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Kimberly Estrada is an American actress known for playing a wide range of roles, from professional boxer to vixen. Estrada is an ethnic blend of primarily Chinese, Spanish and Native descent and has an extensive background in martial arts and combat including Shaolin Kempo, Jeet Kun Do Kung Fu, Jiu-jitsu, Tae Kwon Do, Kickboxing and Western Boxing. An accomplished athlete, Estrada was the only girl playing on her high school's boys soccer team and then played soccer for the University of Maryland, College Park at the NCAA Division 1 level. At the University of Maryland, Estrada earned scholar-athlete awards, graduating cum laude with a Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice.
Estrada has been directed by Academy Award winners Clint Eastwood, Bill Condon, Oliver Stone and the Coen Brothers. She was cast and directed by Clint Eastwood in Best Picture Million Dollar Baby, as one of Hilary Swank's opponents. She was Spokesmodel #16 on the first 45 episodes of NBC's Deal or No Deal and was named as one of People Magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People in 2006.
Estrada has been a guest on Good Morning America and The Best Damn Sports Show Period. In 8 episodes of the CW's Easy Money, Estrada (as Cherise Buffkin) had the opportunity to work with Laurie Metcalf, who played her mother-in-law. Recent TV appearances include: Hawaii 5-0, Chance, Hit the Floor and Criminal Minds.
Over the last 10 years, melding a strong business background with her artistic/creative side, Estrada followed another passion and expanded to working behind the camera, as a producer in the film and commercial worlds. Estrada has produced commercials and digital media for an extensive list of clients.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
A Martinez was born in Glendale, California, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Longmire (2012), Dark Winds (2022) and Avatar: The Last Airbender (2024). He has been married to Leslie Bryans since 17 July 1982. They have three children. He was previously married to Mare Winningham.- Actress
- Producer
Jennifer Freeman was born on 20 October 1985 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for You Got Served (2004), My Wife and Kids (2000) and Johnson Family Vacation (2004). She was previously married to Earl Watson.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Dania is a Latin American actress born in the Dominican Republic. She grew up, living with her grandmother, in a poor household. Her parents left for the United States, when she was 6-months old, and she finally joined them in New York when she was age 10.
She knew from a young age that she wanted to act. She was discovered by a model scout and cast in a soda commercial. She attended the Actor's workshop in New York City and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.
Her first job was Jay-Z's girlfriend in his music video, Streets Is Watching (1998). She went on to appear in high profile TV shows The Sopranos (1999), Entourage (2004) and Heroes (2006). She has also appeared in films and, in 2012, she was cast in American Reunion (2012). She is currently starring on Lifetime's Devious Maids (2013) as 'Rosie Falta'.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Michael Jai White is an American actor and martial artist who has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, having starred as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn. White portrayed Jax Briggs in Mortal Kombat: Legacy (2011). White also portrayed boxer Mike Tyson in the 1995 HBO television movie Tyson.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Daphne Rubin-Vega was born on 18 November 1968 in Panama City, Panama. She is an actress and producer, known for Wild Things (1998), In the Heights (2021) and Sex and the City (2008). She has been married to Tommy Costanzo since September 2002. They have one child.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Stevens was born in Los Angeles, California. She is the daughter of actor and radio announcer Shadoe Stevens, and former model Beverly Cunningham. She has a younger sister named Chyna Stevens (Chyna Rose Stevens). She is a graduate of Beverly Hills High School. Her father is Caucasian (of Norwegian, German, English, and Dutch descent) and her mother is African-American (and part-Comanche).- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Elizabeth Rodriguez is a Manhattan born and raised native New Yorker and a graduate of Lehman College in the Bronx. After graduation from Lehman, Rodriguez studied for two years under acclaimed acting teacher Maggie Flanigan at William Esper Studios in NYC. While still at the studio she began working professionally with appearances in the feature films Fresh (1994), Dead Presidents (1995) and I Think I Do (1997), as well as in TV shows such as Law & Order (1990), and recurring roles on both Oz (1997) and New York Undercover (1994).
Rodriguez has since appeared in numerous shows, including a recent recurring role as Aleida Diaz on the upcoming Netflix Original Series Orange Is the New Black (2013). Other TV credits include roles as series regulars on both NBC's Prime Suspect (2011), opposite Maria Bello, and ABC's All My Children (1970), in addition to recurring roles on The Shield (2002) and ER (1994). Other credits include Six Feet Under (2001), Flashforward (2009), Cold Case (2003), Just Shoot Me! (1997), NYPD Blue (1993) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999). Her made-for-TV movies include Inflammable (1995) and P.O.W.E.R.: The Eddie Matos Story (1994). Some of her feature films include Return to Paradise (1998), Four Lane Highway (2005), Acts of Worship (2001), Blow (2001), All Things Fall Apart (2011), Pound of Flesh (2010), Tonight at Noon, A Line in the Sand (2008), Jack Goes Boating (2010), directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Michael Mann's Miami Vice (2006), opposite Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. Other notable films include Tio Papi (2013), Glass Chin (2014) and The Drop (2014), with Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini.
