Ellen Pompeo

Ellen Pompeo

An angular-featured, fair-haired beauty who emerged from ingenue to leading lady, Ellen Pompeo caught audiences’ attention in several films before hooking them with her breakout role in the popular television medical drama “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC, 2005 - ).

The actress was born in Boston, then lived for a time as a child on New York's Upper West Side. She eventually moved to Miami, where she was a cocktail waitress before heading back to New York, where in 1996 she was bartending at the SoHo Bar & Grill when an agent approached her about appearing in commercials, and she subsequently landed her first spot the next day, soon, appearing in commercials for Citibank and L'Oreal. Minor roles on primetime series and a handful of unremarkable films followed. Her most notable credit, a guest-starring role on episode of “Law & Order” in 2000 (she previously appeared as another character in a 1996 outing) was impressive enough to catch the attention of critics but did not turn out to be as big a break as anticipated.

Determined to get serious about her career, Pompeo moved to Los Angeles in 2001 and finally struck gold in 2002 when she was tapped by director Brad Silberling for a crucial role in his film “Moonlight Mile”. Despite her thin resume and non-existent name value, Silberling--who also penned the the script--saw in Pompeo the sparkle he needed to make his cast complete. As Jake Gyllenhall’s romantic interest in the grueling film about death, grief, and dealing with personal loss, Pompeo provided a desperately needed ray of hope, taking an underwritten part and making it breathe. Despite the film’s mixed reviews, critics were generally unanimous regarding Pompeo’s performance.

Pompeo’s next high-profile project was Steven Spielberg’s “Catch Me If You Can” (2002) In it, Pompeo played one of the long string of women that Frank Abagnole (Leonardo DiCaprio) cons, loves, and leaves. On a roll, Pompeo landed a short-but-sweet part in big-screen adaptation based on the Marvel Comics icon “Daredevil” (2002) as Karen Page, the loyal secretary of Daredevil’s alter ego, a.k.a. Matt Murdock (Ben Affleck). Unfortunately for Pompeo, the sweet role wound up to be more short than sweet: Finding that the Karen-Matt subplot of unrequited love detracted from the primary romance between Daredevil and Electra (Jennifer Garner), most of Pompeo’s scenes were left on the cutting room floor.

Pompeo fared much better in her next role, the lowbrow but very funny campus comedy, “Old School” (2003). Directed by Todd Phillips, Pompeo filled the role of Nicole, the love interest of the central character Mitch (Luke Wilson) and the principal female in a testosterone laden frat house, When “Old School” grossed over $75 million at the box office, Pompeo’s bankability shot up as well.

Pompeo also appeared in a string of lower profile projects, including the little-seen thriller “Undermind” (2003) and the poorly conceived Spanish-made action film “Art Heist” (2004) opposite Daniel Baldwin, as well as the comedy short “Nobody’s Perfect” (2004), directed, co-written and starring Hank Azaria. She also has a guest stint on an episode of the final season of “Friends” in 2004.

In 2005, after a year of doing nothing but reading scripts looking for the project that suited her best, Pompeo returned to the small screen as Dr. Meredith Grey, the titular lead of the mid-season medical dramedy “Grey’s Anatomy” Pompeo headlined a solid ensemble cast that included Patrick Dempsey, Chandra Wilson, and Sandra Oh, and quickly earned TV star status when “Grey’s Anatomy” premiered to strong ratings and was immediately granted regular occupancy of the coveted post-“Desperate Housewives” timeslot as a reward.

• Born:
  on 11/10/1969 in Everett, Massachusetts
• Job Titles:
  Actor, Bartender

Family

• Father: Joseph Pompeo. salesman for Lorillard Tobacco
• Sister: Maureen Pompeo.

Significant Others

• Companion: Chris Ivery. began dating c. 2004; engaged November 2006

Milestones

• 1995 Discovered by a casting director while bartending at the NYC Soho Kitchen
• 1996 Made TV acting debut on NBC's "Law & Order" in a guest-starring role
• 2000 Cast in the coming-of-age teen-sex comedy "Coming Soon"
• 2000 Played a harried waitress in the comedy "In the Weeds"
• 2001 Relocated to Hollywood
• 2002 Had a memorable turn as Jake Gyllenhaal's sympathetic love interest in director Brad Silberling's family drama "Moonlight Mile"
• 2002 Portrayed a flight attendant opposite Leonardo DiCaprio in Steven Spielberg's feature "Catch Me If You Can"
• 2003 Starrred opposite Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell in the wildly successful "Old School"
• 2005 Cast as Meredith Grey in the successful medical drama "Grey's Anatomy" (ABC); earned a Golden Globe (2007) nomination for Best Actress in a Television Drama
• Will star in the upcoming "Glory Days" (lensed 2005)

edyta sliwinska

edyta sliwinska
Edyta comes from a working-class Polish background and has made many sacrifices to pursue her dream to become the world's greatest Latin dancer.
The personification of self-aggrandizement, Polish born Edyta Sliwinska rose out of a difficult, economically trying background (and a working class Eastern European family), with the singular goal of establishing herself as the world's preeminent Latin dancer. Sliwinska reportedly gravitated to dance as a corollary of her deep-seated love of music. Shortly after establishing herself in the professional arena, she was tapped by ABC to participate in the network's blockbuster reality series Dancing with the Stars for a multi-season run and qualified as the only participant to dance in the first five consecutive seasons. Her floor partners included Evander Holyfield, Joey Lawrence, John Ratzenberger and All My Children actress Cameron Mathison. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Nigella Lawson

Nigella Lawson
Born in 1960, Nigella is the daughter of former Tory cabinet minister Nigel Lawson, now Lord Lawson, and the sister of Dominic Lawson, editor of London's Sunday Telegraph newspaper. She has one surviving sister, Horatia Lawson, while her older sister, Thomasina, died in 1993.

Nigella took a degree in Modern and Mediaeval Languages at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford (where she was editor of the University magazine Isis), and next went into full-time journalism. At one time she served as deputy Literary Editor of The Sunday Times of London. Later, she became a freelance, writing for newspapers and magazines in England and North America, including a restaurant column in The Spectator and a food column in Vogue.

In 1992, she married fellow journalist John Diamond, who died of throat cancer in 2001. They have a son and a daughter, Cosima and Bruno. Since 2002, Nigella has been the partner of advertising tycoon and art collector Charles Saatchi (born 1943). They married in September, 2003, hoping for more children.

Nigella's first book, How to Eat: the Pleasures and Principles of Good Food appeared in 1998 and led to a Channel 4 television series, Nigella Bites, which itself led to a bestselling book of the same name.

Her third book was How to be a Domestic Goddess (2000). She was voted author of the year at the British Book Awards 2000. In 2002, she launched a new television series and book, Forever Summer.

Isla Fisher

As a former soap opera star, actress Isla Fisher could well have spent her career trapped in daytime television. She managed to break free of her sudsy bonds, however, first in London theater, then in mainstream Hollywood movies, all the while carving out a promising film career. But a public past that included racy spreads in British tabloids, stories about late-night partying and numerous romances, and constant questioning of her engagement to Sacha Baron Cohen (a.k.a. Ali G) threatened to turn her burgeoning career into a tabloid circus. Instead, Fisher stayed mum on her personal life and developed into a fine comedic talent with a bright future as a genuine actress. Then a breakout role as a wanton bridesmaid in “The Wedding Crashers” (2005), an uproarious comedy with Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn, pushed Fisher into the spotlight, giving her opportunities previously unseen.

