Trivia: Model-turned-actress Cameron Diaz seemed to come out of nowhere when she made her 1994 screen debut opposite Jim Carrey in The Mask. However, her unusual beauty -- the result of her Cuban-American and Anglo-German-Native-American parentage -- helped to ensure that she would not be soon forgotten.Born in San Diego, CA, on August 30, 1972, Diaz left school at 16 to become a model. For the next five years, she traveled the globe, working in Japan, Australia, Mexico, Morocco, and Paris. As a model for the Elite Agency, she did commercial work for such products as Coke, Nivea, and L.A. Gear. She returned to California at the age of 21 and was unknown in the film industry when cast in her breakthrough role as the target of Jim Carrey's hyper-animated lust in The Mask. Following the hoopla surrounding her performance -- or, more specifically, her physical appearance -- in the film, Diaz opted to take acting lessons and appear in a series of small, independent films, including The Last Supper (1995), She's the One (1996), and Feeling Minnesota (1996). After starring opposite Ewan McGregor in Danny Boyle's A Life Less Ordinary (1997), Diaz further endeared herself to audiences and critics with her performance in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997). Proving herself an acceptable foil for the film's star, Julia Roberts, she went on to greater success in the Farrelly brothers' There's Something About Mary in 1998. Starring as the film's titular heroine, Diaz turned in an audience-pleasing performance in the cheerfully bawdy film, which proved to be one of the year's biggest box-office successes. The same year, Diaz cameoed in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and starred as Jon Favreau's unhinged fiancée in the black comedy Very Bad Things. Now fully established as one of Hollywood's hottest properties, she accepted leads in 1999's Being John Malkovich, in which she played puppeteer John Cusack's wife, and Any Given Sunday, in which she played the president and co-owner of a football team in Oliver Stone's paean to American football.In 2000, Diaz joined Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu in Charlie's Angels, the much-hyped big-screen remake of the television classic. A comically self-aware and fairly faithful adaptation of the original series, Charlie's Angels served up Matrix-style action with retro-sensibilities, propelling the franchise into the new millennium. The following year found Diaz endearing herself to younger audiences as the voice of Princess Fiona in the animated box-office smash Shrek, as well as using her wide-eyed innocence to horrific effect in the Tom Cruise mindbender Vanilla Sky. Headlining the ill-fated comedy The Next Best Thing in 2002, Diaz would take a historical trip to the birthplace of America in director Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York before becoming the second (after Julia Roberts) actress to join the "20-Million-Dollar Club" with Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Like its predecessor, the film performed well at the box office, and Diaz further proved her box-office clout in 2004 when another sequel, Shrek 2, became the third-highest grossing film of all time.Diaz switched gears altogether in 2005 when she headed to the small screen, hosting and producing the MTV reality show Trippin'. With its focus on ecology and conservation, the program found the actress and her celebrity pals traipsing the globe to explore various natural environments. Diaz also remained a strong presence in Hollywood during the Christmas season of 2005 in the well-received Curtis Hanson film In Her Shoes. In this picture -- adapted from the Jennifer Weiner novel by Susannah Grant -- Diaz plays the beautiful yet thoroughly harebrained and irresponsible Maggie, sister of the prim, proper, and conservative attorney Rose (Australian import Toni Collette), with whom she comes to blows during their ill-advised stint as roommates. As Maggie discovers a grandmother that she never knew existed (Shirley MacLaine) and travels to Florida to bond with the woman, Rose experiences a significant romantic breakup and decides to change careers. A long-buried and dormant secret from the past then comes to light that reunites the women and forges a path to reconciliation. In Her Shoes struck box-office gold and won the hearts of many critics. And though it surprised just about everyone who foresaw a dopey, lame-brained romantic comedy, assiduous devotees of Hanson's career were perhaps less shocked given the director's keen intelligence and marvelous track record.Diaz maintained a relatively low profile throughout 2006, following up the Hanson film with yet another lightly comic dissection of contemporary relationships, Nancy Meyers' Holiday, followed by a voice-only turn in Dreamworks' tertiary installment of the Shrek franchise, Shrek the Third. Never shy about doing what her fans love, Diaz was soon signing on for more romantic comedies, starring alongside Ashton Kutcher in 2008's What Happens in Vegas and 2009's My Sister's Keeper. For her next project, however, Diaz tried something out of the ordinary, working with Donnie Darko director Richard Kelly for the supernatural thriller The Box. While not well received, the movie reminded critics and fans of Diaz's wide range. As the 2010's rolled onward, the actress proved that her charm was as strong with audiences as ever, most notably in action fare like Knight and Day, and comedies like the deliciously naughty Bad Teacher. In 2014, Diaz had a resurgent year, with the comedies The Other Woman and Sex Tape, before tackling the iconic role of Miss Hannigan in the remake of Annie.

