Birthday's to share this week : 6th - 12th August 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Charlize Theron does on 7th August - check out my tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 42, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 6th August

• Barbara Windsor - Born 1937, turns 80 - Actress | Writer
• Michelle Yeoh - Born 1962, turns 55 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Vera Farmiga - Born 1973, turns 44 - Actress | Producer | Singer 
• Melissa George - Born 1976, turns 41 - Actress  
• M. Night Shyamalan - Born 1970, turns 47 - Director | Producer | Writer 

Monday 7th August

• Tobin Bell - Born 1942, turns 75 - Actor | Producer
• David Duchovny - Born 1960, turns 57 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Michael Shannon - Born 1974, turns 43 - Actor | Producer
• Charlize Theron - Born 1975, turns 42 - Actress | Producer
• Abbie Cornish - Born 1982, turns 35 - Actress   

Tuesday 8th August

• Donald P. Bellisario - Born 1935, turns 82 - Writer | Producer | Director
• Dustin Hoffman - Born 1937, turns 80 - Actor | Producer | Director | Singer | Songwriter  

Wednesday 9th August

• Sam Elliott - Born 1944, turns 73 - Actor | Producer
• Eric Bana - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• McG - Born 1968, turns 49 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Daniel Henshall - Born 1982, turns 35 - Actor 
• Bill Skarsgard - Born 1990, turns 27 - Actor
• Melanie Griffith - Born 1957, turns 60 - Actress | Producer
• Gillian Anderson - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actress | Producer | Director 
• Rhona Mitra - Born 1976, turns 41 - Actress 
• Audrey Tatou - Born 1976, turns 41 - Actress 
• Anna Kendrick - Born 1985, turns 32 - Actress | Singer  

Thursday 10th August

• Rosanna Arquette - Born 1959, turns 58 - Actress | Director | Producer | Writer
• Antonio Banderas - Born 1960, turns 57 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer
• Justin Theroux - Born 1971, turns 46 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director 
• Brenton Thwaites - Born 1989, turns 28 - Actor | Producer  

Friday 11th August

• Ian McDiarmid - Born 1944, turns 73 - Actor 
• Chris Hemsworth - Born 1983, turns 34 - Actor 
• Viola Davis - Born 1965, turns 52 - Actress | Producer  

Saturday 12th August

• Cara Delevingne - Born 1992, turns 25 - Actress 
• George Hamilton - Born 1939, turns 78 - Actor | Producer
• Bruce Greenwood - Born 1956, turns 61 - Actor | Producer
• Casey Affleck - Born 1975, turns 42 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Editor
• Lakeith Stanfield - Born 1991, turns 26 - Actor 

Charlize Theron was born in Benoni, in the Gauteng Province of South Africa (formerly at the time of her birth the Transvaal Province), to mother Gerda Jacoba Maritz and father Charles Jacobus Theron. She was raised on her parents farm in Benoni near Johannesburg. Her father had an alcohol problem and at age fifteen he turned on both the young teenage Theron and his wife. Physically attacking his wife, Theron's mother shot and killed her husband. The shooting was judged to be in self defence and she was acquitted of any crime. She attended Putfontein Primary School and at thirteen moved to a boarding school at the National School of the Arts in Johannesburg. At sixteen, she won a one year modelling contract at a competition which saw her relocate to Milan in Italy with her mother. After a year of modelling assignments across Europe, she moved Stateside with her mother living in New York City and Miami. In New York she attended the Joffrey Ballet School where she trained to be a ballet dancer where she appeared in 'Swan Lake' and 'The Nutcracker', but a subsequent knee injury put an end to that career aspiration. 

