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Late Fame

2026

At the very end of the 1970’s, post office worker Ed Saxberger wrote a book of poetry that nobody cared about. After an eager and flattering fan appears on his doorstep, Saxberger is beckoned into a coterie of young admirers who anoint him a rediscovered genius. The group of downtown bohemians is led by their “tragic heroine,” Gloria. Intoxicated by the attention, and Gloria’s alluring presence, Saxberger gradually reckons with the authenticity of his newfound poetic circle.

Luca Padovan

Cast · Known for Late Fame, You

Luca Padovan is a theater, voice, television, and film actor. His Broadway credits include Newsies (2012), School of Rock (2015), and Marvin’s Room (2017). His voiceover work includes The Boy and the Heron (2023). His film and television credits include Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (2018), You (2018), Are You Afraid of the Dark (2022), and Late Fame (2025).

Gloria Stuart

Cast · Known for Titanic

Gloria Frances Stuart (born Gloria Stewart; July 4, 1910 – September 26, 2010) was an American actress, visual artist, and activist. She was known for her roles in Pre-Code films, and garnered renewed fame late in life for her portrayal of Rose Dawson Calvert in James Cameron's epic romance Titanic (1997), one of the highest-grossing films of all time. Her performance in the film won her a Screen Actors Guild Award and earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.

Dewey Robertson

Byron James John "Dewey" Robertson was a professional wrestler, known best by his ring name The Missing Link. As The Missing Link, Robertson wore blue and green face paint and shaved portions of his head while letting the hair grow in other areas. His gimmick was similar to that of George "The Animal" Steele and Kamala, a crazy out-of-control wild man who needed a trainer or manager to lead him to the ring. During his matches, Robertson would often ram his own head repeatedly into the turnbuckle or wooden chair, headbutt and dive head first onto an opponent. He achieved his greatest fame late in his career, wrestling in WCCW, managed by Skandor Akbar and in the WWF, managed by Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Jimmy Hart in the mid-1980s.

Joss Stone

Cast · Known for The Tudors

Jocelyn Eve Stoker, better known by her stage name Joss Stone, is an English soul singer-songwriter and actress. Stone rose to fame in late 2003 with her multi-platinum debut album, The Soul Sessions, which made the 2004 Mercury Prize shortlist. Wikipedia

Jesse McCartney

Cast · Known for Young Justice, All My Children

Jesse McCartney (born April 10, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter and voice actor. McCartney achieved fame in late 1990s on the soap opera All My Children as JR Chandler, then later joined boy band Dream Street. He branched into a solo career, having appeared in the television series Summerland and as a recurring character in the ABC Family series Greek.

Imogene Coca

Imogene Fernandez de Coca (November 18, 1908 – June 2, 2001) was an American comic actress best known for her role opposite Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows. Starting out in vaudeville as a child acrobat, she studied ballet and wished to have a serious career in music and dance, graduating to decades of stage musical revues, cabaret and summer stock. Finally in her 40s she began a celebrated career as a comedienne in television, starring in six series and guesting on successful television programs from the 1940s to the 1990s. She was nominated for five Emmy awards for Your Show of Shows, winning Best Actress in 1951 and singled out for a Peabody Award for excellence in broadcasting in 1953. Coca was also nominated for a Tony Award in 1978 for On the Twentieth Century and received a sixth Emmy nomination at the age of 80 for an episode of Moonlighting. She possessed a rubbery face capable of the broadest expressions—Life magazine compared her to Beatrice Lillie and Charlie Chaplin, and described her characterizations as taking "people or situations suspended in their own precarious balance between dignity and absurdity, and push(ing) them over the cliff with one single, pointed gesture"—the magazine noted a "particularly high-brow critic" as observing, "The trouble with most comedians who try to do satire is that they are essentially brash, noisy and indelicate people who have to use a sledge hammer to smash a butterfly. Miss Coca, on the other hand, is the timid woman who, when aroused, can beat a tiger to death with a feather." In addition to vaudeville, cabaret, theater and television, she appeared in film, voiced children's cartoons and was even featured in an MTV video by a New Wave band. Though her fame began late, she worked well into her 80s. Twice a widow, Coca died in 2001. Description above from the Wikipedia article Imogene Coca, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Matt Dillon

Matthew Raymond "Matt" Dillon (born February 18, 1964) is an American actor and film director. He began his acting career in the late 1970s and quickly rose to fame as a teenage idol in the 1980s. Dillon made his feature film debut in Over the Edge (1979) and gained recognition with roles in My Bodyguard (1980), Little Darlings (1980), and The Outsiders (1983). As his career progressed, he took on more diverse roles, starring in critically acclaimed films such as Drugstore Cowboy (1989), Singles (1992), There's Something About Mary (1998), and Crash (2004), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Beyond acting, Dillon made his directorial debut with City of Ghosts (2002) and has continued to work in film and television, including starring in the series Wayward Pines (2015). His career spans decades, showcasing his versatility in both dramatic and comedic roles.

