English Reading Famous People
Ünlü İnsanların Hayatlarını Keşfetmek
Ünlü insanların yaşamlarını, yolculuklarını, karşılaştıkları zorlukları ve elde ettikleri başarıları keşfedin. Bu okumalar dil becerilerinizi geliştirmenize yardımcı olacaktır.
English Reading Actors
Al Pacino is a famous actor. He has been in many great movies. He was born on April 25, 1940, in New York City, United States. Al loved acting from a young age and he wanted to perform on stage. He studied acting at a place called the “Actors Studio” in New York. He worked very hard and he started his acting career in theater.
Al was not famous until he got his first big role in “The Godfather.” This happened when he was more than thirty years old. He played “Michael Corleone” in this movie. This movie is about a young man and what happens when he joins his family’s crime business. Many people still remember him with this role.
After The Godfather, many people in Hollywood respected Al Pacino. He acted in many movies and he won awards for his work. One of his famous roles was a detective in the movie “Serpico.”
Al Pacino is famous for his powerful acting and his ability to play tough characters. He is also famous for his special voice and unforgettable lines in movies.
Plus acting, Al Pacino loves theater. he has directed and produced plays on Broadway. He also helps others by doing charity work. He likes to help homeless people and support artists.
Alain Delon was born on November 8, 1935, in Sceaux, France. He grew up near Paris. When he was a young boy, Alain was not very interested in school. He wanted to do things his way.
When Alain was a teenager, he joined the French Navy. He spent four years there. This experience helped him to be very organized. After leaving the navy, Alain decided to try acting.
In the late 1950s, Alain started to act in movies. He quickly became famous in France. People liked his good looks and cool style. He became one of the most popular actors in France.
Alain Delon acted in many important films. Some of his most famous movies are “Rocco and His Brothers” (1960) and “The Samurai” (1967). In these films, he often played tough and mysterious characters. His acting was very powerful.
Plus acting, Alain also worked as a producer. He helped make some of the movies he acted in. This was a big job, but he liked to lead his own work.
Alain Delon became famous all over the world, not just in France. He worked with many other famous actors and directors from different countries. He was very successful, but he liked to keep his life private.
When he got older, Alain Delon stopped acting and he lived a quiet life away from movies. He was still respected in the film world until he died on August 18, 2024.
Alain Delon loved animals, especially dogs. He had many dogs during his life and was famous for his close connection with them.
Anthony Hopkins was born on December 31, 1937, in Wales, United Kingdom. He did not like school much when he was a child. But he loved acting, so he chose to be an actor.
Anthony went to a drama school in London to learn acting. After he finished school, he started to act in plays. He worked hard and became very good at acting. Soon, he started to act in movies too.
One of his most famous roles is as “Hannibal Lecter” in the movie “The Silence of the Lambs” from 1991. This movie is very famous. many people liked how Anthony acted in it. He won an Oscar for his role in this movie. An Oscar is a big award for actors.
Anthony Hopkins has acted in many other movies. Some of these movies are “Thor” and “The Remains of the Day.” He has won more awards for his roles in these movies.
Anthony Hopkins also likes to paint and play music. He has made music for some movies. This shows he is not only good at acting but also at other creative things.
Anthony also likes to help other people learn about acting. He has taught some young actors how to act better. He enjoys sharing what he knows. Anthony is older now but still acts in movies. He really likes acting and he does not want to stop.
Anthony Hopkins started acting when he was older. At first, he wanted to be a musician. But after seeing the actor “Richard Burton’s” movie, he chose to become an actor. This choice changed his life and it made him a successful actor.
Bruce Lee was a very famous martial artist and actor. He was born on November 27, 1940, in San Francisco, California. Lee really loved martial arts from a young age and he started training in “Wing Chun Kung Fu” when he was little. He got so good that he made his own martial arts style. He called it “Jeet Kune Do.”
