Search

Karen Izaguirre

Karen Izaguirre is a bilingual (Spanish), New York City based actress. After finding success with commercials, she made the difficult decision to leave her corporate job and pursue her dream full time. Since then, she has gone on to star in films she is passionate about and has booked dozens of national commercials for some of the most recognized brands in the world. Her fluency in both English and Spanish has also helped her expand into the voiceover market. Karen studied at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey-New Brunswick recieving a B.A., Double Major: Economics and Psychology

Jung Young-sook

Cast · Known for Decision to Leave

Jung Young-sook was born on 1 April 1947. She is an actress, known for Decision to Leave (2022), The Light in Your Eyes (2019) and Dotdaedo anidalgo (1979).

Jason Orange

After starting his career as a breakdancer in Manchester in the group Street Machine, Jason Orange rose to fame as a member of the boyband Take That. Take That experienced incredible success in the early 1990s before announcing their split in 1996, a year after the departure of Robbie Williams. Orange went on to pursue an acting career, including a role in Killer Net (1998) and a starring role in Gob (a limited run play in London). After moving on from acting, Orange returned to the spotlight in 2005 with the release of Take That: For The Record (2005), a documentary chronicling the rise and fall of Take That. After airing to rave reviews, a few months later Take That - minus Williams - announced that they were reforming for a greatest hits tour. Beyond this, the band then released three more albums and sold out tours with Orange. Orange then made the decision to leave the band in 2014.

Tang Wei

Cast · Known for Decision to Leave, Lust, Caution, Blackhat

Tang Wei (simplified Chinese: 汤唯; traditional Chinese: 湯唯; pinyin: Tāng Wéi; Korean: 탕웨이; born 7 October 1979) is a Chinese actress. She rose to international fame for her role in Golden Lion-winning Lust, Caution (2007) by Ang Lee, for which she was banned by the Chinese government due to the explicit sexual nature of her performance, until her comeback in Crossing Hennessy in 2010. She gained further acclaim for her performances in Late Autumn (2010), Finding Mr. Right (2013), The Golden Era (2014), Long Day's Journey into Night (2018), Decision to Leave (2022), and Wonderland (2024). Tang is the first and only non-Korean to be honoured as the Best Actress at the Baeksang Arts Awards (twice), Blue Dragon Film Awards, Chunsa Film Art Awards and Buil Film Awards. She is also the first Asian actor to have won the Trophée Chopard, which she received at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival. Tang ranked 72nd on the Forbes China Celebrity 100 list in 2008, 70th in 2013, 38th in 2014, and 55th in 2015. Description above from the Wikipedia article Tang Wei, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Seo Hyun-woo

Cast · Known for The Ordinary Jackpot, Decision to Leave

Seo Hyun-woo (born 20 November 1983) is a South Korean actor who began his career on stage and made his debut in a musical in 2010. In the same year, he won an acting award at The 9th Off Daehakro Festival. He is widely recognized for his portrayal of reporter Kim Moo-jin in the 2020 drama Flower of Evil. In 2022, Seo played the role of Sa Cheol-seong in Park Chan-wook's film Decision to Leave. His performance earned him the New Actor Award at the 21st Director's Cut Awards.

