Devil in a Blue Dress 1995 premiere

1. Denzel Washington

Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr. was born on December 28, 1954 in Mount Vernon, New York. He is the middle of three children of a beautician mother, Lennis, from Georgia, and a Pentecostal minister father, Denzel Washington, Sr., from Virginia. After graduating from high school, Denzel enrolled at ...

2. Tom Sizemore

Actor | Saving Private Ryan

Tom Sizemore rose in prominence throughout the 1990s, establishing himself as a memorable tough-guy actor, sought by the most respected directors in the business.

Thomas Edward Sizemore, Jr. was born in Detroit, Michigan, to Judith (Schannault), an ombudsman staff member, and Thomas Edward Sizemore, ...

3. Don Cheadle

Actor | Crash

Donald Frank Cheadle was born in Kansas City, Missouri, on November 29, 1964. His childhood found him moving from city to city with his family: mother Bettye (née North), a teacher; father Donald Frank Cheadle Sr., a clinical psychologist; sister Cindy; and brother Colin. After graduating from high...

4. Carl Franklin

Director | One False Move

Carl Franklin studied history and dramatic arts at UC Berkeley. After several years as a television actor with guest shots, roles in TV movies, miniseries, and appearing as a regular on a few unsuccessful series, he returned to school and received his master's degree in directing from the American ...

5. Jodie Foster

Actress | The Silence of the Lambs

Jodie Foster started her career at the age of two. For four years she made commercials and finally gave her debut as an actress in the TV series Mayberry R.F.D. (1968). In 1975 Jodie was offered the role of prostitute Iris Steensma in the movie Taxi Driver (1976). This role, for which she received ...

6. Will Smith

Producer | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Willard Carroll "Will" Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, comedian, producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him "the most powerful actor in Hollywood". Smith has been nominated for five Golden ...

7. Alfre Woodard

Actress | Star Trek: First Contact

Alfre Woodard was born on November 8, 1952 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the youngest of three children of Constance, a homemaker, and Marion H. Woodard, an interior designer. She was named by her godmother, who claimed she saw a vision of Alfre's name written out in gold letters. A former high school ...

8. Mykelti Williamson

Actor | Forrest Gump

Perhaps best remembered for his touching performance as "Bubba" opposite Tom Hanks in the Academy Award-winning Forrest Gump (1994), Mykelti Williamson is one of the most sought-after actors in Hollywood, who has been steadily honing his craft since he first began acting professionally at the age ...

9. Magic Johnson

Producer | Obsessed

Magic Johnson was born on August 14, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Obsessed (2009), Dead Tone (2007) and Hair Show (2004). He has been married to Cookie Johnson since September 14, 1991. They have two children.

10. Jerry West

Actor | Uncle Drew

Jerry West was born on May 28, 1938 in Chelyan, West Virginia, USA. He is an actor, known for Uncle Drew (2018), Arli$$ (1996) and Vince's Places (2022). He has been married to Karen Christine Bua since May 28, 1978. They have two children. He was previously married to Martha Jane Kane.

11. Mark Johnson

Producer | Rain Man

Mark Johnson was born on December 27, 1945 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is a producer and assistant director, known for Rain Man (1988), The Holdovers (2023) and El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019). He has been married to Lezlie Brooks Johnson since September 26, 1982. They have ...

12. Mark Canton

Producer | 300

Amongst Mark Canton's most notable films are 300, 300: Rise of an Empire, The Spiderwick Chronicles and Immortals. 300, based on the Frank Miller graphic novel and directed by Zack Snyder for Warner Bros Pictures, opened in 2007 to record-setting box office numbers, having grossed more than $460 ...

13. Alan Levine

Production_manager | They Live

Alan Levine is known for They Live (1988), Escape from New York (1981) and In the Heat of the Night (1967).

14. Marc Platt

Producer | La La Land

Marc Platt was born on April 14, 1957 in Pikesville, Maryland, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for La La Land (2016), Cruella (2021) and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020). He has been married to Julie Beren since July 1, 1979. They have five children.

