recursal/Fanatic-Fandom huggingface dataset:
Riz Ahmed

**Rizwan** "**Riz**" **Ahmed** (born 1 December 1982),[1] also known as **Riz MC**,[2] is a British actor, rapper, and activist.[3][4] As an actor, he has won an Emmy Award and has received nominations for a Golden Globe and three British Independent Film Awards. He was initially known for his work in independent films such as *The Road to Guantanamo*(2006), *Shifty*(2008), *Four Lions* (2010), *Trishna* (2011), *Ill Manors* (2012), and *The Reluctant Fundamentalist* (2013), before his breakout role in *Nightcrawler* (2014).

In 2016, he appeared in the action film *Jason Bourne*, and played Bodhi Rook in the *Star Wars* *anthology* film *Rogue One*. He also starred as a young man accused of murder in the HBO miniseries *The Night Of*, earning critical acclaim. At the 2017 Emmy Awards, he received two nominations, for his performance in *The Night Of* and his guest role in *Girls*; he won the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for the former, becoming the first South Asian male to win an acting Emmy,[5] and the first Muslim and first South Asian to win a lead acting Emmy.[6][7] He went on to play Carlton Drake / Riot in the superhero film *Venom* (2018).

As a rapper, he is a member of the Swet Shop Boys, earned critical acclaim with the hip hop albums *Microscope* and *Cashmere*, and earned commercial success featuring in the *Billboard* 200 chart topping *Hamilton Mixtape*, with his song "Immigrants (We Get the Job Done)" winning an MTV Video Music Award. As an activist, he is known for his political rapmusic, has been involved in raising awareness and funds for Rohingya and Syrian refugee children, and has advocated representation at the House of Commons. In 2017, he was included on the front cover of the annual *Time* 100 list of the most influential people in the world.[3]
Jack Palance

**Jack Palance** (/ˈpæləns/ *PAL-əns*; born **Volodymyr Palahniuk** (Ukrainian: Володимир Палагню́к); February 18, 1919 – November 10, 2006) was an American actor of Ukrainian descent.[1] He was nominated for three Academy Awards, all for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, receiving nominations for his roles in *Sudden Fear* (1952) and *Shane* (1953), and winning the Oscar almost 40 years later for his role in *City Slickers* (1991).
Michael Jeter

**Michael Jeter** (August 26, 1952 – March 30, 2003) was an American actor of film, stage, and television. His television roles included Herman Stiles on the sitcom *Evening Shade* from 1990 until 1994 and Mr. Noodle's brother, Mister Noodle on the *Elmo's World* segments of *Sesame Street* from 1999 until 2004. Jeter's film roles include *Zelig*, *Tango & Cash*, *The Fisher King*, *Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit*, *Waterworld*, *Air Bud*, *Patch Adams*, *The Green Mile*, *Jurassic Park III*, *Welcome to Collinwood*, *Open Range*, and *The Polar Express*.
Sam Worthington

**Samuel Henry John Worthington**[1] (born August 2, 1976) is an Australian actor and writer. He portrayed Jake Sully in the 2009 film *Avatar*, Marcus Wright in *Terminator Salvation*, and Perseus in *Clash of the Titans* as well as its sequel *Wrath of the Titans*. He then transitioned to more dramatic roles, appearing in *Everest* (2015), *Hacksaw Ridge* (2016), *The Shack*, and *Manhunt: Unabomber* (both 2017). He also voiced the protagonist, Captain Alex Mason, in the video games *Call of Duty: Black Ops* (2010) and *Call of Duty: Black Ops II* (2012).

In 2004, Worthington received Australia's highest film award for his lead role in *Somersault*.
Phyllis Diller

**Phyllis Ada Diller** (July 17, 1917 – August 20, 2012) was an American actress and stand-up comedian, best known for her eccentric stage persona, her self-deprecating humor, her wild hair and clothes, and her exaggerated, cackling laugh.

Diller was a groundbreaking stand-up comic—one of the first female comics to become a household name in the U.S. She paved the way for Joan Rivers, Roseanne Barr, and Ellen DeGeneres, among others, who credit her influence.[2]Diller had a large gay following and is considered a gay icon.[3] She was also one of the first celebrities to openly champion plastic surgery, for which she was recognized by the industry.[4]

Diller worked in more than 40 films, beginning with 1961's *Splendor in the Grass*. She appeared in many television series, often in cameos, but also including her own short-lived sitcom and variety show. Some of her credits are *Night Gallery, The Muppet Show, The Love Boat, Cybill*, and *Boston Legal*, plus eleven seasons of *The Bold and the Beautiful*. Her voice-acting roles included the monster's wife in *Mad Monster Party*, the Queen in *A Bug's Life*, Granny Neutron in *The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius*, and Thelma Griffin in *Family Guy*.
Miss Piggy

**Miss Piggy** is a Muppet character known for her breakout role in Jim Henson's *The Muppet Show*. Since her debut in 1976, Miss Piggy has been notable for her volatile diva personality, tendency to use French phrases in her speech, and practice of karate.[5] She was also known for her on-again/off-again relationship with Kermit the Frog, which began in 1976 and ended in 2015.[6] Frank Oz performed the character from 1976 to 2002 and was succeeded by Eric Jacobson in 2001.[3] Miss Piggy was inspired by jazz singer Peggy Lee.[7]

In 1996, *TV Guide* ranked her number 23 on its 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time list.[8] In a 2001 Channel 4 poll in the U.K. Miss Piggy was ranked 29th on their list of the 100 Greatest TV Characters.[9][10]
Meg Ryan

**Meg Ryan** (born **Margaret Mary Emily Hyra**; November 19, 1961)[1] is an American actress and producer. Ryan began her acting career in 1981 in minor roles before joining the cast of the CBS soap opera *As the World Turns* in 1982. Subsequently, she began to appear in supporting roles in films during the mid 1980s like box office hit *Top Gun*, achieving recognition in independent films such as *Promised Land* (1988) before her performance in the Rob Reiner-directed romantic comedy *When Harry Met Sally...* (1989) brought her widespread attention and her first Golden Globe nomination.