Ana Alicia

Cast · Known for Falcon Crest

Born in Mexico City, Mexico on December 12, 1956, Ana Alicia became the third of four children to Carlos Celestino Ortiz and Alicia Torres Ortiz. She grew up in El Paso, Texas from age 6 after the passing of her father. There, she lived with her grandmother, widowed mother, her uncle Louie and three siblings in a house her father had purchased for her grandmother. Ana Alicia received a full scholarship to attend the prestigious Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Upon arrival, Ana Alicia auditioned and won the lead role for Jules Feiffer's "Crawling Arnold". On summer break after her freshmen year, Ana Alicia auditioned for The Adobe Horseshoe Dinner Theatre outside El Paso, Texas. The theatre offered her a position as a recurring actress in all feature productions. The opportunity would allow her to work with name actors from Hollywood and New York and receive a large weekly salary. She accepted the offer and also acquired her actor's equity card through her term. She left Wellesley and finished her education at The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). Ana Alicia spent the next three years, performing in main stage productions at UTEP as well as having significant roles in the Adobe Horseshoe repertoire. After graduation, Ana Alicia moved to Los Angeles and struggled to attain success as an actress while studying for her law school entrance exam. Six months later, her big acting break came when she won the role of Alicia Nieves on ABC's Ryan's Hope (1975). According to Ana Alicia, working on the show in New York was exciting - not only because it was an acting job, but because she was a fan of the the show. Although the role was a secondary one - Nieves had romances with policeman Bob Reid and Dr. Pat Ryan. It provided her with much-needed exposure. After 15 months, Ana Alicia left the show to become one of the last Universal Studios contract players. She moved to Los Angeles and in addition to her work as a contract player, she attended Southwestern University Law School at night. As she acquired larger roles that required her to leave town, it became impossible to continue the grueling schedule of acting during the day and studying for school at night. She had to make a choice so she sat down and wrote the pros and cons of each decision and when she realized her passion was to act, she made the very difficult decision to drop out of law school. Once she was focused, her career began to open up quickly. She landed several roles on major television films and series' episodes. Within a year, the Universal terminated their contract player department. It was the end of an era. Soon after, her teacher Milton Katselis suggested she stop playing virginal roles and turn to roles such as the tortured, sexually deprived Maggie in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". Exploring this previously undiscovered part of her acting range, Ana Alicia pursued an audition for Falcon Crest (1981). In the room was a female casting director Doris Sabbagh along with Earl Hamner, Robert McCollough, and Larry Elikann. Ana Alicia's job was to seduce Lorenzo, played in the room by Doris. As Ana Alicia ran her fingers up Doris' stockings, conservative Southerner Earl Hamner stood up and stopped the scene, and said, "Thank you very much. That was wonderful." Less than an hour later, Ana Alicia's agent called to let her know she had won the role of Melissa Agretti.

Nigel Stone

Nigel Stone, BSC, is a director of photography. Nigel was born in Bilston, Staffordshire, in 1957. He qualified as a graphic artist at Newcastle-upon-Tyne Polytechnic in 1979, but with the help of a tutor, Peter Leake, they had turned the degree into an unofficial film course. Nigel then successfully applied to the National Film School at Beaconsfield, graduating in 1982 alongside other future BSC members, Sue Gibson & Martin Fuhrer. On a day visit to Pinewood in 1980, while “Superman II” was being filmed, Nigel watched the model unit working on the studio backlot. This was his first meeting with Paul Wilson, BSC, and the director, Derek Meddings. Nigel would later act as model unit runner for Paul on “Dark Crystal” in 1981, then the following summer began full-time as Paul’s clapper-loader on the “Krull” model unit back at Pinewood, working alongside operator John Morgan and the future ASC member, Jonathan Taylor. Challenging days of 35mm in-camera, multi-pass effects photography, and VistaVision plates. Four BSC members were important mentors: Paul Wilson, Roy Field, Roy Moores, and Jim Body—then, also throw into that mix the artistry of Derek Meddings. Nigel would alternate between filming on the floor and then working in post-production to help put that same material together. It was a big decision to leave Paul Wilson’s crew and follow Derek to his newly formed Meddings Magic Camera Company at Shepperton in 1988. Derek assembled such a mix of inspiring talents that most went on to become heads of departments in each of their specialist fields. Crucially, it was also a chance to start lighting. This culminated with being offered his first feature film as model unit DoP on “The Adventures of Pinocchio” in 1995. Nigel has now shot visual effects and model work on over 50 feature films, including being part of the Harry Potter franchise from “Harry Potter & the Philosopher’s Stone in 2001 onwards. Nigel usually works alongside the model supervisor/producer, José Granell, at the Magic Camera Company—a friendship & working partnership that goes back over 35 years. Nigel was nominated for BSC membership by Paul Wilson, BSC, and accepted into the Society by the Board in 2002. Information above via their homepage.

