The Top Most Beautiful Women of all Time!
The Most Beautiful Women of the new Century and beyond in Entertainment!
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- Actress
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Erica Gimpel rose to international prominence in her debut role of "Coco Hernandez" on the groundbreaking hit series FAME. Erica was born in Manhattan, New York, to Phyllis Bash, a concert singer and Joseph Gimpel, an actor, singer and writer. Her parents met and fell in love at their singing teacher's studio and got married in 1963 when interracial marriage was a revolutionary act. Music and singing were a big part of Erica's family life. In their later years, she and her parents would perform what became their signature song, Gershwin's "Our Love is Here to Stay", reflecting the love they shared, while also bringing joy to the many people who heard them.
As a child, Erica would go on tour with her mother who was singing the role of Bess in the opera Porgy and Bess. As a member of the chorus, Erica had her first acting experience, and at eight-years-old decided to become an actor. Later, she got accepted into the High School of the Performing Arts' Drama Department, and in her junior year auditioned and got the role of "Coco Hernandez" in the TV series "Fame."
Since then, Erica has gone on to star in numerous prime time and streaming shows including: 9-1-1, NCIS: New Orleans, Chicago Med, Grey's Anatomy, Shut Eye, True Blood, Criminal Minds, Nikita, Rizzoli & Isles, House, ER, Profiler, and Veronica Mars. One of Erica's favorite projects was playing "Trish" on the CBS drama God Friended Me for two seasons. Most recently Erica played "Ellie Fielding" in Anne Rice's Mayfair Witches for AMC, and "Brittany Arrington" on the Netflix hit, The Night Agent.
Film credits include: "Tuesday Morning Ride" with Ruby Dee, Wayne Wang's "Smoke" opposite Forest Whitaker, Abel Ferrara's cult classic "The King of New York" with Christopher Walken, Hal Hartely's "No Such Thing" with Helen Mirren, "Freaky Friday" opposite Jaime Lee Curtis, "Romeo and Juliet in Harlem", with Harry Lennix and Aunjanue Ellis. Erica was also in the critically acclaimed "Sylvie's Love" opposite Tessa Thompson. Next, she will be seen in the independent feature "Bang Bang" opposite Tim Blake Nelson.
Off-Broadway and Regional credits include: originating the roles of "Mayme" in Lynn Nottages's award-winning "Intimate Apparel", "Glory Bee" in Sam Shepard's "States of Shock" opposite John Malkovich, and "Nelly" in Jose Rivera's "Each Day Dies with Sleep." Erica received the Los Angeles Stage Raw Award for Best Solo-Performance, for her dynamic portrayal of multiple characters in the one-woman play "Sister" by Michael Phillip Edwards.
Having earned gold and platinum records for her singing on "Fame." Erica began producing her own music as a singer-songwriter. The title track from her debut album "Spread Your Wings and Fly" is featured in the indie film "Hill and Gully" an Official Selection at Pan African de Cannes.
As a filmmaker, Erica is developing several projects through her company Womans Paradise Productions. Erica's directorial debut short film "Have a Heart" was developed in the Sundance Collab Directing: Core Elements Course. Erica is preparing to direct and act in her screenplay "Rise" which will shoot in New York and Martha's Vineyard.
Erica is the recipient of the LA Femme Film Festival's "Innovative Award", and is also an active member of the world peace organization, the SGI-USA dedicated to pursuing the values of peace, culture and education.
Over the years Erica has used her talents to highlight different causes near to her heart by creating and producing benefit concerts focusing on women's rights, unhoused families, and the rise of racially motivated acts of violence against people of color. Knowing firsthand the transformative power the performing arts has on young people's lives Erica teaches and mentors young artists whenever her schedule permits.- Actress
- Writer
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Rebel Wilson was born in Sydney, Australia, to a family of dog handlers and showers. She trained at the Australian Theatre for Young People and at Second City in the US. After a successful stage and television career in Australia, this writer/actress/producer now focuses on feature film projects in the United States and is perhaps most known for her breakthrough roles in the films Bridesmaids and Pitch Perfect. In 2019, Rebel will be seen in four feature films: Isn't It Romantic and The Hustle (both of which she also produced), Jojo Rabbit directed by Taika Waititi and Tom Hooper's Cats and ABC television series Les Norton.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Brooke Elliott was the star of Lifetime's hit television series Drop Dead Diva for six seasons. For her work on Drop Dead Diva (2009) , she received the 2012 Women's Image Network Award for "Outstanding Actress in a Comedy Series" as well as the 2010 Gracie Award for "Female Rising Star in a Comedy Series". She was also nominated for a 2014 and a 2011 PRISM Award for "Best Performance in a Comedy Series" as well as a 2009 Satellite Award for "Best Actress in a Series, Comedy or Musical". Brooke began her career in theatre, making her Broadway debut in the Boy George composed/Rosie O'Donnell produced musical, Taboo, where she moved from the ensemble to the leading role of Sue. She later appeared in Schonberg and Boublil's original Broadway musical, The Pirate Queen. She was in the original cast of the First National Tour of Wicked as well as the Broadway tour of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. Brooke also directed Season 1 of the web-series, Say Hello.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Nicole Blonsky (born November 9, 1988) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and Internet personality, who is best known for her breakthrough role as Tracy Turnblad in the film Hairspray (2007), for which she won a Critics' Choice Award and received a nomination for a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award. She is also known for her starring role as Willamena Rader in the ABC Family series Huge (2010), for which she received a Teen Choice Award nomination.- Actress
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Greek-Canadian actress Sofia Shinas may be most recognized for her performances in 'The Crow,' the TV series 'The Outer Limits,' and other fantasy-genre works. To her Canadian fans, she is noted for her soft voice, unassuming and accessible nature, and her talent as a singer and songwriter.
As a teenage musical talent breaking into the entertainment industry, Shinas quickly emerged as popular vocalist known for writing her own songs. Soon after hitting the airways, she was nominated for a Juno Award for Most Promising Female Vocalist of the Year (1993). The Toronto-area performing artist eventually moved to Los Angeles to showcase her talents on screen. Her music videos had garnered significant praise and attention for more than just her mesmerizing voice, leading to attention from Hollywood casting agents.
The multilingual (English, French and Hebrew) brainy beauty picked up a cinematic arts degree from USC film school and immediately added credentials as a writer and producer.
While Shinas continues to diversify her brand on screen and in the recording studio, the staunch animal welfare advocate dedicates her free time to caring for her furry family members at home, and uses her celebrity to draw attention to the plight of endangered wildlife species around the world.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Susan Boyle was born on 1 April 1961 in Blackburn, West Lothian, Scotland, UK. She is an actress, known for Zoolander 2 (2016), The Christmas Candle (2013) and Million Dollar Arm (2014).- Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (born May 5, 1988) is a British singer-songwriter who has sold millions of albums worldwide and won a total of 15 Grammys as well as an Oscar. Adele's first two albums, 19 and 21, earned her critical praise and a level of commercial success unsurpassed among her peers. After becoming a mom in 2012, Adele returned to the charts with the ballad "Hello" in 2015, the lead single from what was dubbed her comeback album 25. In 2017 she won five Grammys for her work on 25, including album, record and song of the year.Early on, Adele developed a passion for music. She gravitated toward the songs of Lauryn Hill, Mary J. Blige and Destiny's Child. But her true, eye-opening moment came when she was 15 and she happened upon a collection of Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald records at a local shop. "There was no musical heritage in our family," Adele told The Telegraph in a 2008 interview. "Chart music was all I ever knew. So when I listened to the Etta James and the Ella Fitzgerald, it sounds so cheesy, but it was like an awakening. I was like, oh, right, some people have proper longevity and are legends. I was so inspired that as a 15-year-old I was listening to music that had been made in the '40s."While clearly bright, Adele wasn't oriented towards traditional classroom settings. Instead, her mother enrolled her in the BRIT School for Performing Arts & Technology, which counts Amy Winehouse as an alum.While at school, Adele cut a three-track demo for a class project that was eventually posted on her MySpace page. When executives at XL Recordings heard the tracks, they contacted the singer and, in November 2006, just four months after Adele had graduated school, signed her to a record deal.
