underappreciated actors

Alan Tudyk was born in El Paso, Texas, but grew up in Plano, where he attended Plano Sr. High. In 1990, he went on to study drama at Lon Morris Jr. College. While there, he was awarded the Academic Excellence Award for Drama. He was also named Most Likely to Succeed and Sophomore Beau. During this time, Alan was also an active member of the Delta Psi Omega fraternity.

After leaving LMJC, Alan went on to study at the prestigious Juilliard conservatory but left in 1996 before earning a degree.

After a number of smaller stage productions and a small role in the movie Patch Adams (1998), Alan landed his first Broadway role in 1999 with "Epic Proportions." He quickly became a sought-after comedic actor, with roles in such films as 28 Days (2000) and A Knight's Tale (2001).

In 2002, Alan got the role of Wash, the wise-cracking pilot of Serenity on the short-lived series Firefly (2002). Although it lasted only eleven episodes, this may be Alan's most well-known and best-loved role. No other networks would buy the failed series, but Universal Pictures began courting creator Joss Whedon to produce a big-screen version of the series. While awaiting the final news of Firefly's fate, Alan played the beloved Steve the Pirate in the movie Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004) and the voice of the robot Sonny in I, Robot (2004).

In 2005, Alan finally reprised the role of Wash in Serenity (2005), the feature-film version of the series Firefly. The same year, he went back to Broadway from June to November, taking over the role of Lancelot for Hank Azaria in the successful musical "Spamalot."

He lives in New York City but also has a place in Los Angeles, California

Will Patton was born in Charleston, South Carolina. His father, Bill Patton, is a playwright, acting/directing instructor, and Lutheran minister. Patton attended the North Carolina School of the Arts. He has won two OBIE awards for Best Actor -- for the off-Broadway plays "Fool for Love" (by Sam Shepard) and the Public Theatre production of "What Did He See?" (by Richard Foreman).

As she inherited her love for the arts by her father, well-known playwright, actor, director and novelist Mario Peña, it is not hard to understand that actress Elizabeth Pena already had designs to become an actress by the time she was eight years old.

Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on September 23, 1959, the petite (5' 2") actress was raised in New York City. Elizabeth's (and sister Tania's) parents, Cuban immigrants Mario and Estella Margarita Peña, would achieve a strong Latino reputation as the founders of the off-Broadway Latin-American Theatre Ensemble. They also encouraged Elizabeth's talent. In 1975, the young teenager became a founding member of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors, and two years later graduated from New York's High School of Performing Arts, now the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts.

Elizabeth found occasional work in repertory theater and in television commercials. Making her film debut in the independent Spanish-speaking feature El Super (1979), about Cuban refugees, she continued with playing a long line of independent and rebellious characters, which showed plenty of attitude and independence. Playing offbeat roles -- from a knife-threatening waitress to a disco queen -- she appeared in such early films as They All Laughed (1981) and Crossover Dreams (1985). Elizabeth's big break came in the form a support role in the hugely popular and entertaining comedy Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), co-starring Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss and Nick Nolte, in which she stole several scenes as the sultry, smoky-voiced, politically-minded maid Carmen.

Two consecutive short-lived television series came about around this time. Her first, the ensemble comedy Tough Cookies (1986), had her playing a police officer, and the second was the title housekeeper role in the sitcom I Married Dora (1987). High in demand now, Elizabeth continued to spice up both the big and small screen in such roles as Ritchie Valens' stepsister-in-law in the well-received biopic La Bamba (1987); a drug enforcement agent in the miniseries Drug Wars: The Camarena Story (1990); PTSD-suffering Tim Robbins' live-in girlfriend in the complex drama Jacob's Ladder (1990); and a dedicated legal secretary on the corporate drama series Shannon's Deal (1990) starring Jamey Sheridan.

Honors also came Elizabeth's way when she received the Independent Spirit and Bravo awards for the film Lone Star (1996), and four ALMA Awards for her performances in the television movie Contagious (1997), the films Tortilla Soup (2001) and Rush Hour (1998), and her regular role on the Latino drama series Resurrection Blvd. (2000).

Into the millennium, Elizabeth found steady employment on television with guest roles on Boston Public (2000), CSI: Miami (2002), Without a Trace (2002), Numb3rs (2005), Ghost Whisperer (2005), Charlie's Angels (2011), Prime Suspect (2011), Common Law (2012), and Modern Family (2009). One of her last roles was on the television series Matador (2014). She also found herself further down the credits in films such as On the Borderline (2001), Transamerica (2005), The Lost City (2005), Mother and Child (2009), The Perfect Family (2011), Plush (2013), and Grandma (2015). Three other films -- Girl on the Edge (2015), Ana Maria in Novela Land (2015), and The Song of Sway Lake (2018) -- were released posthumously. She also provided a voice in the popular Disney/Pixar animated film The Incredibles (2004).

