Trivia: One of the most powerful and uncompromising artists in rap music, Ice Cube enjoyed a surprisingly smooth transition into a career in motion pictures, first distinguishing himself as an actor and later branching out into writing, producing, and directing. Born O'Shea Jackson in South Central Los Angeles on June 15, 1969, Ice Cube came from a working class family, with both his father and mother employed by U.C.L.A. Ice Cube began writing lyrics when he was in ninth grade; a friend in a high school typing class challenged him to see who could come up with a better rap, and when he won the contest, Cube began honing his hip-hop skills in earnest. Before long, Ice Cube had formed a rap group called CIA with a friend, a DJ known as Sir Jinx. CIA began playing parties organized by Dr. Dre (born Andre Young), a member of a popular local hip-hop group called The World Class Wrecking Cru, and Cube and Dre both got to know Eazy-E (born Eric Wright), a rapper with a group called HBO who had started his own record company, financed by his successful career as a drug dealer. In time, Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-E joined forces with DJ Yella (born Antoine Carraby) and MC Ren (born Lorenzo Patterson) to form the group N.W.A. With their 1988 album Straight Outta Compton, N.W.A.'s profane and provocative lyrics (particularly the infamous "F -- -- Tha Police") made them one of the most controversial groups in the history of rap music, and if they weren't the first gangsta rappers, they certainly brought the sound to a mass audience for the first time. In 1989, Cube, dissatisfied with N.W.A.'s management (and the fact he had been paid a mere 30,000 dollars for writing and performing on an album which sold three million copies), decided to leave the group and strike out on his own. He released his first solo album, AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted, in 1990, and the disc's blunt, forceful sound and aggressive blend of street life and political commentary proved there was life for the rapper after N.W.A.. The following year, after releasing the follow-up EP Kill at Will, and a second album, Death Certificate, Cube made his acting debut in John Singleton's gritty look at life in South Central Los Angeles, Boyz N The Hood, which drew its name from an early N.W.A. track. Cube received strong reviews for his performance as ex-con Doughboy, and a year later starred opposite fellow rap trailblazer Ice-T in Walter Hill's Trespass. In 1995, Cube reunited with Singleton for the drama Higher Learning, and, later that year, expanded his repertoire by starring in Friday, a comedy he also wrote and produced. With his career in the movies on the rise, Cube spent less and less time in the recording studio, although he often contributed to the soundtracks of the films in which he appeared, and recorded with the L.A. all-star group Westside Connection. In 1998, Cube added directing to his list of accomplishments with The Players Club, for which he also served as screenwriter and executive producer, as well as played a supporting role as Reggie. The same year, he released his first solo album in four years, War and Peace, Vol. One: The War Disc. Cube went on to write and produce sequels to both Friday and All About the Benjamins, which co-starred his Friday sidekick, Mike Epps. He also continued to work in films for other writers and filmmakers, including Three Kings, Ghosts of Mars, and the extremely successful urban comedy Barbershop.In 2004, Cube's career continued to pick up steam. He appeared in the motor-cycle action thriller Torque, as well as Barbershop 2: Back in Business. By the next year, he was taking over for Vin Diesel, starring in XXX: State of the Union, as well as branching into the realm of family comedy with Are We There Yet?. Both were box office gold, and Cube went on to follow up the latter with 2007's sequel Are We Done Yet?.He tried his hand at an inspirational sports drama producing and starring in The Longshots in 2008. His love of sports found full flower in his 2010 documentary Straight Outta L.A., which he made as part of ESPN's 30 for 30 series. The film examined the relationship between sports and hip-hop culture in The City of Angels during the heyday of N.W.A. He appeared in the corrupt cop drama Rampart, and had a funny turn as the Captain to the undercover agents working out of 21 Jump Street.

