American Wrestler: The Wizard 2017 premiere
Wednesday April 26th, Regal LA Live & 4DX 1000 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90015
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Jon Voight is an American actor of German and Slovak descent. He has won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his role as paraplegic Vietnam War veteran Luke Martin in the war film "Coming Home" (1978). He has also been nominated for the same award other two times. He was first nominated for his role as aspiring gigolo Joe Buck in "Midnight Cowboy" (1969), He was last nominated for the award for his role as escaped convict Oscar "Manny" Manheim in "Runaway Train" (1985). He was also nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for his role as sports journalist Howard Cosell (1918-1995) in "Ali" (2001).
In 1938, Voight was born in Yonkers, New York. His parents were professional golfer Elmer Samuel Voight (original name Elemír Vojtka) and his wife Barbara Agnes (Kamp). His paternal grandfather was a Slovak immigrant, as were the parents of his paternal grandmother. His maternal grandfather was a German immigrant, as were the parents of his maternal grandmother. His maternal great-uncle was political activist Joseph P. Kamp (1900-1993), a leader of the anti-communist organization "Constitutional Educational League".
Voight has two siblings: volcanologist Barry Voight (1937-) and singer-songwriter James Wesley Voight (pseudonym Chip Taylor, 1940-). Barry is most famous for first predicting and then investigating the eruption of Mount St. Helens (1980). James is most famous for writing the hit songs "Wild Thing" (1965) and "Angel of the Morning" (1967).
Voight was educated at Archbishop Stepinac High School, an all-boys Roman Catholic high school located at White Plains, New York. At the time, the school was operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York. He took an interest in acting in his high school years, performing a comedic role in the school's annual musical, "The Song of Norway". He graduated in 1956, at the age of 18.
Voight continued his education at The Catholic University of America, located in Washington, D.C.. He majored in art, and graduated in 1960. He was 22-years-old at the time of graduation. He then moved to New York City, having decided to pursue an acting career.
In the early 1960s, Voight primarily worked as a television actor. He guest starred in episodes of then-popular television series, such as "Naked City", "The Defenders", "NET Playhouse", "12 O'Clock High", and "Gunsmoke". His first notable theatrical role was playing the illegal immigrant Rodolfo in a 1965 Off-Broadway production of the play "A View from the Bridge" (1955) by Arthur Miller (1915-2005). In the play, Rodolfo is the love interest of the American girl Catherine, and disliked by her uncle and guardian Eddie Carbone (who is in love with his niece).
Voight made his film debut in the superhero comedy "Fearless Frank" (1967), playing the role of the eponymous superhero. Frank was depicted as a murder victim who gets resurrected and granted superpowers by a scientist. Voiight's second film role was playing historical gunman and outlaw Curly Bill Brocius (1845-1882) in the Western film "Hour of the Gun" (1967). The historical Brocius was an an enemy of the Esrp family, and was killed by Wyatt Earp (1848-1929).
Voigh't third film appearance was "Midnight Cowboy" (1969), his first great success. He played the role of a naive hustler from Texas who tries to become a gigolo in New York City. The film was critically acclaimed, and became the only X-rated feature to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Voight was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, but the award was instead won by rival actor John Wayne (1907-1979).
Voight's first role in the 1970s was playing lieutenant Milo Minderbinder in the black comedy "Catch-22" (1970). The film was based on a 1961 satirical novel by Joseph Heller (1923-1999), and offered a satirical view on war and bureaucracy. Voight's next role was playing the left-wing student A in the political drama "The Revolutionary" (1970).
Voight found further critical acclaim with the thriller film "Deliverance" (1972), playing Atlanta businessman Ed Gentry. In the film, Gentry and his first are targeted by villainous mountain men in the northern Georgia wilderness. The film earned about 46 million dollars at the domestic box office, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
His subsequent roles included idealistic schoolteacher Pat Conroy in "Conrack" (1974), journalist Peter Miller in "The Odessa File" (1974). His next great success was playing paraplegic war veteran Luke Martin in "Coming Home" (1978), in a role inspired by the life of war veteran and anti-war activist Ron Kovic (1976-). He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for this film. His co-star Jane Fonda (1937-) won her second Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in this film.
Voight's early 1980s roles included conman Alex Kovac in "Lookin' to Get Out" (1982) and widowed father J. P. Tannen in "Table for Five" (1983). His next big success was the role of escaped convict Oscar "Manny" Manheim in "Runaway Train" (1985). He was again nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, but the Award was instead won by rival actor William Hurt (1950-).
Voight's next role was that of Jack Chismore in the drama film "Desert Bloom" (1986). Chismore is depicted as a war veteran suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), who is trying to raise three stepdaughters. He frequently abuses his stepdaughter Rose Chismore (played by Annabeth Gish), but is genuinely concerned for her safety when Rose runs away from home. This film was Voigh's last film role for several years, as he took a hiatus from acting.
