Famous Leapers born on February 29th
Ja Rule
ABOUT
Rap and hip-hop artist best known for his duets with female R&B artists in the early 2000’s including the songs “I’m Real” with Jennifer Lopez and “Mesmerize” with Ashanti. His album Pain is Love debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in 2001.
BEFORE FAME
He got into a lot of fights in middle school due to his diminutive size.
TRIVIA
He is a multiple time Grammy nominated rapper who 50 Cent openly dissed in his lyrics.
FAMILY LIFE
He has three children, Brittney, Jeffrey and Jordan, with his wife Aisha Murray Atkins, who he married in April 2001.
ASSOCIATED WITH
He appeared alongside Paul Walker in the 2001 film The Fast and the Furious.
Mark Foster
ABOUT
Singer and multi-instrumentalist most famous as the frontman of the indie rock band Foster the People. In 2010, he scored a major crossover hit with the single “Pumped Up Kicks,” which was nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
BEFORE FAME
He struggled with severe drug addiction as a teenager.
TRIVIA
He wrote commercial jingles for Mophonics before making it big with Foster the People.
FAMILY LIFE
He has a tattoo of boxing gloves in honor of his grandfather, who was a boxer.
ASSOCIATED WITH
He was featured on the Kimbra song “Warrior” from the singer’s 2011 album Vows.
Dinah Shore
ABOUT
TV actress and singer who released the #1 hits “Blues in the Night,” “I’ll Walk Alone,” “The Gypsy,” and “Buttons and Bows.”
BEFORE FAME
She was diagnosed with polio at a young age but recovered after intensive care. Her first gig was on the Ben Bernie’s Orchestra radio show.
TRIVIA
She toured with the USO, entertaining American soldiers overseas.
FAMILY LIFE
She married George Montgomery in 1943 and, after their divorce in 1963, she married Maurice F. Smith.
ASSOCIATED WITH
She made the decision to go solo as a musician mainly because she did not make the cut for Benny Goodman’s band.
Hannah Mills
ABOUT
Former junior world champion in sailing who teamed up with Saskie Clark to win the silver medal in the 470 class at the London 2012 Olympics.
BEFORE FAME
She began training in sailing at the Cardiff Sailing Centre at 8 years of age.
TRIVIA
Two months before her medal-winning run in 2012, she and Clark won the gold medal in the Women’s 470 at the World Championships in Barcelona – the first British team to do so.
FAMILY LIFE
She was born in Cardiff, Wales.
ASSOCIATED WITH
When news came of her selection to the Olympics, she got a warm congratulations from Snoop Dogg, who appeared in a Cardiff City t-shirt on YouTube to give her a big shout out.
Tony Robbins
ABOUT
Motivational speaker and author of Awaken the Giant Within. His popular four-day seminar, Unleash The Power Within, includes an exercise in which audience members take their shoes off and walk over a bed of hot coals.
BEFORE FAME
He attended Southern California’s Glendora High School. In his twenties, he lived in a small, low-rent apartment in Los Angeles and dreamed of owning a mansion. He accomplished this goal in 1984 when he bought the Del Mar Castle.
TRIVIA
He began his career as a motivational speaker by promoting seminars for Jim Rohn.
FAMILY LIFE
He married his first wife, Becky Robbins, after having a child with his former girlfriend, Liz Acosta. His second marriage was to Bonnie Humphrey.
ASSOCIATED WITH
His book Money: Master the Game features interviews with such financial experts as Charles Schwab, Warren Buffett and Carl Icahn.
Antonio Sabato Jr.
ABOUT
Male supermodel, actor, and fitness author who is known for appearing on General Hospital.
BEFORE FAME
He slowly rose to recognition after working as a Calvin Klein underwear model.
TRIVIA
He was born in Italy but raised in the United States.
FAMILY LIFE
He was married to Tully Jensen from 1992 to 1993. In 2012, he married Cheryl Moana Marie Nunes. He has two sons, Jack and Antonio III, and a daughter, Mina.
ASSOCIATED WITH
He was on the soap opera General Hospital with Steve Burton.
Dennis Farina
ABOUT
Actor typically cast in law enforcement roles and is best known as Detective Joe Fontana on the television series, Law and Order.
BEFORE FAME
He worked in the Chicago Police Department’s burglary division for eighteen years.
TRIVIA
He was on the other side of law in real life after being arrested for carrying a .22-caliber handgun through security at LAX airport.
FAMILY LIFE
He married Patricia Farina in 1970 and the couple had three sons.
ASSOCIATED WITH
He co-starred with Claire Danes in a Hollywood remake of The Mod Squad in 1999.
Caitlin EJ Meyer
ABOUT
She had her breakout role in the film Little Secrets as the character of Isabelle when she was just 9 years old. She also performed in a short called A Pioneer Miracle at that age. Her acting has earned her multiple Young Artist Awards.
BEFORE FAME
She made her acting debut at age five with an uncredited role in the 1997 TV movie Mother Knows Best.
TRIVIA
She played the lead role of Paige in Minor Details, acting alongside Jennette McCurdy of Sam and Cat and iCarly. She also appeared in the films 17 Miracles, Christmas Oranges, and Alienate.
FAMILY LIFE
She has five brothers, two sisters, and 12 nieces and nephews.
ASSOCIATED WITH
She had a supporting role opposite Brian Krause, Jeremy Sumpter, Lauren Holly and Dani Chuchran in the 2010 romantic comedy You’re So Cupid!
Lena Gercke
ABOUT
After rising to fame as the Cycle 1 champion of Germany’s Next Top Model, she hosted several cycles of both Austria’s Next Top Model and Das Supertalent.
BEFORE FAME
She began her modeling career after booking a Burger King commercial.
TRIVIA
Her Germany’s Next Top Model win was accompanied by a contract with the Paris-based IMG Models agency and a Cosmopolitan-Germany cover shoot.
FAMILY LIFE
A native of Cloppenburg, Germany, she grew up with three sisters.
ASSOCIATED WITH
She and Sara Nuru won different cycles of Germany’s Next Top Model.
Cam Ward
ABOUT
NHL goaltender who won the Conn Smythe Trophy for Playoff MVP in 2006, while leading the Carolina Hurricanes to a Stanley Cup Championship.
BEFORE FAME
He played six seasons between the WHL and AHL before making his NHL debut with the Hurricanes in 2005.
TRIVIA
He was named to his first career NHL All-Star Game in 2011.
FAMILY LIFE
He has two children, Nolan and Nyla, with his wife Cody Ward.
ASSOCIATED WITH
He was teammates with Matt Cullen on the Carolina Hurricanes from 2007 to 2010.
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