Trivia: Handsome actor Ryan Reynolds may be best known to television viewers for his role in the popular Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place, though if it weren't for his close friend Chris Martin, Reynolds' star may have not risen quite as smoothly as it did. Born in 1976, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, to a food wholesaler father and a retail store saleswoman, Reynolds harbored an affection for acting from his early youth, and was undeterred after failing a drama class at the age of twelve. Making his television debut two years later on the Nickelodeon show Fifteen, the aspiring youngster crossed the border and relocated to Florida for the taping of the show, moving back to Vancouver soon after production ceased in 1991. Turning up in numerous television series such as Sabrina the Teenage Witch and made-for-TV movies in the following years, Reynolds soon grew despondent that his career was not moving along as smoothly as he wished. Recognizing his friend's frustrations, fellow actor Martin suggested that the two pick up and head for the Hollywood hills. Crashing in a cheap hotel and having his jeep stripped and rolled down a hill did little to raise Reynolds' spirits, though the determined actor carried on, landing his role on Two Guys in 1997. The only actor to read for the role of Berg, Reynolds won the favor of the producers and was soon on his way to success in the States. Following with roles in the teen horror comedy Boltneck (1998) and later Dick (1999) and Finder's Fee (2000), Reynolds soon began assuming his position among the hot young actors of the early millennium, taking the lead in 2001 for Van Wilder.Prominent roles in more high-profile films followed, including the part of Hannibal King in 2004's Blade Trinity, and the lead role of George Lutz in the 2005 remake of the classic horror movie The Amityville Horror. He soon followed this up with starring roles in two comedies: 2005's Waiting and Just Friends. With his career on a meteoric path upward, he continued to branch, snagging starring roles in films like the supernatural thriller The Nines, and the romantic comedy Definitely Maybe, eventually signing on to play the character of Deadpool in the next installment in the X-Men franchise X-Men Origins: Wolverine, as well as starring alongside Sandra Bullock in the romantic comedy The Proposal. Officially having made the transition into Leading Man Actor, Reynolds took a few unexpected roles in smaller films, playing supporting characters in 2009's Adventureland and making a quirky comedic turn in 2010's Paper Man. By 2011, however, Reynolds was ready to get back in the game, taking the lead in the super hero movie Green Lantern. The next year he appeared alongside Denzel Washington in the action thriller Safe House. He made cameo appearances in two Seth MacFarlane films, Ted and A Million Ways to Die in the West, and voiced a character in the animated film The Croods.

Trivia: Difficult to recognize in her natural blonde state following her turn as a raven-haired Neve Campbell knockoff in Scary Movie (2000), Anna Faris made her professional acting debut at the tender age of nine at Washington's Seattle Repertory Theater. Refining her skills in improvisational theater, Faris later found roles in commercials and small local productions, though her future as an actress came into question as she pursued further education and a move overseas. Born November 29, 1976, Faris was raised in Seattle and studied English Literature at the University of Washington after high school, later moving to London to begin working and writing. Longing to return to her childhood love of acting, Faris took a role in the run-of-the-mill teen slasher pic Lover's Lane (1999). Making the move to Los Angeles in order to pursue an acting career full time, Faris' previous improvisational experiences would soon come in handy as she landed her breakthrough role in the popular Scream-slanted spoof of teen slasher pics, Scary Movie. Of course that role was only the beginning for young Faris, and after returning in Scary Movie 2 the following year she portrayed the co-worker and love interest of the titular character in director Lucky McKee's offbeat sleeper May. A supporting role in the Rob Schneider comedy The Hot Chick was followed by the little-seen Sheer Bliss in 2002, and the following year Faris once again scored a hit with her portrayal of a self absorbed starlet in Sofia Coppola's critically acclaimed Lost in Translation. Though it may have been something of a given that Faris would return to the screen for Scary Movie 3 in 2003, many longtime fans were surprised to see her sporting her original blonde locks - a move that effectively banished the previous installments' Neve Campbell connection and forced audiences to take Faris' finely honed comic abilities on their own terms. In 2004 the talented comic actress would make a series of appearances on the hit sitcom Friends. 2005 found her yet again being the very best aspect of an otherwise underwhelming comedy, Just Friends. However her few scenes in the multiple Oscar winning Brokeback Mountain showcased her remarkable skills, and allowed her to be funny while still showcasing her in a more dramatic context. She returned to the Scary Movie franchise for a fourth time in 2006, but she also showed up to support Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson, and Rainn Wilson in Ivan Reitman's comedy My Super Ex-Girlfriend. In 2007, Faris joined actors Jon Heder, Jeff Daniels, and DIane Keaton for Mama's Boy, and shone in the stoner comdy Smiley Face. Her peformance in the latter film won the "Stoner of the Year" award at High Times magazines 2007 Stony Awards, and further endeared the actress to her already loyal fan following. 2008 found Faris producing and starring in The House Bunny. Featuring a cameo appearance from Hef's famous girlfriends Holly, Bridget, and Kendra, the film followed a retired Playboy bunny (Faris) as she tried to make a life for heself outside the doors of the famous Playboy mansion. Faris put her vocal talents to the test once more for 2009's Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, and as the lead singer of an all-girl band iin Alvin and the Chipmunk:The Squeakquel (also in 2009), and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked (2011). Faris also continued to stick to her comedy roots with on-screen performances in the retro '80s comedy Take Me Home Tonight and rom-com What Your Number? (both 2011), before holding her own opposite Sacha Baron Cohen in his 2012 comedy The Dictator.