In addition to her work on screen, Rodriguez remains extremely active in the theater. She has starred in "Beauty of the Father" (Manhattan Theatre Club), "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" (NY's Public Theater), "Roger and Vanessa" (Actors' Gang), "Den of Thieves" (Black Dahlia), "Robbers" (American Place Theater), "A View From 151st Street" (NY's Public Theater) and "Unconditional" (NY's Public Theater). Rodriguez is a longtime member of NY's acclaimed Labyrinth Theater Company.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
A Chicago native of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, she made her professional stage debut at the age of seven in Paul Mejia's "Cinderella" at The Auditorium Theatre. By the age of twelve, she was dancing 20 shows a month as "Clara" in "The Nutcracker". She joined the Young People's Company, whose alumni include John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Jeremy Piven, Lili Taylor and Aidan Quinn.
Aimee graduated from Northwestern University with a triple major in economics, journalism and French. While attending Northwestern University, she was put under a two-year contract with Paramount Television after Norman Lear hand-picked her to headline his pilot-in-development, The Chavez Family, and also played the lead role of Diana Morales in "A Chorus Line" for Broadway choreographer Mitzi Hamilton.
After Northwestern, she developed a television career in Los Angeles with Greetings from Tucson (2002), and had continued success as Andy Garcia's daughter and George Lopez's niece Veronica Palmero on George Lopez (2002). She is was at one point the only Latina in her generation to be on syndicated television.
In 2007, she was nominated for an ALMA and Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series.
Aimee also starred in Peter Berg's new high-octane medical drama Trauma (2009) on NBC.- Actor
- Soundtrack
- Writer
By only 16 years old Dante Brown had established himself as a bonafide "one to watch" talent in the entertainment industry, known not only for the diverse and engaging characters he has brought to life on screen, but also for excelling in music, dance and creating innovate online content to connect with Generation Z. This fall 2016 Dante can be seen on FOX's highly anticipated, new series "Lethal Weapon." Set to premiere just before Empire on September 21, the show is based off the 1987 film, and follows Roger Murtaugh [Damon Wayans Sr.] and Martin Riggs [Clayne Crawford] as a pair of mismatched L.A.P.D. detectives. Dante shines as Roger "R.J." Murtaugh Jr, Murtaugh's good but slightly rebellious teenage son who is trying to carve out his own place in the world outside of his parents' expectations.
Born and raised in Chicago, Dante began acting and modeling as a baby, quickly landing campaigns for Keebler and Sears within a month of getting started. His bubbly and charismatic personality was nurtured by his parents, whom along with industry pros, identified the "it" factor in their baby boy. One of Dante's big breaks came when he was only 5 years old, when he caught the attention of Oprah Winfrey. After auditioning with over 500 children, Dante was chosen to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show's first "Amazing Kids" episode, featuring Jay Leno as host. Dante was able to showcase his talents in comedy, acting and dance. His performance on the show solidified him as one of Oprah's "All-Time Smartest and Most Talented Kids." By 2012 Dante had become a popular face in Young Hollywood, racking up dozens of credits in television and film and embracing his new nickname deemed by casting directors and growing fans, a "Young Denzel Washington".
His first feature, the Lifetime movie "America" which he appeared alongside Rosie O'Donnell, landed him a Young Artist Award Nomination in 2009 for "Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Special - Supporting Young Actor." It was only up from there, as Dante went on to appear on a plethora of TV series including NBC's "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," Michael Bay and TNT's "The Last Ship," Showtime's "Shameless," Nickelodeon's "Henry Danger," NBC's "Community," NBC's "Southland," and CBS' "NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service," to name a few. Dante held his first series regular role in 2015, co-starring opposite comedian Craig Robinson on NBC's "Mr. Robinson." On the film front, Dante made his feature debut in 2012 appearing alongside Oscar Nominated, Emmy Winner Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal in "Won't Back Down" for Twentieth Century Fox Films. Summer 2016 placed Dante in production filming the short, Black Doves, as one of the lead characters alongside his brother Dusan Brown.
When not on set you can find Dante in the recording studio, laying down tracks under his moniker "DanteThePoet." A Grammy Camp alumni and independent artist, Dante takes the blueprint of Childish Gambino, the lyricism of Kendrick Lamar, and the hustle-nomics and genius of Kanye West, to create a sound that is on the forefront of hip hop music, inspiring and uplifting other post-millennial teens, like himself. As to be expected, Dante's working on recording his debut album, and plans to release his 2nd mixtape, "Bipolar" as a Back to School event via www.Soundcloud.com/DanteThePoet.
