Favorite Actors
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James Gandolfini was born in Westwood, New Jersey, to Santa (Penna), a high school lunchlady, and James Joseph Gandolfini, Sr., a bricklayer and head school janitor. His parents were both of Italian origin. Gandolfini began acting in the New York theater. His Broadway debut was in the 1992 revival of "A Streetcar Named Desire" with Jessica Lange and Alec Baldwin. James' breakthrough role was his portrayal of Virgil the hitman in Tony Scott's True Romance (1993), but the role that brought him worldwide fame and accolades was as complex Mafia boss Tony Soprano in HBO's smash hit series The Sopranos (1999). He died unexpectedly of a heart attack in 2013 while vacationing in Italy.- Actor
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One of the greatest actors of all time, Robert De Niro was born on August 17, 1943 in Manhattan, New York City, to artists Virginia (Admiral) and Robert De Niro Sr. His paternal grandfather was of Italian descent, and his other ancestry is Irish, English, Dutch, German, and French. He was trained at the Stella Adler Conservatory and the American Workshop. De Niro first gained fame for his role in Bang the Drum Slowly (1973), but he gained his reputation as a volatile actor in Mean Streets (1973), which was his first film with director Martin Scorsese. He received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in The Godfather Part II (1974) and received Academy Award nominations for best actor in Taxi Driver (1976), The Deer Hunter (1978) and Cape Fear (1991). He received the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role as Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980).
De Niro has earned four Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Actor - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, for his work in New York, New York (1977), opposite Liza Minnelli, Midnight Run (1988), Analyze This (1999) and Meet the Parents (2000). Other notable performances include Brazil (1985), The Untouchables (1987), Backdraft (1991), Frankenstein (1994), Heat (1995), Casino (1995) and Jackie Brown (1997). At the same time, he also directed and starred in such films as A Bronx Tale (1993) and The Good Shepherd (2006). De Niro has also received the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2010.
As of 2022, De Niro is 79-years-old. He has never retired from acting, and continues to work regularly in mostly film.- Actor
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Alfredo James "Al" 'Pacino established himself as a film actor during one of cinema's most vibrant decades, the 1970s, and has become an enduring and iconic figure in the world of American movies.
He was born April 25, 1940 in Manhattan, New York City, to Italian-American parents, Rose (nee Gerardi) and Sal Pacino. They divorced when he was young. His mother moved them into his grandparents' home in the South Bronx. Pacino found himself often repeating the plots and voices of characters he had seen in the movies. Bored and unmotivated in school, he found a haven in school plays, and his interest soon blossomed into a full-time career. Starting onstage, he went through a period of depression and poverty, sometimes having to borrow bus fare to succeed to auditions. He made it into the prestigious Actors Studio in 1966, studying under Lee Strasberg, creator of the Method Approach that would become the trademark of many 1970s-era actors.
After appearing in a string of plays in supporting roles, Pacino finally attained success off-Broadway with Israel Horovitz's "The Indian Wants the Bronx", winning an Obie Award for the 1966-67 season. That was followed by a Tony Award for "Does the Tiger Wear a Necktie?" His first feature films made little departure from the gritty realistic stage performances that earned him respect: he played a drug addict in The Panic in Needle Park (1971) after his film debut in Me, Natalie (1969). The role of Michael Corleone in The Godfather (1972) was one of the most sought-after of the time: Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Ryan O'Neal, Robert De Niro and a host of other actors either wanted it or were mentioned, but director Francis Ford Coppola wanted Pacino for the role.
Coppola was successful but Pacino was reportedly in constant fear of being fired during the very difficult shoot. The film was a monster hit that earned Pacino his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. However, instead of taking on easier projects for the big money he could now command, Pacino threw his support behind what he considered tough but important films, such as the true-life crime drama Serpico (1973) and the tragic real-life bank robbery film Dog Day Afternoon (1975). He was nominated three consecutive years for the "Best Actor" Academy Award. He faltered slightly with Bobby Deerfield (1977), but regained his stride with And Justice for All (1979), for which he received another Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Unfortunately, this would signal the beginning of a decline in his career, which produced flops like Cruising (1980) and Author! Author! (1982).
Pacino took on another vicious gangster role and cemented his legendary status in the ultra-violent cult film Scarface (1983), but a monumental mistake was about to follow. Revolution (1985) endured an endless and seemingly cursed shoot in which equipment was destroyed, weather was terrible, and Pacino fell ill with pneumonia. Constant changes in the script further derailed the project. The Revolutionary War-themed film, considered among the worst films ever made, resulted in awful reviews and kept him off the screen for the next four years. Returning to the stage, Pacino did much to give back and contribute to the theatre, which he considers his first love. He directed a film, The Local Stigmatic (1990), but it remains unreleased. He lifted his self-imposed exile with the striking Sea of Love (1989) as a hard-drinking policeman. This marked the second phase of Pacino's career, being the first to feature his now famous dark, owl eyes and hoarse, gravelly voice.
Returning to the Corleones, Pacino made The Godfather Part III (1990) and earned raves for his first comedic role in the colorful adaptation Dick Tracy (1990). This earned him another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and two years later he was nominated for Glengarry Glen Ross (1992). He went into romantic mode for Frankie and Johnny (1991). In 1992, he finally won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his amazing performance in Scent of a Woman (1992). A mixture of technical perfection (he plays a blind man) and charisma, the role was tailor-made for him, and remains a classic.
The next few years would see Pacino becoming more comfortable with acting and movies as a business, turning out great roles in great films with more frequency and less of the demanding personal involvement of his wilder days. Carlito's Way (1993) proved another gangster classic, as did the epic crime drama Heat (1995) directed by Michael Mann and co-starring Robert De Niro. He directed the film adaptation of Shakespeare's Looking for Richard (1996). During this period, City Hall (1996), Donnie Brasco (1997) and The Devil's Advocate (1997) all came out. Reteaming with Mann and then Oliver Stone, he gave commanding performances in The Insider (1999) and Any Given Sunday (1999).
In the 2000s, Pacino starred in a number of theatrical blockbusters, including Ocean's Thirteen (2007), but his choice in television roles (the vicious, closeted Roy Cohn in the HBO miniseries Angels in America (2003) and his sensitive portrayal of Jack Kevorkian, in the television movie You Don't Know Jack (2010)) are reminiscent of the bolder choices of his early career. Each television project garnered him an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie.
Never wed, Pacino has a daughter, Julie Marie, with acting teacher Jan Tarrant, and a set of twins with former longtime girlfriend Beverly D'Angelo. His romantic history includes Jill Clayburgh, Veruschka von Lehndorff, Carole Mallory, Debra Winger, Tuesday Weld, Marthe Keller, Carmen Cervera, Kathleen Quinlan, Lyndall Hobbs, Penelope Ann Miller, and a two-decade intermittent relationship with "Godfather" co-star Diane Keaton. He currently lives with Argentinian actress Lucila Solá, who is 36 years his junior.
As of 2022, Pacino is 82-years-old. He has never retired from acting, and continues to appear regularly in film.- Actor
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Bryan Lee Cranston was born on March 7, 1956 in Hollywood, California, to Audrey Peggy Sell, a radio actress, and Joe Cranston, an actor and former amateur boxer. His maternal grandparents were German, and his father was of Irish, German, and Austrian-Jewish ancestry. He was raised in the Canoga Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, and also stayed with his grandparents, living on their poultry farm in Yucaipa. Cranston's father walked out on the family when Cranston was eleven, and they did not see each other again until 11 years later, when Cranston and his brother decide to track down their father.
Cranston is known for his roles as Walter White on the AMC crime drama Breaking Bad (2008), Hal on the Fox situation comedy Malcolm in the Middle (2000), and Dr. Tim Whatley on five episodes of the NBC situation comedy Seinfeld (1989). For his role on "Breaking Bad", he won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series four times (2008-2010, 2014), including three consecutive wins. After becoming one of the producers during the series' fourth and fifth seasons, he also won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series twice.
In June 2014, Cranston won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play for his portrayal of Lyndon B. Johnson in the play "All the Way" on Broadway. He reprised the role of Lyndon Johnson in the television adaptation All the Way (2016), which earned him widespread praise by critics. For the biographical drama Trumbo (2015), he earned widespread acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Cranston also appeared in several acclaimed films, such as Saving Private Ryan (1998), Little Miss Sunshine (2006), Drive (2011), Argo (2012) and Godzilla (2014). In 2019, he starred with Kevin Hart in the box office hit The Upside (2017).- Actor
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Versatile veteran character actor Jonathan Banks was born in Washington, D.C. in 1947. While growing up he always had an interest in acting and stage work, so decided to pursue a career in entertainment. To this day he is a very accomplished stage actor. While acting in film, he usually plays sinister types or villains. He can be seen in Better Call Saul (2015) as Mike Ehrmantraut.- Actor
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Manoj Bajpayee is a highly acclaimed Indian film actor known for his versatile acting skills and intense performances. Despite facing financial struggles during his childhood, he pursued his passion for acting and worked hard to achieve success in the film industry. Bajpayee is the second child in a family of six siblings, with two brothers and two sisters.Bajpayee decided to become an actor after watching the 1973 film Zanjeer (1973). He began his acting career with small roles in plays and television shows. He made his acting debut in the film Droh Kaal (1994) in 1994. He also played a minor role as a dacoit in Bandit Queen (1994) the same year. Bajpayee gained recognition for his performance in the film Satya (1998) in 1998. Although considered a flop at first, this film won him critical acclaim and established him as a celebrated actor in Indian cinema. Since then, he has acted in numerous successful films and has become known for his ability to portray complex, grey, and challenging characters. He is well-known for his ability to deliver powerful performances in a variety of genres and roles, ranging from gangsters to cops to journalists. Bajpayee has a diverse filmography that includes both mainstream and independent films. His filmography includes many notable films, including Satya (1998), Shool (1999), Pinjar (2003), Special 26 (2013), Aligarh (2015), and Sonchiriya (2019). The actor was also part of the popular web series The Family Man (2019). Some of his other top works include Gangs of Wasseypur (2012), LOC: Kargil (2003), Raajneeti (2010), Satyameva Jayate (2018), and Shootout at Wadala (2013), among others. Bajpayee has also been seen in Despatch and Joram (2023). He has also been a part of Gulmohar (2023), directed by Rahul V. Chittella. The story is based on complex, dysfunctional family life. Throughout his career, Bajpayee has been recognized for his talent and has received numerous awards and nominations. He has won three National Film Awards - Best Supporting Actor for Satya in 1999, Special Jury Award (Feature Film) for Pinjar in 2004, and Best Actor for Bhonsle (2018) in 2021.He has also won four Filmfare Awards, two under the category of Best Actor (Critics) for the films Satya, Shool, and Aligarh in 1999, 2000, and 2017 respectively, and one under the category of Best Actor in a Short Film?? for Taandav (2016?) in 2017.In 2019, Bajpayee was awarded the Padma Shri, which is India's fourth-highest civilian honour. In addition to his work in the film industry, Bajpayee is also known for his philanthropic efforts. He is actively involved in various social and charitable causes, including education and healthcare. He is also a strong advocate for environmental protection. He has also voiced his concerns about the state of migrants during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bajpayee married Shabana Raza in 2006. They met in 1998 at a Bollywood party when the latter debuted with the film Kareeb (1998) opposite Bobby Deol. They have a daughter, Ava Nayla.- Actor
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Imperioli was born Michael Imperioli in Mt. Vernon, New York on March 26, 1966. His film work began in the late 1980s. An early part that brought him recognition was in Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas (1990), as Spider, a local kid who works for the gangsters and has a run-in with a psychopathic mob soldier played by Joe Pesci. He worked throughout the 1990s in the New York independent film industry, especially as a regular in Spike Lee's movies, appearing in Jungle Fever (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Clockers (1995), Girl 6 (1996) and Summer of Sam (1999), generally playing working-class Italian-Americans from the "outer boroughs." While rooted in the New York movie scene, Imperioli also worked in Hollywood in the mid-'90s, in the formulaic movies Bad Boys (1995) and Last Man Standing (1996).