At nineteen years of age, she took a one way ticket to Los Angeles that her mother purchased for her as an ultimatum - either work out what you going to do with your life here or you can come home and sulk and feel sorry for yourself in South Africa! With every intention of getting a gig in the film business, she was picked up by a talent agent who saw Theron get into a heated outburst whilst trying to cash a cheque at a Hollywood Boulevard bank. That chance meeting led to various introductions to casting agents and time at an acting school. After her big screen debut in a non-speaking role in horror offering 'Children of the Corn III' she scored her first speaking gig as a hitwoman in the 1996  comedy crime film '2 Days in the Valley' alongside Jeff Daniels, James Spader, Eric Stolz, Danny Aiello and Teri Hatcher. Theron's role was praised, even if the film garnered average Reviews at best. 

Next up was the Tom Hanks Written, Directed and starring 'That Thing You Do!' and then made for television movie 'Hollywood Confidential', Taylor Hackford's 'The Devil's Advocate' with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves, then Woody Allen's 'Celebrity' with Kenneth Branagh and Judy Davis. 'Mighty Joe Young' followed with Bill Paxton, Sci-Fi drama 'The Astronaut's Wife' alongside Johnny Depp, and then Lasse Hallstrom's 'The Cider House Rules' with Tobey Maguire and Michael Caine seeing out the nineties.

The new decade saw the John Frankenheimer Directed actioner 'Reindeer Games' with Ben Affleck; the James Gray Co-Written and Directed 'The Yards' with Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix; 'Men of Honour' with Robert De Niro and Cuba Gooding Jnr.; and the Robert Redford Directed 'The Legend of Bagger Vance' with Will Smith and Matt Damon - all released in 2000. 2001 and 2002 saw 'Sweet November' with Keanu Reeves again, '15 Minutes' with Robert De Niro again, 'The Curse of the Jade Scorpion' with Woody Allen again, 'Trapped' with Kevin Bacon, and 'Waking Up in Reno' with Billy Bob Thornton and Patrick Swayze. 

Perhaps her breakout role came with 2003's Patty Jenkins Written and Directed 'Monster' in which Theron plays serial killer Aileen Wournos, a former prostitute who was executed in Florida in 2002 for killing six men in the late '80's and early '90's. Theron won much critical praise for her role garnering the Oscar win for Best Actress, the Golden Globe win for Best Actress, the SAG Award for Best Actress and a BAFTA nomination, amongst a haul of others totalling 30 wins and 25 nods in all. The film also starred Christina Ricci and Bruce Dern.

That same year saw the remake of the classic 'The Italian Job' for Director F. Gary Gray with Mark Wahlberg again, and Donald Sutherland, Jason Statham and Edward Norton; and then her turn as Actress Britt Ekland in the biographical 'The Life and Death of Peter Sellers' with Geoffrey Rush in the lead role; and then war time romantic drama 'Head in the Clouds' with Penelope Cruz and Stuart Townsend. 

2006 saw another highly acclaimed turn for Theron in 'North Country' for Director Niki Caro and starring alongside Jeremy Renner, Frances McDormand, Sean Bean, Woody Harrelson and Sissy Spacek. For her role as Josey Aimes Theron was nominated as Best Actress for the Academy Award, the Golden Globe, the BAFTA and the SAG Award as well as a heap of others.

Sci-Fi actioner 'Aeon Flux' came next in 2005 with Frances McDormand again; and then the Paul Haggis Written and Directed 'In the Valley of Elah' with Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin and Susan Sarandon. Actor Stuart Townsend Wrote and Directed 'Battle in Seattle' which also starred Woody Harrelson again, Ray Liotta, Channing Tatum, Connie Nielsen and Michelle Rodriguez, and this was followed up by 'Sleepwalking', Peter Berg's reluctant Superhero film 'Hancock' with Will Smith; 'The Burning Plain', and then John Hillcoat's post-apocalyptic adventure drama film 'The Road' with Viggo Mortensen, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Robert Duvall seeing out the decade.

2011 brought 'Young Adult' for Director Jason Reitman for which Theron received further awards nominations including a Golden Globe nod; and then the Ridley Scott 'Alien' prequel 'Prometheus' with Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender and Idris Elba.










