Trivia: For some actors, success just seems to come naturally. In the case of talented stage and screen beauty Kristen Bell, it wasn't so much a matter of if she was going to be a star after realizing her dream during an early performance as a banana in Raggedy Ann and Andy at the tender age of 12 -- but when she would finally make the big time. Paralyzed with stage fright as she waited for her cue off-stage, Bell was offered a word of encouragement by her supportive mother that would ultimately give her the drive to realize her life's calling. A native of Detroit whose early stage experiences eventually led her to study at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Bell saw early success when she was chosen to portray Becky Thatcher in a Broadway production of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. Realizing that she had what it took to find success onscreen as well as on-stage, Bell was soon packing her bags for Los Angeles and landing small supporting roles in such features as Polish Wedding and Pootie Tang. In 2003, Bell impressed television viewers with a solid performance in the made-for-television dramas The King and Queen of Moonlight Bay and Gracie's Choice. She next appeared in David Mamet's 2004 thriller Spartan, before landing the lead as a sort-of new-millennium Nancy Drew on UPN's Veronica Mars. If the show's ravenous cult following wasn't enough to make young Bell a household name, even after its much mourned cancellation in 2007, her subsequent performance in the awesomely successful comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall cinched it for her. Bell would go on to play a recurring role on the landmark TV series Heroes, before appearing in a number of comedies over the next few years, like Fanboys, Couples Retreat, and When in Rome. Bell would even appear in slightly less prestigious movies, like Burlesque and Scream 4, but remained one of the most in-demand young actresses in Hollywood, especially in the realm of comedy. She would play a memorable role on Don Cheadle's comedy series House of Lies, and co-produced and starred in an action-oriented romcom with Bradley Cooper called Hit and Run (which was written and co-directed by Bell's real-life love, Dax Shepard).In 2013, Bell and Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas launched a Kickstater campaign to raise funds for a Veronica Mars movie. The campaign proved to be wildly successful, raising more than was needed to fund the film, which was released in 2014. Bell also voiced Anna in the Disney film Frozen, which significantly raised her profile, and showcased her singing voice, holding her own opposite Broadway heavyweight Idina Menzel.

Trivia: A television personality most familiar to viewers for his stint as the host of the E! network's satirical pop-culture commentary The Soup (updated and reworked from the channel's original Talk Soup), Joel McHale grew up in the Seattle area and attended the University of Washington as a theater major, where he earned his master's in drama. After relocating to Los Angeles, McHale signed for guest roles and bit parts on series including Will & Grace and Oliver Beene, then landed a small role as Mr. Jacks in the Sam Raimi feature Spider-Man 2, followed by parts in Catherine Hardwicke's Lords of Dogtown and the sketch comedy outing The Onion Movie. On the side, McHale also emceed a series of Burger King commercials. He culled his broadest fan base on The Soup, however, distinguishing himself with sharp sarcasm and a quick wit. He had a breakthrough when he was cast as the lead in the cult hit sitcom Community on NBC, and he continued to act in projects such as The Informant!, Spy Kids: All the Time In the World, and 2012's Ted.

Trivia: Is of Kenyan and Nigerian descent. First acting role was as Joseph in his elementary school's reenactment of the Christmas Nativity scene. In 2014, was listed in the LA Times' list of 30 Actors Under 30 Who Matter. Was featured in Vanity Fair's 2014 Hollywood's Next Wave portfolio.

Trivia: Is of Italian descent.Performed for her family at a young age doing impressions.After graduating college, she worked in several odd jobs in children's parties.Was a member of The Groundlings improv company.Made her debut as an actress on screen as an extra.Is a close friend of Kristen Wiig and have worked together on several projects over the years.

Trivia: Won the 'Best Teen Songwriter' award at the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences' 'Grammy Day'.In 2010, became a member of the Black Cards, leaving two years later. Signed with Warner Bros. Records as a solo artist in 2013. Hosted the 2016 MTV Europe Music Awards in Rotterdam. Nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy Award in 2018.

