Actor turned director Kevin Hooks turns 53 today. As an actor, the Philadelphia native has appeared in Sounder, The White Shadow, He’s The Mayor and Soul Food among others. His directing credits include St. Elsewhere, Vietnam War Story, 21 Jump Street, China Beach, Roots: The Gift, Doogie Howser M.D., Passenger 57, Cold Case, Soul Food, Lost, Alias, Lincoln Heights, Bones, Drop Dead Diva and Detroit 1-8-7.

Sanaa Lathan welcomes 40. The New York native recently appeared in the off-Broadway play By the Way, Meet Vera Stark and can now be seen in the summer blockbuster Contagion. Additional credits include NYPD Blue, Family Matters, Blade, Catfish In Blackbean Sauce, The Wood, Love & Basketball, The Best Man, Disappearing Acts, Brown Sugar, Something New, Nip/Tuck, A Raisin In The Sun, The Family That Preys and The Cleveland Show. She’s currently filming the horror thriller Vipaka co-starring Forest Whitaker, Anthony Mackie, Nicole Ari Parker and Mike Epps.

Kansas City native Columbus Short turns 29. Probably best known for his lead role in the dance flick Stomp The Yard, he’s also appeared in You Got Served, Judging Amy, That’s So Raven, This Christmas, Cadillac Records, Armored, The Losers and Death At A Funeral. His next production to hit the screen will be The Girl Is In Trouble, a thriller co-starring Mike Starr and Wilmer Valderrama.