Dante also has a passion for creating scripted projects - over the past few months he's been writing his first animated series which he hopes to be able to pitch to networks, within the year, and is the co-creator of Talking with The Brown Boys [YouTube Webisode] alongside his younger brother Dusan. Although acting has been Dante's bread and butter over the years, his music, a strong second, Dante is also a self taught dancer, taking first place at the Monsters of Hip Hop Freestyle Battle, and has future plans and aspirations to launch an innovative, cool teen clothing line.
On the charity front, Dante has big ideas for how he wants to give back to the community in the near future including launching a youth concert entitled DanteThePoet + Friends, which will showcase local teen, rising stars, and provide youth a fun, safe place to gather with their friends every month. In today's political climate with police brutality on the rise, gun violence, gang violence, and teen drug abuse, Dante has made it a personal goal to set a good example for youth, bringing awareness to various organizations who work to uplift young, Black men and women in Dante's hometown of Chicago, as well as where he resides with his family, Los Angeles.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Maria was born on April 21, 2001 in Bronx, NY, USA. At a young age, she moved from New York to Florida. She has 2 siblings one younger sister and one younger brother.
Maria has been writing short stories and creating characters since the age of 5 and her dream was to become a writer. Her interests have changed at the age of 9 and now she wants to act out the characters she creates.- Miguel Luciano was born in Miami, Florida on April 12th.
Miguel started acting at the age of 12 and began his professional career in 6th grade, as a cast member of the City Theatre's Summer Shorts Festival in Miami. He was a student at Coral Reef Senior High School (Miami, Fl) in the Theatre Magnet Program. After school, Miguel was heavily involved with the Miami Childrens Theater, a nationally recognized and award winning non-for-profit organization that produces full main stage musicals and plays for young audiences, performed by young actors. During the summer, Miguel would attend Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts, a performing arts summer camp in Upstate NY. Miguel credits MCT and Frenchwoods as a huge part of his education and also to some of the happiest times of his life.
After graduating high school, Miguel pursued his acting career and landed several national and local commercials, including Sprite (with LeBron James), Sony Electronics, Café Bustelo, and Kentucky Fried Chicken. In July 2014, Miguel played the guest role of Lil Top in the second season of "Graceland" on USA network.
Miguel has taught and directed musical theatre at Frenchwoods Festival of the Performing Arts, Roxy Performing Arts Center, Peaches School of Dance and Music, and currently teaches and directs at the Miami Childrens Theater. He has directed shows such as "Honk", "Seussical the Musical", "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves", and has co-directed "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" and "A Little Princess" with Evelyn Perez.
Miguel is currently a series regular on the Nickelodeon sitcom "Talia in the Kitchen", as the antagonist, Frenchie Fuccinelli. The show is currently airing globally. - Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Nafessa Williams was born on 4 December 1989 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Black and Blue (2019), Black Lightning (2018) and A Holiday Chance (2021).- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Hector Elizondo was born in New York City, New York, where he was raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. He is the son of Carmen Medina Reyes and Martín Echevarría Elizondo. Hector is of Basque and Puerto Rican descent, and "Elizondo" means "at the foot of the church" in Basque. His lifestyle in his days before acting was as diverse as the roles he plays today. He was a conga player with a Latin band, a classical guitarist and singer, a weightlifting coach, a ballet dancer and a manager of a bodybuilding gym. In his teens, he played basketball and baseball, and was scouted by the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Pirates farm teams. After a knee injury ended his dance career, he switched to drama. Since then, he has frequently appeared on Broadway, most notably with George C. Scott in Arthur Penn's production of "Sly Fox" for which he received a Drama Desk nomination and for his role as "God" in "Steambath", which won him an Obie Award. Other theatre credits include; "The Prisoner of Second Avenue"; "The Great White Hope"; "Dance of Death" with Robert Shaw and "The Rose Tattoo" opposite Cicely Tyson. Countless starring roles in television include: Foley Square (1985); Medal of Honor Rag (1982); Casablanca (1983) (in which he recreated the Claude Rains role of police chief "Capt. Renault"); Freebie and the Bean (1974); Popi (1975) and as Sophia Loren's husband in the CBS special Courage (1986). Guest appearances include: Kojak (1973); Kojak: Ariana (1989); A Case of Immunity (1975); Baretta (1975); All in the Family (1971); The Rockford Files (1974) and Bret Maverick (1981). In addition, he also directed a.k.a. Pablo (1984), the first show to utilize seven cameras instead of the usual four. On the big screen, he has been seen in, among others, American Gigolo (1980); The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974); Cuba (1979); Valdez Is Coming (1971) and in four films directed by Garry Marshall: Young Doctors in Love (1982); The Flamingo Kid (1984); Nothing in Common (1986) and Overboard (1987). Elizondo starred with Dan Aykroyd and Michelle Pfeiffer in PBS' Tales from the Hollywood Hills: Natica Jackson (1987) (based on a collection of John O'Hara stories) and made his debut as a stage director with a production of "Villa!" starring Julio Medina. In addition, he performed in the 50th anniversary production of "War of the Worlds" co-starring Jason Robards and the TV-movie Addicted to His Love (1988) with Barry Bostwick.- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Strikingly featured and muscular American actor Ving Rhames was born Irving Rameses Rhames in Harlem, New York, to Reather, a homemaker, and Ernest Rhames, an auto mechanic. A good student, Ving entered the New York High School of Performing Arts, where he discovered his love of acting. He studied at the Juilliard School of Drama, and began his career in New York theater and in Shakespeare in the Park productions. He first appeared on Broadway in the play "The Winter Boys", in 1984. Also that year, he appeared in front of the cameras for the first time in the TV movie Go Tell It on the Mountain (1985), and was then quickly cast in minor roles in several popular TV shows, including Miami Vice (1984), Tour of Duty (1987) and Crime Story (1986). Ving continued his rise to fame through his work in soap operas.
