My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2002 premiere

Actress and singer Lainie Kazan first made her mark with her Broadway debut in 1961 with the musical "The Happiest Girl in the World". The following year, she appeared in another musical "Bravo Giovanni". She eventually served as Barbra Streisand's understudy for the lead role of Fanny Brice in Funny Girl (1968) and when Streisand was unable to perform, due to a throat condition, Kazan took her place in both a matinee and evening performance for one day of the show's run. Always the tireless entertainer, Kazan has contributed her talents to an endless list of film and television projects roles, perhaps her most talked-about role is of the hilarious mom Maria Portokalos in My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002) and its sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016). Recently she played a leading role in Tango Shalom (2021).

Thomas Jeffrey Hanks was born in Concord, California, to Janet Marylyn (Frager), a hospital worker, and Amos Mefford Hanks, an itinerant cook. His mother's family, originally surnamed "Fraga", was entirely Portuguese, while his father was of mostly English ancestry. Tom grew up in what he has called a "fractured" family. He moved around a great deal after his parents' divorce, living with a succession of step-families. No problems, no alcoholism - just a confused childhood. He has no acting experience in college and credits the fact that he could not get cast in a college play with actually starting his career. He went downtown, and auditioned for a community theater play, was invited by the director of that play to go to Cleveland, and there his acting career started.

Ron Howard was working on Splash (1984), a fantasy-comedy about a mermaid who falls in love with a business executive. Howard considered Hanks for the role of the main character's wisecracking brother, which eventually went to John Candy. Instead, Hanks landed the lead role and the film went on to become a surprise box office success, grossing more than $69 million. After several flops and a moderate success with the comedy Dragnet (1987), Hanks' stature in the film industry rose. The broad success with the fantasy-comedy Big (1988) established him as a major Hollywood talent, both as a box office draw and within the film industry as an actor. For his performance in the film, Hanks earned his first Academy Award nomination as Best Actor.

Hanks climbed back to the top again with his portrayal of a washed-up baseball legend turned manager in A League of Their Own (1992). Hanks has stated that his acting in earlier roles was not great, but that he subsequently improved. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Hanks noted his "modern era of movie making ... because enough self-discovery has gone on ... My work has become less pretentiously fake and over the top". This "modern era" began for Hanks, first with Sleepless in Seattle (1993) and then with Philadelphia (1993). The former was a blockbuster success about a widower who finds true love over the radio airwaves. Richard Schickel of Time magazine called his performance "charming", and most critics agreed that Hanks' portrayal ensured him a place among the premier romantic-comedy stars of his generation.

In Philadelphia, he played a gay lawyer with AIDS who sues his firm for discrimination. Hanks lost 35 pounds and thinned his hair in order to appear sickly for the role. In a review for People, Leah Rozen stated, "Above all, credit for Philadelphia's success belongs to Hanks, who makes sure that he plays a character, not a saint. He is flat-out terrific, giving a deeply felt, carefully nuanced performance that deserves an Oscar." Hanks won the 1993 Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia. During his acceptance speech, he revealed that his high school drama teacher Rawley Farnsworth and former classmate John Gilkerson, two people with whom he was close, were gay.

Hanks followed Philadelphia with the blockbuster Forrest Gump (1994) which grossed a worldwide total of over $600 million at the box office. Hanks remarked: "When I read the script for Gump, I saw it as one of those kind of grand, hopeful movies that the audience can go to and feel ... some hope for their lot and their position in life ... I got that from the movies a hundred million times when I was a kid. I still do." Hanks won his second Best Actor Academy Award for his role in Forrest Gump, becoming only the second actor to have accomplished the feat of winning consecutive Best Actor Oscars.

Hanks' next role - astronaut and commander Jim Lovell, in the docudrama Apollo 13 (1995) - reunited him with Ron Howard. Critics generally applauded the film and the performances of the entire cast, which included actors Kevin Bacon, Bill Paxton, Gary Sinise, Ed Harris, and Kathleen Quinlan. The movie also earned nine Academy Award nominations, winning two. Later that year, Hanks starred in Disney/Pixar's computer-animated film Toy Story (1995), as the voice of Sheriff Woody. A year later, he made his directing debut with the musical comedy That Thing You Do! (1996) about the rise and fall of a 1960s pop group, also playing the role of a music producer.

As of 2022, Hanks is 66-years-old. He has never retired from acting, and has remained active in the film industry for more than four decades.

Rita Wilson (born Margarita Ibrahimoff) is an American actress, singer, and film producer from Los Angeles. Her ancestry is primarily Greek and Bulgarian. She was granted Greek citizenship in 2019, in honor of her efforts to assist Greece by appealing for international aid after a devastating wildfire in Mati, Attica. Also in 2019, Wilson received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. For several decades, Wilson has been an activist for additional funding to combat women's cancers. She has served as an honorary co-chair of the Women's Cancer Research Fund (WCRF).