15. Stacey Snider

Producer | Under the Dome

Stacey Snider is a renowned entertainment industry leader having served atop studios such as 20th Century Fox, Dreamworks and Universal with a commitment to supporting talent, filmmakers and stories. In October 2019, Snider joined forces with Elisabeth Murdoch and Jane Featherstone to found SISTER,...

16. Sidney Ganis

Producer | Akeelah and the Bee

Sidney Ganis was born on January 8, 1940 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Akeelah and the Bee (2006), Iron Man (2008) and Little Nicky (2000).

17. Kristi Yamaguchi

Actress | D2: The Mighty Ducks

Kristi was the Gold Medalist in figure skating at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, France. She was World Champion twice, in 1991 and 1992, and U. S. National Champion in 1992. Kristi was also U.S. National Pairs Champion twi ce, in 1989 and 1990, before deciding to focus on singles. In 1988...

18. Delroy Lindo

Actor | Get Shorty

On the stage and on the big screen, Delroy Lindo projects a powerful presence that is almost impossible to ignore. Alhough it was not his first film role, his portrayal of the bipolar numbers boss West Indian Archie in Spike Lee's Malcolm X (1992) is what first attracted attention to Lindo's ...

19. Lori Petty

Actress | Tank Girl

After this feisty, highly offbeat actress from Chattanooga, Tennessee, broke into TV in the 1980s, she immediately set herself apart from the norm with a prime role as new owner Bud Cort's female friend in the bizarre mini-movie Bates Motel (1987). This rather inauspicious beginning would also set ...

20. Jada Pinkett Smith

Actress | The Matrix Revolutions

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 ...

21. Garcelle Beauvais

Actress | Spider-Man: Homecoming

Named one of People Magazine's highly coveted 50 Most Beautiful in 2014, Haitian-born actress Garcelle Beauvais immigrated to the United States at the age of seven with her mother and sisters, and has since charmed audiences with her dramatic and comedic abilities. A seasoned actress, Garcelle ...

22. Cookie Johnson

Self | E! News Daily

Cookie Johnson was born on January 20, 1959 in the USA. She has been married to Magic Johnson since September 14, 1991. They have two children.

23. Lysette Anthony

Actress | Dracula: Dead and Loving It

Lysette Anthony was born on September 26, 1963 in Fulham, London, England, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995), Krull (1983) and Husbands and Wives (1992). She was previously married to David Price and Luc Leestemaker.

24. Christian Oliver

Actor | Speed Racer

German actor Christian Oliver worked in the entertainment industry for more than 15 years, with, among others, Steven Soderbergh in The Good German; with Brian Singer and Tom Cruise in Valkyrie; and with the Wachowski sisters in Speed Racer. He also starred in Europe's Number One action series ...

25. Maeve Quinlan

Actress | Not Easily Broken

Born in Chicago from Irish parent, blonde, tall and very beautiful, Maeve Quinlan entered in the professional tennis circuit at age 16, appearing in several major tournaments and eventually reaching seed position #95 in world rankings, before turning to acting; she has starred in many films in ...

26. Gene Simmons

Actor | Extract

Best known as the fire breathing, blood splitting and larger than life co-founder of the major hard rock group, KISS. Simmons was actually born Chaim Witz in August 1949 in Haifa, Israel, the son of Hungarian Jewish parents, Flóra "Florence" (Klein or Kovács) and Feri Yechiel Witz. He moved to New ...

27. Shannon Tweed

Actress | Electra

Shannon Tweed was born in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She rose to stardom as Miss November 1981 for Playboy magazine. In 1982, Shannon began her film career and also appeared in the soap opera Falcon Crest (1981). She became Playmate of the Year in 1982. She was briefly involved ...

28. Lou Diamond Phillips

Actor | Courage Under Fire

Louis Diamond Phillips is an American actor and film director. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film La Bamba (1987). For Stand and Deliver (1988), Phillips was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and won an Independent Spirit Award. Phillips made his...

29. Kelly Phillips

Make_up_department | The Wharf Rat

Kelly Phillips is known for The Wharf Rat (1995), Undertow (1996) and Intimate Betrayal (1996). She was previously married to Lou Diamond Phillips.

