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- Actor
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McAvoy was born on 21 April 1979 in Glasgow, Scotland, to James, a bus driver, and Elizabeth (née Johnstone), a nurse. He was raised on a housing estate in Drumchapel, Glasgow by his maternal grandparents (James, a butcher, and Mary), after his parents divorced when James was 11. He went to St Thomas Aquinas Secondary in Jordanhill, Glasgow, where he did well enough and started 'a little school band with a couple of mates'.
McAvoy toyed with the idea of the Catholic priesthood as a child but, when he was 16, a visit to the school by actor David Hayman sparked an interest in acting. Hayman offered him a part in his film The Near Room (1995) but despite enjoying the experience McAvoy didn't seriously consider acting as a career, although he did continue to act as a member of PACE Youth Theatre. He applied instead to the Royal Navy and had already been accepted when he was also offered a place at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama (RSAMD).
He took the place at the RSAMD (now the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland) and, when he graduated in 2000, he moved to London. He had already made a couple of TV appearances by this time and continued to get a steady stream of TV and movie work until he came to attention of the British public in 2004 playing car thief Steve McBride in the successful UK TV series Shameless (2004) and then to the rest of the world in 2005 as Mr Tumnus, the faun, in Disney's adaptation of C. S. Lewis's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005). In The Last King of Scotland (2006) McAvoy portrayed a Scottish doctor who becomes the personal physician to dictator Idi Amin, played by Forest Whitaker. McAvoy's career breakthrough came in Atonement (2007), Joe Wright's 2007 adaption of Ian McEwan's novel.
Since then, McAvoy has taken on theatre roles, starring in Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' (directed by Jamie Lloyd), which launched the first Trafalgar Transformed season in London's West End and earned him an Olivier award nomination for Best Actor. In January 2015, McAvoy returned to the Trafalgar Studios stage to play Jack Gurney, the delusional 14th Earl of Gurney who believes he is Jesus, in the first revival of Peter Barnes's satire 'The Ruling Class', a role for which he was subsequently awarded the London Evening Standard Theatre Award's Best Actor.
On screen, McAvoy has appeared as corrupt cop Bruce Robertson in Filth (2013), a part for which he received a Scottish BAFTA for Best Actor, a British Independent Film Award for Best Actor, a London Critics Circle Film Award for British Actor of the Year and an Empire Award for Best Actor. More recently, he reprised his role as Professor Charles Xavier in X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019). He began his depiction of Kevin Wendell Crumb, also known as The Horde, a man with an extreme case of dissociative identity disorder in M. Night Shyamalan's thriller Split (2016) and continued it in the sequel, Glass (2019). Also in 2019, he played Bill Denbrough in It Chapter Two (2019), the horror sequel to It (2017).
McAvoy and Jamie Lloyd look set to continue their collaboration in December 2019, with a production of 'Cyrano de Bergerac' at the Playhouse Theatre in the West End, London. The project has been on the cards as long ago as 2017, when McAvoy posted a picture of him reading the script and wearing a false nose.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
A fireball of talent and a musical force to be reckoned with, singer/actress Patti LuPone was born on April 21, 1949 in Northport on Long Island, New York, of Italian heritage. Her parents, Orlando Joseph LuPone, a school administrator, and mother Angela Louise (Patti), a librarian, eventually divorced. She was christened Patti in honor of her great-grand-aunt, the renowned 19th-century opera singer Adelina Patti.
Trained in dance, her early days as a teen were spent as part of a 60s sibling group called "The Lupone Trio," which was comprised of Patti and older twin brothers William and Robert LuPone, the latter moving on to a daunting career of his own. A graduate of Northport High School, she attended the Drama Division of The Juilliard School and became part of its first graduating class, which also included future stars Kevin Kline and David Ogden Stiers.
In 1972 the legendary John Houseman reshaped said graduating class and formed The Acting Company, which earned a strong reputation on tour as a classical repertory group. Gaining invaluable acting experience, she stayed with the company until 1975. Making her NY theater debut in "The School for Scandal" (1972), she went on to play major roles in "The Hostage," "The Lower Depths," "The Three Sisters" (her Broadway debut), "Measure for Measure," "Scapin," "Edward II," and "The Time of Your Life," among others. However, it was in musicals that she would reign supreme. She played Lucy in a version of "The Beggar's Opera" (1973) and went on to earn distinction in "The Robber Bridegroom" (Tony nomination) (1975), "The Baker's Wife" (1976) and "Working" (1978).
Her incredible pipes and assured countenance eventually earned her the role of a lifetime with "Evita" (1979). As Argentina's calculating and beloved Eva Peron, Patti grabbed the international spotlight with a rare dramatic fury and brilliance. Her electrifying performance earned her both the Tony and Drama Desk awards, and the resulting stardom officially launched her film and TV career.
Minor roles in King of the Gypsies (1978) and 1941 (1979) led to a co-starring role with Tom Skerritt in the vigilante crimer Fighting Back (1982). Continuing to show off her singing prowess, she originated the role of Fantine in the London production of "Les Misérables" and became the first American to win the prestigious Olivier Award (for her work in both "Les Miz" and "The Cradle Will Rock") in 1985. She nabbed a second Drama Desk Award and another Tony nomination for her Reno Sweeney in "Anything Goes" (1987).
