Trivia: Actor Kyle Chandler grew up in Georgia, where he helped take care of the family farm. He eventually went to college at the nearby University of Georgia, where he majored in drama. It was there that a scout from ABC noticed his charm and signed him to a contract with the network. Chandler traveled to L.A., where he started out doing odd jobs but eventually worked his way onto shows like Tour of Duty, Homefront, and What About Joan; TV movies like 1988's Quiet Victory; and feature films such as 1996's Mulholland Falls. The parts steadily became bigger and more numerous, eventually leading to the starring role of Gary Hobson on the TV drama series Early Edition and the role of Bruce Baxter in 2005's King Kong.Chandler also guest-starred in a memorable post-Super Bowl two-parter on the medical drama series Grey's Anatomy, playing a bomb squad leader who comes to the hospital when a patient is admitted who has unexploded munitions lodged in his chest, thanks to his attempt to make a homemade bazooka. Chandler's performance was so impressive that he was later nominated for an Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series Emmy. Following that, he landed the starring role of head coach Eric Taylor on Friday Night Lights, a show based on the movie of the same name, about a small town in Texas where high-school football is among the most important things in life. He would earn rave reviews for his work on the high-school football series, eventually garnering an Emmy nomination in 2010. On the big-screen he could be seen in the remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still, and he was cast as the father in J.J. Abrams Steven Spielberg-inspired sci-fi drama Super 8.

Trivia: Even those who fail to recognize her name would instantly know the lithe, slightly diminutive, and ethereally beautiful Ukranian-American actress Vera Farmiga by her distinctive look. Born August 6, 1973, in Passaic County, NJ, to Ukranian immigrant parents Michael and Luba Farmiga, Vera grew up with six brothers and sisters, in an isolated Ukranian enclave -- so isolated that the young girl purportedly did not learn spoken English until the age of six. As a teenager, she attended a Ukranian Catholic secondary school, and spent much of her free time touring with a Ukranian folk dancing troupe. Though she originally planned to build a career as an optometrist, Farmiga instead ventured off in the opposite direction by enrolling as an undergraduate at Syracuse University's School of Visual and Performing Arts. She began to tour as a theatrical performer shortly after graduation, in the American Conservatory Theater's 1996 production of Shakespeare's Tempest, then took her Broadway bow later that same year, as an understudy in David Jones' mounting of Ronald Harwood's Taking Sides. Television work ensued, with spots in such series as Law & Order, Trinity, UC: Undercover, and Touching Evil. At about the same time (around 1998), Farmiga made her rather modest cinematic debut in Sleeping With the Enemy director Joseph Ruben's little-seen Return to Paradise, starring Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche. Many additional roles followed throughout the first years of the new millennium, including that of Lisa, Richard Gere's estranged daughter, in the soapy melodrama Autumn in New York; Lorena, Adrien Brody's unemployment counselor in the Greg Pritikin-helmed 2002 comedy Dummy; and Allison in Eric Schaeffer's fine (albeit overlooked) ensemble film Mind the Gap (2004), where she appears alongside such notables as John Heard and the late Alan King. Farmiga joined the cast of Jonathan Demme's 2004 Manchurian Candidate remake, alongside Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, and Liev Schreiber; though not among the top-billed performers, the appearance served her career favorably. She fared much better (on all fronts) with a starring role in that same year's visceral indie addiction drama Down to the Bone, winner of the Special Jury Prize at Sundance and a critical darling. As Irene, a coke-addled supermarket checker and mother of two, Farmiga drew raves from such sources as The New York Times and The Village Voice for, in one reviewer's words, "a pitch-perfect performance." (She also reeled in a Los Angeles Film Critics' Association award for that role -- no small accomplishment, indeed.) 2006 brought with it a role as Teresa in Wayne Kramer's thriller Running Scared, and appearances in such features as Anthony Minghella's Breaking & Entering and Martin Scorsese's The Departed (both 2006). The Minghella drama concerns a group of ethnic locals whose lives intersect -- and catalyze violent hostilities -- in the scuzzy King's Cross section of London; as Oana, Farmiga draws heavily on her Eastern European background. In the Scorsese picture, a Beantown cops-and-mobsters crime drama, Farmiga plays Madeleine, the female lead opposite heavyweights Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jack Nicholson. Meanwhile, Farmiga signed for the role of Fiona, a woman who enters an affair with paraplegic radio personality Isaac (portrayed by In the Bedroom's Nick Stahl) in Carlos Brooks' Quid Pro Quo (2007).In 2009 Farmiga appeared as a mother whose life is threatened by an evil foster child in Orphan, but it was her supporting turn opposite George Clooney in Up in the Air that earned her excellent reviews as well as acting nominations from the Hollywood Foreign Press, the Screen Actors Guild, and the Academy. In the coming years, Farmiga would appear in a host of other acclaimed films, like Source Code and Safe House. Farmiga would also earn massive critical praise for her directorial debut, helming and starring in the 2012 drama Higher Ground.

