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Born in New York and raised in Los Angeles, Schwimmer was encouraged by a high school instructor to attend a summer program in acting at Northwestern University. Inspired by that experience, he returned to Northwestern where he received a bachelor's degree in speech/theater. In 1988, along with seven other Northwestern graduates, he co-founded Chicago's Lookingglass Theatre Company.

Born in Brooklyn and raised in Queens, New York among eight siblings, including her twin sister Lorraine, Lauren Velez dreamed of becoming an actress ever since she played a groundhog in a school play in second grade. Immediately following high school, she received a scholarship from the Alvin Ailey Dance School which led to her first job performing in the national touring company of the musical "Dreamgirls". Later she became understudy for actress Phylicia Rashad in Broadway's "Into the Woods". Her most visible role was that of "Nina Moreno" on the cop drama New York Undercover (1994). With her varied performances and Afro-Latin background and appearance, Velez's success is considered -- by fans and critics alike -- a breakthrough for Latina actresses who do not fit the stereotypical "Europeanized Hollywood" version of Latin females. As a result, Velez deservedly has a large multi-ethnic following.

Jon is an alumni of the USC School of Cinema-Television. There, he won the Princess Grace Award, the Dore Schary Award presented by the Anti-Defamation league, the Jack Nicholson directing award, and recognized as an honoree for the IFP/West program Project: Involve.

After making his student short, "When the Kids Are Away", Jon was scooped up by the William Morris Agency and attached to several high profile projects.

He was interested in directing films at the age of 19 and he made several shorts. As he wasn't admitted to the National Film School, he decided to dedicate himself to acting, and made his debut in the theatre in 1988 before moving to cinema and television. Fame came with the parts he played in such films as Riff-Raff (1991) by Ken Loach, Braveheart (1995) by Mel Gibson and Trainspotting (1996) by Danny Boyle, but above all when he won for best leading actor at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998 for My Name Is Joe (1998), once again by Loach. The Magdalene Sisters (2002) is the second feature-length film he has directed. He also directed a few episodes of the BBC TV series, Cardiac Arrest (1994), which earned him a best director nomination from the Royal Television Society.

Katharine Isabelle was born Katharine Isobel Murray in Vancouver, British Columbia to Graeme Murray, an art director and production designer who has won two Emmy Awards for his special effects work on the television series The X-Files (1993) and Gail Murray, an amateur Vancouver writer and producer. Isabelle is the sister of journalist and former child actor Joshua Murray.

Breaking into acting in 1989 with parts in the films Cousins (1989), Cold Front (1989) and The Madonna (1989) episode of MacGyver (1985), Isabelle quickly proved herself as a skilled actress.

In 1992, she played the role of Erica Sanderson in Knight Moves (1992). American audiences took notice of her as Lindsay Clark in the teen thriller Disturbing Behavior (1998).

In 2000, Isabelle landed the lead role in the cult-favorite Ginger Snaps (2000), where her stand-out performance will leave a mark in the minds of viewers.

Continuing her busy career, she portrayed Tia in Bones (2001), Paige Fleming in Turning Paige (2001) and Tanya Francke in Insomnia (2002), opposite Al Pacino.

Throughout the 2000s, Isabelle appeared in several horror and slasher films, including Carrie (2002), Spooky House (2001), Freddy vs. Jason (2003), opposite Robert Englund as well as Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed (2004) and Ginger Snaps Back: The Beginning (2004).

She was also in varied independent films, among which Falling Angels (2003), On the Corner (2003), The Last Casino (2004), Everything's Gone Green (2006), the short film Favourite People List (2009), and Frankie & Alice (2010).

Isabelle has guest-starred in numerous popular television series throughout her career, some notable ones being The X-Files (1993), Da Vinci's Inquest (1998), Smallville (2001) and Supernatural (2005).

In 2008, she received the Gemini Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Supporting Role in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series for her role as Norma Carlyle in the praised TV adaptation The Englishman's Boy (2008).