Lena Kaur

Lena Kaur (born 1986) is a British actress. She is best known for her role as Leila Roy in Channel 4 soap Hollyoaks (2008–2010). Lena Kaur grew up in Almondbury near Huddersfield, West Yorkshire and is of Indian descent. She attended Almondbury High School and then New College which helped her achieve her dream of being an actress. She studied acting at Rose Bruford College in Sidcup, graduating in 2007. After graduating from drama school, Kaur was part of the original cast of BBC Three comedy sketch show Scallywagga, in which she played multiple characters. After successfully being cast as Leila Roy, she joined the cast of Hollyoaks in summer 2008. In August 2008, Lena Kaur praised Hollyoaks producer Bryan Kirkwood for not stereotyping Asians on the programme. Speaking to Take 5 magazine, she stated, "The storylines for me and Stephen (Ravi) aren't being dictated by the colour of our skin. We're both British Asians in real life as well as in the show. We are both totally westernised. We've been brought up in Britain, so the storylines will reflect people like Stephen and me." Kaur announced her decision to leave to pursue new challenges in late 2009, and made her last appearance as Leila in January 2010. In 2011 she appeared as Alicia Patel in Torchwood's fourth series; Torchwood: Miracle Day airing on BBC One and US premium television network Starz In November 2016 she appeared in Stratford upon Avon at the Swan Theatre with the Royal Shakespeare Company in the Rover.

Dominique Jackson

Cast · Known for The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Dominique Hannah Jackson (born 3 December 1991) is a British actress from Oldham, Greater Manchester, who has starred in various TV roles. She is best known for her roles as Becky in the Children's TV series Becky and Barnaby Bear and Lauren Valentine on Channel 4 soap, Hollyoaks. In 2003 she appeared as Joanna Sharpe in The Bill, and has since appeared as Roseanne Speedwell on The New Worst Witch in 2005 and as Selena on the hit children's TV show My Parents Are Aliens in 2006. She plays Evie Prior in Waterloo Road. She attended The Radclyffe School in Chadderton and left with 9 GCSEs (8 A* - C). Dominique starred alongside Paul O'Grady as "Molly" in the 1998 West End production of Annie at the Victoria Palace. Her first major role was as Saffron in the BAFTA winning and heart-warming TV drama Buried Treasure with revered British actor John Thaw. Since September 2007, Dominique has starred as the Emo girl Lauren Valentine on the Channel 4 show Hollyoaks. Jackson left Hollyoaks in August 2010 after she, according to Digital Spy, made a mutual decision to leave in March 2010. Other credits include The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Casualty, Doctors, UGetMe, Welcome to Orty Fou, Conviction Little Britain. Dominique is also one of the many celebrities who have teamed up with Cancer Research UK to re-release "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".

Tao Okamoto

Cast · Known for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Hannibal

Tao Okamoto (岡本 多緒 Okamoto Tao, born May 22, 1985) known professionally as Tao, is a Japanese actress and model, who is, alongside Ai Tominaga and Hiroko Matsumoto, one of the biggest models from Japan. In 2009, she was one of the faces of Ralph Lauren. She made her film debut as the female lead Mariko Yashida in the 2013 film The Wolverine; and played Mercy Graves in the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. She has had recurring roles in the television series Hannibal, The Man in the High Castle, and Westworld. Tao was born in Chiba, Japan. She started modeling as a teenager in Japan, when she was 14 years old. In 2006, she made a decision to move to Paris and develop her career on an international level. Soon after that, Tao made her debut on the European runways, one of the few prominent East Asian models of that era. In 2009, Tao moved to New York City. Tao has worked in advertising and editorial projects. She has fronted campaigns such as Dolce & Gabbana with Mario Testino, Emporio Armani by Alasdair McLellan, Kenzo with Mario Sorrenti, and Tommy Hilfiger with Craig McDean. Editorially, she has shot for i-D Magazine, V Magazine, W Magazine, and various international editions of Harper's Bazaar and Vogue. The November 2009 issue of Vogue Nippon (Japanese Vogue) is dedicated to Tao. She was the Japan Fashion Editor's Club "Model of the Year" and was one of Vogue Nippon's "Women of the Year" in 2010.

