Vinnie Jones was born on January 5th, 1965

Written by: Oliver Wren

Vinnie Jones: The Hard-Hitting Footballer-Turned-Actor

Vinnie Jones is a household name, synonymous with his tough-tackling footballing days and his subsequent successful acting career, which has seen him take on a multitude of rugged roles that have cemented his status as a Hollywood hard man.

The Football Years

Jones' footballing career spanned over a decade, from 1984 to 1999, during which he played for several clubs, including Wimbledon, Leeds United, Sheffield United, Chelsea, and Queens Park Rangers. His most notable stint was with Wimbledon, where he won the 1988 FA Cup final and earned a reputation for his aggressive and physically uncompromising style of play.

Transition to Acting

Jones' transition to acting was seamless, with his breakthrough role in Guy Ritchie's Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998), for which he won an Empire Award for Best Newcomer. He went on to appear in a string of successful films, including Snatch (2000), Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), and Mean Machine (2001).

Notable Film Credits

• The Big Bounce (2004)
• Extras (2005)
• X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
• The Riddle (2007)
• The Midnight Meat Train (2008)
• Year One (2009)
• The Cape (2011)
• Fire with Fire (2012)
• The Musketeers (2014)
• MacGyver (2016)
• NCIS: Los Angeles (2019)
• Rise of the Footsoldier Origins (2021)
• The Gentlemen (2024)

Awards and Honors

Jones has won two Empire Awards, one for Best Newcomer for Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and another for Best British Actor for Snatch.

Personal Life

Vinnie Jones was born on January 5, 1965, in Watford, Hertfordshire, to Glenda (née Harris) and gamekeeper Peter Jones. He attended schools in nearby Bedmond and Abbots Langley, and captained his school football team.

Jones' grandmothers were Irish from Dublin, which qualified him to play for the Welsh national team, which he captained.