Trivia: Jennifer Lopez's first serious screen role in Gregory Nava's 1995 Latino melodrama My Family followed years of training in television movies and series. Like Rosie Perez, Lopez began her career as a Fly Girl -- a dancer on the sketch comedy series, In Living Color -- and appeared in music videos by Puff Daddy and Janet Jackson. Her big break came in 1997 when she appeared in the title role of Nava's Selena, the story of the successful Tejano singer who was tragically murdered in 1995. Lopez was at first cast as a femme fatale -- due in no small part to her classic Latina beauty (she was born in the Bronx to parents of Puerto Rican descent) -- and worked almost exclusively with acclaimed directors: Francis Ford Coppola (Jack, 1996), Oliver Stone (U-Turn, 1997), and Bob Rafelson (Blood and Wine, 1996). In 1998, she had one of her most acclaimed roles, starring opposite George Clooney in Out of Sight, Steven Soderbergh's adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel. Cast as a deputy federal marshal who falls for a charming criminal (Clooney), Lopez won raves for her tough, sexy performance, and in the process, she became the highest paid Latina actress in Hollywood history. That same year, she earned an introduction to a new generation of fans by lending her voice to the popular Antz (1998). The lavish but much more adult-oriented thriller The Cell (2000) followed shortly thereafter, bringing Lopez one of her first number-one openings. In an attempt to curry favor from the rom-com crowd, Lopez lightened things up a bit opposite Matthew McConaughey in 2001's romantic comedy The Wedding Planner. Though Lopez was consistently smooth in her frequent transitions from actress to songstress, her next role in the supernatural romance Angel Eyes (2001) failed to click with audiences and critics alike, and her role in the cathartic revenge thriller Enough (2002) likewise disappeared from theaters shortly after its release. Though Maid in Manhattan (2002) was ultimately relegated to a similar fate as her last few films, few could anticipate the outright hostility with which her 2003 comedy Gigli would be greeted. In the movie, Lopez was cast as a female gangster assigned to keep an eye on a kidnapper (played by then-real-life-boyfriend Ben Affleck) who is holding a psychologically challenged young boy hostage. The harsh public backlash against the film was likely due (at least in part) to over-saturated media coverage of the duo's tumultuous off-screen relationship. Though the film's failure wasn't exactly what one would call a career-ender for either star, their shoddy onscreen dynamic reportedly led director Kevin Smith to excise most of Lopez' role in the Affleck-starrer Jersey Girl.Finally, in 2005, it appeared the actress' string of bad box-office luck had possibly reached its end. Teaming up with Jane Fonda for the latter thespian's first feature in over a decade, Lopez scored a modest hit with the comedy Monster-In-Law. The Lasse Hallstrom-helmed drama An Unfinished Life followed later the same year with Lopez opposite heavy-hitters Robert Redford and Morgan Freeman. Lopez married singer Marc Anthony in 2006, and gave birth to twins in 2007. She subsequently worked less over the next few years, opting to spend time with her family. Lopez would get back into acting with the 2010 romantic comedy The Back-up Plan, but sadly, she and Anthony would separate in 2011. She continued to slip effortlessly between film, music and television, including taking a job as a judge on American Idol, setting up a residency in Las Vegas and starring and producing in her own show on NBC, Shades of Blue.

Trivia: Possessing the kind of elegant screen beauty that often draws comparisons to a Breakfast at Tiffany's-era Audrey Hepburn, actress Elizabeth Banks' onscreen career has been steadily rising since the up-and-coming actress won the Young Hollywood Award for "Exciting New Face" back in 2003. With roles in such notable Hollywood hits as the Spider-Man films and Seabiscuit, Banks has not only had the pleasure of sharing the screen with hot-property actor Tobey Maguire multiple times, but has also been nominated -- alongside Maguire, Jeff Bridges, William H. Macy, and Gary Stevens -- for an "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture" award by the Screen Actors Guild for her performance in the latter. The Pittsfield, MA, native got her first taste of fame when nominated Harvest Queen in her hometown's annual fall celebration, and in the years that followed, Banks would receive her bachelor's degree from the University of Pennsylvania and go on to pursue her graduate degree at the American Conservatory Theater. In 1998, Banks made her feature debut in the controversial addiction drama Surrender Dorothy, with subsequent small-screen roles in Third Watch and Sex and the City only serving to contribute to her rapidly growing profile in film and television. Of course, a move from New York to Los Angeles also may have had something to due with her landing more film roles, and though she would appear under her real name, Elizabeth Mitchell, in the 2000 action thriller Shaft, she soon had to change her name to avoid conflict with another actress who had already established a career under that surname. Undaunted, Banks forged on with roles in the cult comedy Wet Hot American Summer and the romantic drama Ordinary Sinner in 2001, with a supporting performance as Betty Brant in the 2002 box-office smash Spider-Man providing her most substantial onscreen performance to date. With roles opposite Madonna in Swept Away and Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can, it was obvious that Banks' career was on the rise, but it was her winning performance in Seabiscuit that truly put her on the map. Though the Screen Actors Guild award that the she and the cast were nominated for would ultimately go to the cast of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, it was obvious to all who had been following her career that Banks was only at the beginning of her Hollywood ascent. In 2003, Banks appeared in the drama The Trade before reprising her role as Betty Brant for Spider-Man 2, and with increasingly prominent roles in Heights, The Sisters, and The Baxter scheduled through 2005, audiences could rest assured that they would be seeing plenty more of Banks in the years to come.By the time Banks turned in a standout supporting role as a bookstore employee who may hold the means of solving The 40 Year Old Virgin's titular dilemma in the 2005 Steve Carell hit, it seemed that she was an actress capable of brightening most any screen. A substantial role as a small-town trophy wife in director James Gunn's comic-frightener Slither found Banks having noticable fun in front of the cameras, with a pair of appearances on the popular television medical comedy Scrubs preceding a more serious-minded turn in the inspirational 2006 sports drama Invincible.2008 was a very busy year for Banks in which she continued to build her career as a comedic presence in films as varied as Role Models, Meet Dave, and Kevin Smith's Zack and Miri Make a Porno, and was also allowed to stretch her dramatic wings as Laura Bush in Oliver Stone's biopic W. In 2009 she first played the role of a conservative television commentator who becomes a romantic partner for Alec Baldwin's character on the award-winning sitcom 30 Rock, a role she would return to intermittently for the next few years. In 2011 she co-starred in the comedy Our Idiot Brother, and in 2012 she had a supporting part in the phenomenally successful adaptation of The Hunger Games.

