Actors Claire Danes, Jennifer Morrison and Ed O'Neill are all celebrating their birthdays today, April 12.

Claire Danes, 36

Actress and producer Claire Danes turns 36 today. Danes began her career on television and appeared on the television series Law & Order. In 1994, Danes played Angela Chase in the ABC drama My So-Called Life. Though the series was highly reviewed, it was cancelled after one season and Danes earned a Golden Globe award and an Emmy nomination for her role.

Danes later transitioned into film and landed her first leading role in Romeo + Juliet alongside Leonardo DiCaprio. She later starred in films like The Rainmaker, Les Miserables and Brokedown Palace. She took a break from her career to attend Yale University and returned to acting in 2002, starring in The Hours, Shopgirl and The Family Stone.

In 2000, she appeared on stage in the production The Vagina Monologues. Other theater work includes Edith and Jenny and Pygmalion

Danes currently plays Carrie Mathison, a CIA agent suffering from bipolar disorder, in Showtime's Homeland for which she also serves as a producer. She has won two Golden Globe awards and two Emmy awards for her role. She is married to Hannibal's Hugh Dancy and they have one son.


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Jennifer Morrison, 36

Actress, model and film producer Jennifer Morrison turns 36 today. Morrison started her career as a model, appearing in numerous magazine advertisements. She made her film debut in Intersection alongside Richard Gere and Sharon Stone. In 2000, she earned a leading role in the horror film Urban Legends: Final Cut.

Morrison continued to act n numerous films including Grind alongside Adam Brody, Surviving Christmas with Ben Affleck and James Gandolfini and Mr. & Mrs. Smith alongside Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Morrison has also had a successful television career. She made appearances in Touched by an Angel and Dawson's Creek and later landed a recurring role on the FOX drama House. After leaving House, she joined the cast of CBS's How I Met Your Mother.

In 2011, Morrison landed the role of Emma Swan on the ABC fantasy drama Once Upon a Time. She earned a People's Choice Award nomination for her on-screen chemistry with actor Colin O'Donoghue.


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Ed O'Neill, 69

Actor Ed O'Neill turns 69 today. After being cut from the Pittsburgh Steelers, O'Neill returned to school and started acting in minor theater productions. He later branched out and appeared in a television commercial and had a minor appearance in The Equalizer. In 1986, O'Neill played Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, a character from the film The French Connection, for the series Popeye Doyle. Though the pilot and O'Neill's performance was well received, it was never picked up for a series.

In 1987, O'Neill landed the lead role of Al Bundy in Fox's Married... with Children. He went on to make film appearances in The Bone Collector, Little Giants and Dutch. He also made television appearances on In Living Color and 8 Simple Rules.

In 2003, O'Neill starred as Sgt. Joe Friday in the remake of Dragnet. After its cancellation, he went on to star in NBC's The West Wing and HBO's John From Cincinnati.

O'Neill currently plays the role of Jay Pritchett on ABC's Modern Family. He earned three Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his role. O'Neill has three daughters with his wife, actress Catherine Rusoff.


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