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That Thing You Do!

1996

A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager. But behind the scenes, the group’s sudden fame tests their strength, their maturity and responsibility, and their ability to resist the temptations that money and notoriety always make possible.

Steve Zahn

Cast · Known for The Good Dinosaur, That Thing You Do!, You've Got Mail

Steven James Zahn (born November 13, 1967) is an American actor and comedian. His films include Reality Bites (1994), That Thing You Do! (1996), Out of Sight (1998), Happy, Texas (1999), Riding in Cars with Boys (2001), Shattered Glass (2003), Sahara (2005), Rescue Dawn (2007), the first three Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies, Dallas Buyers Club (2013), and War for the Planet of the Apes (2017). Zahn has done voice acting in Chicken Little (2005), Escape from Planet Earth (2013), and The Good Dinosaur (2015). He has also worked regularly in television, including the recurring role of Davis McAlary on HBO's Treme (2010 to 2013). Description above from the Wikipedia article Steve Zahn, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Tom Everett Scott

Cast · Known for That Thing You Do!, Paper Flowers, The Summer I Turned Pretty

Thomas Everett Scott (born September 7, 1970) is an American actor. His film work includes a starring role as drummer Guy Patterson in the film That Thing You Do!, the protagonist in An American Werewolf in Paris, and notable roles in Boiler Room, One True Thing, Dead Man on Campus, The Love Letter, Because I Said So, Danger One, La La Land, and Clouds. In television, he played the roles of Detective Russell Clarke in the series Southland, Charles Garnett in Z Nation, and played the recurring roles of Eric Wyczenski in ER, Sam Landon in Beauty & the Beast, Kevin Duval in the series Scream, William in Reign, and Mr. Down in 13 Reasons Why. He also co-starred in the truTV sitcom I'm Sorry. Description above from the Wikipedia article Tom Everett Scott, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Holmes Osborne

Cast · Known for Donnie Darko, That Thing You Do!

Holmes Osborne (born November 7, 1947) is an American character actor who has worked in film and television, including notable roles in That Thing You Do! (1996), Donnie Darko (2001) and Southland Tales (2007).

Bill Wiley

Bill Wiley is an actor, known for Porky's II: The Next Day (1983), Baby Geniuses (1999) and That Thing You Do! (1996).

Elina Madison

Elina Madison is from Cheyenne, Wyoming and lives in Los Angeles. She has a successful career in film and television and has worked with incredible directors such as David Lynch on "Mulholland Drive" and Tom Hanks on "That Thing You Do". Recent work includes feature films "Huff", "Chop" and the ensemble character study "Small Town Saturday Night" starring Chris Pine and John Hawkes. She also co-starred in the Award winning feature film "Barracuda". She has starred in numerous horror genre films such as the classic "Miners Massacre", "Creepshow 3", "Petrified" and the remake of "The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" as well as producing and starring in "Corporate Cut Throat Massacre". Elina has also starred in her share of comedies such as award winning "Kissing Cousins" and "Stand Up", as well as taking a dramatic turn in independent films as the lead heroine Minty in "Minty: The Assassin". In television, she has guest-starred on Emmy nominated "Brothers & Sisters" and NBC’s "Las Vegas" as well as working on shows such as "Mystery ER", reoccurring on "Untold Stories of the ER", National Geographic, Nickelodeon and The Discovery Channel as well as numerous other films and television programs and several local and national commercials.