Voight returned to acting with the drama film "Eternity" (1990), where he was also the screenwriter. The film deals with reincarnation, as a medieval war within brothers continues in modern American politics. Following his return to acting, Voight started appearing frequently in television films and miniseries. He also guest-starred in a 1994 episode of "Seinfeld", playing himself.
Voight returned to film acting with the crime drama "Heat" (1995), where he had a minor role as a fence. He had a more substantial role in the spy film "Mission: Impossible" (1996), where he played spymaster James Phelps. The film was an adaptation of the popular television series "Mission: Impossible" (1966-1973), about the adventures of a group of secret agents. The role of James Phelps was previously played by actor Peter Graves (1926-2010). The film was a great commercial success, earning about 458 million dollars at the worldwide box office.
Voight appeared in six different films in 1997, one of the busiest years of his career. The most notable among them was the horror film "Anaconda" (1997), where he played obsessive hunter Paul Serone, the film's main antagonist. The film won about 137 million dollars at the box office, despite a mostly negative critical reception. For this role, Voight was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor. He lost the award to rival actor Kevin Costner (1955-).
His next notable role was that Thomas Brian Reynolds, agent of the National Security Agency (NSA) in the action thriller "Enemy of the State" (1998). In the film, the NSA conspires to expand the surveillance powers of intelligence agencies over individuals and groups, at the cost of American citizens' right to privacy. The film was another box office success in Voight's career, earning about 251 million dollars at the box office.
In the same year, Voight played inspector Ned Kenny in the crime film "The General" (1998). The film was loosely based on the career of Irish crime boss Martin Cahill (1949-1994), who was nicknamed "the General". The film was critically acclaimed and director John Boorman won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director.
Voight's next notable role was that of domineering coach Bud Kilmer in the sports film "Varsity Blues" (1999). The film dealt with the difficulties in the life of the players of a Texas-based high school football team, and was not expected to attract much attention by audiences. It earned about 54 million dollars at the box office, making it a modest box office hit. It is credited with introducing Voight to a next generation of fans.
Voight's final film in the 1990s was "A Dog of Flanders" (1999), based on a 1872 novel by Ouida (1839-1908). He played the role of artist Michel La Grande, the mentor of Nello (played by Jeremy James Kissner), who is eventually revealed to be Nello's biological father. The film failed at the box office, failing to earn as much as its modest budget.
Voight appeared in no film released in 2000, but had a busy year in 2001. He appeared in several box office hits of the year. He played President of the United States Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945, term 1933-1945) in the war drama "Pearl Harbor", Lara Croft's father Lord Richard Croft in the action film "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider", coal-miner and working class father Larry Zoolander in action comedy "Zoolander", and sports journalist Howard Cosell in the biographical film "Ali". For his role in "Ali", Voight was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. The award was instead won by rival actor Jim Broadbent (1949-). It was Voight's fourth and (so far) last nomination for an Academy Award.
Voight had a notable role playing Pope John Paul II (1920-2005, term 1978-2005) in the miniseries "Pope John Paul II" (2005). He was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie, but the award was instead won by rival actor Andre Braugher (1962-).
Voight had a supporting role as John Keller, United States Secretary of Defense in the science fiction film "Transformers" (2007). The film was based on the Transformers toy line by Hasbro.It earned about 710 million dollars at the box office, one of the most commercially successful films in Voight's career.
In 2009, Voight had a notable television role, playing Jonas Hodges, the CEO of a Virginia-based private military company in the then-popular television series "24" (2001-2010, 2014). He was a main antagonist in the seventh season of the series. His role was inspired by the careers of Hessian colonel Johann Rall (c. 1726-1776), German industrialist Alfried Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach (1907-1967), and private military company CEO Erik Prince (1969-).
His 2010s notable film roles include the role of Dracula's enemy Loonardo Van Helsing in the horror film "Dracula: The Dark Prince" (2013), football coach Paul William "Bear" Bryant (1913-1983) in the sports drama "Woodlawn" (2015), and newspaper owner Henry Shaw Sr. in "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them" (2016). "Fantastic Beasts" earned about 814 million dollars at the worldwide box office, being one of the most commercially successful films that Voight ever appeared in.
In 2020, was 82-years-old, and he is still working as an actor.- Actress
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Christina Moore is a true multi-hyphenate who has successfully built a career as an actor, writer, and producer over her 20-year career. She has starred in more than 80 television shows and films and has produced ten films in the last seven years.
Moore is best known for her work as a sketch comedian in "MadTV" (FOX), as Laurie Forman in "That 70s Show" (FOX), as Butterfly in "Without a Paddle" (Paramount), as Tracy Clark in the re-make of "90210" (CW), as Christina Ross in "Jessie" (Disney Channel) and as Mandi Heiser in TNT's hit series "Claws". She has also starred on such hit shows as "Friends", "True Blood", "Mom", "Last Man Standing", "Two and a Half Men", "Will & Grace" & "24".