A chronic alcohol problem severely hampered Elizabeth's life and she died suddenly from cirrhosis of the liver in Los Angeles, California on October 14, 2014, at age 55. She was survived by her second husband (from 1994), Hans Rolla, and their two children, son Kælan and daughter Fiona.

Character actor Stephen Tobolowsky was born on May 30, 1951 in Dallas, Texas. Over the past three decades, Tobolowsky has racked up a lengthy list of roles in movies and television across many different genres.

While Tobolowsky initially attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas with the intention of studying geology, he was quickly drawn in to acting there. He later attended the University of Illinois for one year.

Tobolowsky worked primarily in theater during his early career, and wrote and directed a few plays including "Two Idiots in Hollywood" and "True Stories". His film career took off in the 1980s, though, thanks to roles in The Philadelphia Experiment (1984), Nobody's Fool (1986), Spaceballs (1987), and Mississippi Burning (1988). Since then, Tobolowsky has appeared in many popular movies including Bird on a Wire (1990), Basic Instinct (1992), Groundhog Day (1993), Radioland Murders (1994), Murder in the First (1995), Mr. Magoo (1997), The Insider (1999), Memento (2000), Freaky Friday (2003), Garfield: The Movie (2004) and Wild Hogs (2007). He has also done a substantial amount of voice work, most recently taking on the role of Uncle Ubb in The Lorax (2012).

Tobolowsky has been even more prolific in television over the past few decades. He's appeared on a diverse range of shows including Seinfeld (1989), Mad About You (1992), Chicago Hope (1994), The Practice (1997) and Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000), and has had recurring roles on CSI: Miami (2002), Deadwood (2004), Heroes (2006), Californication (2007) and Glee (2009).

Tobolowsky is married to fellow actor Ann Hearn.

Stephen Root is an American character actor known for his remarkable versatility across film, television, and voice acting. Born on November 17, 1951, in Sarasota, Florida, Root has built a prolific career spanning several decades, often stealing scenes with his dynamic performances and memorable characters.

Root gained widespread recognition for his role as the mumbling, stapler-obsessed Milton Waddams in the cult-classic comedy Office Space (1999). He also delivered a chilling performance as the blind art dealer Jim Hudson in Jordan Peele's critically acclaimed horror film Get Out (2017). Other notable film appearances include Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004), No Country for Old Men (2007), The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), and multiple collaborations with the Coen Brothers.

On television, Root is perhaps best known for his role as eccentric radio station owner Jimmy James on the sitcom NewsRadio (1995-1999). He has also made significant impressions in dramatic roles, including vampire Eddie Gauthier in True Blood, Gaston Means in Boardwalk Empire, Monroe Fuches in Barry - a performance that earned him critical acclaim and an Emmy nomination - and Hawthorne Abendsen, the enigmatic revolutionary in The Man in the High Castle.

In animation, Root has lent his voice to numerous beloved characters, most notably Bill Dauterive and Buck Strickland in King of the Hill, as well as various roles in Rick & Morty, Bob's Burgers, American Dad!, and Batman: The Animated Series.

A true chameleon, Root continues to be one of Hollywood's most respected and reliable character actors, admired for his ability to effortlessly shift between comedy and drama, live-action and voice roles.

Chris Bauer was born on October 28, 1966 in Los Angeles, California, USA as Mark Christopher Bauer. He is an actor, known for The Wire (2002), True Blood (2008), Third Watch (1999) and The Deuce (2017). He has been married to Laura Bauer since May 12, 1997. They have two children.

One tough cookie who can definitely hold her own next to the boys on film and TV, lovely, dark-haired Rachel Ticotin has stepped up to the plate many times in strong-armed femme roles, playing everything from cops and bodyguards to military corporals.

Born on November 1, 1958, and raised in the Bronx, Rachel is of Puerto Rican, Russian-Jewish descent and learned the fine art of discipline at a young age with ballet training at age 8. She made her first stage appearance at age 10 as a Siamese princess in a production of "The King and I" at NYC's City Center Theatre. At age twelve she joined the Ballet Hispanico of New York and went on to work with such famed choreographers as Alvin Ailey, Geoffrey Holder and Anna Sokolow.

Rachel made her film debut at age 20 in a bit role as a gypsy dancer in the King of the Gypsies (1978) starring Eric Roberts. She gained valuable experience in off-Broadway shows and on the other side of the camera as a production assistant for such films as The Wanderers (1979), Dressed to Kill (1980) and Raging Bull (1980).

