14 Celebrities Celebrating Their 50th Birthdays This Year

• Shaquille O’Neal, March 6

He stands out among all others because he’s 7-foot-1. He’s a former athlete with crossover appeal that is unmatched among other athletes. A charming, funny presence, he can be seen at the end of a game on Inside the NBA and as his alter ego DJ Diesel at music festivals, such as the Electric Daisy Carnival in Las Vegas.

• Jennifer Garner, April 17

Jennifer Garner burst onto the scene in Alias as CIA Officer Sydney Bristow. Her career has been a rollercoaster ride of romantic comedies (13 Going On 30), dramatic dramas (Dallas Buyers Club), action flicks and charming Capital One commercials. She starred as a mother who agrees to fulfill all her children’s wildest wishes for 24 hours in Yes Day, a family comedy.

• Dwayne Johnson (The Rock), May 2

Moana and Fast & Furious are two of the most successful films in recent years. The former wrestler and now actor known as The Rock has built a career as an actor that is almost as big as his physique. Johnson, with a $10.5 billion worldwide box office, is one of the most successful actors. He also topped the list for highest-paid actors in 2019 & 2020. See how he got there. Young Rock, an NBC sitcom, follows his journey from childhood in Hawaii in 1980s to his time as a University of Miami football star to his imagined future as he runs for president in 2032. Anyone can do it

• Busta Rhymes, May 20

The New York City rapper behind hits like “Gimme Some More”, has a distinctive voice that is instantly recognisable. Two judges correctly identified him as the Dragon in Season 4, 2020. The 12-time Grammy nominee released Extinction Level 2: Wrath of God in October 2020. It featured guest appearances from Mary J. Blige, Kendrick Lamar, and Mariah Carey.

• Laverne Cox, May 29

The Orange is the New Black star has been a trailblazer in the transgender community. She was the first transgender person to grace the cover of Time. She also won a Primetime Emmy nomination in acting. Madame Tussauds transformed her into a wax figure. She starred in Promising Young Women 2020 and was the executive producer of Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen on Netflix, which won the GLAAD media award for outstanding documentary.

• Sofia Vergara, July 10

The role of a passionate Gloria Delgado Pritchett, earned her four Emmy nominations. She also broke records for being the highest-paid TV actress between 2013 and 2020. She has been putting her charisma and megawatt charm to great use on America’s Got Talent. Now, she is producing and starring in animated film Koati with Joe Manganiello, along with a crew of Latin-voiceover artists, musicians, and writers.

• Ben Affleck, August 15

Few A-listers can move so seamlessly between in front of and behind the camera. Affleck already has two Oscars for best screenplay (Good Will Hunting), and best picture (Argo). Affleck quietly has been quietly putting in some of the best acting work he has done since ages, despite his renewed romance with Jennifer Lopez. He was praised for his portrayal of a high school basketball coach who is struggling with alcoholism in The Way Back. In 2021, he was playing a medieval count and surrogate father figure respectively in The Last Duel, The Tender Bar, and The Last Duel. Next year, he’s costarring alongside ex-girlfriend Ana de Armas in the erotic thriller Deep Water and, in a weirder turn, alongside fellow Batman Michael Keaton in DC’s alternate-universe-filled Flash film.

• Eminem, October 17

He is a controversially-indicted Detroit rapper who has made a career of surprising people. The 15-time Grammy winner made the most surprising career move this year. In September, Mom’s Spaghetti opened a drive-thru pasta restaurant in Detroit. It was named after a line from his Oscar-winning song “Lose Yourself” in 8 Mile. You’ll understand why this isn’t really appetizing if you know the lyrics.

• Brad Paisley, October 28

The West Virginia-born singer is known for his trademark white cowboy hat, which puts him in direct line with country-western artists of the past. He was born in 1999 and has sold over 11 million records. Only two years later, he was inducted into Grand Ole Opry at the age 28. He launched American Highway Bourbon this November. It has a unique story: The whiskey was aged in barrels and transported in a semi-trailer, which accompanied him on his 2019 tour across the country covering 7,314 miles in 25 states.

• Cameron Diaz, August 30

The star of There’s Something About Mary, Charlie’s Angels and Annie announced her retirement after portraying Miss Hannigan in the 2014 remake. She’s kept busy since then, with a variety of passion projects, including two bestsellers on health and well-being (including 2016’s The Longevity Book), and the launch of her vegan, organic wine brand Avaline in 2020.

• Idris Elba, September 6

Fans have been trying for years to cast the English actor and DJ as James Bond. It’s easy to see why: He exudes charisma and charm, no matter if he’s playing a good or bad character (Nelson Mandela, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom), or somewhere in between (DCI John Luther, Luther). Let’s face the truth, he would look dashing in a well-tailored suit. Instead, he chose to concentrate on bad guys, such as Bloodsport in The Suicide Squad or outlaw Rufus Buck, in The Harder They Fall.

• Gwyneth Paltrow, September 27

The Shakespeare in Love Oscar winner has mostly stepped back from the Hollywood machine she made (she is the daughter of director Bruce Paltrow, and actress Blythe Daner), except for her occasional appearances as Pepper Potts in Marvel Cinematic Universe and California gubernatorial hopeful Georgina Hobart in Netflix’s The Politician. This was coproduced with her husband, Brad Falchuk. Paltrow is the founder and CEO at Goop, a wellness and lifestyle brand that launched in 2008 as a newsletter. It has grown to include activewear, brick-and-mortar stores, beauty products, and even a Netflix series called The Goop Lab.

• Alyssa Milano, December 19

Her breakout role as Samantha Micelli in Who’s the Boss? is her most well-known. The Brooklyn-born actress and activist was born in Brooklyn. She has been a regular on TV for decades as an actress, host, and host of Project Runway All Stars. She has become a vocal supporter for the #MeToo movement in recent years. This was after she shared her story about her 25-year-old sexual abuse. She hosts the podcast Sorry Not Sorry and released a book with the same title in October 2019.

• Jude Law, December 29

British screen and stage actor, he put his matinee-idol looks into good use in films like Closer and The Talented Mr. Ripley. In recent years, he has achieved a fascinating balance between the megaplex and the art house. He has played many roles, including the role of Albus Dumbledore’s young son in Fantastic Beasts and the character of Yon-Rogg the alien commander in Marvel Cinematic Universe. In The Nest, he was an ambitious 1980s entrepreneur who had secrets. He’ll be playing Captain Hook, Disney+’s latest Peter Pan adaptation.