Birth name: Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone
Date of Birth: 16 August 1958
Place of Birth: Bay City, Michigan, USA
Height: 5' 4½" (1.64 m)
Spouse: Guy Ritchie (22 December 2000 - present) 1 child
Sean Penn (16 August 1985 - 14 September 1989) (divorced)
Trade mark: Wore cone-shaped bras during her Express Yourself and Vogue performances (Early 1990s)

Nickname
Nonnie
Maddy
Mo
The Material Girl
Madge
Esther

Trivia:

Her videos "Justify My Love" and "What It Feels Like For A Girl" were banned from VH1 & MTV. "Erotica" (1992), though not banned, was only played after midnight on MTV.

Gave birth to baby daughter. The baby is named Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon. The father is actor/fitness instructor 'Carlos Leon (II)' . [14 October 1996]

Chosen by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world. [1991]

Studied with the Alvin Ailey dance troupe and Pearl Lang's Dance Company in Manhattan. [1978]

Unanimously condemned by the Puerto Rican House of Representatives for pulling a Puerto Rican flag between her legs in an October 26, 1993 concert.

Her song, "Vogue", is a tribute to the glamour of classic Hollywood. Celebrities mentioned in the song are Greta Garbo, Marilyn Monroe, Marlene Dietrich, Joe DiMaggio, Marlon Brando, James Dean, Grace Kelly, Jean Harlow, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Rita Hayworth, Lauren Bacall, Katharine Hepburn, Lana Turner, and Bette Davis.

High school cheerleader.

Gave birth to a baby boy, Rocco John Ritchie, 3 weeks prematurely. [11 August 2000]

Owner of Maverick Records label (1992-2004).

Graduated from Rochester Adams High School in 1976. Studied at the North Carolina School of the Arts, and won a scholarship to study modern dance and drama for 3 semesters at the University of Michigan.

One of 7 siblings. Her mother died of breast cancer on December 1st, 1963.

Her infamous 1994 appearance on "Late Show with David Letterman" (1993) had her saying the "f" word 13 times.

Has an IQ of 140.

Her birthday is also the anniversary of Elvis Presley's death.

Named one of People Magazine's '50 Most Beautiful People of 1991', and '25 Most Intriguing People of 2001'.

In 1989, she had a multi-million dollar contract with Pepsi to promote their product as well as cross-promote her new album, "Like a Prayer". However, when the video for the first single, "Like a Prayer", was released, it caused international controversy, with images of burning crosses, murder, and racism, and Pepsi soon retracted their contract, and the 13-minute commercial was only viewed once, at the Superbowl. The single later soared to Number 1 on the charts and stayed there for 3 weeks. She later thanked Pepsi for creating such controversy.

Appeared in a stage play in 1986 called "Goose And Tom-Tom" with then-husband Sean Penn.

A September 2000 Rolling Stone article estimated her worth as $650 million. Since then, she has released the album "Music", which sold 12 million copies, has had a 47-date sold-out worldwide tour, completed a movie, and released a greatest hits compilation.

As of 2001, her albums have sold 153 million copies worldwide.

As of early 2002, has had 15 solo albums: "Madonna" (1983); "Like a Virgin" (1984); "True Blue" (1986); "Who's That Girl" (1987); "You Can Dance" (1987); "Like a Prayer" (1989); "I'm Breathless" (1990); "The Immaculate Collection" (1990); "Erotica" (1992); "Bedtime Stories" (1994); "Something to Remember" (1995); "Evita" (1996); "Ray of Light" (1998); "Music" (2000); "GHV2: Greatest Hits Volume 2" (2001).

Named one of E!'s "top 20 entertainers of 2001".

Sister of Christopher Ciccone

Gwyneth Paltrow was the Maid of Honor at her wedding to Guy Ritchie.

Measurements: 34C-23-33 (Source: Celebrity Sleuth magazine)

She started fashion trends in 1984 with her unique look using rosaries and crosses as jewelry and black rubber typewriter bands as bracelets. Legions of adolescent girls mimicked her look and a Madonna clothing store was opened in New York. Again in 2001, another huge fashion trend was set off by the "Material Mom", this time with western wear - cowboy hats and mud-splattered jeans.

Madonna's song 'Little star' is dedicated to her daughter Lourdes

Attended St. Andrews Patrick Catholic school.

Attended West Junior High for the 8th grade.

Purchased a mini mansion for daughter Lourdes in 2003. Produced by Posh Tots, a mini-mansion ranges in price from US$6,500 to US$125,000, and can even be installed with cable TV and running water.

December 2003 - announced she was starting a merchandising line of dolls, apparel, home decor, etc. as a tie-in to her best-selling children's book, "The English Roses".

Her first children's book, "The English Roses", was published in September, 2003.

Ranked #8 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock N Roll

Her wedding dress for her 2000 wedding to director Guy Ritchie was designed by her friend Stella McCartney.

#6 in Life's 100 Greatest Rockers List (March 2002)

Voted #3 on the reader-voted Favorite Female List for Rolling Stone Magazine's 2001 Music Awards list, following Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez (January 2002).

Born on the same day as actress Angela Bassett.

