Street Kings 2008 premiere
Thursday April 3rd, TCL Chinese Theatre 6925 Hollywood Blvd, Hollywood, CA 90028
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- Actor
- Producer
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Forest Steven Whitaker has packaged a king-size talent into his hulking 6' 2", 220 lb. frame. He won an Academy Award for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the film The Last King of Scotland (2006), and has also won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. He is the fourth African-American male to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, following in the footsteps of Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, and Jamie Foxx.
Whitaker was born on July 15, 1961 in Longview, Texas, to Laura Francis (Smith), a special education teacher, and Forest Steven Whitaker, an insurance salesman. His family moved to South Central Los Angeles in 1965. The athletically-inclined Whitaker initially found his way into college via a football scholarship. Later, however, he transferred to USC where he set his concentration on music and earned two more scholarships training as an operatic tenor. This, in turn, led to another scholarship at Berkeley with a renewed focus on acting and the performing stage.
Whitaker made his film debut at the age of 21 in the raucous comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) wherein he played, quite naturally, a footballer. He went on to play another sports-oriented student, a wrestler, in his second film Vision Quest (1985). He gained experience on TV as well with featured spots on such varied shows as Diff'rent Strokes (1978) and Cagney & Lacey (1981), not to mention the TV-movie Civil War epic North & South: Book 1, North & South (1985) and its sequel. The movie that truly put him on the map was The Color of Money (1986). His one big scene as a naive-looking pool player who out-hustles Paul Newman's Fast Eddie Felson was pure electricity. This led to more visible roles in the "A" class films Platoon (1986), Stakeout (1987), and Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), which culminated in his breakout lead portrayal of the tortured jazz icon 'Charlie "Bird" Parker' in Clint Eastwood's passion project Bird (1988), for which Whitaker won the Cannes Film Festival award for "best actor" and a Golden Globe nomination. Whitaker continued to work with a number of well-known directors throughout the 1990s.
While his "gentle giant" characters typically display innocence, indecision, and timidity along with a strong underlying humanity, he has certainly not shied away from the edgier, darker corners of life as his occasional hitmen and other menacing streetwise types can attest. Although in only the first section of the film, he was memorable as the IRA-captured British soldier whose bizarre relationship with a mysterious femme fatale serves as the catalyst for the critically-lauded drama The Crying Game (1992). Always a willing participant to push the envelope, he's gone on to enhance a number of lesser films. Among those was his plastic surgeon in Johnny Handsome (1989), gay clothing designer in Robert Altman's Ready to Wear (1994), alien hunter in Species (1995), absentee father confronted by his estranged son in Smoke (1995), and Mafia hitman who models himself after the samurai warrior in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), among many others. As would be expected, he's also had his share of epic-sized bombs, notoriously the L. Ron Hubbard sci-fi disaster Battlefield Earth (2000). On the TV front, he was the consulting producer and host of a revamped Rod Serling's cult series classic The Twilight Zone (2002), which lasted a disappointing one season.
In the early 1990s, Whitaker widened his horizons to include producing/directing and has since gained respect behind the camera as well. He started things off co-producing the violent gangster film A Rage in Harlem (1991), in which he co-starred with Gregory Hines and Robin Givens, and then made his successful directorial debut with the soulful Waiting to Exhale (1995), showcasing a legion of distaff black stars. He also directed co-star Whitney Houston's music video of the movie's theme song ("Shoop Shoop"). He also helmed the fluffy romantic comedy First Daughter (2004) with Katie Holmes and Michael Keaton. Whitaker also served as an executive producer on First Daughter. He had previously executive produced several made-for-television movies, most notably the 2002 Emmy-award winning Door to Door, starring William H. Macy. He produced these projects through his production company, Spirit Dance Entertainment, which he shut down in 2005 to concentrate on his acting career.
In 2002, he co-starred in Joel Schumacher's thriller, Phone Booth, with Kiefer Sutherland and Colin Farrell. That year, he also co-starred with Jodie Foster in Panic Room.
Whitaker's greatest success to date is the 2006 film, The Last King of Scotland. His performance earned him the 2007 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, For that same role, he also received the Golden Globe Award, the Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA Award, and many critical accolades. He has also received several other honors. In September 2006, the 10th Annual Hollywood Film Festival presented him with its "Hollywood Actor of the Year Award," He was also honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2007, receiving the American Riviera Award. Previously, in 2005, the Deauville Festival of American Film paid tribute to him. In 2007, Forest Whitaker won the Cinema for Peace Award 2007.
In 2007, Whitaker co-starred in The Great Debaters with fellow Oscar winner Denzel Washington, and in 2008, Whitaker played opposite Keanu Reeves in Street Kings and Dennis Quaid in Vantage Point.
In 2009, Forest co-starred in the Warner Bros. film "Where the Wild Things Are," directed by Spike Jonze, which was a mix of live-action, animation and puppetry as an adaptation of the Maurice Sendak classic children's book. Around the same time, he also starred n "Repossession Mambo", with Jude Law, "Hurricane Season", "Winged Creatures", and "Powder Blue". He appeared in the Olivier Dahan film "My Own Love Song", opposite Renée Zellweger, and was part of the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009, in Nigeria.
He is married to former model Keisha Whitaker and has three children by her. His younger brothers Kenn Whitaker and Damon Whitaker are both actors as well.
Forest was given a star on the Hollywood Walk in April of 2007. In November 2007, Whitaker was the creative mind behind DEWmocracy.com, a website that let people decide the next flavor of Mountain Dew in a "People's Dew" poll. He directed a short film and created the characters for the video game. Whitaker has done extensive humanitarian work, he has been involved with organizations like, Penny Lane, an organization that provides assistance to abused teenagers. PETA and Farm Sanctuary, organizations that protect animals' rights. Close friends with Neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Black, Forest has helped raise awareness and funds for Dr. Blacks research. During the last couple of years, he has become a spokesperson for Hope North Ugandan orphanage and Human Rights Watch. In the year 2001 Forest received a Humanitas Prize. He was recently honored by The City of Los Angeles with the Hope of Los Angeles Award. And his entire clan received the LA BEST Family Focus Award. Last year he joined forces with "Idol Gives Back" and "Malaria No More"; he has become a GQ Ambassador supporting and fundraising for Hope North. He was a Surrogate for Barack Obama's campaign supporting him across the United States.
