Chicago Top Actors
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Robin McLaurin Williams was born on Saturday, July 21st, 1951, in Chicago, Illinois, a great-great-grandson of Mississippi Governor and Senator, Anselm J. McLaurin. His mother, Laurie McLaurin (née Janin), was a former model from Mississippi, and his father, Robert Fitzgerald Williams, was a Ford Motor Company executive from Indiana. Williams had English, German, French, Welsh, Irish, and Scottish ancestry.
Robin briefly studied political science at Claremont Men's College and theater at College of Marin before enrolling at The Juilliard School to focus on theater. After leaving Juilliard, he performed in nightclubs where he was discovered for the role of "Mork, from Ork", in an episode of Happy Days (1974). The episode, My Favorite Orkan (1978), led to his famous spin-off weekly TV series, Mork & Mindy (1978). He made his feature starring debut playing the title role in Popeye (1980), directed by Robert Altman.
Williams' continuous comedies and wild comic talents involved a great deal of improvisation, following in the footsteps of his idol Jonathan Winters. Williams also proved to be an effective dramatic actor, receiving Academy Award nominations for Best Actor in a Leading Role in Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), Dead Poets Society (1989), and The Fisher King (1991), before winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Good Will Hunting (1997).
During the 1990s, Williams became a beloved hero to children the world over for his roles in a string of hit family-oriented films, including Hook (1991), FernGully: The Last Rainforest (1992), Aladdin (1992), Mrs. Doubtfire (1993), Jumanji (1995), Flubber (1997), and Bicentennial Man (1999). He continued entertaining children and families into the 21st century with his work in Robots (2005), Happy Feet (2006), Night at the Museum (2006), Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian (2009), Happy Feet Two (2011), and Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (2014). Other more adult-oriented films for which Williams received acclaim include The World According to Garp (1982), Moscow on the Hudson (1984), Awakenings (1990), The Birdcage (1996), Insomnia (2002), One Hour Photo (2002), World's Greatest Dad (2009), and Boulevard (2014).
On Monday, August 11th, 2014, Robin Williams was found dead at his home in Tiburon, California USA, the victim of an apparent suicide, according to the Marin County Sheriff's Office. A 911 call was received at 11:55 a.m. PDT, firefighters and paramedics arrived at his home at 12:00 p.m. PDT, and he was pronounced dead at 12:02 p.m. PDT.- Actor
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Bernard Jeffrey McCollough was born in 1957 in Chicago, the son of Mary McCullough and Jeffery Harrison. He grew up in the city, in a rougher neighborhood than most others, with a large family living under one roof. This situation provided him with a great insight into his comedy, as his family, and the situations surrounding them would be what dominated his comedy. Mac worked in the Regal Theater, and performed in Chicago parks in his younger days. He became a professional comedian in 1977, at the age of 19. He refused to change his image for television and films, and therefore was not very well known for most of the eighties. In 1992 he made his film debut with a small part with Mo' Money (1992). This started a plethora of small parts in a string of movies, mostly comedies, including Who's the Man? (1993), House Party 3 (1994) and The Walking Dead (1995). 1995 proved to be a turning point in his career. He did an HBO Special called Midnight Mac (1995), and took a part as Pastor Clever in the Chris Tucker comedy Friday (1995). Bernie Mac developed a cult following due to the film. In 1996. he starred in the memorable Spike Lee movie Get on the Bus (1996), and was very funny in Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996). About this time he had a recurring role in the TV series Moesha (1996). Bernie Mac's star was slowly rising from this point. His next couple of movie parts were more substantial, including How to Be a Player (1997) and The Players Club (1998). In 1999 Bernie Mac got his most high profile part up to that point in the film Life (1999) starring Eddie Murphy.
The new century started a new era for the brash Chicago comedian. He was a featured comedian in The Original Kings of Comedy (2000). This performance made him more of a household name, and led to many more major parts. In 2001 he played Martin Lawrence's uncle in What's the Worst That Could Happen? (2001) and later that year, was in the star studded remake of Ocean's Eleven (2001). However his biggest success was The Bernie Mac Show (2001), which debuted in 2001 to instant acclaim. However, soon after the series ended, Mac's health took a turn for the worse. He developed sarcoidosis, an autoimmune disease which causes inflammation in the lungs. On August 9, 2008, after weeks of unsuccessful treatments, Bernie Mac died at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago. He was 50.
Bernie Mac was a comedian who refused to change his image for Hollywood and said that his life in Chicago was who he was, and there was nothing that could change that. He was a mature comedian who was very intelligent and engaging in his television, film and stand-up appearances.- Actor
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Mr. T was born Laurence Tureaud on 21 May 1952, in the rough south side ghetto of Chicago. He is the second to youngest of twelve children (he has four sisters and seven brothers) and grew up in the housing projects. His father, Nathaniel Tureaud, left when Laurence was 5, and his mother raised the family on $87 a month welfare in a three-room apartment. Mr. T's brothers encouraged him to build up his body in order to survive in the area; he has commented, "If you think I'm big, you should see my brothers!" His mother is a religious woman who has had a strong influence on him. He says, "Any man who don't love his momma can't be no friend of mine." He was an average student in school. "Most of the time," he says, "I stared out the windows, just daydreaming. I didn't study much because I have a photographic memory." Apart from one spell between 5th and 7th grades when he went a little astray -- playing hooky, cursing, acting tough, being disrespectful -- he was a well-behaved child (he worried about how his mother would feel if he ended up in jail, and stayed out of trouble). He attended Dunbar Vocational High School. He was a football star, studied martial arts, and was three times city wrestling champion. He won a scholarship to play football at Prairie View A&M University in Texas, but he was thrown out after a year.
He was involved in the world of pro wrestling in 1985-86 and 1994-95. Was Hulk Hogan's tag team partner at the first WrestleMania I (1985), defeating the team of Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper on March 31, 1985. His feud with Piper continued into WrestleMania 2 (1986), when he defeated Piper in a boxing match by disqualification. Mr. T returned to the WWF as a special guest referee in 1987, then disappeared from the wrestling world. Seven years later, he reappeared as a special referee for a Hogan-Ric Flair match, in October 1994. He stayed with Hogan for a few matches before returning to obscurity.- Actor
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Chicago native Aries Spears discovered his comedic abilities at the young age of 14, when he started doing his own comedy routine around his hometown. By the age of 17, he landed a part in the movie Home of Angels (1995), starring Abe Vigoda, Sherman Hemsley and Joe Frazier. Spears' additional film credits include The Pest (1997) opposite John Leguizamo, Jerry Maguire (1996), Out-of-Sync (1995), Malcolm X (1992) and Why Do Fools Fall in Love (1998).
Spears' first television appearance was cable's Russell Simmons' Def Comedy Jam (1992), followed by Showtime at the Apollo (1987).
He moved to Los Angeles in 1992, landed a recurring role on A Different World (1987) and became a regular at The Comedy Store, The Improv and The Laugh Factory.
Shortly thereafter, Spears was cast in a starring role opposite Glenn Frey in South of Sunset (1993). His additional television credits include _"Crosstown Traffic" (1995) (TV Movie)_, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993) and Soul Train (1971). Spears also lent his voice to the animated series C-Bear and Jamal (1996)- Actor
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Character actor, dramatic leading man, or hilarious comic foil? With an astonishing range of roles already under his belt, John C. Reilly has played an eclectic host of rich characters to great effect over the years, from seedy ne'er-do-wells, to lovable, good-natured schlepps.
The fifth of six children, John Christopher Reilly was born in Chicago, to a father of mostly Irish descent, and a Lithuanian-American mother, and was brought up on Chicago's tough Southwest territory. His father, also named John, ran an industrial linen supply company business. On the amateur stage from age eight, Reilly trained at the Goodman School of Drama and eventually became a member of Chicago's renowned Steppenwolf Theatre.
His film break came with a small role in the Vietnam War drama Casualties of War (1989), wherein Brian De Palma liked his work so much during the early stages that he recast him in a major role by the start of shooting as a soldier bent on rape. Reilly gained momentum throughout the 1990s and showed his dazzling stretch of talent in such films as Days of Thunder (1990), Shadows and Fog (1991), What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993) and The River Wild (1994). He became a major stock player in director Paul Thomas Anderson's films, while finding some of his best roles in Hard Eight (1996) as a compulsive gambler, Boogie Nights (1997) in which he played a narcissistic porn star, and in Magnolia (1999) as a compassionate policeman. He went on to earn further critical points for his role of the soldier sent to the front lines in Terrence Malick's war epic The Thin Red Line (1998).
On stage, Reilly has wowed audiences in "The Grapes of Wrath" on Broadway, "A Streetcar Named Desire" and "Othello" at Steppenwolf, and earned an Outer Critics Circle Award and Tony nomination for "True West" alongside another impeccable character player Philip Seymour Hoffman. Reilly finally received the film recognition he deserved in 2002 with a slew of choice, high-profile parts in The Hours (2002), The Good Girl (2002), Gangs of New York (2002), and especially Chicago (2002) as the put-upon husband, Amos Hart, who is played for a patsy by murderous wife Roxie (Renée Zellweger). For this last part, he received both Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations for Best Supporting Actor.
Since then his stock has risen considerably, and he has further widened his cinematic repertoire, appearing in everything from dramatic roles - We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011), The Aviator (2004) and Carnage (2011) - to broader comic turns - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006), Step Brothers (2008), Cyrus (2010) and Cedar Rapids (2011). Most recently, he has voiced the lead in Disney's animated smash Wreck-It Ralph (2012).
Reilly is married to producer Alison Dickey.- Actor
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Chi McBride was born on 23 September 1961 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), I, Robot (2004) and The Terminal (2004). He is married to Julissa Marquez. They have one child.- Actress
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Sherri Evonne Shepherd was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. When she was 11, her family moved to the suburb Hoffman Estates. Her father, Lawrence, was a food service manager at Sambos Restaurant and a church deacon, and her mother, LaVerne, cleaned homes.
Sherri started her stand-up career in 1990 while working in Beverly Hills as a legal secretary. In 1995, she took the big plunge, stepped out on faith, and quit her secretarial job. 12 days later she booked her first series as a regular on the WB's Cleghorne! (1995). It lasted only a season; and since unemployment didn't pay the bills but typing did, Sherri had to go back to the law firm for the next three years. She is best-known for her role as Ramona on ABC's Less Than Perfect (2002). Not leaving her stand-up roots, Sherri still performs regularly at the Comedy Store, the Laugh Factory and the Improv.- Actor
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First known as a rapper who became one of the more prominent voices in hip-hop's new millennium renaissance, Common later transitioned into acting. He was born in Chicago, and is the son of educator Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines and Lonnie Lynn, an ABA basketball player turned youth counselor.
On October 6, 1992, Common released his first LP, "Can I Borrow A Dollar?" under the Common Sense moniker. Tracks like "Charm's Alarm" and "Breaker 1-9" established him as a lyricist with wit, street-smarts, and love for extended similes, while tracks like "Heidi Hoe" would touch on the misogyny that would surface sparingly on future work.
In 1994 he released "Resurrection", notable for the smooth 'Large Professor' produced title cut as well as "I Used To Love H.E.R.", an ode to hip-hop. This album further increased his underground reputation while giving the hip-hop nation a new solid conscientious voice in a year that was excellent for underground artists (Nas, Jeru the Damaja, Digable Planet, et al.)
