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- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Leslie Louise Bibb was born in Bismarck, North Dakota, on November 17,
1973, and raised in Nelson County, Virginia. Later she and her mother,
along with her three older sisters, moved to Richmond, where Leslie
attended an all-girls Catholic high school, St. Gertrude.
In 1990
The Oprah Winfrey Show (1986)
and the Elite Agency held a nationwide modeling search; Leslie's mother
took photos of her then 16-year-old daughter and sent them in. Although
Leslie wasn't impressed with the photos, the
judges--John Casablancas,
Naomi Campbell,
Linda Evangelista and
Iman--were, and they picked her as the
winner.
After finishing her junior year, Leslie flew to New York City and
signed a contract with Elite. She modeled over the summer, and went on
a trip to Japan. She returned home for her senior year and graduated in
1992, then decided to forgo a full-time modeling career to attend the
University of Virginia. After a single semester, however, she dropped
out and moved to New York City. She attended the
William Esper acting studio for three
years and took nine months off in which she did more modeling in
Europe. Her photographs have appeared in such magazine as Maxim and
FHM.
Leslie had her first film role in the comedy
Private Parts (1997), which was
followed by her first television series (where she replaced the
departed Susan Walters as the
female lead) in the second season of
The Big Easy (1996) on USA.
Unfortunately, the show was canceled just months later.
In 1999 she appeared as the lead character on the WB Network television
series Popular (1999). The show was a
success among teenagers, and led Leslie to more recognizable film
roles, such as The Skulls (2000) and
See Spot Run (2001). Most recently
she has appeared as intern Erin Harkins in
ER (1994).- Producer
- Director
- Actor
Martin Charles Scorsese was born on November 17, 1942 in Queens, New York City, to Catherine Scorsese (née Cappa) and Charles Scorsese, who both worked in Manhattan's garment district, and whose families both came from Palermo, Sicily. He was raised in the neighborhood of Little Italy, which later provided the inspiration for several of his films. Scorsese earned a B.S. degree in film communications in 1964, followed by an M.A. in the same field in 1966 at New York University's School of Film. During this time, he made numerous prize-winning short films including The Big Shave (1967), and directed his first feature film, Who's That Knocking at My Door (1967).
He served as assistant director and an editor of the documentary Woodstock (1970) and won critical and popular acclaim for Mean Streets (1973), which first paired him with actor and frequent collaborator Robert De Niro. In 1976, Scorsese's Taxi Driver (1976), also starring De Niro, was awarded the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and he followed that film with New York, New York (1977) and The Last Waltz (1978). Scorsese directed De Niro to an Oscar-winning performance as boxer Jake LaMotta in Raging Bull (1980), which received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, and is hailed as one of the masterpieces of modern cinema. Scorsese went on to direct The Color of Money (1986), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), Cape Fear (1991), The Age of Innocence (1993), Casino (1995) and Kundun (1997), among other films. Commissioned by the British Film Institute to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the birth of cinema, Scorsese completed the four-hour documentary, A Personal Journey with Martin Scorsese Through American Movies (1995), co-directed by Michael Henry Wilson.
His long-cherished project, Gangs of New York (2002), earned numerous critical honors, including a Golden Globe Award for Best Director; the Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator (2004) won five Academy Awards, in addition to the Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for Best Picture. Scorsese won his first Academy Award for Best Director for The Departed (2006), which was also honored with the Director's Guild of America, Golden Globe, New York Film Critics, National Board of Review and Critic's Choice awards for Best Director, in addition to four Academy Awards, including Best Picture. Scorsese's documentary of the Rolling Stones in concert, Shine a Light (2008), followed, with the successful thriller Shutter Island (2010) two years later. Scorsese received his seventh Academy Award nomination for Best Director, as well as a Golden Globe Award, for Hugo (2011), which went on to win five Academy Awards.
Scorsese also serves as executive producer on the HBO series Boardwalk Empire (2010) for which he directed the pilot episode. Scorsese's additional awards and honors include the Golden Lion from the Venice Film Festival (1995), the AFI Life Achievement Award (1997), the Honoree at the Film Society of Lincoln Center's 25th Gala Tribute (1998), the DGA Lifetime Achievement Award (2003), The Kennedy Center Honors (2007) and the HFPA Cecil B. DeMille Award (2010). Scorsese and actor Leonardo DiCaprio have worked together on five separate occasions: Gangs of New York (2002), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), Shutter Island (2010) and The Wolf of Wall Street (2013).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Rachel Anne McAdams was born on November 17, 1978 in London, Ontario, Canada, to Sandra Kay (Gale), a nurse, and Lance Frederick McAdams, a truck driver and furniture mover. She is of English, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish descent. Rachel became involved with acting as a teenager and by the age of 13 was performing in Shakespearean productions in summer theater camp; she went on to graduate with honors with a BFA degree in Theater from York University. After her debut in an episode of Disney's The Famous Jett Jackson (1998),
she co-starred in the Canadian TV series Slings and Arrows (2003), a comedy-drama about the trials and travails of a Shakespearean theater group, and won a Gemini award for her performance in 2003.
Her breakout role as Regina George in the hit comedy Mean Girls (2004) instantly catapulted her onto the short list of Hollywood's hottest young actresses. She followed that film with a star turn opposite Ryan Gosling in the adaptation of the Nicholas Sparks bestseller The Notebook (2004), which was a surprise box office success and became the predominant romantic drama for a new, young generation of moviegoers. After filming, McAdams and Gosling became romantically involved and dated through mid-2007.
McAdams next showcased her versatility onscreen with the manic comedy Wedding Crashers (2005), the thriller Red Eye (2005), and the holiday drama The Family Stone (2005).
McAdams then explored the independent film world with Married Life (2007), which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and also starred Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper and Patricia Clarkson. Starring roles in the military drama The Lucky Ones (2008), the newspaper thriller State of Play (2009), and the romance The Time Traveler's Wife (2009) followed before she starred
opposite Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law in Guy Ritchie's international blockbuster Sherlock Holmes (2009). McAdams played the plucky producer of a failing morning TV show in Morning Glory (2010), the materialistic fiancée of Owen Wilson in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris (2011), and returned to romantic drama territory with the hit film The Vow (2012) opposite Channing Tatum. The actress also stars with Ben Affleck in Terrence Malick's To the Wonder (2012) and alongside Noomi Rapace in Brian De Palma's thriller Passion (2012).
In 2005, McAdams received ShoWest's "Supporting Actress of the Year" Award as well as the "Breakthrough Actress of the Year" at the
Hollywood Film Awards. In 2009, she was awarded with ShoWest's "Female Star of the Year." As of 2011, she has been romantically linked with her Midnight in Paris (2011) co-star Michael Sheen.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Tom Ellis is a Welsh actor from Cardiff, Wales. He is best known for playing Lucifer Morningstar in the American television series Lucifer (2016-2021).
Ellis was born in Cardiff. He studied BA Dramatic Studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (previously the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama).