In 2012, Isabelle starred in the controversial horror film American Mary (2012) which earned her special mention at the Austin Fantastic Fest in addition to a Festival Trophy Award for Best Actress, a Special Award for Best Actress, a Fright Meter Award for Best Actress and a Fangoria Chainsaw Award for Best Leading Actress.

Followed appearances in 13 Eerie (2013), Torment (2013) and Lawrence & Holloman (2013) for which she obtained a Leo Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Motion Picture.

She also caught the eye of many with her magnetic portrayal of Margot Verger in the second and third seasons of the critically acclaimed NBC TV series Hannibal (2013).

In 2014, she reunited with American Mary (2012) creators Jen Soska and Sylvia Soska in See No Evil 2 (2014).

In 2015, Isabelle starred in the thriller film 88 (2015) and the horror film The Girl in the Photographs (2015). That year, she could also be seen in the indie film How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town (2015), alongside Jewel Staite, Lauren Lee Smith and Ennis Esmer.

Miles McKenna is known for his comedic voice and LGBTQ+ activism. He recently starred in the hit Disney+ series Goosebumps based on the globally successful book franchise of the same name by R.L. Stine. Miles has headlined two nation-wide tours cultivating community for LGBTQ+ people that covered a total 35 shows. He has also starred in various projects like Hulu's comedy series All Night, Amazon Studios' Nocturne, and the independent feature Good Girls Get High.

Known for his trademark gelled spiked up crew cut with sunglasses, Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) is an Indian Bollywood movie star, movie producer, magazine model, showman, public speaker, author, philanthropist and television host/personality working predominantly in Hindi cinema.

Khan began his on-camera acting debut in 1987 at the age of 21 by guest starring in various Indian serial drama soap opera TV shows as well as appearing in numerous television commercials and brand advertisements for products. He studied theatre arts and drama during his second year of college after participating in numerous school plays. He landed a few acting gigs in Delhi, before acting on Indian TV and became popular. Khan came down to Mumbai to shoot a TV series with self doubt and under confidence. So he came for a year to give it a shot. He began auditioning for starring roles in Hindi movies in 1990 after the death of his mother (his father died a decade earlier in 1980). Khan's parents died early, which made him heartbroken in Delhi. Khan decided to pursue a full-time acting career and relocating to Mumbai to start afresh, hoping to enjoy acting and overcome the dejecting death of his parents, as there was nothing for him to go back to. He began auditioning for starring roles in Hindi movies in 1990 after the death of his mother (his father died a decade earlier in 1980).

After recuperating from a career-ending sports injury, he landed his breakout breakthrough feature film starring role in the Silver screen in June 1992, and rose to prominence in the mid-to-late 1990s. Khan shot to stardom in his first feature film "Deewana" (1992) which won him the first of 13 Filmfare awards -- the Bollywood equivalent of an Oscar. He continued starring in blockbuster movies throughout the 2000s with a mixed bag of career fluctuations, establishing himself as a very bankable, versatile movie star in the early-to-mid 2010s. Following a 4-year sabbatical hiatus in the wake of the corona-virus pandemic, Khan made a resurgence comeback in 2023, and continues to act and star in A-Lister blockbuster movies.

Referred to in the media as the "Baadshah of Bollywood" and "King Khan", he has appeared in over 100 films, and earned numerous accolades, including 14 Filmfare Awards.

He has been awarded the Padma Shri by the Government of India, as well as the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and Legion of Honour by the Government of France. Khan has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide. In terms of audience size and income, several media outlets have described him as one of the most successful film stars in the world. Many of his films depict and portray Indian national identity, Indian patriotism, and connections with diaspora communities, or gender, racial, social and religious differences and grievances.

Shah Rukh Khan has been TAG Heuer's brand ambassador in India since September 2003 & is close friends with Amir. He is Bollywood's most bankable movie stars with brand endorsements & resides in the affluent suburbs of Bandra, Mumbai, India with his wife and children.

