Lovely
another list dedicated to the females!!!
List activity
6.1K views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
57 people
- Music Artist
- Actress
- Producer
Whitney Elizabeth Houston was born into a musical family on 9 August 1963, in Newark, New Jersey, the daughter of gospel star Cissy Houston (née Emily Lee Drinkard) and John Russell Houston, Jr., and cousin of singing star Dionne Warwick.
She began singing in the choir at her church, The New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, as a young child and by the age of 15 was singing backing vocals professionally with her mother on Chaka Khan's 1978 hit, 'I'm Every Woman'. She went on to provide backing vocals for Lou Rawls, Jermaine Jackson and her own mother and worked briefly as a model, appearing on the cover of 'Seventeen' magazine in 1981.
She began working as a featured vocalist for the New York-based funk band Material and it was the quality of her vocal work with them that attracted the attention of the major record labels, including Arista with whom she signed in 1983 and where she stayed for the rest of her career.
Her debut album, 'Whitney Houston', was released in 1985 and became the biggest-selling album by a debut artist. Several hit singles, including 'Saving All My Love For You', 'How Will I Know', 'You Give Good Love', and 'The Greatest Love of All', were released from the album, setting her up for a Beatles-beating seven consecutive US number ones. The album itself sold 3 million copies in its first year in the US and went on to sell 25 million worldwide, winning her the first of her six Grammies.
The 1987 follow-up album, 'Whitney', which included the hits 'Where Do Broken Hearts Go' and 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody', built on her success but it was the 1992 film The Bodyguard (1992) that sealed her place as one of the best-selling artists of all time. While the movie itself and her performance in it were not highly praised, the soundtrack album and her cover of the Dolly Parton song 'I Will Always Love You' topped the singles and albums charts for months and sold 44 million copies around the world.
That same year she married ex-New Edition singer Bobby Brown with whom she had her only child, their daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown in March 1993. It was about this time that her much documented drug use began and by 1996 she was a daily user.
Her 1998 album, 'My Love Is Your Love' was well reviewed but the drug abuse began to affect her reputation and press reports at the time said that she was becoming difficult to work with, if she turned up at all. She was dropped from a performance at The 72nd Annual Academy Awards (2000) because she was "out of it" at rehearsals. Her weight fluctuated wildly - she was so thin at a 'Michael Jackson' tribute in 2001 that rumors circulated the next day that she had died - and her voice began to fail her. She was twice admitted to rehab and declared herself drug-free in 2010 but returned to rehab in May 2011.
Her 2009 comeback album 'I Look To You' was positively received and sold well, but promotional performances were still marred by her weakened voice. Her final acting performance was in Sparkle (2012) (a remake of the 1976 movie, Sparkle (1976)), released after her death.
She was found dead in a Beverly Hills hotel room on 11 February 2012.The Voice. R.I.P.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Carrie Frances Fisher was born on October 21, 1956 in Burbank, California, to singers/actors Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. She was an actress and writer known for Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977), Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). Fisher is also known for her book, "Postcards from the Edge", and she wrote the screenplay for the movie based on her novel. Carrie Fisher and talent agent Bryan Lourd have a daughter, Billie Lourd (Billie Catherine Lourd), born on July 17, 1992.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Cindy Crawford was born on 20 February 1966 in DeKalb, Illinois, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Fair Game (1995), 54 (1998) and Cougar Town (2009). She has been married to Rande Gerber since 29 May 1998. They have two children. She was previously married to Richard Gere.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Joan Collins is an English actress from Paddington, London. She is most famous for playing the role of vengeful schemer Alexis Carrington Colby in the soap opera "Dynasty" (1981-1989). In 1997, She was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to drama. In 2015, She was promoted to the rank of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) for services to charity.
She was the daughter of talent agent Joseph William Collins (1902-1988) and his wife, dance teacher Elsa Bessant, (1906-1962). Joseph was born in South Africa, and of Jewish descent. As a talent agent, his most famous clients were Shirley Bassey, the Beatles, and Tom Jones. Elsa was born in the United Kingdom to an Anglican family.
Collins was educated at Francis Holland School in London, an independent day school for girls. She made her theatrical debut c. 1942, as a child actress. She had a role in a performance of the play "A Doll's House" (1879) by Henrik Ibsen (1828-1906). In 1949, She started training as an actress at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. In 1950, she signed a contract with a British film studio, the Rank Organisation of businessman Joseph Arthur Rank, 1st Baron Rank (1888-1972).
Collins made her film debut in the short film "Facts and Fancies" (1951), and her feature film debut in "Lady Godiva Rides Again" (1951), where she played an unnamed Beauty Queen Contestant. She had supporting roles as the Greek maid Marina in "The Woman's Angle" (1952) and gangster's moll Lil Carter in "Judgment Deferred" (1952).