Though of Scottish heritage (her name is Celtic, taken from the Isle of Islay), Fisher was born on February 3, 1976 in Muscat, Oman because her father worked for the United Nations. Her younger brother was later born in Brunei. The Fisher family then moved to Perth, Australia when she was seven. Two years later, her parents divorced. At 9, Fisher—a natural performer who always craved attention—began appearing in commercials and on television. By the time she was 11, Fisher was working consistently. She left home in 1992 to work on the short-lived syndicated teen drama, “Paradise Beach” (1993), about a group of young people from different parts of the world who settle in Australia in search of love, excitement and success. A year later, Fisher joined the cast of the popular Australian soap opera, “Home and Away” (Seven, 1988- ), playing Shannon Reed from 1994-1997.

In 1996, Fisher published two novels, Bewitched and Seduced by Fame, sappy romantic tripe about devious men and the lures of fame aimed at 14 year-olds. Once her stint on “Home and Away” was over, Fisher escaped Australia for Paris where she was accepted to the prestigious Jacques Lecoq School after bombarding them with numerous letters. She studied mime and Commedia dell’Arte, and emerged from the school a fully qualified clown. In 1998, she was performing in the British musical “Summer Holiday,” as well as several pantos—pantomime shows—that eventually took a toll on the actress. After a role on the seven-part BBC drama “Hearts and Bones” (2000) and another in “Atilla” (USA, 2001) as the marauding heathen’s bride-to-be, Fisher got her first big break as Shaggy’s girlfriend, Mary Jane, in “Scooby Doo” (2002).

Her role in “Scooby Doo” led to no more work than usual—a surprise given its box office success and the certain exposure she received. But Fisher plodded on, appearing alongside Jeff Goldblum in the independent coming-of-age drama, “Dallas 362” (2003), the directing debut of Hollywood progeny, Scott Caan. A brief appearance in David O. Russell’s existential comedy, “I Heart Huckabees” (2004) and small part in the mockumentary series “Pilot Season” (TRIO, 2004) was followed by her breakthrough role as a sex-starved bridesmaid in “The Wedding Crashers.” Fisher nearly pulled the rug out from under co-stars Wilson and Vaughn, easily holding her own against the two comedic heavyweights. “The Wedding Crashers” went on to take in over $120 million at the box office and even grabbed the number one spot in its third weekend of release.

With her profile gaining more attention, it was surprising for Fisher to retreat into smaller, independent films that, despite some critical praise, failed to capture the public’s attention. After “Wedding Crashers,” Fisher was in “London” (2006), an esoteric drama about an impulsive hipster (Chris Evan) who learns his ex-girlfriend, London (Jessica Biel), is leaving New York City for good and decides to crash her going away party, only to hole himself up in the bathroom with a pile of cocaine and an enigmatic bartender (Jason Statham) where his drug-fueled conversation runs the gamut of topics while he works up the courage to talk to London before it’s too late. She next starred in Scott Frank’s directorial debut, “The Lookout” (2007), playing an ex-stripper who, along with her shady acquaintance (Matthew Goode), helps lure a former high school hockey star (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) suffering brain damage from a car accident into helping to rob the bank where he sweeps floors.

• Born:
  on 02/03/1976 in Muscat, Oman
• Job Titles:
  Actress

Significant Others

• Companion: Sacha Baron Cohen. engaged

Kellie Pickler Pictures & Music & Video

In 2005, Louisiana-born and North Carolina-raised singer Kellie Pickler landed a spot in the fifth season of American Idol. Though she finished sixth, the former waitress and Miss North Carolina contestant charmed American audiences with her Southern twang and blonde ambition, resulting in a contract with BNA Records that yielded her debut album, Small Town Girl, in the fall of 2006. ~ James Christopher Monger, All Music Guide

Pickler was born in Albemarle, NC Her mother abandoned her at age two, and her father, Clyde "Bo" Pickler, Jr., described by Kellie as having had a lifetime problem with drugs and alcohol, served a 3 year 9 month prison sentence at Florida State Prison for aggravated assault and battery, stemming from a 2003 stabbing incident. He was released on May 6, 2006 a week after his daughter was eliminated.

Pickler lived in Albemarle, North Carolina with her grandfather, Clyde Pickler Sr.,and grandmother Faye Pickler until her death in Jan. 2002. She still lived with him up until she was a contestant on Idol. She graduated in the class of 2004 from North Stanly High School in New London, NC, USA. She sang On The Side of Angels by LeAnn Rimes at her graduation commencement from North Stanly, which was on Friday May 28th, 2004. She has worked at as a waitress at a Sonic Drive In franchise. As an active participant in the Miss America circuit, Pickler won the "Miss Stanly County" pageant at age 17 and subsequently competed for Miss North Carolina 2004. In 2005, she made an appearance on WSOC-TV's Gimme the Mike! contest and took second place.

Rachel Weisz Pictures & Shout Out

An exotic-looking brunette with alabaster skin, a heart-shaped face, pouty lips and expressive dark eyes, Rachel Weisz caught the attention of her fellow Brits when she co-starred with Ewan McGregor in the BBC miniseries "Scarlet and Black" (1993). The following year, Weisz earned praise for her performance alongside Rupert Everett in the London stage revival of "Design for Living". In 1996, she made the move to the big screen in two very different films: in Bernardo Bertolucci's "Stealing Beauty", and in Andrew Davis' "Chain Reaction". In the former, she was the spoiled daughter of a painter involved with a married lawyer who enjoyed nude sunbathing while in the latter she was a scientist teamed with Keanu Reeves in an effort to save the world. Weisz (complete with a flawless American accent) offered an incisive cameo as a bohemian Jewish girl who entrances Ben Affleck in "Going All the Way" (1997). She had her first real leading role and earned particular critical praise as a servant who becomes involved with a shipwrecked sailor in Beeban Kidron's period drama "Swept From the Sea" (also 1997).

After a return to the stage in which she undertook the role of mentally unstable Catherine in Tennessee Williams' "Suddenly, Last Summer", Weisz starred as a clumsy librarian opposite Brendan Fraser's adventurer in "The Mummy" (1999). Her next two high profile roles cast her opposite the Fiennes brothers in separated movies. With Ralph Fiennes, she played an adulterous wife involved with her dashing brother-in-law in the epic "Sunshine" (1999) while with Joseph Fiennes, she essayed a German-speaking Russian soldier fighting to save Stalingrad in the WWII drama "Enemy at the Gates" (2001). Weisz was also seen as an abused woman who joins with another victim of violence to extract revenge in "Beautiful Creatures" and reprised her role as the spunky book lover in "The Mummy Returns" (both 2001).

After taking a small, warm turn as a single mom and potential love interest for immature cad Hugh Grant in the delightful "About a Boy" (2002), Weisz turned femme fatale for the neo noir con game flick "Confidence" (2003), delivering a seductive performance as the dangerous dame in the middle. She reunited with her "Confidence" co-star Dustin Hoffman—along with John Cusack and Gene Hackman—to star in "Runaway Jury" (2003), a big-screen adaptation of author John Grisham's legal potboiler, playing a mysterious woman entrenched in a deadly effort to influence a verdict. The actress then was seriously miscast as Ben Stiller's wife in the disastrously unfunny comedy "Envy" (2004), a film that failed to utilize either her acting talents or her beauty. Again flawlessly adopting an American accent, Weisz returned to horror-adventure with the comic-book-derived "Constantine" (2005), playing a policewoman drawn into the horrific world of occult investigator John Constantine (Keanu Reeves) after the mysterious death of her twin sister.