Rachel earned her big break after being handed the top female role opposite Paul Newman and Edward Asner in the brutal police film Fort Apache the Bronx (1981). Television became a viable forum with the TV pilot For Love and Honor (1983) as Corporal Grace Pavlik. The pilot introduced her to up-and-coming actor David Caruso. They married later that year. Rachel went on to appear in the short-lived series version of For Love and Honor (1983) without Caruso. Other television projects included assertive roles in Prison Stories: Women on the Inside (1991), Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (1999) and Warden of Red Rock (2001). On the big screen she played tough in Critical Condition (1987), Where the Day Takes You (1992), and Falling Down (1993).

Her best known role is probably the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi blockbuster Total Recall (1990) in which the athletic Rachel has a memorable fisticuffs scene with Sharon Stone. In 1997, Rachel earned an ALMA award for her role as a prison guard in Con Air (1997). Divorced from Caruso after six years in 1989, she later met actor Peter Strauss on the set of the TV movie Thicker Than Blood: The Larry McLinden Story (1994). They married in 1998. In series drama she joined the cast of Ohara (1987) as a U.S. attorney and played detective in the police drama Crime & Punishment (1993).

A proven talent who is as alluring as she is enduring, Rachel's work has included the popular films Something's Gotta Give (2003) starring Jack Nicholson and Oscar-nominated Diane Keaton, Man on Fire (2004) with Denzel Washington, as well as the recent The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) and its sequel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008). She also was part of the critically acclaimed bi-cultural series American Family (2002).

Although gracing such recent films as horror opus The Eye (2008), the romantic crimer The Burning Plain (2008) and the dramatic thriller América (2011), Rachel has focused on TV as of late with guest roles on the revamped "The Outer Limits," as well as "Lost," "Law & Order: LA," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "Homeland," "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Act."

Mark Andreas Sheppard was born on May 30, 1964 in London, England. He is an actor director and producer, known for Supernatural (2005), Battlestar Galactica (2004), Firefly (2002), Leverage (2008), Doctor Who (2005) In the Name of the Father (1993) and many others. He has been married to Sarah Louise Fudge since November 9, 2015.

True-Frost graduated from New Trier High School in Winnetka, Illinois. He has been an ensemble member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago since 1989. Prior to that, he was a member of Remains Theater, co-founded by actor William L. Petersen (To Live and Die in L.A., CSI: Crime Scene Investigation). True-Frost appeared in the film Off the Map with fellow Steppenwolf ensemble member Joan Allen, directed by Singles co-star Campbell Scott. He has performed on Broadway and as far away as Sierra Leone.

Greta Gerwig is an American actress, playwright, screenwriter, and director. She has collaborated with Noah Baumbach on several films, including Greenberg (2010), Frances Ha (2012), for which she earned a Golden Globe nomination, and Mistress America (2015). Gerwig made her solo directorial debut with the critically acclaimed comedy-drama film Lady Bird (2017), which she also wrote, and has also had starring roles in the films Damsels in Distress (2011), Jackie (2016), and 20th Century Women (2016).

Greta Celeste Gerwig was born in Sacramento, California, to Christine Gerwig (née Sauer), a nurse, and Gordon Gerwig, a financial consultant and computer programmer. She has German, Irish, and English ancestry. Gerwig was raised as a Unitarian Universalist, but also attended an all-girls Catholic school. She has described herself as "an intense child". With an early interest in dance, she intended to get a degree in musical theatre in New York. She graduated from Barnard College in NY, where she studied English and philosophy, instead. Originally intending to become a playwright, after meeting young film director Joe Swanberg, she became the star of a series of intellectual low budget movies made by first-time filmmakers, a trend dubbed "mumblecore".

Gerwig was cast in a minor role in Swanberg's LOL (2006) in 2006, while still studying at Barnard. She then appeared in many of Swanberg's films, and personally co-directed, co-wrote and co-produced one entitled Nights and Weekends (2008). She has worked with good quality directors such as Ti West (The House of the Devil (2009)), Whit Stillman (Damsels in Distress (2011)), or Woody Allen (To Rome with Love (2012)) but success and (international) recognition did not come until Frances Ha (2012), directed by Noah Baumbach, a film she also co-wrote. Both tall and immature, awkward and graceful, blundering and candid, annoying and engaging, Greta has won all hearts in the title role of Frances Ha(liday).

In 2017, she wrote and directed the highly acclaimed, semi-autobiographical teen movie Lady Bird (2017), set in 2002-2003, and starring Saoirse Ronan, Laurie Metcalf, and Timothée Chalamet.

In 2011, Gerwig received an award for Acting from the Athena Film Festival for her artistry as one of Hollywood's definitive screen actresses of her generation.