Twice nominated for Emmy awards on TV, she impressed as Lady Bird opposite Randy Quaid's President Lyndon Baines Johnson in the mini-movie LBJ: The Early Years (1987) and scored a resounding hit on the dramatic series Life Goes On (1989) as Libby Thatcher, the loving, protective mother of a son (played by Chris Burke) afflicted with Down Syndrome. This groundbreaking program was the first of its kind to center its theme around a mentally handicapped character. The show ran a durable four seasons and its title song, "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La Da" by Lennon/McCartney, featured Patti's vocals. A round of guest shots over the years have included "Law & Order," "Frazier," "Touched by an Angel," "Will & Grace" (hilariously spoofing her diva image), and a recurring spot on the critically-acclaimed Oz (1997). On film she was well represented by Witness (1985) and in Driving Miss Daisy (1989) as Dan Aykroyd's materialistic wife and minor nemesis to Jessica Tandy.
The concert stage has been a commanding venue for Patti over the years with a number of successful one-woman singing showcases such as "The Lady with the Torch," "Matters of the Heart" and "Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda," winning an Outer Critics Circle Award for her "Patti LuPone on Broadway" in 1995. Stage concert versions of "Pal Joey," "Passion," "A Little Night Music," "Can-Can" and "Candide" have greatly added to her enduring popularity, in addition to her three solo evenings at Carnegie Hall. Powerhouse leads in "Sunset Boulevard" (1993) and "Master Class" (1996) have ensured her diva-like place as one of America's contemporary singing immortals. She earned another Tony nomination more recently for her inventive spin on the monstrous Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd" (2005). Since then she has added to her Broadway musical gallery as Rose in "Gypsy" (2008) and as Helena Rubinstein in "War Paint" (2017). She also played the aggressive, scene-stealing role of Joanne ("The Ladies Who Lunch") in a film concert version of Company (2011).
Broaching the millennium and beyond, occasional film appearances have included supporting roles in Family Prayers (1993), Summer of Sam (1999), City by the Sea (2002), Union Square (2011), Parker (2013), The Comedian (2016) and Last Christmas (2019). On the smaller screen, she lent her assertive presence in recurring fashion with 30 Rock (2006), American Horror Story (2011), Penny Dreadful (2014), Anthem: Homunculus (2019) and Pose (2018) and a sturdy role in the mini-series Hollywood (2020).
Married since 1988 to camera operator Matthew Johnston, Patti has one son, Josh, who appeared in a small role in Patti's concert version of "Passion."- Actor
- Soundtrack
Doherty was born and raised in Edinburgh, Scotland. He has an older brother and younger sister, and his parents were both in the banking business. Doherty began acting at the age of 5 and also played football. Doherty joined Lothian Youth Arts and Musicals Company and played a variety of roles, including as Harry, the son of Hook in Disney's Descendants movie franchise.
Doherty attended Royal High School in Edinburgh. After high school, Doherty attended The MGA Academy of Performing Arts in Edinburgh, Scotland. He graduated after studying music theatre at MGA Academy in July 2015 and immediately signed a contract with Olivia Bell Management in London. Doherty was trained in acting, singing, and various types of dance including contemporary, hip hop, jazz, and ballet.
After graduating from The MGA Academy of Performing Arts in the summer of 2015, Doherty began waiting tables in Edinburgh at Tigerlilly restaurant. On his days off, Doherty split his time between auditioning for The Lodge and working with the Edinburgh Fringe. He was offered the role of Sean in The Lodge and had to undergo intensive training in mountain biking to prepare for the role. The Lodge was filmed in Belfast, Ireland. While Doherty's character is Scottish, Doherty focused on toning down his accent in order to better accommodate the viewers in all 108 countries that The Lodge aired in.
In December 2016, The Lodge was renewed for a second season which began production in February 2017.
After landing the role of Sean, Doherty auditioned for Descendants 2 and was cast as Harry Hook, the son of the infamous villain, Captain James Hook, from Peter Pan. Descendants 2 was filmed in Vancouver, Canada in 2016 and aired on the Disney Channel on 21 July 2017.
Most recently, Doherty was cast as Zander Reins in the American production High Strung: Free Dance alongside Harry Jarvis and Juliet Doherty. He plays Zander with an RP English accent. The film was released in the summer of 2018.
In August 2017, Doherty was named one of the 50 hottest boys in the world by Vogue magazine.- Frank trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (R.A.D.A.), graduating in 2013.
As a child he played Christopher Henderson in 'Welcome to Sarajevo' (Channel 4/Miramax/Dragon Pictures) directed by Michael Winterbottom. Aged sixteen Frank played Tom Riddle in 'Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince,' directed by David Yates.
During his first year at R.A.D.A. Frank filmed the role of James Papadopoulos in 'Papadopoulos & Sons' (Double M Films), directed by Marcus Markou. Immediately upon graduating, he played Eugene Marchbanks in 'Candida' (Theatre Royal Bath), directed by Simon Godwin. Soon after he filmed the role of Henry Coffin in Ron Howard's 'In the Heart of the Sea' (Articulated Productions). Next came the role of Keyes in 'Viena and The Fantomes' (Lola Pictures) directed by Gerardo Naranjo, which is due for release in late 2017.
Frank then played series regular Shugs in Season One of 'Sense8' (Netflix) directed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski. He next filmed the pilot for A.M.C.'s 'Fear the Walking Dead', playing the lead role of Nick Clark. The show was a huge success and he has subsequently appeared in all three seasons. During the hiatus between Seasons one and two, he filmed the lead role of Alex Harmann in 'Astral', directed by Chris Mul, due for release later this year. - Actress
- Producer
Maimie McCoy was born on 21 April 1979 in Staddlebridge, Northallerton, Yorkshire, England, UK. She is an actress and producer, known for The Libertine (2004), Virgin Territory (2007) and Early Days (2018).- Actor
- Producer
- Executive
Along with his sister, Robbie Amell started acting when he was just six years old. At sixteen, he started to land theater roles at Lawrence Park Stage in plays such as Louis and Dave, Picasso at the Lapin Agile and The Importance of Being Earnest. The experience brought Robbie to realize that he wanted to pursue a career in acting. Shortly after choosing to follow acting, he booked the part of Daniel Murtaugh in the major motion picture Cheaper by the Dozen 2, headed by names such as Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Hilary Duff, Tom Welling and - of whom he played the son - Eugene Levy and Carmen Electra.
