Favorite Villainesses
Wicked Witches and Dragon Ladies... Middle Management. Also mean girls.
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Kirstie Louise Alley was an American actress. Her breakout role was as Rebecca Howe in the NBC sitcom Cheers (1987-1993), receiving an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe in 1991 for the role. From 1997 to 2000, she starred in the sitcom Veronica's Closet, earning additional Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.- Actress
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Lea Michele Sarfati was born in the Bronx, New York to Edith Thomasina (Porcelli), a nurse, and Mark David Sarfati, a delicatessen owner-turned-real estate agent. Her mother is of Italian descent (from Rome and Naples), and her father is of Sephardi Jewish ancestry (from Turkey and Greece). Lea was raised Catholic in Tenafly, New Jersey and graduated from Tenafly High School.
At age eight, Lea went with a friend to an open casting call for an up-and-coming musical. After spontaneously deciding to audition, she was offered the role and, two weeks later, she was starring on Broadway. She made her Broadway debut in 1995 as a replacement for the role of Young Cosette in "Les Misérables". She was then cast in the role of Tateh's daughter, the Little Girl, in the 1998 original Broadway cast of "Ragtime", and in 2004 she portrayed Shprintze and understudied the role of Chava in the Broadway revival of the musical "Fiddler on the Roof".
When she was 14, Lea was given the role of Wendla Bergmann in Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical version of "Spring Awakening". She starred in early workshops, off-Broadway, and finally originated the role in the Broadway production at age 20. Around the same time that the show was set to go to Broadway, Lea was offered the role of Éponine Thénardier in the Broadway revival of "Les Misérables". She chose to remain with "Spring Awakening", which debuted on Broadway in December 2006. She was later nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. After two years of starring in "Spring Awakening", Lea left the show with co-star Jonathan Groff, to pursue other opportunities.
In late 2008, Lea won the role of Rachel Berry on the comedy-drama series Glee (2009), and since the show's premiere on May 19, 2009, has received worldwide critical acclaim for her performance. She received the 2009 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Series - Comedy or Musical, and later won three People's Choice Awards and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Along with her award wins, Lea also received Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations.- Rena was born in Arcadia, California, to Susan (Franzblau), a psychology professor, and Martin Sofer, who was a Conservative Jewish Rabbi. She moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when her parents divorced. She was discovered at age 15 by a New York talent agent and started modeling before turning to acting. She appeared on Another World (1964) for a short time and then went to Loving (1983), where she played Rockie McKenzie for 3 years. She made her first mark on television when she joined fellow ABC-soap General Hospital (1963) as savvy record promoter Lois Cerullo. Not only did her portrayal win her a vast amount of fans, she also won a 'Best Supporting Actress' Daytime Emmy and network executives considered creating a spin-off series based on Lois and her on-screen husband Ned. It was on General Hospital she met Wally Kurth, her on-screen spouse who became her real-life husband and father to her daughter Rosabel Rosalind Kurth. In the mid-'90s, Sofer made the leap to primetime, guest starring in a number of series before appropriately landing a regular part on primetime soap Melrose Place (1992) which turned to be the series' final season. Starring and recurring roles on the sitcom Just Shoot Me! (1997) and the dramedy Ed (2000) widened her exposure. A string of flop series followed (Oh, Grow Up (1999); The Chronicle (2001); Coupling (2003) and Blind Justice (2005), but Sofer proved she had staying power and scored roles on the big screen in movies with Ben Stiller (Keeping the Faith (2000)) and Steven Soderbergh's Traffic (2000). After taking a brief hiatus to give birth to a daughter with her second husband, TV director Sanford Bookstaver, she returned to the small screen in 2006 with recurring roles in two hit shows 24 (2001) and Heroes (2006), as the long-suffering wife to two shady characters, a power broker and an aspiring politician, respectively. In 2010, she tackled a season-long story arc as Margaret Allison Hart, an attorney with a hidden agenda on NCIS (2003). In 2013 she returned to her daytime roots, taking on the role of enigmatic jewelry designer Quinn Fuller on The Bold and the Beautiful (1987) receiving rave reviews.
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Megan Denise Fox was born on May 16, 1986 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and raised in Rockwood, Tennessee to Gloria Darlene Tonachio (née Cisson), a real estate manager and Franklin Thomas Fox, a parole officer. She began her drama and dance training at age 5 and at age 10, she moved to Port St. Lucie, Florida where she continued her training and finished school. Megan began acting and modeling at age 13 after winning several awards at the 1999 American Modeling and Talent Convention in Hilton Head, South Carolina. At age 17, she tested out of school using correspondence and eventually moved to Los Angeles, California. Megan made her film debut as Brianna Wallace in the Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen film, Holiday in the Sun (2001). Her best-known roles are as Sam Witwicky's love interest, Mikaela Banes in Transformers (2007) and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), as April O'Neil in the remake Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014) and its sequel Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016), and as Jennifer Check in the horror comedy Jennifer's Body (2009).- Actress
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Jessica Lucas (born September 24th, 1985) is a Canadian actress and singer. She is known for her roles in television, such as Edgemont, Melrose Place (1992) and Cult, and in the films The Covenant (2006), Cloverfield (2008) and 2013's Evil Dead (2013). She also starred in the music video for Coldplay's 2014 single "True Love". Lucas was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia. She began acting at seven years old, and trained with the Children's Arts Theatre School in Toronto. She started her career appearing in stage productions, including local productions of Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs, Grease, Cinderella, Mousetrap and Music Medley.- Actress
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Olga Kurylenko is a Ukrainian-French actress and model, went from sharing a cramped flat with her aunt, uncle, grandparents and cousin to starring as a Bond girl opposite Daniel Craig.
She was born Olga Konstantinovna Kurylenko on November 14, 1979, in Berdyansk, Ukraine, Soviet Union. Her mother, Marina Alyabysheva, divorced her father, Konstantin Kurylenko, soon after her birth. After the divorce her mother struggled to survive as an art teacher. Young Olga was brought up by her mother and her grandmother, Raisa. During her youth Olga had the humbling experience of living in poverty; she had no choice but to wear rags and had to darn the holes on her sweater. During her years in Ukraine she studied art and languages and spent seven years studying piano at a local school of music in Berdyansk. She also went to a ballet studio until 13.
At age 13 Olga and her mother made a trip to Moscow. There she was spotted by an agent, who approached her at a subway station and offered her a job as a model. Initially Olga's mother was suspicious, but she checked the agent's credentials and eventually allowed Olga to accept training as a model in Moscow, which turned out to be a good career choice.
By age 16 she was ready for the next step. She moved to Paris, learned French in six months and was signed by the Madison agency. At age 18 she appeared on the cover of Glamour, and in short order graced the covers of Elle, Madame Figaro, Marie Claire, and Vogue. She also became the face of Lejaby lingerie, Bebe clothing, Clarins and Helena Rubinstein cosmetic companies.
In 1999 Olga married French photographer Cedric Van Mol, but divorced him 3-1/2 years later. One day Olga presented herself to an acting agency. Eventually she swapped the catwalk for the movie screen, and her acting career took off. In 2005 she made her film debut as "Iris", a sensual beauty, in The Ring Finger (2005), by director Diane Bertrand.
Olga's cinematic roles have been notably steamy, and her natural beauty and explicit nudity attracted the attention of the male audiences. She appeared opposite Elijah Wood in Paris, I Love You (2006) and as "Sofia" in The Snake (2006), then co-starred as Russian beauty "Nika Boronina" opposite Timothy Olyphant in Hitman (2007). She also appeared as "Mina Harud" in the indie surveillance-thriller Tyranny (2008). On Christmas Eve 2007, Olga was offered to play what will become her biggest hit: co-starring as "Camille", the Bond girl, opposite Daniel Craig in Quantum of Solace (2008), a sequel to Casino Royale (2006).
With the international success as Bond Girl, Olga also made appearances on various TV productions in Russia and Ukraine. In 2012, Olga Kurylenko was cast as Julia, supporting role in the Sci-Fi adventure Oblivion (2013) opposite Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman.- Marcia Anne Cross was born on March 25, 1962 in Marlborough, Massachusetts. As a child, Marcia always wanted to be an actress, so she set out to have a career in acting. Cross graduated from the Juilliard School in New York, a naturally gifted girl. Her career began in 1984, when she joined the cast of the daytime soap opera The Edge of Night (1956). After six months, the show ended its 28-year run. The following year, in 1985, she starred opposite Carroll O'Connor in the television film Brass (1985). Then she landed the lead role in Pros & Cons (1986) with comedienne Sheryl Lee Ralph. She kept busy by starring in The Last Days of Frank and Jesse James (1986) with many famous figures in Hollywood - including June Carter Cash, Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. Marcia's career was looking up when she was cast as Kate Roberts in another daytime soap opera, One Life to Live (1968), and as Tanya in Another World (1964). Marcia was then seen opposite Tim Daly in the tearjerker romance Almost Grown (1988). Almost Grown (1988) was a television pilot that never got picked up, but is still very acclaimed to this day. Marcia was then cast as Ruth Fielding in Bad Influence (1990), a thriller that starred Cross, Rob Lowe and James Spader.
She joined the cast of Knots Landing (1979) - an incredibly famous nighttime soap opera in 1991. After a year, she left to do work on a new television series called Melrose Place (1992). She was cast as the psychotic Dr. Kimberly Shaw on the prime-time soap opera. The show was a pop-culture phenomenon, going down in history as one of the most entertaining and memorable shows of the 1990s. Marcia, who was starring opposite Heather Locklear, Courtney Thorne-Smith and others, emerged as the fan favorite of the show. Then her longtime companion and fiance, Richard Jordan, died in 1993. Marcia reigned on, starring in films like Female Perversions (1996) opposite Tilda Swinton and Always Say Goodbye (1997) opposite Emmy-nominee Polly Draper, throughout her long run on "Melrose Place". In 1997, she left the show in order to get her Master's Degree in Psychology. From 1997 to 2003, she continued to act regularly. She starred in Dancing in September (2000), a critically acclaimed film, got herself the lead role in Living in Fear (2001), starred in The Wind Effect (2003), a disturbing film about family, and even filmed Eastwick (2002), a television pilot that never was picked up. Eastwick (2002) was based on the film The Witches of Eastwick (1987), and Marcia was cast in the Susan Sarandon role.
She got back into the public eye by joining the cast of the critically-acclaimed television series Everwood (2002) with Treat Williams. After a year on the show, she left it when she auditioned for a new television series, Desperate Housewives (2004). In 2004, Marcia was cast as Bree Van De Kamp in Desperate Housewives (2004), which went on to be a monster-hit with the critics and audiences. Marcia began to be nominated for very prestigious awards - including the Emmy Award, Golden Globe, Golden Satellite Award, and a Television Critics' Association Award. Marcia even won a Screen Actors Guild Award in 2005. - Andrea has always had big dreams. She graduated a year early from high school after meeting her late manager, Craig Wargo, to pursue a professional acting career. Aside from acting and directing, Andrea actively fights to help raise awareness about human trafficking. Her children's book, The Feathers of Vaceilia, is just one way she hopes to plant seeds of the pricelessness of freedom and the reality of modern day slavery in our youth. Andrea and her husband were married on St. Patrick's Day and have four children.
- Anne Lambton began a career in the arts at just 17 years old, when on a whim, Andy Warhol's manager discovered her sulking at a charity event and offered her employment at 'The Factory', Warhol's famous New York City studio, originally occupied by his collection of New York City eccentrics (known as 'Warhol Superstars'), and later, an epicenter of cutting-edge art, fashion and culture; initially, Lambton shrugged off the opportunity but reconsidered to become Warhol's bodyguard. Their relationship was tumultuous, to say the least, but it persevered until Warhol's untimely death in 1986. Lambton entered movies with understated yet edgier characters, particularly as a dominatrix in the punk rock romantic tragedy Sid and Nancy (1986), and in the dark fantasy film, The Witches (1990), in which she played an evildoing, snake charming witch.
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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).- Actress
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Barbara Carrera was born Barbara Kingsbury on December 31, 1945 in Bluefields, Nicaragua. This stunning former model became best known for her screen performances playing a sinister femme fatale. In doing so, she has achieved minor cult status and has quite a loyal fanbase. The tall and tanned Carrera first cropped up in minor roles taking advantage of her exotic features in The Master Gunfighter (1975), Embryo (1976) and The Island of Dr. Moreau (1977). She broke through with mainstream North American audiences playing Clay Basket in the miniseries Centennial (1978), and Lucia Flavius Silva's mistress in the miniseries Masada (1981).
She sizzled on screen with Armand Assante as the sexy yet evil doctor in I, the Jury (1982), was the love interest of Texas Ranger Chuck Norris in Lone Wolf McQuade (1983), and gave her best role to date as assassin Fatima Blush opposite Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again (1983), and then as Emma Forsayth in the miniseries Emma: Queen of the South Seas (1988). In 1985-86, she played the role of business executive turned serial killer Angelica Nero on the primetime soap opera Dallas (1978). Carrera has most recently been seen guest starring on the popular television series That '70s Show (1998) and Judging Amy (1999).- Actress
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Born and raised in Cape Town South Africa, Brandt immigrated with her family to Auckland, New Zealand in her late teens. Discovered by local casting directors, Brandt took on the role of "Naevia" in the Starz hits, "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" and "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena." Working with producers Steven S. D Knight and Sam Raimi, she captivated audiences with her performance and became one of the show's breakout stars.
She starred in the hit Netflix series, Lucifer which had a 6 year run, playing the fan favorite Vertigo/DC comic book character, Mazikeen. Lucifer went on the break binge records and was named the top binged show in 2021 by Forbes.
Brandt can next be seen opposite Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira in the 6 episode limited Walking Dead spin-off which airs in 2024. She is also starring opposite Jason Ritter, Anthony Carrigan and Chris Meloni in the adult animated comedy, Captain Fall which airs July 2023 on Netflix.
Lesley-Ann is now permanently based in Los Angeles.- Actress
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Nina Dobrev is a Bulgarian-born Canadian actress. Her best-known television roles are Mia Jones in Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001) and Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce on The Vampire Diaries (2009). Her film work includes The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), Let's Be Cops (2014), The Final Girls (2015), xXx: Return of Xander Cage (2017), and Dog Days (2018).
From a very young age, she showed great enthusiasm and talent for the arts: dance, gymnastics, theater, music, visual arts, and acting. Modeling jobs led to commercials, which turned into film auditions; she booked roles in the feature films Fugitive Pieces (2007), Away from Her (2006), and the popular CTV television series Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001), which led to The Vampire Diaries (2009), where she played the lead role for 6 seasons.
Nina loves to travel and has often visited Europe for pleasure, as well as to compete internationally, representing Canada in Aesthetic gymnastics. She enjoys playing volleyball and soccer, swimming, rock climbing, wakeboarding, snowboarding, and horseback riding.
Above all, acting is her passion, and she sees it as an adventure that has just begun; she believes that the journey and the characters we create along the way will help us understand ourselves.- Romanian born actress Irena Violette enjoyed success from an early age as an international model, having won numerous beauty and modeling competitions. Soon after moving to the US she received accolades for her performance in the romantic vampire drama "Metamorphosis"opposite Christopher Lambert. She can also be seen as a hunchback student in the National Lampoon comedy "Transylmania", as a twisted writer in the art house cult psychological horror "House of Flesh Mannequins", as a sultry burlesque love interest in vampire drama "Black Hearts" or as a guest in various popular television shows such "CSI Miami", "Dark Blue", "Two and A Half Men" etc.
