Showing posts with label Drive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Drive. Show all posts

Saturday, 11 November 2017

Birthday's to share this week : 12th - 18th November 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Ryan Gosling does on 12th November - check out my tribute to this Actor Producer Musician Birthday Boy turning 37, 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 12th November
  • Ryan Gosling - Born 1980, turns 37 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer | Songwriter
  • Radha Mitchell - Born 1973, turns 44 - Actress | Producer | Writer | Director
  • Anne Hathaway - Born 1982, turns 35 - Actress | Producer | Singer   
Monday 13th November
  • Frances Conroy - Born 1953, turns 64 - Actress | Singer
  • Whoopi Goldberg - Born 1955, turns 62 - Actress | Producer | Writer | Singer | Director | Television Personality
  • Steve Zahn - Born 1967, turns 50 - Actor | Singer
  • Jimmy Kimmel - Born 1967, turns 50 - Television Personality | Actor | Producer | Writer
  • Gerard Butler - Born 1969, turns 48 - Actor | Producer | Singer  
Tuesday 14th November
  • Paul McGann - Born 1959, turns 58 - Actor | Director
  • Josh Duhamel - Born 1972, turns 45 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director
  • Brian Gleeson - Born 1987, turns 30 - Actor
  • Olga Kurylenko - Born 1979, turns 38 - Actress | Singer | Producer
Wednesday 15th November
  • Shailene Woodley - Born 1991, turns 26 - Actress | Producer  
  • Edward Asner - Born 1929, turns 88 - Actor | Producer | Singer
  • Yaphet Koto - Born 1939, turns 78 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
  • Sam Waterston - Born 1940, turns 77 - Actor | Producer
  • Roger Donaldson - Born 1945, turns 72 - Director | Producer | Writer
  • Jonny Lee Miller - Born 1972, turns 45 - Actor 
Thursday 16th November
  • Maggie Gyllenhaal - Born 1977, turns 40 - Actress | Producer | Singer  
Friday 17th November
  • Lauren Hutton - Born 1943, turns 74 - Actress | Producern
  • Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio - Born 1958, turns 59 - Actress 
  • Sophie Marceau - Born 1966, turns 51 - Actress | Director | Writer
  • Rachel McAdams - Born 1978, turns 39 - Actress 
  • Zoe Bell - Born 1978, turns 39 - Actress | Stuntwoman | Producer
  • Martin Scorsese - Born 1942, turns 75 - Director | Producer | Actor | Writer | Editor 
  • Danny DeVito - Born 1944, turns 73 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer
  • Roland Joffe - Born 1945, turns 72 - Director | Producer | Writer 
Saturday 18th November 
  • Delroy Lindo - Born 1952, turns 65 - Actor | Producer
  • Owen Wilson - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Writer
  • Margaret Atwood - Born 1939, turns 78 - Writer | Producer | Actress
  • Linda Evans - Born 1942, turns 75 - Actress 
  • Chloe Sevigny - Born 1974, turns 43 - Actress | Director | Writer | Producer 
Ryan Thomas Gosling was born in London, Ontario, Canada to mother Donna, a Secretary and father Thomas Ray Gosling, who worked in sales for a paper mill. Because of his father's transient work in sales, the family relocated several times always staying in Ontario, and living in Cornwall and Burlington. He was educated at Gladstone Public School, then Cornwall Collegiate and Vocational School and then the Lester B. Pearson High School in Burlington. He remembers hating his childhood. He was bullied at school and claims he had no friends until his early teenage years. He was suspended from school for throwing steak knives at other children, was unable to read, diagnosed with ADHD and a s a result was homeschooled by his mother for a year. Gosling performed in front of a live audience from an early age - singing with his older sister Mandi, at weddings and in his Uncle's Elvis Presley tribute act. He was also involved with a local ballet company. He says that performing boosted his confidence and was the only thing that he ever received any praise for. His parents divorced when the young Ryan was thirteen years of age, and he and Mandi lived with their mother. He dropped out of High School at age seventeen to concentrate his efforts on forging an Acting career. 

