Famous People Born Today

Paul Giamatti is an American actor known for playing important roles in popular films like The Illusionist and The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Paul Giamatti became the subject of a famous campaign called Wax Paul Now, which inspired a short film. The short film was premiered in October 2019 at the Virginia Film Festival.

A beloved child actress of the 1980s, Judith Barsi started acting when she was just five years old. She appeared in many commercials and TV shows before getting a chance to act in films as well. The child met a tragic end when she and her mother were murdered by her father who then died by suicide.

Regarded as one of the best tennis players from Sweden, Björn Borg won 11 Grand Slam singles titles during his playing career. He started off as a teenage sensation and helped popularize tennis during the 1970s. The 2017 film Borg vs McEnroe was inspired by his rivalry against John McEnroe.

Robert Falcon Scott was an explorer and Royal Navy officer. He is remembered for leading two expeditions to the Antarctic regions, the second of which was the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition. Although Scott and his companions died during the second expedition, they helped discover the first Antarctic fossils, which proved that the place was once forested.

Nathan Hale was an American soldier, Patriot, and spy who worked for the Continental Army. He played an important role during the American Revolutionary War, volunteering for an intelligence-gathering mission. Nathan Hale was captured and executed by the British in 1776. Hale is regarded as an American hero for his important contribution during the American Revolutionary War. 

Pete Hegseth is an American author and television host. Before starting his TV career, Hegseth was an accomplished US Army National Guard officer and was honored with the prestigious Army Commendation Medal for his services. Also a skilled swimmer, Pete Hegseth swam across the Hudson River in support of military veterans in 2019 and 2020.

Ryan Higa is an American internet personality, comedian, actor, and musician. Best known for posting comedy videos on his YouTube channel nigahiga, Higa received the Best Video Blogger nomination at the 2014 Shorty Awards. From 2009 to 2011, nigahiga was the most subscribed YouTube channel. Ryan Higa is also credited with creating a K-pop band called Boys Generally Asian (BgA).

Diego Velázquez was a Spanish painter who served as the most important artist in King Philip IV's court. The leading artist of the Spanish Golden Age, Velázquez's work served as a model for impressionist and realist painters of the 19th century. In the 20th century, personalities like Salvador Dalí and Pablo Picasso re-interpreted some of Velázquez's most iconic images.

Tony-winning Harvey Fierstein is best known for his stage performances in plays such as the Torch Song Trilogy and Hairspray, and for his roles in movies such as Mrs. Doubtfire and Independence Day. He has also voiced Yao in Mulan and Mulan II. He is an LGBT rights activist, too.

South Korean singer and model Kim Hyun-ah, better known as Hyuna, gained fame as a member of Wonder Girls and 4Minute. With the launch of her solo career, she delivered hits such as Ice Cream and became the first female K-pop artist with 100 million views for a YouTube video.

Sukarno was an Indonesian politician who played a major role in the Indonesian struggle for independence. An important leader of the country's nationalist movement, Sukarno declared Indonesian independence from the Dutch Empire and became Indonesia's first president in 1945. He was successful in resisting Dutch re-colonization efforts and went on to serve as the Indonesian president until 1967.

Jonathan Nolan is a British-American television producer, director, screenwriter, and author. He is credited with creating the CBS science fiction crime drama Person of Interest. He is also credited with co-creating HBO's popular science fiction Western television series Westworld. Along with his brother Christopher Nolan, Jonathan has co-written popular films, such as The Dark Knight and Interstellar.

Starting her training in singing at age 4, Neha Kakkar later participated in Indian Idol but was eliminated before she could make her mark on the show. She later soared to fame with the track Second Hand Jawaani from Cocktail and never looked back. She has also performed in minor roles.

Chantal Akerman was a Belgian screenwriter, film director, and artist. she also served at the City College of New York as a film professor. Best known for her work in the 1975 arthouse film Jeanne Dielman, which was described as a masterpiece by The New York Times, Chantal Akerman had a profound influence on avant-garde cinema.  

Nina Sosanya is best known as Lucy Freeman from W1A, Laura Porter from Marcella, and Kate McKenzie from Last Tango in Halifax. A talented theater actor, she has also performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She has been part of films such as Love Actually and has narrated audiobooks, too.

Winner of the 200-meter sprint finals at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico, Tommie C. Smith finished the race in 19.83 seconds, thus becoming first to break the 20 seconds barrier. Today however he is better remembered for raising a black gloved fist over his head at the victory stand in protest against the injustice meted out to the blacks.

British historian and philosopher Isaiah Berlin is best remembered for his concepts of liberal theory and value pluralism. He is also considered a pioneer of intellectual history. Initially a philosophy lecturer, he later deviated to political science. He also penned iconic works such as The Hedgehog and the Fox.

Hirokazu Koreeda is a Japanese film director, producer, and screenwriter. He loved movies from an early age and began his career as an assistant director on documentaries for TV. Eventually, he turned to screenwriting and direction and found tremendous success. He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards including the Cannes Film Festival’s Palme d'Or.