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- Actor
- Additional Crew
Adwin Brown starred alongside Penn Badgley, Victoria Pedretti, James Scully and Chris D'Elia in the second season of Netflix's hit psychological thriller "You." The series, which is based on the 2014 novel by Caroline Kepnes and executive produced by Greg Berlanti ("Love, Simon") and Sera Gamble ("The Magicians"), follows Joe Goldberg, an intensely obsessive young man (Badgley) who goes to extreme measures to insert himself into the lives of the people he is transfixed by. Brown joined the series as Calvin, the manager of a high-end grocery store in Los Angeles where the second season takes place. The series debuted on Lifetime in September 2018 and was acquired by Netflix in December 2018. It instantly became one of the streaming giant's most popular additions, gaining over 40 million viewers after its debut. Season two of "You" premiered on December 26, 2019.
In addition to "You," Brown starred in Paramount Network's 2018 reboot of the 1988 cult classic "Heathers," opposite Grace Victoria Cox, Brendan Scannell, and James Scully. Other recent credits for Brown include: FOX's "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," ABC's "The Middle," NBC's "Will & Grace," Freeform's "The Fosters," CW's "Jane the Virgin," Nickelodeon's "Game Shakers," and Showtime's "Ray Donovan." On the film front Brown can be seen in Rebel Way Entertainment's indie comedy "Deported."
As a graduate of Florida State University's School of Theatre, Brown spent four years performing with the university's premier improv troupe "Slow Children Playing" and eventually moved to Los Angeles to study at the Upright Citizen's Brigade. Brown got his start in television appearing in a handful of national brand commercials, including McDonald's, Nissan, and Pedigree.
When he isn't on set, Brown enjoys eating copious amounts of sushi and practicing his photography skills. He currently resides in the Los Angeles area.- Alix West Lefler is quickly becoming "one to watch" in film and television, taking the entertainment industry by storm. Lefler can next be seen starring in the upcoming indie thriller, The King Tide, alongside Frances Fisher and Clayne Crawford. The film is set on a small island fishing village that faces civil war after a child named Isla, portrayed by Lefler, gains special powers, and some villagers believe she has been sent for a larger purpose. The King Tide will make its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023. Also in film, Lefler can next be seen starring as a supporting lead in Blumhouse and Universal's highly anticipated film, Speak No Evil, opposite James McAvoy, Mackenzie Davis, and Scoot McNairy. Speak No Evil is a new adaptation of the acclaimed Danish horror film Gæsterne, about a family invited for a weekend at an idyllic country house-a dream holiday that warps into a snarled psychological nightmare. Lefler will portray Agnes, the daughter of Louise (Mackenzie Davis) and Ben (Scoot McNairy). Speak No Evil is slated for theatrical release on August 9, 2024. Previous film credits for Lefler include her role in Netflix's critically acclaimed true crime thriller, The Good Nurse, from Tobias Lindholm. Based on the true story of Charles Cullen, one of the most prolific serial killers in history, Cullen, portrayed by Eddie Redmayne, was a married father who was thought to be an honest caretaker before he was implicated in the deaths of as many as 300 patients over 16 years. Lefler shined as Alex Loughren, a reliable, shy, and thoughtful tween with a bit of a punky style and prankster capabilities. Alex (Lefler) also has a close relationship with her mom, Amy Loughren (Jessica Chastain), a hospital nurse faced with the growing suspicion that her co-worker and friend (Eddie Redmayne) is quietly killing off patients. The film earned rave reviews, with critics calling the project "impressive" (variety), "a strong movie" (TV guide), and "both dynamic and compelling" (Paste). The Good Nurse premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2022 and is currently available to stream on Netflix. Additional credits for Lefler include a guest spot on ABC's The Good Doctor, recurring roles in Freeform's Siren as Hope, in which she won two Joey Awards for Best Actress in a Recurring Television Role (6-8 years old) and Most Promising Performer, Syfy's Resident Alien as Eleanor Wright, and The CW's smash hit television series Riverdale as Juniper. Consistently working, and in demand, Lefler recently wrapped filming on Netflix's upcoming drama series, My Life With the Walter Boys. Lefler portrays the role of Parker Walter, a sister to 10 brothers who loves sports and has a bit of a chip on her shoulder. The series follows Jackie Howard (Nikki Rodriguez), a New York native who, after her family's tragic accident, moves to the farmlands of Colorado, where she is introduced to a different way of life. My Life With the Walter Boys is currently in post-production with no set release date. Lefler was bit by the acting bug at the age of 7 after she auditioned for a local play. She joined Biz Studios for lessons, eventually transitioning to the LeBlanc School of Acting. In addition to her love of acting, Lefler enjoys travel and adventure. Throughout her life, she traveled around Canada and New Zealand with her mom and dad, competing in live lumberjack shows, giving her a natural sense of wonder, excitement, and appreciation of the world. Lefler is a "Caniwi," meaning she is half Canadian and half New Zealander. In her free time, she competes in logger sports competitions and, despite her size, is an excellent axe thrower! When she is not grounding herself with a little axe throwing, honing her acting chops, auditioning, or attending school full time, you can find Lefler ensconced with her friends and her dog, Fred, in the vital occupation of being a kid. Lefler is currently based in Vancouver, Canada.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Over the last few years, Andrew Bachelor, better known as King Bach, has quickly parlayed from one of the most influential names on the internet to being an in-demand actor, producer, and content creator. His comedy has spawned national catchphrases, captured a global audience, and has launched him into the entertainment industry as a bonafide "one to watch".
Bachelor has starred in the films Fifty Shades of Black (2016), Meet the Blacks (2016), The Babysitter (2017), and Where's the Money (2017), and will appear in the upcoming films When We First Met (2018) and To All the Boys I've Loved Before (2018). Additional television credits include Dead House (2017), which he created, directed and executive produced, Easy (2016), Resident Advisors (2015), Black Jesus (2014), The Mindy Project (2012), and Angie Tribeca (2016).
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada and raised in the U.S., he graduated from Florida State University with a degree in business in 2010. While attending FSU, he was a high-jump star athlete, consistently ranking among the top fifteen high-jumpers in the NCAA. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles to pursue one of his greatest passions, a career as an actor. He took acting classes at the New York Film Academy in LA, and Bachelor established his own production company, Bach Enterprises, where he produced, directed, and performed in several projects including the short film Agent Steele (2012). In a few short years, he rose to be one of the most-followed people on Vine with 15 million subscribers and over 5 billion total views. His other social media channels also flourished, with tens of millions following his content.
In 2003, Bachelor founded The RuJohn Foundation, a non-profit organization with a mission to provide the necessary tools for education to rural and inner-city schools throughout Jamaica and the United States. The foundation also organizes annual youth-focused financial literary workshops, sports camps led by professional athletes, and acting workshops led by successful actors and entertainers.
Bachelor has been named one of the "top influencers" by both Forbes and Time, and in 2015 he received the Streamy Award for Viner of the Year. The following year, he won the Shorty Award for Viner of the Year, and in 2017 he was nominated for the Streamy Award for Storyteller of the Year. He holds the Guinness World Record for the most-followed account on Vine.- In 2022, actor on the rise Andre Dae Kim will star in Peacock's brand-new supernatural thriller series, "Vampire Academy." Slated to premiere on September 15th, 2022, and based on the bestselling books by Richelle Mead, "Vampire Academy" is set in a world of privilege and glamour, where two young women's friendship transcends their strikingly different classes as they prepare to complete their education and enter royal vampire society. Andre shines as Christian Ozera, an intelligent, thoughtful, yet snarky Royal Moroi vampire who has become an outcast and shunned by high society due to his parent's unforgivable societal sins. Well-read and hungry for knowledge, he searches for faith-based answers and discovers a kindred spirit who is also looking for the truth. In addition to "Vampire Academy," Andre recently held a recurring role Netflix's hit series "Locke & Key," and starred as Chief Kyle in the critically acclaimed, Emmy nominated Paramount+ series "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds."
Andre landed his first big break joining the cast of the Canadian YA drama series "Degrassi: The Next Generation" in the thirteenth season. From 2013-15, he starred as smart and sarcastic high school student Winston Chu, an instant fan favorite. Andre went on to reprise the role in "Degrassi: Next Class" from 2016-17 and appeared in the film "Degrassi: Don't Look Back" in 2015. Post "Degrassi," Andre landed roles on "Schitt's Creek" for CBC/PopTV, "Salvation" for CBS, "American Gods" for Starz, "Northern Rescue" opposite Kathleen Robertson and "The Hardy Boys" for Hulu. In film, Andre starred in the short drama "Whistleblower" (2018) as Tim, a distraught teenager who struggles with being able to trust the people around him after documenting a humiliating incident that involved older students.
Born in Edmonton, Alberta and raised in the Toronto area, Andre grew up with an innate love for film. While both of his parents are not in the entertainment industry, the trio loved to watch movies with favorites being the "Indiana Jones" franchise and "Lord of the Rings." Andre was also drawn to Japanese animation, noting Ghibli's "Totoro" and "Kiki's Delivery Service" as two of his favorites. Andre attended a high school that was rooted in the arts, furthering his interest in the craft. Upon graduation he began auditioning for local acting roles in the Toronto area, and he has been working ever since.
When he isn't on set you can find Andre gaming, playing volleyball, and he also loves anime and is an avid foodie. He is also experienced in martial arts, jiu-jitsu, and can play the guitar as well as the Ukulele. Andre currently lives in the Toronto area. - Since her acceptance into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts at just 16 years old, Angel Parker has enjoyed a thriving and respected career through her talent, hard work, and sophisticated charisma. Angel's body of work reflects her ease with both comedy and drama across an array of networks and platforms.
Angel's recent and upcoming work includes a starring role in "Dolly Parton's Mountain Magic Christmas" on NBC and recurring roles on the CW's "Superman & Lois," ABC's "The Rookie," and "The Recruit" for Netflix. Previous series regular and recurring roles include "Marvel's Runaways," "Lab Rats," "The Strain," "Trial & Error," "ER," and the FX Emmy Award-winning "American Crime Story: The People v. OJ Simpson." She has also achieved a formidable list of lead roles and guest-star appearances, including Hulu's "The Dropout," the pilot of "La Brea," Kevin Costner's ABC pilot "National Parks," "The Good Doctor," "Grand Crew," "Animal Kingdom," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "911: Lone Star," "REL," "Teachers," "Castle," and "Criminal Minds," among others. In film, Angel's work includes the lead role in "You Are My Home" opposite Alyssa Milano for Netflix and the independent feature "Prisoner's Daughter" starring Kate Beckinsdale and Brian Cox.
Angel's roots also remain in the theater, having studied and worked with the British American Drama Academy, Independent Shakespeare Company, and Will & Company. She has performed with the Blank Theatre's Young Playwright's Festival for over a decade. Angel currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children. She is represented by Innovative Artists and Joel Stevens Entertainment. - Actor
- Producer
Atkins Estimond is quickly making a name for himself in the entertainment industry by playing an array of characters from a doctor to a hacker, from a laidback optimist to a gangster who follows a code of ethics. He currently stars in Jerry Bruckheimer's critically acclaimed drama series, "Hightown" (STARZ) alongside Monica Raymund and James Badge Dale. Set in Provincetown, Massachusetts, the series follows a hard-partying National Marine Fisheries Service agent, Jackie Quiñones (Raymund), whose life is thrown into disarray when she discovers a body on the beach - another casualty of the opioid epidemic. She is convinced it is up to her to solve the murder, putting her at odds with Cape Cod Interagency Narcotics Unit sergeant, Ray Abruzzo (Dale). Estimond shines as Osito, a hardened gangster, who is of Haitian and Dominican decent, and is connected to the investigation. Critics have praised Estimond's performance: "the standouts include...Estimond as a killer with a philosophical cast of mind" (The New York Times) and "With every episode, Estimond adds new fascinating layers to his character" (RogerEbert.com) to name a few. Season two of "Hightown" premiered on October 17, 2021.
Estimond is also set to appear in BBC One and Netflix's four-part thriller series, "Inside Man" opposite Stanley Tucci (premiere date TBA). The series follows a prisoner on death row in the US, a Vicar in a quiet English town, and a maths teacher trapped in a cellar, as they cross paths in the most unexpected way. He is also known for his role as the eternal optimist, Gerson, in AMC's and Paul Giamatti's critically acclaimed dramedy series, "Lodge 49" alongside Wyatt Russell.
Additional television credits include recurring roles in FOX's "The Resident," Crackle's "StartUp" alongside Adam Brody, and Playstation Network's "Powers" with Sharlto Copley, as well as guest starring roles in ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder," YouTube Premium's "Step Up: High Water," truTV's "Bobcat Goldthwait's Misfits & Monsters," OWN's "Love Is_" and SundanceTV's "Hap and Leonard."
On the film side, his credits include Roadside Attractions' "Trial by Fire," Samuel Goldwyn Films' "Lila & Eve" with Jennifer Lopez and Viola Davis, Gravitas Ventures' "Folk Hero & Funny Guy" and "An Actor Prepares," Columbia Pictures' "SuperFly," Universal Pictures' "Get On Up" and his film debut in "Dumb and Dumber To" opposite Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.
Born in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and raised in Atlanta to Haitian immigrant parents, Estimond started acting in high school productions his freshman year. His love of acting began from watching movies as a child and seeing his older brother perform in plays at the local Boys & Girls Club. After graduation, he pursued a career in music, playing guitar in a band. Then, he went on to pursue acting, booking roles in "Dumb and Dumber To" and Lifetime's hit series' "Devious Maids." Additionally, Estimond enrolled at University of North Georgia, to hone in on his craft, majoring in Theatre, while continuing to book roles in film and television. He eventually decided to pursue acting full time and has been working ever since. He hopes that by increasing his visibility that he can inspire more Haitians to pursue a career in the entertainment industry and ultimately be able to tell stories about Haiti and its rich culture.