Ryan subsequently established herself, both nationally and internationally,[2] as one of the most successful actresses in the 1990s and early 2000s, particularly in romantic comedy films such as *Sleepless in Seattle* (1993), *French Kiss* (1995), *You've Got Mail* (1998), and *Kate & Leopold* (2001). Her other films include *The Doors* (1991), *When a Man Loves a Woman* (1994), *Courage Under Fire* (1996), *Addicted to Love* (1997), *City of Angels* (1998), *Proof of Life* (2000), and *The Women* (2008). In 2015, she made her directorial debut with *Ithaca*, a film in which she also acted.
Pat Morita

**Noriyuki** "**Pat**" **Morita** (June 28, 1932 – November 24, 2005)[1] was an American actor and comedian known for his roles as Matsuo "Arnold" Takahashi on *Happy Days* (1975–1983), Mr. Miyagi in *The Karate Kid* film series and The Toymaster in *Babes in Toyland*. Morita was nominated for the 1985 Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Mr. Miyagi in *The Karate Kid*.[2] Morita also voiced the Emperor of China in the Disney animated film *Mulan* (1998) and portrayed Ah Chew in *Sanford and Son* (1974–1976).

Morita was the series lead actor in the television program *Mr. T and Tina* (1976) and in *Ohara* (1987–1988), a police-themed drama. The two shows made history for being among the few TV shows with an Asian American series lead.
Matt Bomer

**Matthew Staton Bomer** (born October 11, 1977) is an American actor, producer, director and singer.

In 2000, he made his television debut in the 1970s soap opera *All My Children*. Bomer graduated from Carnegie Mellon University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2001, soon after, he was a recurring guest on several television shows including *Tru Calling*.

In 2005 Bomer made his film debut in the mystery-thriller *Flightplan*, then in 2007 gained recognition with his recurring role in the NBC television series *Chuck*. 2009 saw Bomer land then the lead role of con-artist and thief Neal Caffrey in the USA Network series *White Collar* with the series lasting to 2014. Bomer has featured in supporting roles in the 2011 science fiction thriller *In Time*, the 2012 comedy-drama *Magic Mike* and its 2015 sequel, the 2014 supernatural-drama *Winter's Tale*, and the 2016 neo-noir film *The Nice Guys*. In 2015, he won a Golden Globe Award and received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for playing a closeted writer of *The New York Times* in the drama television film *The Normal Heart* about the rise of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City. Bomer made a guest appearance on the fourth season of FX's horror anthology series *American Horror Story*. He was later upgraded to main cast during the fifth season. In 2017 he received praised for his performances in the drama films *Walking Out*, *Anything*, and the 2018 comedy-drama *Papi Chulo*.

On stage, Bomer has starred in the Dustin Lance Black play *8* on Broadway, and at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles as Jeff Zarrillo, a plaintiff in the federal case that overturned California's Proposition 8. Bomer is married to publicist Simon Halls, with whom he has three children.
Mayim Bialik

**Mayim Chaya Bialik** (/ˈmaɪəm biˈɑːlɪk/ *MY-əm bee-AH-lik*; born December 12, 1975) is an American actress, author, and neuroscientist. From 1991 to 1995, she played the title character of the NBC sitcom *Blossom*. Bialik later played neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler on the CBS sitcom *The Big Bang Theory* from 2010 to 2019. Outside of her acting career, she holds a Ph.D. in neuroscience. For her role as Fowler, Bialik has been nominated four times for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series[1] and won the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in 2015 and 2016.
René Auberjonois

**René Murat Auberjonois** (/rəˈneɪ oʊˈbɛərʒənwɑː/;[2] born June 1, 1940) is an American actor and singer.[3]

In films, Auberjonois has portrayed Father Mulcahy in *MASH* (1970), and Chef Louis in *The Little Mermaid* (1989), in which he sang "Les Poissons". In the American animated musical comedy film *Cats Don't Dance* (1997), Auberjonois lent his voice as Flanagan, the human film director of "Li'l Ark Angel".

In various long-running television series, Auberjonois portrayed a number of characters, including: Clayton Endicott III on *Benson* (for which he was nominated an Emmy Award), Odo on *Star Trek: Deep Space Nine*, and Paul Lewiston on *Boston Legal*.

