Famous People Born On June 19th

American actress, Zoe Saldana, is best known for starring in fantasy-adventure films like Star Trek, Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame, which were massive worldwide hits. She faced flak in 2016 when she used skin-darkening makeup to play jazz musician Nina Simone in the biopic Nina, which led to debates about colour bias in society.

King James I of England and Ireland was also the king of Scotland as James VI. Son of Mary, Queen of Scots, he believed in royal absolutism. He had major conflicts with the Parliament and its ever-growing powers, which eventually led to revolts against his successor, Charles I.

Aung San Suu Kyi is a Burmese politician and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is credited with co-founding the National League for Democracy, which eventually ended the rule of Myanmar's military junta. In 1999, she was named one of the Children of Gandhi by Time magazine for enduring almost 15 years of house arrest for the greater good of Myanmar.

Jose Rizal was a Filipino polymath and nationalist. An ophthalmologist by profession, Rizal turned towards writing and inspired the Philippine Revolution through his writings. The revolution eventually led to Philippine independence and Rizal became a national hero. His life has inspired several biographical films and TV series.

Jared Padalecki is an American actor who has been open about his struggle with depression. The Always Keep Fighting campaign, which was launched by him in 2015, raised funds for To Write Love On Her Arms, a nonprofit organization that supports people struggling with addiction and depression. He also owns a '90s-themed bar called Stereotype, in Austin, Texas.

Starting her career as a cheerleader, Paula Abdul went on to choreograph music videos for Janet Jackson. She then tried her hand at singing-songwriting and released a highly successful debut studio album. Also an award-winning actress, Paula was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. She has also appeared in TV shows like American Idol.

Popular American stage and screen actor, Paul Dano is recognised for his performances in films like Little Miss Sunshine, L.I.E., There Will Be Blood and Love & Mercy as well as television miniseries Escape at Dannemora. The versatile actor, who began his career on stage as a child artist, has also ventured into direction and scriptwriting with the movie Wildlife.

Lou Gehrig was an American baseball player. Nicknamed The Iron Horse for his durability and prowess as a hitter, Lou Gehrig played for the New York Yankees of the Major League Baseball (MLB). His life and career inspired the 1942 film The Pride of the Yankees in which he was portrayed by actor Gary Cooper.

Olajide Olatunji, better known by his stage name KSI, is an English internet personality, actor, rapper, and boxer. He is credited with co-founding the popular YouTube group, The Sidemen. Regarded as one of the most influential online creators in the UK, Olatunji puts his fame to good use; he is involved in many charitable causes and is a prolific donator.

Laura Ingraham is a well-known American journalist and television host. She holds a conservative position, is called a nationalist and has often generated controversy for her stand on various issues. She is the host of The Ingraham Angle on Fox News television channel, which is a high-rated opinion-based show. She hosted The Laura Ingraham Show on radio from 2001 to 2018.

Blaise Pascal was a French physicist, mathematician, philosopher, and inventor. A child prodigy, Pascal's work on projective geometry, at the age of 16 is commendable. He is one of the earliest inventors of the mechanical calculator, which he did when he was still a teenager. His work on probability theory influenced the development of social science and modern economics.

Mia Sara went on to become a successful actress through sheer hard work after being born to photographer parents. Mia Sara's story of grit, determination, and hard work has inspired several aspiring actors and actresses in the United States.

Moe Howard was an American comedian and actor best known for his role as the leader of one of the most popular farce comedy teams of all time, The Three Stooges. He appeared in several films as part of the comedy team and is credited with popularizing a distinctive hairstyle called a bowl cut.

Poppy Montgomery is an Australian-American actress best known for playing FBI agent Samantha Spade in the popular police procedural drama TV series, Without a Trace. Quite an adventurer, Montgomery dropped out of school at age 15 to pursue a career in stage acting. She moved to the US at age 18 and went on to establish herself as an actress.

Salman Rushdie is a British Indian novelist whose work Midnight's Children is widely considered the best novel of all Booker Prize winners. In 2007, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his services to literature. In 2008, he was ranked 13th in the 50 greatest British writers since 1945 list published by The Times.

Hugh Dancy is an English actor who achieved popularity after playing the titular character in David Copperfield, the TV film adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel of the same name. Apart from appearing in films and TV series, Hugh Dancy has also been contributing as a theatre actor since 1999.

Osamu Dazai was a Japanese author widely regarded as one of the leading writers of fiction of 20th-century Japan. Most of his popular works, such as No Longer Human and The Setting Sun, are regarded as modern-day classics in Japan. Several years after his death, Osamu Dazai continues to be celebrated in Japan, although he is relatively unknown elsewhere.

Gena Rowlands had an expansive screen and stage career spanning over six-decades. Her remarkable performances won her several accolades including four Emmy and two Golden Globe awards and an Honorary Academy Award. Two of her memorable performances includes in films A Woman Under the Influence and Gloria, both written-directed by her late-husband John Cassavetes and earned her Academy Award nominations.   

Charles Spurgeon was an English Particular Baptist preacher who was a powerful figure in the Reformed Baptist tradition. Hailed as the "Prince of Preachers", he was well respected by Christians of various denominations. He was pastor of the congregation of the New Park Street Chapel for almost four decades. He was the author of several books, sermons, and commentaries. 

Best known as the co-host of ABC’s Good Morning America, TV journalist and anchor Lara Spencer was a competitive diver in her early days. She has also hosted Antiques Roadshow and loves turning yard-sale goods into show-pieces. She has also authored books on designing homes with vintage artifacts.

Best known for her title role in the film Teresa, Pier Angeli had stepped into showbiz at the tender age of 16. The Golden Globe-winning actor also appeared in films such as Flame and the Flesh and The Silver Chalice. She died of a barbiturate overdose at 39.

British life/dating coach and YouTuber Matthew Hussey is also a self-help author who has penned the New York Times best-seller Get the Guy. He also made headlines for his relationship with Cuban-American singer Camila Cabello. He also offers online tutorials, has hosted his own radio show, and has appeared on several TV shows.

Nick Drake was a British singer-songwriter best remembered for his acoustic guitar-based music. Although he failed to achieve popularity during his lifetime, Drake's music has achieved recognition in recent times. He suffered from depression throughout his life and died at the age of 26 from an overdose of a prescribed antidepressant called amitriptyline.

Mía Maestro is an Argentine singer, songwriter, and actress. She is best known for her portrayal of Lulu in the stage production of Frank Wedekind’s Pandora's Box, for which she was honored with an ACE Award. Mía Maestro has also played important roles in popular films like The Twilight Saga and Frida.

Zimbabwean politician Joshua Nkomo was founder and leader of ZAPU. He was incarcerated for a decade by white minority government of Rhodesia and following his release, ZAPU along with Robert Mugabe's ZANU contributed to the fall of that government. The two parties later merged to become ZANU–PF. Nkomo served as first Second Vice-President of Zimbabwe with Mugabe as President.