Adele has recorded a total of three studio albums since the beginning of her career in 2008: 19, 21 and 25.
'19' (2008) Adele's debut album, 19, which is named for the singer's age when she began recording the project, went on sale in early 2008. Led by two popular lead singles, "Adele: Hometown Glory (2009)" and "Adele: Chasing Pavements (2008)" the record rocketed Adele to fame. Released in the United States through Columbia Records, 19 resonated with American audiences, much as it had with British music fans. Adele cemented her commercial success with an appearance in October 2008 on Saturday Night Live (2016). At the taping of the show, the album was ranked No. 40 on iTunes. Less than 24 hours later, it was No. 1.
'21' (2011) Adele's much anticipated follow-up album, 21, again named for her age at the time of recording, did not disappoint upon its release in early 2011. Tapping even deeper into Adele's appreciation for classic American R&B and jazz, the record was a monster hit, selling 352,000 copies within its first week. Anchored by hits like "Adele: Rolling in the Deep (2010)" and "Adele: Someone Like You (2011)" 21 placed Adele in rarified air. In February 2011, she found herself with two Top 5 singles and a pair of Top 5 albums in the same week, becoming the only artist besides The Beatles and 50 Cent to achieve that milestone. And with 21 staying at No. 1 for 11 weeks, Adele also broke the solo female artist record previously held by Madonna's Immaculate Collection for consecutive weeks atop the album charts. 21 went on to sell more than 30 million copies worldwide.
'25' (2015) On October 22, 2015, Adele announced that she would release her third album, 25, in November. She posted 25's cover on Instagram, and said of her first full-length studio project in several years: "My last record was a break-up record, and if I had to label this one, I would call it a make-up record. Making up for lost time. Making up for everything I ever did and never did. 25 is about getting to know who I've become without realizing. And I'm sorry it took so long but, you know, life happened." 25, released in November 2015, is a collection of emotional, sometimes plaintive songs looking at the ins and outs of relationships, owing much of its sound to traditional pop craft. The album went on to become an international smash hit, reaching No. 1 on iTunes in 110 countries. In the U.S., 25 sold 3.38 million copies in seven days, beating the 'NSync record of 2.42 million album copies sold in a week. Among other feats, 25 is also the only album to reach a million copies sold in the U.K. in 10 days.- Actress
- Soundtrack
April Michelle Bowlby was born on 30 July 1980 in Vallejo, California, USA. She and her family moved to Manteca, California, when she was a small child. She studied ballet, French, and marine biology at Moorpark College, before deciding to pursue an acting career. She studied drama with Ivana Chubbuck before landing her first role in a major television series, "Kandi" in series Two and a Half Men (2003)), within weeks of her first Hollywood audition.- Jodi Lyn O'Keefe was born in Cliffwood Beach, New Jersey, to Noreen and Jack O'Keefe, a director of labor relations for Merck. She began modeling at the age of 8 after seeing her eldest sister Heather modelling. She modeled for various companies such as Gitano Jeans and DreamPhone. When she reached her teen years she attended Saint John Vianney High School in Holmdel, New Jersey. After her sophomore year Jodi left school to star on the soap Another World (1964), where she played Marguerite Cory. After she left Another World she immediately landed the role of Cassidy Bridges on the hit CBS cop action/drama Nash Bridges (1996). She played Cassidy for all 6 seasons. While she was filming Nash Bridges she made her big screen debut in the 1998 Halloween sequel Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998). Jodi then hit the spotlight when she portrayed the snobby, popular and rich Taylor Vaughan in the 1999 hit teen flick She's All That (1999). She then starred in three more movies before she began to keep a lower profile.
- Pamela Rose Rodriguez is known for The Verge (2014), Fighting Olympus (2023) and Unprotected. She has been married to Joshua David Evans since 18 August 2018.
- Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Allison Janney is an award-winning actress who has earned a solid reputation in stage productions and in many supporting roles on screen, and who more recently has become prominent by portraying one of the major characters in the popular TV series The West Wing (1999).
Entertainment Weekly magazine describes Janney's screen presence as "uncommonly beautiful and infinitely expressive." As an actor, the magazine deems her to be "one to watch."
Janney was born in Boston, Massachusetts, to Macy Brooks (Putnam), a former actress, and Jervis Spencer Janney, Jr., a real estate developer and jazz musician. While studying at Kenyon College, Janney answered a casting call for an on-campus play that was to be directed by Kenyon's most famous alumnus, the legendary actor Paul Newman. During her audition/interview, Janney played upon Newman's known passion for race car driving - she explained how she cut thirty minutes off of the 130 mile journey from her home town to the college. She got chosen for the play's cast.
After earning her degree in drama, Janney took Joanne Woodward's suggestion to do further study at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse. She also studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.
Early in her career Janney got comedic roles in the soap operas As the World Turns (1956) and Guiding Light (1952). Later, she gave memorable movie performances in supporting roles in Drop Dead Gorgeous (1999), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), American Beauty (1999) and Nurse Betty (2000), and in the made-for-TV movie ...First Do No Harm (1997), among others.
Among her stage work, Janney has played in a revival of Arthur Miller's "A View From the Bridge" on Broadway opposite Anthony LaPaglia, which earned her a Tony Award nomination, and a Drama League Award for outstanding artist for the 1997-98 season. She played in Noel Coward's "Present Laughter" opposite Frank Langella, which earned her the Outer Critics Circle Award and an Actors' Equity award. Janney also appeared in the New York Shakespeare Festival's production of "The Taming of the Shrew."
In 1999 Janney became part of the original cast of the acclaimed TV series The West Wing (1999) where she played the President's press secretary who eventually gets promoted to the White House Chief of Staff. Her impressive work during the seven seasons of that renowned series earned her four Emmys and two SAG Awards.
With her reputation becoming more broadly established during her work on "The West Wing" Janney won more substantive roles in feature films, in the acclaimed The Hours (2002) where she was Meryl Streep's lesbian lover, and in How to Deal (2003) where she played Mandy Moore's mother.- Nicole Fox is an artist. She grew up in Louisville, Colorado, with her parents and two sisters. She received honors and multiple scholarships in academics and the arts, including national recognition and multiple awards in the Scholastic Art Competition. She was a contestant on the CW's America's Next Top Model series. After winning the season at 18, Fox worked as a fashion model and Spokesmodel in New York and Los Angeles. After studying acting technique, she received roles in commercials, television, and film. Currently, she spends her time painting, drawing, writing, acting, and rock climbing.