In December 2022, Moore released two holiday movies worldwide. "I Believe in Santa", which she produced and stars in, was released on Netflix and quickly became the #2 movie globally on Netflix. "A Hollywood Christmas", which she developed and produced, was released on HBO Max and rapidly became the #1 movie on HBO Max. In summer 2022, she also released the film "That's Amor" on Netflix, which became the #2 movie in the US and #3 globally in its first two weeks on Netflix, garnering over thirty million viewing hours. Representation is extremely important to Moore, which is why her films have diverse casts and characters of all backgrounds, religions and sexual orientations.
In 2015, Moore began her work behind the camera when she co-wrote and produced the film "Running Wild", starring Sharon Stone. The film graced the festival circuit and debuted with a small theatrical release. Emboldened by this, Moore helmed a creative team that worked tirelessly to creatively develop and produce ten more films over the next seven years. Her focus lays on excellent story-telling and high production value while creating a nurturing environment for young talent to emerge. The films have homes on Netflix, HBO Max and Amazon Prime.
Moore has also ventured into the world of event series in which she is the female lead and a co-producer. "Casa Grande" is represented by Warner Bros Television Group and being released by Telus Canada and FreeVee USA in early 2023.
Moore is married to John Ducey. They reside in Sherman Oaks, CA.- Actor
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Iyad Hajjaj is a multi award winning Actor and Filmmaker. He is the founder and Executive director of MISSING PEACE PICTURES, Inc. And the President of a Non-Profit Organization I CAME FOR PEACE.
Iyad is developing a Home invasion Action/Thriller feature film TEN and A HALF MINUTES, based on a true story. Most recently he Produced, Directed and Starred in Multi award winning film DREAMS I NEVER HAD alongside Hollywood Celebrities Malcolm McDowell & Robin Givens.
Additionally, he worked as a cultural advisor on several Major Films and TV Shows. Iyad has worked closely with Hollywood Executive Producers and Directors.
As an Actor, Iyad's extensive and diverse filmography Exceeded 95 acting credits. Most recently he Recurred on Marvel limited Series (Ms. Marvel), Cast in PodCast series (The Weird), Cast in a South Korean movie (The point Men), joined the cast of Feature film THE HUNT for HBO, co-starred on SHOWTIME TV show Black Monday (2019), NBC Sitcom WILL AND GRACE, USA TV show SHOOTER, CBS show Madam Secretary, Guest Starred on FOX TV show Touch, and TNT show AGENT X. Iyad Also played a supporting role in the feature film THE WIZARD starring Jon Voight;
Some of Iyad's hobbies are: karate, horseback riding, hiking, colored pencil drawing for love and peace, soccer, singing in Arabic and is an Arab Folk Dance (Dabka) instructor. Iyad speaks fluent Arabic (Different dialects) and English, limited Hebrew fluency and little Spanish. Iyad graduated Bethlehem University as a physical Therapist, and is certified as a Behavioral Therapist. In both fields, Iyad worked with both physically and developmentally challenged individuals and couldn't appreciate life more.- Actress
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Courtney Hope Turner was born and raised in South Carolina with her three sisters and two brothers. Her passion for acting began at a young age creating home videos with her siblings on their small farm and performing in plays for their local church.
Growing up as the third of six children, Courtney adapted a highly competitive attitude and trained in Martial Arts for 14 years earning her black belt, and played on nearly every sports team her school offered, including; tennis, swimming, volleyball, basketball, and soccer. She is also trained in classical ballroom dance.
At the age of 17, Courtney was discovered by a friend who connected her with top modeling agency Elite in Atlanta. Her success, including being crowned Miss South Carolina USA in 2011, paid her way through college while she attended the University of South Carolina. While studying, she decided to go full-time in pursuing her dream as an Actress and relocated to Los Angeles.- Actor
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Maz Jobrani was born on 26 February 1972 in Tehran, Iran. He is an actor and writer, known for Friday After Next (2002), Jimmy Vestvood: Amerikan Hero (2016) and Dragonfly (2002). He has been married to Preetha since 2006. They have two children.- Actor
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Randy Couture is a collegiate wrestler and fighter turned actor from Everett, Washington. He served as a four time US Olympic wrestling team alternate as a soldier in the U.S. Army, and is also a 6 time world heavyweight and light heavyweight UFC champion and Hall of Famer. He is a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a bachelor's degree in foreign language literature and is also fluent in German. Randy's current girlfriend is actress Mindy Robinson. He is best known for starring in all three of The Expendables, Ambushed, and The Scorpion King 2.- Actress
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Mindy Robinson is a Las Vegas based actress, TV personality, and political commentator from Fall River, MA. She is an improv/character actor with over 200 appearances on TV, film, radio, and reality TV. She speaks nationally at events as a pro-constitutionalist, and is also a 2022 congressional candidate in southern Nevada as an Independent. She's known for her past recurring TV roles on TBS's King of the Nerds (2013), and FOX's Take Me Out (2012), with George Lopez and for her lead roles in the films Range 15, Check Point, Christmas Cars, and Stand On It.- Actor
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George Kosturos is known for American Fighter (2019), American Wrestler: The Wizard (2016) and Born a Champion (2021).- Actress
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Caitlin O'Connor is an American actress, TV host and film producer. She plays Dyan Cannon on HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty." Caitlin has leveraged her talent and social media influence to pave an unconventional, multi-hyphenate career path in entertainment.