When Lee went back to the United States, he started to teach martial arts to famous people and people in the movie business. Hollywood noticed him because of his cool style and personality. After that, he got his first big role in a TV show called “The Green Hornet.”
Lee had trouble in Hollywood because people treated him unfairly. So he went back to Hong Kong and he made great martial arts movies like “The Big Boss” and “Fist of Fury.” These movies made him famous all over the world.
Lee did not just talk about martial arts in his movies; he also talked about staying healthy and thinking well. He inspired lots of people to care about fitness and getting better.
Sadly, Bruce Lee died suddenly on July 20, 1973, when he was only 32 years old. He is gone, but people still love his movies. They remember him for being one of the best martial artists ever.
Bruce Lee was not just good at martial arts; he was also a great dancer. He even won in a dancing competition in Hong Kong in 1958!
Charlie Chaplin was born on April 16, 1889, in London, England. Chaplin had a hard childhood because his family was poor and his parents could not find jobs easily.
Charlie started to perform on stage when he was very young. He was good at acting and soon became popular. When he was about 20 years old, he moved to the United States to act in movies.
Charlie Chaplin became famous for his character “The Tramp.” This character was funny and kind and he wore a bowler hat. “The Tramp” had a small mustache and he carried a cane. Charlie wrote, directed, and acted in many silent films with this character. His movies made people laugh even without talking.Some of his most famous movies are “The Kid” (1921), “City Lights” (1931), and “Modern Times” (1936). Movies with sound became popular, but Charlie continued making silent films because he thought they were very special.
Charlie was not just a comedian. He also cared about important things in the world. His films often showed his ideas about peace, love, and fairness. He wanted to use his movies to make the world a better place.
When Charlie got old, he lived in Switzerland with his family. He had eight children with his last wife, “Oona.” People all over the world loved him even after he stopped making movies.
Charlie Chaplin died on December 25, 1977. He was 88 years old. People think he is one of the greatest filmmakers and actors.
Charlie Chaplin once won the third place in a competition. In this competition, people tried to look like him! He joined for fun and did not even win the first place.
English Reading Actresses
Angelina Jolie is a famous actress from the United States. She was born in Los Angeles, California on June 4, 1975. Angelina started acting in movies when she was very young because her parents were also actors.
Angelina’s first big role in movies was in the movie “Girl, Interrupted” in 1999. She played a very tough character and she acted very well. She won an Oscar for this movie. Oscar is a very important award for acting.
Angelina Jolie has been in many popular movies. Some of these movies are “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” “Mr. & Mrs. Smith,” and “Maleficent.” She is famous for playing strong and brave characters.
Angelina is not just an actress; she also helps others. She has traveled to many countries to help people. She works with the “United Nations” to help the people who had to leave their home countries.
Angelina has a big family. She has six children. She has adopted some of her children from other countries. She wants to give them a good life and teach them how to help others.
Today, Angelina Jolie still acts in movies. She is also a movie director and she writes stories. She is one of the most famous actresses in Hollywood. Many people admire her for her work in movies and for helping people.
Audrey Hepburn was a famous actress and people all over the world liked her. She was born on May 4, 1929, in Belgium. Audrey grew up during World War II and it was hard, but she still wanted to be an actress.
In 1953, Audrey got her big success in the movie “Roman Holiday.” People loved her in the movie. She won an award for her role as “Princess Ann.” After that, she became a big star. She was famous for her beauty, style ,and charm.
Audrey Hepburn had a special style that many people tried to copy. She was famous for her classy, simple clothes, especially her little black dresses. Her hairstyles also became very popular around the world.
Audrey Hepburn grew up during World War II in the Netherlands, where there was not enough food and life was hard. She saw how tough things were for her country. This made her want to help others. She worked with UNICEF, a group that helps children. Audrey went to many countries to help children get food, medicine, and education.
Audrey Hepburn died on January 20, 1993, but people still remember her as a talented actress and a caring person. People love her movies and her work with children. Audrey’s kindness inspires people everywhere.
