Trivia: A man with a gift for wringing laughter from commonplace situations, Cedric the Entertainer has parlayed a career as one of the top standup comics in America into a steadily growing resumé as an actor in film and television. Born Cedric Kyles in 1964, Cedric the Entertainer adopted his stage name early on in his career; having also worked as a singer and dancer, Cedric wanted audiences to know he was more than just another comedian, though after being named "most humorous" in his high school graduating class, he seemed destined early on to be best known for his wit. Cedric's career as a standup comic got its first major boost when he won the "Johnny Walker National Comedy Contest" in Chicago. This led to regular gigs at nightclubs in his hometown of St. Louis, and a victory in another Chicago comedy competition. With plenty of experience in the Midwest under his belt, Cedric began touring comedy clubs around the United States, and in 1993, he scored his first regular spot on television, as the host of the BET series Comicview. While touring the Southwest, Cedric dropped by a club in Dallas, TX, where the headlining act was not going over with the audience. Cedric persuaded the management to let him do a set, and his five-minute routine brought down the house. Cedric soon discovered fellow comic Steve Harvey was in the audience. The two rising stars struck up a friendship, and when Harvey scored his own sitcom, The Steve Harvey Show, in 1996, he brought Cedric along to play his friend, Cedric Jackie Robinson. Cedric was a hit on the show, and his work on the series earned him the NAACP Image Award as Best Supporting Actor on a Comedy Series three years in a row. In 1997, Cedric and Harvey joined forces with funnymen Bernie Mac and D.L. Hughley for a concert tour. Billed as The Kings of Comedy, the tour was a major success, selling out large venues across the country and grossing 37 million dollars over a two-year run. After his success on The Steve Harvey Show and with the Kings of Comedy tour, it was inevitable that Hollywood would come calling, and Cedric scored his first screen role in 1998 in the comedy Ride. The Original Kings of Comedy, a concert film shot by Spike Lee during a tour stop in North Carolina, hit theaters in 2000, and Cedric was also seen that year in the Martin Lawrence vehicle Big Momma's House. In 2001, Cedric scored a supporting role in the comedy-drama Kingdom Come, and did voice work for Dr. Dolittle 2 as well as the animated television series The Proud Family.As one of the stars of 2002's Barbershop, Cedric showed Hollywood that he could deliver a major box-office hit, and larger film roles soon followed. After a scene-stealing turn in the Coen Brothers' 2003 Intolerable Cruelty, Cedric geared up for what looked to be his biggest year to date. 2004 saw the comedian with starring roles in the sequel to Barbershop, Johnson Family Vacation, and the big-screen adaptation of the classic sitcom The Honeymooners, as well as prominent supporting parts in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, with Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep, and Be Cool, the long-awaited sequel to Get Shorty.He lent his distinctive voice to a number of animated projects including the Madagascar films and the live-action Charlotte's Web. He also acted in projects as diverse as Talk to Me, Code Name: The Cleaner, Cadillac Records, and Tom Hanks' sophomore directorial effort Larry Crowne.When not making people laugh in person or onscreen, Cedric has an interest in charitable work, and in St. Louis he's established the Cedric the Entertainer Charitable Foundation, which helps to fund youth scholarships and family outreach programs in his hometown.