Ellis' notable roles include Hollywood physician in the USA Network series Rush, Mark Etches in the British supernatural drama The Fades and Gary Preston in the hit TV show Miranda which aired on the BBC from November 9, 2009 to January 1, 2015.
In February 2015, it was announced that Ellis was cast as Lucifer Morningstar in the Fox television drama Lucifer, based on the comic of the same name, which premiered on 25 January 2016. The show was continued by Netflix from its fourth to sixth season, later was released on the 10th of September 2021.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was born in Lombard, Illinois, to Mary D.
(Pagone) and Frank A. Mastrantonio, who ran a bronze foundry. Her
parents were of Italian descent. She was raised in Oak Park, IL, and
began her career in school plays as a teenager. Mary attended the
University of Illinois and got bitten by the acting bug, starring in
"Guys and Dolls".
Leaving for New York, she took part in "West Side Story" in 1981. She
also made it into movies, starring alongside
Al Pacino in
Scarface (1983). In 1985, she starred in
The Color of Money (1986),
which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting
Actress.
Around 1990, a string of movies came about that really gave her a lot
of attention: important roles in
The Abyss (1989),
Class Action (1991), and
Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991).
At this time she married
The January Man (1989) director
Pat O'Connor. Mastrantonio is also a renowned cabaret-style singer, and
her singing is showcased in
John Sayles's
Limbo (1999).
Careerwise, she took the decision to pick roles she liked instead of
roles that would attract attention. Also, she took time off to be with
her family. As of 2001, she lives with her husband and two children in
London, England, UK.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Stephen Root, one of today's most prolific character actors, is currently starring in HBO's hit series Barry, for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Emmy Nomination. Barry has been nominated for multiple Emmy's and Golden Globes, and has been renewed through season four. Stephen recently starred in Amazon's drama Uncle Frank (2020) and plays a role in the Michael Morris feature directorial debut To Leslie (2020).
Stephen starred opposite of Nicole Kidman in the Roger Ailes, Fox News sexual harassment scandal, Bombshell (2019). Stephen a pivotal role in the AFI Film Festival winner On the Basis Sex (2018), the Ruth Bader Ginsberg biopic and starred opposite Melissa McCarthy in the New Line hit comedy Life of the Party (2018). Stephen was also part of the talented ensemble in Netflix's The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018), reuniting with directors Joel & Ethan Coen. Stephen was part of Jordan Peele's box office hit Get Out (2017). Aside from his feature films, Stephen can be seen in his recurring role on HBO's drama Perry Mason (2020), also renewed for a second season, and Amazon's hit drama series The Man in the High Castle (2015).
Root has earned rave reviews for bringing a variety of characters to life in such films as O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Selma (2014), No Country for Old Men (2007), Leatherheads (2008), J. Edgar (2011), Cedar Rapids (2011), and Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004). He was catapulted into the realm of cult hero when he starred as the put-upon Milton Waddams in Mike Judge's Office Space (1999). His animated features include Rango (2011), Finding Nemo (2003), Finding Dory (2016), Ice Age (2002) & Ice Age: The Melt Down (2006), and The Country Bears (2002).
Root starred as the eccentric station owner, Jimmy James, for five seasons on NBC's NewsRadio (1995-99). Stephen has also recurred on FX's Justified (2010), Boardwalk Empire (2010), Turn: Washington's Spies (2014), Idiotsitter (2016), True Blood (2008), 24 (2001), West Wing (1999) and Pushing Daisies (2007). His many memorable guest appearances include Veep (2012), Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2017), Big Bang Theory (2018), Angie Tribeca (2016), Fringe (2008), Raising Hope (2010), Children's Hospital (2010), CSI (2000), and Louie (2010).
Root was the voice of Bill Dauterieve and Mr. Strickland on FOX's Emmy-winning hit animated series King of the Hill (1997) for an impressive 13 seasons. He has also lent his voice to several animated series including Kevin Smith's revival of Masters of the Universe (2021), Amphibia (2019), BoJack Horseman (2019), Adventure Time (2010), Gravity Falls (2012), American Dad (2005), The Cleveland Show (2009), DreamWorks' Dragons: Riders of Berk (2012), Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (2011), The X's (2005), and SyFy's Tripping the Rift (2004).
Born in Sarasota, Root received his initial training in the BFA program at the University of Florida and remains a die-hard Gators fan. After three years of touring the U.S. and Canada with the National Shakespeare Company, Root settled in New York, honing his craft in many regional theaters and starring off-Broadway in Journey's End and The Au Pair Man. His Broadway debut came in So Long on Lonely Street, which was followed by the Tony award-winning production of All My Sons, with Richard Kiley. A starring role as Boolie in the Broadway national touring company of Driving Miss Daisy with Julie Harris, brought Root to Los Angeles where he currently resides.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Danny DeVito has amassed a formidable and versatile body of work as an
actor, producer and director that spans the stage, television and film.
Daniel Michael DeVito Jr. was born on November 17, 1944, in Neptune,
New Jersey, to Italian-American parents. His mother, Julia (Moccello),
was a homemaker. His father, Daniel, Sr., was a small business owner
whose ventures included a dry cleaning shop, a dairy outlet, a diner,
and a pool hall.
While growing up in Asbury Park, his parents sent him to private
schools. He attended Our Lady of Mount Carmel grammar school and
Oratory Prep School. Following graduation in 1962, he took a job as a
cosmetician at his sister's beauty salon. A year later, he enrolled at
New York's American Academy of Dramatic Arts so he could learn more
about cosmetology. While at the academy, he fell in love with acting
and decided to further pursue an acting career. During this time, he
met another aspiring actor
Michael Douglas at the National
Playwrights Conference in Waterford, Connecticut. The two would later
go on to collaborate on numerous projects. Soon after he also met an
actress named Rhea Perlman. The two fell in
love and moved in together. They were married in 1982 and had three
children together.
In 1968, Danny landed his first part in a movie when he appeared as a
thug in the obscure
Dreams of Glass (1970). Despite
this minor triumph, Danny became discouraged with the film industry and
decided to focus on stage productions. He made his Off-Broadway debut
in 1969 in "The Man With the Flower in His Mouth." He followed this up
with stage roles in "The Shrinking Bride," and "Lady Liberty." In 1975,
he was approached by director Milos Forman
and Michael Douglas about
appearing in the film version of
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975),
which would star Jack Nicholson
in the leading role. With box office success almost guaranteed and a
chance for national exposure, Danny agreed to the role. The movie
became a huge hit, both critically and financially, and still ranks
today as one the greatest movies of all time. Unfortunately, the movie
did very little to help Danny's career. In the years following, he was
relegated to small movie roles and guest appearances on television
shows. His big break came in 1978 when he auditioned for a role on an
ABC sitcom pilot called Taxi (1978),
which centered around taxi cab drivers at a New York City garage. Danny
auditioned for the role of dispatcher Louie DePalma. At the audition,
the producers told Danny that he needed to show more attitude in order
to get the part. He then slammed down the script and yelled, "Who wrote
this sh**?" The producers, realizing he was perfect for the part,
brought him on board. The show was a huge success, running from 1978 to
1983.