Audrey Hepburn was not just a great actress; she was also a good ballet dancer. When she was young, she learned ballet, and she often danced in movies.
Brigitte Bardot is a famous actress from France. She was born on September 28, 1934, in Paris, France. Brigitte started her career with modeling when she was very young. She was beautiful and she became very popular quickly.
Brigitte’s big success in movies came with the film “And God Created Woman” in 1956. This movie made her very famous all around the world. People loved her acting and her beauty.
Brigitte Bardot was in many movies during the 1950s and 1960s. She became one of the most famous actresses of her time. She was famous for playing brave and energetic characters.
After acting for many years, Brigitte decided to stop acting in 1973. She wanted to have a calmer life. Brigitte started to care a lot about animals. She became a big supporter of animal rights.
Today, Brigitte Bardot is not famous just for her acting, but also for how she tries to protect animals. She has her own organization for animal protection. She works hard to help animals all over the world.
People remember Brigitte Bardot for her beauty and style. She showed that it is important to care about more things than just being famous.
Brigitte Bardot is often called “BB” because it is the first letters of her name. It became very famous and people still use it to refer to her.
Charlize Theron was born on August 7, 1975, in Benoni, South Africa. She is a popular actress and she is famous for her amazing acting. Her journey from South Africa to Hollywood is full of special moments and great success.
Theron had a bad experience when she was 15. She saw her mom shoot her dad because he was harmful. This changed her a lot and made her see life differently. Theron always enjoyed acting, even in hard times. She got better at it by doing plays at school and in her town. She showed she could be a big star.
Near the end of the 1990s, Theron became famous with the movie “The Devil’s Advocate.” She won an Oscar for playing a serial killer in “Monster.” Theron worked hard and she played tough roles, this made her special in Hollywood.
Theron is not just an actress; she also helps with women’s rights and taking care of animals. She uses her fame to make the world a better place. Theron is also a mom to her two adopted children, “Jackson” and “August.” Being a mom made her kind and caring. It helps her at work and in helping others.
Charlize Theron’s journey from Benoni to Hollywood is a story of working hard, being talented, and wanting to change the world. Her life and success inspire lots of people.
When Charlize Theron was growing up she spoke Afrikaans , a South African language, and then she learned how to speak English.
Elizabeth Taylor was a famous actress from the United States. She was born on February 27, 1932, in London, England, but she grew up in the US. Elizabeth started acting in movies when she was very young.
One of her first big movies was “National Velvet.” She was just 12 years old when they were filming the movie. She played a young girl who loved horses. This movie made her very popular.
Elizabeth Taylor acted in many movies during her career. She was famous for her beautiful eyes and her acting skills. Some of her most famous movies are “Cleopatra,” “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” and “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” She won two Oscars for her acting.
Plus acting, Elizabeth was also famous for her love of jewelry. She had a big collection of beautiful jewels. She even helped design some jewelry.
Elizabeth also liked to help other people. She was one of the first famous people to help people with AIDS. She helped in collecting a lot of money for research and for helping sick people.
Elizabeth Taylor was married many times. Her personal life was often in the news. With everything, people loved Elizabeth for her talent and her kind heart.
Elizabeth Taylor died from heart failure on March 23, 2011. People still remember her for her excellent acting and helping others.
Elizabeth Taylor loved animals a lot! She had many pets, like dogs, cats, birds, and even a pet chipmunk named “Nibbles.” She cared about animals a lot. She always wanted to make sure they were treated well.
English Reading Composers
Antonio Vivaldi was a famous composer. He lived from 1678 to 1741. He was born in Venice, Italy. He loved music from a young age. His father, “Giovanni Battista,” was a musician too. This probably made Antonio love music even more.
Antonio had asthma when he was a child. It made it hard for him to breathe; but he was really good at playing the violin. Even with this problem, he played well. When he was 15, he started learning to become a priest. He became a priest in 1703; but what he really loved was music. People called him “The Red Priest” because of his red hair and his work in the church.