His big break came in 1994 when Quentin Tarantino cast him as the merciless drug dealer Marsellus Wallace in the mega hit Pulp Fiction (1994). Not long after, director Brian De Palma cast Rhames alongside Tom Cruise as the ace computer hacker Luther Stickell in Mission: Impossible (1996). With solid performances in both these highly popular productions, his face was now well known to moviegoers and the work offers began rolling in more frequently. His next career highlight was playing the lead role in the HBO production of Don King: Only in America (1997). Rhames' performance as the world's most infamous boxing promoter was nothing short of brilliant, and at the 1998 Golden Globe Awards he picked up the award for Best Actor in a Miniseries. However, in an incredible display of compassion, he handed over the award to fellow nominee Jack Lemmon, as he felt Lemmon was a more deserving winner. Rhames then made an attention-grabbing performance in Bringing Out the Dead (1999), reprised his role as Luther Stickell in Mission: Impossible II (2000), contributed his deep bass voice for the character of Cobra Bubbles in Lilo & Stitch (2002), and played a burly cop fighting cannibal zombie hordes in Dawn of the Dead (2004). A keen fitness and weightlifting enthusiast, Rhames is also well known for his strong spiritual beliefs and benevolent attitude towards other people.
In a remarkable turn of events whilst filming The Saint of Fort Washington (1993) in New York, he was introduced to a homeless man who turned out to be his long-lost older brother, Junior, who had lost contact with the family after serving in Vietnam. The thrilled Rhames immediately assisted his disheveled brother in getting proper food and clothing and moved him into his own apartment.- Actress
- Stunts
Born and raised in Lyons, Kansas, Kara grew up an athlete, artist and serious tomboy.
At the age of 13 she saw the movie SLAM, starring poet Saul Williams, and turned her attention to the performing arts. Kara started writing and performing original poetry, and gave up sports to compete in Debate and Speech & Drama.
During her high school competition career, Kara earned five state titles and two national semi-finalist titles. Following high school, Kara attended Kansas State University and continued to compete with the Collegiate Speech team. In 2006 Kara moved to Atlanta and attended law school in 2010.
Kara works as a film, television, and commercial actor, model and spokesperson.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Mekhi Phifer was born in Harlem, Manhattan, and was raised by his mother, Rhoda, a high school teacher. Phifer's acting career began when he auditioned at an open casting call for director Spike Lee's Clockers (1995) and was selected for the leading role. Working alongside Harvey Keitel and Delroy Lindo, he garnered critical acclaim for his compelling performance as Strike, a young New Jersey drug dealer involved in a murder cover-up. Following his impressive screen debut, he appeared in the comedy spoof High School High (1996). In the Columbia/Tristar thriller I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), he co-starred with Jennifer Love Hewitt and Freddie Prinze Jr. He also starred in Soul Food (1997), 20th Century Fox's film that starred Vanessa Williams, Vivica A. Fox and Nia Long. In 2002, Phifer starred as Future, opposite Eminem, Brittany Murphy and Kim Basinger in Curtis Hanson's critically acclaimed film, 8 Mile (2002), as well as in the Miramax feature Paid in Full (2002), directed by Charles Stone III. In June, he was honored by the American Black Film Festival, receiving the organization's "Rising Star" Award. Phifer also recently appeared in the feature film O (2001), where he starred opposite Julia Stiles and Josh Hartnett. Based on William Shakespeare's Othello, he portrayed Odin, the captain of a champion high school basketball team whose best friend becomes jealous of his relationship with his girlfriend. In addition to his escalating film career, Mr. Phifer added to his growing list of television credits a starring role on the Emmy Award winning series, ER (1994) as Dr. Gregory Pratt, for which he recently received a NAACP Image Award Nomination. Mekhi Phifer's other television credits include leading roles in MTV's highly rated film Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001), in which he did all his own rap work and starred opposite Beyoncé. He appeared in the Emmy award winning HBO Original Movie, A Lesson Before Dying (1999) with Don Cheadle and Cicely Tyson, where his subtle performance as a man on death row won rave reviews and also earned him an NAACP Image Award Nomination. He tackled the challenging role of NFL Hall of Famer Gale Sayers in the ABC television special Brian's Song (2001) and appeared in the celebrated HBO Original Film The Tuskegee Airmen (1995). Phifer has also made guest appearances on the popular police dramas Homicide: Life on the Street (1993) and New York Undercover (1994). Phifer recently completed work on Universal's Honey (2003), starring alongside Jessica Alba. He can also be seen in the Universal remake of the 1978 horror classic Dawn of the Dead (2004), starring Ving Rhames and Sarah Polley, and Slow Burn (2005) opposite Ray Liotta.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Michael Peña was born and raised in Chicago, to Nicolasa, a social worker, and Eleuterio Peña, who worked at a button factory. His parents were originally from Mexico. After graduating from high school, he went to an open casting call for the Peter Bogdanovich feature To Sir, with Love II (1996), and to his surprise, beat out hundreds of other young men for a role. After relocating to Los Angeles Peña quickly booked a succession of roles in features including Star Maps, My Fellow Americans (1996) (opposite Jack Lemmon and James Garner), La Cucaracha (1998) (winner of the Best Picture in the Austin Film Festival), Bellyfruit (1999), and the Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer feature Gone in 60 Seconds (2000). Michael resides in Los Angeles, where he plays bass guitar with his band, plays golf, and boxes for relaxation.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Victoria Sanchez was born in Canary Islands, Spain, to a Polish dancer, and a Spanish-Dominican documentary filmmaker. She has called Montreal, Canada home since 1983.