Kiri Te Kanawa

Dame Kiri Jeanette Claire Te Kanawa ONZ, CH, DBE, AC (/ˈkɪri təˈkɑːnəwə/; born Claire Mary Teresa Rawstron, 6 March 1944) is a retired New Zealand opera singer. She had a full lyric soprano voice, which has been described as "mellow yet vibrant, warm, ample and unforced". Te Kanawa had three top 40 albums in Australia in the mid-1980s. Te Kanawa has received accolades in many countries, singing a wide array of works in many languages dating from the 17th to the 20th centuries. She is particularly associated with the works of Mozart, Strauss, Verdi, Handel and Puccini, and found considerable success in portraying princesses, nobility, and other similar characters on stage. Though she rarely sang opera later in her career, Te Kanawa frequently performed in concert and recital, gave masterclasses, and supported young opera singers in launching their careers. Her final performance was in Ballarat, Australia, in October 2016, but she did not reveal her retirement until September 2017. Te Kanawa was born Claire Mary Teresa Rawstron in Gisborne, New Zealand, to Māori butcher Tieki "Jack" Wawatai and to Mary Noeleen Rawstron, who was the daughter of Irish emigrants. Wawatai was already married to Apo, the daughter of the Rev. Poihipi Kohere. Poihipi Kohere was the brother of both the community leader Rēweti Kōhere and the soldier and farmer Henare Mokena Kohere. Mary Noeleen Rawstron's mother insisted the baby be given up for adoption. Te Kanawa was adopted as an infant by Thomas Te Kanawa, the owner of a successful trucking business, and his wife Nell. She was educated at St Mary's College, Auckland, and formally trained in operatic singing by Sister Mary Leo Niccol. Te Kanawa began her singing career as a mezzo-soprano but developed into a soprano. Her recording of the "Nuns' Chorus" from the Strauss operetta Casanova was the first gold record produced in New Zealand. Te Kanawa met Desmond Park on a blind date in London in August 1967, and they married six weeks later at St Patrick's Cathedral, Auckland. They adopted two children, Antonia (born 1976) and Thomas (born 1979). The couple divorced in 1997. Te Kanawa never made an attempt to contact her biological parents, but her half-brother Jim Rawstron contacted her. Initially, she was unwilling to meet him, but agreed to do so in 1997. The episode ended bitterly, when a newspaper ran a story on their meeting; despite Rawstron denying contact with the newspaper, she has since reaffirmed her decision to have nothing to do with her birth family. In her teens and early 20s, Te Kanawa was a pop star and entertainer at clubs in New Zealand,[failed verification] and regularly appeared in newspapers and magazines. In 1963, she was runner-up to Malvina Major in the Mobil Song Quest with her performance of "Vissi d'arte" from Tosca, and in 1965 she won the same competition. As winner, she received a grant to study in London. She appeared and sang in the 1966 musical comedy film Don't Let It Get You. In 1966, she won the Melbourne Sun-Aria contest, which Major had also won the previous year. Both singers had been taught by Sister Mary Leo. ... Source: Article "Kiri Te Kanawa" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Lester G. Reynolds

Cast · Known for CSI: NY

Lester Gale Reynolds, is an Award Winning, American Actor/Producer whose professional moniker is Lester G. Reynolds. He is best known for playing "Johnny" the Hitman in "Deadly Vows" (2025) L. Thomas Frank in "Alien Boy" (2026) The "Mugger" in 3 (2025) Mr. Goldman in "Sojourn" (2023) Sheriff Brady and Associate Producer in "Blackwater Draw: The Making of Billy the Kid" (2026) He made a cameo appearance in the Multi-Emmy Award Winning TV Show "How I Met Your Mother" in The Platinum Rule Episode alongside Josh Radnor (2007) and appeared alongside Keith David and Duane Martin in the Multi-Award Nominated TV Show "All of Us" the "N" Word Episode which was directed by Will Smith (2006). From a young age, Lester exhibited an insatiable passion for the performing arts. This fervor was ignited during elementary school when he first encountered the enchanting stage production of "The Nutcracker." It was at this moment that the seeds of his dream were planted, leading him to engage in numerous school plays and church theater productions. Additionally, he dedicated himself to refining his vocal talents as a member of the youth choir, devoting countless hours to self-directed learning and artistic development during his formative years. In his early thirties, driven by an unwavering commitment to his aspirations, Lester made the bold decision to relocate to Los Angeles, California. This city, known for its vibrant entertainment industry, presented both challenges and opportunities for aspiring actors like himself. Despite lacking formal training and guidance, Lester approached his career with tenacity and humility. He began at the grassroots level, participating in a myriad of student film projects on various levels both in front of and behind the camera at the prestigious University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. His versatility allowed him to immerse himself in many genres and production scales, laying a solid foundation for his burgeoning career. Lester's journey eventually led him into the realm of episodic network television and feature films, where he initially worked as a background extra. However, it was his dedication to professionalism and eagerness to learn that truly set him apart from his peers. Recognizing his potential, several prominent industry figures took notice of his work ethic and talent, offering mentor-ship and guidance along the way. This invaluable experience afforded him the opportunity to serve as a stand-in for some of Hollywood's most celebrated stars and Academy Award winners, he worked 22 episodes on ABC's Hit TV Show-"Ugly Betty" (2006-2007) and he worked alongside James Woods and Lynn Whitfield on Brian Grazers "Shark" Pilot Episode Directed By Spike Lee (2006) further enhancing his craft as he continued to hone his skills under the guidance of proven industry professionals via many hit TV Series, Feature Films and Independent Projects.