Marisol Nichols currently (2023) stars opposite Jenna Ortega in Paramounts Winter Spring Summer Fall. She recently starred opposite Chris Rock and Sam Jackson as Capt. Angie Garza in the Lions Gate film Spiral, and opposite Eugenio Derbez in the Lions Gate comedy The Valet. On the small screen Nichols' currently stars as Hermione Lodge on The CW's highly rated, Riverdale which has won a collective 19 Teen Choice Awards.

Nichols' first appeared in shows including Beverly Hills 90210, Friends, and ER. She made her movie debut in the film Vegas Vacation playing Audrey Griswald opposite Chevy Chase. She's appeared in films Scream 2, Can't Hardly Wait, Bowfinger, Jane Austen's Mafia & Felon opposite Val Kilmer. Marisol also commanded the Counter Terrorist unit in 24 opposite Kiefer Sutherland, appeared as the mysterious and elusive Desert Wolf on Teen Wolf, was Special Agent Zoe Keates in NCIS and starred in Stephen Bochco's Blind justice as well as numerous other roles.

Balancing her work on screen with her humanitarian efforts fighting for the rights of young girls and women, Marisol created her non-profit, Foundation for a Slavery Free World, embracing the global eradication of the most heinous human rights violations-human trafficking. She is a deputized legal informant and has been dubbed, the "Hollywood Vigilantly" as she's taken part in numerous undercover operations leading to the successful arrest of dozens of traffickers and child predators. Sony Pictures recently bought the rights to her life story and is adapting it for a Television Series that Nichols is Executive Producing.

In 2017, Marisol was recognized by President Barack Obama with the President's Distinguished Volunteer Service Award for her work in human rights and for her service to our community.

Burt Lancaster, one of five children, was born in Manhattan, to Elizabeth (Roberts) and James Henry Lancaster, a postal worker. All his grandparents were immigrants from the north of Ireland. He was a tough street kid who took an early interest in gymnastics. He joined the circus as an acrobat and worked there until he was injured. In the Army during WWII he was introduced to the USO and to acting. His first film was The Killers (1946), and that made him a star. He was a self-taught actor who learned the business as he went along. He set up his own production company in 1948 with Harold Hecht and James Hill to direct his career. He played many different roles in pictures as varied as The Crimson Pirate (1952), From Here to Eternity (1953), Elmer Gantry (1960) and Atlantic City (1980).

His production company, Hecht-Hill-Lancaster, produced such films as Paddy Chayefsky's Marty (1955) (Oscar winner 1955) and The Catered Affair (1956). In the 1980s he appeared as a supporting player in a number of movies, such as Local Hero (1983) and Field of Dreams (1989). However, it will be the sound of his voice, the way that he laughed, and the larger-than-life characters he played that will always be remembered.

Stefanie Powers began her career as a teenager dancing for the Michele Paniaff Ballet Company and Jerome Robbins. At 16 she was put under contract to Columbia Pictures in the twilight of the Hollywood Studio System where she made 15 motion pictures and was loaned to United Artists for the John Wayne production of [error]. MGM Television bought her contract from Columbia to present her as The Girl from U.N.C.L.E. (1966). Her television credits include over 200 guest appearances, 18 mini-series and 2 more weekly series, The Feather and Father Gang (1976) and the long-running Hart to Hart (1979).

Her long career has included appearances on the stage beginning in 1964 with "Under the Yum Yum Tree" in San Francisco which ran for 12 years after its initial opening. She has appeared on and off Broadway in musical shows and tributes; in the West End in the musical, "Matador" and "Love Letters". Appearances on the British stage included "The King and I", "The Adjustment" and "84 Charing Cross Road."

Her stage appearances in the United States include "Annie Get Your Gun", "Oliver", "Applause" (the revival), "Sunset Boulevard" and "Gotta Dance" directed by Jerry Mitchell. In 2018 she appeared in the film The Artist's Wife (2019) with Lena Olin and Bruce Dern and a revival in London of "84 Charing Cross Road."