Trivia: The roller coaster career of actress and singer Vanessa L. Williams provides an excellent example of fortitude, resilience, and real talent winning out over adversity. In 1983, Williams made history when she was the first black woman to be chosen Miss America. For a time she was the country's darling as she toured about, attending to her royal duties, but when Penthouse magazine published nude photographs that she had posed for years before, Williams lost her crown, two million dollars in product endorsements, and the lead in a Broadway show; suddenly, America's sweetheart found herself the subject of moral outrage, criticisms, and cruel jokes. But though her career and reputation were in shambles, Williams kept her dignity and faith, and continued on, first making her name as a successful R&B singer (one of her songs went gold, "Save the Best for Last") and then receiving considerable critical acclaim on Broadway for starring in Kiss of the Spider Woman. Williams made her feature film debut in The Pick-Up Artist (1987) and went on to forge a steady career as an actress. Notable subsequent film roles include one co-starring with Arnold Schwarzenegger in Eraser (1996) and the part of a career-obsessed wife in Soul Food (1997). After spending the early 2000s working on theatrical productions, including the Broadway Musical Revue Sondheim on Sondheim, Williams returned to the big screen for the award winning drama My Brother in 2007, and won rave reviews in 2006 for her portrayal of Wilhelmina Slater, the ruthless editor-and-chief of a fashion magazine on ABC's hit series Ugly Betty, and was praised for her portrayal of Renee Perry in the seventh season of Desperate Housewives. After Housewives ended, she starred in the short-lived series 666 Park Avenue. She then returned to the stage, appearing opposite Cicely Tyson in The Trip to Bountiful.

Trivia: Though he has since dropped the age restrictive "Lil'" for the more mature Bow Wow, this rapper-turned-actor stands tall on both stage and screen no matter what moniker he assumes. Born Shad Gregory Moss in Reynoldsburg, OH, Lil' Bow Wow dropped his first rhymes at the tender age of three, and after hooking up with producer Jermaine Dupri, the young rapper released his debut album, Beware of Dog, in 2000. The following year, he brought his vocal talents to the small screen in Carmen: A Hip Hopera. After releasing his 2001 sophomore album, Doggy Bag, Lil' Bow Wow made his feature debut in the action comedy All About the Benjamins. Leading-man status followed with a starring role as an orphan who discovers a pair of magical basketball shoes in Like Mike (2002), showing that the pint-sized rapper's skills in front of the camera rivaled those behind the microphone. Following the release of his third album, Unleashed (2003), he returned to the screen in 2004 for the comedy Johnson Family Vacation; snagging the lead role in Director Malcolm D. Lee's nostalgic coming-of-age tale Roll Bounce the following year. Strapping on a pair of roller skates for the '70s-set family drama, Bow Wow's first leading role snagged impressive box-office totals in its first-weekend, indicating good things to come for the young rapper-actor hyphenate. 2006 would find the actor/hip-hopper adding the title of wheelman to his credits when he buckled-in for the rubber-burning sequel The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift.

Trivia: A longtime standup comic in addition to his work in television and radio, outspoken funnyman Steve Harvey has time and again proven his dedication to changing the public perception of African-American humor by means of his unique gift for humor. Though his universal truth-style and observant eye have gained Harvey a loyal following with his top-rated show on the WB, Harvey still vocally articulates his frustrations with the racial sliding scale of prime-time success. Harvey grew up in Cleveland and began his career as a standup comedian in the early '90s. With his popularity leading to a long-running stint on television's popular Showtime at the Apollo a few short years later, Harvey's small-screen career was soon on the rise and he next landed a leading role (as well as a People's Choice Award nomination for Favorite Male Performer in a New Television Series) in television's Me and the Boys in 1994. With his own series, The Steve Harvey Show, close on the horizon, the comic's influence was gaining even more momentum in addition to a wider audience. And though he would earn four NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series for his show, Harvey was quick to point out that that doesn't necessarily entitle him to the perks of a role in a more Caucasian-oriented sitcom. One of four black comics featured in director Spike Lee's The Original Kings of Comedy (2000), Harvey was soon joined in prime time by fellow King Bernie Mac when Mac debuted his own namesake television series in early 2001. In addition to serving as host of KKBT-FM's The Beat, Harvey frequently takes part in speaking engagements in which he stresses the importance of goals and the dangers of drugs to impressionable youths.