In 1999, Imperioli was cast in The Sopranos (1999) as Christopher Moltisanti, a low-ranking soldier in the Soprano crime organization whose family connections to street boss Tony Soprano move him up the ladder in the organization. Imperioli's multi-layered portrayal of such an unappealing character is a real highlight of the series and earned him an Emmy and a SAG award.
Imperioli has long been active in the New York theater scene as well, having written, directed, produced or starred in numerous plays. He was a founder, along with Lili Taylor (his then-girlfriend and co-star in Household Saints (1993)) of the downtown theater company Machine Full. He has also written several episodes of "The Sopranos" and was a writer on Lee's "Summer of Sam," which he also executive-produced. Although most famous for his prominent part in "The Sopranos," Imperioli has worked on other television programs as well, including Law & Order (1990), New York Undercover (1994) and NYPD Blue (1993). He is married and has two children and one stepdaughter.- Actor
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Aaron Paul was born Aaron Paul Sturtevant in Emmett, Idaho, to Darla (Haynes) and Robert Sturtevant, a retired Baptist minister. While growing up, Paul took part in church programs, and performed in plays.
He attended Centennial High School in Boise, Idaho. It was there, in eighth grade, that Aaron decided he wanted to become an actor. He joined the theatre department and became obsessed with the idea of acting for a living. After finishing school, Aaron moved to Los Angeles.
During the late '90's, he worked as an usher at the Universal Studios Movie Theatre in Hollywood. His television debut was in an episode of Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), which was followed by an appearance in another Aaron Spelling series, Melrose Place (1992).
On the big screen, Aaron played the estranged son of Jeff Bridges in K-PAX (2001), and Tom Cruise's brother-in-law in Mission: Impossible III (2006).
After appearing in several roles on American television, his breakthrough role came as "Jesse Pinkman" in the AMC series Breaking Bad (2008). The character was only supposed to last for one season, but series creator Vince Gilligan changed his mind, due to Aaron's chemistry with Bryan Cranston. He has won three Emmy Awards for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series" for this role (2010, 2012 and 2014).- Actor
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Peter Dinklage is an American actor. Since his breakout role in The Station Agent (2003), he has appeared in numerous films and theatre plays. Since 2011, Dinklage has portrayed Tyrion Lannister in the HBO series Game of Thrones (2011) . For this he won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film in 2011.
Peter Hayden Dinklage was born in Morristown, New Jersey, to Diane (Hayden), an elementary school teacher, and John Carl Dinklage, an insurance salesman. He is of German, Irish, and English descent. In 1991, he received a degree in drama from Bennington College and began his career. His exquisite theatre work that expresses brilliantly the unique range of his acting qualities, includes remarkable performances full of profoundness, charisma, intelligence, sensation and insights in plays such as "The Killing Act", "Imperfect Love", Ivan Turgenev's "A Month in the Country" as well as the title roles in William Shakespeare's "Richard III" and in Anton Chekhov's "Uncle Vanya".
Peter Dinklage received acclaim for his first film, Living in Oblivion (1995), where he played an actor frustrated with the limited and caricatured roles offered to actors who have dwarfism. In 2003, he starred in The Station Agent (2003), written and directed by Tom McCarthy. The movie received critical praise as well as Peter Dinklage's work including nominations such as for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role at the "Screen Actors Guild" and Best Male Lead at the "Film Independent Spirit Awards". One of his next roles has been the one of Miles Finch, an acclaimed children's book author, in Elf (2003). Find Me Guilty (2006), the original English Death at a Funeral (2007), its American remake Death at a Funeral (2010), Penelope (2006), The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (2008) and X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) are also included in his brilliant work concerning feature films.
His fine work in television also includes shows such as Entourage (2004), Life as We Know It (2004), Threshold (2005) and Nip/Tuck (2003). In 2011, the primary role of Tyrion Lannister, a man of sharp wit and bright spirit, in Game of Thrones (2011), was incarnated with unique greatness in Dinklage's unparalleled performance. The series is an adaptation of author George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series, and his work has received widespread praise, also highlighted by his receiving of the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at The 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards (2011), The 67th Primetime Emmy Awards (2015), The 70th Primetime Emmy Awards (2018) and The 71st Primetime Emmy Awards (2019) as well as of the Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries or Motion Picture Made for Television at [error].
Dinklage, among others, has also voiced Captain Gutt in Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) and The Mighty Eagle in The Angry Birds Movie (2016), starred in the comedy horror film Knights of Badassdom (2013) while his tour-de-force interpretations as a multifarious "chameleon" of substantial mastery and artistic generosity also include film and TV gems such as Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), Three Christs (2017) and I Think We're Alone Now (2018).- Actress
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British actress Emilia Clarke was born in London and grew up in Oxfordshire, England. Her father was a theatre sound engineer and her mother is a businesswoman. Her father was working on a theatre production of "Show Boat" and her mother took her along to the performance. This is when, at the age of 3, her passion for acting began. From 2000 to 2005, she attended St. Edward's School of Oxford, where she appeared in two school plays. She went on to study acting at the prestigious Drama Centre London, where she took part in 10 plays. During this time, Emilia first appeared on television with a guest role in the BBC soap opera Doctors (2000).
In 2010, after graduating from the Drama Centre London, Emilia got her first film role in the television movie Triassic Attack (2010). In 2011, her breakthrough role came in when she replaced fellow newcomer Tamzin Merchant on Game of Thrones (2011) after the filming of the original pilot episode. From March to April 2013, she played Holly Golightly in a Broadway production of "Breakfast at Tiffany's". She played Sarah Connor in Terminator Genisys (2015), opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jai Courtney and Jason Clarke. She played the lead role of Louisa Clark in the romantic comedy blockbuster Me Before You (2016) and went on to star in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018) as Qi'ra.
Since her rise to prominence, Emilia has contributed to various charitable organisations. In 2018, she was named as the ambassador to the Royal College of Nursing because of her efforts in raising awareness about the working condition of the nurses in the UK. In 2019, she was named as the first ambassador for the global Nursing Now campaign. In 2019, in a personal essay published in The New Yorker, Emilia revealed that she had suffered from two life threatening brain aneurysms in 2011 and 2013. She launched her own charity SameYou in 2019, which aims to broaden neurorehabilitation access for young people after a brain injury or stroke.- Producer
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William Bradley "Brad" Pitt was born on December 18, 1963 in Shawnee, Oklahoma and raised in Springfield, Missouri to Jane Etta Pitt (née Hillhouse), a school counselor & William Alvin "Bill" Pitt, a truck company manager. At Kickapoo High School, Pitt was involved in sports, debating, student government and school musicals. Pitt attended the University of Missouri, where he majored in journalism with a focus on advertising. He occasionally acted in fraternity shows. He left college two credits short of graduating to move to California. Before he became successful at acting, Pitt supported himself by driving strippers in limos, moving refrigerators and dressing as a giant chicken while working for El Pollo Loco.
Pitt's earliest credited roles were in television, starting on the daytime soap opera Another World (1964) before appearing in the recurring role of Randy on the legendary prime time soap opera Dallas (1978). Following a string of guest appearances on various television series through the 1980s, Pitt gained widespread attention with a small part in Thelma & Louise (1991), in which he played a sexy criminal who romanced and conned Geena Davis. This led to starring roles in badly received films such as Johnny Suede (1991) & Cool World (1992).
But Pitt's career hit an upswing with his casting in A River Runs Through It (1992), which cemented his status as an multi-layered actor as opposed to just a pretty face. Pitt's subsequent projects were as quirky and varied in tone as his performances, ranging from his unforgettably comic cameo as stoner roommate Floyd in True Romance (1993) to romantic roles in such visually lavish films as Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) and Legends of the Fall (1994), to an emotionally tortured detective in the horror-thriller Se7en (1995). His portrayal of frenetic oddball Jeffrey Goines in 12 Monkeys (1995) won him a Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role.
Pitt's portrayal of Achilles in the big-budget period drama Troy (2004) helped establish his appeal as an action star and was closely followed by a co-starring role in the stylish spy-versus-spy flick Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005). It was on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith that Pitt, who married Jennifer Aniston in a highly publicized ceremony in 2000, met Angelina Jolie. Pitt left Aniston for Jolie in 2005, a break-up that continues to fuel tabloid stories years after its occurrence.
