Famous people born on December 21st
December 21 has produced an unusually wide-ranging roster of influential figures, spanning politics, literature, film, television, music, and elite sport. The date links visionary leaders and reformers with boundary-pushing artists and enduring screen icons. From 19th-century governance to modern pop culture and global diplomacy, these birthdays reflect a striking breadth of impact.
Notable highlights
- Benjamin Disraeli (1804) - Twice British prime minister, he helped shape modern Conservatism and steered major reforms while expanding Britain’s imperial profile.
- Frank Zappa (1940) - A fiercely original composer and guitarist, he fused rock, jazz, satire, and orchestral ideas into a singular, prolific catalog.
- Jane Fonda (1937) - An Oscar-winning actress and outspoken activist whose career bridges New Hollywood classics, television hits, and decades of advocacy.
- Samuel L. Jackson (1948) - A defining modern character actor, celebrated for iconic roles across crime cinema, blockbusters, and franchise filmmaking.
- Emmanuel Macron (1977) - France’s president who rose rapidly from technocrat to national leader, shaping debates on Europe, economic policy, and global diplomacy.
- Thomas Sankara (1949) - Burkina Faso’s revolutionary president remembered for anti-corruption campaigns, women’s rights initiatives, and a radical vision of self-reliance.
- Florence Griffith Joyner (1959) - “Flo-Jo” set enduring sprint records and became a style-and-speed icon after a dazzling Olympic peak in 1988.
- Chris Evert (1954) - A tennis great known for extraordinary consistency, she dominated the sport with a calm baseline game and record-setting major titles.
- Kiefer Sutherland (1966) - A versatile actor whose work ranges from indie film to mainstream thrillers, including a landmark run as TV’s counterterror hero.
- Rebecca West (1892) - A formidable writer and critic whose essays, reportage, and novels combined moral clarity with sharp political insight.
On this day
- 1620 - The Pilgrims land at Plymouth in New England, an early milestone in English colonial settlement.
- 1937 - Walt Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs premieres in Los Angeles, launching the feature-length animated film era.
- 1968 - Apollo 8 enters lunar orbit, the first crewed mission to circle the Moon.
- 1988 - Pan Am Flight 103 is destroyed by a bomb over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing all aboard and people on the ground.