Armando Leduc

Actor Armando Leduc is featured in the Jim Caviezel, Michael Chiklis true-life sports drama, When the Game Stands Tall. He can also be seen in the part of "Diego," in the Will Smith comedy, Focus. Leduc also co-starred opposite Michael Dardant in the fraternity comedy, Last Spring Break, and has made his writing, directing and producing debut on Bourbon Whiz, a web series that will debut on the Dish Network. Leduc was born on January 15, 1980, in Nuremburg, Germany. He is part Puerto Rican, part Portuguese and grew up as an army brat. Leaving Germany at 15, he settled in Harlem, Georgia and was graduated from Harlem High. Leduc made his film debut in the movie Lords of the Street, where he played a Mexican drug lord. Since then he has fought to break his stereotype of gangbangers, drug dealers, and terrorists by birthing his production company, Sketchy Characters. Although he played sports and was a member of the band in high school, nothing clicked like acting. Auditioning for his first musical in high school, he won the part of Danny Zuko in Grease. After high school, his success with community theatre caught the attention of Augusta Model & Talent. At the American Model and Talent Convention, he placed as a top ten finalist among roughly 200 other actors. As a result, he signed with The People Store, an Atlanta based talent agency. During this time, he continued expanding his theatrical experience with the Augusta Players back in Augusta, Georgia. His award for Best Supporting Actor in Annie solidified his decision to continue pursuing his career as a professional actor. In addition to his acting endeavors, Leduc has also focused his energy in other areas of the performing arts. In 2000, he began singing with the a cappella quartet, "The Harmonics" The group participated in national competitions and even won the award for "Best New Quartet" in Knoxville in 2002. He also began studying ballroom and Latin dancing in 1999 at a local studio in Augusta. As an instructor, he opened A&E Dance Studio in 2003, which is still in business today. Over the years he has competed in ballroom competitions in Las Vegas, New Orleans, Puerto Rico, Gulfport and Orlando. His natural abilities and experiences singing and dancing have further heightened his performance onstage and on the screen. He currently sings in Datband in New Orleans, where he moved in 2005. Leduc's feature film credits include The Pool Boys, Green Lantern, Video Girl,Enemies Among Us, Angels Die Slowly, Girls Gone Gangsta, The Bad Lieutenant:Port of Call New Orleans, Mutants, College, New Orleans, Mon Amour, Death Toll, Jump Out Boys and Big Momma's House 2. His television series credits include The Riches, Prison Break, Clunkers, Common Law and Star-Crossed. His television movie credits include Girl, Positive, Dixie Melodie, The Librarian: The Curse of the Judas Chalice, Journey to Promethea and Flesh Wounds. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Armando Leduc

Billy Graham

William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist, a prominent evangelical Christian figure, and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well-known internationally in the late 1940s. One of his biographers has placed him "among the most influential Christian leaders" of the 20th century. As a preacher, he held large indoor and outdoor rallies with sermons that were broadcast on radio and television; some were still being re-broadcast into the 21st century. In his six decades on television, Graham hosted annual "Crusades", evangelistic campaigns that ran from 1947 until his retirement in 2005. He also hosted the radio show Hour of Decision from 1950 to 1954. He repudiated racial segregation and insisted on racial integration for his revivals and crusades, starting in 1953; he also invited Martin Luther King Jr. to preach jointly at a revival in New York City in 1957. In addition to his religious aims, he helped shape the worldview of a huge number of people who came from different backgrounds, leading them to find a relationship between the Bible and contemporary secular viewpoints. According to his website, Graham preached to live audiences of 210 million people in more than 185 countries and territories through various meetings, including BMS World Mission and Global Mission. Graham was a spiritual adviser to U.S. presidents, and he provided spiritual counsel for every president from Harry S. Truman (33rd) to Barack Obama (44th). He was particularly close to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson (one of Graham's closest friends), and Richard Nixon. He was also lifelong friends with another televangelist, the founding pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, Robert Schuller, whom Graham talked into starting his own television ministry. Graham operated a variety of media and publishing outlets. According to his staff, more than 3.2 million people have responded to the invitation at Billy Graham Crusades to "accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior". Graham's evangelism was appreciated by mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic denominations because he encouraged new converts to become members of these churches. As of 2008, Graham's estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion. One special televised broadcast in 1996 alone may have reached a television audience of as many as 2.5 billion people worldwide. Because of his crusades, Graham preached the gospel to more people in person than anyone in the history of Christianity. Graham was on Gallup's list of most admired men and women a record 61 times. Grant Wacker writes that by the mid-1960s, he had become the "Great Legitimator": "By then his presence conferred status on presidents, acceptability on wars, shame on racial prejudice, desirability on decency, dishonor on indecency, and prestige on civic events". From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