She has posed nude at least three times in her career: briefly in A Certain Sacrifice (1985), in some nude photos taken before she became famous in the late 1970s which eventually ran in Penthouse magazine and in the 1990 photo and interview book "Sex" which became a worldwide best seller.

Siblings: Martin (1957), Anthony (1956), Christopher (1960), Paula (1959), Melanie (1962), Mario (1969) and Jennifer (1968).

1985: "Holiday" re-issed in the UK just before the release of "Angel" where it peaked at #2 (4 places higher than its original release).

She was voted the 36th Greatest Artist of all time in Rock 'n' Roll by Rolling Stone.

Once had two pets named Chiquita (chichuahua) and Pepito (bull terrier).

Was born at Bay City Mercy Hospital in Bay City, Michigan.

Her son with Guy Ritchie, Rocco John Richie, was born by emergency C-section - 3 weeks early. [11 August 2000]

Turned down the role of Selina Kyle/Catwoman in _Batman Returns (1992)_ .

Is the only person to "win" the awards for Worst Actress, Worst Supporting Actress and Worst Screen Couple at the Razzie Awards all in the same year. She "won" Worst Supporting Actress in the film Die Another Day (2002). She shared the Worst Screen Couple award with Adriano Giannini in Swept Away (2002). And she tied for Worst Actress in Swept Away (2002) with Britney Spears in Crossroads (2002).

Nude pictures of her taken years earlier, when she was a starving dancer, ran in Penthouse magazine. Due to the success of that issue, she posed nude again in the coffee table book "Sex" which became an instant best seller.

Voted #35 on Playboy's "100 sexiest women" of the 20th Century (jan/2000).

One of the very few friends she has kept from the old days is her former makeup artist, Debi Mazar, who is now an actress.

Good friends with singer Britney Spears

Her friendship with best friend Gwyneth Paltrow ended, because Paltrow couldn't get along with Madonna's extravagant lifestyle.

Is spoofed in Eminem's music video "Just lose it"

Is a big fan of Kylie Minogue.

Is a distant cousin of Gwen Stefani. Gwen's great-aunt's mother-in-law shares the same last name with Madonna.

Favorite Designers: Dolce & Gabbana, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Betsy Johnson, Gianni Versace, Stella McCartney, Maripol.

Fell off a horse on her country estate in England, sustaining numerous injuries. [August 16, 2005]

Briefly hospitalized on her 47th birthday after breaking her hand and collar bone, and cracking three ribs after falling off a horse on her country estate.

During her career she always had much influence on fashion due to her constant image change. She is considered as a fashion icon by most women in the world.

Personal quotes:

"When I'm hungry, I eat. When I'm thirsty, I drink. When I feel like saying something, I say it."

"Children always understand. They have open minds. They have built-in shit detectors."

"A lot of people are afraid to say what they want. That's why they don't get what they want." (From her book "Sex")

"Can I just say that I find it really irritating that everyone beats up on Britney Spears? I want to do nothing but support her and praise her and wish her the best. I mean, she's 18 years old! It's just shocking. I was so gawky and geeky and awkward and unsure of myself." - Elle, February 2001

"I sometimes think I was born to live up to my name. How could I be anything else but what I am having been named Madonna? I would either have ended up a nun or this."

"Better to live one year as a tiger, then a hundred as sheep."

"I'm like a cockroach - you just can't get rid of me!"

"I'm a gay man trapped in a woman's body!"

"I think that Kabbahlah is very punk rock."

"I like them. I know I am not supposed to. Every time someone says something bad about them, I say, 'Hey, wait a minute, I was a Spice Girl once!'" - on the Spice Girls.

"You have to be patient... I'm not!"

"When I was growing up I was religious in a passionate adolescent way. Jesus Christ was like a movie star, my favorite idol of all."

"I feel really protective of her. Don't even ask me why. there's something about her. Even though she's terribly successful, for some reason I think of her as an underdog." - on Britney Spears

"I see her as my little sister. She asks me for career advice. For the most part, I try to make her understand this isn't real life and she can't take everything people say seriously. I can understand some of the stuff she's going through. I help her with that." - on her relationship with Britney Spears.

"I don't want people to dress like me anymore. Now, I want them to think like me. Dress like Britney Spears and think like me, and everything will be fine".

"I've learned from studying Kabbalah that if your happiness is based on people approving of everything you do, you're doomed to fail... Kabbalah helped me stand up and take responsibility for everything to do with me."

"I skip the huge breakfast. Once you eat it, I don't know how you can get up and move around...I go out and shoot some pheasants."

Salary:
Evita (1996) $1,000,000
Body of Evidence (1993) $2,500,000 (plus percentage of gross and wardrobe)
Dick Tracy (1990) $35,000
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) $80,000
A Certain Sacrifice (1985) $100

OTHER FILMS INCLUDE: 1985: Vision Quest 1989: Bloodhounds of Broadway 1992: Shadows and Fog.

Where are they now:

(September 2004) Ending her sold out Re-Invention Tour; and launching dolls, tea sets and umbrellas based on her book "The English Roses".

(October 2005) Released her new album "Confessions on a Dance Floor"