Whitaker's multimedia company, Spirit Dance Entertainment, includes film, television and music production. He works closely with a number of charitable organizations, giving back to his community by serving as an Honorary Board Members for Penny Lane, an organization that provides assistance to abused teenagers, the Human Rights Watch and The Hope North organization.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Founder of the SWAT team and Chief of the Los Angeles Police department for longer than any other Chief in the history of the Los Angeles Police department. Daryl Gates was born on August 30, 1926 in California. He is considered one of the most influential leaders in LAPD history and was famous for his strong stance against drugs. Before becoming the chief of the LAPD in 1978 he was head of intelligence, and in the early 1960s the security/driver for the legendary Chief Parker. Later on in 1993 he joined the Sierra Online company to help out with the PC game Police Quest Open Season and also with other Police Quest games including Police Quest: SWAT, Police Quest: SWAT 2. On April 16, 2010, Daryl Gates died of Bladder Cancer at his home in Dana Point, California at the age 83.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
David Ayer is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. David Ayer was born in Champaign, Illinois and grew up in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Bethesda, Maryland, where he was kicked out of his house by his parents as a teenager. Ayer then lived with his cousin in Los Angeles, California, where his experiences in South Central Los Angeles became the inspiration for many of his films. Ayer then enlisted in the United States Navy as a submariner.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Known primarily for her acting career, 'In Her Name' is Sarah Carter's debut as a feature director and filmmaker. This movie premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival 2022. Canadian-born, Sarah trained classically in theater, dance, and fine arts at Ryerson University Toronto. When she arrived in Los Angeles, her acting career took off quickly with string of long-running series regular roles. She became well known for her role as "Madeleine Poe" opposite James Woods on CBS' Shark directed by Spike Lee and most recently she took the lead as "Harper Deakins" opposite Cole Hauser and Richard Shiff on her series Rogue.
Her guest-starring and recurring roles leave a memorable impression, namely as "Alicia Baker" on the CW's Smallville; as "Wrenn Darcy" opposite Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland, and Jill Clayburgh in HBO's Dirty Sexy Money; as "Cassie" in the much-talked-about "The Sundance Kids" episode of HBO's Entourage; as "Lynn Downey" on CBS' long-running remake of Hawaii Five-0, and she's maintained her status as a fan favorite recurring as "Cicada," the first female villain, on CW's The Flash, as well as a guest-star in Law & Order SVU opposite Mariska Hargitay portraying a charismatic capo of NXIVM sex cult.
Her success as an actor inspired a quiet pursuit of the director's chair beginning with Judd Apatow and Seth Rogan inviting her into the writing room to develop her character on their comedy series 'Undeclared'. Since then, she has shadowed and worked with several top directors, most notably over the course of her 5-year run on Steven Spielberg's "Falling Skies".
In film, Sarah has starred in several independent and studio pictures, including Haven, Killing Zelda Sparks, Berkeley, The Weinstein Co.'s DOA: Dead or Alive, New Line Cinema's Final Destination 2. She appeared opposite Rachel McAdams, as "Diane" in SpyGlass Pictures' blockbuster, The Vow, and opposite Larenz Tate as "Veronica" in Business Ethics.
With the birth of her daughter, Alice, Sarah completed her first original screenplay, 'Girl Who Needed A Ride'. She is CEO and founder of her own house, Cheshire Moon Productions. Along with her husband, Emmy Award-winning editor, Kevin Barth, she has successfully produced two full-length features, "A Pity", and her self-penned directorial debut "In Her Name". Both have shared success on the 2022 festival circuit.
Sarah honors her mastery of the artistic process by teaching and contributing as a philanthropist in various ways. She's worked with teenage boys at Camp Kilpatrick Juvenile Delinquent Hall to help them tell their stories and move their emotions creatively, and facilitates women's groups intended to share and release trauma, celebrate wisdom, and find freedom in a safe community. For years, she was the spokesperson for The Breast Cancer Fund promoting health and wellness, raising funds for research, and was featured in Elle Magazine for climbing Mt. Shasta in honor of all the women in her life and around the world who live with or who have died fighting cancer. Today, Cheshire Moon Productions has partnered with EmpowerHer, an organization to support and inspire young women who have lost their mothers.
Working and traveling alone as an actor for over a decade, she values her ability to bond and communicate beyond language and culture. As a practicing Buddhist and yogini, with professional training in core energetics, and having acquired teaching status for her studies with Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes on story analysis and channeling archetypes, Sarah applies her experience as a mystic to all facets of her life's work.
Along with being a professional actor, director, writer, producer, and devoted mother, Sarah is a singer/songwriter in her band, "SanguinDrake."- Actress
- Producer
Claire Forlani was born in the United Kingdom and grew up in London. Educated at Arts Educational School, she moved to the United States with her parents Pier Luigi and Barbara Forlani when she was 19 and began starring in films.
Claire has had leading roles in such films as Meet Joe Black (1998), Basquiat (1996), The Rock (1996), Mystery Men (1999), Mallrats (1995), Antitrust (2001), Boys and Girls (2000), The Medallion, Hallam Foe (2007), Flashbacks of a Fool (2008) and Green Street Hooligans (2005).
Claire is now starring in the Sky International show Domina, about ancient Rome .She appeared with Christopher Plummer in the television series Departure . Other television appearances include STARZ original series Camelot (2011) playing Queen Igraine, The Pentagon Papers (2003), Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King (2006), and she has had recurring roles on NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) and CSI: NY (2004).
Claire has also appeared in campaigns for Dewars, L'Oréal, Banana Republic, Shiesido and Dior.