Beginning in 1996, Sanchez has had an extensive acting career that began upon graduation from the John Abbott College Professional Theatre Program. She immediately landed the lead role on a popular French TV series in her native Quebec and has not stopped since.
Sanchez's impressive acting resume includes memorable performances in over 40 English and French-Canadian TV series, films, and video games including 'Student Bodies,' 'Wolf Girl,' and 'Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.' She can also be seen in WGN America's crime drama 'Bellevue' alongside Anna Paquin and in 'Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan,' with John Krasinski, Wendell Pierce and Abbie Cornish.
Despite being known predominantly as an actress, Sanchez is also a writer and a producer with well-received feature films 'Pyewacket' and 'Wait Till Helen Comes' under her belt. Variety called 'Pyewacket' a "sort of 'Lady Bird' in extremis."- Actress
- Soundtrack
Kelli was born in Virginia Beach Virginia and raised by her single working mother and grandmother. She grew up singing in the church choir and going to after-school performing arts programs, including the Governor's School for the Arts. She went on to attend the University of the Arts in Philadelphia where she received the presidential scholarship. She has been working in TV and film since the age of 15 and has originated many musical roles on Broadway. Her Broadway debut was with the Manhattan Theater Club in the play "The Royal Family" opposite Jan Maxwell and Rosemary Harris. Her first TV jobs included everything from TLC reenactment movies to replacing the Emmy nominated role of Maddie Coleman on "As the World Turns". She can be heard on numerous original Broadway albums as well as FX's Emmy Nominated "Fosse/Verson", and is an award winning cabaret artist. She is a member of the Marvel Universe.- Actress
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Ciera Payton is a multi-talented actress, philanthropist, writer, educator, and entrepreneur.
Becoming
Ciera Payton grew up surrounded by street performers, artists, and the amazing cuisine found only in the vibrant city of New Orleans. She didn't know it at the time, but she was using art as a coping mechanism to deal with challenging aspects of her home life. Her natural inclination toward storytelling, creative writing, performing, and filmmaking would go on to become her life's calling.
Blooming
After Hurricane Katrina, Ciera and her family relocated to North Carolina, where she graduated with a BFA from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. While at UNCSA, she landed her first role as the female lead opposite Steven Seagal in the action feature Flight of Fury. Since her breakout role, she has shared the screen with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Nicolas Cage, Kevin Hart, Josh Brolin, and many other acclaimed artists.
Acting
Ciera has also appeared in AMC's The Walking Dead, USA Network's Graceland, Spike Lee's Oldboy, and First, a web series acquired by the Issa Rae Network. Ciera stars in Tyler Perry's The Oval as Lilly Winthrop, fashion designer and wife to the chief of staff. The 22 episode series came on the heels of Ciera's breakout performance as Sylvia in A Madea Family Funeral. You can also find Ciera in the second season of Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It and in Amazon's supernatural thriller The Manor.
Ciera has also showcased her talent for bringing real people to life in Lifetime's biopic Wendy Williams: The Movie. Williams' superfans campaigned on social media to cast her as the larger-than-life celebrity. And indeed, her raw portrayal of the infamous talk show host did not disappoint.
Serving
Ciera went on to compile her life experiences into a one-woman show called Michael's Daughter. As a performer and teaching artist, Ciera learned she was far from alone in her complicated experiences. She created the Michael's Daughter Project as an outlet for family members of the incarcerated to heal and be heard.
The Michael's Daughter programs, services, and charities thrived along with the community members they served. Ciera has since founded The Michael's Daughter Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization where she serves as president.