'Snow White and the Hunstman' followed in 2012 with Theron playing Ravenna, the Evil Queen to Kristen Stewart's Snow White and Chris Hemsworth's The Huntsman. The film received mixed Reviews but took US$397M at the Box Office off a budget of US$170M and was therefore a commercial success spawning a sequel 'The Huntsman : Winter's War' being released in 2016 in which Theron reprised her role. The film fared less well critically and commercially than its predecessor bringing in US$165M form a US$115M budget outlay.

The Seth MacFarlane Written, Directed and starring romantic comedy Western, 'A Million Ways to Die in the West' came along in 2014, and then 'Dark Places' with Nicholas Hoult and Chloe Grace Moretz, and then George Miller's long awaited follow up to his earlier hugely successful and influential post-apocalyptic action adventure Sci-Fi offerings 'Mad Max' with 'Mad Max : Fury Road' alongside Tom Hardy as the titular Max Rockatansky with Theron playing Imperator Furiosa and with Nicholas Hoult again. The film made US$379M at the Box Office from its US$150M budget and won six Academy Awards and was nominated for four others, was nominated for two Golden Globes, won four BAFTA's and another three nominations amongst its total awards haul of 237 wins and another 209 nominations.

2016 saw the release of the Sean Penn Directed 'The Last Face' with Javier Bardem. The film was panned by Critics as too were Theron and Bardem's performances. This was followed by Theron applying her voice talents to the animated 'Kubo and the Two Strings' together with those of Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes and Rooney Mara amongst others. So far this year we have seen Theron in the F. Gary Gray Directed 'The Fate of the Furious' in which she pays cyberterrorist and criminal mastermind Cipher alongside Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, Kurt Russell, Michelle Rodriguez and various others of note. The film made a staggering US$1.24B from its US$250M budget making it the eleventh highest grossing film of all time at the time of writing, and setting the record for the highest grossing opening weekend of all time at US$532M. And just released is 'Atomic Blonde' in which Theron plays double if not triple agent Lorraine Broughton in this cold war era action spy thriller.

Next up for Theron are 'Gringo' due in 2018 as Directed by Nash Edgerton and also starring Joel Edgerton, Sharlto Copley, David Oyelowo, Thandie Newton and Amanda Seyfried; in post-production is comedy about motherhood, 'Tully' for Director Jason Reitman; and in pre-production is 'Flarsky' for Director Jonathan Levine and also starring Seth Rogen.

All up Theron has 52 Acting credits to her name, and sixteen as Producer including on 2017 television series 'Girlboss' and 'Mindhunter'. She is the recipient of 56 award wins and another 96 nominations including the Oscar for 'Monster' and a nomination for 'North Country'; three Golden Globe nominations and the win also for 'Monster'; a Primetime Emmy nomination; two BAFTA nominations; three SAG nominations and the win for 'Monster' and a whole swathe of others from around the global awards circuit.

In 2007 Theron founded 'The Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project' in an attempt to support African youth in the battle against HIV/AIDS. The project is committed to supporting community engaged organisations that address the key drivers of the disease through grant donations, networking and spotlighting their work to ultimately mobilise and empower them to prevent HIV. In 2008, Theron was named a UN Ambassador of Peace. She is also involved in women's rights organisations and has participated in pro-choice rallies, as well as being an active member of 'PETA' (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and a such is a supporter of animal rights. Theron is also a staunch supporter of same sex marriage and refuses to marry herself until such time as her country makes same sex marriage legal. In 2004 she signed a deal making her the spokeswoman for 'J'adore' advertising by Christian Dior, and in 2005 her image was used worldwide in print media advertising for Raymond Weil watches. Theron was in a long term relationship with Irish Actor Stuart Townsend whom she met on the set of 'Trapped' and worked with on subsequent films. The relationship ended in 2010 after eight years. In 2007 she became a US citizen and holds dual nationality with South Africa. She has two adopted children - a boy, Jackson in 2012, and a girl, August in 2015.