Collins had her big break when cast as juvenile delinquent Norma Hart in prison drama "I Believe in You" (1952). She was hailed as Britain's new "bad girl" and started being offered high-profile roles in British films. The next stage in her career started when cast as Princess Nellifer of Egypt in the historical epic "Land of the Pharaohs" (1955), an international production . While the film was not successful at the box office, it became a cult classic and Nellifer was one of her most recognizable roles. Studio executive Darryl Francis Zanuck (1902-1979) was sufficiently impressed to offer her a 7-year-long contract with American studio 20th Century Fox. She took the offer.
Collins' first American film was the historical drama "The Virgin Queen" (1955), where she shared the top-billing with established stars Bette Davis and Richard Todd. She then played the leading role of actress Evelyn Nesbit (1884/1885-1967) in the biographical film "The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing" (1955). The role was intended for established actress Marilyn Monroe, but she replaced Monroe based on a studio decision.
Collins was placed on loan to studio Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer for her next role, that of gold digger Crystal in "The Opposite Sex" (1956). She received the top billing in the refugee-themed film "Sea Wife" (1956), and enjoyed box-office success with the interracial-love themed drama "Island in the Sun" (1957). In the drama film "The Wayward Bus" (1957), she received top-billing over her co-star Jayne Mansfield. Her next films included the spy thriller "Stopover Tokyo" (1957), the Western "The Bravados" (1958), the comedy "Rally Round the Flag, Boys" (1959), the caper film "Seven Thieves" (1960), and the biblical epic Esther and the King (1960).
By 1960, Collins was one of 20th Century Fox's biggest stars, but she demanded a release from her studio contract. She had campaigned for the title role in the upcoming production of "Cleopatra", but the studio chose to cast Elizabeth Taylor in the role. Collins felt slighted. As a freelance actress for most of the 1960s, she had few film roles. Among her most notable roles was playing the leading lady in "The Road to Hong Kong" (1962), the last film in the long-running "Road to ..." series. The male leads for the entire series were Bing Crosby and Bob Hope, but their usual leading lady Dorothy Lamour was considered too old for the role. Collins replaced Lamour.
Collins started appearing frequently on television guest star roles. Among her most notable television roles was the villainous Siren in "Batman", and pacifist spokeswoman Edith Keeler in "Star Trek: The Original Series". "Road to ..." played in only one episode of Star Trek, the time-travel episode "The City on the Edge of Forever" (1967). However the episode is regarded among the best episodes in the entire Star Trek franchise, with Collins considered one of the most memorable guest stars in the original series.
In 1970, Collins returned to her native United Kingdom. She started appearing frequently in British thriller and horror films of the decade. Among her films was revenge-themed drama "Revenge" (1971),science fiction film "Quest for Love" (1972), horror anthology "Tales from the Crypt" (1972), psychological horror "Fear in the Night" (1972), thriller "Dark Places", horror anthology "Tales That Witness Madness" (1973), and horror film "I Don't Want to Be Born" (1975).
Collins appeared in a few comedies in-between horror films, but none was particularly successful. She returned to the United States in order to play a role in the giant monster film "Empire of the Ants" (1977). She then returned to mostly appearing in thriller roles. She was catapulted back to stardom with the lead role of nymphomaniac Fontaine Khaled in the erotic drama "The Stud" (1978), an adaptation of a novel written by her younger sister Jackie Collins. The film was a surprise box office hit, earning 20 million dollars at the worldwide box office. "Road to ..." returned to the role of Fontaine in the sequel film ''The Bitch'' (1979), which was also a hit.
Collins found herself in high demand in both stage and film. But she gained more notoriety with the television role of Alexis Carington in "Dynasty". She started appearing in the role in the second season of the soap opera. Her performance is credited with the subsequent rise of the show's Nielsen's ratings. She became a household name, and received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1983.
By 1985, "Dynasty" was the number-one show in the United States, beating out rival soap opera "Dallas". Collins was nominated six times for a Golden Globe Award for her role, winning once in 1983. She was also once nominated for an Emmy as Best Actress in a Drama Series. Collins was viewed as a sex symbol at the time, and in 1983 appeared in a 12-page photo layout for Playboy magazine. She was 50-years-old, unusually old for a Playboy model.
Collins appeared in a total of 195 episodes of "Dynasty". The series was canceled with the last episode of its 9th season, due to falling ratings. New ABC entertainment president Bob Iger (1951-) is credited with ending the series as soon as possible. The show had a cliffhanger ending, and several of its subplots were not resolved. Collins returned to the role of Alexis in the sequel mini-series "Dynasty: The Reunion" (1991). The miniseries only lasted for 2 episodes, but resolved several subplots and was a ratings hit.