Trivia: Born of Syrian, Lebanese, and Cherokee heritage in Houston, TX, on September 7, 1973, the actress made her film debut in 1998's Dish Dogs before her landmark role in American Pie. After the success of the blockbuster teen comedy, Elizabeth was signed to a three-picture deal with Miramax, ensuring that her career was off to an auspicious start. Elizabeth would appear in films like Scary Movie, 13 Ghosts, Love, Actually, and Cursed, in addition to a number of American Pie sequels. Elizabeth would also appear on a number of successful TV shows, like That 70's Show and Cuts.

Trivia: After graduating high school, worked as a nurse; has since played a nurse in several TV shows and films. Started her acting career with stage shows, appearing in the play First Breeze of Summer in 1994. Her character on Scrubs was written out of the show when they expected it to be canceled; when it was instead renewed, she was written back on with a new character. Appeared in over 260 episodes of Days of Our Lives between 2008 and 2015. Marched in the 83rd Annual Hollywood Christmas Parade, which honored the cast of Days of Our Lives.

Trivia: Of Afro-Trinidadian descent.The youngest of four siblings.In 1984, signed as a model with FORD Modeling Agency after winning the Supermodel of The World Contest.Won the lead role in Coming to America (1988) in an audition process that included over two thousand actresses.Featured in Will Smith's "The Wild Wild West" music video.Was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series for her performance in 413 Hope St. even though the show only lasted 10 episodes.

Trivia: Philip Bolden debuted in features as a child star during the mid- to late 2000s. One who largely specialized in family-friendly urban comedies, his credits included Johnson Family Vacation (2004), Are We There Yet? (2005), and Are We Done Yet? (2007). In 2008, Bolden provided one of the main voices for the CG-animated comedy Fly Me to the Moon 3-D (2008).

Trivia: Best known as the younger (by one year) brother of talented but ill-fated Saturday Night Live comedian Chris Farley, Kevin Farley followed in the footsteps of his older sibling and established himself as a comedic screen presence in his own right. He grew up in Madison, WI, as the third of five children and the son of an asphalt company owner, and -- like Chris -- soon fell into a niche as the class clown. Both young men grew up as members of the Saturday Night Live generation and idolized performers such as John Belushi and Bill Murray beyond belief; Kevin attended Marquette University as a business major (graduating in 1986) and went to work for his dad. He grew to hate the business life and eventually moved to Chicago and enrolled in comedy classes, then relocated to Los Angeles and began signing for bit parts in Chris' features, such as Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, as well as guest spots in series programs such as That '70s Show and 3rd Rock from the Sun.Following Chris' death from an overdose in December 1997, Kevin landed a starring role on the briefly run MTV sitcom 2Gether, then moved into features, with an unsurprising emphasis almost exclusively on comedy, much of it in the destructive and anarchic vein of his late brother. Projects in which Kevin appeared included the Adam Sandler animated comedy Eight Crazy Nights (2002), the Cedric the Entertainer laugh-fest Johnson Family Vacation, and -- in a starring capacity -- a turn as a Michael Moore-like anti-patriotic director who gets the Ebenezer Scrooge treatment in the David Zucker gag-fest An American Carol (2008).

Trivia: Specializing in roles as cranky authority figures and unassuming mothers, longtime character actress Lee Garlington has the kind of familiar face that makes people wonder, "Where have I seen her before?" With numerous roles on some of the most popular television series of the past 20 years -- including Family Ties, Seinfeld, NYPD Blue, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and CSI -- most TV viewers probably have seen her face before, though wading through her exhaustive list of credits to find out where might be a daunting task. In addition to a busy television career, Garlington found a steady stream of work in features. Averaging about three films per year since her debut in the 1983 sequel Psycho II. The actress turned up again opposite Anthony Perkins three years later in Psycho III, and parts in Some Kind of Wonderful (1987), The Seventh Sign (1988), and Field of Dreams (1989) rounded out the decade. Though Garlington had a featured role in the 1989 Seinfeld pilot, her character was replaced by Elaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) when the series came to fruition the following year. Throughout the '90s, Garlington frequently alternated between the big and small screens, and though most of her TV appearances were only guest spots, she had a rare recurring role in the 1996 series Townies. Garlington became an increasingly familiar supporting player over the next few years in such features as Evolution (2001), American Pie 2 (2001), One Hour Photo (2002), The Sum of All Fears (2002), and The Hot Chick (2002). In 2003, the longtime actress once again returned to weekly television with a role on the popular evening drama Everwood.

