Trivia: First name in Zulu means "our treasure." Daughter of a South African doctor and a British nurse. Grew up in Witney, West Oxfordshire, England, where she took acting, dancing and saxophone lessons. Finished school early so she could perform in a 2004 open-air production of As You Like It. Nominated for a Manchester Evening News Award in 2005 for her lead role as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. First TV appearance was on the BBC drama Holby City. Made big-screen debut in the 2007 thriller Closure. Included on the 2008 UK Stars of Tomorrow list by Screen International, a global multimedia film magazine. In 2009 portrayed Ophelia in the London and Broadway productions of Hamlet. Cast as the female lead opposite Boris Kodjoe in the 2010 NBC series Undercovers, it marked her introduction to American TV. Was recognised in 2014 by Elle Magazine during the Women in Hollywood Awards for her outstanding achievements in film. Was nominated in 2015 for a BAFTA Rising Star Award in recognition of her body of work. Named a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the Queen's 2017 Birthday Honours list.

Trivia: Was an All-American wrestler in high school and college. Worked as a computer programmer before being discovered by a talent agent when he accompanied a friend to a modeling convention in Dallas, and was persuaded to move to Los Angeles to pursue acting, even though he had no prior acting experience. Big break came in 2007 when Denzel Washington cast him in The Great Debaters, which Washington was directing. Made his screenwriting and directorial debut with The Birth of a Nation at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival; the movie sold to Fox Searchlight for $17.5 million, establishing a record price for an acquisition at Sundance. In March 2016, announced the fall opening of the Nate Parker School of Film and Drama at Wiley College in Marshall, Texas.

Trivia: Displaying talent both for acting and for appearing at awards ceremonies wearing dresses that attract more attention than the awards themselves, Minnie Driver rose from almost complete obscurity to her position as one of the most visible British actresses of the 1990s over the course of just a few years. Born Amelia Driver in London on January 31, 1971, she was christened "Minnie" by her sister, who was too young to pronounce her little sister's name correctly. Raised in Barbados and schooled in locales as diverse as Paris, Grenoble, and Hampshire, Driver attended the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London, where she studied drama.Driver got her start on the stage and on television and made her big-screen debut in Circle of Friends in 1995. Playing the film's protagonist -- a "big, soft girl," as one of the film's characters calls her -- she was required to gain over 20 pounds for the role. She won critical acclaim for her performance, but had trouble finding more work until she lost the weight. Once she was revealed to be a statuesque beauty in the James Bond film GoldenEye (1995), she soon was being written up in a number of magazine articles that hailed her as one to watch. Critical appreciation for her work in Sleepers and Stanley Tucci's Big Night followed in 1996, and the next year, Driver proved herself capable of handling both comedy and a convincing Midwestern accent in Grosse Pointe Blank. That same year, she had what was possibly her most high-profile role to date in Gus Van Sant's Good Will Hunting. Starring as Matt Damon's brilliant girlfriend (a role she reportedly played offscreen as well), she earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her performance.In 1998, Driver could be seen in The Governess and At Satchem Farm, a romantic comedy she executive produced with her sister, Kate, and actor Nigel Hawthorne. She also ventured into the action realm with Hard Rain. Driver then put her voice to lucrative use, voicing characters in Disney's Tarzan, South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut in 1999, and Lady Eboshi in the 1999 English dubbed release of the Japanese film Princess Mononoke. That same year, she took a swing at Oscar Wilde, starring in Oliver Parker's adaptation of Wilde's An Ideal Husband with Rupert Everett, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, and Jeremy Northam. Driver then shed her corset and donned an American accent for her starring role in Bonnie Hunt's Return to Me (2000), a romantic comedy that cast the actress as a woman who falls in love with a widowed architect (David Duchovny) and discovers a surprising secret about the identity of his dead wife.Driver returned to television in 2007, when she co-starred with Eddie Izzard for the FX Network's The Riches, a series following a family squatting in an upscale suburban community. The role earned her nominations for an Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Lead Actress in a Drama Series in both 2007 and 2008. In 2010, Driver joined actress Hilary Swank in Conviction, a film chronicling the real-life story of a single mother who obtains a law degree to represent her brother, who was wrongfully convicted of murder. The same year, Driver joined Paul Giamatti for which she would earn a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actress. The actress co-starred with a cast including Vera Farmiga and Will Arnett in the 2011 comedy Goats.