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Lisa Deanna Rinna was born on July 11, 1963 in Newport Beach, California and raised in Medford, Oregon to Lois Rinna & Frank Rinna, she has an older half-sister: Nancy Rinna. As an actress, she is best known for her roles as Billie Reed on the NBC daytime soap opera, Days of Our Lives (1965) and Taylor McBride on Fox's television drama, Melrose Place (1992). Since 2014, Rinna has been a cast member on Bravo's hit reality television series, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills (2010). Other television credits include being a contestant on NBC's The Celebrity Apprentice and ABC's Dancing with the Stars, as well as guest-starring roles on Entourage, The Middle, Veronica Mars, Community & 8 Simple Rules. Rinna made her Broadway debut in Chicago as Roxie Hart on June 2007. She was the host of Soapnet's talk show, SoapTalk (2002) for which she earned four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Talk Show Host. Rinna has also written three books: Starlit, The Big, Fun, Sexy Sex Book and The New York Times best-seller Rinnavation. Her other ventures include a fashion line for QVC named The Lisa Rinna Collection and the cosmetics collection Rinna Beauty.- Actress
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Just shy of six feet tall with crystal blue eyes and flaxen blonde hair, this ambitious glamazon from a quiet town in the north of Sweden has dreams of acting after a few more years of modeling. Victoria has graced the pages of Playboy magazine as Miss December 1996, and has just been named the 1997 Playboy's Playmate of the Year. She has also skied competitively in the giant slalom as a lithe Swedish athlete. In 1993, Victoria was the first runner-up in the Miss Sweden beauty pageant, and went on to represent Sweden in the Miss World contest. There, Victoria met a modeling agent from Paris and has been modeling ever since.- Actress
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Sasha Pieterse was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. She immigrated over to the United States with her professional dancer parents in 2000. She started acting at the age of four in modeling and commercials and moved to theatrical work starring as "Buffy" in her first TV show, Family Affair (2002) alongside Tim Curry and Gary Cole at the age of six. She went on to star in movies such as The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl 3-D (2005), X-Men: First Class (2011) and Good Luck Chuck (2007) and also starred in shows such as House (2004) and Heroes (2006) before landing the role as Alison Dilaurentis in the TV show Pretty Little Liars (2010). While filming her TV show she also starred in movies such as G.B.F. (2013) and as "Japonica Fenway" in Paul Thomas Anderson's G.B.F. (2013) alongside Joaquin Phoenix and Martin Short. The TV series Pretty Little Liars (2010) finished after 7 seasons and since then she continues pursuing her passion for movies and television.- Actress
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Rose McGowan is an American actress and director, known for her contribution to independent film. Since the age of nineteen, she has appeared in acclaimed films by Gregg Araki, Wes Craven, Brian De Palma, Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino. In 2014, her directorial debut Dawn (2014) was nominated for the Short Film Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Rose Arianna McGowan was born on September 5, 1973 in Florence, Tuscany, Italy, to American parents Terri and Daniel Patrick McGowan. She is the second eldest of six siblings, and has Irish, French, and English ancestry. As a young child, she was raised within the Italian chapter of the Children of God. During the early 1980s, her family severed ties with the community and migrated to Eugene, Oregon, USA. Following the divorce of her parents, Rose relocated to Gig Harbor, Washington, to live with her grandmother. At age 14, McGowan was accused of drug use by a family friend and committed to rehabilitation. She has consistently maintained the decision was unjustified. Upon release, she spent a year without a home and was emancipated from her parents by the age of 15. McGowan's career as an actor began with The Doom Generation (1995). Originally intended for Jordan Ladd, the character of Amy Blue was, coincidentally, awarded to McGowan by an associate of director Gregg Araki. For her performance, she was nominated at the 1995 Independent Spirit Awards for Best Debut Performance. Subsequently cast in Wes Craven's Scream (1996), she experienced further success when the project defied expectations to become one of the highest grossing films of the year. The innovative career of McGowan was overshadowed throughout much of the 1990s by her high-profile relationship with musician Brian Warner (aka Marilyn Manson). Strong performances in Going All the Way (1997), Lewis & Clark & George (1997), Southie (1998) and Jawbreaker (1999) were largely unseen by the general public. When the relationship ended between Rose and Manson in 2001, she remarked: "There is great love, but our lifestyle difference is, unfortunately, even greater". Rose continued to work solidly, appearing in a string of soft-sounding studio and independent films. Performances from this period included: a political activist in Showtime's The Killing Yard (2001), a grifter in Roads to Riches (2002) and a factory worker in "Stealing Bess" (aka Vacuums (2003)). She was re-introduced to the mainstream as Paige Matthews in Aaron Spelling's Charmed (1998), a popular television series for which she devoted five consecutive years. When "Charmed" finished its run in 2006, McGowan emerged in top form. Critics praised her efforts in Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror (2007), and Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof (2007). In several interviews, McGowan has expressed a general apathy and disdain for Hollywood. Despite this, her work ethic remains strong. Following her recent marriage to LA-based artist Davey Detail, the actress has resolved to purse further projects as a director.- Actress
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Penelope Ann Miller is a distinguished artist in film, television, and theater. She has worked with some of the most notable actors and directors in Hollywood. This list includes Al Pacino and Sean Penn in director Brian de Palma's Carlito's Way, for which she received a Golden Globe nomination; Marlon Brando and Matthew Broderick in The Freshman; Robert De Niro and Robin Williams in Penny Marshall's Awakenings; Robert Downey Jr. in Sir Richard Attenborough's Chaplin; Danny DeVito and Gregory Peck in Norman Jewison's Other People's Money; Matthew Broderick and Christopher Walken in Mike Nichols' Biloxi Blues; and Arnold Schwarzenegger in Ivan Reitman's Kindergarten Cop.
On the television side, Ms. Miller stars as 'Joyce Dahmer' in Ryan Murphy's hugely successful miniseries, Dahmer-Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story for Netflix. The true story has been nominated for 13 Emmy Awards and has over a billion hours viewed and counting. Playing the mother of the notorious serial killer, Miller stars opposite, Evan Peters, Richard Jenkins and Niecy Nash. Penelope also starred in American Crime, the critically acclaimed ABC series, from Academy Award winner John Ridley, opposite Regina King. Other credits include the very popular "College Admissions Scandal" for Lifetime, New York Prison Break; The Seduction of Joyce Mitchell for Lifetime, playing "Joyce Mitchell" in another true life story and winning rave reviews. She also starred in HBO's Witch Hunt, directed by Paul Schrader, and starring opposite Dennis Hopper, TNT's Men of a Certain Age opposite Ray Romano, MGM's Rocky Marciano directed by Charles Winkler and opposite Jon Favreau and George C. Scott. Miller also starred once again in another true life story in USA's critically acclaimed Mary Kay Letourneau: All American Girl, playing 'Mary Kay' and directed by Llyod Kramer, opposite Mercedes Ruehl. Ms. Miller starred opposite Oscar winner Jean Dujardin in the black and white silent film The Artist, winner of five Academy Awards including Best Picture. She also took on the role of 'Elizabeth Turner' in the controversial true story of Nat Turner's 1831 slave rebellion The Birth of a Nation starring opposite Colman Domingo and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, winning The Grand Jury and Audience awards at the Sundance Film Festival. Some of her other films include Adventures in Babysitting directed by Chris Columbus, Big Top Pee-wee opposite Paul Reubens, The Gun in Betty Lou's Handbag opposite Cathy Moriarty and Julianne Moore, The Shadow opposite Alec Baldwin, The Relic directed by Peter Hyams, and The Messengers opposite Kristen Stewart. Additionally, Penelope wrapped on the upcoming feature film Reagan starring opposite Dennis Quaid as 'Ronald Reagan' and Penelope as 'Nancy Reagan'.
Ms. Miller was also nominated for a Tony Award for her portrayal of 'Emily' in Lincoln Center's Broadway revival of Our Town.- Sung Hi Lee was born on April 1, 1970 in Eunpyong-Gu (Gija-Chon), a borough of Seoul, South Korea. She moved to the United States in 1978 and spent a large part of her childhood moving around from city to city. Sung Lee was a studious child and teenager spending more time at the library than at stay-overs and parties before attended Ohio State University on a scholarship for three years. During a visit to a local night club she joined a pageant which drew attention to her. She soon received a scholarship and started modeling. This led to that and several months later Sung Lee landing in the pages of Playboy. Sung Lee, still a college student, put her academics on hold to pursue modeling in New York City. Her short stature made it hard to land permanent gigs. However, during a trip to Los Angeles she met once more with Playboy and from 1993 to 1998 appeared 12 time for the magazine. While in Los Angeles, she also made movie and silver screen contacts and landed a few parts on the Mortal Kombat TV series, Nurse Betty, and V.I.P., amongst others - as well as advertisement spots. Sung Hi Lee hasn't forgotten her books and wishes to pursue her degree in sports medicine.
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Trachtenberg grew up in Brooklyn and started her acting career young; she began appearing in commercials at the age of 3.
She continued to act and dance through her school years, making regular television appearances from the age of 10. She landed a recurring role in the kids' TV show The Adventures of Pete & Pete (1992) and starred in Harriet the Spy (1996), but it was her role as Buffy's sister Dawn from the fifth season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) that really brought her to worldwide attention, and all before she was 18 years old.
More high profile TV and movie work followed.- Jennifer Higham was born on 26 August 1984 in England, UK. She is an actress, known for Ella Enchanted (2004), Cassandra's Dream (2007) and Persuasion (2007).
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Alyvia Alyn Lind grew up in Los Angeles, in a houseful of actresses. She began her career at the age of 3 and at such a young age, has an impressive list of credits. This fall, Alyvia will be seen in the highly anticipated post-apocalyptic, genre-bending "Daybreak" for Netflix, playing the role of Angelica Green, a highly unstable kid genius. Alyvia is often recognized for playing Anna Faris's daughter in the remake of the comedy classic "Overboard." She recently completed season 2 of "Futureman" with Josh Hutcherson, produced by Seth Rogen, airing on Hulu. Currently she can be seen in the Netflix original film, "Walk. Ride. Rodeo." Alyvia is best known for her portrayal of the living legend, Dolly Parton, in the NBC Universal telefilm, "Coat of Many Colors," and immediately following, "Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love," which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. Alyvia was recognized by the prestigious Critics' Choice Awards by being nominated in the adult category for Best Actress alongside Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, and Kirsten Dunst, and she was also nominated and won the Movieguide's Grace Award for Best Actress. Not only did the MOW break records with 18.6 million viewers, which made COMC the highest-rated movie or miniseries on the broadcast networks in six years, the film walked away with numerous awards, including The Tex Ritter Award and the coveted Epiphany Prize given by the Movieguide Awards. One of Alyvia's favorite parts of working on the film was singing her solos, and recording "Angel Hill," an original duet with Dolly Parton. Alyvia was also seen in the Amazon original movie "An American Girl Story - Maryellen 1955: Extraordinary Christmas" playing the lead character, a young girl who sets her mind to helping children with polio. In conjunction with the film, Aly teamed up with Lollipop Theatre Network to help bring awareness to children with life-threatening illnesses. Alyvia is also known for the much publicized, campy Lifetime movie, "A Deadly Adoption" where she enjoyed the enviable role of Will Ferrell's and Kristen Wiig's kidnapped daughter. One of Aly's career highlights was playing Adam Sandler's daughter in the Warner Bros. film "Blended" alongside Drew Barrymore and Bella Thorne. Alyvia plays the precocious and sweet 'Lou Friedman,' the youngest daughter of Sandler. Alyvia's television credits include the ABC hit series "Revenge," playing the five-year-old 'Amanda Clarke,' the wisecracking 'Charlotte,' on the Nick @ Nite comedy "See Dad Run" with Scott Baio, 'Annika,' a foreign exchange student (she learned to speak Swedish for the role) in the TNT comedy "Teachers," "Gamer's Guide" for Disney, Sasha on "Alexa and Katie" for Netflix, Lily on the Ryan Murphy Fox hit "9-1-1," and she can still be seen (since the age of 3) in the television daytime drama "The Young and the Restless" as 'Faith Newman,' in which she was Emmy nominated for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series. On the big screen, Lind appeared in Dimension Film's "Dark Skies" (2013) with Keri Russell and Josh Hamilton, and was recently seen in Universal Pictures' "Mockingbird," a thriller starring Spencer List, and the feature film "Shangri-La Suite" opposite Ashley Greene and Emily Browning in which Alyvia portrays Lisa Marie Presley. Alyvia is also known for her recurring role, 'Gracie,' on the hit Amazon show "Transparent", and the critically acclaimed "Masters of Sex" for Showtime, playing 'Jenny,' Michael Sheen's and Caitlin Fitzgerald's daughter. Alyvia grew up with two older sisters, Natalie and Emily, (both actresses) in an animal-loving home. She has a passion for dogs and her favorite pastime is being a mom to her rescued malti-poo named "Georgie." In her spare time, she likes to record songs and make movies with her sisters, practice guitar, write music and dance. Alyvia has grown up watching her mom, actress Barbara Alyn Woods ("One Tree Hill" and "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids") and looks up to her for acting inspiration.- Actress
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Jessica Lange was born in 1949, in Cloquet, Minnesota, USA, where her father worked as a traveling salesman. She obtained a scholarship to study art at the University of Minnesota, but instead went to Paris to study drama. She moved to New York, working as a model, until producer Dino De Laurentiis cast her as the female lead in King Kong (1976). The film attracted much unfavorable comment and, as a result, Lange was off the screen for three years. She was given a small but showy part in Bob Fosse's All That Jazz (1979), before giving a memorable performance in Bob Rafelson's The Postman Always Rings Twice (1981), as an adulterous waitress. The following year, she won rave reviews for her exceptional portrayal of actress Frances Farmer in Frances (1982) and a Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for her work in Sydney Pollack's Tootsie (1982) (as a beautiful soap-opera actress). She was also outstanding as country singer Patsy Cline in Karel Reisz's Sweet Dreams (1985) and as a lawyer who defends her father and discovers his past in Music Box (1989). Other important films include Martin Scorsese's Cape Fear (1991) (as a frightened housewife) and Tony Richardson's Blue Sky (1994), for which she won a Best Actress Academy Award as the mentally unbalanced wife of a military officer. She made her Broadway debut in 1992, playing "Blanche" in Tennessee Williams "A Streetcar Named Desire".- Actress
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Natasia Charlotte Demetriou is an English comedian, actress, and screenwriter. She is best known for her roles as Nadja in the FX horror comedy series What We Do in the Shadows (2019-present) and Sophie in the Channel 4 sitcom Stath Lets Flats (2018-present).Natasia was born in London, the daughter of an English mother and a Greek-Cypriot father. She was raised in North London. Her younger brother, Jamie Demetriou, is a comedian and actor with whom she often collaborates. She studied acting at University of Leeds. Prior to becoming a professional comedian, Demetriou worked as a makeup artist, notably working on music videos for Boy Better Know.- As a baby, Osmanski was flown halfway around the world to meet her adoptive parents. Growing up in Olympia, Washington, she loved writing plays but never thought about being in them. After graduating from Principia College in three years with a degree in Creative Writing and Studio Art, Osmanski began a career as a graphic designer. After a year in Boston, she married her college sweetheart, and the two relocated to San Francisco. After seeing a notice for auditions for a local production of "Our Town," she auditioned for the play and was cast in the lead role. Osmanski received her MFA from UC San Diego, one of the top three professional actor training programs in the country. Her professional theater experience includes the San Jose Repertory productions of "The Matchmaker," "Major Barbara" and "Red Ladder," the San Jose Repertory Theatre production of "Be Aggressive," and Los Angeles' Mark Taper Forum's productions of "Lily Plants a Garden" and "The Unbearable Truth," as well as A Noise Within's production of "Romeo and Juliet." After relocating to Los Angeles, Osmanski has worked steadily in theater, television and film, booking commercials as well as lead roles in small, independent films. Osmanski also puts her English degree to good use by tutoring students for the ISEE and the SAT.
