Hollywood star Milla Jovovich has celebrated her milestone 50th birthday with a deeply personal and reflective social media post, paying tribute to her family and her varied career in film.
A Milestone Celebration and Heartfelt Thanks
The actress officially turned 50 on Wednesday, 17th December, marking the occasion with a lengthy message to her followers on Instagram. In it, she expressed profound gratitude for her life's journey, describing it as an "incredible" path filled with many different eras and versions of herself.
Jovovich reserved special praise for her immediate family, calling filmmaker husband Paul W.S. Anderson her "wonderful husband" and her three children "incredible kids." She raises her daughters, Ever, 18, and Osian, 5, and son Dashiel, 10, with Anderson.
She also credited her parents for keeping her grounded, thanking her mother Galina, a former Russian actress, and her father Bogdan, a Serbian doctor.
From Sci-Fi Icon to Action Heroine
Born in Kyiv, Jovovich first achieved international fame with her breakout role as the enigmatic, orange-haired Leeloo in the 1997 sci-fi classic 'The Fifth Element'. Her portrayal of the mute humanoid alongside Bruce Willis cemented her status as a rising star.
However, she is now arguably best known globally for headlining the hugely successful 'Resident Evil' film franchise, loosely based on the popular video game series. This role established her as a leading action heroine for a generation.
Reflections on Love, Career, and Change
In her birthday reflection, Jovovich wrote of being grateful for "the good, the bad and everything in between," valuing both the extraordinary moments and the mundane. She expressed excitement for the new decade ahead, emphasising her belief in continual learning and change.
She also opened up about the reality of her long-term relationship with Anderson, whom she married in 2009. In a past interview, she revealed that while their first meeting was a profoundly significant moment—stating "He changed me"—their relationship has not always been easy. Jovovich admitted there were times they considered splitting but chose to "tough it out" because they both wanted the partnership to last.
The actress attributes part of their lasting connection to maintaining independence, pursuing her own interests in music and painting. She philosophically noted that "Beauty doesn’t last and it doesn’t mean anything if you don’t know who you are."
Concluding her birthday message, Jovovich declared herself "truly blessed," thanking her fans, family, and the universe for their support through every stage of her life and career.
