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My Home Hero

2023

An unassuming father becomes a target when he kills his daughter's abusive boyfriend — who happens to be the son of a cold-blooded crime boss.

Manami Hara

Manami Hara was born and raised in Tokyo Japan. She became fascinated with Western theatre and the English language and at the age of 18, left Japan home to become a stage actor in North America. She moved to Vancouver, took ESL classes and graduated from Studio 58, a two-year conservatory Theatre Arts program at Langara College. As an Asian actor in the early 1990s, she was given rare opportunities to play roles such as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet (Carousel Theatre) and Miranda in The Tempest (Globe Theatre). As a young actor, working with Ruby Slippers on creating Herotica and Herotica 2 triggered a desire to develop and produce her own original art. ’Then,’ as Hara says, ‘came motherhood. I retired from the stage to care for my young family and I found myself losing my identity. My heart screamed and longed to live and breathe Theatre. So I began writing my first play at 2am in the morning when the house went dead quiet. Since then, my artistic path has lead me to be more than what I dreamed of. I am a playwright, a producer, an interpreter and a translator. I seek to explore creative and collaborative process where we take risks, fail, succeed, discover, grow and celebrate our artistry.’ Hara’s passion to teach youth the process of theatre making, acting and storytelling has grown over the years. She runs a drama program for youth called Acting Shmacting of which she says, ’It’s rewarding to witness young artists empowering themselves to become self-assured, creative and ensemble team players.’ Here is a list of companies Hara has had the privilege of working with over the years: Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre, Boca del Lupo, Presentation House Theatre, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades Theatre, The Frank Theatre, Small Wooden Shoe, Gateway Theatre, Pi Theatre, Rumble Productions, The Vancouver Playhouse, Yayoi Movement Theatre, Theatre Replacement, On the Board, One Yellow Rabbit, The Grand Theatre, Touchstone theatre, Playwrights Theatre Centre, Arts Club, NAC, Factory Theatre, Theatre Passe Muraille, La Luna Productions, NeWorld Theatre, The Firehall Arts Centre.

Keena Ferguson

Cast · Known for The Mortuary Assistant

Keena Ferguson is known for her bright warm smile, strong presence and agility as an actress. She hails from Jefferson City, MO the “Show Me State” and she was most definitely born to be in “Show Biz”. A show off since birth, a dancer since the age of two and a stage actress at the tender age of 6, Keena was destined for a life in the arts. Graduating from The Ohio State Uni- versity with a BA in dance she immediately moved to LaLa land and within months of her move, Keena landed a co-hosting gig for the BET series The Way We Do It opposite comedian Ricky Smiley. Shortly after that show aired she shot an international Coca-Cola campaign with Gram- my winning artists, Common and Mýa. Since then Keena can be seen on many popular com- mercials like Home Depot, Bud Light and Android to name a few. Keeping with her artistic versatility Keena first appeared dancing alongside Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) in the action-comedy blockbuster The Rundown. From there she danced with many notable artists like Kelly Rowland, Marc Anthony, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z and many others. Keena also had the honor to perform on stage at the Lady of Soul Awards and Latin Grammy Awards. The next stages she performed on took her around the country as one of the leads in the Will Smith produced play The Bachelorette Party. Once that tour came to a close, with a quick click of your remote you could see Keena on TV screens in hit shows like Two in a Half Men, Boston Legal and Victorious. One of her favorite projects was being featured on Steven Spielberg’s On the Lot where she was praised for her “natural and authentic talent.” Always a fan of great storytelling and being able to immerse oneself into a character, Keena has thoroughly enjoyed playing a variety of complex film roles including: an American Muslim woman in the thriller Red Line, a conflicted under appreciated sister in the award winning film Daughter of Fortune, a commanding high-end art thief in the action film Forever No More, writ- ten by Rosewood’s executive producer Nkechi Okoro Carroll. Keena is also the writer, producer and star of the short film Kai where she plays a trendy woman with a strange addiction. Kai went on to screen in more than 35 film festivals internationally and was picked up for television distri- bution. Those multifaceted roles prepared Keena for her most challenging, but most accom- plished feeling as an actress; when she performed her one woman show Keena UnBranded. Playing over 10 different characters intertwining dance and live music, Keena UnBranded con- firmed to Keena (and her audiences) that the power of honest artistry was a way to not only en- tertain, but also inspire. Keena’s latest project is the theatrically released film American Hero where she played Doreen opposite Stephen Dorff as his frustrated no-nonsense ex-wife and mother to their son. She also stars as the concerned mother in the new NBC show Game of Silence, the disciplined and fun volleyball coach on Amazon’s Gortimer Gibbons Life on Normal Street and the sassy friend in the movie Trew Calling.