- Burcin Terzioglu is a Turkish actress. Being raised in a family working in cinema, she started her career as a child-actor at a very young age, and later furthered and completed her education at the M.G.S.M. Actor Studio. Terzioglu has successfully portrayed various roles in many Turkish TV shows and movies. Her most recent TV show has been the hit series 'Poyraz Karayel' in which she took on the leading role of 'Aysegul'. This tv show was extremely successul and became a phenomenon in its own genre and aired 82 episodes. Some of her previous TV work includes: 'Merhamet', another all time Turkish TV hit 'Ezel', 'Ey Ask Nerdesin', 'Firtina', 'Melekler Adasi', 'Kadin Isterse', 'Kinali Kar', and a classic, 'Mahallenin Muhtarlari'. On the big screen, Terzioglu took on the role of 'Benek' in the movie 'Halam Geldi' in 2013. She has appeared in the commercials of the popular snack 'Eti Browni Intense'. Burcin Terzioglu has won a significant amount of awards in a remarkably short time. She has won fifteen awards from 2015 to 2017. Some of these awards include; 'Best Actress' at the Galatasaray University 'Best of the Best Awards' in 2017, 'Best TV Actress' at the 43rd Annual Golden Butterfly Awards in 2016, 'Best TV Actress' in the MGD 22nd Annual Golden Lens Awards in 2016, 'Actress of the Year' in 2015 at the Halic University Awards, 'Best Actress' at the Yeditepe University 5th Wish Awards in 2017, and again 'Best Actress' at the Sabanci University Media Club 3rd Navy Awards in 2016.
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Joanna Lumley was born on 1 May, 1946 in Kashmir, India, to British parents, Thya Beatrice Rose (Weir) and James Rutherford Lumley. Her father was a major in the Gurkha Rifles, and she spent most of her early childhood in the Far East where her father was posted.
An aspiring actress, she first came to fame as a model in London's swinging 1960s, where she was photographed by the greats, including her friend, the late Patrick Lichfield. She was designer Jean Muir's muse and house model for several years before carving a career as a freelance model where she became one of the top ten most-booked models of the 1960s.
Lumley's breakthrough role was as Purdey in The New Avengers (1976), a role for which over 800 girls auditioned. Purdey propelled Lumley to instant fame and created one of the "must-have" hairstyles of the 1970s -- the Purdey bob. Lumley became a pin-up figure for a generation of British males who grew up watching her as the high-kicking action girl.
Other roles followed, most notably as Sapphire in Sapphire & Steel (1979) opposite David McCallum -- a sci-fi precursor to The X-Files (1993) and an under-rated gem of a series which has gained a cult following in recent years, despite the fact it has only ever been shown ONCE on terrestrial TV. During the 1980s, Lumley returned to the theater, making notable appearances as "Hedda Gabler" and as "Elvira" in "Blithe Spirit" -- a role that seems tailor-made for her. Lumley also made appearances in several films, including Trail of the Pink Panther (1982), Curse of the Pink Panther (1983), and a screen-stealing role in Shirley Valentine (1989).
It was her reinvention as a comic actress in Absolutely Fabulous (1992) that shot Lumley to wider international acclaim. Her role as Patsy in Absolutely Fabulous (1992) is regarded as one of the greatest female comic performances ever, earning Lumley a stream of awards, including several BAFTAs. Since Absolutely Fabulous (1992), Lumley has cemented her role as one of the UK's most-loved & respected actresses. She is rarely off UK TV screens and has also built a successful film career as a character/voice-over actress.
She recently teamed up with the writer/director Hugo Blick for the series of acclaimed monologues Up in Town (2002) which were critically regarded as the performance of a lifetime, and the recent Sensitive Skin (2005).
In 2007, she returned to the stage for the first time in over a decade in a production of Anton Chekhov's "The Cherry Orchard", directed by Sir Jonathan Miller.- Actress
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From the age of 13,she attended the Italia Conte stage school where she studied dance, drama, and singing for three years. At 16, she began her modeling career gracing the covers of numerous magazines including GQ, FHM, Maxim, Sky, Cosmopolitan, Hello, Tatler, The Face, and Company, becoming one of the most recognisable in Britain, It wasn't long before Madison Avenue started calling, and in 1995, she got her first advertising campaign for Lee Jeans. Since then, she's been featured in campaigns for Renault Megane Walkers and Piz Buin. In 1998, she launched the biggest bra campaign ever for Triumph's Flaunt range and was featured on billboards nation wide, Her UK television credits are extensive and include co-hosting Britain's most popular morning programme magazine Channel 4's The Big Breakfast and MTV's live two-hour show Select. She also hosted VPL, a magazine lifestyle programme for Granada Television, the final concert at Wembley Stadium for Sky Premiers Oasis Live at Wembley. Her US credits include a four-episode arc on the WB's Smallville portraying Lex Luthor's girlfriend. She made her feature film debut in the thriller Ripper, released in October 2001, and also starred in the play "Eye Contact" at the Riverside Studios in Lonon. In her first stage role, her character Anya explores the world of adult dance clubs from an honest and funny point of view,- 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.- Actress
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Blair Bomar is known for Queen of the South (2016) and From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series (2014).- Actress
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Juliet Landau is an actress, director, producer and writer. As an actress, highlights include her role as "Drusilla" on Joss Whedon 's Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) & spin-off Angel (1999), and co-starring in Tim Burton's Ed Wood (1994) as "Loretta King". She played the recurring role of Rita Tedesco on Amazon's number one series, Bosch (2014) in season 5. She's recurring as "Cordelia" on TNT's Claws (2017) .
Juliet just helmed her visionary feature film directorial debut, A Place Among the Dead (2020). Modern Films is distributing it worldwide. Release date is Nov, 9th, 2020. Starring Juliet Landau with Gary Oldman, Ron Perlman, Robert Patrick, Lance Henriksen, Joss Whedon and Anne Rice (appearing for the first time ever in a movie).
Also in the works and partially completed is The Undead Series (2016). Think Jerry Seinfeld's Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee (2012)... This is Vampires in Coffins Getting Blood!... The only series ever to gather the A-list of the genre together. Every one of the talented artists in A Place Among the Dead (2020) came back to participate in her series, as did Tim Burton, Willem Dafoe and many other notables.
Other acting work includes starring opposite Whoopi Goldberg in Theodore Rex (1995) as well as starring in over 20 other films, appearing in many more, guest-starring frequently on television, extensive voiceover work in features, tv, video games and garnering rave reviews for her roles in the theater.
Juliet's previous directorial efforts include two short subjects. Take Flight: Gary Oldman Directs Chutzpah (2009). explored Gary Oldman's creative process and was produced by Gary. Dream Out Loud featured interviews with Guillermo del Toro, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rian Johnson. Both projects were produced with her husband Deverill Weekes, under the Miss Juliet Productions banner.
Landau co-wrote two issues of the Angel (1999) comic book for IDW Publishing . She is now penning the companion coffee table book to The Undead Series (2016) called Book Of The Undead.- Actress
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Tammin Sursok was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Tammin is an actor and producer, known for Pretty Little Liars (2010), Rules of Engagement (2007) and Crossing Over (2009). Tammin has been married to Sean McEwen since 24 August 2011. They have two children.- Actress
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Amy Lou Adams was born in Vicenza, Veneto, Italy, to American parents, Kathryn (Hicken) and Richard Kent Adams, a U.S. serviceman who was stationed at Caserma Ederle in Italy at the time. She was raised in a Mormon family of seven children in Castle Rock, Colorado, and has English, as well as smaller amounts of Danish, Swiss-German, and Norwegian, ancestry.
Adams sang in the school choir at Douglas County High School and was an apprentice dancer at a local dance company, with the ambition of becoming a ballerina. However, she worked as a greeter at The Gap and as a Hooters hostess to support herself before finding work as a dancer at Boulder's Dinner Theatre and Country Dinner Playhouse in such productions as "Brigadoon" and "A Chorus Line". It was there that she was spotted by a Minneapolis dinner-theater director who asked her to move to Chanhassen, Minnesota for more regional dinner theatre work.
Nursing a pulled muscle that kept her from dancing, she was free to audition for a part in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999), which was filming nearby in Minnesota. During the filming, Kirstie Alley encouraged her to move to Los Angeles, where she soon won a part in the Fox television version of the film, Cruel Intentions (1999), in the part played in the film by Sarah Michelle Gellar, "Kathryn Merteuil". Although three episodes were filmed, the troubled series never aired. Instead, parts of the episodes were cobbled together and released as the direct-to-video Cruel Intentions 2 (2000). After more failed television spots, she landed a major role in Catch Me If You Can (2002), playing opposite Leonardo DiCaprio. But this did not provide the break-through she might have hoped for, with no work being offered for about a year. She eventually returned to television, and joined the short-lived series, Dr. Vegas (2004).
Her role in the low-budget independent film Junebug (2005) (which was shot in 21 days) got her real attention, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress as well as other awards. The following year, her ability to look like a wide-eyed Disney animated heroine helped her to be chosen from about 300 actresses auditioning for the role of "Giselle" in the animated/live-action feature film, Enchanted (2007), which would prove to be her major break-through role. Her vivacious yet innocent portrayal allowed her to use her singing and dancing talents. Her performance garnered a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.
Adams next appeared in the major production, Charlie Wilson's War (2007), and went on to act in the independent film, Sunshine Cleaning (2008), which premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Her role as "Sister James" in Doubt (2008) brought her a second Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress, as well as nominations for a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild award, and a British Academy Film award. She appeared as Amelia Earhart in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009) and as a post-9/11 hot line counselor, aspiring writer, amateur cook and blogger in Julie & Julia (2009). In the early 2010s, she starred with Jason Segel in The Muppets (2011), with Philip Seymour Hoffman in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master (2012), and alongside Clint Eastwood and Justin Timberlake in Trouble with the Curve (2012). She played reporter Lois Lane in Man of Steel (2013) and con artist Sydney Prosser in American Hustle (2013), before portraying real-life artist Margaret Keane in Tim Burton's biopic Big Eyes (2014).
In 2016, she reprised her role as Lane in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), and headlined Denis Villeneuve's science fiction drama Arrival (2016) and Tom Ford's dark thriller Nocturnal Animals (2016). In 2018, she received another Oscar nomination, her sixth, for starring as Lynne Cheney in the biographical drama Vice (2018), opposite Christian Bale as Dick Cheney.- Actress
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Eliza Dushku was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Judith (Rasmussen), a political science professor, and Philip R. Dushku, a teacher and administrator. Her father is Albanian and her mother is American (of Danish, Irish, English, and German descent). She was discovered at the end of a five-month search throughout the United States for the perfect girl to play the lead role of Alice opposite Juliette Lewis in the film That Night (1992). Since then, she has been in several films and has worked with actors such as Robert De Niro, Ellen Barkin, Leonardo DiCaprio, Paul Reiser, and Jim Belushi. Born in Boston on December 30, 1980, she has studied the piano, drums, and several types of dance (jazz, tap, and ballet). Her previous acting experience includes numerous amateur presentations at the Watertown Children's Theater where she was part of the company since she was in the first grade. In addition to acting, she is sometimes seen on stage at the Children's Theater signing for the deaf.- Producer
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Jada Koren Pinkett Smith was born in Baltimore, Maryland, to Robsol Grant Pinkett, Jr., a contractor, and 'Gammy' Adrienne Banfield Norris, a nurse. They divorced after only a few months of marriage. Her father is of African-American descent and her mother is of Afro-Caribbean ancestry (from Barbados and Jamaica). Jada majored in dance and choreography at the Baltimore School for the Arts, where one of her classmates was Tupac Shakur. She spent a year at the North Carolina School of the Arts before dropping out to pursue her career in acting. Her big break came in 1991 when she was cast in the part of a college frosh on the television sitcom A Different World (1987). She made her feature film debut two years later in Menace II Society (1993). She did not gain widespread recognition, however, until her role opposite Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor (1996). In addition to being in front of the camera, she has spent time behind it directing music videos. Pinkett-Smith is married to Will Smith, and they have a son, Jaden Smith; and a daughter, Willow Smith.- Actress
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Laura Allen is an actress/writer who grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington.
Major roles on television include Sundance's Hap and Leonard (2016), NBC's Awake opposite Jason Isaacs, FX's Terriers (2010) and Dirt (2007), as well as USA Network's The 4400 (2004) where she portrayed Lily Tyler opposite Mahershala Ali.
She has had recurring roles on Fox's 9-1-1 (2018), Suits (2011), American Horror Story (2011), Grey's Anatomy (2005), and Apple+TV's Truth Be Told (2019) with Octavia Spencer. Features include HBO's Emmy-nominated The Tale (2018) starring Laura Dern and Ellen Burstyn directed by Jennifer Fox.
Allen played the lead in the horror film Clown (2014) directed by Jon Watts. Other features include Old Dogs (2009) opposite Robin Williams and John Travolta, and Mona Lisa Smile (2003) directed by Mike Newell.
Laura lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.- Actress
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Rosalind Chao is best known for M*A*S*H, The Joy Luck Club (1993), Star Trek, What Dreams May Come, and most recently The Laundromat (2019), and Plus One (2019). She was born and raised in Orange County, California where her parents ran a Chinese restaurant and pancake house. Rosalind first began appearing in commercials and television after having been spotted as a small child at her family restaurant. She had also trained and appeared on stage from an early age in the Peking Opera and Chinese dance. She continues to act in the theater, most recently starring in 2018 the National Theatre of Great Britain in a new play The Great Wave. She has been married to Simon Templeman since 1989. They have two children.- Andrea Alexis Parker learned to walk on the sand in Newport Beach, California. Andrea's natural grace led her beloved mother Karen Macaulay to enroll Andrea in ballet lessons at 5 years old, soon turning to serious classical training by the age of 8. By the time she was 11, Andrea's passion for dance was so strong that she began to leave home each summer to continue her formal ballet training in NYC and San Francisco. At 15, it was the thrill of her very young life to be invited to train full time with the San Francisco Ballet School and perform year-round with The San Francisco Ballet Company. Moving away from home to dance at The War Memorial Opera House while also touring with SFB was a dream come true, but life had other plans for Andrea.
Forced to retire from ballet at 18 when her 5'10" height (6'3" on point!) proved problematic for the lesser stature of the male ballet dancers, Andrea moved home to Los Angeles, where she studied and transitioned to contemporary dance. Andrea found herself a dance agent and began to book countless commercials, industrials, videos and dance gigs including MARRIED WITH CHILDREN. Her talent took her from LA to New York to Europe as a professional dancer, until she returned to Hollywood to study acting.
