He was known for his outrageous behavior, such as urinating on a fan and getting naked on stage.

Yoon Shi-yoon

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1986

Birthplace: Suncheon, South Korea

South Korean actor Yoon Shi-yoon is best known for his roles in series such as King of Baking, Kim Takgu, Grand Prince, and Train. He was also part of the variety show 2 Days & 1 Night. He loves reading and has more than 3,000 books at home.

Jonny Bairstow

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1989

Birthplace: Bradford, West Yorkshire, England

Height: 5'10" (178 cm)

Lysette Anthony

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1963

Birthplace: Fulham, London, England

Height: 5'5" (165 cm)

Lynn Anderson

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1947

Birthplace: Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States

Died: 2015

Megan McKenna

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1992

Birthplace: Barking

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

Darby Crash

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1958

Birthplace: Los Angeles County, California, USA

Died: 1980

Carlene Carter

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1955

Birthplace: Madison, Tennessee, USA

Joyce Jameson

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1932

Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States

Died: 1987

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar

Listed In: Intellectuals & Academics

Birth Year: 1820

Birthplace: Birsingha, West Bengal, India

Died: 1891

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar was an Indian social reformer and educator. He is best remembered for his efforts to modernize and simplify Bengali prose for which he is widely regarded as the father of Bengali prose. As a social reformer, Vidyasagar played a crucial role in enacting the Hindu Widows' Remarriage Act, which legalized the remarriage of Hindu widows in India.

Jon Richardson

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1982

Birthplace: Lancaster

Known for his performance in 8 Out of 10 Cats, comedian Jon Richardson had initially dabbled in Hispanic studies and been a chef, before ditching both and stepping into comedy instead. He has also been a BBC 6 Music host. He has OCD and is a football fan.

Anthony Blunt

Listed In: Intellectuals & Academics

Birth Year: 1907

Birthplace: Bournemouth, Hampshire, England

Died: 1983

Art historian Anthony Blunt is best remembered as part of the spy group Cambridge Five. His confession, revealed after years, stripped him of his knighthood. An expert on the works of Baroque painter Nicolas Poussin, he had also authored works such as Art and Architecture in France 1500–1700.

Cindy Herron

Listed In: Musicians

Birth Year: 1961

Birthplace: San Francisco, California, United States

Height: 5'6" (168 cm)

Damian Priest

Listed In: Sportspersons

Birth Year: 1982

Birthplace: New York, United States

Height: 6'7" (201 cm)

Barnes Wallis

Listed In: Scientists

Birth Year: 1887

Birthplace: Ripley, Derbyshire, England

Died: 1979

Barnes Wallis was an English engineer, inventor, and scientist. He played an important role during the Second World War by inventing the bouncing bomb which was used in Operation Chastise by the Royal Air Force to attack the dams of the Ruhr Valley. Barnes Wallis is also credited with inventing the earthquake bomb and his version of the geodetic airframe.

Watkin Tudor Jones

Listed In: Singers

Birth Year: 1974

Birthplace: Johannesburg

Watkin Tudor Jones, better known as Ninja, is a South African rapper, songwriter, record producer, and director. He is a member of the rap-rave group Die Antwoord. He has been active in the hip hop scene since he was 13 and has played with numerous bands in his career. He is also an occasional actor.

Joo Jin-mo

Listed In: Film & Theater Personalities

Birth Year: 1974

Birthplace: Seoul, South Korea

Joo Jin-mo is a South Korean actor known for playing leading roles in films like Happy End, 200 Pounds Beauty, and A Frozen Flower. Over the course of his career, Joo Jin-mo has won several prestigious awards, such as a Grand Bell Award, SBS Drama Awards, KBS Drama Award, MBC Drama Award, and Baeksang Arts Award.