Million-dollar cutie William Bradley Pitt (1963-) was called "the coolest person on earth" by director Gore Verbinski and "a very low-key, groovy guy" by co-star Julia Roberts.

"When I look into the mirror, I see pores and yellowing teeth," said Pitt who was born on this day in Shawnee, Oklahoma and raised in Springfield, Missouri. He dropped out of college, just credits shy of a Journalism degree and followed his dream to Hollywood.

The story goes that he dressed as a giant El Pollo Loco chicken, "clucking customers into the restaurant," before landing roles on television's Head of the Class in 1986 and 21 Jump Street in 1987.

"I don't have it all together, all right?" he said. "I've got my foibles."

Cast as "J.D." in Thelma and Louise (1991), his screen time was about 15 minutes but his washboard stomach made a definite impression. A year later the golden boy won critical acclaim with his role as wild Paul MacLean in Robert Redford's A River Runs Through It.

He followed that up with a barrage of unforgettable hits to shoot his career to superstar status: Interview with the Vampire (w/Tom Cruise, 1994), Legends of the Fall (1994), and 12 Monkeys (w/ Bruce Willis 1995).

Not surprisingly, in 1995 and 2000, the gorgeous Mr. Pitt was named "the sexiest man alive" by People magazine. He responded with typical self-deprecating wit: A friend of mine said they misspelled it. It was supposed to be sexiest moron."

That's not what they're calling him in New Orleans where he's such a community hero, they're printing "Brad Pitt for Mayor" t-shirts. Since Hurricane Katrina, his Make It Right Foundation has helped to rebuild the poverty-stricken 9th ward that lost 4,000 homes in the disaster.

"We are the greenest neighborhood in the United States already," Pitt said in August 2009. "And that's only with 15 houses... We will be 150 houses next year...We're just scratching the surface."

You are priceless, just the way you are.