While continuing her studies, Andrea performed in several plays in Los Angeles where her talent was recognized by the legendary Susan Smith, eponymous head of what was then the hottest boutique talent agency in town. Andrea soon had her very first acting audition, and booked the role in what would become the classic Emmy-award winning SEINFELD episode "The Contest" and she never looked back as her acting took center stage.
Andrea's acting career took off when she was cast as George Clooney's love interest for the first two seasons of the global phenomenon hit series E.R. Next, she was set as the co-lead opposite David James Elliott in J.A.G. but faced a devastating disappointment when the network decided to go in another direction, replacing her after the pilot episode. Never one to quit anything, Andrea faced down those same network executives the very next season, landing her iconic starring role as Miss Parker in THE PRETENDER.
Andrea took the opportunity to learn fight choreography from some of the world's best stunt women, and learned how to handle firearms and shoot by the LAPD, bringing maximum authenticity to the boss lady roles she so often plays. She trained in stunt driving with world renowned stunt driving coach Bobby Ore, and held her own in the Toyota Celebrity Long Beach Grand Prix.
Andrea showed her incredible versatility as an actress when she shifted from drama to comedy, starring for 4 seasons as the gorgeous Lydia Weston in the underrated ABC ensemble comedy LESS THAN PERFECT, alongside such stars as Zachary Levi, Eric Roberts, Patrick Warburton, Sherry Shepherd, Will Sasso and Andy Dick.
Andrea was thrilled to join the cast of long running hit series DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES in its final season, and most recently held dual roles as twin sisters Mary Drake and Jessica DiLaurentis in the wildly popular Freeform series PRETTY LITTLE LIARS.
Andrea lives in Los Angeles and is married to the man of her dreams, film producer Michael Birnbaum. - Amanda Schull is an American actress and former professional ballet dancer. She is known for her lead role in the 2000 film Center Stage, and for her recurring roles on the American television series One Tree Hill and Pretty Little Liars. She starred in the Syfy television series 12 Monkeys, and played a recurring role on the USA television series Suits before being promoted to series regular for the show's eighth and ninth seasons.
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Vivica A. Fox was born in South Bend, Indiana, on July 30, 1964, and is the daughter of Everlyena, a pharmaceutical technician, and William Fox, a private school administrator. She is of Native American and African-American descent and is proud of her heritage. She is a graduate of Arlington High School in Indianapolis, Indiana, and, after graduating, moved to California to attend college. Vivica went to Golden West College and graduated with an Associate Art degree in Social Sciences. While in California, she started acting professionally, first on soap operas, such as Generations (1989), Days of Our Lives (1965) and The Young and the Restless (1973). In another early role, she played Patti LaBelle's fashion designer daughter, "Charisse Chamberlain", on the NBC-TV series, Out All Night (1992). Her first big break was in the film, Independence Day (1996), along with Will Smith, and also Set It Off (1996). She has earned critical acclaim for her portrayal of "Maxine" in the 1997 motion picture, Soul Food (1997), which netted her MTV Movie Award and NAACP Image Award nominations. In 2000, she was casted in the medical drama, City of Angels (2000), as "Dr. Lillian Price". She has had roles in many other movies ever since, such as: Teaching Mrs. Tingle (1999), Two Can Play That Game (2001) and Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003). In 2004, Fox was in an episode of Punk'd (2003), where her pregnant friend pretended to go into labor, but they became angry when a paramedic appeared to care more about taking pictures than delivering the baby. Vivica also took another television role, from 2004 to 2006, as she starred in the drama series, 1-800-Missing (2003), on the Lifetime Television Network. In 2007, she was a contender on Dancing with the Stars (2005) and stayed until she was voted off in the fourth week. In 1998, Vivica A. Fox married singer Christopher Harvest (aka Sixx-Nine), whom she later divorced in June 2002. She also dated rapper 50 Cent, however this was a brief relationship.- Laurel Holloman was born on 23 May 1971 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA. She is an actress, known for The Incredibly True Adventure of Two Girls in Love (1995), The L Word (2004) and Boogie Nights (1997). She was previously married to Paul Macherey.
- Stacey Farber is a Canadian actress. She is known for playing Ellie Nash in seasons 2 through 8 of the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation. From 2010 to 2011, she starred in the CBC series 18 to Life with fellow Canadian Michael Seater of Life with Derek. From 2014 to 2017, Farber played Sydney Katz on the Canadian medical drama Saving Hope.
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Olivia d'Abo is an English actress and singer from London. She debuted as a teenager in 1984, and has remained active over the following decades. Her most famous role was playing the free-spirited Karen Arnold in the historical television series "The Wonder Years" (1988 -1993). The series lasted for 6 seasons, and a total of 115 episodes.
In 1969, d'Abo was born in London. Her father was singer and songwriter Mike d'Abo (1944-), lead vocalist for the pop band Manfred Mann (1966-1969). D'Abo's mother was the model Maggie London. Through her father, d'Abo is a first cousin, once removed of fellow actress Maryam d'Abo (1960-). Maryam is known for playing the Bond girl Kara Milovy in the spy film "The Living Daylights" (1987).
D'Abo settled in the United States in the 1980s. She attended high schools in the Los Angeles area. She made her screen debut in the sword and sorcery film "Conan the Destroyer" (1984), at the age of 14. The film was based on the "Conan the Barbarian" stories by Robert Ervin Howard (1906-1936), with the main role reserved for actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (1947-). D'Abo played Princess Jehnna of Shadizar, who Conan has to escort on a quest to retrieve the magical gemstone Heart of Ahriman and the missing Horn of Dagoth. The film earned about 31 million dollars at the domestic box office.
Months later, the romantic drama film "Bolero" (1984) was released. D'Abo had the supporting role of the Gypsy girl Catalina, who befriends the main character Ayre "Mac" MacGillvary (played by Bo Derek). The film was a box office flop, and was received negatively by most critics. It was nominated for 9 Golden Raspberry Awards, winning 6. D'Abo herself won the "Golden Raspberry Award for Worst New Star".
After a brief hiatus in her career, d'Abo had her next starring film role in the gymnastics-themed film "Flying" (1986). She played Robin Crew, an adolescent gymnast who injured her leg in a car accident. Throughout the film, Robin tries to get back into shape and to rejoin her gymnastics team. The film received only a limited release in movie theaters, but achieved some success in the home video market. The film has a minor cult following, due to featuring Keanu Reeves (1964-) in one of his earliest roles.
Also in 1986, d'Abo had the female lead role in the action film "Bullies". She played Becky Cullen, a female member of a clan consisting of bullies and thugs. Her family objects when she falls in love with a member of an enemy family. The film was loosely inspired by the play "Romeo and Juliet", but had a modern setting. The film earned about 2.9 million dollars at the box office.
In 1988, d'Abo joined the main cast of the historical series the "The Wonder Years", playing the main character's older sister. The series often contrasted the conservative views of the Arnold family's parents with the liberal views expressed by Karen Arnold (d'Abo's character). D'Abo left the series main cast in 1991, as her character was de-emphasized. However, she remained available for guest appearances until the series' finale. The role of Karen Arnold's husband in the later seasons was played by David Schwimmer. This was Schwimmer's first recurring role in a television series.
In 1990, d'Abo played the time traveler Chanel-6 in the science fiction comedy "The Spirit of '76". In the film, time travelers from a dystopian 22nd century attempt to retrieve valuable documents from the year 1776. By accident, they end up in the year 1976. While acclimating themselves to this era, they embrace the era's own revolutionary spirit. The film only had a limited release in movie theaters, but was noted for a soundtrack that included many of the era's hits.
D'Abo often appeared in guest roles in television series during the early 1990s. She eventually gained a major role as a series regular in the sitcom "The Single Guy" (1995-1997). The sitcom had a similar premise with some of the era's hit sitcoms, featuring single people who are struggling with relationships. But it failed to find an audience of its own, and only lasted for two seasons.
D'Abo gained her first major voice acting role in the short-lived animated series "Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm". It was an adaptation of the video game series "Mortal Kombat", featuring many of the same characters. D'Abo voiced military officer Sonya Blade, one of the protagonists of the series. The series only lasted for 13 episodes. The final episode featured a failed insurrection against the evil emperor Shao Kahn, and left the fates of several characters without resolutions.
From 1999 to 2000, d'Abo played female super-villain Ten/ Melanie Walker in the superhero series "Batman Beyond" (1999-2001). Her character was depicted as a member of the playing card-themed super-villain team Royal Flush Gang, and as a love interest for Batman/ Terry McGinnis.
D'Abo played Jane Porter (Tarzan's wife) in the animated series "The Legend of Tarzan" (2001-2003). She had the same role in the spin-off animated film "Tarzan & Jane" (2002). The series was a loose adaptation of the "Tarzan" stories by Edgar Rice Burroughs (1875-1950).
D'Abo had villainous roles in the superhero series Justice League (2001-2004). She voiced both Star Sapphire/Carol Ferris and Morgaine le Fey. She had a more heroic role in the animated film "Ultimate Avengers" (2006), playing the Russian super-heroine Black Widow/Natalia Romanova. She returned to this role in the sequel, "Ultimate Avengers 2" (2006).
From 2002 to 2008, d'Abo played criminal mastermind Nicole Wallace in the police procedural "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2001-2011). Her character was depicted as the archenemy of Robert Goren, though she only appeared in 5 episodes. During the series, she murders multiple people. She denies accusations that she has killed her own daughter, claiming that her daughter's death was accidental.
From 2008 to 2009, d'Abo played Jedi master Luminara Unduli in the animated series "Star Wars: The Clone Wars" (2008-2020). In 2009, d'Abo voiced Carol Ferris in the animated film "Green Lantern: First Flight". In 2010, d'Abo voiced the super-heroine Elasti-Girl/Rita Farr in an episode of "Batman: The Brave and the Bold". Easti-Girl is a founding member of the Doom Patrol, and often appears in adaptations of the team's adventures. In 2012, d'Abo voiced another version of Star Sapphire in the animated film "Justice League: Doom". In 2014, she voiced Star Sapphire in the video game "Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham".
In 2019, d'Abo voiced Luminara Unduli again, in a cameo role in the live-action film "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker". As of 2021, d'Abo is 52-years-old. She has never retired, and continues to work regularly in both films and television. D'Abo has had an enduring appeal, and is well-remembered for playing popular characters over the decades.- Ayse Melike Çerçi was born on 28 April 1983 in Turkey. She is an actress, known for The Protector (2018), Sis ve Gece (2007) and Ebb and Tide (2013).
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Gretchen Palmer was born on 16 December 1961 in Chicopee, Massachusetts, USA. She is an actress, known for I Got the Hook Up (1998), The Parkers (1999) and The Young and the Restless (1973). She has been married to Blake Adams since 12 December 1998. They have one child.- Actress
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Gail Strickland attended acting courses at Florida State University, then studied with Sanford Meisner. She made her debut on television in the series 'As the World Turns' and she landed her first theatrical role (as the schoolteacher who has all the answers) in Donald Driver's 'Status Quo Vadis' (1971-1972). Going out to California, she appeared as guest star in the series "Barnaby Jones", 'Hawaii Five-O', 'Police Story' and in other productions, before signing as Maureen Stapleton's partner in the television picture, 'The Gathering', and playing opposite Beau Bridges in 'The President's Mistress' Her first theatrical movie was 'The Drowning Pool', starring Paul Newman.- Actress
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Mack was born in Germany but moved with her family to Long Beach, California, when she was 2. She began acting at 4 with print work and commercials, and began studying at The Young Actors Space in Los Angeles when she was 7. Before joining the cast of Smallville (2001), Allison starred in the short-lived and sorely under-rated Fox television comedy Opposite Sex (2000). Prior to that, she was a regular on Hiller and Diller (1997), working alongside great talents such as Richard Lewis, Kevin Nealon, and Eugene Levy. Allison has also guest-starred in the WB family drama 7th Heaven (1996) as a teenager caught up in the "cutting" trend.
Mack has starred in many movies for television, including the cable film My Horrible Year! (2001), which was directed by Eric Stoltz and starring Karen Allen, Mimi Rogers, and Stoltz himself. She was also in A Private Matter (1992) with Sissy Spacek and Aidan Quinn, Living a Lie (1991) with Peter Coyote and Jill Eikenberry, Unlikely Angel (1996) with Dolly Parton and Roddy McDowall, and Stolen Memories: Secrets from the Rose Garden (1996) starring Mary Tyler Moore and Linda Lavin. Allison is also an accomplished dancer and singer and she currently living in Los Angeles. She enjoys reading, going to movies and plays and spending time with her friends and family.- Actress
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Lisa Boyle was born on 6 August 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress, known for The Nutty Professor (1996), Bad Boys (1995) and Face/Off (1997).- Actress
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Julie Benz was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA on May 1, 1972. Julie's father is a Pittsburgh surgeon and her mother is a figure skater. The family settled in nearby Murrysville, when Julie was two, and she started ice skating at age three. She competed in the 1988 U.S. Championships in junior ice dancing with her partner David Schilling, coming in 13th. Her older brother and sister, Jeffrey and Jennifer, were 1987 U.S. Junior Champions in ice dancing and competed internationally. When Julie was 14, she had a bad stress fracture and had to take time off.
By 1989, with her figure skating career over, Julie turned to acting and got involved in the local theater where she got a role in the play "Street Law". Her first movie role was a small credited speaking part in the Black Cat segment of the Dario Argento/George A. Romero co-direction horror flick, Two Evil Eyes (1990), playing in one scene alongside Harvey Keitel. A year later, she got a role on a TV show called Hi Honey, I'm Home (1991).
After graduating from high school, Julie entered New York University to study acting there. After graduation, Julie moved to Los Angeles to further pursue her career and landed some small roles in movies and TV shows including a guest appearance on Married... with Children (1987) and in the Aaron Spelling TV pilot Crosstown Traffic (1995).
In 1996, Julie auditioned for the role of "Buffy" in the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997), but lost out to Sarah Michelle Gellar. However, she was offered a small role as a vampire girl in which she did such a good job that her part was expanded to a few more episodes in playing the vampire "Darla". With that, Julie Benz's career had finally taken off. She reprised her role as "Darla" in the Buffy spin-off series Angel (1999) for two years and has had several small roles in various film productions. She also had a small, but memorable, role playing a receptionist in the movie As Good as It Gets (1997).
Even after her role on Angel (1999) wrapped up, Julie continued to find work on television in playing many guest staring roles in numerous popular TV shows from CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), to Supernatural (2005), to playing the lead and supporting roles in various made-for-TV movies. She landed another notable role on the TV-cable series Dexter (2006) playing "Rita", a troubled divorcée and lover of the title character played by Michael C. Hall. Benz played a leading role in the TV series No Ordinary Family (2010) playing Stephanie Powell along with actors Michael Chiklis, Kay Panabaker, Jimmy Bennett, Autumn Reeser, Romany Malco, and Stephen Collins.
