Let's make this birthday one to remember.

53 years old (Born on June 26, 1970)

American film director; He is famous from Boogie Nights.

His favorite all-time film is Network (1976) Shares his birthday (26 June 1970) with Sean Hayes and Chris O'Donnell. He shaves his head before SOME productions. He did not shave his head before the production of Magnolia (1999), as evidenced in the documentary on the DVD. Is a big fan of Adam Sandler and his movies. Father was a local celebrity in Cleveland, where he hosted horror shows using the name Ghoulardi.

Lived in Los Angeles, USA with girlfriend Fiona Apple.

Fan and personal friend of Aimee Mann, and used her exclusively for the Magnolia soundtrack.

Dropped out of NYU's film program after two days. Subsequently got his tuition payment back and used the money to make Cigarettes & Coffee (1993).

Daughter, Pearl, with girlfriend Maya Rudolph, born October 2005.

Was employed as a standby director for A Prairie Home Companion (2006) for insurance purposes, and in the event that ailing 80-year-old director Robert Altman was unable to finish shooting.

Attended Emerson College in Boston, Mass.

He is a good friend of Quentin Tarantino.

For the brief time he was at NYU film school he handed in some of Pulitzer Prize winner David Mamet's work as his own. When he got it back with a "C" grade he decided to leave.

Son of Ernie Anderson.

Cites Martin Scorsese and Jonathan Demme as his biggest influences and considers both to be the greatest American film directors.

Tom Cruise got him on to the set of Eyes Wide Shut (1999). He spent the day there and got to talk to Stanley Kubrick.

As of 2008 he has directed four actors in Oscar-nominated performances. In chronological order they are Burt Reynolds (Best Supporting Actor for Boogie Nights (1997)), Julianne Moore (Best Supporting Actress for Boogie Nights (1997)), Tom Cruise (Best Supporting Actor for Magnolia (1999)) and Daniel Day-Lewis (Best Actor for There Will Be Blood (2007)). Daniel Day-Lewis won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in There Will Be Blood (2007).