Robert Wisdom

Cast · Known for The Terminal List: Dark Wolf, Burn Notice

Robert Ray Wisdom is an American actor, best known for his roles as Howard "Bunny" Colvin in the HBO drama series The Wire, Norman "Lechero" St. John in the Fox drama series Prison Break, and Harold Conway in the 2021 Hulu comedy film Vacation Friends. Wisdom was born in Washington, D.C., to Jamaican parents. He graduated from Columbia University with a degree in history and economics. He worked as a producer for NPR's All Things Considered before pursuing a career in acting. Wisdom has appeared in numerous films and television shows, including That Thing You Do!, Face/Off, Ray, The Manchurian Candidate, and The Good Wife. He has also had recurring roles on the television series The Practice, NYPD Blue, and The Shield. In 2012, Wisdom was cast as a series regular in the ABC drama series Nashville. He played the role of Coleman Carlisle, a music producer. The show ran for four seasons. In 2021, Wisdom starred in the Hulu comedy film Vacation Friends. He played the role of Harold Conway, a couple's therapist who becomes involved in a wild weekend with two other couples. The film was a critical and commercial success. Wisdom is a versatile actor who has played a wide range of roles. He is a respected member of the acting community and has won numerous awards for his work, including a NAACP Image Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Rita Wilson

Cast · Producer · Known for That Thing You Do!, A Man Called Otto

Rita Wilson (born Margarita Ibrahimoff on October 26, 1956) is an American actress, singer, and producer. Her film appearances include Volunteers (1985), Sleepless in Seattle (1993), Now and Then (1995), That Thing You Do! (1996), Jingle All the Way (1996), The Story of Us (1999), Runaway Bride (1999), It's Complicated (2009), and Larry Crowne (2011), and she appeared in the television series The Good Wife and Girls. Wilson has performed on Broadway and produced several films, including My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002). Wilson married actor Tom Hanks in 1988 and has two sons.

Liv Tyler

Cast · Known for The Incredible Hulk, That Thing You Do!, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

Liv Rundgren Tyler (born Liv Rundgren; July 1, 1977) is an American actress. She began a modelling career at age 14 before making her film debut in Silent Fall (1994); she went on to achieve critical recognition with starring roles in Heavy and Empire Records (both 1995), as well as That Thing You Do! and Stealing Beauty (both 1996). She then appeared in films such as Inventing the Abbotts (1997), Armageddon (1998), Cookie's Fortune and Onegin (both 1999), Dr. T & the Women (2000), and One Night at McCool's (2001). She then played the elf Arwen Undómiel in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy (2001–2003), which became one of the highest-grossing film series in history. Following the success of Lord of the Rings, Tyler has appeared in a variety of roles, including the films Jersey Girl (2004), Lonesome Jim (2005), Reign Over Me (2007), The Strangers, The Incredible Hulk (both 2008), Robot & Frank (2012), Space Station 76 (2014), Wildling (2018), and Ad Astra (2019). Outside of film, she starred in the HBO supernatural drama series The Leftovers (2014–2017), the BBC period drama series Gunpowder (2017), the ITV/Hulu period drama series Harlots (2018–2019), and the Foxprocedural drama series 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020). Tyler is also a singer. Having sung with composer Howard Shore, she appeared as a guest vocalist on The Lemonheads' album Varshons (2009), singing a cover of the Leonard Cohen song "Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye." She appeared on the 2017 bonus disc of Evan Dando's album Baby I'm Bored (2003), providing featured vocals for the song "Shots Is Fired." In 2011, she released her debut single, "Need You Tonight.". Tyler has served as a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador for the United States since 2003 and as a spokesperson for Givenchy's line of perfume and cosmetics. She is the daughter of Steven Tyler and Bebe Buell, although she has a very close relationship with her adoptive father, Todd Rundgren. Description above from the Wikipedia article Liv Tyler, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Ethan Embry

Cast · Known for That Thing You Do!, By Any Means, Scream 7

Ethan Embry (born June 13, 1978), credited early in his career as Ethan Randall, is an American actor. He began his career as a child actor, with starring roles in the films Dutch (1991), All I Want for Christmas (1991), and A Far Off Place (1993). He gained mainstream recognition for his supporting role in Empire Records (1995) and starring roles in Evolver (1995) and That Thing You Do! (1996). In the late 1990s, Embry had the lead role in the teen comedy film Can't Hardly Wait (1998), starred in Vegas Vacation (1997) and Dancer, Texas Pop. 81 (1998), and a main role as Sebastian on the CBS sitcom Work with Me (1999). In the 2000s, Embry starred in the films They (2002) and Vacancy (2007) and had main roles as Derek and Adam Barnes on the Fox television series FreakyLinks (2000–2001), Frank Smith on the ABC television series L.A. Dragnet (2003), and Declan Giggs on the Showtime television series Brotherhood (2006–2008). In the 2010s and 2020s, Embry starred in the films Cheap Thrills (2013), Blindspotting (2018), and Last Seen Alive (2022), and had a main role as Coyote Bergstein on the Netflix television series Grace and Frankie (2015–2022). He had supporting roles in the films Christy (2025) and Scream 7 (2026).

