Trivia: Studied to be a dancer at the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, but turned to acting after sustaining a knee injury. Appeared on Broadway in Into the Woods and Dreamgirls. Got her big break in 1994 with a role in the film I Like It Like That, opposite Rita Moreno. First series starring role came with Fox's police drama New York Undercover, on which she portrayed Det. Nina Moreno. Won an ALMA Award in 2001 for HBO's Oz, and was later nominated for Showtime's Dexter.

Trivia: A boyishly handsome boxer-turned-actor who turned in his gloves for real after making his screen debut as a pugilist in the 1992 drama Gladiator, New York-born film and television star Jon Seda rose through the ranks in the '90s to make a name for himself as a bit player in such high-profile films as Carlito's Way and Twelve Monkeys -- though it wasn't until his 1997 debut on television's Homicide: Life on the Streets that audiences truly sat up and took notice. Those who had been following Seda's career since his early days had little doubt that the rising young star had what it took to make it as an actor, and following an Independent Spirit Award-winning role as a flawed but well-meaning husband and father in the 1994 drama I Like It Like That, major offers quickly began pouring in. An impressive run in the mid-'90s found Seda turning up in everything from such high-profile Hollywood fare as Primal Fear to such little-seen efforts as New York Cop and Michael Cimino's The Sunchaser -- the latter of which offered Seda in a particularly memorable role as a terminally-ill juvenile delinquent who kidnaps his doctor in hopes of finding a mythical healing lake. Following an impressive turn in the hit HBO prison series Oz, Seda hit his stride on the small screen with a turn as Detective Paul Falsone on Homicide: Life on the Street. By this time Seda was becoming a familiar face to audiences, and in 2000, he once again laced up his boxing gloves for a role opposite Jimmy Smits in the well-received feature Price of Glory. Despite his prominence and success in film and television, it still seemed as if Seda was awaiting the breakout role that would truly make him a household name. In 2002 he proved that he could carry a film when he took the lead in the street-gang drama King Rikki, with a role on the 2004 UPN series Kevin Hill, marking what fans hoped would be a successful return to the small screen.

Trivia: As both an actor and producer, Griffin Dunne was among the most notable figures in contemporary independent filmmaking. Born June 8, 1955, in New York City, he is the son of novelist Dominick Dunne and the nephew of author and screenwriter John Gregory Dunne. Dominique, his younger sister, was also an actress, appearing in the hit movie Poltergeist before her violent 1982 murder. Trained by Uta Hagen at the Neighborhood Playhouse, Dunne made his film debut in 1975's The Other Side of the Mountain, which he followed with work on-stage and in television. Small roles in the 1979 feature Chilly Scenes of Winter and 1981's The Fan marked his next film appearances, but the first of his roles to garner significant notice was in 1981's cult-classic An American Werewolf in London. With John Sayles' 1982 film Baby, It's You, Dunne made his debut as a producer, a venture he furthered by establishing his own company, Double Play Productions.After 1983's Cold Feet, Dunne co-produced and starred in Martin Scorsese's 1985 comedy After Hours, perhaps his best-known performance. His leading role in 1987's Me and Him, on the other hand, was arguably the most infamous turn of his career, as he portrayed an architect whose penis begins to speak. A role opposite Madonna in the disastrous 1987 comedy Who's That Girl? further dimmed Dunne's star, and after appearing in Luc Besson's 1988 epic Le Grand Bleu he spent the next two years away from the screen, instead producing work including the acclaimed Running on Empty. Supporting turns in 1991's My Girl and Once Around proved to foreshadow Dunne's move away from leading roles throughout the decade, and apart from starring in 1995's Search and Destroy the majority of his film appearances (including the acclaimed Quiz Show and I Like It Like That) were smaller character parts. Continuing his work behind the camera, in 1997 Dunne made his directorial debut with the hit romantic comedy Addicted to Love. He would go on to direct more romantic comedies, like Practical Magic and The Accidental Husband. Over the next several years, Dunne would also appear on many successful TV shows, like Trust Me and House of Lies,

