Famous people born on August 21st
August 21 brings together an unusually wide range of influential figures, from global sports dominance and chart-topping music to world politics, technology, and spiritual leadership. The day spans centuries of achievement, linking early modern religious thought with modern entertainment, public service, and innovation. With 29 notable birthdays, it is a date marked by both cultural impact and public visibility across many fields.
Notable highlights
- Usain Bolt (1986) - The Jamaican sprinter became the sport's defining superstar, turning 100m and 200m races into global events with record-setting speed.
- Sergey Brin (1973) - Co-founded Google, helping reshape how the world searches for information and accelerating the rise of the modern internet economy.
- Kenny Rogers (1938) - A crossover country-pop icon whose storytelling songs made him one of the genre's most recognizable voices for decades.
- Wilt Chamberlain (1936) - An NBA legend whose statistical feats and athleticism set benchmarks that still shape conversations about basketball greatness.
- Count Basie (1904) - A swing-era bandleader and pianist celebrated for a crisp, driving style that helped define big-band jazz.
- Shimon Peres (1923) - A central figure in Israeli public life for generations, serving as a key statesman across multiple top offices.
- Kim Cattrall (1956) - Built a long screen career and became a pop-culture touchstone through her role as the boldly witty Samantha Jones.
- Peter Weir (1944) - Acclaimed director known for atmospheric, character-driven films that blend visual elegance with psychological depth.
- Saint Francis de Sales (1567) - A major Catholic spiritual writer whose gentle, practical approach to devotion influenced Christian thought well beyond his era.
On this day
- 1911 - The theft of the Mona Lisa from the Louvre is discovered, sparking international headlines and a massive search.
- 1959 - Hawaii becomes the 50th U.S. state, marking a major milestone in American political history.
- 1968 - Warsaw Pact forces enter Czechoslovakia to end the Prague Spring reforms, reshaping Cold War Europe.
- 1986 - The Lake Nyos disaster in Cameroon releases a lethal burst of gas, causing a tragic loss of life and prompting new scientific study of limnic eruptions.