Trivia: Though best known for his work as radio station bigwig Jimmy James on the television series NewsRadio, Stephen Root is one of the busier character actors at work today, and a familiar face to television and movie audiences. Born in Sarasota, FL, on November 17, 1951, Root received a degree in acting and broadcasting from the University of Florida, and after graduating passed an audition to join the touring company of the National Shakespeare Company. After three years with the NSC, Root settled in New York City, where he began working in off-Broadway theater, making his debut in a revival of Journey's End. His first Broadway role, in So Long on Lonely Street, was a bust at the box office, but the 1987 revival of All My Sons was a big hit which generated plenty of enthusiastic press for Root. 1988 saw Root making his motion-picture debut in the George Romero horror opus Monkey Shines, and over the next several years Root worked steadily in feature films, episodic television, and made-for-TV movies, scoring recurring roles on L.A. Law, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and Blossom; guest spots on Northern Exposure, Murphy Brown, and Quantum Leap; supporting parts in Ghost, Dave, and Robocop 3; and an acclaimed turn in A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story, as well as its sequel, Her Final Fury: Betty Broderick, The Last Chapter. In 1993, Root was cast as R.O. on the television series Harts of the West; the show only lasted a season, but his next role on a series would last a bit longer; cast as Jimmy on the sitcom NewsRadio in 1995, Root would last with the show for five seasons, until the show was canceled after a disappointing final season following the death of co-star Phil Hartman. During hiatus from NewsRadio and after the series ended, Root continued his busy schedule, making memorable appearances in feature films (including Office Space and O Brother, Where Art Thou?) and guesting on other shows. Root also began doing voice work, speaking for Buck Strickland and Bill Dauterive on the animated series King of the Hill and the Sheriff on Buzz Lightyear of Star Command.Root's small-screen voice-work would soon lead to his involvement in two popular big-screen animated features. In 2002's Ice Age, audiences could hear him along with Cedric the Entertainer as a pair of Rhinos. And the next year, Root lent his pipes to the blockbuster underwater adventure Finding Nemo. While his voice became more familiar to moviegoers, Root continued to become more of a presence in live-action films as well. Turning in no less than four supporting performances in high-profile films, Root spent 2004 reteaming with the Coen brothers for The Ladykillers, showing up in a prominent role in Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl, and costarring in the broad comedies Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Mad Money, and Leatherheads.He remained one of the most respected and in-demand character actors of his generation appearing in a variety of projects including Mad Money, The Soloist, Everything Must Go, Red State, Cedar Rapids, and J. Edgar. He also provided numerous voices for the Oscar-winning animated feature Rango.

Trivia: Was involved in performances at No Shame Theater while studying at University of Iowa. In 2004, moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in comedy after graduating from college. Was named in Variety's list of 10 Comics to Watch in 2008. Regularly writes, directs and acts in sketch, improv and stand-up performances at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Los Angeles. Co-host of Not Too Shabby, a weekly sketch comedy show at UCB. Is a member of the improv comedy team Last Day of School and the sketch comedy group A Kiss From Daddy. Is frequently a guest on Comedy Bang Bang's podcast. Has been a member of two musical groups, The Glass Beef and Don't Stop or We'll Die.

Trivia: Has appeared in theatre productions of several Shakespeare works, including Twelfth Night, Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream.Trained with The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, Brad Greenquist and Pacific Resident Theatre Young Actors Conservatory.Has listed Martial Arts, Pole Vault, Ice Skating, Track & Field, Snowboarding, Snow Skiing, Swimming, and Soccer among his athletic skills on his resume.Provided the voice of Darius in the 2014 animated film Purim: The Lot which tells the story of the Jewish rebellion against Persian persecution according to the Old Testament Book of Esther.Guest starred on the ABC sitcom Modern Family, and TBS anthology comedy TV series The Guest Book.