LeBron James

Cast · Known for Space Jam: A New Legacy

LeBron Raymone James Sr. (born December 30, 1984) is an American professional basketball player for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). His accomplishments include four NBA championships, four NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, four NBA Finals MVP Awards, and two Olympic gold medals. James has appeared in fifteen NBA All-Star Games and been named NBA All-Star MVP three times. He won the 2008 NBA scoring title, is the all-time NBA playoffs scoring leader, and is fourth in all-time career points scored. He has been voted onto the All-NBA First Team twelve times and the All-Defensive First Team five times. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time. James played basketball for St. Vincent–St. Mary High School in his hometown of Akron, Ohio, where he was heavily touted by the national media as a future NBA superstar. A prep-to-pro, he joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003 as the first overall draft pick. Named the 2003–04 NBA Rookie of the Year, he soon established himself as one of the league's premier players; he won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2009 and 2010. After failing to win a championship with Cleveland, James left in 2010 to sign as a free agent with the Miami Heat. This move was announced in an ESPN special titled The Decision, and is one of the most controversial free agent decisions in American sports history. James won his first two NBA championships while playing for the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013. He was named league MVP and NBA Finals MVP in both championship years. After his fourth season with the Heat in 2014, James opted out of his contract to re-sign with the Cavaliers. In 2016, he led the Cavaliers to victory over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals, delivering the team's first championship and ending Cleveland's 52-year professional sports title drought. His teams appeared in the NBA Finals in eight consecutive seasons (from 2011 to 2018). In 2018, James opted out of his contract with the Cavaliers to sign with the Lakers. Off the court, James has accumulated additional wealth and fame from numerous endorsement contracts. His public life has been the subject of much scrutiny, and he has been ranked as one of America's most influential and popular athletes. He has been featured in books, documentaries, and television commercials. He has also hosted the ESPY Awards and Saturday Night Live, and appeared in the 2015 film Trainwreck. Description above from the Wikipedia article LeBron James, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Learson Marsalis (born October 18, 1961) is an American trumpeter, composer, and music instructor, who is currently the artistic director of Jazz at Lincoln Center. He has been active in promoting classical and jazz music, often to young audiences. Marsalis has won nine Grammy Awards, and his oratorio Blood on the Fields was the first jazz composition to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music. Marsalis is the only musician to have won a Grammy Award in both jazz and classical categories in the same year. Marsalis was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on October 18, 1961, and grew up in the suburb of Kenner. He is the second of six sons born to Dolores Ferdinand Marsalis and Ellis Marsalis Jr., a pianist and music teacher. He was named after jazz pianist Wynton Kelly. Branford Marsalis is his older brother and Jason Marsalis and Delfeayo Marsalis are younger. All three are jazz musicians. While sitting at a table with trumpeters Al Hirt, Miles Davis, and Clark Terry, his father jokingly suggested that he might as well get Wynton a trumpet, too. Hirt volunteered to give him one, so at the age of six Marsalis received his first trumpet. Although he owned a trumpet when he was six, he did not practice much until he was 12. He attended Benjamin Franklin High School and the New Orleans Center for Creative Arts. He studied classical music at school and jazz at home with his father. He played in funk bands and a marching band led by Danny Barker. He performed on trumpet publicly as the only black musician in the New Orleans Civic Orchestra. After winning a music contest at fourteen, he performed Joseph Haydn's trumpet concerto with the New Orleans Philharmonic. Two years later he performed Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F Major by Bach. At seventeen, he was one of the youngest musicians admitted to Tanglewood Music Center. Marsalis applied to only two music colleges, the Juilliard School and Northwestern University. He was accepted to both schools and chose to attend the former. In 1979, he moved to New York City to attend the Juilliard School for a Bachelor of Music in trumpet performance, leaving in 1981 without earning a degree. He intended to pursue a career in classical music. In 1980, he toured Europe as a member of the Art Blakey band, becoming a member of The Jazz Messengers and remaining with Blakey until 1982. He changed his mind about his career and turned to jazz. He has said that years of playing with Blakey influenced his decision. He recorded for the first time with Blakey and one year later he went on tour with Herbie Hancock. After signing a contract with Columbia, he recorded his first solo album. In 1982, he established a quintet with his brother Branford Marsalis, Kenny Kirkland, Charnett Moffett, and Jeff "Tain" Watts. When Branford and Kenny Kirkland left three years later to record and tour with Sting, Marsalis formed a quartet, this time with Marcus Roberts on piano, Robert Hurst on double bass, and Watts on drums. After a while, the band expanded to include Wessell Anderson, Wycliffe Gordon, Eric Reed, Herlin Riley, Reginald Veal, and Todd Williams. ... Source: Article "Wynton Marsalis" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA.

