Famous People Born Today

Idris Elba is a successful actor both on the small and the big screen and is mainly known for the television series The Wire and Luther and also for films, such as Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and Beasts of No Nation. He has also acted in blockbuster films of Marvel Comics universe like Avengers: Age of Ultron and Avengers: Infinity War.

Marquis de Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer, who  is remembered for fighting in the American Revolutionary War, as the commander of American troops in several battles. After returning to France, he played key roles in the French Revolution of 1789 and the July Revolution of 1830. Considered a hero in both America and France, he advocated the end of slavery.  

Co-founder of the rock band, Pink Floyd, Roger Waters is celebrated singer, songwriter and composer. Beginning his career with rhythm guitar, he initially served solely as a bassist in Pink Floyd before emerging as their lyricist, co-lead vocalist, and conceptual leader. Later he left the group due to creative difference and embarked on his solo career, releasing numerous albums and singles

Broadcast journalist and television talk show host Tamron Hall is best known for her eponymous award-winning syndicated daytime talk show. She has previously worked for NBC News and MSNBC. An alumnus of Temple University, she is a member of the National Association of Black Journalists. She is actively involved in anti-domestic violence campaigns.

Braun Strowman is a professional wrestler currently signed to WWE. An influential wrestler, Strowman was ranked sixth in the PWI 500 list published in 2018. A former strongman, Strowman depends on brute strength to gain an upper hand against his opponents. During his strongman career, Strowman had won the 2012 Arnold Strongman Classic.

Naomie Harris went on to establish herself as a prominent actress after starting her career as a child star. In the 2017 New Year Honours, she was appointed an OBE for services to drama by Queen Elizabeth II. In 2019, she was named in Powerlist's 100 most influential Black Britons list.

Jane Curtin is an American comedian and actress. Dubbed the Queen of Deadpan, Curtin won two consecutive Emmy Awards for playing Allison Lowell in the sitcom Kate & Allie. In 1986, she was named in the Top Prime Time Actors and Actresses of All Time list. She has also hosted events like the Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

Carly Fiorina made history by becoming the first female head of a Dow Jones-listed company when she became the CEO of HP. The daughter of a law professor father, she had initially joined law school but then dropped out to study management. She has also been Ted Cruz’s vice-presidential running mate.

John Dalton was an English chemist, physicist, and meteorologist most famous for introducing the atomic theory into chemistry. He also contributed a lot to the study of color blindness, sometimes referred to as Daltonism in his honor. He was the first scientist to refer to the smallest particle of matter as an “atom.” He was a Quaker and lived modestly. 

David Allan Coe is a singer-songwriter who played a major role in the prosperity of the '1970s' outlaw country scene. Coe, who initially gained prominence for busking, had spent his early life in prisons and reform schools. He then came up with hit songs like Take This Job and Shove It, which inspired the 1981 film of the same name.

Swoosie Kurtz is an American actress who has received prestigious awards, such as Tony Awards and Primetime Emmy Award in a career spanning more than half a century. Over the years, she has contributed immensely to the success of several popular TV series, such as Carol and Company.

Jay Shetty is a British author and former monk who spent three years at a spiritual hermitage in India. Shetty is the host of one of the most popular health podcasts in the world, On Purpose, where he has interviewed personalities like Kobe Bryant and Alicia Keys. In 2017, he was named on Forbes magazine's 30 Under 30 Europe list.

Graham Wardle is a Canadian actor, filmmaker, and photographer. He is best known for his role as Ty Borden in the CBC series Heartland. He completed the Motion Picture and Production Program at Capilano University before beginning his career. After appearing in a few TV shows, he started acting in films as well. He is also a producer.

Jane Addams was an American social worker, reformer, settlement activist, public administrator, sociologist, and author. Addams was a prominent leader in the history of women's suffrage and social work in the USA. She is credited with co-founding one of America's most popular settlement houses, the Hull House in Chicago. Addams is also credited with co-founding the American Civil Liberties Union.

Jwan Yosef is a Swedish artist and painter who specializes in plastic arts. Over the course of his career, Yosef has participated in a number of group exhibitions and art fairs. He is also credited with founding The Bomb Factory Art Foundation in North London.

Known as the Dutch Donald Trump for his Islamophobic and anti-immigrant comments, Geert Wilders is the current Party for Freedom leader and a Member of the House of Representatives. While he initially studied law and worked in health insurance, he later entered politics as a speech writer.

Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian stateswoman who became the first black person and Haitian Canadian to serve as Governor General of Canada, a position which she held from 2005 to 2010. In 2015, Jean became the first woman to serve as the secretary-general of the International Organisation of La Francophonie, a position which she held until the end of 2018.

Tim Henman is a British former tennis player who won 15 ATP titles, including 11 singles titles. In 1996, he won a silver medal in the men's doubles event at the Atlanta Olympics. In 1998, Henman reached the semi-finals of the Wimbledon singles championship, becoming the first male player from the UK to do so since Roger Taylor in 1973.

Nina Persson soared to fame as the lead vocalist of the globally renowned Swedish band The Cardigans. Known for chartbusters such as Lovefool and Erase and Rewind, she interestingly aspired to be an artist instead of a musician in her younger days. She is also a cervical cancer survivor.