Richard Chew

Editor · Known for Star Wars, That Thing You Do!

Richard Franklin Chew is an American film editor, best known for his Academy Award-winning work on Star Wars, alongside Paul Hirsch and Marcia Lucas. Other notable films include One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Risky Business, Waiting to Exhale, That Thing You Do!, and I Am Sam.

Kiva Dawson

Kiva Dawson (December 12, 1970, in Los Angeles, California, USA) is an American actress and dancer. She began her career as a child actress, making her first appearances in commercials and an episode of the series Taxi (1978–1983). Later, she appeared in films such as 8mm (1999) and That Thing You Do! (1996). In addition to her acting career, she was active as a dancer and performed with Jane’s Addiction on their Relapse tour. She was also a member of the Pussycat Dolls when they were still a live cabaret show at the Viper Room in Los Angeles. Dawson was married to Hunter Bodine and is the niece of Tom Dawson.

Chris Ellis

Cast · Known for That Thing You Do!, Catch Me If You Can

Chris Ellis (born April 14, 1956) is an American film and television actor. Ellis always wanted to be an actor because of television. He grew up in the 50's in the deep south in a "world of privation and violence", but saw on television people who seemed to have lives of ease and privilege. It took him seven years to finish college however, because "I have always been shiftless". During those years Chris became involved in community theatre in Memphis, where "I did and do still think the quality of the work has always been quite good". By the time he moved to New York, he had worked with many excellent actors in about two dozen plays, classical and contemporary. "I cannot imagine what might have supplanted that background for a newcomer in New York." His first part in either television or film came in 1979, where he played a truck driver in the TV movie The Suicide's Wife, which starred Angie Dickinson. The role resulted in very little TV or film work. After working in regional theatre for a year or so, Chris fell off the radar screen and did not work for about ten years. During that time he lived in "bone-grinding poverty" in Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen. In one nine-month period of 1987, Chris accepted 102 dinner invitations. "I don't know why they kept arriving, nor why I counted them, though I do know why I accepted them." In 1990, a break came when he got a part in Days of Thunder, which starred Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Cary Elwes, Robert Duvall, and Randy Quaid. John C. Reilly and Fred Dalton Thompson also appear. This seemed to jump-start Ellis' career as parts in films like My Cousin Vinny with Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei, a small part in Addams Family Values, and a larger one in Apollo 13 as former NASA Mercury Seven astronaut Deke Slayton, alongside Tom Hanks, followed. He also began picking up credits on well-known television shows like Melrose Place, NYPD Blue, and The X-Files. Since working with Hanks on Apollo 13, the two have worked together on That Thing You Do, the TV miniseries From the Earth to the Moon, and Catch Me If You Can. Ellis returned to a fictional NASA Mission Control when he played a Flight Director in 1998's Armageddon. Additional films in which Ellis has appeared include Home Fries, October Sky, Live Free or Die Hard, and Transformers. His television credits also include The West Wing, Ghost Whisperer, Chicago Hope, The Pretender, Alias, JAG, CSI: NY, Burn Notice, and Cold Case. He appeared in three season one episodes of Millennium as group member Jim Panseayres. He has established a reputation as being particularly talented at portraying Southern lawmakers or serious military or police-type characters. He also appeared in Criminal Minds as Sheriff Jimmy Rhodes who calls for the BAU's help in investigating a string of murders in New Mexico. In addition to that, he also had two guest appearances in NCIS as Gunnery Sergeant John Deluca. Ellis's appearance in the Season 1 episode, "The Curse" was uncredited while his second and final appearance in Season 2's "The Bone Yard" was credited. Description above from the Wikipedia article Chris Ellis (actor), licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Chris Isaak

Cast · Known for That Thing You Do!

Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional actor. He is widely known for his breakthrough hit and signature song "Wicked Game", as well as songs such as "Blue Hotel", "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing" and "Somebody's Crying". He is known for his reverb-laden rockabilly revivalist style and wide vocal range. His songs generally focus on the themes of love, loss and heartbreak. With a career spanning four decades, Isaak has released a total of 13 studio albums, toured, and received numerous award nominations. He is often compared to Roy Orbison, Elvis Presley, Ricky Nelson, and Duane Eddy. Isaak is closely associated with film director David Lynch, who has used his music in numerous films. As an actor, he's had supporting roles and bit parts in films such as Married to the Mob, The Silence of the Lambs, Little Buddha, That Thing You Do! and Lynch's Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, and starred in two television series: the sitcom The Chris Isaak Show and the talk show The Chris Isaak Hour.

Obba Babatundé

Cast · Known for The Eye, That Thing You Do!, S.W.A.T.

Obba Babatundé (born December 1, 1951) is an American actor of stage and screen, known for his Emmy-nominated performance in the television movie Miss Evers' Boys, a NAACP Image Award-nominated performance in the TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, and a Tony Award-nominated role for his performance as C.C. White in the original cast of the 1981 Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Babatundé was a protege of Sammy Davis, Jr., who said of him, "This is the only cat who can do everything I can do." Babatundé does dance, sing, play instruments, execute impersonations, including his portrayal of Davis, aided by their similarity in energy, size and talent, tap dancing and performing on multiple instruments. In fall 2009, Babatundé played Davis in the title role of "Sammy: Once in a Lifetime," a world premiere musical at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego. Early in 2000, Babatundé partnered with writer/producer Ruth Adkins Robinson for a series of TV projects including "TV in Black: The First 50 Years," "Oscar's Black Odyssey: From Hattie to Hallie" and "Dorthy Dandridge: An American Beauty". The pair have projects that will take them through 2011. His TV roles have often portrayed authority figures, such as a recurring guest-starring role as a high school principal on Dawson's Creek, an appearance as a judge in a two-part episode of Any Day Now, and as the father of the main characters on Half & Half. He also played Harvard college Dean Cain in the movie How High, as well as the role of Willie Long in the movie Life, and co-starred as an attorney in Philadelphia and as a senator in the 2004 reprise of The Manchurian Candidate. He also played the director in season 3 of Friends in an episode titled "The One with All the Jealousy". Other TV shows he has had recurring roles on include The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Chicago Hope, Rocket Power, Static Shock, and Karen Sisco. He played a small but pivotal role as a doorman/bellhop in the film That Thing You Do! and also appeared in The Wild Thornberrys Movie as the voice of Boko. He played a famous producer known as Gordy Berry on two episodes of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In the 1998 miniseries, The Temptations, he played the founder of Motown Records Berry Gordy. Babatundé is adept at American sign language and had used this talent in many roles including on one NYPD Blue. His recorded work includes a performance with the New York pianist Onaje Allan Gumbs on the 2007 album Sack Full of Dreams. The actor/producer is also an avid horseman and is a highly regarded rider and trainer in the Rodeo Circuit, including the annual Bill Pickett Rodeol. ​From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kelly Vaughn