After a name change brought on by a lawsuit, Common reemerged in 1997 with "One Day It'll All Make Sense". With guests ranging from Erykah Badu to Canibus to De La Soul and production help from mainstays No I.D. and Dug Infinite, the album had a distinctly underground flair. His big mainstream breakthrough album was yet to come.
After an appearance on The Roots smash 1999 album, "Things Fall Apart," Common moved to MCA Records. He soon was in the studio collaborating with the Okayplayer collective and with help from the forward-thinking production troupe Questlove (aka Questlove), J Dilla, James Poyser, et al), he released his fourth album, "Like Water For Chocolate" in the spring of 2000. With its varied sonic plateau (Afrobeat, funk, and old-school soul) it was much different from previous outings. On the strength of tracks like the 'DJ Premier' produced banger "The 6th Sense", the album was a success, becoming a worthy addition to "The Next Movement".
In 2003 he released "Electric Circus". The album, a hip-hop/funk/soul/rock/psychedelia hybrid, polarized hip-hop fans like no other album has in recent memory. Common has also chosen to redefine himself, swearing off the alcohol, marijuana, and fornication that he had once indulged in.
Also in 2003 he appeared in a TV sitcom episode. With only a couple minor roles between 2003 and 2004, in January of 2007 he made his big screen debut.- Actor
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Michael Clarke Duncan was born on December 10, 1957 in Chicago, Illinois. Raised on Chicago's South Side by his single mother, Jean, a house cleaner, Duncan grew up resisting drugs and alcohol, instead concentrating on school. He wanted to play football in high school, but his mother wouldn't let him, afraid that he would get hurt. He then turned to acting and dreamed of becoming a famous actor.
After graduating from high school and attending community college, he worked digging ditches at People's Gas Company in Chicago. When he quit his job and headed to Hollywood, he landed small roles while working as a bodyguard. Duncan's role in the movie Armageddon (1998) led to his breakthrough performance in The Green Mile (1999), when his Armageddon co-star Bruce Willis called director Frank Darabont, suggesting Duncan for the part of convict John Coffey. He landed the role and won critical acclaim as well as many other Awards and Nominations, including an Academy Award Nomination for Best Actor in a Supporting Role.
After suffering a heart attack on July 13, 2012, he was taken to a Los Angeles hospital, in which his girlfriend Omarosa Manigault-Stallworth tried to save his life with CPR. Unfortunately, on September 3, 2012, Michael Clarke Duncan died at age 54 from respiratory failure.- Actress
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Jennifer Marie Morrison was born in Chicago, Illinois, the oldest child of teachers David and Judy Morrison. She was raised in Arlington Heights, IL, with a younger sister and brother. She attended the same school her parents taught at, Prospect High School. As a child, she did some work as a model. After graduating from high school, she attended Loyola University in Chicago, where she studied Theater and English. She then moved on to study at the Steppenwolf Theater Company, before relocating to Los Angeles, California to pursue her acting career. Morrison's movie debut came in 1994, playing the daughter of Richard Gere and Sharon Stone in Intersection (1994). Success followed with various film and television roles, including the lead in Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000). She came to wide scale public attention in 2004 for her role as Dr. Allison Cameron in the television series House (2004), for which she was nominated for a prestigious Screen Actors Guild Award. Since leaving "House M.D.", her career has continued to progress with roles in Star Trek (2009), How I Met Your Mother (2005) and Warrior (2011).- Producer
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Bonnie Lynn Hunt is an American actress and comedienne who is known for her work in Rain Man, Beethoven, Jumanji, Jerry Maguire, The Green Mile and Cheaper by the Dozen. She voiced in the Disney films A Bug's Life, Zootopia, Monsters, Inc, Toy Story 3 and Cars. She was married to John Murphy but got separated in 2006.- Actor
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Larenz Tate was born on the west side of Chicago to Larry and Peggy Tate, the youngest of three brothers. His brothers are actors Larron Tate and Lahmard J. Tate. In 1984, Larenz and his family moved to California. It was while living in California that Larenz's parents got him and his brothers involved in a drama program at the Inner City Cultural Center. At first, the boys were interested just to meet girls. However, when they saw classmate Malcolm-Jamal Warner get cast in the role of "Theo Huxtable" on The Cosby Show (1984), they began to take it more seriously. From then on, the brothers began getting other small roles. Larenz's career first took off in a Christmas episode of The Twilight Zone (1985), after which roles began pouring in. He has gone on to star in both television series and movies.- Actress
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One of the hottest stars of the mid-1980s, Virginia Madsen has since played a variety of roles that have cemented her reputation as a fantastic actress who can adapt to any part.
Virginia was born in Chicago, Illinois, and belongs to an acting family -- with her brother, Michael Madsen, also an actor, and her mother, Elaine Madsen (née Melson), an Emmy-winning writer, poet, and producer. Her paternal grandparents were Danish, and her father, Calvin Madsen, was a firefighter. Audiences first caught a glimpse of her as "Princess Irulan" in the 1984 science fiction epic Dune (1984). She followed that up with Electric Dreams (1984); however, it was in 1986 that Virginia captured the hearts of the audience with an intense portrayal of a Catholic school girl who fell in love with a boy from a prison camp in Duncan Gibbins' Fire with Fire (1986). Virginia played the role of "Lisa" and her co-star was Craig Sheffer, who played Lisa's love interest, "Joe Fisk". Kari Wuhrer also made an appearance as Virginia's best friend, "Gloria". Fire with Fire (1986) was a low-budget production, starring a bunch of fresh faces who were till then-unknown to Hollywood. However, the movie was a success and elevated its three young stars overnight. Virginia has never looked back since.
Not only did she receive amazing reviews for her Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated performance in Alexander Payne's hit film, Sideways (2004), but this Independent Spirit Award-winning actress has an illustrious resume of roles alongside the most notable and respected actors in the business.
Also on Virginia's slate is her production company, with partner Karly Meola, called "Title IX Productions". Their first project was the documentary I Know a Woman Like That (2009), which previewed at the Phoenix Film Festival in April 2009 and premiered at the Chicago Film Festival in October 2009. The doc was directed by Virginia's mother, Elaine Madsen, about the lives of extraordinary women ages 64-94. Next in the company's lineup is the documentary Fighting Gravity (2010), about women ski jumpers' ongoing battle for the right to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics. Title IX will team up with "Empire 8 Productions" and Vancouver-based "Screen Siren" on the project. The duo also has several projects in development that they're shopping around for financing including screenwriters Sebastian Gutierrez's screen adaptation of Martha O'Connor's novel "The Bitch Posse" and a remake of the 1984 film Electric Dreams (1984), in which Virginia appeared.- Actress
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Gillian Anderson was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Rosemary Alyce (Lane), a computer analyst, and Homer Edward Anderson III, who owned a film post-production company. Gillian started her career as a member of an amateur actor group while at high school. In 1987, her love of the theatre took her to the National Theatre of Great Britain Summer Acting Programme held at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. For several weeks she studied under such NT greats as Peter Chelsom, Bardy Thomas, and Michael Joyce. Afterwards, Anderson returned to the Goodman Theatre School at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois where she finished her education. Her big break came with The X-Files (1993) as Dana Scully. There, she met her future husband (Clyde Klotz), marrying on January 1st 1994. One month later, Gillian was pregnant. Her daughter, Piper Anderson-Klotz, was born on the 25th September 1994. Her film career started with the movie The Turning (1992) in 1997 and, the following year, she starred in Playing by Heart (1998) with Sean Connery, Ellen Burstyn, Angelina Jolie and Dennis Quaid.- Actor
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Michael Madsen is an enigmatic force in the entertainment industry, widely regarded as one of the most intense and compelling actors of our time. With an electrifying presence both on and off the screen, Madsen has captivated audiences worldwide with his mesmerizing performances, making an indelible mark on the realm of cinema. Known for his rugged charm and brooding charisma, Madsen has perfected the art of bringing complex characters to life, seamlessly transitioning between nuanced vulnerability and unbridled intensity. Michael Madsen continues to command attention and leave an indelible impact on the industry.
Born with an innate talent for acting, Madsen's journey in the entertainment industry has been nothing short of extraordinary. His powerful performances have earned him critical acclaim and a dedicated fan base, cementing his status as a true Hollywood icon. Madsen's distinctive ability to effortlessly portray characters with a captivating blend of sensitivity and grit has led to collaborations with renowned directors and fellow actors, garnering him numerous accolades and nominations. His unparalleled versatility has allowed him to effortlessly navigate between genres, delivering unforgettable performances in films such as "Kill Bill: Vol. 1," "Thelma & Louise," and "Donnie Brasco," among others.
Beyond his remarkable acting career, Michael Madsen's multifaceted talents extend to other creative endeavors. An accomplished poet, he has published several volumes of poetry, revealing a profound depth and introspection that mirrors the complexity of his on-screen persona. With an unparalleled body of work and an undying passion for his craft, Michael Madsen remains an indomitable force, continuously pushing the boundaries of cinematic storytelling and leaving an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape.- Actor
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William George Zane, better known as Billy Zane, was born on February 24, 1966 in Chicago, Illinois, to Thalia (Colovos) and William Zane, both of Greek ancestry. His parents were amateur actors and managed a medical technical school. Billy has an older sister, actress and singer Lisa Zane. Billy was bitten by the acting bug early on. In his early teens, he attended Harand Camp of the Theater Arts in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. In 1982, he attended the American School in Switzerland. His high school days were spent at Francis Parker High School in Chicago, Illinois. Daryl Hannah and Jennifer Beals also attended Parker, prior to Billy's attendance.
Soon after graduating from high school, Billy decided to venture out to California to attempt acting for the first time. Within three weeks, he won his very first big screen role in Back to the Future (1985), playing the role of Match, one of Biff Tannen's thugs. He would later reprise that role for the sequel Back to the Future Part II (1989). Then after a small role in the science fiction horror film Critters (1986), he landed starring roles in several television films. Billy played villain Hughie Warriner in the Australian thriller film Dead Calm (1989), where he met his future wife, Lisa Collins.