He continues to wildly vary his film choices, appearing in everything from high-concept popcorn flicks such as Megamind (2010) to adventurous critic-bait like Inglourious Basterds (2009) and The Tree of Life (2011). He has received two Best Actor Oscar nominations, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and Moneyball (2011). In 2014, he starred in the war film Fury (2014), opposite Shia LaBeouf, Logan Lerman, Jon Bernthal, and Michael Peña.
Pitt and Jolie have 6 children, 3 adopted & 3 biological.- Actress
Born 4th January 1996 in Le Mans (France) to a British mother and a French father. She moved to the UK at the age of 17 to study English Language and Literature at the University of Leeds (2013-2016). After directing and appearing in various stage productions there, she started to pursue a career in acting and moved to London after graduating.- Actress
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Krysten Ritter stars as Jessica Jones in the Peabody, Hugo, and Emmy Award-winning Netflix original series, Marvel's Jessica Jones (2015). Her performance, which earned her a prestigious Critics Choice nomination, a Saturn nomination, a Webby Award and a Glamour Best International TV Actress Award, has received rave reviews with the show being celebrated by critics and audiences alike for its groundbreaking depiction of a reluctant anti-super-heroine with an alcohol problem and a wicked case of PTSD who will not let a sexual assault from her past define her. She will also play Jessica Jones in The Defenders (2017) and the second season of Marvel's "Jessica Jones."
Additional acting roles include her critically acclaimed turn as Jane Margolis on AMC's hit series, Breaking Bad (2008), the titular character in the cult favorite Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012), Big Eyes (2014) directed by Tim Burton, indie darling Listen Up Philip (2014), Life Happens (2011) which she co-wrote and co-produced, as well as roles in Veronica Mars (2014), The Blacklist (2013), Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009), and She's Out of My League (2010).
Growing up in a small-town farm in rural Pennsylvania, Ritter started her career in front of the camera as a model at 15-years-old. Her body of work has subsequently spanned film, television, theatre, writing, producing, music, and fashion design.
In 2012, Ritter launched her production company Silent Machine where she juggles many projects in various stages of development, always with the objective of highlighting complex female protagonists.
Ritter and her dog Mikey split their time between New York and Los Angeles.- Actor
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Vishwanath Patekar (born on January 1, 1951 in Murud-Janjira, Maharashtra, India) is an actor, writer and filmmaker. He is known for his work on Ab Tak Chhappan (2004), Raajneeti (2010) and Parinda (1989). He made his acting debut in the early 70's and since then has been nominated for multiple awards. He won a National Film Award and a Filmfare award for his supporting role in Parinda (1989). He then won the Best Villain award for his role on Angaar (1992). He is a very controversial actor, know for his different acting style, dialogues and dialogue delivery. He is sometimes regarded as the Morgan Freeman of Bollywood. In 1995, he won the National Film Award as well as the Filmfare and the Screen awards for Best Actor for his role in Krantiveer (1994). He is also the only actor ever to win Filmfare Awards in the Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Villain categories. He was bestowed the highest privilege in acting in 2013 when he was awarded the Padma Shri award for his dedication in the field of Films and Arts.
Patekar is an alumnus of the Sir J.J. Institute of Applied Art, Mumbai and in September 2015, He established an organization, Naam Foundation with fellow Marathi actor Makarand Anaspure, which works to provide aid to farmers to overcome by drought conditions in Maharashtra, India. When he was awarded the Raj Kapoor award which carries a cash prize of Rs 10,00,000, he donated the entire amount towards drought relief activities in Maharashtra. Patekar was married to Neelkantee Patekar and they have a son Malhar Patekar but their marriage life did not go well and it resulted in a divorce.- Actor
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Abhay is an actor who has never shied away from speaking his mind; a producer who doesn't believe in the 'formula', a film curator with a keen eye for detail and good stories, a painter who's not scared to experiment with colours and a philanthropist who wishes to leverage his position to bring a positive change in society. Well, that's in short Abhay Deol, if only the versatile actor could fit in boxes.
Despite coming from the most-filmy family of Bollywood- the Deols, Abhay is a man of few words who lets his work and films do the talking bit. You may call him non-conformist but Abhay's panache of portraying complex characters is matched by very few in the cinema world as evident from his filmography that includes films like Dev D, Raanjhana, Manorama six feet under, Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara, Shanghai and Oye Lucky Lucky Oye.
Whether it was acquainting Sunny Deol to Imtiaz Ali for his debut Socha Na Tha, raising funds for Manorama Six Feet Under or giving Anurag Kashyap the idea to give Devdas a contemporary twist in Dev.D, Abhay always went beyond the traditional responsibilities of an actor even in the early days of his career.
Despite his success with films that have been termed "art-house" and "off beat", Abhay - right from his first shot has continually balanced and found success both with artistic/indie cinema as well as hugely successful Bollywood blockbusters.
He has consistently taken chances with debutante directors from the start of his career. Be it Imtiaz Ali, Reema Kakdi or Navdeep Singh, just to name a few. He's also carried the freedom, and his penchant for going against the grain, into his work as a producer - backing newcomers and new storylines. With a huge fan-following across the globe, Abhay has always stood for the cause of parallel cinema, which is one of the reasons he became a film curator. He also ventured into the digital medium with Chopsticks and Line of Descent, apart from stepping into Tamil cinema with Hero and Idhu Vedhalam Sollum Kadhai. With a strong social media presence, Abhay is known to take a stand divergent to the rest of tinsel town's herd opinions, which is what makes him 'thinking women sex symbol.'- Director
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Venkatesh Prabhu known by his stage name Dhanush, is an Indian film actor, producer, lyricist and playback singer who has worked predominantly in Tamil cinema. In 2011, he won the National Film Award for Best Actor for the Tamil film "Aadukalam" and in the same year, he received international attention for his song "Why This Kolaveri Di", which went on to became the most viewed Indian song in YouTube.As of 2014, he has won five Filmfare Awards.
His first film was "Thulluvadho Ilamai", a 2002 coming-of-age movie directed by his father,Kasthuri Raja.Over the next ten years, Dhanush featured in 25 movies and made his Hindi debut in "Raanjhanaa" in the year 2013.- Actor
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Naseeruddin Shah was born on July 20 1950, in Barabanki, a small village in Uttar Pradesh. He is a seasoned Bollywood actor and has received several awards for his notable performance in several movies. The actor has also been awarded the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan awards for his enormous contributions to Indian cinema.
Shah was born into a Nawab family. He studied at St. Anselm's Ajmer School in Rajasthan and St. Joseph's College in Nainital. He completed his graduation from the Aligarh Muslim University in 1971. He also attended the National School of Drama, New Delhi.
At the age of 19, Shah married Manara Sikri, who was 36 years old and a divorcee. Post one year of their marriage, their daughter Heeba Shah was born. However, the relationship didn't work out, and they decided to part ways after 12 years of marriage.
Shah met Ratna Pathak Shah, daughter of Dina Pathak and a Bollywood actor in the 1970s. They fell in love and went on to co-star in several films. They tied the knot in 1982. They have two sons together - Imaaduddin Shah and Vivaan Shah. The couple currently resides with their children in Mumbai.
At the age of 18, Shah acted in Sapnon Ka Saudagar (1968), starring Hema Malini and Raj Kapoor. However, his scene was removed before the release of the movie.
He made his Bollywood debut with an uncredited role in Aman in 1967, a film starring Rajendra Kumar Tuli and Saira Banu. From then onwards, he went on to feature in various movies like Nishant (1975), Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro (1983), Katha (1983) and Junoon (1979).
In 1974, Shah founded a theatre company called Motley Productions, and their inaugural production was Waiting for Godot. He is also part of a theatre troupe and has performed across different cities like New Delhi, Lahore, and Mumbai. He has directed a few plays written by Lavender Kumar, Ismat Chughtai and Saadat Hasan Manto.
He started gaining popularity with his films Hum Paanch (1980) and Masoom (1983), which was shot at St Joseph's College, Nainital, where Shah had studied during his childhood. Another movie called Karma (1986), where he starred beside Dilip Kumar gained much acclaim.
Shah has been a part of several multi-star Bollywood movies like Ghulami (1985), Tridev (1989), and Tridev (1989). In 1994, he completed his 100th movie as an actor with Mohra (1994), where he played the role of a villain.
Shah has also been a part of international projects like the Hollywood adaptation of The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). He played the role of Captain Nemo in the film, which gained him a lot of praise.
In 2003, he acted in Vishal Bhardwaj's Maqbool (2003), an Indian adaptation of Macbeth, and in 2004, he appeared in Rajiv Rai's Asambhav (2004) with Arjun Rampal and Priyanka Chopra.
Shah has won several awards, including three National Film Awards, three Filmfare awards, one IIFA award and two Bengal Film Journalists' Association awards. He also received the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival in 1984.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Pedro Pascal is a Chilean-born actor. He is best known for portraying the roles of Oberyn Martell in the fourth season of the HBO series Game of Thrones (2011), Javier Peña in the Netflix series Narcos (2015), the titular character in the Disney+ series The Mandalorian (2019) and Joel Miller in the HBO series The Last of Us (2023).
He's long-time friends with Triple Frontier (2019) co-star Oscar Isaac.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
In 2009, Alberto Ammann went from being an unknown drama student to becoming one of Spain's best known actors with just one movie. The previous year, Ammann joined the ranks of Penelope Cruz, Jordi Molla and Elena Anaya when he won a coveted spot on the list of Caras Nuevas, a discovery initiative of Spanish talent agency, Kuranda. On the jury that year were the casting directors of Cell 211. Despite their search for a name actor to star in the film, they could find no one to compete with the completely unknown Ammann who went on to win a Goya (Spanish Academy Award) and a Spanish SAG Award for his riveting performance in Cell 211, which became the year's most successful film.
Alberto Ammann was born in Córdoba (Argentina) the son of the journalist, politician and writer Luis Alberto Ammann and Nelida Rey. Between 1978-1982 his parents moved to Spain to escape Argentina's military dictatorship. Years later Ammann returned to Spain to continue the acting studies he had initiated in Argentina with Guillermo Iani and Jolie Lobois at the prestigious Juan Carlos Corazza Acting Studio.
After Ammann's breakthrough performance in "Cell 211", he went on to star in "Lope" (2010), a film in which he embodied the XVI century playwright Lope de Vega.