In 1956, Wilson was born in Los Angeles. Her father, Hassan Halilov Ibrahimoff (1920-2009), was a bartender. He was born to a Pomak family in Oraio, Greece. The Pomaks being a Bulgarian Muslim minority population in northeastern Greece. Ibrahimoff migrated to the United States in 1949, and legally changed his name to Allan Wilson in 1960. Ibrahimoff was born to a Muslim family, but converted to Orthodox Christianity upon his marriage. Wilson's mother was Dorothea Tzigkou. She was an ethnic Greek woman from Sotirë in southern Albania. Dorothea was part of a Greek minority population in Gjirokastër County. Wilson was brought up as an Orthodox Christian by her parents, and has continued practicing her religion into adulthood.

In 1972, Wilson made her television debut in an episode of the sitcom "The Brady Bunch" (1969-1974). She portrayed Pat Conway, one of the candidates for the position of head cheerleader. Her character was depicted as a one-shot rival for the regular character Marcia Brady (played by Maureen McCormick). Afterwards, she started regularly appearing in guest-star roles in television.

In 1977, Wilson had her film debut in the science fiction horror film "The Day It Came to Earth" (1977). It depicted an alien who arrived to planet Earth on a falling meteor, and re-animated the corpse of a recent murder victim. The film was shot in Arkansas, and used a primarily local cast of actors. It was one of several B-Movies distributed by the company Howco, primarily to drive-in theaters. The film found moderate success, and later became available in syndicated television through an early episode of the horror television series "Elvira's Movie Macabre" (1981-1986).

In 1981, Wilson had a guest role in the sitcom "Bosom Buddies" (1980-1982), which depicted two men who regularly cross-dressed as women. She was introduced to fellow actor Tom Hanks (1956-), who was one of the series' protagonists. The two met again when they co-starred in the comedy film "Volunteers" (1985). They portrayed Lawrence Bourne III and Beth Wexler, two volunteers of the Peace Corps who fall for each other during a dangerous mission in Thailand. Wilson and Hanks eventually started a real-life romantic relationship, and Hanks converted to Orthodox Christianity to be able to marry her. The couple were married in 1988, and eventually had two sons: Chester Marlon "Chet" Hanks (born in 1990) and Truman Theodore Hanks (born in 1995). Chet eventually followed in his parents' footsteps as an actor.

During the 1980s, Wilson had continued to regularly appear in guest-star roles in television. She portrayed Nurse Lacey in two episodes of the war drama "M*A*S*H" and portrayed two different characters in episodes of the sitcom "Happy Days". Her other appearances included then-popular series, such as "Three's Company", "Who's the Boss?", and "Moonlighting". She had relatively few film roles in this period. In the 1990s, she started appearing frequently in films. She portrayed the supporting character of Suzy Baldwin in the romantic comedy "Sleepless in Seattle" (1993), the sister of co-protagonist Sam Baldwin (played by Tom Hanks). In one of the film's subplots, Suzy is mistaken for Sam's new girlfriend.

Wilson portrayed Catherine O'Shaughnessy in the Christmas-themed black comedy "Mixed Nuts" (1994). Her character was the overly emotional and empathetic supervisor of a suicide-prevention hot-line, who was unaware that her boss was nearly bankrupt. After her boss Philip (played by Steve Martin) confessed his love for her, Catherine became his new fiancee. The film was a remake of the French comedy film "Santa Claus Is a Stinker" (1982), but added several new subplots to the basic story.

Wilson portrayed the adult version of co-protagonist Chrissy DeWitt in the coming-of-age comedy-drama film "Now and Then". The preteen version of the character was portrayed by Ashleigh Aston Moore. The film's followed the lives of four 12-year-old girls in 1970, and their reunion as adults in 1995. Chrissy was portrayed as the sexually repressed and overly naive member of the group, the product of an overprotective mother. During their reunion, Chrissy was a pregnant homemaker who had never left her hometown, and was still a naive "good girl". Her friends had become successful career women, and two of them had moved away.

Wilson had a supporting role in the comedy film "That Thing You Do!" (1996). She portrayed the waitress Marguerite, an employee at a jazz club. Marguerite tried to romance professional drummer Guy Patterson (played by Tom Everett Scott), but he ignored her when he had a chance to meet his idol, Del Paxton (played by Bill Cobbs). Guy's night out with his idol resulted in him suffering from a hangover in his performance. His music group fell apart soon after, and Guy started a romantic relationship with Faye Dolan (played by Liv Tyler), an assistant of the band members.

Wilson had a supporting role in the Christmas-themed comedy film "Jingle All the Way" (1996). She portrayed Liz Langston, the wife of workaholic salesman Howard Langston (played by Arnold Schwarzenegger). Howard loved his wife and son but neglected them. When he remembered that Liz instructed him to buy a Christmas gift for his son, it was already Christmas Eve and most shops had sold out their toys. Howard started obsessively searching for his son's favorite action figure, in the apparent belief that it will cheer up his heartbroken son. Meanwhile, Liz had to face the unwanted romantic advances of their neighbor, Ted Maltin (played by Phil Hartman). By the end of the film, Howard realized that he never bought a Christmas gift for Liz. The film was in part a satire of the commercialization of Christmas, and in part a quest for a parent to apologize for neglect through a single gift to his son. The film earned 129.8 million dollars at the worldwide box office. Wilson was nominated for the "Stinkers Bad Movie Award" for Worst Supporting Actress for this role, but lost to actress Jami Gertz (1965-).

