Trivia: Actor/comedian Martin Lawrence started the 21st century off with a bang, starring and executive producing Big Momma's House, the story of an FBI agent posing as a corpulent Southern matriarch, which went on to gross more than 100 million dollars, despite universally negative reviews. The success of this film pushed Lawrence ever closer to joining the much-coveted 20-million-dollar club, cementing his reputation as one of the biggest comic stars for years to come.Lawrence was born in Frankfurt, Germany, on April 16, 1965, and eventually settled with his family in suburban Maryland around his sixth birthday. Soon after, his father left the family; Lawrence claims he got his start as a comedian by cheering up his mother, who was forced to support her six children by cashiering in various department stores. He attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Landover, MD, dabbling in sports and sticking with comedy, even agreeing to stop acting up in an art class in return for performing his stand-up routine in front of the other students.Soon after graduating, the bug-eyed performer earned a chance to perform on Star Search, which led to a role in 1985's What's Happening Now! Lawrence kept honing his frenetic schtick and by 1989, won two big breaks -- a supporting role in Spike Lee's Do the Right Thing and MCing HBO's Def Comedy Jam. Lawrence continued to rack up scene-stealing roles throughout the early '90s, including parts in House Party, House Party 2, and Boomerang, eventually landing his own series on Fox in 1992, appropriately named Martin. The show became a huge success, its risqué humor making it a ratings stalwart for more than five years and winning two NAACP Image Awards in the process, although some detractors criticized Lawrence for promoting the image of an oversexed, insensitive black man.Two years after Martin's successful launch, Lawrence released You So Crazy!, a raunchy, vulgarity-laced comedy that originally received the NC-17 rating and was later released unrated. Its crudeness, however, didn't matter much to audiences, as You So Crazy! went on to become one of the highest-grossing concert films of its time.Lawrence appeared to have it all, professionally and privately; in 1995 he married former beauty queen Patricia Southall in a lavish ceremony and the pair had a daughter, Jasmine. Around this time, however, Lawrence's success story began to slip away, his off-camera behavior setting up what should someday be a fascinating E! True Hollywood Story.On the set of his directorial debut, A Thin Line Between Love and Hate, Lawrence erupted in a violent outburst and began taking psychotropic drugs. A few months later, he was arrested for another disturbance, where he reportedly brandished a pistol and screamed at tourists and others on Ventura Boulevard. Over the next two years, his behavior became even more erratic as he racked up a series of gun-related arrests. He landed in drug rehab and filed for divorce from Southall after she got a temporary restraining order against him for yet another vicious eruption.But the most bizarre and unsettling charges were yet to come. Tisha Campbell, Lawrence's co-star on Martin and the House Party films, filed suit against the star and the show's producers, HBO Studios, claiming Lawrence sexually harassed her to the point that she feared for her safety. The studio brokered a settlement that allowed Campbell to finish the show's final season, although she and Lawrence would never be on the soundstage together again.Despite all the trauma, Lawrence seemed as popular as ever. He starred in four hugely commercial successes between 1995 and 1999, including Bad Boys with Will Smith, Nothing to Lose with Tim Robbins, Life with Eddie Murphy, and on his own in Blue Streak. These films made Lawrence extremely bankable -- his salary broke the ten-million-dollar mark for Big Momma's House and it seemed as if his previous troubles were behind him.Then in 1999, while jogging to lose an extra few pounds before filming began on Big Momma's House, Lawrence collapsed into a severe coma due to heat exhaustion, delaying the production's start and firing up the old rumors of drug use and unpredictable behavior. But after recuperating, Lawrence said the coma scare put him back on the straight and narrow.His career trajectory certainly supported this -- after the success of Big Momma's House, he reportedly earned 13 million dollars for What's the Worst That Could Happen? with Danny DeVito. He earned upwards of 16.5 million dollars for Black Knight, which featured Lawrence as a down-on-his-luck employee of a theme restaurant who finds himself transported back to medieval times. Lawrence's next film appearance, Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, once again found the popular but controversial funnyman taking to the stage, though this time in a far more personal bid to humorize the sometimes startling headlines that had left many fans fearing for both his health and sanity. Seemingly purged of his current demns and eager to settle back into a lucrative film career, Lawrence took to the screen opposite Steve Zahn for the high-speed action comedy National Secuity (2003) before gearing up for the sequel to Bad Boys. After a relatively quiet 2004, Lawrence attempted to broaden his appeal by playing a basketball coach in the family-oriented comedy Rebound. In 2006 Lawrence performed in his first animated film, Open Season, opposite Ashton Kutcher, and released the sequel to one of his biggest comedy hits Big Momma's House 2. That same year he filmed the biker road comedy Wild Hogs alongside Tim Allen and John Travolta.