In 2013, she had the starring role in the sci-fi / fantasy breakout hit show Defiance (2013).- Actress
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Born in Tucson, Arizona, DeFer began her career in musical theater at age 8 and continued through high school with the lead role of Kim in "Bye Bye Birdie." In 2003 she traveled to Los Angeles to pursue her love of acting, and in 2005 she booked her first series regular role in the Fox production "The War at Home." She was a series regular on CW's hit show "Gossip Girl", playing the role of Ivy Dickens/Charlie Rhodes. Ivy was a struggling actress hired by Carol Rhodes to pose as her daughter Charlie to gain access to the real Charlie Rhodes' trust fund. Shortly after "Gossip Girl" ended, Kaylee met her husband, musician, Michael Fitzpatrick (Fitz and the Tantrums), and took the next several years off from acting to have and raise their three boys: Theo, Bash, and Remy. She returned to acting in 2021.- Kristian Alfonso was born in Brockton, Massachusetts, USA. Kristian is an actor, known for Days of Our Lives (1965), Joshua Tree (1993) and Friends (1994). Kristian has been married to Danny Daggenhurst since 6 October 2001. They have one child. Kristian was previously married to Simon Macauley.
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Famke Janssen was born November 5, 1964, in Amstelveen, the Netherlands, and has two other siblings. Moving to America in the 1980s, she modeled for Chanel in New York. Later, taking a break from modeling, she attended Columbia University, majoring in literature.
This model-turned-actress broke into Hollywood in the early 1990s. Her first film was Fathers & Sons (1992). Later she became James Bond's enemy in GoldenEye (1995). Her career has bloomed since then with her starring in such films as House on Haunted Hill (1999), Hide and Seek (2005), a recurring role on FX's Nip/Tuck (2003), and the blockbuster movies X-Men (2000), X2 (2003), and X-Men: The Last Stand (2006).- Actress
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Kayla Noelle Ewell was born in Long Beach, California on August 27, 1985 and raised in Seal Beach. A child who loved performing from a very young age, she began touring with the national Broadway company children's chorus for the production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat by the time she was only in the fourth grade. Along with this, Kayla also studied dance, singing, and acting at the Orange County Song & Dance Company. By 1999, she was discovered by a talent agent while taking acting classes and asked to start going on auditions. While she was able to pick up a number of guest roles including a multi-episode stint on Freaks and Geeks (1999) she continued to go to school and graduated from Los Alamitos High School in 2003. Ewell first appeared on the television series Freaks and Geeks (1999) in 2000, playing Maureen Sampson in the episode Carded and Discarded (2000) directed by [lin=nm0031976]. She starred on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful (1987) from 2004-2005, and has guest-starred on the TV series The O.C. (2003), Boston Public (2000), Veronica Mars (2004), Close to Home (2005) and Entourage (2004). She had a role in the film Just My Luck (2006), starring Lindsay Lohan, and in Material Girls (2006), starring Haylie Duff and Hilary Duff, in 2006. She had a starring role in the film Senior Skip Day (2008). Ewell co-starred in The CW television series The Vampire Diaries (2009) for the first seven episodes in 2009. Ewell described her character, Vicki Donovan, to Star magazine as a troublemaker. Vicki was the first human on the series turned into a vampire. Ewell was killed off the show when her character was staked in the heart by Stefan (Paul Wesley) in order to save Elena (Nina Dobrev) in the Halloween-themed episode Haunted (2009). Ewell hinted in November 2009 that she was still under contract for the role and might return to the show, but series creator, Kevin Williamson, stated that there were no plans to bring her back. Her character did return however in the finale of the second season, and at the start of season 3. Ewell played a children's fashion designer in the 2011 Hallmark Channel TV movie, Keeping Up with the Randalls (2011), alongside Thad Luckinbill, Marion Ross, Roma Downey and McKenna Jones. She next appeared on the A&E television series, The Glades (2010), that year, as a waitress suspected of murder in the episode Beached (2011). In 2012, she guest starred on the TNT drama, Franklin & Bash (2011), playing a Navy sailor facing a court-martial. Ewell starred in the 2013 Hallmark Movie Channel film, A Way Back Home (2013), as Norma, a country music singer and songwriter. The film was named after a 1950s Norman Rockwell painting that featured bluegrass musicians playing in a barbershop. Ewell starred in the 2013 horror film, The Demented (2013). She also starred in the 2014 Lifetime movie, Deadly Daycare (2014),. In April 2016, Ewell began filming the feature, 2 Years and 8 Days, with Ryan Merriman in New Mexico. The film, retitled 2 Years of Love (2017) was released on January 24, 2017. .In her free time, Kayla has said she enjoys painting, rock climbing, and rappelling, and still dances whenever she can. She even goes whitewater rafting from time to time among other various hobbies such as surfing.- Actress
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Katie Cassidy was born Katherine Evelyn Anita Cassidy on November 25, 1986, in Los Angeles, California. Her father, David Cassidy, was a pop star in the 1970s. Her famous relatives include uncles Shaun Cassidy, Patrick Cassidy and Ryan Cassidy, the sons by her grandfather Jack Cassidy's marriage to Shirley Jones; Katie's grandmother was Evelyn Ward. As a child, Katie took gymnastics, studied piano, guitar and singing, then took dancing and acting lessons and eventually became a cheerleader for the California Flyers. She attended Calabasas High School in her neighborhood. For years prior to graduation in 2005, Katie was modeling and studying acting in community theater. Katie had just been accepted to 'Tisch' at NYU when she was offered her first role as "Dee Dee", which was one month before graduating. Katie has not stopped working since. Katie's early exposure to show business, the cosmopolitan culture of Los Angeles, her family upbringing, and her comprehensive education altogether produced a remarkable result. She grew up as a multifaceted person showing her many talents in a variety of professions such as recording her father's 1970s hit "I Think I Love You" and singing in VH1's TV special Bubblegum Babylon (2002), writing her own songs, modeling for Abercrombie and Fitch and Guess?'s Rock and Republic clothing lines in 2004, and acting. She met her ex-boyfriend, Jesse McCartney, there and later appeared as his love interest in his video hit "She's No You". A story on Jesse and Katie appeared in the January 2006 issue of Teen People magazine. Jesse wrote the song "Bleeding Love" performed by Leona Lewis, about Cassidy and their relationship. At that time she was busy working on five feature film productions going on almost simultaneously. Katie made several appearances in TV series, such as 7th Heaven (1996) and Sex, Love & Secrets (2005), among others. She appeared as Samantha, the grown-up daughter of Adam Sandler and Kate Beckinsale in the comedy Click (2006). After the release of a teen horror film, When a Stranger Calls (2006),in which she co-starred as Tiffany, Cassidy went to Vancouver to work on her second horror film, Black Christmas (2006), in which she stars as a sorority girl. Katie recently beat out the likes of Jessica Simpson and Kristin Cavallari for the leading role opposite John Travolta as his daughter and the heir to the most powerful energy company in the world in Dallas, the big-screen remake of the cult TV series.- Actress
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Born to immigrants in New York City, Lucy Liu has always tried to balance an interest in her cultural heritage with a desire to move beyond a strictly Asian-American experience. Her mother, Cecilia, a biochemist, is from Beijing & her father, Tom Liu, a civil engineer, is from Shanghai. Once relegated to "ethnic" parts, the energetic actress is finally earning her stripes as an across-the-board leading lady.
She graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 1986 & enrolled in NYU. However, she was discouraged by the dark and sarcastic atmosphere, so she transferred to the University of Michigan after her freshman year. She graduated w/ a degree in Asian Languages & Cultures, managing to squeeze in some additional training in dance, voice, fine arts & acting. During her senior year, she auditioned for a small part in a production of Alice in Wonderland and walked away with the lead. Encouraged by the experience, she decided to take the plunge into professional acting. She moved to L.A., splitting her time between auditions & food service day jobs. She eventually scored a guest appearance as a waitress on Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990). That performance led to more walk-on parts in shows like NYPD Blue (1993), ER (1994) & The X-Files (1993). In 1996, she was cast as an ambitious college student on Rhea Perlman's ephemeral sitcom Pearl (1996).
She first appeared on the big screen as an ex-girlfriend in Jerry Maguire (1996) (she had previously filmed a scene in the indie Bang (1995), but it was shelved for 2 years). She then waded through a series of supporting parts in small films before landing her big break on Ally McBeal (1997). She initially auditioned for the role of Nelle Porter, which went to Portia de Rossi. However, writer-producer David E. Kelley was so impressed w/ her that he promised to write a part for her in an upcoming episode. The part turned out to be that of growling, ill-tempered lawyer Ling Woo, which she filled w/ such aplomb that she was signed on as a regular cast member.
The "Ally" win gave her film career a much-needed boost-in 1999, she was cast as a dominatrix in the Mel Gibson action flick Payback (1999) & as a hitchhiker in the ill-received boxing saga Play It to the Bone (1999). The following year brought even larger roles: first as the kidnapped Princess Pei Pei in Jackie Chan's western Shanghai Noon (2000), then as one-third of the comely crime-fighting trio in Charlie's Angels (2000).
When she's not hissing at clients or throwing well-coiffed punches, she keeps busy w/ an eclectic mix of off-screen hobbies. She practices the martial art of Kali-Eskrima-Silat (knife-and-stick fighting), skis, rock climbs, rides horses &plays the accordion. In 1993, she exhibited a collection of multimedia art pieces at the Cast Iron Gallery in SoHo (New York), after which she won a grant to study & create art in China. Her hectic schedule doesn't leave much time for romantic intrigue, but she says she prefers to keep that side of her life uncluttered.- Actress
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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.- Actress
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Rebecca De Mornay was born 1959 as Rebecca Jane Pearch, in Santa Rosa, CA, to Wally George and Julie Eager. Her parents divorced when she was young, and her mother moved to Pasadena and married Richard De Mornay, who adopted her. After her stepfather's untimely death in 1962, Rebecca's mother moved her and her half-brother Peter to Europe, where she was raised primarily in England and Austria. In 1977, Rebecca graduated "summa cum laude" from a German-speaking high school in the Austrian alps, and still speaks fluent German and French.
She began her acting training in Los Angeles at Lee Strasberg's Institute, became an apprentice at Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope Film Studio, and soon thereafter made her film debut in One from the Heart (1981). Her breakthrough came in the box office hit Risky Business (1983), in which she gave a seductive and critically acclaimed performance as a streetwise prostitute opposite Tom Cruise. She went on to international stardom with her portrayal of a chillingly twisted nanny in the hugely popular The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992). Other acclaimed film work includes Runaway Train (1985) (with Jon Voight), The Trip to Bountiful (1985) (with Geraldine Page), Backdraft (1991) (with Kurt Russell).
Network television work includes the tour-de-force role of Arlie in the stellar Getting Out (1994) (based on Marsha Norman's play), the tragic title character in Dominick Dunne's An Inconvenient Woman (1991) (with Jason Robards), the remake of The Shining (1997) (produced by Stephen King), a multi-episode story arc about a cancer survivor on ER (1994) and Hallmark Hall of Fame's Night Ride Home (1999) (with Ellen Burstyn).
On stage, she starred as Billie Dawn in "Born Yesterday" (1988) at the Pasadena Playhouse, as Charlotte Corday in "Marat/Sade" (1990) at the Williamstown Festival, and as Anna in "Closer" (2000) at the Mark Taper Forum.
Rebecca's directing debut was with a segment of Showtime's The Outer Limits (1995) starring John Savage and Frank Whaley. Divorced from producer/screenwriter Bruce Wagner, Rebecca has two daughters, Sophia DeMornay-O'Neal and Veronica De Mornay-O'Neal, both fathered by sportscaster Patrick O'Neal, who is eight years her junior.- Actress
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Born and raised in Dallas, Texas where she graduated Lake Highlands High School, Amy Acker is the oldest of four children; she has two sisters and one brother. An acting major at Southern Methodist University, Amy acted in several college theater productions. She appeared in various roles during the fantasy segments for the popular award-winning children's TV series Wishbone (1995), which was filmed in Texas and consisted of Dallas theater actors. Upon graduation she worked in Wisconsin and New York before winning the role of "Fred" on Angel (1999).- Actress
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Rebecca Mader was born in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England as Rebecca Leigh Mader. She is an actress and writer, known for The Devil Wears Prada (2006), Iron Man Three (2013), Once Upon A Time (2014-2018) and Lost (2008-2010). She has been married to Marcus Kayne since November 23, 2016. She was previously married to Joseph Arongino.- Actress
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Kristen Schaal is an American actress, voice artist, writer, and comedian. She is best known for her roles as Mel on the HBO series Flight of the Conchords, Louise Belcher on FOX animated comedy Bob's Burgers, and Mabel Pines on Gravity Falls. Other notable roles include her appearances as a commentator on The Daily Show, Amanda Simmons on The Hotwives of Orlando, Hazel Wassername on 30 Rock, Victoria Best on WordGirl, Trixie from the Toy Story franchise, and Anne on Wilfred. Since 2015, she has co-starred alongside Will Forte in the Fox comedy The Last Man on Earth, playing the role of Carol.- Actress
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Dreama Walker was born in Tampa, Florida. She graduated from Henry B. Plant High School in 2004, and in 2006 she made her screen debut. In 2012 she starred as "June," a small-town girl with great ambition, on the ABC comedy series Don't Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 (2012), opposite Krysten Ritter and James Van Der Beek. Previously, she appeared on the CBS drama, The Good Wife (2009) (2009-2011) and the CW's Gossip Girl (2007) (2008-2009). On the big screen, Walker appeared in the films Goodbye Baby (2007), Sex and the City (2008), Lifelines (2008), Gran Torino (2008), The Invention of Lying (2009), Chlorine (2013), and many more. She also guest-starred on Law & Order (1990), Ugly Betty (2006), Royal Pains (2009), and Mercy (2009). She resides in Los Angeles.- Actress
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Shannyn Sossamon is an American actress and director. She is of Irish, French, Dutch, Hawaiian-Filipino, German and English ancestry. Growing up in Reno, Nevada, Sossamon spent most of her youth at a local dance studio. After graduating high school at age 17, she moved to Los Angeles, California, to pursue a life in the creative arts. Sossamon began acting in films at age 21 after being approached by casting director Francine Maisler, who was casting the starring role in Brian Helgeland's A KNIGHTS TALE opposite Heath Ledger. Additionally, she can be seen with Matt Dillon and Carla Gugino in the event series WAYWARD PINES, from M. Night Shyamalan, opposite Nicole Beharie and Tom Mison in Fox's SLEEPY HOLLOW, and as the lead of Blumhouse feature SINISTER 2, opposite James Ransone. Other credits include THE END OF LOVE starring Michael Cera and Mark Webber; OUR FAMILY WEDDING starring Oscar winner Forest Whitaker, WRISTCUTTERS: A LOVE STORY starring opposite Patrick Fugit; THE RULES OF ATTRACTION starring opposite James Van Der Beek; 40 DAYS AND 40 NIGHTS starring opposite Josh Hartnett, and as the lead in Monte Hellman's ROAD TO NOWHERE. Recent credits include the feature films THERE ARE NO SAINTS and BACKSPOT, opposite Devery Jacobs. Sossamon spends her free time creating short videos for her project, THE MAUDE ROOM: A VARIETY SHOW, a short-form video project made especially for phone viewing.- Actress
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Emma Roberts was born in Rhinebeck, New York. She was a baby when her parents separated, and she grew up living with her mother, Kelly Cunningham. She was educated at Archer School for Girls in Los Angeles, California.
Emma is the daughter of Oscar-nominated actor Eric Roberts, and the niece of Oscar-winner Julia Roberts. As a child she spent some time on the sets of movies with her aunt Julia. This helped Emma decide that she wanted to follow a career in acting. Her first movie role came in Blow (2001), where she played the daughter of Johnny Depp's character. Various small parts followed, until she was cast in the lead role of Addie Singer in Nickelodeon's "Unfabulous" (2004). Her performance lead to many award nominations as well as a foray into the music industry, including the release of an album, "Unfabulous and More".