Charlize Theron - has been voted on numerous 'Top' lists multiple times including the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World, 100 Sexiest Women in the World, the Hot 100 Women, the Sexiest Woman Alive, Most Desirable Women, Top Earning Actresses; has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder; Afrikaans is her fist language and she learned English as teenager by watching American television; is as active in the causes she believes in as she is on the big screen both in front of the camera and increasingly behind it; is blonde, stunning and statuesque but happy to turn that upside down and inside out for her craft and has been recognised for it numerous times; and is now a bona fide action star in her own right thanks to the likes of 'Aeon Flux', 'Mad Max : Fury Road' and 'Atomic Blonde'. Plenty of achievements already, and lots more still to come - we'll keep watching Charlize, and in the meantime, Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 26th July - 1st August 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Jason Statham does on 26th July - check out the tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 48, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 26th July

• Jason Statham - Born 1967, turns 48 - Actor | Producer
• Kevin Spacey - Born 1959, turns56 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Jeremy Piven - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actor | Producer
• Mick Jagger - Born 1943, turns 72 - Singer | Songwriter | Composer | Writer | Producer | Actor
• Olivia Williams - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actress
• Kate Beckinsale - Born 1973, turns 42 - Actress
• Sandra Bullock - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actress | Producer
• Helen Mirren - Born 1945, turns 70 - Actress | Producer | Director

Monday 27th July

•  Julian McMahon - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actor | Producer
•  Jonathan Rhys Meyers - Born 1977, turns 38 - Actor | Producer

Tuesday 28th July

•  Randall Wallace - Born 1949, turns 66 - Director | Producer | Writer
•  Alexis Arquette - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actress

Wednesday 29th July

•  Stephen Dorff - Born 1973, turns 42 - Actress | Producer
•  David Warner - Born 1941, turns 74 - Actor

Thursday 30th July

• Arnold Schwarzenegger - Born 1947, turns 68 - Actor | Producer | Bodybuilder | Politician
• Christopher Nolan - Born 1970, turns 45 - Director | Producer | Writer 
• Simon Baker - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Laurence Fishburne - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Producer
• Jean Reno - Born 1948, turns 67 - Actor
• Richard Linklater - Born 1960, turns 55 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Frances de la Tour - Born 1944, turns 71 - Actress
• Hilary Swank - Born 1974, turns 41 - Actress | Producer
• Vivica A. Fox - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actress | Producer

Friday 31st July

•  J.K.Rowling - Born 1965, turns 50 - Writer | Producer
• Michael Biehn - Born 1956, turns 59 - Actor | Director | Producer | Writer
• Wesley Snipes - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actor | Producer
• Dean Cain - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Writer

Saturday 1st August 

•  Sam Mendes - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actor | Producer
•  Jason Momoa - Born 1979, turns 36 - Actor | Director | Producer | Writer

Jason Statham was born in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, England to mother Eileen Yates, a dancer, and father Barry Statham, a street vendor and lounge singer. The family moved to Great Yarmouth in Norfolk where growing up and influenced by the singing and dancing background in the family the young Jason and older brother Lee would play the drums and guitar respectively, with the former bashing away at his drum kit as he does now at crims, low-lifes and undesireables in his movies. Electing not to follow in his fathers footsteps Jason chose to learn martial arts, and then became interested in soccer - influenced here by Vinnie Jones whom he grew up with too - and he payed for his grammar school in the late 70's/early 80's. At the same time he also developed an interest in diving and perfected his skill off the ten metre platform. For 12 years he was a member of Britain's National Diving Squad having represented England at the Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand in 1990 and ultimately gaining a world ranking of #12.