James Westerfield

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia James A. Westerfield (22 March 1913 – 20 September 1971) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Born in Nashville, Tennessee, to candy-maker Brasher Omier Westerfield and his wife Dora Elizabeth Bailey, he was raised in Detroit, Michigan. (A news story in the June 12, 1949, issue of The Brooklyn Daily Eagle calls the information in the preceding sentence into question. It describes Westerfield as "the son of a famous producer-director" and says that he was "a youngster in Denver, Col.") He became interested in theatre as a young man and in the 1930s joined Gilmor Brown's famed Pasadena Community Playhouse, appearing in dozens of plays. He played in numerous films following his debut in 1940, then went to New York City and appeared on Broadway, winning two New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards for his supporting roles in The Madwoman of Chaillot and Detective Story. He then returned to Hollywood and made more than 40 more films. Westerfield maintained an interest in the theatre. He directed more than 50 musicals in a summer-musical tent he owned in Danbury, Connecticut, and was the original stage director and producer for the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. He directed three seasons of "Theatre Under the Stars" in Vancouver, British Columbia, and appeared in musical roles with the Detroit Civic Light Opera, the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, and the San Francisco Civic Light Opera. On film, Westerfield had roles in The Magnificent Ambersons (1942), On The Waterfront (1954), Lucy Gallant (1955), the 1957 Budd Boetticher-directed Western Decision at Sundown starring Randolph Scott, Cowboy (1958), a repeating role in The Absent-Minded Professor (1961) and its sequel Son of Flubber (1963), Birdman of Alcatraz (1962), Man's Favorite Sport (1964), The Sons of Katie Elder (1965), Hang 'Em High (1968) and True Grit (1969). Westerfield had many roles on television, including seven episodes as John Murrel from 1963 to 1964 on ABC's The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters, starring child actor Kurt Russell in the title role. He made two guest appearances on Perry Mason, including the role of Sheriff Bert Elmore in the 1957 episode, "The Case of the Angry Mourner." He also appeared in an episode of The Lone Ranger in 1954 entitled "Texas Draw." Westerfield's other appearances were on such series as The Rifleman, The Californians, Richard Diamond, Private Detective, The Alaskans, The Rebel, Straightaway, Going My Way, The Asphalt Jungle, Hazel, The Andy Griffith Show, Daniel Boone, The Beverly Hillbillies, and Gunsmoke. He played the circus leader, Dr. Marvello, in an episode of Lost in Space "Space Circus" (1966). Westerfield as a young man was a roommate of fellow Pasadena Playhouse actor George Reeves. The two remained close friends until Reeves's death in 1959. Westerfield was married to Alice G. Fay (an actress under the name Fay Tracey), who, along with his mother, survived him. Westerfield died from a heart attack in Woodlands Hills, California, at the age of fifty-eight.