Robbie was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, to Jo (Burden) and Rob Amell, who work in custom jewelry. His first cousin is actor Stephen Amell. As it seems is the habit of Canadians, Robbie has played hockey since he was a child. He also takes Muay Thai and break dancing lessons.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Gugu Mbatha-Raw was born Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha in the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, England. Her father, Patrick Mbatha, is a Black South African doctor, and her mother, Anne Raw, is a Caucasian English nurse. Her parents separated when she was a year old, and she was brought up by her mother in the town of Witney, Oxfordshire (she is still close to her father). She joined the local acting group Dramascope and, from the age of eleven, appeared in the pantomime at Oxford Playhouse every year. A talented singer and dancer as well as playing the saxophone, she joined the Oxford Youth Music Theatre in her teens.
In 2001, she won a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. Since graduation in 2004, she has appeared in all media, including as an acclaimed Juliet Capulet in "Romeo and Juliet" at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre in 2005, opposite Andrew Garfield as Romeo Montague. Mbatha-Raw was nominated for Best Actress in the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards for her portrayal of Juliet Capulet. She also appeared as Octavia in "Antony and Cleopatra" at the same theatre in 2005. In 2009, she was cast as Ophelia in "Hamlet" on London's West End and Broadway, opposite Jude Law as the title role.
Mbatha-Raw appeared on such varied television series as Bad Girls (1999), Doctor Who (2005), Marple (2004) and Touch (2012). She had a supporting role in the romantic comedy Larry Crowne (2011), written and directed by Tom Hanks, who also played the title role. She was acclaimed for her performance of Dido Elizabeth Belle in Amma Asante's Belle (2013), which earned her a British Independent Film Award for Best Actress, and a nomination as Most Promising Newcomer. She was also nominated for a Satellite Award for Best Actress.
She starred in the romantic drama Beyond the Lights (2014) and was nominated for a Gotham Award for Best Actress for her performance. In 2015, she was nominated for a BAFTA Rising Star Award. That same year, she had a supporting role in Jupiter Ascending (2015), played Prema Mutiso, the wife of Dr. Bennet Omalu (played by Will Smith) in the biopic Concussion (2015), and the title role in Jessica Swale's play "Nell Gwynn", playing the actress who became the mistress of King Charles II of England. She was nominated for an Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress for her performance in the play.
She played Rachel in Newton Knight's biopic Free State of Jones (2016), directed by Gary Ross, playing Knight's common-law wife, a freedwoman he had a family with after the Civil War. She also played Esme Manucharian in Miss Sloane (2016), Sophie on Netflix's series Easy (2016), and played Kelly, one of the leads in "San Junipero", the fourth episode of Season 3 of Black Mirror (2011). Her other films are the live-action remake Beauty and the Beast (2017), playing Plumette, A Wrinkle in Time (2018), directed by Ava DuVernay, and The Cloverfield Paradox (2018).
Gugu Mbatha-Raw was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by Queen Elizabeth II in the 2017 Birthday Honours for her services to drama.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Andie MacDowell was born Rosalie Anderson MacDowell on April 21, 1958 in Gaffney, South Carolina, to Pauline Johnston (Oswald), a music teacher, and Marion St. Pierre MacDowell, a lumber executive. She was enrolled at Winthrop College located in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Initially discovered by a rep from Wilhelmina Models while on a trip to Los Angeles. Later signed on with Elite Model Management in New York City in 1978. Made debut film appearance in Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes (1984). Went on to study method acting at the Actors Studio. Had commercial success with performances in Harold Ramis's Groundhog Day (1993) and Mike Newell's Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994).- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Toby Stephens began his acting career while a stagehand at the Chichester Festival Theatre, in end-of-season productions mounted by the crew. In his brief professional career, he has already won the Sir John Gielgud Prize for Best Actor and the Ian Charleson Award for his performance in the title role of "Coriolanus" at the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1994. His other work at the RSC includes "Measure for Measure", "A Midsummer Night's Dream", "Antony and Cleopatra", "Wallenstein", "All's Well That Ends Well" and "Unfinished Business". Stephens also starred in Peter Hall's production of "Tartuffe" at the Aldwych Theatre and has just finished filming The Tenant of Wildfell Hall (1996). His television appearances include A View from the Bridge (2012) and The Camomile Lawn (1992). He made his screen debut in Sally Potter's Orlando (1992).- Actress
- Producer
Sophie Rundle is an English actress. Born on April 21, 1988 to Fiona and Michael Rundle, she has two brothers James and Henry. She attended the Bournemouth School for Girls before going on to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, where she graduated in 2011 with a BA in Acting.
Upon graduation, she appeared in the period drama Garrow's Law (2009) and was part of the huge cast recreating the fate of the passenger liner Titanic (2012), which aired on the 100th anniversary of the disaster. Most of her appearances have been in dramas set in bygone days, from the 17th-century Jamestown (2017), the post-war The Bletchley Circle (2012) and Call the Midwife (2012), and the 1920s gangster saga Peaky Blinders (2013). She had contemporary roles in the sitcom Not Safe for Work (2015) and played the brave young PC Kirsten McAskill in Happy Valley (2014).