More roles followed in various projects, including the eponymous heroine in Nancy Drew (2007), Hotel for Dogs (2009), 4.3.2.1. (2010) and Scream 4 (2011). In 2011, Emma began attending Sarah Lawrence College in New York, studying English Literature.- Julie Claire is known for Bloodline (2015), Devious Maids (2013) and Scandal (2012). She has been married to Glenn Kessler since 2010. They have three children.
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Catherine Fabienne Deneuve was born October 22, 1943 in Paris, France, to actor parents Renée Simonot and Maurice Dorléac. She made her movie debut in 1957, when she was barely a teenager and continued with small parts in minor films, until Roger Vadim gave her a meatier role in Vice and Virtue (1963). Her breakthrough came with the excellent musical The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), in which she gave an unforgettable performance as a romantic middle-class girl who falls in love with a young soldier but gets imprisoned in a loveless marriage with another man; the director was the gifted Jacques Demy, who also cast Deneuve in the less successful The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967). She then played a schizophrenic killer in Roman Polanski's Repulsion (1965) and a married woman who works as a part-time prostitute every afternoon in Luis Buñuel's masterpiece Belle de Jour (1967). She also worked with Buñuel in Tristana (1970) and gave a great performance for François Truffaut in Mississippi Mermaid (1969), a kind of apotheosis of her "frigid femme fatale" persona. In the seventies she didn't find parts of that caliber, but her magnificent work in Truffaut's The Last Metro (1980) as a stage actress in Nazi-occupied Paris revived her career. She was also very good in the epic drama Indochine (1992), for which she earned her first Academy Award nomination (Best Actress). Although the elegant and always radiant Deneuve has never appeared on stage, she is universally hailed as one of the "grandes dames" of French cinema, joining a list that includes such illustrious talents as Simone Signoret, Jeanne Moreau, Isabelle Huppert, Isabelle Adjani and the younger Juliette Binoche.- Actress
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An award-winning actor, an accomplished writer, a producer, and now a showrunner, Kathleen Robertson is the definition of a multi-hyphenate.
Her breakthrough was as naughty girl Clare in the landmark 1990s series 'Beverly Hills, 90210.' She appeared in the sixth and final season of the critically acclaimed Amazon series 'The Expanse.' Robertson also wrapped production on 'Triage' for ABC/Disney and director Jon Chu. In addition, she appears in the Lionsgate series 'Swimming with Sharks' opposite Diane Kruger, Kiernen Shipka and Donald Sutherland, a project for which she also created, produced and was showrunner.
Robertson also starred on the Netflix drama 'Northern Rescue,' the critically acclaimed TNT crime drama 'Murder in the First' opposite Taye Diggs for three seasons, and had a pivotal, recurring role opposite Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore on A&E's Emmy nominated 'Bates Motel.' She also garnered much attention for her starring role on the Gus Van Sant Golden Globe-winning political drama 'Boss,' as the brilliant, broken and duplicitous Kitty O'Neill, Mayor Tom Kane's (Kelsey Grammer) press aide. On the writing and producing front, Robertson and her production company Debut Content continue to build an impressive slate of both television and feature film projects.
On the television side, in a highly competitive situation, Robertson signed an overall deal with Universal Cable Productions (UCP) to both create and produce original content. She also has projects with Netflix, Barry Jenkins ('Moonlight'), Jason Bateman's Aggregate Films, Imagine Television, and acclaimed Academy Award nominated documentary filmmaker Joe Berlinger ('Cecil Hotel').
On the feature side, she is writing Flight for Paramount Pictures and Academy Award winner Akiva Goldsman.
She also adapted the acclaimed novel 'The Possibilities' for Fox Searchlight and Academy Award nominated filmmaker Jason Reitman who is attached to direct. Reitman also attached himself to direct the TV pilot 'Your Time is Up,' which Robertson wrote and signed on to star in. In addition, she adapted the novel 'Little Bee' for Amazon and Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts. Robertson was also recently brought on to adapt the comic-book series 'Lady Killer' for Dark Horse with Michelle Mac Laren (Westworld/Game of Thrones) directing.
A native of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, Robertson moved to Los Angeles, California, USA, to pursue her career.- Actress
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Kristin Lee Davis was born on February 23, 1965 in Boulder, Colorado. An only child, her parents divorced when she was a baby. She was adopted by her stepfather, psychology professor Keith Davis, after he married her mother, Dorothy, a university data analyst, in 1968. Early in her childhood, Kristin and her parents moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where her stepfather was transferred to a university. She lived in South Carolina until she graduated high school in 1983. She then moved to New Jersey, where she attended Rutgers University. After graduation, she moved to New York and waited tables before opening a yoga studio with a friend. In 1995, she got her big break when she landed the role of Brooke Armstrong Campbell on Melrose Place (1992). She left the show after one year when producers found that audience members hated her bitchy character. In 1998, Kristin was cast as Charlotte York in Sex and the City (1998), of which she remained an integral cast member until the series ended in 2004. Kristin Davis resides in Los Angeles.- Actress
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Synnøve Macody Lund was born on May 24, 1976 in Stord, Norway. She is an actress and director, known for Jo Nesbø's Headhunters (2011), Ragnarok (2020) and Riviera (2017).
Synnøve is a stunning beauty, and a natural born actress. She is educated in literature, film and documentary filmmaking. She also worked as editor and a film critic furthermore she is an author as well. She began her acting career as the lead role in the internationally successful feature film Headhunters opposite Aksel Hennie and Nicolaj Coster Waldau, directed by the Oscar nominated director Morten Thyldum. She recently started in sequel of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', in 'The Girl in the Spider's Web', directed by Fede Alvarez, in a supporting role and in 2018 in the Polish crime series 'Illegals' directed by the award winning director Leszek Dawid. She was furthermore a series regular in the TV-series 'Acquitted', season 1+2, which is a huge hit in Scandinavia, and it was selected by 'The Hollywood Reporter's top '10 must see' TV shows. Synnøve is also one of the lead roles in the Scandinavian coproduced TV-series 'Black Widows', season 1+2, a remake of the successful Finland original. Synnøve's performance is extraordinary in the lead role in the thriller 'Haunted', by director Carl Christian Raabe, where she received outstanding reviews.- Actress
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Lucy Punch grew up in London and was a member of the National Youth Theatre in her late teens before going to University College London to read History. While she was there she auditioned for TV roles and eventually dropped out to concentrate on acting.
She learned a lot, she says, from working on the short-lived TV series Let Them Eat Cake (1999) with Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French and although she has played many serious roles on TV and in film since, it's her comic skills that have shone.
After several years of steady TV and film work at home, she moved to Los Angeles in the mid-2000s and soon found work there on another short-lived comedy show, The Class (2006) and has stayed in the US ever since, appearing on TV and in movies to increasing acclaim.- Amanda Setton was born on 16 December 1985 in Great Neck, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Sex and the City (2008), General Hospital (1963) and What Happens in Vegas (2008).
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Born into a family of doctors and educated in China at the Shanghai Film Academy and the Shanghai Institute of Foreign Languages, Joan Chen was discovered by veteran Chinese director Jin Xie while observing a filming with a school group. Her performance in Xiao hua (1979) (A.K.A. "The Little Flower") won China's Best Actress award, and resulted in the Chinese press dubbing her "The Elizabeth Taylor of China" for having achieved top stardom while still in her teen years. She came to the U.S. to attend college in 1981, first at the State University of New York at New Paltz, later at California State University at Northridge. She a succession of small parts in movies and T.V., with her first break coming in 1986 when, in true Hollywood legend, producer Dino De Laurentiis noticed her in the parking lot of Lorimar Studios and cast her in Tai-Pan (1986). The film bombed, but it led to her being cast as the ill-fated Empress in Bernardo Bertolucci's The Last Emperor (1987), which won critical acclaim. This, and her role as enigmatic mill owner Josie Packard in the cult TV series Twin Peaks (1990), are her best-known roles in Europe and North America. However, Hollywood's practice of type-casting East Asians has led to a dearth of major roles for Chen since then, and in recent roles, she has often been cast as a villainess.
After taking a few years off to start a family, Joan returned to the screen in important supporting roles playing women in early middle age, such as the mother of a principle adult character. As a result, her career is flourishing again on both sides of the Pacific. Her two directing efforts were well-received critically, and in a 2008 interview she revealed she planned to direct again but was putting that off until her daughters were grown, since directing took her away from them too much, whereas acting could be done on a part-time basis.- Actress
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Lauren Cohan is a British-American actress and model, best known for her role as Maggie Greene on The Walking Dead (2010) and recurring roles on The Vampire Diaries (2009), Supernatural (2005), and Chuck (2007). After her film debut on Casanova (2005) as Sister Beatrice, she starred in the sequel to National Lampoon's Van Wilder (2002), Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj (2006), as Charlotte Higginson. Her next role was in the 2007 film, Float (2008). In February 2010, she was cast in Death Race 2 (2010), with Sean Bean and Danny Trejo, and also the supernatural-horror film The Boy (2016), where Lauren played the main character, Greta Evans. In 2016, Cohan also appeared as Martha Wayne in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016).
She was born in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, and moved to the United Kingdom as a teen. She graduated from the University of Winchester / King Alfred's College where she studied Drama and English Literature, before touring with a theatre company she co-founded at the University. Lauren then split her time and work between London and Los Angeles, working on several films as well as some non-commercial projects.- Actress
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Born as Emma Chukker and raised in San Diego, California, Emma Caulfield began studying drama at the La Jolla Playhouse and the Old Globe Theatre, where she won the distinguished honor of "Excellence in Theatre Arts". She picked up her drama studies once again at The American School in Switzerland (TASIS) in London, all before finishing high school.
Caulfield, an award-winning actress known for her starring role as the young and beautiful demon-turned-mortal "Anya" on Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997) starting in 1999. Her role was initially conceived only as a guest demon-of-the-week appearance in a December 1998 episode, but she was called back for a few more guest spots when Joss Whedon recognized her talent. She appeared in most of the episodes the following season and, after that, was promoted to a full-time series regular. She has starred in numerous films, including the hit indie sci-fi/rom-com film Timer (2009) as the central character, Oona Leary, a woman on the verge of her 30th birthday who trusts that an implanted timer device will tell her the exact moment she will meet her true love.
Caulfield starred in the ensemble indie film Telling of the Shoes (2014) as "Alex", the quietly suffering wife of a man with a deep secret. She garnered praise in the role of Sarah in the short film Hollow (2007), picking up a Best Actress award at the Beverly Hills Short Film Festival. She starred as "Caitlin Green" in the Revolution Studios' thriller, Darkness Falls (2003). She also starred alongside Chaney Kley as a young woman attempting to take care of her troubled 8-year-old brother plagued by night terrors. Left to her own resources, Caitlin must tackle the legendary evil that haunts their small town in the dark.
Caulfield spent 2010 juggling two shows, Gigantic (2010) and Life Unexpected (2010), in heavily recurring arcs. She is also a writer and producer. In August 2009, she and her writing partner Camilla Ransten launched the successful web comic, Contropussy. A decidedly female-driven satire that showcases human behavior through the eyes of animals. She is also the co-creator, executive producer and star of the hit web series Bandwagon: The Series (2010).- Actress
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Christine Willes has been a working actor for over 40 years. She began her career on stage in her birthplace, Canada. She has performed with theater companies large and small across the nation, and earned three Jessies for Excellence in Theater in Vancouver. She segued to film and television when she started a family. Over the last 25 years she has performed in dozens of TV series, including fan favorites Delores Herbig in Dead Like Me (2003), Gladys the DMV Demon in Reaper (2007) (Leo nomination), Patty Deckler in Mistresses (2013), and Rita Sever in You Me Her (2016). Film credits include Mrs. Henderson in Trick 'r Treat (2007), Madame Lazar in Red Riding Hood (2011), and Nurse Davis in If I Stay (2014).- Actress
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Jesse James Keitel is an actress, writer, and artist from eastern Long Island, NY. She has been an advocate in moving the needle for the LGBTQ+ community's timely representation in Hollywood and was honored with the Equality Award by the Human Rights Campaign in 2022. Keitel's groundbreaking casting as Jerrie Kennedy on David E. Kelley's 'Big Sky' made history marking her as ABC's first openly transgender series regular. Jesse attended Pace University in New York City where she received a BFA in Acting.- Actress
Maggie Geha was born on 4 April 1988 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. She is an actress, known for Ted 2 (2015), Winter's Tale (2014) and Shoulder Dance (2023).- Actress
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Lena Headey is a Bermudian-British actress. Headey is best known for her role as "Cersei Lannister" in Game of Thrones (2011) (2011-2019) and The Brothers Grimm (2005), Possession (2002), and The Remains of the Day (1993). Headey stars as "Queen Gorgo", a heroic Spartan woman in the period film, 300 (2006), by director Zack Snyder.
Headey was born in Hamilton, Bermuda, to British parents Sue and John Headey. Her father, a Yorkshire police cadet, was stationed in the Bermuda Police Service. She was raised there until age five, when her family returned to England. She was brought up in Yorkshire before moving to London in her teens. Headey had not gone to drama school before she became an actress. At the age of seventeen, Headey's performance in a one-off show in the company of six school friends caught the attention of a casting agent, who took a photo and asked her to audition. Eventually, Headey was cast in Waterland (1992), which became her big-screen debut. She honed her natural acting talent while filming and also took archery classes and horse training. She also took boxing classes in clubs in south London, where a former boxer had been teaching her to spar. During her film career, spanning over 15 years, Headey has shown her range in a variety of roles, playing characters from Amazon-type warriors and action-minded women in The Cave (2005) and The Brothers Grimm (2005), to a lesbian florist in Imagine Me & You (2005).
Headey's film career has taken her all over the world. She was in India for the filming of The Jungle Book (1994), then in St. Petersburg, Russia, for filming Onegin (1999), and in Norway for filming of Aberdeen (2000). In 2005 Headey was filming in Romania and in Mexico, then spent four months in Prague, Czech Republic, where a forest was designed and built for filming The Brothers Grimm (2005), with Matt Damon and Heath Ledger. During 2006 Headey was in Canada for the filming of 300 (2006), then went to locations in Bulgaria for shooting The Contractor (2007), and Germany and in Czech Republic for the filming of The Red Baron (2008).
She also played Gina McVey in the horror thriller The Broken (2008), and Elizabeth in Tell Tale (2009). In addition to her film-work, Heady appeared as Sarah Connor in a TV spin-off of the popular "Terminator" film franchise, the FOX's television series Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (2008).
Outside of her acting profession, Headey continued taking boxing lessons in London. She is a vegetarian and also remains loyal to yoga, which she discovered during her work in India. She has never been back to her birthplace in Bermuda; she shares her time between her homes in London, England, and Los Angeles, California.- Actress
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Sarah Joy Brown won three Emmy Awards before her twenty-fifth birthday. She began her acting career at the prestigious Los Angeles County High School for the Performing Arts and is a graduate of both L.A.C.H.S.A.'s Theatre Department and Alexander Hamilton's Academy of Music. Sarah's professional acting career was launched on her nineteenth birthday when she was selected as the series lead on the hugely popular children's series V.R. Troopers which aired in more than thirty countries around the world.