- Actress
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- Additional Crew
A true triple-threat, Emmy Award-winner Julianne Hough is known to audiences around the world for her success in the worlds of film, television and music. She became a household name virtually overnight as a two-time professional champion on ABC's top-rated "Dancing With the Stars," before making a seamless transition to award-winning recording artist and making her mark on the world of motion pictures, recognized by the National Association of Theatre Owners as Rising Star of the Year at the 2011 CinemaCon Conventions.
In 2013, Julianne starred opposite Josh Duhamel in Nicholas Sparks' "Safe Haven," directed by Lasse Hallstrom, which topped the box-office on its Valentine's Day opening and earned her a Teen Choice Award nomination. Prior to that, she starred opposite Russell Brand and Octavia Spencer in Diablo Cody's "Paradise," marking the Oscar-winning screenwriter's directorial debut. She starred as Sherrie Christian, the female lead in the film adaptation of the international musical sensation, "Rock of Ages," part of a superstar cast including Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Mary J. Blige. She made headlines by winning the coveted female lead role in Paramount's 2011 remake of the classic movie musical, "Footloose," and critics praised her performance in the film. She made her film debut in the star-studded ensemble of Screen Gems' musical "Burlesque," working alongside an all-star cast, including Cher, Christina Aguilera, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Bell and Cam Gigandet. She appeared in the comedy "Dirty Grandpa," opposite Robert De Niro and Zac Efron, and starred as fitness pioneer Betty Weider in the feature "Bigger."
On January 31, 2016, Julianne fulfilled her lifelong dream of playing the role of Sandy in FOX Television's critical and ratings hit, "Grease Live!," which was nominated for 10 Emmy Awards, winning four awards including Outstanding Special Class Program. As performed by Julianne and the cast, the show-stopping "You're the One That I Want" won the MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Musical Moment, beating such heavy hitters as Ariana Grande and John Legend's "Beauty and the Beast," Justin Timberlake's "Can't Stop the Feeling" and the Ryan Gosling-Emma Stone duet, "City of Stars" from "La La Land."
In 2014, Julianne and her brother, Derek, produced, co-directed and starred in MOVE Live on Tour, which sold out theaters across North America. They followed that success with an all-new production in Summer 2015, which featured live vocal performances by Julianne and Derek in addition to fresh, exciting choreography featuring the superstar siblings and the MOVE Company Dancers.
They hit the road again in 2017 with MOVE Beyond Live on Tour, their biggest and best show yet, with brand-new stage production inspired by the elements - earth, wind, fire, and water - which the duo have infused into fresh, high impact choreography that only they can deliver. The show brought fans on a journey of dance and music, taking inspiration directly from the four elements as an exploration of the human relationship with nature. The pair was joined by the Move Company Dancers for group performances in styles ranging from ballroom and tap to salsa and hip-hop and everything in between.
In 2015, Julianne launched her lifestyle website and blog, Jules.
A born entertainer, Julianne Hough (pronounced "Huff") always loved singing, dancing and acting. At age 10, she was presented with an opportunity to study performing arts in London, which established her fierce independence and was the beginning of a period of intense training and education. She returned to Utah at age 15 and, after graduating high school, moved to Los Angeles to pursue her dreams of a career in entertainment.
Quickly earning a solid reputation for her talent, discipline and professionalism, it took less than a month for Julianne to land a job as a dancer on the ABC game show, "Show Me The Money," and shortly thereafter joined the "Dancing With the Stars" tour as a company dancer before joining the cast of the hit series in the show's fourth season, where she was paired with two-time Olympic Gold Medal winner Apolo Anton Ohno. She toured with the troupe again, before returning to the hit show for seasons five through eight, pairing with Indy race champion Helio Castroneves, comedian Adam Carolla, actor Cody Linley and country singer Chuck Wicks. Hough remains the youngest dancer to have won the competition twice, with partners Ohno and Castroneves. Her skills as a choreographer also led to a collaboration with Gwen Stefani on the singer's "Wind It Up" video.
Julianne earned Emmy nominations in 2008 and 2009 for Best Choreography for her work on the show and in 2015, won the Emmy for choreographing, along with her brother Derek and Tessandra Chavez, her and Derek's memorable performance of Sia's "Elastic Heart," performed live by the singer-songwriter.
Following her departure from "Dancing With the Stars," Julianne made several appearances on the show to promote her films and as a guest judge. She thrilled fans when she returned full-time to the ballroom as a judge for three hit seasons in 2014-15 and again in Fall 2016 and Spring 2017.
Julianne's self-titled debut album, released by Universal Music Group Nashville in 2008, hit the Billboard Country charts at #1 and entered the Billboard 200 at #3, marking the highest debut for a country artist since 2006. Her first two singles from the album, "That Song in My Head" and "My Hallelujah Song," soared up the country charts and she earned her first two 2009 Academy of Country Music Awards for Top New Female Vocalist and Top New Artist.
Hitting the road for the first time as a recording artist in 2009, Julianne opened for superstar Brad Paisley and later toured with George Strait, playing over 100 shows. Her second album, The Julianne Hough Holiday Collection, became an instant holiday classic for her legions of fans, distributed exclusively at Target.
In 2009, Julianne also starred in her first fitness DVD, "Cardio Ballroom," the first in a series designed to motivate exercise novices and enthusiasts alike on the dance floor. The second, "Just Dance!," was released in 2010, also topping sales charts for months.
In 2012, she created her own shoe line, Julianne Hough for Sole Society, a collaboration with leading women's footwear designer Vince Camuto and is highly sought-after in the world of commercials and endorsements, as an international spokesperson for Proactiv Solution and previously as the official spokesperson for Venus Embrace, co-authoring their "Goddess Guide to Getting Closer" for the company's 2009 marketing campaign. She was featured in the iconic Got Milk? Campaign and sang an updated version of the Wrigley's Juicy Fruit gum theme, "The Taste is Gonna Move Ya," with numerous international campaigns in the works.
Julianne has a long-term partnership with MPG Activewear, which was introduced with 12 favorite styles curated and selected by Julianne from the popular line's Spring/Summer 2016 collection and now features quarterly collections designed by Julianne. She is the face of Giorgio Beverly Hills Fragrances, celebrating the iconic brand's 35th anniversary and the recent introduction of Giorgio Beverly Hills Glam. Julianne executive produced and she and Derek hosted a family Thanksgiving special for Disney that aired on ABC in November 2016, as well as "The Disney Parks' Magical Christmas Celebration," which aired on Christmas Day and was nominated for an Emmy. In May 2017, Julianne executive produced and co-hosted The Miss USA Competition for the second time.
In addition to her performing career, Julianne is also active in a wide range of philanthropic endeavors, charities and humanitarian efforts. Julianne has joined forces with the Kind Campaign to create and host Kind Camp, empowering and encouraging girls to be confident, beautiful women and to eradicate girl against girl bullying. Her charitable affiliations range from numerous causes and organizations that serve women and girls to those that are fueled by her lifelong passion for dogs and other animals, among many others.- Yuanyuan Gao was born on 5 October 1979 in Beijing, China. She is an actress, known for Rob-B-Hood (2006), City of Life and Death (2009) and Zan Men Jie Hun Ba (2013). She has been married to Mark You-Ting Chao since 5 June 2014. They have one child.
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- Soundtrack
An actress who always attracts audiences' attention, Jennifer Tilly is by turns funny, sexy, compassionate, compelling and often all at once. She has been playing unforgettable characters ever since she started her career as an actress.