Trivia: Energetic dancer, singer, and actress Rita Moreno was born Rosa Dolores Alverio in Puerto Rico to a family of independent farmers. She moved to New York City with her mother at age five and went on to become one of the few people to win an Oscar, a Tony, an Emmy, and a Grammy throughout her long career. At age 13, she took her vibrant stage presence and star quality to Broadway, and by the next year she had made it to Hollywood, where MGM studio executives suggested she change her name to Rita.Mostly appearing in musicals, her most notable roles of the '50s include Zelda Zanders the Zip Girl in Singin' in the Rain and Tuptim in The King and I. During this close-minded time period in American cinema, she was showcased for her "exotic" qualities in films like Pagan Love Song, Latin Lovers, and The Fabulous Señorita. She also starred in the costume drama The Vagabond King as well as various adventures and Westerns, usually providing the musical entertainment. Her big breakthrough came in 1961 with her role as the spitfire Anita in West Side Story, winning her an Oscar and a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. During the '60s, she took her talents back to the stage and got married, but she did appear in the films Carnal Knowledge with Jack Nicholson and Popi with Alan Arkin. As a mother during the '70s, she turned to television and got involved with the PBS children's series The Electric Company, which led to a Grammy award for her recording contribution to the soundtrack album. She also won Emmy awards for her work on The Rockford Files and The Muppet Show. Meanwhile, she reprised her Tony-winning Broadway role of entertainer Googie Gomez for the 1976 film version of The Ritz. In the '80s, she appeared in the TV sitcom 9 to 5, the detective series B.L. Stryker, and several made-for-TV movies. In the '90s, she provided the voice for the title character in the PBS educational program Where on Earth Is Carmen Sandiego? She started making features again, taking supporting roles in independent comedy dramas, including Slums of Beverly Hills. In 1997, she turned to confrontational drama as Sister Peter Marie Reimondo on the HBO prison drama Oz. Since 2000, she has been a leading advocate of osteoporosis awareness and has appeared in the John Sayles ensemble feature Casa de los Babys in 2003.In 2007, Moreno appeared in a cameo role on the hit series Ugly Betty, playing the title character's aunt. Later that same year, she joined the cast of the drama series Cane, a show about a Latin family and their trials and tribulations running a family owned business. In 2011 she was cast as one of the leads on the sitcom Happily Divorced alongside Fran Drescher.

Trivia: Began acting in repertory theater at age 14. Often brought her younger sister, actor Christina Vidal, along with her to auditions. Had a recurring role on ER as Sandy Lopez, the girlfriend of Kerry Weaver, played by Laura Innes. The two would later reunite on The Event. Longtime friend Blair Underwood recommended The Event to her after he signed with the series. Owned a children's clothing store, Oodles, in Studio City.

Trivia: Danced with the Soul Sonic Rockers. Worked as a teaching artist for the Manhattan Theater Club, The Children's Aid Society, Philadelphia Family Services, and The Young Playwrights Festival. Performed a one-man show based on the Junot Diaz novel The Brief and Wonderous Life of Oscar Wao. Performed in the Off-Broadway production of Celia: The Life and Music of Celia Cruz.

Trivia: Known for an effective series of supporting roles that commenced in the early '90s, Hispanic-American character actor Gary Perez made frequent guest appearances on the prime-time series dramas NYPD Blue and Law & Order (where his generic countenance enabled him to play various characters from episode to episode). He also landed a series of bit parts and supporting roles in low-budget features at about the same time, including Leslie Harris' critically lauded indie hit Just Another Girl on the I.R.T. (1993), The Tavern (1999), and The Love Machine. In 2007, Gary Perez signed to appear opposite Wanda De Jesus and Manny Perez in Illegal Tender, a sensitively handled crime drama by Franc Reyes about a young man who teams up with his mother to take on a cadre of homicidal gangsters.