Katherine Heigl

Cast · Known for Bride of Chucky, Suits

Katherine Marie Heigl (born November 24, 1978) is an American actress and former fashion model. She is best known for her role as Dr. Izzie Stevens on the ABC television medical drama Grey's Anatomy from 2005 to 2010, a role that brought her recognition and accolades, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2007. She started her career as a child model with Wilhelmina Models before turning her attention to acting, making her film debut in That Night (1992) and later appearing in My Father the Hero (1994) as well as Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (1995). Heigl then landed the role of Isabel Evans on The WB television series Roswell (1999–2002), for which she received nominations for Saturn and Teen Choice Awards. She then starred in commercially successful romantic comedy films such as Knocked Up (2007), 27 Dresses (2008), The Ugly Truth (2009), Killers (2010), Life As We Know It (2010) and New Year's Eve (2011). She also appeared in Zyzzyx Road (2006), The Big Wedding (2013), and Unforgettable (2017). Heigl has also starred in several films that have seen limited releases, including Jackie & Ryan (2014), Home Sweet Hell (2015), and Jenny's Wedding (2015). She is also executive producer on her leading television roles, which include the short-lived NBC television series State of Affairs from 2014 to 2015, the Netflix series Firefly Lane (2021–present) and the upcoming limited series Woodhull. She has also lent her voice to the animated film The Nut Job (2014) and its 2017 sequel. Heigl also had a main role in the final two seasons of the USA Network series Suits (2018–2019).

David Butler

Director · Known for Leave It to Beaver

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia David Butler (December 17, 1894 – June 14, 1979) was an American actor, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and television director. Butler was born in San Francisco, California. His mother was an actress and his father was a theater stage manager. His first acting roles were playing extras in stage plays. He later appeared in two D. W. Griffith films, The Girl Who Stayed Home and The Greatest Thing in Life. He also appeared in the 1927 Academy-Award winning film 7th Heaven. The same year, Butler made his directorial debut with High School Hero, a comedy for Fox. During Butler's nine-year tenure at Fox, he directed over thirty films, including four Shirley Temple vehicles. Butler's last film for Fox, Kentucky, won Walter Brennan an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Butler worked with Bing Crosby in Road to Morocco and If I Had My Way. He directed many films starring Doris Day, among them It's a Great Feeling, Tea for Two, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, Lullaby of Broadway, April in Paris, and Calamity Jane. During the late '50s and 1960s, Butler directed primarily television episodes, mainly for Leave It to Beaver and Wagon Train. For his contributions to the film industry, Butler was inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1960 with a motion pictures star located at 6561 Hollywood Boulevard.

Jeffrey Lynn

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jeffrey Lynn (born Ragnar Godfrey Lind; February 16, 1909 – November 24, 1995) was an American stage-screen actor and film producer who worked primarily through the Golden Age of Hollywood establishing himself as one of the premier talents of his time. Throughout his acting career, both on stage and in film, he was typecast as "the attractive, reliable love interest of the heroine," or "the tall, stalwart hero." Born and raised in Massachusetts, he attended Bates College, before working as a teacher. He was tapped to act in his first film in 1938, which convinced him to move to Hollywood, California. His second film–Four Daughters (1938)–propelled him into national fame sparking three sequels: Daughters Courageous (1939), Four Wives (1939) and Four Mothers (1941) with Lynn reprising his role in each of them. He was at the center of the Gone with the Wind (1939) screening controversy; he was noted as the top contender to play Ashley Wilkes, however, the directer eventually chose Leslie Howard instead. Lynn was asked to join James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart in The Roaring Twenties (1939), a gangster noir that garnered him critical praise. His success continued with such films as The Fighting 69th (1940) in which he portrayed poet-soldier Joyce Kilmer opposite Cagney, It All Came True (1940), All This and Heaven Too (1940) and Million Dollar Baby (1941). His movie career was put on hold for World War II draft, where he received a Bronze Star for his service as a in Italy and Austria as a combat intelligence captain. He returned to the screen in 1948 and was in the notably successful, A Letter to Three Wives (1949), which went on to be nominated of best picture in the 1950 prime time Academy Awards. A year later he joined that cast of Home Town Story (1951) billed alongside Marilyn Monroe. His later film career credits include: BUtterfield 8 (1960) along with Elizabeth Taylor and Laurence Harvey, and Tony Rome (1967) with Frank Sinatra. Lynn also began to act on Broadway and was featured in such plays as Any Wednesday (1966) and Dinner at Eight (1967). Later on in his career he found mixed critical success television starring in hit shows such as Robert Montgomery Presents, Your Show of Shows, My Son Jeep (with young Martin Huston), and Lux Video Theatre. He died in November 1995 in Burbank, California from natural causes and was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in the Hollywood Hills. Actor Jeffrey Lynn "Jeff" Goldblum is named in honor of Jeffrey Lynn.