Whilst training at the National Sports Centre in London he was seen by the Sports Promoter Agency who signed him up as a sports model. He then went on to model for fashion label 'French Connection', but had to eventually finally follow in his fathers footsteps by selling fake perfumes and jewellery on street corners just to make ends meet. During this time he appeared in several music videos too including the likes of Brit Bands - 'The Shamen', 'The Beautiful South' and 'Erasure'.




While at 'French Connection' he was introduced to an aspiring Director, Guy Ritchie, who was searching for a fast talking, wise cracking, street smart vendor of dodgy goods for his planned robbery movie 'Lock, Stock and two Smoking Barrels' in 1998. Critically and commercially acclaimed the film put both Ritchie and Statham on the map, followed up in 2000 with 'Snatch' with Ritchie Directing again and starring his old mate Vinnie Jones with Brad Pitt and Benecio del Toro too. This film was also a critical and commercial success, unlike Statham's next offering 'Turn It Up' which was released that same year and cost US$13M to make but barely recouped 10% of that sum.

In 2001 he starred in John Carpenter's last Directorial outing to date 'The Ghosts of Mars' with Ice Cube, Pam Grier and Natasha Henstridge. That same year came 'The One' with Jet Li and then a remake of 1974's 'The Longest Yard' with 'Mean Machine' with Vinnie Jones once more. As Statham rose to action movie star status he was cast in the first of what would become a successful franchise with 'Transporter' spawning two sequels in 2005 and then 2008. Taking full ownership of his own stunts (as he has done in all films subsequently) he studied kung-fu, karate, jujitsu and kickboxing for this 2002 film, which has served him in good stead ever since.

Another remake came along in the meantime in 2003 with 'The Italian Job' with Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton and Charlize Theron. After a cameo appearance in Michael Mann's 'Collateral' with Tom Cruise there was 'Cellular' with Kim Bassinger and Chris Evans before 'Transporter 2', and 'Revolver' for Guy Ritchie again, 'London' and 'Chaos' in 2005. The next years saw another two movie outing with 'Crank' followed up with it's sequel in 2009 'Crank : High Voltage'. Meanwhile there was 'War' (aka 'Rogue Assassin') with Jet Li and the Uwe Boll Directed 'In the Name of the King', 'The Bank Job', the remake of Charles Bronson's 'The Mechanic' and then 'Transporter 3'.

Liking a franchise, 2010 saw Statham sign up for the first time with Sylvester Stallone and the action movie heroes of the 80's with the first instalment of 'The Expendables'. 2011 saw his lead role in 'The Mechanic', then 'Blitz' and 'Killer Elite' with Clive Owen and Robert De Niro. The follow up with Stallone came in 2012 with 'The Expendables 2' and then once more in 2014 with 'The Expendables 3', with 'Parker', 'Safe', 'Hummingbird', 'Homefront', 'Wild Card' and most recently 'Spy'. In 2013 Statham took a cameo appearance in 'Fast & Furious 6' setting the scene for a far more meatier role in 'Furious 7' released earlier this year and grossing a staggering US$1.51B.

Next up for Statham is a reprisal of his role with the sequel 'Mechanic : Resurrection' now in post-production for 2016, and 'Furious 8' due in 2017. The Actor has 43 credits to his name and just one award win for the 'Most Offensive Male Character' in his film 'Crank'. He was romantically linked to Model and Actress Kelly Brook from 1997 to 2004, and since 2010 has been dating Model and Actress Rosie Huntington-Whitley who most recently starred in George Miller's 'Mad Max : Fury Road'.