At the age of twelve Gosling auditioned for the Disney Channel's 'Mickey Mouse Club'. He was successful, out of 17,000 other young hopefuls, and was given a two year contract as a 'Mouseketeer', and as a result relocated to Orlando, Florida. His fellow cast crew included Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera and Britney Spears, and he became good friends with Timberlake in particular. He says that this two years were the greatest of his life. Following the cancellation of the show in 1995, Gosling returned to Canada and secured television appearances on 'Are You Afraid of the Dark', 'Kung Fu : The Legend Continues', 'Goosebumps', 'Flash Forward', and in forty four episodes of 'Breaker High', and at age eighteen he moved to New Zealand to film the action adventure series 'Young Hercules' as the lead character which ran for fifty episodes between 1998 and 1999. Thereafter, the young Actor wanted to turn his attention to more serious roles offering greater variety, so he decided to move away from television and concentrate on feature films.

At the age of nineteen, Gosling secured a supporting role in the American football drama 'Remember The Titans' and thereafter his first lead role in 'The Believer' in 2001 - a semi-autobiographical drama film about a young Jewish lad who becomes a Neo-Nazi. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival and much praise was bestowed upon Gosling's performance although the film recouped barely one-third of its US$1.5M production budget. This led to 2002's psychological thriller with Sandra Bullock in 'Murder by Numbers' and later that year 'The Slaughter Rule' with David Morse. Whilst the latter film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance again, the film had a limited release and made less that US$15K from its US$500K or so Budget cost. The following year, Gosling played in 'The United States of Leland' with Don Cheadle, Kevin Spacey and Chris Klein about a teenage boy who murders an intellectually disabled boy and the aftermath on both families. The film only received a US release and as such made US$344K only.

Gosling really hit the mainstream with 2004's romantic drama film 'The Notebook' Directed by Nick Cassavetes and co-starring Rachel McAdams. Set during the 1940's the film tells the story of a couple who fall in love, told from the present day in flash back, by Gosling's older self portrayed by James Garner. The film garnered several award wins and nominations, made US$116M from its US$29M Budget, and has appeared on numerous Most Romantic Movies lists. 2005 saw Psychological thriller 'Stay' with Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Bob Hoskins which was a Box Office bomb and garnered mixed Reviews at best. 'Half Nelson' followed in 2006 with Anthony Mackie, as did 'Fracture' with Anthony Hopkins, and then 'Lars and the Real Girl' seeing out the decade.

After an absence from movie making of three years, Gosling reappeared re-energised and reinvigorated in 2010 to conquer the world. 2010 launched with Derek Cianfrance's Directorial debut with 'Blue Valentine' with Michelle Williams, then crime drama 'All Good Things' opposite Kirsten Dunst and then the highly acclaimed crime drama 'Drive' Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and also starring Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaacs, Albert Brooks, Ron Perlman and Christina Hendricks. The film picked up 77 award wins and another 171 nominations including one Oscar, one Golden Globe and four BAFTA nods. Also in 2011 was 'Crazy Stupid Love' with Steve Carell, Kevin Bacon, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone and Marisa Tomei, followed by political drama thriller Directed, Co-Written and starring George Clooney 'The Ides of March' which also starred Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, Jeffrey Wright, Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood and Max Minghella. The film garnered nine award wins and another 35 nominations including one Academy Award, four Golden Globe and two BAFTA nominations.

2012 saw another outing for Writer/Director Derek Cianfrance with crime drama 'The Place Beyond the Pines' with Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes and Ben Mendelsohn about a motorcycle stunt driver who turns to bank robbery as a means to provide for his girlfriend and their new child. The next year brought 1949 LA set action crime drama 'Gangster Squad' with Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Emma Stone playing the love interest to Gosling's LAPD officer who attempts to outwit mob boss Mickey Cohen. This in turn led to another role in a Nicolas Winding Refn Written and Directed crime drama 'Only God Forgives' with Kristen Scott Thomas.

'The Big Short' followed in 2015. This biographical drama comedy about the mid-2000's financial melt-down and the bursting of the housing bubble was Directed by Adam McKay and Co-starred Steve Carell, Christian Bale, Brad Pitt, Rafe Spall and Hamish Linklater and was highly regarded by Critics and audiences alike, raking in an Academy Award and BAFTA win for Best Adapted Screenplay as well as four other Academy Award nominations, four Golden Globe nods and four BAFTA nods too amongst its total haul of 37 wins and 79 nominations. The film made US$134M off its US$50M budget investment. Shane Black's Co-Written and Directed mid '70's neo-noir action comedy offering teamed up Gosling with Russell Crowe in 'The Nice Guys' receiving generally positive Reviews, and this led of course to Damien Chazelle's hugely successful and popular 'La La Land' opposite Emma Stone. This film returned US$446M at the Box Office from its US$30M Budget outlay and won six Academy Awards and was nominated for a further eight, won seven Golden Globes, and won five BAFTA's and was nominated a further six times amongst its total collection of 214 wins and 249 other nominations.