Estimond currently resides in Atlanta with his wife, Kristen, and their two daughters. When he's not on set, he enjoys spending time with family, playing music and traveling.- Actor
- Producer
- Executive
August Maturo may be best known nationally and internationally for his starring role on the hit Disney Channel Original Series "Girl Meets World." He was a scene-stealer as 'Auggie,' the precocious son of Cory [Ben Savage] and Topanga [Danielle Fishel] Matthews. 'Girl Meets World' was an instant hit and premiered to 5.2 million viewers and Maturo filmed over 70 episodes. The show was nominated for three Emmy Awards for 'Outstanding Children's Program' as well as three Teen Choice Awards, and a Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award. Additional credits for Maturo include: 'Teachers,' 'The Odd Couple', 'Weeds', 'Dads', 'Bones', 'Raising Hope', 'See Dad Run', 'Suburgatory', 'The Connors', 'S.W.A.T.', and 'How I Met Your Mother'. In 2023, Maturo will be seen guest-starring in the new FOX crime anthology series 'Accused' by Howard Gordon opposite Rachel Bilson, Jack Davenport, and Reid Miller, as well as a guest-starring role opposite Jennifer Love Hewitt in FOX's '9-1-1'.
Maturo made the jump from television to film in the wildly successful horror movie 'The Nun' (Warner Bros) which grossed over $366 Million worldwide. Maturo portrayed 'Daniel', opposite Demián Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, and Bonnie Aarons.
Maturo can also be seen starring as the lead in two feature films. He plays Joshua in the independent feature 'Shepherd: The Story of a Jewish Dog' (also released as 'Shepherd: The Story of a Hero Dog'). Based on the bestselling Israeli novel 'The Jewish Dog' by Asher Kravitz, it is written and directed by award-winning filmmaker Lynn Roth ('The Little Traitor') and produced by Howard Rosenman ('Call Me By Your Name'). This award-winning film was one of the first films to be shown in theaters during the pandemic, alongside 'Cruella' and 'A Quiet Place 2'. Maturo won the MovieBuff 2021 Independent Film Award for Best Breakthrough Performance for his role in the film.
Maturo also plays the lead role of Lucas in the Shudder/AMC+ horror/thriller 'Slapface' currently streaming on all platforms. 'Slapface' follows the story of a young boy who deals with the death of his parents and the physical and emotional abuse of being bullied by creating a dangerous relationship with a monster. Maturo won the Best Actor Award at Grimmfest in the UK for this role and received incredible reviews with a 91% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Born in Ventura, California in 2007 to an Italian father and Jordanian mother, Maturo began acting professionally at the age of four after appearing in a church play. He loved being on stage and bringing stories to life, so his parents decided to take him to a handful of film and TV auditions, testing the waters in the entertainment world. Maturo instantly captivated casting directors and producers and began landing back to back projects. His first major television role was a top of show guest star appearance at only four years old on HBO's 'Weeds'. He shortly thereafter was cast in a recurring role on 'How I Met Your Mother' He booked 'Girl Meets World' at the age of 5, the youngest person ever to be offered a Disney Channel contract.
A cause that is important to Maturo is spreading awareness and promoting the importance of creating an action plan for children and adults who are affected by life-threatening food allergies, something that has challenged Maturo and his family since he was three years old. In 2022, Maturo launched his own production company 'Maturo Entertainment' For his first production, he partnered with Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmakers 'Just Like You Films' to produce and star in a docu-drama hybrid feature film about food allergies. The film was also shot in virtual reality, and through immersive story-telling, will show audiences first-hand what it's like to be a young person living with life-threatening food allergies.
In 2022, Maturo graduated high school and began attending college at age the age of 14. He currently lives in the Los Angeles area with his parents and younger brother, actor Ocean Maturo.- Avery Konrad was born on December 28, 1994, and is a famous actress from British Columbia. From bringing characters to life in film and television to performing on stage, Avery Konrad is quickly becoming "one to watch" in the entertainment industry. This year, Konrad can be seen starring in Epix's contemporary sci-fi horror series, "FROM". The series unravels the mystery of a nightmarish town in middle America that traps all those who enter. As the unwilling residents fight to keep a sense of normalcy and search for a way out, they must also survive the threats of the surrounding forest - including the terrifying creatures that come out when the sun goes down. Konrad shines as Sara Myers, a true wild card among the town's residents: some think her mind was simply fractured by the residents of the town; others wonder if, in her madness, Sara is closer to the secrets of this place than anyone else. "FROM" premieres on February 20, 2022.
In film, Konrad is set to star in Paramount+ "Honor Society", alongside Angourie Rice (Mare of Eas*own), Gaten Matarazzo (Stranger Things, Prank Encounters), and Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Super Bad, Kick-Ass). The film tells the story of Honor (Rice), a high school senior whose sole focus is getting into Harvard. Willing to do whatever it takes, Honor plans to take down her top three student competitors, until things take a turn when she unexpectedly falls for her biggest competition. "Honor Society" is slated to release in late 2022.
Additionally, Konrad was recently seen as Chance Sinclair, leading Amazon's horror-thriller, "Broil", opposite Timothy Murphy and Jonathan Lipnicki. The film premiered in fall 2020 and follows Chance after she is sent to live with her reclusive grandfather (Murphy). As she seeks to uncover the true origin of her eccentric grandfather's exorbitant wealth, and a mysterious familial health condition going back generations, she is caught between two warring factions of the family. Konrad was also seen portraying Roan Harper, sister to Juliette Lewis, in the acclaimed Facebook Watch series, "Sacred Lies: The Singing Bones". The series received rave reviews and was included in Paste Magazine's, "12 Best TV Shows on Facebook Watch". Additional credits include recurring roles in ABC's "The Good Doctor, Netflix's "Van Helsing", and CBC's "Unspeakable".
Born in Vancouver, Konrad was bit by the acting bug at a young age, when she took an intensive at the Vancouver Film School and performed her first monologue. The experience felt magical to her and that spark still remains to this day. Konrad landed her first role as Gina Sarland in R.L Stein's "The Haunting Hour" series (2012) and has been working ever since.
Aside from her work in film and television, Konrad is an accomplished dancer. Extensively trained in all styles of dance, she fell in love with the art form at three years old and competed throughout her childhood, garnering numerous awards and scholarships. She has also worked on several music videos and performances with her dance career. When her childhood friends opened Legacy Dance Productions in her hometown, she began teaching dance to children, which has grown into a huge passion for her to this day. She especially loves serving as a mentor to the next generation, on, and off stage, shaping their growth through dance and helping them reach their goals.
Growing up in an environment where creativity was celebrated has shaped Konrad into the person she is today, and she is grateful to have always had the support of her family in pursuing acting as a career.
Konrad currently resides in the Vancouver area. - Actress
- Additional Crew
- Director
Bella King, a young writer, director, and actress is quickly becoming a recognizable name among producers, casting directors, and her peers in the industry.
Born in Ronan, Montana, Bella grew up acting in community theater and began booking work at the age of 6 while living in the Chicago area. While working on set, her inquisitive nature would take over and she would hover by the writers and directors, watching them watch the monitor, and asking questions. Her fascination with the creative process fueled Bella to begin writing when she wasn't acting and from that a pilot for a television sitcom was born. Mentored by producer Adam Lapidus (Disney's Jessie, The Suite Life of Zack and Cody, The Suite Life on Deck, etc.) she was guided to put her ideas to paper when she was 13 and he was by her side for her first ever pitch meeting. Lapidus has continued to encourage Bella, who recently signed a "shopping agreement" for her new pilot.
The entrepreneurial teen's first film as a writer and director is a short film titled Unmatched that is featured in the Burbank International Film Festival & the San Diego Film Festival, among others that will be announced in the coming months. The touching short was written by a then 15 year old Bella, who was so determined to make her script a reality that she recruited support from friends, family and local businesses (Chick Fil A , Starbucks in Burbank, and Un Deux Trois in Studio City) and raised money through crowd funding. Starring Caitlin Carmichael (300: Rise of an Empire) and Aleks Paunovic (Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters), Unmatched follows a young girl who is left homeless after the death of her mother and the abandonment her alcoholic father. The girl dreams of a better life as she tries to overcome her heartbreak, and survive one more night alone. Bella has seen many accomplishments in 2014 and the best is yet to come.
At only 16 years old Bella has been in films such as Beneath the Blue (with Paul Wesley), Beautiful Boy (opposite Meatloaf & Michael Sheen), and Red Riding Hood (opposite Gary Oldman), as well as television shows Eureka, Smallville, and Leverage. While much of her focus has been on her career of writing, directing, and acting, she still maintains her studies and will graduate early from high school this year. When not on a set or meeting producers Bella can be found getting maximum usage out of her Disneyland annual pass, shopping at thrift stores, dancing (ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop & pow wow), horseback riding, swimming, training for runDisney's half marathon as well as various volunteer opportunities to give back to her communities.
Bella lives in Studio City, California with her family and plans to apply to USC to pursue a degree in Cinema & Media Studies.- Born in Jamaica, Watson moved to Toronto with his family when he was 10 years old. He loved storytelling from an early age, and was drawn to the performers he saw in movies and on television.
Unlike a handful actors who get into the business when they are children, Watson chose to pursue an education before getting his feet wet in the acting world. He decided after high school to attend Humber College in Toronto, and he started to attend scene study and voice and improvisation classes. In 2006 he decided to immerse himself in his craft, and did every independent film, short, and project that came his way.
In 2007, he landed a lead role in "The Limits", which did well in the festival circuit. He then went on to book various roles in television from 2009 through 2010. In 2011, Watson landed the role that would put him on the map not only in Canada but in the United States as well, playing "Tariq" in "The L.A. Complex." The show follows the exploits of six attractive, young hopefuls in search of stardom in Hollywood.
Currently Watson is studying as a graduate student under Matthew Harrison at The Actors Foundry in Vancouver, B.C. He loves to cook, and he is an avid writer, working on several film scripts he hopes to get off the ground in 2012. - Actress
- Writer
Beth Dover has quickly become known in the entertainment industry for the charismatic characters she has brought to life on screen. Whether it be her undeniable comedic timing or her ability to improv and play in any situation thrown her way, Dover is one to watch, this year. She can currently be seen co-starring on the Golden Globe, Emmy, and SAG Award-winning series "Orange is the New Black" for Netflix. Introduced during season three, Dover shines as Linda Ferguson, an administrative stickler for MCC, the private company that owns Litchfield prison. Linda also just happens to be Caputo's (Nick Sandow) girlfriend. "Orange is the New Black" premiered season five on June 9, 2017.
In addition to "OITNB" Dover will be seen reprising her role as Shari in Netflix's "Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later," a follow up to the eight-episode limited series "Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp" starring Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Christopher Meloni, Janeane Garofalo, Bradley Cooper, Amy Poehler, Chris Pine, Jon Hamm and Kristen Wiig. The show was released on August 8, 2017. Lastly, Dover can be seen returning to season three of Comedy Central's historical satire series "Another Period" (release date TBA). The show follows the lives of the obscenely rich Bellacourt family and their many servants in turn-of-the-century Rhode Island in 1902. Dover plays Blanche, the long suffering housemaid who works for the family and is regularly in and out of mental hospitals. The show also stars Natasha Leggero, Riki Lindhome, Michael Ian Black, David Wain, Christina Hendricks, Jason Ritter, and Paget Brewster.
Born in Chicago, Dover's family was in the military and she moved every two years until she was 13 years old, even living in South Korea for a time. From an early age she loved creating characters and storytelling, memorizing commercials as a kid and begging her mom to let her be in them. Dover attended high school in Florida and went on to be a theatre major in college, then moved to New York City where she studied Meisner. She went on to settle in Los Angeles, where she discovered improv comedy and fell even further in love with the craft.
In 2010 Dover landed the role of Nurse Beth on the satirical comedy TV series "Childrens Hospital" for Adult Swim. The show, starring actor/comedian Rob Corddry, parodied the medical drama genre and went on for seven seasons with Dover appearing in 20 episodes. In 2012-13 Dover appeared as Lexie on 20 episodes of the E! series "Burning Love," a comedic sendup of dating shows like "The Bachelor" starring Ken Marino. Additional television credits include some of the biggest series in comedy: "Son of Zorn," "Bob's Burgers," "New Girl," "Truth Be Told," "Difficult People," "Big Time in Hollywood, FL," "Fresh Off the Boat," "Comedy Bang! Bang!," "Newsreaders," "Chasing Life," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "Dads," and "Whitney." On the film front, Dover appeared in "Life Partners" for Magnolia Pictures opposite Gillian Jacobs, Leighton Meester, Gabourey Sidibe, and Adam Brody.
When she isn't on set Dover is a strong supporter of Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the HRC. For fun, she spends entirely too much time in private karaoke rooms with friends, singing her heart out to her favorite jams. Dover currently lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, actor Joe Lo Truglio, and their son.- Actress
- Producer
Born in San Diego, California, Betsy Russell is best known for her starring role as "Jill Tuck," the ex-wife of the Jigsaw Killer in the "Saw" film series. Russell was born into a family of educators--her father, iconic economist Richard Russell, wrote a news letter about the stock market for over 50 years called "Dow Theory Letters," and her grandfather, Max Lerner, was an author and syndicated columnist, said to be one of the great minds of our time. Russell seemed to be destined for greatness and decided to set the bar high for herself when making career moves and setting goals. At 16 years of age she landed her first real gig in the business, a Pepsi commercial in her hometown of San Diego, California. This sparked a fire within her, and she immediately made the move to Los Angeles to pursue acting full time.
Russell landed her first TV role on the series The Powers of Matthew Star (1982) with one line. After that TV roles began to pour in, until she landed an audition for a film that would change her career: the cult classic Private School (1983). She booked the role on the spot, being cast as "Jordon Leigh-Jensen," playing opposite her idol Phoebe Cates. The film launched Russell into Hollywood stardom, and she quickly became known as the "it-girl". Her scene riding a horse topless in slow motion made her an '80s icon. She continued to work steadily in film, starring in such films as Tomboy (1985), Avenging Angel (1985) and Cheerleader Camp (1988), and did guest-starring roles in such top-rated television series as The A-Team (1983), T.J. Hooker (1982) and Family Ties (1982). At the height of her career she met actor and tennis star Vincent Van Patten at The Playboy Mansion, where she visited frequently as her grandfather was a close friend of Hugh Hefner. Van Patten and Russell married in 1989 and had two beautiful boys. She decided to take a hiatus from acting, to focus on her family and raising her children.