She at last found a role equal to her considerable abilities in "The Constant Gardener" (2005), director Fernando Meirelles' gripping adaptation of the John LeCarre novel in which Weisz played Tessa Quayle, the charming but politically outspoken wife of a complacent British diplomat in Africa (Ralph Fiennes) whose murder sends him on a journey to unravel the dark, twisting secrets that led to her demise. Though the character death opens the film, Weisz appears throughout in extended flashbacks and delivers a startlingly three-dimensional and compelling performance that allows the audience to see Tessa from all the same angles as her husband and become fully invested in the mysteries surrounding her slaying. Thanks in large part to Fiennes' perfectly measured portrayal of a man who is forced to completely transform his character through the course of the film, LeCarre's meticulously plotted potboiler was elevated into an engrossing, moving and poetic view of unfolding human dramas against the colorful, chaotic African backdrop. For her part, Weisz earned a Golden Globe award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role. A very pregnant Weisz then cruised to an easy victory at the 78th Academy Awards, winning the Oscar for Best Performance for Actress in a Supporting Role.

• Born:
  on 03/07/1971 in London, England
• Job Titles:
  Actor

Thandie Newton Pictures Shout Out

This classically beautiful (and Cambridge-educated) British/Zimbabwean player won critical kudos for her film debut, "Flirting" (1990), John Duigan's sequel to his acclaimed "The Year My Voice Broke" (1987). Portraying an Ugandan student at a stuffy boarding school for girls in 1960s Australia, Thandie (pronounced 'Tandie') Newton was cast as a character who aroused controversy by falling in love with the protagonist, a white student (played by Noah Taylor) from a nearby boys' school.

Born in Zambia but raised (due to political unrest) in her father's hometown of Penzance, England, Newton began studying dance and acting at age 11 as a student at the UK's Arts Educational School. After "Flirting,” Newton chose to concentrate on her studies, majoring in social anthropology at Cambridge. Between exams, she maintained a busy film career, appearing in "The Young Americans" (1993), a crime drama starring Harvey Keitel, and Neil Jordan's blockbuster horror outing "Interview With the Vampire" (1994), as a sultry Creole maid who becomes Brad Pitt's first victim. 1995 brought additional exposure when Newton was cast in the Merchant-Ivory production "Jefferson in Paris.” As Sally Hemmings, slave and supposed mistress of future president Thomas Jefferson (Nick Nolte), Newton brought a beguiling innocence to the role and walked away with some of the best notices in an uneven film. After completing this role, Newton returned to Cambridge to finish her degree.

Her first post-graduate project was "The Journey of August King" (1995), as a runaway slave in 1815 protected by landowner Jason Patric. In Anna Campion's mystery thriller "Loaded" (filmed in 1993, released in 1996), Newton was one of a group of tragedy-prone high school grads. She reunited with director Duigan for the British-filmed "The Leading Man" (1996), in which she played an actress dallying with a movie star (Jon Bon Jovi). After a well-received turn as a drug addict in "GRIDLOCK'd" (1997), Newton landed the title role opposite Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover in "Beloved" (1998), based on the novel by Toni Morrison, where she demonstrated her powerful dramatic acting chops in a markedly unglamorous role, and she essayed Nyah Hall, the female lead opposite Tom Cruise in "Mission: Impossible 2" (2000), where she showed off her radiant beauty to the best effect yet and exhibited a gift for playing romantic heroines.

Despite two showy roles in dramatically different vehicles, however, Newton remained criminally underutilized in films. It wasn't until 2002 that Newton landed another major leading role, playing opposite of Mark Walhberg in the romantic thriller "The Truth About Charlie,” a remake of the 1963 Cary Grant-Audrey Hepburn film "Charade." Jonathan Demme, Newton's "Beloved" director, cast her in the Hepburn role as the widow of a man revealed to be a spy who gets caught up in a romantic espionage scheme. After a turn in the well-regarded indie film "Shade" (2004) as a slinky, seductive card sharp con artist playing both ends of the deck, Newton resurfaced in the sci fi/action sequel "The Chronicles of Riddick" (2004) as the sultry scheming Dame Vaako on the hunt for the fugitive Riddick (Vin Diesel).

Her next effort, as a member of the top-flight acting ensemble assembled for the racially charged, multi-plot drama "Crash" (2005) was one of her best; Newton played the biracial wife of a Hollywood director who is unnecessarily manhandled by a racist cop (Matt Dillon) during a routine traffic stop, with far-reaching results. Newton next had a short, but significant supporting role in “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006), playing the wife of a loving and dedicated family man, Chris Gardner (Will Smith), who struggles to make ends meet for his family by selling unwanted medical equipment. Sick of unpaid bills, she leaves her husband and son to fend for themselves, resulting in Gardner taking an unpaid internship at a stock brokerage firm with little-to-no promise of gaining employment after the trial period. For the next year, Gardner honored his commitment to being a loving and caring father, while overcoming the many obstacles thrown in his path, including being evicted from his apartment, forcing both father and son to live in shelters and sometimes in public restrooms. She next starred opposite several incarnations of Eddie Murphy in “Norbit” (2006), a painfully unfunny comedy about a hapless man (Murphy) forced into marrying a large, mean and junk food-addicted woman (Murphy) just when his childhood sweetheart (Newton) moves back to town.

• Also Credited As:
  Thandiwe Newton
• Born:
  on 11/06/1972 in Zambia, Africa
• Job Titles:
  Actor

Christina Aguilera Pictures & Shout Out

In the late 1990’s, pop music was overtaken by a stream of teen stars whose good looks, attitude, catchy songs and powerful hype machines often overshadowed their talent--or lack thereof. The anomaly of this teen invasion was Christina Aguilera, who backed up the hype with a powerful set of pipes that validated her pop star status. Possessing a four-octave range, Aguilera faced constant comparison to another blonde ex-Mousketeer, Britney Spears, when vying for the role of pop music’s top diva. Her eponymously titled debut album, released in August 1999, took the music world by storm and eventually sold over 10 million copies. Though she also rivaled Spears and Jessica Simpson as the pop star with the most wholesome image, Aguilera would eventually break that mold to become something she was more comfortable with: herself.

Aguilera was born on December 18, 1980 in Staten Island, NY. Of Irish and Ecuadorian descent, Aguilera was exposed early on to the music industry through her mother, who played violin and piano professionally. Her father was career military, which forced the family to move from place to place all over the world. Eventually, the family settled in Wexford, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where Aguilera, already displaying her potential as a singer, began singing in school talent shows. At 8 years-old, Aguilera made her first professional appearance as a contestant on the nationally syndicated “Star Search” (1983-1995), where she made a strong second-place finish. When she was 10, Aguilera sang the national anthem for the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, the youngest person ever to do so. Aguilera then auditioned for the “The Mickey Mouse Club” (Disney, 1988-1995) and got a part as a Mouseketeer along side Spears, Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez. After two years on the show, Aguilera went to Japan to record “All I Wanna Do”, a hit duet with local pop star Keizo Nakanishi.

Aguilera returned to the states to record the song Reflections for the Walt Disney movie, “Mulan” (1998). The movie was a hit, and the song was nominated for “Best Original Song in a Motion Picture” at the Golden Globe Awards. Though the song didn’t win, Aguilera secured a recording contract shortly after with RCA Records and began recording her debut album. The first single, Genie In A Bottle, hit number one on The Billboard Hot 100 and Top 40 Mainstream charts. Written by UK-based songwriter and Fame Academy teacher Pam Sheyne, the song stayed at number one for five weeks, making it the biggest selling single in 1999. Other hits included Love Will Find A Way, So Emotional and What A Girl Wants, which topped the US charts in January 2000 and gave rival Spears a run for her money. Aguilera continued her assault on pop music with the release of Mi Reflejo, a Spanish-language collection of her hits, in late 2000. Aguilera also recorded and released My Kind of Christmas on the heels of Mi Reflejo, just in time to be in every aspiring diva’s stocking. Then Aguilera cemented her stardom in 2000 by performing at the Super Bowl and White House, and winning a Grammy Award for “Best New Artist”.