30. Kelly Preston

Actress | Battlefield Earth

Kelly Preston was born on October 13, 1962 in Honolulu, Hawaii. A talented and captivating performer, she first garnered international attention with her role as "Marnie Mason" in Ivan Reitman's Twins (1988), starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. With her diverse character portrayals in ...

31. Maitland Ward

Actress | White Chicks

Maitland Ward (born Ashley Maitland Welkos, on February 3, 1977 in Long Beach, California). She began her career as "Jessica Forrester" on The Bold and the Beautiful (1987), where she appeared for three years. From there, she guest-starred on Home Improvement (1991).

Maitland is also well-known as "...

32. Karyn Parsons

Actress | Major Payne

Karyn Parsons decided to go into acting at the age of 13. She had her first TV role in the NBC drama The Bronx Zoo (1987), but she made her big break as Will Smith's cousin "Hilary Banks" on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990). During the show's six-year run, she starred in movies ...

33. Walter Mosley

Producer | The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey

Walter Mosley was born on January 12, 1952 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is a producer and writer, known for The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (2022), Snowfall (2017) and Devil in a Blue Dress (1995).

34. Cynthia Preston

Actress | Jack Ryan

Cynthia Preston is an actor, producer, Co-founder of Cyndicate VR Productions, and Co-founder of Dame 51, a writer's collaborative. She is both Canadian and American. She is known for her roles in Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, Carrie, Total Recall 2070, and she starred in Whale Music which was the ...

35. Maury Chaykin

Actor | My Cousin Vinny

The award-winning Canadian-American character actor Maury Chaykin was born on July 27, 1949 in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Professor Irving J. Chaykin and his wife Clarice. Irving Chaykin, an American citizen, taught accountancy at the City College of New York. The former Clarice Bloomfield, his...

36. John C. McGinley

Actor | Scrubs

John C. McGinley's path to stardom is a story that reads like a classic Hollywood script. While an understudy in New York in the Circle-In-The-Square production of John Patrick Shanley's "Danny and the Deep Blue Sea," he was spotted by director Oliver Stone and soon after was cast in "Platoon," the...

37. Elmer Bernstein

Composer | Far from Heaven

Elmer Bernstein was educated at the Walden School and New York University. He served in the US Army Air Corps in World War II, writing scores for the service radio unit. He also wrote and arranged musical numbers for Glenn Miller's Army Air Force Band. A prolific and respected film music composer, ...

38. Albert Hall

Actor | Malcolm X

Albert P. Hall was born November 10, 1937 in the small town of Brighton, Alabama. He attended Columbia University and graduated in 1971. His most famous film role was probably in 1979 as Chief Phillips in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now (1979). Contemporary audiences will probably recognize ...

39. Sondra Spriggs

Actress | Species II

Sondra Spriggs is known for Species II (1998), Turbulence (1997) and Martin (1992). She has been married to Mykelti Williamson since April 26, 1997. They have two children.

40. Pauletta Washington

Soundtrack | Philadelphia

Pauletta Washington was born on September 28, 1950 in the USA. She is an actress, known for Philadelphia (1993), Antwone Fisher (2002) and Genius (2017). She has been married to Denzel Washington since June 25, 1983. They have four children.

41. Ungela Brockman

Actress | Starship Troopers

Ungela Brockman was born on February 24, 1970 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Starship Troopers (1997), Mystery Men (1999) and Showgirls (1995).

42. Whitney Houston

Soundtrack | The Bodyguard

Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born into a musical family on 9 August 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of gospel star Cissy Houston (née Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr., and cousin of singing star Dionne Warwick.

She began singing in the choir at her church, The New Hope ...

43. Erika Alexander

Actress | Get Out

Erika Alexander is beloved for the iconic acting roles of Maxine Shaw (Living Single), Detective Latoya (Get Out), Perenna (Black Lightning), and Linda Diggs (Wutang: An American Saga). Erika wears many hats, including actress, trailblazing activist, entrepreneur, creator, producer, and director --...

44. Angela Bassett

Actress | Strange Days

Captivating, gifted, and sensational, Angela Bassett's presence has been felt in theaters and on stages and television screens throughout the world. Angela Evelyn Bassett was born on August 16, 1958 in New York City, to Betty Jane (Gilbert), a social worker, and Daniel Benjamin Bassett, a ...