She is married to actor Dougray Scott in 2007 and welcomed their son Milo Thomas Scott born 12.27.14- Actress
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LisaRaye McCoy-Misick was born September 23, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. She is of African American and Native American descent and is proud of her heritage. She later attended Eastern Illinois University but she never really took the idea of a career in acting seriously until persuaded by an insistent roommate to attend a local audition in Chicago. Her screen debut was in the low-budget action movie Reasons (1996), she received numerous critical kudos despite the fact that the film went largely unseen. LisaRaye is known for possessing a charmingly seductive smile and a distinctively vibrant but laid-back personality. She first caught the eye of television viewers with an appearance on the popular television series In the House (1995). Though the movie never did find a distributor, director Monty Ross convinced the budding young actress to move out to L.A. during pilot season, and she soon landed minor roles on such shows as Martin (1992) and In the House (1995). She also made an appearance in rapper Tupac Shakur's final music video, her memorable appearance caught the eye of rapper/actor Ice Cube, which led to her being in the movie The Players Club (1998). Her memorable performance as a troubled stripper left a solid impression on audiences. Her appearances thus far were impressive, but LisaRaye's career truly began to ignite after her appearance in the movie The Wood (1999). In 2000, LisaRaye found her widest audience yet as the host of Source: All Access (2002), a popular series dedicated to exploring hip-hop culture. She quickly gained a loyal following with her winning smile and extensive knowledge of all things hip-hop. As film roles continued to roll in, she came across her biggest role to date in the 2002 film Civil Brand (2002). A harrowing look into life in women's prison, the film took home top awards at both the American Black Film Festival and The Urbanworld Film Festival. Soon following her little sister Da Brat into a career in music, LisaRaye next began collaborating with Benzino to record a song to be featured in the film Redemption (2004). 2003 proved an equally lucrative year for LisaRaye as she prepared for the release of the Barry Levinson comedy Envy (2004), the female-driven Western Guns and Roses (2000), and her new sitcom, All of Us (2003) which was ran from 2003-2007.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Minnie Driver was born January 31, 1970 in London and raised in Barbados until she was seven. Her mother, Gaynor Churchward, was a designer and former couture model. Her father, Charles Ronald "Ronnie" Driver, was a businessman. Minnie's mother was her father's mistress while he was still married to his wife. Minnie's sister, Kate Driver, is a manager and producer.
Her breakout role was in the 1995 film Circle of Friends. Minnie then appeared briefly in the James Bond picture Goldeneye. Since then, she has focused on working in a wide tonal range of films. These include several cult classics: Grosse Point Blank, Big Night, and Owning Mahowny; the painted romance of Good Will Hunting (earning an Oscar nomination for best actress in a supporting role); musicals like The Phantom of the Opera; period comedies like the Oscar Wilde classic An Ideal Husband; and Princess Mononoke, the seminal animated Japanese film by Hayao Miyazaki. Minnie has also starred in several family films such as Tarzan, Ella Enchanted, and the 2021 live action Cinderella.
Minnie has a wide-range of television work in place from FX's dark comedy classic The Riches, in which she co-starred with Eddie Izzard, to starring in two network sitcoms including NBC's About A Boy adaptation as well as ABC's Speechless. Both of which ran for several seasons. Minnie also pops up in key guest-starring roles such as her turn as Lorraine Finster on Will & Grace which lasted almost fifteen years and as Cath on the current BBC / HBO comedy Starstruck. Minnie is also starring in the Amazon anthology Modern Love which is on air now (2021).
On September 5, 2008, she gave birth to a boy named Henry Story Driver. She is in a long-term relationship with Addison O'Dea.- Actor
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Jimmy Jean-Louis led a simple Life in the slums of Haiti until the age of 12, when he moved to Paris.
Jimmy worked for 3 years in a musical theater in Spain "La Belle Époque" before embarking on a successful modeling career in France, Spain, Italy, South Africa and England.
He moved to Los Angeles in 1998 to pursue acting. Some of his credits include: "Tears of the Sun" (Dir: Antoine Fuqua, Columbia pictures 2003) with Bruce Willis, "Hollywood Homicide" (dir: Ron Shelton, Columbia Pictures, 2003) with Harrison Fordand Josh Hartnet, "Monster-in-Law" (Dir: Robert Luketic, New Line, 2005 ) with Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez, "Phat Girlz" (Dir: Nnegest Likke, Fox Searchlight, 2006) with Oscar winner Mo'Nique, "Heroes" (NBC, 2006-2010) where he portrayed the charismatic Rene aka The Haitian, "Arrow" (CW Network, 2013), "Heroes Reborn" (NBC, 2015) and "Joy" (Dir: David O Russell, Fox 2000 Pictures, 2015) with Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro. He' was a regular on the show "Claws" TNT, 2018.
His most important role to date is playing the title character in "Toussaint Louverture" which won Best Actor at the Pan African Film Festival and a nomination for Best Actor at the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2012.
Jimmy Jean-Louis won Best Actor in a leading role "Desrances" at the Africa Movie Academy Award in 2020.
Fluent in English, French, Spanish, Italian and Creole, Jimmy has worked in many parts of the world including France, England, Indonesia, Cuba, Nigeria, Brasil and Mexico....- Actor
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- Music Department
Keith Robinson was born in Kentucky and grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. He later moved to Augusta and graduated from Lakeside High School. He attended the University of Georgia and, while there, signed a recording contract with Motown Records, but that label never issued any of his material.
Robinson moved to Los Angeles and earned a starring role as Joel Rawlings, the Green Ranger in the TV series Power Rangers Lightspeed Rescue. Robinson appeared in other series including ER (1994), American Dreams (2002), Monk (2002), Half & Half (2002), and Over There (2005).