He also co-starred in Memphis Belle (1990), a film version of a 1944 documentary about a World War II bomber. In 1991, he appeared as John Justice Wheeler on several episodes of David Lynch's television series Twin Peaks (1990). Billy starred as the eponymous superhero in The Phantom (1996) and as Caledon Hockley in the billion dollar grossing Titanic (1997). Then, he starred in the television movie Cleopatra (1999) where he met his soon-to-be fiance, actress Leonor Varela from whom he subsequently separated. In 2005, he had a recurring role as the poetry loving ex-demon Drake on the television series Charmed (1998).- Actor
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Acting Career - Hailing from the Windy City, Kel Mitchell began his acting career at the young age of 12 with the ETA Creative Arts Foundation. Young Kel wowed audiences with his on-stage performances in Chicago theatrical productions such as "Kasimu & the Coconut Palm" and "Dirt." But it was his outstanding performance in "Eden" at the historic Victory Gardens Theater, which caught the attention of a prominent talent agent. At the age of 14, Kel got the opportunity of a lifetime. He flew to Florida to be on a TV show on the then new network for kids, Nickelodeon. Kel beat out thousands of other kids and was cast in what soon became a groundbreaking TV show. Mitchell was an original member on Nickelodeon's "All That" from 1994-1999. He and co-star Kenan Thompson also starred in the spin-off series "Kenan & Kel" from 1996-2000, as well as a 1997 major motion picture, titled "Good Burger", which is the movie version of one of his sketches from "All That". The duo also appeared together in episodes of "Sister Sister" and "The Steve Harvey Show" Kel Mitchell starred in the 1999 comedy "Mystery Men" with Ben Stiller and William H. Macy and in 2000, "The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle" with Robert De Niro, Jason Alexander and Rene Russo. Mitchell was also the voice of a mild-mannered and playful dog named T-Bone in the children's cartoon series "Clifford the Big Red Dog", alongside the late John Ritter from 2000 to 2003. In 2004, he also made an appearance in the Kanye West music video "All Falls Down" as a luggage collecting hotel valet. In 2005, Mitchell portrayed Manny Sellers in the sitcom "One on One" with Kyla Pratt, and in 2007 Kel starred in BET's new series "Take the Cake" Some of his other credits include in 2007 "Honeydripper" directed by John Sayles, with Danny Glover, Lisa Gay Hamilton, and Charles S. Dutton and in 2008, Mitchell appeared in two Detroit-based stage productions, "Affairs" and "Laundromat", the latter written by Carlos Faison and also starred comedian Buddy Lewis and Leanne "Lelee" Lyons of R&B group SWV. In 2009 Kel became the voice of Ant on "The Ant and the Ardvark" new cartoon series from MGM studios "Pink Panther and Pals" for Cartoon Network. He has also filmed his writing and producing movie debut called "Dance Fu" in which he also stars as the lead role. It was directed by Cedric the Entertainer and also starring Tommy Davidson, Rodney Perry, Katerina Graham, and Affion Crockett. Kel voices Dutch in the animated series "Motorcity" on Disney XD and Jay-Jay in the animated series WildGrinders on Nicktoons. Mitchell most recently made is directorial debut with a short film that he also wrote called, "She Is Not My Sister" & starred as "D-Rock" on the CW's new web series called, "Stupid Hype" alongside of "Heart of Dixie's" Wilson Bethel.
Music Career - In 1996 he was a featured rapper on IMX's Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 hit "Watch Me Do My Thing" as his "Good Burger" character, Ed. In 1997 he wrote and performed "Were All Dudes" feat Less then Jake, the title song for the "Good Burger" movie. In 1999 his rap group with his two childhood friends wrote and performed "Who Are Those Mystery Men" on the "Mystery Men" movie soundtrack. In 2000 He was a featured rapper on Youngstown's "Pedal to the Steel" for the Disney television movie "Alley Cat Strike". In 2006 he and Dru Hill's Jazz wrote and performed "Up the game" for the movie "Like Mike 2: Streetball", and in 2008 he wrote and performed "Pray Together" for the gospel film "Don't Touch If You Aint Prayed 2" He has also done several parodies of hit songs, Kel has parodied celebrities such as Prince, 50 Cent and Michael Jackson just to name a few on a DVD called "Kel Videos Live" and in 2009 Mitchell directed Pop Artist Colby O'Donis's music video "Let You Go". He has voiced and wrote music for the animated cartoon called "Freaknik: the Musical" executive produced by T-Pain on Adult Swim.
Philanthropist - Kel motivates kids by giving speeches at many junior high and high school's, he has a genuine interest in the youth and mentoring them to be future leaders. He is a spokesperson for and works with organizations like Nccsa: National Center for Child Safety and Awareness, The Boys & Girls Club, The National College Association from the producers of The Black College Expo, LA's Best After School Enrichment Program, Young Visionaries, Black Carson Chambers of Commerce and many more. Kel also host's a web-series called "Ask Pastor Zeigler" with his Pastor from Spirit Food Christian Center Church teaching youth how to use the words of the Bible and how to put there Godly faith to work. Mitchell also puts on a live dance competition each month for the inner city youth called "The Back House Party" he executive produces the show along with his wife, designer and Christian rap artist Asia Lee. They put on the show at "The Dream Center Gallery" located in Compton, California.
Mitchell was honored with a Cable Ace Award in 1997 for Best Actor in a comedy series for his work in the Nickelodeon series "Kenan and Kel" and also honored with a Kids Choice Award in 1999 for Best Actor in a comedy series for both Nickelodeon series "All That" and "Kenan and Kel". Mitchell later earned two Daytime Emmy Award nominations for his voice work as the lovable "T-Bone" in the award winning PBS series and book series "Clifford the Big Red Dog" in 2001 and again in 2002. Most recently, Mitchell provides voice work for his character as skateboarding germaphobe, "Jay-Jay" on the Rob Dyrdek creation & Nicktoons cartoon series, "Wild Grinders" and as cool teen mechanic "Dutch" on the Disney XD cartoon series "Motorcity".
Having a genuine understanding of today's youth and roots in kid's television, Mitchell speaks to youth across the country encouraging them to follow their dreams, to walk by faith and not by sight and live a Godly lifestyle. Kel is involved in putting on and hosting uplifting concerts in inner cities teaming up with major Gospel and Christian music artist. Mitchell is also the spokesperson for "The Black College Expo" providing numerous scholarships for students through out the year. Mitchell and his wife Asia Lee-Mitchell were recently honored with an award from the "Carson Black Chambers of Commerce" for their work in the city of Compton, California, providing a safe program for kids to show off their creative talents in a dance variety live show created by the couple called, "The Back House Party". Hopeful in reducing Bullying in school's, Mitchell has written and directed a faith-based film that both teachers and youth pastors use to teach their students about how to eliminate bullying by using the principles of forgiveness and unconditional love.
Mitchell is also a music video director. He directed the high-octane video called, "Battery". He directed this video for Clear sight music's Christian Pop artist "V.Rose" featuring Billboard top charting Christian hip-hop artist "Flame". Mitchell's recent acting in television includes, TV One's "Love That Girl" CW's "Stupid Hype", Disney's "Good Luck Charlie", "First Family" and BET's "The Game".- Actor
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Joe Mantegna is an American actor who has made over 200 film and TV appearances. He is also a producer, writer, and director, and is probably best known for his role as Joey Zasa in the Francis Ford Coppola epic The Godfather Part III (1990), in which he stars alongside Al Pacino and Andy Garcia.
Joseph Anthony Mantegna, Jr. was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Mary Anne (Novelli), a shipping clerk, and Joseph Anthony Mantegna, Sr., an insurance salesman. He is of Italian descent. Having obtained a degree in acting from the Goodman School of Drama and taken to the stage early on in life, it is no surprise that Joe has maintained a strong relationship with the playwright -turned- screenwriter-director David Mamet. They have collaborated on several projects. He also stars as SSA David Rossi on the long running TV drama Criminal Minds. (2005-)- Actress
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Daryl Christine Hannah was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois. She is the daughter of Susan Jeanne (Metzger), a schoolteacher and later a producer, and Donald Christian Hannah, who owned a tugboat/barge company. Her stepfather was music journalist/promoter Jerrold Wexler. Her siblings are Page Hannah, Don Hannah and Tanya Wexler. She has Scottish, Norwegian, Danish, Irish, English, and German ancestry.
Daryl graduated from the University of Southern California School of Theatre. She practiced ballet with Maria Tallchief and studied drama at Chicago's Goodman Theatre. In her twenties, she played keyboard and sang backup for Jackson Browne. Hannah, a tall (5' 10") blond beauty, with haunting blue-green eyes, was a natural for show biz.
She started with small roles, such as a student in The Fury (1978) and as Kim Basinger's kid sister in Hard Country (1981). Daryl's breakout role was as the acrobatic, beautiful replicant punk android Pris in Blade Runner (1982); Pris was the vixen who wanted to live beyond her allotted years and risked the wrath of the title character. Showing her versatility, from there she portrayed a mermaid, Madison, who falls in love with Tom Hanks's character in Ron Howard's zany comedy Splash (1983), and a Cro-Magnon in The Clan of the Cave Bear (1986). Hannah played Roxanne in the eponymous Steve Martins contemporary take on the Cyrano de Bergerac story, and co-starred as Elle Driver in Quintin Tarantino's box office hit Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004).
Hannah has been a consistent, strong supporter of independent cinema, both acting in and producing many films, starring in such indie films as John Sayles's Casa de los babys (2003) as well as his political satire Silver City (2004). She worked on several films with the revered Robert Altman, including The Gingerbread Man (1998), as well as several films with the Polish Brothers including Northfork (2003) and Jackpot (2001). Daryl starred in the experimental improvised Michael Radford film Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000) and made As a filmmaker, Hannah wrote, directed, and produced an award winning short film, entitled The Last Supper (1995). Hannah also directed, produced and shot the documentary Strip Notes (2002) which was inspired while researching her role for Dancing at the Blue Iguana (2000) that was shown on HBO and UK's Channel 4.
Daryl is in the process of shooting a documentary on Human Trafficking and has traveled undercover to South East Asia to document this atrocity and has become and advocates raising awareness and ending slavery. She has made over 40 video blogs for various websites including her popular dhlovelife.com. She designed dhlovelife.com (online since 2005) her website dedicated to sharing solutions on how to live more harmoniously with the planet and all other living things. Daryl has been passionate, committed and effective advocate for a more ethical relationship with each other and all life on the Planet. She has produced, hosted and shot numerous environmental awareness/ health documentaries, TV appearances and is a frequent speaker on both the conservative and progressive news.
Hannah has been a greening consultant for events such as the Virgin Music Festival, attended by over 150,000 people. Her many speaking engagements include keynote speeches at the UN Climate Change Summit, UN Global Business Conference on the environment, Natural and Organic Products Expo, LOHAS and numerous national and international universities, conferences and events. She has written articles on self sufficiency and sustainability for many magazines and has done a plethora of interviews on the topic in thousands of publications. The site features weekly five-minute inspirational video blogs which Daryl produces and films. There are daily news updates, alerts, community and access to goods and services. She is a member of the World Future Council, sits on the boards of the Sylvia Earle Alliance, Mission Blue, Eco America, Environmental Media Association (EMA), The Somaly Mam Foundation, and the Action Sports Environmental Coalition, She is the founder of the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance (SBA).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Terrence Howard was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Anita Jeanine Williams (née Hawkins) and Tyrone Howard. He was raised in Cleveland, Ohio. His love for acting came naturally, through summers spent with his great-grandmother, New York stage actress Minnie Gentry. He later began his acting career after being discovered on a New York City street by a casting director. Soon, he followed with several notable TV appearances on shows such as Living Single (1993), NYPD Blue (1993) and Soul Food (2000). He became well known for his lead role in the UPN TV series Sparks (1996).
Howard broke onto the big screen with his riveting performance in Mr. Holland's Opus (1995). Howard's most memorable performances to date are of scene-stealing characters such as "Cowboy" in the Hughes brother's film Dead Presidents (1995) and as "Quentin" in Malcolm D. Lee's Independent film The Best Man (1999). The latter earning him a NAACP Image Award, Independent Spirit Award nomination and a Chicago Film Critics Award nomination.
A self taught musician, Howard plays both the piano and the guitar. You can see Terrence display his musical talents opposite Jamie Foxx in this year's breakout film Ray (2004). A promising songwriter, Howard's lyrics are soon to be acquired by some of today's biggest artists.
