John Adams 2008 premiere

1. Paul Giamatti

Actor | Sideways

Paul Giamatti is an American actor who has worked steadily and prominently for over thirty years, and is best known for leading roles in the films American Splendor (2003), Sideways (2004), and Barney's Version (2010) (for which he won a Golden Globe), and supporting roles in the films Cinderella ...

2. Tom Hanks

Producer | Cast Away

Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born in Concord, California, to Janet Marylyn (Frager), a hospital worker, and Amos Mefford Hanks, an itinerant cook. His mother's family, originally surnamed "Fraga", was entirely Portuguese, while his father was of mostly English ancestry. Tom grew up in what he has ...

3. Tom Hooper

Director | Cats

Tom Hooper was educated at one of England's most prestigious schools, Westminster. His first film, Runaway Dog, was made when he was 13 years old and shot on a Clockwork 16mm Bolex camera, using 100 feet of film. At age 18, he wrote, directed and produced the short film Painted Faces (1992), which ...

4. Colin Callender

Producer | The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby

Colin Callender Colin Callender an Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA award winning film and television producer and a Tony Award and Olivier Award winning theater producer, who founded the New York and London based production company Playground in 2012.

Callender began his career as stage manager at ...

5. David McCullough

Actor | Seabiscuit

David McCullough was born on July 7, 1933 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. He was a writer and actor, known for Seabiscuit (2003), Nova (1974) and John Adams (2008). He was married to Rosalee Barnes. He died on August 7, 2022 in Hingham, Massachusetts, USA.

6. Morgan Freeman

Actor | Driving Miss Daisy

With an authoritative voice and calm demeanor, this ever popular American actor has grown into one of the most respected figures in modern US cinema. Morgan was born on June 1, 1937 in Memphis, Tennessee, to Mayme Edna (Revere), a teacher, and Morgan Porterfield Freeman, a barber. The young Freeman...

7. David Morse

Actor | The Green Mile

David Morse, a 6' 4" tall blue-eyed blond who performed on stage for 10 years before breaking into film, has become established as a respected supporting, character actor and second lead.

He was born the first of four children of Charles, a sales manager, and Jacquelyn Morse, a schoolteacher, on ...

8. Justin Theroux

Actor | Mulholland Dr.

Justin was born and raised in Washington, DC, the son of Phyllis (Grissim), a writer for The Washington Post, and Eugene Theroux, a corporate lawyer. He is a nephew of writer Paul Theroux and a cousin of journalists Louis Theroux and Marcel Theroux. His father is of French-Canadian and Italian ...

9. Josh Charles

Actor | Dead Poets Society

Joshua Aaron Charles is an American actor. He is best known for the roles of Dan Rydell on Sports Night; Will Gardner on The Good Wife, which earned him two Primetime Emmy Award nominations; and his early work as Knox Overstreet in Dead Poets Society. He is the son of Allan Charles, an advertising ...

10. Mamie Gummer

Actress | The Lifeguard

Mamie Gummer was born on August 3, 1983 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for The Lifeguard (2013), Ricki and the Flash (2015) and The Ward (2010). She has been married to Mehar Sethi since February 2019. They have two children. She was previously married to Benjamin Walker.

11. Kirk Ellis

Writer | John Adams

Kirk Ellis is known for John Adams (2008), Into the West (2005) and Anne Frank: The Whole Story (2001).

12. Howard Gould

Self | The O'Reilly Factor

13. Ashleigh Banfield

Actress | Don't Look Up

Award-winning veteran journalist Ashleigh Banfield is the host of "Banfield" on NewsNation.

"Banfield" airs weeknights at 10 p.m. ET, offering in-depth coverage of the day's top news stories. It also features Banfield interviewing newsmakers, politicians and celebrities.

Before joining NewsNation, ...

14. Bob Balaban

Actor | Gosford Park

Bob Balaban was born on August 16, 1945 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Gosford Park (2001), A Mighty Wind (2003) and Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977). He has been married to Lynn Grossman since April 1, 1977. They have two children.

15. James Snyder

Actor | She's the Man

James Snyder has been seen on stage and screen, notably opposite Idina Menzel in Broadway's "If/Then", as Harry Potter in "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child", and in Broadways First a Capella musical "In Transit" he also received a Drama League Award Nomination for the titular role in Cry-Baby and ...

16. Maggie Rizer

Actress | Sex and the City

Maggie Rizer was born on January 9, 1978 in Staten Island, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Sex and the City (1998), Stylista (2008) and America's Next Top Model (2003). She has been married to Alex Mehran since September 18, 2010. They have four children.