Trivia: Tony-nominated, Drama Desk award-winning actress Anna Kendrick got her start on the stage before segueing into film with roles in the Todd Graff musical comedy Camp and Spellbound director Jeffrey Blitz's post-Napoleon Dynamite teen misfit comedy Rocket Science. Cast in the latter as the love interest of a stuttering high-school student seeking to steady his voice by joining the debate team, Kendrick charmed viewers with her effervescent radiance before taking the lead as a teen desperately searching for her missing best friend in cinematographer-turned-director Nathan Hope's 2007 thriller Elsewhere. Later that same year, Kendrick could be seen opposite Ben Stiller and Jason Schwartzman in director Todd Louiso's arrested-development comedy The Marc Pease Experience. In 2008 she landed a recurring part in the highly successful Twilight series, but her real breakthrough came in 2009 with her Oscar-nominated turn opposite George Clooney in Up in the Air. In 2010 she appeared in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, and a year later she earned strong reviews playing a psychiatrist counseling a young cancer victim in 50/50. In 2012 she was in the ensemble pregnancy comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting, lent her voice to the animated film ParaNorman, and scored a huge hit with the a capella comedy Pitch Perfect.

Trivia: Wasn't named after the New York City borough, but rather after a horse that belonged to her mother's friend. Neither of her parents had been to NYC prior to her birth. Was discovered at 16 in a shopping mall and began her career modeling prom dresses. Used the money from her first runway job to buy her junior-prom dress. Had Elton John perform at her wedding to tennis pro Andy Roddick. Had modeled for Sports Illustrated for five years before making the cover of their swimsuit edition in 2010. Studied acting while traveling for her modeling career and had her first major film role in the 2011 Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It.

Trivia: Handsome, well-built and able to communicate a rangy sort of charm in front of the camera, Dennis Quaid possesses many star qualities. Despite attaining heartthrob status for his work in such films as The Big Easy, however, Quaid has had a difficult time maintaining this status, thanks in part to work in a number of films that have failed to fully exploit his talent.The son of an electrician and younger brother of actor Randy Quaid, Dennis was born in Houston, Texas on April 9, 1954. He began acting in high school, and in college he enrolled in a drama program. He dropped out at the age of 20 to follow his brother to Hollywood and spent the next year mired in rejection and relative unemployment. He got his first break in 1977 when he was cast in minor roles in I Never Promised You a Rose Garden and 9/30/55, but it was not until 1979, when he starred in the seminal coming-of-age drama Breaking Away, that Quaid gained attention. It was his role as astronaut Gordo Cooper in The Right Stuff four years later that finally gave the actor his Hollywood breakthrough. He subsequently went on to appear in a number of films of widely varying quality. 1987 proved to be a particularly good year for Quaid, as he did acclaimed work in The Big Easy and Suspect. That same year, he also starred in the comedy Innerspace; that experience proved to be an auspicious one, as it provided him with an introduction to co-star Meg Ryan, whom he would marry in 1991. The two also starred together in the 1988 mystery D.O.A. and in the crime drama Flesh and Bone in 1993. Other notable roles for Quaid included that of wild man Jerry Lee Lewis in Great Balls of Fire (1989), a 1930s union organizer in Come See the Paradise (1990), and Meryl Streep's love interest in Postcards From the Edge (1990). During a large part of the '90s, Quaid starred in a string of disappointing films, including the disastrous Wyatt Earp (1994) and the failed medieval fantasy Dragonheart (1996). He made something of a comeback in 1998, appearing in the ensemble film Playing By Heart and the successful remake of The Parent Trap, in which he starred opposite Natasha Richardson. The following year, he had a starring role as a Miami football team's legendary quarterback in Oliver Stone's Any Given Sunday, and then starred in the supernatural thriller Frequency (2000) as a dead man who is able to communicate with his son (James Caviezel) over ham radio. Though both films proved moderately successful, it was two-years-later that Quaid would truly return to the good graces of critics with his striking turn in director Todd Haynes' Far From Heaven. As a closeted homosexual husband living a typical suburban dream in 1950s era Connecticut, Quaid's sensitive performance proved integral to convincingly recreating the tone of a Douglas Sirk era melodrama. Quaid portrayed a middle-aged man whose life is turned upside-down by the arrival of a young upstart who takes over his job in 2004's comedy drama Good Company, and appeared in The Alamo and Flight of the Phoenix the same year. Despite Quaid's involvement in several commercial and critical failures throughout the 2000s (The Day After Tomorrow, American Dreamz, Cold Creek Manor), the actor shone as widower Lawrence Wetherhold in Smart People (2008), and again as the stern Reverend Shaw Moore in 2011's Footloose reboot. Quaid appeared in the ensemble film What To Expect When You're Expecting, had a supporting role in the 2012 romcom Playing for Keeps and was in the anthology film Movie 43 (2013).