Robinson's role as C.C. White in Dreamgirls (2006), which includes a Robinson-led version of the song "Family," appears to have been a breakout. He was subsequently cast in Comanche Moon (2008) now in post-production, in This Christmas (2007) now filming, The Apostles (2008) in pre-production and Caught on Tape (2011) now in production.- Actor
- Producer
Ronny Turiaf was born on 13 January 1983 in Le Robert, Martinique, France. He is an actor and producer, known for N.O.L.A Circus (2015), #ModernMillennial (2015) and The Playboy Morning Show (2010).- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Keanu Charles Reeves, whose first name means "cool breeze over the mountains" in Hawaiian, was born September 2, 1964 in Beirut, Lebanon. He is the son of Patric Reeves, a showgirl and costume designer, and Samuel Nowlin Reeves, a geologist. Keanu's father was born in Hawaii, of British, Portuguese, Native Hawaiian, and Chinese ancestry, and Keanu's mother is originally from Essex England. After his parents' marriage dissolved, Keanu moved with his mother and younger sister, Kim Reeves, to New York City, then Toronto. Stepfather #1 was Paul Aaron, a stage and film director - he and Patricia divorced within a year, after which she went on to marry (and divorce) rock promoter Robert Miller. Reeves never reconnected with his biological father. In high school, Reeves was lukewarm toward academics but took a keen interest in ice hockey (as team goalie, he earned the nickname "The Wall") and drama. He eventually dropped out of school to pursue an acting career.
After a few stage gigs and a handful of made-for-TV movies, he scored a supporting role in the Rob Lowe hockey flick Youngblood (1986), which was filmed in Canada. Shortly after the production wrapped, Reeves packed his bags and headed for Hollywood. Reeves popped up on critics' radar with his performance in the dark adolescent drama, River's Edge (1986), and landed a supporting role in the Oscar-nominated Dangerous Liaisons (1988) with director Stephen Frears.
His first popular success was the role of totally rad dude Ted "Theodore" Logan in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989). The wacky time-travel movie became something of a cultural phenomenon, and audiences would forever confuse Reeves's real-life persona with that of his doofy on-screen counterpart. He then joined the casts of Ron Howard's comedy, Parenthood (1989) and Lawrence Kasdan's I Love You to Death (1990).
Over the next few years, Reeves tried to shake the Ted stigma with a series of highbrow projects. He played a slumming rich boy opposite River Phoenix's narcoleptic male hustler in My Own Private Idaho (1991), an unlucky lawyer who stumbles into the vampire's lair in Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992), and Shakespearean party-pooper Don John in Much Ado About Nothing (1993).
In 1994, the understated actor became a big-budget action star with the release of Speed (1994). Its success heralded an era of five years in which Reeves would alternate between small films, like Feeling Minnesota (1996) and The Last Time I Committed Suicide (1997), and big films like A Walk in the Clouds (1995) and The Devil's Advocate (1997). (There were a couple misfires, too: Johnny Mnemonic (1995) and Chain Reaction (1996).) After all this, Reeves did the unthinkable and passed on the Speed sequel, but he struck box-office gold again a few years later with the Wachowski siblings' cyberadventure, The Matrix (1999).
Now a bonafide box-office star, Keanu would appear in a string of smaller films -- among them The Replacements (2000), The Watcher (2000), The Gift (2000), Sweet November (2001), and Hardball (2001) - before The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003) were both released in 2003.
Since the end of The Matrix trilogy, Keanu has divided his time between mainstream and indie fare, landing hits with Something's Gotta Give (2003), The Lake House (2006), and Street Kings (2008). He's kept Matrix fans satiated with films such as Constantine (2005), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008). And he's waded back into art-house territory with Ellie Parker (2005), Thumbsucker (2005), The Private Lives of Pippa Lee (2009), and Henry's Crime (2010).
Most recently, as post-production on the samurai epic 47 Ronin (2013) waged on, Keanu appeared in front of the camera in Side by Side (2012), a documentary on celluloid and digital filmmaking, which he also produced. He also directed another Asian-influenced project, Man of Tai Chi (2013).
In 2014, Keanu played the title role in the action revenge film John Wick (2014), which became popular with critics and audiences alike. He reprised the role in John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017), taking the now-iconic character to a better opening weekend and even more enthusiastic reviews than the first go-around.- Actor
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Terry Crews was born in Flint, Michigan, to Patricia and Terry Crews Sr. He earned an art excellence scholarship to attend Western Michigan University and also earned a full-ride athletic scholarship to play football. Crews was an All-Conference defensive end, and was a major contributor on the 1988 MAC champion WMU Broncos. His college success was rewarded in 1991, when he was drafted by the NFL's Los Angeles Rams.
Crews played six years in the NFL, with stints at the L.A. Rams, San Diego Chargers , Rhein Fire (NFL Europe-Germany), Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles. While in the NFL, used his art talent by painting a line of NFL licensed lithographs for Sierra Sun Editions.
In 1996, Crews co-wrote and co-produced the independent feature film "Young Boys Incorporated" (1996).
Crews retired from the NFL in 1997 and moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Crews's first break came in 1999, when he auditioned for the extreme sports show called Battle Dome (1999), with other actor-athletes from around the country. Crews was chosen to be a series regular, known as the urban warrior T-Money.
In 2000, Crews made his big-screen debut in The 6th Day (2000). Since then, he has landed roles in Serving Sara (2002), Friday After Next (2002), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Malibu's Most Wanted (2003), Starsky & Hutch (2004), Soul Plane (2004), White Chicks (2004), and the Mike Judge film, Idiocracy (2006).- Actress
- Producer
Lived with her parents in Colorado, until her parents divorced. Her dad moved to Laguna Beach, California with her brother, and she moved to Illinois with her mother. She also has a stepfather and stepbrother there. She acted out while there to get attention and, after her mother couldn't handle it anymore, Kristin moved to Laguna Beach to be with her dad and brother. Her freshman year, she attended a Catholic school with the uniforms to boot. But that year, she took Driver's Ed at Laguna High.. where she met Alex Murrel (aka Alex M.) and soon the rest of the Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County (2004) crew. She convinced her Dad to let her switch to the public school starting her sophomore year.- Actress
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Higareda was born in Villahermosa, Tabasco, Mexico, the daughter of actress Martha Cervantes and therapist and artist Jose Luis Higareda, and sister of actress Miriam Higareda. She began acting on stage at a very early age, along with dancing jazz, flamenco, tap and folklore. At 14, she moved to Mexico City from her native Tabasco to pursue an acting career. Her debut was in theater participating in various plays such as "Little Women" "Don Juan" among others.