Throughout the 1990s., Collins returned to guest star roles in television. She appeared in (among others) "Roseanne", "Egoli: Place of Gold", and "The Nanny", She had the recurring role of Christina Hobson in the short-lived soap opera "Pacific Palisades" (1997). She appeared in 7 of its 13 episodes. Her next notable soap opera role was that of so-called "rich bitch" Alexandra Spaulding in 2002 episodes of the long-running series "Guiding Light". Collins was the third actress to play this role. following Beverlee McKinsey and Marj Dusay.
In film, Collins played Pearl Slaghoople, Wilma Flintstone's mother, in "The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas" (2000). It was the second live-action film based on the popular animated series "The Flintstones". In 2006, she toured the United Kingdom with "An Evening with Joan Collins", an one-woman show where she narrated the highs and lows of her career and life. She later toured the word with both this show and its sequel "Joan Collins Unscripted".
Collins had a notable guest star-role as Ruth Van Rydock in the television film "Agatha Christie's Marple: They Do It with Mirrors" (2009). The film was an adaptation of the 1952 novel by Agatha Christie, where Ruth is an old school friend of Jane Marple, who assigned Jane to investigate a home for juvenile delinquents.
Collins played herself in three episodes of the sitcom "Happily Divorced" (2011-2013). She had the recurring role of Crystal Hennessy-Vass in the sitcom "Benidorm" (2007-2018). She had another recurring role as Alexandra, Grand Duchess of Oxford in the soap opera "The Royals" (2015-2018).
Collins had two different roles in the horror anthology series "American Horror Story". She played wealthy grandmother Evie Gallant, and witch Bubbles McGee. She appeared in a total of four episodes in 2018.
By 2024, Collins was 90-years-old. She has never retired from acting, and she continues to appear in new roles.- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Pam Grier was born in Winston-Salem, NC, one of four children of Gwendolyn Sylvia (Samuels), a nurse, and Clarence Ransom Grier Jr., an Air Force mechanic. Pam has been a major African-American star from the early 1970s. Her career started in 1971, when Roger Corman of New World Pictures launched her with The Big Doll House (1971), about a women's penitentiary, and The Big Bird Cage (1972). Her strong role put her into a five-year contract with Samuel Z. Arkoff of American-International Pictures, and she became a leading lady in action films such as Jack Hill's Coffy (1973) and Foxy Brown (1974), the comic strip character Friday Foster (1975) and William Girdler's 'Sheba, Baby' (1975). She continued working with American-International, where she portrayed William Marshall's vampire victim in the Blacula (1972) sequel, Scream Blacula Scream (1973).
During the 1980s she became a regular on Miami Vice (1984) and played a supporting role as an evil witch in Ray Bradbury's and Walt Disney Pictures' Something Wicked This Way Comes (1983), then returned to action as Steven Seagal's partner in Above the Law (1988). Her most famous role of the 1990s was probably Jackie Brown (1997), directed by Quentin Tarantino, which was an homage to her earlier 1970s action roles, She occasionally did supporting roles, as in Tim Burton's Mars Attacks! (1996), In Too Deep (1999) and a funny performance in Jawbreaker (1999). She also appeared in John Carpenter's Ghosts of Mars (2001) and co-starred with Snoop Dogg in Bones (2001). Her entire career of over 30 years has brought only success for this beautiful and talented actress.
A sister of Grier's died from cancer in 1990 and the son of that sister committed suicide because of his mother's illness. Pam herself was diagnosed with cancer in 1988 and given 18 months to live, which has had an effect on how she has chosen to live. She has never been wed, although she has been romantically linked to Richard Pryor and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the past.- Producer
- Actress
- Executive
Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon was born on March 22, 1976 in New Orleans, Louisiana to Betty Witherspoon, a registered nurse & John Draper Witherspoon, a military surgeon. Reese spent the first 4 years of her life in Wiesbaden, Hesse, Germany, where her father served as a lieutenant colonel in the US Army reserves. Shortly after, the family moved back to the USA & settled in Nashville, Tennessee.
Reese was introduced to the entertainment industry at a very early age. At age 7, she began modeling. This led to appearances on several local television commercials. At age 11, she placed first in a Ten-State Talent Fair.
In 1990, she landed her first major acting role in Robert Mulligan's The Man in the Moon (1991). Her role as a 14-year old tomboy earned her rave reviews. Roles in bigger films such as Jack the Bear (1993) and A Far Off Place (1993) followed shortly after.
Following high school graduation in 1994 from Harpeth Hall, a Nashville all girls school, Reese decided to put her acting career on hold and attend Stanford University where she would major in English literature. However, her collegiate plans were shortly dashed when she accepted roles to star in two major motion pictures: Fear (1996), alongside Mark Wahlberg, and Freeway (1996) with Kiefer Sutherland. Although neither film was a huge box-office success, they did help to establish Reese as a rising starlet in Hollywood and open the door for bigger and better film roles. Those bigger roles came in movies such as Pleasantville (1998), Election (1999) and Cruel Intentions (1999).