In the psychological horror film "Psycho" (1998), Wilson portrayed Caroline, the office co-worker of Marion Crane (played by Anne Heche). The film was a remake of "Psycho" (1960), where the role of Caroline had been played by Pat Hitchcock. Caroline is remembered primarily for offering to share her tranquilizers with Marion. Caroline apparently considered them superior to aspirins in dealing with common headaches. Caroline also made references to her nagging mother, making her one of several characters in the film who had a problematic relationship with their mother.

Wilson portrayed Ellie Graham in the romantic comedy "Runaway Bride" (1999). Her character was both the ex-wife and the editor of news reporter Homer Eisenhower "Ike" Graham (played by Richard Gere). In the film, Ike had undermined his own career by publishing an inaccurate biographical article on a woman, using as his only source the ramblings of a casual acquaintance. In an effort to restore his reputation, Ike decided to write an in-depth biographical article. He systematically interviewed the woman's friends, family, and several of her ex-fiances. In the process, Ike became romantically interested in the woman. The film earned 309.5 million dollars at the worldwide box office.

Wilson produced the hit comedy film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" (2002), in her debut as a producer. She had helped the lead actress and playwright Nia Vardalos to secure a film contract for her script. Wilson won the "Visionary Award" at the "Producers Guild of America Award". She subsequently served as an executive producer for the spin-off television series "My Big Fat Greek Life". Wilson subsequently served as one of the producers in several films. Her films include "Connie and Carla" (2004), "Mamma Mia!" (2008), "My Life in Ruins" (2009), "My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2" (2016), "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" (2018), and "A Simple Wedding" (2018).

In 2012, Wilson released her debut solo album as a singer, "AM/FM". The album included several classic songs from the 1960s and the 1970s, such as ""Angel of the Morning" and ""Faithless Love"". In 2014, Wilson performed for President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony in Washington, DC . In 2016, Wilson released the eponymous album "Rita Wilson". It included mostly new material, including song written by Wilson herself. She joined the music band Chicago on tour in order to promote the album. Her subsequent albums included "Bigger Picture" (2018), "Halfway to Home" (2019), and "Now & Forever: Duets" (2022).

In 2015, Wilson had a month-long hiatus in her performing career. She had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and the hiatus was intended to help her deal with her health problems. She subsequently had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. In 2020, Wilson and her husband contracted COVID-19 during their stay in Australia. They were experiencing only minor symptoms, but they were admitted to the Gold Coast University Hospital. After their recovery, the couple decided to donate their blood antibodies for virus research.

By 2022, Wilson was 66-years-old. The veteran actress has no apparent plans to retire yet, and her singing career has been adding to her fame. Despite a number of health scares, she remains remarkably active and energetic. Though she is better known for supporting roles rather than lead roles, Wilson is familiar to several generations of viewers through her performances in films with enduring popularity.

Nia Vardalos was born on 24 September 1962 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. She is an actress and writer, known for My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) and I Hate Valentine's Day (2009). She was previously married to Ian Gomez.

Ian Gomez was born on 27 December 1964 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), The Drew Carey Show (1995) and Felicity (1998). He was previously married to Nia Vardalos.

Gia Carides has been working as an actress since age 12 in film and in theatre. She has been nominated twice for her work, in Strictly Ballroom (1992) (Best Actress in a Supporting Role AFI Awards) and Brilliant Lies (1996) (Best Actress in a Leading Role AFI Awards). She has appeared in as many American films as well as Australian films, and continues to work in both countries.

John Corbett is an American actor who received Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor, for his role as Chris Stevens in Northern Exposure (1990), and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Aidan Shaw in Sex and the City (1998).

John was born John Joseph Corbett on May 9, 1961 in Wheeling, West Virginia, to Sandra (Pavilack) and John Marshall Corbett. He is of English, Irish, Lithuanian, and Russian-Jewish descent. John was raised Catholic, and graduated from Wheeling Central Catholic High School in 1979. He subsequently worked at a boiler-making factory in California for six years. After sustaining an injury, he left the factory to enroll at Cerritos College in Norwalk, California to study hairdressing, and took acting classes in the evenings.

Corbett began his acting career with a guest role in The Wonder Years (1988). His breakthrough role came two years later when he was cast as Chris Stevens in Northern Exposure (1990), for which he received Primetime Emmy Award, Golden Globe Award, and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. He then played the lead role in The Visitor (1997), for which he received a Saturn Award nomination for Best Actor. Corbett portrayed one of Sarah Jessica Parker's love interests in Sex and the City (1998), for which he received his second Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

In 2002, he starred as the male lead opposite Nia Vardalos in the blockbuster romantic comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), and reprised his role in its sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016). Corbett also starred as the husband of Toni Collette's character in United States of Tara (2009), and portrayed guitarist Josiah 'Flash' Bacon in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll (2015).