Trivia: Born in Malaga, Spain, she moved with her family back to their home in England at age 4, and then to Orlando, Florida at age 7. Took weekend acting classes in Orlando. Got her first acting job in 2013 in ABC series Once Upon a Time in Wonderland. Had to shave her head to get the part of Eleven in Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things. Does Thai boxing in her spare time.

Trivia: An actress of almost eerie, otherworldly beauty and simmering intensity, Zhang Ziyi burst onto the international film scene with her role as the governor's daughter in Ang Lee's acclaimed martial arts adventure Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Stunningly convincing despite her lack of martial arts skills, Zhang's dramatic talents were equally impressive, and she was soon cast in such highly regarded films as Zhang Yimou's Hero and big-budget stateside efforts as Rush Hour 2. Born in Beijing to a working-class family that included her economist father, kindergarten teacher mother, and an older brother, Zhang found creative outlets early with dancing and gymnastics. At the age of 11, she was accepted into a secondary school affiliated with the acclaimed Beijing Dancing College. Though her skills earned Zhang numerous awards there, she soon became frustrated with the pressures of school and began seeking other creative outlets. At 15, she enrolled in Beijing's Central Drama Academy, where she finally seemed to find her niche. Fate sealed the deal when the aspiring actress auditioned for a role in a shampoo commercial directed by acclaimed filmmaker Zhang Yimou, and after working with her, the veteran director thought her ideal for the lead in his upcoming movie The Road Home (2000). Cast as a young girl who falls in love with an older teacher, the film won international praise, in addition to numerous awards. If The Road Home had been her breakthrough, her next film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, brought her even more exposure and fame. With few martial arts skills, Zhang utilized her dancing to perfect the moves needed for the physically challenging role. Though the actress began learning English in hopes of breaking into the Hollywood scene, her first major role in the West, ironically, found her speaking her native Chinese (which was subtitled in English). Parts in such high-profile Chinese features as Zu Warriors and Musa (both 2001) followed, and in 2002, Zhang once again stepped before the camera for Zhang Yimou in the visually dazzling, historical martial arts drama Hero. In addition to earning an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, Zhang Ziyi was nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the Hong Kong Film Awards. In 2003, she took the lead for the political drama Purple Butterfly. Later that year, she accepted a supporting role in the popular action comedy sequel My Wife Is a Gangster 2. The actress appeared in no less than three films in 2004, including Wong Kar-Wai's romantic sci-fi drama 2046. She continued her impressive ascent with hits like House of Flying Daggers (2004) and Memoirs of a Geisha (2005), which were both nominated for Academy Awards and earned Zhang back-to-back BAFTA nominations for Best Actress in a Leading Role. In 2007, she provided the voice for Karai in TMNT. Zhang had another critically-acclaimed hit with The Grandmaster in 2013, and starred in John Woo's epic The Crossing in 2014.

Trivia: An actor whose well-scrubbed Midwestern good looks have served him well in a wide variety of roles, Bradley Whitford was born in Madison, WI, on October 10, 1959. Whitford developed an interest in acting while in high school, and after graduating in 1977, he attended Wesleyan University, where he majored in English and Theater. After completing his studies at Wesleyan, he went on to receive a master's degree in Theater from the Juilliard Theater Center, and began pursuing an acting career in New York. Whitford made his screen debut in 1985 in a low-budget thriller called Dead As a Doorman, but received a good bit more attention for a supporting role in a 1986 TV movie, C.A.T. Squad, directed by William Friedkin. In 1987, Whitford appeared in both the New York and Los Angeles productions of Sam Shepard's drama Curse of the Starving Class; while in L.A. with the play, Whitford was cast as Jack Ford in the TV movie The Betty Ford Story. After returning to New York, Whitford continued to alternate stage roles with film assignments, and by the early '90s was appearing in a steady stream of supporting roles in such films as Presumed Innocent, A Perfect World, and Philadelphia. However, Whitford soon began scoring more substantial roles on television, including a recurring role as Norman Gardner on the series NYPD Blue and a memorable turn as a distraught father-to-be on the Emmy-award winning "Love's Labor's Lost" episode of E.R. In 1999, Whitford's finally scored the role that made him famous when he was cast as Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Lyman on the TV series The West Wing (created by Aaron Sorkin, whose play A Few Good Men had featured Whitford in its Broadway cast). Whitford's work on the series eventually earned him an Emmy Award in 2001; the same year, he was also recognized as part of the show's ensemble cast by the Screen Actor's Guild Awards (also honored with Whitford was John Spencer, who had appeared with him in the movie Presumed Innocent).Whitford appeared in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants in 2005, as well as the critically acclaimed comedy drama Bottleshock in 2008. The actor enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in 2012 for his turn as a ruthless, yet oddly likable businessman in director Joss Whedon's popular horror comedy Cabin in the Woods.