Trivia: Hawaii-born Jason Momoa first caught the attention of the fashion industry when he was discovered by designer Takeo in 1999. The 20 year old began a modeling career, which he soon transformed into an acting career, appearing in Baywatch Hawaii and Stargate Atlantis. In 2009, Momoa took on a role in the thriller The Game, before joining the cast of the acclaimed period series Game of Thrones in 2011. That same year, Momoa took on the title role in a hard hitting remake of Conan the Barbarian. Even though Conan failed to conquer the box office, Momoa's career kept charging forward thanks to his involvement eith the hit Game of Thrones, and in 2012 the actor could be seen opposite action icon Sylvester Stallone in the gritty Walter Hill actioner Bullet to the Head.

Trivia: Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, comedian-turned-actor DeRay Davis developed and honed a hip, sardonic, streetwise mentality at an early age and parlayed it smoothly and efficiently into the comedy-club circuit. Davis achieved his career breakthrough at the Laffapalooza Festival in Atlanta, GA, then scored a triple whammy by winning the Comedy Central Laugh Riots Competition and landing covetable spots in the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival and the Cedric the Entertainer Festival. Throughout, the comic wove vulgar and droll, yet also telling and deeply personal, routines around the subjects of race, poverty, and his challenging experiences growing up in the Windy City projects with a dysfunctional African-American family. The transition from behind-the-mike spots to movie roles represented a relatively short jump, for most of Davis' early film assignments emphasized the same subject matter as his routines; for example, he played the "Hustle Guy" in Barbershop (2002) and its sequel, Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004), rapper Mario "Fa Real" Greene in the Martin Short comedy Jiminy Glick in La La Wood (2004), and a Jamaican stoner in Johnson Family Vacation (2004). Davis expanded his genre focus with roles in Rupert Wainwright's supernatural horror outing The Fog (2005), and Todd Phillips' comedy remake School for Scoundrels (2006). Subsequent feature assignments include License to Wed (2007), Semi-Pro (2008, as basketball player Bee Bee Ellis), and Nowhereland (2009). Meanwhile, Davis also appeared on television series including Entourage and Reno 911!, and televised comedy revues such as Comedy Central's Premium Blend.

Trivia: Son of Nigerian immigrants.Grew up in Chicago.Was a member of the University of Illinois' varsity football team.Discovered his comedic talent at a talent show in college doing impressions of his teammates and coaches.Refined his comedic skills at the All Jokes Aside comedy club.

Trivia: Father is former professional bowler Billy Hardwick. Named after sports broadcaster Chris Schenkel. Was a member of the chess and Latin clubs in high school. Roomed with actor Wil Wheaton in college. Started at UCLA as a math major, but then switched to art and finally philosophy. One-half of the music-and-comedy duo Hard 'N' Phirm, with Mike Phirman. They were winners of UCLA's prestigious Spring Sing competition in 1995. Runs a multimedia company called Nerdist Industries and has written a self-help book called The Nerdist Way.

Trivia: Began working in commercials at the age of 6 and has appeared in ads for Barbie, K-Mart and Pop Tarts, among others. Big break came when she replaced Christina Milian as host of Movie Surfers on the Disney Channel in 2002. Has appeared as a background dancer for Missy Elliott, Pharrell Williams, Jamie Foxx and Lil' Bow Wow. Was one of the four singing and dancing Fantanas in the Fanta soft drink ads. Toured with the Black Eyed Peas on their 2007 Black Blue & You world tour. Singing voice is featured on two will.i.am songs, "I Got It from My Mama" and "The Donque Song". Is fluent in English, Spanish and French.