Katie Holmes Shout Out

A brunette beauty from a close-knit Catholic family in Toledo, OH, Katie Holmes accomplished what aspiring actors only dream of at the onset of their careers – she landed her first two professional auditions, resulting in her feature debut in the acclaimed "The Ice Storm" (1997) and a regular series role on the popular teen drama "Dawson's Creek" (The WB, 1998-2003). While such an accomplishment could easily have been written off as amazing luck, those who witnessed her work were not likely to discount her formidable talent and ease on camera.

With a promising turn as Libbets Casey, Tobey Maguire's love interest in Ang Lee's swinging 1970s set "The Ice Storm," Holmes made the most of her supporting role, proving a compelling screen performer. While this big screen debut won the actress acclaim, television would soon make Katie Holmes a household name. Interestingly, the young actress' refreshing grounding in homespun values almost caused her to miss her auspicious small screen debut. Asked to audition for Kevin Williamson's smart teen drama "Dawson's Creek" on the same day she was to debut as Lola in her high school production of "Damn Yankees," Holmes politely declined, citing that her commitment to fellow castmates and friends was more important. Casting agents wisely rescheduled, and Holmes won the role on the new series.

As Joey Potter, Dawson's proverbial girl-next-door, she played the injured innocent, sweet, but with an edge, the product of a background far removed from the Holmes' own traditional and happy home. Faced with an imprisoned father, dead mother, and an overworked sister who is not only Joey's guardian, but has a new baby of her own, the character's everyday traumas were handled with grace by the actress. Holmes weekly gave a standout performance on the popular series, even among a cast of palpably gifted and more experienced young actors.

Her skillful performance in the disappointing thriller "Disturbing Behavior" (1998) could not elevate that film above its uninspired predictability, and while Williamson's "Teaching Mrs. Tingle" (1999) showcased Holmes' glowing presence and unmatched watch-ability, it became apparent that it was high time she moved past the tired teen scream genre. A move in that direction came with her turn as a supermarket checkout girl caught up in a drug-related hostage situation in Doug Lyman’s indeed ensemble film "Go" (1999). She was reunited with Tobey Maguire in "Wonder Boys" (2000), the Curtis Hanson-directed adaptation of Michael Chabot’s novel which chronicled a middle-aged author (Michael Douglas) plagued by writer's block.

With "Go" and "Wonder Boys," in which she played a student pursuing her much-older professor, Holmes smartly chose feature film roles that played against her well-established "Dawson's Creek" girl-next-door persona, a challenge she continued to meet as more films came her way. In Sam Ramie’s thriller "The Gift" (2000) she played a bitchy, man-eating Southern beauty who is brutally murdered, essaying a grown-up nude scene designed more to put the character of sweet-faced Joey behind her than to titillate. She took the lead in screenwriter-turned-director Stephen Gagman’s woman-in-jeopardy outing "Abandon" (2002), her first turn at carrying a picture in a mature leading role, and also joined the cast of director Joel Schumacher's 2003 action fest "The Phone Booth."

Further honing her post-TV craft as her series entered its last season, Holmes took the lead in the indeed gem, "Pieces of April" (2003) playing a headstrong young woman trying to reconcile with her dying mother – a role than earned her much critical acclaim – and appeared in a supporting role in "The Singing Detective" (2003), an adaptation of the Dennis Potter book starring Mel Gibson and Robert Downey, Jr. After that it was on to a role she had probably outgrown but sparkled in nonetheless, "First Daughter" (2004), in which she was cast as an independent-minded Presidential offspring off to college who falls for the Secret Service agent assigned to protect her by posing as a dorm advisor.

Holmes got her introductory shot at a big-screen action blockbuster when she was cast opposite Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne's childhood friend and love interest, Rachel Dawes, an incorruptible Gotham City district attorney – and a character created especially for the screen – in "Batman Begins" (2005). This effective re-launch of the popular film franchise focused on the character's shadowy origins, but minus the over-the-top gothic camp of the original Tim Burton/Joel Schumacher films. Just weeks before the film's debut, Holmes' private life was catapulted into the public eye when she and actor Tom Cruise announced that they were dating, an announcement met with some skepticism from the media and the public, given that word came prior to both having major summer movies poised to debut. Speculation that the relationship was a publicity stunt ran rampant, especially after some ill-advised public appearances – including their bizarre, love-professing visit to "The Oprah Winfrey Show" (Syndicated, 1986- ), in which Cruise jumped unashamedly on the couch with fist-pumping exuberance. Holmes also adopted Cruise's management team and began taking courses in Scientology, which the superstar had long championed and began touting much more vocally during his many press interviews while promoting his blockbuster, "War of the Worlds" (2005).

After only three months, Cruise announced his intention to marry his new girlfriend while doing a press junket in Paris in June, 2005. By October, she announced that she was pregnant with their first child, prompting her to drop out of her co-starring role in the drama "Shame on You" (lensed, 2005). The paparazzi kept a close eye on her ever-bulging belly until Holmes finally gave birth – presumably, a "silent birth" sanctioned by Scientology rules – to daughter, Suri, in April, 2006. Because the couple had been so forthcoming with all other details of their life together, the press and public were surprised when no photos were released of their baby daughter for months. This only served to fuel the media's fire, all of whom – be it bloggers or tabloid writers – imagined a variety of humorous, sometimes far-fetched scenarios as to why this was. Finally, Cruise, Holmes and their 4-month-old daughter posed for photographer Annie Leibovitz for a 22-page spread in Vanity Fair, receiving much publicity for that first peek in September, 2006.

Kate Winslet Shout Page & pictures

Ask Kate Winslet what she liked about any of her characters, and the word "ballsy" is bound to pop up at least once. The British actress has made a point of eschewing straightforward pretty-girl parts in favor of more devilish damsels; as a result, she's built an eclectic resume; that runs the gamut from Shakespearean tragedy to modern-day mysticism and erotica.

Born into a family of thespians -- parents Roger Winslet and Sally Bridges-Winslet were both stage actors, maternal grandparents Oliver and Linda Bridges ran the Reading Repertory Theatre, and uncle Robert Bridges was a fixture in London's West End theatre district -- Kate came into her talent at an early age. She scored her first professional gig at 11, dancing opposite the Honey Monster in a commercial for a kids' cereal. She started acting lessons around the same time, which led to formal training at a performing arts high school. Over the next few years she appeared on stage regularly and landed a few bit parts in sitcoms. Her first big break came at age 17, when she was cast as an obsessive adolescent in Heavenly Creatures (1994). The film, based on the true story of two fantasy-gripped girls who commit a brutal murder, received modest distribution but was roundly praised by critics.

Still a relative unknown, Winslet attended a cattle call audition the next year for Ang Lee's Sense and Sensibility (1995). She made an immediate impression on the film's star, Emma Thompson, and beat out more than a hundred other hopefuls for the part of plucky Marianne Dashwood. Her efforts were rewarded with both a British Academy Award and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Winslet followed up with two more period pieces, playing the rebellious heroine in Jude (1996) and Ophelia in Kenneth Branagh's Hamlet (1996).

The role that transformed Winslet from art house attraction to international star was Rose DeWitt Bukater, the passionate, rosy-cheeked aristocrat in James Cameron's Titanic (1997). Young girls the world over both idolized and identified with Winslet, swooning over all that face time opposite heartthrob Leonardo DiCaprio and noting her refreshingly healthy, un-emaciated physique. Winslet's performance also garnered a Best Actress nomination, making her the youngest actress to ever receive two Academy nods.