Van Patten and Russell divorced in 2001, and she decided to move to Malibu, California, to continue raising her family. Soon after her divorce she received a call from "Saw" producer Mark Burg about an upcoming role in the series. Russell jumped at the opportunity to work in one of the biggest horror franchises in the history of film, and returned to the screen starring as "Jill Tuck" in Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures' Saw III (2006), Saw IV (2007), Saw V (2008), Saw VI (2009) and Saw 3D (2010).
Russell is an avid writer, has a huge passion for various charities, she holds a real-estate license and is a certified hypnotist. While she continues to love acting, she considers "Spiritual Psychology" and life coaching her other passion. She completed a three-year Masters program at The University of Santa Monica in this field, with an emphasis on consciousness health and healing, and hopes to help others with healing their issues and learning communication skills and has begun teaching workshops to actors on this subject.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Carolina Hoyos began as a childhood concert pianist before spending 3 seasons on MTV Hits (2002). She plays Antonella in Nicolas Winding Refn series Too Old to Die Young (2019), and made cameos in Under the Silver Lake (2018), Gene Simmons: Family Jewels (2006) and Pharrell Williams 's music video for Oscar Nominated song "Happy". She has shared the stage with Edward Van Halen, Ryan Adams, and members of Guns N' Roses. She is a current fellow in La Skins Fest 2019 Native American TV Writers Lab and she performs regularly with comedy troupes Dad Jeans and Nightpantz.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Tenacious, intelligent, and a triple threat talent, actress Caroline Sunshine has quickly become "one to watch" in the entertainment industry over the years from the captivating characters she has brought to life on screen. In 2015 Caroline can be seen starring as "Emily Jordan" in the "The Outfield" for Fullscreen Films. Slated for digital release nationwide on November 10 [iTunes], the film, directed by Eli Gonda and Michael Goldfine, follows the story of high school baseball stars Frankie [Cameron Dallas], Jack [Nash Grier], and Austin [Joey Bragg], who seem to have their futures lined up and ready to go. However, senior year brings changes that make them all question what they're truly meant to do with their lives. Caroline is a scene-stealer as Emily, the stubborn, loving, and protective girlfriend of Jack.
Born in Snellville, Georgia and raised in Orange County, California, Caroline grew up with a love for the arts, immersing herself in dance, film, television, and music. Her grandmother showed her all the old Hollywood classics, while Saturday morning movies with her dad were a regular occurrence. Over the years leading up to high school Caroline trained professionally as a dancer [specifically in ballet], a talent that she would go on to use for the future film and TV projects.
2010 was a breakout year for Caroline, she made her feature film debut with a supporting role as "Barbara Winslow" in Twentieth Century Fox's Marmaduke (2010), alongside Judy Greer, Lee Pace, Owen Wilson, Emma Stone, and George Lopez, to name a few. She went on to land a lead role in the Disney Channel Original Series, Shake It Up (2010), which became an international sensation from 2010-13. Caroline's performance as "Tinka Hessenheffer" was hailed as "the best performance on the show" by People Magazine critic Tom Giliatto. While working on "Shake It Up" helped Caroline hone in on her comedic timing [she also used an Eastern European accent in every episode], she also had the opportunity to showcase her talents in singing and dancing, even collaborating on some of the albums the show produced.
Once wrapping "Shake It Up", Caroline made the decision to go to college, and she is a sophomore at Claremont McKenna College studying International Relations and Economics. While juggling film and television projects, Caroline works at the Mgrublian Center for Human Rights, she is on the Model United Nations Team [ranked #1 on the west coast and #6 in the nation] and she writes for the campus magazine The Vanguard, which focuses on technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She hopes that she can be a strong role model for women of all ages, that you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
On the charity front, Caroline loves to spend time working with a handful of organizations, including: The Starkey Hearing Foundation, and she is a graduate of the National Charity League. In her down time you can find her traveling, surfing, and wake boarding- or participating in adrenaline filled activities like skydiving and bungee jumping.
Caroline lives in the Los Angeles area.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
One of the most exciting talents to break into the filmmaking scene over the last few years, rising writer, director and actor Cassius Corrigan represents the next generation of multi-hyphenate filmmakers, bringing his passions for original storytelling, Latino-driven narratives and Mixed Martial Arts to life in film, television and documentary.
This year, Cassius makes his directorial debut with his critically acclaimed film "Huracán." Praised by The New York Times as a gripping thriller they "couldn't stop watching," "Huracán" tells the story of an aspiring MMA fighter Alonso Santos (Cassius) who suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (aka Multiple Personality Disorder), which manifests itself in his aggressive and reckless "alter," Huracán.
The film, which features a predominantly Latino cast, also stars Yara Martinez ("Jane the Virgin"), UFC superstar Jorge "Gamebred" Masvidal, Muay Thai world champion Grégory Choplin, actor/musician Steven Spence, and Colombian newcomer Camila Rodríguez. Following a global festival run that culminated in an International Premiere at the 2020 Shanghai Film Festival, "Huracán" was acquired by HBO and will be available on HBO and HBO Max on September 11, 2020.
Born and raised in Miami in a diverse family, half-Catholic half-Jewish, with Colombian, Irish and Lithuanian heritage, Cassius developed a global perspective that informs his filmmaking approach. He discovered the art of cinematic storytelling while on scholarship at the University of Southern California, graduating from its historic film school.
Cassius most recently wrapped production on the upcoming gangster film "The Birthday Cake," which he Co-Produced and 1st AD'd. Directed by Jimmy Giannopoulos, the film stars Val Kilmer, Ewan McGregor, Luis Guzmán, and Penn Badgley, with Endeavor Content handling worldwide sales and targeting a Christmas 2020 release.
On the television front, Cassius was recently hand-picked by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard for their ultra-prestigious Imagine Impact program, designed to discover the filmmaking voices of the future. Through the program, Cassius has developed an original international MMA series set in Brazil, under the mentorship of "Entourage" creator Doug Ellin. He also has an original international music drama in development at eOne.
A passionate mixed martial artist who has created documentary content for Conor McGregor, Cassius is dedicated to creating breakthrough global content for the fast-growing sport of MMA, and to empowering Latino voices and stories through cinema. He resides in Los Angeles and Miami.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Born in the American south and living in Los Angeles, Allen is a screenwriter, producer, and author of multiple books, including "Mr. Pink" the true story of the Transylvania Book Heist, the book that inspired the internationally acclaimed film, "American Animals" in which he appears as an interviewed story subject. Additionally he was a contributing writer to the stories and interviews behind the film "Stealing Cars." Allen specializes in true stories and adaptations his next two books have been optioned and are in development as features.- Producer
- Actor
- Writer
Best known for his on-screen roles alongside co-star Jimmy Tatro in their YouTube series "Life According to Jimmy," (500 million total views) Christian A. Pierce is one of the minds behind some of the funniest viral videos of recent years. A newcomer to watch, Christian is the co-writer, executive producer and star of Facebook Watch's scripted comedy series "The Real Bros of Simi Valley." Christian is also developing a scripted comedy for Quibi, alongside Jimmy. The series, penned "Junior High" is an elevation of Jimmy and Christian's long-running middle school series on YouTube, which originated in 2014 with 6th Grade Sleepovers and since has drawn more than 35 million views.- Producer
- Writer
- Director
From HBO to STARZ, primetime network television series and MARVEL, award winning Writer, Producer, and Showrunner Daniel Knauf's name has become synonymous with excellence in the unusual, iconic and unexpected. True to form, Daniel takes his first foray into family programming, serving as Creator, Executive Producer, Writer and Showrunner on Nickelodeon's brand new original live action/adventure series "The Astronauts."
Produced in partnership with Imagine Kids+Family's Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and Stephanie Sperber, "The Astronauts" is one of the most ambitious and cinematic projects Nickelodeon has ever brought to the small screen, following the adventures of five middle-school kids who embark on the journey of a lifetime when they are mistakenly launched into space.
A native to L.A., Knauf grew up with an innate love for storytelling, writing fiction and poetry throughout high school and college. While pursuing his Bachelor's Degree at California State University Los Angeles, he put his dream of becoming a writer on hold and launched a lucrative career as an employee benefits consultant. However, though he was achieved "The American Dream" by his late 20s-supporting his young family and acquiring the material trappings of corporate success, he soon found himself struggling with increasingly debilitating bouts of clinical depression. Eventually- "inevitably" as Knauf says-he admitted himself into a psychiatric hospital and, while recovering, resumed writing and made a firm commitment to resurrect his dream of a career in the arts.
Nearly two decades later, Knauf broke into television in a big way as the Creator-Executive Producer of his Depression-era series "Carnivàle," which set audience records for HBO upon its premiere and ran for two seasons. The show told the epic tale of a traveling carnival in a bleak American landscape and featured one of Knauf's signature themes: the eternal battle between light and darkness. His debut effort won five Primetime Emmys, garnered ten additional prestigious industry awards and dozens of nominations from various festivals, guilds, and entertainment associations.
Following "Carnivàle," Knauf produced and wrote on the hit STARZ series "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" and served as writer-Showrunner on "Dracula" for NBC.
One of Knauf's most notable projects to date is his work as Executive Producer and Writer on 66 episodes of the award winning, critically acclaimed NBC hit-series "The Blacklist" (2014-2017) starring James Spader. Knauf joined the show in its second season, writing storylines, scripts and producing episodes that earned nominations from The People's Choice Awards, Screen Actors Guild Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, The Golden Globes, and the ASCAP Film and Television Music Awards.
While writing for television has been Knauf's primary focus, he has also created and written gaming, digital narrative content and, collaborating with his son Charles, comic books, including issues 7-18 and 21-28 of Iron Man for Marvel Comics, as well as reboots of The Eternals and Captain America.
Knauf notes that, while he got his big break later on in life, his writing has been derived from observing moments first-hand, bending the form-sometimes on an epic scale-and presenting them to take the audience along for a breathtaking ride, sometimes dark, sometimes challenging, but always redemptive. He is on a constant experiential journey, listening, observing and searching for moments he hasn't seen portrayed onscreen, striving to present those hard-won nuggets of reality to move his audience.
A veracious reader, art collector and world traveler, Knauf and his wife, Ilaria, an Italian national, spend lots of time abroad.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Danielle Bisutti is a Los Angeles born and raised Emmy Award winning and BAFTA Award nominated actress, writer, producer, director and singer-songwriter. As a thespian, Bisutti has distinguished herself by bringing a wide range of diverse characters to life. The Actress: Danielle was nominated for a BAFTA for her performance as The Norse Goddess "Freya" in Sony PlayStation's top grossing video-game God of War, which won unanimous "Game of the Year" awards and 5 BAFTA Awards including "Best Game" in 2019. She won a Los Angeles area Emmy Award for her hosting role in Street Music Los Angeles in 2002. Danielle performance captured the role of "Claudia Grimstone" in Madden NFL 21: Face of the Franchise: Rise to Fame 2020, she voiced "Wonder Woman" in The Lego Movie 2 Video-game, she portrayed the ominous "Ms. Grey" in Lifetime's Nanny Killer, "Dana Gallagher in Shonda Rhimes' For the People and series regular role as Witch "Hexela" in BUYtv's Dwight in Shining Armor distributed by Paramount. Film credits include top grossing Sony Pictures' cult favorite Insidious: Chapter 2 (receiving rave reviews: "Bisutti's performance as [Mother of Parker Crane] the younger version of the Bride in Black is a most elegant personification of evil."), Starring in Universal Studio's Curse of Chucky, Michael Rosenbaum's indie comedy Back in the Day, Lionsgate's Venice Underground with Eric Mabius, The Neighbor with Matthew Modine, and the lead in Lionsgate's faith-based film, No Greater Love. Bisutti is perhaps best known for her series regular role as"Amanda Cantwell" opposite Keke Palmer on the hit Nickelodeon series True Jackson, VP. Her recurring roles on Matador for Robert Rodriguez's El Rey Network, Parks & Recreation, Last Man Standing, CSI Miami, Without A Trace, Raising the Bar and The O.C., Guest Starring roles on Anger Management, Grey's Anatomy, Mom, NCIS, NCIS LA, Criminal Minds, Dr. Ken, Castle, Hot in Cleveland, Newsreaders, 90210, Rizzoli & Isles, Beauty and the Beast, Body of Proof, Leverage, Bones, Cold Case, Two and a Half Men and Boston Legal. Notable Theater credits include originating the role of "Diane" in the new musical Hipster Sweatshop at the Rockwell, "Sheila" in the musical HAIR Potawanami Tribe performed at the Democratic National Convention 1996 in Chicago followed by a 5 week tour at The New Athenaeum Theatre, Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, Maggie in Boy's Life, Yelena in Uncle Vanya, Victoria in Noel Coward's Tonight at 8:30, Fastrada in Pippin, and Ophelia in Hamlet. The Writer, Producer and Director: Her company Perfect Timing Productions current projects include: Mood Swings an TV comedy series for Pureflix 2019 and short film Little May "Official Selection" of Academy Award qualifying LA Shorts International Film Festival and Fade In Awards Grand Jury Prize "Best Short Script" 2019, Projects in development include TV pilots: Wonderland, Damsels and feature films projects: The Fort, The Christmas Rebound, and Wake Me. The Singer-Songwriter: Danielle's original songs have been placed in films: Venice Underground, April Moon, In the Presence of, Shadowheart, and theme song Heaven for indie feature City of... which she performed live at the 19th Annual Steve Chase Humanitarian Awards Desert AIDS Project accompanying dancers Kupono and Marko from So You Think You Can Dance with with choreography by Ray Leeper. She received a Los Angeles Music Award for "Best Female Singer-Songwriter." Her album "Glimmer" was nominated for AAA Album of the Year and her song "In Passing" has received Unanimous Choice Recipient Award for Independent AC Single of the Year. Music Connection Magazine has featured Danielle in its Hot 100 Unsigned Artists list. Annually Danielle sings on stage with rock n' roll legends at the Venice Beach Sign Holiday Lighting ceremony, past artists: Al Jardine of The Beach Boys and Andy Summers of The Police. Danielle sings and plays piano, guitar and ukulele with her band Midnight Velvet, interweaving jazz and blues standards in their smooth, inventive way and reinterpret songs from the Great American Songbook to modern day rock-pop classics a la the vintage style of Postmodern Jukebox. Danielle received her Bachelor of Arts at California State University at Fullerton graduating Magna Cum Laude with a double emphasis on Acting and Musical Theatre. While attending CSUF, she received several nominations for the Irene Ryan Best Actress Award and took runner-up at The Lincoln Center Theatre in NYC. She studied producing, directing, and screenwriting at The Hollywood Film Institute with Dov Simens, ScreenwritingU and Screenwriter University at The Writer's Store. She continued her studies with Eric Kline at Film Actor's Workshop, Larry Moss, Lesly Kahn and Shari Shaw Studios and improvisation at Upright Citizens Brigade.- Actor
- Soundtrack
- Writer
By only 16 years old Dante Brown had established himself as a bonafide "one to watch" talent in the entertainment industry, known not only for the diverse and engaging characters he has brought to life on screen, but also for excelling in music, dance and creating innovate online content to connect with Generation Z. This fall 2016 Dante can be seen on FOX's highly anticipated, new series "Lethal Weapon." Set to premiere just before Empire on September 21, the show is based off the 1987 film, and follows Roger Murtaugh [Damon Wayans Sr.] and Martin Riggs [Clayne Crawford] as a pair of mismatched L.A.P.D. detectives. Dante shines as Roger "R.J." Murtaugh Jr, Murtaugh's good but slightly rebellious teenage son who is trying to carve out his own place in the world outside of his parents' expectations.
