Singer Ariana Grande, and actresses Jennette McCurdy and Aubrey Plaza are all celebrating their birthdays today.
Ariana Grande, 21
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Actress and singer-songwriter Ariana Grande turns 21 today. Grande made her acting debut in 2008, playing the role of Charlotte in the Broadway production 13. From 2010 to 2013, she played Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon series Victorious and later reprised the role on the spin-off series Sam & Cat, alongside Jennette McCurdy.
In March 2013, Grande reached mainstream success after releasing the single "The Way" from her debut studio album, Yours Truly, in 2013. The single became a top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified double platinum. The album received critical acclaim and debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. This made Grande the first female artist to have her debut record enter the chart in the top position since Animal by Kesha in 2010. Grande was honored by The Music Business Association in 2014 as Breakthrough Artist of the Year, to recognize Grande's achievements over 2013.
In January 2014, Grande revealed that she is working on her second studio album. The lead single from the album, "Problem," features Australian rapper Iggy Azalea. The track sold 438,000 downloads in its first week, making Grande the youngest woman to debut with more than 400,000 downloads. The song debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at No. 2, and became Grande's second single to debut in the top 10.
Jennette McCurdy, 22
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Singer-songwriter, film and television actress Jennette McCurdy turns 22 today. McCurdy started her acting career in 2000, at the age of 8, on MADtv. Since then she made appearances in the television shows CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Malcolm in the Middle, Lincoln Heights, Will & Grace, Penguins of Madagascar, Zoey 101, True Jackson, VP, Law and Order: SVU, Medium and Judging Amy.
From 2007 to 2012, McCurdy had a starring role in the Nickelodeon TV series iCarly, opposite Miranda Cosgrove, Nathan Kress, Jerry Trainor, and Noah Munck, as Sam Puckett. In 2008, she was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her work on iCarly, and for her performance as Dory Sorenson in the TV movie The Last Day of Summer. She played Bertha in Fred: The Movie. McCurdy currently stars alongside Ariana Grande in the Nickelodeon series Sam & Cat, reprising her role as Sam Puckett, with Grande reprising her role as Cat Valentine from Victorious.
McCurdy also has had a successful singing career in the Country genre. She released her self-titled debut album in July 2012.
Aubrey Plaza, 30
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Actress, comedian, and web star Aubrey Plaza turns 30 today. Plaza has performed improv and sketch comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater since 2004. She also performed stand-up and has appeared at the Laugh Factory and The Improv. She played Seth Rogen's love interest, Daisy, in the 2009 comedy Funny People. She also had roles in the comedy films Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Derrick Comedy's Mystery Team. She appeared in a CollegeHumor short alongside Jason Bateman and Will Arnett. In 2011, she made a guest appearance in Portlandia and appeared as a guest judge during a roast segment on The Next Food Network Star.
In the summer of 2012, Plaza earned her first starring role in a major film, alongside Mark Duplass, in the comedy, Safety Not Guaranteed. Her performance in the film was critically acclaimed.
Plaza's latest film is Life After Beth, which was written and directed by her boyfriend Jeff Baena. She currently plays April Ludgate in NBC's Parks and Recreation.