Birthday's to share this week : 20th - 26th December 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Jared Leto does on 26th December - check out my 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 20th December

• Jonah Hill - Born 1983, turns 32 - Actor | Writer | Producer
• Todd Phillips - Born 1970, turns 45 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Jenny Agutter - Born 1952, turns 63 - Actress

Monday 21st December 

• Jane Fonda - Born 1937, turns 78 - Actress | Producer
• Julie Delpy - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actress | Writer | Producer | Director | Editor | Singer | Composer
• Samuel L. Jackson - Born 1948, turns 67 - Actor | Producer
• Kiefer Sutherland - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Director
• John Avildsen - Born 1935, turns 80 - Director | Producer | Editor
• Steven Yuen - Born 1983, turns 32 - Actor

Tuesday 22nd December

• Ralph Fiennes - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actor | Director
• Hector Elizondo - Born 1936, turns 79 - Actor
• David S. Goyer - Born 1965, turns 50 - Writer | Director | Producer
• Vanessa Paradis - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actress | Singer

Wednesday 23rd December

• Nick Moran - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director

Thursday 24th December

• Ryan Seacrest - Born 1974, turns 41 - Actor | Writer | Producer

Friday 25th December

• Sissy Spacek - Born 1949, turns 66 - Actress

Saturday 26th December

• Jared Leto - Born 1971, turns 44 - Singer | Songwriter | Actor | Director | Writer | Producer
• Steve Bisley - Born 1951, turns 64 - Actor
• Fred Schepisi - Born 76 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Steve Le Marquand - Born 1967, turns 48 - Actor

Jared Joseph Bryant was born in Bossier City, Louisiana, USA, to Constance Metrejon and Anthony Bryant. His parents divorced when he was young and the Leto name he adopted was that of his stepfather. Growing up Jared and his older brother Shannon, with their mother lived with their maternal grandparents. When Jared was just eight years old his father committed suicide having remarried and leaving behind two sons - Jared's younger half-brothers. His mother joined the hippie movement from where her two sons became active in the arts - having spent much time around creative types - painters, photographers, musicians, actors and artists. He had a creative upbringing and from early on started playing music with his brother. He graduated from Flint Hill School at Oakton, Virginia and then enrolled at The University of Arts in Philadelphia where in particular he was interested in large scale visual art, and then film-making having moved to The School  of Visual Arts in NYC.

In 1992 he relocated himself to LA to chase a career in Directing with the aim of Acting on the side. He gained some early roles in various single episodes of television series including 'Camp Wilder', 'Almost Home' and 'Rebel Highway' and the made for television movie 'Cool and the Crazy' in 1994 with Alicia Silverstone. He received critical acclaim for his breakout television role, albeit short lived, in 'My So Called Life' which ran for just nineteen episodes opposite Claire Danes. This in turn led to his first movie role in 1995 in 'How To Make An American Quilt' with Winona Ryder, Elleyn Burstyn, and Anne Bancroft as Directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse. 'The Last of the High Kings' followed and the lead role in 'Prefontaine' charting the life of young Olympic running hopeful Steve Prefontaine - a role he immersed himself in during his preparation, and the like of which he would repeat often for future roles.

'Switchback', British period drama 'Basil', horror thriller 'Urban Legend' all followed before Terrence Malick's 'The Thin Red Line' with an all star cast including Clooney, Nolte, Penn, Brody, Harrelson, Cusack, Reilly and Travolta. 

In 1998 Leto formed 'Thirty Seconds to Mars' - a rock band with his brother Shannon. Their self-titled debut album was released in 2002 amidst generally positive feedback, and eventually sold two million copies, with Jared writing the majority of songs. Subsequently the band released further studio albums in 2005 with 'A Beautiful Lie' selling four million copies; 'This Is War' in 2009 selling a further four million; and most recently in 2013 'Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams'.

During this time, Leto continued his acting career with 'Black and White' in 1999 with Robert Downey Jnr.; 'Fight Club' with Brad Pitt and 'Girl Interrupted' with Winona Ryder again, to see out the nineties.

'American Psycho' with Christian Bale broke in the new decade in 2000, and then his highly acclaimed role as heroin addicted Harry Goldfarb in Darren Aronofsky's 'Requiem for a Dream'. Leto was praised for the extraordinary lengths he went to in order to prepare for the role and portray his character with physical and emotional realism. 'Highway' came next with Jake Gyllenhaal in 2002, together with 'Panic Room' with Jodie Foster that same year and for David Fincher again after 'Fight Club'.

'Alexander' came next in 2004 for Oliver Stone; then 'Lord of War' with Nicolas Cage; and then 'Lonely Hearts' with John Travolta and James Gandolfini. 'Chapter 27' came in 2007 with Leto starring as Mark David Chapman - the man who shot John Lennon - a role he was again praised for given the physical transformation he went through with weight gain in order to truly portray his character.

'Mr. Nobody' came next in 2009 playing the lead role of Nemo Nobody - the last mortal on Earth playing various versions of the same character from age to 34 to 118 years old. In 2012 Leto turned his attention to his Directorial debut with 'Artifact' about the US$30M lawsuit his band had with EMI a few years before over royalties and which was eventually settled out of court. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival where it won The Peoples Choice Award for Best Documentary.

Having spent a number of years on the road touring with 'Thirty Seconds to Mars' writing music and releasing their fourth studio album in 2013 'Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams', Leto returned to the big screen in 2013 with 'Dallas Buyers Club' with Matthew McConaughey. His role as the drug addled AIDS suffering transgender woman garnered him widespread critical acclaim and multiple award wins including Best Supporting Actor Awards at The Academy Awards, The Golden Globes and The Screen Actors Guild Awards. Next up Leto stars as 'The Joker' in 'The Suicide Squad' with Ben Affleck, Will Smith, Jai Courtney, Joel Kinsman and Margot Robbie due in mid-2016.

All up Leto has 28 Acting credits, seven Producer credits, six as Director and a Writing credit for 'Into The Wild' - the story behind his Bands record breaking two year 309 concert world tour that is officially the longest running tour in the history of rock music.

Leto is also an astute businessman with interests in social media management company 'The Hive'; full end to end service company for festivals, concerts and events 'Adventures in Wonderland'; the on-line platform 'VyRT'; he is an investor in 'Surf Air' , 'Reddit' and 'Robinhood Markets'. He is a vegan and actively supports animal rights; gay rights; and during the 2008 Presidential election campaign sided with Barack Obama. He is active too in charitable causes including for those associated with helping and supporting children with serious medical conditions, and Type 1 Diabetes research. Additionally, he has supported 'The Nature Conservancy', 'Habitat for Humanity', 'Aid Still Required', 'The J/P (Jenkins/Penn) Haitian Relief Organisation' and he is a global ambassador for the 'World Wide Fund for Nature'.

Jared Leto - Actor, Musician, Director, Writer, Producer, Businessman, Humanitarian, snow and skateboarder; has by passed numerous film roles to concentrate on his Band instead; and puts his body, his mind and his persona through extreme lengths to get into and stay in character - there is no doubting his commitment, his dedication, his energy and his love of his craft - all of them - Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-