Margo Martindale was born in Jacksonville, Texas, to Margaret (Pruitt) and William Everett Martindale, a lumber company owner and dog handler. She is the youngest of three children and the only daughter. Margo attended Lon Marris College, later transferred to University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, and did a summer study at Harvard University. She made her film debut appearance in Days of Thunder (1990), in which she played the minor role of Donna. Notable roles include Sister Colleen, Susan Sarandon's fellow nun in Dead Man Walking (1995), and a brief but memorable role as the selfish mother of Hilary Swank's character in Million Dollar Baby (2004).

A tall, wavy-haired US actor with a deep, resonant voice, Clancy Brown has proven himself a versatile performer with first-class contributions to theatre, feature films, television series and even animation.

Clarence J. Brown III was born in 1959 in Urbana, Ohio, to Joyce Helen (Eldridge), a concert pianist, conductor, and composer, and Clarence J. "Bud" Brown, Jr., who helped manage the Brown Publishing Company, the family-owned newspaper started by Clancy's grandfather, Clarence J. Brown. Clancy's father and grandfather were also Republican congressmen from the same Ohio district, and Clancy spent much of his youth in close proximity to Washington, D.C. He plied his dramatic talents in the Chicago theatre scene before moving onto feature film with a sinister debut performance bullying Sean Penn inside a youth reformatory in Bad Boys (1983). He portrayed Viktor the Monster in the unusual spin on the classic Frankenstein story in The Bride (1985), before scoring one of his best roles to date as the evil Kurgan hunting fellow immortals Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery across four centuries of time in Highlander (1986).

Brown played a corrupt American soldier in the Walter Hill-directed hyper-violent action film Extreme Prejudice (1987), another deranged killer in Shoot to Kill (1988) and a brutal prison guard, who eventually somewhat "befriends" wrongfully convicted banker Tim Robbins, in the moving The Shawshank Redemption (1994). His superb vocal talents were in demand, and he contributed voices to animated series, including Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm (1995), Street Sharks (1994), Gargoyles (1994) and Superman: The Animated Series (1996). Brown then landed two more plum roles, one as a "tough-as-nails" drill sergeant in the science fiction thriller Starship Troopers (1997), and the other alongside Robin Williams in the Disney comedy Flubber (1997).

The video gaming industry took notice of Clancy's vocal abilities, too, and he has contributed voices to several top selling video games, including Crash Bandicoot: The Wrath of Cortex (2001), Lands of Lore III (1999), Star Wars: Bounty Hunter (2002) and Crash Nitro Kart (2003). His voice is also the character of cranky crustacean Mr. Eugene H. Krabs in the highly successful SpongeBob SquarePants (1999) animated series and films, and he contributed voices to The Batman (2004), Jackie Chan Adventures (2000) and Justice League (2001) animated series. A popular and friendly personality, Clancy Brown continues to remain busy both through his vocal and acting talents in Hollywood.

Tracey Walter was born on 25 November 1947 in Jersey City, New Jersey, USA. He is an actor, known for Repo Man (1984), Batman (1989) and Conan the Destroyer (1984).

Colm Meaney was born on 30 May 1953 in Dublin, Ireland. He is an actor and producer, known for Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), Under Siege (1992) and Layer Cake (2004). He has been married to Ines Glorian since 15 March 2007. They have one child. He was previously married to Bairbre Dowling.

Molly Hagan was born the seventh child of Jack and Betty Hagan in Minneapolis, Minnesota. At the age of 4 the entire family moved to Ft. Wayne, Indiana. She grew up among cornfields and limestone quarries. Molly always wanted to be an actor. She toiled with her sister, Lucy Hagan, to create the best living room theatre a family could watch. But had her first real break as Glinda the good witch in "The Wizard of Oz" at St. Therese's Elementary School. After crushing it, doing the best Billie Burke she could, Molly went on to be kicked out of High School drama. She then attended Northwestern University.

Brooke Smith grew up in New York in the shadow of show business owing to the fact that she is the daughter of powerful publicist Lois Smith. After studying at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, her "first big thing" was playing Catherine Martin, the abducted young girl in The Silence of the Lambs (1991). She went on to play Sonya in Louis Malle's Vanya on 42nd Street (1994) and Dawn in Daniel Minahan's brutal sendup of reality television Series 7: The Contenders (2001). Whether she is humming a Tom Petty tune, as her character did in "Lambs," or screaming for a bean dip, as her pregnant character does in "Series 7," Smith is known for giving brooding, detailed performances. In addition to stage work, her other interests include filmmaking (she has directed a short film and a feature-length documentary), journalism (she has published interviews with actors Steve Buscemi, Ed Harris, and Fred Ward), and travel (she has traveled extensively, especially to Africa).