He has also branched out into voice acting for video games, having appeared in a number of popular video games. He portrayed the Greek mythological figure Talos in the first *God of War* (2005) game, the enigmatic Mr. House in *Fallout: New Vegas* (2010), Karl Schafer in the *Uncharted* video game series and Odo in *Star Trek Online*
Richard Harris

**Richard St. John Harris** (1 October 1930 – 25 October 2002) was an Irish actor and singer. He appeared on stage and in many films, appearing as Frank Machin in *This Sporting Life*, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor, and King Arthur in the 1967 film *Camelot*, as well as the 1981 revival of the stage musical. He played an aristocrat captured by American Indians in *A Man Called Horse* (1970), a gunfighter in Clint Eastwood's Western film *Unforgiven* (1992), Emperor Marcus Aurelius in *Gladiator* (2000), and Albus Dumbledore in the first two *Harry Potter* films: *Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone* (2001) and *Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets* (2002), the latter of which was his final film role. Harris had a number-one hit in Australia and Canada and a top-ten hit in the United Kingdom, Ireland and United States with his 1968 recording of Jimmy Webb's song "MacArthur Park".
Robert Sean Leonard

**Robert Lawrence Leonard** (born February 28, 1969), better known by his stage name **Robert Sean Leonard**, is an American actor. He is known for playing Dr. James Wilson in the television series *House* (2004–2012) and Neil Perry in the film *Dead Poets Society*. Leonard won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his performance in *The Invention of Love* in 2001. His other theater credits include *Candida*, *Long Day's Journey Into Night*, *Breaking the Code*, *The Speed of Darkness*, *Philadelphia, Here I Come!*, *Arcadia*, *The Music Man*, *Born Yesterday*, and *To Kill a Mockingbird*. From 2013 to 2014, Leonard had a recurring role as Dr. Roger Kadar on the television series *Falling Skies*.
Ryan Gosling

**Ryan Thomas Gosling** (born November 12, 1980)[1] is a Canadian actor and musician. He began his career as a child star on the Disney Channel's *The Mickey Mouse Club* (1993–1995), and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs, including *Are You Afraid of the Dark?* (1995) and *Goosebumps* (1996). His first starring film role was as a Jewish neo-Nazi in *The Believer* (2001), and he went on to star in several independent films, including *Murder by Numbers* (2002), *The Slaughter Rule* (2002), and *The United States of Leland* (2003).

Gosling gained wider recognition in 2004 with a leading role in the commercially successful romance *The Notebook*. For playing a drug-addicted teacher in *Half Nelson* (2006), he was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor, and he next played a socially inept loner in *Lars and the Real Girl* (2007). After a three-year acting hiatus, Gosling starred in the marital drama *Blue Valentine* (2010). Gosling co-starred in three mainstream films in 2011, the romantic comedy *Crazy, Stupid, Love*, the political drama *The Ides of March*, and the crime thriller *Drive*. His directorial debut, *Lost River*, was released to poor reviews in 2014. Greater success came to Gosling when he starred in several critically acclaimed films, including the financial satire *The Big Short* (2015), and the romantic musical *La La Land* (2016), for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, and received a second Oscar nomination. Further acclaim followed with the science fiction *Blade Runner 2049* (2017) and the biopic *First Man* (2018).

Gosling's band, Dead Man's Bones, released their self-titled debut album and toured North America in 2009. He is a co-owner of Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills, California. Gosling is a supporter of PETA, Invisible Children, and the Enough Project and has traveled to Chad, Uganda and eastern Congo to raise awareness about conflicts in the regions. Gosling has been involved in peace promotion efforts in Africa for over a decade. He has been in a relationship with actress Eva Mendes since 2011, and they have two daughters.
Mila Kunis

**Milena Markovna** "**Mila**" **Kunis** (/ˈmiːlə ˈkuːnɪs/; Ukrainian: Мілена Марківна Куніс; born August 14, 1983) is an American actress. In 1991, at the age of seven, she moved from Soviet Ukraine to the United States with her family. After being enrolled in acting classes as an after-school activity, she was soon discovered by an agent. She appeared in several television series and commercials, before acquiring her first significant role at age 14, playing Jackie Burkhart on the television series *That '70s Show* (1998–2006). Since 1999, she has voiced Meg Griffin on the animated series *Family Guy*.

Kunis' breakout film role came in 2008,[1][2] playing Rachel in the romantic comedy *Forgetting Sarah Marshall*. She gained further critical acclaim and accolades for her performance in the psychological thriller *Black Swan* (2010), for which she received the Marcello Mastroianni Award for Best Young Actor or Actress, and nominations for the SAG Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her other major films include the neo-noir action film *Max Payne*(2008), the post-apocalyptic action film *The Book of Eli* (2010), the romantic comedy film *Friends with Benefits* (2011), the comedy film *Ted* (2012), the fantasy film *Oz the Great and Powerful* (2013) as the Wicked Witch of the West, and the comedy film *Bad Moms* (2016).
Rachel Weisz

**Rachel Hannah Weisz** (/ˈvaɪs/ *VYSE*;[2] born 7 March 1970)[3] is a British-American actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Laurence Olivier Award.

Weisz began acting in British stage and television in the early 1990s, and made her film debut in *Death Machine* (1994). She won a Critics' Circle Theatre Award for her role in the 1994 revival of Noël Coward's play *Design for Living* and she went on to appear in the 1999 Donmar Warehouse production of Tennessee Williams' drama *Suddenly, Last Summer*. Her film breakthrough came with her starring role as Evelyn Carnahan in the Hollywood action films *The Mummy* (1999) and *The Mummy Returns* (2001).[4] Weisz went on star in several films of the 2000s, including *Enemy at the Gates*(2001), *About a Boy* (2002), *Constantine* (2005), *The Fountain* (2006), and *The Lovely Bones* (2009).

