Steven Spielberg? Talk about a guy who changed the game. He basically invented the summer blockbuster with Jaws—yeah, the shark movie that made people afraid to swim for, like, decades. But Spielberg’s story starts way before the Hollywood glitz. Born in Cincinnati in 1946, he bounced around from New Jersey to Arizona and eventually California. His mom was a pianist, his dad was a computer wizard. Classic mix of art and science, right? He didn’t even finish college; dude just dipped to chase his movie dreams. Early on, Spielberg was already making short films as a kid—stuff like Battle Squad and Escape to Nowhere, roping in siblings and neighborhood kids. He got obsessed with sci-fi and the wild west, which is hilarious considering where he ended up. By the late ‘60s, he was dabbling in TV, directing episodes for shows like Night Gallery and Marcus Welby, M.D. (those titles alone scream the ‘70s). But the real magic started with The Sugarland Express, then Jaws, then boom—Close Encounters of the Third Kind. After that, it was like he couldn’t miss: Raiders of the Lost Ark, E.T., Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom… Just one iconic movie after another. He even made product placement a thing with Reese’s Pieces in E.T. Spielberg’s fingerprints are all over modern movies, from big-budget effects to the way we see aliens and adventure. The man’s a legend, no question.
So, Steven Spielberg actually got to sit down and watch Lawrence of Arabia with David Lean himself—yeah, the guy who directed that epic. Instead of just chilling, Lean basically did a whole live director’s commentary, breaking down scenes, sharing secrets, all that good stuff. Spielberg’s called it one of the absolute highlights of his life, which, I mean, makes sense. Imagine getting a private masterclass from one of the greatest directors ever. He says that experience totally changed the way he made movies after that. Lean’s insights, his approach to storytelling, the way he handled epic scale and tiny details—Spielberg soaked it all up. Apparently, that one night influenced every single film he’s made since. Wild, right? Just goes to show, even the legends have their own legends they look up to, and sometimes, you get lucky enough to learn straight from them.
So, here's the deal: the Internet’s about to flip the entertainment world upside down. Seriously, everything you know about TV, movies, music—just toss it out the window. People everywhere are gonna be glued to their screens, binging on some wild, random show that, get this, probably comes outta Des Moines of all places. The big studios? Yeah, they’re sweating. Everyone’s worried they’re about to lose their jobs, and honestly, they might be right. Suddenly, all these creative types are scrambling, not for a record deal or movie contract, but for views, likes, and subscribers. It’s chaos, but kinda exciting too. Now, instead of waiting for Hollywood to pick them, folks are just throwing their stuff online, hoping it blows up. It’s unpredictable, a little scary, but you can’t look away. The future of entertainment? It’s streaming from someone’s basement, not a fancy studio.
December 18, 1946
5′ 7¾″ (1.72 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
Yes, Sasha Spielberg
Leah Frances (Posner) and Surekha
78 years old