Martina Arroyo

Martina Arroyo (born February 2, 1937) is an American operatic soprano who had a major international opera career from the 1960s through the 1980s. She was part of the first generation of black opera singers to achieve wide success. Arroyo first rose to prominence at the Zurich Opera between 1963 and 1965, and then was one of the Metropolitan Opera's leading sopranos between 1965 and 1978. During those years at the Metropolitan Opera, she was also a regular presence at the world's opera houses, performing on the stages of La Scala, Covent Garden, the Opéra National de Paris, the Teatro Colón, the Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Vienna State Opera, the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and the San Francisco Opera. She is best known for her performances of the Italian spinto repertoire, and in particular, her portrayals of Verdi and Puccini heroines. Her last opera performance was in 1991, after which she has devoted her time to teaching singing on the faculties of various universities in the United States and Europe. On December 8, 2013, Arroyo received a Kennedy Center Honor. Arroyo was born in New York City, the younger of two children of Demetrio Arroyo, originally from Puerto Rico, and Lucille Washington, a native of Charleston, South Carolina. Her older brother grew up to become a Baptist minister. The family lived in Harlem near St. Nicholas Avenue and 111th Street. Her father was a mechanical engineer at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and earned a good salary which enabled Arroyo's mother to stay at home with their children. His job also allowed the family to experience New York's cultural offerings and the family frequented museums, concerts, and the theatre. It was attending several performances of Broadway shows during the 1940s that first inspired Arroyo's interest in becoming a performer. Her mother humored her dreams and allowed Arroyo to take ballet classes. Her mother was also a talented amateur classical pianist and taught her daughter to play the instrument. Arroyo's other musical experiences as a child were largely through singing in the choirs at her Baptist church and as a student at Hunter College High School. After finishing high school in 1953, Arroyo attended Hunter College where she earned a B.A. in Romance languages in 1956 at the age of nineteen. While there she studied voice as a hobby in an opera workshop with Joseph Turnau. Turnau recognized that Arroyo was a major talent who just needed proper training. After the workshop ended, he introduced her to voice instructor Marinka Gurewich, who immediately accepted her as a student. When Arroyo did not take her training as seriously as her teacher wanted, Gurewich eventually threatened to end their lessons. Arroyo said of the incident, "It was a real wake-up call. Up to then, I must have been, in my mind, treating singing as a hobby, a lark—something I loved that I was dabbling in". ... Source: Article "Martina Arroyo" from Wikipedia in english, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.

Hurd Hatfield

William Rukard Hurd Hatfield was an American actor, best known for often playing characters of handsome, narcissistic young men, most notably Dorian Gray in the film The Picture of Dorian Gray. Hatfield was born in New York City to William Henry Hatfield, who died in 1954, an attorney who served as deputy attorney general for New York, and his wife, Adele (née McGuire). Hurd was educated at Columbia University, then moved to London, England where he studied drama and began acting in theatre. He returned to America for his film debut in Dragon Seed, in which he and his co-stars (Katharine Hepburn, Akim Tamiroff, Aline MacMahon, Turhan Bey) portrayed Chinese peasants, some more convincingly than others. Hatfield's second film, The Picture of Dorian Gray, made him a star. As Oscar Wilde's ageless anti-hero, Hatfield received widespread acclaim for his dark good looks as much as for his acting ability. However, the actor was ambivalent about the role and his performance. "The film didn't make me popular in Hollywood," he commented later. "It was too odd, too avant-garde, too ahead of its time. The decadence, the hints of bisexuality and so on, made me a leper! Nobody knew I had a sense of humor, and people wouldn't even have lunch with me." His follow-up films, The Diary of a Chambermaid, The Beginning or the End, and The Unsuspected), were successful, but Joan of Arc was a critical and financial failure. Hatfield's film career began to lose momentum very quickly in the 1950s, and he returned to the stage. Subsequent movies included supporting roles in The Left Handed Gun, King of Kings (as Pontius Pilate), El Cid, Harlow (as Paul Bern), and The Boston Strangler. He cut back on performing in the 1970s. His later movies included King David and Her Alibi. He appeared frequently on television and received an Emmy Award nomination for the Hallmark Hall of Fame videotaped play The Invincible Mr. Disraeli). In 1957, he appeared in Beyond This Place, directed by Sidney Lumet. Other television credits include three guest appearances on Murder She Wrote, opposite his Picture of Dorian Gray costar Angela Lansbury, who had become a lifelong friend. He also appeared as the villain in the second episode of Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea. He appeared in Alfred Hitchcock Presents in "None Are So Blind". In 1952, Hatfield appeared as Joseph in Westinghouse Studio One's The Nativity. This was a rare commercial network staging of a 14th-century mystery play, adapted from the York and Chester plays. According to the magazine Films in Review, Hatfield was ambivalent about having played Dorian Gray, feeling that it had typecast him. "You know, I was never a great beauty in Gray...and I never understood why I got the part and have spent my career regretting it", he is reported to have said. He died in his sleep of a heart attack at a friend's home, aged 81, after celebrating Christmas dinner. Description above from the Wikipedia article Hurd Hatfield, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Rihanna