Trivia: Texas native Chace Crawford first made an impression on moviegoers as a prep-school warlock in Renny Harlin's supernatural teen horror film The Covenant before portraying the missing teen whose belated reunion with his mother sparks a series of troubling questions in the Lifetime made-for-television mystery Long Lost Son. While his million-dollar smile and azure gaze virtually ensured a steady teen fan base, Crawford proved that he wasn't afraid to tarnish his Tiger Beat image by appearing as a hard-partying club kid in director Alan Pao's lurid crime drama Loaded. In fall 2007, the actor found his breakthrough role as a prep-school golden boy on the CW's Gossip Girl; his character, Nate Archibald, yearned to break free of the pre-planned life his parents had laid out for him, and had his share of romantic drama as well. In 2008 he acted in The Haunting of Molly Hartley. He appeared Twelve in 2010. 2012 found him part of the ensemble in the comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting.

Trivia: Irreverent sketch comic Rob Huebel gained recognition for producing episodes of several of television's most popular comedy showcases during the 1990s, including Michael Moore's politically charged The Awful Truth and Comedy Central's The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Huebel also appeared in guest roles on the sitcoms Arrested Development and Curb Your Enthusiasm. In 2007, Huebel, Aziz Ansari, and Paul Scheer signed with MTV as the lead players in Human Giant, a weekly compendium of offbeat and humorous short films.

Trivia: Participated in community theater throughout Southern Illinois. Scored paid gigs on camera as a youth, through his father's production company, PoleStar Productions. Performed annually in a sketch-comedy show on New Year's Eve in Springfield, Illinois, with his brother and father. Wrote songs for the animated series The Looney Tunes Show. Performs with the Groundlings improv troupe, where he met wife Melissa McCarthy.