'The Stath' - Jason Statham - seemingly the King of the remake and franchise aficionado; kick ass action hero of a new generation; keeping it real old school style; keeping us entertained with relentless action, violence and bloodshed delivered with dead pan sardonic gravel voiced lines; and the owner of trademark two day stubble - Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 31st May - 6th June 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Mark Wahlberg does on 5th June - check out the tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 44, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 31st May

• Clint Eastwood - Born 1930, turns 85 - Actor | Director | Producer | Composer | Songwriter
• Colin Farrell - Born 1976, turns 39 - Actor | Producer
• Tom Berenger - Born 1949, turns 66 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Brooke Shields - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actress | Producer

Monday 1st June

• Heidi Klum - Born 1973, turns 42 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Morgan Freeman - Born 1937, turns 78 - Actor | Producer
• Robert Powell - Born 1944, turns 71 - Actor
• Brian Cox - Born 1946, turns 69 - Actor | Producer
• Jonathan Pryce - Born 1947, turns 68 - Actor
• Powers Booth - Born 1948, turns 67 - Actor

Tuesday 2nd June

• Wentworth Miller - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actor | Writer
• Kevin Feige - Born 1973, turns 42 - Producer
• Zachary Quinto - Born 1977, turns 38 - Actor | Producer
• Dominic Cooper - Born 1978, turns 37 - Actor
• Liam Cunningham - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor
• Dennis Haysbert - Born 1954, turns 61 - Actor | Producer
• Stacy Keach - Born 1941, turn s74 - Actor | Producer | Director

Wednesday 3rd June

• James Purefoy - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actor
• Imogen Poots - Born 1989, turns 26 - Actress

Thursday 4th June

• Angeline Jolie - Born 1975, turns 40 - Actress | Producer | Director
• Russell Brand - Born 1975, turns 40 - Actor | Writer | Producer
• Sean Pertwee - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actor
• Bruce Dern - Born 1936, turns 79 - Actor
• Geoffrey Palmer - Born 1927, turns 88 - Actor | Television Personality

Friday 5th June

• Mark Wahlberg - Born 1971, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | Singer
• Kathleen Kennedy - Born 1953, turns 62 - Producer 

Saturday 6th June

• Sandra Bernhard - Born 1955, turns 60 - Actress | Writer | Singer
• Jonathan Nolan - Born 1976, turns 39 - Writer | Producer | Director
• Jason Isaacs - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actor | Producer
• Robert Englund - Born 1947, turns 68 - Actor | Director
• Paul Giamatti - Born 1967, turns 48 - Actor | Producer

Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg was born in Dorchester, Boston, Massachusetts to mother Alma Donnelly, a bank clerk and nursing assistant, and father Donald Edward Wahlberg, a Teamster and delivery driver. He is the youngest of nine children, with his siblings being Arthur, Jim, Paul, Robert, Tracey, Michelle, Debbie (who died in 2003) and Donnie. Brothers Robert and Donnie are also film and television Actors. The family had a Roman Catholic upbringing and the young Mark attended Copley Square High School in Boston but dropped out at 13 years of age and so never graduated. He subsequently gained his High School Diploma in 2013.

As a young lad, Wahlberg had been on the wrong side of the law countless times involving serious run-ins with the Boston PD. By 13 he had a cocaine habit, and at 15 civil actions were brought against him for racist attacks on local citizens for which he showed no remorse. At 16, on the same day he viciously attacked two Vietnamese men on separate occasions, and subsequently was convicted with attempted murder, and pleaded guilty to assault. He was sentenced to two year jail time, but served only 45 days. Following in the footsteps of three of his brothers and a sister in prison, upon release he saw the error of his ways and sought to better his life, make amends and accept full responsibility for his actions.

Wahlberg's first brush with fame came with his brothers boy band 'New Kids on the Block' for which Mark was part of the original line up. After three months he quit and in 1990 formed his own band 'Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch' which garnered two hit singles 'Good Vibrations' and 'Wildside' off the 'Music for the People' debut album.

His acting debut came in 1993 on the TV film 'The Substitute'. A year later his big screen break came in 'The Renaissance Man' with Danny DeVito, and then in 1995 with Leonard DiCaprio in 'Basketball Diaries'. It was really 'Boogie Nights' in 1997 though as Dirk Digger in Paul Thomas Anderson's acclaimed film featuring an all star cast, that brought him to prominence.