Inspiring
One of Ciera's ultimate goals is to inspire others to live their best lives and thrive regardless of personal circumstances. In addition to reaching others through her acting and foundation, she runs a lifestyle website called The In Trive - The Inspired Thriving Tribe. Here Ciera and her contributing writers share uplifting personal stories and tips on wellness, fashion, beauty, and more.
Thriving
When she's not showcasing her authenticity on-screen or helping others step into their light, you can find Ciera discovering new plant-based recipes & restaurants, practicing meditation, dancing it out at (small) gatherings, or peacefully hiking the nature trails of California.
Ciera's fun and sophisticated persona continues to help this beautiful powerhouse rise to the top of the entertainment industry as an actor, writer, producer, and creator. She shines on and off-screen and embodies her goals of aspiring to inspire and uplift others.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Charles S. Dutton was born on 30 January 1951 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Gothika (2003), Alien 3 (1992) and A Time to Kill (1996). He was previously married to Debbi Morgan.- Actress
- Producer
Creativity goes beyond canvas, photos, film, and media. It also catalyzes charity, philanthropy, and activism.
Award-winning actress, history-making supermodel, staunch philanthropist, conscientious activist, author, and loving mom Patricia Velásquez applies an eternal creative spirit to everything she does-whether it be starring in blockbusters a la The Curse of La Llorona or launching the Wayúu Tayá Foundation and participating on the UNESCO Board. Regardless, she makes major strides by drawing on instinct and deliberately paving her own path.
"I look at my career as a long staircase," she says. "I took every single step up. It was amazing to do so, because there has been longevity. I just put my head down, moved one step at a time, and never stopped."
The metaphor directly resembles a formative experience. Born in Venezuela but raised in France and Mexico, she relocated to Venezuela after a handful of years. In South America, her parents worked in education and moved the family into a crowded apartment building with no water and inoperable elevators. In order to supply water for the unit, Patricia often carried heavy buckets up fifteen flights of stairs.
In between studying engineering and intense dance training, she endeavored to help the family however possible. Scouted to model in Milan, the multi talented artist's ascent to the top of the fashion world hinged on a promise to those she loved. She recalls, "When they asked me to go to Italy, I said, 'If can send thirty dollars a month back to Venezuela, it's worth it, because that will pay for the whole building's water'."
Patricia's success represented a turning point in fashion as she drew industry attention to South America for the first time. She experienced a big break upon becoming "the first model Karl Lagerfeld ever photographed" and going on to walk in shows, star in editorial spreads, and front ads for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Chloe, Cover Girl, and Victoria's Secret, to name a few. Resonating around the globe, she appeared in Oprah and Ford Models' "Supermodel of the World" contest as well. Not to mention, she graced the covers of Vogue, Bazaar, Marie Claire, and many others. She artfully channeled her dance training during shoots.
She goes on, "I knew how to move the energy around the body without letting whoever looked at the photos later on know that I was actually dancing. It became a signature for me."
Simultaneously, she ignited an impressive acting career. Not only did she star in The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, but she also appeared on The L Word, Arrested Development, CSI: Miami, Ugly Betty, and Rescue Me. In 2006, she made her stage debut by starring in School of the Americas-produced by Academy® Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman and written by José Rivera at New York's famed Public Theater. Patricia not only starred in Cenizas Eternas, but also served as executive producer. Her production experience continued as star and associate producer of Liz in September. In recognition of the latter, she garnered "Best Actress, Women's Feature" at the 2015 North Carolina Film Festival.
However, Patricia kicks off a bold new chapter in 2019 by starring in The Curse of La Llorona.
"The movie is really important to me," she goes on. "It's a timeless independent folk tale, and I was honored to be a part of it. I fell in love with the story and really got into the character."
Throughout her career, she capitalized on every opportunity to give back. In 2002, she founded the Wayúu Tayá Foundation. This non-profit preserves the culture of indigenous groups throughout Latin America by way of support and the drastic improvement of living conditions. UNESCO invited her to be a celebrity advocate, and the United Nations granted her the 2009 Women Together Award. Other honors include the 2010 Solidarity Award, the 2015 La Femme Film Festivals' Humanitarian Award, and the 2018 Visibility Award from The Human Rights Campaign. 2018 saw the Organization for American States (OAS) appoint her as Goodwill Ambassador for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas in Washington, D.C. An outsider empathy continues to inform this myriad of charitable efforts.
"Going from France to Mexico to Venezuela and moving so much, I always felt like an outsider," she admits. "I could identify with indigenous communities because of this shared sensibility. One thing that kept bringing me back home and made me feel protected was knowing that I was indigenous. It keeps me grounded, so I do whatever I can to help."
As a published author, she penned a powerful and page-turning autobiography entitled, Straight Walk: A Supermodel's Journey to Finding her Truth. Released in 2015, it details her unbelievable career up that point..
In the end, Patricia's creativity always leaves a lasting impression.