Her breakthrough role came as Elle Woods in the 2001 comedy, Legally Blonde (2001). The movie was huge box-office smash and established Reese as one of the top female draws in Hollywood. The next year, she scored a follow-up hit with Sweet Home Alabama (2002), which went on to gross over $100 million dollars at the box office. In 2006, she took home the best actress Oscar for her role as June Carter Cash in the Johnny Cash biopic, Walk the Line (2005). On the late 2000s and early 2010s, Reese continued to star in more romantic comedies, such as Four Christmases (2008) and How Do You Know (2010). In December 2010, she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In the year 2014, she produced both Gone Girl (2014) and Wild (2014), for which she got nominated for best actress Oscar again for her role as Cheryl Strayed.- LAILA ALI TV Personality, Wellness & Fitness Expert, Cooking Enthusiast Four-Time Undefeated Boxing Champion, Beauty & Lifestyle Brand CEO, Best-Selling Author, Inspirational Speaker, Podcast Host, Actress, Mom & Wife
Laila Ali is a world-class athlete, fitness & wellness expert, TV host, cooking enthusiast, founder of the Laila Ali Lifestyle Brand, and mother of two. The youngest daughter of late beloved global icon and humanitarian, Muhammad Ali, she is a two-time hall of famer and four-time undefeated boxing world champion, whose stellar record includes 24 wins (21 of which were "knockouts") and zero losses. Laila is heralded as the most successful female in the history of women's boxing. In 2012 when women's boxing was included in the Olympics for the first time in history, Laila was the first woman in history to provide expert commentary for NBC Sports.
A cooking enthusiast, Laila previously appeared twice on Food Network's celebrity edition of "Chopped" and emerged victorious as the champion. Continuing her passion in the cooking space, Laila hosted the FYI Network food truck competition series "Late Night Chef Fight." Laila is a favorite guest on daytime shows such as Rachael Ray, The Chew, and she's prepared her famous "oven baked fried chicken" on Steve Harvey's hit daytime talk show.
She is the host of OWN Emmy award-winning series, "Home Made Simple with Laila Ali" and the author of the best-selling cookbook, "Food For Life: Delicious & Healthy Comfort Food From My Table To Yours!" A major source of the inspiration for Laila writing this particular cookbook was her desire to show people how they could enjoy healthier and more nutritious versions of their favorite foods without having to compromise taste.
Ignited by her passion for an active lifestyle and wanting to share this with her millions of supporters, Laila created her own lifestyle blog LailaAliLifestyle where she regularly shares her personal workout regimens, recipes, DIY ideas, family tips, and so much more! One of her favorite passion projects is the massively downloaded weekly "healthy lifestyle" podcast series she launched on the PodcastOne Network in 2017. Laila is also the three-time host of the televised ESPN Sports Humanitarian Awards.
Laila has been an outspoken voice and regular contributor for the CBS Sports Network's new all- female sports commentary program, "We Need to Talk," the first of its kind in the history of sports broadcasting. For multiple seasons she hosted "Everyday Health" airing in national syndication on ABC, in addition to being the previous co-host of "American Gladiators" and former host of "All-In With Laila Ali," which aired in weekend syndication on CBS.
Laila is a past President of the Women's Sports Foundation, a non-profit organization that is supported by many of the biggest athletes in the world. Through the WSF Laila promotes equality for women in the world of professional sports, and is an advocate for programs that encourage young women to be confident, healthy and strong through sports. Laila was a major voice for the 40th anniversary of Title IX, which protects women's rights to be included and treated equally in collegiate sports. Always eager to encourage others to live an active lifestyle, Laila Ali was the 2012 "Mombassador" for the Aquaphor New York City Triathlon, a competition she actually participated in and completed impressively in a little more than 3 hours. Laila has also appeared as a guest-star on popular fitness shows, "Biggest Loser" and "The Revolution."
Laila tickled America's funny bone with multiple hilarious roles as Kevin Hart's boxing nemesis on the hit comedic series, "Real Husbands of Hollywood." In 2014 she made her feature film-acting debut as the co-star of the action movie, "Falcon Rising," opposite martial arts star, Michael Jai White.
Never one to turn down a good challenge, she captured the hearts of millions and made it to the final round of the fourth season of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" in 2007.
A recognizable and trusted figure whose name and likeness packs a powerful punch, Laila has been an endorser for major brands such Subway, Kohl's, Dannon's Activia and most recently, TJMAXX. Carefully building a successful branding and licensing empire, (a former owner and operator of a successful nail salon in southern California) Laila successfully launched a signature line of hair styling tools with Hot Tools, a brand subsidiary of hair care powerhouse, Helen of Troy.