Marek Włodarczyk

Marek Włodarczyk emigrated to Germany during state of war in 1981, where he embarked on a very successful theatrical acting career - he has performed in major theaters in such cities as Hamburg, Berlin and Munich. He moved on, taking up a job teaching aspiring actors in Berlin and Salzburg Fine Arts Universities. The main role of Lieutenant Adam Zawada in the Polish hit series Kryminalni (Homicide Unit) was at first a struggle as it made him commute between his home in Hamburg and the Warsaw filming locations, but it eventually made it easy for him to make the decision to move back to Poland for good.

Cathy Fielding

The younger of two girls born in Los Angeles to parents Stanley Fielding, an accountant, and Frances Halbach, a housewife. Cathy lived in Reno, Nevada from the age of three to eleven, at which time the family returned to Los Angeles. After graduating Alexander Hamilton High School in she enrolled at Santa Monica City College with a dual-major of theater and science. Theater won out, so she continued training at Cal State Northridge and UCLA. She performed in regional theater and a few films. As Life so often does, it threw Cathy a curve ball, so she reluctantly left the acting world and became a corporate travel agent, where she remained for twenty years, during which time she married and had two children. In the Fall of 2009 she made the decision to return to her first love, and hasn't looked back since. - IMDb Mini Biography By: Cathy Fielding

Brett Parks

Brett was shot and left for dead in 2012 after intervening in an armed robbery. After twenty days in a coma and losing a kidney, third of his colon and the lower part of his right leg, Brett had a decision to make; Roll over and die, or get out of bed and earn his second shot in life. He chose the latter. Since then, Brett, who was medically retired after 6 years as a “Naval Aircrewman: Flight Engineer (E-3)”, has competed in all kinds of “Adaptive Sports” competitions and recently competed in Prince Harry’s “Invictus Games” in both Sitting Volleyball and Swimming where Brett was awarded the Gold medal (Sitting Volleyball) and a Silver medal (Swimming: 200 Relay). Brett has also competed in the D.O.D. Warrior Games and was awarded Four Gold and Two Silver medals and is on the USA Sitting Volleyball Paralympic team; eyeing the Paralympics in Tokyo in 2020. Brett has also written a detailed book on his experiences. Brett Parks: Miracle Man: A Bullet That Ignited a Purpose-Filled Life can be found on Amazon, Books and Books, and Barnes and Nobl

J Diego Gonçalves

J Diego Gonçalves, a talented Brazilian Actor and Filmmaker. His passion for the world of cinema has been a driving force since his early years. In pursuit of his artistic dreams, Gonçalves made the decision to move to Los Angeles in 2013 and immerse himself in English and Film School. This experience not only improved his language skills but also deepened his understanding of filmmaking. Gonçalves actively works in diverse movie productions, showcasing his versatile talents both in front of and behind the camera.

Sung Yun Cho

Sung Yun Cho was born in Seoul, Korea and immigrated to Brooklyn at the age of 3 with her parents and her brother. After a few years, they moved to Long Island and graduated from Syosset High School. She received a BFA from the State University of New York at Purchase Acting Conservatory. She left college during her first semester senior year due to her professional and Broadway debut in Lanford Wilson's Redwood Curtain directed by Marshall Mason alongside Jeff Daniels and Debra Monk. She received an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Newcomer on Broadway. She was still able to graduate with her class upon the school's decision to use the Broadway show as an internship.

Blythe Howard

Blythe Howard is an American actress who quickly garnered attention, booking her first commercial within one week of moving to Los Angeles from Maple Valley, Washington. Her decision to move and pursue acting came quickly after winning a contest to be a VJ for a day on MTV's Total Request Live (TRL).

Clare McGlinn

Clare is the third child of a big Irish family raised in Manchester, North West Uk. With a background of singing, dancing and general entertaining, it seemed a natural decision to pursue her love of the performing arts and train to be an actress. As Clare herself jokingly states "Everyone acts & entertains in my family. Just lucky to get paid for it". After graduating from Bretton Hall College of Performing Arts, she started out training adult special needs groups in drama and directing youth groups at Bradford Playhouse Theatre until she eventually made the transition to professional actress. Her major break was as the irascible Pc. Natalie Metcalfe in the award winning drama "The Cops" produced by the legendary Tony Garnett of "Cathy Come Home"; "Kes", "This Life". Since then her career has gone from strength to strength, she has constantly tried to maintain a balance through her roles reflecting her commitment to both screen and stage and is enjoying terrifying herself with many a wordy stage script to test her opening night nerves.