Born and raised in Chicago, Dante began acting and modeling as a baby, quickly landing campaigns for Keebler and Sears within a month of getting started. His bubbly and charismatic personality was nurtured by his parents, whom along with industry pros, identified the "it" factor in their baby boy. One of Dante's big breaks came when he was only 5 years old, when he caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey. After auditioning with over 500 children, Dante was chosen to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show's first "Amazing Kids" episode, featuring Jay Leno as host. Dante was able to showcase his talents in comedy, acting and dance. His performance on the show solidified him as one of Oprah's "All-Time Smartest and Most Talented Kids." By 2012 Dante had become a popular face in Young Hollywood, racking up dozens of credits in television and film and embracing his new nickname deemed by casting directors and growing fans, a "Young Denzel Washington".
His first feature, the Lifetime movie "America" which he appeared alongside Rosie O'Donnell, landed him a Young Artist Award Nomination in 2009 for "Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Special - Supporting Young Actor." It was only up from there, as Dante went on to appear on a plethora of TV series including NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Michael Bay and TNT's "The Last Ship," Showtime's "Shameless," Nickelodeon's "Henry Danger," NBC's "Community," NBC's "Southland," and CBS' "NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service," to name a few. Dante held his first series regular role in 2015, co-starring opposite comedian Craig Robinson on NBC's "Mr. Robinson." On the film front, Dante made his feature debut in 2012 appearing alongside Oscar Nominated, Emmy Winner Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal in "Won't Back Down" for Twentieth Century Fox Films. Summer 2016 placed Dante in production filming the short, Black Doves, as one of the lead characters alongside his brother Dusan Brown.
When not on set you can find Dante in the recording studio, laying down tracks under his moniker "DanteThePoet." A Grammy Camp alumni and independent artist, Dante takes the blueprint of Childish Gambino, the lyricism of Kendrick Lamar, and the hustle-nomics and genius of Kanye West, to create a sound that is on the forefront of hip hop music, inspiring and uplifting other post-millennial teens, like himself. As to be expected, Dante's working on recording his debut album, and plans to release his 2nd mixtape, "Bipolar" as a Back to School event via www.Soundcloud.com/DanteThePoet.
Dante also has a passion for creating scripted projects - over the past few months he's been writing his first animated series which he hopes to be able to pitch to networks, within the year, and is the co-creator of Talking with The Brown Boys [YouTube Webisode] alongside his younger brother Dusan. Although acting has been Dante's bread and butter over the years, his music, a strong second, Dante is also a self taught dancer, taking first place at the Monsters of Hip Hop Freestyle Battle, and has future plans and aspirations to launch an innovative, cool teen clothing line.
On the charity front, Dante has big ideas for how he wants to give back to the community in the near future including launching a youth concert entitled DanteThePoet + Friends, which will showcase local teen, rising stars, and provide youth a fun, safe place to gather with their friends every month. In today's political climate with police brutality on the rise, gun violence, gang violence, and teen drug abuse, Dante has made it a personal goal to set a good example for youth, bringing awareness to various organizations who work to uplift young, Black men and women in Dante's hometown of Chicago, as well as where he resides with his family, Los Angeles.- Actress
- Producer
- Executive
From drama to comedy, Daya Vaidya has made a name for herself through the dynamic characters she has brought to life on screen, and her ability to seamlessly transform into every role she embodies.
Daya starred for six seasons as political shark Jen Kowski on Amazon's hit thriller/drama series "Bosch," based on the best-selling novels by Michael Connelly. Daya also recently completed a major recurring arc on "Superman and Lois," bringing to life the DC Comics super villain - Onomatopeoia! She is also reprising her role as Jen Kowski on "Bosch: Legacy" and is starring as a series regular on the BET Plus series, "Black Hamptons."
In addition to her current work, Daya has appeared in critically acclaimed projects in film and television over the years, including a series regular role on the CBS hit "Unforgettable" where she starred as the savvy, street smart Nina Inara. Additional credits include: "Major Crimes," "Castle," "Twisted," "Two and a Half Men," and "Dexter." Daya has also worked behind the scenes with her husband, actor/writer/producer Don Wallace. The duo met on the set of the award winning, indie film "Blue" which they starred in together and Don wrote/produced.
Raised in Oakland, California, Daya was immersed in the arts from a young age. At just three years old she began dancing under the tutelage of Oakland Ballet's artistic director Ron Guidi and by the age of 11, she was performing with the prestigious Bay Area Youth Theater, playing Anita in West Side Story, Tzeital in "Fiddler on the Roof," among many others; as well as becoming a lead dancer in their 'Dance Wing' company. She also performed in her first Equity production of "Smile," at only 16 years old.
Daya attended UCLA where she majored in Dance. After two years Daya took a sabbatical from college and danced on scholarship with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in New York City. Although she loved to dance, Daya wanted to finish pursuing her degree and decided to change her major to Theater. She returned to Los Angeles and completed her studies at UCLA earning a BFA in Theater Arts. While in Los Angeles, she has starred in many regional theater productions, including the west coast premiere of Jose Rivera's "Marisol," where she played the title role.
Upon graduating, Daya began auditioning for film, dance and television projects...she has been working ever since. Additionally, Daya also loves to teach children dance and acting. She coached and taught at Walter Pridgen's Acting Studios, as well as privately coached dancers and actors alike- including several children who went on to become professional actors. Daya is a member of the Los Angeles based theater company - Theatre Tribe and continues refining her craft with award winning director and acting coach, Stuart Rogers.
As a multi-racial woman, whose father was South Asian Gujurati and whose Mother is of Italian and Spanish descent, Daya is a vocal peace activist fighting for social justice, diversity in Hollywood and women's rights. She is also a two-time breast cancer survivor and promotes breast cancer awareness and research. See less- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Debby Ryan was born in Huntsville, Alabama on May 13, 1993, but she and her family moved to Texas when she was a small child and lived there for five years before moving to Wiesbaden, Germany. In Germany Debby became fascinated with acting in local plays and musicals. By age 9, she knew she wanted to be an actress. After three years in Germany, the family moved to Keller, Texas, where they lived until they moved to Los Angeles so Debby could pursue a career in the entertainment industry.
Debby got her start in film with roles in Barney: Let's Go to the Firehouse (2007) and the MGM feature film The Longshots (2008) alongside Keke Palmer and Ice Cube. She also appeared in a handful of national television commercials. From there, her career took off when she secured one of the series-regular roles on Disney Channel's The Suite Life on Deck (2008), which debuted in 2008. In 2010, she starred in the smash hit Disney Channel film 16 Wishes (2010), one of the first of many Disney co-productions. She took an active role employing online and guerrilla-marketing techniques to the film that had a tiny marketing budget. The movie premiered to 5.6 million viewers and made it as second on the list of cable's top 25 most popular shows of that week, twice. Since then, 16 Wishes (2010) has been successful in over 30 countries worldwide and continues to draw in strong viewership numbers.
In addition to her work with The Disney Channel, Debby appeared on ABC's Private Practice (2007), showcasing some of her dramatic acting chops playing Hailey, a recovering cocaine addict. She also appeared as a murder suspect on A&E's hit series The Glades (2010), in 2012. Debby has appeared in over 8 live-action Disney Channel series and countless interstitials. Her current hit series Jessie (2011) was the first live-action series in Disney history to be picked up with only her cast, the Show Runner, and the script. Debby starred in the Disney Channel original movie, Radio Rebel (2012), which premiered on February 17, 2012 to over 6 million viewers. It was based on Danielle Joseph's novel "Shrinking Violet", and Debby appeared as Tara Adams, a shy high-school senior who leads an alternate life as an anonymous DJ [called Radio Rebel]. In addition to starring in the movie, Debby produced the music video and contributed to three tracks on the soundtrack, including "We Got The Beat", "A Wish Comes True Every Day", and "We Ended Right". Aside from Radio Rebel (2012) and Jessie (2011), Debby is also widely recognized for her role as popular season regular Bailey Pickett on the Disney Channel series The Suite Life on Deck (2008), a role she held from 2008-2011. She flexed her voiceover skills in Secret of the Wings (2012) and Ultimate Spider-Man (2012).
When she isn't working, Debby is passionate about volunteering and is a Disney Friends for Change Ambassador. Her recent work with Friends for Change took her to India, where in partnership with Free the Children, Debby helped to build a new school for a local village. The documentary on her work was nominated for a daytime Emmy in 2013. Debby is also heavily involved in music and loves to collaborate with her brother, Chase Ryan, and her friends. Her self-written single debuted in 2010 on Disney Channel as a music video about her character in 16 Wishes (2010). It was featured on the 16 Wishes (2010) soundtrack. In July 2011, she released the single, "We Ended Right", which debuted on iTunes and was also picked up to be featured on the "Radio Rebel" soundtrack. Debby wrote her first EP entitled "One". This indie rock, self funded/produced record premiered in the Top 5 on the rock charts and was featured on Billboard. Debby directed plays and skits while she was younger and after years of shadowing successful directors, she was allowed to take the reins as a director for her live action hit series Jessie (2011). She will direct 3 more episodes before the season ends in February. On the business side, Debby is an active producer on Jessie (2011). She was there from the inception of the story, attends production meetings, and makes meaningful and significant contributions to Jessie (2011).
She launched a production company called Shadowborn Productions, where she produced the official music video for "Radio Rebel" and another one for Atlantic's "Fueled by Ramen". In 2016, Debby played the part of "Holli" on the YouTube Red series, Sing It! (2016). She is costarring in the upcoming films Rip Tide (2017), playing the role of Cora; and the comedy Life of the Party (2018), alongside Gillian Jacobs, Melissa McCarthy, and Maya Rudolph. Debby was also cast in the lead role of Patty in a pilot ordered by the CW, Insatiable (2018).- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
As an EMMY- and WGA-nominated writer, actor, show runner, and moonlighting DJ, Diallo Riddle has proven to be one of the most creative and multi-faceted talents in the entertainment industry today. Riddle, with his creative partner Bashir Salahuddin, have created two critically-acclaimed series to television: HBO Max's "South Side" and AMC/IFC's Emmy Award-winning "Sherman's Showcase." Both shows instantly hit 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, a rare feat for two series premiering within one week of each other.
Created, written, and starring Riddle and Salahuddin, "South Side" follows a rent-to-own business on the south side of Chicago. Shot on location in Chicago's Englewood neighborhood, the series gives an authentic look into what life on the South Side is all about. Season two of "South Side" is now streaming on HBO Max.
In addition to "South Side," Riddle and Salahuddin also created, wrote, and starred in AMC/IFC's Emmy Award-winning scripted musical variety/sketch comedy "Sherman's Showcase." Executive Produced by John Legend, the stylish sketch show moves to its own groove and invites everyone to laugh along including A-list guest stars like Tiffany Haddish, Common, Quincy Jones, and Lil Rel, just to name a few.
On June 19, 2020, an hour-long "Sherman's Showcase: Black History Month Spectacular" aired, garnering multiple award nominations and wins including: Outstanding Writing in a Television Movie or Special at the 2021 NAACP Image Awards, Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction or Reality Program (WON) at the 2021 Primetime Emmy Awards, and Best Period and/or Character Makeup - Television Special, One Hour or More Live Program Series, or Movie for Television at the 2021 Hollywood Makeup Artist and Hair Stylist Guild Awards. "Sherman's Showcase" will return for season 2, in 2022.
While "South Side" and "Sherman's Showcase" keep Riddle and Salahuddin busy, they also recently closed a multi-year overall deal with Warner Bros TV, to create and produce television projects in a wide range of genres, from animation and superhero series, to comedies and dramas.
Riddle got his start in television as a writer on "Chocolate News" for Comedy Central. He went on to write and perform for "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" from 2008-2012, arriving three months before the show premiered. Some of the stand-out segments he wrote included Slow Jam the News featuring Barack Obama, and the first three editions of A History of Rap with Jimmy Fallon and Justin Timberlake. Riddle's writing credits include working with Jordan Peele and Tracy Morgan on "The Last O.G.," Maya Rudolph on both "The Maya Rudolph Show" and "Maya and Marty," and with Drake for his hosting duties at the ESPYs and the NBA Awards. In 2015, Riddle and Salahuddin joined forces with Lorne Michaels on the HBO pilot "Brothers in Atlanta," which landed him on Variety's Top 10 Scribes to Watch list.
As an actor, Riddle is well known for playing the character "Stevie" on the Netflix comedy series "Marlon," opposite Marlon Wayans. Riddle has also appeared on several seasons of the HBO series "Silicon Valley," as well as the most recent season of "Curb Your Enthusiasm."
Born and raised in Atlanta, Riddle attended Harvard University, majoring in History. While in school, he picked up side gigs as a DJ, with it later becoming a second career. As a DJ, Riddle has played the MainStage at KABOO Music Festival and has DJ'd on Diplo's international radio show Diplo & Friends on BBC Radio 1. He has held residencies at the Dream Hotel's Highlight Room, Beauty & Essex, Skybar LA Mondrian, Soho House, and The Standard Hotels. He has also DJ'd for A-list events including the Golden Globes and the People's Choice Awards.