She was born in Los Angeles and raised in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. Caitlin excelled at dancing and performing from a very young age; hosting her elementary school Christmas programs, which led to her passion for acting and TV hosting. She attended UCLA as an English major with a theater minor.
As a TV Host, Caitlin has sat down for one-on-one interviews with A-list stars like Hailey Beiber, Bill Murray, Cardi B, Gore Verbinski, Diplo, Spice Girls' Mel B, and Post Malone, among many others. She is the red carpet host and entertainment reporter for Maxim Magazine, The Chive, Chive TV, ArsenicTV, and The Ballout. You can catch Caitlin as the host of "KCCO cocktail" for The Chive and yearly as a host at the World MMA Awards.
As an actress, Caitlin studies authentic Meisner Technique at The John Ruskin School of Acting in Los Angeles. She appears court-side on HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" as LA Lakers legend Dyan Cannon. She was a cast member on the series finale of Two and a Half Men on CBS. She cameos as Nurse Richardson on the Season 4 finale of Showtime's "Ray Donovan". Caitlin plays Raven in the theatrically released "American Satan," and is the ring girl in Antoine Fuqua's "Southpaw." She guest starred on Comedy Central's "Key & Peele", "Tosh.0", "Comedy Bang Bang" and "The Nick Kroll Show" playing various characters. On October 26, 2023, she will guest star in "Stay Out," a BET movie. She also wrapped feature film "Angels Fallen: Warriors of Peace" as Olivia in 2023. "Angels Fallen" stars Cuba Gooding Jr, Denise Richards, and Randy Couture.
Caitlin was featured in Bloomberg's "Business Week" for her vision to leverage beauty and social media engagement to generate revenue as an actress and TV host with ArsenicTV. She has over 1 million followers on her various platforms, with contracts to promote national brands like Lucky Jeans, Sony Home Entertainment, Revolve, and Omni Hotels.
In addition to her acting career, Caitlin has proven her versatility as a film producer, having successfully produced four full-length feature films now in distribution. These works, titled "GlassJaw," "Val," "Electric Love," and "Rideshare," are available on major digital streaming services and can be found in Walmart stores across the USA.
Commercially, she has starred in national ads for Dave & Busters, Stately, Game Show Network's "Baggage on The Road," Diesel's "Loverdose," Pepsi Next's Super Bowl commercial and Budweiser "Black Crown," among others. Her print credits include Target, Macy's, GQ, Esquire, Nickelodeon's The Bratz, WalMart, Cheez-It, Pert Plus and Xbox.
In her spare time, she is an avid combat sports fan and has worked for UFC Fight Pass, Matchroom Boxing, Bellator, Top Rank, DirecTV's BKB, and GoldenBoy boxing! She also enjoys biking around Burning Man every year.- Director
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A prolific, visual, and collaborative storyteller raised on Sergio Leone and "Star Wars". He graduated at the top of his class with a B.F.A in film production from Art Center College of Design. Alex has a longstanding relationship with ESX entertainment, having directed the company's first film "Born To Race" and many since then in a wide variety of genres, one of the most notable being "American Wrestler" an inspirational sports drama that explores issues of immigration and xenophobia. About a 17 year-old Iranian refugee who defies adversity and becomes the high school wrestling champion during the Iran hostage crisis of 1980. It stars Jon Voight, William Fichtner and garnered multiple "Best Film" and "Best Actor" awards on the festival circuit.
Alex's work has led to projects for the major streamers. First, "The Ride", starring Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges and Sasha Alexander, which premiered on Amazon Prime in November 2020. It's the inspiring true story of extreme sports legend John Buultjens, who escaped an abusive white supremacist upbringing and forged a better life through the love of his interracial foster parents. Most recently, Alex directed "I Believe in Santa" for Netflix, and two films for HBO Max, "A Hollywood Christmas", which playfully deconstructs the Christmas Rom-com, and "A Christmas Mystery", a Goonies-style kids' adventure story that takes place at Christmas.- Annabelle Kavanagh is an American actress.
Just seven days after signing with her agent Annabelle Kavanagh did her first audition for film, which lead to her first lead role at ten years old. Only weeks prior Annabelle Kavanagh was sought after by several leading Talent Managers and Agents in Los Angeles. - Actress
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Conceived in the back of a '69 Cutlass and born Alexis Liela Afshar, Lexy Panterra began to utilize her stunning features and sweet disposition to mastermind and manipulate those around her to get what she wanted when she was just a baby. Hence, by the age of 2 she was bestowed the nickname "Lex Luthor" by her father.