Louie DePalma, played flawlessly by Danny, became one of the most
memorable (and reviled) characters in television history. While he was
universally hated by TV viewers, he was well-praised by critics,
winning an Emmy award and being nominated three other times. Throughout
the 1980s and 1990s, Danny maintained his status as a great character
actor with memorable roles in movies like
Romancing the Stone (1984),
Ruthless People (1986),
Throw Momma from the Train (1987)
and Twins (1988). He also had a great deal
of success behind the camera, directing movies like
The War of the Roses (1989)
and Hoffa (1992). In 1992, Danny was
introduced to a new generation of moviegoers when he was given the role
of The Penguin/Oswald Cobblepot in
Tim Burton's highly successful
Batman Returns (1992). This earned
him a nomination for Best Villain at the MTV Movie Awards. That same
year, along with his wife
Rhea Perlman, Danny co-founded Jersey
Films, which has produced many popular films and TV shows, including
Pulp Fiction (1994),
Get Shorty (1995),
Man on the Moon (1999) and
Erin Brockovich (2000). DeVito
has many directing credits to his name as well, including
Throw Momma from the Train (1987),
The War of the Roses (1989),
Hoffa (1992),
Death to Smoochy (2002) and the
upcoming St. Sebastian.
In 2006, he returned to series television in the FX comedy series
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2005).
With a prominent role in a hit series, Devito's comic talents were now
on display for a new generation of television viewers. In 2012, he
provided the title voice role in Dr. Seuss'
The Lorax (2012).
These days, he continues to work with many of today's top talents as an
actor, director and producer.- Actress
- Director
Diane Neal was born in Alexandria, Virginia. She moved to Littleton,
Colorado, when her father was promoted to the position of federal
attorney in Denver. She is the youngest of three daughters. Diane was a
pre-med major in University, before leaving to pursue modeling, thus
allowing her to travel the world.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Sophie Marceau was born Sophie Danièle Sylvie Maupu in Paris, France,
to Simone (Morisset), a shop assistant, and Benoît Maupu, a truck
driver. She grew up far from the studio spotlights. When she was 14 she
was living in the Paris suburb of Gentilly with her father. She learned
from friends that director
Claude Pinoteau was looking for new
faces for a movie about teenagers called
The Party (1980). She auditioned for the
role, got it, and the film was a success. She played in
The Party 2 (1982), then bought back her
contract with Gaumont when she was 16 years old for one million French
francs. She is a critically acclaimed actress, having received the
Cesar for Best Feminine Hope for "La Boum 2" in 1983. She was elected
Romantic actress for Chouans! (1988) at
the Festival International du Film Romantique (International Festival
of Romantic Movie) of Cabourg in 1988, and was awarded the Moliere of
the Best Theatrical Revelation for "Eurydice et Pygmalion" in 1994.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Harry Charles Salusbury Lloyd is an English actor. He is known for his roles as Will Scarlet in the 2006 BBC drama Robin Hood, Jeremy Baines in the 2007 Doctor Who episodes "Human Nature" and "The Family of Blood", Viserys Targaryen in the first season of the HBO series Game of Thrones, Peter Quayle in the Starz series Counterpart, Charles Xavier in the third season of the FX series Legion, Bernard Marx in the Peacock series Brave New World, and Viktor in the Netflix series Arcane. He has also appeared on stage, and in films including The Theory of Everything and Anthropoid.- Born Brandon Spencer Lee Call on November 17th, 1976, in Torrance,
California, Brandon started performing at the tender age of two. His
movie debut, albeit lending his voice, was in Disney's
The Black Cauldron (1985),
so his first live-action acting role was opposite
Glenn Close in
Jagged Edge (1985). He made a number
of television appearances before gaining popularity playing
David Hasselhoff's son on
Baywatch (1989). However, his stint
on Baywatch (1989) was short-lived
as he stayed on the series for only a season. He then pursued another
television program, the Brady Bunch-esque show
Step by Step (1991), where he
portrayed the cool JT Lambert with
Patrick Duffy and
Suzanne Somers as his parents.
Growing up, Brandon enjoyed such simple pleasures as playing
basketball, boogie boarding, and listening to music. September 3, 1996,
was probably a night Brandon will never forget because he was involved
in a traffic dispute where he was shot in both arms. Luckily,
Step by Step (1991) was a
mid-season show, so he had time to recuperate before filming began.
This wasn't the first time that Brandon got into trouble, though, as
two weeks prior, his off-screen problems made the news. He seemed to
have dropped off into relative obscurity, as his last televised role
was a guest spot on the Hulk Hogan series
Thunder in Paradise (1994). - Cara Gee is a Canadian film, television, and stage actress.
Gee was primarily known as a stage actress in Toronto, Ontario, where her acting credits included productions of Margaret Atwood's The Penelopiad, Daniel MacIvor's Arigato, Tokyo, Tomson Highway's The Rez Sisters, Cliff Cardinal's Stitch, Birdtown and Swanville's 36 Little Plays About Hopeless Girls and Louise Dupré's Tout Comme Elle.
She made her feature film debut in Empire of Dirt for which she was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award. The film also won a Special Jury award at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival and Cara won Best Actress at the American Indian Film Festival. In 2013, Gee was named one of TIFF's annual Rising Stars.
Gee has also worked in television, playing guest roles in the television series King and Republic of Doyle. In 2014, she starred as the lead character in the Western drama series Strange Empire on CBC Television, for one season until it was cancelled in 2015.
As of 2016, Gee stars in the 33-episode web series Inhuman Condition, which airs on the KindaTV YouTube channel. In 2017 she began to star in the recurring role of Camina Drummer on the Amazon television series The Expanse.
Gee is Ojibwe (Chippewa). She was born in Calgary, Alberta, and raised in Bobcaygeon, Ontario. - Actress
- Writer
Kerry Godliman was born on 17 November 1973 in Perivale, London, England, UK. She is an actress and writer, known for Our Girl (2013), Trigger Point (2022) and Adult Material (2020).- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Evelyne Brochu was born on 17 November 1983 in Montreal, Québec, Canada. She is an actress and producer, known for Tom at the Farm (2013), Pawn Sacrifice (2014) and Café de Flore (2011).- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Rock Hudson was born Roy Harold Scherer, Jr. in Winnetka, Illinois, to Katherine (Wood), a telephone operator, and Roy Harold Scherer, an auto mechanic. He was of German, Swiss-German, English, and Irish descent. His parents divorced when he was eight years old. He failed to obtain parts in
school plays because he couldn't remember lines. After high school he
was a postal employee and during WW II served as a Navy airplane
mechanic. After the war he was a truck driver. His size and good looks
got him into movies. His name was changed to Rock Hudson, his teeth
were capped, he took lessons in acting, singing, fencing and riding.
