Today we wish actress, singer, and dancer, Jennifer Lopez, a very happy 41st birthday. Who2.com provides us with some information that tells how Jennifer went from being “Jenny from the Block” to a bona fide superstar. Take a look:
Jennifer Lopez was a dancer (or “fly girl”) on TV’s comedy sketch show In Living Color before landing the title role in a 1997 biopic of the singer Selena. Appearances in the films Blood and Wine (with Jack Nicholson, 1997) and Out of Sight (with George Clooney, 1998) made her a bona fide movie star and the highest-paid Latin actress in Hollywood.
Lopez also launched a music career, and her albums include On the Six (1999), J.Lo (2001), Brave (2007) and Como Ama una Mujer (2007). Her engagement to actor Ben Affleck in 2002 resulted in the of-the-moment combined moniker “Bennifer.” The pair never married, and ended their relationship in January 2004. A few months later, on June 5, 2004, Lopez married singer Marc Anthony.
Her movies include Anaconda (1997, with Ice Cube); the animated feature Antz (1998, with the voice of Woody Allen); The Wedding Planner (2001, with Matthew McConaughey); Angel Eyes (2001, co-starring Jim Caviezel); Maid in Manhattan (2002); Gigli (2003, co-starring Affleck); Shall We Dance (2004); Monster-in-Law (2005, with Jane Fonda); and The Back-up Plan (2010).
Have a great one, Jennifer!
Today we’d like to wish a very happy 18th birthday to actress Selena Gomez!
Selena made her onscreen debut when she was just nine years old—appearing on the popular kids TV show, Barney and Friends. Her talent was recognized by Disney and she was offered small roles on Disney Channel shows such as Hannah Montana and The Suite Life of Zack and Cody soon after.
However, it wasn’t until a few years later that Selena reached her current full-blown celebrity status. In 2007, Disney gave her own show, Wizards of Waverly Place. The show about young wizards proved to be a hit and skyrocketed Selena to superstardom.
Selena has a number of projects lined up. She’ll be staring in the movie Monte Carlo in 2011 and is currently assisting in the development of Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie Sequel.
Have a great day, Selena!
Today we would like to wish a very happy 62nd birthday to cartoonist Garry Trudeau. Garry is the man behind the popular Doonesbury comic strip, which first appeared in papers 40 years ago.
In 1975, Doonesbury brought Gary critical acclaim when he became the first comic strip artist ever to be awarded a Pulitzer Prize for editorial cartooning. More accolades poured in a couple of years later when he released his animated film, A Doonesbury Special, for NBC in 1977. This film earned him an Academy Award Nomination and won him the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.
The creative Garry went on to write a Grammy-nominated musical (Doonesbury), create numerous TV specials, co-produce a TV series (Tanner on Tanner), launch a presidential campaign website, and contribute to publications such as Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, and The Washington Post.
Wow—that’s an impressive list of accomplishments! Have a great one, Garry!
Today is the birthday of Edward Degas, a founder of the Impressionist movement in France and arguably one of the most influential artists of all time.
Degas began painting at a very young age and, by the time he was 18, he had turned his bedroom into a studio. When he was 21, he decided to enroll in the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris to pursue his passion for painting.
Degas concentrated primarily on classical historical works during the early stages of his career until he met Eduoard Manet. Manet introduced him to the world of Impressionism and changed how Degas viewed painting forever.
Degas threw aside traditional painting methods and adopted the Impressionistic style of swift, small brush strokes. He also changed his subject matter, choosing to paint things that expressed more movement such as theatrical scenes and ballet performances.
Degas is considered to be one of the most innovative painters of his generation and has millions of admirers worldwide. His work has been credited for influencing artists from Picasso to Matisse.
Join us in wishing Matthew Fox a very happy birthday! This award-winning actor is celebrating his 44th birthday today.
Matthew is recognized by most for his roles as Dr. Jack Shephard on ABC’s award-winning drama, Lost and Charlie Salinger on Party of Five. However, did you know that Matthew almost didn’t go into acting? After studying economics at Columbia, Matthew was planning on working on Wall Street!
Starpulse.com has more information about why he decided to pursue a career in show business instead. Have a look:
All arrows pointed to a prosperous future career on Wall Street, but when Fox was convinced to try his hand at modeling, the chips seemed to fall into place, and he was soon appearing on television commercials and essaying guest appearances on such popular sitcoms as Wings.
In 1992, Fox went back to college for a role in the short-lived TV comedy Freshman Dorm, and though that show itself was decidedly short-lived, it helped his career by leading to roles in the film My Boyfriend’s Back, the made-for-television feature If I Die Before I Wake, and, eventually, Party of Five. After his wining performance in Party of Five made Fox a familiar face to television viewers, it seemed only a matter of time before he struck out on his own.
Following a touching turn opposite Donald Sutherland in the made-for-television drama Behind the Mask, Fox took the role of an ex-policeman-turned-private investigator whose near-death experience bridges a gap to the spirit world in the supernaturally charged series Haunted, which was quickly canceled despite the fact that it was beginning to see a dedicated fan base.
If Fox’s career seemed to be floundering somewhat in the wake of Party of Five, that would certainly change when Lost debuted on ABC to impressive ratings in late 2004. With his role as the reluctant leader proving once and for all that Fox had what it took to be a leading man, long-time fans could rest assured that they would likely be seeing much more of him in the future.
Have a good one, Matthew!
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This weekend, my 12-year old daughter and her friends are hosting a surprise birthday sleepover for one of their friends whose mother lost her very short battle with lung cancer this past July. Each year, her Mom would have a huge sleepover birthday party for her which all the girls looked forward to. This will be the first birthday she will have without her Mom and it will probably be difficult for her and her Dad and brothers.