Trivia: A native of Detroit, MI, and the son of Bishop Wayne T. Jackson, Brandon T. Jackson developed an affinity and a knack for comedic antics early in life -- which reportedly helped him survive the monotony and boredom of school and ultimately convinced him to pursue a career as a standup comic-cum-actor. He parlayed his ambition into a series of behind-the-mike routines at local community and church events (including the Motor City Youth Festival), then accepted a role in the teen-oriented urban drama Nikita Blues (which, not coincidentally, was executive produced by his father), and in the early 2000s moved to Los Angeles, essaying a series of bit parts in A-list features including Ali (2001), 8 Mile (2002), and Roll Bounce (2005). Jackson subsequently rose to supporting billing with his turn in the filmmaking-themed farce Tropic Thunder (2008), starring Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, and Ben Stiller, and directed by Stiller.

Trivia: A film and television actress who began on-camera appearances in her mid-teens, Jessica Lucas kick-started her career with small-screen work in such productions as Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge (2001) and the series 2030 CE; she achieved her first significant break, however, with regular billing on the 2004 series drama Life As We Know It (2004-2005), a critically acclaimed albeit short-lived treatment of high-school social life. Lucas transitioned fluidly to big-screen features in 2006, with supporting roles in dual efforts from that year -- the teen-oriented romantic comedy She's the Man and the supernatural horror outing The Covenant -- and continued her associations with horror material when she played one of the victims of a bizarre rampaging monster in 2008's Cloverfield. She was cast in the 2009 relaunch of Melrose Place, and followed that up with the Nicholas Sparks' adaptation Dear John. In 2011 she appeared in the sequel Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son. She was then tapped to appear in the 2013 remake of Evil Dead.

Trivia: Got her start in show business as a child by performing with the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Spent two years during her youth living in her parents' home country of Malaysia. Was an MC for the 2005 Chinese New Year Festival in Wellington, New Zealand. Cites the book The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle as having a tremendous influence on her.

Trivia: Actress Portia Doubleday broke into films during the late '90s and made infrequent on-camera appearances over the following decade. Movies that featured her included the 1997 Legend of the Mummy and the 2009 Michael Cera teen comedy Youth in Revolt. She also appeared in the cross-dressing comedy Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son and the prison drama K-11.

Trivia: Glamorous Latina actress Ana Ortiz is best known for her series portrayal of Hilda Suarez, the stunning older sister of homely fashion assistant Betty Suarez, on the blockbuster seriocomedy Ugly Betty. Though signing for the role meant officially taking a back seat to series star America Ferrera, Ortiz's presence left little doubt that all heads would turn when she entered the frame. Her resumé also sports appearances on such prime-time series as NYPD Blue, ER, and A.U.S.A. In 2004, Ortiz landed a key supporting role in the Julia Stiles-headlined, big-screen romantic comedy Carolina.

Trivia: Discovered by talent agent while at a local mall in El Monte, California. Appeared in TV commercials and music videos before landing her break out role playing a pregnant teen in 2006 movie Quinceañera. A diehard sports fan, her childhood dream was to be a professional basketball player.

Trivia: Scottish actor Tony Curran attended the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before gaining notoriety with a prominent role on the BBC series This Life. He would go on to make a name for himself in movies with a sci-fi/fantasy bent, like The 13th Warrior, Blade II, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Beowulf & Grendel, and Ondine. He also gained notoriety in 2010 for his appearance as the mysterious Man in Black in the 2010 thriller The Presence, before signing on for the 2011 action comedy Cat Run.

Trivia: Was born in Detroit but raised in Greensboro, NC; he is the son of Korean immigrants. During high school, he played violin and was elected to the student council. Graduated at 16 and earned Greensboro's Youth of the Year award. Won the Big Easy Laff Off comedy contest in New Orleans while completing his medical residency. Made his feature-film debut as Dr. Kuni in Judd Apatow's 2007 comedy Knocked Up. His wife, Tran, is also a physician, as well as a breast-cancer survivor.

Trivia: A plus-sized actor of Afro-Cuban descent whose killer smile and infectious laugh can liven up any comedy, Faizon Love got his start in such well-received African-American comedies as Fear of a Black Hat and Friday before getting wide recognition in such high-profile comedies as Money Talks, The Replacements, and Elf. It was during high school in New Jersey that the aspiring comic first became interested in performing for a crowd; his English teacher recognized Love's skill for comedy and allowing the student to perform for his classmates on days when lessons went especially well. Following graduation, Love moved to New York and made a bid for the big time in the East Coast entertainment capitol; it didn't take long for the performer to land an off-Broadway role in the Harlem National Black Theater production of Bitter Heart Midtown (a modernized retelling of Charles Dickens' Great Expectations). The subsequent death of beloved comic Robin Harris during the production of the animated comedy BeBe's Kids provided the emerging performer with his first big break in film, and though it was strictly a vocal affair, Love performed admirably under pressure. He could next be seen alongside Robert Townsend, Rusty Cundieff, Ice Cube, and Shawn Wayans in a series of low-budget but well-received comedy features. Love later parlayed his connection with Townsend into an extended television role on the small-screen sitcom The Parent 'Hood, and he continued to climb the credits until his role as a gridiron giant in The Replacements punted him into the mainstream. It was following his appearance in the Keanu Reeves sports comedy that Love's career truly took off, with a 2001 performance opposite Sean "Puffy" Combs in Jon Favreau's Made marking the beginning of a working relationship between the director and the actor that would continue when Love appeared opposite Will Ferrell in Elf (2003). Love's role as a surfing football player in Blue Crush in 2002 allowed the actor to overcomed his duel fears of sharks and water to brave the waves. And after attempting to remain in control of a prison as the warden in The Fighting Temptations, it was time to hit the road in Torque, a two-wheeled thrill ride starring Love's former Friday co-star Ice Cube. Video-game players with an ear for detail would recognize Love's substantial role in the hit 2004 release Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, with additional roles opposite Lindsay Lohan in Just My Luck and in the long-awaited OutKast musical Idlewild effectively serving to mark the arrival of a comedic actor whose versatility continued to impress.