One line in his first picture, Fighter Squadron (1948), needed 38 takes. In 1956 he
received an Oscar nomination for Giant (1956) and two years later Look
magazine named him Star of the Year. He starred in a number of bedroom
comedies, many with Doris Day, and had his own popular TV series McMillan & Wife (1971).
He had a recurring role in TV's Dynasty (1981) (1984-5). He was the first
major public figure to announce he had AIDS, and his worldwide search
for a cure drew international attention. After his death his long-time
lover Marc Christian successfully sued his estate, again calling attention to
the homosexuality Rock had hidden from most throughout his
career.- Stunts
- Actress
- Producer
As an established and extremely talented stunt double and actress, Zoe
Bell has made a name for herself through her unparalleled dedication,
skills, and focus.
Zoe Bell was born on Waiheke Island, New Zealand, to Tish, a nurse, and
Andrew Bell, a doctor. She has a background in gymnastics and martial
arts. She began working as a stunt woman when she doubled
Lucy Lawless on the cult favorite TV series
Xena: Warrior Princess (1995).
Bell also appeared as a double in the ABC thriller
Alias (2001) and on an episode of
Cleopatra 2525 in 2000 as a double for Vicki Pratti. In the action
packed-documentary
Double Dare (2004), Bell, along with
legendary stunt-woman Jeannie Epper, give
an insight into the career of women who take falls and punches for a
living. Double Dare also gives a glimpse into the struggles of
stunt-women to stay thin, employed, and sane in a male-dominated
career.
After the cancellation of Xena, Bell's next gig was working with
Quentin Tarantino in
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003) and
Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004),
playing the stunt double for Uma Thurman's
role, The Bride. Bell was nominated for her work in Kill Bill, Vol. 1
in the categories of Best Stunt by a Stunt Woman and Best Fight for the
Taurus World Stunt Awards, both of which she would win the following
year for Kill Bill: Vol. 2. Bell also showed off her stunt-woman skills
as a double for Sharon Stone in Halle Barry's
Catwoman (2004).
Bell was injured in the final days of filming, requiring surgery, but
she has since recovered and returned to work. Bell appeared along with
legendary stunt woman Jeannie Epper in
Amanda Micheli's acclaimed documentary
Double Dare (2004), which offers a
glimpse at the lives and careers of both women, as well as the
friendship they share.
Bell debuted her acting career, with her already famous stunt skills,
in the double feature
Grindhouse (2007) written by
Quentin Tarantino and
Robert Rodriguez. She was
hand-picked, by Tarentino himself, to star in his segment of the double
feature, Death Proof (2007), about four women working in the film industry that are stalked by a murderer in his Death Proof car.
Bell, a native of New Zealand, resides in Los Angeles but hopes to
someday own a home in New Zealand.- Actor
- Producer
Nonso Anozie was born on 17 November 1978 in London, England, UK. He is an actor and producer, known for Cinderella (2015), Conan the Barbarian (2011) and Happy-Go-Lucky (2008).- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Viva Bianca, daughter of Polish composer Cezary Skubiszewski, was born in Australia on November 17, 1983. Now a writer and filmmaker, having graduated from the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Viva began her career as an actress.
Bianca is probably best known for her role as the wealthy and devious Ilithyia in the first two seasons of the Starz original series Spartacus (2010). Staying true to her roots, she has guest starred in multiple Australian TV series, including Eugenie Sandler P.I. (2000), Marshall Law (2002), All Saints (1998), and The Strip (2008), as well as movies such as Accidents Happen (2009), Bad Bush (2009), X (2011), and The Reckoning (2014).
A passionate feminist activist, Bianca has contributed as a writer to multiple publications, spoken at UN Women conferences, and worked with non profits. Her latest film, Milkshake Girls, looks at the sex trafficking epidemic in the United States and is scheduled to begin filming in December, 2017. In 2014, Bianca co-created the online pop culture feminist blog SheRa Mag with her childhood friend, Victoria Khroundina.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Rance Howard was born on 17 November 1928 in Duncan, Oklahoma, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for Nebraska (2013), Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007) and Universal Soldier (1992). He was married to Judy Howard and Jean Speegle Howard. He died on 25 November 2017 in Los Angeles, California, USA.- Actor
- Costume and Wardrobe Department
- Writer
Dylan Walsh was born on 17 November 1963 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Congo (1995), The Stepfather (2009) and Nip/Tuck (2003). He was previously married to Joanna Going and Melora Walters.- Actress
- Writer
- Composer
Raquel's path in the entertainment world was nurtured and encouraged
from an early age. By age 4 she was regularly appearing on "Sesame Street"
and "Nick Jr." Then at age 7 she became a breakout star when she played
the lead role in the feature film "Jersey Girl" alongside megastars Jennifer
Lopez and Ben Affleck.
Raquel charmed the talk-show circuit appearing as a guest on "Ellen" and
"The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. She co-hosted with Ryan Seacrest on
"On Air with Ryan Seacrest." At age 10, Raquel was appointed the youngest
correspondent ever for Entertainment Tonight's Kid's Choice Awards, where
she had the opportunity to interview high-profile celebrities including Jim
Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Queen Latifah, and Adam Sandler. Her acting career
continued to flourish as she guest-starred in "Law & Order SVU" and appeared
in the world premiere of Broadway's "White Christmas" as Susan Waverly. She
also made her music-video debut as "Little Nicole" in Ludacris/Mary J. Blige's
video "Runaway Love."
Her first grown-up role was the love interest in Rosie O'Donnell's Lifetime
movie "America." She co-starred in the Canadian TV show "Winging It," in
which she debuted one of her original songs.
After she competed on "The Voice," Raquel's YouTube channel "raquelcx3"
garnered over a million views, and a contribution to that popularity is her
cover of Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man" as well as Selena's "Amor
Prohibido," which shows her versatility as a bilingual/Spanish singer.
Raquel had a recurring role on Fox's hit show "Empire" as Marisol, a member of
Hakeem and Cookie's girl group Mirage' A Trois, a role that cemented her as an
acting/singing/dancing triple threat. With three songs on Sony's "Empire"
soundtrack and a collaboration with Becky G on the single "Do It," she is definitely
making strides on her musical journey.
Having just landed the theme song for the new Netflix animated series "Carmen
Sandiego," a hit song on BPM Radio, and another #1 on Billboard's dance chart with
the Zack Martino/Disco Fries remix of "U Make Me", Raquel is headed in the right
direction.
Whether it be acting, singing, dancing or songwriting, Raquel has had many moments
of great success. Although her first professional platform into the music industry was
at age 16 as a finalist on Christina Aguilera's team on Season 1 of "The Voice," she had a
full-circle moment when she recently returned to NBC on Season 2 of "Songland" and had
the incredible opportunity to pitch a song she wrote in front of Grammy-winning producers
Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally, and Ester Dean, as well as R&B artist "H.E.R." Raquel worked
one-on-one with Ryan Tedder, and her song "Wrong Places" was chosen by "H.E.R.," which
landed Raquel her first placement with a major artist. "Wrong Places" currently has 5.2
million streams and counting.