Trivia: An actor whose wide, affable grin and heavy eyebrows lend him an uncanny resemblance to Tim Allen, Justin Long unwittingly became a footnote to the illustrious history of Britney Spears' ascent to world domination when he appeared with the post-pubescent entertainer in her 2002 film debut, Crossroads. Cast as Britney's prom date, Long shared a kiss with the singer that earned him breathless adulation on Britney websites everywhere.Three years before he locked lips with the peppy pop star, Long made his screen debut as a sci-fi geek in Galaxy Quest, a quirky genre parody that starred Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, and Long's would-be doppelganger, Allen. He then landed a role on the TV sitcom Ed (2000), which he followed in 2001 with a part as a lonely bunkmate in Happy Campers. That same year, he starred in Jeepers Creepers, a sleeper comedy-horror outing that cast him as one of two siblings terrorized by an inhuman monster. Long subsequently appeared in Crossroads, sealing his newfound popularity among teenage girls with a kiss.In 2003, Long popped up briefly in the sequel Jeepers Creepers 2 while continuing to appear on Ed. However, the following year saw the conclusion of Ed and Long embarked on his film career full-time. First up was the sports comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Stealing scenes while co-starring with the likes of Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller, Long proved to critics and audiences alike that his comedic skills could translate from the small-screen to the big one with ease. In the wake of Dodgeball's box-office success, audience's could next find the actor starring in the independent films Raising Genius and Waiting... and adding his voice to the Bill Plympton film Hair High. He appeared opposite Linday Lohan in Herbie: Fully Loaded, executing a perfect pratfall worthy of silent film comics in once scene. In 2006 he was one of the two leads in a series of witty television advertisements for Apple computers directed by Junebug's Phil Morrison. With Accepted, about a high-school graduate who starts his own college after being rejected by the institutions to which he applied, Long was finally allowed to take the lead in a big-screen comedy. The following year found the rising star voicing everyone's favorite singing squirrel in Alvin and the Chipmunks (a role that he would reprise in both the 2009 and 2011 sequels), and in 2001 Long returned to the small screen for a recurring role in FOX comedy series New Girl.