Trivia: A distinguished actor of the stage and screen, Danny Glover is known for his work in both Hollywood blockbusters and serious dramatic films. Towering and quietly forceful, Glover lends gravity and complexity to the diverse characters he has portrayed throughout his lengthy career.A native of San Francisco, where he was born July 22, 1947, Glover attended San Francisco State and received his dramatic training at the American Conservatory Theatre's Black Actors' Workshop. He made his film debut in Escape from Alcatraz (1979). In the early '80s, Glover made his name portraying characters ranging from the sympathetic in Places in the Heart (1984) to the menacing in Witness (1985) and The Color Purple (1984). He reached box-office-gold status with the three Lethal Weapon flicks produced between 1987 and 1992, playing the conservative, family-man partner of "loose cannon" L.A. cop Mel Gibson. Glover carried over his fiddle-and-bow relationship with Gibson into his off-screen life, and also contributed an amusing cameo (complete with his Lethal Weapon catch-phrase "I'm gettin' too old for this!") in Maverick (1994). In 1998, Glover again reprised his role for the blockbuster-proportioned Lethal Weapon 4, and that same year gave a stirring performance in the little-seen Beloved.In the following years Glover would walk the line between Hollywood heavyweight and serious-minded independent actor with a skill most actors could only dream of, with an affectinate role in Wes Anderson's 2001 comedy drama The Royal Tenenbaums and a surprising turn toward horror in Saw serving well to balance out lesser-seen but equally powerful turns in Boseman and Lena, 3 A.M., and Lars von Trier's Manderlay. The same year that Glover retreated into the woods as a haunted Vietnam veteran in the low-key drama Missing in America, he would turn in a series of guest appearances on the long-running television medical drama E.R. Despite a filmography that seemed populated with an abundance of decidedly serious dramas in the years following the millennial turnover, Glover did cut loose in 2006 when he took a role as Tim Allen's boss in The Shaggy Dog and stepped into the studio to offer vocal performances in the animated kid flicks The Adventures of Brer Rabbit and Barnyard. On television, Glover played the title role in Mandela (1987), cowpoke Joshua Deets in the 1989 miniseries Lonesome Dove, legendary railroad man John Henry in a 1988 installment of Shelley Duvall's Tall Tales, and the mercurial leading character in the 1989 "American Playhouse" revival of A Raisin in the Sun. For his role in Freedom Song as a caring father struggling to raise his young son in 1960s-era Mississippi, Glover was nominated for an Emmy award and took home an Image award for Outstanding Actor in a Television Movie, Mini-Series, or Dramatic Special. Glover played a proprietor of a struggling blues club in John Sayles' musical drama Honeydripper in 2007, and went on to participate in The Garden (2008), a documentary about a produce garden developed in the aftermath of the L.A. riots. He continued to tackle complex social issues as an executive producer for Trouble the Water, a 2008 documentary following the struggles of New Orleans residents in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and as an associate producer for The Time That Remains (2009), a poignant series of short stories about Palestinians in Israel. Glover also worked as an associate producer for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, an avante-gard fantasy drama that received the Palme d'Or at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival.

Trivia: Was encouraged by a friend to join the choir in high school.Started his career in acting by performing in theater plays.Started his career as an actor on television by doing commercials.Has used his social media to support LGBT+ rights movements and raise awareness to end racism.Is an author who has published several books during his career.

Trivia: In 1997, he changed his name from Tyler Baker to Tyler Christopher. In 1999, he co-founded the Los Angeles theatre company 68 Cent Crew. Was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2004 for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series. Nominated for Daytime Emmys for his portrayal of Nikolas Cassadine on General Hospital in 1999, 2005, and 2006. Portrayed the son of a dying Native American matriarch in the independent film Shouting Secrets (2010).