For playing a murdered activist in the 2005 thriller *The Constant Gardener*, she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and for playing Blanche DuBois in a 2009 revival of *A Streetcar Named Desire*, she won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress. In the 2010s, Weisz continued to star in big-budget films such as the action film *The Bourne Legacy* (2012) and the fantasy film *Oz the Great and Powerful* (2013), and gained acclaim for her performances in the independent films *The Deep Blue Sea* (2011) and *The Favourite* (2018). For portraying Sarah Churchill in the latter, she won the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and received another Academy Award nomination.[5]

Weisz was engaged to filmmaker Darren Aronofsky from 2005 to 2010. She married actor Daniel Craig in 2011 and became a naturalised U.S. citizen that same year.[6]
Michael Wincott

**Michael Anthony Claudio Wincott** (born January 21, 1958)[1][2] is a Canadian actor known for his deep, raspy voice[2][3][4][5] and for being cast in villainous roles.[3][4][6][7][8][9]

Some of his better-known roles include Guy of Gisborne in *Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves* (1991), Top Dollar, the main antagonist in *The Crow* (1994), music mogul Philo Gant in *Strange Days* (1995), mercenary Frank Elgyn in *Alien: Resurrection* (1997) and hacker Adrian Cross on the TV miniseries *24: Live Another Day* (2014).[6][3][5][10]
Patrick Swayze

**Patrick Wayne Swayze** (/ˈsweɪzi/; August 18, 1952 – September 14, 2009), was an American actor, dancer, singer, and songwriter. Gaining fame with appearances in films during the 1980s, he became popular for playing tough guys and romantic lead males, giving him a wide fan base with female audiences and a status as a sex symbol. He was named by *People* magazine as its Sexiest Man Alive in 1991.

During his career, Swayze received three Golden Globe Award nominations, for *Dirty Dancing* (1987), *Ghost* (1990), and *To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar* (1995). He wrote and recorded the popular song "She's Like the Wind" and was posthumously awarded the Rolex Dance Award in 2009.
Neal McDonough

**Neal P. McDonough**[1] (born February 13, 1966) is an American actor and voice actor, known for his portrayal of Lieutenant Lynn "Buck" Compton in the HBO miniseries *Band of Brothers* (2001), Deputy District Attorney David McNorris on *Boomtown* (2002–2003), Sean Cahill on *Suits*, Robert Quarles on *Justified*, William Parker in *Mob City*, and Dave Williams on ABC's *Desperate Housewives* (2008–2009). He also appeared in films such as *Star Trek: First Contact*, *Minority Report*, *Walking Tall*, *The Guardian*, *Flags of Our Fathers*, *Red 2*, *The Marine 3: Homefront*, *Traitor*, *The Hitcher*, *Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2*, *Proud Mary*, and as Dum Dum Dugan in various Marvel Cinematic Universe films and TV series. He appeared as Damien Darhk on *Arrow*, and in *Legends of Tomorrow*. He also plays as Malcolm Beck on "Yellowstone" as well as voicing a variety of comic superheroes and villains in a number of animated films and video games.
Rip Torn

**Elmore Rual "Rip" Torn Jr.** (February 6, 1931 – July 9, 2019) was an American actor and voice actor, and had a career that spanned over 60 years.

Torn was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his part as Marsh Turner in *Cross Creek*(1984). His work includes the role of Artie the producer on *The Larry Sanders Show*, for which he was nominated for six Emmy Awards, winning in 1996. He also won an American Comedy Award for Funniest Supporting Male in a Series and two CableACE Awards for his work on the show; he was nominated for a Satellite Award in 1997 for his role as Chief Zed in *Men in Black* (1997).
Renée Zellweger

**Renée Kathleen Zellweger**(/rəˈneɪ ˈzɛlwɛɡər/; born April 25, 1969) is an American actress and producer. She is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award and three Golden Globe Awards. Zellweger was one of the highest-paid actresses in the world by 2007,[3] and was named Hasty Pudding's Woman of the Year in 2009.[4]

Zellweger had her first starring role in *Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation* (1994). She subsequently earned early acclaim with her appearance in *Empire Records* (1995), and gained wider recognition for her role in *Jerry Maguire*(1996). For *Nurse Betty* (2000), she won her first Golden Globe, and for her portrayals of Bridget Jones in *Bridget Jones's Diary* (2001) and Roxie Hart in *Chicago* (2002), she garnered two consecutive Academy Award nominations for Best Actress. She reprised her role as Bridget Jones in two equally successful sequels (2004–2016).

Zellweger won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance as a loquacious farmer in the American Civil War drama *Cold Mountain* (2003). She played the wife of boxer James J. Braddock in *Cinderella Man*(2005) and author Beatrix Potter in *Miss Potter* (2006).[5] Roles in smaller scale films, such as *Appaloosa* (2008), *My One and Only* (2009), and *Case 39* (2009), were followed by a six-year hiatus from the screen. In 2019, she began starring in the Netflix thriller anthology series *What/If*.
Rosie Perez

**Rosa María Perez** (born September 6, 1964)[3] is an American actress, singer, community activist, talk show host, author, dancer and choreographer. Her film breakthrough was in Spike Lee's *Do the Right Thing* (1989), which she followed with *White Men Can't Jump* (1992). Among many honors, she was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in *Fearless* (1993).[4] She was also nominated for three Emmy Awards for her work as a choreographer on *In Living Color*. In 2007, Perez starred on Broadway as Googie Gomez in a revival of *The Ritz*, and she was nominated for an Indie Spirit Award for her performance in *The Take*. Perez was a regular host on *The View* and in 2015 she returned to Broadway to star in *Fish in the Dark*, a play written by Larry David.[1][5]
Mickey Hargitay