Eli Wallach

Cast · Known for The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, The Godfather Part III

Eli Herschel Wallach (December 7, 1915 – June 24, 2014) was an American film, television and stage actor, who gained fame in the late 1950s. For his performance in Baby Doll he won a BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer and a Golden Globe nomination. One of his most famous roles is that of Tuco in The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). Other roles include his portrayal of Don Altobello in The Godfather Part III, Calvera in The Magnificent Seven, and Arthur Abbott in The Holiday. Wallach has received BAFTA Awards, Tony Awards and Emmy Awards for his work. Wallach also has a cameo as a liquor store owner in Clint Eastwood's Mystic River. Wallach received an Honorary Academy Award at the 2nd Annual Governors Awards, presented on November 13, 2010.

Jamie Kaler

Cast · Known for Spanglish

Jamie Kaler (born September 14, 1964) is an American stand-up comedian and actor who has gained fame by portraying the character Mike Callahan on the TBS comedy "My Boys". He has appeared on such talk shows as the Late Late Show as well as having a role on the sitcom How I Met Your Mother, and had a recurring role on Will and Grace. Kaler also lends his voice to the show Robot Chicken, as the suicidal blooper host. He is a member of the ACME Company, ACME Comedy Theatre's top-level sketch company and has also made guest appearances on Friends and Monk. Before beginning his comedic career, Kaler graduated from Boston University. He was then commissioned as an lieutenant in the United States Navy and stationed in San Diego before realizing he wanted to be an actor. After resigning his commission, he started performing in comedy clubs and eventually became involved in the Los Angeles comedy scene. Jamie was the guest on the Adam Carolla Podcast on May 14, 2009. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jamie Kaler, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Mya

Mýa (Mya Marie Harrison) is a Grammy Award-winning American R&B singer, songwriter, and actress who rose to fame in the late 1990s with hits like "It's All About Me" and "Case of the Ex."

Edward Tudor-Pole

Edward Tudor-Pole is an English musician, television presenter and actor. Originally gaining fame in the United Kingdom in the late 1970s as the lead singer of the punk rock band Tenpole Tudor, Tudor-Pole began an acting career following the group's split in 1982. Outside of his music career Tudor-Pole is probably best known in the UK as the presenter of the game show The Crystal Maze from 1993 to 1995 and in the US for his roles as Enaros in the 1997 fantasy film Kull the Conqueror and Mr. Borgin in The Harry Potter film series.

DMX

Earl Simmons (December 18, 1970 - April 9, 2021), better known by his stage name DMX, was an American rapper and actor who rose to fame in the late 1990s. His stage name pays tribute to the Oberheim DMX drum machine, an instrument he used when he made his own rap beats in the 80's. To date, his best-selling album is his 1999 album ...And Then There Was X, which featured the hit single "Party Up (Up in Here)". As an actor, he also starred in the films Belly, Romeo Must Die, Exit Wounds, Cradle 2 The Grave and Last Hour, and his own reality television series Soul of a Man on the American cable television network BET. In 2002, DMX wrote an autobiographical book titled E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX. On April 9, 2021, DMX died at the age of 50 from a drug-related heart attack.

Peggy Lipton

Cast · Known for Twin Peaks

Peggy Lipton (born Margaret Ann Lipton; August 30, 1946 – May 11, 2019) was an American actress and model who rose to fame in the late 1960s. She is best known for two major television roles: Julie Barnes on The Mod Squad (1968-1973) and Norma Jennings on Twin Peaks (1990-1991, 2017). She began modeling at age 15 and signed with Ford Agency. Her early struggles with stuttering led her to become introverted, though she found that acting helped her overcome this challenge. Her breakthrough came with The Mod Squad, where she played Julie Barnes, one of three hippie undercover cops. The show was groundbreaking for its time, addressing contemporary social issues and featuring an interracial cast. Her performance earned her four Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe Award. In 1974, she married music producer Quincy Jones, making them one of the most prominent interracial couples in the entertainment industry at that time. They had two daughters: Kidada Jones (born 1974) and Rashida Jones (born 1976). After marrying Jones, Lipton largely stepped away from acting to focus on her family. They divorced in 1989. She returned to acting, performing in many TV roles, including Norma Jennings in David Lynch's Twin Peaks. She passed away in 2019 at age 72 from colon cancer. Her memoir "Breathing Out" (2005) detailed her life experiences, including her battles with anxiety and her journey in the entertainment industry. She is remembered as a cultural icon of the 1960s and early 1970s, particularly for her role in The Mod Squad, which helped break down racial barriers on television.

