Today's celebrity birthdays: February 17, 2026

Happy birthday to entertainers like Rene Russo, Michael Jordan, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt! Keep on reading to see who else is celebrating their birthday and some career highlights!

Celebrity birthday highlights for February 17, 2026:

Actress Christina Pickles (1935) anchored "St. Elsewhere" as Nurse Helen Rosenthal and gave "Friends" fans the ultimate critical mother in Judy Geller. She finally snagged a Primetime Emmy in 2018 for her work in the short form series "Break a Hip."

Actress Rene Russo (1954) broke out in "Major League" and dominated the 90s with hits like "Get Shorty," "Tin Cup," and "The Thomas Crown Affair." She later returned to screens for "Thor" and delivered a Saturn Award-winning performance in "Nightcrawler."

Actor Richard Karn (1956) spent the 90s as the flannel-clad Al Borland on "Home Improvement" before taking over hosting duties for "Family Feud." He recently reunited with Tim Allen to co-host the History Channel series "More Power."

Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan (1963) hit the winning NCAA shot for UNC, led the "Dream Team" to gold, and won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls. His cultural impact includes the "Air Jordan" brand, the "Space Jam" blockbuster, and the Emmy-winning documentary "The Last Dance."

Actress Denise Richards (1971) flew high as a pilot in "Starship Troopers" and became a pop culture fixture with the thriller "Wild Things." She recently returned to reality TV with her own series, "Denise Richards & Her Wild Things."

Singer-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong (1972) brought punk into the mainstream as the frontman of Green Day, smashing charts with "Dookie" and the rock opera "American Idiot." The band celebrated their legacy in 2024 with the release of their fourteenth studio album, "Saviors."

Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt (1981) grew up on screen on "3rd Rock from the Sun" before defying gravity in the blockbuster "Inception." He recently starred in "Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F" and the Prime Video mystery "Killer Heat."

TV personality Paris Hilton (1981) defined the reality genre with "The Simple Life" and hit the charts with "Stars Are Blind." She has since built a business empire, released the memoir "Paris: The Memoir," and dropped the album "Infinite Icon."

Singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran (1991) released the smash albums "+" and "x" before winning Song of the Year for "Thinking Out Loud." His dominance continued with the record-breaking "÷" era and the chart-toppers "Shape of You" and "Perfect."

Other celebs celebrating birthdays today:

Actress Brenda Fricker (1945), Actress Becky Ann Baker (1953), Actor Lou Diamond Phillips (1962), Comedian Larry the Cable Guy (1963), Director Michael Bay (1965), Hockey Hall of Famer Luc Robitaille (1966), Singer Chante Moore (1967), Guitarist Tim Mahoney of 311 (1970), Actor Dominic Purcell (1970), Actor Jerry O’Connell (1974), Country singer Bryan White (1974), Actress Kelly Carlson (1976), Actor Rory Kinnear (1978), Actor Conrad Ricamora (1979), Actor Jason Ritter (1980), TV co-host Daphne Oz (1986), Actor Chord Overstreet (1989), Actress Bonnie Wright (1991), Actress Meaghan Martin (1992), Actress Sasha Pieterse (1996)