Jennifer Tilly was born Jennifer Ellen Chan in Harbor City, Los Angeles, to Harry Chan, a used car salesman, who was of Chinese origin, and Patricia (née Tilly), a schoolteacher and stage actress. Her sister is actress Meg Tilly. They were raised on rural Texada Island, British Columbia, by her mother and stepfather, John Ward.
Jennifer successfully cultivated another fan base with the revitalization of the "Child's Play" horror comedy franchise. For Ronny Yu's Bride of Chucky (1998), the filmmakers turned to Jennifer to create the character who would spark the series in a new direction. She met the challenge and established a new horror icon in Tiffany. In Rogue Pictures' Seed of Chucky (2004), written and directed by series creator Don Mancini, Jennifer again took the popular series to the next level; starring as Tiffany and as herself, the deadly doll's favorite actress, who soon becomes an unwitting hostess in more ways than one.
Jennifer's pitch-perfect voiceover work as Tiffany is not the only instance of her being able to incarnate a character from the vocal chords out. Families know her distinctive cadences from the Disney hits Home on the Range (2004), directed by Will Finn and John Sanford; The Haunted Mansion (2003) (in which Jennifer acted from the neck up only), directed by Rob Minkoff; and the Pixar blockbuster Monsters, Inc. (2001) (voicing Mike's love interest Celia), directed by Pete Docter, David Silverman and Lee Unkrich. She began her acting career as a teenager, putting herself through the theater program at Stephens College in Missouri by winning writing competitions. She then headed to Los Angeles, California. While she continued to act on the stage (earning a Dramalogue Award for her performance in "Vanities"), movies and television immediately came calling for the actress with the unique voice and visage.
In 2001, she starred in the Broadway revival of "The Women" with Cynthia Nixon and Kristen Johnson, which was later taped for, and broadcast on, PBS. In 2008, she appeared with Miranda Richardson in the critically acclaimed production of Wallace Shawn's play "Grasses of a Thousand Colors" at the Royal Court Theatre in London. Other plays include "Tartuffe" (LAAT) "Boy's Life" (LAAT) "Baby with the Bathwater" (LAPT) and others too numerous to mention. In 2005, Jennifer met her boyfriend, professional poker player Phil Laak (also known as the Unabomber). That summer at the World Series of Poker, she bested a field of 601 to take down the Ladies Event and win a coveted gold bracelet. She followed this up by winning the WPT Ladies Invitational, making her one of a small but elite group holding both a WSOP bracelet, and a WPT title. In summer 2010, she also won the Bellagio Cup 5k tournament.- Actress
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Kristin Kreuk was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to Deanna Che, who is of Chinese ancestry, and Peter Kreuk, who is of Dutch descent. Her parents are landscape architects. She attended and graduated from Eric Hamber Secondary School. Although she did some stage work in school, she focused more on her studies. She described herself as shy and boring.
For her first professional work, she went to an open casting audition for Edgemont (2000), a teen drama series aired on CBC Television in Canada. She plays the role as "Laurel Yeung". Laurel was the last main character to be cast because the casting director was having a problem finding an actress. Fortunately, for them (and us), they found Kristin just in time.
Her career was set to take off when she landed on the highly acclaimed serial drama series for The WB, Smallville (2001). It follows the story of "Clark Kent" in his pre-Superman days in a small town of Smallville, Kansas. Kreuk played the role as "Lana Lang", Clark Kent's object of desire before he meets "Lois Lane".
Smallville (2001) proved to be a giant step for Kristin's acting career, as she landed several interviews with several magazines, including YM (Young and Modern) and Rolling Stone. She also did a commercial for Neutrogena, popular for its skin care products.- Natalie Allen is known for Contact (1997) and Forecast Earth (2003).
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- Make-Up Department
Amy Sloan was born on 12 May 1978 in Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. She is an actress and writer, known for The Day After Tomorrow (2004), The Aviator (2004) and The Heartbreak Kid (2007).- Actress
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- Soundtrack
Erin Andrews was born on 4 May 1978 in Lewiston, Maine, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for That's My Boy (2012), WWE Smackdown! (1999) and Bless the Harts (2019). She has been married to Jarret Stoll since 24 June 2017. They have one child.- Producer
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Heidi Klum was born in Bergisch Gladbach, a small city near Cologne, Germany, in 1973. Her career as a top fashion model and swimsuit star began almost by accident when, on a lark, she submitted photos to a model competition hosted by Petra, a young woman's magazine. Klum won the competition, and signed with Metropolitan, the German modeling agency. After modeling in Europe for a few years to great success, she went to the United States to pursue modeling there, and met with more success, culminating in her relationship with Victoria's Secret. This brought her to the pinnacle of modeling and, in 1998, the coveted cover of Sports Illustrated's annual Swimsuit Issue, cementing her status as one of the world's top models. Along with that came lucrative marketing opportunities, including her own signature lines of sandals, jewelry, and perfume.
Like many other models, most notably Famke Janssen, Klum then sought to parlay her fame into a career in Hollywood. She has appeared frequently on TV in the US and in Germany, and has had several small parts in movies, including a cameo playing Swiss bombshell Ursula Andress in the Peter Sellers biopic The Life and Death of Peter Sellers (2004). Klum is married to British singer Seal and, as of June 2005, was expecting a child with him -- she has a daughter, Leni, with a boyfriend from a previous relationship. While she is best known for her beauty and perfect figure (one of her nicknames being "The Body"), the tall and willowy Klum remains surprisingly down-to-earth for a supermodel - a middle-class Westphalian girl from a small city - and has an endearingly goofy, engaging sense of humor. She is famously close to her father, Gunther.- Actress
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Judy Greer was born and raised outside of Detroit, Michigan, as Judith Therese Evans. She is the daughter of Mollie Ann (née Greer), a hospital administrator and former nun, and Richard Evans, a mechanical engineer. She has German, Irish, English, Welsh, and Scottish ancestry. After training for nearly ten years in classical Russian ballet, Greer shifted her interest to acting and was accepted into Chicago's prestigious Theatre School at DePaul University.
After a variety of odd jobs during college, from telemarketer to oyster shucker, Greer landed her first on-screen role just three days after graduation -- a small part in the Jason Lee-David Schwimmer comedy Kissing a Fool (1998). She flew to Los Angeles for the film's premiere and never left. Greer quickly landed a role in the dark comedy Jawbreaker (1999), with Rose McGowan and Rebecca Gayheart. Greer starred as a school wallflower-turned-babe in a story about high school girls who accidentally kill their best friend and try to cover up the murder.
She went on to play a news correspondent in David O. Russell's Three Kings (1999), landing a memorable opening love scene with George Clooney. Her performance caught the eye of Hollywood, and she appeared next in Mike Nichols's What Planet Are You From? (2000) as a flight attendant opposite Garry Shandling. Her television credits include a recurring role as Jason Bateman's assistant Kitty on Fox's Arrested Development (2003), as well as guest-starring roles on Love & Money (1999), Maggie Winters (1998), and Early Edition (1996).
Greer starred opposite Jennifer Garner in Columbia Pictures' romantic comedy 13 Going on 30 (2004), directed by Gary Winick. Greer played an office colleague alongside Garner's character, with whom she shares a checkered past.