With philanthropy at her core, Laila is a major supporter of charitable organizations such as Feeding America, Children's Hospital and Peace 4 Kids. Laila is extremely proud of the work she has done on behalf of the American Dental Association to create oral health awareness for children and she is equally proud to be an ongoing supporter and partner with the American Heart Association. This partnership supports Laila's belief in being heart healthy and assists in the facilitation of much needed awareness about heart disease and strokes in communities most affected by these illnesses.
Laila is a sought after inspirational speaker and author. She has keynoted speaking events at Harvard University, North Carolina A&T and has spoken to thousands of executives at leadership conferences for multi-billion dollar corporate brands around the world. Her life's story is chronicled in a dynamic book for young women entitled "Reach!" which has just been re-released to the public.
Laila studied business management at Santa Monica College. She enjoys life in the Los Angeles area with her husband, former NFL star and current sports TV analyst, Curtis Conway, and their two young children, Curtis Jr. (son) and Sydney (daughter).The champ is here!!! - Actress
- Director
- Additional Crew
Melyssa Ford was born on 7 November 1976 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. She is an actress and director, known for Think Like a Man (2012), Three Can Play That Game (2007) and Entourage (2004).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Diane Lane was born on January 22, 1965, in New York. She is the daughter of acting coach Burton Eugene "Burt" Lane and nightclub singer/centerfold Colleen Farrington. Her parents' families were both from the state of Georgia. Diane was acting from a very young age and made her stage debut at the age of six. Her work in such acclaimed theater productions as "The Cherry Orchard" and "Medea" led to her being called to Hollywood. She was 13 when she was cast by director George Roy Hill in his wonderful 1979 film A Little Romance (1979), opposite Sir Laurence Olivier. The film only did so-so commercially, but Olivier praised his young co-star, calling her the new Grace Kelly. After her well-received debut, Diane found herself on magazine covers all over the world, including "Time", which declared her the "new young acting sensation". However, things quietened down a bit when she found herself in such critical and financial flops as Touched by Love (1980), Cattle Annie and Little Britches (1980), Movie Madness (1982), Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains (1982) and, most unmemorably, Six Pack (1982), all of which failed to set her career on fire.
She also made several TV movies during this period, but it was in 1983 that she finally began to fulfill the promise of stardom that had earlier been predicted for her. Acclaimed director Francis Ford Coppola took note of Diane's appeal and cast her in two "youth"-oriented films based on S.E. Hinton novels. Indeed, Rumble Fish (1983) and The Outsiders (1983) have become cult classics and resulted in her getting a loyal fan base. The industry was now taking notice of Diane Lane, and she soon secured lead roles in three big-budget studio epics. She turned down the first, Splash (1983) (which was a surprise hit for Daryl Hannah). Unfortunately, the other two were critical and box-office bombs: Walter Hill's glossy rock 'n' roll fable Streets of Fire (1984) was not the huge summer success that many had thought it would be, and the massively troubled Coppola epic The Cotton Club (1984) co-starring Richard Gere was also a high-profile flop. The back-to-back failure of both of these films could have ended her career there and then -- but thankfully it didn't. Possibly "burned out" by the lambasting these films received and unhappy with the direction her career was taking, she "retired" from the film business at age 19, saying that she had forgotten what she had started acting for. She stayed away from the screen for the next three years. Ironically, the two films that were the main causes of her "retirement" have since grown in popularity, and "Streets of Fire" especially seems to have found the kind of audience it couldn't get when it was first released.
The process of rebuilding her career was a slow and gradual one. First came the obscure and very sexy straight-to-video thriller Lady Beware (1987), followed by the critically acclaimed but little seen The Big Town (1987) with Matt Dillon and Tommy Lee Jones. In the former, Diane plays a very mysterious and sexy stripper and her memorable strip sequence is a highlight of the film. Despite her sexy new on-screen image, it wasn't until 1989's smash hit TV mini-series Lonesome Dove (1989) that Diane made another big impression on a sizable audience. Her performance in the hugely popular and critically acclaimed western epic as a vulnerable "whore with a heart" won her an Emmy nomination and much praise. Film producers were interested in her again. Another well-received TV production, Descending Angel (1990), was followed by smaller roles in major films like Richard Attenborough's Chaplin (1992) and Mike Binder's Indian Summer (1993), and larger parts in small independent films like My New Gun (1992), Vital Signs (1990) and Knight Moves (1992). Indeed, the latter two films co-starred her then-husband, Christopher Lambert, with whom she had a daughter named Eleanor.
Diane was now re-established in Hollywood and started to appear in higher-profile co-starring roles in some big-budget, major movies like Walter Hill's Wild Bill (1995), the Sylvester Stallone actioner Judge Dredd (1995), the Robin Williams's comedy Jack (1996) and Murder at 1600 (1997) co-starring Wesley Snipes. However, all of these still did not quite make Diane a "big-name star" and, by 1997, she found herself, possibly by choice, back in smaller, personal projects.