Trivia: David T. Friendly helms Davis Entertainment, a motion picture production company and developer of major feature films and made-for-television movies. He originally wanted to follow in the footsteps of his father, pioneering telejournalist Fred Friendly, and studied journalism at Northwestern University. After college, he worked at Newsweek and then the Los Angeles Times. He broke into film production in the late '80s, after he was hired to serve as President of Production at Imagine Entertainment. For four years, Friendly supervised the production and development of some of Imagine's most popular films, including My Girl (1991) and Greedy (1994). As president of Davis Entertainment, Friendly has produced or executive produced such action features as Courage Under Fire (1996) and Daylight and comedies like Out to Sea (1989) and Dr. Dolittle (1998).

Trivia: Prominent producer Arnon Milchan got his start producing plays for the Israeli stage. He began working on major feature films in the 1980s and his credits include such diverse outings as Martin Scorsese's The King of Comedy (1983), Terry Gilliam's Brazil (1985), Pretty Woman (1990), Free Willy (1993), and Natural Born Killers (1994).

Trivia: Is half Italian and half Jewish. Birth name was Max Deitch, but took his mother's maiden name when he became an actor. Went to the same high school as Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck, and studied drama with the same teacher. Auditioned for the 1994 biopic Ed Wood, was hired by director Tim Burton and began shooting all in the same day. Played actor Paul Marco in Ed Wood; the real Marco tried to evict him from his on-set trailer because the actors had their character names on the doors, leading Marco to believe Casella had taken his dressing room. In 1997, played Timon in the original Broadway production of The Lion King. Starred with Richard Thomas in a 2011 production of Shakespeare's Timon of Athens at New York's Public Theater.

Trivia: Moved to New York at the age of 18.In 1981, was named Miss Teen All American.Worked as a model.Met her husband, actor Linden Ashby, on the set of Loving.Has worked with her husband in multiple projects, including Loving, Melrose Place, Spy Games, The Young and the Restless, The War Next Door and Teen Wolf.In 2010, briefly returned to The Young and the Restless.

Trivia: African-American comedian Sherri Shepherd debuted on the small screen in the mid-'90s, with appearances on such popular series programs as Friends, Emeril, and Less Than Perfect -- typically as aggressive and outspoken, spunky women. Shepherd then broke through to national acclaim and recognition in the mid-2000s -- both cinematically, with prominent billing in the features Beauty Shop (2005) and Who's Your Caddy? (2007), and on television, as one of the hostesses on the popular daytime talk program The View. Shepherd grew up in the Chicago area. When her parents divorced at an early age, the mother took custody of Sherri and her three sisters and moved with them to California. An experience watching a comedian do a standup act inspired Shepherd to step behind the microphone. As an actress, she debuted on the sitcom Cleghorne!, then landed guest appearances on the aforementioned series. As an outspoken and committed, born-again Christian, Shepherd is extremely guarded about which roles she accepts and which scenes and dialogue she will perform onscreen, guidelines that distinguish her from many of her contemporaries but have reportedly not hindered her career or her popularity. She appeared in the Oscar-winning Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, and joined the cast of the Madagascar animated franchise as Alex's mother.In 2011 she was cast in Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, and in 2012 she played opposite Katherine Heigl in One for the Money.

Trivia: Matthew Lawrence was born into a talented family. Like his brothers, Joey Lawrence and Andrew Lawrence, he began his career in front of the camera as a small child, appearing regularly on the melodrama Dynasty by the age of three, and Gimme a Break! at five. He spent the '80s and '90s building up an impressive body of work, logging in roles in films, TV movies, and series, most notably playing Robin Williams' son in Mrs. Doubtfire and the younger version of his real-life brother Joey's character on the show Blossom. The new millennium found Matthew nowhere near slowing down. Easily gliding into the roles of young men rather than kids, he played memorable parts in high-school and college-oriented projects like the long-running series Boy Meets World, the USA TV movie Cheats, and the wacky comedy The Hot Chick. In 2006, Matthew decided to try his hand at a more intense kind of project, signing on to play a role in the sci-fi horror Hunter's Moon.