Being an advanced student, she entered college several years early at the age of 15; studying Communications at El Tecnologico de Monterrey. She would attend college in the mornings while going to acting school in the evenings and performing in theater on the weekends. A year later, her mother and sister moved to Mexico City and attended acting school with her.
She had her first TV debut as an anchor hostess in The Disney Channel's ''Zapping Zone'' a 2 hour life show of fun sketches and adventurous exploring. Soon after, Martha had her own extreme sports segments in the show.
She was only 16 when filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron came to Mexico City auditioning for "Y tu Mama tambien", Martha got the part of Cecilia Huerta, Gael Garcia's girlfriend in the film, but being underage and due to the full on nudity in the movie she was not able to do the role. Cuaron encouraged her to keep pursuing her acting career and following his advice soon after she changed her major from Communications to the Performing Arts.
In 2002, Higareda had her first leading role in the movie ''Amar te duele" "Love hurts", directed by Fernando Sariñana, in which she shares credits with Luis Fernando Peña and Alfonso Herrera. The movie quickly became a box office hit. And launched Martha's career giving her the nickname "The Mexican Sweetheart". She received The Silver Goddess award for her performance as female lead and the MTV movies favorite actress award.
In 2003, she was offered the lead in a Mexican TV show "Enamorate" in TV Azteca. But Higareda's passion was in making movies. Higareda returned with the movie ''Siete Días'' next to Jaime Camil, which turned out to be another box office hit. She worked with Carlos Carrera (El crimen del Padre Amaro) in "Sex, love and other perversions" winning another Silver Goddess Award. And that same year she was nominated as best supporting actress for the Mexican Academy Awards for her role in ''Fuera del Cielo'', In 2007, she came with her latest production ''Niñas Mal'', directed by Fernando Sariñana where she shared credits with Camila Sodi and Ximena Sariñana The movie produced by Columbia Pictures was a huge success in which Higareda portrayed a stubborn yet sweet punk, Adela, and her unusual haircut and fashion statement quickly became a trend in Mexican teenagers.
She booked her first American movie in 2007 ''Borderland'' where she shared credits with Sean Austin and Beto Cuevas produced by Lionsgate. The movie was screening in the American Film Market when an agent approached her. He introduced Martha to Craig Shapiro, who to this day represents Higareda at ICM Partners. Shapiro convinced Martha to move to LA. So in 2008, she moved to Hollywood to audition and study script writing: "I'm not the type of actress who sits there to wait for the phone call, I love the creating process and I need to keep myself busy, so I studied script writing, first to know how to choose my projects but most importantly because writing had always been a big passion in my life. So when I'm not acting, for sure I'm writing a script". She booked her first TV show directed by Stephen Frears but the show was canceled due to the writers' strike.
In 2008, she worked in the film ''Street Kings'', as Keanu Reeves love interest, along with Hugh Laurie, Cris Evans and Forest Whitaker. The film was directed by David Ayer.
She went back to her native country with three finished scripts and at the age of 25 she wrote and produced her first independent film "Te presento a Laura" The movie was in the top ten films in box-office for 10 consecutive weeks. In 2010, she appeared in the prequel to the crime/action film ''Smokin' Aces'', as a deadly female assassin. In 2012, she shot ''Hello Herman'' with Norman Reedus as an American reporter. And in "Lies in Plain Sight" as the leading visually impaired woman trying to solve the murder of her sister, winning the Image foundation Award for her performance.
In 2014, she wrote, produced and starred in "Casese Quien Pueda" (Marry me if you can) directed by Marco Polo Constandse and produced by Martha and Miri Higareda and Alejandra Cardenas. The movie quickly became the second biggest box office record of its time. This caught the attention of the American Studios. "I wanted not only to be in movies, but to know the guts of the industry, so I went to find the investors, and was involved in every part of the creative process. Making movies it's all a team effort, so if you surround yourself with the best people you learn from them and if you can also give an opportunity to those whom you believe in their talent, magical things can happen, yes the seed of the idea it's the script but the trunk and the branches is combining everyone else's talents"
She played Amparo in the mini series "Carlos" directed by french awarded director Olivier Assayas with Edgar Ramirez playing Ilich the terrorist. She worked in the Disney movie McFarland USA with director Nikki Caro starring Kevin Costner, Maria Bello and Chris Pratts.
Martha has successfully combined her acting, writing and producing careers. In 2016, she starred and produced "No Manches Frida" with Edward Allen and Mauricio Arguelles. From Patnelion, Lionsgate, Videocine and Constantin Films, "No Manches Frida" was another box office hit, where Higareda plays shy yet passionate Miss Lucy who falls in love with a Criminal (Omar Chaparro). Due to their longstanding friendship, she and Chaparro had wonderful chemistry and it was Martha who went to the Studio pitching Chaparro for the role. The low budget film made 11.8 million dollars in Mexico and 11.5 million dollars in the US.
Higareda produced with Miguel Mier, Jimena Rodriguez, Bernardo Rugama the box office success and Mexican adaptation of "3 idiots" A story about following your true passion, this subject has always interested Higareda as she has toured around her country giving inspirational yet grounding talks to teenagers.
Higareda's newest project, "Altered Carbon," is a hard-boiled cyberpunk science fiction novel by Richard K. Morgan brought to the screen by Netflix and Skydance Studios. Opposite Joel Kinnaman who portrays Envoy Takeshi Kovacs, Higareda plays the female counterpart, detective Kristin Ortega. Miguel Sapochnik directs the first episode. "Altered Carbon" was met with mildly positive reviews from critics, receiving a 64% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, fan reception was extremely positive with a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8.1 on Metacritic, making Higareda's debut in American television a relative success.- Actor
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He was born Richard Bartlett Schroder, Jr., in Staten Island, New York on April 13th, 1970. His mother, Diane Schroder was an employee at AT&T, which is also the same company that employed his father, Richard Bartlett Schroder, Sr.