He closed out the decade with 'Three Kings' with George Clooney before lurching into 'The Yards' with Joaquin Phoenix and Charlize Theron; 'The Perfect Storm' again with George Clooney, and 'The Planet of the Apes' reboot courtesy of Tim Burton in 2001. Another remake followed in 2003 with 'The Italian Job' with Wahlberg reprising the role of Charlie Croker made famous back in 1969 by Michael Caine. This in turn led to 'I heart Huckabees' a year later, then 'Four Brothers' with gridiron drama 'Invincible' before his acclaimed role in 'The Departed' for Martin Scorsese in 2006 and co-starring Jack Nicholson, Martin Sheen, Matt Damon and Leonardo DiCaprio. For this he received nominations for the Academy Award and Golden Globe amongst others.

'The Shooter' came next with another cop drama that same year in 2007 with 'We Own the Night' before the critically panned 'The Happening' for M. Night Shyamalan, and the equally average 'Max Payne'. In between his Middle Earth exploits Peter Jackson Directed Wahlberg on 'The Lovely Bones' in 2009 before his next acclaimed role in 'The Fighter' with Christian Bale which garnered further award nominations.

2013 was a busy year with four new releases off the back of 'Ted' for Seth MacFarlane and 'Contraband' that gave us 'Broken City', 'Pain & Gain', '2 Guns' and then 'Lone Survivor'. Last year Michael Bay re-energised the hugely successful but flagging 'Transformers' franchise with Wahlberg at the helm this time around with 'Age of Extinction' which grossed over US$1.1B, and then the early 70's James Caan remake of 'The Gambler' also in 2014.

Due for release in 2015 is 'Mojave', with 'Ted 2' and 'Entourage' due this year soon. 'Daddy's Home' and 'Deepwater Horizon' both currently filming, and 'Patriot's Day' is rumoured for sometime thereafter. Throughout all of this there was also the hugely successful 'Entourage' TV Series built around Wahlberg's early life experiences in Hollywood - this has now spawned a spin-off movie due for imminent release in which he has both acting and Producer credits.

Wahlberg has 44 acting credits to his name, 22 Producer credits and numerous singer/songwriter credits. He has been nominated for two Academy Awards for 'The Fighter' and 'The Departed', two Golden Globes for the same, a BAFTA win for 'Entourage' in 2004, and numerous Primetime Emmy Awards giving a total career award wins tally of 21 to date, and a further 52 nominations.

He has been with fashion model Rhea Durham since 2001 and they married in mid-2009. They have four children - Ella Rae (born 2003), Michael (born 2006), Brendan Joseph (born 2008) and Grace Margaret (born 2010). He is a devout Roman Catholic and attends Church every day. He established the 'Mark Wahlberg Youth Foundation' in 2001 to raise funds for youth services, and he is active in 'The Good Shepherd Centre' for homeless women & children.

Mark Wahlberg - a Bostonian, often typecast in tough guys roles, always looks like he's giving 110%, deeply Religious (although his dialogue rarely indicates this), an accomplished Actor, Producer, Singer and Songwriter, occasionally outspoken and controversial, but able to open a movie carrying a giant epic blockbuster or mainstream independent offering, and clearly bankable, watchable and dependable - Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

The Odeon Online Book Review : The Elephant to Hollywood by Michael Caine.

Maurice Joseph Micklewhite, also known as Michael Caine, has written a few books and I have just finished reading his second autobiography titled 'The Elephant to Hollywood'. This was published in 2010 so it has been on the shelves for a few years now and sort of follows up his 1992 autobiography 'What's It All About?', fills in the blanks, and gives us a very personal account of the mans life. Back in the mid-90's Caine was at a point in his career where he thought he was largely done - his movie star status was beginning to shine less brightly and the big roles that had given him his movie stardom were no longer coming thick and fast. He had almost resigned himself to his fate of retiring to the English countryside, tending to his beloved gardens and spending out his days with his close knit family and friends.