Corbett has been in a relationship with actress Bo Derek since 2002, and the couple reside on a ranch in Santa Ynez, California. Aside from acting, he has released two country music albums, "John Corbett" in 2006 and "Leaving Nothin' Behind" in 2013.

Zach Galifianakis was born in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, to Mary Frances (Cashion), who owned a community arts center, and Harry Galifianakis, a heating oil vendor. His father is of Greek descent and his mother is of mostly English and Scottish ancestry. Zach moved to New York City after failing his last college class by one point. Zach got his start performing his brand of humor in the back of a hamburger joint in Times Square. He toured the country, performing in coffee shops and universities.

After more than a decade performing stand-up and making both television and film appearances, Zach broke through to wider recognition with his co-starring role as "Alan Garner", in the comedy mega-hit, The Hangover (2009). Later that year, he played a large role in the CGI-heavy kids movie, G-Force (2009), and then appeared in memorable supporting parts in the films, Up in the Air (2009) (as a laid-off employee), Youth in Revolt (2009) (as a loutish stepfather), and Dinner for Schmucks (2010), as one of the title characters. More recently, he co-starred with Keir Gilchrist in the teen dramedy, It's Kind of a Funny Story (2010), with Robert Downey Jr. in the road trip comedy, Due Date (2010), and alongside Will Ferrell in the political spoof, The Campaign (2012). He also voiced "Humpty Dumpty" in the animated film, Puss in Boots (2011), and reprised his character in both The Hangover Part II (2011) and The Hangover Part III (2013). In 2014, he appeared in the winner of the Academy Award for Best Picture, Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014), and in 2016, he starred in the comedies Masterminds (2015) and Keeping Up with the Joneses (2016), released three weeks apart.

When not performing and acting, Zach spends time at his home in the mountains of his native North Carolina, where he hopes to open a writer's retreat on a completely self-sustained farm.

Bess Meisler was born on 19 July 1922 in the USA. She is an actress, known for My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) and Room 6 (2006).

Bradley Sherwood was born on the 24th November, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, and later, grew up in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He began acting at the age of eight. He graduated from Wright State University with a BFA in Acting and, soon thereafter, took his talents to Hollywood. His first real role was on the sketch-comedy series The Newz (1994), though he also made several guest appearances on L.A. Law (1986) as a lovestruck nanny. Sherwood continued to make appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992). He was also a regular on VH1 as a commentator. In 1992, Sherwood became a recurring performer on the improvisational comedy show Whose Line Is It Anyway? (1998). He then turned his attention to stand-up, and made an appearance on 2002's Jane White Is Sick & Twisted (2002) alongside with fellow "Whose Line" co-star Colin Mochrie. He also hosted The Dating Game (1997) from 1997-98, and The Big Moment (1999) in 1999. In April 2006, he teamed up again with Colin Mochrie to tour the United States and Canada, performing classic improv games from "Whose Line". Brad Sherwood also became engaged in 2006 and married long-time partner Shauna in February 2007.

Louis Mandylor is most recognized for his leading credits in a variety of highly acclaimed, award-winning films and television series, including the Academy Award-nominated box office smash hit comedy My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), and its sequel, My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016).

Additionally, he is known for his leading credits in the Primetime Emmy Award-nominated series CSI: Miami (2002) and CSI: NY (2004), in Friends (1994) as "Joey's Twin," in the ALMA Award-winning drama sports film Price of Glory (2000), in the CBS hit show Martial Law (1998) with Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, and in Can't Hurry Love (1995) with Mariska Hargitay and Nancy McKeon; also, recently claiming some praise reviews for The Debt Collector (2018).

Louis Mandylor as Sue in The Debt Collector (2018): ". . . I thought Mandylor's monologue about why he drinks was one of the finest acting moments of his career and was genuinely moving. . . ." -Theactionelite.com

". . . Mandylor stands tall next to Adkins as French's grizzled and burnt out guide through this new shady world he finds himself in. The two have a genuine chemistry that makes every scene they play off each other feel fun and breezy. . . ." -Aintitcool.com

". . . Mandylor's grizzled veteran collector is the perfect foil to the fresh-faced Brit. . . ." -Cityonfire.com

Mandylor also just finished filming Doom: Annihilation (2019) for Universal.