Eventually working his way up to management from being a telephone repairmen, Rick's father had known his mother since they attended junior high together. After his older sister and he were born, Rick's mother quit her job to raise the children. A good-looking child, Rick's mother began taking him to photo shoots when he was only three months old. In his own words, he must have been a natural, because he started working right away, never having taken an acting lesson in his life.- Producer
- Actor
- Camera and Electrical Department
Oldest child and son of Ricky Schroder and Andrea Schroder. He is the older brother of Luke Schroder (DOB 8/1/93), Cambrie Schroder (DOB 9/14/97) and Faith Anne Schroder (DOB 8/8/01). Born January 8, 1992. He is named after actor William Holden. In the movie, Our Wild Hearts (2013), he plays alongside his real father, brother and sister. The movie, "Wild Hearts", is his acting and camera/electrical debut on the Hallmark Channel.- Actress
- Producer
Keisha Whitaker was born on 8 March 1972 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She was an actress and producer, known for Kassim the Dream (2008), Proud (2004) and Ben Harper: With My Own Two Hands (2009). She was married to Forest Whitaker. She died on 6 December 2023 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Christopher Robert Evans is an American actor, film producer, and director. Evans began his acting career in typical fashion: performing in school productions and community theatre.
He was born in Boston, Massachusetts, the son of Lisa (Capuano), who worked at the Concord Youth Theatre, and G. Robert Evans III, a dentist. His uncle is former U.S. Representative Mike Capuano. Chris's father is of half German and half Welsh/English/Scottish ancestry, while Chris's mother is of half Italian and half Irish descent. He has an older sister, Carly Evans, and two younger siblings, a brother named Scott Evans, who is also an actor, and a sister named Shana Evans. The family moved to suburban Sudbury when he was 11 years-old. Bitten by the acting bug in the first grade because his older sister, Carly, started performing, Evans followed suit and began appearing in school plays. While at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, his drama teacher cited his performance as "Leontes" in "The Winter's Tale" as exemplary of his skill. After more plays and regional theatre, he moved to New York and attended the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
On the advice of friends, he landed an internship at a casting office and befriended a couple of the agents he regularly communicated with - one of whom later took him on as a client. The screen - not the stage - then became his focus; Evans soon began auditioning for feature films and television series. Evans made one of his first appearances on The Fugitive (2000) (CBS, 2000-2001), a remake of the 1960s series and feature film starring Harrison Ford. In the episode "Guilt", Evans played the son of a small-town sheriff who tries to exact revenge after Dr. Richard Kimble - incognito as a liquor store owner - refuses to sell him and his friends alcohol. After small roles in Cherry Falls (1999) and The Newcomers (2000) - two unknown low-budget features - Evans appeared in Boston Public (2000) (Fox, 2000-2004) as a murder suspect. He then appeared in his first major feature, Not Another Teen Movie (2001), a spoof on teen comedies wherein he played a jock who makes a bet that he can turn an unpopular and unkempt girl (Chyler Leigh) into prom queen.
After filming a couple of television pilots he was confident would be successful - Just Married (2003) and Eastwick (2002) - he appeared in another listless teen comedy, The Perfect Score (2004), playing an average, ho-hum student who takes part in a plot to steal the SAT test. Hijinks naturally ensue. Then, Evans broke through to the Big Time, grabbing the lead in the kidnapping thriller, Cellular (2004), a suspenseful B movie with a cheesy gimmick - a random wrong number on his cell phone forces him into a high-stakes race to save an unknown woman's life. Despite an unassuming performance from Evans and Kim Basinger as the damsel in distress, Cellular (2004) failed to break any box office records or please a wide majority of critics. Evans then prepared himself for super stardom when he signed on to play Johnny Storm in Fantastic Four (2005), 20th Century Fox's long-awaited adaptation of the Marvel comic. Although the film was wildly uneven and disappointing, Evans nearly stole the show with his energetic, unfettered performance. In that year itself, Chris was noticed by critics and made it into magazine and Internet countdowns, scoring himself a third position of the hot body countdown from Gay.com and #18 on E! Television's 2006 101 Sexiest Celebrity Bodies.
The year 2007 also proved to be one successful year for Chris, as he had two movies released around the world that same year, starting with the second installment of the Marvel franchise Fantastic Four. Chris received positive reviews for his performance. The Nanny Diaries (2007), where Evans played Harvard Hottie, showed his sensitive. The year 2008 saw Chris Evans' part of the movie Street Kings (2008), playing the character Detective Paul Diskant. The movie is about police officers trying to cover up their wrongdoings and audiences got to see a serious side of Chris. In the same year, Chris also worked on the movie The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond (2008).- Actress
- Producer
Elise Neal was born in Memphis, Tennessee and began dancing at age six. She credits her success to her mother, Arletha Neal, who always supported her and drove her to many talent shows and recitals. After moving to New York and quickly booking many off-Broadway shows and musical revivals, she thought Broadway would be her winning ticket. But she moved to LA to give acting a 'try.'
Born to entertain when she begged her mother to put her in dance class at age six!
Now of course an actress known worldwide - Either from seven TV shows: The Hughleys, All of Us, and Belle's (as a series regular), or one of her thirty films. Her last film, Logan, marked her third film as number one at the box office and has grossed over $400 million dollars worldwide. Elise also broke the internet for how she looks for her age, Elise is executive producing a fitness show, teaming up with Loud TV, who produced The Biggest Loser, and is pitching many TV and film projects!- British actress Naomie Harris was born in London, England, the only child of television scriptwriter Lisselle Kayla. Her father is from Trinidad and her mother is from Jamaica. They separated before she was born, and Harris was raised by her mother and has no relationship with her father. She showed an interest in acting from an early age and attended the prestigious Anna Scher Theatre School. From here, Harris won roles in various projects, such as Simon and the Witch (1987) and The Tomorrow People (1992). She went on to study social and political sciences at Pembroke College, Cambridge University, an experience Harris did not enjoy.