His most famous musical piece is called “The Four Seasons.” It has four parts, each representing a different time of the year. Many people still enjoy listening to it today. Antonio also wrote lots of other music, like operas, concertos, and music for church.
Antonio worked at a place in Venice called the “Devout Hospital of Mercy.” He taught music to girls who did not have parents. His music reached many parts of Europe, and people loved it. When he got older, he made less money than before and life became harder for him.
He died in Vienna, Austria, in 1741, without much money. Many people continued to love his music even after he died. People still think Antonio Vivaldi is one of the greatest composers of his time.
Antonio Vivaldi wrote more than 500 pieces of music for different instruments like the violin, flute, and oboe. It shows just how much he loved making music and how good he was at it!
Claude Debussy was a famous French composer. He lived in the end of 19th and the beginning of 20th centuries. He was born on August 22, 1862, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France. He showed a talent for music from a young age.
Debussy’s music was different from old-style and usual music. He created “Impressionist music.” He used new and creative sounds to show moods and feelings. One of his most famous musical pieces is “Moonlight.” People love this piece of music for its peaceful and dreamy feeling.
Debussy wrote more than just piano music; he also created music for orchestras, operas, and small groups. Some other famous musical pieces are “The Sea” and “Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun.”
Debussy’s music was special because he used different instruments and sounds. Sometimes he even used sounds from nature, like birds or waves, to make his music interesting.
Claude Debussy loved art and books. He got ideas for his music from them. He liked paintings by artists like “Monet” and “Renoir,” and poems by writers like “Mallarmé” and “Verlaine.”
Some people did not like how Debussy made music. They thought it was too different. He continued trying new things, he did not care that people did not like it.
Debussy’s music affected many composers after him and people still love it today. His new harmonies and sounds changed how people thought about music. He had challenges like money problems and health troubles, but Debussy continued to compose music and became very important.
Claude Debussy died on March 25, 1918, in Paris, France. He is gone now, but his music still inspires people all over the world.
Claude Debussy had a pet cat named “Caramel,” and he even wrote a piece of music for his cat. It is called “Golliwogg’s Cakewalk.”
Don Shirley was an amazing musician. He was famous for playing the piano and making music. He was born on January 29, 1927, in Florida, United States. He started playing the piano when he was very young.
People treated him badly because of his race, but Shirley continued to play music. He went to famous schools like the “Leningrad Conservatory” in Russia and the “Catholic University of America.” There, he learned a lot about music.
Shirley was very good at playing different types of music, like classical and jazz. He performed all over the world and played in many big places. People loved how he played the piano and the music he made.
One of the best things Shirley did was being part of the “Don Shirley Trio.” They played jazz and they mixed it with other kinds of music. People liked their music a lot.
Shirley did not just play music; he also made his music. He wrote songs and music that showed how much new and original ideas he had. He was very talented but he had many challenges because of his race, but he continued to play music. He wanted to show that all people should be treated fairly, no matter what their race is.
Don Shirley died on April 6, 2013, at 86. He died of heart disease at his home in Manhattan, New York City. People still remember and admire Don Shirley’s music. He was an important musician who made great music that people still enjoy.
During a musical tour in the 1960s, Don Shirley hired “Tony Vallelonga,” an Italian-American who did not like Black people, to be his driver and bodyguard. Shirley needed help to travel safely to places where racism was normal. They were very different but they became good friends.
Eleni Karaindrou is a famous composer from Greece. She was born in 1941 in Teichio. She is famous for her beautiful music, often used in movies and plays.
Karaindrou started learning music when she was young. She studied piano and music theory. Later, she went to the “Athens Conservatoire” to learn how to write music.
One of Karaindrou’s most famous works is the music she made for Greek director “Theo Angelopoulos’s” films. Her music was great for “Angelopoulos’s” movies and many people liked it very much.
Karaindrou’s music is famous for being very emotional and deep. She gets inspiration from Greek music and stories. She has also written music for concerts, like for orchestras and small groups.