Trivia: An actor whose strong features and sinewy 6'4" physique appear to have been chiseled from a slab of testosterone, Vince Vaughn is Hollywood's closest human approximation of a Chevy pick-up. Born March 28th, 1979, Vaughn's roles invariably reflect these qualities, and have given him a genial affability among middle Americans. Thanks to Vaughn's skills as a performer, however, he continues to resist typecasting, lending effortless portrayals to characters ranging from slick bachelors to raging psychopaths to morally conflicted limo drivers. A tried-and-true Midwestern boy, Vaughn was born in Minneapolis on March 28, 1970, and raised in the wealthy Chicago suburb of Lake Forest. The son of a self-made businessman and a stock and real-estate broker, Vaughn diverged from the upwardly mobile path forged by his parents. A hyperactive teen (and lackluster student), Vaughn spent time in special ed. and ran with a fast crowd (though he later claimed that he never felt the need for all-out rebellion). Despite his poor scholastic performance, Vaughn derived ambition from his interest in acting -- an interest that first blossomed at the age of seven -- and even served as senior class president. Upon graduation, with only his diploma and a role in a Chevy commercial as his credentials, Vaughn headed for Hollywood. Upon arrival, he proceeded to work in almost complete obscurity for the next seven years.During this period, Vaughn made the acquaintance of Jon Favreau, another struggling actor who hailed from the East. Their ensuing friendship and real-life adventures provided the inspiration for their ticket to the bigtime, 1996's Swingers. Directed by Doug Liman, the comedy stars Vaughn and Favreau (who also co-wrote the script) as two amiable, Rat Pack-obsessed, "so money" bachelors prowling the streets and bars of L.A. for "beautiful babies" and the occasional job opportunity. This irreverent-but-insightful Miramax release became a bona-fide sleeper hit. Vaughn, whose character, Trent, was the film's resident fast-talking ladies' man, emerged as a sex symbol in the making. A supporting role in Steven Spielberg's The Lost World: Jurassic Park heightened the actor's profile and revealed his ability to transition with great fluidity between indie films and box-office blockbusters. Nevertheless, Vaughn subsequently took the small, quiet film route, starring in The Locusts (1997), an overheated but half-baked melodrama in debt to both Tennessee Williams and East of Eden, and A Cool, Dry Place, a family drama that garnered a cool, dry reception from both audiences and critics. In 1998, the actor fared substantially better with his turn as a limo driver who is called upon to make a great sacrifice for a friend in Joe Ruben's Return to Paradise, and he brought a fine admixture of dark humor and sublimated menace to his part as a charismatic sociopath in Clay Pigeons. Vaughn evoked colossal mental dysfunction as Norman Bates in Gus Van Sant's truly ugly and ill-advised remake of Psycho that same year. Critics and viewers regarded his performance -- like the film itself -- with a tepid blend of indifference and bewilderment. After that egregious misfire, Vaughn wisely took a couple of years off before re-emerging with a number of projects in 2000. These included The Cell, a surrealistic horror picture co-starring Jennifer Lopez and Vincent D'Onofrio, Prime Gig, with Vaughn as California's best telemarketer, and South of Heaven, West of Hell, an ensemble western that marked the directorial debut of country singer Dwight Yoakam. Following-up with a part in writer Favreau's Made, Vaughn's next big role arrived in the form of a deceptive stepfather harboring a dark secret in the thriller Domestic Disturbance. Unfortunately, the film bombed on a critical front. Vaughn again ducked out of sight for several years, but Todd Phillips's 2003 comedy Old School brought him back to the top of the heap. Teaming Vaughn with Will Ferrell and Luke Wilson as a trio of over-the-hill party animals who relive their Animal House days by returning to frat house life, Old School became a sleeper hit, and inspired the press to term Vaughn, Wilson, Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Jack Black and others as The Frat Pack. The next of the "Frat Pack" vehicles arrived in 2004, with Todd Phillips's spoofy retread of the 1970s hit Starsky & Hutch, featuring Vaughn as the slimy villain, Reese Feldman. The picture (predictably) became a mega-hit, and the actor's newfound momentum continued to build when, only a few months later, he starred in Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Apparently channeling Bill Murray circa-1985, Vaughn received positive reviews for playing the good-guy opposite muscle-bound baddie Ben Stiller.Vaughn next graced the Will Ferrell vehicle Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004) with a small but memorable role, before he made an about-face for the comedy-drama Thumbsucker. Vaughn impressed critics with his characterization and received praise for his funny and heartfelt performance. He returned to the popcorn humor that initially made him a star, however (and joined the $200-million-gross club in the process) with a leading part in the comedy The Wedding Crashers, a raunchy, R-rated film that proved once and for all the actor could open a movie.Throughout 2006, rumors swarmed about Vaughn's offscreen life, and alleged romantic relationship with newly divorced Jennifer Aniston -- a relationship that blossomed on the set of The Break-Up (ironically, a comedy about an couple ending their two-year relationship and trying to divide their possessions, friends and condo without killing each other). Gossip amped up anticipation and heightened curiosity. Meanwhile, Aniston aggressively denied rumors of an engagement. Upon release, The Break-Up bolstered Vaughn's reputation as a strong comic lead, and became another surprise hit.In the holiday comedy Joe Claus -- which marks Vaughn's third outing with director David Dobkin -- he plays the title character, the no-account, loser brother of Santa Claus who teams up with his more famous sibling at the North Pole to defeat villain Kevin Spacey. Vaughn undertook a personal venture for the documentary Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Show, tooling around the country on a tour bus with four aspiring stand-up comics as they travel from gig to gig. And he stayed true to form with another "Frat Pack" comedy, Outsourced. In the years to come, Vaughn would remain an ever present force in the comedy world, appearing in movies like Four Christmases, Couples Retreat, and The Watch, as well as producing projects like The Internship and the sitcom Sullivan & Son.