Trivia: New York-born actor Charlie Day appeared in an impressive array of Williamstown Theatre productions before transitioning into television with a brief appearance in the Mary Tyler Moore/Valerie Harper reunion special Mary and Rhoda. Subsequent roles on Madigan Men, Law & Order, and Third Watch helped Day build an impressive list of small-screen credits, and in 2005 he joined the cast of the deliciously warped FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. Cast as an inherently good-natured guy often done in by his own shady intentions and poor luck with ladies, Day held his own opposite Danny DeVito, helping to establish himself as a respectable rising talent. Although he tried to stretch out in projects like A Quiet Little Marriage and Going the Distance, it was the 2011 hit Horrible Bosses that earned him his greatest praise apart from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. In 2006 he married his Philadelphia co-star Mary Elizabeth Ellis.

Trivia: New York-born Saturday Night Live cast member Tracy Morgan memorably spoofed everyone from Fat Albert to Tiger Woods' father during his time on the long-running comedy television staple. Working in mostly bit roles until a scathingly incisive skit in which he claimed that his biggest role each week was the guy waving in the background during the closing credits, Morgan then began a streak of standout characters that quickly placed his distinctive mark among his fellow cast members. Morgan appeared on television's Martin before joining the cast of SNL in September 1996, later appearing in 3rd Rock From the Sun and in such films as Half Baked (1998) and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001). With his film career picking up momentum with such comedies as 30 Years to Life and Frank McKlusky, C.I., it appeared that Morgan would enjoy a healthy career away from his Saturday Night Live home. Morgan appeared in the Chris Rock-directed comedy Head of State, and was the star of the short-lived sitcom The Tracy Morgan Show. He also contributed regularly to the prank-phone-calls-with-puppets series Crank Yankers. In addition to a video release compiling his most memorable moments from Saturday Night Live, Morgan appeared in Adam Sandler's remake of The Longest Yard, and played a role in the Wayans brothers comedy Little Man. Morgan was one of many contributors to Bob Saget's spoof Farce of the Penguins. In the fall of 2006, he joined the cast of 30 Rock, former SNL head writer Tina Fey's new sitcom about the backstage antics at a similar live sketch comedy show. A major hit for NBC, 30 Rock earned Morgan an Emmy nomination in 2009, and was still going strong three years later. Meanwhile, when he wasn't cracking up television viewers, Morgan could frequently be seen on the big screen in such films as the Kevin Smith buddy cop comedy Cop Out, and the Neil LaBute remake Death at a funeral. Though in 2011 Morgan received a verbal lashing from GLAAD following a stand-up routine that the organization viewed as homophobic, the quick witted writers at 30 Rock wasted no time turning versy into comedy gold by poking fun at the incident in primetime.

Trivia: Began taking improv comedy classes at the age of 8 in a local teacher's backyard. Was voted Most Likely to Be Famous during her senior year of high school. At the age of 18, dropped out of college after one semester and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy. Was a member of the renown sketch-comedy troupe The Groundlings. Auditioned to be a cast member of Saturday Night Live, but was rejected and offered a job as a writer for the show instead.

Trivia: Began acting in plays as a child and did theatre at university. Visited New York City while at university to interview for jobs on Wall Street, but also used the time to go on auditions. Attended the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Often portrays some type of authority figure. Was cast as a cop in Lethal Weapon 2, a commanding officer in Starship Troopers, and a state trooper in Little Miss Sunshine, amongst others. Has created several videos parodying his cop persona, including a fictional show called Cop Talk and one that pokes fun at his character in the series Breaking Bad.

Trivia: Christina Hendricks jump-started her career on television in the early 2000s, with a particularly effective multi-episode contribution to the medical drama ER. On that program, she played Joyce, a battered housewife given solace -- and shelter -- by one of the female employees of Cook County Hospital. Also in 2002, Hendricks appeared in a memorable role on the short-lived cult sci-fi series Firefly as the seductive, scheming conwoman Saffron (in two episodes, one of which never aired). She continued to find steady work on television, notably co-starring with Taye Diggs on the short-lived legal drama Kevin Hill (2004-2005). In 2007, Hendricks took on a prominant role on one of the most promising and original new series of 2007: Mad Men. Her work as Joan on the show earned her strong reviews as the show became the most respected on television winning the Emmy for best drama series each of its first four seasons. She parlayed that into a film career that includes appearances in I Don't Know How She Does It, Detachment, and the cult hit Drive, where she played a lethal criminal.