Karaindrou’s music has been played all over the world. People love her music because it is so emotional and beautiful. She has won many awards for her music like a big award called the “Polar Music Prize” in 2019.
Karaindrou is famous around the world, but she still feels a strong connection to Greece. Her music often reflects Greek culture and history.
Many people love Eleni Karaindrou’s music. Her melodies are always beautiful and they make people feel something special when they hear them.
Not only she writes music but is also very good at playing the accordion, an instrument you squeeze and press keys on! She often adds it to her music; it makes her music sound special and different.
Florence Price was a famous composer. She was born on April 9, 1887, in Arkansas, United States. She loved music from a young age. Florence started playing the piano when she was very young. She had her first performance when she was only four years old.
She went to a music school and did very well. Florence was great at playing the piano and the organ. She also learned how to write music. After finishing school, she taught music to others.
In 1932, Florence did something very important. A big orchestra played her music, and she became the first African-American woman to have done this. This was a huge success. The musical piece they played was called “Symphony No. 1 in E minor.” This is one of her most famous works.
Florence wrote many types of music. She wrote big music pieces like symphonies, songs, and piano music. She often used musical styles from African-American culture. This made her music different and special.
Florence had many challenges because she was an African-American woman, but she continued to make music. She wanted the best musicians to play her music to show how good it was.
Florence Price died on June 3, 1953, in Chicago, Illinois. She was 66 years old. More people are discovering her music and celebrating her work today.
Florence Price was creative with her music. She used an unusual instrument called the “theremin” in one of her musical pieces called “The Oak.” The theremin is one of the first electronic instruments. This shows how she liked to try new things and make her music different.
English Reading Filmmakers
Abbas Kiarostami was a famous filmmaker from Iran. He was born on June 22, 1940, in Tehran, the capital city of Iran. He really liked art and stories when he was young. He studied painting in college, but he discovered he loved making movies more.
In the 1960s, Kiarostami started to make movies. At first, he wrote stories for movies, but later he started directing them too. His first movies talked about important things in Iranian society and how people felt about them. People in Iran and all around the world liked his movies because they felt real.
One of his most famous movies is “Close-Up” from 1990. It is a special kind of movie because it mixes real life with stories that are not real. Another famous movie by Kiarostami is “Taste of Cherry” from 1997. This movie won a big award at the “Cannes Film Festival.” It is about a man driving around Tehran; he is looking for someone to help him after he decides to end his life.
Kiarostami liked to try new things in his movies. He used long shots, where the camera continued filming for a long time without stopping. He also liked to use normal people instead of famous actors in his movies.
Plus making movies, Kiarostami also liked writing poems and taking photos. He was good at many things! People liked him because he was very famous, but he always stayed very friendly and simple.
Abbas Kiarostami did not always give actors scripts to memorize. Sometimes, he made the scenes with them on the set. This made the acting look more real and natural in his movies. He thought this way of working helped actors show their true feelings on screen, and it makes the audience feel closer to the characters.
Agnès Varda was a famous filmmaker from France. She was born on May 30, 1928, in Belgium but she grew up in France. Before making movies, she started with photography. She became famous for telling stories in a different way and for being creative with her films.
In her first movies, like “Short Point” (1955), she showed relationships between people in a new way. Varda was part of a group of filmmakers called the “French New Wave,” but her movies were always special and not the same as others.
She made movies about many different things, like women’s rights and how society works. One of her famous films is “Cleo from 5 to 7” (1962). The movie shows a singer waiting for her medical test results for two hours, thinking about life and herself. This way of telling a story was new and exciting.
Later in her career, Varda continued to make movies that were different and interesting. In 2017, she got a special award from the Academy Awards for all the great work she did in movies. She was the first female director to get this award.
Plus making movies, Varda cared a lot about making the world a better place. She fought for women’s rights and helped people who could not speak for themselves. She died on March 29, 2019, but her movies and ideas still inspire people everywhere.
