Actress Eva Mendes and magician Penn Jillette are celebrating their birthdays today, March 5.

Eva Mendes, 41

Actress, model, singer and designer Eva Mendes turns 41 today. Mendes made her film debut in the direct-to-video Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror. She went on to appear in A Night at the Roxbury, Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Urban Legends: Final Cut and Exit Wounds.

Mendes gained critical attentin after her performance in Training Day in 2001 and that led to other roles in the films All About the Benjamins, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Once Upon a Time in Mexico and Stuck on You. She earned a leading role in the film Hitch alongside Will Smith. She most recently starred in the 2013 movie The Place Beyond the Pines, receiving praise for her performance.

Mendes also had a modeling career, appearing in ads for Revlon Cosmetics, Calvin Klein, Morgan, Reebok and Pantene. She also has her own line of bed linens and dinnerware at Macy's. Mendes sand a duet with CeeLo Green on "Pimps Don't Cry," which was also used in the film The Other Guys. In 2011, she recorded a version of "The Windmills of Your Mind."

Mendes has a daughter, Esmeralda Amada, with actor Ryan Gosling.


image courtesy of Nancy Rivera/ACE/INFphoto.com

Penn Jillette, 60

Magician, juggler, comedian, musician, inventor, actor and author Penn Jillette turns 60 today. Jillette met Raymond Joseph Teller in 1974 and formed a three-men act with a mutual friend. He and Teller later teamed up in 1981 and performed as Penn & Teller in a Broadway theatre show that toured nationally.

In 1988, Jillette was a part of a music trio called Bongos, Bass and Bob, with Jillette on bass. Jillette was a contributor to the PC/Computing magazine but left after differences with the editor. Jillette briefly wrote bi-weekly dispatches for Excite.com.

In 1996, Jillette had a recurring role on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch. He and Teller both appeared in the pilot. In 2003, Jillette, along with Teller, began producing and hosting the Showtime series Penn & Teller: Bulls**t!. In 2008, Jillette was a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, paired with Kym Johnson, and was the first to be eliminated.

Jillette later became a contestant on Season 5 of The Celebrity Apprentice and was eliminated during Week 11. He returned for the All-Star Celebrity Apprentice season in 2013, where he made it all the way to the finale, coming in second place.


image courtesy of INFphoto.com