Swiss-born Welsh-American actress Kate Burton is the daughter of Welsh actors Richard Burton and Sybil Williams. She graduated Brown University (1979), majoring in Russian studies and European history. She served on the board of 'Production Workshop', the university's student-run theater group. She earned her master's at Yale Drama School (1983). She received an honorary doctorate from Brown University (2007). Her dedicated stage, film and television work earned a number of awards and nominations.

Born on December 29, 1977 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, US as Katherine Sian Moennig, she is an American actress and producer, best known for the role of Shane McCutcheon in The L Word (2004). Her father was William H. Moennig III and her mother was Mary Zahn, a Broadway dancer. She is of Irish and German ancestry. At 18 she moved to New York City, where she studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. In 2000 she got her first TV role as Jacqueline 'Jake' Pratt in Young Americans (2000). From 2004 to 2009 she played the iconic role of Shane McCutcheon in "The L Word". 2006 marked her Off-Broadway debut in "Guardians", in which he played opposite Lee Pace. From 2013 to she played an assistant to the eponymous character in Ray Donovan (2013). In 2019 she came back to the role of Shane in The L Word: Generation Q (2019). She's been married to a Brazilian film director and musician Ana Rezende since 2017.

Born in Santa Barbara, California on June 29, 1964, almond-eyed Kathleen Wilhoite grew up there and began singing in her church choir from the first grade. Two years later, she was performing on stage, as part of a back-up choir, with The Carpenters, at the Santa Barbara County Bowl. All the while, she studied piano and songwriting and appeared in her high school's theater productions, such as "The House of Blue Leaves". Kathleen wrote and sang as one of the "Boogie Woogie Bugle Girls", a harmony group inspired by The Andrews Sisters. She also became the youngest member of the Santa Barbara Songwriters Guild (age 16).

After high school, Kathleen elected to pursue an acting career, as opposed to music, and enrolled at the USC Drama School. Just a couple of months later, she landed her first movie role in Private School (1983). Throughout the 1980s, she appeared in a number of film and TV projects as both leads and second leads where her brash sexuality and quirky, unconventional style was eagerly put on display. She appeared noticeably opposite Charles Bronson in Murphy's Law (1986), Jane Fonda in The Morning After (1986), Robert De Niro in Angel Heart (1987), Amy Irving in Crossing Delancey (1988), Patrick Swayze in Road House (1989), and Debra Winger and Nick Nolte in Everybody Wins (1990), and Susan Sarandon and Nolte in Lorenzo's Oil (1992).

Kathleen appeared on many of the popular series of the 80's and '90s including "AfterMASH," "Family Ties," "The Jeffersons," "Cagney & Lacey" and "Fame," "Cop Rock," "Twin Peaks," "Quantum Leap," "Mad About You," "Ally McBeal" and "Family Law." While her acting career flourished, she continued to expand her music skills but was dealt with a few setbacks, including a contract with Mercury Records that fell through. After a brief sojourn to Texas to refocus intently on her music, Kathleen returned to the Hollywood rat race and eased back in as a "working actress".

A variety of offbeat roles in such movies as Nurse Betty (2000) and Pay It Forward (2000) has kept her name active on the credits list for over two decades. She landed a number of challenging roles, including a recurring roles on the law series L.A. Law (1986) as intellectually disabled assistant Benny's Adhipathi (1990) likewise girlfriend Rosalie, and the medical series ER (1994) as troubled, substance abuser Chloe Lewis.

In the late 1980s, Kathleen was chosen by cartoonist Cathy Guisewite to give vocal life to her creation Cathy (1987) in a series of TV movies. Wilhoite later voiced another cartoon creation, Sue Rose's Pepper Ann (1997) in an animated TV series.

Into the millennium, Kathleen's on-camera featured work included the films Nurse Betty (2000), Pay It Forward (2000), Quicksand (2003), Perfect Opposites (2004), Firecracker (2005), Winged Creatures (2008), Seeking Justice (2011), Crazy Kind of Love (2013) and The Ride (2018). In addition to a recurring role on Gilmore Girls (2000), she had guest parts on "Touched by an Angel," "24," "Boomtown," "Will & Grace," "Charmed," "The Ghost Whisperer," "Boston Legal," "Criminal Minds," "Grey's Anatomy," "Battle Creek," "The OA" and "Yellowstone."

Married to record producer/drummer David Harte and the mother of three children, Kathleen was signed by her husband to his "The Daves" record label (the other "Dave" is booking agent David Surnow) and released two CDS - "Pitch Like a Girl" (1997) and "Shiva" (2000). In sync with both her edgy acting and music style, she wrote and performed an autobiographical one-woman show, "Stop Yellin'," directed by Kathy Najimy, in which she sings her own music and performs monologues.