The daughter of Judy Garland and producer Sidney Luft, and the half-sister of Liza Minnelli, Lorna Luft was born in 1952 in Santa Monica, California. According to her autobiography, "Me and My Shadows" (1998), she and her younger brother Joey Luft lived an idyllic childhood in Bel Air, oblivious to any problems that may have arisen regarding her mother's ongoing drug addiction and her parents' marriage. By the time she was 12, however, her parents were divorced, and she was forced to face her mother's serious drug problem head-on. But she stuck with her mother, because she knew that Garland truly loved her children when not under the influence of the drugs. She became her mother's care-giver, administering the medication she needed to function, carefully monitoring the amount she took, and dealing with her whenever her behavior got out of control. Eventually, however, she couldn't take it anymore and had a mental breakdown. As painful as it was for her, she and her brother left her mother and went to live with their father. Several months later, Garland overdosed and died. Lorna was crushed and guilty, having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that her mother's death was inevitable, and would have happened had she been there or not. Lorna soon followed in her mother and sister's footsteps to a show business career. She became a professional singer, though never quite reaching the success her mother and sister had in that field. She also appeared on Broadway in "Promises, Promises" and "Snoopy", in a summer stock production of "Grease" and in a national tour of "Guys and Dolls". She hasn't made many films. The ones she has made include Grease 2 (1982), the disastrous sequel to the film version of "Grease", and the beach party film Where the Boys Are (1984), as well as small appearances in Studio 54 (1998) and My Giant (1998). In 1985, she took a supporting role in the sitcom Trapper John, M.D. (1979) as a nurse, but a year and a half later, the show ended its seven-year run. In the 70's and 80's, she also experienced a drug addiction to cocaine, but is now drug-free. She claims she has had to face her sister Liza's drug addictions, as well, and helped to get her into the Betty Ford Center once. She was married to rocker Jake Hooker, who later became her manager, but despite two children, the marriage was not happy. They are now divorced, and she lives in California with her children and her second husband, musician Colin Freeman. Currently (1999), plans are in full swing for a miniseries to be made from her book. She will serve as executive producer on the project.

Hannah Dakota Fanning was born on the 23rd of February 1994, in Conyers, Georgia, USA, to Heather Joy (Arrington) and Steven Fanning. Her mother played professional tennis, and her father, now an electronics salesman, played minor league baseball. She is of German, Irish, English, French, and Channel Islander descent. Before her debut into the cinematic world, Dakota did her own acting around her house. She was very active for her age, and often put a blanket under her shirt and pretended to be having a baby, using her younger sister, Elle Fanning, who is also an actress now, as the baby. Dakota went to a playhouse near her home, where the children that attended put on a play every week to show to their parents. But the people running the playhouse noticed that Dakota stood out, and advised her parents to take her to an agency. They believed that she was extremely talented.

The Fanning family were advised to spend six weeks in Los Angeles, a long way from their home in Georgia. But there Dakota managed to get her first work; to star in a national Tide commercial. She was chosen out of many, many other children.

The family then decided to move to Los Angeles permanently, for it looked like Dakota's career was looking very good. After they moved, Dakota signed with a professional agency, and soon won a role in the movie Tomcats (2001). She then went onto a small project called Father Xmas (2001) as Clairee.

But Dakota's big break-through was yet to come. She auditioned for one of the main characters in I Am Sam (2001), and the director and the rest of the crew were amazed by her extraordinary talent. Dakota was cast, and starred in the movie as Lucy Diamond Dawson, alongside major Hollywood stars Sean Penn and Michelle Pfeiffer.

After I Am Sam (2001) her talent was immediately recognized around the world. She went straight onto Trapped (2002) as Abby Jennings, alongside Charlize Theron, then played the younger version of Reese Witherspoon in 2002's Sweet Home Alabama (2002) But Dakota still had two more movies to come in 2002. Firstly she got a huge role in Steven Spielberg's Taken (2002), the mini-TV series, and narrated the ten whole episodes, as well as having a part. This was a little more challenging, as she was playing a troubled alien child, but she managed to do brilliantly. Her last movie for 2002 was the children's movie Hansel & Gretel (2002) as Katie.

2003 was also a brilliant year for Dakota, as she starred in a number of exciting projects. Firstly, it was as Sally Walden in The Cat in the Hat (2003) with Mike Myers, then she played Lorraine "Ray" Schleine, a bratty little girl, in the sweet comedy Uptown Girls (2003) alongside Brittany Murphy. She then voiced preschool Kim in Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time (2003).

In 2004, Dakota appeared in the violent thriller, Man on Fire (2004), alongside Denzel Washington. Her reviews were excellent.

First in 2005 was Nine Lives (2005), as Maria, then the chilling Hide and Seek (2005) alongside Robert De Niro. By now, she was the busiest child actress in Hollywood, with a resume to die for. Her younger sister, (Elle Fanning), had also been discovered a few years earlier.

After Hide and Seek (2005) came War of the Worlds (2005), which was one of her major movies out of everything she'd worked in. Not only did it make her more popular, but she got to play the daughter of A-list Hollywood actor Tom Cruise. They had four very successful premieres; the first in Tokyo, Japan, the second in France, the third in London, England and the fourth in New York, USA. The reviews were outstanding, especially Dakota's. She then voiced Lilo in Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch (2005).