Cast · Known for Home, Battleship, Ali G: Who Iz I?

Robyn Rihanna Fenty (/riˈænə/ ree-AN-ə; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, businesswoman and actress. She is noted as the best-selling female recording artist of the 21st century by Guinness World Records and the highest-certified female digital single artist by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). As of 2024, Rihanna is the third wealthiest musician in the world. She has seven U.S. diamond-certified singles and 14 number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100. The recipient of various accolades, Rihanna is among the best-selling recording artists of all time, with sales estimated at 250 million units globally. Rihanna signed with Def Jam Recordings in 2005. She found mainstream recognition after releasing her first two studio albums, Music of the Sun (2005) and A Girl Like Me (2006). Both were influenced by Caribbean music, and the albums peaked within the top ten on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. Her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), incorporated dance-pop elements, establishing her status as a pop icon. Its lead single, "Umbrella", peaked atop the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and won her first Grammy Award. Rihanna continued to blend pop, dance and influences in her subsequent albums, Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), and Unapologetic (2012)—the latter of which topped the Billboard 200. The albums spawned the Billboard Hot 100-number one singles "Rude Boy", "Only Girl (In the World)", "What's My Name?", "S&M", "We Found Love", and "Diamonds". Her eighth album, Anti (2016), showcased new creative control following her departure from Def Jam in favour of Jay-Z's label, Roc Nation. Becoming her second U.S. number-one album, it was supported by the chart-topping single "Work". Aside from music, Rihanna is recognized for her humanitarian involvement, entrepreneurship, and influence in the fashion industry. She established the Clara Lionel Foundation, cosmetics brand Fenty Beauty, and fashion house Fenty under LVMH, becoming the first black woman to lead a luxury brand for LVMH. Rihanna has acted in major roles in Battleship (2012), Home (2015), Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017), and Ocean's 8 (2018). In 2018, the Government of Barbados appointed her as an ambassador and declared a National Hero of Barbados in 2021. Description above from the Wikipedia article Rihanna, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Edie McClurg

