Singer Taylor Swift and actors Jamie Foxx and Steve Buscemi are all celebrating their birthdays today, December 13.
Taylor Swift, 25
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Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift turns 25 today. Swift moved to Nashville, Tennessee at the age of 14 to pursue a career in country music. After signing with the label Big Machine Records, she became the youngest songwriter ever hired by the Sony/ATV Music publishing house. She released her self-titled debut studio album in 2006. She received a Best New Artist nomination at the 2008 Grammy Awards.
Swift released her second album, Fearless, in 2008. The album became the best-selling album of 2009 in the United States and won four Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year, making her the youngest winner for that category. In 2010, Sift released her third album, Speak Now, which sold over one million copies within the first week of its U.S release. The album's third single, "Mean", won two Grammy Awards. Swift's fourth album, Red, was released in 2012 and included the popular singles "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" and "I Knew You Were Trouble."
In October, Swift released her fifth album, 1989. It sold more copies in its opening week than any album in the previous twelve years. The singles "Shake It Off" and "Blank Space" both reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was a commercial success debuting at number one on the US Billboard 200.
Jamie Foxx, 47
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Actor, singer, songwriter and stand-up comedian Jamie Foxx turns 47 today. Born Eric Marlon Bishop, Foxx began his career as a stand-up comedian. Foxx joined the cast of In Living Color in 1991. From 1996 to 2001, he starred in his own sitcom entitled The Jamie Foxx Show. In 1992, he made his film debut in the comedy Toys. He went on to star in the 1999 drama Any Given Sunday. Foxx starred in Collateral alongside Tom Cruise, receiving a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
In 2004, he was featured on rapper Twista's song, "Slow Jamz," along with Kanye West. The song reached No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. He collaborated with West again for the song "Gold Digger." The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and remained there for 10 weeks. Foxx released his second album, Unpredictable, in 2005, which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
In 2004, Foxx portrayed Ray Charles in the biographical film Ray, which earned him the Academy Award for Best Actor and the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Foxx went on to star in Jarhead, Miami Vice and Dreamgirls. In 2011, Foxx was cast in the title role of Django Unchained, which was well received by critics.
In 2014, Foxx appeared in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as the villain Electro. He will be seen next in the musical Annie, and is scheduled to play Martin Luther King Jr. in his upcoming biopic produced by Steven Spielberg.
Steve Buscemi, 57
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Actor, director and writer Steve Buscemi turns 57 today. Buscemi has starred and supported in successful Hollywood films, including Reservoir Dogs, Desperado, Con Air, Armageddon and Big Fish. Buscemi starred in the HBO television series The Sopranos.
Buscemi is also known for his appearances in many films by the Coen brothers including Miller's Crossing, Fargo and The Big Lebowski. He has also starred in Adam Sandler films including Billy Madison, The Wedding Singer, Big Daddy, Mr. Deeds, Grown Ups and Grown Ups 2.
Since 2010, he has starred in the critically acclaimed series Boardwalk Empire, which earned him two Screen Actors Guild Awards, a Golden Globe award and two nominations for an Emmy Award. He made his directorial debut in 1996, with Trees Lounge, in which he also starred. Buscemi's other works include Animal Factory, Lonesome Jim and Interview. He has also directed multiple episodes from different shows, including Homicide: Life on the Street, The Sopranos, Oz, 30 Rock and Nurse Jackie.
Buscemi has been married to choreographer Jo Andres since 1987, and they have one son together.