In addition to his musical talents, Howard also has a strong interest in science.- Director
- Actor
- Producer
Robert Townsend transcends any medium he touches whether he's performing stand up, acting, writing, directing, producing, or running a television network. A Chicago native, Townsend is often referred to as one of the "Godfathers" of the Independent Film World." With over 30 years in the business, he has made an indelible mark in Hollywood with an extensive list of credits. Robert's genius first revealed itself in elementary school. As a kid Robert was always fascinated with television, watching and studying it tirelessly, he began to practice acting out scenes and impersonating famous characters. At his school during a reading of Shakespeare's Oedipus Rex he dazzled the class with his ability to transform effortlessly into character, as a result Robert's remarkable versatile talent as a young actor was born and caught the attention of Chicago's Experimental Bag Theatre. Robert made an unforgettable mark in his hometown of Chicago, where he went onto New York's renowned comedy club the Improvisation that initiated his career as a stand-up comedian. Then for Robert it was on to Hollywood, where he dabbled in a mixture of industries and found that with his versatile talent, he was able to adapt easily from being a comedian to a full-screen actor. Robert's first film appearance was (uncredited) in popular urban classic, Cooley High (1975). His break came while performing on various television comedy specials including Rodney Dangerfield: It's Not Easy Bein' Me (1986) and Uptown Comedy Express (1987). Although comedy had been his forte during the early part of his career, he knew he was destined to be on the big screen. He landed the role of a lifetime co-starring opposite Denzel Washington in A Soldier's Story (1984), and appeared with Diane Lane in Streets of Fire (1984) and Kevin Costner in American Flyers (1985).
Once in Hollywood, seeing the difficulty Black Actors had and the lack of good work available in the film industry, left a burning desire for Robert to step behind the camera. With his acting career in high gear, Robert's career took a turn for the best when Robert Townsend the "independent filmmaker" was born. He wanted to do something to fill this void and without formal film education or outside funding (he used his own credit cards to finance), Robert wrote, directed, produced and starred in his own first film. The result was the critically acclaimed Hollywood Shuffle (1987), a satire, depicting the trials and tribulations of Black Actors in Hollywood. The success of this film forced "Hollywood" to recognize and appreciate the visionary versatile talent of "Robert Townsend", Tinseltown's newest, talented actor and filmmaker.
Following the success of "Hollywood Shuffle," film projects continued to pour in. He was soon directing Eddie Murphy in Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987). His next film endeavor was the popular tearjerker classic The Five Heartbeats (1991)," a semi-autobiographical piece; reminiscent of the 60s R & B male groups and the ups and downs of the music industry. This classic continues to be a favorite amongst audiences and one of the most talked about films in the industry. The Meteor Man (1993) that he also wrote, directed and starred in included a stellar cast: James Earl Jones, Bill Cosby and Eddie Griffin.
In between features, Robert created and produced his ground breaking Cable Ace award-winning Partners in Crime (2005) variety specials for HBO and highly praised Townsend Television (1993) for FOX television. He also created and starred in the WB Network hit series The Parent 'Hood (1995).
Townsend has made history by being nominated for over 30 NAACP Image Awards for film and television. At the 2001 NAACP Image Awards he directed three performers nominated in the best actor/actress category in three different films: Leon, for his role in NBC's Little Richard (2000); Alfre Woodard in the Showtime Movie Holiday Heart (2000) (which also garnered her a Golden Globe nomination) and Natalie Cole for her gripping self-portrayal in Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story (2000) (for which she won the coveted Image Award for best actress). Townsend continued to helm films for the small screen: Carmen: A Hip Hopera (2001) for MTV Films, starring Beyoncé (one of the highest rated shows for MTV) and Image Award winner, 10,000 Black Men Named George (2002) for Showtime, a highly acclaimed period piece about the Pullman porter strike, starring Andre Braugher and Charles S. Dutton.
Robert has worked with some of the top talent in Hollywood including: Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Morgan Freeman, Alfre Woodard, Louis Gossett Jr., Keenen Ivory Wayans and Chris Tucker, just to name a few and is responsible for discovering many of Hollywood's A-List talent before they became household names. He is the mastermind behind many of Hollywood's favorite and best-remembered movies and hit series. Robert's body of work has been seen on MGM, Disney, Fox, NBC, HBO, WB and MTV.
While busy as a performer and filmmaker, Robert always makes time to participate in humanitarian efforts and speak to various organizations. As a longtime speaker for the United Negro College Fund and the NAACP, his concern for inner city youth takes him through out the country to inspire young people to follow their dreams. In addition, Robert shares his business expertise with various Fortune 500 companies. Townsend is also a spokesman for the Milken Family Fund an organization created to recognize outstanding educators in the country, and stress to children the importance of education and respect for teachers. He has traveled with The Milken Family Fund to Chicago, Boston, Sacramento, Philadelphia, Washington, DC and Los Angeles to recognize deserving teachers and inspire and motive students around the country.
Although he has many accolades, but none are more important than his family. His four children are the center of his heart. Following in his footsteps, his 3 daughters; Grace, Sierra and Skylar aka "The T Unit". They have received their first TV credit for the "B5 Christmas Special" aired on the BFC, a concept they came up with and pitched to their father. Despite his demanding schedule, Robert makes sure he spends quality time with his son, Max and his three daughters.
Always a pioneer, Townsend took the helm as President and CEO of Production for The Black Family Channel (BFC) creating and spearheading production for BFC's top rated shows. Where he ran the cable network for four years before it was sold to the Gospel Music Channel in the Spring of 2007. During his reign, he created unprecedented original programming for the network. Showing his unstoppable genius, in his short time as a television executive Townsend reached several milestones; he created over 15 new shows for the network with limited financing; of which two shows were nominated for a prestigious NAIMC Vision Award (National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications), The Thou$and Dollar Bee and Lisa Knight and the Round Table), and he was voted one of the Most Influential Minorities in Cable by Cable World Magazine.
Townsend has recently returned in front of the camera to star opposite Angela Bassett in the faith based film Of Boys and Men (2008). He has also directed Golden Globe winner Ving Rhames in a biopic about the troubled boxing legend Sonny Liston entitled Phantom Punch (2008). Townsend also directed Why We Laugh: Black Comedians on Black Comedy (2009), a comedy documentary on the history of African America Comedians from slavery to present, with interviews including such legends as Bill Cosby, Dick Gregory, Chris Rock and the Wayans. As a Hollywood Icon and humanitarian, Townsend's mission is to create quality programming for everyone to enjoy and to create a classic body of work that would be timeless.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Tempestt Bledsoe was born on 1 August 1973 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Cosby Show (1984), ParaNorman (2012) and N-Secure (2010).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Robin Tunney studied acting at the Chicago Academy for the Arts, spending her summer performing in such plays as "Bus Stop" and "Agnes of God". She moved to Los Angeles at the age of eighteen and shortly landed roles in such television shows as Life Goes On (1989), Class of '96 (1993) (recurring), Law & Order (1990), HBO's Dream On (1990) and the ABC mini-series J.F.K.: Reckless Youth (1993), in which she played "Kit Kennedy". The Craft (1996) was Tunney's first film lead though she has appeared in many supporting roles.- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Rawls was born on 1st December 1933 in Chicago, Illinois. His father abandoned his family and Lou was raised by his grandmother. His first meeting with music was when he was seven years old, in a Baptist church choir. He was mostly influenced by the Chicago Regal theatre where he had the opportunity to see the best in black entertainment. Billy Eckstine and Arthur Prysock were only two of the best that Lou saw. He and classmate, Sam Cooke, would harmonize in the school lavatory. He graduated from Dunbar Tech. School and joined the touring gospel singing group, the Pilgrim Travelers. He left the group in 1956 and joined the US Army and became a Sergeant with the Screaming Eagle Paratroopers. In 1958, he was involved in a serious auto accident that killed one and Rawls was pronounced dead on on the way to the hospital. Lou remained in a coma for over five days and suffered a memory loss for several months. Sam Cooke was also in the automobile and was left uninjured. Rawls was first noticed by Capitol Records producer Nick Benet after noticing his four octave range while performing at a Pandora's Los Angeles coffee shop. He went on to perform at a number of LA clubs and later made his debut at the Hollywood Bowl in 1959 with Dick Clark. He went solo in 1964 and has won four Grammys. In the mid 70s, he joined the Anheuser Busch Brewery as a corporate spokesman. Since 1980, he has presented a series of world wide concerts for American military bases that were co-sponsored by Anheuser Busch, the USO, and the US Dept. Of Defense. During Christmas of 1983, he toured US bases in the Phillipines, Korea and Japan. He has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for black colleges and, every year, he sponsors a celebrity golf tournament in LA to raise money for the United Negro College Fund. South Wentworth Street in Chicago was renamed Lou Rawls Drive in his honor. The talented Rawls is also the singing voice of the animated fickle feline "Garfield".- Actress
- Director
- Producer
A performer since childhood, performer, writer, producer and director T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh (Ta-Kee-ah Kristle Kee-Mah) studied theater, dance, voice, and pantomime in high school, then turned down a business scholarship to complete her studies at Florida A&M University with a degree in Theatre, co-oping at Florida State University to graduate, with honors, on time. After college, the Chicago native worked as a singer, dancer and actress, and won the title of Miss Black Illinois before placing 1st runner-up in the Miss Black America pageant. She moved to Los Angeles after wowing casting directors with her original performance piece, "In Black World..." in an open call for a pilot on a young television network.
That pilot turned out to be Fox's groundbreaking, internationally successful, Emmy and TV Land Award winning sketch comedy show In Living Color. The only female to star in all five seasons, Keymáh delivered hilarious, spot on impressions like those of Whoopi Goldberg and 'Edith Bunker,' created a slew of iconic characters like Hilda Headley (Hey Mon), and Shawanda Harvey (Go On Girl), and brought her own characters such as Cryssy (In Black World) and LaShawn to the show. On the heels of In Living Color, she went on to guest star on several live action and animated shows, and went on to star in six other series, playing: sexy contractor Scotti Decker on ABC's On Our Own; laid back television writer Denise Everett on Fox's The Show; a dozen lead and guest character voices on Damon Wayans's animated series Waynehead; flight attendant turned lawyer, turn pastry chef turned teacher Erica Lucas, on CBS's Cosby; firm, fun, caring mom Tanya Baxter, on Disney's That's So Raven, and Johnny Carson's gate-keeping secretary on Seeso's There's Johnny.
Growing up in the theater, Keymáh has managed to find her way to a stage between and even during her television and film projects. She did two runs and toured the country with her award winning solo show, "Some of My Best Friends." Her other self penned stage projects include "T'Keyah Live... Mostly: A True Variety Show," "Sellout!?!," and "Don't Get Me Started." She produced all of her shows and Margaret Laurena Kemp's "Creative Instructions,'" and self directed most her shows as well as Keisha Nickole's "S.I.S.T.E.R.," the world premiere of "Route 66: Finding Nat King Cole" at Amun Ra Theatre, and more recently, Pearl Cleage's "The Nacirema Society Requests the Honor of Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First One Hundred Years" at Florida A&M University. Her regional stage credits include "A Raisin in the Sun," "Miss Evers' Boys," "Love Letters," "The Five Heartbeats Live," "The Piano Lesson," and "Crowns."