Cast · Known for Frozen, The Little Mermaid, A Bug's Life

Edie McClurg (born July 23, 1951) is an American actress, voice actress, stand-up comedian, and opera singer. She has performed in nearly 90 films and 55 television episodes, often portraying characters with a cheery Midwestern accent. McClurg was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri on July 23, 1951, to Mac, a mailman, and Irene McClurg, an FAA secretary. She has an older brother, Bob, who is also an actor. McClurg attended the University of Missouri–Kansas City in the mid-1960s, where she also taught radio for eight years. She earned a master's degree from Syracuse University. McClurg's onscreen debut was in the 1976 Brian De Palma horror film "Carrie" as Helen Shyres, one of Carrie's classmates. The following year, she was a member of the cast of "The Richard Pryor Show". In 1980, she was a regular performer on "The David Letterman Show" in the persona of Mrs. Marv Mendenhall. She also had a role in "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark", in which she plays the Town Council President Chastity Pariah. She also had a minor role in "Cheech & Chong's Next Movie". Having been a member of San Francisco's improv comedy the Pitcshel Players, she moved to Los Angeles and joined the Groundlings troupe. She worked with fellow Groundling player [[Paul Reubens]] on his first play "The Pee-wee Herman Show", in which she appeared in 1981 as "Hermit Hattie". McClurg has appeared in almost 90 films and 55 television episodes, usually typecast as a middle-aged, somewhat stubborn, and dim-witted Midwesterner. McClurg is known for a number of roles, including Mrs. Burns in "A River Runs Through It", Grace in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", Lucille Tarlek on "WKRP in Cincinnati", Lynn in "She's Having a Baby", Willamae Jones in the television remake of "Harper Valley PTA", Mrs. Patty Poole on "The Hogan Family" (originally "Valerie"), Bonnie Brindle on "Small Wonder", Marge Sweetwater in "Back to School", the car rental agent in "Planes, Trains and Automobiles", Mrs. Violet Bleakman on "Clifford the Big Red Dog", and Mrs. Beeker on "7th Heaven". She guest starred as Barri's mother in an episode of "Campus Ladies". She portrayed one of the wicked stepsisters in the Faerie Tale Theatre production "Cinderella." McClurg appeared on several game shows, including "Match Game", "The $25,000 Pyramid", "Password Plus", and "Super Password". McClurg contributed assorted voices for "The Jetsons", "The Snorks", "Life with Louie", "A Bug's Life", "Justin & the Knights of Valour", "Cars" and "Cars 2". She voiced Carlotta in "The Little Mermaid", Mary in "Wreck-It Ralph", Molly in "Home on the Range", Miss Right in "The Secret of NIMH", the Dragon in the "Nightmare Ned" video game, Barsa in "Kiki's Delivery Service", Fran on "Higglytown Heroes", Mrs. Claus in "Holidaze: The Christmas That Almost Didn't Happen", Grandma Taters in "The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius", Violet Stimpleton in "Rocket Power", Bea's mother in "Fish Hooks", Winnie Pig in "Tiny Toon Adventures: How I Spent My Vacation", Aunt Ruth in "Bobby's World" and Trudi Traveler in an episode of "Wander Over Yonder". Continuing her passion for performing improvised comedy, McClurg is a player with Spolin Players.

Claire Trevor

Claire Trevor (née Wemlinger; March 8, 1910 – April 8, 2000) was an American actress. She appeared in 65 feature films from 1933 to 1982, winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Key Largo (1948), and received nominations for her roles in The High and the Mighty (1954) and Dead End (1937). Trevor received top billing, ahead of John Wayne, for Stagecoach (1939). Trevor's acting career spanned more than seven decades and included successes in stage, radio, television, and film. She often played the hard-boiled blonde, and every conceivable type of 'bad girl' role. She made her stage debut in the summer of 1929 with a repertory company in Ann Arbor, Michigan. She subsequently returned to New York, where she appeared in a number of Brooklyn-filmed Vitaphone short films and performed in summer stock theatre. In 1932, she starred on Broadway as the female lead in Whistling in the Dark. Trevor made her film debut in Jimmy and Sally (1933). From 1933 to 1938, Trevor starred in 29 films, often having either the lead role or the role of heroine. In 1937, she was the second lead actress (after top-billed Sylvia Sidney) in Dead End, with Humphrey Bogart, which led to her nomination for Best Supporting Actress. From 1937 to 1940, she appeared with Edward G. Robinson in the popular radio series Big Town, while continuing to make movies. In the early 1940s, she also was a regular on The Old Gold Don Ameche Show on the NBC Red Radio Network, starring with Ameche in presentations of plays by Mark Hellinger. In 1939, she was well established as a solid leading lady. One of her more memorable performances during this period includes the Western Stagecoach (1939). Two of Trevor's most memorable roles were opposite Dick Powell in Murder, My Sweet (1944) and with Lawrence Tierney in Born to Kill (1947). In Key Largo (1948), Trevor played Gaye Dawn, a washed-up, alcoholic nightclub singer and gangster's moll. For that role, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her third and final Oscar nomination was for her performance in The High and the Mighty (1954). In 1957, she won an Emmy for her role in the Producers' Showcase episode entitled "Dodsworth". Trevor moved into supporting roles in the 1950s, with her appearances becoming very rare after the mid-1960s. She played Charlotte, the mother of Kay (Sally Field) in Kiss Me Goodbye (1982). Her final television role was for the 1987 television film, Norman Rockwell's Breaking Home Ties. Trevor made a guest appearance at the 70th Academy Awards in 1998. For her contribution to the motion picture industry, she has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6933 Hollywood Boulevard. [biography (excerpted) from Wikipedia]