In 2011, he costarred with Daniel Bruhl in "Eva" an intriguing science fiction film directed by Kike Maillo. This was followed by Daniel Calpasoro's thriller "Invader" in which Alberto starred as a Spanish military doctor stationed in Iraq as a peacemaker during the war. Then Calpasoro called on Ammann again for his next film, "Combustion".
In 2012, Alberto returned to his native Argentina to costar with Ricardo Darin in Hernán A. Godfrid's thriller "Tesis Sobre Un Homicidio". Alberto's next project was to guest star in his first English speaking role in the sci-fi thriller "Mindscape" directed by Jorge Dorado. Again returning to Argentina in 2013, Alberto also starred in Miguel Cohan's "Betibú".
In 2014 Ammann traveled to Peru to costar with Stephen Dorff in Barney Elliott's "Oliver's Deal". Next Alberto heads up the cast of Antena 3's new mini series based on Miguel Sáez Carral's best selling novel, "Apaches".
In Netflix's series, "Narcos", Ammann plays Pacho Herrera, leader of the Cali cartel. Alberto will soon be seen in the second season of "Mars" in which he plays scientist Javier Delgado on man's first mission to the red planet.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
David William Duchovny was born on August 7, 1960, in New York City, New York, USA. His father, Amram Ducovny, was a writer and publicist who was from a family of Jewish immigrants (from Ukraine and Poland), and worked for the American Jewish Committee. His mother, Margaret (Miller), was a Scottish-born school teacher. David has a sister, Laurie, and an older brother, Daniel Ducovny, an award-winning director of commercials, as well as a director of photography.
David earned an undergraduate degree from Princeton University, and also attended Yale University, where he undertook a Master's Degree in English Literature. A keen poet and writer, David's work was well recognized by his peers and teachers while he was in attendance at Yale. He was even nominated for a college prize by the Academy of American Poets for his outstanding work within the literary field. While at Yale, he began commuting to New York to study acting and was soon appearing in off-Broadway plays. In 1987, he abandoned his doctoral studies at Yale to pursue acting full time.
Like any actor or celebrity, David began his career on the bottom, by acting in numerous commercials in the late-eighties. He crossed over into films with bit parts in low key films such as New Year's Day (1989) and Bad Influence (1990). Although these parts were small and somewhat insignificant, it was a start and David was able to get his foot in the door.
In 1991, David got offered the role of DEA Dennis Bryson on the acclaimed TV series, Twin Peaks (1990). He only appeared in three episodes, but at that early stage, it was his biggest claim to fame yet, as Twin Peaks (1990) was watched by millions of people worldwide. Needless to say, David's talents as an actor would finally be recognized and he would get the acknowledgment that he so richly deserved.
In the early 1990s, he got more bit parts in films, this time, however, the films weren't "low key", but hits, such as Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead (1991) and the family favorite comedy, Beethoven (1992). David's role in Beethoven (1992) was small, but it was hard to forget the poor guy who was dragged across the lawn by the giant St. Bernard!
A year later, in 1993, David got the lead role in the independent film Kalifornia (1993). The film also starred another up-and-coming young actor, Brad Pitt. In Kalifornia (1993), David played a journalist who goes on a cross-country tour of famous murder sites with his girlfriend as research for a book he is writing about serial killers. He takes Pitt's character along to help pay the bills, unaware that Pitt's character is in fact a serial killer himself. Although it did not do much business at the box office, it is still a great film and has become somewhat of a cult favorite among fans.
That same year, David was offered the role of FBI Agent Fox "Spooky" Mulder on the long-running TV series The X-Files (1993). The show was a tremendous international success and propelled David (and his co-star Gillian Anderson) into super-stardom. His character of Mulder has become somewhat of a pop culture legend and is renowned the world over for his satirical wit and dry sense of humor. Fans loved the fact that he could keep a straight face and still crack and joke in the face of extreme danger. David improvised a lot of his own lines of dialogue while on the show and even penned and directed a few episodes. The series ended in 2002 and still has a strong, dedicated following. To date, David has reprised his role of Fox Mulder in two "X Files" feature films: The X Files (1998) and The X Files: I Want to Believe (2008).
During the initial run of The X-Files (1993), David kept busy and made several films, such as: Return to Me (2000), alongside actress Minnie Driver and the comedy favorite Evolution (2001), with Julianne Moore, Seann William Scott and Orlando Jones. He even had a hysterical cameo as a self-obsessed, simple-minded hand model in the comedy-smash Zoolander (2001).
In 2007, after a few years out of the limelight, David struck gold again after landing the plum role of Hank Moody in Californication (2007). The raunchy series follows the life of womanizing writer Hank Moody (Duchovny) as he tries to juggle his career and his relationship with his daughter and his ex-girlfriend. The show has become a hit for its off-the-wall humor and Duchovny's ability to always turn in a brilliant performance.
It may have taken a while, but David has worked his way to the top and notched up an impressive resume along the way. We can expect to see a lot more of him in the future.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Natascha McElhone was born in Walton on Thames, London. She attended several schools, Camden School for Girls being the last.
Natascha McElhone established herself as a talented leading actress when she left drama school in 1993 to play the lead in her first film, Merchant Ivory's Surviving Picasso, opposite Anthony Hopkins.
She quickly followed this with Peter Weir's film, The Truman Show; Alan J. Pakula's The Devil's Own, with Brad Pitt and Harrison Ford; and John Frankenheimer's action epic Ronin, in which she co-starred with Robert De Niro. She also played Rosalind to Kenneth Branagh's Berowne in his musical version of William Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost.
In 2003, McElhone co-starred with George Clooney in Steven Soderbergh's futuristic love story, Solaris. McElhone starred in TNT's mini-series The Company, a Golden Globe-nominated drama. In 2005, she starred in NBC's Emmy-nominated mini-series, Revelations.
Natascha McElhone stars opposite David Duchovny in the Golden Globe-winning Showtime series Californication (2007).
McElhone also stars in the children's fantasy film, The Secret Of Moonacre Manor, with Ioan Gruffud. She shared the title role in Mrs Dalloway with Vanessa Redgrave directed by Oscar winning director Marleen Gorris. McElhone's other major film credits include City Of Ghosts, with Matt Dillon and Gérard Depardieu; Laurel Canyon, with Christian Bale and Francis McDormand; and Ladies In Lavender, with Dame Judi Dench and Dame Maggie Smith.
She has most recently starred in The Kid and in two other British feature films 'The Theatre Of Dreams' with Toby Stephens and Brian Cox and in Julian Fellowes' adaptation of 'Romeo And Juliet' to be released March 2013. She has just completed filming 'The Sea' starring with Rufus Sewell, Ciaran Hinds and Charlotte Rampling also to be released in 2013.- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Madeline Zima was born in New Haven, Connecticut, to parents Dennis and Marie, and is the sister of actresses Vanessa Zima and Yvonne Zima. "Zima", a Polish surname, is her mother's maiden name; Madeline's maternal grandfather was of Polish descent, while her other ancestry is Italian, German, and Irish.
She and her sister Vanessa were discovered by Woody Allen for his movie, Alice (1990). She actually quit show business, the week when she was urged to come in for her sixth call back for The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992). She came back for one more audition and booked the role of "Emma". She booked the movie and has never stopped working since. It was both Madeline and Julianne Moore's first film and was directed by Academy Award-winning director and writer, Curtis Hanson. Madeline won critical notice for her first film role.
Madeline followed that dramatic thriller with a short film that Daryl Hannah directed. It was a Sundance favorite called The Last Supper (1995), where Madeline, as a tiny wily child, scared away her mother's abusive boyfriend by convincing him that she and her mother were cannibals. She followed that with the comedies, Mr. Nanny (1993), Our Song, a pilot with George Hamilton, and finally The Nanny (1993). By this time, the pilot of The Nanny (1993) was picked up and Madeline moved from New York to L.A., when The Nanny (1993) became a hit show.
She has starred in TV films: The Secret Path (1999). Her sister, Yvonne Zima played the seven-year-old counterpart to her characters. She played the daughter of the late John Ritter and Marg Helgenberger on Lethal Vows (1999).
After a worldwide search in all English-speaking countries, Madeline was the choice to play Lucille Ball as a teenager, in the CBS mini-series, Lucy (2003) (aka "Redhead"). She followed that up playing the wicked stepsister of Hilary Duff in A Cinderella Story (2004).
In a return to television, she agreed to play the mysterious and destructive character "Mia" on the hit Showtime series, Californication (2007).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Evan Handler was born on 10 January 1961 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Ransom (1996), Sex and the City (2008) and Californication (2007). He has been married to Elisa Atti since 12 October 2003. They have one child.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Robert John Odenkirk was born in Berwyn, Illinois, to Barbara (Baier) and Walter Odenkirk, who worked in printing. His ancestry includes German and Irish. He grew up in Naperville, IL, the second of seven children. He worked as a DJ for WIDB, his college radio station at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Three credits shy of graduation, he moved to Chicago. He began work there in local improv workshops. He also did open-mic stand-up comedy for several years. In Chicago, he became friends with Robert Smigel, who would later help him become a writer for Saturday Night Live (1975).
In 1987, Bob was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live (1975) and in 1989 he went on to win an Emmy for his writing work. He worked on the show from season 13 to 20 (1987-1995). However, he had trouble getting his work on the air, so he began work as a writer for Get a Life (1990) starring Chris Elliott. The show was quickly canceled, but he was soon hired as writer for The Dennis Miller Show (1992). On that show he made his acting debut and was noticed by Ben Stiller, who later hired him as a writer and actor for The Ben Stiller Show (1992). The show only lasted for 13 episodes, but Bob won another Emmy for his writing.
After The Ben Stiller Show (1992) was canceled, Bob made recurring appearances (1993-1998) on The Larry Sanders Show (1992) as Stevie Grant, Larry's hyperactive agent. He also wrote for Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993) during 1993-94. During this time Bob hooked up with fellow The Ben Stiller Show (1992) writer David Cross, also a stand-up comedian. They started doing sketch-comedy shows together in Los Angeles. In 1995, they got their own show on HBO (Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995)). The show lasted for four seasons and 30 episodes.