She co-starred in writer-director M. Night Shyamalan's The Village (2004), opposite Joaquin Phoenix, Adrien Brody, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sigourney Weaver, and William Hurt. Set in 1897, the film revolves around a close-knit community that lives with the knowledge that a mythical race of creatures resides in the woods surrounding them. The Village (2004) was released July 30, 2004, by Touchtone Pictures. Greer also co-starred in director Wes Craven's Cursed (2005), a modern twist on the classic werewolf tale written by Kevin Williamson. The busy actress also landed a co-starring role opposite Orlando Bloom and Susan Sarandon in writer-director Cameron Crowe's Elizabethtown (2005), playing the sister of Bloom's character and daughter of Sarandon's character.
She also joined Jeff Bridges and Jeanne Tripplehorn in the independent film The Amateurs (2005) by writer-director Michael Traeger. The film revolves around a motley group of friends who band together to make an amateur porn film. Greer plays a young temptress at the local mattress store who secures a role in the movie by allowing the store to be used as a film location.
Greer wrapped production in New York on a co-starring role opposite Tom McCarthy ("The Station Agent") in Danny Leiner's The Great New Wonderful (2005) for Serenade Films/Sly Dog Films. The dark comedy tells five different stories against the backdrop of an uncertain post-September 11 New York. The cast also includes Maggie Gyllenhaal, Edie Falco and Tony Shalhoub.
She also appeared in writer-director Adam Goldberg's psychological drama I Love Your Work (2003), opposite Giovanni Ribisi. The film is about a fictional movie star (Ribisi) and his gradual meltdown and increasing obsession with a young film student and his girlfriend. The stellar cast also included Franka Potente, Christina Ricci, and Jason Lee and debuted at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival. In the film, Greer plays Samantha, the personal assistant of Ribisi's character.
Greer had a starring role as the female lead role in the comedy The Hebrew Hammer (2003) as the feisty, fearless Esther, who joins forces with an Orthodox Jewish Blaxploitation hero (Adam Goldberg) to save Hanukkah from an evil son of Santa Claus (Andy Dick). The Hebrew Hammer (2003) debuted at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival and premiered on Comedy Central followed by a theatrical release.
She also appeared in Adaptation. (2002), from director Spike Jonze. In the film, Nicolas Cage stars as self-loathing writer Charlie Kaufman (and twin brother Donald) as he attempts to adapt the novel "The Orchid Thief" for the big screen. Greer played Alice, the waitress with whom he becomes obsessed -- the object of his fantasies.
Greer turned in a scene-stealing comedic performance in The Wedding Planner (2001), with Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, in which she played Penny, Lopez's sweet but ditsy assistant who tries hard, but often falls a little short. Equally adept at more dramatic roles, Greer gave a standout performance opposite Mel Gibson in What Women Want (2000), playing a suicidal file clerk rescued by the one man who can hear women's thoughts. Greer's pivotal scene with Gibson is the heart of the film.
With a genuine gift for comedy and an engaging on-screen presence, Judy Greer has quickly become one of Hollywood's most captivating talents. Having appeared in such diverse films as Jawbreaker (1999), What Women Want (2000), The Wedding Planner (2001), Adaptation. (2002), and Wilson (2017) as well as a number of upcoming feature film projects, Greer turns in scene-stealing performances opposite some of the industry's biggest stars.- Producer
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Jillian Michaels was born on 18 February 1974 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is a producer and director, known for Kickin' It (2011), Graves (2016) and Sweat INC. (2015).- Actress, writer, artist, designer, and TV personality, Tracey Cherelle Jones is the epitome of a contemporary renaissance woman. Tracey began acting at the tender age of 8 years old after nailing her very first audition, a national McDonald's commercial. This inspired her, and she went on to do several more commercials and print work. Working as a child instilled in her a supreme confidence that has carried into adulthood.
After graduating from college with a degree in Pan African Studies, Tracey landed the leading female role in the smash hit "Don't be a Menace to Society While Drinking Your Gin and Juice in the Hood", also starring Shawn and Marlon Wayan's, directed by Paris Barclay. Following the success of Don't be a Menace...", Tracey also starred in "The Players Club", directed by Ice Cube, "Baby Boy", directed by John Singleton, and several other studio films. Her TV credits include the series regular role of Cassie Coleman on "Good News", a recurring role on "Men, Women, and Dogs", and countless guest starring roles on hit shows such as "Family Matters", "The Wayan's Bros.", and "The Jaimie Foxx Show".
After studying with some of the best in the business, and feeling a lack of opportunity for diverse roles for minority actors, Tracey decided to write the stories and create the characters she would like to see on the big and small screen. She has penned two pilots and a feature length film. She also produced and hosted a pilot titled "Living Large", which is a contemporary, urban version of "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous".
Tracey has always been a student of art, and has a passion for Design and all things beautiful. She started Designing spaces and dressing rooms for friends in the entertainment industry for fun. After years of Designing as a hobby, she wanted to become a professional Designer which lead to her current enrollment in Grad school studying for a second Bachelors Degree in Interior Design. She has designed homes, offices, and even a school for her many celebrity friends, family and referrals. She is in the process of forming a non profit company that will address "Aging Design" for the "Baby Boomer" generation who may have fallen on hard times, and can't afford to have their residences upgraded to accommodate their various health concerns. Tracey has a soft place in her heart for the disabled, aging and elderly, and has made it a goal to beautify and make their spaces comfortable.
Tracey's drive, tenacity, and strong work ethic has allowed her to become a power house in all that she does. Through her creativity, education, and experience she continues to make her goals a reality. She is an inspiration and a true renaissance woman! - Natalie Allen is known for Contact (1997) and Forecast Earth (2003).
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Kellee Stewart was born on 31 March 1976 in Norristown, Pennsylvania, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Guess Who (2005), Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) and Hot Tub Time Machine 2 (2015).- Actress
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Antonique is an acclaimed actor and a 2015 Grammy nominated singer and writer. She is most famous for her starring role of Faith Evans in "Notorious" where she received rave reviews and was praised by critics, including Jeffery Lyons who called her "one to watch".
Antonique is one of the new stars of season 2 of Marvel's Luke Cage which debuted on Netflix to amazing reviews. Antonique has a 8 episode arc as Detective Nandi Tyler.
Antonique first garnered attention in her buzz-worthy leading role in "Rent" on Broadway as Mimi Marquez. She became the international poster girl for the show. Antonique played CIA agent Sandra Burns in "Abduction" opposite Taylor Lautner and Alfred Molina, and in "Yelling To The Sky", playing the starring role of Ola O'Hara, opposite Zoe Kravitz, Gabourey Sidibe and Jason Clarke. Antonique recently starred in the TV One romantic comedy Stock Option, which premiered to record ratings for the network and she has a lead role in the Netflix film "Deuces". She has also guest starred and recurred on numerous hit TV shows including "Law & Order", HBO's "Bored To Death", the Sidney Lumet directed "100 Centre Street" on A&E and she has a role in the hit 2017 FOX drama series "Shots Fired".
Antonique shocked the world in 2015 with the release of her first body of work, her EP "Love Is Everything", stemming from her successful Kickstarter campaign in 2012 where Smith raised over $50,000 in 30 days from her fans. 'Hold Up Wait A Minute (Woo Woo)' is the Grammy nominated, edgy, uptempo, future meets retro, soul pleaser that is rising up the charts!
Antonique is also an accomplished songwriter. Having co-written her Grammy nominated single, she has also written songs for several television shows including Shots Fired, where she co-wrote the show's theme song along with several other original songs featured in the show and composed a piece of the score with great Terrance Blanchard.
