Trivia: Born in 1976, Grenier grew up in Brooklyn and attended Bard College. It was during his studies that he was cast as the titular lead in the independent film The Adventures of Sebastian Cole (1998). His natural, unaffected portrayal of a young man growing up with his pre-op transsexual stepfather in 1980s upstate New York was a hit among critics, and Grenier was soon being touted as one to watch. That same year, the young actor -- who had made his film debut in the 1997 independent film Arresting Gena -- also gained a significant amount of exposure playing a member of Leonardo DiCaprio's entourage in Woody Allen's Celebrity. Following the critical and arthouse success of Sebastian Cole, Grenier was cast in his first mainstream film, Drive Me Crazy (1999). After a decidedly Manson-esque turn as a cinematic terrorist in director John Waters' Cecil B. Demented, Grenier could be seen in a small but notably less-psychotic role in Steven Spielberg's 2001 sci-fi drama A.I. He would appear in other films, like Hart's War and Anything Else, but it was the move to the small screen in 2004 with the lead on HBO's critically acclaimed Entourage that landed Grenier his most substantial notice and success to date. The massively popular show would run until 2011, and Grenier would also appear in the popular comedy The Devil Wears Prada. Grenier's interest would shift to documentary filmmaking, however, as the 2000's unfolded, and he would produce several projects, like Teenage Paparazzo and My Name is Faith, as well as the documentary series Alter Eco.

Trivia: Long Island, New York native Kevin Connolly broke into feature films and blockbuster television series roles by way of commercials; the fresh-faced star later recalled that he hawked every brand from Chips Ahoy! to Parker Brothers in front of the cameras during his early years. Cresting on this exposure, Connolly moved into bit roles in features during adolescence and gradually ascended to supporting billing. Projects in which he appeared included Rocky V (1990), The Beverly Hillbillies (1993), Angus (1995), and John Q. (2002). Connolly received elevated attention courtesy of his well-received supporting turns as Slim in the Denzel Washington-directed psychological drama Antwone Fisher (2002) and Fin in the nostalgic romance The Notebook (2004), but achieved widespread acclaim with his portrayal of Eric Murphy, one of several young men enjoying the perks of Hollywood stardom, in the HBO comedy series Entourage from 2004 to 2011. After the show ended its run, Connolly reentered the world of film, appearing in a number of projects, like the Ken Kwapis-directed romantic comedy He's Just Not That Into You, and the horse-racing drama Secretariat.Connolly made his feature directorial debut in 2997 with the black comedy The Gardener of Eden, executive produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.

Trivia: The younger brother of actor Matt Dillon, Kevin Dillon was a movie leading man by age 20. Originally planning to study art, Dillon became an actor when he was spotted by an agent at the premiere of older brother Matt's Tex (1985). Often cast in lightweight roles (Heaven Help Us [1985], The Blob [1988]), Dillon has distinguished himself in the films of director Oliver Stone with a brace of powerful characterizations: the baby-faced but homicidal teenage soldier Bunny in Platoon (1986), and real-life rock musician John Densmore in The Doors (1991). He would continue to take on a variety of projects over the coming decades, most notably titles like Criminal Hearts, and Poseidon. Dillon has also enjoyed a successful TV career, on shows like Entourage and How to Be a Gentleman.

Trivia: Inspired by a teacher to pursue a career in acting while studying theater in college. Made his professional acting debut in 2000 on an episode of The King of Queens. Has used the alias Zack Morris while staying at hotels because Saved by the Bell was his favorite TV show while growing up. Has considered himself less outgoing and less outspoken than Turtle, his character on Entourage. Was the best man at the 2006 Las Vegas wedding of his Entourage costar Kevin Dillon. Co-owner of the Los Angeles deli Fat Sal's, which opened in 2010. Hobbies include golfing and playing video games; is a self-described homebody who doesn't do a lot of clubbing. Is not an avid traveler because he doesn't enjoy flying. Is a huge sports fan who dreamed of being a sports analyst before turning to acting.