45. Halle Berry

Actress | Catwoman

Halle Maria Berry was born Maria Halle Berry on August 14, 1966 in Cleveland, Ohio and raised in Oakwood, Ohio to Judith Ann Berry (née Hawkins), a psychiatric nurse & Jerome Jesse Berry, a hospital attendant. Her father was African-American and her mother is of mostly English and German descent. ...

46. Andre Braugher

Actor | Homicide: Life on the Street

Many actors have attempted to crack both genres of drama and comedy. Few have succeeded, among them the genial Andre Braugher (pronounced 'Ahn-drey Braw-ger'). A two-time Emmy Award winner, he is especially remembered for two seminal roles: as the intense, often explosive Detective Frank Pembleton ...

47. Garth Brooks

Soundtrack | Frequency

Troyal Garth Brooks is an American country music singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him popularity, particularly in the United States with success on the country music single and album charts, multi-platinum recordings and ...

48. LeVar Burton

Actor | Star Trek: Generations

LeVar Burton was born on February 16, 1957 in Landstuhl, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. He is an actor and director, known for Star Trek: Generations (1994), Star Trek: First Contact (1996) and Star Trek: Insurrection (1998). He has been married to Stephanie Cozart Burton since October 3, 1992. ...

49. Tisha Campbell

Actress | Little Shop of Horrors

Tisha Michelle Campbell was born on October 13, 1968 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma & raised in Newark, New Jersey. Her first TV appearance was at the age of 8 on episode #006 of the PBS show, The Big Blue Marble (1974). The show featured stories on the life and culture of children from around the ...

50. Ray Charles

Actor | The Blues Brothers

A tragic fate may have given this visionary a heightened sensitivity, perception, awareness, even expansion to his obvious musical gifts that he may have never touched upon had he not suffered from his physical affliction. Whatever it was, Ray Charles revolutionized American music and was ...

51. Kim Coles

Actress | Living Single

Kim Coles was born on January 11, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Living Single (1993), Frasier (1993) and The Geena Davis Show (2000). She was previously married to Reggie Mckiver and Aton Edwards.

52. Michael DeLorenzo

Actor | Alive

Michael DeLorenzo was born on October 31, 1959 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Alive (1993), Resurrection Blvd. (2000) and A Few Good Men (1992).

53. Loretta Devine

Actress | Crash

Equally at home on stage and on screen, award-winning actress Loretta Devine has created some of the most memorable roles in theatre, film and television.

Devine first captured national attention in the role of Lorrell, one of the three original "Dreamgirls" in Michael Bennett's classic ...

54. Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds

Soundtrack | Ghostbusters II

Kenneth Brian Edmonds better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B hits throughout his career and has won 12 Grammy Awards. He was ranked number 20 on NME's 50 of The Greatest Producers Ever list.

55. Myrlie Evers-Williams

Writer | American Playhouse

Myrlie Evers-Williams was born on March 17, 1933 in Vicksburg, Mississippi, USA. She is a writer, known for American Playhouse (1980), Ghosts of Mississippi (1996) and Our World (1986). She was previously married to Walter Edward Williams and Medgar Evers.

56. Kim Fields

Actress | The Facts of Life

Kim Fields was born on May 12, 1969 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Facts of Life (1979), Living Single (1993) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012). She has been married to Christopher Morgan since July 23, 2007. They have two children. She ...

57. Kirk Franklin

Soundtrack | Norbit

Kirk Franklin was born on January 26, 1970 in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Norbit (2007), Any Given Sunday (1999) and Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996). He has been married to Tammy Collins since January 20, 1996. They ...

58. Daisy Fuentes

Actress | Baywatch

Daisy Fuentes was born on November 17, 1966 in Havana, Cuba. She is an actress, known for Baywatch (1989), Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995) and Curdled (1996). She has been married to Richard Marx since December 23, 2015. She was previously married to Timothy Adams.

59. Lauryn Hill

Soundtrack | Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

Lauryn Hill, a native of South Orange, New Jersey, first came to attention with the multi-talented Fugees. Their first album, "Blunted On Reality", went virtually unnoticed by the public; their real breakthrough came with the sophomore album, "The Score", which featured "Killing Me Softly". That ...