Wearing her hair naturally on television since her days on In Living Color, when doing so was rare, Keymáh has inspired a generation of women to follow her lead. In her popular coffee table book, Natural Woman / Natural Hair, the author lovingly demonstrates how to style African American natural hair and shares her experiences wearing her hair naturally on television. She is delighted that so many young women all over the world look to her as a natural hair icon. "What really gets me though, are the single and weekend dads and interracial families that my book has helped, and the older women that credit me with their natural hair conversions," Keymáh says.
After more than twenty years of constant work on stage, television and film, Keymáh's life changed direction completely when her grandmother became seriously ill. Throughout the run of That's So Raven, Keymáh was in charge of the care of the woman who raised her, who was then suffering from Alzheimer's disease. She made the most of her time on the show, made lasting friendships with the cast, acquired another generation of fans world wide, and even directed an episode. At the end of her final season on the show, however, the actress decided to take a break from performing to focus on her grandmother, and see her through her transition.
Keymáh now stars on "The Cool Crystal Show," a cultural magazine styled variety show on her own online platform, The Keymáh Network (www.Keymah.com). Her answer to the 2020 global pandemic, the show got such a great response the the performer / writer / producer is now in preproduction for the second season. Her newest book is, "Cycle of Love: 28 Days of Organization, Rejuvenation and Meditation for Inspired Self Care."- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Salli Richardson-Whitfield is a 30-year industry veteran. She has been featured in 20+ major motion pictures and has starred opposite a number of Hollywood's top actors, including Samuel L. Jackson in 'The Great White Hype', Denzel Washington in 'Antwone Fisher', and Will Smith in 'I Am Legend'. On television, Salli starred in the long-running SYFY network hit series 'Eureka' as well as three seasons of 'Stitchers' on Freeform. Her acting resume includes dozens of popular series, highlighted by 'Criminal Minds', 'Bones', 'House MD', 'NYPD Blue', 'Castle', 'Being Mary Jane', and 'CSI: Miami'.
Changing gears to a role behind the camera, Salli has established herself as a director and producer. Ava DuVernay was one of the first to recognize Salli's skill as director, offering Salli two back-to-back episodes of the first season of 'Queen Sugar'. Her now incredibly extensive directing resume includes Amazon's 'Wheel of Time', Hulu's 'Reprisal', Apple's 'See', Netflix's 'Dear White People', 'Luke Cage', 'The Punisher', and 'Altered Carbon', Starz' 'American Gods' and 'Survivor's Remorse', Showtime's 'The Chi', ABC's 'Scandal' and 'Black-ish', Fox's 'Lethal Weapon', Freeform's 'Shadowhunters', BET's 'Rebel', SYFY'S 'The Magicians', 'Eureka', 'Black Lightening', and The CW's 'All American'.
Salli's work is award-nominated for a NAACP Award for Outstanding Directing In A Drama Series for 'Luke Cage', for a Hugo Award nomination for her work on 'Wheel of Time', and for a Black Reel Award for directing 'Black-ish'. She won the AAFCA Best TV Directing Award for her work on HBO's 'The Gilded Age'. Most recently, she won two The Gracies' 2024 awards for Director - Drama ('Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty') and Producer - Entertainment ('The Gilded Age').
Salli's successful run as a director and producer was punctuated by the announcement of her first Overall Deal with HBO for whom she Directed and Executive Produced Julian Fellowes' period drama series 'The Gilded Age' and also directed the final two episodes of the first season of Adam McKay's critically acclaimed series 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty'. Salli has since renewed her relationship with HBO and HBO Max with a long-term Overall Deal. Since then, she has served as Executive Producer on season two of 'Winning Time' and season two of 'The Gilded Age', to much success. She is an Executive Producer and Director on HBO's Brad Ingelsby Task Force Limited Series starring Mark Ruffalo.- Music Artist
- Producer
- Actress
Jennifer Kate Hudson was born on September 12, 1981 in Chicago, Illinois to Darnell Donerson (née Hudson) & Samuel Simpson. She is an Academy Award-winning actress, Grammy Award-winning recording artist and best-selling author. This bright, beautiful and booming-voiced talent is a perfect example of how NOT winning the title of American Idol (2002) can still be a superstar boon to your career and not the disappointment of a life time.
She earned minor attention as one of the twelve finalists on the third season of the FOX TV series in 2004, but finished an underwhelming sixth runner-up. Hudson grew up singing in gospel choirs, acting in community theater productions, singing on cruise ships and touring for in Disney's "Hercules: The Musical." With no formal musical training, her raw vocal power initially pleased the panel of Idol judges and she, Fantasia Barrino and La Toya London were initially promoted as the show's very own "Dreamgirls" and were expected to be the final three standing at the end of the competition. Surprisingly, all three were midway placed in the bottom group at one point, and Jennifer was cut from the pack. Fantasia eventually won the competition and, seemingly, all the glory and the fame.
Hudson appeared with the "American Idol" summer tour and performed on the road in concerts over the next two years. When it was time to audition for the coveted role of "Effie Melody White" in the long-awaited film version of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls (2006), among Jennifer's competition would be Fantasia herself. This time Jennifer was the winner and earned the right to play the coveted role. Immediately ordered to gain weight for the role, the film was loosely based on the real-life pursuits of The Supremes, with the character of Effie taking on the tragic form of the group's ill-fated co-founder Florence Ballard (1943-1976), but with a far less tragic ending.
Jennifer's performance became the most triumphant musical film debut since Barbra Streisand in Funny Girl (1968). Making the role her own, she delivered the same heart-breaking, gut-wrenching one-two punch that made Jennifer Holliday, who originated the role on stage, the toast of the Broadway scene in 1981. It was no easy task to outshine both Beyoncé and Eddie Murphy in one movie, but Jennifer was the movie's heart and soul and easily won over the critics. She went on to win not only the Oscar, Golden Globe, British Film, New York Film Critics and National Board of Review awards for "Best Supporting Actress," she picked up nearly every film critic's award there was to be had!
Hudson's meteoric rise made quite an impact in the world of music with the successful release of both her Sony/Arista Records albums. Her 2008 debut, self-titled record debuted at #2 on the "Billboard Hot 100" and won a Grammy Award for "Best R & B Album, and her sophomore album, "I Remember Me," also debuted at #2 and went on to win three awards at the 2009 NAACP Image Awards including "Best Album." Her third album, 2014's "JHUD," released by RCA, was a highly successful throwback to 70's inspired R&B.
Continuing to distinguish herself on the large screen, Jennifer began things off featured in the film version of Sex and the City (2008) with Sarah Jessica Parker. She then played the concerned daughter of compulsive gambler Forest Whitaker in the drama Winged Creatures (2008); earned a NAACP Image Award nomination for her moving effort in the tender drama The Secret Life of Bees (2008); portrayed Winnie Mandela opposite Terrence Howard's Nelson in the biopic Winnie Mandela (2011); co-starred with Whitaker again and Angela Bassett in the family Christmas drama Black Nativity (2013); co-starred as an amateur singer taken in by talent agent Adam Sandler in the romantic comedy Sandy Wexler (2017); appeared as Grizabella in the film version of the hit musical Cats (2019); and was given the opportunity to play the "Queen of Soul" herself, Aretha Franklin, in the biopic Respect (2021). Back in 2013, she was honored, at such a young stage, with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
On TV, Jennifer has played the recurring roles of Veronica Moore in the musical series Smash (2012) and Michelle White in the dramatic series Empire (2015). She also was given the distinction of playing and singing the role of Motormouth Maybelle in the live TV movie Hairspray Live! (2016).
As for other special live performances over the years, Jennifer was invited to sing the national anthem at the Super Bowl XLVIII in Tampa, Florida on February 1, 2009. It would be her first live performance since the October 24, 2008 family tragedy of losing mother Darnell and older brother Jason in a domestic shooting incident. In January of 2013, she was asked to perform at the Obama Presidential Inaugural Ball and in 2019, was invited to sing the nominated song "I'll Fight" from the movie RBG (2018), a documentary chronicling the life and career of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
Honored at VH1's Do Something Awards for her charitable work and also the recipient of the Samsung Galaxy Impact Award at Variety's Power of Women luncheon with the Samsung Galaxy Impact Award, Jennifer, along with her sister Julia Hudson, founded The Julian D. King Gift Foundation in 2009, as a catalyst for change in children's health, education and welfare. The Foundation exists to provide stability, support and positive experiences for children of all backgrounds so that they will become productive, confident and happy adults.
Expanding her talents in the arts, Hudson added author to her list of accomplishments in January 2012 with the release her New York Times best-selling memoir, "I Got This: How I Changed My Ways, Found Myself and Lost Everything that Weighed Me Down."- Actor
- Producer
Steve Harris is the son of John, a bus driver, and Mattie, a housewife, who stressed his and younger brother, Sherwin's education over his love for football. Steve attended St. Joseph High in Westchester, Illinois, a private school known for developing star athletes such as basketball star Isiah Thomas and was featured in the documentary Hoop Dreams (1994). Steve played running back. He then played linebacker for Northern Illinois University, where he also studied drama. His football career ended with a torn ankle ligament. He completed his studies in 1992, earning a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Theater from the Professional Theatre Training Program at the University of Delaware.- Actress
- Producer
- Composer
Da Brat was born on 14 April 1974 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Wasabi (2001), Bad Boys (1995) and Big Momma's House (2000). She has been married to Jesseca Dupart since 2022.- Actor
- Composer
- Producer
Clifton Davis was born on October 4, 1945, in Chicago. His career spans forty years. He is a minister and songwriter as well as an actor. He performed as a student at Pine Forge Academy in Pennsylvania (from which he graduated in 1963) as a singer and as an orator, and those performances accustomed him to appearing in front of an audience. He and a classmate composed the class song.
At the age of twenty-one, while working as a video engineer at ABC Television, Davis saw his first-ever Broadway show--"Apple Tree," which starred Alan Alda. Davis was astounded by its humor and realism and says that is when he knew he wanted to be a performer. Within a few months he had quit his full-time job and auditioned for and won a part in the Broadway production of "Hello Dolly." He won a Tony nomination for his role in the Broadway show "Two Gentleman of Verona." Renee Valente saw his performance in that show, and two years later cast Davis as the star of the show "That's My Mama," launching his television career.
Davis's songwriting was encouraged by Gloria Jones and Judd Walden. His song "Never Can Say Goodbye" proved to be a major hit for the Jackson Five. In the late 1970s, his career slowed and he dabbled in drugs before experiencing a spiritual rebirth. In 1981, he left Hollywood for approximately five years while he acquired a bachelor's degree in theology and a master's degree in divinity and became a licensed minister. Not long after completing his second degree, he won the part of the minister in the sitcom "Amen."