She has an active life in wildlife conservation and is the creator of the William Holden Wildlife Foundation, formed after the death of her long-time life partner William Holden. In that vein she has received numerous fellowships and awards for her tireless field work in conservation and is a faculty member of the Oxford Literary Festival at Christ Church College at Oxford where she heads forums with authors of outstanding books dealing with the crucial environmental issues of our day. She's been on the boards of four zoos in North America and is an independent board member of a cluster of 3 mutual funds which are a part of the American Funds, one of the largest mutual funds families in the world. She presented the PBS 13 part series, "Funding Your Dreams" as a road map for women contemplating investment options.

As a member of the Writers' Guild of America she was nominated for her script of "Family Secrets", received five Emmy nominations for acting roles and a People's Choice Award.

She resides in Los Angeles, London and Kenya.

Anupam Tripathi is a leading Indian actor and breakout star from the global sensation and Netflix mega-hit "Squid Game" (2021). Known to most as #199 aka 'Ali Abdul,' he won the hearts of fans worldwide as the earnest, loveable and sole non-Korean participant in the game - a Pakistani migrant worker who plays to support his infant child and wife. With the show attracting over 142 million views in its first month and counting, Tripathi has quickly become a global cultural icon and one of the most recognizable faces on the planet.

Tripathi made his debut on screen in the hit Korean drama feature 'Ode to My Father' (2014), and continued to appear in popular Korean TV shows such as 'Descendants of the Sun' (2016) and 'Hospital Playlist' (2020), and Netflix's Korean sci-fi sensation 'Space Sweepers' (2021). Originally from New Delhi, India, Tripathi began singing and acting in 2006 by joining a theatre group in his hometown. As a fan of Korean content, Tripathi regularly watched Korean dramas and soon aspired to become an actor in Korea. In 2010, Tripathi won a scholarship and officially moved to Korea to attend the top prestigious acting school Korea National University of Arts in Seoul. After ardently studying Korean for two years, Tripathi quickly mastered the language. Since earning his undergraduate degree at KNUA, he's continuing to pursue a degree in the Master's program under scholarship, while also juggling his electric stardom, along with new, unique and exciting opportunities in the global entertainment industry. Tripathi is fluent in English as well as Korean, and a native speaker of Hindi.

Gabriella Pession was born on 2 November 1977 in Daytona Beach, Florida, USA. She is an actress, known for Crossing Lines (2013), Wilfred (2011) and The Red Door (2017). She has been married to Richard Flood since 3 September 2016. They have one child.

Samantha Womack was born on 2 November 1972 in Brighton, East Sussex, England, UK. She is an actress, known for Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017) and EastEnders (1985). She has been married to Mark Womack since 17 May 2009. They have two children. She was previously married to Mauro Mantovani.

Ray Walston started his acting career as a spear carrier with a local stock company. When the family moved to Houston, Texas, Walston's father wanted to teach him the oil business, but Walston instead joined a traveling repertory company (selling tickets as well as acting). He went on to associate with Margo Jones at the Houston Civic Theater for six years, then spent three seasons with the Cleveland Playhouse before arriving in New York in 1945. He has won a Tony Award for his performance as the Devil in Broadway's "Damn Yankees", two Emmy Awards for Picket Fences (1992), and become a household name playing the extraterrestrial "Uncle Martin" on My Favorite Martian (1963). Ray Walston died at age 86 of lupus on New Year's Day 2001 in Beverly Hills, California.

Alyshia Ochse is a producer and actress, known for True Detective (2014), The Other Woman (2014) and #Freerayshawn (2020).

Brittany Ishibashi was born in Orange, California, USA. Brittany is an actor, known for Grace and Frankie (2015), Runaways (2017) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (2016). Brittany has been married to Jeff Horowitz since 29 May 2011. They have one child.