60. Pras Michel

Actor | Mystery Men

Pras Michel was born on October 19, 1972. He is an actor and producer, known for Mystery Men (1999), Bulworth (1998) and Turn It Up (2000).

61. Wyclef Jean

Soundtrack | Hotel Rwanda

Wyclef Jean is a Haitian rapper, singer-songwriter, musician and actor.

He first achieved fame as a member of the New Jersey hip hop group the Fugees. Jean has won three Grammy Awards for his musical work.

On August 5, 2010, Jean filed for candidacy in the 2010 Haitian presidential election. The ...

62. Johnny Gill

Soundtrack | New Jack City

Born in Washington, D.C., Johnny Gill was discovered by singer Stacy Lattisaw after singing in his family's group Wings of Faith from the age of five. His solo career began in 1983 with the Top 30 R&B single "Super Love." In 1988, he joined New Edition, replacing Bobby Brown. In 1989 he sang on two...

63. Nikki Giovanni

Self | Going to Mars

Nikki Giovanni was born on June 7, 1943 in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. She is an actress, known for Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project (2023), Love Life (2020) and Brooks People (2017).

64. Ed Gordon

Producer | BET Tonight with Tavis Smiley

Ed Gordon was born on August 17, 1960 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He is a producer, known for BET Tonight with Ed Gordon (1998), Impact the Vote (2020) and Woman in Motion (2019). He is married to Karen Haney. They have one child. He was previously married to Leslie Howard.

65. Arsenio Hall

Actor | Coming to America

Arsenio Hall was born on February 12, 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Coming to America (1988), Coming 2 America (2021) and Harlem Nights (1989).

66. David Hasselhoff

Actor | Baywatch

David Hasselhoff has become one of the most recognizable faces on television and throughout the world. Aside from starring in Knight Rider (1982) and Baywatch (1989), he is also an accomplished singer and popular recording artist.

David Michael Hasselhoff was born on July 17, 1952 in Baltimore, ...

67. Gregory Hines

Actor | History of the World: Part I

Gregory Hines was born on February 14, 1946 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for History of the World: Part I (1981), Running Scared (1986) and Renaissance Man (1994). He was married to Pamela Koslow and Patricia Panella. He died on August 9, 2003 in Los Angeles,...

68. Darius Rucker

Soundtrack | Message in a Bottle

Darius Rucker was born on May 13, 1966 in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for Message in a Bottle (1999), Monte Carlo (2011) and Ted (2012). He has been married to Beth Leonard since December 9, 2000. They have two children.

69. Mark Bryan

Soundtrack | Bring It On

Mark Bryan was born on May 6, 1967 in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Bring It On (2000), Message in a Bottle (1999) and Ted (2012). He was previously married to Laura Beth Brunty.

70. Dean Felber

Soundtrack | Message in a Bottle

Dean Felber is the bassist and one of the founding members of the two-time Grammy Award winning band, Hootie & the Blowfish. The band has sold upwards of 29 million records since their inception in 1986 and has won a multitude of awards, including ASCAP Songwriter of the Year.

Hootie & the Blowfish ...

71. Jim 'Soni' Sonefeld

Soundtrack | Message in a Bottle

Jim 'Soni' Sonefeld was born on October 20, 1964 in Lansing, Michigan, USA. He is an actor and composer, known for Message in a Bottle (1999), Ted (2012) and Marley & Me (2008). He has been married to Laura Beth Brunty since December 6, 2008. He was previously married to Deborah Ann Mason.

72. Quincy Jones

Producer | The Color Purple

Considered to be one of the greatest minds in music and television history, Quincy Delight Jones, Jr. was born on March 14, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. He is the son of Sarah Frances (Wells), a bank executive, and Quincy Delight Jones, Sr., a carpenter.

Jones found his love for music while he was ...

73. Rodney King

Self | Riots, Remembrance and Rodney King

Rodney King was born on April 2, 1965 in Sacramento, California, USA. He was married to Crystal Lynnette Waters and Dennetta Lyles. He died on June 17, 2012 in Rialto, California, USA.