Since 1991, Clifton Davis has guest-starred on several sitcoms, hosted many award shows, appeared in several films and hosted a show on TBN. In 2011, Davis returned to his theater roots, appearing in "What My Husband Doesn't Know", the Broadway Tour of "Wicked" and appeared on Broadway as Sultan in Disney's "Aladdin". He is also a motivational speaker who enjoys helping others and bringing hope and prosperity into their lives.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
T.C. Carson was born and raised in Chicago. He was always encouraged by his family to pursue his dream of becoming a professional performer. He started by performing in many plays and musicals such as "The Wiz", "Dreamgirls" and "Ain't Misbehavin". His stage work earned him awards and credit.- Actor
- Producer
Cory Hardrict was born on 9 November 1979 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for American Sniper (2014), Brotherly Love (2015) and November Criminals (2017). He was previously married to Tia Mowry.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Armed with an acid dry wit and a full arsenal of sarcasm and sass, African-American character comedienne Marla Gibbs showed up on 1970s television with a bang in middle age (44). Landing the feisty maid role on the popular ground-breaking CBS sitcom The Jeffersons (1975), eventually led to her very own sitcom 227 (1985) a decade later and international celebrity. A divorced mother with three children (Angela Elayne Gibbs, Dorian Gibbs, Joseph Gibbs) at the time of her initial success, it was a job transfer from Detroit to Los Angeles, while working as a United Airlines reservation clerk, that set up this more-than-welcome surprise and change of destiny.
Born in Chicago on June 14, 1931, Marla attended Peters Business School (1950-1952) following high school and toiled for a time as a receptionist and switchboard operator in the Detroit area. Eventually, she secured work with United Airlines. After moving to Southern California on a transfer, Marla gave acting a try and initially studied at the Mafundi Institute and Watts Writers Workshop, located in the Watts area of L.A.
Bitten hard by the acting bug, Marla went on to appear in a number of local productions, including "Medea", "The Amen Corner" and "The Gingerbread Lady". After only a couple of minor film roles, including the blaxploitation film, Black Belt Jones (1974), she nabbed the role of Florence Johnston and television stardom.
On The Jeffersons (1975), the role of Florence, the maid, was initially set up as a mere one-shot guest role but Marla showed the character's potential. And, so it came to be that Florence Johnston became THE scene-stealing foil to Sherman Hemsley's equally mouthy, money-minded George Jefferson. Until the sitcom became a certified hit, Marla cautiously kept her job with the Airlines. However, with wisecracks and Emmy Award nominations (totaling 5) a plenty, Marla never really had to look back. The role of Florence was a natural for a spin-off series and it happened with the sitcom, Checking In (1981), in which the character becomes a housekeeper for a very swanky hotel. However, the sitcom was harmed by a writer's strike before it could gain a core audience. Fortunately for Marla, she was ushered right back into the Jefferson household following its quick demise (four episodes). Two months after the last "Jeffersons" episode aired in July 1985, 227 (1985) was included in that year's fall schedule.
Daughter Angela Elayne Gibbs produced an award-winning play by Christine Houston entitled "227", with Marla as the lead, at Marla's own local Crossroads Theatre, which the actress founded in 1981. The award-winning play was a solid hit and Marla wisely purchased the television rights. Once "The Jeffersons" was over, she pushed for "227" as a sitcom vehicle. Producer Norman Lear gave it the green light and Marla settled right back in for another popular series ride (for NBC), this time as resident gossip Mary Jenkins, whose demeanor was warmer and more approachable than the feisty Florence Johnson. This sitcom, which featured spitfire Jackée Harry as vampish neighbor Sandra Clark, ran for five years.
An eight-time NAACP Image Award winner, Marla has received several honors over the years, including Essence Woman of the Year. She has not carried a series since "227", but has been seen from time to time on other popular shows, including ER (1994), Cold Case (2003), Chappelle's Show (2003), Judging Amy (1999), Touched by an Angel (1994), The King of Queens (1998) and Dawson's Creek (1998). She has also had recurring roles on daytime (Passions (1999)) as well as prime-time (Pryor's Place (1984), The Hughleys (1998)) and gave a knowing portrayal as Natalie Cole's mother in the heart-warming television movie, Lily in Winter (1994).
In later years, Marla turned up again on the big screen with plucky roles in Up Against the Wall (1991), The Meteor Man (1993), Lost & Found (1999), Foolish (1999), Border to Border (1998), The Brothers (2001), and standout roles in The Visit (2000) and Stanley's Gig (2000).
Elsewhere, Marla's voice has been heard on the animated series 101 Dalmatians: The Series (1997) and, in addition to acting, sang the theme song to the film Stanley's Gig (2000), "In the Memory of You", which will be included on a CD, entitled "Scenes In Jazz". Marla owned a jazz club for some time in South Central L.A. called "Marla's Memory Lane, a jazz and supper club that ran from 1981 to 1999. She released her own CD of music, "It's Never Too Late", in May 2006, and co-wrote with Ray Colcord, the theme song to her starring series "227".
Into the millennium, Marla suffered both personal and professional setbacks. Her older sister, Susie Garrett, who co-starred on the hit sitcom Punky Brewster (1984), died of cancer in 2002. A few years later, in 2006, Marla suffered a small aneurysm followed by a stroke. She recovered and made a gradual comeback as a guest on such TV shows as Lincoln Heights (2006), House of Payne (2006), Mr. Box Office (2012), Scandal (2012), Hot in Cleveland (2010), The Blexicans (2015), American Horror Story (2011), This Is Us (2016), Black-ish (2014), NCIS (2003), Bless This Mess (2019) and the revamped One Day at a Time (2017). At one point, she played the recurring role of Grandma Eddy on the comedy series The First Family (2012) which starred her old "227" castmate Jackée Harry. On stage, Marla appeared in such comedies as "Boeing, Boeing" and was featured in such comedy films as C'mon Man (2012), Madea's Witness Protection (2012), Grantham & Rose (2014), Lemon (2017), Please Stand By (2017), Love Jacked (2018) and She Ball (2020).- Actor
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Harry Lennix is an accomplished film, television, and stage actor. His recent credits include Warner Bros.' "Man of Steel", The CW's "Emily Owens, M.D.", Fox's "Dollhouse," HBO's "Little Britain," as well as the critically acclaimed series "24" as Walid Al-Rezani.
Harry Joseph Lennix III was born November 16, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois, to Lillian C. (Vines), a laundress, and Harry Lennix, Jr., a machinist. He is of African-American and Louisiana Creole descent. He was not always certain he wanted to be an actor. An A student, he decided to act in his high school's play while he waited for the baseball season to begin. Lennix attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he was recognized in "Who's Who Among American College Students." He majored in Acting and Direction at Northwestern and upon graduation stayed teaching in Chicago for a bit, before moving to New York, and from there to Los Angeles, California.
He has appeared in a veritable bevy of movies and guest-starring roles in many popular television shows such as ER (1994), Diagnosis Murder (1993), Century City (2004), and House (2004).
Lennix made his Broadway debut in August Wilson's Tony nominated play, Radio Golf. He was seen on the big screen in Working Title's "State of Play." In 2006, Lennix starred in the Golden Globe nominated ABC show "Commander in Chief" as Jim Gardner, the Chief of Staff. His other appearances include the Oscar winning film "Ray," "The Matrix: Reloaded," and "The Matrix: Revolutions." Lennix received critical acclaim and a Golden Satellite Award as Aaron in Julie Taymor's "Titus" starring Anthony Hopkins. A host of other film credits include "Across the Universe," "Barbershop 2," and "Love and Basketball." Lennix starred his as the legendary Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. in Showtime's "Keep The Faith Baby," for which he won a Black Reel Award and was nominated for both an NAACP Image Award and a Golden Satellite Award. He continued to make his presence known with recurring roles on "ER" and "Diagnosis Murder" and other guest starring appearances on shows such as "Law & Order: Los Angeles." Lennix has directed and appeared in stage productions across the country, including the Northlight Theater Company's production of Permanent Collection, at the Greenway Arts Alliance in Los Angeles. Under his directing consultation, it was remounted at Los Angeles' Kirk Douglas Theater.
He directed the stage version of Robert Townsend's The Five Heartbeats, which received 3 NAACP Theater Award nominations and The Glass Menagerie for the Steppenwolf Theater Company. As a stage actor, Lennix was the first distinguished recipient of an Ollie Award for his portrayal of Malcolm X at the Goodman Theater in Chicago and two Joseph Jefferson Citations for his roles in Ma Rainey's Black Bottom and Caught in the Act. He also starred as King Hedley II, another play by August Wilson, at the Mark Taper Forum. In 2001, he was part of the first American company to be invited to the Royal Shakespeare Company in the production of Cymbeline. Lennix has also been extremely active in his native Chicago community where he was an English and music teacher before becoming an actor.
He founded Legacy Productions with renowned director Chuck Smith in 1989. The company is dedicated to promoting significant works about the African American experience. He is on the staff of the Goodman Theater Co. He also is active in various civic groups and is on the Advisory Council for his alma mater, Northwestern University.
He resides in Los Angeles. Harry has two older brothers and an older sister, and often returns to Chicago to visit his remaining family.- Actress
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LisaRaye McCoy-Misick was born September 23, 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. She is of African American and Native American descent and is proud of her heritage. She later attended Eastern Illinois University but she never really took the idea of a career in acting seriously until persuaded by an insistent roommate to attend a local audition in Chicago. Her screen debut was in the low-budget action movie Reasons (1996), she received numerous critical kudos despite the fact that the film went largely unseen. LisaRaye is known for possessing a charmingly seductive smile and a distinctively vibrant but laid-back personality. She first caught the eye of television viewers with an appearance on the popular television series In the House (1995). Though the movie never did find a distributor, director Monty Ross convinced the budding young actress to move out to L.A. during pilot season, and she soon landed minor roles on such shows as Martin (1992) and In the House (1995). She also made an appearance in rapper Tupac Shakur's final music video, her memorable appearance caught the eye of rapper/actor Ice Cube, which led to her being in the movie The Players Club (1998). Her memorable performance as a troubled stripper left a solid impression on audiences. Her appearances thus far were impressive, but LisaRaye's career truly began to ignite after her appearance in the movie The Wood (1999). In 2000, LisaRaye found her widest audience yet as the host of Source: All Access (2002), a popular series dedicated to exploring hip-hop culture. She quickly gained a loyal following with her winning smile and extensive knowledge of all things hip-hop. As film roles continued to roll in, she came across her biggest role to date in the 2002 film Civil Brand (2002). A harrowing look into life in women's prison, the film took home top awards at both the American Black Film Festival and The Urbanworld Film Festival. Soon following her little sister Da Brat into a career in music, LisaRaye next began collaborating with Benzino to record a song to be featured in the film Redemption (2004). 2003 proved an equally lucrative year for LisaRaye as she prepared for the release of the Barry Levinson comedy Envy (2004), the female-driven Western Guns and Roses (2000), and her new sitcom, All of Us (2003) which was ran from 2003-2007.- Iconic actress Beverly Todd has distinguished herself on Broadway, the London stage, television and film. A People's Choice Award winner and a four-time nominee of the prestigious NAACP Image Award, Ms. Todd's work dates back to the 1970s in film roles opposite her mentor Sidney Poitier in The Lost Man, They Call Me Mr. Tibbs, and Brother John. In the '80s she starred with Richard Pryor in Moving, Whoopi Goldberg in Clara's Heart, and Morgan Freeman in the film classic, Lean on Me.
She has a long list of television appearances including the PBS Television Special, Six Characters in Search of an Author, which was the first time the leading role of Stepdaughter was played by an actress of color, Roots, Don't Look Back opposite Louis Gossett, Jr., Lifetime's, Taken From Me, opposite Taraji P. Henson, Hope and Redemption, with major guest stars roles on Six Feet Under, Criminal Minds and Grey's Anatomy, to name a few. Most recently, she booked a recurring role on the second season of Queen Sugar.