Daughter of professional motocross racer and world-class hot-rod builder Tony Panterra, and niece of 17-time world champion drag-racer and producer Alex Dodd, Lex has fast cars and an attraction to danger running in her blood. Raised in a family that feeds her wild side and encourages her to operate at dangerous speeds off paved roads, Lexy Panterra was taught from an early age to break the rules safely and not get caught, having grown up in a household of men: father, uncle, and three brothers.
A California native, Lex won her first beauty pageant at age 5 and entered her first motorcycle race at 8 at the LACR. To no one's surprise she stole the show, winning first place in multiple races.
Her winning streak came to a stop when her father was seriously injured in a motocross accident and insisted she did not compete again. She retired on top of the game from motorcycle racing at the age of 11. However she continued to spend her weekends at the racetrack with Dad and the weekdays at dance and theatre classes with Mom.
It is no mistake that she follows in the footsteps of her late grandmother, a famous songwriter, producer, and poet during the 60's & 70's. Lexy Panterra has a style all of her own. Her new single "Neon" written by The Jackie Boyz, co-Written by Major Williams, and produced by super-prodigy producer MDL , the music video for the new sexy club smash single can be viewed here on iTunes Myspace and YouTube, as well as more smashing hit songs from The Sarkillerz and Dell.- Actress
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Italian/South American-Dutch Actress, Tiffany Dupont is a modern-day renaissance woman, transitioning effortlessly between film and television. Dupont was recently seen starring opposite Greg Kinnear and Aldis Hodge in the Tom Shadyac directed drama, "Brian Banks," which had its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival and release nationwide this year. The biopic tells the story of Brian Banks' (Hodge) pivotal journey after he was wrongly convicted and sent to prison. Years later, he fights to clear his name within an unjust system through the help of the California Innocence Project. Dupont plays real life Litigator, Alissa Bjerkhoel, who was essential in the CIP taking on Brian's case and proving his innocence. Dupont can also recently be seen reoccurring on the FOX hit series "9-1-1" as Ali Martin, Buck's (Oliver Stark) love interest and reoccurring on the FOX series "Proven Innocent" as Nikki Castro. Other television work includes Reckless, Anger Management, NCIS: Los Angeles, Mom, Hawaii Five-O, Supernatural, Franklin & Bash, Castle, CSI: Miami, The Big Bang Theory, The Glades, NCIS, 90210, CSI: NY, The Whole Truth, and Melrose Place, among others. On stage, Dupont recently starred in the revival of "Zoot Suit" opposite Demian Bichir at the Taper. On the film front, Dupont's work includes portraying Queen Esther in "One Night with the King," opposite Omar Sharif and Peter O'Toole, for which she won a CAMIE award. She also starred in "The Work and the Glory" and "Cheaper by the Dozen" opposite Steve Martin. Dupont is best known for her portrayal of Frannie Morgan on ABC Family's hit drama series, "Greek." Dupont currently resides in Los Angeles.- Actress
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Born on a military base in Okinawa and raised in San Diego, Elizabeth Frances is a talented, multi-ethnic actress best known for her on-camera roles such as Angela Maryboy in Drunktown's Finest, produced by Robert Redford which premiered at Sundance Film Festival; Bad Penny in the Emmy®-nominated series Her Story; Lilly Rowan on Netflix's Love from producer Judd Apatow; NBC's Heartbeat; FX's Mayans M.C.; and Prairie Flower on AMC's hit series The Son starring Pierce Brosnan.
She received a BFA from Cal Arts, and started her professional career working with such notable theaters as Center Theater Group, La Jolla Playhouse, Los Angeles Theatre Center, Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Marin Theater Company, Native Voices, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre.- Producer
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Charlotte Lucas was born in 1976 in London, England, UK. She is an actress, known for A Thousand Kisses Deep (2011), Bad Girls (1999) and Cleanskin (2012).- Actor
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A small-town guy with a big heart, William Fichtner has been captivating the hearts of Western New Yorkers for decades. Bill was born in 1956 on Long Island, New York, to Patricia A. (Steitz) and William E. Fichtner. He is of German, Irish, and English descent.
Fichtner was raised in Cheektowaga, and graduated from Maryvale High School in 1974. His first roles were in soap operas such as As the World Turns (1956) and sitcoms like Grace Under Fire (1993). He has also been in films such as Armageddon (1998), Empire Falls (2005), as The Marriage Counselor, uncredited, in Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), and in The Dark Knight (2008). A fan of the Buffalo Sabres, Bill always stays true to his roots. He is married to actress Kymberly Kalil.- Kymberly Kalil is known for Jerry Maguire (1996), Misery Loves Company (1995) and Cold Brook (2018). She has been married to William Fichtner since 25 July 1998. They have one child.