On the charity front, he is an active supporter of The Children's Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides services to children and families healing from the effects of family and community violence within Los Angeles' most challenged neighborhoods.- Actress
- Producer
- Production Designer
Diana Hopper can be seen starring as Billy Bob Thornton's daughter, Denise McBride, in the award-winning Amazon original drama series "Goliath" - created by David E. Kelley (Ally McBeal, Big Little Lies). Lawrence Trilling (Parenthood, Alias) is Executive Producer.
Diana has also appeared on Hulu's critically acclaimed series "Casual," and past television credits also include "Criminal Minds" and the SyFy movie "Lavalantula."
Additionally, Diana is the lead in the several features including "Shooting in Vain," which won the Grand Jury Award at the Dances with Films festival, and "Bit" which is set to premiere at Frameline in San Francisco this June.
She is from Memphis, Tennessee.- Actress
- Soundtrack
This year, actress-on-the-rise Farrah Mackenzie is positioned to take the entertainment industry by storm. She has established herself as a seasoned player in film and television, captivating audiences worldwide through the dynamic and emotionally complex characters brought to life on screen.
Farrah has starred in Chuck Lorre's "The Big Bang Theory" and CBS' new comedy series, "United States of Al" opposite Adhir Kalyan, Parker Young and Dean Norris. The series follows the friendship between Riley (Young), a Marine combat veteran struggling to readjust to civilian life in Ohio, and Awalmir, aka Al (Kalyan), the interpreter who served with his unit in Afghanistan and has just arrived to start a new life in America. Farrah stars as Hazel, Riley and Vanessa's (Kelli Goss) smart, fearless, and adventurous daughter.
In 2020, Farrah starred opposite John Cusack, Rainn Wilson, and Sasha Lane in Amazon's thriller series "Utopia." Created and Executive Produced by Gillian Flynn ("Gone Girl," "Sharp Objects"), the twisted thriller followed a group of young comic book fans who discover the conspiracy in a graphic novel is real and embark on a high stakes adventure to save humanity. Farrah shined as Alice, an adopted foster child who is bright and curious, with an unrelenting resolve when thrown into this dangerous world.
Additional credits for Farrah include starring as Stella Parton in NBC's "Dolly Parton's Coat of Many Colors" and the Emmy-nominated, "Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love." Both television films were based on Dolly Parton's childhood growing up in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains in the 1950's, with a large family.
In film, Farrah was seen in Magnolia Pictures' "Please Stand By" appearing as a younger Dakota Fanning. She also appeared in Steven Soderbergh's "Logan Lucky" (Fingerprint Releasing) opposite Channing Tatum and Katie Holmes, as Tatum and Holmes' daughter, Sadie Logan. Additional film credits include the 2020 Cinequest Festival selection "Ascension" (California Pictures), indie drama "Amanda McKay," "You Get Me" (Netflix), "Apartment 407" (Gravitas Ventures) and "Nanny Cam" (Lifetime).
Born in Los Angeles to actors, Angela Little ("Walk Hard") and Andy Mackenzie ("Sushi Girl"), and granddaughter to DGA Award winning and Emmy Award nominated director, Will Mackenzie, Farrah was immersed in the arts from the time she was born. At five years old, she appeared in her first project, the indie fantasy short, "The Heart's Eye View" with her parents. She has been working ever since.
Aside from acting, Farrah has stated a love for reading including being a big Harry Potter fan. She loves to spend time in the outdoors, and with her family.- Born and raised in Colima, Mexico to actor parents, Carsa found his passion for the arts at a young age. He began attending a performing arts school at age seven where he studied voice, dance, and acting. Following a seven-year stint in the program, Carsa moved to the U.S. with his eyes set on Broadway. Carsa went on to attend Fullerton College where he earned an Associate's Degree in Theatre Arts, before becoming the first transfer student in six years accepted into UCLA's Ray Bolger Musical Theater Program. His UCLA productions included: "Lainie's Cabaret: Movie Musicals," "CAMP SONG: A New Musical," "Rebel Genius," and "Lydia." Serendipitously, Carsa booked "Acapulco," which marks his television debut, six months following his graduation from UCLA.
When he isn't on set or stage, Carsa is likely dancing to Britney Spears, an inspiration who taught him how to speak English and live more authentically. He currently resides in the Los Angeles area. - Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
This year actress on the rise Gabriela Milla can be seen starring on season 2 of Apple TV+'s hit bilingual comedy series, "Acapulco." The show follows Máximo Gallardo, whose dreams come true when, in 1984, he lands the job of a lifetime as a cabana boy at the hottest resort in Acapulco. He soon realizes the job is far more complicated than he ever imagined as all his beliefs and morals come into question. Gabriela joins the cast in a standout role for season two as Isabel, Maximo's outspoken and mischievous new love interest that soon knocks him off his feet.
Created by Austin Winsberg ("Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist"), season one of "Acapulco" was met with rave reviews, being called: "a skillful comedy... tenderhearted" (Indiewire), "a well-balanced show... with a whole roster of equally charming supporting players" (AV Club), "Acapulco has a ton of heart, plenty of humor and looks stunning" (The Globe and Mail), and "a surprisingly charming trip back in time to the Mexican resort town in the 1980's" (TheWrap). "Acapulco" also picked up a handful of award nominations at the 2022 Imagen Awards, including Best Primetime Program - Comedy. Season 2 is slated for release on October 21, 2022.
Born in New Orleans, Louisiana Gabriela was immersed in the arts and a melting pot of culture from a very young age. Her Venezuelan mother and Honduran father decided when she was seven years old to make the move back to Honduras, where she spent the rest of her childhood and attended high school. Growing up in Latin America, Gabriela was surrounded by a supportive family who cherished the arts and made sure she cultivated that love and passion - solidifying her future career path in acting. She made the move back to the United States for college attending Emerson in Boston, Massachusetts where she studied Broadcast Journalism & Acting and began the auditioning process to land her first job.
After several years of auditioning and coming close to many projects, Gabriela decided to take a break and in 2019 stepped away from acting and moved to Miami. There, she spent two years writing and creating, even launching a podcast based on the lessons she learned from recent breakups. She became passionate about empowering women through the content she wanted to make. In 2022, Gabriela came back to acting after receiving an audition opportunity from Susan Vash, the Casting Director for "Acapulco." Gabriela sent in a self-tape for the role of Isabel and landed the job, the rest is history.
While working in film and television keeps Gabriela busy, she is a big believer in giving back and volunteering. She has been actively involved with "The Miracle Project," a fully inclusive theater, film, and expressive arts program focused on building communication, self-esteem, job and social skills for individuals with autism and all abilities - speaking and non-speaking. She started out as a volunteer and then taught for several years. Gabriela also loves to play tennis, cook, dance, and go to yoga classes. Traveling is also one of her greatest passions, she loves to explore museums, discover new restaurants, and sift through bookstores. Gabriela currently lives in the Los Angeles are- Over the last few years actress Gabrielle Elyse has quickly become known for her natural talent, charm, beauty, and passion for her craft, positioning her as "one to watch" in the entertainment business. In 2017 she can be seen starring as Hayley Chamberlain (lead) in the horror-comedy series "Snatchers," which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in the Midnight Episodic Showcase in January.
Created and written by Stephen Cedars, Benji Kleiman, and Scott Yacyshy, the eight-episode series follows a status-obsessed teen who has sex for the first time and finds herself pregnant, with an alien. She teams up with her nerdy ex-best friend (Elyse) to fight back against an extraterrestrial threat and hopefully keep her mom and friends from finding out. "Snatchers" will be available to watch on the new streaming service Stage 13, a division of Warner Bros. In addition to "Snatchers" Gabrielle can also be seen in an episode of the upcoming anthology series "Dimension 404" for HULU opposite Lea Michele, Joel McHale, and Sarah Hyland. She will also appear in the Valentine's Day episode of "Blackish," for ABC.
Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Gabrielle's passion for acting came at an early age. At 10 years old she knew she wanted to be an actress, and asked her parents to put her into classes and for the opportunity to audition for local casting jobs. By 15 years old she had started to book some notable roles, and made the move to Los Angeles with her mom. Gabrielle got her start working for Disney appearing on top shows including "Liv and Maddie" and "Austin & Ally." In 2014 she landed her first series regular role as Josie on Nickelodeon's "Nicky, Ricky, Dicky, & Dawn." She continued her work with Nickelodeon recurring on the network's long running hit series "The Thundermans" from 2014-16. While getting her start on Disney & Nick was an amazing opportunity to open doors for Gabrielle, she wanted to pursue characters and opportunities outside of that world and accomplished that goal throughout 2016. Gabrielle appeared on the hit TNT drama series "Rizzoli & Isles," then on "Teen Wolf" for MTV, and went on to book "The Catch" for ABC, "Dimensions 404" and "Blackish."
On the film front, Gabrielle's credits include a starring role in the silent short film "The Money Tree" and a co-starring role in the indie film "Good After Bad" opposite Billy Burke (The Twilight Saga) and Maddie Hasson (The Finder).
When Gabrielle isn't on set she is an avid music and comedy fan, and can likely be found shopping at a record store or enjoying a comedy show. She is currently training at UCB, honing in on her own comedy skills. Gabrielle prides herself on being multi-racial and is passionate about breaking African American stereotypes, and bringing light to racism in the US. She currently resides in the Los Angeles area. - Actor
- Additional Crew
Harrison Knight was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina and moved shortly thereafter with his mother to Kingstree, South Carolina. He began performing at an early age in theatrical productions at his church. In elementary school, Karl Singletary, an artist-in-residence and former member of the Buffalo City Ballet, selected him to train as a ballet dancer. He added tap dancing to his repertoire at the age of eight and within two years had advanced to the senior tap company.
In 2002, Knight and his mother relocated to Atlanta to further hone his performance skills. He continued ballet and tap classes at Ballethnic Dance Company, where he performed in major productions including The Urban Nutcracker and The Leopard Tale. When Atlanta talent agent Joy Pervis signed him as a client, he began adding numerous voiceover and commercial jobs to his resume, which eventually led to another transition.
Knight and his mother moved to Los Angeles in 2005 where he was signed by the Osbrink Agency. Since that time he has worked steadily in both film and TV. His credits include guest starring spots in CBS' "CSI: Miami" and ABC's "Grey's Anatomy," co-starring stints in ABC's "Detroit 187," Fox's "Lie to Me" and TNT's "Dark Blue" and commercial and voiceover jobs for Verizon, Home Depot, Best Buy and McDonald's. Additionally, he has worked on looping projects for "Alvin and the Chipmunks," "The Rookie" and "Mean Girls II." Knight's first film was Mario Van Peebles' "We the Party."- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Chanchez was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and spent the majority of his childhood in Atlanta. He was raised by a loving family who recognized his talents and encouraged him to pursue his dreams. From the moment he sang along to his grandmother's records, Chanchez displayed an inherent knack for performance. He knew by the age of 10 that he wanted to be an actor. Soon after graduating from high school, he headed to Hollywood. Although he ran into the classic rough start that many young actors encounter, he found a job as a car salesman and used his free time to learn the audition process and perfect his craft. He honed his craft through various classes and workshops and ultimately found an agent. Soon after, he landed the first of approximately 50 commercial bookings. Chanchez humbly considers his "big break" to be the moment he became a working actor, and appreciates every day he has on set.
While in between acting jobs, Chanchez took the time to develop a non-profit organization, Watch Me Win, which is dedicated to enriching the lives of urban youth through mentorship, leadership development, encouragement, and empowerment. Watch Me Win celebrated the foundation's first successful year with a celebrity benefit gala in Los Angeles. Aside from his organization, when not working Chanchez loves to read, paint, and write music. He also considers himself a "foodie," loves to eat out, and has the best restaurant recommendations. As far as being a cook himself, he is learning to master the grill and is forever experimenting with ingredients in his quest to make the perfect salad. To stay in shape and allow himself his foodie indulgences, he visits the gym regularly. He also stays well grounded by being in constant contact with his family in Georgia, and by being a good dad to his spoiled English bulldog, Lola.
Chanchez has been developing his craft in film, television, and theater over the past few years. Chanchez is best known for his current, starring role as "Malik Wright" - a star quarterback who is brash, yet sweet, and is dealing with his sudden success - on the hit BET comedy "The Game," a smart, cutting-edge show about professional football players and the women entangled in their lives.
Chanchez relishes his comedic role on "The Game," but he has also shown great promise in dramatic roles evidenced by his work in film, on the stage, and in episodic television. He had the lead role in the feature "Rich Quick", and has held supporting roles in "The Outsider", and "My Brother". In 2011, he appeared in "96 Minutes", which premiered at the SXSW Music and Film Festival, and he co- starred in independent features "Dysfunctional Friends" and "The Cost of Heaven", both are in post-production. His theater credits include productions of Royal Oats and Glory, Shop Life, The Wiz, and The Long Walk Home. His television credits include: CBS' "NCIS," FX's "The Shield," Warner Bros' "Everwood," CBS' "Close to Home" plus recurring roles on "Robbery Homicide Division" and "For Your Love" [WB].
In 2012, Chanchez looks forward to continuing to work on "The Game," hopes to continue to work in film, and will create more projects with his newly established production company: Kelp Productions.- Actor
- Stunts
- Additional Crew
From sharing the silver screen with award-winning actors, to playing a fan-favorite character on network television, actor Hunter Clowdus is proving that from comedy to drama, he can do it all. This year, Clowdus will reprise his role in season four of The CW drama series "All American." Based on a true story, the series follows Spencer, a high school football player from South LA who gets recruited to play for Beverly Hills High School. Clowdus shines as JJ Parker, the life of every party and outside linebacker turned quarterback for the Beverly Hills Eagles. "All American" first debuted in 2018 to rave reviews, with the first three seasons currently available to stream on Netflix. Season 4 will premiere on The CW on October 25, 2021. Additional television credits for Clowdus include MTV's "Teen Wolf," TNT's "Rizzoli & Isles," and Netflix's "American Vandal," to name a few. Born and raised in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Clowdus grew up excelling in sports. He attended the University of Alabama as a pre-dental student and shortstop for the Alabama Crimson Tide. As a natural-born talent, Clowdus booked a small role on MTV's "Teen Wolf" during his first semester of college. Shortly after, Clowdus made his feature debut in the 2013 biographical sports drama "42," opposite the late Chadwick Boseman. The film, which follows the beginning of Jackie Robinson's career, allowed Clowdus to explore his physicality as an actor, which is now considered one of his strengths in the industry. Additional film credits for Clowdus include "Bennett's War" (ESX Entertainment), "La La Land" (Lionsgate), and the hit franchise "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" (Lionsgate), to name a few. When he isn't on set, Clowdus is likely creating content or working out in his home gym. He is passionate about inspiring others to live authentically and often shares his words of wisdom with his growing TikTok and Twitch audiences. He currently resides in the Los Angeles area.- Actor
- Producer
Isaac Keys is starring on the STARZ new highly acclaimed drama series "Power Book IV: Force" opposite Joseph Sikora. "Power Book IV: Force" marks the third spin-off from the "Power" juggernaut franchise. Isaac's strong presence as Diamond, a gentle giant with a dark side. Before being imprisoned for a 15- year sentence he was the young head of Chicago's most promising crew that was taking over the city. At the helm, he created a tactical organized drug operation.