Trivia: Though he would remain one of the comedy world's best-kept secrets through the later half of the 1990s, improvisational comic-turned-actor David Koechner, (born August 24, 1962) later made a successful transition from SNL and Late Night With Conan O'Brien funnyman to supporting feature player roles when word of his talent spread, thanks to stellar supporting parts in such wide-release films as A Guy Thing and Anchorman. The Tipton, MO, native studied political science at the University of Missouri, with a subsequent career in the family business (manufacturing turkey coops) narrowly averted by a post-college move to Chicago. It was there that Koechner attempted to master his comic skills under the tutelage of improv master Del Close, with further studies at the Windy City's ImprovOlympic cementing the skills of the up-and-coming talent. A subsequent stint at Chicago's Second City Theater led to Koechner's lucky break when he was whisked away by SNL creator Lorne Michaels to become a player in the long-running weekly comedy mainstay. Though he would remain with SNL for merely one season, Koechner continued to impress on the small screen as a performer on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in the 1996-1997 season. As his reputation continued to grow due to appearances on such popular shows as Mad About You and Dharma & Greg, Koechner also made an impression in features thanks to small but memorable roles in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Man on the Moon, and My Boss's Daughter. Though he would continue to work in minor capacity on the small screen, Koechner seemed to be focusing on features at this point in his career, with a turn as a chauvinistic sportscaster in the 2004 Will Ferrell comedy Anchorman offering what was perhaps his most substantial feature performance to date. Koechner played a tobacco lobbyist in 2005's media satire Thankyou for Smoking, and reunited with Will Ferrell to for a supporting role in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby in 2006. In 2008 he joined the cast of Get Smart, the big-screen adaptation of Mel Brooks' popular 1960s-era comedy series, and proved himself no stranger to camp in Final Destination 5 (2011) and Piranha 3DD (2012).

Trivia: A well-respected character actor who specializes in playing tough guys with a heart, Luis Guzman has appeared in a dizzying array of film and television productions since he began his professional acting career in the early 1980s.Born August 28, 1956, Guzman graduated from City College and worked for some years as a youth counselor at the Henry Street Settlement House. During his time as a social worker, he began performing in street theatre and independent films. Guzman got his first big break in the early '80s with a role on the popular TV series Miami Vice. He went on to work sporadically in film and television throughout the rest of the decade, appearing in such films as Sidney Lumet's Family Business and Ridley Scott's Black Rain (both 1989).Guzman's work schedule grew increasingly crowded as the 1990s progressed; kicking off the decade with an appearance in another Lumet piece, Q & A (1990), the actor began popping up in films ranging from romantic comedy (Anthony Minghella's Mr. Wonderful, 1993) to crime drama (Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way, 1993) to gay and lesbian historical docudrama (Nigel Finch's Stonewall, 1995). Thanks to directors Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson, Guzman became more readily recognizable in the late 1990s. For Soderbergh, he had substantial roles in Out of Sight (1998), which cast him as a prisoner whose planned escape is ruined by George Clooney; and The Limey (1999), in which he played Terence Stamp's gruff but good-hearted partner in revenge. For Anderson, Guzman appeared in both Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999), playing a wannabe porn star in the former and a game show contestant in the latter. 2002 proved Guzman's busiest year to date as the increasingly visible actor appeared in no less than five films, including a prominant role in the caper comedy Welcome to Collinwood and a re-teaming with director Anderson with Punch-Drunk Love. On television, Guzman became a regular presence thanks to a recurring role on the HBO prison drama Oz, as well as appearances on such shows as Law and Order, NYPD Blue, and Walker, Texas Ranger.

Trivia: Pronounced "shy," like the colloquial term for his hometown of Chicago, Chi McBride didn't get into acting until he was 30 years old. He is probably most recognized for his role as principal Steven Harper on Fox's Boston Public. Before his first movie, he worked for a phone company, trained as a gospel singer, and joined the hip-hop band Covert. With McBride as a producer and vocalist, the band released their first and only album For Your Bootay Only in 1991. Not soon after, he started appearing as a guest star on Fox sitcoms, including The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. His feature-length debut happened a year later in Revenge of the Nerds III: The Next Generation. Billed as simply Chi, he then gained small roles for the Eddie Murphy movie The Distinguished Gentleman and the Tina Turner story What's Love Got to Do With It? In 1993, McBride found a spot for himself on NBC for The John Larroquette Show, playing the janitor Heavy Gene. Teaming up next with the Hudlin brothers, he then appeared in the HBO Twilight Zone-style trilogy Cosmic Slop, hosted by George Clinton. His next few diverse projects were supporting roles in Peter Jackson's horror comedy The Frighteners, Bill Duke's period crime flick Hoodlum, and the action thriller Mercury Rising. McBride's first leading role came in the form of the short-lived and controversial UPN sitcom The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, playing the stuffy English title character who was mistakenly enslaved to Abraham Lincoln. After appearances in Gone in 60 Seconds and Disney's The Kid, he found his well-known spot on Boston Public. While gaining high marks for his role on the David E. Kelley drama, McBride parlayed his increased notoriety into a number of higher-profile big-screen roles.2002 found McBride as a police captain in the intense cop-thriller Narc, and the over-the-top Chief in the comedy Undercover Brother. And while the following year saw Boston Public cancelled, the free-time afforded to McBride by the show's end only allowed him to sign on to roles in two of 2004's most anticipated films, the Steven Spielberg/Tom Hanks dramedy The Terminal and I, Robot, an action sci-fi flick starring Will Smith. Over the course of the next decade the reliable McBride became increasingly active on the small screen, essaying recurring roles on such hit shows as House and Pushing Daisies. Later, in 2012, he voiced the role of Nick Fury in the animated superhero series Ultimate Spider-Man.