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Raised in Northern California, Ali Afshar grew up in the green Sonoma Mountains of Petaluma. His passion for speed and entertaining was evident at a very early age as his family could often find him racing motorcycles and horses at the age of 5 on their 200 acre ranch. The son of Eskandar Afshar and Leila Kasra Afshar, he is the youngest of 3 brothers. His father is an international agricultural business man and his mother was a world renowned Persian poet and lyricist before her passing in 1989. In addition to his parents guiding influence, Ali experienced a vast variety of life experiences following in the footsteps of his two older brothers, Pasha and John. He grew up competing in Break-Dancing & Bicycle Freestyle events all over Northern California. Once he tasted freedom with his driver's license at age 16, Ali won his first High School Challenge for drag racing at Sears Point International Raceway, representing Casa Grande High School. Through high school, Ali could be found almost every week at the Sears Point Raceway competing in the Wednesday Night Drags, racing his classic 1967 Chevrolet Camaro. If he wasn't racing he was in wrestling practice honing his skills. Ali was an outstanding wrestler and set numerous school records. His diligence paid off and made him a California State Finalist in 1991.
After high school, Ali turned his attention to his dream of acting and relocated to Los Angeles. While fulfilling his parents wishes of studying medicine at California State University Northridge, he began to pursue a career in acting for movies and television. Ali immediately started learning from some of the most talented teachers available in Los Angeles and started auditioning. He quickly landed his first job as a skateboarder in a Pepsi commercial and was then cast as the principal actor in a commercial for the Southern California family water park "Raging Waters". Ali paired his acting and racing income to pay for his tuition for college which ultimately led to his graduation from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology as a pre-med major. However, his true desires soon led him away from medicine and toward Hollywood.
Screen Shot 2016-10-11 at 3.34.24 PM.png While pursuing his acting career, Ali also founded Easy Street Motorsports (also known as ESX Motorsports), an automotive performance and race facility that eventually led him to race for Subaru of America and achieved a certain celebrity racing status. ESX became a 2 Time NHRA National & World Champion Team, 18 Time NHRA event champion, 2005 Rally America Champion (with Rocket Rally) and dozens of Import Face Off, IDRC, NOPI and Battle of the Imports series all while setting multiple world records! Ali also created the exclusive and highly anticipated "Ali Afshar Signature Series ESX'' line of Aston Martin and Subaru vehicles that are sold directly through Subaru and Aston Martin dealerships across the nation. Ali also built the one of a kind, carbon fiber, full tube chassis, 1400HP, all-wheel drive Subaru. This Subaru set the record for the World's Quickest and Fastest All Wheel Drive car and the World's Fastest Subaru! This Subaru thundered down the 1/4 mile in 7.9 seconds at over 175 MPH back in 2006, and now Ali pilots a twin turbo 2000 horsepower 2013 Subaru BRZ that has blasted down the 1/4 mile in 7.2 seconds and is on it's way to be the first Subaru to run a 6 second 1/4 mile!
Ali landed his first major television acting role, as (a very fitting) mechanic-racer named "Grease" on the NBC show "Saved By The Bell". He then started working on a string of feature films such as "Three Kings", "Godzilla", HBO's "Guardian" and "The Siege". Ali got his first taste of working with great talent on these projects that included award winning directors and actors!
While most of his feature film projects were dramatic roles, Ali started showing his comedic funny bone on the small screen and landed the recurring role of "Sanjib" on the CBS hit show "The King Of Queens". He kept the smiles going as he worked on another CBS sitcom "City Guys", had a blast as the singing foreign exchange student "Bjorgy" on the FOX children show "The Masked Rider" and kept everyone on their toes with the very funny "Jamie Kennedy Experiment". While he was doing all of this "on camera" work, Ali also enjoyed a voice over gig that spanned over 3 years as the voice of the "Phantom Ranger" on the hit FOX/Saban children TV show "Power Rangers".
Ali soon returned to his dramatic strengths and landed a 4 episode arc on the CBS show "JAG". He continued in his serious ways and worked on two more CBS shows, "NCIS" and "The Agency." He also booked guest spots on the PAX Network show "It's A Miracle" as well the FOX show "Americas Most Wanted." This led him right back to CBS where he landed his first leading role opposite Chuck Norris in the CBS Movie of the Week "The President's Man: A Line in the Sand". He quickly followed his leading role and booked another dramatic supporting role on an NBC Movie of the Week titled "Homeland Security.'' Ali took a hiatus from his acting career while his race car driving talents had him traveling across the nation for Subaru of America and ESX Motorsports from 2004 thru 2009. After years of full-time racing, setting world records and winning national championships were scribed into the history books, Ali turned his full attention back to his acting career in late 2009.
Screen Shot 2016-10-11 at 3.36.04 PM.png His first role back from his racing "hiatus", Ali landed a supporting role in the feature film "He's Just Not That Into You", based on the best selling book. Ali plays the character of "Skip" alongside a star studded cast including Drew Barrymore, Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Connolly, Ben Affleck, Justin Long, Kevin Connolly & more! This movie is directed by Emmy nominated director Ken Kwapis.