Trivia: Classically trained character actor Jeremy Piven shot to stardom as Ellen DeGeneres' unforgettable, sharp-witted cousin Spence on the ABC sitcom Ellen. Born in New York City on July 26, 1965, Piven is the son of actors Byrne and Joyce Piven. He grew up in Evanston, IL, where his parents founded the Piven Theater Workshop. He studied theater at his parents' school alongside Lili Taylor, Rosanna Arquette, and pal John Cusack. The longtime friends, who began by performing Chekhov at age eight, have collaborated on several films -- including One Crazy Summer (1986), Say Anything (1989), The Grifters (1990), Floundering (1994), Grosse Pointe Blank (1997), and Serendipity (2001). They also co-founded the New Criminals Theater Company in 1989, which is now New Crime Productions, the company behind Grosse Pointe Blank and the Cusack vehicle High Fidelity (2002).A former member of the Second City National Touring Company, Piven made his small-screen debut on Carol Burnett's short-lived variety show Carol and Company in 1990. He went on to play a writer on HBO's The Larry Sanders Show and to appear on Seinfeld before starring as an unemployed father on the short-lived series Pride & Joy. Disney, who produced Pride & Joy, then created a role for him on Ellen. After the sitcom's cancellation in April 1998, Piven landed his own show, the offbeat ABC comedy-drama Cupid. Also starring Piven's real-life neighbor Paula Marshall, Cupid followed the infamous matchmaker after he had been thrown out of heaven for bad behavior and attempted to earn his reentry by uniting 100 couples in true love without using his otherworldly powers. The series won critical acclaim and earned Piven quite a following. Yet, as with many of the network's more innovative shows, ABC mishandled Cupid, shuffling it in and out of prime time until its inevitable cancellation. Undaunted, Piven returned to television a year later to guest star on Will & Grace.While Piven's film career has suffered the same ups and downs as his time on television, it is marked by numerous scene-stealing supporting performances. After making his feature-film debut in Lucas (1986), the actor appeared in Robert Altman's The Player (1992), Cameron Crowe's Singles (1992), and Tim Robbins' Bob Roberts (1992). He fell into a slump with failures like Judgment Night (1993) and Car 54, Where are You? (1994), but became a cult favorite for his portrayal of a campus misfit in P.C.U. (1994). Standout roles opposite Sarah Jessica Parker in Miami Rhapsody (1995), Robert De Niro in Heat (1995), Bill Murray in Larger Than Life (1996), and Morgan Freeman in Kiss the Girls (1997) quickly followed. He then proved to be the only good thing in Peter Berg's Very Bad Things (1998), before playing Nicolas Cage's best friend in The Family Man (2000). Piven took a respectable dramatic turn as a doomed helicopter pilot in Ridley Scott's award-winning Black Hawk Down, but returned to comedy for Old School (2003), a film by the makers of Road Trip (2000).Piven continued his work in entourage and took a starring role in Chappelle's Show director Neal Brennan's farcical comedy The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard in 2009. 2011 found the actor playing the dreaded Timekeeper in Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, he would portray another villain, this time in a voice role, for the children's adventure The Pirates! Band of Misfits in 2012.Then, in 2005, Piven scored the iconic role of Ari Gold on the HBO series Entourage. The show turned out to be a massive success, and Piven's profile was raised considerably, making him more of a household name, and helping him to score more interesting roles outside the show, like washed-out magician Buddy Isreal in the 2006 over-the-top action blow-out Smokin' Aces, and Damon Schmidt in the 2007 political thriller The Kingdom. In 2008, he joined the cast of the Guy Ritchie London crime movie RocknRolla.

Trivia: Known for her feline eyes and brash New York attitude, Queens native Debi Mazar began her show business career behind the scenes as a makeup artist for a star-studded clientele, the most lucrative of the bunch being Madonna. Attracted by her unique features, the iconic pop singer cast Mazar in the music videos for "True Blue," "Deeper and Deeper," and "Papa Don't Preach." It wasn't until 1990, however, that Mazar made her film debut as the cokehead girlfriend of Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) in Martin Scorsese's GoodFellas. After portraying a series of small but indelible characters in Oliver Stone's The Doors, Spike Lee's Jungle Fever, and Jodie Foster's Little Man Tate (all 1991), Mazar had developed a small but devoted following and a reputation solid enough to land her the tough-talking role of legal defense secretary Denise Iannello on ABC's legal drama Civil Wars (1991-1993), a role she would reprise for NBC's L.A. Law in 1994.After taking on several more tiny supporting parts throughout the early '90s, including one which would reunite her with Jungle Fever director Spike Lee (in the Oscar-winning Malcolm X [1992]), Mazar made her debut as a lead character in Money for Nothing (1993), a blue-collar crime comedy co-starring John Cusack, with whom she would work for a second time in Woody Allen's Bullets Over Broadway (1994). After a brief performance as a manicurist in television's Witch Hunt (1994), Mazar could be found in the role of a femme fatale alongside Drew Barrymore, Jim Carrey, and Val Kilmer in Batman Forever (1995), and would portray an idealistic HIV-positive thief in Red Ribbon Blues (1995). Red Ribbon Blues wasn't the last time Mazar would delve into the complex world of sex and gender-related prejudice -- in 1996's Girl 6, Mazar co-starred as an anonymous member of a phone sex business, while Things I Never Told You found her playing a transsexual. Shortly afterward, Mazar chewed a respectable amount of scenery as one of Long Island barfly Tommy's (Steve Buscemi) potential hook-ups in 1996's Trees Lounge. The actress continued to exhibit her versatility in a series of roles during 1997, including those of a sleazy television show producer in Meet Wally Sparks, an intergalactic waitress in Space Truckers, and two decidedly more serious performances in the gay & lesbian drama Nowhere and Nick Cassavetes' romantic drama She's So Lovely.With the notable exceptions of bleaching her trademark jet-black tresses for 1998's Frogs for Snakes with Robbie Coltrane, and her role as Debbie De Luca in Michael Mann's tobacco industry exposé The Insider (1999), Mazar spent much of the late '90s on the small screen. After the failure of CBS's sitcom Temporarily Yours (1997), Mazar played lead roles in David and Lisa (a psychological drama co-produced by Oprah Winfrey) and NBC's Witness to the Mob. Following another NBC sitcom appearance in the short-lived Working (1998), the actress starred in 2000's CBS drama That's Life as an advice-dispensing hairdresser. In 2002, Mazar played right-hand woman to multi-millionaire Clark Devlin (Jason Isaacs) in Jackie Chan's The Tuxedo, and went on to offer a poignant monologue in Ten Tiny Love Stories the same year. In 2004, Mazar took on a supporting role in the crime comedy Be Cool with John Travolta and Uma Thurman, and starred in Dennis Brooks' independent film Goodnight, Joseph Parker.She had a major role in 2008's A Beautiful Life, and that same year had a small part in the ensemble of The Women. In 2012 she could be seen in the porn queen biopic Lovelace.