**Miklós** "**Mickey**" **Hargitay** (January 6, 1926 – September 14, 2006) was a Hungarian-American[1] actor and the 1955 Mr. Universe. Born in Budapest, Hargitay moved to the United States in 1947, where he eventually became a citizen.[2] He was married to actress Jayne Mansfield, and is the father of actress Mariska Hargitay. During their marriage, Hargitay and Mansfield made four movies together: *Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?* (1957), *The Loves of Hercules* (1960), *Promises! Promises!* (1963), and *L'Amore Primitivo* (1964).
Michael Richards

**Michael Anthony Richards** (born July 24, 1949) is an American actor, writer, television producer and comedian, widely known for his portrayal of Cosmo Kramer on the television sitcom *Seinfeld*, for which he received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series three times.

Richards began his career as a stand-up comedian, first entering the national spotlight when he was featured on Billy Crystal's first cable TV special. He went on to become a series regular on ABC's *Fridays*. Prior to *Seinfeld*, he made numerous guest appearances on a variety of television shows, such as *Cheers*. His film credits include *So I Married an Axe Murderer*, *Airheads*, *Young Doctors in Love*, *Problem Child*, *Coneheads*, *UHF*, and *Trial and Error*, one of his few starring roles. During the run of *Seinfeld*, he made a guest appearance in *Mad About You*. After *Seinfeld*, Richards starred in his own sitcom, *The Michael Richards Show*, which lasted less than one full season.

When *Seinfeld* ended in 1998, Richards returned to stand-up comedy. He incited media furor while performing at the Laugh Factory comedy club in late 2006 after a cell phone video was published of him launching into an expletive-laced racist tirade after earlier interruptions from a group of late-arriving audience members.[6] Subsequently due to significant media coverage of the event he announced his retirement from stand-up early in 2007. He appeared as himself in the seventh season of *Curb Your Enthusiasm* in 2009, acting alongside his fellow cast members for the first time since *Seinfeld*'s finale, as well as lampooning his incident at the Laugh Factory. In 2013, Richards returned to television when he played the role of Frank in the sitcom *Kirstie*.[7]
Richard Jenkins

**Richard Dale Jenkins** (born May 4, 1947) is an American actor. Jenkins began his acting career in theater at the Trinity Repertory Company and later made his film debut in 1974. He has worked steadily in film and television since the 1980s, mostly in supporting roles. His first major role did not come until the early 2000s, when he portrayed the deceased patriarch Nathaniel Fisher on the HBO funeral drama series *Six Feet Under* (2001–2005). He is also known for his roles in the films *Burn After Reading* (2008), *Step Brothers* (2008), *Let Me In* (2010), *Jack Reacher* (2012), and *The Cabin in the Woods* (2012).

Jenkins was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor for the drama film *The Visitor* (2007).[1] He won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie for the limited drama series *Olive Kitteridge* (2014). For his performance in the fantasy drama film *The Shape of Water* (2017), Jenkins received Academy Award, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor.
Robert Duvall

**Robert Selden Duvall**[4] (/duːˈvɔːl/; born January 5, 1931)[5] is an American actor and filmmaker whose career spans more than six decades. He has been nominated for seven Academy Awards (winning for his performance in *Tender Mercies*) and seven Golden Globe Awards (winning four), and has won a BAFTA, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and an Emmy Award. He received the National Medal of Arts in 2005. Duvall has starred in numerous films and television series, including *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962), *The Twilight Zone* (1963), *The Outer Limits* (1964), *Bullitt* (1968), *True Grit* (1969), *MASH* (1970), *THX 1138* (1971), *Joe Kidd* (1972), *The Godfather* (1972), *The Godfather Part II* (1974), *The Conversation*(1974), *Network* (1976), *Apocalypse Now* (1979), *The Great Santini* (1979), *The Natural* (1984), *Lonesome Dove* (1989), *The Handmaid's Tale* (1990), *Days of Thunder* (1990), *Rambling Rose* (1991), and *Falling Down* (1993).

Duvall began appearing in theatre during the late 1950s, moving into television and film roles during the early 1960s, playing Boo Radley in *To Kill a Mockingbird* (1962) and appearing in *Captain Newman, M.D.* (1963). (1970) and the lead role in *THX 1138* (1971), as well as Horton Foote's adaptation of William Faulkner's *Tomorrow* (1972), which was developed at The Actors Studio and is Duvall's personal favorite.[4] This was followed by a series of critically lauded performances in commercially successful films.

Duvall has continued to act in both film and television with such productions as *Tender Mercies* (1983), *The Natural*(1984), *Colors* (1988), the television miniseries *Lonesome Dove* (1989), *Stalin* (1992), *Newsies* (1992), *The Man Who Captured Eichmann* (1996), *Phenomenon* (1996), *A Family Thing* (1996), *The Apostle* (1997), *A Civil Action* (1998), *Deep Impact* (1998), *Gone in 60 Seconds* (2000), *Open Range* (2003), *Gods and Generals* (2003), *Secondhand Lions* (2003), *Broken Trail* (2006), *Get Low* (2010), *Jack Reacher* (2012), *A Night in Old Mexico* (2014), *The Judge* (2014), and *Wild Horses* (2015).
Masi Oka