Trivia: Many know Illinois native John Francis Daley for his memorable role as high school freshman Sam Weir on the cult hit series Freaks and Geeks. An actor from the age of nine, Daley appeared in the touring production of the Broadway musical Who's Tommy? before branching into screen acting. He would go on to appear in films like Waiting and on the series Kitchen Confidential, later scoring another leading role on the popular crime show Bones, playing psychologist Lance Swees. He turned his talents to work done behind the camera, co-writing the script for the hit 2011 comedy Horrible Bosses.

Trivia: With her pretty blonde tresses and million-dollar smile, American actress Kaitlin Doubleday seemed a natural for on-camera talent, and launched her acting career during her late teens. Doubleday made a highly auspicious feature film debut as Joanna, one of the many (many) beautiful girls bedecking the cast of Steven Spielberg's Frank Abagnale biopic Catch Me if You Can. A romantic lead in Ryan Shiraki's gender-bending teen comedy Freshman Orientation followed, but marked something of a step backward, receiving as it did extremely limited theatrical distribution and a long-delayed U.S. video release. In 2005 and 2006, respectively, the actress essayed supporting parts in the workplace comedy Waiting and the teen comedy Accepted. She also signed for a very brief turn in Jake Kasdan's media satire The TV Set (2006), starring David Duchovny, and portrayed the romantic lead in the short-lived 2007 sitcom Cavemen, ostensibly a pointed commentary about race relations based on the famous Geico commercials. Though that show folded fairly quickly, Doubleday continued to work extensively in television, with guest spots on shows like Bones and CSI. Her next series regular role proved to be a smash, starring in the hit series Empire, playing Rhonda, the wife of eldest son Andre.

Trivia: A wide-eyed actor with a knack for playing strange characters, Rob Benedict is perhaps best known for playing Keri Russell's peculiar dorm mate Richard on the critically acclaimed series Felicity. Before his days as a professional actor, Benedict graduated from Northwestern University with a Bachelor's degree in performance studies, and even after he'd achieved a successful career as a working actor, Benedict continued to play guitar for his band, Louden Swain. Benedict's career blossomed throughout the 2000s, with a role in The First $20 Million Is Always the Hardest opposite Rosario Dawson, and in Waiting with Ryan Reynolds. In 2007, Benedict took a role on the ABC series Women's Murder Club.

Trivia: Started acting at age 4. Studied at the Lee Strasberg Institute in Los Angeles. Wrote, directed and starred in the short film A Mi Amor, Mi Dulce (2003). At age 29, she portrayed a middle-aged woman for her role as a former housekeeper in Meet the Fockers (2004). Has does extensive voice-over work, including providing the voice of the lead character in the cartoon El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera. Has appeared in stage productions of Kindertransport, Club Soda and The Vagina Monologues. Wrote and performed in a one-woman play called Patriotic Bitch.

Trivia: Is multilingual, speaking English, French and some Arabic. Was cohost of Popular Mechanics for Kids, along with Elisha Cuthbert from the series 24. Voiced the character of Emily for nine seasons on the PBS children's show Arthur. As an adult, had her first major TV role in the coming-of-age series American Dreams. Was surprised to learn, during the second season of the TNT series Hawthorne, that her character was a lesbian. In 2011, was cast in Glee as Sugar Motta, a tone-deaf member of the glee club with "self-diagnosed Asperger's." Her casting came three years after her friend and fellow Glee castmate Corey Monteith showed her the pilot script.