Terrence Malick's Austin set music scene drama romance offering 'Song to Song' had a long gestation period to make it to our screens and a limited release just recently and also starred Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Holly Hunter and Val Kilmer. Also just recently released is the sequel thirty five years in the making, 'Blade Runner 2049' Directed by Denis Villeneuve with Gosling playing 'K' alongside Harrison Ford's reprised character Rick Deckard from the cult classic 1982 Ridley Scott Directed film, 'Blade Runner'. The film remains on general release and has so far grossed US241M against its US$150M Budget, and also stars Jared Leto, Dave Bautista, Robin Wright, Lennie James, Barkhad Abdi and Edward James Olmos also from the original film.

Next up Gosling is starring in the Damien Chazelle Directed vehicle 'First Man' based on the biography 'First Man : The Life of Neil A. Armstrong' with the Actor portraying the first man on the Moon, Neil Armstrong. Also starring Claire Foy, Jon Bernthal, Jason Clarke, Corey Stoll and Kyle Chandler, the film is scheduled for release in October 2018.

Aside form his Acting interest, Gosling also Wrote, Produced and Directed 'Lost River' in 2014 - his debut, in this mystery fantasy drama offering starring Christina Hendricks, Saoirse Ronan, Matt Smith, Ben Mendelsohn and Eva Mendes. The film Premiered in the Un Certain Regard category at the Cannes Film Festival, and received a limited release in early 2015 making just US$615K at the Box Office and receiving mixed Reviews. Gosling also formed the indie rock band 'Dead Man's Bones' in 2007 with his friend Zach Shields. They released a self titled album in late 2009 on which Gosling contributed vocals, and played piano, bass guitar, guitar and cello on the recording. They subsequently played in several music festivals and toured briefly to promote the album in late 2009.

All up, Gosling has 43 Acting credits to his name, six as Producer, one as Writer and one as Director, and he has eleven Soundtrack credits too. He has been nominated for two Academy Awards for 'La La Land' and 'Half Nelson', won the Golden Globe for 'La La Land' and had four other nominations, was nominated for the BAFTA for 'La La Land', has two AACTA Award nominations, and four SAG nominations, out of a total awards haul to date of 32 wins and a further 138 nominations. He has dated his 'Murder by Numbers' Co-Star Sandra Bullock from 2002 to 2003, his 'The Notebook' Co-Star Rachel McAdams from 2005 to 2007, and from 2011 he has been in a relationship with his 'The Place Beyond the Pines' Co-Star Eva Mendes, with whom he has two daughters - Esmeralda Amada (born 2014) and Amada Lee (born 2016).

When he's not Acting or pursuing other film interest Gosling is a supporter of various social causes, including 'PETA' (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), 'Invisible Children, Inc.' raising awareness of the Lord's Resistance Army in Central Africa and its head, Joseph Kony, and has worked with the 'Enough Project' to put an end to genocide and crimes against humanity in conflict zones in Africa especially. He has visited Chad, Uganda and Congo as part of his commitment.

Ryan Gosling, an active owner of a Moroccan Restaurant in Beverly Hills; was voted on several 'Top' lists including 50 Hottest Bachelor's, Male Star of Tomorrow, and 30 Under 30; often gets confused with that other well known Canadian Actor, Ryan Reynolds; has yet to star in a horror film or as a Superhero (although was considered for the role of 'Batman' before Ben Affleck was cast in 'Batman v. Superman') but has starred in just about every other genre; and adds a gritty, often emotionally detached realism to his roles for which he has won acclaim and which keeps us returning to the cinema. Happy Birthday to you Ryan, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online- 