Dominique Swain was raised in Malibu, California, USA. The second of three daughters of mother Cindy and father David an electrical engineer, her sisters makeup artist Alexis and actress Chelse. She debuted her film career in the controversial remake of Vladimir Nabokov's novel and Stanley Kubrick's film Lolita by director Adrian Lyne. It was a powerful first performance by the young actress, Lyne had seen her performance on a videotape audition she put together with a friend while she was between agents, selecting her from a pool of more than 2500 actresses vying for the role. Lyne was charmed by her and her reading directly from the novel as opposed to the script. . Despite a phenomenal performance opposite Jeremy Irons as Humbert and Melanie Griffith as Lolita's mother, the film faced a great deal of controversy due to its subject matter as networks pulled away from backing wide theatrical release. After some delays, it was eventually premiered to US audiences on the Showtime network followed by a limited theatrical release.

Since then she has gone on to act and star in close to 100 other films, including Face/Off, Girl and Alpha Dog. Recently she has joined Cameo where her fans can directly reach out to her for personal videos or direct message chats.

It's fair to say that after 20 years and over 50 film appearances, Mimi Rogers should be praised for her variety of roles and acting capabilities, not for a brief marriage to a Hollywood star. In the early 1980s she began to carve a niche for herself in Hollywood, appearing on television and in films. It was her role in Someone to Watch Over Me (1987) that got her noticed and was her springboard to stardom. Cemented by a marriage to Tom Cruise, an already established young actor, Mimi went on to appear in Hider in the House (1989), Desperate Hours (1990), and The Doors (1991). She appeared in a controversial movie analyzing religion in America, The Rapture (1991), which proved a hit and delighted audiences, creating many a debate over the film's subject material. She played a bored telephone exchange operator who swaps a sinful life of sex and swinging with other couples for a devout religious one, ending unexpectedly in disaster. Despite her successes, few meaty, interesting roles came her way in the '90s. Shooting Elizabeth (1992), opposite Jeff Goldblum, the family movie Monkey Trouble (1994), Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog (1995), and Full Body Massage (1995) were just a few of the films that she appeared in. Working consistently, she rejuvenated her career in the unexpected hit Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997), playing Miss Kensington, an attractive female agent of 1960s London and the mother of Elizabeth Hurley's character. Next, Mimi was seen in the big-screen remake of the '60s sci-fi TV series Lost in Space (1998) and several guest appearances on the hugely popular television series The X-Files (1993), playing a scheming FBI agent. A role in the Canadian indie-horror Ginger Snaps (2000) did her career no harm. Soon, she was opposite Geena Davis in The Geena Davis Show (2000) from 2000-01 and playing an extremely rich Manhattan socialite in the direct-to-video Cruel Intentions 2 (2000).

More recently Mimi has appeared on cable television, including leading roles in Charms for the Easy Life (2002) (which she also executive produced) and Cave In (2003) (a true-life disaster drama in which she played the Chief Superintendent of a mine). In 2004, she gave a revealing performance in The Door in the Floor (2004), a critical success. The Loop (2006), a Chicago-based sitcom, will soon be airing in America, featuring Mimi as a flirtatious office worker. Also in 2006, Mimi will be appearing in an original horror film, Penny Dreadful (2006), playing a psychiatrist in peril. In 2003, she married her longtime boyfriend Chris Ciaffa, with whom she has a son and a daughter. A poker novice, Mimi also travels around competing in tournaments, some televised.

Doug grew up in Detroit and Minneapolis and eventually moved to New York City and briefly attended the Juilliard School. After studying with Sanford Meisner for two years and working at a plethora of oddball jobs (including dressing as a giant Citibank card to hand out flyers in Times Square), he worked in regional and Off-Broadway theater before landing his first feature supporting role in Fresh Horses (1988).

Ron Silver was born on 2 July 1946 in New York City, New York, USA. He was an actor and director, known for Timecop (1994), Reversal of Fortune (1990) and Find Me Guilty (2006). He was married to Lynne Miller. He died on 15 March 2009 in New York City, New York, USA.

Arianna Huffington was born on 15 July 1950 in Athens, Greece. She is an actress and writer, known for John Q (2002), The Siege (1998) and Edtv (1999). She was previously married to Michael Huffington.

Martin Hayter Short OC is a Canadian-American actor, comedian, singer, and writer. He has received various awards including two Primetime Emmy Awards, and a Tony Award. In 2019 Short became an Officer of the Order of Canada, and has received Medals from Queen Elizabeth II, including in 2002 the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal and in 2012 the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.

Nancy Dolman was born on 26 September 1951 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She was an actress, known for Soap (1977), Royal Suite (1976) and It's a Living (1980). She was married to Martin Short. She died on 21 August 2010 in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles, California, USA.

Christina Applegate was born in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, to record producer/executive Robert Applegate and singer-actress Nancy Priddy. Her parents split-up shortly after her birth. She has two half-siblings from her father's re-marriage - Alisa (b. October 10, 1977) and Kyle (b. July 15, 1981). Alisa and Christina are best friends and even lived together while Alisa was going to college. Christina's mother took her along on all of her auditions and acting jobs. She made her acting debut at age five months, when her mother got her in a commercial for Playtex nursers. Her mother never remarried, but kept company with Stephen Stills. Christina still cherishes a guitar Stephen gave her when she was young. She played in a number of TV series before landing her breakout role in Married... with Children (1987). Christina still studies jazz dance.