Having just completed a 20 city "Act On Climate" tour with the Hip Hop Caucus and also singing for the Pope's climate rally for over 100,000 people on the National Mall in D.C., Antonique is a serious advocate for climate justice and human rights.
Sidney Lumet gave Antonique her first job. She played a teen drug addict. He heralded her as "an amazing actress with a great career ahead of her".
Antonique is following the career path of Barbra Streisand, Diana Ross and Whitney Houston; pursuing a career in film and television while also continuing to make her dream of a Grammy-winning recording career into the most amazing of realities.- Actress
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Jamie Michelle Luner was born on Wednesday, May 12, 1971 to Stuart and Susan Luner in Palo Alto, California. She grew up with her older brother, David Luner, and her mom Susan in California. Before landing her roles on Just the Ten of Us (1987) as dizzy "Cindy Lubbock", Jamie began her career in front of the cameras at the tender age of three doing TV commercials. At 15 she won the L.A. Shakespeare Festival in the category of monologues. She was still working on Just the Ten of Us (1987), while attending Beverly Hills High School, from which she graduated in 1989. She took a break from acting, attended culinary school, and was a chef at French restaurant Drai's after Just the Ten of Us (1987) was canceled in 1991.
She returned to TV in Moment of Truth: Why My Daughter? (1993) in 1993 with a few small parts in shows such as Married... with Children (1987), Diagnosis Murder (1993). Then, she got her first break as Southern seductress "Peyton Richards" in Savannah (1996). After the prime-time soap was canceled, Jamie and her then-boyfriend Johnny Braz traveled around the US in an Airstream motor home before she landed the role of "Lexi" in Melrose Place (1992). After the Fox soap ended in 1999, so did her four-year-romance. Then after Ally Walker left, Jamie joined the cast of Profiler (1996) as "Rachel Burke".
Later she was in ABC's short-lived 10-8: Officers on Duty (2003). Then, in 2005, she had lead roles in Lifetime's, Blind Injustice (2005), Stranger in My Bed (2005) and, in 2006, The Suspect (2006), The Perfect Marriage (2006) and a guest spot on The War at Home (2005).
Jamie has also done theater work in Santa Monica in "Black & Bluestein", Other Space, Santa Monica and The Young Playwrites Festival in Los Angeles.- Actress
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Linda Fiorentino is an American actress. She has starred in the films Vision Quest (1985), Gotcha! (1985), After Hours (1985), Jade (1995), Men in Black (1997) and Dogma (1999). For her performance in The Last Seduction (1994), she won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actress, the London Film Critics' Circle Award for Actress of the Year, and was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.- Actress
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Tammy Townsend is a veteran performer with remarkable versatility and range whose acting and musical talents are showcased in a variety of notable projects.
She is a series regular on the seventh and final season of OWN's acclaimed drama series, "Queen Sugar," from Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Ava DuVernay and executive producer Oprah Winfrey. Set in rural Louisiana and the fictional community of St. Josephine, the show focuses on the trio of Bordelon siblings (Dawn-Lyen Gardner, Rutina Wesley and Kofi Siriboe), and their extended family. Townsend's character 'Billie,' the daughter of beloved Bordelon family friend 'Prosper Denton' (Henry G. Sanders), was introduced in the sixth season. She has returned to St. Josephine for the first time in 20 years to care for her ailing father, and soon secrets from her past are revealed. "Queen Sugar" airs on OWN, with previous seasons streaming on Hulu.
Townsend has most recently booked the female lead role in BET+'s upcoming dark comedy series, "Average Joe," from Robb Cullen and McG. The storyline follows blue-collar plumber, 'Joe Washington' (Deon Cole), who discovers his recently deceased father lived a secret, second life and stole millions of dollars from dangerous people just before he died. Townsend plays his loving wife, 'Angela Washington,' who suffers from a painful illness, yet works shifts as a waitress to help to provide for her family. Production is currently underway in Atlanta, and the series is slated to premiere in 2023.
She recently starred for two seasons as 'Candace' opposite Timon Kyle Durrett ("Queen Sugar") in the ALLBLK series, "Stuck With You." The storyline revolves around celebrity couple 'Candace' and 'Luvell' as their model marriage falls apart, but they decide to try to protect their brand and status by holding off on divorce while living separate lives. Townsend served as a co-producer on the series, which was Emmy-nominated in the category of Outstanding Writing for a Daytime Fiction Program.
Townsend previously starred as tough but loveable mom and veteran spy 'Kira Cooper' in Disney Channel's live-action spy comedy series, "K.C. Undercover," which revolved around high school student math whiz 'K.C. Cooper' (Zendaya) who trains to be an undercover super spy, following in the footsteps of her parents (mom played by Townsend and dad played by Kadeem Hardison). In addition, Townsend guest-starred on the Disney+ series, "Big Shot," with John Stamos.
An accomplished actress, singer and dancer, Townsend has been performing for audiences since the age of nine. She landed her first TV role at the age of 14 with a guest spot on "Diff'rent Strokes" with Gary Coleman and Todd Bridges. She soon found work on such series as "In the Heat of the Night" and "Quantum Leap."
Townsend made her feature film debut in Robert Townsend's cult classic, "The Five Heartbeats." Additional feature credits include "The Preacher's Kid," "Simone" starring Al Pacino and Evan Rachel Wood, "Playing Mona Lisa," "The Pest" with John Leguizamo and "The Brady Bunch Movie."
She went on to showcase her comedic and singing skills with her starring role on "Sherri," opposite Sherri Shepherd. She had memorable roles in such series as "9ine," "Rock Me Baby" and "Lincoln Heights." She has also starred in numerous television movies, including "The Mistle-Tones," "To Love and to Cherish," "Love Me or Leave Me" and "Home of the Brave."
As a singer, Townsend has worked with many of the music industry's more celebrated singers/musicians, including Branford Marsalis, R&B singer/songwriter Tank, Gerald Albright, Norman Connors, Tamia and guitarist Kevin Eubanks ("The Tonight Show"). She performed the hit single 'One Kiss' from the "Preacher's Kid" soundtrack and has toured with singer/songwriter Eric Benet.
Townsend is an outdoor enthusiast who lives for adventure! She loves participating in activities such as hiking, snowboarding, 4-wheel driving and fly boarding. When she's not working or outdoors, she enjoys watching documentaries of all kinds. Travel is also a huge passion of hers, and she recently traveled to Croatia.
Follow Tammy Townsend on Instagram & Twitter: @tammytownsend10- Jane DeNoble was born on 28 August 1963 in Wyckoff, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress, known for The Manchurian Candidate (2004), The Thomas Crown Affair (1999) and Bamboo Shark (2011).
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Keshia Knight Pulliam was born on 9 April 1979 in Newark, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Cosby Show (1984), House of Payne (2006) and Madea Goes to Jail (2009). She has been married to Brad James since 25 September 2021. They have one child. She was previously married to Ed Hartwell.- Actress
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Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman, also known as Raven, is an American actress, singer, songwriter, executive producer, and director. She began her career as actress, appearing as Olivia Kendall on The Cosby Show (1984) and Nicole Lee on Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992). She starred as Raven Baxter on the television series That's So Raven (2003), for which she was nominated for numerous accolades.