While still in high school, Melanie Lynskey dazzled the film industry with an eruptive star turn in Peter Jackson's revered true crime masterpiece, Heavenly Creatures (1994). Her ferocious embodiment of teenage misfit Pauline Parker - whose impassioned rapport with her only friend (a pre-fame Kate Winslet) spiralled perilously out of control in 1950s Christchurch - was deemed "perfect" by TIME's Richard Corliss and won the debuting New Zealander a Best Actress trophy in her motherland.

In the wake of a prolonged sabbatical - spent studying at university and relocating to Los Angeles - Lynskey resurfaced on the silver screen when she was cast as the refreshingly kind stepsister of Drew Barrymore in Ever After: A Cinderella Story (1998), a girl-power twist on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale. A steady mixture of teen movies and romcoms - Detroit Rock City (1999), But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), Coyote Ugly (2000), Abandon (2002), Sweet Home Alabama (2002) - came next, as did more serious fare such as Snakeskin (2001), Shattered Glass (2003), and the Clint Eastwood war epic Flags of Our Fathers (2006).

Starting with an esteemed quartet of supporting parts in the late 2000s - Sam Mendes's Away We Go (2009), Jason Reitman's Up in the Air (2009), Steven Soderbergh's The Informant! (2009), Tim Blake Nelson's Leaves of Grass (2009) - and continuing with vital appearances in Win Win (2011), The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012), and Adam McKay's Don't Look Up (2021), Lynskey has emerged as one of the most distinctive and lauded actresses of her generation; a niche that was solidified by top-billed roles in a slew of exemplary indies: Hello I Must Be Going (2012), Happy Christmas (2014), The Intervention (2016) - for which she scored a Special Jury Prize at Sundance - and the genre-bending pulp jewel, I Don't Feel at Home in This World Anymore (2017).

Since entering the annals of 21st century pop culture with her riotous portrait of Rose - on the toweringly successful Two and a Half Men (2003), where she appeared for over a decade as Charlie Sheen's duplicitous admirer - Lynskey has injected her scene-stealing prowess into a multitude of small-screen gigs: among them, HBO's exalted tragicomedy Togetherness (2015), which showcased her "sublime, deeply felt" (Vanity Fair) depiction of a dissatisfied stay-at-home mom; macabre Stephen King spookfest Castle Rock (2018), where she headlined as pill-popping psychic Molly Strand; and the all-star political period piece Mrs. America (2020), in which she joined forces with Cate Blanchett.

For her valiant work on Showtime's Yellowjackets (2021) - where she's front-and-centre as Shauna, a crazed housewife consumed by horrific secrets - Lynskey collected the coveted Critics' Choice Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series (2022), with Rolling Stone's Alan Sepinwall describing her performance in the runaway cult smash as the "dark, messy, charismatic part she's been waiting her whole career to play". Further still, her innate flair for dismantling surface-level sweetness was brought thrillingly to the fore by acclaimed turns in Hulu's Candy (2022) - as troubled real-life murder victim Betty Gore - and mega-budgeted zombie saga The Last of Us (2023), where she guested as a cold-blooded war criminal.

Kathryn Marie Hahn is an American actress and comedian. She became a worldwide phenomenon when she starred as Agatha Harkness in the Marvel Cinematic Universe miniseries WandaVision (2021) for which she received critical acclaim and a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.

She was born in Westchester, Illinois, but her family then moved to Cleveland, Ohio, where she spent most of her time growing up. She is of German, Irish, and English descent. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in theater from Northwestern University. She later attended Yale, where she enrolled in the school of drama and starred as "Sally Bowles" in "Cabaret" and as "the heartless Célimène" in Molière's play, "The Misanthrope". Kathryn has extensive stage experience, and appeared with the Huntington Theater Company's production of Jon Robin Baitz's "Ten Unknowns", with Ron Rifkin of Alias (2001) (Arvin Sloane).

Kathryn got her role as "Lily" when she was "discovered" by an NBC casting director at the Williamstown Theater Festival, and the Crossing Jordan (2001) role of "Lily" was created for her by creator/producer Tim Kring.

As a lead actress in film, Hahn starred in Joey Soloway's comedy-drama Afternoon Delight (2013), the comedy film Bad Moms (2016), and its 2017 sequel, and the Tamara Jenkins drama Private Life (2018). For the latter, she received critical acclaim and a Gotham Award nomination for Best Actress. She has appeared in various dramatic films, including Revolutionary Road (2008), This Is Where I Leave You (2014), Tomorrowland (2015), The Visit (2015), and Captain Fantastic (2016), for which she received her first Screen Actors Guild Award nomination. She voiced Ericka Van Helsing in the Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation (2018) and Hotel Transylvania 4: Transformania (2022) and Doctor Octopus in the Academy Award winning animated film Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018).