74. Eartha Kitt

Actress | The Emperor's New Groove

An out-of-wedlock child, Eartha Kitt was born in the cotton fields of South Carolina. Kitt's mother was a sharecropper of African-American and Cherokee Native American descent. Her father's identity is unknown. Given away by her mother, she arrived in Harlem at age nine. At 15, she quit high school...

75. Martin Lawrence

Actor | Martin

Martin Fitzgerald Lawrence is an African-American comedian, producer, writer, director and actor. He is known for his roles in the Bad Boys trilogy, Martin, Def Comedy Jam, Big Momma's House, Open Season, House Party, Boomerang, Wild Hogs, What's Happening Now!!, Nothing to Lose, Life and Blue ...

76. James McDaniel

Actor | NYPD Blue

For seven seasons, acclaimed stage, screen and television actor James McDaniel portrayed Lt. Arthur Fancy on legendary television series NYPD Blue (1993). McDaniel recently completed shooting The Battle for Bunker Hill (2008), with director Kevin Willmott (CSA: Confederate States of America). ...

77. Kweisi Mfume

Self | The Remarkable Journey

Kweisi Mfume was born on October 24, 1948 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He has been married to Tiffany McMillan since 2012. He was previously married to Linda Shields.

78. Eddie Murphy

Actor | The Nutty Professor

Edward Regan Murphy was born April 3, 1961 in Brooklyn, New York, to Lillian Lynch (born: Lillian Laney), a telephone operator, and Charles Edward Murphy, a transit police officer who was also an amateur comedian and actor. After his father died, his mother married Vernon Lynch, a foreman at a ...

79. Richard Pryor

Actor | Superman III

Highly influential, and always controversial, African-American actor/comedian who was equally well known for his colorful language during his live comedy shows, as for his fast paced life, multiple marriages and battles with drug addiction. He has been acknowledged by many modern comic artist's as ...

80. Queen Latifah

Actress | Chicago

Often considered hip-hop's first lady, the woman behind the moniker Queen Latifah was born Dana Elaine Owens on March 18, 1970, in East Orange, New Jersey. She is the daughter of Rita (Bray), a teacher, and Lancelot Owens Sr. She came from a police family-both her father and her older brother were ...

81. Della Reese

Actress | Touched by an Angel

Della began singing in her hometown of Detroit when she was 6 years old. As a teenager, she toured with gospel great Mahalia Jackson and, at the age of 18, she formed the Meditation Singers and became the first performer to take gospel music to the casinos of Las Vegas. She was a vocalist with the ...

82. Gloria Reuben

Actress | Lincoln

Gloria Reuben is an actress, singer and published author whose impressive credentials in television, film, theater and music include portraying the HIV+ physician assistant Jeanie Boulet on the hit NBC series ER (a role that garnered her two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination) and many ...

83. Holly Robinson Peete

Actress | 21 Jump Street

Holly Robinson Peete was born on September 18, 1964 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for 21 Jump Street (1987), For Your Love (1998) and 21 Jump Street (2012). She has been married to Rodney Peete since June 10, 1995. They have four children.

84. Sinbad

Actor | Jingle All the Way

Sinbad was born in Benton Harbor, Michigan to two parents, Louise and the Baptist Rev. Dr. Donald Beckley Adkins and was then known as David Adkins. He is primarily known as an actor and somewhat a writer and proved his comedic acting style in House Guest (1994), Jingle All the Way (1996), First ...

85. Delila Vallot

Director | Can You Dig This

Delila Vallot is an actress, dancer, and director, born and raised in Hollywood, California. In her career, she has worked with some of the most well-known choreographers to date, including Vince Patterson, Jaime Rogers, and Debbie Allen, and has performed in such shows as Saturday Night Live, The ...

86. Dionne Warwick

Soundtrack | Alive

Dionne Warwick was born on December 12, 1940 in East Orange, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Alive (1993), The Happytime Murders (2018) and Bird Box (2018). She was previously married to William Elliott.

87. Forest Whitaker

Actor | The Last King of Scotland

Forest Steven Whitaker has packaged a king-size talent into his hulking 6' 2", 220 lb. frame. He won an Academy Award for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the film The Last King of Scotland (2006), and has also won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. He is the fourth African-American male to...