Trivia: South Carolina-born African American comedian Chris Rock grew up in Brooklyn and projected a marked aptitude for comedy early in life. Rock traveled the New York club circuit during his adolescence, so aggressively and persistently that he established himself as a seasoned veteran by his late teens. He happened to be performing at the New York Comedy Strip c. 1984, when his break arrived in the form of an audience visit by one Eddie Murphy. Deeply impressed with the then eighteen-year-old rising star, Murphy cast him in his forthcoming Beverly Hills Cop II (1987), as a parking valet. It hardly constituted a breakout performance, but the role and newfound connection with Eddie Murphy helped Rock land a couple of small supporting roles, and eventually a spot on NBC's hallowed Saturday Night Live, from 1990-93. During his SNL stint, Rock also periodically guest-starred in fellow comedian Keenan Ivory Wayans' African American sketch comedy series In Living Color. In 1991, Rock broke from comedy in favor of a more dramatic role, and his performance as a surprisingly innocent crack addict-cum-informant in Mario Van Peebles' New Jack City attracted a substantial amount of favorable attention; Roger Ebert praised Rock as "effortlessly authentic and convincing."One could argue with some foundation that the role in New Jack City is indicative of Rock's driving force (i.e., the politics of modern society and race within the contextual framework of American culture). Although Rock employs comedic delivery, many of his favorite topics are quite grave, and Rock's ability to confront these issues, cloaked in ribald humor, helped launch his career during the late '90s. While his 1993 screenwriting debut, on Tamra Davis's CB4: The Movie, received lukewarm reviews at best, Rock established himself as a household name after his scathing HBO comedy special Bring the Pain (1996) earned him two Emmy awards and a significantly larger fan base. The same year, he received a third Emmy for his work as a writer and correspondent for Comedy Central's Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher. Then, in 1997, the successes of Rock's stand-up, his contributions to Saturday Night Live and In Living Color, his film roleass, and his work on Bring the Pain collectively inspired HBO to sign Rock for a sketch comedy series, The Chris Rock Show, that ran from 1997 to 2000. The program borrowed the formats of Saturday Night Live and In Living Color, yet it upped the vulgarity, volatility, and presence of hot-button contemporary issues - in addition to the intelligence. In addition to Rock, the program featured a cast of up-and-coming African American comics, such as Wanda Sykes and Mario Joyner. The program ran to sensational reviews. Rock's film career expanded throughout the late '90s, and the young comic won particular notice for his role as a hot-headed law enforcement agent in 1998's Lethal Weapon 4 opposite Danny Glover and Mel Gibson, and later for Kevin Smith's irreverent Dogma(1999), as a bitter apostle of Jesus. He also published a book titled Rock This! with much success. Though Dogma received mixed reviews, in 1999 Rock mounted his second HBO comedy special, Bigger & Blacker, which found the comedian addressing topics from gun control to Bill Clinton and proper parenting techniques. In late 2000, Rock played an obnoxious hitman equipped with an incredibly inventive string of obscenities in Neil La Bute's controversial black comedy Nurse Betty, alongside Renee Zellweger and Morgan Freeman.In 2001, Rock put his screenwriting abilities to the test in Down to Earth, a remake of 1941's Here Comes Mr. Jordan, and again in Pootie Tang, a feature spin-off of one of the characters from The Chris Rock Show. In 2001, Rock voiced one of the characters in Steven Spielberg's A.I.: Artificial Intelligence and another in Osmosis Jones, and rejoined Kevin Smith for a cameo in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. In 2002, Rock was one of several comedians featured in Christian Charles' documentary Comedian, and in the same year starred opposite Oscar-winner Anthony Hopkins as a CIA spy in the Joel Schumacher-directed action comedy dud Bad Company. Rock then directed, co-wrote and starred in 2003's Head of State as an unlikely presidential candidate for the Democratic party.Head of State divided critics; most felt nonplussed, or espoused mixed feelings, such as The Los Angeles Times's Manohla Dargis, who mused, " Rock can't set up a decent-looking shot, and… doesn't care about niceties such as character development… but…nonetheless wrings biting humor from serious issues with the… ferocity [of]… Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce." After Head, Rock's big screen activity diminished just a bit; he voiced Marty the Zebra in the CG-animated, family-oriented features Madagascar (2005) and Madagascar 2 (2008), but his most frequent turn during this period arrived in the form of a new semiautobiographical sitcom on UPN, Everybody Hates Chris, that debuted in September 2005. As written and produced by Rock, it cast Tyler James Williams as a younger version of the comedian, during the early '80s, who lives in the steel-tough area of Bedford-Stuyvesant and is bused, each day, to a school full of Italian Americans. As narrated by Rock, this sweet, gentle, nostalgic and witty program caught everyone off guard and drew outstanding ratings during late 2005 "TV Sweeps"; New York Times correspondent Alessandra Stanley was certainly not alone when she praised it as "charming" and compared it favorably to The Cosby Show - high praise, indeed.In 2007, Rock returned to cinemas, posing a quadruple threat (writer/producer/ director/star) with the adults-only sex comedy I Think I Love My Wife. In that picture (a remake of Eric Rohmer's Chloe in the Afternoon!) Rock plays Richard Cooper, a suburban investment banker saddled with a wife and two kids, who finds it increasingly difficult to avoid delving into a rich world of sexual fantasies, and then to avoid an imminent affair with a gorgeous "old friend" (Kerry Washington) seeking career advice. I Think I Love My Wife took its stateside bow in mid-March 2007, to reviews as mixed as anything in Rock's prior career; most critics either loved or hated it; a few responded ambivalently. Rock took on a supporting role in 2012's What to Expect When You're Expecting, and voiced the character of Marty the Zebra in Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted the same year. He resprised his role in Grown Ups 2 in 2013. In 2014, he wrote, directed and starred in Top Five.

Trivia: Brazilian-born actor Rodrigo Santoro discovered his interest in performing, like a lot of actors, while he was still a teenager. He would sometimes travel from his suburban home to nearby Rio de Janeiro for auditions, though his efforts wouldn't pay off until he'd already moved to the city. He was in his first semester of college when he was cast in a Brazilian soap opera, which he worked on while still living in the dorms. Santoro continued to work in his home country, soon transitioning to the big screen, where he gained more and more fame, as well as critical respect. Then, in 2003, Canadian producer Robert Allan Ackerman contacted Santoro after seeing him give such impressive performances in Brazilian cinema. Ackerman offered him a role in his TV movie The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone, starring Helen Mirren, Anne Bancroft, and Brian Dennehy. Santoro jumped at the chance to work with such great actors and hopefully transition into North American film, and sure enough, after filming wrapped, he was offered a role in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle. Next, he played the office mate and potential love interest of Laura Linney in Love Actually, and by 2007, Santoro had a major role in one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, playing Xerxes, king of Persia, in the action-packed 300. Santoro also joined the third season of the hit prime-time drama series Lost in 2006, but protective fans of the show didn't take well to the addition of a new character, so his tenure with the series was short.