Trivia: A successor to the Tom Green throne, Andy Milonakis displays a non sequitur sense of humor that is at least as surreal and polarizing as his predecessor's, and largely derives from the keenly manufactured illusion that he is a deranged, attention deficit-stricken adolescent. In fact, Milonakis is a grown man who suffers from a "growth hormone problem," which he is reluctant to discuss publicly and which gives him the uncanny appearance of a rambunctious teen. A native of New York who was raised in nearby Westchester, Milonakis used his self-depreciating sense of humor to disarm his would-be teenage tormentors, and quickly discovered that people naturally gravitate to those with a healthy sense of humor. Upon graduating high school, the lifelong computer enthusiast parlayed his love of technology into a tech-support position at a local accounting firm while using his spare time to record humorous video vignettes for his friend's website AngryNakedPat.com. Subsequently seeking to sharpen his comedic talents, the aspiring comic began taking improv lessons at the Upright Citizens Brigade. One morning, after turning down an invitation to a friend's Super Bowl party, Milonakis rolled out of bed, picked up his guitar, and recorded the song that would propel him to nation-wide stardom. Milonakis' song, entitled "The Super Bowl Is Gay," was a six-minute tirade against everything from Major League sports to cottage cheese. The song proved a viral video phenomenon, scoring 100,000 hits over the next 24 hours and prompting the server company to charge Milonakis a tidy sum for exceeding his bandwidth limitations. Of the countless people who fell instantly in love with the decidedly immature musical rant, one of them actually had a successful television program and was willing to give Milonakis a shot at the big time. Though the youthful Internet phenomenon initially thought the e-mail he received from the producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live was simple spam, a quick call to the telephone number presented in the e-mail revealed that it was indeed no joke, and Milonakis was subsequently hired as a part-time correspondent for the edgy late-night talk show. While Milonakis had never really considered making the move to L.A. and taking a shot at the big time, he now had the money to do so and quickly began packing his bags. A series pitch to MTV was quick to follow, and in 2005 The Andy Milonakis Show was unleashed upon a largely unsuspecting viewing audience. Described by the host himself as something akin to "intensely bad public television," The Andy Milonakis Show featured the childlike funnyman in a variety of awkward, cringe-inducing situations. It was the kind of show that either clicks with the viewer immediately, or leaves one hopelessly scratching one's head in a futile attempt to "get it." Nevertheless The Andy Milonakis Show was a surprise success, and roles in such films as Waiting..., Parental Guidance Suggested, and Wieners followed in quick succession.

Trivia: A stand-up comic whose rock & roll sensibility and unwavering loyalty to his fan base have propelled him to become one of the most popular comedians of his generation, Dane Cook hit it big on the comedy circuit before breaking into feature films with bit parts in such movies as Buddy and Mystery Men in the late '90s. Born in Cambridge, MA, and raised in Arlington, Cook was an introverted child whose shy exterior betrayed a hyperactive and intensely creative imagination. By the time Cook was able to find his voice as a comic he was also able to recognize that his unique approach was an ideal blend of his mother's manic energy and his father's sarcastic swagger, and in 1990 it was time to take the stage for his debut stand-up performance. Having found enough success on stage to say goodbye to his day job just three short years later, Cook was finally prepared to make his bid for the big time. If his early screen roles weren't necessarily substantial enough to gain him notice on the big screen, it was his early short film Spiral that showed the promise needed for his career in front of the camera to continue gaining momentum. Back in the realm of stand-up comedy, Cook's debut release Harmful if Swallowed went certified gold after selling more than 450,000 copies in less than two years. It was around this time that the rising star first realized the career-boosting potential of the Internet, an epiphany that soon resulted in the creation of his popular personal website, danecook.com. Though the site did indeed provide the comic with a notable means to staying in touch with his rapidly growing fan base, it was Cook's subsequent MySpace page that would truly serve to show the humble comic's progressive mind for innovation. Appearances on such popular television comedy programs as The Man Show, Crank Yankers, and Jimmy Kimmel Live found success coming at a clip, and he was soon garnering roles in such features as Torque, Waiting, Employee of the Month, Dan in Real Life, My Best Friend's Girl, and Answers to Nothing. Cook would also continute to perform stand-up, releasing comedy albums and on his own stand up specials.