In television, Hahn was featured in a recurring guest role on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009), for which she received a Critics' Choice nomination for Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series, she starred in the Amazon Prime Video comedy-drama series Transparent (2014), for which she received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. Hahn also starred in the Amazon Prime Video comedy series I Love Dick (2016), the HBO comedy miniseries Mrs. Fletcher (2019), and the HBO drama miniseries I Know This Much Is True (2020). Since 2020, Hahn has voiced Paige Hunter in the Apple TV+ animated musical comedy series Central Park (2020).

She lives in Los Angeles, where she paints and practices yoga when she's not busy acting. She is married to Ethan Sandler, with whom she has two children.

Harry Lennix is an accomplished film, television, and stage actor. His recent credits include Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel", The CW's "Emily Owens, M.D.", Fox's "Dollhouse," HBO's "Little Britain," as well as the critically acclaimed series "24" as Walid Al-Rezani.

Harry Joseph Lennix III was born November 16, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, to Lillian C. (Vines), a laundress, and Harry Lennix, Jr., a machinist. He is of African-American and Louisiana Creole descent. He was not always certain he wanted to be an actor. An A student, he decided to act in his high school's play while he waited for the baseball season to begin. Lennix attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he was recognized in "Who's Who Among American College Students." He majored in Acting and Direction at Northwestern and upon graduation stayed teaching in Chicago for a bit, before moving to New York, and from there to Los Angeles, California.

He has appeared in a veritable bevy of movies and guest-starring roles in many popular television shows such as ER (1994), Diagnosis Murder (1993), Century City (2004), and House (2004).

Lennix made his Broadway debut in August Wilson's Tony nominated play, Radio Golf. He was seen on the big screen in Working Title's "State of Play." In 2006, Lennix starred in the Golden Globe nominated ABC show "Commander in Chief" as Jim Gardner, the Chief of Staff. His other appearances include the Oscar winning film "Ray," "The Matrix: Reloaded," and "The Matrix: Revolutions." Lennix received critical acclaim and a Golden Satellite Award as Aaron in Julie Taymor's "Titus" starring Anthony Hopkins. A host of other film credits include "Across the Universe," "Barbershop 2," and "Love and Basketball." Lennix starred his as the legendary Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. in Showtime's "Keep The Faith Baby," for which he won a Black Reel Award and was nominated for both an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Satellite Award. He continued to make his presence known with recurring roles on "ER" and "Diagnosis Murder" and other guest starring appearances on shows such as "Law & Order: Los Angeles." Lennix has directed and appeared in stage productions across the country, including the Northlight Theater Company's production of Permanent Collection, at the Greenway Arts Alliance in Los Angeles. Under his directing consultation, it was remounted at Los Angeles' Kirk Douglas Theater.

He directed the stage version of Robert Townsend's The Five Heartbeats, which received 3 NAACP Theater Award nominations and The Glass Menagerie for the Steppenwolf Theater Company. As a stage actor, Lennix was the first distinguished recipient of an Ollie Award for his portrayal of Malcolm X at the Goodman Theater in Chicago and two Joseph Jefferson Citations for his roles in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Caught in the Act. He also starred as King Hedley II, another play by August Wilson, at the Mark Taper Forum. In 2001, he was part of the first American company to be invited to the Royal Shakespeare Company in the production of Cymbeline. Lennix has also been extremely active in his native Chicago community where he was an English and music teacher before becoming an actor.

He founded Legacy Productions with renowned director Chuck Smith in 1989. The company is dedicated to promoting significant works about the African American experience. He is on the staff of the Goodman Theater Co. He also is active in various civic groups and is on the Advisory Council for his alma mater, Northwestern University.

He resides in Los Angeles. Harry has two older brothers and an older sister, and often returns to Chicago to visit his remaining family.

Joe Morton was born on October 18, 1947 in New York, New York, USA. He is a television, film, and theater actor, best known for The Brother from Another Planet (1984), Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Eureka (2006), and Scandal (2012). He also writes and directs, and is a singer/songwriter.