Saturday, 23 September 2017

Birthday's to share this week : 24th - 30th September 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Nicolas Winding Refn does on 29th September - check out my tribute to this Director, Writer and Producer Birthday Boy turning 47, 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 24th September
  • Brad Bird - Born 1957, turns 60 - Writer | Director | Producer 
  • Kevin Sorbo - Born 1958, turns 59 - Actor | Producer | Director  
Monday 25th September
  • Michael Douglas - Born 1944, turns 73 - Actor | Producer
  • Pedro Almodovar - Born 1949, turns 68 - Writer | Director | Producer | Singer | Songwriter
  • Mark Hamill - Born 1951, turns 66 - Actor | Producer | Singer
  • Michael Madsen - Born 1957, turns 60 - Actor | Producer | Writer
  • Jason Flemyng - Born 1966, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Director
  • Will Smith - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Singer | Songwriter | Composer
  • Heather Locklear - Born 1961, turns 56 - Actress | Producer
  • Catherine Zeta-Jones - Born 1969, turns 48 - Actress | Singer  
Tuesday 26th September
  • Olivia Newton-John - Born 1948, turns 69 - Actress | Singer | Songwriter | Producer
  • Linda Hamilton - Born 1956, turns 61 - Actress  
  • Jim Caviezel - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor
Wednesday 27th September
  • Meat Loaf (aka Marvin Lee Aday) - Born 1947, turns 70 - Singer | Actor | Producer
  • Denis Lawson - Born 1947, turns 70 - Actor | Director | Writer
  • Gwyneth Paltrow - Born 1972, turns 45 - Actress | Producer | Singer |   
Thursday 28th September
  • Brigitte Bardot - Born 1934, turns 83 - Actress | Singer
  • Mira Sorvino - Born 1967, turns 50 - Actress | Producer
  • Naomi Watts - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actress | Producer  
  • John Sayles - Born 1950, turns 67 - Writer | Director | Actor | Producer | Editor | Songwriter
Friday 29th September
  • Ian McShane - Born 1942, turns 75 - Actor | Producer
  • Luke Goss - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director 
  • Nicolas Winding Refn - Born 1970, turns 47 - Writer | Director | Producer 
Saturday 30th September
  • Ian Ogilvy - Born 1943, turns 74 - Actor 
  • Eric Stoltz - Born 1961, turns 56 - Actor | Director | Producer
  • Ezra Miller - Born 1992, turns 25 - Actor
  • Angie Dickinson - Born 1931, turns 86 - Actress
  • Victoria Tennant - Born 1950, turns 67 - Actress | Writer | Producer
  • Fran Drescher - Born 1957, turns 60 - Actress | Writer | Producer | Director
  • Monica Bellucci - Born 1964, turns 53 - Actress
  • Marion Cotillard - Born 1975, turns 42 - Actress | Singer | Writer | Director
Nicolas Winding Refn was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to mother Vibeke Winding, a cinematographer and father Andres Refn, an accomplished and acclaimed Danish film Director and Editor whose works span over fifty years taking in over seventy feature films. At the age of eleven the family relocated to New York where the young Nicolas remained until the age of seventeen before moving back to Denmark to finish off his high school education. Upon doing this he promptly moved back to New York to attend The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan where he was  subsequently expelled for throwing a table against a wall. He then applied to the Danish Film School in Copenhagen for which he was accepted, but prior to his commencement, he dropped out. He grew up in a family entrenched in the world of cinema, and in particular French New Wave cinema that his parents were especially attuned to. Rebelling against his parents he was inspired by American Horror movies, and cites Tobe Hooper's 1974 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' as his inspiration to become a film maker.

Refn burst onto the screen with his Written and Directing debut crime thriller 'Pusher' in 1996 starring Mads Mikkelsen about a drug pusher, a botched deal and a large debt needing to be repaid. Refn went onto Write and Direct two follow-up films 'Pusher II : With Blood on my Hands' in 2004 starring Mads Mikkelsen again, and in 2005 'Pusher III : I'm the Angel of Death'. The first two films picked up four award wins and fifteen nominations collectively between them. The opening film in the franchise was remade in 2012 on which Refn took a Producer credit only.

Crime drama 'Bleeder' followed in 1999 starring many of the cast from the first 'Pusher' film including Mads Mikkelsen. The film had some awards success around the festival circuit. 2003 saw the thriller 'Fear X' starring John Turturro, Deborah Kara Unger and James Remar. Up next for Refn was a  slight change of pace and genre as he Directed two episodes of 'Agatha Christie's Marple' television series in 2007 - 'Miss Marple : Nemesis' and 'Towards Zero'.

'Bronson' was released in 2008 as Written and Directed by Refn about the notorious British career criminal Michael Gordon Peterson who changed his name to Charles Bronson as suggested by his fight promoter during the period when he was released from prison. This biographical crime film is loosely based on Bronson's life and was portrayed with critical acclaim by Tom Hardy. The film made US$2.3M off the back of a budget investment of just US$230K and it picked up three award wins and six nominations including a Best Actor win for Tom Hardy and a Best Film win for Refn.