Trivia: Studied piano from the age of 6 and originally majored in music at Oberlin College, but ultimately decided to pursue acting. Early in his career, worked as an assistant to casting directors, which provided unintentional research for his breakout role as Lloyd, assistant to agent Ari Gold on HBO's Entourage. Won Asian Excellence Awards for Supporting Television Actor in 2007 and 2008 for his work on Entourage. Has appeared in commercials for Domino's, Dr. Pepper, Chevrolet and Wendy's. Theater work includes Queen of Angels, Letters to a Student Revolutionary and a revival of Charles Ludlam's Camille.

Trivia: Born in New York City, but raised in New Hampshire. Guest starred in an X-Files episode alongside then-boyfriend David Duchovny. Charitable pursuits include the International Fund for Animal Welfare. Is a vegetarian. Is an avid practitioner of yoga and meditation.

Trivia: A raven-haired Canadian actress with a curiously mysterious history and a friendly smile, Emmanuelle Chriqui has been working frequently in television since 1995. With roles in Steven Spielberg's A.I. and alongside 'N Sync singer Lance Bass in On the Line (both 2001), the fresh-faced actress gained increased exposure and notable momentum in her cinematic career. Born in Montréal, Québec, Canada, in 1977, Chriqui began acting in commercials at the age of ten, later graduating to feature films with roles in Detroit Rock City (1999) and Snow Day (2000). Also turning up frequently in bit roles on television, Chriqui has shown increasing promise in a variety of diverse roles and projects. She appeared in the 2003 thriller Wrong Turn, and in 2005, she began a recurring role on the smash hit HBO series Entourage as Sloan. She'd stay with the series until 2007, while also appearing in films like In the Mix and After Sex. In 2008, she joined Josh Hartnett for the Wall Street drama August, and joined the cast of the Adam Sandler comedy You Don't Mess with the Zohan. In 2009 she starred in Taking Chances and Patriotville, and two years later she appeared in prominent roles in both 13 and 5 Days of War.