As a gorgeous 5’5” European-American professional actress, model and host, Kelly Vaughn was born in Mississippi and raised in Tennessee, just like Elvis and Oprah! She always thought she had big shoes to fill! Television has always been her first love. One of her more recent appearances was in Series 6 of the hit TV show "The Office" with Steve Carell where she displays her quick improv skills, which she credits to her training at The Groundlings. She was a professional Cheerleader with the Oakland Raiders when she was discovered by David Hasselhoff. He then cast her as the life guard "Nancy" on a re-curring basis, on the phenomenal world hit series "Baywatch". She has also worked on shows such as "Las Vegas", "Raines" and "Saved by the Bell". Kelly was also picked by the producers of "Deal or No Deal" as a prize model for Bob Saget's "1 vs 100". Kelly recently played a news reporter in the film "Unthinkable" starring Samuel L. Jackson, which was released in June 2010. Some of her first speaking lines were to Nicole Kidman, Val Kilmer and Chris O'Donnell in the movie "Batman Forever" where she played a showgirl. She has also featured in such films as "The Brady Bunch Movie" and "That Thing You Do" directed by Tom Hanks. She has appeared in 36 US national commercials for clients including McDonalds, Domino's, Nike and IHOP. Furthermore, she played "Laura from Ohio" in Miller Lite's Cheerleader Super Bowl campaign. In 2006, Kelly ventured into hosting. She booked her first two auditions, and has since hosted shows for Fox Sports, The Outdoor Life Network and numerous national and international infomercials. Kelly moved to Singapore in April 2011 and was immediately cast in the movie "The Durian King" set to release in 2013. Her voice could be heard in numerous voice in Clear Shampoo, Axe Body Spray and Heineken. In 2012 she joined the Imagine Group where she not only narrated, but produced her first reality show "The Apartment".

Chaka Khan

Yvette Marie Stevens (born March 23, 1953), better known by her stage name Chaka Khan (/ˈʃɑːkə ˈkɑːn/ SHAH-kə KAHN), is an American singer and songwriter. Known as the "Queen of Funk", her career has spanned more than five decades beginning in the early 1970s as the lead vocalist of the funk band Rufus. With the band she recorded the notable hits "Tell Me Something Good," "Sweet Thing," "Do You Love What You Feel," and the platinum-certified "Ain't Nobody." Her debut solo album featured the number-one R&B hit "I'm Every Woman" (which became a pop hit for Whitney Houston). Khan scored another R&B charts hit with "What Cha' Gonna Do for Me" before becoming the first R&B artist to have a crossover hit featuring a rapper, with her 1984 cover of Prince's "I Feel for You." More of Khan's hits include "Through the Fire" and a 1986 collaboration with Steve Winwood that produced a number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100, "Higher Love." Khan has won ten Grammy Awards.With Rufus, she achieved three gold singles, one platinum single, four gold albums, and two platinum albums. In the course of her solo career, Khan achieved three gold singles, three gold albums, and one platinum album with I Feel for You. She has also worked with Whitney Houston, Ry Cooder, Robert Palmer, Ray Charles, Quincy Jones, Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Guru, Chicago, Joni Mitchell, Gladys Knight, De La Soul, Mary J. Blige, Ariana Grande, and Sia. In December 2016, Billboard magazine ranked her as the 65th most successful dance club artist of all time. She was ranked at No. 17 in VH1's original list of the 100 Greatest Women of Rock & Roll. Khan has been nominated for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame three times as a solo artist and four times as a member of Rufus featuring Chaka Khan, the first time in 2012 as a member of Rufus. In 2023, Khan was picked as an inductee in the Musical Excellence category. Description above from the Wikipedia article Chaka Khan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Rick Macy

Franklyn Richard “Rick” Macy is a veteran actor who has appeared in a number of films that appeal to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which he is also a member. Macy was born on October 18, 1953, and spent much of his youth playing baseball in Oregon where he grew up. He entered Brigham Young University with the intent to study journalism. But after one semester, he became bored with those classes and focused on acting, earning a bachelor’s degree in 1982. Macy has portrayed Joseph Smith Sr. in three movies: Emma Smith: My Story, The Restoration, and Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration. Most recently, he had roles in feature films Brigham City, Ephraim’s Rescue, and Saints and Soldiers: Airborne Creed. He had roles in films Outlaw Trail: The Treasure of Butch Cassidy, Return to the Secret Garden, Willy the Sparrow, The Butter Cream Gang in Secret of Treasure Mountain, Little Secrets, and Out of Step. He also appeared in television productions, Divided by Hate; Perfect Murder, Perfect Town; Shot in the Heart; and Touched by an Angel. He appeared as Helam in The Testaments: Of One Fold and One Shepherd, directed by Kieth Merrill. Of the experience he said: I really had no idea that The Testaments would impact my life so profoundly, but it did. The Book of Mormon segments of that film, shot in Hawaii, took about two months to film. As I strengthened my skills in acting I knew early on that this gift or talent that the Lord had given me would be used for missionary work and as such one tries to live the missionary life so that the Spirit can be with you to do whatever the Lord requires. [The scene where the blinded Helam is healed by Christ] was very poignant for me and, as I found out later, for many of the cast members and visitors that were on the set that day. We were told by one of the General Authorities that, though many of us had great talent in this field, it was not enough. The Lord would have to bless us beyond our natural abilities to do the work that this film meant to do. This last scene in the film was evidence of that very thing. The Lord blessed us with a great outpouring of his spirit. It was and still is very humbling to have been a part of that experience. After shooting that scene, and a couple others that followed, Kieth Merrill took me aside and said, “You realize I’m not the one directing this film, don’t you?” He has taught acting lessons for many years. He had a private workshop called The Actor’s Academy for sixteen years and was a part-time instructor at Pioneer High School for the Performing Arts. He and his wife, Marsha, live in Provo, Utah, and are the parents of three children.