88. Lynn Whitfield

Actress | Madea's Family Reunion

With roots leading back to Louisiana southern aristocracy, lovely leading lady Lynn Whitfield was born in 1953, the eldest of four children and a third-generation BFA graduate from Howard University. Her dentist father was instrumental in developing Lynn's initial interest in acting as he was a ...

89. Oprah Winfrey

Producer | The Oprah Winfrey Show

Oprah Gail Winfrey , often known simply as Oprah, is an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, broadcast from Chicago, which was the highest-rated television program of its kind in history and ...

90. Malik Yoba

Actor | Cool Runnings

Malik Yoba was born on September 17, 1967 in Bronx, New York, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Cool Runnings (1993), New York Undercover (1994) and Cop Land (1997). He has been married to Cat Wilson since December 21, 2003. He was previously married to Trisha Mann.

91. Malcolm-Jamal Warner

Actor | The Cosby Show

Emmy-nominated actor and director Malcolm-Jamal Warner was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. He was named after Malcolm X and legendary jazz pianist Ahmad Jamal.

Warner first rose to national prominence by starring on the celebrated and long-running classic television series "The Cosby Show." His ...

92. Rodney Peete

Actor | The Fanatics

Rodney Peete was born on March 16, 1966 in Mesa, Arizona, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for The Fanatics (1997), For Peete's Sake (2016) and Motorvation (2022). He has been married to Holly Robinson Peete since June 10, 1995. They have four children.

93. Tia Mowry

Actress | Sister, Sister

Tia Mowry was born on July 6, 1978 in Gelnhausen, Hesse, Germany. She is an actress and producer, known for Sister, Sister (1994), The Hot Chick (2002) and The Game (2006). She was previously married to Cory Hardrict.

94. Tamera Mowry-Housley

Actress | Sister, Sister

Tamera Darvette Mowry was born on July 6, 1978, two minutes before her twin sister, Tia Mowry, in Gelnhausen, Hesse, Germany, to Darlene Mowry and Tim Mowry, who was serving in the U.S. Army at the time of her birth and later became a custody officer/jailer with the City of Glendale Police ...

95. Tatyana Ali

Actress | The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Tatyana Marisol Ali was born on January 24, 1979, in North Bellmore, New York, to Sonia, a nurse from Panama, and Sheriff Ali, a retired police officer from Trinidad. At the age of four, she started singing and got a taste of fame when she begged her mother to take her to an audition for Sesame ...

96. Jonathan Brandis

Actor | The Neverending Story II: The Next Chapter

Born in Danbury, Connecticut, USA, to Greg and Mary, Jonathan Brandis began his career at age 5, acting in several television commercials. He also appeared in small parts in several films and TV shows before his first starring role in the 1990 film The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter (1990). ...

97. Shemar Moore

Actor | Criminal Minds

Shemar Franklin Moore (born April 20, 1970) is an American actor and former fashion model. His notable roles are that of Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless from 1994 to 2005, Derek Morgan on CBS's Criminal Minds from 2005 to 2016, and as the third permanent host of Soul Train from 1999 ...

98. Tim Reid

Actor | WKRP in Cincinnati

Gaining fame on TV first, he was born Timothy Lee Reid on December 19, 1944, in Norfolk and raised in Chesapeake, Virginia. Coming from a troubled, impoverished childhood, he straightened out his life enough to attend Norfolk State College (now University) and graduate with a business ...

99. Vanessa Williams

Actress | Candyman

Vanessa Estelle Williams (Actress, Singer, Writer, Director) born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, is a talented force that came to Hollywood in the 90's with passion purpose and staying power. This highly sought-after creative artist wrapped "A Rich Christmas" a feature film for BET this past December ...

100. Rebecca Gayheart

Actress | Jawbreaker

Rebecca Gayheart was born on August 12, 1971 in Hazard, Kentucky, USA. She is an actress and director, known for Jawbreaker (1999), Nothing to Lose (1997) and Urban Legend (1998). She has been married to Eric Dane since October 29, 2004. They have two children.