Lily Jackson ‘28, Feature Editor
April is a time of fresh flowers, spring showers, and warmer weather, as many people enjoy spending time outside and getting prepared for summer. Although the month of April is notoriously famous for April Fools’ Day and Earth Day, there are other things to celebrate. Specifically—the birthdays of famous people ranging from William Shakespreare to John Cena.
Pedro Pascal:
Although Pedro Pascal is known globally for his appearance in 29 films and TV shows, he has worked exceptionally hard to gain his success. Before his rise to fame, Pascal was born in Santiago, Chile on April 2, 1975. Pascal’s childhood was defined by his family’s fleeing from the political upheaval of his birth country. To escape the military officer and president at the time, Augusto Pinochet Ugarte’s dictatorship, they sought asylum in Denmark. The Pascal family did not stay in Denmark, though, and eventually moved to America. The family lived in San Antonio, Texas and finally settled in Orange County, California.
Pascal’s mother and father were very hard working; his mother found herself employed as a child psychologist before her passing in 2000. Pascal remains close with his father regardless of a medical scandal in which his father, who worked as a reproductive specialist, implemented eggs and embryos into women without their knowledge or consent. Despite Pascal’s nomadic childhood and exposure to political upheaval, he still gained a degree in acting at Orange County School of the Arts, followed by his attendance in New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Pascal worked very hard to jumpstart his career, although he was met with restraint as he recollected on being fired up to ten times. In order to pursue his dream of acting on the big screen, Pascal often got jobs waiting at restaurants. His hard work did pay off, though, and one of Pascal’s first recorded acting roles was in an independent film Burning Bridges, but his first visual media appearance was in the 1999 movie Good vs Evil. Pascal’s career truly took off in the late 2010s, followed by his appearance in the Game of Thrones series. Notably, Pascal was recently in the new Fantastic Four movie which earned craze from millions of fans. Pascal is a true example of believing in a dream and working desperately to achieve it.
Emma Watson:
On April 15, 1990, another award-winning actor was born—Emma Watson. Watson is well known for her roles in the Harry Potter movies. Though an amazing actor, Watson is a staunch advocate for gender equality. Whilst being widely recognized for her acting roles and vibrant personality, it is very important to recognize her less largely unacknowledged activist side. Throughout her career, Watson has backed initiatives that support sustainable fashion, education, and women’s safety. In 2014, Watson launched the HeForShe initiative, a program that invites all genders to support and stand in solidarity for gender equality.
Watson is widely recognized for her acting as well, specifically in Harry Potter, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Little Women, and The Bling Ring. Though Watson has not appeared in a feature movie since 2019, she appeared in the Harry Potter 20th anniversary special. Watson’s career has far succeeded just acting— she is internationally known as an advocate and role model.
John Cena:
On April 23, 1977, a wrestling star by the name of John Cena was born. As Cena grew up, unbeknownst to Cena’s parents, a future international wrestler and actor was learning to walk and talk. Cena was physically healthy and interested in a possible fitness career his whole childhood, so when the opportunity to train at Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW) in California arose, he jumped—quickly. In 1998, at UPW, Cena trained under an alias known as “The Prototype.” His persona was slightly robotic, but completely cocky, which gained him an influx of media attention. He was featured in a documentary about wrestling school in California, which ultimately garnered himself more fame. Though his time at UPW was cherished, he made a switch in 2000 to another wrestling federation before ultimately ending up on World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). Cena’s first appearance on WWE was in June 2002, in which he answered a challenge from fellow wrestler Kurt Angle. Although Cena’s first official WWE match resulted in a loss, he was still praised for appearing on Smack Down! and showing extreme effort. His career at WWE resulted in many victories and some difficult losses. Over time he gained immense popularity and developed the tagline “You can’t see me!” His signature jean shorts and hat is recognized across the globe, as well as his impact on professional wrestling.
Although April is widely recognized for being a time of renewal and revival, there are many famous birthdays that can be appreciated as well. Pascal, Watson, and Cena are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to famous birthdays of April.
Lyon Life 