In 2020, Raquel signed with Jason Boyarski, a top entertainment music attorney at Boyarski
Fritz.- Kara Hayward was born on November 17, 1998 in Massachusetts. She was discovered at an open call, landing her first movie role in Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom (2012), and received critical acclaim and numerous award nominations for her performance as Suzy Bishop. At this point, she was 12 years old. As of 2021, she resides in California and continues to work as an actor.
- Producer
- Actor
- Music Department
RuPaul Andre Charles is an American actor, model, singer, songwriter, television personality, and author. As executive producer and host of the reality competition TV series RuPaul's Drag Race, RuPaul has received fourteen Primetime Emmy Awards - the most wins for outstanding host of a reality or competition program and for any Black artist in history.
In 2022, RuPaul received a Tony Award as a producer of Best Musical A Strange Loop.
RuPaul is the most commercially successful drag queen of all time, and in 2017 was included in the annual Time 100 list of the most influential people in the world.
RuPaul was born and raised in San Diego, CA and later moved to Atlanta, GA to study performing arts. After settling in New York City, RuPaul became a popular fixture on the nightclub scene before achieving international fame with the release of the 1993 song "Supermodel (You Better Work)."
In 1995, RuPaul became the first spokesperson for MAC Cosmetics, raising millions of dollars for the MAC AIDS Fund and becoming the first man to land a major cosmetics campaign.
In 1996, RuPaul landed a TV talk show on VH1, The RuPaul Show, taping more than 100 episodes with co-host Michelle Visage, while simultaneously co-hosting a morning drive radio show with Visage on WKTU.
As a recording artist, RuPaul has co-written and co-produced eighteen studio albums to date, including Foxy Lady (1996), Champion (2009), Glamazon (2011), Born Naked (2014), American (2017), and Black Butta (2023).
RuPaul's Drag Race has produced sixteen seasons to date and has inspired several international spin-off series, including RuPaul's Drag Race: UK and RuPaul's Drag Race: All Stars. RuPaul was also featured as a host on the series Skin Wars: Fresh Paint, Good Work, Gay for Play Game Show Starring RuPaul, Lingo, Celebrity Lingo, and was the guest host of NBC's Saturday Night Live on February 8th, 2020.
As an actor, RuPaul has appeared in more than 50 films and television shows, both in and out of drag, including Crooklyn (1994), The Brady Bunch Movie (1995), To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995), But I'm a Cheerleader (1999), the Comedy Central series Broad City (2017), Netflix originals Girlboss (2017) and Grace and Frankie (2019), and as the voice of Queen Chante in The Simpsons (2018). In 2020, RuPaul teamed up with Michael Patrick King (Sex in the City, 2 Broke Girls) to produce the Netflix original comedy series AJ & The Queen, in which RuPaul also starred.
As an author, RuPaul has published four books: the #1 New York Times bestseller The House of Hidden Meanings (Harper Collins, 2024), GuRu (Harper Collins, 2018), Workin' It! RuPaul's Guide to Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Style (Harper Collins, 2010), and Lettin' It All Hang Out (Hyperion Books, 1995).
On March 16, 2018, Jane Fonda presented RuPaul with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6652 Hollywood Blvd.
RuPaul lives in New York, California, and Wyoming, and is married to Australian rancher Georges LeBar. They met on the dance floor in 1994 at Limelight Disco in New York City.- Producer
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Following her success as a top fashion model for the Ford Modeling
Agency and Revlon cosmetics, Hutton was selected to play the only major
female character in Paper Lion (1968). After a semi-successful starring role in
American Gigolo (1980), Hutton's modeling career took a slide in the 1980s, and she
was relegated to B-movie roles. Her modeling career was resuscitated in
1989 with photos in catalogs for Barneys and J. Crew. In 1995, she
started a new job as talk show host.- Actor
- Producer
William Remington Moses was born on November 17th, 1959 to actress Marian McCargo and businessman Richard Cantrell Moses Sr.
William's parents divorced when he was young. His mother met and married Alphonzo E. Bell, Jr. in 1970. Alphonzo adopted William and his three brothers. Alphonzo later became one of the most loved congressmen in California. Growing up on in a citrus farm in Ojai, California, he was not interested in showbiz until he met his brother Rick Moses' agent and did a commercial for Sprite. William's first movie opportunity came with Choices (1981). Shortly after that, his big break came - he read and won for the part of "Cole Gioberti" in the prime time series Falcon Crest (1981). He stayed there for 5 seasons.
He also guest-starred in episodes of Fantasy Island (1977), The Love Boat (1977), Maxwell Ltd: Finder of Lost Loves Pilot (1984), Hotel (1983) and "Battle Of The Network Stars" (1983-1985). He excelled at the latter because of his athletic skills. This is also how he met actress Tracy Nelson, daughter of rock legend Ricky Nelson and Kristin Harmon. They were married on romantic Catalina Island in July 1987.
A month after the wedding, Tracy was diagnosed with a form of cancer, Hodgkins' Disease. Because of her illness and waiting for her remission, they delayed having a baby. On August 11, 1992, their daughter, Remington Moses, was born. They divorced in 1997. William later found Sarah, whom he married in 2002. They have two daughters.
He will probably always be remembered for two roles, Falcon Crest (1981) and the Perry Mason Mysteries series (1989-1995). He comes from a talented family. His brothers are actor Rick Moses, musician Graham Moses and minister/director Harry Morgan Moses. His late mother, Marian McCargo, was a tennis star and actress before becoming a mother and stepmother to seven boys. He also has three stepbrothers.- Actor
- Director
David Ramsey stars as former United States Army Special Forces soldier, John Diggle, on the CW's People's Choice Award winning show "Arrow," based on the DC Comics superhero.
Created by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg, "Arrow" follows presumed-dead billionaire playboy Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell), who returns home to Starling City after five years stranded on a remote island in the Pacific, determined to clean up the city as a hooded vigilante armed with a bow. Unable to help people like he did as a soldier, Diggle becomes Oliver's confidant and field partner in his mission - to right societal wrongs and transform the city to its former glory.
Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, David gained many fans from his work on the popular Showtime drama series "Dexter" as Anton Briggs, a confidential informant who had a love affair with the character played by Debra Morgan. He portrayed the title character of Muhammad Ali in the Fox television movie Ali: An American Hero, and has starred in recurring roles on television shows including: "All of Us," "The West Wing," "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "Ghost Whisperer," "Wildfire," "Hollywood Residential" and "Grey's Anatomy."