In music, Pearman released her debut studio album at the age of seven, Here's to New Dreams (1993), which saw the moderate commercial success. Her subsequent studio albums, Undeniable (1999), This Is My Time (2004), and Raven-Symoné (2008) saw some commercial success on the Billboard 200 chart. She also contributed vocals to several soundtracks from her Disney projects, including The Cheetah Girls (2003), That's So Raven (2003), and The Cheetah Girls 2 (2005), several of which were certified platinum and gold.
In 2011, she starred in the lead role on the sitcom State of Georgia (2011). She also joined the panel of the ABC daytime talk show The View (1997) from 2015 to 2016. Since 2017, Pearman has reprized her role as Raven Baxter on Raven's Home (2017), for which she was nominated for the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in Children's Programming.- Actress
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Model & Actress KD Aubert started her modeling career with LA Models in 2001. As a runway model working overseas, she soon ventured into print modeling with Elite models (LA) where she was thrust into major campaigns. Soon after KD entered into the world of commercials where again, she was lucky enough into land some very memorable campaigns. In 2002, while hosting the MTV show Kidnapped with Dave Holmes, she landed her first major role, not surprisingly on her first audition, in the cult classic Friday After Next, followed shortly after with a role in The Scorpion King. The following year she replaced a recurring actress on the hit show Buffy the Vampire Slayer (aka Nikki Wood). While shooting Buffy, KD landed a leading role in the movie Hollywood Homicide starring Harrison Ford and Josh Hatrnett. She has also starred on independent movies such as Dysenchanted (starring Jim Belushi) and Easy. KD also starred alongside Kevin Hart, Tom Arnold and many other superstars while on the comedy Soul Plane. After shooting what was one her favorite sci-fi movies Frankenfish in Mobile, Alabama, she returned to LA to snatch a guest star role on FOX's Bones.
Life in Politics In 2007, while recording music and partly residing in Chicago, she volunteered at Obama headquarters where she met Arne Duncan and Rahm Emmanuel. As a Democrat, KD will always stand with the people, especially those less fortunate. KD feels what makes America great, is the way we have always been able to look out for one another and lend a helping hand.
Charities KD enjoys working alongside some very influential non-profit organizations, such as Urban Born out of Los Angeles, and the Sickle Cell Disease Foundation of California. Two of KD's sisters live with the Sickle Cell Disease and the foundation truly helped from childhood to now. In addition, KD works closely with the Charlie Mack Foundation out of Philadelphia, PA. Will Smith and his dear friend, Charlie Mack, founded this foundation. Every year KD is called upon to travel to Philly to visit with kids who suffer from illnesses at local medical facilities. She visits young kids and teens that have been incarcerated as well as host fun events for the inner city youths.
Hobbies Aubert's hobbies include: playing golf, tennis, watching CNN & MSNBC, traveling, eating exotic foods, writing songs, spending time with family, going to the batting cages, and fishing to name a few.
Religion KD's religious views are called "non-denominational" with a Christian foundation. She attends a worship center called "Agape" which means unconditional love.
"We do not judge, we believe that we are all beautiful intelligent expressions of GOD here on this planet." - KD Aubert- Actress
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Bresha Webb was born on 6 May 1984 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. She is an actress and director, known for Run the World (2021), A Fall from Grace (2020) and Meet the Blacks (2016). She has been married to Nick Jones Jr. since 4 February 2023.- Music Artist
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Lady Gaga, born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, is an American songwriter, singer, actress, philanthropist, dancer and fashion designer.
Gaga was born on March 28, 1986 in Manhattan, New York City, to Cynthia Louise (Bissett), a philanthropist and business executive, and Joseph Anthony Germanotta, Jr., an internet entrepreneur. Her father is of Italian descent; and her mother, who is from West Virginia, is of half Italian and half French, English, German, and Scottish ancestry. Gaga was able to sing and play the piano from a young age. She attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart from age 11 where was bullied for her appearance (she was small and plumper than other girls with large front teeth) and eccentric habits.
By the age of 14, Gaga was performing at open mike nights in clubs and bars. By age 17, she had gained early admission to New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. In addition to sharpening her songwriting skills, she composed essays and analytical papers on art, religion, social issues and politics. At the age of 19 Gaga withdrew from her studies and moved out of her parents' home in order to pursue a musical career. During this time she started a band which began to gain local attention.
After a brief partnership with talent scout Rob Fusari, which resulted in the creation of her stage name, Gaga was signed to Def Jam Records in 2006; however she was dropped from the label after just three months. Devastated, Gaga returned home, and became increasingly experimental: fascinating herself with emerging neo-burlesque shows, go-go dancing at bars dressed in little more than a bikini in addition to experimenting with drugs.
Gaga met performance artist Lady Starlight during this time; after a performance at Lollapalooza Festival in 2007 Gaga was signed by Vince Herbert to Streamline Records, an imprint of Interscope Records. Having served as an apprentice songwriter under an internship at Famous Music Publishing, which was later acquired by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, Gaga subsequently struck a music publishing deal with Sony/ATV. As a result, she was hired to write songs for Britney Spears and labelmates New Kids on the Block, Fergie, and the Pussycat Dolls. At Interscope, singer-songwriter Akon recognized her vocal abilities when she sang a reference vocal for one of his tracks in studio; Akon then convinced Interscope-Geffen-A&M Chairman and CEO Jimmy Iovine to form a joint deal by having her also sign with his own label Kon Live, making her his "franchise player."
In 2008 Gaga released her first album 'The Fame' to lukewarm radio play; Gaga toured around Europe and in gay clubs in the US to promote the album - however it was not until her first hit 'Just Dance' came to mainstream attention in 2009 that Gaga exploded onto the music scene.
Since then Gaga has gained numerous awards and nominations for a string of hits; her first album spawned several more smash hits 'Paparazzi', 'Loveame' and 'Poker Face'); while touring the album Gaga wrote 'The Fame Monster', an EP examining the darker side to her new-found fame. The Fame Monster was released in 2009 and won multiple awards, spawning her most iconic single 'Bad Romance' as well as 'Telephone' and 'Alejandro'. During this time Gaga came under increased public and critical scrutiny for her eccentric and often bizarre style choices. Gaga embarked on her second tour, The Monster Ball; upon finishing in May 2011, the critically acclaimed and commercially accomplished tour ran for over one and a half years and grossed $227.4 million, making it one of the highest-grossing concert tours of all time and the highest-grossing for a debut headlining artist. Concerts performed at Madison Square Garden in New York City were filmed for an HBO television special. The special accrued one of its five Emmy Award nominations and has since been released on DVD and Blu-ray.
In 2011 Gaga released her second full-length album 'Born this Way'; the album was received vastly more critically than her previous two for touching on themes of politics, sexuality, and religion. Despite this, the album's songs were praised critically, and Born This Way sold 1.108 million copies in its first week in the US, debuting atop the Billboard 200, and topping the charts in more than 20 other countries. In addition to exceeding 8 million copies in worldwide sales, Born This Way received 3 Grammy Award nominations, including her third consecutive for Album of the Year. In March 2012, Gaga was ranked fourth on Billboard's list of top moneymakers of 2011, grossing $25,353,039 dollars, which included sales from Born This Way and her Monster Ball Tour.
