Famous People Born On February 22nd

America’s first president, George Washington led the country with integrity, firmness and prudence that made him one of the greatest presidents in American history. He became a national hero before assuming presidency, when he led the Continental Army to victory against the British during the American Revolution.

Australian Steve Irwin was a world famous, high-spirited, lively host of The Crocodile Hunter television series. A conservationist, he was also part of other shows and documentaries on wildlife and environment. He was known for close encounters with some of the most dangerous and endangered animals in various jungles. He died after being pierced in the chest by a stingray barb while filming in Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

Actress, producer, and director Drew Barrymore is daughter of prominent actor, John Drew Barrymore, and was introduced to show business as a baby. In the wake of her early stardom, she went through a difficult phase as a teenager and struggled with drug abuse. She was eventually able to resurrect her career and proceeded to act in many popular films.

Austrian Formula One driver and aviation entrepreneur Niki Lauda was a three-time F1 World Drivers' Champion. Considered to be one of the greatest F1 drivers of all time, he was once involved in a near-fatal accident. He founded and ran three airlines as an aviation entrepreneur and also served as the team manager of the Jaguar Formula One racing team.

Rajon Rondo is a popular American professional basketball player who helped Boston Celtics win an NBA championship in 2008. He was an important player for the Boston Celtics, ranking fourth and third in assists and steals, respectively, in the team's history. Currently, an important member of Los Angeles Lakers, Rajon Rondo helped his team win an NBA title in 2020.

Riyad Mahrez is a professional footballer. He plays for Premier League club Manchester City and the Algerian national team. He began his youth career playing for French club AAS Sarcelles and turned professional in 2009. He represented Algeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. In the 2015–16 season, he was named the PFA Players' Player of the Year.

Arthur Schopenhauer was a German philosopher. He was among the first Western philosophers to affirm important tenets of Indian philosophy, such as denial of the self and asceticism. Schopenhauer's work has had a tremendous posthumous impact on disciplines like science, literature, and philosophy. His work influenced personalities like Albert Einstein, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Sigmund Freud, George Bernard Shaw, and Leo Tolstoy. 

Lea Salonga is a Filipina actress, singer, and columnist. She achieved international fame at the age of 18, when she originated the role of Kim in Miss Saigon, winning the Laurence Olivier Award under the Best Actress in a Musical category. Lea Salonga became the first Asian actress to receive a Tony Award when she reprised the role on Broadway.

An actor known for appearing in the film Deep Blue Sea, Thomas Jane has been active in Hollywood for more than 30 years. He dropped out of high school to pursue acting and struggled for a while. Eventually, he was able to make a name for himself in the entertainment world. Besides acting, he writes comic books. 

Han Hyo-joo is a South Korean actress known for playing leading roles in popular TV series like Spring Waltz, Dong Yi, and Brilliant Legacy. Over the years, she has won several prestigious awards like KBS Drama Awards and MBC Drama Awards. Because of her ability to speak Japanese, Han Hyo-joo has appeared in a couple of Japanese films as well.

Rachel Dratch is an American actress, writer, and comedian. She established herself as a comedian after appearing on Saturday Night Live (SNL), where she played several recurring characters from 1999 to 2006. A multi-talented individual, Rachel Dratch released her autobiographical audiobook titled Girl Walks Into a Bar in 2012.

Sir John Mills was an English actor whose career spanned 70 years. During the course of his career, Mills won several prestigious awards, including an Academy Award for his portrayal of Michael in the 1970 epic romantic drama film, Ryan's Daughter. In 2002, he was honored by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts with a BAFTA Fellowship.

Heinrich Hertz was a German physicist best remembered for proving the existence of electromagnetic waves with conclusive evidence. For his contributions, Hertz has been honored around the world by a number of countries, including Japan, Russia, and Germany. In 1930, the International Electrotechnical Commission established hertz (Hz) as the SI unit for frequency.

Kenneth Williams was an English actor. Although he suffered from depression throughout his life, Kenneth Williams continued playing comedy roles for which he was fondly regarded in the British entertainment industry. In 2006, Welsh actor Michael Sheen played Kenneth Williams in the television play Kenneth Williams: Fantabulosa, which was inspired by his life and work.

Michael Chang is an American retired professional tennis player. Chang became the youngest male player in Grand Slam history to win a major title when he won the 1989 French Open at the age of 17. In 2008, he was made an inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. Since 2014, Chang has been coaching Japanese player Kei Nishikori.

English sculptor and printer Eric Gill first gained attention with his work Mother and Child. Apart from co-founding the St. Dominic’s Press, he also contributed to the illustrations and woodcuts for The Four Gospels. He was also infamous form his deviant sexual behavior, which included incest and animal abuse.