After the swell of unexpected attention surrounding Titanic (1997), Winslet was eager to retreat into independent projects. Rumor has it that she turned down the lead roles in both Shakespeare in Love (1998) and Anna and the King (1999) in order to play adventurous soul searchers in Hideous Kinky (1998) and Holy Smoke (1999). The former cast her as a young single mother traveling through 1960s Morocco with her daughters in tow; the latter, as a zealous follower of a guru tricked into a "deprogramming" session in the Australian outback. The next year found her back in period dress as the Marquis de Sade's chambermaid and accomplice in Quills (2000). Kate holds the distinction of being the youngest actor ever honored with four Academy Award nominations (she received her fourth at age 29.)

Off camera, Winslet is known for her mischievous pranks and familial devotion. She has two sisters, Anna Winslet and Beth Winslet (both actresses), and a brother, Joss. In 1998, she married James Threapleton, whom she met on the set of Hideous Kinky (1998); the pair had a daughter, Mia, in October of 2000. They divorced in 2001. She later married director Sam Mendes in 2003 and has since given birth to their son Joe.

Eva Mendes Pictures And Bio Shout Out

Eva Mendes captured the attention of moviegoers in a small, but pivotal role in the critically acclaimed film, “Training Day.” Since then, Mendes has proved she is adept in both comedic and dramatic roles. In a very short time, she has had the fortunate and unique opportunity to work with such esteemed directors as Carl Franklin, Robert Rodriguez, Antoine Fuqua, the Farrelly Bros. and John Singleton, therefore earning the reputation as a serious actress who is committed to her craft.

Mendes is currently starring in Columbia Picture’s supernatural action-adventure, “Ghost Rider” opposite Nicolas Cage. Ghost Rider is based on the Marvel Comic book superhero, Johnny Blaze a motorcycle stunt rider who makes a deal with the devil in order to save his father’s life only to become possessed by his demonic alter ego, Ghost Rider. The film is directed by Mark Steven Johnson.

Upcoming, Mendes stars in the independent film, “The Wendell Baker Story” co-starring Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson and Will Ferrell with Luke Wilson directing. The film, which is tentatively scheduled for release in 2007, is a Franchise Pictures production.

Mendes’ first serious role came when she was cast as Denzel Washington’s girlfriend in the box office success, “Training Day,” for director Antoine Fuqua. Her portrayal led to the celebrated director, Carl Franklin, hiring Mendes for the MGM feature “Out of Time,” once more starring opposite Denzel Washington. In the same year, Mendes appeared in “Once Upon A Time in Mexico” opposite Johnny Depp.

Mendes has also starred in the action blockbuster “2 Fast 2 Furious as well as the comedy feature film, “All About the Benjamins” starring opposite Ice Cube. She most recently starred opposite Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear in the Farrelly Bros. comedy, “Stuck on You.”

Mendes is also an international spokesperson for Revlon Cosmetics. Following in the elite footsteps of such beautiful women as Halle Berry, Cindy Crawford and Julianne Moore, Mendes currently appears in Revlon’s print and television advertising campaigns. She is also an active participant and ardent supporter in Revlon’s commitment in the fight against breast cancer.

Mendes, who is Cuban-American, was born in Miami and raised in Los Angeles. It was while Mendes was in college that she began her acting career. She began to study with the respected acting coach Ivana Chubbuck and soon thereafter, Mendes’ desire to appear on the big screen, became a reality. As she continues to grow as an actress, Mendes strives to develop her skills by learning from legendary filmmakers such as Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni and contemporaries like Pedro Almodovar, Spike Jonze and Steven Soderbergh.

Kristen Bell Fan Page

Best known as the feisty, young detective-in-training, Veronica Mars, on the critically acclaimed UPN series of the same name (2004- ), actress Kristen Bell was a bona fide triple threat – gifted at comedy, drama, and musical theater.

Born Kristen Anne Bell on July 18, 1980 in Detroit, MI, Bell fell in love with performing at a very early age, and went on her first audition at age 11. The tryout (for a local production of “Raggedy Ann and Andy”) was a success, and Bell began pursuing an acting career with a doggedness that belied her age. At 13, she had already secured an agent, and was appearing in print advertising for Detroit retailers, eventually working her way up to local television commercials as well. Theater continued to be a passion for her. While at Shrine Catholic High School in the Detroit suburb of Royal Oak, she landed the lead role of Dorothy in a 1997 production of “The Wizard of Oz.” The following year, she made an uncredited appearance in the comedy/drama, “Polish Wedding” (1998), which was filmed in Detroit.

After graduation, Bell studied musical theater at New York University’s Tisch School for the Arts, and while still a student, made her Broadway debut as Becky Thatcher in a short-lived musical version of “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” in 2001. She also landed the role of Mary Lane in the off-Broadway comedy, “Reefer Madness: The Musical,” which unfortunately found more success in its Los Angeles incarnation than in New York. Bell also made an appearance that year in the forgettable comedy “Pootie Tang” (2001), but her role was mercifully cut from the theatrical release.

The title role – the daughter of a former small town sheriff who takes on her own cases – was originally intended for Christina Ricci, but Bell made it her own, thanks to her combination of ebullience, hipness, and charm. Clever writing and direction and a terrific cast helped earn “Veronica” a substantial cult following (though not quite enough to make the show a breakout hit), and Bell herself won numerous nominations for her performance, including a TV Critics Association Award nomination in 2005.

In 2005, Bell made appearances in a handful of productions, including an as-yet-unreleased thriller called “Deepwater” and a film version of “Reefer Madness” that aired on Showtime, for which she won a Satellite Award for her return performance as Mary Lane. Bell starred next in two theatrical features, including the comedy “Fifty Pills” and “Pulse,” an American remake of the Asian horror film “Kairo” (2001) – both set for a 2006 release.

• Born:
  on 07/18/1980 in Detroit, Michigan
• Job Titles:
  Actor

Significant Others

• Companion: Kevin Mann. dating since c. 2003

Education

• New York University, New York, musical theatre

Milestones

• 2001 Cast in the Off-Broadway stage musical "Reefer Madness"
• 2001 Debuted on Broadway in the short lived "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," originating the role of Becky Thatcher
• 2002 Appeared on Broadway as part of the original cast of "The Crucible" starring Laura Linney and Liam Neeson
• 2002 Moved to Los Angeles
• 2003 Television debut in the season premiere of "The Shield" playing a gang member’s girlfriend
• 2004 Cast as the title character on UPN’s "Veronica Mars"
• 2004 Feature film debut in David Mamet's "Spartan"
• 2004 Had a recurring role as a con artist on HBO's "Deadwood"
• 2005 Reprised role in the film version of "Reefer Madness" (Showtime)
• 2006 Starred in "Pulse" a remake of cult Japanese helmer Kiyoshi Kurosawa's "Kairo"
• 2007 Joined the cast of NBC's hit series, "Heroes" as Elle, a mysterious woman who has ties to Peter and Claire

Megan Fox Fans Page

A slender, olive-skinned actress whose elegant beauty is somewhat offset by a collection of vivid tattoos (including a portrait of Marilyn Monroe on her right forearm and the King Lear quote "We all laugh at gilded butterflies" on her right shoulder blade), Megan Fox knew she wanted to be an actress from age three, and never once considered another line of work.