Trivia: Blue-eyed British actor Malcolm McDowell has a history of playing angry, cruel characters that still managed to be charming. Born in working-class Leeds, England, he sold coffee around Yorkshire before joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in the late '60s. By 1967, he had made his big-screen debut in Poor Cow, the first feature-length film from director Ken Loach. Moving to New York, McDowell met director Lindsay Anderson and appeared in his off-Broadway production of Look Back in Anger. (He would reprise his role of angry young man Jimmy Porter in the 1980 film version.) He then played Mick Travis, the rebellious boarding school student in If.... (1968), a role he would continue in Anderson's next two films, O Lucky Man! (which he co-wrote) and Britannia Hospital (1982). Director Stanley Kubrick took notice of his work with Anderson and gave McDowell his international breakthrough with A Clockwork Orange, based upon the novel by Anthony Burgess. His portrayal of the sadistic Alex earned him two Best Actor nominations, but also cemented a dark image that would persist throughout his career. He would occasionally get breaks with characters such as Captain Flashman, the hero in the adventure satire Royal Flash or the naïve fighter in the WWI drama Aces High. But his unscrupulous reputation was reinforced in 1979, when he starred in the title role as the Roman emperor in Bob Guccione's notorious production of Caligula. He made his first American film the same year, playing H.G. Wells in Time After Time alongside young actress Mary Steenburgen (they were married from 1980-1990). McDowell went on to star in the horror remake Cat People, the action-adventure Blue Thunder, and the rock musical-comedy Get Crazy. McDowell made several TV movies toward the late '80s, including Gulag, Arthur the King, and Monte Carlo. After a serious bout with a persistent drug problem, his hair turned white and he started playing regular villains in largely forgettable U.S. releases. He had better casting luck abroad, such as the leading role in the Russian film Assassin of the Tsar. After a cameo in The Player in 1992, the actor started lending his voice talent to cartoons, including Captain Planet and the Planeteers, Superman, Spider-Man, Batman: The Animated Series, Biker Mice From Mars, and the features The Fist of the North Star and Happily Ever After. He also provided the voice of Commodore Geoffrey Tolwyn for the Wing Commander video game series and subsequent cartoon. His villainous roles started to gravitate toward science fiction with Tank Girl, Cyborg 3: The Recycler, and, most notably, Dr. Soran in Star Trek: Generations. On television, he played the evil Benny Barrett on the BBC series Our Friends in the North and the sinister Mr. Roarke on the ABC revival series Fantasy Island. In the late '90s, he appeared in a lot of direct-to-video and made-for-cable movies before making a return to U.K. theatrical features with the family drama My Life So Far in 1999 and Gangster No. 1 in 2000. In 2003, he appeared in the horseracing film Hidalgo, Robert Altman's The Company, and the Russian film Evilenko as serial killer Andrei Chikatilo. For better or worse, McDowell's most recognizable role of the decade would likely be that of Dr. Samuel Loomis in Rob Zombie's Halloween (2008) and its 2009 sequel -- thouigh a recurring role on the NBC hit Heroes certainly didn't hurt in boosting his exposure among viewers too young to remember his dramatic defining roles. Occasional voice work in The Disney Channel's Phineas and Ferb continued that trend - albiet in a less conspicuous manner -- then in 2011 the screen veteran turned in a brief but memorable performance in Michel Hazanavicius' Oscar favorite The Artist, proving that even without so much as a line of dialogue, McDowell still had the charisma to command the screen.

Trivia: The eldest son of actor James Caan, Scott Caan started to make a name for himself in such films as Enemy of the State and Varsity Blues. Five feet-five inches of muscle and machismo, the actor was born in 1976 and spent his childhood shuttling between his divorced father and mother. Although as a child he preferred sports to acting, Caan was offered the title role in the 1995 drama A Boy Called Hate. Following his performance in the film, he attended acting classes at Los Angeles' West Playhouse and acted in a few subsequent features, including Gregg Araki's 1997 Nowhere. In 1998, the actor got another break with a part in Tony Scott's thriller Enemy of the State and went on to make a number of small films that same year, including Wild Horses, which was co-directed by a post-Punky Brewster Soleil Moon Frye. In 1999 came Varsity Blues and an accompanying rush of exposure for Caan, who supplied the film's comic relief as a hell-raising wide receiver. In addition, the actor increased his indie credibility with Saturn, which was screened at the 1999 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.As the new decade began, Caan appeared in Boiler Room, but he landed one of his most high-profile role in 2011 when he became one of Ocean's Eleven, playing a number of funny scenes opposite Casey Affleck. In 2005 he was in the thriller Into the Blue, and the next year had a small role in the indie comedy Friends With Money.Over the course of the decade he would return to the Ocean's franchise two more times, and take a major part in the Eddie Murphy comedy Meet Dave. He would act opposite his famous father in 2009's Mercy, a film he also wrote. In 2010 Caan would find success on the small-screen in the reboot of Hawaii Five-O.

Trivia: Onscreen, versatile, multi-talented Beverly D'Angelo is best remembered for playing Ellen Griswold in the National Lampoon "vacation" series of films but she has appeared in over 50 films and also performs on television and the stage. The daughter of successful musicians, D'Angelo was educated in Europe and studied fine arts but left school at age 17 to become an artist at Hanna-Barbera Studios. For a time she was a folk singer and performed in Canadian coffee houses. She later sang rock & roll with the group Elephant. She tried acting in regional theater and during the early '70s appeared frequently on Broadway, making her debut playing Ophelia in the rock musical Rockabye Hamlet. D'Angelo made her film debut playing a bit in the Sentinel (1976). Her most highly regarded film role was that of singer Patsy Cline playing opposite Sissy Spacek's Loretta Lynn in Coal Miner's Daughter (1980). D'Angelo's excellent portrayal won considerable critical acclaim. She imprinted herself into popular culture playing Ellen Griswold in the National Lampoon films Vacation, European Vacation, Christmas Vacation, and Vegas Vacation, and would continue be a consistant presence on screen for years to come, most notably in films like American History X and on the series Entourage.