On stage, she has also gone back to the 1920s in Noel Coward's 'The Vortex' at the Rose, Kingston and on film to the nineteenth century with Great Expectations (2012). In 2015, she joined another huge cast playing the pre-'Bleak House' Lady Dedlock in Dickensian (2015), a mash-up of various characters from books by Charles Dickens in a fictional interaction. In 2018 she will be seen in the series Bodyguard (2018).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Comedian, actor and United States Marine Corps Reserve Lieutenant Colonel Robert Allen Riggle, Jr. was born April 21, 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky, to Sandra (Shrout) and Robert Allen Riggle, who worked in insurance. Riggle has amassed notable television credits and has also earned roles in many feature films, including The Lorax (2012) and 21 Jump Street (2012). After graduating from the University of Kansas with a B.A. in Theater and Film, Riggle joined the Marines and earned a Master's degree from Webster University in Public Administration. Riggle had intentions of becoming a Marine Corps pilot, but eventually left the military to pursue a career in comedy. A featured cast member on Saturday Night Live (1975) during the 2004/2005 season, Riggle then joined Comedy Central's The Daily Show (1996) in 2006 as a correspondent. Riggle's numerous television appearances, including credits on Arrested Development (2003), Chappelle's Show (2003), 30 Rock (2006) and The Office (2005) would lead to big-screen roles in Step Brothers (2008), The Hangover (2009) and The Other Guys (2010). When he is not on set or traveling across the United States performing stand-up comedy, Rob Riggle lives in Los Angeles.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Christoph Sanders grew up in western NC, before moving to Los Angeles in 2007, he is currently (2016) playing the character Kyle Anderson on the TV series Last Man Standing. Before Last Man Standing, Christoph Sanders was on the TV series Ghost Whisperer starting midway through season three until the shows end in 2010.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Grew up doing theatre in NYC -Studied at Northwestern University. -Her career started in 1995, when she was cast on Mad TV (1995) for 6 seasons. Cast member of The King of Queens (1998) for 5 seasons, playing opposite Jerry Stiller. Enjoys working in TV. Recurs on ABC's Black-ish (2014) Sex Lives of College Kids, and Bob Hearts Abishola. Scrubs (2001) and Cougar Town (2009). Was a regular on many shows, including ABC's Talk to Me (2000) with Kyra Sedgwick; ABC's Hot Properties (2005) with Gail O'Grady; NBC's Raines (2007) with Jeff Goldbloom; Lifetime's Rita Rocks (2008); CBS's $#*! My Dad Says (2010) with William Shatner; and Wendell and Vinnie (2013) on Nickelodeon. Guest-starred on many shows, such as Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999); Monk (2002); My Boys (2006); CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000); Leverage (2008); Numb3rs (2005); The Game (2006); The Exes (2011); Whitney (2011); The Middle (2009) and, more recently, on Cougar Town (2009); Devious Maids (2013) and Black-ish (2014). Has been working in voice over animation for years. Family Guy (1999) for 15 years; Baby Blues (2000); Buzz Lightyear of Star Command (2000); Clone High (2002); Kim Possible (2002); Clone High (2002); The Secret Saturdays (2008); The Penguins of Madagascar (2008). Enjoyed talk show appearances Late Show with David Letterman (1993) 3 times; The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) 4 times;The Sharon Osbourne Show (2003); Dennis Miller (2004);Hollywood Squares (1998); The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (2005).- Kate Vernon was born to the celebrated actor John Vernon. As her father's career began to take off in the USA, the family moved from their home in Canada to Hollywood when Kate was 7 years old.
With the ever growing career success of the late John Vernon (Dirty Harry (1971), National Lampoon's Animal House (1978), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976)), Kate's childhood enabled her to be influenced and surrounded by many of Hollywood's leading actors, writers and artists. With these early experiences and influences, her decision to study to become an actress came as no surprise.
After successfully completing her acting school studies, Kate's beautiful features, zest for life, easy-going and fun personality coupled with her dedicated work approach to her profession did not go unnoticed. During the early 80's, doors began to open for Kate as she secured a number of roles.
It was during the mid-1980's that Kate landed her first feature film break with her role as "Benny" in the box office hit, Pretty in Pink (1986). In its success, it led to more TV work, box office and independent movie roles allowing Kate to star alongside some of Hollywood's leading men such as Denzel Washington, Willem Dafoe, Edward James Olmos, Christopher Lee and Richard Thomas.
To date, Kate's long career as a busy actress has enabled her to play an engaging and wide variety of roles from the beautiful, funny, the love interest, dramatic, comedic, the misunderstood, the mistress, the mother and the dynamic. With her most recent roles in movies including the box office smash The Last Song (2010) which features Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear, Liam Hemsworth, Kelly Preston and the comedy, National Lampoon's Snatched (2011), sees her alongside Andrew McCarthy and the acclaimed film legend Ernest Borgnine.
Her versatility as an actress has seen Kate recently star in the hit TV series Heroes (2006), Bones (2005), as well as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), The Mentalist (2008), Saving Grace (2007) and her recurring role as "Ellen Tigh" (2004-2009) in the award-winning Battlestar Galactica (2004) (2004-2009) has won her an international fan base.
Never one to be typecast, Kate's career has allowed her to work alongside many of TV and Film Industry leading writers, directors & producers such as Spike Lee, Peter Medak, Ronald D. Moore, David Eick, Joe Cacaci, David Weddle, Michael Nankin and John Woo.
Her 40-year career has allowed her to feature in regular, recurring and guest roles in a number of major TV series including Heroes (2006) (2010), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000) (2004-2009), Star Trek: Voyager (1995) (1995), Nash Bridges (1996) (1996-1997), Battlestar Galactica (2004) (2004-2009), L.A. Law (1986) (1994), Bones (2005) (2010), Tales from the Crypt (1989) (1993), Who's the Boss? (1984) (1990) and many others.