"I've realized you can do the work you love, and the results can manifest on many different levels," she concludes. "You can take those things, turn them around, and create something environmentally friendly, sustainable, new, or beneficial to the world. Everything feeds off each other. It all comes from the same creative place."- One of the most respected Latina actresses in Hollywood, April Hernandez-Castillo's personal life story is one of victory. Her feature film debut as Eva Benitez in the Image Award-nominated MTV film, Freedom Writers (2007), alongside Academy Award-winner Hilary Swank, put her in the ranks of some of the biggest names in the industry.
An actress with a blend of unlimited expression and humor, the Bronx (NY) native made her stage debut at the famous New York Comedy Club in New York City as a stand-up comedienne. As an actress, April expanded her stage experience to television. She got her first acting break as the Yo/Yoa Girl alongside NBA All-Star Houston Rockets center Yao Ming in the 2004 Super Bowl Visa Check Card national commercial. Next came major television roles that would include NBC's Emmy-award winning series ER (1994), Law & Order (1990) and 30 Rock (2006). Keeping an eye on the big screen, in 2007 she tried out for the role of a lifetime and got it--in "Freedom Writers". She would co-star alongside one of Hollywood's biggest stars, Hilary Swank. It was in this role that April would catch the attention of The View (1997) producers, who invited her to co-host the show.
Reaching critical heights, her portrayal of Eva Benitez earned her recognition and critical acclaim confirming her status as one of the more talented up-and-coming actresses. Displaying the talent and drive to parlay success into a career as a respected actress, April garnered roles in the pilot Blue Blood (2008) on Fox and Showtime's Nurse Jackie (2009), CBS' Person of Interest (2011) and received a SAG Award nomination for her role as Officer Cira Manson in Showtime's award-winning drama Dexter (2006), a role in John Mitchell's sci-fi comedy The History of Future Folk (2012), guest-starred as Danny Pino's sister on NBC's drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) and appeared in two episodes of FOX's hit show The Following (2013).
April has demonstrated her versatility as an actress. However, her latest role is not in front of the camera but as a motivational and inspirational speaker. - Actor
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Jason George was born on 9 February 1972 in Virginia Beach, Virginia, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Fallen (1998), Sunset Beach (1997) and Breaking In (2018). He has been married to Vandana Khanna since 10 July 1999. They have three children.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Camille Winbush was born on 9 February 1990 in Culver City, California, USA. She is an actress, known for The Bernie Mac Show (2001), Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999) and Eraser (1996).- Daniella Pineda is a Mexican-American actress, writer, and comedian from Oakland, California.
In January 2013 it was announced that she was cast as the witch Sophie for season 4 episode 20 of The CW's hit series The Vampire Diaries. This episode serves as a backdoor pilot for a possible spin-off series, revolving around The Originals and taking place in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
Season one of The Originals was set to premiere on Tuesday, October 15. However, on July 29, 2013, The CW announced that the series premiere would instead air on October 3, 2013, following the fifth-season premiere of The Vampire Diaries in order to attract fans of the series. On October 10, 2013, the CW ordered three additional scripts for the series.
Pineda graduated from Mills College. She resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. - Greta Onieogou was born on 14 March 1991 in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is an actress, known for Fever Pitch (2005), Miss Sloane (2016) and Undercover Grandpa (2017).
- Actress
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Siena Goines \si-en-uh * go-i-nay\ is a seasoned actress that started acting in her early teens. Most recently she filmed back to back episodes of Hawaii NCIS playing an art teacher , The Rookie playing a suburban mom and on Westworld opposite the infamous Ed Harris playing his psychologist.
She starred as the female lead in Basic Psych opposite as the wife to Michael Cerveris, a straight offer that filmed in NY and Philly.
Siena also was cast as a series regular in the FOX network pilot DEPUTY for David Ayer produced in collaboration with eOne. Producers David Ayer, Chris Long and Will Beall filmed the pilot and it was directed by David Ayer and penned by Will Beall from "Aquaman". Siena then was cast as a series regular on Amazon Prime's 'Casting The Net' for a full season.
TV credits include major recurring roles on the acclaimed CBS series "Jericho" as Sarah Mason Special Intelligence Operative, Tsia Mosley INTEL OP on "Criminal Minds", Jerry Bruckheimer's 'Chase" as Cole Hauser's Fiancée and "Andi Mack" Military Mom of Sofia Wylie for DISNEY.
Prior she showcased her talent in NBC's "Chicago Med" and a compelling arc on ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" directed by Debbie Allen. Her early work includes other recurring roles on hit show "Judging Amy" and " Magnificent Seven " for CBS.