Stuart Rosenberg

Director · Known for Naked City

Stuart Rosenberg (August 11, 1927 – March 15, 2007) was an American film and television director, whose notable works included the movies Cool Hand Luke (1967), Voyage of the Damned (1976), The Amityville Horror (1979), and The Pope of Greenwich Village (1984). He was noted for his work with actor Paul Newman. Rosenberg was born in Brooklyn, New York City, the son of Sara (née Kaminsky) and David Rosenberg. He studied Irish literature at New York University in Manhattan, and began working as an apprentice film editor while in graduate school. After advancing to film editor, he then transitioned into directing with episodes of the syndicated TV series Decoy (1957–59). It was the first police series on American television built around a female protagonist. Over the next two years, Rosenberg directed 15 episodes of the ABC police-detective series Naked City, also shot in New York City. Fifteen episodes of The Untouchables followed, eight of the anthology series Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre, five of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, and three of The Twilight Zone, along with episodes of Adventures in Paradise, The Barbara Stanwyck Show, Ben Casey, Rawhide with Clint Eastwood, and Falk's The Trials of O'Brien, among other shows. He won a 1963 Emmy Award for directing "The Madman", one of his 19 episodes of the courtroom drama The Defenders. Following the Lutheran-financed U.S.-German co-production Question 7 (1961), filmed in West Berlin, Germany, Rosenberg shot the 1965 TV-movie, Memorandum for a Spy and the 1966 telefilm Fame Is the Name of the Game before making his major-studio debut with the Paul Newman hit Cool Hand Luke (1967). Rosenberg had come across Donn Pearce's chain gang novel and developed the film with actor Jack Lemmon's production company, Jalem. Years later, Rosenberg would replace Bob Rafelson on another prison movie, Brubaker (1980) starring Robert Redford. Other Rosenberg films include The April Fools (1969), with French actress Catherine Deneuve in her American debut opposite Jack Lemmon; the Newman movies WUSA (1970), Pocket Money (1972) and The Drowning Pool (1975); the Walter Matthau police-detective thriller The Laughing Policeman (1973); the Charles Bronson action picture Love and Bullets (1979); and another action movie Let's Get Harry (1986), for which Rosenberg used the Directors Guild of America pseudonym Alan Smithee. He was famous for straight dramas and, especially, crime films. The most acclaimed movie he did after 'Cool Hand Luke' was The Pope of Greenwich Village with Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke, and Daryl Hannah. He made his last film, the independent drama My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys, in 1991. In 1993, Rosenberg became a teacher at the American Film Institute. Among his students were those who would go on to make names for themselves: Todd Field, Darren Aronofsky, Mark Waters, Scott Silver, Doug Ellin and Rob Schmidt. Rosenberg died in 2007 of a heart attack at his home in Beverly Hills, California. He was survived by his wife, Margot Pohoryles, whom he had met at NYU; son Benjamin Rosenberg, a first assistant director; as well as four grandchildren. His students' films The Spiderwick Chronicles, The Alphabet Killer, and The Wrestler that were released in 2008 were dedicated in memory of him.

Chang Di

Chang Di (常荻) is an actor born in Yingkou. He was nominated for Best Supporting Actor by the China TV Drama Director Working Committee. His works include "October Besieged City", "March 8th Line", "My Child My Home", "Wenchuan Story", "Ten Sending Red Army", "Blooming", "The Final Kill", and "The Stalker".

Pam St. Clement

Cast · Known for EastEnders

Born Pamela Ann Clements, her parents, Ann Tribe and Reginald Clements, married in 1940. Shortly after Clement's birth in 1942, her mother died and she was put into foster care when her father remarried. Clement subsequently grew up in various different foster homes until she was taken in by a family who owned a farm in Devon. She has commented: "I was very fortunate in the end. I was always being farmed off to holiday homes, then when I was just pre-teens I went down to Devon to some people who were very good at taking on youngsters, and what originated as a business arrangement became my home." Clement's father rose to become the managing director of a toy manufacturers in London and married five times in total over the course of his life. Clement was sent to boarding school on the South Downs, where she was—by her own admission—"very naughty". She was active in the drama society at her school, but she originally had aspirations to become a vet, however this career proved unobtainable because she didn't pass Latin at school. Instead she decided to become a teacher and enrolled at the Rolle Teacher Training College in Exmouth (now part of the University of Plymouth). She worked in the teaching profession until her desire to act prompted her to attend drama school, the Rose Bruford College, and she eventually took up acting professionally. Her stage name was inspired by a street name in Islington - St Clement Street - where her parents resided at the time of their marriage. In July 2008, the University of Plymouth presented her with an honorary doctorate in education for her services to teaching. Commenting on her former job, she said she had not been a good teacher, so her career change was not a loss to the profession.