Trivia: Defying many ideas about what a porn star should look and sound like, Sasha Grey began appearing in adult films when she turned 18 in 2006. The beauty kept her dark hair and modest bustline, visually setting herself apart from other adult film stars, and soon earned a serious following. By 2009, she'd appeared in over 150 adult films and was ready to transition into the mainstream, starring in Steven Soderbergh's The Girlfriend Experience as a prostitute named Chelsea, who offers clients not only sex, but the illusion of affection and intimacy. Poised to become a star even outside the ream of pornography, Grey found herself increasingly challenged by the media to discuss issues of feminism, exploitation, and gender politics in the realm of adult film, but had no trouble responding articulately, setting herself apart from others in the industry once again.

Trivia: Before she became one of the few Dominican actresses working in Hollywood, Dania Ramirez launched her career in her family's home of New York City at the age of 15. Reportedly approached by a modeling recruiter while working in a store as a security girl (collecting patrons' handbags), Ramirez soon established herself as a successful print model, then transitioned, sequentially, to commercials, television, and big-screen features. Ramirez met director Spike Lee when cast as an extra in HBO's omnibus feature Subway Stories (1997) -- a connection that spawned their collaboration on Lee's 2004 picture She Hate Me (in which she played the minor part of Alex Guerrero). Ramirez then signed on for supporting roles in such features as Fat Albert (2004), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), and Illegal Tender (2007). On the small screen, Ramirez played potential slayer Caridad in several episodes of the seventh season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2003) and Blanca Selgado, a love interest of A.J. Soprano (Robert Iler) during the sixth season of The Sopranos (2006-2007). In fall 2007, she joined the cast of the smash-hit sci-fi series Heroes, playing the emotional and mysteriously deadly Maya Herrera. After appearing in a handful of projects in 2008, Ramirez took a break, but returned in 2012 in a pair of studio films - American Reunion, and Premium Rush. In 2013, she starred in Lifetime's Devious Maids, playing maid Rosie Falta.

Trivia: Trained as a dancer. Got her start in TV at age 12 on the British children's series Short Change. Has a recurring role as Jennie on Entourage.

Trivia: Brown-eyed, would-be Brat Packer Jami Gertz was discovered in a nationwide talent search by Norman Lear and she studied drama at N.Y.U. She got a tiny part in Franco Zeffirelli's Endless Love in 1981, making her film debut along with Tom Cruise. The next year she starred on the high school TV series Square Pegs along with Sarah Jessica Parker, and made several guest appearances on The Facts of Life. Supporting roles followed in Alphabet City, Quicksilver, Crossroads, and Solarbabies. In 1987 she played shy vampire girl Star in The Lost Boys, which may remain her most recognizable role. In the same year, she played the girl caught between Andrew McCarthy and Robert Downey Jr. in Less Than Zero and she got to romance teen idol Kirk Cameron in Listen to Me. The '90s marked the decline of her leading roles in teen dramas and she turned to comedies, off-Broadway theater, and mainstream dramas. She played Kirstie Alley's sister in Sibling Rivalry, Dylan McDermott's love interest in Jersey Girl, and Bill Paxton's girlfriend in Twister. Working back in television, she had recurring roles on Sibs, ER, Dream On, and Ally McBeal. After making several TV movies, she portrayed legendary comedienne Gilda Radner in the ABC special It's Always Something: The Gilda Radner Story. Living in L.A. with her husband and children, Gertz was cast as blue-collar wife and mother Judy Miller on the CBS sitcom Still Standing in 2002. In 2006 Gertz co-starred in director Scott Marshall's coming-of-age comedy Keeping Up With the Steins.

Trivia: Saucer-eyed actress Illeana Douglas has been regularly appearing in major films since 1987, when she debuted in the Shelley Long comedy Hello Again. The granddaughter of actor Melvyn Douglas and actress-turned-Congresswoman Helen Gahagan, Douglas was born July 25, 1965, in Massachusetts.After her film debut, the actress worked for years in relative obscurity, at one point dubbing a chilling scream for The Last Temptation of Christ. She frequently appeared in other Martin Scorsese films, most notably Goodfellas (1990) and 1991's Cape Fear. Her collaboration with the director also took place offscreen, as the two dated for years.Following roles in a number of films, including Household Saints (1993) and Quiz Show (1994), Douglas was cast in Gus Van Sant's 1995 To Die For. She won some measure of recognition and critical praise for her role as Nicole Kidman's sarcastic sister-in-law, and the following year landed the lead in Allison Anders' Grace of My Heart. Although Douglas was again praised for her work -- here portraying a Carole King-like singer/songwriter -- the film did poorly among critics and at the box office.The actress went on to do a number of made-for-TV films, including the satirical Weapons of Mass Distraction in 1997. In 1999 she had a full plate, doing both television work (appearing as a prostitute on the Fox series Action) and more film work. She appeared with Kevin Costner in Message in a Bottle before going on to make the independent film Happy, Texas, the supernatural thriller Stir of Echoes with Kevin Bacon, and Can't Stop Dancing, a comedy in which she acted alongside Margaret Cho and Janeane Garofalo.She had a fine turn in the well-reviewed indie Ghost World, and a small turn in the infamous turkey The Adventures of Pluto Nash. She had major roles in Dummy and Factory Girl, and in 2007 she joined the cast of the hit ABC series Ugly Betty. In addition to her acting career, she has directed, written, and starred in a number of shorts and web series.