Trivia: Started performing stand-up comedy when he was 16.Many of his relatives are Lutheran ministers, including his grandfather, father and brother.Was already writing scripts when he was in high school.Dropped out of college to pursue an acting career.Signing up as an extra for the movie Virginia (2010), which was film in his home state, led to a small role after he approached director Dustin Lance Black to congratulate him on winning the Oscar for Milk (2008).Worked in a butcher shop and a bowling alley.Didn't had to audition for the role of Richard Jewell in Clint Eastwood's film Richard Jewell (2019).

Trivia: While attending high school in Fargo, ND, studied acting across the border in Moorhead, MN, at the Trollwood Performing Arts School from 1993 to '97; performed in stage productions of Romeo and Juliet, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, West Side Story, Guys and Dolls and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. In 2011, returned to Trollwood to teach summer acting classes in improvisation and scene study. Played guitar with Los Angeles band Killola. Replaced Mos Def as Dougie in HBO's Enlightened when the rapper-actor and the network could not agree on a contract.

Trivia: Has a brother and a sister.Started playing the piano at the age of 6.Participated in theater productions while he was in college.Holds minors in political science and environmental studies from Calvin College.Worked on schooners after graduating from college.Became a member of the Second City Detroit main company in 1998.In 2003, joined the improv group The 313.One of the founders of The Detroit Creativity Project.

Trivia: Made her television debut in a 2008 episode of Holby City.Wrote, directed, produced and starred in the 2013 short film Lucky Day.Studied at the Upright Citizens' Brigade in LA.Is possibly best known for her role as Simone on the fantasy comedy series The Good Place.In 2019, starred as Taylor Harding in dark comedy series Why Women Kill.