**Masayori** "**Masi**" **Oka** (岡 政偉 *Oka Masayori*) (born December 27, 1974) is an American actor of Japanese descent,[1]occasional rapper, producer and digital effects artist. He became widely known for his role on NBC's *Heroes* as Hiro Nakamura and in CBS's *Hawaii Five-0* as Doctor Max Bergman.
Oprah Winfrey

**Oprah Gail Winfrey** (born **Orpah Gail Winfrey**,[1] January 29, 1954) is an American media executive, actress, talk show host, television producer and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show *The Oprah Winfrey Show*, broadcast from Chicago, which was the highest-rated television program of its kind in history and ran in national syndication for 25 years from 1986 to 2011.[6] Dubbed the "Queen of All Media",[7] she was the richest African American of the 20th century[8][9] and North America's first black multi-billionaire,[10] and has been ranked the greatest black philanthropist in American history.[11][12] She has also been sometimes ranked as the most influential woman in the world.[13][14]

Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi to a teenage single mother and later raised in inner-city Milwaukee. She has stated that she was molested during her childhood and early teens and became pregnant at 14; her son was born prematurely and died in infancy.[15] Winfrey was then sent to live with the man she calls her father, Vernon Winfrey, a barber in Tennessee, and landed a job in radio while still in high school. By 19, she was a co-anchor for the local evening news. Winfrey's often emotional, extemporaneous delivery eventually led to her transfer to the daytime talk show arena, and after boosting a third-rated local Chicago talk show to first place,[16] she launched her own production company and became internationally syndicated.

Credited with creating a more intimate confessional form of media communication,[17] Winfrey popularized and revolutionized[17][18] the tabloid talk show genre pioneered by Phil Donahue.[17] Through this medium, Winfrey broke 20th-century taboos and allowed LGBT people to enter the mainstream through television appearances.[19][20] In 1994, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.[21]

By the mid-1990s, Winfrey had reinvented her show with a focus on literature, self-improvement, mindfulness and spirituality. Though she was criticized for unleashing a confession culture, promoting controversial self-help ideas,[22] and having an emotion-centered approach,[23] she has also been praised for overcoming adversity to become a benefactor to others.[24] Winfrey had also emerged as a political force in the 2008 presidential race, delivering about one million votes to Barack Obama in the razor close 2008 Democratic primary.[25] In 2013, Winfrey was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama[26] and honorary doctorate degrees from Duke and Harvard.[27][28] In 2008, she formed her own network, Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN).
Ned Beatty

**Ned Thomas Beatty** (born July 6, 1937) is an American retired actor. He has appeared in more than 160 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; he also won a Drama Desk Award.

These nominations stemmed from his performances in films and television series, such as *Network* (1976), *Friendly Fire*(1979), *Hear My Song* (1991), and *Toy Story 3* (2010). He has had great commercial success in roles such as executive Bobby Trippe in *Deliverance* (1972), lawyer Delbert Reese in *Nashville* (1975), investigator Martin Dardis in *All the President's Men* (1976), undercover federal agent Bob Sweet in *Silver Streak* (1976), the priest, Father Edwards in *Exorcist II: The Heretic* (1977), Lex Luthor's bumbling henchman Otis in *Superman* (1978) and *Superman II* (1980), as a millionaire's right-hand man in *The Toy* (1982), Pavel Borisov in *The Fourth Protocol* (1987), TV presenter Ernest Weller in *Repossessed* (1990), Rudy Ruettiger's father in *Rudy* (1993), attorney McNair in *Just Cause* (1995), Dexter Wilkins in *Life* (1999), the simple sheriff in *Where the Red Fern Grows* (2003), the corrupt Senator Charles F. Meachum in *Shooter*(2007), Congressman Doc Long in *Charlie Wilson's War* (2007) and in animated films as the voice of Lots-O'-Huggin' Bear in *Toy Story 3* (2010) and Tortoise John in *Rango* (2011).
Michael Dorn

**Michael Dorn** (born December 9, 1952) is an American actor and voice artist who is known for his role as the KlingonWorf in the *Star Trek* franchise.

From his first appearance in the series premiere episode of *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, "Encounter at Farpoint", in 1987 to his last in *Star Trek: Nemesis* in 2002, Dorn has appeared more times as a regular cast member than any other *Star Trek* actor in the franchise's history, spanning five films and 272 television episodes. He also appeared as Worf's ancestor, Colonel Worf, in the 1991 film *Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country*.

Following the end of his *Star Trek* career, Dorn had supporting roles in a number of independent feature films, including *Shadow Hours* (2000), *Lessons for an Assassin* (2001), and the *Santa Clause* trilogy, in which he appeared in a cameo role as the Sandman.
Roseanne Barr

**Roseanne Cherrie Barr** (born November 3, 1952) is an American actress, comedian, writer, and television producer. Barr began her career in stand-up comedy before gaining acclaim in the television sitcom *Roseanne* (1988–1997; 2018). She won an Emmy and a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress for her work on the show.