Lol Crawley was born on 2 November 1974 in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England, UK. Lol is a cinematographer, known for The Brutalist (2024), White Noise (2022) and 45 Years (2015).

Danny Cooksey was born on 2 November 1975 in Moore, Oklahoma, USA. He is an actor, known for Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), Salute Your Shorts (1991) and Diff'rent Strokes (1978). He has been married to Amber Leigh Cooksey since 3 March 1998. They have two children.

Meta Golding is of Haitian descent but was raised in the United States, India, France and Italy as well as Haiti itself. She competed on ice as an Italian national figure skater, but when an injury ended her skating career she started acting in Italian theatre. Later she returned to the USA to attend Cornell University where she earned degrees in Theatre Arts and International Relations. She now resides in Los Angeles, California, but donates much of her spare time to an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico.

Golding is fluent in English, French and Italian.

Samantha Ferris was born on 2 November 1969 in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She is an actress, known for The Tall Man (2012), Shattered (2007) and Stargate SG-1 (1997).

David Andrews, born and raised in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, graduated summa cum-laude from Louisiana State University, before going on to study law at Duke University and earning his degree from Stanford Law School. After becoming a member of the California bar and practicing law for a short time, he took what he calls a "hard right", deciding to leave the legal profession for an acting career. Now an industry veteran for over 40 years, David Andrews has worked with some of Hollywood's top directors and Oscar-winning actors, and has been singled out by critics for his work on both stage and screen.

A highly versatile actor and consummate professional, David's roles have run the gamut in films such as World War Z (2013), Apollo 13 (1995), Fight Club (1999), Hannibal (2001), A Walk to Remember (2002), The Conspirator (2010), Cherry 2000 (1987), and Fair Game (2010), in which he was singled out for his powerful portrayal of Scooter Libby.

On television, David has starred as a series regular on Queen of the South (2019-2021), JAG (1995), The Monroes (1995), Mann & Machine (1992), The Antagonists (1991), HBO's 12 Miles of Bad Road (2008), and the BBC's Pulaski: The TV Detective (1987), for which he received an ACE Award nomination for Best Actor in the title role. In addition to a very long list of guest starring roles, David has recurred on numerous series: Amazon's The Boys (2019-2024), USA's Shooter (2016) Netflix' hit series House of Cards (2013), Justified (2010), Murder in the First (2014), The Catch (2016), Crisis (2014), The Whispers (2015), Necessary Roughness (2011), the CSI franchise, Covert Affairs (2010), Brothers & Sisters (2006), Surface (2005), Dragnet (2003), and Murder One (1995).

MOW/mini-series projects, to name just a few, include HBO's Band of Brothers (2001), and From the Earth to the Moon (1998), for which he earned a SAG Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance and critical acclaim for his performance as astronaut Frank Borman.

David recently finished co-writing his second feature film script, Bushido, a action/adventure tale of self discovery set in Japan amidst the chaos and destruction of the final days of WWII.

Australian actor Bren Foster started acting in high school. His mother was of Cypriot heritage and his father of English/Irish heritage. After High school Bren studied Film and Video production, but felt the need to move toward his artistic development as an actor. Bren then traveled to New York to study at "The Barrow Group Theater". Upon his return to Australia Bren auditioned for and was selected into one of Australia's leading Drama schools "The University of Western Sydney" AKA Theater Nepean. Furthermore he spent 2 years at the Sanford Meisner based acting school "The Actors Pulse". Early in Bren's career he worked on many Australian television Dramas but his breakout role came when he landed a role in the critically acclaimed and award winning Australian feature film Cedar Boys (2009) where he was praised as "a born star" by Empire Film magazine for his portrayal of "Jamal" a criminal behind bars desperately trying to guide his younger brother away from the criminal path. Bren has studied Martial Arts for many years and has worked in the United States for "The discovery Channel" filming Extreme Martial arts and for the National Geographic Channel where his martial arts skills were put to the test against science in the feature length documentary "Fight Science". Bren has firmly established a solid acting career in both international film and television, both in Australia and the United States.