David recently starred as "Rep. Harshtone" in Millenium Entertainment's political romantic comedy Accidental Love, opposite an all-star cast including Jessica Biel, Jake Gyllenhaal, Catherine Keener, James Marsden, Tracy Morgan and James Brolin. Directed by David O. Russell, the film featured Biel as Sammy Joyce, a socially awkward small-town receptionist who has a nail accidentally shot into her head by a clumsy workman, eliciting wild sexual urges.
David is an accomplished martial artist, and holds a black belt in jeet kune do. He has also studied boxing, tae kwon do, and trained in kickboxing under Benny "Jet" Uruidez.- Additional Crew
- Writer
- Casting Director
Kelly Ward is an actor, writer, director, and producer. He co-starred with John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John in Grease (1978), and with Lee Marvin and Mark Hamill in The Big Red One (1980). He co-wrote the animated feature Once Upon A Forest (1993), and both co-wrote and co-produced All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 (1996). He's been a show-runner on several animated series, and a dialogue director on dozens of others. His varied career includes executive stints at two major studios, and a long affiliation with the University of Southern California School of Dramatic Arts as an adjunct assistant professor.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Felice Schachter was born on 17 November 1963 in Queens, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Facts of Life (1979), Zapped! (1982) and Diff'rent Strokes (1978).- Sashleigha has spent her life performing on various stages---and pronouncing her name over and over. She loves life, people, and what she does every day and it shows! Her commitment, integrity, and life full of surprising experiences has been her greatest assets when it comes to showing up not only on the screen but in any given situation. She is a genuine soul with natural talent. She considers her greatest achievements to be those that come to matters of the heart.
- Actor
- Producer
Jon Cor is a thirty-something-year-old living in Vancouver, BC.
He booked his first audition for a major film franchise while courting multiple agencies at the end of the second year of the Theater Arts and Performance program at Fanshawe College in London, ON.
Since then, he has gone on to win increasingly key, diverse, and demanding roles in projects such as Warner Bros., Berlanti Productions, DC Entertainment, and the CW's The Flash, ABC Disney and Freeform's Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments, Syfy's Dark Matter, Hallmark's Crosswords Mysteries: Riddle Me Dead, and CBC's Trouble in the Garden.
Jon Cor is also a writer, producer, an acrobatics-loving martial artist, hobby guitarist, and - with great relief - no longer a Ford model.
His ambitions include releasing his first novel (In Heat) which was originally drafted when he was just nineteen years old, as well as a collection of new and previously-published short stories (A Murder of Prose).- Rohan Nedd was born on 17 November 1994 in Croydon, London, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Harry Wild (2022), Safe (2018) and Blue Story (2019).
- Justin Cooper was born on 17 November 1988 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor, known for Liar Liar (1997), General Hospital (1963) and Brother's Keeper (1998).
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Azita Ghanizada is a political refugee and asylum seeker, who has broken many cultural barriers in Hollywood. She has worked consistently on both film and TV holding her own opposite Academy Award-winners and nominees such as Rachel Weisz, Mahershala Ali, David Strathairn, Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, Casey Affleck and others. In 2016 she was named one of the "Seven Sundance Breakout Actresses You Must Know" for her work opposite Rachel Weisz in "Complete Unknown." On television she has proven her ability to be a chameleon, with her recently recurring on a number of hit TV shows, including CBS's "United States o f Al," HBO's "Ballers," and Freeform's "Good Trouble." Recent work on film, includes a role in "Our Friend," on Amazon, which had its world premiere at TIFF (2019) and "We Broke Up," on Hulu (2021). In 2022, she was the first woman from Afghanistan on Broadway, in her 2022 Broadway debut, in the The Kite Runner" at The Helen Hayes Theater.
Azita is also the Founder and President of MENA Arts Advocacy Coalition (MAAC). An organization that she launched after building the first new Diversity, Equity and Inclusion hiring category into a labor contract in 37 years. Middle Eastern North African, MENA, was drafted into the SAG-AFTRA theatrical contracts in 2017. A well rounded and leading global advocate for her community, Azita has served as the SAG-AFTRA National MENA Committee Chair, a Global Ambassador to Women for Women International, National Council to Welcome.us for Afghan Refugees, and gave her first TedxTalk in 2019.- Actor
- Soundtrack
American actor, a tall, rugged television leading man of the 1960s and 70s, as well as a voice actor and occasional writer, not to be confused with the British actor of that name (1921-2003) who played M in several James Bond films. There was also Robert Howell Brown -- better known as Robert Lansing -- who arrived on the scene after Robin Adair MacKenzie Brown had already trademarked the 'Robert Brown' moniker in the Screen Actors Guild. Brown, the younger of two siblings born to parents William and Margaret in Trenton, New Jersey, was of English and Scottish ancestry. After wartime service in the U.S. Navy he studied acting under Lee Strasberg at the New School Dramatic Workshop (originally founded in 1940 by German theater director Erwin Piscator), alongside fellow alumni Rod Steiger and Walter Matthau. He made his debut both on Broadway and on the screen in 1948. He first appeared in several early anthology dramas on television and in a couple of B-movies. His first noteworthy role was as Sir Justin in the Roger Corman-directed gothic horror Tower of London (1962). He also had three guest spots on Perry Mason (1957) before being famously cast as a last-ditch replacement for John Drew Barrymore (whose 'no show' on the set resulted in a six-months suspension of his Screen Actors Guild membership) to play the part of alien scientist Lazarus in the Star Trek (1966) episode The Alternative Factor. While probably doing his best with the role -- given the short notice he had to come to grips with the intricate script -- Alternative Factor is generally ranked as one of the lesser entries in the franchise. Brown's luck did not improve the following year. Slated for the career-making role of Steve McGarrett in Hawaii Five-O (1968), he was dropped by producer Leonard Freeman at the eleventh hour in favour of Jack Lord.