Some of her TV & Box Office Movies credits include The Last Song (2010), Malcolm X (1992), Roadhouse 66 (1984), National Lampoon's Snatched (2011), Blackjack (1998), Pretty in Pink (1986), Dangerous Touch (1994), Last Chance Cafe (2006) and Battlestar Galactica: The Plan (2009) to name but a few.
With a timeless beauty and meticulous approach to her characters, these qualities have enhanced Kate's reputation not only as an on-screen beauty, but as an actress with experience to adapt to any kind of role. - Actor
- Writer
- Director
Deadpan comedian Charles Sidney Grodin was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania of Russian/Polish ancestry and raised in a Jewish orthodox home. He attended the University of Miami but dropped out, opting instead for the life of a struggling actor. The movie A Place in the Sun (1951) was said to have steered him towards his chosen profession. In his own words: "It was two things. One is I think I developed an overwhelming crush on Elizabeth Taylor. And two, Montgomery Clift made acting look like 'Gee, well that looks pretty easy - just a guy talking.'".
After a spell with Uta Hagen (1956-59), he attended Lee Strasberg's Actors Studio before making his stage debut on Broadway in 1962. Though he appeared on screen from as early as 1954, Grodin did not make a great deal of headway in this medium until he attracted critical notice playing the small but crucial role of obstetrician Dr. C.C. Hill in Rosemary's Baby (1968). More substantial roles soon followed. His first major starring turn was in The Heartbreak Kid (1972), a black comedy written by Neil Simon and directed by Elaine May. Grodin managed to inject charm and humanity in what was essentially an egotistical central character. Film reviewer Roger Ebert praised his performance, describing the actor as a "kind of Dustin Hoffman-as-overachiever", an opinion which was echoed by Vincent Canby of the New York Times. Ironically, Grodin had earlier turned down the pivotal role in The Graduate (1967) which propelled Hoffman to stardom (he also -- probably unwisely -- spurned the role of oceanographer Matt Hooper in Jaws (1975) which instead went to Richard Dreyfuss).
Grodin's ultimate breakthrough came on the Broadway stage in "Same Time Next Year" (1975) (opposite Ellen Burstyn), a hugely successful romantic comedy about two people, each married to someone else, who conduct an extramarital affair for a single day over the course of 24 years in the same room of a northern Californian inn. Though the two leads left the show after seven months, Grodin was now much sought-after in Hollywood as a droll comic actor and cast in a string of hit comedies: Heaven Can Wait (1978), Seems Like Old Times (1980), The Lonely Guy (1984) and Midnight Run (1988). He also appeared to sterling effect in the underrated farce The Couch Trip (1988), in which he co-starred with Walter Matthau and Dan Aykroyd as the brittle psychiatrist and radio host Dr. George Maitlin. Arguably his most popular box office success was opposite the titular Saint Bernard canine in the family-oriented comedy Beethoven (1992). Despite less than enthusiastic critical reviews, the film was a hit with audiences, grossed $147.2 million worldwide and spawned a sequel.
In the mid-1990s, Grodin reinvented himself as a television host (The Charles Grodin Show (1995)) and political commentator. He made frequent guest appearances on talk shows with Carson or Letterman, typically adopting the persona of a belligerent tongue-in-cheek character to facilitate "comically uncomfortable situations on the set". Grodin was also a prolific author, both of fiction and non-fiction. An autobiography was entitled "It Would Be So Nice If You Weren't Here: My Journey Through Show Business" (1989). Charles Grodin died at age 86 of bone marrow cancer on May 18, 2021 at his home in Wilton, Connecticut.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Tony Danza is an American actor, perhaps best known for starring on some of television's most beloved and long-running series, including "Taxi" (1978-1983) and "Who's the Boss?" (1984-1992).
Danza was born in Brooklyn, New York to Anne (Cammisa), a bookkeeper, and Matty Iadanza, a garbageman. His mother was an Italian immigrant, and his father was also of Italian descent. He grew up in Malverne, Long Island and received a wrestling scholarship to the University of Dubuque in Iowa, where he earned a bachelor's degree in history education. Before finding a teaching job, he earned his living as a professional boxer and envisioned himself as the next Rocky Graziano. Changing his name to "Dangerous" Tony Danza, he entered the New York Golden Gloves in 1975. Shortly afterward, on Aug. 13, 1976, he started his professional boxing career. Fighting as a middleweight, Danza became a crowd favorite for his walk-in slugging style. He compiled a record of 9-3 with nine knockout victories, seven in the first round.
During a gym workout, Tony was discovered for the part of Tony Banta on the ABC TV show Taxi (1978). Danza still hoped to be a world champion and scored knockouts in 1978 and 1979, but when he was unable to secure a title shot, he retired from boxing and totally dedicated himself to his acting career. "Taxi" was critically acclaimed, earning him a place in television history and making him a household name. He followed "Taxi" with a starring role in the classic ABC comedy series Who's the Boss? (1984), which ran for eight seasons and broke all syndication records. He became known for his lovable sitcom persona.
Danza received an Emmy nomination for a guest-starring role in The Practice (1997) and acclaim for his performance in the Broadway revival of "The Iceman Cometh" by Eugene O'Neill. He also starred in the comedy series Hudson Street (1995) and The Tony Danza Show (1997), for which he was executive producer. His additional television credits include an acclaimed performance opposite George C. Scott and Jack Lemmon in the remake of the film classic 12 Angry Men (1997), and the television movies The Garbage Picking Field Goal Kicking Philadelphia Phenomenon (1998), Noah (1998), The Girl Gets Moe (1997), North Shore Fish (1997), and Deadly Whispers (1995).