A native of Memphis, Tennessee, Fox began taking dance lessons when she was five years old and continued perfecting her graceful movements even after her family relocated to Florida five years later. At thirteen the aspiring starlet enrolled in modeling and acting classes. It didn't take long for all of her hard work to pay off, with a role in the 2001 Olsen twins comedy Holiday in the Sun marking the ambitious actresses' official screen debut. Over the course of the next few years, Fox became a frequent fixture on television thanks to roles on What I Like About You, Two and a Half Men, and Hope and Faith. In 2004 Fox would torment a fledgling Lindsay Lohan in Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, though it was Fox's performance as a human caught in the middle of an epic robot battle that would truly prove her calling card to Hollywood. Cast as the love interest of Shia LeBeouf in Michael Bay's 2007 blockbuster Transformers, Fox turned more than a few heads while fighting for the future of the human race. In 2008 Fox could be spotted opposite Kirsten Dunst, Simon Pegg, Jeff Bridges, and Gillian Anderson in the Robert B. Weide directed comedy How to Lose Friends and Alienate People. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

• Also Credited As:
  Megan Denise Fox
• Born:
  on 05/16/1986 in Oak Ridge, Tennessee
• Job Titles:
  Actress, Model

Significant Others

• Companion: Brian Austin Green. started dating c. 2004; engaged November 2006

Milestones

• 2001 Made film debut in the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen movie, “Holiday in the Sun”
• 2004 Played Faith Ford's daughter on the ABC series, “Hope & Faith”
• 2004 Series regular debut on the short-lived WB comedy, “The Help”
• 2004 Starred in “Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen,” alongside Lindsay Lohan
• 2007 Played Mikaela Banes in “Transformers,” the love interest of Shia LaBeouf's character
• Began acting and modeling at the age of thirteen after winning several awards at the 1999 American Modeling and Talent Convention in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
• Joined the cast of “How to Lose Friends and Alienate People,” the adaptation of the Toby Young memoir (lensed 2007)
• Moved to Los Angeles at age 16
• Started training in drama and dance when she was 5 years-old

Paris Hilton Fan Page

The great-granddaughter of famed hotelier Conrad Hilton and co-heir to the Hilton fortune, socialite Paris Hilton stridently endeavored to make her own mark in the world – and for the most part, succeeded. Alongside her younger sister, Nicky, Paris Hilton became one of the first media-dubbed "celebutantes” – a term used to describe a growing trend of young, attractive party girl socialites-turned-models/actresses and quasi-celebs. Regardless, whether you loved her or hated her, one could not deny the impact Hilton had on media and pop culture. Rightly or wrongly, by making a lucrative career of doing essentially nothing, Hilton – and those who followed in her footsteps – truly helped re-define the word “celebrity” for the new millennium.

Born in New York City, NY on Feb. 17, 1981, Paris Whitney Hilton was the first of four children born to Richard Hilton and Kathy Richards. She spent most of her youth growing up in the world famous Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan, which her grandfather, Conrad, had bought during the Great Depression. Hilton’s three siblings included a sister, Nicky Hilton, and two brothers, Barron Hilton II and Conrad Hilton III.

Upon graduating high school in 2000, the heiress immediately embarked on her quest for fame, first by modeling for such famed fashion designers as Tommy Hilfiger, Marc Bouwer and Catherine Malandrin; then, as a cover girl for numerous magazines, including GQ, Vanity Fair and FHM. An instant hit with the paparazzi, though largely unknown outside of N.Y.C. and L.A., Hilton received generous media attention for her love life. At the turn of the new millennium, the press romantically linked her to “Titanic” (1997) star, Leonardo DiCaprio, as well as such other eligible young celebs as actor Edward Furlong, boxing champ Oscar de la Hoya, and Tommy Hilfiger model, Jason Shaw.

Teamed with her tamer-by-comparison sister, Nicky, Hilton pioneered a career for herself as a professional socialite. Bouncing from party to party, she generated an impressive amount of publicity, thanks to her dazzling wardrobe and well-planned photo ops. Inevitably, her high profile and constant close proximity to celebrities made her one in her own right. To complement her newfound stardom, Hilton also adopted a flashy – though not always flattering – public persona as the ultimate “spoiled rich girl.” Her penchant for self-absorption and arrogance made for sensational tabloid headlines.

Much to the chagrin of trained and/or struggling actresses everywhere, Hilton’s barely-there fashion statements, constant cell phone usage and penchant for dancing atop nightclub tables eventually opened the doors to an actual acting career – of a sort. Usually cast as herself or someone very similar, Hilton made her film debut in “Zoolander” (2000), a Ben Stiller-Owen Wilson comedy about male fashion modeling. Hilton’s next cameo was in “Wonderland” (2003), a noir-like drama about a down-and out John C. Holmes, the ex-porn star who was caught up in a late 1970’s multiple murder case involving his former drug dealers. Another cameo was tacked on her resume when Hilton played a clubgoer in the big budget kiddy flick, “The Cat in the Hat” (2003) starring Mike Myers.

It was on television, however, that Hilton gained national recognition as the star of “The Simple Life” (Fox, 2003- ), a candid reality show which followed Hilton and life-long friend, Nicole Richie (daughter of pop singer Lionel Richie), in a series of unscripted misadventures. In the first season, Hilton and Richie ditched the glamorous Manhattan social scene and were relocated to an Arkansas farm, where they were forced to bail hay and milk cows. Seeing Hilton and Richie out of their element as they struggled to survive their discomfort provided the basis for much of the show’s comedy. To be fair, the premiere of “The Simple Life” received a huge ratings boost for one reason and one reason only –a certain VHS-captured sex romp that at first, may have haunted Hilton, but ultimately made her a household name almost overnight.

At the time Hilton was beginning to do press for her hoped-for-hit show in the fall of 2003, rumors popped up about a videotape of Hilton having sex with ex-boyfriend, Rick Salomon, who also happened to be the ex-husband of actress Shannen Doherty. Though the heiress and her lawyers initially denied the existence of such a tape, Hilton finally acknowledged her participation, once a three-minute teaser was spread far and wide across the Internet. To mitigate the damage, the Hilton family’s P.R. team went so far as to imply that their client may have been drugged – a move that later spurred Salomon to file a $10 million slander suit against the Hiltons. Many suspected that Salomon himself (or someone in his circle) was responsible for leaking the video, though this was never proven. In any case, the subject of the X-rated video would provide fodder for public discussion and late night comedy monologues for weeks to come. In response, a humiliated Hilton retreated from the limelight – albeit, only temporarily.

After the sex tape heard round the world boosted ratings for "The Simple Life," subsequently, a second season was green-lighted. Par for the course, however, each new season seemed to arrive with another public Paris mishap. In 2004, Hilton’s tiny Chihuahua, Tinkerbelle, went missing, causing a media furor (the dog was ultimately discovered and returned to her mistress unharmed). In 2005, computer hackers cracked open the contents of the Hilton’s Sidekick device and posted much of the material on the Internet. In addition to publishing the cell phone numbers and email addresses for such celebrity cohorts as Lindsay Lohan, the hackers also posted topless digital camera shots of Hilton passionately kissing a female Latin MTV personality.

In 2005, Hilton appeared in her first major film role as an insecure, possibly pregnant student named Paige in the warmed-over horror remake, “House of Wax.” While the film was panned by most critics, a few actually singled out Hilton’s performance as being the single most entertaining component of the film. At the same time, Hilton announced that her friendship with Nicole Richie had reached an impasse after several seasons of “The Simple Life.” Rumors abounded for months as to what this announcement would mean for their still popular reality show. However, after several months of speculation, Fox announced that both heiresses would return for a new season – together, no less. Despite this announcement, Fox later decided to dump the show from its 2005-06 schedule. After shopping the series around to other networks, E! Entertainment finally agreed to pick up “The Simple Life” for a fourth season.

Hilton next stoked controversy with a 2005 TV spot for Carl's Jr.'s Spicy BBQ Six-Dollar Burger. Clad only in a plunging black bathing suit and stiletto heels, the ad consisted of Hilton seductively washing a Bentley while eating a burger, amid the strains of Cole Porter's "I Love Paris" playing in the background. Obviously and overtly sexual, the ad drew instant criticism – most vocally from the Los Angeles-based Parents Television Council, which called it little more than "soft core porn." As expected, Hilton simply parlayed the controversy into more work. In 2005, Hilton landed a starring role in – and a producer credit! – on "National Lampoon's Pledge This!" In a less-than-huge stretch, Hilton, this time, played the president of an elitist sorority at fictional South Beach University.