Trivia: An instigator of some of the more groundbreaking developments in twentieth-century comedy, John Cleese is one of Britain's best-known actors, writers, and comedians. Famous primarily for his comic efforts, such as the television series Fawlty Towers and the exploits of the Monty Python troupe, he has also become a well-respected actor in his own right.Born John Marwood Cleese (after his family changed their surname from "Cheese") on October 27, 1939, Cleese grew up in the middle-class seaside resort town of Weston-Super-Mare. He enrolled at Cambridge University with the intention of studying law, but soon discovered that his comic leanings held greater sway than his interest in the law. He joined the celebrated Cambridge Footlights Society--he was initially rejected because he could neither sing nor dance, but was accepted after collaborating with a friend on some comedy sketches--where he gained a reputation as a team player and met future writing partner and Python Graham Chapman.Cleese entered professional comedy with a writing stint on David Frost's The Frost Report in 1966. While working for that BBC show, he and Chapman (who was also writing for the show) met fellow Frost Report writers Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin. Continuing his writing collaboration with Chapman (with whom he wrote the 1969 Ringo Starr/Peter Sellers vehicle The Magic Christian), Cleese soon was working on what would become Monty Python's Flying Circus with Chapman, Idle, Jones, Palin, and Terry Gilliam. The show, which first aired in 1969, was an iconoclastic look at British society: its genius lay in its seemingly random, bizarre take on the mundane facets of everyday life, from Spam to pet shops to the simple act of walking. Cleese stayed with Monty Python for three series; after he left, he reunited with his fellow Pythons for three movies. The first, Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1974), was a revisionist take on the Arthurian legend that featured Cleese as (among other things) the Black Knight, who refuses to end his duel with King Arthur even after losing his arms and legs. Life of Brian followed in 1979; a look at one of history's lesser-known messiahs, it featured lepers, space aliens, and condemned martyrs singing a rousing version of "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" while hanging from their crucifixes. The Pythons' third outing, the 1983 Monty Python's the Meaning of Life, was a series of increasingly outrageous vignettes, including one about the explosion of a stupendously obese man and another featuring a dinner party with Death.In addition to his work with the Pythons, Cleese, along with first wife Connie Booth, created the popular television series Fawlty Towers in 1975. It ran for a number of years, during which time Cleese also continued to make movies. Throughout the 1980s, he showed up in films ranging from The Great Muppet Caper (1981) to Privates on Parade (1982) to Silverado (1985), which cast him as an Old West villain. In 1988, Cleese struck gold with A Fish Called Wanda, which he wrote, produced, and starred in. An intoxicating farce, the film won both commercial and critical success, earning Cleese a British Academy Award and an Oscar nomination for his screenplay, and an Oscar for co-star Kevin Kline. Cleese continued to work steadily through the 1990s, appearing in Splitting Heirs (1993) with Idle, Mary Shelley's Frankenstein (1994), The Wind in the Willows (1997) and George of the Jungle (1997). Fierce Creatures, his 1997 sequel to A Fish Called Wanda, proved a disappointment, but Cleese maintained his visibility, reuniting with the surviving Pythons on occasion and starring in The Out-of-Towners and The World is Not Enough, the nineteenth Bond outing, in 1999.As the new century got underway, Cleese wrote and hosted a documentary series about the human face, and he took a small but recurring role in the Harry Potter film series. In 2002 he appeared in the infamous Eddie Murphy turkey The Adventures of Pluto Nash, and showed up in another Bond film. In 2007 he was cast to voice the role of Fiona's father in Shrek 2, leading to a series of appearances for him in other animated films such as Igor, Planet 51, and Winnie the Pooh. He also appeared opposite Steve Martin in 2009's The Pink Panther 2.

Trivia: A self-made billionaire entrepreneur, Mark Cuban made business history when -- at the age of 32 -- he sold his computer consulting firm MicroSolutions to corporate giant CompuServe and became fabulously wealthy overnight. Cuban later did the same with yet another enterprise, the live-streaming Internet operation Broadcast.com, and sold it to Yahoo! for a record-breaking price that pushed his own net worth into the billions. He then acquired the Dallas Mavericks basketball team and founded HDNet. Cuban achieved recognition outside of the boardroom in 2007, when ABC tapped him as one of the celebrity contestants on its trend-setting competitive reality series Dancing with the Stars, opposite partner Kym Johnson. Cuban worked steadily as an executive producer through the late 2000s and early 2010s; among the most notable titles include Two Lovers (2008), The Road (2009), and The Girlfriend Experience (2012).