Trivia: Hispanic-American character player Benito Martinez evinced laudable diversity, both in his choice of acting mediums and in his choice of genres. A New Mexico native, Martinez moved to Southern California as a youth and enrolled in the famous Hollywood High's Performing Arts Magnet, then opted to pursue theatrical work in lieu of film and moved to England after graduation. In that locale, Martinez studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and received classical training, professionally exercised in such venues as Joseph Papp's Public Theater, the World Shakespeare Theater Festival, and the Arizona Theater Company.Martinez returned to America and commenced film work in the early 2000s, with guest-starring roles on series programs including American Family, Monk, Numb3rs, and NYPD Blue. He developed his most enduring reputation, however, with an ongoing, multiseason portrayal of the scheming and manipulative Councilman Aceveda on FX network's smash cop drama The Shield. The actor remained with the program from the beginning of its run (ca. 2002) through its final season (2008-2009). His résumé also includes supporting roles in such feature outings as the slasher opus Saw (2004) and the inspirational sports drama Million Dollar Baby (2004).

Trivia: Took tap-dancing lessons in junior-high school. Took classes at the American Theatre of Harlem. Made her TV debut on the ABC series NYPD Blue in 2003. In 2004 earned her first small-screen regular role on The Shield. Breakthrough movie role was in the 2005 crime drama Assault on Precinct 13.

Trivia: Emigrated from Barbados to Atlanta, Georgia, at the age of 10 with her family. Could not find work as a pilot after graduating college with a degree in aeronautical science, so she moved back to Atlanta to pursue a career in acting. Received the Backstage Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist and Cabaret Debut for her role in What a Day to Daydream in 1998. Performed at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for four seasons, with roles including Rosalind in As You Like It, Ophelia in Hamlet, and Susie in Wit. In 2005, received the Ovation Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play and the NAACP Award for Best Actress for her role in Dael Orlandersmith's Yellowman. In 2012, received the Featured Performance Award from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle and the Ovation Award for Featured Actress in a Play for her role as Ruth Younger in Raisin in the Sun. Was a celebrity judge for the Center Theatre Group's August Wilson Monologue Competition in 2016.

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

Trivia: Of African-American descent from her father's side, and Russian, German and Dutch descent from her mother's side.Daughter of a former baseball player.Selected as one of the distinguished California Arts Scholars.Recipient of the Governor's medallion two years in a row.Trained at the Upright Citizens Brigade.A professionally classically trained dancer.A human rights activist, animal rights activist and a longtime vegan.

Trivia: Studied acting, singing and dancing at the Barbara Speake Stage School in London. Performed with Michael Jackson at the age of 11 on the 1996 BRIT Awards. Was cast as the lead in the 2006 independent film Kidulthood; the part became his breakout role. Started the A.S.A. (Actors Student Alliance) for emerging actors in 2008. Auditioned for the U.S. television drama Harry's Law using an American accent so convincing the British-born Ameen was mistaken for a native New Yorker. His first name means "hope" in Arabic.

Trivia: With a father who was a prominent jazz trumpeter, a grandmother who danced at The Cotton Club, and a grandfather who was a member of the Nat King Cole Trio, it may seem a given that actor Wren T. Brown would pursue a career in show business. Despite the fact that Brown has been acting almost as long as he can recall, he nearly put his career in the spotlight aside for a shot at becoming a professional tennis player. Though Brown landed his first commercial appearance at age 11, the following six years would be spent running the courts before returning to commercials in McDonald's first "Chicken McNuggets" campaign at age 17. Following a television debut in Knight Rider and a feature debut in Robert Townsend's 1987 comedy Hollywood Shuffle, strong supporting performances in The Hidden (1987) and I'm Gonna Git You Sucka! (1988) eventually led to a leading role in the 1992 feature The Importance of Being Earnest (1992). His appearance in such popular sitcoms and dramas as Seinfeld, Frasier, The West Wing, and Ally McBeal gaining Brown ever-widening exposure, a Dramalogue Award for his role in a production of Shakespeare's As You Like It and a NAACP Image Nomination for his work in 2001's Jeffrey's Plan proved that he had what it took to make it on-stage as well. Moving into the new millennium with roles in Dancing in September (2000) and Biker Boyz (2003), Brown returned to the small screen with a supporting role in the 2003 sitcom Whoopie.