Barr became a stand-up comedian in 1980. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, she gained fame through her role in *Roseanne* and other performances. Barr sparked controversy when performing "The Star-Spangled Banner" at a nationally aired baseball game on July 25, 1990. After singing the anthem in what many perceived to be a deliberately disrespectful manner, Barr grabbed her crotch and spat. This performance was met with condemnation from baseball fans and sportswriters, and was called "disgraceful" by then-President George H. W. Bush.[1]

Barr has been active and outspoken on political issues. She won nearly 70,000 votes for president in the general election of 2012, as the presidential nominee of the left-wing Peace and Freedom Party.[2] After Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president in 2015, Kelly Weill of *The Daily Beast* wrote that Barr "veered right" in her politics.[3] After *Roseanne* was revived, Trump called her to congratulate her on her show's ratings and thank her for her support.[4] She has frequently defended her support of Trump, and has been criticized for her personal attacks, conspiracy theories, and promotion of fake news.[5]

*Roseanne* was revived in 2018 on ABC. A ratings success, it was renewed for an additional season, but was canceled after Barr made a controversial tweet condemned as racist by many commentators. Barr referred to the tweet as a "bad joke".[6]
Paul Reiser

**Paul Reiser** (born March 30, 1957)[1] is an American comedian, actor, writer, and musician. He is best known for his roles as Michael Taylor in the 1980s sitcom *My Two Dads*, Paul Buchman in the NBC sitcom *Mad About You*, Carter Burke in the 1986 film *Aliens*, and more recently as Jim Neiman in the 2014 film *Whiplash* and Doug Getty in the Amazon Videoseries *Red Oaks'.* Reiser is ranked 77th on Comedy Central's 2004 list of the "100 Greatest Stand-ups of All Time".[2] The name of Reiser's production company, Nuance Productions, is inspired by one of his lines in the film *Diner* (1982), in which his character explains his discomfort with the word "nuance".

Reiser also stars in the Netflix supernatural-horror series *Stranger Things*, as Dr. Sam Owens who works for the lab.
Richard Kind

**Richard Bruce Kind** (born November 22, 1956) is an American actor and voice actor, known for his roles in the sitcoms*Mad About You* (as Dr. Mark Devanow) and *Spin City* (as Paul Lassiter).[1] He also does voice performances in various Pixar films such as *A Bug's Life*, the *Cars* series, *Toy Story 3*, and *Inside Out*.[2]
Maya Angelou

**Maya Angelou** (/ˈændʒəloʊ/ (listen);[1][2] born **Marguerite Annie Johnson**; April 4, 1928 – May 28, 2014) was an American poet, singer, memoirist, and civil rights activist. She published seven autobiographies, three books of essays, several books of poetry, and is credited with a list of plays, movies, and television shows spanning over 50 years. She received dozens of awards and more than 50 honorary degrees.[3] Angelou is best known for her series of seven autobiographies, which focus on her childhood and early adult experiences. The first, *I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings* (1969), tells of her life up to the age of 17 and brought her international recognition and acclaim.

She became a poet and writer after a series of occupations as a young adult, including fry cook, sex worker, nightclub dancer and performer, cast member of the opera *Porgy and Bess*, coordinator for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, and journalist in Egypt and Ghana during the decolonization of Africa. She was an actress, writer, director, and producer of plays, movies, and public television programs. In 1982, she was named the first Reynolds Professor of American Studies at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She was active in the Civil Rights Movement and worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Beginning in the 1990s, she made around 80 appearances a year on the lecture circuit, something she continued into her eighties. In 1993, Angelou recited her poem "On the Pulse of Morning" (1993) at the first inauguration of Bill Clinton, making her the first poet to make an inaugural recitation since Robert Frost at the inauguration of John F. Kennedy in 1961.

With the publication of *I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings*, Angelou publicly discussed aspects of her personal life. She was respected as a spokesperson for black people and women, and her works have been considered a defense of black culture. Her works are widely used in schools and universities worldwide, although attempts have been made to ban her books from some U.S. libraries. Angelou's most celebrated works have been labeled as autobiographical fiction, but many critics consider them to be autobiographies. She made a deliberate attempt to challenge the common structure of the autobiography by critiquing, changing and expanding the genre. Her books center on themes such as racism, identity, family and travel.
Rose Byrne

**Mary Rose Byrne**[1][2] (born 24 July 1979)[3] is an Australian actress. She made her screen debut in the film *Dallas Doll*(1994),[4] and continued to act in Australian film and television throughout the 1990s. She obtained her first leading film role in *The Goddess of 1967* (2000), which brought her the Volpi Cup for Best Actress,[5] and made the transition to Hollywood in the small role of Dormé in *Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones* (2002), followed by larger parts in *Troy* (2004), *28 Weeks Later* (2007), and *Knowing* (2009).

Byrne appeared as Ellen Parsons in all fifty-nine episodes of the criminal thriller series *Damages* (2007–2010), which earned her two Golden Globe Awards and two Primetime Emmy Award nominations. *Get Him to the Greek* (2010) and *Bridesmaids* (2011) established her as a comedic actress, and she has since appeared in several successful films, such as *X-Men: First Class* (2011), *Neighbors* (2014), *Spy* (2015), and *X-Men: Apocalypse* (2016). Other films include the first two *Insidious* films (2010–2013), *I Give It a Year*, *The Internship* (both 2013), *Annie* (2014), *Instant Family* and *Peter Rabbit* (both 2018).
Paul Sorvino

**Paul Anthony Sorvino** (/sɔːrˈviːnoʊ/, Italian: [sorˈviːno]; born April 13, 1939) is an American actor, opera singer, businessman, writer, and sculptor.[1] He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law, and is possibly best known for his roles as Paulie Cicero, a portrayal of Paul Vario in the 1990 gangster film *Goodfellas*, and NYPD Sergeant Phil Cerreta on the TV series *Law & Order*. He held supporting roles in *A Touch of Class*, *Reds*, *The Rocketeer*, *Nixon*and *Romeo + Juliet*. He is the father of actress Mira Sorvino and actor Michael Sorvino.
Octavia Spencer