Grace Aiello Antczak

Grace Aiello Antczak is a Boston-born actress with screen credits spanning both film and television. She has appeared on "FBI" and "Law & Order," and gained further attention as Chazlyn Hellkamp in the third installment of Ryan Murphy's "American Horror Stories." Most recently, she starred as Liv Truby in Jeff Fisher's Paramount feature film "The Stranger in My Home," opposite Sophia Bush, Chris Carmack, and Amiah Miller. Her independent work has earned recognition on the festival circuit, with "Forgive Me Father," a three-time nominee at the Chicago Southland Film Festival and official selection at the Sunscreen Film Festival, "Mr. Sunyata" (official Greenpoint Film Festival selection), and "Potential Side Effects" (official Athens Film Festival selection). Through her training with CP Casting and collaborations with Boston University students and faculty, Grace has developed a reputation for bringing grounded intensity and emotional vulnerability to high-stakes roles. Often cast as complex, sharp-edged characters who balance grit with humanity, she continues to expand her body of work across television, features, and independent film

Yaz Canli

Yaz is a Turkish-German writer-director-actor. She got her start in Europe as an actor after earning a diploma in dramatic arts but eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue independent filmmaking. She transitioned into writing-directing in 2016 with her first short film 'Walt & Ich', which she received praise for as a "promising upcoming female director" by the Vancouver International Film Festival. Her second short-film 'Man In Hoodie', produced by Collins Ave Productions won the Audience Award at the New York City International Film Festival in 2020. Yaz' first feature as writer-director-star, 'My Home Unknown,' is produced by Wallybird Productions and Threshold Entertainment. After its premiere at DWF '23 at the legendary Chinese Theater Hollywood, My Home Unknown ran in numerous festivals, received 10 nominations and won Best North American Feature at FeFF. It even earned her the PANAVISION Award Nomination for Outstanding Feature. The film is distributed by Gravitas Ventures and was released in Fall 2024.

Thomas Napper

Director · Known for The Wheel of Time

JAWBONE marks the narrative feature debut for Thomas as a director, after working as 2nd Unit director with Joe Wright for the last 12 years. JAWBONE is a visceral and hard-hitting character portrait of Jimmy McCabe, a former junior ABA boxing champion who is running out of options. JAWBONE was written by and stars Johnny Harris. Ray Winstone, Michael Smiley and Ian McShane complete the cast. The film was produced by Mike Elliot at Emu Films (The Goob & Catch me Daddy) Nichola Martin at BBC Films and Richard Holmes/Celine Hadad at Creative England. Thomas directed the award winning feature documentary LOST ANGELS: SKID ROW IS MY HOME produced by Agi Orsi (Dogtown & Z Boys) and funded by Paramount/Participant. The film documented the lives of eight men & women who live on the darkest and most dangerous streets of Los Angeles. A powerful and uplifting story of redemption.

Christopher Tyson

Cast · Known for Death Wish

American / Canadian actor. Known for movie roles in Death Wish, Bad Santa 2, Rabid Dogs and Hibou. TV shows 19-2, Fatal Vows, A Stranger in my Home, Karl et Max and Victor Lassard.

Stogie Kenyatta

Jamaican born & Brooklyn bred of Kenyan Ancestry; Actor, Comedian, Writer, Director, Stogie has been an working artist for the last 2 plus decades, known for his lucrative touring One Man Broadway style solo show on Paul Robeson. Classically trained at the Afro American studio in Harlem, the Henry St. Settlement, and Al Fann Theatrical ensemble. A finalist in the N.Y. State theater competition with artistic director, John Houseman. A Basketball scholarship athlete, he came West to attended Film School at California St. University. Studied privately with Ivan Markota at the Van Mar Academy. Has written 2 Novels, directed several Short films, Cable Commercials as well as Music Videos, has Film & TV acting credits from Soap Operas, Movies & Sit-com, Co-headlined USO Stand-up Comedy tour in Okinawa & Tokyo, Japan. Starred in the International feature film "Joseph" about the "African 400 Year of Return" shot in Kingston, Jamaica, Cape Coast & Accra, Ghana. The Writer/Artist of acclaimed One Man Broadway style Show "The World is my Home - The Life of Paul Robeson". Performed over 450 shows with his wife of 26 years Meechi Kenyatta who is his Stage Manager & Sound Engineer. In the last 20 years he's appeared at US Embassies & Universities in 21 countries including the South of France, and London, Birmingham, England the Gulf of Mexico and a dozen Caribbean Islands . Winner of the NAACP Theater Award for Best Solo Show. It is the #1 multicultural Pan-African touring show in the USA. He's written several screenplays that are in different stages of development including the Urban Basketball drama "The gods stopped smiling" & will be directing his passion piece; the offbeat dark comedy "Promise of Paradise"