Her next role as a frustrated 1960s housewife in the independent hit A Walk on the Moon (1999) deservedly won her rave notices and, at last, gave her career the big lift it needed. The cute but tear-jerking comedy My Dog Skip (2000) also proved to be a small-scale success. However, it was the £330-million worldwide grossing blockbuster hit The Perfect Storm (2000) that finally made Diane Lane the household name that she always should have been.
After the worldwide success of "The Perfect Storm", she was more in demand than ever. She played Leelee Sobieski's sinister junkie guardian in the slick thriller The Glass House (2001), and co-starred with Keanu Reeves in the #1 smash hit Hardball (2001). However, her greatest career moment was still to come with her lead role in the enormous critical and commercial hit Unfaithful (2002), in which she superbly portrayed Richard Gere's adulterous wife. Her performance won the respect of critics and audiences alike, as well as many awards and nominations including Best Actress Oscar and Golden Globe nominations.
Her follow-up films including Under the Tuscan Sun (2003), Must Love Dogs (2005), Hollywoodland (2006), Secretariat (2010), and the blockbuster, Man of Steel (2013), were all received and her performances were highly praised. She won further Best Actress Golden Globe nominations for her roles in Under the Tuscan Sun (2003) and Cinema Verite (2011).
She is very well regarded within the industry, adored by film fans, and has a credibility and quality that is all too rare today. Her immense talent at playing human and real characters, her "drop dead gorgeous" beauty and down-to-earth grittiness guarantees that she will stay on top, and she guarantee has already shown the kind of resilience that will keep her working for a long, long time.- Born and raised in New York City by Panamanian parents, Melissa De Sousa attended the renowned High School of Performing Arts as a ballet major, and began her career as a principle dancer with The Alvin Ailey American Dance Company before transitioning into acting.
Melissa is best known for her performance as the infamous "Shelby" in the Universal Studio franchise The Best Man and The Best Man Holiday starring opposite Terrence Howard, for which she earned an NAACP Image Award nomination. Currently recurring as "Alex Rivera" in Our Kind Of People on FOX , and recently as "Chief Ana Lopez" on the CW's Black Lightning. Melissa also had a standout role as the pill popping journalist "Mirta Herrera" on Showtime's On Becoming A God In Central Florida opposite Kirsten Dunst. She led the cult hit series Single Ladies for BET Networks where she played Austin Aguilera, described as the Latin Kim Kardashian. A sexy, single socialite turned club owner, who liked to party.
De Sousa also starred opposite Matthew Perry in the TNT original presentation of The Ron Clark Story, which garnered an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Made For Television Movie. Other film work includes Lisa Cholodenko's Laurel Canyon with Frances McDormand, Donald Petrie's Miss Congeniality opposite Sandra Bullock, and the indie hit Constellation alongside Zoe Saldana. Her television credits include series regular roles on Reed Between The Lines, Second Time Around, One on One, Darren Star's drama The $treet for FOX, Valley Of The Dolls, and Damon, with Damon Wayans produced by Carsey- Werner, also for FOX. Guest Star credits include Criminal Minds, Elementary, Shameless, and countless others. De Sousa currently resides in New York. - Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Robinne Lee (born July 16, 1974) is an American actress and author. She made her screen debut in the 1997 independent film Hav Plenty, and later has appeared in films National Security (2003), Deliver Us from Eva (2003), Hitch (2005), Seven Pounds (2008), Fifty Shades Darker (2017), and Fifty Shades Freed (2018).
Lee was born in Mount Vernon, New York on July 16. A graduate of Columbia Law School, Lee began her acting career as part of the ensemble cast of the romantic comedy Hav Plenty in 1997, which was shown at Toronto Film Festival. She spent the following years working in smaller films, and well as co-starred in television movies include The Runaway opposite Debbi Morgan. On television, Lee also guest-starred on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Numbers. She also appeared in R&B singer Usher's music video for his 2004 single "Confessions Part II".
In 2003, Lee has appeared in two movies. The first movie was action comedy National Security with Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn. Later that year, she co-starred with LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union in the romantic comedy Deliver Us From Eva. In 2005, Lee had role in box-office hit Hitch starring Will Smith. In 2008, she co-starred again with Smith in the drama film Seven Pounds playing his fiancee. As lead actress, she starred in the 2008 comedy-drama This Is Not a Test. In 2009, Lee co-starred alongside Don Cheadle in the comedy film Hotel for Dogs.
In 2007, Lee had the recurring role on the TBS sitcom Tyler Perry's House of Payne and shot an independent film called This Is Not a Test. From 2013 to 2014, she played Avery Daniels in the first season of the critically acclaimed BET drama series, Being Mary Jane.