Finally given a chance to shine, Brown was cast in the leading role of Jason Bolt, the extrovert boss of a lumberjacking outfit, in Here Come the Brides (1968), an off-beat western series said to have been inspired by the classic MGM musical Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954). It ran for two seasons, after which Brown had another starring role as the eponymous oceanographer of Primus (1971), a scuba-diving adventure set around Nassau in the Bahamas. This show was produced by Ivan Tors who had made his reputation in the aquatic arena with Sea Hunt (1958) and Flipper (1964). Primus fared rather less well in the ratings and was axed after just one season. Brown then made just a few more sporadic TV guest appearances before fading from the scene in 1994.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Rob Mayes was born on 17 November 1984 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for John Dies at the End (2012), Mistresses (2013) and The Client List (2011).- Actor
- Producer
Leonard Roberts was born on 17 November 1972 in St. Louis, Missouri, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Drumline (2002), American Sniper (2014) and Savages (2012).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
One of four stars of the London and New York revues Beyond the Fringe
and Beyond the Fringe (with Jonathan Miller, Alan Bennett, and Dudley Moore). Later
created scatological comedy routine "Derek & Clive" with
Moore.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Director
Famed acting teacher Lee Strasberg was born Israel Strassberg in Budzanov,
Austria-Hungary (now Budanov, Ukraine). Brought to America as a child,
he had a brief acting career, before becoming one of the founders of
the Group Theatre in 1931, directing a number of plays there. His
greatest influence, however, was through the Actors Studio, where he
became director in 1950. A proponent of "method" acting, which he
adapted from the "system" brought to America by Konstantin
Stanislavski's disciple--and Marlon Brando's mentor--Stella Adler, he influenced
several generations of actors, from James Dean to Dustin Hoffman. Film audiences
would know him best as gangster Hyman Roth in The Godfather Part II (1974).- Daisy Fuentes was born on 17 November 1966 in Havana, Cuba. She is an actress, known for Baywatch (1989), Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995) and Curdled (1996). She has been married to Richard Marx since 23 December 2015. She was previously married to Timothy Adams.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Stuart Stone was born on 17 November 1980 in Thornhill, Ontario, Canada. He is an actor and writer, known for Donnie Darko (2001), Vandits (2022) and Faking A Murderer (2020).- Producer
- Writer
- Actor
Lorne Michaels was born on 17 November 1944 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He is a producer and writer, known for Saturday Night Live (1975), 30 Rock (2006) and The Kids in the Hall (1988). He has been married to Alice Barry since 1991. They have three children. He was previously married to Susan Forristal and Rosie Shuster.- Actress
- Producer
Rocsi Diaz was born on 17 November 1983 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She is an actress and producer, known for 106 & Park (2000), Entertainment Tonight (1981) and Cannonball (2020).- Producer
- Director
- Writer
Roland Joffé was born on 17 November 1945 in London, England, UK. He is a producer and director, known for The Mission (1986), The Killing Fields (1984) and The Great Hunger.- Actor
- Soundtrack
The son of Rat Pack member Dean Martin, Dean Paul Martin initially
showed interest in a singing career, and was also a talented tennis
player, which served him well in his role opposite Ali MacGraw in Players (1979). An avid pilot and a captain in the California Air National
Guard, Martin was killed when his F-4 Phantom jet fighter crashed into
the San Bernadino Mountains in a snowstorm during a routine flight on
March 21, 1987.- Alfie Wise was born on 17 November 1943 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, USA. He is an actor, known for The Cannonball Run (1981), Smokey and the Bandit (1977) and Legends of the Superheroes (1979).
- William Simons was born on 17 November 1940 in Mumbles, South Wales, UK. He was an actor, known for Cribb (1980), Heartbeat (1992) and Ivory Hunter (1951). He was married to Jackie Simons and Janie Lowther. He died on 21 June 2019 in England, UK.
- Without question, the most known dog in movie history. Many dogs tried
to eclipse Toto's success, most recently, The Men In Black dog. Most
don't know that Toto has an autobiography that's available in most
stores. She almost lost her life when she broke her foot in The Wizard
of Oz. Toto (Terry) appeared in over 10 Hollywood films. The industry
took a big blow when she died. - Salvator Xuereb was born on 17 November 1965 in New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014), Big Stan (2007) and Natural Born Killers (1994). He has been married to Nikki Toscano since 17 August 2003. They have three children. He was previously married to Cristi Conaway.
- James Warwick was born on 17 November 1947 in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire, England, UK. He is an actor, known for Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), The Onedin Line (1971) and Iron Man (1994).
- Director
- Producer
- Writer
Jon Avnet has directed, written, and produced more than 80 motion pictures, television movies, series and Broadway plays. He directed the Oscar-nominated performance of Jessica Tandy and the three Emmy-winning performances of Margo Martindale, Colleen Dewhurst and Judy Davis.
He received an honorary Doctorate in Communications from the American Film Institute in 2013 and the Creative Spirit Award from the University of Pennsylvania in 2016. Among the other awards Avnet has received are the ACLU's "Bill of Rights Award," The New York Board of Review's "Freedom of Expression Award," and the GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Feature Film.
Avnet is currently directing and producing with Jennifer Garner a documentary about American Ballet Theater's principal ballerina, Isabella Boylston. His next film is based on a script by Washington Post journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner Eli Saslow. In 2022 he directed Justified City Primeval, continuing his collaboration with Graham Yost. Based on Elmore Leonard's writing, it will air in the summer of 2023 on FX for Hulu. He also is Chair of the Directors Guild Negotiating Committee. The DGA's contract expires June 30, 2023.
He is best known for co-writing, directing and producing Fried Green Tomatoes, which garnered multiple Academy Award nominations (for writing and for Jessica Tandy, who co-starred with Kathy Bates, Cicely Tyson, Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary Louise Parker) and BAFTAs. Fried Green Tomatoes was nominated for Best Picture by the Golden Globes and was one of the top grossing films in the year of its release.
He produced Paul Brickman's Risky Business for David Geffen and Warner Brothers, which launched the career of Tom Cruise and was a major box office success. He also produced Paul Brickman's Men Don't Leave, again for David Geffen and Warner Bros, starring Jessica Lange, Arliss Howard, Kathy Bates and Chris O'Donnell. Avnet was an executive producer of Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman (winner of the Oscar for Best Actress) and directed by Darren Aronofsky. Black Swan received five Oscar nominations in total (including Best Picture) as well as multiple nominations and wins from the PGA, WGA, SAG, BAFTA, AFI, and the Golden Globes.
In television, Avnet produced The Burning Bed, starring Farrah Fawcett, which garnered eight Emmy nominations and is still today the highest-rated television movie ever aired on NBC. It told the true story of Francine Hughes, who was in a highly abusive relationship that ended when she burned her husband to death. She was exonerated in court. It received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture. This film is credited with creating the "battered woman syndrome" as a legal defense for victims of domestic violence.
Avnet most recently directed and co-wrote the film Three Christs, starring Richard Gere, Peter Dinklage, Walton Goggins, Bradley Whitford, Julianna Margulies, Charlotte Hope and Jane Alexander. The script is based on the controversial 1959 study chronicled in Dr. Milton Rokeach's "The Three Christs of Ypsilanti." Three paranoid schizophrenic patients who each claimed to be Jesus Christ were put in a ward together to see if their delusions could be altered. The film premiered at the Toronto Film Festival and was released theatrically in January 2020 by IFC Films.
In the summer of 2019, Avnet directed and executive-produced two episodes of the Manhunt: Deadly Games limited series about the 1996 Olympic Park Bomber. Avnet directed ten episodes of FX Network's Justified, starring Timothy Olyphant and Walton Goggins. Justified received a Peabody award and Margo Martindale won an Emmy for her performance. He reunited with frequent collaborator Graham Yost, directing an episode of Sneaky Pete Season 2 for Amazon, starring Giovanni Ribisi, Margo Martindale and Marin Ireland. In 2018, he became an executive producer of Sneaky Pete Season 3 and directed 4 additional episodes.
He first collaborated with Graham Yost as Executive Producer of the critically acclaimed series Boomtown for NBC and Steven Spielberg's Amblin Television. Avnet directed the pilot and eight additional episodes. Boomtown won the Television Critics Association Award for Best Series and a Peabody Award.