Ali kept busy in 2009, he played the character of "Cyrus" alongside Academy Award winner Holly Hunter on the hit "TNT" television show, "Saving Grace". He was cast as "Jonathan" in the comedic web series "Peas In A Pod". He was cast in a new web pilot/series titled "Marisa Rules/Girls Gone College" directed by "Ellen Sandler" (Writer/Producer of Everybody Loves Raymond). Ali also shot a national Mercedes-Benz commercial for the new 2008 "C-Class" titled "Projections" directed by Adam Berg and a "Blue Shield of California" insurance commercial. In November 2009, Ali filmed and worked alongside "The Most Interesting Man The World" in one of the extremely popular "Dos Equis" national beer commercials.
2010 brought Ali back his producing hat and created his first full length feature titled "Born To Race". A teen action film best described as "Fast and Furious meets Friday Night Lights"! Ali tapped into his rich auto racing history and brought dozens of sponsors to support him in this film including Subaru of America, NHRA, Pep Boys, Injen and more! Ali also had a supporting role in this film and played a character very close to home.. Himself! Born to Race was released in foreign markets in 2011 and was a hit on Netflix and in the spring of 2012 in North America. "Born to Race" surprised audiences and exceeded sales around the world thus, the second producing endeavor in Ali's auto based films titled "Born to Race FAST TRACK" was scripted and started filming in the fall of 2012.
Expanding his producing endeavors, Ali's "ESX Productions" created commercials for his special edition "Ali Afshar Signature Series Subaru and Aston Martin" vehicles, Subaru and Aston Martin promotional events, BFGoodrich Tires, Glendale Mitsubishi and a music video for "American Idol" finalist "Katelyn Epperly".
In June 2012, Ali booked roles in the highly anticipated "USA" network TV show "Political Animals" starring Sigourney Weaver and in the Oscar award winning Ben Affleck directed and starred film titled "Argo". Unfortunately a scheduling conflict didn't allow Ali to travel to the Middle East for filming and he had to pass on the great opportunity. In 2013 Ali got back in the saddle of a new Subaru Race Car, a 2013 Subaru BRZ and is attempting to set the world record with a 2000 horsepower, twin turbo, alcohol drinking, nitrous oxide breathing Subaru!
Screen Shot 2016-10-11 at 3.36.21 PM.png In summer of 2014, Ali won the IDRC Winter Nationals in Fontana, CA in his Worlds Fastest Street Subaru. Also, in the summer of 2014, the next generation of the limited "Ali Afshar Signature Series ESX STI" 2015 model year Subaru vehicles will be manufactured and become available thru participating Subaru dealerships across North America. These special 10th Anniversary editions are called the "Red Dragon" series.
In 2014, Ali partnered with Forrest Lucas of the Lucas Oil empire, including the Indianapolis Colts Super Bowl Stadium "Lucas Oil Stadium", Lucas Cattle and MAV TV, to create a slate of feature films. The first film "The Dog Lover" was filmed in late summer 2014. And "American Wrestler: The Wizard", a story best described as "Rocky meets The Karate," a heartfelt coming of age story of perseverance in the face of adversity based on Ali and his family, filmed Summer 2015. Starring Oscar winner Jon Voight and William Fichtner. The third film "Running Wild" starring Sharon Stone and Tommy Flanagan and fourth film "Pray for Rain" starring Jane Seymour also filmed in 2015. These films gained the attention of legendary studio executives at the legendary Warner Bros. Studios , and Ali relocated his offices on to the lot of the famous studio in late 2015.
In 2016 Ali produced "Dirt", a high action car racing film with heart starring Kevin Dillon and also produced "Ride", starring Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, a true story of an abused and racist young boy who gets adopted by an African American man, overcomes their differences and becomes a BMX bicycle world champion.
In 2016 after 2 years of racing development, Ali got back into the driver's seat and set the world record for the Quickest and Fastest Subaru ever, while he blistered down the 1/4 mile at 7.22 seconds at 195mph. In 2017 and 2018, Ali with the help of Warner Bros, started releasing their slate of films and kept his productions rolling, including the films "American Fighter", "Bennett's War, "Roped", "Lady Driver", "The Stand at Paxton County" and "Wheels of Fortune" which were all released on Netflix!
In 2019 Ali produced the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) action film "Born A Champion" starring Dennis Quaid. In 2020, as the Covid pandemic started sweeping the county, Ali utilized his resources and went into producing on what may have been the first film in California during the Covid crisis, a small holiday film called "A California Christmas", which ultimately became a huge hit on Netflix when it was released in 2020! It was the #1 film worldwide on Netflix for almost 2 weeks! In the fall of 2020 Ali also helped create and produce his first series "Casa Grande"
In 2021 Ali kept the holiday spirit alive as he produced a slate of 3 films for Netflix, including "That's Amor", "I Believe in Santa" and the sequel "A California Christmas: City Lights".