Trivia: Played trombone in the high-school marching band, while also playing football. Drafted in the fifth round in 2005 by Philadelphia. Named 2005 Rookie of the Year and 2006 National League MVP. Appeared in Subway commercials with Subway spokesman Jared Fogel. His bat from Game 4 of the 2008 World Series is on display at the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Trivia: Named after Dallas Cowboys receiver Drew Pearson. Named the Academic All-American Player of the Year in 2001. Was a second-round draft pick of the San Diego Chargers in 2001. Is a four-time Pro Bowler, and was MVP of Super Bowl XLIV. Has a birthmark on his cheek, made famous when Oprah Winfrey thought it was lipstick and tried to rub it off when he was a guest on her show. Has done many charity projects for Hurricane Katrina recovery in New Orleans. Runs the Brees Dream Foundation offering help for children with cancer, and general care for children. Released an autobiography on July 6, 2010 entitled Coming Back Stronger: Unleashing the Hidden Power of Adversity.

Trivia: Clean-cut and perpetually dressed in tailored suits, comedian Bob Odenkirk was born in Illinois. He worked as a standup comic in Chicago before moving to New York and writing some of the best television comedy of his generation. From 1987-1991, he worked as a writer on Saturday Night Live and earned his first Emmy nomination. Odenkirk then wrote for The Ben Stiller Show and won his first Emmy award. He also wrote for Get a Life, The Larry Sanders Show, Late Night With Conan O'Brien, and Tenacious D. In addition, he played Stevie Grant on several episodes of The Larry Sanders Show. During this period, he met up with comedian David Cross and they became the team behind Mr. Show, an exceptional sketch comedy program that aired 1995-1998 on HBO. Along with Cross, Odenkirk was a host, writer, producer, and cast member. Although nominated for numerous awards, Mr. Show never won any. As an actor, Odenkirk appeared in small roles in such comedy features as The Cable Guy, Waiting for Guffman, and Can't Stop Dancing. On television, he provided voices to a few cartoons and tried his hand at directing with the HBO series The Near Future. After starring as Terry Twillstein in the unfortunate Run Ronnie Run!, he directed and starred in Melvin Goes to Dinner in 2003. The talky comedy feature was based on a play by Michael Blieden and the poster features lovely drawings by Adrian Tomine; it won several awards at festivals. As a writer/director, Odenkirk went on to make some videos and TV shows. As an actor, he later starred in The Big Wide World of Carl Laemke and My Big Fat Independent Movie. Though he remained one of the leading players of the alternative comedy scene, he was cast on the dramatic series Breaking Bad and earned rave reviews for his work on that program. He had a prominent part in 2012's The Giant Mechanical Man.

Trivia: Daughter of Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay, actress Minka Kelly was raised in New Mexico and started her acting career with roles in projects like the movie State's Evidence and with a recurring role on the show What I Like About You. In 2006, she was cast as head cheerleader Lyla Garrity on the series Friday Night Lights, a show based on the movie of the same name, about a small town in Texas where high-school football is among the most important things in life. In 2007, she took a role in the Jamie Foxx political thriller The Kingdom. She appeared in the romantic comedy (500) Days of Summer (2009) and then reteamed with her FNL creator Jason Katims for his new show Parenthood for a recurring role in 2010 and 2011. In 2011, she had parts in The Roommate and the Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It and starred in the short-lived TV remake of Charlie's Angels. Kelly tried with yet another series in 2013 on the FOX sci-fi drama Almost Human.