Trivia: Scion of renowned maverick director John Cassavetes and extraordinary actress Gena Rowlands, Nick Cassavetes was an actor for over a decade before he added writing and directing to his Hollywood repertoire. Born and raised in New York, Cassavetes appeared in two of his father's films, Husbands (1970) and A Woman Under the Influence (1974), while growing up. The sturdy, 6'4" Cassavetes did not, however, want to be an actor and attended Syracuse University on a basketball scholarship. After an injury ended his collegiate athletic career, Cassavetes re-thought his aspirations and headed to his parents' alma mater, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts.Though he scored his first role as an adult in Peter Bogdanovich's acclaimed drama Mask (1985), Cassavetes made his living appearing in numerous B-movies during the 1980s and early '90s. Along with such actioners as Black Moon Rising (1986), Under the Gun (1988), and The Wraith (1987) (with fellow Hollywood offspring Charlie Sheen), Cassavetes also starred in several softcore movies, including Body of Influence (1991). By the mid-'90s, Cassavetes left B-movies for a role as Dorothy Parker's lover, writer Robert Sherwood, in Alan Rudolph's Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle (1994) and his own debut as a movie writer and director. Drawing on his mother's experience after his father's 1989 death and featuring a superb performance by Rowlands, Unhook the Stars (1996) was a perceptive slice-of-life drama about a widow's relationship with her young single-mother neighbor. Further paying homage to his roots, Cassavetes then directed one of his father's unproduced screenplays, She's So Lovely (1997). Starring Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn as a couple that defines l'amour fou and John Travolta as Wright Penn's tough yet paternal second husband, She's So Lovely was true to the elder Cassavetes' distinct, keen voice and won prizes for cinematography and Penn's flamboyant performance at the Cannes Film Festival. Cassavetes also appeared onscreen that same year with Travolta, as super criminal Castor Troy's bald cohort Dietrich in John Woo's summer blockbuster Face/Off (1997). Appearing in higher profile fare than most of his prior acting work, Cassavetes followed Face/Off with roles in the Johnny Depp-Charlize Theron sci-fi thriller The Astronaut's Wife (1999) and Ted Demme's Eddie Murphy-Martin Lawrence prison movie Life (1999). Continuing his associations with Demme and Depp, Cassavetes subsequently co-wrote the director's final film Blow (2001), about the rise and fall of a 1970s and '80s American cocaine kingpin. Returning to the director's chair for a project that spoke to his experience with his own daughter's heart disease, Cassavetes took on his first big-budget Hollywood genre film, John Q. (2002). Starring Denzel Washington as a desperate working-class father who turns to violence when his HMO won't cover his son's heart transplant, this unconvincing piece of schlock received devastating reviews across the board. American critics described it, alternately, as "So lacking in shame that it finally seems laughable, "[a] movie [that] transcends stupidity and soars into the empyrean of true idiocy," and "A shamelessly manipulative commercial on behalf of national health insurance." The director fared immeasurably better in 2004 with The Notebook. As penned by Jeremy Leven and Jan Sardi, this gentle and evocative adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' bestselling novel follows an elderly man (James Garner) who reads a heartbreaking period love story aloud to a female nursing home resident (Gena Rowlands). The film then plays out the story-within-the-story, about a couple who share the greatest summer of their lives with one another, and are then irrevocably separated by their parents and the rise of World War II. The press responded far more kindly to The Notebook when it premiered in the U.S. on June 25, 2004. Michael Wilmington's comments typified the response: "[It] may be corny," he noted, "But it's also absorbing, sweet, and powerfully acted. It's a film about falling in love and looking back on it, and it avoids many of the genre's syrupy dangers." Audiences flocked to the picture, and turned it into one of the sleeper hits of the year.Cassavetes' fifth directorial outing, Alpha Dog (2007), constitutes a biopic of Jesse James Hollywood (played by Emile Hirsch), a young murderer, thief, kidnapper, junkie, and dealer who became one of the youngest individuals in history to make the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List. The film finds Hollywood foolishly attempting to clear the account of one of his clients by nabbing the boy's younger brother and holding him for ransom. He thus sets into motion a horrifying cycle of violence that precipitates his own demise. The picture co-stars Justin Timberlake and Sharon Stone. Over the coming years, Cassavetes would direct movies like My Sister's Keeper.

Trivia: After supporting roles in such films as Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Georgia-born actor Jack McBrayer found notoriety in 2006 as the naïve NBC page Kenneth on 30 Rock. That memorable, outrageous role launched McBreyer, a Second City alumnus, and led to him landing small but memorable parts in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and The Campaign. He also found steady work as a voice-over actor in projects such as Despicable Me and Wreck-It Ralph.