Johnathon Schaech exploded onto the scene as one of Hollywood's most handsome leading men in Jocelyn Moorhouse's How to Make an American Quilt (1995) and Tom Hanks' directorial debut That Thing You Do! (1996) Since then, Johnathon has shown incredible versatility as an actor. Over the last twenty years, he's starred in over one-hundred and sixty Hollywood productions. Working opposite some of the most acclaimed and awarded actors, producers, writers and directors including Gwyneth Paltrow, Kenneth Branagh, Ed Harris, Idris Elba, Antonio Banderas, Bruce Willis, Tom Fontana, Gary Goetzman, Neil Moritz, Greg Araki, Cary Brokaw, Roy Lee, Jessica Lange and Bill Paxton. Schaech recently captivated television audiences as the eccentric movie-star in Showtime's hit series Ray Donovan (2014) and has portrayed comic-book legend Jonah Hex on the first three season's of DC's Legends. (2015-2018) Having aged into a ruggedly handsome man, he's fast becoming one of Hollywood's go-to stars for action roles. Starring in Renny Harlin's 5 Days of War (2014), Todd Robinson's Phantom (2015), Roland Joffe's Texas Rising (2016), Steven C. Miller's Marauders (2017) and soon takes the lead opposite Frank Grillo in the action-packed Reprisal (2018). Johnathon now uses his national voice for dyslexia, working with Harvard University accredited NoticeAbility.org; a nonprofit dedicated to helping students with the brain-based difference identify their unique strengths and build their self-esteem. Johnathon has a four-year-old son, Camden, with his wife of five years, internet influencer Julie Solomon.

Jennifer Beals is an internationally renowned actress who has over 90 credits to her name, including critically acclaimed feature films and some of the highest rated television series to date. Beals is currently executive producing and returning as a lead cast member in the revival of her hit original series THE L WORD: GENERATION Q. The highly anticipated series will launch in December 2019 on Showtime. The ground-breaking lesbian-focused drama THE L WORD originally aired for six seasons. For her performance as Bette Porter, Beals received the prestigious GLAAD Golden Gate Award, as well as two NAACP Image Award nominations and a Satellite Award nomination. In 2012, Beals was presented with the Human Rights Campaign's Ally for Equality Award for her support of the LGBT community. Additionally, Beals and The L Word's Ilene Chaiken are set to executive produce the Freeform series "The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo," an adaption for Taylor Jenkins Reid's acclaimed novel.

Beals and filmmaker Tom Jacobson created the concept for the new novel, The Hive. The book is a gripping thriller set in the near future that focuses on escalating mob violence that ensues from online shaming and internet bullying. Released in September 2019, the novel was named one of People Magazine's 'Best Books of Fall 2019.'

Throughout her accomplished film career, Beals has worked with many of the industry's most acclaimed filmmakers and talent. She co-starred alongside Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman in the blockbuster THE BOOK OF ELI and starred opposite Garry Marshall, Faye Dunaway and Brendan Fraser in TWILIGHT OF THE GOLDS, for which she won a Golden Satellite Award. Beals was featured among an all-star cast including Dustin Hoffman, Gene Hackman and Rachel Weisz in the crime thriller RUNAWAY JURY. She also starred in THE MADONNA AND THE DRAGON from legendary film director Samuel Fuller. More recently, Beals co-starred in the feature film MANHATTAN NIGHT, opposite Adrien Brody and Campbell Scott, as well as AFTER, the film adaption of Anna Todd's series of bestselling young adult novels alongside Josephine Langford and Hero Fiennes Tiffin.

On the television side, Beals recurred in the Amazon series THE LAST TYCOON, receiving critical acclaim for her performance as Hollywood starlet Margo Taft. Los Angeles Magazine proclaimed "Beals stole every scene she's in as a ball-busting, piece-of-work Joan Crawford goddess with a very American secret" and Indiewire named her "the shows biggest stand out." Beals was also seen as the female lead in TAKEN, NBC's straight-to-series adaptation of the hit movie franchise, and co-starred in the Warner Bros TV/DC series SWAMP THING, released in May 2019. Beals starred in the TV movie A WIFE'S NIGHTMARE, for which she received a Canadian Screen Award nomination. Notable television credits include TNT's PROOF, NBC's medical drama THE NIGHT SHIFT and the FOX series THE CHICAGO CODE alongside Jason Clarke.

For her role in the iconic film FLASHDANCE, Beals earned a Golden Globe nomination and an NAACP Image Award for Best Actress. Beals starred in A HOUSE DIVIDED, for which she was nominated for a Satellite Award. Some of her acclaimed independent film projects include IN THE SOUP opposite Steve Buscemi, which won The Grand Jury Prize for Best Dramatic film at the Sundance Film Festival, and CINEMANOVELS which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Beals extensive credits include films such as RODGER DODGER, MRS. PARKER AND THE VICIOUS CIRCLE, FOUR ROOMS, BEFORE I FALL and DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS, which earned her another NAACP Image Award nomination. Beals received the Maverick Tribute Award at the Cinequest San Jose Film Festival in 1999.