Film credits include "Restaurant" with Oscar winner Adrian Brody , "In The Weeds" Ellen Pompeo and Judd Apatow "Forty Year Old Virgin" star studded cast.- Actor
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Demián Bichir Nájera was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to Maricruz Nájera (María de la Cruz Najera Botello), an actress, and Alejandro Bichir (Alejandro Bichir Batres), a theatre director. His parents met in the theatre. He has two brothers who are also actors, Bruno Bichir and Odiseo Bichir. His paternal grandfather was from Mlij, Lebanon. Demián began acting, at age 3 at the Palace of Fine Arts in his native Mexico City. He became a member of the National Theater Company of Mexico at age 13 and acted in several plays directed by renowned international masters such as José Tamayo, Clifford Williams and José Quintero. He starred in the Spanish versions of Ah! Wilderness, Equus, Broadway Bound, The Ghost Sonata and Malcolm VS the eunuchs. He made his Amrican stage debut in By the waters of Babylon at the Geffen Play House in Los Angeles.
At age 22, he moved to New York. He decided he wanted a break from acting, so that he could experience life and learn English. He got a job as a busboy at Rosa Mexicano, where he would make guacamole at customer's tables. He then moved to Los Angeles for four years, attempting to land acting roles. But, unsuccessful, he was tempted back to Mexico with the offer of role in Hasta Morir, for which he won an Ariel (the Mexican equivalent of an Oscar). His career took off in Mexico. In 1991, his movie Sexo, pudor y lágrimas broke Mexican box office records becoming the #1 movie in the history of Mexican cinema.
He decided to try his luck again in America. His American debut occurred in the television movie In the Time of the Butterflies (2001), starring Salma Hayek. Later, he went on to play Fidel Castro in Che: Part One (2008) and Che: Part Two (2008). In 2012, he was nominated for an Oscar for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in A Better Life (2011).- Blanca Martínez Suárez (born 21 October 1988), professionally known as Blanca Suárez, is a Spanish actress. She is best known for her performances on television series The Boarding School (2007-10), The Boat (2011-13), and the Netflix series Cable Girls. She has also worked with Pedro Almodóvar in films as The Skin I Live In (2011), which earned her a Goya Award nomination as Best New Actress, and I'm So Excited! (2013).
Suárez made her acting debut in 2007, portraying the role of Julia Medina in the Antena 3 series The Boarding School (Spanish: El internado). She would star the series until its end in 2010, and earn Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Actress for her performance, as well as a Golden Nymph for Best Actress - Drama nomination at the Monte-Carlo Television Festival in 2009. In the meantime, Suárez appeared in full-length pictures Shiver (Eskalofrío), Cowards (Cowards), Brain Drain (Fuga de cerebros) and The Consul of Sodom (El cónsul de Sodoma), as well as in the short films Universes (Universos) and Hemisphere (Hemisferio).
In 2010, Suárez had her first starring role in Neon Flesh (Carne de neón) opposite Mario Casas. The film was eventually released in 2011. Suárez then starred, along with Antonio Banderas and Elena Anaya, Pedro Almodóvar's The Skin I Live In, for which she earned critical acclaim and a Goya Award for Best New Actress nomination. The same year, she appeared in the music video for Ladrones' song "Estoy prohibido".
Suárez then went on to star another Antena 3 series The Boat (El Barco), for which she won Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Television Actress and Ondas Award for Best Actress, as well as a nomination for TP de Oro Award for Best Actress. The Boat aired from 17 January 2011 to 21 February 2013. In the meantime, Suárez starred two films that both premiered at the 2012 Málaga Film Festival - the comedy drama Winning Streak (The Pelayos), along with Daniel Brühl, Lluís Homar and Miguel Ángel Silvestre, and Imanol Uribe's post-war drama Orange Syrup (Miel de naranjas), alongside Ángela Molina and Nora Navas.
In 2013, Suárez appeared in I'm So Excited! (Los amantes pasajeros), an ensemble cast comedy film directed by Pedro Almodóvar. At the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, Suárez was awarded with the Trophée Chopard for Female Relevation of the Year for her work in acting; the award was presented to her by Colin Firth.
In 2014, Suárez portrayed Snow White in the eponymous episode of the television series Cuéntame un cuento (English: Tell Me a Story). In 2015, she starred the miniseries Los nuestros (English: The Ours) opposite Hugo Silva; the television series Carlos, rey emperador (English: Charles, King Emperor) as Isabella of Portugal; and films Perdiendo el Norte (English: Off Course), opposite her The Boarding School co-star Yon González, My Big Night (Mi gran noche) by Álex de la Iglesia, for which she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the III Premios Feroz. and also Álex de la Iglesia's next film "El bar" 2017.
Suárez was named the Most Searched Performer on the Internet by the Fotogramas in 2011 and 2014, and was voted out as the best dressed celebrity at the 26th Goya Awards. In November of the same year, she was named the Woman of the Year by the Spanish edition of GQ. Suárez was in a relationship with actor Javier Pereira from 2008 to 2010. She then dated and lived with her Winning Streak co-star Miguel Ángel Silvestre from 2011 to 2014. In 2014, Suárez briefly dated Spanish pop rock musician Dani Martín. Later from October 2015 to January 2018, she was in a relationship with actor Joel Bosqued.