Chloe Fineman

Cast · Known for Despicable Me 4

Chloe Rose Fineman (born July 20, 1988) is an American actress, writer, and comedian. She became a featured player on Saturday Night Live starting in its 45th season in September 2019. She was promoted to repertory status in 2021 at the beginning of season 47. After graduating from college, Fineman moved to Los Angeles, where she performed in The Groundlings troupe's Sunday Company. She also performed in "Characters Welcome" at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre. In 2018, she was recognized as a "New Face" at the Just for Laughs festival in Montreal, and she was nominated for Best Comedian at the 2019 Shorty Awards. Her television appearances include Jane the Virgin and Search Party. She maintains an online presence known in particular for her celebrity impressions in front-facing camera comedy videos. On Instagram, she has posted celebrity impressions as well as clips from her Groundlings work and stand-up comedy. On YouTube, she has done character impressions. In 2018, Vulture critic Luke Kelly-Clyne wrote that after seeing Fineman do impressions of Meryl Streep and others, "As I found out, that extra bit of genius she possesses – that intangible thing that takes a good impression to a great impression – is rooted in her ability to create entirely original characters who feel as real as anyone you've ever met," concluding, "Chloe Fineman is absolutely one of the most talented new performers right now, and she's long overdue for a break."

Justice Leak

Justice Leak was born and raised in Montgomery, Alabama. His father, George, a former police officer, named his daughter, Liberty and son, Justice after vowing to do so while a young soldier in Vietnam. "My Dad said if he made it back home, he'd give us these names after his love for his country." During his childhood, Justice was anything but fond of his name. "As a kid, you don't want to stick out. And when I was introduced to people, my name was (and still is) a conversation starter, which for me was a nightmare." Leak said. "But as you get older, you realize that it's good to have something that makes you different from everyone else." Leak was a shy kid who "could easily blend into the walls." His quiet nature, however, made him a keen observer of human behavior, a skill that has served him well. "All my life's experiences -- the good, the bad and the ugly -- have been preparing me to do this thing (acting). That's why I'm so thankful that I wasn't a popular kid!" His first stint in the spotlight came during his senior year at Jefferson Davis High School. He was chosen to lead the marching band, and recalls his experience as drum major as the "best of both worlds in terms of performing and music." "For the first time, I was in a leadership position," Leak said. "I couldn't hide behind anybody else, and looking back, that was the beginning point for me coming out of my shell." After graduation, Leak attended college in Texas and later Auburn University. While there, he became involved in the drama department, mainly working behind the scenes. But that all changed when he helped a classmate with an audition. "I told the director that I wasn't auditioning and was only helping," Leak said. "Afterwards, he stepped up and said, 'Why aren't you auditioning? You would be great in one of the leads.'" His first role was the lead in Arthur Miller's, "The Crucible." During his senior year, he starred in every main stage play produced at Auburn and earned two Irene Ryan Award nominations. He was also named "best actor" by the university's faculty and students. After earning a degree in theatre arts, Leak moved to Atlanta and was signed to the agency, People Store. He began doing commercials for companies such as Verizon Wireless, and later, had small roles in TV shows and independent films. His agent felt he could do more and sent his resume to the casting directors for "The Great Debaters," a career changing moment. As the buzz of The Great Debaters crossed the country, so did Justice, making his move from the east to the west coast; capitalizing on the momentum of this success. Once in Los Angeles, he was quickly signed by two leading agencies and booked back to back to back guest starring roles on three major network shows within a month's time - and the momentum shows no signs of slowing anytime soon. Leak plans to remain humble, no matter how successful he becomes. "I want to be known as a good soul with a kind heart, and a great artist who had the chance to make a difference in this world for the better and succeeded."