Among his motion-picture credits are Angels in the Outfield (1994), She's Out of Control (1989), A Brooklyn State of Mind (1998), Glam (1997), and Illtown (1996). He also wrote, directed, and starred in the short film Mamamia (1995).
Eventually Tony explored his love for the stage, and among his many stage credits is his exciting run on Broadway in Mel Brooks' hit musical "The Producers", playing Max Bialystock (2006-2007), and his reprise of the role in the Las Vegas production at Paris Las Vegas (2007).
For his theatrical debut in "Wrong Turn at Lungfish" (1993), he earned an Outer Critic's Circle Award nomination. Other stage credits include the critically acclaimed "The Iceman Cometh", opposite Kevin Spacey, Arthur Miller's Tony Award-winning play "A View from the Bridge", and "I Remember You". Most recently, Tony returned to the stage in the pre-Broadway run of the much-buzzed-about and highly-acclaimed smash hit musical "Honeymoon In Vegas", which he starred in at the Paper Mill Playhouse along with Tony Award nominee Rob McClure ("Chaplin"), and Brynn O'Malley ("Annie"). With music and lyrics by Tony Award winner, Jason Robert Brown ("Parade", "The Last Five Years"), the musical is written by Andrew Bergman ("Fletch", "The Freshman", "Blazing Saddles", "Soap Dish", "The In-Laws") and based on his hit Castle Rock/New Line comedy of the same title. Both the show and Tony's performance received amazing reviews, including a love letter from The New York Times that compares Tony's performance to "the cooler-than-cool spirit" of Frank Sinatra.
He garnered accolades performing in his song-and-dance stage show, which debuted in Atlantic City in 1995. He later took it on the road to major venues throughout the country, from Las Vegas to New York.
In 2013, Tony returned to the big screen and received great buzz and fantastic reviews for his performance as Joseph Gordon-Levitt's character's father in Gordon-Levitt's much-buzzed-about and acclaimed directorial debut, "Don Jon". The film, which stars Gordon-Levitt, Danza, Julianne Moore, Brie Larson, and Scarlett Johansson, was released in theaters in the fall of 2013.
In 2009-2010, Tony took on his most challenging role yet: teaching tenth-grade English at Philadelphia's Northeast High School. His experience working as a real teacher was taped and aired on A&E last year in the form of the critically-acclaimed seven-part documentary series, Teach.
In September 2012, Crown Publishers (a division of Random House) released Tony's book, "I'd Like to Apologize to Every Teacher I Ever Had: My Year as a Rookie Teacher at Northeast High", a much-buzzed-about and critically acclaimed reflection of his experience teaching for a year. The book premiered on the New York Times Best Sellers list at number 16 and stayed on the list for two months. The paperback edition hit bookstores in September of 2013. In 2010, AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world's largest-circulation magazine with more than 35 million readers, presented Tony with their Inspire Award. The Inspire Awards pay tribute to extraordinary people who inspire others to action through their innovative thinking, passion and perseverance. In December of 2012, Tony was among the iconic celebrities who participated in the Weinstein Company's historic concert for Hurricane Sandy Relief at Madison Square Garden. He was featured in the documentary about the concert, released by the Weinstein Company in the fall of 2013, in which Tony reminds people of the forgotten motto of America, "E pluribus unum", or "out of many one", or as Tony's father would say "we're all in this together, pal".
With great belief in the spirit of that motto, Tony participates in many charity efforts. In April 2013, USAToday honored Tony at their annual National Make A Difference Day Awards for his commitment to helping others through his numerous charity efforts.
Danza is married to Tracy Robinson and has three children.- Actor
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Desmin Borges was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for You're the Worst (2014), Utopia (2020) and Only Murders in the Building (2021).- Actor
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Anthony Quinn was born Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca (some sources indicate Manuel Antonio Rodolfo Quinn Oaxaca) on April 21, 1915, in Chihuahua, Mexico, to Manuela (Oaxaca) and Francisco Quinn, who became an assistant cameraman at a Los Angeles (CA) film studio. His paternal grandfather was Irish, and the rest of his family was Mexican.
After starting life in extremely modest circumstances in Mexico, his family moved to Los Angeles, where he grew up in the Boyle Heights and Echo Park neighborhoods. He played in the band of evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson as a youth and as a deputy preacher. He attended Polytechnic High School and later Belmont High, but eventually dropped out. The young Quinn boxed (which stood him in good stead as a stage actor, when he played Stanley Kowalski in "A Streetcar Named Desire" to rave reviews in Chicago), then later studied architecture under Frank Lloyd Wright at the great architect's studio, Taliesin, in Arizona. Quinn was close to Wright, who encouraged him when he decided to give acting a try. Made his credited film debut in Parole! (1936). After a brief apprenticeship on stage, Quinn hit Hollywood in 1936 and picked up a variety of small roles in several films at Paramount, including an Indian warrior in The Plainsman (1936), which was directed by the man who later became his father-in-law, Cecil B. DeMille.
As a contract player at Paramount, Quinn's roles were mainly ethnic types, such as an Arab chieftain in the Bing Crosby-Bob Hope comedy, Road to Morocco (1942). As a Mexican national (he did not become an American citizen until 1947), he was exempt from the draft. With many other actors in military service during WWII, he was able to move up into better supporting roles. He married DeMille's daughter Katherine DeMille, which afforded him entrance to the top circles of Hollywood society. He became disenchanted with his career and did not renew his Paramount contract despite the advice of others, including his father-in-law, with whom he did not get along (whom Quinn reportedly felt had never accepted him due to his Mexican roots; the two men were also on opposite ends of the political spectrum) but they eventually were able to develop a civil relationship. Quinn returned to the stage to hone his craft. His portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in "A Streetcar Named Desire" in Chicago and on Broadway (where he replaced the legendary Marlon Brando, who is forever associated with the role) made his reputation and boosted his film career when he returned to the movies.