Trivia: British actress Sally Hawkins parlayed her English refinement into an extremely varied series of roles beginning in the early 2000s -- including occasional crime-themed action pictures, social-consciousness dramas, and contemporary suspensers. She took one of her first international bows as a 19th century lesbian in the U.K. miniseries Tipping the Velvet (2002), appeared as Slasher in Matthew Vaughn's Guy Ritchie-influenced gangster film Layer Cake (2004), and played Susan, a pregnant rich girl desperate for an abortion, in Mike Leigh's searing, heart-wrenching character study Vera Drake (2004). The actress then signed for one of the key roles in Woody Allen's European thriller Cassandra's Dream. She scored her greatest success so far reteaming with Mike Leigh for 2008's Happy-Go-Lucky. Her work earned her a number of year end critics awards including the New York Film Critics award for Best Actress. She followed that up with a small part in the Best Picture nominee An Education, playing a teacher in the sci-fi drama Never Let Me Go, and playing the unlikely leader of a worker's revolt in the British period piece Made in Dagenham. She appeared in the quirky romantic comedy Submarine, and played Mrs. Reed in the well-reviewed 2011 adaptation of Jane Eyre.

Trivia: Tall, sandy-haired British actor Charles Dance trained for a career in graphic design at Plymouth College of Art and Leicester College of Art. Dance developed a taste for the theatre by listening to the reminiscences of two elderly actors who ran a pub in his Dover neighborhood. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company at the age of 29, and made his first film, the James Bond picture For Your Eyes Only, six years later. Dance's widest professional exposure came in 1984 when he appeared in "The Jewel in the Crown," a 14-part British TV production seen in the U.S. on Masterpiece Theatre. Charles Dance's best-remembered performances have been as D.W. Griffith in Good Morning Babylon (1987); the role of Meryl Streep's husband in Plenty (1985); the title part in the 1990 TV adaptation of Phantom of the Opera; and the displaced "imaginary" villain in Arnold Schwarzenegger's The Last Action Hero (1993).

Trivia: Was rejected by Toronto's Second City branch, so he moved to Chicago and studied comedy with the original Second City troupe and with iO. Joined Chicago's Improvised Shakespeare Company during its initial season in 2005. Garnered millions of views for his I'm Into Nuggets, Y'all rap video. Was featured in Upright Citizens Brigade's improvised comedies Diamond Lion, Baby Wants Candy and Gravid Water. Landed the lead in the 2009 romantic-comedy Splinterheads. In 2011 Variety named him as one of their 10 comics to watch. Has been featured in numerous comedy videos on the College Humor Web site. Self-released the music CD Semi-Serious.

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: At 18 began to perform on stage with his famous father Ice Cube during concerts. Is featured on two songs, "She Couldn't Make It on Her Own" and "Y'all Know How I Am," from Ice Cube's 2010 album I Am the West. Under the name OMG (Oh My Goodness), released Jackin' for Beats: The Mixtape in 2012. Endured a two-year audition process before landing the role of his father in the biopic Straight Outta Compton, which marks his acting debut.

Trivia: One of the more underrated actors in Hollywood, tall, soft-spoken David Straithairn has earned almost consistent critical appreciation for his work in a number of films, most notably his many collaborations with director John Sayles. Born in San Francisco on January 26, 1949, Straithairn gained an entrance into acting via his days at Williams College. It was there that he met fellow student Sayles, and the two had their first collaboration with Return of the Seacaucus Seven. The 1980 film, which told the story of a group of friends reuniting after college, inspired a number of similar efforts, including The Big Chill. Following his debut, the actor -- whose additional performing experience came from his training at the Ringling Brothers Clown College -- appeared in supporting roles in a number of films, including Silkwood (1983) and Dominick and Eugene (1988). He continued to collaborate with Sayles, acting in The Brother From Another Planet (1984), Matewan, (1987), and Eight Men Out (1988). Straithairn was also introduced to television audiences with his role as bookstore owner Moss Goodman on the popular dramedy series Days and Nights of Molly Dodd.In the 1990s, Straithairn had prominent roles in a number of critically acclaimed films and television miniseries. In addition to his continuing work with Sayles, in 1991's City of Hope and Passion Fish (1992), the actor lent his talents to such films as Bob Roberts (1992), Sneakers (also 1992), The River Wild (a 1994 film which reunited him with Silkwood co-star Meryl Streep), and Losing Isaiah (1995). He also appeared in miniseries such as the 1991 O Pioneers! and In the Gloaming (1997), in which he played the father of an AIDS-stricken Robert Sean Leonard. In 1997, Straithairn had a memorable turn as a high-class pimp with a dodgy mustache in the wildly lauded L.A. Confidential and after a supporting role in Simon Birch (1998), once again collaborated with Sayles, this time playing a fisherman with a past in the 1999 Limbo. He remained one of the most respected character actors of his generation appearing as the father in the remake of The Miracle Worker, and starring in the drama Blue Car as a manipulative teacher. In 2005 he garnered an Oscar nomination and the biggest high-profile success of his career playing Edward R. Murrow in George Clooney's Good Night, and Good Luck. He followed up that success with appearances in such films as We Are Marshall, The Bourne Ultimatum, Howl, and Temple Grandin. In 2012 he was cast in Steven Spielberg's long-planned biopic Lincoln as William Seward.