'Valhalla Rising' saw out the decade in 2009 with Mads Mikkelsen again starring in this historical adventure drama set in the eleventh century Viking era. The film garnered generally positive press, picking up four award wins and nine other nominations from around the festival circuit, but it recovered only US$31K from its US$5.7M budget outlay.

Next up for Refn was his breakout movie lunching him firmly into Hollywood with 'Drive' a neo-noir crime thriller about a Hollywood stunt driver moonlighting as a getaway driver. Starring Ryan Gosling in the lead role with Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac, Ron Perlman and Christina Hendricks the film recovered US$78M from its US$15M budget and was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and four BAFTA's from its total awards haul of 77 wins and 171 other nominations. The film was both a critical and commercial success, and was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in competition for the Palme d'Or where it received a standing ovation, going on to win Refn the Best Director's Award.

Refn teamed up with Gosling again in 2013 for the Bangkok set criminal underworld drama 'Only God Forgives' which Refn also took a Writing credit for. The film also starred Kristen Scott Thomas, was entered into competition for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, picked up thirteen award wins and another twenty nominations, and recovered just US$10M from its US$5M budget costs.

'The Neon Demon' was to be Refn's next feature film and his last one to date, which again he wrote the Screenplay for too based on his own story. This psychological horror film divided audiences and received mixed critical response. It too was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in competition for the Palme d'Or, marking Refn's third film in succession to do so. Starring Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Christina Hendricks and Keanu Reeves, this film recovered just US$3.5M from its US$7M budget and collected sixteen award wins and 33 nominations.

In between time Refn Directed an extended commercial for 'Gucci' featuring Actress Blake Lively, he has also Directed a series of advertisements for the 'Lincoln Motor Company' featuring Matthew McConaughey, and a commercial for 'Hennessy X.O.', and in 2015 Refn's wife, Actress Liv Corfixen wrote and Directed a documentary titled 'My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn' chronicling the 'behind the scenes' experiences of filming 'Only God Forgives' when their whole family had to relocate to Thailand for the shoot.

Next up for Refn and both in pre-production stage is planned crime thriller television series 'Les Italiens' charting the lives of an Italian/French Police squad operating in Paris; and crime drama television series 'Too Old To Die Young' exploring the criminal underside of LA, and to which Miles Teller is attached.

All told Refn has twelve Writing credits to his name, fifteen as Director and nine as Producer. He has so far been the recipient of 28 award wins and another 49 nominations. In 2008 he co-founded the Production Company 'Space Rocket Nation' - a Copenhagen based company.

Nicolas Winding Refn - is colour blind, dyslexic, teetotal, failed his driving test eight times, didn't learn to read until aged thirteen and is an avid collector of toys. Shoots his films in chronological order, without rehearsal, often using acts of extreme violence, and often films using handheld cameras. Is considered the 'Wild Child' back in his native Denmark and has an uncompromising style all of his own, and as such we look forward with eager anticipation to your next feature film and what you'll pull out of your bag of tricks for that. Happy Birthday to you in the meantime Nicolas, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Saturday, 23 May 2015

Birthday's to share this week : 24th - 30th May 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Carey Mulligan does on 28th May - check out the tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 30, 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 24th May
  • Kristen Scott Thomas - Born 1960, turns 55 - Actress
  • John C. Reilly - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actor | Writer | Producer
  • Alfred Molina - Born 1953, turns 62 - Actor | Producer
  • Jim Broadbent - Born 1949, turns 66 - Actor
  • Roger Deakins - Born 1949, turns 66 - Cinematographer
Monday 25th May
  • Cillian Murphy - Born 1976, turns 39 - Actor
  • Ian McKellen - Born 1939, turns 76 - Actor | Writer
  • Mike Meyers - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actor | Writer | Singer | Songwriter
  • Frank Oz - Born 1944, turns 71 - Director | Producer | Writer
  • Anne Heche - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actress | Writer | Producer | Director
  • Jacki Weaver - Born 1947, turns 68 - Actress
Tuesday 26th May 
  • Helena Bonham Carter - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actress
  • Pam Grier - Born 1949, turns 66 - Actress
  • Matt Stone - Born 1971, turns 44 - Writer | Producer | Actor
  • Lenny Kravitz - Born 1964, turns 51 - Singer | Songwriter | Actor
Wednesday 27th May
  • Paul Bettany - Born 1971, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | Director
  • Christopher Lee - Born 1922, turns 93 - Actor
  • Joseph Fiennes - Born 1970, turns 45 - Actor
  • Louis Gossett Jnr. - Born 1936, turns 79 - Actor | Producer | Director
Thursday 28th May
  • Carey Mulligan - Born 1985, turns 30 - Actress
  • Kylie Minogue - Born 1968, turns 47 - Singer | Songwriter | Actress | Writer
  • Sondra Locke - Born 1944, turns 71 - Actress | Director
Friday 29th May
  • Annette Benning - Born 1958, turns 57 - Actress
  • Rupert Everett - Born 1959, turns 56 - Actor | Producer | Director
  • Danny Elfman - Born 1953, turns 62 - Composer | Actor
Saturday 30th May
  • Antoine Fuqua - Born 1965, turns 50 - Director | Producer
  • Duncan Jones - Born 1971, turns 44 - Director | Producer
  • Harry Enfield - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Producer | Director
Carey Hannah Mulligan was born in Westminster, London to mother Nano Booth, a university lecturer, and father Stephen, a hotel manager. At three years of age the family moved to Germany where the young Carey's father had transferred to manage a hotel there. While living in Germany Carey and her brother Owain, attended the International School of Dusseldorf. Five years later, aged eight, the family returned to England where as a teenager she was educated at Woldingham School.

