Jon Voight

Jonathan Vincent "Jon" Voight, born on December 29, 1938, ascended to Hollywood stardom with his gritty portrayal of a would-be gigolo in 1969's Midnight Cowboy, a role that earned him his first of four Academy Award nominations. His star shone brightest in the 1970s with powerful performances in Deliverance, Coming Home (for which he won Best Actor), and The Champ. Though his career slowed in the 1980s, Voight's portrayal in Runaway Train revived critical acclaim, and in the 1990s, he starred as a cunning attorney in The Rainmaker. In the 2000s, Voight offered nuanced biographical portrayals, including Howard Cosell in Ali and Pope John Paul II in a television film, cementing his status as one of cinema's most versatile actors.