The Saint Louis, MO native is a former professional football player who transitioned to the screen. Isaac is no stranger to hard work, perseverance, and discipline. Possessing an imposing stature, classic good looks ,and a charming disposition, the Morehouse College graduate caught the notable attention of Hollywood. These attributes have led Keys to impressive runs on Television , such as the critically acclaimed, EPIX series "Get Shorty" opposite Chris O'Dowd and Ray Romano. His additional television credits include the hit series for Crackle "The Oath," NBC's "The Rookie," ABC's "Fresh off the Boat" Fox's "Lucifer" and CW'S "Supergirl."
When he's not reading scripts or on set, Isaac (affectionately called "Big Ike" by his friends) enjoys outdoor physical activities and spending time with the people who know him best. An avid believer in health, fitness and wellness Mr. Keys also loves helping others and remains an active member in the community, participating in numerous events in various ways- throughout the year.- Jada Facer is a pint-sized actress who recently got her big break in the hit ABC Family series "Melissa and Joey," portraying the surprise daughter to Joey Lawrence. Facer arrives and stirs things up as 'Dani,' the spunky, feisty and rebellious daughter to 'Joe' and 'Felicia' (Brooke Burke Charvet). Fans get to see more of Facer in season 4 of the beloved series (Fall 2014) as she moves in with Mel and Joe.
Facer discovered her love for professional acting after an opportunity came to her to work on a short film titled "Y: The Last Man," a horror film based on a book. Thereafter, you can find Facer in a variety of productions including television series ABC's "Mistresses," CBS' "Bad Teacher" and independent and short films including "One Bad Thing," "Nina Del Tango" and "Father's Promise." Her most memorable role is in the 1800s period piece, the Hallmark original film "Love's Christmas Journey," which has become a staple on the network every year during Christmastime.
Facer, who is a Utah native, moved to Los Angeles when she was just nine years old. Growing up with a love for Shirley Temple, she played dress up and pretended to be the tiny actress. Facer participated in choir, musical theater and Community Theater with a desire to entertain from a young age. Her favorite part of acting and performing is the ability to make the audience identify with the character and emotions. When Facer is not acting, she likes writing music and singing. During her spare time she enjoys drawing, cooking special dinners and desserts with her parents, spending time outdoors and spending time with her dogs. - In 2023 actor and singer-songwriter Jason Schmidt can be seen starring as Buddy in Paramount+'s highly anticipated Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies. Slated to premiere on April 6, the series is a prequel to the beloved movie musical, Grease. The prequel musical series follows the four founders of the legendary "pink ladies" who dare to have fun on their own terms, sparking a moral panic that will change Rydell High forever. Buddy (Jason) is the golden boy of Rydell High, the quarterback of the football team, the reigning student body president, and the social king. Due to Buddy's privilege, he sees life through a rose-colored lens and doesn't notice how the current hierarchy of the school negatively affects his friends and peers. Throughout the series, Buddy will face certain truths and will be left at a crossroads. In addition to Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies, Jason can currently be seen starring in the world premiere musical adaptation of The Outsiders portraying the role of Sodapop Curtis. The Outsiders officially opened on March 5, 2023, and is currently being showcased at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. The Outsiders is based on the coming-of-age novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola's Motion Picture. Taking place in Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1967, the play portrays the hardened hearts and aching souls of Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade, and their chosen family of 'outsiders' in a fight for survival and a quest for purpose in a world that may never accept them. Depicting a story of the bonds of brotherhood and the hopes we all hold on to, this gripping new musical reinvigorates the timeless tale of 'haves and have-nots', of protecting what's yours and fighting for what could be. A natural-born performer, Jason got his start in acting at just nine years old when he joined the cast of The Hobbit The Musical at his community theatre in Chicago. He instantly fell in love with being on stage and continued to act within his community theatre whilst also prioritizing his studies. Upon high school graduation, Jason began to audition for college programs and was accepted into the world renowned theatre program at Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh. His formal training taught him how to be a resourceful actor but more importantly how to look at the world as an artist. It was there, inspired by those around him, that he began to write music and dance, which has now become equally as important to him as acting, making him a multi-hyphenate and triple-threat talent. When Jason is not on set, he can be found in the studio, honing his craft as an independent artist. He is a singer-songwriter and is consistently releasing music across all music platforms, and is currently working on an album. In addition to promoting his various music and acting projects across his social media, Jason is also passionate about using his platform to advocate for mental health.
- In 2022 Jennifer Holland can be seen starring as Emilia Harcourt in HBO Max's highly anticipated action series "Peacemaker." Based on the DC Comics and executive produced and written by James Gunn, "Peacemaker" is the first DC Extended Universe television series, and follows Peacemaker (John Cena) who believes in achieving peace, at any cost. Holland shines as Harcourt, a loyal, lifelong black ops member who believes in her line of work, you do not hesitate to do your job. For Harcourt, emotions and friends are liabilities, and she is irked when inexperienced new recruit Leota Adebayo (Danielle Brooks) joins her team, just another liability to navigate. Holland debuted as Harcourt in Warner Bros' "The Suicide Squad," Gunn's hyper-violent, triumphant reimagining of the 2016 feature. "Peacemaker" picks up where "The Suicide Squad" left off, and will premiere on January 13, 2022 on HBO Max.
Additional television credits for Holland include starring in CMT's "Sun Records," "Rush Hour," "Perception," "The Glades," "American Horror Story," "Bones," "Rizzoli & Isles," "Cougar Town," and "CSI: Miami." In film, Holland recently appeared in Screen Gem's anti-superhero horror flick "Brightburn" opposite Elizabeth Banks.
Born and raised outside of Chicago, Holland grew up as a competitive gymnast, where she discovered her love of performing. She participated in theater throughout middle and high school, joining the drama and film clubs to further explore her love of bringing characters to life. At just 16 years old she decided to pursue a professional career in Los Angeles, and made the move to the west coast to immerse herself in the industry. She has been working ever since.
Over the years Holland has supported a myriad of charities as giving back is essential for her. She is an ongoing supporter of The Rainforest Trust, and is passionate about criminal justice reform, the reduction of human impact on the environment and climate change. When Holland isn't on set you can find her in the outdoors; she loves hiking, biking, kayaking, and being active. She is also a self-proclaimed astronomy geek; astronomers, theoretical physicists, engineers, and scientists are her heroes. Holland currently lives in the Los Angeles area, with her puggle Lola and cat Emily. - Animation Department
- Writer
- Editorial Department
As one of the industry's top female writers, Jennifer Muro has quickly made a name for herself through the stories she has crafted for film and TV projects over the last decade. Through her writing, Muro is on a mission to make women of all ages feel strong and empowered through the characters she creates, and it's her refreshing perspective that has made her a go-to name in the writing world today.
Muro serves as the sole writer for Lucasfilm's animated series "Star Wars: Forces of Destiny." The series consists of 24 episodes and celebrates the inspiring stories of iconic Star Wars heroes, and will feature previous film and series talent to reprise their roles including Daisy Ridley, Felicity Jones, Lupita Nyong'o, Mark Hamill, and John Boyega to name a few.
In addition to working on "Star Wars", Muro is in development with her female-driven comedy adventure series at Nickelodeon, and an original web series at Jim Henson Studios. Other writing credits include: Marvel's "Spider-Man", Netflix's "Stretch Armstrong", "Buddy Thunderstruck", "Legend Quest", DC's "Lego DC Super Hero Girls", "Justice League Action", WB's "Wacky Races", and the Netflix series based on the New York Times bestselling book, "Last Kids on Earth".
Born and raised in New York as a first-generation Italian-American, Muro studied film production at the USC School of Cinema Television and landed her first job in 2002 working in development for Nickelodeon. Her knack for production and script writing have landed her recognition over the years, including serving as a 2015 quarter-finalist in the Script Pipeline Contest for her science fiction pilot "Tellura," and as a 2016 first-round finalist in the Austin Film Festival for her comedy pilot "Zebra."
Muro also has a knack for film composition, and has been playing music by ear since the age of four. She was even in an all-female rock band in New York City, before she found her passions in writing and production. Muro is involved in multiple philanthropic efforts to benefit charities such as Best Friend's Animal Society, World Food Program USA.
Muro lives in the Los Angeles area.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Born in an A&W restaurant, Jessi grew up in Vancouver, B.C. and honed her comedic skills as the only girl in an all-male comedy troupe alongside Seth Rogen. She went on to study theatre in London, England and graduated at the top of her class from the prestigious University of Toronto Drama Program. Soon after, she was discovered in a nationwide search to become the new face of MTV in Canada and host of The Hills After Show. Jessi quickly became a fan favorite, and The Hills After Show became an international smash hit, syndicated in 10 countries, generating record breaking ratings in the US and Canada, and securing her two Gemini Awards.
With the success of "The Hills After Show", Jessi went on to host, produce, and write her own spin-off prime time pop culture series "The After Show" on MTV where she provided her hilarious commentary and refreshing perspective on the day's entertainment news and became affectionately known as "The Chelsea Handler of Canada". Jessi's daring and irreverent interviews with the likes of Tom Cruise, the cast of Twilight, Chris Brown, Channing Tatum, Rihanna, Bill Gates, and her "date" with Bradley Cooper became online sensations garnering millions of views worldwide and solidifying her spot as "The second most followed Canadian on the Internet" [Toronto Life], next only to Justin Bieber.
Some of Jessi's additional television credits include starring in satirical series Jessi Cruickshank's Real Hollywood Survival Guide, being a celebrity guest on E!'s "The Soup," contributing for E! News, co-hosting the MTV Move Awards Pre-Show, judging Canada's Next Top Model and making regular appearances on Entertainment Tonight, NBC News and Fashion Television. In 2010 Jessi was hand picked from journalists across the country to cover the Olympic Games as the co-host of "Olympic Morning" on Canada's national network, CTV. Recently, she made her acting debut in the comedy series Kennedy's Court and the feature film Degrassi Takes Manhattan.
Jessi's ability to connect to her audience has also allowed her to tackle global issues in a relatable way. As the ambassador for charity organization Free the Children, Jessi traveled to India for the critically acclaimed documentary MTV Presents: Jessi in India where she encountered child labor, hunger, and poverty first hand. She followed it up with MTV Presents: Jessi in Kenya, documenting her experiences living in a mud hut for 10 days with a traditional Massai family. Jessi's social activism has made her a renowned keynote speaker, appearing at national conferences alongside The Dalai Lama, Jane Goodall, and Al Gore.
In addition to her work in television, film, and her passion for philanthropy, Jessi is also known for her unique sense of style., Named TV Guide's Best Dressed Host she has appeared in top fashion publications such as Elle, Flare, Fashion and Verve Girl magazines. She also recently launched her own clothing line for Me to We style, which sold out within days. Her second collection is in the works.
Jessi currently resides in Los Angeles, where in addition to her US television projects, she is a comedy writer for Hello Giggles!, the L.A host of E! Canada, and correspondent on Canada's #1 entertainment show "Etalk."- In 2021, acclaimed actor John Hoogenakker can be seen starring in Hulu's limited series "Dopesick" opposite Michael Keaton, Peter Sarsgaard, Kaitlyn Dever, and Rosario Dawson. Inspired by the New York Times bestselling book by Beth Macy, "Dopesick" takes viewers to the epicenter of America's struggle with opioid addiction, from the boardrooms of Purdue Pharma, to a distressed Virginia mining community, and to the hallways of the DEA. Hoogenakker shines as Randy Ramseyer, an assistant US Attorney prosecuting the infamous and ongoing Purdue Pharma case. "Dopesick" is slated to premiere in October 2021. In addition to "Dopesick," Hoogenakker most recently recurred on the Hulu mystery series "Castle Rock" as Carl Wilkes, opposite Lizzy Caplan. He is perhaps best known however, for his role as black-ops CIA operator Matice in the hit Amazon series "Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan" opposite John Krasinski and Wendell Pierce. Additional credits include: "A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas," "Public Enemies" opposite Marion Cotillard and Christian Bale, USA's "Colony," STARZ's "The Girlfriend Experience," and Fox's "Empire," to name a few. Born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hoogenakker became an actor at an early age. As a two-time state and district high school debate champion in Humorous Interpretation, Hoogenakker went on to attend The Theatre School at DePaul University, in Chicago. He found his calling on stage, appearing in many of the city's illustrious houses including The Goodman, Writers' Theatre, Court Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and the renowned Steppenwolf Garage. His varied stage work ranges from Chris Smith in Tracy Letts' Killer Joe to the role of Hamlet at The Illinois Shakespeare Festival. At the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York, he received excellent reviews as the tragic alcohol-addled Willie Oban in the acclaimed remounting of "The Iceman Cometh," alongside Nathan Lane and Brian Dennehy. One of his first on-camera credits came in the 2006 feature "Flags of Our Fathers," under the esteemed direction of Clint Eastwood. While Hoogenakker holds an illustrious resume in film and TV, he has also appeared in millions of homes across the country on the commercial front. From Pepsi/NASCAR, Baskin-Robbins, Avocados of Mexico, Hyundai, to voicing campaigns for McDonald's, BMO Harris, Nintendo, Tyson and Sears, and even working with Robert De Niro for Santander, Hoogenakker has had a lucrative career commercially. His work as the Bud Light King helped introduce the nonsensical phrase 'Dilly Dilly' into the cultural lexicon, and he has been seen most recently with his sidekick Walter the cat, for Chevy. When Hoogenakker is not on sets around the world, he enjoys spending time with his family and being outside as much as possible.
- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
This year, Jonathan Kite can be seen starring in the film "Needle Little Christmas," with Sara Waisglass and Thomas Lenon, which he is producing and in which he also makes his feature screenwriting debut. Most recently he appeared in the Netflix comedy series, "Dad Stop Embarrassing Me!" opposite Jamie Foxx. Kite shined as Johnny Williams, Brian's (Foxx) best friend since childhood, and an honorary member of the family. The series, inspired by Foxx's real-life relationship with his daughter Corinne, is streaming globally on Netflix.
Kite may be best known for his starring role as the hilarious and lovable Ukrainian cook Oleg in CBS' long-running, award-winning comedy series "2 Broke Girls" opposite Kat Dennings and Beth Behrs. The show, created by Michael Patrick King and Whitney Cummings, ran from 2011-2017 and was nominated for 12 Emmy Awards and four People's Choice Awards.
Additional credits for Kite include indie comedy feature "The Bellman" opposite Thomas Lennon and Richard Kind, horror feature "All the Creatures Were Stirring" alongside Constance Wu, and the Jamie Foxx produced sketch show, "In the Flow with Affion Crockett" for FOX. Aside from his live-action work, Kite has lent his voice to multiple films and series including the Warner Bros. feature film "Smallfoot," Dreamworks' "Adam's Family 2", Peacock's "Cleopatra in Space," Netflix's "The Boss Baby: Back in Business," Adult Swim's "Black Dynamite," FOX's "Family Guy" and "American Dad!" As a stand-up comedian, Kite has performed nationwide and internationally to sold-out audiences.
He is an expert impressionist, boasting over 250 celebrity impressions that include Donald Trump, Vince Vaughn, Tom Hanks, Anthony Bourdain, Seth Rogen, Brendon Fraser, Jason Statham, Jeff Bridges, Robert Downey Jr., and John Lithgow, to name a few. Born and raised in Skokie, Illinois, Kite studied drama in high school and at the University of Illinois Champaign/Urbana, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre. He performed many times on stage in Illinois before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in voice-over acting, film, and television.
Kite also studied improvisation and sketch comedy with Chicago's Second City and The Groundlings in Los Angeles. He is a founding member of the improv group, L. Ron Jeremy, which in 2010 set the national Cage Match Competition record at the Improv Olympic West Theater, winning 52 weeks in a row and then retiring undefeated. In 2009, he created, wrote, produced, and starred in his own sketch comedy television pilot, "The Skokie-Jo and Shappy Show," which has been described as "Mr. Show" meets "Quantum Leap."
Kite currently resides in Los Angeles.- Writer
- Actor
- Producer
Comedian, actor, and writer Josh Wolf has become one of the most sought after personalities in comedy today. From adding his quick witted commentary on comedy round tables, to becoming a New York Times Bestselling Author, writing on hit television shows, and headlining stand-up comedy tours across the nation, Wolf has proved time and time again he is one of the most dynamic and multi-faceted comedians in the entertainment business. Wolf is a regular round table guest and writer on the hit E! series, Chelsea Lately (2007), and recently appeared as a performer on the new E! series, After Lately (2011)_. On March 19, 2013, Wolf will debut his latest book, "It Takes Balls: Dating Single Moms and Other Confessions from an Unprepared Single Dad" [Grand Central Publishing.] Funny and brutally honest, the book details Wolf's adventures as a struggling stand-up comedian, while juggling being a single parent in Los Angeles.
Born in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in Amherst, Wolf had a love for comedy and making people laugh from an early age. As a teenager, he took to the stage in the Boston area, performing his first stand-up show when he was 15 years old. By the time he was in his mid-twenties, he was ready for a fresh start, and moved to Seattle, Washington in hopes of expanding his comedy career. He was able to get more stage time and practice in the comedy world, as indie musicians were dominating Seattle's live entertainment scene. When he was 28, Wolf decided to make the move to Los Angeles. After several years in Seattle he had made his mark in the local comedy circuit, and wanted to play with the big boys of comedy. He quickly discovered it wasn't any easier being a small fish in a saturated comedy pond, than a big fish in the entertainment pond of a port city.
In 1999, Wolf got his first big break, performing a one-man show at the HBO Workspace, which landed him a talent deal at 20th Century Fox, and a deal for his own television series with ABC. A deal with NBC soon followed. While testing the waters on the television front, Wolf began writing for TV, and quickly found it was another aspect of the entertainment business that he loved. He wrote on numerous sitcoms including "Yes, Dear," Will Smith's "All of Us," and "Cuts," starring Shannon Elizabeth. He soon decided he wanted to dedicate all his time to writing, and stepped down from stand up, and appearing on camera.
In 2006 Wolf returned to television, appearing on the fourth season of NBC's "Last Comic Standing." This also marked his return to sitcoms, recurring on the hit series "My Name Is Earl" from 2006-09, and recurring and writing for "Raising Hope" in 2010-11. 2009 was also a banner year for Wolf, as he started making regular appearances on Chelsea Handler's hit E! television series "Chelsea Lately," and he toured nationwide with stand up comedy sensation Larry the Cable Guy. Wolf also found a way to tap into his passion for sports, and hosted two seasons of "The College Experiment," a comedic weekly online college sports show for Fox Sports. In 2011 Wolf ended his touring with Larry the Cable Guy, and committed to appearing on "Chelsea Lately" once a week, while in conjunction writing for the show. He also became a New York Times Bestselling Author, for his contributions to Chelsea Handler's bestselling book "Lies that Chelsea Hander Told Me."
In 2012, Wolf landed a book deal with Grand Central Publishing to pen his first book written solo, "It Takes Balls: Dating Single Moms and Other Confessions from an Underprepared Single Dad." He also recently wrote a screenplay feature for Adam Sandler's production company, Happy Madison. In addition to his work on Chelsea Lately (2007), his stand-up comedy tours, and his book, Wolf also works on a podcast with fellow "Chelsea Lately" round table member, Ross Mathews. Airing on The Road Hop Network, "Josh and Ross" showcases the guys sharing their unique view on pop culture and the news of the day.
Wolf lives in the Los Angeles area with his wife Beth. In his downtime, he loves to hang out with his wife and kids, Trevor, Kaitlynn, and Jacob. On the charity front, Wolf has a passion for supporting the troops & actively participates with various organizations.- Actor
- Soundtrack
In 2022 Joshua Sasse can be seen starring in FOX's upcoming epic, multi-generational musical drama "Monarch." The series revolves around America's first family of country music; the reigning King of Country Albie Roman (Trace Adkins), and his insanely talented but tough-as-nails wife, Dottie (Susan Sarandon). Sasse shines as Luke Roman, Albie, and Dottie's smart, charming, straight-shooting, high-flying son who also happens to be the CEO of the family's business, Monarch Entertainment. "Monarch" features original music and covers, and is slated to premiere on Sunday September 11 and will move into its regular time period on Tuesdays at 9:00 PM on September 20th, 2022.
Additional recent credits for Sasse include his breakout role as Galavant on the Emmy nominated, ABC series "Galavant" (created by Dan Fogelman, 2015-16), and leading roles on "No Tomorrow" for The CW, "Rogue," for DirectTV, and ABC's "The Neighbors." In film, Sasse has starred in "Frankenstein's Army," and "The Big I Am."
Born in London, Sasse was raised in the Himalayas in Nepal until his father died in an air crash in Kathmandu, which brought his family back to England. He attended an English boarding school with aspirations of returning to Nepal to join the army. Upon finishing school, Sasse discovered his love of bringing characters to life on stage and decided to study performing arts at Hurtwood House College and later at Cygnet Training Theatre in Exeter. After joining the British Army as an officer, he left his place at Military academy and spent four years cutting his teeth in theater, touring with companies in the UK and Europe, and starring in the West End production of "Mamma Mia" at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London before making his way to America to fully pursue a career in film and television. He has been working ever since.
In 2017 Sasse took a brief hiatus from the entertainment industry, making the decision to step away from the limelight in order to re-root himself. He worked in a vintage car garage, lived on an island in Greece where he wrote two novels, collections of poetry, and penned a travel/remedial book. He started a Safari company in Zambia, and moved to Australia where he opened a café and bar. Sasse got married and had two children, in the process. Sasse notes this period of time changed his life and life changed him, marking a new chapter in his journey.
In 2020 during the pandemic, Sasse was finally published as a poet and dove deeper into his love of poetry, even launching a podcast entitled "The Poet's Voice" which features accessible, bite-size poems that erase the stigma placed on poetry by reading them in a way that everyone can enjoy. As a writer, Sasse is putting the finishing touches on his latest book "The Poetry Orchard," which is due to be published in 2022.
Sasse is a staunch supporter of anti-poaching and protecting wildlife across the world, and is one of the founders of 'Classic Zambia' a close to nature Safari experience with professional guides that have an unparalleled knowledge of the bush.
When he isn't on set, Sasse spends his time pursuing his writing and is most passionate about spending time with his wife and children.- Make-Up Department
Skillful, passionate, and dedicated to her craft, Julianne Kaye is one of the hottest celebrity makeup artists in the industry today. With over 16 years of experience under her belt, Julianne has established herself as the go-to expert for all things beauty. As a staple in the makeup world, Julianne's work can be seen in action not only on the red carpet, but also in print features [including being published in outlets such as Harper's Bazaar, Rolling Stone, and Shape Magazine], television commercials, music videos, films, and more. Past high-profile clientele include celebrities such as Britney Spears, Kate Hudson, Eva Mendes, Sophia Bush, Sharon and Kelly Osbourne, Scarlett Johanssen, and Queen, to name a few.
In March 2012, Julianne can be seen as the on-camera makeup artist and official Maybelline Beauty Expert for the brand new, NBC series "Fashion Star" starring Elle Macpherson, Jessica Simpson, John Varvatos, and Nicole Richie. The series will give 14 unknown designers the chance to win a multi-million dollar prize to launch their collections in three of America's largest retailers: Macy's, H&M, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Each week the show will begin with an exhilarating fashion show unlike anything seen before featuring musical performances, dancers, and models in front of a studio audience.
When not working on television shows and with her celebrity clientele, Julianne focuses on her website, RevolutionBeauty.com, an outlet she launched in 2008 in which she showcases video tutorials with makeup enthusiasts around the world. She shares, "I really wanted to create a blog that women could actually learn something from. Most of the blogs I had seen just seemed like beauty reviews, rather than those great tips and tricks that women are after. I wanted to give women valuable information from an expert's point of view." With a huge following on both RevolutionBeauty and YouTube, Julianne's videos have garnered well over a million views. Beyond Julianne's career as a make up artist, she is also a Harper Collins published novelist - having penned "Pop Tart" in 2009. "Pop Tart" follows Jackie O'Reilly, an aspiring makeup artist who as always dreamed of working a high-profile Hollywood career. After making her dreams a reality, Jackie finds herself working with America's "it-girl" Brooke Parker and the story centers on the ups and downs in pop culture stardom. The book is available globally in an American edition, a Spanish edition, and a British edition.- In 2020, actor on the rise, Jun Yu, is set to make his feature film debut in Walt Disney Pictures' highly anticipated, live action adaptation of "Mulan" opposite Yifei Liu, Jet Li, Tzi Ma and Rosalind Chao. Set in Imperial China, the film follows Mulan (Liu) who disguises herself as a man in order to serve in the military to defend the country from the Huns. Yu is a scene-stealer as Cricket, Mulan's comrade and confidant as she enters training military training and war. "Mulan" is set to premiere on March 27, 2020.
On the television front, Yu has recurred as Pete on ABC's hit comedy series "Fresh Off the Boat," alongside Randall Park and Constance Wu.
Born in Oakland, California and raised across the Bay Area, Yu discovered his love of acting after accidentally enrolling in a theatre course his sophomore year of high school. He was instantly drawn to the art of bringing characters to life and began taking summer courses at the prestigious University of Southern California and University of California - Berkeley. Upon graduating high school, he was accepted into USC's BFA program for their School of Dramatic Arts, whose alumni include Forrest Whittaker, America Ferrera, Will Ferrell and Ron Howard. While working on his degree Yu secured his first real acting audition for "Mulan" and landed the role, he has been working ever since.
In addition to working in front of the camera, Yu has a passion for music and is a rapper in his down time. He is currently working on his debut EP, and notes some of his musical influences are Mac Miller, Andre 3000, Lauryn Hill, and J. Cole. He currently lives in the Los Angeles area. - Actor
- Writer
- Producer
At just 27 years old, award-winning actor, producer, singer, and television personality Kalen Allen has catapulted into the mainstream media, reaching millions of people worldwide across his social media platforms and through his online content.
Discovered in 2018 by renowned comedian and talk show host Ellen DeGeneres, Kalen first made a name for himself through his hilarious "Kalen Reacts" videos, giving colorful and witty commentary on culinary concoctions found on the internet. One of these videos caught Ellen's attention, and after inviting Kalen to appear on her talk show, she knew she had found something special, and offered him an opportunity to collaborate and produce content for her digital platforms. For the next four years, Kalen held a regular guest spot on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," often taking his infectious personality to high-profile events, such as the Billboard Music Awards and the MTV Video Music Awards as Ellen's correspondent. He also starred in and produced his own weekly digital series, "OMKalen," offering fans his one-of-a-kind commentary on the week's hot topics and trending stories.
Additionally, Kalen's talents captured the attention of the Food Network, where he has appeared as a judge on their breakout discovery+ baking competition series, "Cakealikes," "Supermarket Stakeout," and as a host for the season finale of "Buddy vs Duff." Kalen continues to play an integral role in the Food Network family, with more projects and appearances to be announced later this year.
On the digital front, Kalen's videos have garnered billions of views across all platforms and continue to grow by the day. His original content creations have earned him many award nominations and wins, including a Model D Award win for Best Host in a Web Series or Channel in 2018, and another win for Best Celebrity Integration in a Web Series or Channel in 2019. He was also nominated for Best YouTube Comedian at the 2019 Shorty Awards, as well as an Honoree at the 2020 Webby Awards. Additionally, Kalen was recently honored with the Social Influencer Award at Better Brothers Los Angeles 2019 Truth Awards.