From aged six her interest in acting was sparked by her brothers performance in a school production of 'The King & I'. While at Woldingham School she involved herself in theatre and was the student head of drama while herself performing in musicals, plays and actively supporting productions.

Her parents were disapproving of her desire to pursue an acting career, instead wanting to attend university like her brother. She applied to three London drama schools but failed to gain an offer. In her last year at school author/writer/Director and Politician Julian Fellowes gave a lecture on the production of 'Gosford Park'. She sought advice from Fellowes which led to a dinner invitation for aspiring young Actors to gain advice on their chosen career path. That dinner in turn led to an introduction with a casting assistant and an audition for 2005's 'Pride and Prejudice' which she eventually scored in the role of Kitty Bennett.

Working in a pub and as a errand runner at Ealing Studios she first trod the boards at 19 in 'Forty Winks' at London's Royal Court Theatre. In 2005 she auditioned too for the BBC adaptation of Dicken's 'Bleak House' for which she won the BAFTA Award in her television debut having starred with Judi Dench, Donald Sutherland and Keira Knightley. In 2006 she starred in several TV shows including 'The Amazing Mrs. Pritchard', 'Agatha Christie's Marple', 'Trial & Retribution X', 'Waking the Dead', 'Northanger Abbey', 'My Boy Jack' and 'Doctor Who', as well as the stage play 'The Seagull' with Kristen Scott Thomas and Chiwetel Ejiofor,

In 2009 at just 24 her first lead role hit our screens with 'An Education' by Lone Scherfig and written by Nick Hornby. Further to her breakout role she won a BAFTA Award as well as nominations for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award and the BAFTA Rising Star Award. That same year she starred in 'The Greatest' with Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon.







Next up was 'Never Let Me Go' with Keira Knightley in 2010, together with Oliver Stone's 'Wall Street : Money Never Sleeps'. The following year came a return to the stage with 'Through a Glass Darkly' which like many of her works to date was much praised and highly lauded. This led to 'Drive' for Director Nicholas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks, and Oscar Isaac for which she was nominated for her second BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress. Steve McQueen's 'Shame' with Michael Fassbender followed that same year and the two latter films debuting at the Cannes and Venice Film Festivals respectively.

In 2013 she starred alongside Leonardo DiCaprio in Baz Luhrmann's 'The Great Gatsby' followed by Joel & Ethan Coen's 'Inside Llewyn Davis' with Oscar Isaac once again. Following this was the TV mini-series 'The Spolis of Babylon', the 'Skylight' with Bill Nighy and Directed by Stephen Daldry, with 'Far from the Madding Crowd' and 'Suffragette' with Meryl Streep and Helena Bonham Carter both due later this year.

To date Mulligan has 24 acting credits to her name, and 43 awards wins including the BAFTA for 'An Education' and a further 49 nominations including Academy Award and the Golden Globe nods for 'An Education' and the BAFTA for 'Drive'.

In 2009 she participated in the 'Safe Project' to raise awareness of sex trafficking, she has been  an ambassador for the Alzheimer's Society since 2012, and from 2014 for 'War Child' also. She married Marcus Mumford (of Mumford & Sons) in April 2012, and they are expecting their first child this year.

Carey Mulligan - so much talent from someone still so young; experienced in film, TV and theatre; determined and focused; grounded and humble; charmingly playboyish and beautiful too - Happy 30th Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-