Two years later, Sarah won the lead role of Carly Roberts/Spencer/Corinthos on the iconic ABC daytime series General Hospital. Sarah's performance was widely hailed by critics and resulted in one of daytime TV's most memorable characters. In five years on General Hospital Sarah was nominated for four Emmy awards and won three.
Since leaving General Hospital, Sarah has appeared on multiple hit television series and became a series regular on Cold Case. She followed Cold Case with a co-starring role in the blockbuster comedy "Big Mommas House 2" starring comedy legend Martin Lawrence.
In 2008 Sarah returned to General Hospital in the newly created role of Claudia Zacchara for which she was nominated for another Emmy award. In 2015 Sarah was nominated for an Emmy for her staring role in the independent series "Beacon Hill."
Sarah stars on the Emmy winning series, "Studio City," (2019) on Amazon Prime, for which she was nominated for an Emmy in 2021. Remarkably, this marked Sarah's seventh Emmy nomination.
After two decades of acclaimed acting, Sarah began directing and editing in the summer of 2021 when she agreed to direct and co-edit ten episodes of a streaming audio drama from Violent Hour Media, the leading Horror Podcast network. The series is titled Red Ridding Hoods and will be available on all audio platforms October 15, 2021.- Actress
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This beautiful, long-legged blonde actress was known to be a kind, intelligent and dependable actor with a comedic talent as well. She appeared in many American TV hits of the 1970s and 1980s, such as Three's Company (1976), The Jeffersons (1975), The New Mike Hammer (1984), Riptide (1984), Knight Rider (1982), Who's the Boss? (1984), The A-Team (1983), Night Court (1984), Wings (1990) and Silk Stalkings (1991), among others. Her big-screen debut came in the 1982 Amy Heckerling film Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), as the character Mrs. Vargas. This film starred Sean Penn and Jennifer Jason Leigh. Lana then landed a role in the Roger Corman fantasy epic Deathstalker (1983). This led to her being offered the title role in Corman's next film, the cult classic Barbarian Queen (1985). It was this association with the legendary Corman that really put Lana on the B-movie map. After starring in "Barbarian Queen" as the sword-wielding lead, a character Corman fondly refers to as "the original Xena," Lana then reprised the role in the sequel Barbarian Queen II: The Empress Strikes Back (1990).
Lana's larger-than-life personality and striking beauty, along with several of the movie roles she chose, inspired a cult fan following. This warm fanfare was further cemented by her work in the John Landis spoof Amazon Women on the Moon (1987). She was always a favorite at the ever-growing comic book conventions, where she happily signed autographs and was known to be friendly and accessible to all of her loyal fans, both young and old alike.
Lana also did stunt work in Retroactive (1997). Her last film was March (2001), as Dr. Ellen Taylor. Even though she did not do many movies toward the end of her life, she found success working in television commercials, for such products as Mercedes-Benz, Nike, Anheiser Busch, Playtex bras, Kmart and Mattel. She had been spending her time creating comedic characters for many of these companies. While working for the KMART Corp., Lana made personal appearances as the character she created for the Route 66 clothing campaign, Katie Earline Wilson. She was an actress who had more to offer Hollywood in the future, had her life not been cut so tragically short.- Actress
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Erin Richards was born on 17 May 1986 in Penarth, Wales, UK. She is an actress and director, known for Gotham (2014), The Crown (2016) and Breaking In (2011).- Victoria Catlin was born on 23 September 1952. She was an actress, known for Twin Peaks (1990), Ghoulies (1984) and Howling V: The Rebirth (1989). She died on 28 February 2024 in Merriam, Kansas, United States.
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Nancy Valen was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA. Nancy is an actor and producer, known for Friends (1994), Saved by the Bell (1989) and Baywatch (1989). Nancy has been married to Nels Van Patten since 9 October 1994.- Actress
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When Sheila Kelley starred in and produced the film, Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000), she prepared for the role of "Stormy" by learning how to striptease and pole dance. As a result, her body became long, lean and fit. She decided to take her knowledge of ballet, exercise and exotic dancing and combine them into a fitness dance workout for women called "S Factor"'. Kelley wrote "The S Factor: Strip Workouts for Every Woman" and has several "S Factor" exercise DVDs.
Her roles on L.A. Law (1986), Sisters (1991), ER (1994) and The Sopranos (1999) and in films including Singles (1992), Matchstick Men (2003), Nurse Betty (2000) and One Fine Day (1996) have earned her respect, as an actress who is not afraid of embracing the power of her femininity.
She is married to actor Richard Schiff, of The West Wing (1999), and has two children, Gus and Ruby. By: S Factor- Actress
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Dre Davis was born in Cornwall, Litchfield County, Connecticut, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Pretty Little Liars (2010), Make Those Dead Stars Proud (2021) and Madame Hollywood (2016).- Actress
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Kristen Carroll Wiig was born on August 22, 1973 in Canandaigua, New York, to Laurie J. (Johnston), an artist, and Jon J. Wiig, a lake marina manager. She is of Norwegian (from her paternal grandfather), Irish, English, and Scottish descent. The family moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, before settling in Rochester, New York. When Wiig was 9 years old, her parents divorced and she lived with her mother and older brother Erik.
After graduating from Brighton High School in Rochester, Wiig attended the University of Arizona as an art student. She took her first acting class, as an elective, and was soon encouraged by her teacher to pursue acting. Years later, she moved to Los Angeles and Wiig worked as a main company member of the Los Angeles-based improv and sketch-comedy troupe The Groundlings. As a Groundlings alumna, she joins the ranks of such SNL cast mates as Maya Rudolph, Will Ferrell, Phil Hartman, and Jon Lovitz.
Wiig made her big-screen debut to universal high praise as Katherine Heigl's passive-aggressive boss in Judd Apatow's smash-hit comedy Knocked Up (2007). Additional film credits include Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, Whip It (2009), starring Elliot Page; Greg Mottola's Adventureland (2009), with Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg; David Koepp's Ghost Town (2008), with Ricky Gervais; and Jake Kasdan's Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), another Apatow-produced film, in which she starred opposite John C. Reilly. She has also guest-starred on the Emmy-winning NBC series 30 Rock (2006), the HBO series Bored to Death (2009), with Jason Schwartzman, and Flight of the Conchords (2007).
Wiig joined the cast of Saturday Night Live (1975) in 2005, and was known for playing such memorable characters as the excitable Target clerk, Lawrence Welk singer Doonese, the hilarious one-upper Penelope, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Suze Orman, among others. Wiig earned four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on the show. She left the show in the spring of 2012.
In 2011, Wiig co-wrote and starred in Bridesmaids (2011), along with Melissa McCarthy, Maya Rudolph, and Rose Byrne. The film was a box office hit and won several awards, plus earned two Oscar nominations (Best Supporting Actress and Best Original Screenplay), and two Golden Globes nominations (Best Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical and Best Actress).
Wiig also appeared in such notable films as Greg Mottola's Paul (2011), opposite Simon Pegg and Nick Frost; Andrew Jarecki's All Good Things (2010), opposite Ryan Gosling, Kirsten Dunst and Frank Langella; DreamWorks Animation's How to Train Your Dragon (2010), with Gerard Butler and Jay Baruchel; the Universal Pictures' animated feature film Despicable Me (2010), starring Steve Carell and Jason Segel; and Jennifer Westfeldt's Friends with Kids (2011), opposite Jon Hamm, Megan Fox, Adam Scott, Maya Rudolph and Westfeldt.- Heidi Hudson Leick, upon graduating high school, got a modeling gig in Japan; this was perfect because she loves traveling and modeling. When she returned to New York, her dream was to be an international model and then go into acting. One day, she quit modeling while in France, and pursued a TV career. After several episodes of Melrose Place (1992) and several TV movies, Hudson's big break in television came auditioning for her signature role of "Callisto" on Xena: Warrior Princess (1995). The casting people told her the part was that of a warrior queen, which she thought was great. Her audition consisted of doing a kick and throwing a chakram; having intimidated the crew, she got the part. Hudson attends Xena conventions as a guest of honor. She said her celebrity status surprises even her: when she had a birthday, several hundred fans sent her email messages. Her presence touches so many other people. She loves traveling, going on yoga retreats and climbing mountains. Hudson said at a convention, "I really want to thank all the people who have been supportive of me. It is so appreciated."
- Hina X. Khan is known for Stargirl (2020), Creepshow (2019) and I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson (2019).
- Katharine Isabelle was born Katharine Isobel Murray in Vancouver, British Columbia to Graeme Murray, an art director and production designer who has won two Emmy Awards for his special effects work on the television series The X-Files (1993) and Gail Murray, an amateur Vancouver writer and producer. Isabelle is the sister of journalist and former child actor Joshua Murray.
Breaking into acting in 1989 with parts in the films Cousins (1989), Cold Front (1989) and The Madonna (1989) episode of MacGyver (1985), Isabelle quickly proved herself as a skilled actress.
In 1992, she played the role of Erica Sanderson in Knight Moves (1992). American audiences took notice of her as Lindsay Clark in the teen thriller Disturbing Behavior (1998).
In 2000, Isabelle landed the lead role in the cult-favorite Ginger Snaps (2000), where her stand-out performance will leave a mark in the minds of viewers.
Continuing her busy career, she portrayed Tia in Bones (2001), Paige Fleming in Turning Paige (2001) and Tanya Francke in Insomnia (2002), opposite Al Pacino.
Throughout the 2000s, Isabelle appeared in several horror and slasher films, including Carrie (2002), Spooky House (2001), Freddy vs. Jason (2003), opposite Robert Englund as well as Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) and Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004).
She was also in varied independent films, among which Falling Angels (2003), On the Corner (2003), The Last Casino (2004), Everything's Gone Green (2006), the short film Favourite People List (2009), and Frankie & Alice (2010).
Isabelle has guest-starred in numerous popular television series throughout her career, some notable ones being The X-Files (1993), Da Vinci's Inquest (1998), Smallville (2001) and Supernatural (2005).
In 2008, she received the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for her role as Norma Carlyle in the praised TV adaptation The Englishman's Boy (2008).
In 2012, Isabelle starred in the controversial horror film American Mary (2012) which earned her special mention at the Austin Fantastic Fest in addition to a Festival Trophy Award for Best Actress, a Special Award for Best Actress, a Fright Meter Award for Best Actress and a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Leading Actress.
Followed appearances in 13 Eerie (2013), Torment (2013) and Lawrence & Holloman (2013) for which she obtained a Leo Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Motion Picture.
She also caught the eye of many with her magnetic portrayal of Margot Verger in the second and third seasons of the critically acclaimed NBC TV series Hannibal (2013).
In 2014, she reunited with American Mary (2012) creators Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska in See No Evil 2 (2014).
In 2015, Isabelle starred in the thriller film 88 (2015) and the horror film The Girl in the Photographs (2015). That year, she could also be seen in the indie film How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town (2015), alongside Jewel Staite, Lauren Lee Smith and Ennis Esmer. - Laura Harring is a Mexican actress best known for her role as the mysterious amnesiac Rita in David Lynch's enigmatic film Mulholland Drive, which was recently voted the best film of the 21st century in multiple polls. Film critic Roger Ebert compared Harring to screen legend Rita Hayworth, while the International Herald Tribune's film reviewer likened Laura to Ava Gardner. But Laura Harring is her own person, a classical performer with a passion for acting, dance, travel, food and life.
Laura Harring became a world traveler shortly after finishing her studies at the prestigious Aiglon College, one of Switzerland's exclusive private boarding schools. After graduating with an academic diploma, Laura spent time in the foothills of the Himalayas, working as a social worker to help transport heavy rocks, plant gardens, build schools, and perform other manual tasks that helped the villagers create a better quality of life. After her social work, Laura devoted a year to backpacking through Asia and Europe, often falling asleep beside the ocean in a sleeping bag, an experience that changed her life forever. Laura spent time living in other countries and meeting new people, and it changed her life profoundly.
Years later, Harring starred opposite extraordinary actors such as Oscar winner Javier Bardem in the adaptation of Nobel Peace Prize winner Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera, Oscar winner Denzel Washington in John Q, and Oscar winner William Hurt in The King. Laura also starred opposite John Travolta in Marvel's The Punisher. For the small screen, Laura starred opposite Forest Whitaker in the critically acclaimed television show The Shield, a show that changed the conventional formula of the cop genre and won multiple awards. Later she starred as Ed Westwick's mom in the super-hit TV show Gossip Girl. But Laura was no stranger to the small screen, having started her career as a series regular on Aaron Spelling's Sunset Beach on NBC.
In her earlier years, Laura studied at the London Academy of Performing Arts. She credits her grandfather, an extraordinary athlete who was due to compete in the Olympics in 1948, for her equestrian and fencing skills. Her philosophy in life is unique. She believes we are all one human family meant to enjoy the trip of life. - A third-generation actress on both sides of her family, Robin was born in a trunk. Actually, she was almost born in a taxi on the Brooklyn Bridge but traffic was good that day so she made her actual debut at Beth Israel hospital in New York City. Her parents, both professional actors, owned and ran legit theaters, in Aspen, Atlanta and Syracuse and had a very practical philosophy: "If you have children, use them." Consequently, Robin grew up on stage, backstage, in the box office and selling cookies in the lobby. Classically trained since the age of two, including several years with the prestigious Colorado Shakespeare Festival, Robin has since split her time between stage, film and television. Even after starring in countless TV series and films, the stage remains Robin's favorite version of soul food.
Her television work includes starring roles as a series regular in six series, among them: The Gregory Hines Show (CBS), Thunder Alley with Edward Asner (ABC) the groundbreaking SHOWTIME series, Brothers (two Ace Award nominations for Best Actress in a comedy) two series for FOX including the cult classic comedy Get A Life, in which she played Chris Elliott's nemesis. One particular episode, in which Chris and Robin play rival stars in a community theatre production, was named by TV Guide as "One of the fifty funniest TV moments of all time."
Robin has had recurring roles in several popular series including Reba, Hung, and Boston Legal as well as guest-starring roles on dozens of shows; playing Hector Elizondo's ex-wife on Tim Allen's Last Man Standing, Bones, Switched at Birth, Anger Management with Charlie Sheen, NCIS, and Justified, to name but a few. TV movies include, This Magic Moment, Holly's Holiday and the mini-series Gone But Not Forgotten opposite Brooke Shields.
The Indie film, The Wedding Party, will be making the rounds of the festival circuit soon and the John Sayles cult classic, Alligator, in which Robin stars opposite Robert Forster is having a "behind the scenes" DVD release in the near future.