Trivia: One of the few members of the New York-based MTV comedy troupe "The State" to hail from the Midwest, Chicagoan comedian Thomas Lennon is also an accomplished screenwriter.Born in Oak Park, IL, on August 9, 1970, Lennon attended New York University as an undergraduate in the late '80s, at a point when Todd Holoubek -- a member of the campus sketch comedy team "Sterile Yak" -- abandoned that earlier group in favor of forming an alternative improvisational ensemble, christened "The New Group." Comprised largely of freshmen, the team blended film, video, and live performance in its live audience shows. Lennon joined the ensemble, as did fellow coeds Kevin Allison, Michael Ian Black, Ben Garant, Michael Patrick Jann, Kerri Kenney, Joe Lo Truglio, Ken Marino, Michael Showalter, and David Wain. Following a series of original shows (which began with "I'm Rubber, You're Glue"), The New Group landed its first gig as the opening act for Dennis Miller during one of the comedian's appearances at NYU, circa 1990. He paid them 1,000 dollars total. In the early '90s, Lennon made several short films, including The Waiters, which ran on the Bravo network; meanwhile, after MTV formally rejected the ensemble's pitch for a weekly series, Wain worked with the others to shoot demos for the MTV series You Wrote It, You Watch It, which catalyzed the network's interest. At that point, The New Group changed its name to "The State: Full Frontal Comedy." They landed an official series on MTV in 1993, boosted by an appearance on The Jon Stewart Show, in which they completely demolished the comedian's set. Over the course of the first two years, ratings skyrocketed, carrying the series through several seasons. It wrapped in 1997.During the series' run, Lennon wrote much of the material, including the popular "Monkey Torture" sketch. After the show ended, he joined cast members Kerri Kenney and Michael Ian Black to create the Comedy Central variety show spoof Viva Variety, based on an old sketch from The State. Lennon transitioned to features by voicing the documentarian character in the hit comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous, the feature-film debut of State director Michael Patrick Jann. Lennon also appeared in the feature films Memento, Out Cold, and Boat Trip, as well as TV commercials for various candy items and video-game platforms. Returning to the television series format, Lennon sustained a recurring role in the short-lived ABC medical drama MDs. He then reunited with Kenney and other State members to create the reality cop show spoof Reno 911!, starring himself as pretty-boy Lieutenant Jim Dangle. Directed by Jann, the show became a hit on Comedy Central in 2003.Lennon maintained a busy schedule in 2004, with supporting roles in the A-list romantic comedies A Guy Thing, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, and Le Divorce. That same year, he also did screenwriting work (alongside many others) on Todd Phillips's Starsky & Hutch (2004), and the terribly received action comedy Taxi, starring Queen Latifah and Jimmy Fallon. While Reno 911! continued through 2005, Lennon contributed to the scripts of such mainstream releases as Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005), The Pacifier (2005), Night at the Museum (2006), and Let's Go to Prison!2007 saw the young comedian and scenarist involved in his most ambitious project to date. He posed a triple threat as cast member, executive producer, and screenwriter of that year's Balls of Fury, directed by fellow "Stater" Ben Garant, one of the major forces behind Reno 911! He was cast in Hancock and the comedy I Love You, Man. In 2009 he co-wrote Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. He had a small but crucial role in 2011's Cedar Rapids, and appeared in the comedies Bad Teacher and What's Your Number?Lennon lives with his wife, Jenny Robertson, in Los Angeles.

Trivia: Played football, basketball and volleyball at his Pittsburgh high school. Attended Carnegie Mellon University at the same time as Matt Bomer; the two later co-starred in Magic Mike. Toured with the band Goldfinger as a roadie. Made his film debut as Eugene "Flash" Thompson in the 2002 adaptation of the Marvel comic-book series Spider-Man. In lieu of wedding gifts, he and Sofia Vergara asked guests to donate money to Pittsburgh Children's Hospital and St. Jude's Children's Hospital.

Trivia: One of Hollywood's standbys for playing Indian and Indian-American characters during the 2000s, Amir Talai divided his time between bit roles in features (Legally Blonde 2, The Pursuit of Happyness), and guest spots on television series including Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Gilmore Girls, and Family Guy. In 2007, Talai signed for the role of Raza opposite John Cho and Kal Penn in the stoner comedy Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008). In 2012 he appeared in the hit ensemble comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting.