Avnet is CEO of Indigenous Media (IM), which he founded with Rodrigo Garcia and his son Jacob Avnet, who is the Chief Operating Officer. Indigenous Media produces 60 Second Docs, which has received over 9.4 billion views and has more than 12.3 million followers. 60 Second Docs has won all of the major digital awards.
Avnet produced Rodrigo Garcia's film Four Good Days, starring Glenn Close and Mila Kunis, for Indigenous Media. Written by Garcia and Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eli Saslow, the film depicts the codependent relationship of a mother and daughter as they both battle opioid addiction. Four Good Days premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically in April 2021 by Vertical.
Avnet directed the music video for the film based on Diane Warren's song, "Somehow You Do," as sung by Reba McEntire. The song has been nominated for an Oscar in 2022. This was a reunion with Diane Warren, who wrote the Grammy winning song "Because You Loved Me," for Avnet's Up Close and Personal. Celine Dion recorded the Oscar nominated song which reached number one globally. Avnet was the credited Executive Producer of the song.
IM has also produced, in association with Kerry Washington and Pilar Savone, two seasons of the series Five Points for Facebook Watch and other successful digital productions. Next up for IM is Lonely Doll, starring Jessica Lange and Naomi Watts, and directed by Gia Coppola. Merritt Johnson adapted Jean Nathan's book. Avnet will produce with Bruce Cohen and Jason Weinberg.
In 2001, Avnet directed, co-wrote with Paul Brickman, and produced the critically praised Uprising, starring Leelee Sobieski, Hank Azaria, David Schwimmer, Stephen Moyer, Jon Voight, and Donald Sutherland. This film was meticulously researched by Brickman and Avnet over a five-year period to tell the true story of the armed resistance during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising in 1943. Avnet was nominated for a DGA Award for best directing and the film was released theatrically globally by Warner Bros.
Avnet directed Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in Righteous Kill, released in September 2008. He also directed and produced Red Corner starring Richard Gere, and Up Close and Personal starring Robert Redford and Michelle Pfeiffer with a script by Joan Didion and John Dunne. His first directing outing (which he also co-wrote and produced) was the highly acclaimed TV movie Between Two Women, starring Colleen Dewhurst and Farrah Fawcett, which earned Dewhurst an Emmy for her performance.
He directed and executive-produced The Starter Wife, a six-hour limited series for the USA Network starring Debra Messing, Joe Mantegna, Stephen Moyer and Judy Davis (who won the Best Supporting Actress Emmy for her performance). Based on the novel by Gigi Levangie Grazer, it aired in May 2007 as the highest-rated limited cable series that year and received ten Emmy nominations as well as DGA and PGA nominations for Avnet.
Rodrigo Garcia's debut film Things You Can Tell Just by Looking at Her was produced by Avnet. It starred Glenn Close, Holly Hunter, Cameron Diaz, Calista Flockhart and Gregory Hines, premiered at Sundance and won "Un Certain Regard," at the Cannes film Festival.
Avnet produced Kerry Conran's Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow for Paramount starring Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Angelina Jolie. Avnet produced (along with Jordan Kerner) Less Than Zero, When a Man Loves a Woman, Miami Rhapsody, The Mighty Ducks films (and in 2021, the new series of The Mighty Ducks on Disney+) and George of the Jungle, to name a few.
For television, Avnet produced Alex Haley's Mama Flora's Family, starring Cicely Tyson, Queen Latifah and Blair Underwood. Ms. Tyson won the NAACP Image Award for best Actress and Mr. Underwood won the Best Actor Award. The film was nominated for Best Picture as well. He produced Heatwave, again starring Cicely Tyson, James Earl Jones and Blair Underwood. Ms. Tyson and Mr. Jones both won Cable ACE best acting awards for their work on this film about the Watts Riots, based on articles written by the LA Times' first black journalist Bob Richardson. Mr. Jones won the Emmy as well. Mr. Avnet had the honor and pleasure of bestowing an Honorary Doctoral Degree for Ms. Tyson from the American Film Institute.
On Broadway, his plays have received 35 Tony nominations and 12 Tony awards. He produced, all with Bill Haber, two Tony Award-winning shows, "Spamalot" and "The History Boys." He also produced "The Pillowman," "Inherit the Wind," starring Christopher Plummer and Bryan Dennehey, "The Seafarer" by Connor McPherson, and the Mike Nichols-directed "Country Girl," starring Morgan Freeman and Frances McDormand.
Avnet attended the University of Pennsylvania, received a BA from Sarah Lawrence College, and was awarded a fellowship in directing to the American Film Institute. Today, Avnet is Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors at the American Film Institute, where he has been a guiding force for over 30 years (and Chairman for eight years). In addition, he was co-chair of the Directors Guild of America 2020 Negotiations committee, serves on the Board of Directors, the Western Directors Council, and the Pension and Health Plan Committee of the DGA. Mr. Avnet has been chosen to chair the DGA Negotiations Committee once more for 2023.
Avnet has served on the Board of Advisors for the School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania for 17 years. He has participated as a mentor at the Director's Lab at Sundance and its sister program Emergence in France. He lectures on film and Holocaust studies at numerous universities worldwide and has supported a diverse range of charitable organizations targeting scholarships for women and BIPOC students.
His career has taken him literally all over the world. Some highlights include working with Nelson Mandela when he was in Pollsmoor prison and later when he was released. Avnet interviewed Mr. Mandela for a week at his home in Soweto about the history of Apartheid and his views on race. Avnet also had the privilege to interview many of the key figures of the ANC such as Walter Sisulu, Oliver Tambo, Thabo Mbeki, Cyril Ramaphosa, to name a few. Harry Belafonte collaborated with Avnet on this project as well as Taylor Branch's "Parting the Waters." In the process, Avnet interviewed virtually all of the living participants in the Civil Rights Movement and had the honor of marching over the Edmund Portis Bridge with Rep. John Lewis and Reverend Fred Shuttlesworth.
During the research for the film Uprising, Avnet had the humbling experience of interviewing more than 200 survivors of the Holocaust in Poland, Germany, Israel and the United States including Vladka Mead, Marek Edelman (then the last living leader of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising) and Simcha Rotem (Kazik.) Mr. Avnet had the honor of studying these historical events with Dr. Michael Berenbaum, then the leader of the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., Israel Gutman of Yad Vashem, Simcha Stein of the Ghetto Fighters House and Marek Webb of Yivo. As a result of his five years or research, Avnet has lectured on resistance during the Holocaust at Universities around the world.
He has been married to artist Barbara Brody Avnet for forty-five years. They have two daughters Alexandra and Lily, both of whom earned Master's degrees in social work, and a son Jacob, who also earned a Master's degree from USC. They also have five precious grandchildren, Isabella, Henry, Sage, Ruby and Ezra.