Kevin Jonas

Paul Kevin Jonas Jr. (born November 5, 1987) is an American musician and actor. He rose to fame as the lead guitarist of the pop rock band Jonas Brothers alongside his younger brothers Joe and Nick. Jonas became a prominent figure on the Disney Channel alongside his brothers in the late 2000s, gaining a large following through the network: he appeared in the widely successful musical television film, Camp Rock (2008) and its sequel, Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (2010) as well as two other series, Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream (2008–2010) and Jonas (2009–2010). After the group confirmed a hiatus in 2012, Kevin appeared on his own E! reality series, Married to Jonas, with his wife, Danielle. Following the band's initial break-up in 2013, Jonas appeared on the seventh season of The Celebrity Apprentice in 2014, founded the construction company Jonas Werner, and became the co-CEO of The Blu Market, an influencer marketing company. In 2019, he rejoined the Jonas Brothers following their reunion. The group would go on to release their fifth studio album. The reunited Jonas Brothers appeared in two Amazon Prime Video documentaries named Jonas Brothers: Chasing Happiness and Jonas Brothers: Happiness Continues in 2019 and 2020. Jonas appeared on People magazine's list of the Sexiest Men Alive in 2008 at 21 and was thus included as part of the 21 Club. Description above from the Wikipedia article Kevin Jonas, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Marjoe Gortner

Hugh Marjoe Ross Gortner, generally known as Marjoe Gortner (January 14, 1944 - October 2, 2026), was a one time revivalist-turned-actor who first gained a certain fame in the late 1940s when he became the youngest ordained preacher at the age of four. He then gained outright notoriety in the 1970s when he starred in an Oscar-winning, behind-the-scenes documentary about the lucrative business of Pentecostal preaching. He then parlayed this fame into an acting career, mostly in television series, TV movies, and B-movies. He was best known for "Pray for the Wildcats," "Earthquake," "Bobbie Jo and the Outlaw," "The Food of the Gods," "Starcrash," and "When You Comin' Back, Red Ryder?" The name "Marjoe" is a portmanteau of the names "Mary" and "Joseph". Description above from the Wikipedia article Marjoe Gortner, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Aaron Carter

Aaron Charles Carter (December 7, 1987 – November 5, 2022) was an American singer, rapper, and actor. He came to fame as a teen pop singer in the late 1990s, establishing himself as a star among preteen and teenage audiences during the first years of the 21st century, with his four studio albums. He began performing at age seven, after the formation of his brother Nick's group the Backstreet Boys, and released his self-titled debut album in 1997 at age nine, selling a million copies worldwide. His second album Aaron's Party (Come Get It) (2000) sold three million copies in the United States, and he began making guest appearances on Nickelodeon and touring with the Backstreet Boys shortly after the record's release. His next album, Oh Aaron, also went platinum, and in 2002 he released what would be his last studio album for over 15 years, Another Earthquake!, followed by his 2003 Most Requested Hits collection. He appeared on Dancing with the Stars, and in the Broadway musical Seussical and the off-Broadway musical The Fantasticks, and made several one-off performances.  In 2014, he released a single featuring rapper Pat SoLo, "Ooh Wee". He released the single "Fool's Gold" in 2016, and an EP titled Love in 2017. His fifth studio album, also titled Love, was released in 2018. A sixth album, Blacklisted, was released two days after his death. In his second appearance on the medical talk show The Doctors in 2019, Carter disclosed that he had been diagnosed with both schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. He had a son who was born November 22, 2021, with then-fiancée Melanie Martin. On November 5, 2022, he died at his home in Lancaster, California, at age 34. His body was found in his bathtub by a housekeeper. He was cremated, and his ashes were left in the care of his twin sister Angel. The cause of death was not immediately publicized, but the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner later ruled that Carter's death was accidental: drowning after inhaling difluoroethane and taking alprazolam. His ashes were interred at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills). ​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Usher

Usher is an American recording artist, dancer, and actor. He rose to fame in the late 1990s with the release of his second album My Way, which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 number-one hit, "Nice and Slow".

Kelly Rowland

Kelendria Trene Rowland (born February 11, 1981) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Rowland rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. During their hiatus, Rowland released her debut solo album Simply Deep (2002), which sold 2.5 million copies worldwide and produced the number-one single "Dilemma" with Nelly, as well as the international top-ten hit "Stole". Rowland also transitioned into acting, with guest appearances in television sitcoms, and starring roles in Freddy vs. Jason (2003) and The Seat Filler (2004).

Ian Dury

Cast · Known for Judge Dredd

Ian Robins Dury (12 May 1942 – 27 March 2000) was a British singer, songwriter and actor who rose to fame in the late 1970s, during the punk and new wave era of rock music. He was the lead singer and lyricist of Ian Dury and the Blockheads and previously Kilburn and the High Roads.