Hilton’s tumultuous personal life continued to grab her headlines. In 2005, Hilton split from her fortuitously named fiancée, Greek shipping heir Paris Latsis, after a four-month engagement. Within weeks, she was involved with another Greek shipping heir, Stavros Niarchos. Away from the cameras, Hilton also got a good deal of publicity for her real-life run-ins with the law. In September 2006, Hilton was arrested and charged with driving under the influence after blowing a .08 blood alcohol level on a sobriety test. Pleading no contest to the charge, Hilton was fined $1,500 and was placed on 36 months of probation. Clearly not one to learn her lesson without a fight, however, Hilton would regrettably tempt the fates – a mistake she would come to sorely regret – approximately six months later. In March 2007, Hilton violated her probation by being busted once again, this time for a myriad of violations including speeding, driving with a suspended license, and failing to enroll in a court-ordered alcohol education program. Sentenced to 45 days in jail, Hilton promptly filed an appeal, claiming that the sentence was unnecessarily harsh. As expected by this time, Hilton got little sympathy from the court, nor the public, which had grown increasingly disenchanted with her spoiled behavior. In fact, dueling petitions competed on the web, with many people on the “Free Paris” bandwagon – but not surprisingly, even more people eager – nay, gleeful, even – to see the pampered socialite enter the big house.

On May 9, 2007, just days after her sentencing, Hilton issued a public statement through her attorney, Richard Hutton. Sounding noticeably more contrite than she had ever been before, Hilton accepted the responsibility and consequences of her actions. Ending with a plea for understanding and fairness, Hilton closed her statement with the following: “No one is above the law. I surely am not. I do not expect to be treated better than anyone else who violated probation. However, my hope is that I will not be treated worse.” After attending the MTV Movie Awards on June 3, Hilton voluntarily turned herself into police two days early to begin her sentence at a woman's prison in Lynwood, CA. However, much to the dismay of almost every American hoping for a full 45 day sentence served, Hilton was released by Sheriff Lee Bacca to ride out the rest of her sentence at home, wearing an electrical monitoring device – the reason cited, being an undisclosed medical condition. An outraged Superior Court Judge Michael T. Sauer – who had specifically sentenced her to serve her time without the option of house detention – ordered her back to court on June 8. Much to the dismay of Hilton and her family in attendance, in the courtroom, Judge Sauer demanded she return to Lynwood to finish the remainder of her term, which had technically already been reduced to 23 days. Hilton was reportedly taken away, screaming "It's not right!" and crying out for her mother. This reversal of fortune became instant headline news around the world, as did her eventual release from prison on June 26. Looking pretty as a picture, the heiress walked out of the facility, past throngs of photogs to hug her parents, who waited for her in the car. Declaring herself a "changed woman," Paris gave her first print interview to People magazine and her first television interview to "Larry King Live" – in which she declared she had learned her lesson, did not like the food, and that her mysterious and often speculated about ailments while locked up were extreme claustrophobia and ADD.

• Also Credited As:
  Paris Whitney Hilton
• Born:
  Paris Whitney Hilton on 02/17/1981
• Job Titles:
  Model

Family

• Aunt: Kim Richards. sister of Kathy Hilton
• Brother: Barron Hilton. younger
• Brother: Conrad Hilton. younger
• Father: Rick Hilton. grandson of Hilton hotel-chain founder Conrad Hilton
• Grandfather: Barron Hilton.
• Grandmother: Marilyn Hilton. died March 2004, at the age of 76 after a long struggle with multiple sclerosis.
• Great-grandfather: Conrad 'Nicky' Hilton. born December 25, 1887; founder of the Hilton hotels; married at one time to Zsa Zsa Gabor; died January 3, 1979
• Mother: Kathy Richards Hilton. former child actor who was a regular on Family Affair
• Sister: Nicky Hilton. born October 5, 1983

Significant Others

• Companion: Derek Whibley. lead singer of "Sum 41"; dated summer of 2003
• Companion: Edward Furlong. reportedly dated
• Companion: Jason Shaw. dated for three years; briefly engaged; no longer together
• Companion: Josh Henderson. began dating March 2007
• Companion: Leonardo DiCaprio. reportedly dated
• Companion: Nick Carter. member of boy band "Backstreet Boys"; began dating January 2004, announced break-up July 2004
• Companion: Oscar De La Hoya. reportedly dated
• Companion: Paris Latsis. Greek shipping heir; began dating January 2005; engaged May 25, 2005; called off engagement October 2005
• Companion: Rick Soloman. dated in 2000, ex-husband of Shannon Doherty; appeared with Hilton in the infamous sex video
• Companion: Simon Rex. briefly dated while filming "National Lampoon's Pledge This!" in 2004
• Companion: Stavros Niarchos. billionaire shipping heir; began dating October 2005; seen kissing one day after announcing split with Latsis; publicist announced split May 2006; relationship was on-again, off-again throughout 2006; no longer together

Milestones

• --- Starred modeling for designers Marc Bouwer, Tommy Hilfiger and Catherine Malandrino
• 2001 Had a cameo appearance in the film "Zoolander," Ben Stiller's fashion spoof
• 2002 Appeared as a strung-out supermodel in the film short "QIK2JDG"
• 2003 Appeared in a leaked video tape that showed her graphically having sex with Shannen Doherty's ex-husband Rick Soloman; sued Solomon for marketing the homemade sex video as a 45-minute tape called "One Night in Paris"; settlement included $400,000, plus a percentage of the profits, which Hilton donated to charity
• 2003 Cast in "Wonderland", a drama which starred Val Kilmer as the legendary John Holmes
• 2003 Featured as a club-goer in "The Cat in the Hat", starring Mike Myers
• 2003 Made a cameo appearance on SNL's weekend update with Jimmy Fallon
• 2003 Starred with childhood pal Nicole Richie in the Fox reality series "The Simple Life", where they leave behind the comforts of their lavish life to live and work on a farm
• 2004 Guest starred on the NBC drama "Las Vegas," playing the pampered fiancee of a high roller
• 2004 Had a small role in the Gary Marshall comedy "Raising Helen" starring Kate Hudson
• 2004 Reunited with pal Nicole Richie for a second season of the hit reality show "The Simple Life" (Fox) where the duo embarked on a cross-country trip in a Winnebago, traveling from town to town and family to family
• 2004 featured as the new face for Guess in the Fall 2004 ads
• 2005 Hosted "Saturday Night Live" on NBC (aired in February)
• 2005 Once again reunited with pal Nicole Richie for a third season of the Fox reality series "The Simple Life: Interns" following the girls intern at varies job while traveling by bus
• 2005 Starred as a sorority president in "National Lampoon's Pledge This!"
• 2005 Starred in the horror remake of "House of Wax" produced by Joel Silver
• Will star with Jason Mewes in the independent feature "Bottoms Up," a 'Swingers'-like dramatic comedy (lensed 2005)

Jessica Alba Fans Page

A longtime favorite of frat boys and fan-boys alike, actress Jessica Alba started out in commercials before graduating to the small screen. Her turn as a pre-adolescent mean queen during the 1994-95 season of the children’s comedy series, “The Secret World of Alex Mack” (Nickelodeon, 1994-98), helped her land the role of Maya Graham for the first two seasons of “The New Adventures of Flipper” (Synd., 1994-2000). The young star’s big break came, however, in 2000 when writer-director James Cameron picked Alba from a pool of over 1,200 candidates for the lead role in his futuristic sci-fi neo-drama, “Dark Angel” (Fox, 2000-02). An eye-pleasing presence on the silver screen since the mid-millennium, Alba picked up a few dubious credits early on in her career – most notably, the bittersweet urban music flop, “Honey” (2003). Alba luckily made a wiser choice, however, when she signed on to play Sue Storm – a.k.a. “The Invisible Girl” – in “Fantastic Four” (2005) – a role she subsequently reprised in 2007’s sequel “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.”