Her stage credits include All My Sons with Neil Patrick Harris at The Geffen Playhouse, (Ovation nomination for Best Supporting Actress), George Furth's play, Sex, Sex, Sex, Sex, and Sex at the Matrix (LA Weekly nomination for Best Supporting Actress), Les Liaisons Dangereuses at The Blank Theatre (Ovation nomination for Best Actress) Pied a Terre- (Off-Broadway) Welcome to the Woods (Off-Broadway and part of the New York 400 Festival), Bernard Slade's I Remember You with Tony Danza at Garry Marshall's Falcon Theatre, and The Kiss at City Hall at the Pasadena Playhouse, Cannibals at the Zephyr Theatre and productions of Ladies Room in both Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Her book, A Survivors' Guide to Hollywood: How to Play the Game Without Losing Your Soul, was released in 2013 and is available at Samuel French, Skylight Bookstore, and worldwide via Amazon and Barnes and Noble. More info at www.robinriker.com - Jaime Murray is a British actress, activist and television producer who lives and works in Los Angeles California. Trained at Drama Centre London before playing con artist Stacie Monroe in the BBC series Hustle upon graduation in 2004. The role of Lila West in the Showtime series Dexter took her to Los Angeles in 2007 where she has since lived and worked. Jaime is developing a limited TV series about the The Life and Death of John Allen Chau. The series will tell the story of the 26-year old Chinese American, who believed he was called by God to save the souls of the last 'uncontacted tribe' on earth by converting them to Christianity. She will exec produce with UCP, Littleton Road Productions and Activist Artists Management. Known for playing Stahma Tarr in the Syfy series Defiance (2013-2015), The Black Fairy in the ABC series Once Upon a Time (2016-2017), Antoinette in The CW series The Originals (2018), and Nyssa al Ghul in Gotham (2019), Gaia in the Starz miniseries Spartacus: Gods of the Arena (2011), Olivia Charles in The CW series Ringer (2011-2012), Helena G. Wells in the Syfy series Warehouse 13 (2010-2014)
- Elizabeth Blackmore is an Australian actress who portrays Valerie Tulle in the seventh season of The Vampire Diaries. She was born in Perth, Australia and is a graduate of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. In 2013, Blackmore was a finalist for the Heath Ledger Scholarship award which is intended to give her a chance at success in Hollywood. Aside from her role in The Vampire Diaries, she is best known for playing Natalie in the 2013 horror film Evil Dead and for her upcoming recurring role on Supernatural another CW Series.
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Goldie Jeanne Hawn was born November 21, 1945 in Washington, D.C. to Laura Hawn, who owned a dance school, and Rut Hawn, a band musician. She has one sister, entertainment publicist Patti Hawn; a brother, Edward, died in infancy before her birth. She was raised in the Jewish religion. Her mother was Jewish and the daughter of Hungarian immigrants. Her father was Presbyterian. At the age of three, Goldie began taking ballet and tap dance lessons, and at the age of ten she danced in the chorus of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo production of "The Nutcracker". At the age of 19 she ran and instructed a ballet school, having dropped out of college where she was majoring in drama. Before going into the film business she worked as a professional dancer.
Hawn made her feature film debut in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968), with a small role as a giggling dancer. Her first big role came in 1969, where she played opposite Walter Matthau and Ingrid Bergman in Cactus Flower (1969), a role which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. After the Oscar win her career took off and she followed with roles in successful comedies such as There's a Girl in My Soup (1970) and Shampoo (1975), and more dramatic roles in The Girl from Petrovka (1974) and The Sugarland Express (1974). In 1978, she starred alongside Chevy Chase in the box office hit, Foul Play (1978). In 1980 she starred in another box office hit, Private Benjamin (1980), where she also served as producer. During the 1980s she starred in hit movies such as Best Friends (1982), Protocol (1984) and Wildcats (1986). In 1987, she appeared with her boyfriend Kurt Russell in Overboard (1987), which became both a critical and box office disappointment. Her career slowed down after that until 1990 when she starred alongside Mel Gibson in Bird on a Wire (1990). In 1992 she starred in the successful film, Death Becomes Her (1992), with Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis, which was followed by another successful film HouseSitter (1992), which co-starred Steve Martin. In 1996 she played the role of an aging alcoholic actress in the comedy, The First Wives Club (1996), with Diane Keaton and Bette Midler; it became a critical and financial success. She also starred in the Woody Allen film Everyone Says I Love You (1996) and The Out-of-Towners (1999), which reunited her with Martin. In 2001 and 2002 she starred in Town & Country (2001) with Warren Beatty, and The Banger Sisters (2002) with Susan Sarandon.
Goldie has been married twice. First to dancer/director Gus Trikonis from 1969 to 1973. In 1976 she married musician Bill Hudson and became a mother for the first time that year, when she gave birth to their son Oliver Hudson. In 1979, she had her second child with Hudson, daughter Kate Hudson. The marriage ended in divorce in 1980. Since 1983, she has been having a relationship with actor Kurt Russell. Their son Wyatt Russell was born in 1986. Goldie is also a de-facto stepmother to Kurt's son Boston Russell. She has eight grandchildren.- Actress
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Vanessa Bayer was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, where she attended Orange High School. She is best known as a cast member of Saturday Night Live (1975). In 2004, she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication. During her college career, she worked as an intern for Sesame Street (1969) and Late Night with Conan O'Brien (1993).- Actress
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Margaret Hamilton was born December 9, 1902 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Jennie (Adams) and Walter Hamilton. She later attended Hathaway Brown School in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and practiced acting doing children's theater while a Junior League of Cleveland member. Margaret had already built her resume with several performances in film before she came to her most memorable and astronomically successful role, Almira Gulch / The Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz (1939). The character is considered to be one of the screen's greatest and most memorable villains of all time.- Actress
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Janet began her stage career, right out of high school, at the legendary Kansas City Starlight Theatre, appearing in many many musicals including: "Hello Dolly", "Guys and Dolls"," Mame", "Gypsy", "South Pacific", "Pajama Game", "Carousel" and many others. Janet continued her stage work in California for many years, starring opposite Cloris Leachman in "A Couple of White Chicks", starred with Lynn Redgrave and John Lithgow in "Lady Windemere's Fan", among other productions. Janet made her Broadway debut in "Little Women", alongside Sutton Foster and Maureen McGovern.
Her big break in films came when she was cast as Tom Cruise's mother in Risky Business (1983). From there, she went on to star in numerous films, working almost non-stop till last year. Her films include: Family Business (1989), Memories of Me (1988), Forces of Nature (1999), The Killing Time (1987), Enough (2002), Talent for the Game (1991), "My Guaranteed Student Loan", among many others. Her television career was just as busy, with recurring roles or lead roles in: The Bronx Zoo (1987), Murphy Brown (1988), Melrose Place (1992), Married... with Children (1987), Bonnie (1995), and guest appearances on: Brothers & Sisters (2006), Scrubs (2001), Designing Women (1986), 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996), Mary (1985), etc. Her co- stars includes such luminaries as: Sean Connery, Dustin Hoffman, Celeste Holm, Jennifer Lopez, Sandra Bullock, Billy Crystal, Alan King, Ben Affleck, Mary Tyler Moore, Edward Asner, Brad Pitt, Matthew Broderick, Billy Campbell, Lorraine Bracco and Edward James Olmos, to name a few.
Janet won the coveted Los Angeles Drama Logue Critics Award for outstanding achievement in theatre for Ezra Pound's "Electra". For eight years, she was the Artistic Director of The Jazz Series at The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center, Janet was the co-founder of "The Victory Ball" in Westport CT, annually benefiting ALS Foundation(Lou Gehrig's Disease). She served on the Executive Board of Directors of Ginny Mancini's "Society of Singers" as VP of Development.
Her ashes will be spread in the Edgebrook Lutheran Church Memorial Garden in Chicago, Illinois, in a ceremony to be determined at a later date.- Actress
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Multi-talented, multi-award-winning actress Kathleen (Doyle) Bates was born on June 28, 1948, and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. She is the youngest of three girls born to Bertye Kathleen (Talbot), a homemaker, and Langdon Doyle Bates, a mechanical engineer. Her grandfather was author Finis L. Bates. Kathy has English, as well as Irish, Scottish, and German, ancestry, and one of her ancestors, an Irish emigrant to New Orleans, once served as President Andrew Jackson's doctor.
Kathy discovered acting appearing in high school plays and studied drama at Southern Methodist University, graduating in 1969. With her mind firmly set, she moved to New York City in 1970 and paid her dues by working everything from a cash register to taking lunch orders. Things started moving quickly up the ladder after giving a tour-de-force performance alongside Christopher Walken at Buffalo's Studio Arena Theatre in Lanford Wilson's world premiere of "Lemon Sky" in 1970, but she also had a foreshadowing of the heartbreak to come after the successful show relocated to New York's off-Broadway Playhouse Theatre without her and Walken wound up winning a Drama Desk award.
By the mid-to-late 1970s, Kathy was treading the boards frequently as a rising young actress of the New York and regional theater scene. She appeared in "Casserole" and "A Quality of Mercy" (both 1975) before earning exceptional reviews for her role of Joanne in "Vanities". She took her first Broadway curtain call in 1980's "Goodbye Fidel," which lasted only six performances. She then went directly into replacement mode when she joined the cast of the already-established and highly successful "Fifth of July" in 1981.
Kathy made a false start in films with Taking Off (1971), in which she was billed as "Bobo Bates". She didn't film again until Straight Time (1978), starring Dustin Hoffman, and that part was not substantial enough to cause a stir. Things turned hopeful, however, when Kathy and the rest of the female ensemble were given the chance to play their respective Broadway parts in the film version of Robert Altman's Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982). It was a juicy role for Kathy and film audiences finally started noticing the now 34-year-old.
Still and all, it was the New York stage that continued to earn Kathy awards and acclaim. She was pure textbook to any actor studying how to disappear into a role. Her characters ranged from free and life-affirming to downright pitiable. Despite winning a Tony Award nomination and Outer Critic's Circle Award for her stark, touchingly sad portrait of a suicidal daughter in 1983's "'night, Mother" and the Obie and Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for her powerhouse job as a romantic misfit in "Frankie and Johnny in the Claire de Lune," Kathy had no box-office pull, however, and was never a strong consideration when the roles transferred to the screen. Her award-winning stage went to established film stars. First Sissy Spacek took over her potent role as the suicidal Jessie Cates in 'night, Mother (1986), then Michelle Pfeiffer seized the moment to play her dumpy lover character in Frankie and Johnny (1991). It would take Oscar glory to finally rectify the injustice.
It was Kathy's fanatical turn as the drab, chunky, porcine-looking psychopath Annie Wilkes, who kidnaps her favorite author (James Caan) and subjects him to a series of horrific tortures, that finally turned the tide for her in Hollywood. With the 1990 shocker Misery (1990), based on the popular Stephen King novel, Bates and Caan were box office magic. Moreover, Kathy captured the "Best Actress" Oscar and Golden Globe award, a first in that genre (horror) for that category. To add to her happiness she married Tony Campisi, also an actor, in 1991.
Quality film scripts now started coming her way and the 1990s proved to be a rich and rewarding time for her. First, she and another older "overnight" film star, fellow Oscar winner Jessica Tandy, starred together in the modern portion of the beautifully nuanced, flashback period piece Fried Green Tomatoes (1991). She then outdid herself as the detached and depressed housekeeper accused of murdering her abusive husband (David Strathairn) in Dolores Claiborne (1995). Surprisingly, she was left out of the Oscar race for these two excellent performances. Not so, however, for her flashy political advisor Libby Holden in the movie Primary Colors (1998), receiving praise and a "Best Supporting Actress" nomination.
Kathy has continued to work prolifically on TV as a 14-time Emmy winner or nominee thus far. She has also taken to directing a couple of TV-movies on the sly. As most actors, she has been in hit and miss TV shows. On the hit side, she has earned a Golden Globe and Emmy nomination for her portrayal of Jay Leno's manager playing tough politics in The Late Shift (1996) and played to the hilt the cruel-minded orphanage operator, Miss Hannigan, in Annie (1999) for which she also earned an Emmy nom. She has done some eye-catching, offbeat turns on regular series such as Six Feet Under (2001) (for which she also earned a DGA award for helming an episode), The Office (2005), Harry's Law (2011) and especially American Horror Story (2011) for which she won an Emmy as Ethel Darling. She also won an Emmy for a guest episode on the hit sitcom Two and a Half Men (2003).
Interesting millennium filming have included a Catholic school's Mother Superior in the comic drama Bruno (2000); Jesse James' mother in American Outlaws (2001); a quirky, liberal mom in About Schmidt (2002) for which she earned another "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar nomination; a brief but potent turn as Gertrude Stein in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris (2011); Queen Victoria in the adventurous remake of Around the World in 80 Days (2004); wacky parent types in the comedies Failure to Launch (2006) and Relative Strangers (2006); Mother Claus in the seasonal farce Fred Claus (2007); an over-gushy foster mother in the dramedy The Great Gilly Hopkins (2015); and a wrenching performance as the mother of a suspected terrorist in Richard Jewell (2019) for which she earned her third "Best Supporting Actress" Oscar nomination.
Divorced from husband Campisi since 1997, Kathy has been the Executive Committee Chair of the Actors Branch of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Board of Governors.- Actress
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Vanessa Ray Liptak is an American actress. She is known for her role on Pretty Little Liars as Charlotte Drake; and also for her roles as Jenny on the legal drama series Suits, Teri Ciccone on the soap opera As the World Turns, Officer Eddie Janko-Reagan on long-running family-police drama Blue Bloods, and Maggie "Rocker" Sheldon on White Collar.- Actress
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Jennifer Coolidge is a versatile character actress and experimental comedienne, best known for playing Stifler's mom in American Pie (1999).
She was born on August 28, 1961, in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, to Gretchen (Knauff) and Paul Constant Coolidge, a plastics manufacturer. Young Coolidge was dreaming of becoming a singer. She attended Norwell High School and Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, and earned her bachelor's degree in theatre in 1985. She moved to New York and joined the Gotham City improv group. Then, she headed to Los Angeles where she became a long-running member of "The Groundlings" comedy troupe. Coolidge made her television debut in a guest role on NBC's Seinfeld (1989), playing a voluptuous masseuse who won't offer her professional services to boyfriend Jerry in a 1993 episode. The following year, she had a regular gig on ABC's short-lived sketch series She TV (1994), then briefly became a cast member and writer on another short-lived sketch comedy series, Fox's Saturday Night Special (1996) produced by Roseanne Barr.
Coolidge made her big screen debut as a nurse in Not of This Earth (1995), then in the courtroom comedy Trial and Error (1997). Then, she appeared in small roles in several more feature films, and also continued her television work. Coolidge had her breakthrough role in American Pie (1999), as a boozed-up and sultry mom who seduces her son's classmate with the comment that she liked her scotch and men the same way: aged 18 years. She recreated the character in the sequel American Pie 2 (2001). Then, she reprized her role as "Paulette" opposite Reese Witherspoon in the "Legally Blonde" franchise. Although, she lost the part of "Lynette Scavo" on Desperate Housewives (2004) to Felicity Huffman, Coolidge graced several TV comedies as well, with major guest appearances on Frasier (1993) and Sex and the City (1998). Then, she landed a recurring role in the ABC sitcom Joey (2004), as "Bobbie Morgenstern", Joey's agent, appearing in 37 episodes over two seasons.
Eventually, Coolidge emerged as a versatile character actress with her no-holds-barred approach to comedy and her vanity-free comfort with playing uninhibited, unappealing characters, and delivering lines with sexual innuendo. Her talent shines in a range of characters, from a gold-digging dog owner in Best in Show (2000), to a scheming wife of an elderly mogul in Down to Earth (2001), to an opportunistic mother in American Dreamz (2006). Coolidge's gift for altering her appearance and manner, as well as her mastery of timing, shines in her perfectly hideous performance as "Fiona", a wicked stepmother in A Cinderella Story (2004) opposite Hilary Duff, for which Coolidge won a 2005 Teen Choice Award. Her lasting collaboration with director Christopher Guest continues in For Your Consideration (2006).
She has been sharing her time between her two homes, one is in Hollywood, California, and one in New Orleans, where she bought a historic mansion before the Hurricane Katrina hit the city, and then became involved in its restoration.