Warwick Tennant Moss

Warwick Tennant Moss is an Australian actor, television personality and presenter and dramatist and playwright as well as New South Wales Premier's Literary Award winning writer for the stage. Moss was born in Sydney and attended Newington College (1958–65), commencing as a preparatory school student in Wyvern House. In 1984 Moss produced, directed and acted in his own play Down An Alley Filled With Cats. This mystery thriller won the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for Theatre and had productions throughout Australia, as well as the on West End and in New York. It is published worldwide by Samuel French. In London he appeared in the Royal Command premiere of Stephen Sewell's play Dreams in an Empty City. Moss has appeared in Come In Spinner, Scales of Justice, Mother and Son, Police Rescue, G. P., The Flying Doctors, Punishment, Blue Murder, Evil Angels (A Cry in the Dark) and Danny Deckchair. In 1993 he hosted the national television show The Extraordinary, which ran for four years and was sold to over 70 countries. He later parodied this persona in a 2007 commercial for ANZ, in his trademark deep, mysterious voice, saying "How do I unlock equity from my home?". From 1998 to 2005 Moss directed, wrote and/or hosted the documentaries Pure Gold, Australia and The Olympic Games, Australia's Most Haunted Town, and The Reincarnation Experiments. He also produced and acted in the film version of his play Blood-Shot. In 2006 he produced, shot, wrote and hosted his own three-part documentary Inside The Outback. Warwick Moss also presented the Ten Network home improvement and renovations program Bright Ideas every Saturday between 12 noon and 2 p.m. for a number of years.

Buddy Guy

Cast · Known for Sinners

George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists, including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr., and John Mayer. In the 1960s, Guy played with Muddy Waters as a session guitarist at Chess Records and began a musical partnership with blues harp virtuoso Junior Wells. Guy has won eight Grammy Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award, the National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honors. Guy was ranked 27th in Rolling Stone magazine's 2023 list of greatest guitarists of all time. His song "Stone Crazy" was ranked 78th in the Rolling Stone list of the "100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time". Clapton once described him as "the best guitar player alive". In 1999, Guy wrote the book Damn Right I've Got the Blues with Donald Wilcock. His autobiography, When I Left Home: My Story, was published in 2012. Description above from the Wikipedia article Buddy Guy, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Drew Nichols

Editor · Known for Star Trek: Picard

Drew Nichols is an editor and producer whose television career spans scripted drama, documentary series and reality programming. He graduated from Syracuse University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Television, Radio and Film. He began his career as an assistant editor, working on series including Cities of the Underworld, My First Home, Miracle Quest, and Clinically Wild: Alaska before moving into editing.

My Neighbor Totoro

1988

Two sisters move to the country with their father in order to be closer to their hospitalized mother, and discover the surrounding trees are inhabited by Totoros, magical spirits of the forest. When the youngest runs away from home, the older sister seeks help from the spirits to find her.

Catherine Marie Thomas

Costume Design · Known for Kill Bill: Vol. 1, Kill Bill: Vol. 2, Leave the World Behind

“Kill Bill,” “A Prairie Home Companion” and “27 Dresses” have one thing in common besides being box-office hits: costumes designed by Kansas City Art Institute alumna Catherine Marie (“Cat”) Thomas (’93 fiber). For “Kill Bill: Vol. 1” and “Kill Bill: Vol. 2” she received two Costume Designers Guild award nominations. Her career has provided Thomas with opportunities to work with some of Hollywood’s highest profile directors, including Quentin Tarantino, Robert Altman, Neil Jordan, Richard Shepard, Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke and Edward Burns. “Collaboration is crucial,” she said, emphasizing that any motion picture is the product of hard work and creative input by many individuals. “There are so many elements that go into making a film. It’s the actor’s voice, the director’s voice and my voice.”