Trivia: A phenomenally successful Grammy nominee whose controversial rhymes earned the ire of the more politically correct while simultaneously topping the charts and selling millions of albums to fans who could appreciate his warped sense of humor and pop-culture satire, rapper Marshal Mathers (aka Eminem) came out of left field to dominate the rap music scene before making the inevitable transition into film in the semi-autobiographical drama 8 Mile. Born in St. Joseph, MO, to a single mother whose father quickly abandoned both her and their future child, Mathers spent the majority of his destitute youth traveling between his hometown and the sometimes harsh streets of Detroit. Inspired to pursue a career as a rap artist after his uncle played the soundtrack to Breakin' (1984) for the impressionable nine-year-old, Mathers quickly became enamored with such popular rappers as Ice T and LL Cool J, performing in front of his bedroom mirror nightly and obsessively lip-synching to their skilled and often complex rhymes. Settling in Detroit when the aspiring rapper was twelve years old, Mathers showed little interest in school and dropped out shortly after failing the ninth grade three times due to lack of involvement. It was then that Mathers decided to fully immerse himself in pursuing a career as a rapper. Impressed by his debut album Infinite (1995), Rap Coalition's Wendy Day helped Mathers (now going almost exclusively by the moniker Eminem) to gain a spot in the 1997 Rap Olympics in Los Angeles. Though he didn't take first place, his demo landed in the hands of Interscope Records executives and an appearance on a L.A. radio show resulted in an enduring partnership with legendary rapper and producer Dr. Dre. From this point on there was no looking back and Eminem's uniquely obscene brand of humor proved a formidable force in the world of not only rap music, but also popular music (2000's The Marshal Mathers LP was the first rap album ever to be nominated for Album of the Year honors at that year's Grammys). Having made numerous videos in addition to appearances in such films as Da Hip Hop Witch (2000) and Dr. Dre's The Wash (2001), Eminem was no stranger in front of the camera, and would soon take a starring role in 8 Mile (2002). Directed by Curtis Hanson (L.A. Confidential [1997]), 8 Mile loosely detailed Mathers' rise to stardom while struggling to overcome both racial and personal boundaries. An emotional drama that exposed the tempermental artist to a much wider audience, 8 Mile proved a huge hit at the box office and sent DVD sales soaring when released on home video. By the time the 75th annual Academy Awards rolled around and a visibly surprised Barbara Streisand pronounced Eminem the winner in the Best Song category, fans (many likely as shocked as Streisand herself) rejoiced for the success of their favorite underdog rapper.

Trivia: Appeared on Star Search at the age of 9. Sang the national anthem at age 10 before games for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins and Pirates. Was a member of the talent-heavy cast of Disney's The New Mickey Mouse Club, which produced the likes of pop superstars Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, and actors Keri Russell and Ryan Gosling. Is half-Ecuadorian and released a Spanish-language album, Mi Reflejo, although she is not fluent in Spanish; she learned the lyrics phonetically. Cowrote American Idol Kelly Clarkson's hit single "Miss Independent." Was named by Rolling Stone as one of the 100 greatest singers of all time. Made her film debut in the 2010 film Burlesque and wrote several songs for the soundtrack.

Trivia: Finished his high school career, in 2007, as the all-time leading scorer in Oregon boys' basketball history with 2,628 points. In his one year of college basketball at UCLA, was named a first-team All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year in 2008. Drafted by the Memphis Grizzlies with the fifth-overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft and subsequently traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves following the draft. Won the NBA three-point shootout in 2012. Involved with the Hoops for St. Jude charity program benefiting the research hospital. More than one kind of talent flows in his veins: His dad played in the NBA, and his uncle, Mike Love, is a Beach Boy.

Trivia: After earning a degree from the Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama, actor Rhys Coiro began cultivating a successful stage career, appearing in the Second Stage Theatre production of Boys' Life in New York. Soon, Coiro caught his first big break in on-screen acting, snagging the role of Billy Walsh on the HBO series Entourage, and later playing the role of Sean Hillinger on 24.

Trivia: Born in Seattle, WA, Constance Zimmer started working steadily on television in her mid-twenties. She made a number of one-off appearances on series as diverse as Seinfeld, Diagnosis Murder, Ellen, and Beverly Hills 90210. After nearly a decade of this type of work, Zimmer landed a recurring roll on the short-lived series The Fighting Fitzgeralds, then landed a large part on the sitcom Good Morning, Miami, a run that lasted for two seasons. Her television career continued with roles on Joan of Arcadia (as Sister Lilly Waters), the showbiz comedy Entourage (as studio exec Dana Gordon), and the short-lived drama In Justice. In 2006, she joined the hit David E. Kelley legal comedy drama Boston Legal for its third season, playing sharp-tongued, assertive lawyer Claire Simms.

Trivia: Born in New York City and grew up in Woodstock, N.Y., where he began acting in his preteen years, before attending high school in Toronto when his family relocated to Canada, and left for Los Angeles after graduation to pursue a career in show business. Father was a cofounder and president of Scholastic Productions, Inc., which oversaw TV and film adaptations of children's books, including The Magic School Bus (1994-97), Goosebumps (1995-98) and The Indian in the Cupboard (1995). Got big break playing Jake Steinberg, an assistant to Ari Gold (Jeremy Piven) during Season 6 of HBO's Entourage, and wound up appearing in 15 episodes. In 2014, was promoted to series regular for Season 2 of the CW's Reign, playing Leith Bayard.

Trivia: Born and raised in Southern California.Decided to enroll in college before pursuing his career as an actor.In 1999, he made his debut as an actor in television.Made a solo backpack trip to Europe.Has provided training in the University of Florida for the students of the School of Theatre and Dance.