January 28: Notable Births and Deaths, with Quotes

Let’s explore notable birth and death anniversaries for January 28.

Elijah Wood, actor (January 28, 1981–present)

“I have done a bit of DJing. I think DJ purists would probably hate me because I only DJ with CDs.” —Elijah Wood
Rivera, Joshua. “Lord of the Rings’ best joke is about wigs, dolphins, and soccer.” Polygon, March 24, 2021, https://www.polygon.com/lord-of-the-rings/22349162/lotr-elijah-wood-dominic-monaghan-wig-prank.

“When I was six a talent manager spotted me and asked me if wanted to become an actor. I was like, ‘Yeah, why not?’ My mother took me and my brother, Zack, who is seven years older than me, to LA for six weeks to a talent-spotting event and I ended up getting a job on a Paula Abdul video. Things moved relatively fast in the grand scheme of things.” —Elijah Wood
McGrath, Nick. “Elijah Wood: ‘I still have a pair of Hobbit feet in my house.’” The Guardian, October 2, 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/02/this-much-i-know-elijah-wood-i-still-have-a-pair-of-hobbit-shoes-in-the-house.

“Nothing can prepare you for the magnitude of what the ‘Lord of the Rings’ films became, and the world stage that it propelled all of us on to virtually overnight. I’d been acting for 10 years by then, and we collectively helped each other deal with the attention, which was intense. I remember the day that I saw us all plastered over the side of plane. At that point I compartmentalised it. I put it in its own universe.” —Elijah Wood
McGrath, Nick. “Elijah Wood: ‘I still have a pair of Hobbit feet in my house.’” The Guardian, October 2, 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/02/this-much-i-know-elijah-wood-i-still-have-a-pair-of-hobbit-shoes-in-the-house.

“I still have a pair of Hobbit feet in my house, but I don’t wear them any more. They’re made of latex.” —Elijah Wood
McGrath, Nick. “Elijah Wood: ‘I still have a pair of Hobbit feet in my house.’” The Guardian, October 2, 2021, https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/oct/02/this-much-i-know-elijah-wood-i-still-have-a-pair-of-hobbit-shoes-in-the-house.

Nicolas Sarkozy, former president of France (January 28, 1955–present)

“I want to forge the defense policy that France needs, not a policy based on old habits or previous certitudes.” —Nicolas Sarkozy
Ministere de l’Europe et des Affaires etrangeres. “Speech by Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic.” Ministere de l’Europe et des Affaires Etrangeres, March 21, 2008,
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Speech_by_Nicolas_Sarkozy__presentation_of_Le_Terrible_submarine.pdf.

“My first duty as Head of State and Head of the Armed Forces is to ensure that France, its territory, its people and its republican institutions are secure in all circumstances. And that in all circumstances, our national independence and decision-making autonomy are preserved. Nuclear deterrence is the ultimate guarantee of that.” —Nicolas Sarkozy
Ministere de l’Europe et des Affaires etrangeres. “Speech by Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic.” Ministere de l’Europe et des Affaires Etrangeres, March 21, 2008,
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Speech_by_Nicolas_Sarkozy__presentation_of_Le_Terrible_submarine.pdf.

“The use of nuclear weapons would clearly be conceivable only in extreme circumstances of legitimate defense, a right enshrined in the UN Charter.” —Nicolas Sarkozy
Ministere de l’Europe et des Affaires etrangeres. “Speech by Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic.” Ministere de l’Europe et des Affaires Etrangeres, March 21, 2008,
https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/Speech_by_Nicolas_Sarkozy__presentation_of_Le_Terrible_submarine.pdf.

Christa McAuliffe, teacher and astronaut (September 2, 1948–January 28, 1986)

“My sympathies have always been for working-class people.” —Christa McAuliffe
Palmer, Thomas. ‘Reach for the stars’ was McAuliffe’s theme for her historic space mission.” The Boston Globe, January 29, 1986, http://archive.boston.com/news/packages/shuttle/challenger_archive_mcauliffe.htm.

“If I can get some student interested in science, if I can show members of the general public what’s going on up there in the space program, then my job’s been done.” —Christa McAuliffe
Palmer, Thomas. ‘Reach for the stars’ was McAuliffe’s theme for her historic space mission.” The Boston Globe, January 29, 1986, http://archive.boston.com/news/packages/shuttle/challenger_archive_mcauliffe.htm.

Henry VIII, former King of England (June 28, 1491–January 28, 1547)

“I see and hear daily, that you of the clergy preach one against another, teach, one contrary to another, inveigh one against another, without charity or discretion. Some be too stiff in their old mumpsimus, other be too busy and curious in their new sumpsimus. Thus, all men almost be in variety and discord, and few or none do preach, truly and sincerely, the word of God, according as they ought to do.” —Henry VIII
The Anne Boleyn Files. “24 December 1545 — Henry VIII’s Last Speech to Parliament.” The Anne Boleyn Files, December 24, 2013, https://www.theanneboleynfiles.com/24-december-1545/.

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