After graduating from the University, Harris trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Acting success soon followed and her breakthrough film role came in Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later (2002). Other notable projects include Miami Vice (2006) and Small Island (2009) (for which she was named best female actor by the Royal Television Society). Harris also won fans for her role as voodoo witch Tia Dalma in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (2006) and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007), and further international attention came her way when she played field agent Eve Moneypenny in the James Bond film Skyfall (2012).
Naomie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the drama Moonlight (2016), which won the Best Picture Oscar that year.
Naomie Harris was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2017 New Years Honours for her services to drama. - Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Simon Rex continues to captivate audiences through dynamic and unconventional roles across the multimedia landscape.
Rex stars in Sean Baker's RED ROCKET for A24. The film follows Mikey Saber (Rex), a unique American hustler, who returns to a hometown that barely tolerates him. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2021 to a rapturous response, followed by the Telluride Film Festival and the Deauville American Film Festival, where it was recognized with the Jury Prize and the Critics Prize. The film is also an official selection for the 2021 AFI Fest in November. Rex, who was recently nominated for a Gotham Award in the category of 'Outstanding Lead Performance', continues to be recognized throughout the 2021 festival circuit; he received the Spotlight Award at the Mill Valley Film Festival, the Newport Beach Film Festival and the Savannah Film Festival, respectively, as well as the Ensemble Cast Spotlight Award at the Middleburg Film Festival. Critics have lauded Rex's magnetic performance, with many considering this to be a breakthrough, career-defining moment for him. RED ROCKET will release theatrically in December 2021.
Rex will also appear in FilmNation's highly-anticipated feature DOWN LOW, alongside Zachary Quinto, Lukas Gage, Judith Light and Audra McDonald. The script is co-written by Gage and Phoebe Fisher,and directed by Rightor Doyle. He will also be seen in Katie Aselton's MACK & RITA opposite Diane Keaton and Taylour Paige. Rex will also be seen in a supporting role in MY DEAD DAD, directed by Fabio Frey, which also screened at the Mill Valley Film Festival this year along with RED ROCKET.
Rex was first introduced to television audiences as an MTV VJ. Soon after, Rex expanded his repertoire and proceeded to book series regular roles on major network shows such as FELICITY, JACK AND JILL, and WHAT I LIKE ABOUT YOU. From television into film, his additional credits include SCARY MOVIE 3, 4, & 5, HOTEL CALIFORNIA, and KING OF THE AVENUE.
Rex currently resides in California.- Producer
- Executive
- Writer
- Rebecca Crews is known for Blueberry (2018), The Family Crews (2010) and Celebrity Game Face (2020). She has been married to Terry Crews since 29 July 1990. They have five children.
- Peter Rice is an independent producer partnered with A24 under a producing and co-financing agreement, according to a June 2023 article in The Hollywood Reporter.
Formerly Disney's top film and television executive, Peter Rice was unexpectedly fired by Disney CEO Bob Chapek in June 2022, which came as a shock to Hollywood, as reported by CNBC.
Peter Rice, when Chairman of General Entertainment Content for The Walt Disney Company, focused on creating original entertainment and news content for the Company's streaming platforms and its cable and broadcast networks. Under his oversight were the content engines of 20th Television, ABC, ABC News, ABC Signature, Disney Channels, Freeform, FX, Hulu Originals, National Geographic and Touchstone Television. Rice also oversaw The Walt Disney Company's equity interest in A+E Networks.
When 21st Century Fox was acquired by Disney, Rice was President of 21st Century Fox and Chairman and CEO of Fox Networks Group (FNG), where he was instrumental in driving the growth of FNG's television business across linear and digital platforms. During his tenure, FNG's revenue doubled as its portfolio was reorganized and aligned around four key brands reaching more than 2 billion subscribers worldwide.
At FNG, Rice oversaw long-term sports rights deals with the NFL, MLB, the UFC, FIFA, WWE and dozens of professional sports leagues and teams. A driving force in the formation of National Geographic Partners and the launch of FS1 and FS2. At Fox, Rice was responsible for realigning its international channels business in Europe, Asia and Latin America, and integrating the company's advertising divisions into a single, data-driven enterprise. He oversaw the launch of its Digital Consumer Group; its participation in Hulu, where he serves on the board; and the establishment of FoxNext Games. Under Rice's leadership, FNG was home to shows including "The Simpsons," "American Idol," "Glee," "The Americans," "Genius," "Modern Family," "Homeland," "This Is Us" and "Empire," the World Series, the World Cup and the Super Bowl. During his tenure, FNG earned more than 600 Primetime Emmy® nominations, 68 Golden Globe® nominations and more than 200 Sports Emmy nominations.
In 2010, Rice served for two years as Chairman, Entertainment, for FNG. He also served as Chairman, Entertainment for Fox Broadcasting Company, helping to lead FOX to three seasons as the No. 1 network and extend its streak to eight seasons as the top-rated broadcaster. Before transitioning to Fox's television business, Rice served as President, Fox Searchlight Pictures. During his tenure, Fox Searchlight generated 51 Academy Award® and 42 Golden Globe Award nominations. The films released under his leadership include "Slumdog Millionaire," "Juno," "Napoleon Dynamite," "Little Miss Sunshine," "The Last King of Scotland" and "Sideways." Prior to leading Fox Searchlight, Rice was Executive Vice President of Production for Twentieth Century Fox, where he worked with director Baz Luhrmann in the development and production of Oscar® Best Picture nominee "Moulin Rouge" and "William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet." He also served as the supervising creative executive on "X-Men."
Rice has served on the board of directors for Hulu, National Geographic Partners, the National Cable & Telecommunications Association, Southern California Public Radio, and the Motion Picture & Television Fund's Board of Governors.