After Mr. Show with Bob and David (1995) ended, Bob wrote Run Ronnie Run (2002) and directed three feature films (Melvin Goes to Dinner (2003), Let's Go to Prison (2006) and The Brothers Solomon (2007)), and appeared in . After 1998, he also made many guest appearances on TV shows like Just Shoot Me! (1997), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996), Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), Ed (2000), Everybody Loves Raymond (1996), Less Than Perfect (2002), Arrested Development (2003), How I Met Your Mother (2005) and Weeds (2005). From 2009 to 2013, he appeared on 43 episodes of Breaking Bad (2008) as Saul Goodman, a shyster lawyer, and, starting in 2015, he reprised that role as the main character in Better Call Saul (2015).- Actor
- Sound Department
- Soundtrack
Raymond Cruz is perhaps best-known for his portrayal of the frighteningly lethal Tuco Salamanca in AMC's critically acclaimed show Breaking Bad (2008), a character he later reprised for the first two episodes of the spin-off Better Call Saul (2015). The role garnered him a Best Performance in a Television Series nomination from the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. Cruz recently wrapped his sixth and final season of TNT's Major Crimes (2012) as Julio Sanchez, a detective within the Los Angeles Police Department's Major Crimes Division, a role which originated on TNT's The Closer (2005) and which offered Cruz a nomination of Best Supporting Actor from the Imagen Foundation Awards. Other TV work includes Cleveland Abduction (2015), the TV movie in which he starred as kidnapper Ariel Castro, a role he felt personally connected to having known the victims of his crime personally. Other TV work includes CSI: Miami (2002), Lauren (2012), White Collar (2009), and Los Americans (2011), among others. Cruz has appeared in numerous films, including the highly touted Collateral Damage (2002), Training Day (2001), and Alien: Resurrection (2000).- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Rhea Seehorn studied painting and drawing from a young age, following in the footsteps of her father and grandmother. Although she continued in the visual arts, she also had a growing passion for the movies and theatre and secretly wanted to become an actor.
Not knowing how to pursue the profession, she was fortunate to be introduced to contemporary theatre in college and learned that acting classes were being offered. But she was hesitant to sign on - not sure if this was the right course to take in life.
While she was still in college, her father passed away, leaving her with the message that she must do everything she wants to do in this life. Taking his advice, Rhea signed up for the acting classes and has never looked back.
Her film credits include roles in the independent features Riders (2001) and Floating (1997), and the independent shorts The Pitch (1999), The Gentleman (2000) and A Case Against Karen (1998). On television, she guest-starred on Homicide: Life on the Street (1993). She will soon be seen in the ABC telefilm Romy and Michele: In the Beginning (2005).
Her theatre credits include the Broadway production of "45 Seconds from Broadway", as well as roles in "The World Over", "All My Sons", "Stop Kiss", "How I Learned to Drive", "Freedomland" and "Marat/Sade".
Although she grew up in such diverse places as Japan, Arizona, Virginia Beach and Washington, DC, Rhea now makes her home in New York.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Michael Mando has had an international upbringing. Initially born in Quebec City, he found himself growing up all over the world, from Canada to Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and finally the United States. He speaks four languages: French, English, Arabic, and Spanish. Despite excelling in competitive sports such as hockey, football, and soccer, he opted for an academic scholarship instead.
Everything changed when he was caught in a crossfire and took a bullet to the knee. During his years of rehabilitation, he discovered a deep love of acting. This passion led him to study contemporary and classical theatre, which provided him with the foundation to make the leap into video games, co-creating the character Vaas in the international success Far Cry 3.
He was later nominated twice in the same year for Best Supporting Actor at the Canadian Screen Awards for his performances in TV dramas Rookie Blue and Orphan Black. Michael broke into TV mainstream during his six-season run with Better Call Saul, earning him multiple award nominations for his performance as Nacho Varga.
He's been teased as the super-villain The Scorpion in Marvel's Spiderman franchise, with upcoming roles including a lead in "King Ivory" (2024).- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Matt Jones was born on 1 November 1981 in Sacramento, California, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Bob Hearts Abishola (2019), Mom (2013) and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019). He has been married to Kristen Hager since 21 December 2020. They have one child. He was previously married to Kelly Daly.- Actor
- Writer
Abhimanyu Singh is a film actor who has worked in the Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati and Kannada films film industries.
Although Singh was born in Sonpur, Bihar, his family hail from Daudpur in Jehanabad, Bihar. His father was an employee at RBI in Patna, while his mother was a homemaker.
He married his girlfriend Sargam in 2006 and has two children, a son, Zulu, and a daughter, Amelie.
Singh started his acting career with the movie Aks (2001) in 2001. However, his first impactful role was in Anurag Kashyap's movie Gulaal (2009).
In 2010, he played the role of Bukka Reddy in Ram Gopal Varma's Rakta Charitra (2010), for which he gained much appreciation.
Some of the other notable films that Singh worked in include Lakshya (2004), Dhol (2007), Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram Leela (2013), Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai Dobara (2013) and so on.
Singh made his debut in the Tamil film industry with his role in Velayudham (2011). He debuted in the Telugu film industry with his performance in Rakta Charitra (2010), which was a bilingual film.
He entered the Gujarati film industry with Premji rise of a warrior (2015), and his first Kannada film was Chakravyuha (2016).
Singh worked in the mythological series Upanishad Ganga (2012), which was nominated in the Best Mythological/Historical Series category at the Indian Telly Awards 2013. It also won the technical awards for Best Dialogues.
Singh has also played multiple roles as a Television actor in serials like Kumkum: Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan (2002), Saara Akaash (2003), and Kkusum: Ek Aam Ladki Ki Kahaani (2001).- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Mahie Gill was born in Chandigarh, Punjab. She has completed her Masters in theater from Panjab University, Chandigarh in 1998. Mahi got her first break with the Punjabi based Bollywood film Hawayein and has done a couple of Punjabi films along with theatre. Anurag saw her first in a party and instantly finalized her to play the character of Paro in movie Dev D. Gill, and is set to appear in UTV's Aage se right opposite Shreyas Talpade and Paan Singh Tomar with Irrfan Khan.- Pankaj Jha is an accomplished Indian actor, writer, and director hailing from Saharsa, Bihar. He completed his education in Bihar and later moved to Delhi to pursue a career in acting.
Jha started his acting journey by joining the National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi, where he trained under the guidance of renowned theatre practitioners. After completing his training, he moved to Mumbai to pursue a career in film and television.
Jha used to act in street plays in his village in Saharsa, Bihar. He made his debut in Hindi films with Mira Nair's Monsoon Wedding in 2001. His filmography includes Anurag Kashyap's Black Friday and Gulaal, Sudhir Mishra's Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi, Chameli and Mumbai Cutting, Manish Jha's Matrubhoomi: A Nation Without Women, Anwar and A Very Very Silent Film. He has also starred in two of Ram Gopal Varma's gangster trilogy, Company and D and Shiva. His other noteworthy performances include last year's comic caper Baankey Ki Crazy Baraat, Teen Patti, Lahore, and many others. Apart from mainstream Hindi movies, Jha has been part of two path-breaking regional language films Mithila Makhaan (Maithili) and Deswa (Bhojpuri).
In addition to his work in films and television, Jha is also a well-known theater actor. He has acted in several plays and has won accolades for his performances on stage.
Jha's recent work includes his portrayal of the character MLA in the popular web series "Panchayat 2." His performance in the series has been highly appreciated by audiences and critics alike.
An accomplished painter, he has had six solo painting exhibitions to his credit so far. The actor has an art studio in Pune, Maharashtra, and he often escapes from the humdrum of city life to be in the company of color, canvas and loads of creativity. He has also done many on-the-spot paintings, and the nature of the artwork that he has produced in a jiffy is awe-inspiring. Pankaj Jha's stroke of creativity extends to poetry as well. A seasoned writer, he made it his hobby, and that action translated into poems about nature and its beauty, people, and their myriad emotions.
With a career spanning over two decades, Jha has established himself as a versatile actor who can effortlessly switch between intense dramatic roles and comedic performances. He has won several accolades for his performances and has been praised for his ability to bring depth and nuance to his characters. - Pankaj Tripathi is a well-known Indian actor who has made a significant contribution to Indian cinema. Born to Pandit Benares Tiwari, a priest and Hemanti Devi, Tripathi had a humble upbringing in a small town in Bihar, India.
Tripathi, as a child, participated in a few amateur plays where he played the role of a girl. However, he was not actively involved in the world of acting at that time. While studying in class 12, Tripathi's interest in theatre was sparked when he watched a play named Andha Kuan. Actor Pranita Jaiswal's emotional performance moved him to tears, which further intensified his passion for theatre. Later on, Tripathi relocated to Patna to pursue Higher education in Hotel management training and this is where his life took a new direction.
He would often cycle his way to see all the stage shows that were held in Patna from 1994 - 1995. By 1996, Tripathi stopped being in the audience and took to becoming a performer. Tripathi also worked the night shift in a hotel kitchen during this time.
His interest in acting led him to complete his graduation in Hindi literature and enrol at the National School of Drama (NSD) in Delhi, which he completed in 2004. He then moved to Mumbai.
Tripathi's initial years in the films saw him playing minor roles in several films, including Run (2004), Apaharan (2005), Omkara (2006), Shaurya (2008), Raavan (2010), Children's Party (2011), and Agneepath (2012), among others. In many of these movies, he played the role of an antagonist.
After working for about eight years, Tripathi got his first major role onscreen in the Gangs of Wasseypur (2012). The movie was a two-part gangster movie directed by Anurag Kashyap based on the coal mafia. The movie received rave reviews from critics and was included in the list of 100 best films of the 21st century by The Guardian.
Following this, Tripathi worked in several other movies, such as Dabangg 2 (2012), ABCD (Any Body Can Dance) (2013), Fukrey (2013), Singham Returns (2014), Dilwale (2015), Nil Battey Sannata (2015), Bareilly Ki Barfi (Seeking True Love (2017)), Fukrey Returns (2017), and Super 30 (2019).
Tripathi was also seen in Neeraj Ghaywan's independent drama film Masaan (2015). He played a small but impactful role of a small-town government official who has an amicable nature.
He went on to play the lead role in Shanker Raman's neo-noir thriller Gurgaon (2017). In the same year, he appeared in a prominent role in Newton (2017), a dark comedy-drama directed by Amit Masurkar. The film premiered at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival under the Forum section.