In addition to her work on-camera, the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group recently named Beals a 'C40 Goodwill Ambassador.' Beals' partnership with C40 will help raise awareness about the bold climate action underway in leading cities driving forward solutions to the climate crisis worldwide. Through her ambassador role, she will support and amplify the voices of inspiring young climate activists in raising awareness of the current climate emergency. Additionally, Beals will also play a leading role in C40's Women4Climate Initiative, helping to celebrate the incredible leadership being delivered by women around the world in climate action.

Originally from Chicago, Beals attended Yale University, where she graduated with honors.

Renée Taylor was born in the Bronx, New York City, New York, USA to Frieda (née Silverstein) and Charles Wexler. She worked as a comedian in the early 1960s at the New York City nightclub Bon Soir. Her opening act was a then unknown Barbra Streisand. She earned notice for her portrayal of Eva Braun in Mel Brooks's The Producers (1967), and continued to act in several film, television, and theater productions. However, despite an impressive, 60-year resume, she is better remembered as Sylvia Fine, the overbearing, classic Jewish mother of Fran Drescher's title character in The Nanny (1993).

Award-winning American filmmaker (writer/director/producer/actor) and founder/CEO of Painted Saint Entertainment, Kathleen Davison strives to honor her company motto:

Endeavor. Empower. Enlighten. Endure.

After completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theater at Penn State University, Kathleen began writing, directing, and performing for stage and film in Chicago, where she also developed art therapy programming for at-risk youth. It was her work on David Schwimmer's directorial debut film, Since You've Been Gone, that inspired her to make the leap to the West Coast. Davison's film education continued on the sets of her industry heroes, including apprenticeships with Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Frank Darabont, Glen Morgan, and James Wong.

In her director/writer debut short film, Effloresce, Davison plays "Amelia," a woman who makes an unconventional lifestyle choice in her determination to prove that love is not disposable. The film garnered 23 festival accolades including Best Director, Best Original Short Screenplay, and Best Actress. It carries the distinction of being the last completed project in the life of legendary composer, Shirley Walker -- one of the most prolific female film composers and the first woman to receive solo composer credit on a studio feature film (Memoirs of an Invisible Man).

Kathleen made her directorial feature debut with Primrose Lane, also commanding the screenwriting and lead role. She plays "Robin," an atheist whose loved ones go missing through supernatural means, forcing the reluctant dismantling of her perception of reality. Little did she know, Davison was about to encounter a real-world mind bender. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor during post-production and met the challenge of undergoing major brain surgery while completing the film. The dark joke in post became, "What will be finished first, the film or the director?" Both the director and the film came out winning. Primrose Lane claimed 40 festival accolades, including Best Feature, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress. Kathleen returned to the director's chair tumor-free, with a renewed determination to make a meaningful impact through media.

Davison is attached to direct and executive produce the first three seasons Tech Bettys, marking her foray into web series. The first few episodes of season one are traveling the globe on an award-winning international festival tour, proud to claim Best Web Series and Audience Awards.

Kathleen is in development with two television series: The Passage, a psychological thriller wherein a boy manipulates the time-space continuum to abduct his mother from a future life incarnation; and Revolution Now, a biopic series centering on Victoria Woodhull, the first woman to run for U.S. President (1872).

Davison has a full slate of feature projects in development with Painted Saint Entertainment, defining her penchant for women's history and empowerment, psychological thrillers, paranormal twists, and themes that dig deep into the human psyche.

As a commercial director and copywriter, Kathleen is known for her innovative handling of sensitive subjects. From an entire cast attired in bubble wrap to illustrate the principles of sexual consent (ACLU's California Healthy Youth Act campaign) to the unique emotional needs of the developmentally disabled when receiving health care (We Care Dental), to the impact of disease on life's biggest moments (Hereditary Angioedema Association), Davison meets delicate matters with creative direction, which has earned her Bronze and Silver Telly awards and a Gold Aurora Award.

Kathleen is an avid spokesperson and festival panelist for women in film, gender parity, dispelling the myths which perpetuate ageism, and expanding diversity interests in media. She advances these missions through a number of affiliations, including serving as a founding board member of GreenLight Women, an organization devoted to the empowerment of industry women over 40 who seek to create a more positive perspective of mature women through media; and the Alliance of Women Directors, where she has also served on the board.

Davison hails from a small town in Pennsylvania, where she was a foster child who had no professional mentors or connections to Hollywood. Her life and career ambitions are a continuous example of defying statistical odds in a spirit she hopes to inspire in others.

Kathleen is bi-coastal (NYC/LA), spending the bulk of her time in Los Angeles where she enjoys raising two children, two dogs, and a slightly sinister cat. One of the great investments of her life is volunteering with foster youth.

Davison is a fellow of the Sundance Institute and a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) and Actors' Equity Association (AEA).