At the end of April 2012, Gaga's Born This Way kicked off in Korea - the tour would last 2 years and take the singer to every continent of the globe. However in February 2012 the tour was abruptly canceled; Gaga had a labral tear in her right hip which she had been nursing secretly for several weeks in the hopes that she would be able to continue the tour. After a performance in Toronto left her unable to walk and in considerable pain, she was taken to hospital for surgery and the tour was canceled. Through to Jan. 17, the tour had grossed $168.2 million and moved 1.6 million tickets to 85 shows, according to Billboard Boxscore, with the Asian, European, and South American legs already completed in 2012. The North American leg, which was to wrap the tour and was almost completely sold out, would have likely put the tour at more than $200 million gross, easily in the top 20 tours of all time and probably in the top 15, according to Billboard. As it stands, Gaga finished sixth among all touring artists in 2012, with a gross of $125 million and attendance of more than 1.1 million, according to Boxscore.
Gaga wrote her third album, ARTPOP, released in 2013. Gaga made her acting debut in Robert Rodriguez's Machete Kills (2013), the sequel to his 2010 film Machete, and also appeared in Rodriguez's sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). In 2018, she starred with Bradley Cooper, who also directed, in A Star Is Born (2018). Gaga received her first Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for the role.- Madge Sinclair was born Madge Dorita Walters on April 28, 1938 in Kingston, Jamaica, married young and had two sons. Madge worked as a teacher in Jamaica until she was 30. She left her two boys with their father and moved in 1968 to New York City to be an actress.
She began modeling and later acted with the New York Shakespearean Festival and at Joseph Papp's Public Theatre. In 1974, Madge made her film debut, playing Mrs. Scott in Conrack (1974). She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance as Bell Reynolds in the miniseries Roots (1977).
In 1982, shortly after joining the cast of Trapper John, M.D. (1979), Sinclair was diagnosed with leukemia. She continued to work, outliving the doctors' predictions by several years. On December 20, 1995, Madge Sinclair died at age 57 in Los Angeles, California, after a 13 year battle with leukemia. - Actress
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Michelle Thomas was born in Boston but raised in New York and New Jersey. She attended the Montclair School of Arts and the Broadway Dance Center. She is survived by her mother, Phynjuar Thomas (a stage actress and acting coach); her brother, David Thomas; her grandfather, Cecil G. Saunders, Sr.; her aunt, Eleanor Johnson; her uncle, Paul T. Goodnight; and numerous other family members. Her father Dennis D.T. Thomas was a founding member of the 1970s funk band Kool & The Gang) Miss Thomas played "Betsy Brown" on stage in Philadelphia. She also appeared on the CBS soap opera, The Young and the Restless (1973) as "Callie Rogers"; on The Cosby Show (1984) as "Justine Phillips", the girlfriend of "Theo" (played by Malcolm-Jamal Warner); and on Family Matters (1989) as "Myra Monkhouse", the girlfriend of "Steve Urkel" (played by Jaleel White). She made guest appearances on a number of other TV shows and also performed in tons of music videos, in Los Angeles theater productions, and in several movies, including Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991). Just prior to her death, Michelle Thomas had received an NAACP Image Award nomination for outstanding actress in a daytime drama series for The Young and the Restless (1973).- Music Artist
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Talented. Beautiful. Modest. These three words described R&B singer-turned-actress Aaliyah perfectly.
Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn, New York, to Diane (Hankerson) and Michael Haughton. Her uncle was music manager Barry Hankerson and her brother is director Rashad Haughton. Aaliyah was raised in Detroit. She got her first major exposure appearing on the syndicated television series Star Search (1983), where she awed the audience with her amazing voice and talent, singing "My Funny Valentine", a song which her mother had sung years earlier. At age 11, she sang with Gladys Knight in a five-night stint in Las Vegas. Withdrawing from the celebrity scene for a few years, Aaliyah lived the life of a normal teenage girl, attending Detroit's Performing Arts High School, where she majored in dance. It was around this same time that Aaliyah met singer/composer R. Kelly. Kelly assisted Aaliyah with the production of her debut album "Age Ain't Nothing But A number", which scored several number hits, specifically "Back and Forth." The album's title was a brief reference to her short-lived marriage to R. Kelly (she was 15 years of age at the time, and he was in his 20s). Thir marriage was annulled due to her status as a minor.
During her senior year, Aaliyah went on to record "One In A Million", which featured the songwriting talents of major R&B producers/writers Missy Elliott and Timbaland. The album was a major success and sealed Aaliyah's fame forever.
Aaliyah recorded the single 'Journey to the past' for the Anastasia (1997) soundtrack. After seeing her at an awards show and in the video for her hit song "Are You that Somebody?" (from the Eddie Murphy film Doctor Dolittle (1998)), film producer Joel Silver (producer of The Matrix (1999) and other major actor films) asked Aaliyah to audition for a role in an romance/action film, Romeo Must Die (2000). With her determination and sex appeal, Aaliyah won Silver over and was cast in her first major film role. Romeo Must Die (2000) was a hit at the box office. This film led to her being cast as one of the stars of the film based on Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned (2002), and in the two sequels to the major box office hit, The Matrix (1999), The Matrix Reloaded (2003) and The Matrix Revolutions (2003).
During the busy schedule of her film career, Aaliyah took time to record her third album, the self-titled "Aaliyah". July 2001 was a busy time for Aaliyah. After the success of her song "Try Again", for which she was nominated for a Grammy Award and won several MTV Video Awards, Aaliyah finally released her "Aaliyah" album. Debuting at number two on the Billboard charts, "Aaliyah" was a sales success, despite some lackluster reviews.
In August 2001, Aaliyah took time off from her busy album promotional tour to fly to the Bahamas to film a video for the song "Rock the Boat". The video, filmed on Abaco Island, was directed by Hype Williams, a major music video director known for his style and wit.
On August 25, 2001, after filming the video, Aaliyah and about 9-11 of her entourage took off from Marsh Harbour airport at 6:50pm EDT in a small Cessna 404 en route to Opa-Locka, Florida. A few minutes after take-off, the plane crashed about 200 feet from the runaway, killing Aaliyah and many others instantly. Four passengers were pulled alive from the wreckage, and one later died at a hospital in Nassau. Aaliyah was only 22 years old. Her funeral was held on Friday August 31st in New York, and 22 white doves were flown to celebrate each year of her life. Soon after her death, the hit singles 'More Than a woman' and 'Rock The Boat' were released, from her third album. In 2002, the film Queen of the Damned (2002) was released, in which Aaliyah played Queen Akasha. She was nominated for best Villain at the MTV Movie Awards 2002.
Aaliyah's short-lived, but brilliant career, was a true success story for a young African-American woman who went against all odds to be herself in an industry where originality is scarce. Truly missed by her family, friends, and fans, her music and film contributions will live forever. It's no wonder that her name means 'Highest, most ex-halted one; the best' in Hebrew. She had achieved so much in her twenty-two years.- Actress
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Kellie Shanygne Williams was born on March 22, 1976 in Washington, D.C. She started her career as a children's fashion model. She made many appearances on stage (e.g., "Joe Turner's Come and Gone", "The Colored Museum", "Butterfingers Angel", and "Goin' Home") and in TV commercials. She is best known as Laura Lee Winslow on Family Matters (1989). Kellie spends a lot of time working with projects such as "The Starlight Foundation International Youth Ambassador", "Famous Phone Friends", "Great Beginnings for Black Babies", and "Hollywood for Children." She enjoys dancing and singing and has attended the University of California in Los Angeles, where she resides.