Rice began his career as an intern in the marketing department at Twentieth Century Fox in 1989. He graduated from the University of Nottingham. - Producer
- Art Department
Alexandra Milchan is a veteran film and television producer and studio executive. Her recent producing credits include Apple TV+'s thriller series The Crowded Room, starring Tom Holland and Amanda Seyfried and Todd Field's acclaimed Focus Features drama Tár starring Cate Blanchett, which claimed six Academy Award nominations.
Milchan also exec produced Apple TV+'s Golden Globe and Emmy-winning crime drama Black Bird, starring Taron Egerton and Paul Walter Hauser, and David Fincher's Netflix crime thriller The Killer starring Michael Fassbender, and the Netflix docuseries Escaping Twin Flames.
Notable past credits include AMC's The Terror, The Wolf of Wall Street, Starz's docuseries Seduced: Inside the NXIVM Cult, the Freida Pinto-led Netflix thriller Intrusion, David Ayer's Street Kings, Alexandre Aja's horror Mirrors, and the historical drama The 24th, co-written and directed by Oscar-winner Kevin Willmott (Blackkklansman).
Milchan ran and oversaw the development and production of all of Emjag's projects, and is now the head of Crescent Line Productions, Inc. Previously, Alexandra spent a 13-year stint as an executive at her family's company, New Regency, where she worked on movies such as Michael Mann's Heat, Joel Schumacher's A Time to Kill, and Curtis Hanson's L.A. Confidential.
She began her career apprenticing at Columbia TriStar in Paris, and for Warner Bros. in London before her first job on the set for the production of Heat.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Executive
James Gianopulos worked as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Paramount Pictures, a role he assumed in April 2017 until his departure in September 2021. Gianopulos has been involved in the evolution of new entertainment media and technologies for more than 30 years, and has been recognized as an industry leader.
In its first year under Gianopulos's leadership, Paramount garnered its biggest hit since 2016 with the critically acclaimed A Quiet Place, which opened at #1 to $50.2 million and earned over $130 million during its first three weeks at the box office. In the summer of 2018, Gianopulos oversaw the release of Mission: Impossible-Fallout, the 6th installment of the series, and the franchise's highest-earning with over $791 million in worldwide box office. In 2019, Paramount saw the successful releases of several films, including Rocketman, which received wide critical acclaim and has grossed nearly $200 million worldwide to-date.
Prior to joining Paramount, Gianopulos served as the Chairman and CEO of Twentieth Century Fox from 2000 to September 2016. In this role, he oversaw all feature film production, marketing, and global distribution of film and television content in all media. During his time as Chairman and CEO of Fox, the studio had its most profitable years ever, and in 2014, Twentieth Century Fox broke the all-time industry global box-office record, earning more than $5.5 billion.
From 2009 to 2012, Gianopulos also oversaw Fox Television Studios. He served as President of Twentieth Century Fox International from 1994 to 2000. From 1992 to 1994 he served as Fox's President of International Television and Home Entertainment. Before joining Twentieth Century Fox, Gianopulos held senior management positions at Paramount and Columbia Pictures from 1981 to 1992, following his career as an attorney specializing in entertainment.
Gianopulos is a Governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, a member of the Board of the USC School of Cinematic Arts as well as a Trustee of the American Film Institute. He is involved in a number of civic and philanthropic activities, including serving as Chairman of the Motion Picture & Television Fund, serving on the National Entertainment Advisory Council for the Anti-Defamation League, and is a member of the Board of the X-Prize Foundation. He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, which in 2013 bestowed Gianopulos with its highest honor, The Humanitarian Award.
Gianopulos attended the master's program at the New York University School of Law, the Fordham School of Law (Juris Doctor, 1976) and Boston University (BA, 1973).
He resides in Los Angeles with his wife Ann and their three daughters.- Producer
- Additional Crew
- Executive
Nancy Utley is known for Rez Ball, The Portland Condition and Influential Women of Hollywood (2011).- Producer
- Manager
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Erwin Stoff was born on 26 April 1951 in Romania. He is a producer and manager, known for I Am Legend (2007), The Matrix (1999) and Edge of Tomorrow (2014). He was previously married to Deborah Stoff.- Actress
- Producer
Caroline Chikezie was born in London, England, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Æon Flux (2005), Eragon (2006) and The Double Deal (2014).- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Actor, Producer and Founder of independent film company Entangled Entertainment, Noel Guglielmi was raised in Los Angeles and first cast -- without a formal audition -- in a Taco Bell commercial at the age of 15.
Discovered during an acting class as a boy, today he is one of Hollywood's most recognized faces with more than 150 large and small-screen credits to his name over a 25-year career.
Noel has worked with some of the best in the business, with roles in Fast and Furious, Training Day, Bruce Almighty, Purge Anarchy, The Dark Knight Rises, Fresh Off the Boat, CSI Miami, Bones, The Walking Dead and literally hundreds more.
His personal dedication to entertainment spans not only acting and producing but writing, digital content creation, stand-up comedy, talent recruitment, coaching and mentoring as well as motivational speaking.
For Noel, the opportunity to engage audiences across cultures, ages and borders is made even more rewarding when he can draw from his dramatically unique personal experiences to enlighten and improve the quality of life for others, especially at-risk youth and criminal offenders to pop and car culture enthusiasts and more.
After groundbreaking years in the profession as one of Hollywood's original Latino celebrities, Noel was honored to be invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2017 as part of its diversity efforts and in recognition of his contributions.
Noel credits much of his success to learning from his peers. Attentive to every important aspect of film creation and being true to his roots and community help him stand out to succeed in one of the world's most competitive professions and against challenging odds.
Today, he makes time to mentor others both in business and life.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Clifton Powell a graduate of Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. He is an actor and producer, known for the films Ray, Selma Lord Selma, Dead Presidents, and Menace 2 Society, and the TV series The Family Business, Sacrifice, and Saints & Sinners. Clifton has two children, Maya and Clifton Jr., and two grandchildren, Alizah and Rashaad Jr.