Newton won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi 2017. Tripathi earned a special mention for his performance in the movie at the National Film Awards held in 2018. Newton was selected as the official Indian entry for the 90th Academy Awards held in 2017 under the Best Foreign Language Film.
Tripathi appeared in Pa. Ranjith action drama Kaala (2018) starring Rajinikanth and Nana Patekar the following year. It marked his debut in Tamil cinema. His next film was Stree (2018), a horror-comedy directed by Amar Kaushik. It was a huge commercial success and earned about Rs. 180 crores worldwide. For his performance in this movie, Tripathi won the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Star Screen Awards 2018.
Tripathi appeared in a supporting role in Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl (2020). He played the role of a progressive father who was supportive of his daughter's dreams. His character believes in gender equality and encourages his daughter to break the bonds of patriarchy and reach for her dreams.
He also worked in Ludo (2020), directed by Anurag Basu.
Tripathi was also seen in prominent roles in Kaagaz (2021), Mimi (2021), '83 (2021), and Sherdil (2022). He has also acted in various TV series, such as Time Bomb (2005), Zindgi Ka Har Rang ... Gulaal (2010), Powder (2010), and Sarojini - Ek Nayi Pehal (2015).
Tripathi has been a part of several web series as well, including Sacred Games (2018), Mirzapur (2018), Criminal Justice (2019), Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors (2020), Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach (2022), and Gulkanda Tales.
His performance in Mirzapur (2018) won him Best Actor - Drama at the iReel Awards 2019 and Best Actor - Web Series at the Indian Television Academy Awards 2021. - Actor
- Director
- Writer
J.D. Chakravarthy (born Nagulapati Srinivasa Chakravarthy) is an Indian film actor and director known for his works in South Indian film industry and Bollywood.[1] He has starred in Hindi films like Shiva, Satya, Vaastu Shastra and Aag. He made his film directing debut, with Darwaza Bandh Rakho. He then went on to direct story 5 of Darna Zaroori Hai, which was archived at the New York Institute of Technology, as part of the film course, Homam and Sidham. He is best known in Telugu cinema for his performances in Money, Gulabi, Anaganaga Oka Roju, Premaku Velayara, Wife of V. Varaprasad, Egire Paavurama, Bombay Priyudu, Pape Naa Pranam, Deyyam, Mrugam and Madhyanam Hathya.- Actor
- Script and Continuity Department
- Writer
Makrand Deshpande was born in Dahanu, Maharashtra, India. He is known for his work on Hanan (2004), Company (2002), Danav (2003), Swades (2004), Sarfarosh (1999), Satya (1998), Darna Zaroori Hai (2006), Chameli (2003), Market (2003), and Jungle (2000). His contribution to the theatre industry includes over 50 short plays and 40 full-length plays, including Sir Sir Sirla, Joke, Maa In Transit, Krishna Kidding and Shakepearcha Mhatara.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Sanjay Narvekar is an Indian actor who is primarily known for his work in the Marathi and Hindi film industry. He first rose to prominence through his supporting role in the 1999 Bollywood crime drama Vaastav, for which he was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor. Notable film credits include Fiza (2000), Hungama (2003), and Fakta Ladh Mhana (2011). One of his notable movies was the Marathi comedy Khabardar, in which he plays the role of a truck driver who is accused of a murder and runs for his life. He was then seen in the 2008 thriller Checkmate, written and directed by Sanjay Jadhav, followed by Aata Pita in 2010, in which Sanjay plays the role of an ambitious bank officer. His 2018 venture includes Ye Re Ye Re Paisa, directed by Sanjay Jadhav, starring Umesh Kamat, Siddharth Jadhav and Tejaswini Pandit in the lead roles.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Sanjay Dutt, son of Nargis and Sunil Dutt, was first featured in Rocky (1981), the movie was a box office hit.
He emerged as a sensitive actor, alongside being the top prominent action hero of 80s & 90s Bollywood, whilst also finding noteworthy praise in the comedic genre.
Sanjay's personal life was exacerbated by drug problems, and he later lost his wife Richa Sharma, to cancer. He was also arrested for having illegal weapons, and was imprisoned. After his release, he appeared in three consecutive hits; Daag: The Fire (1999), Haseena Maan Jaayegi (1999) and Vaastav Vaastav: The Reality (1999), His performance in Vaastav Vaastav: The Reality (1999) earned him many Best Actor Popular awards, including FilmFare.
Sanjay then appeared in many movies such as Mission Kashmir (2000), Munna Bhai M.B.B.S. (2003) and Lage Raho Munna Bhai (2006) which also earned him many awards.
Recently a biopic on his life was made called Sanju (2018).- Producer
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Paresh Rawal is a renowned Indian film actor, comedian, and producer best known for his work in Bollywood films. He has also worked in Telugu, a few Tamil, and a few Gujarati movies. Highly versatile, he has essayed several types of characters, including comic, serious, and villainous character roles.
Born and brought up in Bombay (now Mumbai), he is an alumnus of Narsee Monjee College of Commerce & Economics, Mumbai. He started doing Gujarati theatres after graduating from Bombay University in 1974.
He entered Bollywood with the film Holi (1984), playing a supporting role. He also acted in the Doordarshan TV serial Bante Bigadte (1985). However, he got his first big break in Naam (1986) the following year.
He went on to act in over 100 films between the 1980s and the 1990s. He essayed mostly negative characters in films such as, Kabzaa (1988), Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja (1993), King Uncle (1993), and Baazi (1995).
In Ketan Mehta's Sardar (1993), he played the lead role of freedom fighter Vallabhbhai Patel. According to him, this was a turning point for him as an actor, as studying the character of Sardar Patel in detail inspired him to work harder and improve upon his craft. He also states that it changed him, giving him a deeper understanding of Indian history and helping him appreciate these great legends' sacrifices to achieve freedom for the nation.
Rawal started with comedy in Andaz Apna Apna (1994), where he played a double role. His easy, effortless, and natural acting wowed critics and the masses.
Rawal has won acclaim for his work in the Telugu film industry, such as Kshana Kshanam (1991), Money (1993), Govindha Govindha (1993), Rikshavodu (1995), and Bavagaru Bagunnara? (1998).
His other noteworthy works in Hindi cinema include Shiva (1990), Mohra (1994), Tamanna (1998), Aitraaz (2004), Table No. 21 (2013), and Zila Ghaziabad (2013).
Rawal achieved recognition, both as a comedian and as a supporting actor in films, including Chachi 420 (1997), Nayak: The Real Hero (2001), Aankhen (2002), Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), Garam Masala (2005), Chup Chup Ke (2006), Welcome (2007), Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008), Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? (2010), OMG: Oh My God! (2012), Tiger Zinda Hai (2017), Sanju (2018), and Uri: The Surgical Strike (2019).
In 2000, he played the unintelligent but kind Marathi landlord Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in Hera Pheri (2000). His performance won him the Filmfare Best Comedian Award. The sequel, Phir Hera Pheri (2006), was equally successful, leaving audiences begging for more. He is still remembered for this role.
Rawal went on to play the lead role in Aankhen (2002), where he depicted one of the three blind men who planned to rob a bank. Co-starring Amitabh Bachchan, Aditya Pancholi, Akshay Kumar, Arjun Rampal, and Sushmita Sen, this film established him as a master of comedy. Over the next few years, he mostly played comic roles.
In 2010, he appeared based on honour killing in the film Aakrosh (2010). In 2021, Rawal appeared in Toofaan (2021), a sports-based movie directed by Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and starring Farhan Akhtar, who plays a national-level boxer. The film started streaming worldwide on July 16, 2021, on Amazon Prime Video.
Having worked in over 240 films, Rawal has won numerous accolades and awards, including the National Film Awards 1994: Best Supporting Actor for Sir (1993), and IIFA Awards 2001: Best Performance for Hera Pheri (2000). He also won the Producers Guild Film Awards 2010: Best Actor in a Comic Role: Atithi Tum Kab Jaoge? (2010).
Rawal is also a politician. He was victorious as the Bharatiya Janata Party's Member of Parliament (MP) from the Ahmedabad East constituency in the 2014 Indian general election. On September 10, 2020, the President of India appointed him as the National School of Drama Chairperson.- Zeeshan Qadri is known for Daal Chaawal (2019).
- Jaideep Ahlawat is an Indian actor who is known for his acting skills and captivating performances.
He attended Govt. High School in Kharakara, Haryana, for his elementary and secondary studies. After that, he graduated from Jat H.M. College in Rohtak, Haryana. On completing his undergraduate degree; he went on to get a Master of Arts in English from Maharishi Dayanand University in Rohtak, Haryana.
When he was in college, he became a member of a theatre company. He participated in a number of stage plays around the states of Punjab and Haryana. It motivated him to get his degree in acting from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in 2008. His fellow alumni from FTII (Film and Television Institute of India), such as Rajkummar Rao and Sunny Hinduja, are also accomplished actors in the industry.
Once he finished his FTII degree, he moved to Mumbai, intending to start a career in acting. In 2008, he played a supporting part in a Bollywood short film named Narmeen (2009), which marked the beginning of his career in the Indian film industry.
Later on, he was cast in the film Aakrosh (2010), and in the same year, he was cast in the satirical comedy Khatta Meetha (2010). Film critics praised him for playing a shady politician in this movie. In 2011, he made brief appearances in the films Chittagong (2012) and Rockstar (2011) as Jordan's brother, playing minor roles.
The success of Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) was a pivotal moment in Ahlawat's life. Ahlawat portrayed the part of Shahid Khan in this movie. Shahid Khan was a coal mine worker who was misled by his supervisor and later slain. Ahlawat's portrayal of this role earned him widespread acclaim and helped launch his career as a respected performer in India's film industry.
He was nominated for Best Actor at the Zee Cine Awards / Star Screen Awards in 2013 for his negative portrayal in Commando (2013).
Of the numerous successful films that Ahlawat has appeared in, some of the most well-known ones are Khatta Meetha (2010), Commando (2013), Gabbar Is Back (2015), Raees (2017), Raazi (2018), Baaghi 3 (2020), and so on - these are only some of the films that stand out.
He appeared in multiple series in 2022. His performance in series like Bloody Brothers (2022) and The Broken News (2022) has been appreciated by the critics.