Sunny Sandler was born on 2 November 2008 in California, USA. She is an actress, known for Leo (2023), Pixels (2015) and Jack and Jill (2011).

Ann Rutherford was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

The daughter of a former Metropolitan Opera singer, John Rutherford, and her actress mother, Lillian Mansfield, was destined for show business.

Not long after her birth, her family moved to California, where she made her stage debut in 1925.

Ann appeared in many plays and on radio for the next nine years before making her first screen appearance in Waterfront Lady (1935).

Ann's talent was readily apparent, and she was signed to three films in 1935: Waterfront Lady (1935), Melody Trail (1935), and The Fighting Marines (1935).

By now, she was a leading lady in the fabled Westerns with two legends, John Wayne and Gene Autry.

By the time Ann was 17, she inked a deal with MGM, where she would gain star status for her portrayal of "Polly Benedict" in the popular "Andy Hardy" series with Mickey Rooney. Ann's first role as "Polly" was in 1938, in You're Only Young Once (1937).

Three more Hardy films were produced that same year: Out West with the Hardys (1938), Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938), and Judge Hardy's Children (1938).

Ann found time to play in other productions, too. One that is still loved today is the Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol (1938), in which she played the sweet role of the Spirit of Christmas Past.

In 1939, Ann played the role of "Annie Hawks" in Of Human Hearts (1938) in addition to three more Andy Hardy films.

That year also saw Ann land a role in the most popular film in film history. She played "Careen O'Hara," Scarlett's little sister, in Gone with the Wind (1939). Plenty of fans of the Andy Hardy series went to see it just for Ann. The film was unquestionably a super hit.

She then resumed making other movies. While working for MGM, Ann, along with the other stars, was under the watchful eye of movie mogul Louis B. Mayer.

Mayer was no different from any other film tycoon except for the fact that he ran the classiest studio in Hollywood. The bottom line was profit, and Mayer couldn't really maximize profits unless he kept performers' salaries minimized as much as possible. Most tried to get raises and failed. Even Mickey Rooney was decidedly underpaid during his glory years at MGM.

But not Ann Rutherford. When she asked for a raise, she took out her bankbook and, showing him the amount it contained, and told Mayer she had promised her mother a new house. Ann got her raise.

In 1942 at the age of 22, Ann appeared in her last Andy Hardy film, Andy Hardy's Double Life (1942).

She then left MGM and freelanced her talent. Ann was still in demand.

In 1943, she appeared in Happy Land (1943), but it was a little later in her career when she appeared in two big hits.

In 1947, she played Gertrude Griswold in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (1947) and Donna Elena in Adventures of Don Juan (1948) in 1948.

After that, Ann appeared in several TV programs and didn't return to the silver screen until 1972, in They Only Kill Their Masters (1972).

Her last role came in 1976 in the dismal Won Ton Ton: The Dog Who Saved Hollywood (1976), whereupon she retired.

Ann was approached to play the older Rose in 1998's mega hit Titanic (1997) but turned it down.

She happily enjoyed her retirement being constantly deluged with fan mail and granting several interviews and appearances.

She died at her Beverly Hills home on June 11, 2012 with her close friend Anne Jeffreys by her side. She was 94 years old.

Whitby Hertford was raised in Oak Park, California, and is an actor, writer, and director. He studied at the University of Essex's East 15 as a MFA theater-directing scholar and is a graduate of the University of Utah's actor-training program conservatory. Whit began his career at the age of three in Los Angeles, California. He is co-founder of the independent-film entity Sneak Attack and artistic director of the London-based theater company the Stage Standard. He is the brother of Chelsea Hertford (Major Dad (1989), American Beauty (1999)) and Brighton Hertford (General Hospital (1963) and The Work and the Glory (2004)).