Theo James does on 16th December - check out my tribute to this Birthday Lad turning 32, 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 11th December
- Hailee Steinfeld - Born 1996, turns 20 - Actress
- Mo'Nique (Monique Imes) - Born 1967, turns 49 - Actress | Producer
- Jean-Louis Trintignant - Born 1930, turns 86 - Actor | Writer | Director
Monday 12th December
- Bill Nighy - Born 1949, turns 67 - Actor | Producer
- Jennifer Connolly - Born 1970, turns 46 - Actress
Tuesday 13th December
- Dick Van Dyke - Born 1925, turns 91 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Singer
- Christopher Plummer - Born 1929, turns 87 - Actor | Producer
- Robert Lindsay - Born 1949, turns 67 - Actor | Singer
- Steve Buscemi - Born 1957, turns 59 - Actor | Director | Producer | Singer | Writer
- Jamie Foxx - Born 1967, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer
Wednesday 14th December
- Rebecca Gibney - Born 1964, turns 52 - Actress | Producer | Writer
- Sophie Monk - Born 1979, turns 37 - Actress
Thursday 15th December
- Don Johnson - Born 1949, turns 67 - Actor | Producer
- Stuart Townsend - Born 1972, turns 44 - Actor | Director
Friday 16th December
- Ben Cross - Born 1947, turns 69 - Actor
- Shane Black - Born 1961, turns 55 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor
- Benjamin Bratt - Born 1963, turns 53 - Actor | Producer
- James Mangold - Born 1963, turns 53 - Director | Producer | Writer
- Theo James - Born 1984, turns 32 - Actor
- Miranda Otto - Born 1967, turns 49 - Actress
Saturday 17th December
- Tommy Steele - Born 1936, turns 80 - Singer | Actor
- Bernard Hill - Born 1944, turns 72 - Actor
- Eugene Levy - Born 1946, turns 70 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Singer
- Bill Pullman - Born 1953, turns 63 - Actor | Producer | Director
- Peter Farrelly - Born 1956, turns 60 - Producer | Writer | Director
- Rian Johnson - Born 1973, turns 43 - Director | Writer
- Giovanni Ribisi - Born 1974, turns 42 - Actor | Producer
- Milla Jovovich - Born 1975, turns 41 - Actress | Singer | Songwriter
Theodore Peter James Kinnaird Taptiklis was born in Oxford, England, to mother Jane Martin who worked for the National Health Service, and father Philip Taptiklis, a business consultant. He is the youngest of five children - having two older brothers and two older sisters. From age eleven he attended Aylesbury Grammar School - a boys school located in the county of Buckinghamshire, and then went on to the University of Nottingham where he earned an undergraduate degree in Philosophy. He learned his acting craft at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, although throughout his school life and at University he appeared in numerous plays and short films.
He gained his first television appearance opposite Billie Piper in the mini-series 'A Passionate Woman' in 2010, followed up that same year in his feature film debut in a small role in Woody Allen's 'You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger' with Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin, Antonio Banderas, Naomi Watts and Pauline Collins. This then led to an episode on 'Downton Abbey' before possibly his breakout role as Jed Harper on televisions 'Bedlam' in 2011 - about the drama and supernatural forces at work in an apartment building converted from a former insane asylum. The series ran for two seasons, with James appearing in all six of the first season. 
Next up came 'The Inbetweeners Movie' in which he starred as the night club rep., before being cast as David in the fourth film in the successful vampire/werewolf franchise 'Underworld : Awakening' in 2012. He would reprise his role in the recently released 'Underworld : Blood Wars' opposite Kate Beckinsale and Charles Dance once again. Also in 2012, James appeared in two episodes of British crime drama mini-series 'Case Sensitive' for the ITV Network opposite Darren Boyd and Olivia Williams, and then the BBC's two part mini-series of 'Room at the Top'.
2013 followed with James in the lead role of Walter William Clarke Jnr. in the CBS series of 'Golden Boy' about Clarke, an ambitious cop whose meteoric rise through the ranks sees him becoming the youngest Police Commissioner in New York's history. The series aired for thirteen episodes over just one season before being cancelled. This was followed up by the first instalment in the big screen adaptation of the hugely successful Veronica Roth novels 'Divergent' set in a future post-apocalyptic dystopian world where the surviving people are split into distinct factions based on their personality traits and human virtues. The story surrounds Beatrice 'Tris' Prior (Shailene Woodley) who learns that she is a rare 'Divergent' and will therefore never fit into one of the factions, and she quickly learns of a sinister plot afoot in their seemingly perfect world. Along the way she befriends Tobias 'Four' Eaton (James) and the two become close allies as the film series unfolds. This first film released in 2014 collected US$289M at the global Box Office.
A year later came the follow up, and the second in 'The Divergent Series' with 'Insurgent' with Woodley and James reprising their roles together with those of an all star cast including Jai Courtney, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Naomi Watts, Kate Winslet, Maggie Q, Octavia Spencer and Zoe Kravitz. This film returned US$297M. The third film in the franchise 'Allegiant' was released earlier this year, with the two principle characters reposing their roles once more, supported by much the same cast with the addition of Jeff Daniels and Bill Skarsgard, However, this film was less well received critically, and commercially was the least preforming of the three so far, generating a return of US$179M. This has prompted speculation of budget cuts to the fourth and final film in the series 'Ascendant' due supposedly in 2017, and the possibility that it may be released as a television movie instead of a feature film with a theatrical release. As a result both Woodley and James have aired their views on this stance that they will not be involved if this is the case. Watch this space!
These gave way to 'The Benefactor' (aka 'Franny') in 2015 with Richard Gere and Dakota Fanning, and then the also recently released 'War on Everyone' for Writer/Director John Michael McDonagh with Alexander Skarsgard and Michael Pena with James playing 'Lord' James Mangan who the two bad cops played by Skarsgard and Pena down Albuquerque way run in to with unexpected results. There was also 'The Secret Scripture' for Writer/Director Jim Sheridan with Rooney Mara, Eric Bana, Aidan Turner and Vanessa Redgrave which has not yet been released in Australia. This brings us up to date with current releases.
Next up is the thriller 'London Fields' with Billy Bob Thornton, Jim Sturgess, Jason Isaacs, Johnny Depp, Amber Heard, and Cara Delevingne. The film was due for release a year or so ago but has been delayed due to legal action between the Director and the Producers. Due for release in 2017 is 'Backstabbing for Beginners' with Ben Kingsley and Jacqueline Bisset - with James playing UN Oil-for-Food Programme whistleblower who uncovers a major corruption scandal. And then there is the disputed 'Ascendant' final instalment in 'The Divergent Series' which may or may not get off the ground.
All up James has twenty-one Acting credits to his name so far, and he has garnered three award wins and another seven nominations. In his early acting days he also played in the London based band 'Shere Khan' as guitarist and singer, but in late 2012 the band split.
Theo James - private in his off-screen life, but well known for his role in two major film franchises; clearly in demand and on the rise; auditioned for James Bond but reportedly failed to get the gig; but has the smarts and the looks to go a long way yet. Happy Birthday to you Theo, from Odeon Online.
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
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