Trivia: Formed her first group, the Crystalettes, with her sister Yvonne in 1964. Changed her name to Chaka Adunne Aduffe Yemoja Hodarhi Karifi at age 16 at a Yoruba religious ceremony. Established the Chaka Khan Foundation, which addresses issues of domestic violence and youth education, in 1999. Received an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Boston's Berklee College of Music in 2004. Created her own line of gourmet chocolates, called Chakalates; proceeds finance her charitable foundation. Made her Broadway debut in 2008 in the stage adaptation of The Color Purple. At the time she got the Broadway role, she was asked by the New York Times about her interest in Scientology; she replied that while she'd studied it, she was, instead, a member of "the religion of the Church of Chaka Khan." Received a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2011. She performed her enduring hit from her days with Rufus, "Tell Me Something Good," with Stevie Wonder to mark the occasion. Her band, Rufus With Chaka Khan, received a 2012 nomination for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Trivia: Did not play organized basketball until the age of 14 and was ineligible as a high-school junior due to his numerous transfers (attended six schools). Named Florida's Mr. Basketball in 2002, when he also played in the McDonald's All-American Game at Madison Square Garden. Planned to attend University of Memphis on a scholarship before deciding to skip college and enter the NBA Draft, in which he was selected ninth overall by the Phoenix Suns. Won the 2003 Rookie of the Year award. Named to five All-Star Teams in eight seasons with Phoenix before joining the New York Knicks in July of 2010. Won Wheel of Fortune NBA Week in 2003, donating his winnings to the Boys & Girls Club. Nicknamed STAT (Standing Tall and Talented), which is tattooed on his right arm and referenced on YouTube under "statTV," a channel providing access to his life off the court. Spent a week in Israel in the summer of 2010 exploring what he calls his "Hebrew roots," stemming from his mother's studies of the Old Testament.

Trivia: Gayle King made headlines during the mid- to late 2000s for her long-standing personal relationship and professional association with entertainment mogul and television personality Oprah Winfrey. Via her Winfrey connection, King served as the editor in chief of the periodical O, The Oprah Magazine, hosted the radio program The Gayle King Show on the station "Oprah & Friends" (channel 156 on XM radio), and appeared from time to time on The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Trivia: A highly recruited high-school athlete, he played one season for Texas A&M before declaring for the NBA Draft. Chosen by the Los Angeles Clippers in the second round of the 2008 draft. In the 2012-13 season, led the NBA in field goal percentage (64.3), but shot only 38.6 from the free-throw line. Made his first All-NBA Defensive Team in 2014-15, while leading the league in rebounding. Before the 2015-16 season verbally agreed to play for the Dallas Mavericks, but changed his mind at the last minute to stay with L.A. Made the All-NBA First Team in 2015-16. As part of the U.S. national team, won a gold medal at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Trivia: The son of actor George Hamilton, Ashley George Hamilton made a name for himself in his own right when he married actress Shannen Doherty in 1993. The union lasted only five months, but Hamilton would pop up in the media again, briefly starring in the series Sunset Beach and making the rounds in L.A. as a stand-up comedian. In 2009, he found a new venue for his talents when he joined the cast of the reality series Dancing with the Stars.

Trivia: Raised by missionary parents, he lived in various cities across the United States before settling in Cleveland, OH. Given the nickname of Machine Gun Kelly for his rapid-fire lyrical delivery. Became the first rapper to win Amateur Night at Harlem's famous Apollo Theater in 2009. Was named MTV News' Hottest Breakthrough MC of 2011, helping to build his fervent fan base. His first studio album Lace Up debuted at the #4 spot on the US Billboard 200 in 2012.