Paul Weller

John William Weller (born 25 May 1958), better known as Paul Weller, is an English singer-songwriter and musician. Weller achieved fame in the late 1970s as the guitarist and principal singer and songwriter of the rock band the Jam, alongside Bruce Foxton and Rick Buckler. The band gained significant critical and commercial success in the United Kingdom, and were the most influential band of the mod revival of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Following the dissolution of the Jam at the end of 1982, Weller formed the Style Council with Mick Talbot, where he explored a wide variety of other musical styles, including pop, jazz, soul, hip hop, folk and classical. Although initially successful, the band's popularity declined in the late 1980s, leading them to break up in 1989. Weller began a solo career in the early 1990s, slowly re-establishing his commercial standing across his first four solo albums, Paul Weller (1992), Wild Wood (1993), Stanley Road (1995) and Heavy Soul (1997). Although Weller has received international critical recognition as a singer, lyricist and guitarist, he is most famous in his native country, as his songwriting is rooted in English society. Many of his songs with the Jam had lyrics about working class life. He was the principal figure of the 1970s and 1980s mod revival, often referred to as the Modfather, and an influence on many subsequent British alternative rock and Britpop artists, such as Oasis. He has received four Brit Awards, including Best British Male three times, and the 2006 Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. Description above from the Wikipedia article Paul Weller, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Essie Davis

Essie Davis is an Australian actress. Born and raised in Hobart, Tasmania, she is the daughter of locally famed artist George Davis. She emerged from the Old Nick Company at the University of Tasmania in the late 1980s and has gone on to appear in Hollywood movies. She is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) in Sydney. Her career started after her role in the all Australian movie Dad and Dave: On Our Selection (1995), also starring other prestigious actors such as Geoffrey Rush, Leo McKern, and Joan Sutherland. Her most famous movie roles are in The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions, Richard Flanagan's 1998 Tasmanian film The Sound of One Hand Clapping, and Girl with a Pearl Earring. In 2003 she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress for her UK performance in the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire. In 2004 she starred in a Broadway production of Tom Stoppard's Jumpers, for which she earned a Tony nomination. In 2005 she appeared as Mrs. Nellie Lovett in the BBC production of Sweeney Todd with Ray Winstone. In the 2008 film Hey, Hey, It's Esther Blueburger she plays Esther's controlling mother.

Lisa Kudrow

Cast · Known for Friends, Mad About You

Lisa Valerie Kudrow (KOO-droh; born July 30, 1963) is an American actress. She rose to international fame for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the American television sitcom Friends, which aired from 1994 to 2004. The series earned her Primetime Emmy, Screen Actors Guild, Satellite, American Comedy and TV Guide awards. Phoebe has since been named one of the most significant television characters of all time and is considered Kudrow's breakout role, spawning her successful film career. She initially appeared in a 1989 episode of the hit sitcom Cheers, playing a character named Emily. She also starred in several episodes of the show Mad About You(1993) as Ursula before auditioning and earning the role of Phoebe on Friends; her character on Mad About You was written into the Friends storyline as Phoebe's twin. In the late 1990s, she starred in the cult comedy film Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) and followed it with an acclaimed performance in the comedy/drama The Opposite of Sex (1998), which won her the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress and a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female. She created, produced, wrote, and starred in the HBO mockumentary series The Comeback, which initially lasted for one season in 2005 but was revived for a critically acclaimed second and final season in 2014. She was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for both seasons. In 2007, she received praise for her starring role in the film Kabluey and appeared in P.S. I Love You. She produced and starred in the Showtime program Web Therapy (2011–2015), which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award. She is a producer on the TLC/NBC reality program Who Do You Think You Are, which has been nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award five times. She played Honey the Dog on the FOX animated series HouseBroken. She has also had roles in Analyze This (1999) and its sequel, Analyze That (2002), Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), Bandslam (2008), Hotel for Dogs (2009), Easy A (2010), Neighbors (2014) and its sequel Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016), The Girl on the Train (2016), The Boss Baby (2017), Long Shot (2019), and Booksmart (2019). Description above from the Wikipedia article Lisa Kudrow, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Lars Gärtner

Lars Gärtner is a German actor, born on September 20, 1974, who gained fame primarily through supporting roles in well-known productions. He made his debut in 1997 in the TV film “Natalie – Die Hölle nach dem Babystrich,” followed by appearances in series like “SK-Babies” and feature films like “Late Show” (1999). Particularly noteworthy are his roles as Renzel in “Das Experiment” (2001), Timo Becker in the cult series “Stromberg” (2005–2011, 30 episodes), as well as guest roles in “Tatort” (various episodes from 2000), “Berlin, Berlin” (2005), “Der Lehrer” (2009–2021, 9 episodes), “Da kommt Kalle” (2006), and films like “Tsunami” (2005) or “Am Tag als Bobby Ewing starb” (2005).