Trivia: African American actor Dennis Haysbert first appeared on the TV scene as "Stuff" Wade on the weekly actioner Code Red (1981). Haysbert went on to play such TV-series roles as Cletus Maxwell in Off the Rack (1985) and Coach Duane Johnson in Just the Ten of Us (1988-89). He was also featured as Cherokee Jack in the 1993 miniseries Return to Lonesome Dove. Dennis Haysbert's best-loved film assignment was as voodoo-worshipping ballplayer Pedro Cerrano in the two Major League movies.

Trivia: A seemingly ubiquitous television presence in the later '90s and early 2000s, JoAnna Garcia has been appearing on the small screen since she made her debut in 1992 in Nickelodeon's popular Clarissa Explains It All. Later taking on a more substantial role on that same network with Are You Afraid of the Dark?, Garcia began her transition into film with the sequel to the popular teen sex comedy American Pie. A native of Tampa, FL, Garcia got her first taste of stardom when she landed the lead role in a local theater production at the age of ten. Developing an insatiable appetite for the spotlight following her debut, she was discovered by Nickelodeon while in high school and was soon making the notable commute from Florida to Montréal to appear in Dark. Though she would attend Florida State University for a year after graduating high school, the call of the Hollywood hills was too hard to resist and the aspiring actress dropped out to relocate after landing a role on the made-for-television movie Holy Joe (1999). Turning up in such popular shows as Party of Five and Freaks and Geeks (in which she turned in a memorable performance as popular cheerleader Vicky Appleby) soon after, Garcia also scored with distinctive roles in Boston Public, Providence, and Dawson's Creek. Returning to television for her role in Reba after her feature debut, Garcia could next be seen on the silver screen as a Tourette's Syndrome-inflicted cheerleader in Not Another Teen Movie. In the years to follow, Garcia would find increasing success on the small screen, starring on the series Reba, Better with You, Privileged, Royal Pains, Animal Practice, and guest roles on shows like Once Upon a Time (playing mermaid Ariel) and The Mindy Project.

Trivia: Was a writer on Michael & Michael Have Issues. Had a recurring role on The Colbert Report. Performed his one-man show Unpronounceable for the first time in Chicago in 2007.

Trivia: Grew up on a vineyard in California's Napa Valley operated by his mother and stepfather; father is a researcher in medical history at the National Institutes of Health. Made his acting debut as an eighth-grader in a school production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (he played Puck). Studied at the same secondary school (Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, MI) as Felicity Huffman, who played his mother on Desperate Housewives. Is the identical twin of Max Carver (Charlie's seven minutes older than Max); the duo played identical twins on Desperate Housewives.

Trivia: Nominated for the 2000 Joseph Jefferson Award for Actress in a Revue, for her performance in the Second City Theatre.. Formed comedy duo WeirDass with husband Robert Dassie. Performed as part of the MADtv ensemble between 2000 and 2006. Performed a one-woman show Sloedeatha, TX at the Comedy Central Stage. Regularly performs with the Second City Improv Troupe.

Trivia: Was born abroad because her parents were missionaries. Was a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Started out as a teacher in Compton, CA, before becoming an actor. Owns a production company called Kwick Whit Productions. Regularly performs stand-up comedy in and around Los Angeles.

Trivia: Has a different birthday than his identical twin brother, Charlie; Charlie was born on July 31 while Max was born 7 minutes later on August 1. His mother and stepfather own and operate a vineyard in California's Napa Valley; his father, a physician, is a researcher at the National Institutes of Health.

Trivia: Cocreated the Green Goddess Investment Club in 2008, dedicated to educating women about finance and the stock market. Founded a philanthropic women's non-profit, the New Hollywood Women's Goal Group, Inc. Owns her own production company, Brown Rose Productions. Appeared in the Blank Theatre's Young Playwrights Festival in 2011.