Agnès Varda had a very special hairstyle, with two different colors. She liked to show her creativity not just in her films, but also in how she looked.
Akira Kurosawa was born on March 23, 1910, in Tokyo, Japan. He became a very famous Japanese filmmaker. Many people consider him one of the best directors ever. He is famous for making big movies and telling stories in new ways. Kurosawa grew up in Japan and liked art and stories when he was young.
During the 1940s and 1950s, Kurosawa made many movies that people all over the world enjoyed. His films often talked about doing the right thing and what it means to be human. One of his most famous movies is “Seven Samurai.” It is about samurai warriors protecting a village from a group of thieves. It is a classic movie and many other filmmakers admire it.
Kurosawa’s movies were famous for looking good and having exciting action scenes. He had a special way of mixing Japanese style with ideas from the West. His movies changed how people thought about making films.
Kurosawa had some really hard times, but he continued to make movies until he was old. He left us with a lot of great movies that we still watch and enjoy today.
Kurosawa was not just a director, but he also helped write and edit movies. He always had to make sure his movies were perfect.
Kurosawa’s work has had a big effect on movies even now. Directors like “Steven Spielberg” and “George Lucas” say Kurosawa inspired them a lot. People still love watching his movies and learning from them.
Akira Kurosawa’s movie “Rashomon” won a really important award at the “Venice Film Festival” in 1951. It was the first time a Japanese movie got such a big award from outside of Japan.
Alfred Hitchcock was a famous filmmaker from England. He made really exciting movies. He was born on August 13, 1899, in a place called Leytonstone in London. When he was young, he liked art and movies a lot. He started working in the movie business in the 1920s. He had different jobs like writing and designing.
Hitchcock got famous with his movie “The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog” in 1927. After that, he made a lot of other great movies like “Psycho,” “Vertigo,” and “North by Northwest.” People loved his movies because they were full of surprises and they made you feel nervous in a good way.
He had a special way of making movies that made him different from other directors. He used cool camera tricks and he told stories in interesting ways that kept people interested. He made his movies exciting and made people feel nervous about what would happen next. That is why people called him “The Master of Suspense.”
Hitchcock was successful, but he had some problems in his life. He had anxiety and he could be hard to work with sometimes, but it never stopped him from making amazing movies.
Hitchcock’s movies were so good that they inspired a lot of other filmmakers. His movies became a big part of popular culture. Popular culture means the things many people enjoy and talk about, like movies, music, and trends.
Alfred Hitchcock was really scared of eggs! He did not like being near them or eating them at all. He once said eggs scared him and made him feel sick, and the worst part was watching the yellow part come out of the white shell.
Andrei Tarkovsky was a famous filmmaker from Russia. He was born on April 4, 1932, in Zavrazhye, Soviet Union. Tarkovsky’s family really enjoyed art, especially movies. His dad, “Arseny Tarkovsky,” was a poet, and Andrei loved storytelling because of him.
Tarkovsky went to film school in Moscow. He started to make movies in the 1960s. People liked his special style. His films were slow and poetic, and they talked about deep things like feelings and memories.
One of Tarkovsky’s most famous movies is called “Solaris,” from 1972. It is a science fiction movie about being lonely and what it means to be a human. Another famous film he made is “Stalker,” from 1979. It is a strange and thoughtful movie about going to a weird place called the “Zone.”
Tarkovsky’s movies were long and sometimes hard to understand, but many people thought they were beautiful and made them think a lot. He was very careful about his movies and he always did things how he wanted, even if other people did not like it.
Tarkovsky did not just make movies, he also wrote books and essays about art and movies. He believed that movies could make people think about deep things and feel emotions.
Tarkovsky had some problems with the government, but he continued to make movies until he died from cancer in 1986. People still love his movies today. Many people think he was one of the best filmmakers ever.
Andrei Tarkovsky once said that he could only make a movie if he really believed in it. He thought that making movies was a very personal and special thing. That is the reason he put all his feelings into every movie he made.