Born in Pomona, CA on April 28, 1981, Jessica Marie Alba was the daughter of a Mexican-American father and a French-Danish mother. Alba's early life was marked by a series of unfortunate physical maladies. In addition to asthma, Alba twice suffered from collapsed lungs, a burst appendix and had to endure pneumonia several times a year. This, on top of her obsessive-compulsive disorder, helped serve to isolate her from other schoolchildren. Luckily, her health eventually took a dramatically positive turn a few years later; an improvement Alba credited to her growing interest in acting. Signed by an agent by the age of 12, Alba made her screen debut with “Camp Nowhere.”

Alba went on to appear in two national TV commercials for Nintendo and J.C. Penney, which led to her landing a recurring role as the young snob, Jessica, in three episodes of the Nickelodeon comedy series, "The Secret World of Alex Mack.” She then performed the role of Maya Graham in the first two seasons of the TV series, "Flipper” (also known as “The New Adventures of Flipper”). Under the tutelage of her lifeguard mother, Alba learned to swim before she could walk and was a PADI-certified scuba diver – skills which were put to use on the show, which was filmed in Australia. As the fresh-faced, enthusiastic and sweet Maya, the part would provide Alba a nice departure from her previous “mean girl” TV efforts.

An ABC After-School Special entitled "Too Soon for Jeff" aired in 1996, starring Alba as a pregnant teenager and Freddie Prinze, Jr. as her overwhelmed boyfriend. Next, the actress could be seen in some memorable guest performances on television series, including playing a girl smitten with the captain's young son on "Love Boat: The Next Wave" (UPN, 1998-99), a confused teen mother on a two-part episode of "Beverly Hills, 90210" (Fox, 1990-2000), and the daughter of a police officer who identifies another officer as having indecently exposed himself to her in the CBS police drama "Brooklyn South" (CBS, 1998-99). Alba also starred in the little seen children's comedy feature "P.U.N.K.S" (1998). The following year she was featured in two higher profile films – first playing a clique leader in "Never Been Kissed,” starring Drew Barrymore as a twenty-something reporter returning to high school for an undercover story; followed by "Idle Hands" (1999), a supernatural thriller starring Devon Sawa and Seth Green. In it, Alba was featured as Sawa's love interest.

Alba's career kicked into high gear in 2000 when she was cast as the genetically perfect Max on James Cameron's post-“Titanic” (1998) TV series, "Dark Angel.” Her popularity skyrocketed along with the show's success. In the first season, she was nominated for a Golden Globe and she won the TV Guide Award as Breakout Star of the Year – nevertheless, the very expensive series folded in 2002 despite its devoted core following. It would not be for naught, however. Following the conclusion of “Dark Angel,” Alba went public with her engagement to her co-star, Michael Weatherly – who played Logan Cale on the show – but, the celebrated twosome would subsequently break up in 2003.

Alba's opportunities expanded along with her success, following the cancellation of “Dark Angel” – much of it to do with her smoldering Latina looks and toned body. In 2001, she became a spokeswoman for L'Oreal hair products – the Feria line of coloring –and in 2002, she starred in the low-profile film "The Sleeping Dictionary" as a South American woman who falls in love with a British colonialist who visits her village. Her first major bid toward big screen stardom came in the form of "Honey" (2003), a feast of Alba-fueled eye candy but otherwise undistinguished effort aimed at the MTV demographic. In the urban music-fueled film, she played a tough, sexy music video choreographer.

It was her next project that put her on the fan-boy map. In the visually arresting "Sin City" (2005) – directed by Robert Rodriguez and comic book creator Frank Miller – Alba played Nancy Callahan, a sultry, lasso-spinning pole dancer with an unexpected past in the segment, "That Yellow Bastard." Following that sexy foray, it was announced that she was cast as Sue Storm – better known as the Invisible Girl – in the big-screen, big-budget adaptation of the classic Stan Lee-Jack Kirby Marvel Comic, "The Fantastic Four" (2005). Although Alba gamely tackled the role, her efforts were largely undermined by a lack of chemistry with co-star/love interest Ioan Gruffudd and the film's wildly uneven quality. Alba's third film of 2005, the underwater diving drama "Into the Blue" (2005) opposite Paul Walker, was distinguished primarily by its stunning scenery – primarily the gorgeous backdrop of the Bahamas – and Alba's frequently bikini-clad body, which made her status as Hollywood's breakout sex symbol of 2005 complete.

Next up were sequels to "Sin City" and "Awake" (2007), an indie about a man (Hayden Christensen) who, due to failed anesthetic, is left completely alert, but paralyzed and unable to tell his doctors while undergoing open-heart surgery. In 2007, Alba returned to the big-screen to reprise her role as the Invisible Girl in director Tim Story’s sequel, “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.” Given a bit more to do this time around, the sub-plot of the film centered on the wedding of her character to Ioan Gruffudd’s Reed Richards (a.k.a. “Mr. Fantastic” in the comic books).

* Also Credited As:
Jessica Marie Alba
* Born:
on 04/28/1981 in Pomona, California
* Job Titles:
Actor

Family

* Brother: Joshua Alba. born January 1982
* Father: Mark Alba. of Mexican descent; served in US Air Force
* Mother: Cathy Alba. of Danish, French-Canadian, English and Italian descent

Significant Others

* Companion: Cash Warren. met on the set of "Fantastic Four" (2005); reportedly split in July 2007
* Companion: Michael Weatherly. co-starred in the TV series "Dark Angel"; became engaged in early 2001

Milestones

* 1990 Family settled in Southern California
* 1992 Started studying acting (date approximate)
* 1993 Feature film debut "Camp Nowhere"
* 1994 Played recurring role on the Nickelodeon series "The Secret World of Alex Mack"
* 1995 TV series debut in regular role of Maya Graham on the syndicated revival of "Flipper"
* 1996 Had a small role in the direct-to-video release "Venus Rising"
* 1996 Starred opposite Freddie Prinze Jr as his pregnant girlfriend in "Too Soon For Jeff", an "ABC Afterschool Special"
* 1998 Did guest spots on television including roles in "Love Boat: The Next Wave" (UPN), "Brooklyn South" (CBS) and "Beverly Hills, 90210" (Fox)
* 1998 Starred in the children's comedy "P.U.N.K.S"
* 1999 Acted alongside Drew Barrymore in the comedy "Never Been Kissed"
* 1999 Had featured role in the horror thriller "Idle Hands"
* 2000 Cast in the lead of "Dark Angel", a Fox fall drama series, executive produced and co-written by James Cameron
* 2003 Starred as a hip hop dancer in the feature "Honey"
* 2005 Cast as Nancy, the sweetheart of Sin City, opposite Bruce Willis and Mickey Rourke in Robert Rodriguez's "Sin City"
* 2005 Cast as Sue Storm/Invisible Girl in "Fantastic Four," an adaptation of the Marvel Comics classic
* 2007 Played a lovable but clumsy penguin trainer, opposite Dane Cook in "Good Luck Chuck"
* 2007 Reprised role of Sue Storm in the superhero sequel "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer"
* Appeared in national advertising campaigns for Nintendo and J C Penney
* Appeared twice (in different roles) on the CBS medical drama "Chicago Hope"
* Cast in the supernatural thriller, "The Eye," a remake of the Hong Kong thriller Jian Gui (lensed 2007)
* Moved frequently in the first nine years of her life; lived in Biloxi, Mississippi, Southern California and Texas
* Signed on to film "Awake," with Sigourney Weaver and Hayden Christensen (lensed 2005)