Famous People Born On February 12th

A self-educated lawyer, Abraham Lincoln rose from modest background to become one of the greatest presidents of America. The 16th president of the country, who is also known as Honest Abe and the Great Emancipator, played a crucial role in establishing a truly democratic government, abolished slavery, modernised economy and led the country during the American Civil War.

Widely regarded as one of the most influential personalities in the history of mankind, Charles Darwin was an English biologist, naturalist, and geologist. He is credited with publishing the Theory of Evolution, which explains the evolution of life from a unicellular organism to human beings. A prolific writer, Charles Darwin also wrote important books on plants and barnacles.

Bill Russell was an American retired professional basketball player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players ever, Russell led the US national basketball team to victory and helped his team win an Olympic gold at the 1956 Summer Olympics. Also known for his accomplishments in the civil rights movement, Russell was honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011.

Christina Ricci's name is synonymous with the character, Wednesday Addams,, thanks to her wonderful portrayal of the iconic character in the movie The Addams Family. She then became a teen icon before graduating to adult-oriented roles. Apart from being an actress, Christina Ricci also serves as the national spokesperson for a nonprofit anti-sexual assault organization called Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

Mainly known for portraying villainous roles, Josh Brolin has worked with a number of big directors like Woody Allen, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino and Oliver Stone. No Country for Old Men, Milk, Gangster Squad, W and Deadpool 2 are some of his notable movies. The role of the warlord Thanos in the Avengers film series made him an international star.

Canadian actor, radio personality, and singer, Lorne Greene, is remembered for his appearance in the original science-fiction TV series, Battlestar Galactica. As a young man, he studied to become a chemical engineer. However, he quit engineering for a career in entertainment. He was successful both as a radio personality and an actor in a career spanning almost five decades.

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Robert Lee Griffin III, also known as RG3 or RGIII, has also played for the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Browns. Named the 2012 NFL Rookie of the Year, he was also part of the 2013 Pro Bowl. Much of his career has been plagued with injuries.

South Korean actress, Park Bo-young, is best known for her roles in the movies A Werewolf Boy and On Your Wedding Day. Active in the entertainment scene since 2006, she made her debut with a TV series. A teenager at the time, she then proceeded to appear in several acclaimed movies and TV shows to become a much sought-after actress.

Australian actor and singer Jesse Spencer is best known to fans as Dr. Robert Chase from House and as Billy Kennedy from Neighbours. Though born into a family of medical professionals, Spencer showed an early interest in music, excelling in the violin, and often plays at charity events these days.

Chris McCandless, also known as Alexander Supertramp, was made famous by Jon Krakauer’s book Into the Wild, which was later made into a movie. The adventurer had hitchhiked through Alaska, and later took shelter in an abandoned bus, where he eventually died of starvation and poisoning, cut off from civilization.

Nicolás Otamendi is an Argentine football player best known for helping his national team win the 2021 Copa América in Brazil. He has also represented Argentina at two FIFA World Cups. Nicolás Otamendi has also helped Manchester City win two Premier League titles and one FA Cup. He has also won three successive Primeira Liga with Porto.

One of the first ballerinas to travel extensively around the world, Anna Pavlova had first gained an interest in the dance form after watching an adaptation of The Sleeping Beauty. She initially gained fame dancing with Mikhail Mordkin and later made waves with her iconic role in The Dying Swan.

Joe Don Baker is an American actor known for playing action-packed roles in films like Guns of the Magnificent Seven, Wild Rovers, Charley Varrick, and Walking Tall. For his performance in the TV  series Edge of Darkness, Baker received a British Academy Television Award nomination. He has also played interesting roles in a couple of James Bond films.

Michael Ironside is a Canadian film director, producer, actor, and screenwriter. He achieved popularity in 1984, when he played a cynical anti-hero named Ham Tyler in the popular TV series, V: The Final Battle. Michael Ironside has also played important roles in popular films like Top Gun, Total Recall, and The Machinist.

Lochlyn Munro is a Canadian actor known for playing important roles in films like A Night at the Roxbury, Freddy vs. Jason, Scary Movie, and White Chicks. Munro is also known for his work on TV, appearing in series, such as Northwood, Charmed, and Riverdale.

Simon MacCorkindale was a British actor, writer, and filmmaker. Although he wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father to become an officer with the Royal Air Force, MacCorkindale had to pursue a theatre career due to poor eyesight. As it turned out, poor eyesight was a blessing in disguise as he became a prominent film and TV personality.  

Tanaya Beatty is a Canadian actress known for playing important roles in TV series like True Justice, Arctic Air, and The Night Shift. Apart from being an actress, Beatty has also exhibited an interest in social work; she has received a certificate from a program concerning social work.

NASCAR Cup Series racing driver Brad Keselowski, the son of former race driver Bob Keselowski, once also owned Brad Keselowski Racing. His non-profit Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation, which he runs with his wife, funds organization to help with the treatments of war veterans and first responders.

Silvia Saint is a Czech former pornographic actress who appeared in over 300 pornographic films. She achieved popularity in 1996 when she was named Penthouse Pet of the Year in the magazine's Czech edition. As a pornographic actress, Silvia Saint won many awards, including an AVN Award. In 2012, she was made an inductee of the AVN Hall of Fame.

Franco Zeffirelli went from being a budding architect to a director after watching Laurence Olivier’s Henry V. Starting as a costume/set designer, he gradually deviated to making Shakespearean adaptations, earning an Academy Award nomination with Romeo and Juliet. The openly gay filmmaker was later accused of sexual assaulting two actors.

Former Malaysian prime minister Hussein Onn is remembered as the Father of Unity. Son of Malaysian freedom fighter Onn Jaafar, Hussein had been educated in Singapore and then been part of the Indian Army during World War II. He later stepped into politics with the UMNO.

Costa Gavras is a Greek-French screenwriter and filmmaker best known for making movies with social and political themes. His 1969 political thriller film Z, which earned him an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, was the first movie to receive nominations for both the Best Foreign Language Film and Best Picture at the Academy Awards.