Brando and Elia Kazan, who directed "Streetcar" on Broadway and on film (A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)), were crucial to Quinn's future success. Kazan, knowing the two were potential rivals due to their acclaimed portrayals of Kowalski, cast Quinn as Brando's brother in his biographical film of Mexican revolutionary Emiliano Zapata, Viva Zapata! (1952). Quinn won the Best Supporting Actor Academy Award for 1952, making him the first Mexican-American to win an Oscar. It was not to be his lone appearance in the winner's circle: he won his second Supporting Actor Oscar in 1957 for his portrayal of Paul Gauguin in Vincente Minnelli's biographical film of Vincent van Gogh, Lust for Life (1956), opposite Kirk Douglas. Over the next decade Quinn lived in Italy and became a major figure in world cinema, as many studios shot films in Italy to take advantage of the lower costs ("runaway production" had battered the industry since its beginnings in the New York/New Jersey area in the 1910s). He appeared in several Italian films, giving one of his greatest performances as the circus strongman who brutalizes the sweet soul played by Giulietta Masina in her husband Federico Fellini's masterpiece La strada (1954). He met his second wife, Jolanda Addolori, a wardrobe assistant, while he was in Rome filming Barabbas (1961).
Alternating between Europe and Hollywood, Quinn built his reputation and entered the front rank of character actors and character leads. He received his third Oscar nomination (and first for Best Actor) for George Cukor's Wild Is the Wind (1957). He played a Greek resistance fighter against the Nazi occupation in the monster hit The Guns of Navarone (1961) and received kudos for his portrayal of a once-great boxer on his way down in Rod Serling's Requiem for a Heavyweight (1962). He went back to playing ethnic roles, such as an Arab warlord in David Lean's masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia (1962), and he played the eponymous lead in the "sword-and-sandal" blockbuster Barabbas (1961). Two years later, he reached the zenith of his career, playing Zorba the Greek in the film of the same name (a.k.a. Zorba the Greek (1964)), which brought him his fourth, and last, Oscar nomination as Best Actor. The 1960s were kind to him: he played character leads in such major films as The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968) and The Secret of Santa Vittoria (1969). However, his appearance in the title role in the film adaptation of John Fowles' novel, The Magus (1968), did nothing to save the film, which was one of that decade's notorious turkeys.
In the 1960s, Quinn told Life magazine that he would fight against typecasting. Unfortunately, the following decade saw him slip back into playing ethnic types again, in such critical bombs as The Greek Tycoon (1978). He starred as the Hispanic mayor of a southwestern city on the short-lived television series The Man and the City (1971), but his career lost its momentum during the 1970s. Aside from playing a thinly disguised Aristotle Onassis in the cinematic roman-a-clef The Greek Tycoon (1978), his other major roles of the decade were as Hamza in the controversial The Message (1976) (a.k.a. "Mohammad, Messenger of God"); as the Italian patriarch in The Inheritance (1976); yet another Arab in Caravans (1978); and as a Mexican patriarch in The Children of Sanchez (1978). In 1983, he reprised his most famous role, Zorba the Greek, on Broadway in the revival of the musical "Zorba" for 362 performances (opposite Lila Kedrova, who had also appeared in the film, and won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance). His career slowed during the 1990s but he continued to work steadily in films and television, including an appearance with frequent film co-star Maureen O'Hara in Only the Lonely (1991).
Quinn lived out the latter years of his life in Bristol, Rhode Island, where he spent most of his time painting and sculpting. Beginning in 1982, he held numerous major exhibitions in cities such as Vienna, Paris, and Seoul. He died in a hospital in Boston at age 86 from pneumonia and respiratory failure linked to his battle with throat cancer.- Sarah Catherine Hook is an American actress and singer. Born and raised in Montgomery, AL, she went on to SUNY Purchase College to pursue a degree in Vocal Performance: Opera where she received her Bachelor of Music. During her time at Purchase, she began to pique her interest in acting and attended the Atlantic Theater Company Summer Intensive. Since then, she has continued to take both acting and singing courses around New York. Sarah Catherine in known for The Conjuring 3, Law & Order: SVU and Living in Harmony Sodastream.
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Bhavna Limbachia was born on 21 April 1984 in Preston, Lancashire, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Citizen Khan (2012), Coronation Street (1960) and Cuffs (2015). She has been married to Darren Kuppan since 22 July 2018.- Actress
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Liz grew up in Bebington, England where she lived until she went to Nottingham University in 1990 to study law. After graduating with an LLB in Law, she volunteered in a law centre and became a campaigner for civil rights for Disabled people in the UK and internationally. It wasn't until 2000 that she began to tread the boards when she co-founded the comedy group, Nasty Girls. In 2003, Liz studied performing arts with Graeae Theatre Company and London Met University and played the eponymous 'Mother Courage' in the final touring production. Following this, Liz was part of the first ever Disabled women's reading of 'The Vagina Monologues', took to the main stage at The Young Vic theatre, London in another Brecht, 'The Exception and the Rule' and then toured with the Graeae production of Moliere's 'George Dandin' the following year.