It was Paatal Lok (2020) that garnered him his first Filmfare for best male actor in a drama series. By portraying the lead character of Delhi Police Inspector Hathiram Chaudhary in this Amazon Prime web series; he received widespread recognition and acclaim. He played the role of a cop who handles a high-profile case - in the middle of the investigation, several things drag him to the darker side of the underworld. He admitted that directors' faith in him had grown after the success of the series. His performance has also been lauded by other prominent actors like Varun Dhawan, Rajkummar Rao, and Vicky Kaushal.
Apart from that, Bard of Blood (2019) and Lust Stories (2018) are some of the Hindi web series in which he has appeared. - Actor
- Producer
- Director
Yashpal Sharma was born on 1 January 1967 in Hisar, Haryana, India. He is an actor and producer, known for Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (2001), Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) and Neeli Chatri Waale (2014). He is married to Pratibha Sharma.- Actor
- Music Department
- Writer
Piyush Mishra, is an Indian film actor, music director ,lyricist, singer, script and dialogue writer, and a well known theatre director and Hindi playwright. He spent his early life in Gwalior, where he received his education.
Theater and television After his graduation from National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi in 1986, Piyush Mishra started his career as a theatre actor and went on to write and directed several plays as a part of Act-1 Group (1990-1995). In 1996 he joined Asmita Theatre Group, and performed his Popular one man shows An Evening with Piyush Mishra. He wrote the lyrics for Asmita's popular plays.- Actress
- Producer
Born in Patna, Bihar and currently residing in Los Angeles, USA, Nitu Chandra is an Indian actor, National award winning producer, international taekwondo player, humanitarian, activist & theatre artist. She is famously known for her work in 'Garam Masala', 'Traffic Signal', 'Oye Lucky, Lucky Oye!' 'Aadhi Bhagavan' and 'Godavari' to name a few. Nitu Chandra has not only carved a distinctive space for herself in Indian films but is on her way to conquering the global domain with her multiple interesting Hollywood projects.
In addition, she is also a skilled classical dancer and has a natural affinity for sports. She has been actively playing and promoting basketball in India through her close association with the NBA. In 2017, she became the brand ambassador for Patna Pirates, a winning teaming in the Pro Kabaddi League for the last 4 years. She has also represented India 3 times at World Taekwondo Championships. She has been honoured the 4th dan black belt by Korean Embassy, New Delhi.
She made her Bollywood film debut with Garam Masala (2005) opposite Akshay Kumar & John Abraham where she essayed the role of an air hostess. She is known for her performances in several films which include 'National Award' winning Traffic Signal (2007) and 'Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! (2008), alongside One Two Three (2008), Summer 2007 (2008), 13B: Fear Has a New Address (2009), Mumbai Cutting (2008), Rann (2010) with Amitabh Bachchan, Apartment: Rent at Your Own Risk (2010), No Problem (2010), 'Sadiyaan' (2010), Kucch Luv Jaisaa (2011), 'Kusar Prasad Ka Bhoot' (to be released) and 'Shooter' (to be released). With her incredible acting prowess, she has enacted every character with perfection.
Nitu made her foray into theatre with a play called 'Umrao' (2013) essaying the iconic character 'Umrao Jaan' showing her versatility from portraying a 17 years old teenager to an 85 year old octogenarian. Her acting in the play was critically acclaimed and applauded by the audience.
Known to wear many hats, she ventured into film production with Deswa (2011), a Bhojpuri film which entered 37 international film festivals and was honoured in many. This film is also credited to be the first film from Bihar to enter International Film Festival in Goa 2012 in 'Indian panorama' category.
It was in 2008 that she set up her own production house, named, 'Champaran Talkies' with her brother Nitin Chandra, a National award winning filmmaker. The objective of this production house is to produce films that talk about real India. Champaran Talkies recently produced Mithila Makhaan (2019) a Maithili language movie that went on to be the first movie from Bihar to ever win the prestigious National Film Awards (2016) for 'Best Maithili Film'. The film was also officially selected for the International Film Festival of South Asia in Toronto (2016) alongside more than 25 other international film festivals.
She will mark her Hollywood debut with Sony Motion Pictures franchise, Never Back Down: Revolt (2021) where she will essay the role of a fierce fighter, 'Jaya'. She is the first Indian actor to do a Greek film, called Block 12 (2013) and has been a part of Gown and Out in Beverly Hills (2017) on Amazon Prime. She has recently completed a pilot episode for an international web series 'The Worst Day'.
Besides Hindi films, she has given memorable performances, in other regional language movies too. She made a guest appearance with the Telugu film Vishnu (2003), followed by other prominent Telugu films which include Godavari (2006), Satyameva Jeyathe (2009) and Manam (2014). Her key Tamil films include 'Yavrum Nalam' (2009), Theeradha Vilaiyattu Pillai (2010), 'Yuddham Sei' (2011), Settai (2013), Thilagar (2015), Singam 3 (2017), Vaigai Express (2017), 'Brahma.com' (2017). She has even appeared in a Kannada movie, Power (2014).
For the Tamil movie Aadhi Bhagavan (2013), she won the 'Best Actor (2014) in the negative role (Tamil) at the 3rd South Indian International Movie Awards (SIIMA). Having worked in various Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada films, Neetu is considered to be one of the most versatile actor of Indian cinema.
Nitu Chandra is a philanthropist and has received wide recognition for her humanitarian work. She has advocated various social causes. Aiding Cancer patients is a social cause which is particularly close to her heart. She has been the brand ambassador of Cancer Patients Aid Association, Mumbai for the last 12 years and Teen Cancer America for the last 3 years. She has also been associated with the United Nations as a Gender 50:50 Champion.
Talented Nitu has gone to forge a multi-hyphenate career and has left an indelible mark in films and sports alike. She strongly believes that "the only way to succeed in anything would be to give it everything and remain consistent."- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Jim Carrey, Canadian-born and a U.S. citizen since 2004, is an actor and producer famous for his rubbery body movements and flexible facial expressions. The two-time Golden Globe-winner rose to fame as a cast member of the Fox sketch comedy In Living Color (1990) but leading roles in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), Dumb and Dumber (1994) and The Mask (1994) established him as a bankable comedy actor.
James Eugene Carrey was born on January 17, 1962 in Newmarket, Ontario, Canada, and is the youngest of four children of Kathleen (Oram), a homemaker, and Percy Carrey, an accountant and jazz musician. The family surname was originally "Carré", and he has French-Canadian, Scottish, and Irish ancestry. Carrey was an incurable extrovert from day one. As a child, he performed constantly, for anyone who would watch, and even mailed his résumé to The Carol Burnett Show (1967) at age 10. In junior high, he was granted a few precious minutes at the end of each school day to do stand-up routines for his classmates (provided, of course, that he kept a lid on it the rest of the day).
Carrey's early adolescence took a turn for the tragic, however, when the family was forced to relocate from their cozy town of Newmarket to Scarborough (a Toronto suburb). They all took security and janitorial jobs in the Titan Wheels factory, Jim working 8-hour shifts after school let out (not surprisingly, his grades and morale both suffered). When they finally deserted the factory, the family lived out of a Volkswagen camper van until they could return to Toronto.
Carrey made his stand-up debut in Toronto after his parents and siblings got back on their feet. He made his (reportedly awful) professional stand-up debut at Yuk-Yuk's, one of the many local clubs that would serve as his training ground in the years to come. He dropped out of high school, worked on his celebrity impersonations (among them Michael Landon and James Stewart), and in 1979 worked up the nerve to move to Los Angeles. He finessed his way into a regular gig at The Comedy Store, where he impressed Rodney Dangerfield so much that the veteran comic signed him as an opening act for an entire season. During this period Carrey met and married waitress Melissa Womer, with whom he had a daughter (Jane). The couple would later go through a very messy divorce, freeing Carrey up for a brief second marriage to actress Lauren Holly. Wary of falling into the lounge act lifestyle, Carrey began to look around for other performance outlets. He landed a part as a novice cartoonist in the short-lived sitcom The Duck Factory (1984); while the show fell flat, the experience gave Carrey the confidence to pursue acting more vigorously.
Carrey also worked on breaking into film around this time. He scored the male lead in the ill-received Lauren Hutton vehicle Once Bitten (1985), and had a supporting role in Peggy Sue Got Married (1986), before making a modest splash with his appearance as the alien Wiploc in Earth Girls Are Easy (1988). Impressed with Carrey's lunacy, fellow extraterrestrial Damon Wayans made a call to his brother, Keenen Ivory Wayans, who was in the process of putting together the sketch comedy show In Living Color (1990). Carrey joined the cast and quickly made a name for himself with outrageous acts (one of his most popular characters, psychotic Fire Marshall Bill, was attacked by watchdog groups for dispensing ill- advised safety tips).
Following his time on In Living Color (1990), Carrey's transformation from TV goofball to marquee headliner happened within the course of a single year. He opened 1994 with a starring turn in Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994), a film that cashed in on his extremely physical brand of humor (the character's trademark was talking out his derrière). Next up was the manic superhero movie The Mask (1994), which had audiences wondering just how far Carrey's features could stretch.
Finally, in December 1994, he hit theaters as a loveable dolt in the Farrelly brothers' Dumb and Dumber (1994) (his first multi-million dollar payday). Now a box-office staple, Carrey brought his manic antics onto the set of Batman Forever (1995), replacing Robin Williams as The Riddler. He also filmed the follow-up to his breakthrough, Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls (1995), and inked a deal with Sony to star in The Cable Guy (1996) (replacing Chris Farley) for a cool $20 million--at the time, that was the biggest up-front sum that had been offered to any comic actor. The movie turned out to be a disappointment, both critically and financially, but Carrey bounced back the next year with the energetic hit Liar Liar (1997). Worried that his comic shtick would soon wear thin, Carrey decided to change course.
In 1998, he traded in the megabucks and silly grins to star in Peter Weir's The Truman Show (1998) playing a naive salesman who discovers that his entire life is the subject of a TV show, Carrey demonstrated an uncharacteristic sincerity that took moviegoers by surprise. He won a Golden Globe for the performance, and fans anticipated an Oscar nomination as well--when it didn't materialize, Carrey lashed out at Academy members for their narrow-minded selection process. Perhaps inspired by the snub, Carrey threw himself into his next role with abandon. After edging out a handful of other hopefuls (including Edward Norton) to play eccentric funnyman Andy Kaufman in Man on the Moon (1999), Carrey disappeared into the role, living as Kaufman -- and his blustery alter-ego Tony Clifton -- for months (Carrey even owned Kaufman's bongo drums, which he'd used during his audition for director Milos Forman). His sometimes uncanny impersonation was rewarded with another Golden Globe, but once again the Academy kept quiet.