Vanessa Bell Calloway

Vanessa Bell Calloway is an American actress and dancer. She is known for her film roles as Princess Imani Izzi in the 1988 comedy Coming to America, as well as for her roles in What's Love Got to Do with It, The Inkwell, Crimson Tide, and Daylight. She is a nine-time NAACP Image Award nominee. She began her acting career in the ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children in 1985. After moving to Los Angeles in 1986, she began appearing in episodes of prime time shows such as The Colbys, Falcon Crest, 227, China Beach, A Different World, and L.A. Law. She made her film debut on Number One with a Bullet (1987), before supporting role of Eddie Murphy's character's arranged wife in the 1988 comedy Coming to America. In 1990, she co-starred alongside Joe Morton in the ABC drama series, Equal Justice. During the 1990s, she had a number of supporting roles in films, including What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) opposite Angela Bassett, The Inkwell (1994), and Crimson Tide (1995) as Denzel Washington's character wife. She also voiced main role in the 1992 animated comedy, Bébé's Kids. She had a number of leading and supporting roles in made for television movies. In 1995, she co-starred opposite James Earl Jones and Joe Morton in the short-lived CBS prime time soap opera, Under One Roof, the first drama series that featured African-American lead characters. For her role on the series, Calloway was nominated for the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series. She had leading roles on the short-lived NBC sitcom Rhythm & Blues (1992–93), and starred alongside Larry Hagman as his girlfriend in the CBS drama Orleans (1997). In the 2000s, she had recurring roles on Boston Public and The District. She co-starred in films including The Brothers, All About You, Dawg, Biker Boyz, Love Don't Cost a Thing, and Cheaper by the Dozen. She has guest starred on The Division, Strong Medicine, The Closer, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Dexter, Rizzoli & Isles, Castle, and Grey's Anatomy. From 2010 to 2011, she had the recurring role in the TNT medical drama, Hawthorne. In 2011, she began appearing in the Showtime comedy-drama, Shameless. In 2016, she was cast as lead character in the Bounce TV first prime time soap opera, Saints & Sinners. Also in 2016, she co-starred as president Obama's future mother-in-law, Marian Shields Robinson, and in the comedy-drama film Southside with You. In 2018, she appeared in the Christian drama film Unbroken: Path to Redemption and the crime thriller Dragged Across Concrete. In 2019, she played abolitionist Harriet Tubman's mother in the biographical drama film Harriet. She reprised her role as Imani Izzi in the 2021 sequel Coming 2 America.