17. Eva Amurri

Actress | Saved!

Eva Maria Olivia Amurri Martino (born March 15, 1985) is an American film and television actress Amurri Martino was born in New York City, to Italian director Franco Amurri and American actress Susan Sarandon. She attended Friends Seminary (Manhattan) for middle school, and graduated from Saint ...

18. Clancy O'Connor

Actor | John Adams

Clancy O'Connor is known for John Adams (2008), Kill Your Darlings (2013) and What's Your Emergency (2015).

19. John Lloyd Young

Actor | Jersey Boys

John Lloyd Young was born on July 4, 1975 in the USA. He is an actor, known for Jersey Boys (2014), Glee (2009) and Law & Order (1990).

20. Tom Payne

Actor | Prodigal Son

Thomas Payne (born 21 December 1982) is an English actor. He is known for appearing on AMC's The Walking Dead as Paul "Jesus" Rovia (2016-2018).

Payne was born in Chelmsford, Essex, and grew up in Bath, Somerset, where he attended King Edward's School and was a prolific contributor to the school's ...

21. Zeljko Ivanek

Actor | Seven Psychopaths

Zeljko Ivanek was born on August 15, 1957 in Ljubljana, Slovenia. He is an actor and producer, known for Seven Psychopaths (2012), Argo (2012) and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017).

22. Gary Goetzman

Producer | A Man Called Otto

Gary Goetzman was born on November 6, 1952 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for A Man Called Otto (2022), Mamma Mia! (2008) and My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). He has been married to Leslie Anne Carroll since March 23, 1986. They have two children.

23. Richard Plepler

Producer | Black Bird

Richard Plepler is known for Black Bird (2022), The Problem with Jon Stewart (2021) and A Search for Solid Ground: The Intifada Through Israeli Eyes (1990).

24. Jeffrey Bewkes

Self | A Tribute to Sheila Nevins: Newhouse Mirror Awards

Jeffrey Bewkes was born on May 25, 1952 in Paterson, New Jersey, USA. He is an executive.

25. Morley Safer

Actor | Morning Glory

Morley Safer was born on November 8, 1931 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He was an news anchor, known for 60 Minutes (1968).. He played himself in Morning Glory (2010) and A Man Without a Country (2012). He was married to Jane Fearer, and had a daughter, Sarah. He died on May 19, 2016 in New York ...

26. Mike Nichols

Director | The Graduate

He, along with the other members of the "Compass Players" including Elaine May, Paul Sills, Byrne Piven, Joyce Hiller Piven and Edward Asner helped start the famed "Second City Improv" company. They used the games taught to them by fellow cast mate, Paul Sills 's mother, Viola Spolin. He later ...

27. Lorne Michaels

Producer | Saturday Night Live

Lorne Michaels was born on November 17, 1944 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is a producer and writer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), 30 Rock (2006) and The Kids in the Hall (1988). He has been married to Alice Barry since 1991. They have three children. He was previously married to Susan ...

28. Sophie Flack

Self | 2014 Golden Globe Arrivals Special

Sophie Flack has been married to Josh Charles since September 6, 2013. They have two children.

29. Steve Kroft

Actor | Small Time Crooks

Steve Kroft was born on August 22, 1945 in Kokomo, Indiana, USA. He is an actor, known for Small Time Crooks (2000), 60 Minutes (1968) and Murphy Brown (1988). He has been married to Jennet Conant since June 29, 1991. They have one child. He was previously married to Sarah Jane Keene.

30. John Kroft

Actor | Maestro

John Kroft is known for Maestro (2023), Moe & Jerryweather (2014) and Master (2022).

31. Rosalee McCullough

Self | David McCullough: Painting with Words

32. Ed Westwick

Actor | Gossip Girl

Edward Jack Peter Westwick is an English actor and musician best known for his role as Chuck Bass on The CW's Gossip Girl as well as Vincent Swan in the TV series White Gold. He made his feature film debut in Children of Men (2006) and has since appeared in the films Breaking and Entering (2006), ...

33. David Chase

Producer | The Sopranos

Born in Mt. Vernon, New York, and raised in New Jersey, David Chase (born David DeCesare) dreamed of being a star drummer in a rock band! He spent many years playing drums and bass trying to be part of a successful rock band in the 1960s East Coast music scene. He also loved movies, such as The ...