An indignant Carrey next reprised his bankable mania for the Farrelly brothers in Me, Myself & Irene (2000), playing a state trooper whose Jekyll and Hyde personalities both fall in love with the same woman (Renée Zellweger). Carrey's real-life persona wound up falling for her too--a few months after the film wrapped, the pair announced they were officially a couple. By then, Carrey had already slipped into a furry green suit to play the stingy antihero of Ron Howard's How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000).
Although Carrey maintains a foothold in the comedy world with films such as Bruce Almighty (2003) and Mr. Popper's Penguins (2011), he is also capable of turning in nuanced dramatic performances, as demonstrated in films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) and the drama/comedy Yes Man (2008). In 2013, he costars with Steve Carell in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013).
Carrey has one child with his first wife, Melissa Carrey, whom he divorced in 1995. He married actress Lauren Holly in 1996, but they split less than a year later.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Cameron Diaz, an American actress, was born in 1972 in San Diego, the daughter of a Cuban-American father and a German mother. Self described as "adventurous, independent and a tough kid," Cameron left home at 16 and for the next 5 years lived in such varied locales as Japan, Australia, Mexico, Morocco, and Paris. Returning to California at the age of 21, she was working as a model when she auditioned for a big part in The Mask (1994). To her amazement and despite having no previous acting experience, she was cast as the female lead in the film opposite Jim Carrey. Over the next 3 years, she honed her acting skills in such low budget independent films as The Last Supper (1995); Feeling Minnesota (1996); and Head Above Water (1996). She returned to main stream films in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), in which she held her own against veteran actress Julia Roberts. She earned full fledged star status in 1998 for her performance in the box office smash There's Something About Mary (1998). Cameron Diaz appears to possess everything necessary to become one of the super stars of the new century.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Rowan Sebastian Atkinson was born on 6 January, 1955, in Consett, Co. Durham, UK, to Ella May (Bainbridge) and Eric Atkinson. His father owned a farm, where Rowan grew up with his two older brothers, Rupert and Rodney. He attended Newcastle University and Oxford University where he earned degrees in electrical engineering. During that time, he met screenwriter Richard Curtis, with whom he wrote and performed comedy revues.
Later, he co-wrote and appeared in Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979), which was a huge success and spawned several best-selling books. It won an International Emmy Award and the British Academy Award for "Best Light Entertainment Programme of 1980." He won the "British Academy Award" and was named "BBC Personality of the Year" for his performance in Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979).
Atkinson also appeared in several movies, including Dead on Time (1983), Pleasure at Her Majesty's (1976) (aka "Monty Python Meets Beyond the Fringe"), Never Say Never Again (1983), and The Tall Guy (1989). He played "Mr. Bean" in the TV series, Mr. Bean (1990) but, apart from that and Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979), he also appeared in several other series like Blackadder (1982) and Funny Business (1992), etc.
Atkinson enjoys nothing more than fast cars. He has two children, named Benjamin and Lily, with ex-wife Sunetra Sastry.- Producer
- Actor
- Stunts
Hong Kong's cheeky, lovable and best-known film star, Jackie Chan endured many years of long, hard work and multiple injuries to establish international success after his start in Hong Kong's manic martial arts cinema industry.
Jackie was born Kong-sang Chan on April 7, 1954, on Hong Kong's famous Victoria Peak, to Charles and Lee-Lee Chan, and the family immigrated to Canberra, Australia, in early 1960. The young Jackie was less than successful scholastically, so his father sent him back to Hong Kong to attend the rigorous China Drama Academy, one of the Peking Opera schools. Chan excelled at acrobatics, singing and martial arts and eventually became a member of the "Seven Little Fortunes" performing troupe and began lifelong friendships with fellow martial artists / actors Sammo Kam-Bo Hung and Biao Yuen. Chan journeyed back and forth to visit his parents and work in Canberra, but eventually he made his way back to Hong Kong as his permanent home. In the early 1970s, Chan commenced his movie career and interestingly appeared in very minor roles in two films starring then rising martial arts superstar Bruce Lee: Fist of Fury (1972) (aka "The Chinese Connection"), and the Warner Bros. production Enter the Dragon (1973). Not long after Lee's untimely death, Chan was often cast in films cashing in on the success of Bruce Lee by utilizing words like "fist", "fury" or "dragon" in their US release titles.
Chan's own film career was off and running and he swiftly appeared in many low-budget martial arts films that were churned out at a rapid-fire pace by Hong Kong studios eager to satisfy the early 1970s boom in martial-arts cinema. He starred in Shaolin Wooden Men (1976), To Kill with Intrigue (1977), Half a Loaf of Kung Fu (1978) and Magnificent Bodyguards (1978), which all fared reasonably well at the cinemas. However, he scored a major breakthrough with the action comedy Drunken Master (1978), which has become a cult favorite among martial arts film fans. Not too long after this, Chan made his directorial debut with The Young Master (1980) and then "Enter the Dragon" producer Robert Clouse lured Jackie to the United States for a film planned to break Jackie into the lucrative US market. Battle Creek Brawl (1980) featured Jackie competing in a "toughest Street fighter" contest set in 1940s Texas; however, Jackie was unhappy with the end result, and it failed to fire with US audiences. In a further attempt to get his name known in the United States, Jackie was cast alongside Burt Reynolds, Sir Roger Moore and Dean Martin in the Hal Needham-directed car chase film The Cannonball Run (1981). Regrettably, Jackie was cast as a Japanese race driver and his martial arts skills are only shown in one small sequence near the film's conclusion. Stateside success was still a few years away for Jackie Chan!
Undeterred, he returned to East Asia to do what he did best--make jaw-dropping action films loaded with amazing stunt work. Chan and his legendary stunt team were without parallel in their ability to execute the most incredible fight scenes and action sequences, and the next decade would see some of their best work. Chan paired with the dynamic Sammo Kam-Bo Hung to star in Winners & Sinners (1983), Project A (1983), Wheels on Meals (1984), My Lucky Stars (1985) (aka "Winners & Sinners 2"), Twinkle Twinkle Lucky Stars (1985) (aka "Winners & Sinners 3"). Chan then journeyed back to the United States for another shot at that market, starring alongside Danny Aiello in The Protector (1985), filmed in Hong Kong and New York. However, as with previous attempts, Jackie felt the US director--in this case, James Glickenhaus--failed to understand his audience appeal and the film played to lukewarm reviews and box-office receipts. However, Jackie did decide to "harden" up his on-screen image somewhat and his next film, Police Story (1985) was a definite departure from previously light-hearted martial arts fare, and his fans loved the final product!
This was quickly followed up with the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)-influenced Armour of God (1986), during filming of which Jackie mistimed a leap from a wall to a tree on location in Yugoslavia and fell many quite a few feet onto his head, causing a skull fracture. It was another in a long line of injuries that Chan has suffered as a result of doing his own stunt work, and he was soon back in front of the cameras. Project A 2 (1987), Police Story 2 (1988), Miracles: The Canton Godfather (1989) (aka "Mr. Canton and Lady Rose)", Armour of God 2: Operation Condor (1991) (aka "Armour of God 2") and Supercop (1992) (aka "Police Story 3") were all sizable hits for Jackie, escalating his status to phenomenal heights in Asia, and to his loyal fanbase around the globe. US success was now just around the corner for the hard-working Jackie Chan, and it arrived in the form of the action film Rumble in the Bronx (1995) (though it was actually filmed in Canada) that successfully blended humor and action to make a winning formula in US theaters.
Jackie did not waste any time and went to work on First Strike (1996) (aka "Police Story 4"), Mr. Nice Guy (1997), Who Am I? (1998), which all met with positive results at the international box office. Jackie then went to work in his biggest-budget US production, starring alongside fast-talking comedian Chris Tucker in the action comedy Rush Hour (1998). The film was a bigger hit than "Rumble in the Bronx" and firmly established Jackie as a bona fide star in the United States. Jackie then paired up with rising talent Owen Wilson to star in Shanghai Noon (2000) and its sequel, Shanghai Knights (2003), and re-teamed with Tucker in Rush Hour 2 (2001), as well as starring in The Tuxedo (2002), The Medallion (2003) and the delightful Around the World in 80 Days (2004). Not one to forget his loyal fanbase, Jackie returned to more gritty and traditional fare with New Police Story (2004) and The Myth (2005). The multi-talented Chan (he is also a major recording star in Asia) shows no sign of slowing down and has long since moved out of the shadow of Bruce Lee, to whom he was usually compared early in his career.
Chan is truly one of the international film industry's true maverick actor / director / stuntman / producer combinations - he has done this the hard way, and always his way to achieve his dreams and goals to be an international cinematic star. Off screen, he has been directly involved in many philanthropic ventures providing financial assistance to schools and universities around the world. He is a UNICEF GoodWill Ambassador, and he has campaigned against animal abuse and pollution and assisted with disaster relief efforts to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami victims.- Actor
- Stunts
- Producer
Japanom Yeerum was born on February 5, 1976, in the northeastern province of Surin, Thailand. His parents were elephant herders. Jaa watched martial arts films as a young kid and began to emulate some of his idols, from Bruce Lee to Jackie Chan to Jet Li. Jaa studied martial arts at the local temple school and later under a scholarship at the Physical Education College in Khon Kaen, Thailand where he continued to study Muay Boran, Muay Thai, Wushu, Judo and Tae-Kwan-Do. Jaa later did some stunt for in a film for 'Panna Rittikrai', This resulted in Jaa being seen and getting work, doubling for Robin Shou and James Remar in Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), and when his demo reel was seen by director Prachya Pinkaew, the film Ong-Bak: The Thai Warrior (2003) was created for Jaa. He adopted the English name Tony Jaa. In 2013, after ending his association with Sahamongkol Film, Jaa was contracted by Universal Studio's for a role in Fast and Furious 7. Jaa now has starring roles in several international films being filmed in 2014 and is concentrating his efforts more towards international audiences.