Trivia: Parents show dogs professionally. Encouraged her siblings, Ryot and Liberty, to try out for the first season of Amazing Race Australia. Contracted malaria while serving a year in South Africa as a Rotary International Youth Ambassador from Australia. Became a spokeswoman for Jenny Craig in Australia in 2011. Trained at the New York Film Academy and the Second City Training Center, after receiving a scholarship via the Australian Theatre for Young People. Launched her own clothing line, for Torrid, in 2015.

Trivia: Best known for her role as Deputy Clementine Johnson on the series Reno 911! between 2003 and 2009, actress and comedian Wendi McLendon-Covey has also garnered fans as a member of the popular Groundlings improv troupe. Following her run on Reno 911!, McLendon-Covey began making more appearances on the big screen, in films like 2010's Public Relations and 2011's Bridesmaids -- the later of which found the emergnig actress scoring her biggest mainstream hit to date. Meanwhile, the former Reno 911! star could once again be seen on the small screen thanks to a recurring role on the hit sitcom The Rules of Engagement.

Trivia: Recorded a "triple-double" (29 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) in Marquette's 2003 NCAA Tournament upset of Kentucky, sending the school to the Final Four for the first time in 25 years. Was the fourth first-round NBA draft pick (No. 3 overall) from Marquette. Ranked atop the U.S. list for NBA jersey sales for the 2005-06 season. Won Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year award in 2006. Named to Esquire's Best Dressed Men in the World lists for 2006 and 2007. Wears uniform No. 3 to represent the Holy Trinity. Hosts an annual Christmas party for kids in the Miami area and a three-day children's camp in his hometown of Robbins, IL.

Trivia: A familiar face for fans of the pseudo-reality series The Hills, Whitney Port first became known to audiences when she worked as an intern for Teen Vogue magazine alongside series star Lauren Conrad. The California native became friends with Conrad and the rest of the cast during the show's first season, and appeared again throughout seasons two and three. In 2008, Port was given her own spin-off series, The City, following Port as she moves to New York to work for designer Diane Von Furstenberg. She played herself in a cameo appearance in the comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting.

Trivia: Actress Megan Mullally was born in Los Angeles in 1958, to a family with show business roots -- her father, Carter Mullally Jr., was an actor who became a contract player with Paramount Pictures during the 1950s. In 1965, with Carter's career on the wane, Mullally's parents pulled up roots and moved to Oklahoma City, OK, where her family had become quite wealthy raising livestock. Megan picked up the performing bug from her father, and developed a passionate interest in music and especially dance. By the time Megan was a high school student, she'd performed as a featured soloist with the Ballet Oklahoma troupe in Oklahoma City, and during summer vacations she studied with George Balanchine's School of American Ballet in New York City. Her interest in classical dance eventually grew into a desire to act, and while attending Northwestern University, she began appearing in student theater productions. After graduating, Mullally moved to Chicago, where she immersed herself in the city's rich and varied local theater scene. In 1983, she won her first film role, playing a hooker in Risky Business, and in 1986 she relocated to Los Angeles after being cast on a television series, The Ellen Burstyn Show. However, the series proved short-lived, and Mullally was soon busying herself with guest spots on a number of different shows. Mullally continued to work in the theater, and in 1994 fulfilled a longtime dream when she scored a role in the Broadway revival of Grease. The next year, she earned a high-profile role in another noted Broadway musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (playing opposite Matthew Broderick), while continuing to work in television projects. Mullally's dedication and focus finally paid off in 1998, when she was cast as Karen Walker, a self-centered former socialite-turned-office assistant on the popular situation comedy series Will and Grace. A major ratings success, Will and Grace catapulted Mullally into the spotlight, and she won an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and an American Comedy Award for her work on the show. When not busy with Will and Grace, Mullally continues to pursue other projects, playing featured roles in the films Everything Put Together and Monkeybone and starring in a one-woman musical, Sweetheart, in which she shows off her talents as a singer. (Mullally has also released an album of songs from the show, which she produced herself.)Mullally would continue her successful career on Broadway while enjoying the long running success of Will and Grace, and would go on to appear in other successful TV series as well, like In the Motherhood, Party Down, Childrens' Hospital, and Parks and Recreation.

Trivia: Has been dancing since the age of four. Modelled and appeared in advertisements as a child. At the age of nine, won a place at the Royal Ballet Summer School in London, against 9.000 contestants. In 2003 was charged with racially aggravated assault, and was sentenced to 120 hours of community service. Got malaria after a trip to Tanzania. Was the winning judge of 2008's The X Factor after Alexandra Burke was crowned the winner. Climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with Kimberley Walsh in 2009 for Comic Relief. Her song "Fight For This Love" was certified platinum in 2009 and was the fourth best-selling album of that year in the UK. Embarked on her first solo concert tour in October 2012, with proceeds from a meet and greet tickets going to The Cheryl Cole Foundation. To support her Trust, Greggs donated 5p from the sale of its limited edition Belgian Chocolate Crunch Bar to the charity in 2015. Received a Philanthropist Award at the 7th Annual Global Gift Gala in 2016. Became the face of Childline in 2016. Announced the end of her relationship with Liam Payne in July 2018.