Trivia: A member of Hollywood royalty, petite knockout Jordan Ladd has followed her parents' footsteps into the world of show business. Born Jordan Elizabeth Ladd on January 14, 1975, in Hollywood, she is the daughter of actress Cheryl Ladd (Charlie's Angels) and producer David Ladd (The Mod Squad). Her grandfather is acting great Alan Ladd (Shane). At the tender age of two, Ladd made her acting debut opposite James Garner in a Polaroid commercial. In the early '90s, while still in high school, she began appearing in television films that starred her mother, including The Girl Who Came Between Them (1990) and Broken Promises: Taking Emily Back (1993). By 1994, Ladd had branched out on her own, guest starring on Saved by the Bell: The New Class and starring opposite Alyssa Milano in the feature Embrace of the Vampire (1994). She then landed the lead role in Gregg Araki's sex-charged teen road film The Doom Generation (1995), but pulled out of the cast at the last minute due to her mother's disapproval -- an action that provoked the film's producers to add "no thanks to Cheryl Ladd" to the film's credits. Yet, despite not appearing in The Doom Generation, the younger Ladd did earn a small role in Araki's follow-up film, Nowhere (1997).Ladd portrayed Bette Davis' stand-in in the low-budget show business drama Stand-Ins (1997) before starring with her mother in the television film Every Mother's Worst Fear (1998). A year later, she landed her first high-profile role as a popular teenager who tortures Drew Barrymore in Never Been Kissed (1999). Barrymore, who also produced the film, offered Ladd the first crack at a role in her company's big-screen adaptation of Charlie's Angels (2000). Not wanting to be stuck completely in the shadow of her mother, she politely declined. Instead, after being named one of the world's 100 Sexiest Women by Stuff magazine, Ladd starred as a strung-out actress vying for an Academy Award in E!'s first original movie, Best Actress (2000). Unfortunately, she followed this clever over-the-top comic performance with The Deadly Look of Love, a trashy television film, and The Specials (2000), a silly feature about the private lives of superheroes. Yet, over the next few years, Ladd established herself as an independent darling, appearing in films like Boy's Life 3 (2000) (opposite a few other young actors with well-known surnames, Jason Gould, Alexis Arquette, and Sara Gilbert) and in the David Lynch short film Darkened Room (2002). In the years to come, Ladd would appear in films like Waiting..., Death Proof, and Murder on the 13th Floor.

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: While savvy television viewers will no doubt recognize prolific small-screen actress Wendie Malick from such popular series as Baywatch, Just Shoot Me, and HBO's smart and sexy comedy Dream On, the late '90s found her feature career warming up in such independent efforts as Manna From Heaven (2001) and Bathroom Boy (2003). A native of Buffalo, NY, who first found work in front of the cameras as a Wilhelmina model in the 1970s, the Ohio Wesleyan University alum would later work for New York congressman Jack Kemp following her graduation. Subsequently gracing the catwalks of New York, Paris, and Madrid, it was a small role in the 1978 comedy How to Pick up Girls that provided the aspiring actress with her first screen break. Though she would appear in a few theatrical releases such as Scrooged (1988) during the 1980s, most of her work came with made-for-television features and such series as Kate and Allie and Anything But Love. Increasingly visible on the small screen during the 1990s, Malick's role as series protagonist Martin Tupper's (Brian Benben) ex-wife on Dream On utilized her comic abilities to maximum effect and netted the actress four Cable ACE awards. Following the final episode of Dream On in 1996, it was only one short year before Malick began a stint on another popular series that would gain her accolades among sitcom junkies, Just Shoot Me. Her background in the modeling industry provided the ideal foundation for her role as former model Nina Van Horn, and Malick (Emmy-nominated for the role) remained with the show until its final episode in 2003, simultaneously taking occasional parts in both made-for-TV and theatrical features. In 1997 Malick took the lead in the little-seen romantic comedy Just Add Love, and following voice work as the egotistical principal in the Disney series Fillmore!, she appeared alongside Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, and Betty White the Emmy-winning comedy series Hot in Cleveland. In addition to her screen work, Wendie Malick met husband Richard Erickson while building homes for poor families in Mexico, and she also helps the homeless with her work for the Adopt-A-Family organization.

