Happy birthday, Gwyneth Paltrow! The actress turns 44 today.

Born in September 1972, Gwyneth was raised by her parents Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow in Los Angeles. The actress opted to pursue her acting career over college after she left the University of California.

Her acting debut came in the television movie High before starring in several other projects like Cruel Doubt and Se7en. However, Gwyneth’s big break came in the 1990s after she played Emma in an adaptation of Jane Austen’s eponymous novel.

Then, in 1998, the actress starred in Shakespeare in Love opposite Joseph Fiennes. Gwyneth’s work was praised by both fans and critics, leaving her to win numerous awards such as an Oscar and Golden Globe.

After a brief hiatus, Gwyneth returned to Hollywood in 2008 when she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The actress was cast in Iron Man as Pepper Potts, the secretary and love interest for Tony Stark/Iron Man. She reprised the role in The Avengers, Iron Man 2, and Iron Man 3.

Most recently, fans saw Gwyneth star in Mortdecai alongside Johnny Depp and pursued a popular career as a lifestyle writer. The actress launched a newsletter named "Goop" in 2008 and since published several recipe books.

Happy birthday!