Trivia: Dancer and choreographer Tyce Diorio earned his celebrity status through years of intense work with major recording artists like Janet Jackson, Ricky Martin, and Jennifer Lopez. Eventually, TV audiences became familiar with Diorio for his work as a choreographer and guest judge on the reality series So You Think You Can Dance and a featured judge on Master of Dance.

Trivia: At age 5, danced at quinceañeras (birthday parties for turning 15). Took lessons in Jeet Kune Do, a martial art, as a child. Once worked at Disneyland cleaning up after horses. Joined music group Black Eyed Peas in 1995. Made feature-film debut in the 2005 crime drama Dirty. Was a substance abuser until a car crash in 2007 resulted in jail time and prompted him to go into rehab for the addictions. In 2010 premiered a brand of footwear called Taboo Deltah 3008. Released his autobiography, Fallin' Up: My Story, in 2011. Has stated that acting, not music, is his main passion.

Trivia: An actress best known as Dorothy "Tootie" Ramsey, the lone African American student and consummate gossip at the exclusive Eastland Preparatory School for Women on NBC's sitcom The Facts of Life (1979-1988), Kim Fields actually appeared on several popular series in the 1970s-2000s. The Big Apple native grew up in a single-parent household and began acting in commercials well before she reached her teens, making her most widely seen appearance on an advertisement for Mrs. Butterworth's syrup. She made her foray into acting with scattered guest appearances on Good Times in 1978 and signed for the Facts of Life role one year later, at the age of 10, when Norman Lear (the producer of both Times and Facts) tapped her for that part. Fields remained with the program for its entire nine-year run, a run that witnessed numerous changes in the show's lineup and format, including the replacement of star Charlotte Rae with Cloris Leachman, and a change of venue in 1985. About five years after Facts folded in 1988, Fields scored her second major coup with a much different multiseason role as Regine Hunter, a loose, money-hungry employee of a clothing boutique on the urban-oriented Queen Latifah sitcom Living Single (1993-1998). Fields spent the following years appearing in scattered features, such as the 2000 telemovie Hidden Blessings and the 2001 telemovie Facts of Life Reunion (which reunited her with several of her ex-costars), and making guest appearances on programs including The Drew Carey Show and The Division; she also took time out to start a family.

Trivia: Her parents named her after the British rock band Genesis. Began school at the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart when she was only 2-and-a-half. During her early acting days, she had a recurring role on Days of Our Lives, as Becky Ferrer. In 2014, was named in a list of 8 Young Women Poised to Take Over Hollywood by Elle magazine. Is fluent in both Spanish and English and has had many roles on both American and Spanish television shows. Has done work as a L'Oreal Paris USA brand ambassador.

Trivia: Grew up in Atlanta, Georgia.Moved to Los Angeles in 1991.Had a one-woman-show called Sorry to Keep You Waiting.Worked as a Development Assistant for Lifetime Television's Original Movies Department.Moved back to New York City in 1997 to work for A&E Television's Biography.Author of the 2007 cookbook You Want Me To Bring A Dish? published by Lulu Press.

Trivia: Began singing in public at the age of 13 when she joined her church's choir. Was a cheerleader in high school. Made her film debut in The Color Purple (1985), in which she performed a solo rendition of "God Is Tryin' to Tell You Something." Entered college intending to become a doctor, majoring in biology and minoring in chemistry. Shortly after graduation, however, she decided to pursue a career in show business. Lived in Okinawa, Japan, from 1995 to 2001 with her then-husband, who was in the Marines. During their stay, she carved out a successful singing career in the area and appeared in two Japanese TV commercials. Performed at Atlanta's Sambuca Jazz Café every week from 2002 until it closed in December 2010. Volunteers with BookPALS, which promotes literacy to young children through storytelling activities.

Trivia: Took acting classes in Atlanta during college. Moved from Georgia to Los Angeles following her college graduation to pursue her acting career. Was a member of a Los Angeles-based improv-comedy troupe called Beef Dreams. Studied and performed with Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. Appeared in a 2013 Toyota commercial titled A Big Responsibility. Acted in several skits for Funny or Die.

Trivia: Matthew J. Morrison's first big break came in 2004, when he played a busboy in an episode of Sex and the City. Before that, he primarily worked on Broadway, originating the role of Link Larkin in Hairspray and earning a Tony nomination for his work in The Light in the Piazza. He'd go on to make a number of other guest appearances on shows like Law & Order and CSI: Miami, and even took on a recurring role, playing Adam Munson on As the World Turns for much of 2006. In 2009, Morrison took on a starring role, playing Will Scheuster in the series Glee. He gained massive exposure from the hugely popular show, and henceforth became a well known face, as well as voice, releasing studio albums as a signer and entertaining a career on Broadway. Surprisingly, he hasn't tried to parlay his success into movies, with only a supporting role in What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012) under his belt since Glee premiered.