In the summer of 1996, Searcy produced, directed and acted in his first independent feature, Carolina Low (1997). Searcy's other film credits include the blockbusters Nell (1994), The Fugitive (1993), Cast Away (2000), Head of State (2003), Runaway Jury (2003), and The Ugly Truth (2009). He broke onto the scene as the villain Frank Bennett in Universal's Fried Green Tomatoes (1991). Searcy is a veteran of several television series. He had a recurring role on ABC's Thunder Alley (1994) was a series regular on CBS' American Gothic (1995) UPN's "7 Days" (1998-2001) and ABC's Rodney (2004) (2004-2006) and has guest starred on Boston Legal (2004), CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000), and The West Wing (1999), among others. He has also starred in several movies-of-the-week, including In the Best of Families: Marriage, Pride & Madness (1994), Stolen Innocence (1995) all for CBS. Searcy was a series regular on HBO's From the Earth to the Moon (1998). Searcy's theatre credits include several Off-Broadway plays and regional/stock productions of "Guys and Dolls," "Cabaret" and "Jesus Christ Superstar." Searcy is married to the actress Leslie Riley and has 2 lovely children, Chloe and Omar.

From Jesus Christ and Johnny Ramone, to a violently brilliant billionaire and a libidinous priest, all the way to gritty cops, international drug lords, straight laced lawyers, gay hustlers, crooked doctors and razor sharp political animals, Julian Acosta has been a part of some of television's most talked about projects, which along with his mesmerizing performances on film, have shone a light on Julian's most distinguishing quality as an artist - RANGE

Julian was born and raised in Puerto Rico and moved to El Paso, TX as a teenager. After dropping out of Texas Tech University in Lubbock, TX drifting around the state and holding down every conceivable job in order to make ends meet, he enrolled at North Harris College in Houston. Both as a result of not knowing what to do with his life and in an effort to meet girls, it is there that he discovered acting. Thanks to this life course correction, Julian went on to earn a B.F.A. in Theater at Florida International University in Miami and an M.F.A. from RUTGERS University. Upon graduation, Acosta moved to New York where he was quickly cast in Denis Leary's heralded but short-lived comedy series "The Job" on ABC. Acosta has held recurring roles on "NCIS: New Orleans" on CBS, "Madam Secretary" on CBS, "Hand of God" on Amazon, "Being Mary Jane" on BET, "Dirt" on F/X, "Strong Medicine" on Lifetime, "The Defenders" on CBS, "Hollywood Heights" on NICK, "Franklin and Bash" on TNT, and "The Secret Life of the American Teenager" on ABC Family. He has made guest starring turns on "Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders", "Elementary", "NCIS: Los Angeles," "The Mentalist," "The Unit," and "NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service" [CBS], "The Librarians", "Proof" [TNT], "Grimm," "Law & Order," "Law & Order LA," "King Pin" and "The West Wing" [NBC], "Covert Affairs" [USA], "Castle," "George Lopez" and "Scrubs" [ABC], "Entourage" [HBO], to name a few. On the film front, Acosta has been seen in THE THREE CHRISTS directed by Jon Avnet, CBGB playing Legendary Punk Rock guitarist Johnny Ramone, THE LORDS OF SALEM directed by Rob Zombie, THE ATTICUS INSTITUTE directed by Chris Sparling, BOUND BY LIES with Stephen Baldwin and Kristy Swanson and TRUE LOVE directed by Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize Nominee Henry Barrial. Julian is also set to appear in his first Spanish language film EL SECRETO DEL RETRATO, directed by Janet Alvarez Gonzalez. Julian is also the creator of several original series for Television currently in development through his company Broken Toy Works.

Acosta is a member of the LAByrinth Theater Company in New York City. He last appeared alongside Phillip Seymour Hoffman, John Ortiz, Liza Colon-Zayas, Gaius Charles and Jessica Chastain in the internationally acclaimed production of "Othello" directed by Peter Sellars. Additional stage credits include: "Penalties and Interest" and "Massacre (Sing To Your Children)" [both at the Public Theater in New York], "Piano" [at ART], "Lucy and The Conquest" [at the Williamstown Theater Festival], Pulitzer Prize Winner "Anna In The Tropics" and "Lover's and Executioners" [at South Coast Repertory Theater] for which Acosta was nominated for a Los Angeles Critic's Circle Award. Acosta's Theatrical Directorial debut "Short Eyes" by Miguel Pinero at the Los Angeles Theater Center was critically acclaimed by the Los Angles Times and selected by the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs to represent the city of Los Angeles at the International Hispanic Theatre Festival in Miami [July 2012] where it was raved by both the Miami Herald and the Miami New Times.

Service is an important part of Julian's life with the trans-formative power of education at the forefront. Most recently he founded and financed a yearly scholarship in his native Puerto Rico with two, one male and one female, High School students receiving a scholarship to the University of Puerto Rico. The scholarship is named after his paternal grandmother who was one of many passionate educators in Julian's family and goes to students graduating from the same rural town in which she taught. For more information go to www.puertoricaneducationfoundation.org

Julian and his wife director Nina Lopez-Corrado split their time between Los Angeles and Islamorada in the Florida Keys. On his downtime he is an avid fisherman, scuba diver and accomplished ne'er do well.