Lee played Ros Bailey in Fifty Shades Darker (2017) and Fifty Shades Freed (2018), the sequels to Fifty Shades of Grey.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Jaclyn Smith was born Jacquelyn Ellen Smith on October 26, 1945 in Houston, Texas. She graduated from high school and originally aspired to be a famous ballerina. In 1973, she landed a job as a Breck shampoo model. In 1976, she was offered a chance to star in a new pilot for a planned television series, entitled Charlie's Angels (1976). The pilot was slick and the show was an instant hit when it debuted on September 22, 1976 on ABC.
Smith is the only original "Angel" to stay with the show through its entire five-season run (1976-81). She is also the only "Angel" from the television series to make an appearance in either of the movie adaptations. (She had an uncredited cameo in Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003) as "Kelly Garrett", offering advice to the new generation of angels.)
After Charlie's Angels (1976), she went the TV-movie route and starred in such TV films as Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (1981) for which she received a Golden Globe nomination, and such miniseries as The Bourne Identity (1988), Rage of Angels (1983) and Windmills of the Gods (1988). She has had her own extremely successful clothing line at Kmart since 1985, and is often a spokesperson.
Her first two marriages to actors Roger Davis and Dennis Cole ended in divorce. She has two children from her third marriage to cinematographer Anthony B. Richmond (they divorced in 1989). Her fourth marriage is to physician Dr. Brad Allen. She married him in 1997; the two created the skincare line which Smith promotes.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Dorothy Jean Dandridge was born on November 9, 1922 in Cleveland, Ohio, to Ruby Dandridge (née Ruby Jean Butler), an entertainer, and Cyril H. Dandridge, a cabinet maker and minister. Under the prodding of her mother, Dorothy and her sister Vivian Dandridge began performing publicly, usually in black Baptist churches throughout the country. Her mother would often join her daughters on stage. As the depression worsened, Dorothy and her family picked up and moved to Los Angeles where they had hopes of finding better work, perhaps in film. Her first film was in the Marx Brothers comedy, A Day at the Races (1937). It was only a bit part but Dandridge hoped it would blossom into something better. She only appeared in another film in 1940, in Four Shall Die (1940).
Meanwhile, she dropped out of high school and became part of a musical trio which performed with the orchestra of Jimmie Lunceford. During the late 30s, she dated music composer Phil Moore, who was instrumental in launching her career as a nightclub singer and big band vocalist.
Her next few screen roles in the early 1940s tended to be small stereotypical roles of black girls or princesses - such as Bahama Passage (1941) and Drums of the Congo (1942), She was the singing star of the western themed all-black-cast "soundie" (short musical) Cow-Cow Boogie (1942) and appeared in movies that showcased her talents as actress and singer, like Hit Parade of 1943 (1943) as the vocalist of Count Basie's Band, and twice as the vocalist of Louis Armstrong's Band in Pillow to Post (1945) and Atlantic City (1944).
Those brought her headline acts in the nation's finest hotel nightclubs in New York, Miami, Chicago and Las Vegas. She may have been allowed to sing in these fine hotels but, because of racism, she couldn't have a room in any of them. It was reported that one hotel drained its swimming pool to keep her from enjoying that amenity.
In 1954, she appeared in the all-black production of Carmen Jones (1954) in the title role. She was so superb in that picture that she garnered an Academy Award nomination but lost to Grace Kelly in The Country Girl (1954). She did not get another movie role until Tamango (1958), an Italian film. She did six more films, including, most notably, Island in the Sun (1957) and Porgy and Bess (1959). The last movie in which she would ever appear was The Murder Men (1962) (1961).
Dandridge faded quickly after that, due to an ill-considered marriage to Jack Dennison (her first husband was Harold Nicholas), poor investments, financial woes, and alcoholism.
She was found dead in her apartment at 8495 Fountain Avenue, West Hollywood, on September 8, 1965, aged 42, from barbiturate poisoning. She left $2.14 in her bank account, and a handwritten letter: "In case of my death - whoever discovers it - Don't remove anything I have on - scarf, gown, or underwear. Cremate me right away - if I have any money, furniture, give it to my mother, Ruby Dandridge - She will know what to do.". She was cremated and her ashes were interred in the Freedom Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
She was posthumously awarded a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6719 Hollywood Blvd. on January 18, 1983.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Essence Atkins was born on 7 February 1972 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for A Haunted House (2013), How High (2001) and Same Difference (2019). She was previously married to Jaime Mendez.- Actress
- Producer
Ali Landry broke onto the scene and gained instant fame as "the Doritos Girl", when she was featured in a commercial for Frito Lay during the 1998 Super Bowl telecast. The next day, the NY Post hailed in a cover story "A star was born during Superbowl XXXII". Later that year, she was named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful".