Film credits include leads in Ava DuVernay's I Will Follow, Paul Haggis's Academy Award Best Picture winner Crash and Rob Reiner's The Bucket List. She also stars in the soon to be released features The Reason opposite Louis Gossett, Jr. and Drive Me to Vegas and Mars, directed and written by Sidney J. Furie. - Actress
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Ella Joyce was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Set It Off (1996), Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (2013) and Bubba Ho-Tep (2002). She has been married to Dan Martin since 22 June 1989.- Actor
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Michael Peña was born and raised in Chicago, to Nicolasa, a social worker, and Eleuterio Peña, who worked at a button factory. His parents were originally from Mexico. After graduating from high school, he went to an open casting call for the Peter Bogdanovich feature To Sir, with Love II (1996), and to his surprise, beat out hundreds of other young men for a role. After relocating to Los Angeles Peña quickly booked a succession of roles in features including Star Maps, My Fellow Americans (1996) (opposite Jack Lemmon and James Garner), La Cucaracha (1998) (winner of the Best Picture in the Austin Film Festival), Bellyfruit (1999), and the Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer feature Gone in 60 Seconds (2000). Michael resides in Los Angeles, where he plays bass guitar with his band, plays golf, and boxes for relaxation.- Actor
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Craig Robinson is an African-American actor, singer, musician and comedian who is known for portraying Darryl Philbin from The Office, LeVar Brown from The Cleveland Show, Doug Judy from Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Cookie from Shrek Forever After, himself from This Is The End, and Nick Webber-Agnew from Hot Tub Time Machine. He also worked in several films that starred Seth Rogen including Sausage Party and Pineapple Express.- Actor
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Antwon Tanner was born on 14 April 1975 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Coach Carter (2005), Never Die Alone (2004) and Chase (2010).- Actor
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Rondell Sheridan was born on 15 August 1958 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Cory in the House (2007), That's So Raven (2003) and Another Assembly (2014).- Actor
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Harris was born Sherwin David Harris in Chicago, Illinois, to John and Mattie Harris. However, he works under his nickname, "Wood". Attended New York University Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School. Has performed in many films and various stage productions including plays by August Wilson, William Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams. He is one of the stars of the HBO series The Wire (2002), which was recently chosen by Time magazine as one of best TV shows of all time. He is regarded as one of the best actors of his generation. Wood is the younger brother of Steve Harris, star of the ABC legal drama The Practice (1997). Wood, like his brother, splits his time between New York and California.- Actor
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Born on July 18, 1979 in Chicago, Illinois, Jason Weaver has always been surrounded by the world of entertainment. His mother Kitty Haywood, a legendary studio singer, was a staple in his young life and encouraged his pursuit of singing as well as acting. In being surrounded by the some of the best entertainers to date, Jason learned some of the most intricate works of the industry and found himself even more intrigued and driven in his goal of stardom.
Weaver got his break in acting as a kid named Ernie, in the movie, "The Kid Who Loved Christmas". By the age of 12, Jason had appeared in two other projects; "The Long Walk Home", a film by Whoopi Goldberg and "Brewster's Place", a television series produced by Oprah Winfrey. Having been successful in his previous three roles, it was imminent that this young man's career would be of legendary status. In 1992, Weaver landed the role of a lifetime. He was cast to play the young and most talented Michael Jackson in the small screen film, "The Jackson's: An American Dream." This made for television movie garnered him raved reviews and proved to be a launching pad for other areas of his career.
1993 branded Weaver in one of the two most notable roles of his career. Playing alongside Brandy in the television series "Thea", Jason continued his acting success until the abrupt cancellation of the show later that year. Weaver landed a role in one of the top Disney film's in 1994. Jason was blessed with the opportunity to display his other talent; singing. He graced us with his passionate sound as the singing voice of Simba in the box office hit, "The Lion King". In 1997, he continued his on screen success as teenage sibling, Marcus Henderson, in the hit television series "Smart Guy".
After a two year hiatus, Jason was back at it with a role in the civil rights movie, "Freedom Song", starring Danny Glover and Loretta Divine, to name a few. The turn of the millennium also brought about a huge turn in Weaver's career. In 2002, he enjoyed a highly successful role as Earnest in the mega hit movie "Drumline", opposite Nick Cannon. The movie was set in Jason's hometown of Atlanta. In 2004, Weaver followed the success of "Drumline" with a role in "The Lady Killers", starring Tom Hank.
In 2006, Jason Weaver was back in Atlanta to shoot "ATL", starring T.I. The Chris Robinson film was set in a roller rink and depicted the life of a teenage male that deals with the everyday struggles of finance, school, and friendship, but finds solace in a female that he meets at the roller rink he frequents. Let it be known that TI's female costar is not as she appears. The movie was a huge box office success.
In addition to Jason's enormous success as an actor, he sets his site on his other love, music. After releasing only one of his two albums with Motown in the early 90s, Weaver enjoyed short lived success from "Love Ambition". He has since refocused his energy and dedication to long hours in the studio in pursuit of his musical dreams. The 2004 hit, "One Call Away" by Chingy, featured a rejuvenated Weaver singing the hook. This single topped the Billboard 100 chart at #2 in the U.S and #26 in the UK. In late 2006, Jason worked with BG on his new album and did several collaborations with close friend and super producer/writer Roger "Mista Raja" Green on his album, "Chip off the Ol' Block", due to be released in mid 2007.
With Weaver's long list of accomplishments in his star career, many power hitters in the entertainment industry suggest that this Hollywood story is only at its midpoint. Jason is set to release his second album, entitled, "Declaration of Independance", in early summer 2007.- Writer
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Ali LeRoi was born on 12 February 1962 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Everybody Hates Chris (2005), The Obituary of Tunde Johnson (2019) and Head of State (2003).- Actor
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Jesse Wesley Williams born August 5, 1981 is a former high school teacher and activist turned actor/director. He's best known for his role as Dr. Jackson Avery on the ABC Television series Grey's Anatomy and his advocacy for the disenfranchised, highlighted by his internationally resonant acceptance speech for his 2016 BET Humanitarian Award. He also appears in the hit 2013 film Lee Daniels' The Butler as real life civil rights leader Rev. James Lawson. Previous roles include Holden in The Cabin in the Woods (2012), Officer Eddie Quinlan in Brooklyn's Finest (2009), as Leo, Lena's boyfriend, in the film sequel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008) and as Isaac "Ike" Singer in Jacob's Ladder (2019).- Actress
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Gloria Foster will always be best known for her performance as The Oracle in The Matrix (1999) and The Matrix Reloaded (2003), but the actress's career spanned four decades on the stage and screen.
Born on November 15, 1933 in Chicago, Illinois, Foster was put in the custody of her grandparents and raised on a farm. She returned to Chicago to attend the University of Illinois. Acting was not a focus until she was accepted at the city's distinguished Goodman Theatre. She performed on stages around the city before heading to New York City in the early 1960s.
In New York, her first stage role was in "A Raisin in the Sun". She won an Obie Award for her next performance in the play "In White America", where she portrayed 27 different characters. Life Magazine dedicated a two-page article on Foster. More roles followed as her fans grew in number; quite often, roles were being written expressly for her. By the end of her career, she would win 2 more Obies, for a later performance of "A Raisin in the Sun" and the Broadway production of "Having Our Say" in 1995.
Foster's first film role was in The Cool World (1963); during production set met actor-director Clarence Williams III, and the couple soon married. (They later divorced, and Foster never remarried.)
Her film work was limited, with roles in Nothing But a Man (1964), The Comedians (1967), The Angel Levine (1970), Man and Boy (1971), Leonard Part 6 (1987), City of Hope (1991), and the aforementioned Matrix appearances. She worked a bit more on television, with appearances throughout the years on I Spy (1965), Mod Squad (1968), The Bill Cosby Show (1969), The White Shadow (1978), The Cosby Show (1984), Law & Order (1990) (her character here was based on Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X's widow), and Soul Food (2000). She appeared in the TV movies The House of Dies Drear (1984) and the Golden Globe-nominated Separate But Equal (1991).
She returned to the stage in 1995 in "Having Our Say", co-starring with Mary Alice, who would take her place as The Oracle in The Matrix Revolutions (2003).
On September 29, 2001, she died of complications from diabetes. She was 67.- Actor
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Mel Jackson was born on 13 October 1970 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Abduction of Jesse Bookman (2008), Clinic (2023) and Little Richard (2000).- Actress
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Drew Sidora was born on 1 May 1985 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Step Up (2006), Wild Hogs (2007) and White Chicks (2004). She has been married to Ralph Pittman since 21 August 2014. They have two children.- Actress
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Janet Louise Hubert was born in Chicago, IL. She is best known for playing the sassy, witty, outgoing, protective mom on the hit TV sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990).
Janet Hubert spent most of her childhood growing up in Momence, IL. That changed when she won a scholarship to Julliard School in New York City. After Juilliard, Janet studied all forms of dance and studied with some of the best teachers including Alvin Ailey and David Howard. She debuted on Broadway in "The First". She went on to do shows such as "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and "Dancin'", and was a member of the original Broadway cast of "CATS", where she created the role of Tantomile, and was the understudy for Betty Buckley, singing the title role, in New York City. However, her most memorable role came in 1990 when she made her TV debut in "Fresh Prince". She has since guest-starred on numerous shows, including Gilmore Girls (2000), Friends (1994), The Bernie Mac Show (2001) and Tales from the Crypt (1989). She has also appeared on the Tyler Perry hit House of Payne (2006). Janet has been battling osteoporosis and has recently became an ambassador for the National Osteoporosis Foundation.