**Octavia Lenora Spencer** (born May 25, 1972)[1] is an American actress, author, and producer. She is the recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award, and a Golden Globe Award. She is one of two black actresses to have received three Academy Award nominations, the first black actress to receive two consecutive Academy Award nominations in back-to-back years, and the first black actress to receive an Academy Award nomination after previously winning.[2]

Spencer made her film debut in the 1996 drama *A Time to Kill*. Following a decade of brief roles in film and television, her breakthrough came in 2011, when she played a maid in 1960s America in *The Help*, for which she won several awards, including the Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, and BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress. For her performance in Ryan Coogler's biographical drama *Fruitvale Station* (2013), she received the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Spencer went on to appear in such films as *Smashed* (2012), *Snowpiercer* (2013), *Get on Up* (2014), *The Divergent Series* (2015–16), *Gifted* (2017), and *Ma* (2019). She received Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actress for playing other women in 1960s America, the mathematician Dorothy Vaughan in the biographical drama *Hidden Figures* (2016), and a cleaning woman in the fantasy film *The Shape of Water* (2017).

As an author, Spencer has created a children's book series, titled *Randi Rhodes, Ninja Detective*. She has published two books in the series, titled *The Case of the Time-Capsule Bandit* (2013) and *The Sweetest Heist in History* (2015).[3]
Randy Quaid

**Randy Randall Rudy Quaid**[4] (born October 1, 1950) is an American film and television actor and Oscar nominee known for his roles in both serious drama and light comedy.

He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award and an Academy Award for his role in *The Last Detail* in 1973. In 1978 he co-starred as a prisoner in *Midnight Express*. Quaid also won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Emmy Award for his portrayal of U.S. President Lyndon Johnson in *LBJ: The Early Years* (1987).

He also received Emmy nominations for his roles in *A Streetcar Named Desire* (1984) and *Elvis* (2005). Quaid is also known for his role of Cousin Eddie in the *National Lampoon's Vacation* movies.
Roddy McDowall

**Roderick Andrew Anthony Jude McDowall** (17 September 1928 – 3 October 1998) was an English-American actor, voice artist, film director and photographer. He is best known for portraying Cornelius and Caesar in the original *Planet of the Apes* film series, as well as Galen in the spin-off television series. He began his acting career as a child in England, and then in the United States, in *How Green Was My Valley* (1941), *My Friend Flicka* (1943) and *Lassie Come Home*(1943).

As an adult, McDowall appeared most frequently as a character actor on radio, stage, film, and television. For portraying Augustus in the historical drama *Cleopatra* (1963), he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Other titles include *The Longest Day* (1962), *The Greatest Story Ever Told* (1965), *That Darn Cat!* (1965), *Inside Daisy Clover* (1965), *Bedknobs and Broomsticks* (1971), *The Poseidon Adventure* (1972), *Funny Lady* (1975), *The Black Hole* (1979), *Class of 1984*(1982), *Fright Night* (1985), *Overboard* (1987), *Fright Night Part 2* (1988), *Shakma* (1990), and *A Bug's Life* (1998). He also served in various positions on the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Selection Committee for the Kennedy Center Honors, further contributing to various charities related to the film industry and film preservation. He was a founding Member of the National Film Preservation Board in 1989, and represented the Screen Actors Guild on this Board until his death.
Reese Witherspoon

**Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon** (born March 22, 1976) is an American actress, producer, and entrepreneur. The recipient of several accolades, including an Academy Award and a Primetime Emmy Award, she is among the highest-paid actresses in the world, as of 2019. *Time* magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2006 and 2015.

Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, Witherspoon began her career as a teenager, making her screen debut in *The Man in the Moon* (1991). She also starred opposite Mark Wahlberg in *Fear* (1996). Her breakthrough came in 1999 with a supporting role in *Cruel Intentions* and for her portrayal of Tracy Flick in the black comedy *Election*. She achieved wide recognition with her role as Elle Woods in the comedy *Legally Blonde* (2001) and its 2003 sequel, and for her starring roles in the romantic comedy *Sweet Home Alabama* (2002) and romantic drama *Water for Elephants* (2011). In 2005, her portrayal of June Carter Cash in the biographical musical film *Walk the Line* garnered critical acclaim and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her credits also include voice work for the animated films *Monsters vs. Aliens* (2009) and *Sing* (2016).

Witherspoon owns the production company Hello Sunshine, under which she produced the thriller *Gone Girl* and the drama *Wild* (both 2014). She also starred as Cheryl Strayed in the latter, for which she received a second nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. In 2017, she began producing and starring in the HBO drama series *Big Little Lies*, for which she won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series.

Witherspoon also owns a clothing company Draper James, and she is actively involved in children's and women's advocacy organizations. She serves on the board of the Children's Defense Fund (CDF) and was named Global Ambassador of Avon Products in 2007, serving as honorary chair of the charitable Avon Foundation. She received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2010.
Richard Libertini

**Richard Joseph Libertini** (May 21, 1933 – January 7, 2016)[1] was an American stage, film and television actor.

He was known for playing character roles and his ability to speak in numerous accents. His films include *Catch-22* (1970), *The In-Laws* (1979), *Popeye* (1980), *All of Me* (1984), *Fletch* (1985), *Fletch Lives* (1989), *Awakenings* (1990), *Lethal Weapon 4* (1998), and *Dolphin Tale* (2011).