Of course it didn't work out that way, and as we know Caine is still a jobbing Actor and still going strong appearing in many notable films in the last twenty or so years - small independents, mega budget action blockbusters and those in between, some of which have been highly acclaimed for his performances. Those include work with Christopher Nolan on the 'Batman' trilogy, 'The Prestige', 'Inception' and more recently 'Interstellar', and of course his Oscar winning turn in 'The Cider House Rules'. Still in demand, he will turn 82 years of age in March this year and when he finished this book he had just celebrated his 77th birthday.

This is a great read I must say and a very easy read. His writing style is from the heart and he describes passionately the moments in time, the places, the people and the opportunities he has had with a funny, charming and honest account of his life. Growing up in the grittier side of London (which he returned to to make 'Harry Brown') he had an upbringing nonetheless where he was surrounded by close family, caring and loving parents and a sense of community despite the hardships and the advent of the second world war.

Knowing from a fairly young age that he wanted to be in the movie business he struggled for many years to get a foothold, gain some recognition and secure parts that would move him forward. After his obligatory two years of National Service (which he also has some fond memories of) he did though have a great time in the late 50's going into the swinging 60's and as a result forged life long friendships with the likes of Sean Connery, Terrence Stamp, Stanley Baker, Roger Moore and the like. 1964 gave him his big break in 'Zulu' and he has never looked back. Those early years growing up and trying desperately to get a break are described in colourful detail, together with the girls, the clubs, the parties, the frustrating bit-parts and his own struggles to remember his lines, combat his nerves and overcome his fears when he did get in front of the camera.

Once he had arrived on the scene and was increasingly cast in bigger films and lead roles we are given an insiders view of Hollywood - the glitz, the glamour, the people, the movers & shakers, the movie business, the restaurants, bars & clubs and how it has changed and evolved over the many years he has been going too & fro. It's a fascinating insight that we rarely get to see or hear about - particularly from the perspective of someone living there in the latter end of the 20th Century.

After his early success with the likes of 'Alfie', 'The Ipcress File' and its two follow ups 'Funeral in Berlin' and 'Billion Dollar Brain' , 'The Italian Job', 'Get Carter' and 'The Man Who Would Be King' he made some duds it would be fair to say, taken on mostly for the chance to travel or to pay for a house extension - 'The Hand' and 'The Swarm' as notable standouts. His film choices and the Actors, Directors and Producers he has worked with are also laid out for us here in great detail too including what went on in front and behind the cameras, on-set and off it, and the necessities of an acting career that go on long after the film shoot has finished.

Throughout the book he seems to have always been very grounded, deeply appreciative of the circumstances that his acting career and its success has brought him, a firm believer in friendships and relationships, and never losing sight of his humble beginnings and his roots back in London's The Elephant & Castle. He is a family man first and foremost and bestows the most importance on his wife Shakira (married now for 40 years), his daughters Natasha and Dominique and his grandchildren, and his home in rural England and in it his love of gardening, cooking and sharing it with his nearest and dearest.

Reading the book you can't help think that he has had a privileged life, but, it is entirely of his own making, and it wasn't always that way. He was over 30 years of age when 'Zulu' came out, and his ongoing career success for the following 50 years has come about because of his own conviction, love for his craft and always keeping his feet firmly planted on the ground without succumbing to the excesses of Hollywood that we see all too often today.

As he gets older he mourns the passing of his dear friends that helped him along the way or have played a part in his life, the passing of the old Hollywood that he knew and loved so much and the impact that society is having on the less fortunate younger generation. That said he balances that with the new talent emerging in films which he continues to be fortunate enough to work with, his gratitude for the opportunities still afforded him, and the love and respect he still has for his chosen vocation in life.

The winner of two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, two BAFTA's and countless other wins and nominations as well as a Knighthood in 2000, Sir Michael Caine's 'The Elephant to Hollywood' is a heartfelt, funny and insightful read!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-