Eric Appel

Director · Known for The Breadwinner

Eric Appel (born August 13, 1980) is an American filmmaker working in television, film, and commercials. Originally from Endicott, New York, Appel attended the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, majoring in computer animation. Describing his childhood interests, Appel said, "I was always playing around with video cameras, but I was also the kid that drew cartoons. It's weird. I was so obsessed with movies and television, but nobody ever told me that I should go to film school... [W]hen I decided to go to school for animation, it felt like a no-brainer. However, when I actually went away to college, I realized that I had made a mistake (and also that I wasn't that great at drawing). I actually spent more time working on videos with my roommate, who was majoring in video production, than I did working on my own project ." While in college, Appel also began performing improv comedy after his girlfriend brought him to a "show at the University of Pittsburgh called 'Friday Nite Improvs,' where anyone from the audience could volunteer to go up on stage and perform these improv games." After moving to New York City, Appel started taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, "and it wasn't long before I was basically living at the theatre. I became very involved very quickly. [I was] taking improv classes, interning, running the lights for shows and really helping out in any way that I could so I could just be around comedy as much as possible." While still in New York, Appel got a job writing for The Andy Milonakis Show, then moved to Los Angeles for that show's third season when its production was relocated to California. He subsequently wrote for Crank Yankers and Human Giant, then went to work for the comedy website Funny or Die. "Funny or Die was such a young company when they hired me...there were about eight of us all sitting around a large dining room table on laptops. Every day a few people would disappear to go shoot some shit and then the next day they would be sitting next to you editing it. Then it would go up on the site and it would either get a million hits or nobody would watch it and it would disappear and then it was on to the next thing. Everyone there worked at their own pace and you were encouraged to just go pick up a camera and make something...I used this as an opportunity to start directing my own sketches and quickly found out that not only do I like directing more than writing, but also that I'm better at it." Appel would go on pensively direct series television, with credits including Eagleheart, NTSF:SD: SUV, The Office, New Girl, Selfie, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Son of Zorn, Die Hart and The Afterparty. In 2022, Appel made his feature directorial debut with Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, based on a Funny or Die short that he directed twelve years earlier. The film won a Critics Choice Award for Best Made for Television Movie. Description above from the Wikipedia article Eric Appel, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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.

Lionel Richie

Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of the Motown group Commodores; writing and recording the hit singles "Easy", "Sail On", "Three Times a Lady" and "Still", with the group before his departure. In 1980, he wrote and produced the US Billboard Hot 100 number one single "Lady" for Kenny Rogers. In 1981, Richie wrote and produced the single "Endless Love", which he recorded as a duet with Diana Ross; it remains among the top 20 bestselling singles of all time, and the biggest career hit for both artists. In 1982, he officially launched his solo career with the album Lionel Richie, which sold over four million copies and spawned the singles "You Are", "My Love", and the number one single "Truly". Richie's second album, Can't Slow Down (1983), reached number one on the US Billboard 200 chart and sold over 20 million copies worldwide, becoming one of the best-selling albums of all time; and spawned the number one singles "All Night Long (All Night)" and "Hello". He then co-wrote the 1985 charity single "We Are the World" with Michael Jackson, which sold over 20 million copies. His third album, Dancing on the Ceiling (1986), spawned the number one single "Say You, Say Me" (from the 1985 film White Nights) and the No. 2 hit title track. From 1986 to 1996, Richie took a break from recording; he has since then released seven studio albums. He has joined the singing competition American Idol to serve as a judge, starting from its sixteenth season (2018 to present). During his solo career, Richie became one of the most successful balladeers of the 1980s, and has sold over 100 million records worldwide, making him one of the world's best-selling artists of all time. He has won four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year for "We Are the World", and Album of the Year for Can't Slow Down. "Endless Love" was nominated for an Academy Award; while "Say You, Say Me" won both the Academy Award and the Golden Globe award for Best Original Song. In 2016, Richie received the Songwriters Hall of Fame's highest honor, the Johnny Mercer Award. In 2022, he received the Gershwin Prize for Popular Song by the Library of Congress; as well as the American Music Awards Icon Award. He was also inducted into Black Music & Entertainment Walk of Fame, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022. Richie was born on June 20, 1949, in Tuskegee, Alabama, the son of Lionel Brockman Richie (1915–1990), a U.S. Army systems analyst, and Alberta R. Foster (1917–2001), a teacher and school principal. His grandmother Adelaide Mary Brown was a pianist who played classical music. On March 4, 2011, he appeared on NBC's Who Do You Think You Are?, which found out that his maternal great-grandfather was the national leader of an early Black American fraternal organization. Notably, J. Louis Brown was: [P]rincipal organizer and Supreme Grand Archon of the Knights of Wise Men, a fraternal organization for black men in the post-Civil War period. Formed in Nashville in 1879, it was a fraternal insurance and burial benefit society, as were so many others during the period. ... Source: Article "Lionel Richie" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.