Ali and ESX Productions have a slate of films scheduled for filming in 2022 under the new production banner Lila Lane Pictures! As the ESX family says, "The story has just begun".- Producer
- Casting Department
- Actress
Hadeel Reda is known for The Ride (2018), 16 Blocks (2006) and American Wrestler: The Wizard (2016).- Actor
- Producer
- Stunts
Born in Mashhad, Iran, Navid Negahban's passion for acting led him to Germany where he spent eight years before embarking on Hollywood. Dubbed as "the man of a thousand faces," he garnered critical acclaim for his role "Abu Nazir" on the Emmy® Award-winning series Homeland. His quiet and composed depiction of the al-Qaeda leader won Negahban worldwide recognition, but it was his portrayal of the Sultan, in Disney's remake of Aladdin, which made him a household name.
Negahban's film credits include Twelve Strong, American Assassin, Damascus Cover, Baba Joon, and American Sniper. His extensive and diverse television portfolio consists of the portrayal of "Amahl Farouk/The Shadow King" on FX's Legion, making him the first Farsi speaking character in the Marvel Universe. He has also guest starred in classics such as Curb Your Enthusiasm, Law & Order: SVU, Veep, CSI:NY, The Closer, The West Wing, and more.
Negahban received a historic BAFTA nomination for his performance as "Hajj Agha" in the video game 1979 Revolution: Black Friday, marking the first time a Middle Eastern and Muslim actor has been nominated in this category.
In 2019 he started Romany Road Artist Foundation, a safe haven celebrating artistry, built by artists for artists.- Actor
- Producer
Marshall Manesh was born in Iran. He lost his father at an early age and was raised by his beloved mother, whom he feels he got his strength from to make it in show biz. He came to the United States in the mid '70s and joined the Persian Theater Group and traveled extensively through out the US, Canada and Europe for 8 years. His debut film was "True Lies" as Jamal Khaled, directed by James Cameron. Marshall has done more than 100 feature films, television projects and more than 40 commercials. He had a recurring roles on Will & Grace as Mr. Zamir, How I Met Your Mother as Ranjit, Scrubs as Dr. Akbar, and was also a series regular on Andy Barker P.I.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Max Amini was born in Tucson, Arizona. He was raised on the East Coast and graduated from UCLA's school of Theater, Film and Television in 2004. As an actor, Max has numerous film and television credits including NBC's Heroes, regular appearances on Comedy Central's Mind of Mencia, Netflix original Real Rob, and leading roles in several feature films.
Max is a sensational international Stand-up comedian and has been headlining his own tours since 2012. Every year he performs in Austrellia, German, London, Amsterdam, Dubai, Canada, and the list goes on. He's truly a one of a kind talent and he has a loyal fan base that truly loves him. For more info please visit his website.- Sally Roberts is known for Google Translate Sings (2014) and The Door (2024).
- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Shani Rigsbee (Shani) is a Recording Artist - Singer, Composer and Producer whose work appears in major motion pictures and she has performed at some of the world's most prestigious venues. The recent end title credit song "Rise" from Warner Bros' American Wrestler, and her song "El Llamar de Pasión - Call of the Wild" featured in the Academy Award Winner for Best Picture, Crash are examples of songs she has composed and performed. She was also the Featured Vocalist in the 20th Century Fox epic, One Night With the King and her songs, voice and persona have been featured in numerous feature films such as The House of Sand and Fog (Dreamworks) where she also appeared on screen and in The Keeper - The Legend of Omar Khayyam (Guide Company Films) with Academy Award Winner Vanessa Redgrave, in which she also played the exotic Court Entertainer and was also the Executive Producer of the soundtrack. She has also appeared in and provided music for many other independent feature films and television shows and was the featured Vocalist for Sony Playstation's Parasite Eve, a mega popular International Hit. On screen, Shani has played a variety of roles from a sultry femme fatale to a seductive ancient temptress and her recent role of a Detective in Guardian Angel where she also serves as Co-Executive Producer. Her debut film role was the feature film Crossworlds with Rutger Hauer, Josh Charles and Jack Black. Several episodic television credits exist in her archives as a young girl in her early days in Los Angeles.
As a Recording Artist and Performer, she has toured the world from Los Angeles' Greek Theatre to London to Dubai and everywhere in between. She created a Production company, Cherokee Productions LLC with Cherokee Music Group being the music company through which she releases her music. One special, humanitarian project, "We Hear Your Voice" was an original song penned and Produced by Shani featuring some of the World's greatest voices giving voice to the people throughout the globe in solidarity and unity. Top Producers and musicians in the music industry have lent their support in this special project. She continues to Produce both Music and Film ventures with the latest being "City of Crows", a political thriller with supernatural elements contrasting. Shani serves as Producer and a featured actor, as well as creating the end title theme song.- Actor
- Composer
- Music Department
Andy Madadian is known for House of Sand and Fog (2003), Guardian Angel (2014) and American Wrestler: The Wizard (2016). He has been married to Shani Rigsbee since 11 November 2011.