Liz's first job with the BBC was as a columnist for the website Ouch! before becoming co-host with American Horror Story (2011) actor, Mat Fraser, of the infamous Ouch podcast. In 2005 she joined the comedy group Abnormally Funny People and her stand up debut with them was filmed for a documentary on Sky TV. She was a finalist in the Funny Women competition 2006 and in 2007 she was runner up in the Hackney Empire New Act competition. She has taken 6 shows to Edinburgh Fringe, 2 shows to Melbourne Comedy Festival, toured all over the world with her comedy, her cabaret and with her one woman show, 'It Hasn't Happened Yet'. She wrote the book and lyrics for her show, 'Assisted Suicide The Musical' which she performed to sell out audiences at the Royal Festival Hall, London in 2016 and 2017.
On screen, Liz is perhaps best known for her role as forensic examiner Clarissa Mullery in the BBC's long running drama, Silent Witness (1996) alongside Emilia Fox, David Caves and Richard Lintern. She joined the series in 2012 but almost missed out on the role when she got stuck in traffic and turned up too late for the audition. This was Liz's first TV acting role and over the next seven series, her character Clarissa has grown from a sidekick to a main part of the regular cast.- Actress
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Calah Lane booked her first lead role at the age of four in a stage production at the Dallas Summer Musical Theater, now known as Broadway Dallas. Shortly after, at the age of 5, she booked a principal role in a commercial for AT&T that played at the Dallas Cowboys AT&T stadium, and was seen by over a million fans. Since then, she has worked on numerous films and nationally televised commercials, modeled for various companies and magazines, and worked to give back to her community. Calah's first film lead role was on the award winning short film, Bad Things, which she later won Best Actress in a Short Film at the Warner Brothers Young Entertainer Awards, in Burbank CA. That soon was followed by the feature film, The Day Shall Come, which made its debut premiere at the SXSW Festival, in Austin, TX. After which, her family took a leap of faith and moved from Texas to California. Shortly after she landed the lead role of the short film, Junebug, directed by Winter Dunn and premiered by IssaRae Short film Sundays, the American Black Film Festival, HollyShorts, the Pan African Film Festival and more. Calah also has a recurring role on Showtime's Kidding, a comedy spot on Netflix's Family Reunion and a recent guest starring role in the highly anticipated Birth Mother episode on America's #1 TV show, This is Us. Calah has a natural ability in front of the camera and is a directors favorite. She has infectious energy and brightens up a room. In addition to acting, Calah is also a talented singer and dancer. Her most memorable time singing on stage was being a backing vocalist to a popular Grammy-nominated Artist and performing in front of 10,000 fans. Her most recent is a recurring Voiceover singing role on Disney Jr.'s, FireBuds. Calah has written many scripts of her own and is in tune with how scripts are written. One of Calahs first scripts written was at 9 years old. It is a 2 min short in which she filmed, directed and produced. Besides writing and acting, Calah is also committed to giving back. Calah has worked with the LA Mission to benefit the community. She also spends time attending events to benefit organizations such as Cancer for Kids and Raising Hope. Now, Calah can be seen starring alongside Timothee' Chalamet in the upcoming highly awaited Christmas movie, Wonka. She is always so grateful for her faith and family who has supported her throughout her amazing film journey. She has a very talented family and is the oldest sister to Actress and Model Rose Lane, and Actor Mark Lane III.- Actor
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Brian White was born on 21 April 1975 in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Ambitions (2019), Stomp the Yard (2007) and The Family Stone (2005). He has been married to Paula Da Silva since 28 August 2010. They have one child.- Eva De Dominici was born on 21 April 1995 in Avellaneda, Argentína. She is an actress, known for The Fragility of Bodies (2017), Tiger, Blood in the Mouth (2016) and Cosmic Sin (2021).
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Jennifer Blanc, also known as Jennifer Blanc-Biehn, was born and raised in New York City, by her mom, Jenise Blanc. At the tender age of 10, Jennifer was on Broadway in Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs", working alongside Jonathan Silverman, Fisher Stevens and Robert Sean Leonard. Jennifer's career blossomed bringing her to sunny Los Angeles to be in Kenny Ortega's series, Hull High (1990), for Disney and NBC. Since then, she has been grateful to be continually working in the business that she loves. She also starred in the TV series, The Mommies (1993), for NBC and Paramount. Her projects include: Friends 'Til the End (1997), opposite Shannen Doherty, Party of Five (1994), opposite Scott Wolf and Matthew Fox, Cool and the Crazy (1994) with Jared Leto, and James Cameron's Dark Angel (2000), with Jessica Alba. Jennifer has also guest-starred on television shows, such as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), Grace Under Fire (1993) and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005) with Danny DeVito. In addition, she has been involved in many projects with her partner and fellow actor, Michael Biehn. The two joined forces on a movie Michael directed in China called, The Blood Bond (2011). Their other projects include Puncture (2011), alongside Chris Evans, and The Ride (1997). Most recently, Jennifer made an appearance in The Divide (2011), with partner Michael Biehn, and is producing a film called The Victim (2011). It is her first leap into the producing world and she is loving it. Her performance in The Victim (2011) comes on the heels of other movies she has just recently completed, including The Jack of Spades (2010), with Jennifer Coolidge, Prank (2008) with friend and colleague Danielle Harris (her co-star in The Victim (2011)), which Jennifer produces and starred in with her writer-director partner, Michael Biehn. Michael and Jennifer have many more productions, now under their "Blanc Biehn Prod" shingle. Collaborations with Xavier gens to come as well as Treachery (2013) and, in pre-production, Hidden in the Woods (2014). As an actress, Jennifer will appear in 2013 in Wrong Cops (2013) and Black Butterflies and there many more productions and film and TV projects in the works.