Kalen's lively and infectious personality has lent itself to his natural acting talents, where he has made a large handful of appearances in scripted television and film. Kalen made his feature film acting debut in Seth Rogen's "An American Pickle" for HBO Max. Additional acting credits for Kalen include Amazon Prime Video's rom-com holiday film, "With Love," and season three of HBO's critically acclaimed "A Black Lady Sketch Show," opposite Robin Thede, Shangela and Durand Bernarr.
While Kalen continues to entertain on screen, he is also a talented singer/songwriter, having made his original musical debut with the release of his Top 10 holiday album, "For Christmas Sake!" in 2020, featuring tracks with MJ Rodriguez ("Pose") and Alex Newell ("Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist").
Originally from Kansas City, MO, Kalen attended Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre and a BoA in Film. Kalen has a very prominent place in his heart for charity, and actively supports The Point Foundation, The Trevor Project, GLSEN, GLAAD, and Better Brothers LA.
Kalen currently resides in New York City, where he is hard at work on his master's degree in Journalism at New York University.
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- Soundtrack
This summer Kelli Berglund will star in the highly-anticipated, STARZ drama "Heels," alongside Stephen Amell, Alexander Ludwig and Alison Luff. Written by Michael Waldron and directed by Peter Segal, "Heels" is set in a close-knit Georgia community and follows a family-owned wrestling promotion, as two brothers and rivals war over their late father's legacy. Berglund shines as Crystal, a 20-year-old wrestler's valet who yearns to transform out of her traditional day job and compete as a wrestler. "Heels" is slated to premiere August 15, 2021.
"Heels" marks Berglund's return to STARZ, following a lead role in the network's sexy and vibrant Steven Soderbergh-helmed series "Now Apocalypse." The series made its premiere as a Sundance selection in 2019 and Berglund was immediately deemed a breakout as Carly Carlson, being called "a feisty pleasure" (The Hollywood Reporter), "a sharp-tongued highlight of the series" (Collider), with "great comic timing" (AV Club), and the "perfect level of don't-give-a-f*ck" (Rolling Stone). Additional recent credits for Berglund include appearing as young Gwen Verdon in the Emmy-winning limited biopic series "Fosse/Verdon" for FX, the Apple original film "Cherry," opposite Tom Holland and Ciara Bravo, and recurring on TNT's longstanding, hit drama series "Animal Kingdom." In 2020 she appeared opposite Adam Sandler in Netflix's mystery/comedy "Hubie Halloween."
Berglund began her career in entertainment with a starring role as Bree Davenport from 2012-16 on Disney XD's hit series "Lab Rats" and "Lab Rats: Elite Force." While on "Lab Rats," Berglund also starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie "How to Build a Better Boy," opposite China Anne McLain and Noah Centineo, which became a smash hit for the channel. In theatre, Berglund brought her dancing, singing, and acting skills to the stage, starring as Belle in Pasadena Playhouse's featured winter production "Beauty and the Beast: A Christmas Rose" (2017). Produced by Lythgoe Family Panto, the play offered an updated version of the classic tale, featuring family-friendly magic with a comedic twist, dancing, contemporary music, and more.
A California native, Berglund has worked closely over the years with the Audrey Hepburn CARES Center, in association with the Children's Hospital Los Angeles, which provides services for suspected victims of child abuse and their families, as well as People Concern, an organization aiming to end homelessness across LA county. She is also an accomplished dancer and has been honored with a number of awards for her talents in lyrical, contemporary, ballet, pointe, hip-hop, tap, and jazz.
Berglund currently resides in the Los Angeles area.- Kelly Karbacz has been making a name for herself on the screen and on the stage over the past decade by taking on high-caliber roles and giving exceptional performances. Karbacz stars as inmate, Kasey Sankey, on Netflix's award-winning series, "Orange is the New Black." Introduced in season four, Sankey is a primary member of the White Power Group, inadvertently created by fellow inmate, Piper Chapman (Taylor Schilling). Throughout the season, Karbacz is a scene-stealer as her character finds herself in multiple altercations with the other inmates and pursues Piper to be an active member of her "movement." Karbacz returned for season five where Sankey can be seen working together with the other inmates during the riot, and part of her backstory is revealed. In 2018, Karbacz and her co-stars were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
Karbacz also starred alongside Judd Hirsch, Daniel Stern and John Francis Daley as Joanie Binder in the ABC sitcom, "Regular Joe." Her other television credits include guest appearances on NBC's "Do No Harm," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Law & Order" and "Third Watch," CBS' "Without a Trace" and "Queens Supreme" and FOX's "Undeclared."
On the film front, Karbacz appeared in the action comedy, "Get Smart" (Warner Bros.), alongside Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway and Dwayne Johnson, playing the snarky receptionist, Judy, at the top-secret intelligence agency, CONTROL. She reprised her role in the spin-off film, "Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd Out of Control" opposite Masi Oka and Nate Torrence. Additionally, she shared the screen with Victor Williams and Melissa Leo, as Hannah, in the indie short, "First Breath."
On the theatre side, Karbacz made her Broadway debut in the leading role of Maureen Johnson, in "Rent" at the Nederlander Theatre, directed by Michael Greif. She also earned a Helen Hayes nomination for 'Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical' for her performance as Emily Andrews, in the world premiere of "Liberty Smith" at Ford's Theatre in Washington, D.C. Her other theatre credits include Alfred Uhry's "Without Walls" at The Williamstown Theatre Festival, "Nighthawks" at Center Theatre Group in Los Angeles, "First Date" at the ACT/5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, and "The Sound of Music" at Lincoln Center's New York City Opera, where she starred as Louisa.
Born in Queens, New York and raised in Queens and Manhattan, Karbacz graduated from the prestigious Stuyvesant High School, and studied drama at The Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute part of New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. - Actress
- Producer
Sophisticated and hard-working, with undeniable talent, veteran actress KJ Smith's honest portrayals of strong female characters are the true personification of black excellence, leaving her mark on Hollywood as one of its hottest stars.
This year, Smith can be seen starring in the leading role of Andi Barnes on Tyler Perry's highest-rated series for BET Networks Sistas. Currently airing its fifth season, the dramedy centers around four single Black women from different walks of life who bond over their one common thread: "Why am I single?" Smith shines in her breakthrough role as Andi, a high-powered attorney who must navigate her complicated love life in a fast-paced, high-stakes industry with the help and advice of her close-knit girlfriends. Sistas continuously leads Wednesday night network ratings, ranking #1 amongst cable network shows in their hour, with new episodes airing weekly through 2022-2023. Smith's portrayal of Barnes has also garnered multiple award nominations, including the two-time consecutive Best Actress in a TV Series wins for the Hollywood and African Prestigious Awards (HAPA) in 2021 and 2022.
Smith can also be seen starring in the major recurring role of Palomar in season two of the top-rated Power prequel series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan, on STARZ. From creator and showrunner Sascha Penn, Power Book III: Raising Kanan takes viewers back to the '90s and the early years of the now-deceased Kanan Stark, portrayed in Courtney Kemp's original series by Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson. Palomar is one of Famous' (Antonio Ortiz) new neighbors and a young mom frequently mistaken for her daughter, Corinne's older sister. Any responsible parent wouldn't let their daughter within a mile of Kanan, Famous, and their friends, but Palomar is seemingly not that parent.
Additional television credits for Smith in top-rated network and cable television include the CW's fan-favorite drama series, Dynasty, Issa Rae's Giants, CBS' NCIS: Los Angeles, ABC's Black-ish, Freeform's The Fosters, Fox's Lethal Weapon, Netflix's Fuller House, three-season recurring roles on Bounce TV's Family Time and BET's The Family Business, Netflix's Family Reunion and #BlackAF, CBS' All Rise, and ABC's legal drama The Fix, where Smith starred as the quick-witted paralegal, Charlie.
In her most challenging role in film, Smith recently starred in the lead role in The Available Wife (2020) as Nicole Wright, a beautiful and successful music CEO whose life is on the verge of crumbling when money, affairs, power, and deception collide.
Other credits include Netflix's Fatal Affair (2020), Lionsgate's A Madea Family Funeral (2019) opposite world-renowned director, screenwriter and actor Tyler Perry, and Baker's Man and Throwback Holiday.
Offscreen, KJ is fashion fearless. Her divinely feminine and classic red carpet glamour tops fashion's best-dressed lists for bold and eye-catching celebrity styles. With a commitment to preserving the legacy of Black excellence through HBCU education and community, Smith partners for impact tours and commencement addresses with historically black colleges and universities nationwide. And through her advocacy for mental health, Smith uses her platform to share life experiences and her journey to mental wellness and volunteers with the Youth Emerging Stronger foundation to spark positive change.
Smith currently resides in Los Angeles, CA, with her fiance' and former co-star, Skyh Black, and their beloved toy poodle, Billionaire Black.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
From showing off his hilarious improv skills on stage to portraying a stern lawyer on-screen, actor, comedian and writer Leonard Robinson is proving that from comedy to drama, he can do it all.
Currently, Leonard shines as Taurean Jackson in the fifth and final season of HBO's award- winning comedy series "Insecure." Created by and starring Issa Rae, "Insecure" follows two modern-day Black women, Issa and Molly (Yvonne Orji), and the awkward experiences they face as adults. Introduced in the third season, Leonard quickly became a fan favorite as Taurean, Molly's coworker. "Insecure" has garnered a plethora of award nods since it debuted in 2016, including a Peabody Award in the Entertainment category (2016), TCA Award nomination for Outstanding Achievement in Comedy (2020), multiple Primetime Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Comedy Series (2020), and an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Comedy Series (2021). Additional on-screen credits for Leonard include "Life of Crime" alongside Jennifer Aniston, CBS's long-running procedural dramas "NCIS" and "NCIS: Los Angeles," truTV's "Adam Ruins Everything," and CBS's "Young Sheldon." He was also an original cast member on MTV's sketch and improv series "Wild 'N Out" opposite Randall Park and Katt Williams.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, and raised in Danbury, Connecticut with a three-year stint in Tokyo in between, Leonard first knew he wanted to become an actor when he saw John John on "Sesame Street." While a career in the arts seemed out of reach, he went on to train in wrestling and Judo throughout high school. It wasn't until he attended Howard University for his BBA that he took his first acting class. As a wrestling state champion and a black belt in Judo, Leonard eventually transferred his skills and discipline in sports to his lucrative acting career. Upon graduating with a degree in Management Information Systems, Leonard appeared in theaters nationwide including "The Exonerated" at The Culture Project (Off-Broadway), Williamstown Theatre Festival, New York Fringe Festival, and Studio Theatre in Washington, DC. He later studied improv at the world-famous Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre and IO West and was a participant in the NBC Stand-Up for Diversity.
As a writer, Leonard developed the treatment for Lil Jon and LMFAO's "Drink" music video, which has over 7 million views on YouTube alone. In 2019, Leonard was selected to participate in the prestigious CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase as part of their first writer's room. Today, Leonard is a main company member at The Groundlings where he writes, directs, and performs. He is also a regular at The World Famous Comedy Store, and has performed his stand- up abroad throughout the U.K.
He currently resides in the Los Angeles area.- At just thirteen years old young actress Lia Frankland has become one to watch in the entertainment industry, quickly becoming known for the dynamic characters she creates on screen. In 2018, she appeared opposite Oscar winner Charlize Theron in the critically acclaimed, Focus Features film "Tully." Lia received a Joey Award (Canada, 2018) and Young Entertainer Award (US, 2019) for her role as Theron's on-screen daughter, Sarah. In the spring of 2021, Lia took on the role of hockey podcaster Mary Joe in the Disney+ series The Mighty Ducks: Gamechangers. In October 2021 she will appear in the popular Netflix series The Baby-Sitters Club.
Born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Lia began her journey in the entertainment industry at just four years old, taking vocal lessons and falling in love with musical theater. At age six her parents enrolled her in acting classes, and her coach immediately recognized her innate talent. With Lia's parents' blessing, the coach passed along some scenes to a handful of top agents in Canada and within a week she was signed to an agency.
Lia's first film credit was playing the bullied outsider Avery in the Lifetime movie "Betting on the Bride," for which she won Best Principal or Supporting Actress in a TV movie (age 9 - 18) at the 2017 Joey Awards in Canada. On the television front, her first role was playing Francie, an asthmatic young camper on Freeform's supernatural series "Dead of Summer."
When she isn't on set working Lia enjoys playing the piano, guitar, dancing, singing, and songwriting. She also is multilingual and speaks English, Spanish, French, and Greek and is determined to teach her pet lovebird Twinkie to speak in all four languages. - Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Liana Mendoza, is an Indigenous Latinx Actor, Producer, Writer and Director. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California. Her first "breakout role" was in "Mothers and Daughters" starring alongside Susan Sarandon, Mira Sorvino and Selma Blair. Since then, she joined the cast of the Emmy Award winning Proud Family: Louder and Prouder as a Voice Actor. Mendoza has joined the cast of many hit television shows such as "Bones", "Scandal", "Walk the Prank", "Better Call Saul", "Ray Donovan", "The L Word", "Baskets" and "American Horror Story" to name a few.
Mendoza began her career when she was 1 of 15 students invited to attend Hamilton High School the Academy of Music and Performing Arts. By 18, her calling was clear, Liana starred in the theatre portrayed lead role of Disney's Princess Jasmine for several years on the Disneyland Resort stage. Eventually, accepted into NYU Tisch on scholarship to complete the education needed to achieve new heights as an Actor, Writer, Producer and Director. Earning her MFA while learning from great professors and academic directors; some of which include David K. Irving, Thomas J. Mangan, Sam Pollard, and Janet Grillo. A real treat was learning from Judd Apatow.
She continues to refine her craft by studying under the direct tutelage of world renowned teacher Ivana Chubbuck. And graduated from her master class.
An Indigenous Afro-Latina woman who's family originates from both the Aztec and Hopi Tribe, with additional Indigenous roots that tie back to the Bantu people of West Africa and the Polynesian Islands.
Mendoza has earned Congressional recognition for her contributions to society through her charity work which is something she continues to be passionate about. Altruism is one of the most important forms of expression to her. She utilizes the arts as a platform to advance her outreach.