Janet will forever be known as a versatile actress, dancer and singer. She was, to many, a woman who stood her ground, much like that of her character on "Fresh Prince"--the strong-willed yet elegant, original, one and only Vivian Banks.- Actor
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Isaac "Ike" Barinholtz, born February 18, 1977, is an American actor, comedian, voice actor and writer, known as a cast member on Mad TV (1995), from 2002-2007, and for his roles on The Mindy Project (2012) and Eastbound & Down (2009). He spent two years in Amsterdam with the famed comedy improve troupe Boom Chicago along with Jordan Peele, Josh Meyers, and Nicole Parker. Barinholtz hosted the Worst of Boom Night during the 10-year anniversary of Boom Chicago, where they performed their worst material from previous shows.- Actor
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Darryl M. Bell was born in Chicago, Illinois on May 10, 1963. It wasn't long after graduating from Syracuse University that he was cast as smooth-talking schemer Ron Johnson on A Different World (1987). Bell had a supporting role in Spike Lee's School Daze (1988) alongside Jasmine Guy and Kadeem Hardison. Bell has also appeared in Living Single (1993), Cosby (1996), For Your Love (1998) and co-starred in Homeboys in Outer Space (1996).- Actor
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Maestro Harrell was born on 29 July 1991 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for The Wire (2002), Fear the Walking Dead (2015) and Teen Titans GO! To the Movies (2018).- Actor
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Born and raised on the south side of Chicago, comedian-turned-actor DeRay Davis can most recently be "scene" starring opposite Taraji P. Henson's "Cookie Lyons" as her go-to hitman/cousin "Jermel" in seasons 1 and 2 of the Lee Daniels and Danny Strong, creative collaboration, Empire on the FOX network. After his wildly successful 1 hour Showtime Comedy Special, DeRay Davis: Power Play that aired to rave reviews, Davis continues to ascend on what can only be described as the Samuel E. Jackson Formula; a path and pattern of consistent, feature film and network television roles! After his first, single card credit, as "Spooner" in John Carpenter's remake of The Fog (2005), it has been eleven years (and counting) of back to back, prominently featured/starring roles in both film (32+) and television (50+) staring opposite Hollywood heavy hitters. License to Wed opposite John Krasinski, Semi-Pro opposite Will Ferrell, Imagine That opposite Eddie Murphy, Life As We Know It opposite Katherine Heigl, Old Dogs opposite Robin Williams & John Travolta, 21 Jump Street (2012) opposite Channing Tatum & Johnny Depp, G.I. Joe: Retaliation opposite Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson - just to name a few. Between takes, on the afore mentioned nationally released feature films, Davis continued to star and sometimes contribute as producer/writer in a steady stream of network television movies, mini-series, variety shows and sitcoms. One of DeRay's first credited writer/ Voice Over roles was on Kanye West earlier Albums (and you thought that was Bernie Mac, didn't you?) Davis contributed 5+ Voice Over Character roles on Multi Seasons of The Boondocks , Adult Swim's Black Dynamite and continued sharpening his comedic craft by starring on almost every season of Nick Cannon's Wild n Out from its conception to current airing on MTV as well as Hip-Hop Squares, Short Circuitz and Hosting the game show Mind of a Man on GSN. This led to his currently starring as Host on MTV2's Joking Off currently in its second season (release date TBA)! Davis transformed his torridly rough upbringing, status as a working actor and fatherhood into a live show that stays fresh and ever changing according to whatever is happening in his daily life while he continues to develop and hone his streetwise mentality smoothly and efficiently onto the comedy-club circuit. He achieved his career breakthrough at the Laffapalooza Festival in Atlanta, GA, and then scored a 3-peat by winning the Comedy Central Laugh Riots Competition and landing covetable spots in the Montreal Just for Laughs Festival as well as the Budweiser Def Comedy Jam Competition. From the Hood to Hollywood - nothing is off limits and no one is safe from DeRay's hilarious, sidesplitting anecdotes. He continues to sell out venues both domestically and internationally. His highly anticipated 1st ever Netflix special "DeRay Davis: How to Act Black" smashed the cultural landscape on November 14, 2017 and was so popular it shut down the Netflix server TWICE! Davis is continuing to ascend.- Transportation Department
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Kellita Smith was born January 15, 1969 as Kellita A. Smith in Chicago, Illinois. She is an actress who has appeared on House Party 3 (1994), The Bernie Mac Show (2001-2006), Sister, Sister (1994-1999), Moesha (1996-2001), In Living Color (1990-1994), Living Single (1993-1998), and The First Family (2012). In her early years she was a supermodel before deciding to become an actress. She attended Santa Rosa Junior College.- Actor
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Mazin Elsadig was born on 2 September 1987 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Four in the Morning (2016), Degrassi: The Next Generation (2001) and We Are Disorderly (2015).- Actor
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A native of Chicago, Michael Colyar made his mark as "The King of Venice Beach." For nine years, he performed five shows a day, leaving a positive imprint on the crowd with his thought-provoking humor. As his hard work begun paying off and with his comedic star on the rise, he was honored by the city of Venice by placing his shoe and hand prints as well as his money grabber in cement of the new Venice Boardwalk.
Colyar gained national attention after capturing the Grand Prize Comedy championship and $100,000 on the popular television show "Star Search." He donated half of his winnings to homeless charities in the Los Angeles area. And continues to give back to this day.
As "The Original Host" of "BET Live From LA", his point blank delivery and razor-sharp insight deeply connected to its over 55 million viewers coast to coast.
Over the past 15 years, he has built his television & film career working with such luminaries as John Singleton, Eddie Murphy, Bernie Mac & Oprah Winfrey.
In 2011, he was the voice of Buford the frog in Disney's 1st Black animated film "The Princess and the Frog." He is also a voice on the "Cleveland Show."
Encouraged by motivational speaker Les Brown, Colyar has began his own "Motivational Speaking"...telling his incredible story of struggle and triumph to his audiences around the world while writing his soon to be released book "Michael Goes Motivational." As well as Poetry Book for Adult Children "Miss Innocent Goes To Kool Skool and Other Silly Stuff."
In 2012, his passion project "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the White House, I Knocked on the Door and a Black Man Answered" will be released. It is a cutting edge documentary Mr. Colyar created, stars and produced about the historical importance, current success and the irrefutable cause for re-election of the President Obama administration.- Actress
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Adele Givens was born on 3 January 1960 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for The Players Club (1998), Beauty Shop (2005) and Martin (1992).- Greg Hollimon was born on 2 May 1956 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor, known for The Fugitive (1993), Strangers with Candy (1999) and Strangers with Candy (2005).
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Corey Holcomb is known for The Wedding Ringer (2015), Dance Flick (2009) and Aries Spears: Hollywood, Look I'm Smiling (2011). He is married to Maya Colcomb. They have three children.- Producer
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Big Boy was born in 1969 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is a producer and actor, known for Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999), Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) and The Longest Yard (2005).- Actor
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Ricco Ross ~ Award-winning actor, writer & producer and CEO of "Can You Dig It". Ricco lives in LA and is a second term SAG/AFTRA board member. He was born in Chicago and has five brothers & five sisters. From age 7 to 13, he lived in what Oprah stated was the poorest town in the US: Pembroke, Illinois. Ricco received a MFA from UCLA. As an actor, his first year out of college he booked reoccurring roles on Hill St. Blues & The Young & the Restless. Soon afterwards, feeling type-cast, he decided to study Shakespeare for a year in England at the London Academy of Music & Dramatic Art (LAMDA). That year turned into 13 years of living abroad. He worked as an English actor in London, while moon lighting as a model in France & Italy for 4 yrs. He also turned down a European Pro basket ball contract in Cyprus. He has lived and worked all over the UK, Europe, Eastern Europe, Africa, & Asia. His impressive resume includes credits such as Aliens, Mission Impossible, Night Walk, The Practice, Highlander, Babylon 5, Beverly Hills 90210, Hayabusa, JAG, E.R., A Husband For Christmas, (where he played the title role), P-Valley and many more. To date, his biggest accomplishments are having his loving wife Julie Shannon Ross and his amazing children Aisha, Rami, Makaila, Miles and his Godson Nicolas. As an actor/writer/producer, Ricco feels his best work is yet to come.- Actor
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T.K. Richardson was born on 30 October 1988 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and producer, known for Snowfall (2017), S.W.A.T. (2017) and 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020).- Actor
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Lamorne Morris is an American actor, comedian and television personality. He is best known for playing Winston in the Fox sitcom New Girl. As a game show host, he hosted the Cartoon Network game show BrainRush. He also worked for BET in the past. He is Originally from Chicago, before wanting to become an actor, Morris wanted to be a basketball player. Morris studied at College of DuPage.- Actor
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Deon Cole was born on 9 January 1972 in Roseland, Cook County, Chicago, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Black-ish (2014), The Harder They Fall (2021) and Barbershop: The Next Cut (2016).- Actress
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Zuri Salahuddin is known for Sherman's Showcase (2019), South Side (2019) and The Sound of Shadows (2015).- Actor
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Edward Williams III Is a talented actor, singer/rapper and comedian from Chicago by way of San Diego, CA who is best known for his current and ongoing recurring role in the HBO Max comedy series South Side. E3 began his career in his early teens by doing skits in his local church, which then lead to his introduction to doing stand-up comedy and the acting world. His most recent credits include; Chicago P.D., Chicago Med, and a leading role in BET's feature film Holiday Heist. Other notable credits include leading a Finish Line commercial campaign as well as a Lowe's commercial.- Music Artist
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Jeremih was born on 17 July 1987 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is a music artist and actor, known for American Honey (2016), The Fate of the Furious (2017) and Uncut Gems (2019).- Actor
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Lofton is born from mother, Angela Lofton and father Willie Lofton and also has one sister, Kristan Lofton. At the tender age of 8, he wrote his first song, recorded it and passed it out at school to all his friends in the lunch room and gym. With his talent quickly taking the notice of others, Lofton was offered the opportunity to play a role in the movie "Hardball" in 2001 starring Keanu Reaves. This big screen film led him to being featured on the "Hardball" music video featuring Lil' Wayne, Lil' Zane, Sammie and Bow Wow at 12 years old. Upon graduating from Proviso West High School in 2006, the same year, Lofton became the Walmart Back-to-College Spokesperson, as well as made an appearance on MTV's "My Super Sweet Sixteen", an NBC 5 News Segment and various McDonald's commercials. As busy as Lofton was, his passion and talent only drove him to do more, leading him to the 2008 movie "The Promotion" starring Jon C. Riley and Sean William Scott and the more recent 2008 Tyler Perry hit movie "Meet the Browns" as the role of "Calvin." Aside from his first love of acting, he also has a love for music which was present way before movie roles were being thrown his way. "Triple threat" is not the word, for Lofton raps, sings, writes songs, articles, and even movie scripts. He also contributes his "photographic memory" as to much of his success. Lofton has always been a star, even off the screens, and specifically in school where he served as a star athlete at basketball and in football. Upon high school graduation, he was offered a baseball scholarship to Grambling State University but turned it down to pursue his dream entertainment career.- Actor
- Producer
Barton Fitzpatrick was born in 1995 on the west side of Chicago. The actor turned singer rose to prominence after portraying Chicago street captain Reg Taylor on the critically acclaimed Showtime Series "The Chi." His other television credits include Dick Wolfe's "Chicago PD" "Chicago Justice" "Chicago Med" Lee Daniels' "Empire" & 50 Cent's "Power Book IV: Force" in which his character was written specifically for him by the show-runner of Season 1. He now stars as Victor (Vee) Stanton on the BET+ hit drama "Legacy" alongside Ving Rhames. Dropping his last name & going by Bartón, the upcoming R&B sensation has been able to land song placements on multiple television series as well as open up for Grammy award winners Sevyn Streeter & Anthony Hamilton. Recently relocating back to Los Angeles, Barton is now breaking into film stardom landing 2 leading roles within one month. He is now working on completing his first studio movie for Fox & Marvista which will be a Tubi Original.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Echo Kellum was born on 29 August 1982 in Chicago, Illinois, USA. He is an actor and director, known for Arrow (2012), DC's Legends of Tomorrow (2016) and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023).- Maurice Dumas is known for La révoltée (1920).
- Actor
- Writer
- Camera and Electrical Department
Giorgio "Gio" Johnson was born and raised on Chicago's south side. Gio is a man of many talents he has been in several plays, and film projects. Most Notably his Guest Star appearance on "Chicago Fire" His talent doesn't stop with acting, he is also a host of the Web Series "The Kick Back".
He is also a writer, and a director. Gio wrote, directed and starred in his first musical production "Rekindled" and followed that up with his first short film "Conversations". He is never one to hesitate to give back, he has been involved with several community outreach programs, charity projects, and youth mentoring programs. Gio's ambition to succeed is fueled by the love and support of his family and friends. He is constantly expanding his brand and looking for new ways to reach people and entertain the world.