Trivia: Son of advertising copywriter Joe Clipner, who has won Clios and other awards for his work. Won the premiere of Dog Eat Dog in 2002. Was a contestant on Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck. Created the Comedy Central show Con; only six episodes were aired due to legal concerns. After seeing Con, Christopher Guest cast Stone in his 2006 movie For Your Consideration.

Trivia: A well-known author and literary critic, Rob Wagner wrote his first screen story The Author's Son in 1911. He later functioned as Charles Chaplin's publicity agent, wrote film-related articles for the Saturday Evening Post, and directed such minor films as Fair Week (1924) starring rotund comedian Walter Hiers. Wagner is today best remembered for publishing the influential film review magazine Rob Wagner's Script.

Trivia: Possibly the most well-known pornographic performer in the history of the biz, rotund ladies' man Ron Jeremy (aka "the Hedgehog") has appeared in over 1,500 adult features since his debut in 1978. His playful onscreen demeanor, as well as his instantly recognizable moustache and gut, have earned him popularity not only with consumers of pornography but mainstream audiences, too, making his name shorthand for comedians and pundits who need to reference the adult film industry. Born into an upper-middle class Jewish family in New York, Jeremy studied theatre and education in college and taught special-ed classes while waiting for his big break. To this end, he performed in off-Broadway plays and did stand-up comedy. In 1978, a girlfriend sent a photo of him to Playgirl magazine and he was chosen to appear as a centerfold. Jeremy's above-average endowment was exposed to the world and he was offered a part in the hardcore film Tigresses and Other Maneaters. From there a number of titles followed, even as his thin frame bulked up over the years, and he emerged as a good-natured everyman in a field crowded with arrogant, handsome male performers. The puckish pornster was a hit with women who responded to his cuddly charm, men who identified with his average looks, and devotees of the bizarre who appreciated his ability to fellate himself (a talent he displays in films like Inside Seka and Fresh Meat). During the 1980s, Jeremy began directing adult films; perhaps his most notorious was the 1994 feature John Wayne Bobbitt: Uncut, a starring vehicle for the man whose real-life wife sliced off his penis in a fit of revenge for spousal abuse (it was surgically reattached, though special prostoglandin injections were required on the set for Bobbitt to perform in a professional manner). Jeremy has appeared in more mainstream films than the garden variety porn actor, although his small roles have often been cut by distributors who fear that his notoriety might damage a picture. What remains are generally jokey, self-referential cameos (such as his appearances in Orgazmo and Meet Wally Sparks), as well as his work as a consultant for 9 1/2 Weeks and the porn-themed Boogie Nights.

Trivia: Lloyd Kaufman is many things: producer, director, screenwriter, editor, composer, actor, and, above all, a renegade fighting against the further conglomeration and homogenization of Hollywood. Kaufman is president and co-founder of Troma Entertainment, one of the last bastions of independent, low-budget exploitation films, the kind that bear titles such as Class of Nuke 'Em High (1986) and Stuff Stephanie in the Incinerator (1989). Often graphically violent, gory, sophomoric, deliberately un-PC, and seemingly aimed at audiences comprised of certain kinds of teenaged boys, Troma films are also free-spirited and often filmed with their tongues lodged firmly in their cheeks. Kaufman entered the film business after studying filmmaking. While in school, he started making low-budget films. He and long-time business partner Michael Herz launched Troma as a distribution company in the late '70s. It has since grown to include a production company, a merchandising outlet, and in the late '90s, a cable-television network. One of Kaufman's best-known and best-loved cult films is Toxic Avenger (1986), the bloody and terribly violent chronicle of a Long Island nerd's revenge against the townsfolk who tormented him. As a director, Kaufman occasionally uses the names Sam Weill and Louis Su. In the late '90s, he recounted his experiences and offered advice for other young independent filmmakers in his book All I Need to Know About Filmmaking I Learned From the Toxic Avenger.