Following the success of the commercial campaign, Ali, who was crowned Miss USA 1996, made the transition from modeling to acting with a variety of film and television roles. Most recently, she co-starred in the feature film Bella (2006), which won the Toronto Film Festival Award in 2006, in addition to three seasons on the hit UPN Network series Eve (2003).
Other television appearances included recurring roles on Felicity (1998), Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998), Sunset Beach (1997) and Popular (1999). Her hosting credits have included the weekly music-talk show Farmclub.com (2001), Cooking with Mom (2003) and Full Frontal Fashion (2002) on WE: Women's Entertainment, and NBC's Spy TV (2001). Plus, Ali was an MTV staple in the summer of 1999, appearing in the popular video for 98 Degrees' single, "I Do". In feature films, she co-starred in Beautiful (2000), directed by Sally Field, in 2000.
A trained dancer in jazz, tap and ballet for 15 years, Landry hails from Beaux Bridge, Louisiana. She also enjoys kickboxing and gymnastics. Ali currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director Alejandro Monteverde, and their daughter, Estela.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Kim Fields was born on 12 May 1969 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and director, known for The Facts of Life (1979), Living Single (1993) and What to Expect When You're Expecting (2012). She has been married to Christopher Morgan since 23 July 2007. They have two children. She was previously married to Johnathon Franklin Freeman.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Vesta Williams was born on 1 December 1957 in Coshocton, Ohio, USA. She was an actress, known for Mississippi Burning (1988), Posse (1993) and Soul Man (1986). She was married to Herman White. She died on 22 September 2011 in El Segundo, California, USA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
BernNadette Stanis is best known as Thelma from Good Times (1974), but there's much more to her than that. In the 1970s she was the personification of black beauty. As sophisticated and graceful as she was, she still became TV's first black sex symbol or "It" girl. Thelma/BernNadette and the Evans family also proved many stereotypes wrong about the ghetto and the young black girl, such as that all black girls and black families in the ghetto had no hopes, dreams, or class. Thelma showed that a "ghetto girl" had hopes and dreams, intelligence, respect, dignity, and grace, and it wasn't just acting--BernNadette was that naturally. She introduced a new definitive image of the young black girl and woman.
BernNadette was a wonderful, graceful dancer, which she displayed several times on the series. Everything she did was marked with delicacy, diminutive beauty, form, or grace, all very welcome in TV in the 1970s. Her dramatic, comedic charm, witty one-liners, daintiness, winsomeness, and sexy but innocent image were versatile qualities that made her a great talent and great favorite who will never be forgotten.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Sheena Easton started off as a worldwide sensation in the music industry. Since then she has expanded to movies (All Dogs Go to Heaven 2 (1996), Indecent Proposal (1993)), Broadway ("Man of La Mancha") and TV (Body Bag (1997), Highlander (1992), Gargoyles (1994), Jack's Place (1992), The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr. (1993), Miami Vice (1984)). Her albums include "My Cherie" (MCA Records 1995), "No Strings" (MCA 1993), "What Comes Naturally" (MCA 1991), "The Lover in Me" (MCA 1988), and several albums on the EMI label.- Actress
- Composer
- Director
She's an innovative music maker, a style-forging pioneer: since the mid-90s, Grammy-winning multi-talented Jody Watley has led the way as an entrepreneur working in the independent music world as one of the few already-established female best-selling artists to produce, create and own her recordings.
Known for combining beauty and style as integral aspects of her career as a recording artist and dynamic live performer, Jody's list of accomplishments and achievements is indeed impressive: she's received Billboard Magazine's "Lifetime Achievement Award", nominations for the MTV VMA's (where she remains one of MTV's most nominated artists), NAACP Image Awards, American Music Awards, and appearing on Broadway as Rizzo in the hit musical Grease!. She's been featured in Vogue, Italian Vogue (including the Historic "The Black Issue), Harper's Bazaar, Rolling Stone, Essence and has been named one of America's Most Beautiful People by People Magazine. The first black woman to appear on a Japanese fashion magazine cover (specifically Japan's most elite, SPUR), Jody has performed by special invitation at The White House, participated in Bob Geldof's historic "Do They Know It's Christmas" recording session and video, Force of Nature's Tsunami Relief in Malaysia as well as working on one of the first global HIV/AIDS awareness projects, "Red Hot and Blue" for which she performed the 'Cole Porter' jazz classic "After You Who". Watley continues to work with charities promoting tolerance, as well as prevention and care for those living with HIV and AIDS.
Watley, the goddaughter of music legend Jackie Wilson, got her start on the hit TV show Soul Train (1971) at the age of fourteen. As documented by Ebony Magazine in 1977 as a part of "The New Generation", Jody Watley was one of the most popular on the show and recognized as a trendsetter. She was also noted as innovative and influential to teenaged girls all over the United States who copied her hair styles and dance moves. The article states that one of her innovations was to use fans in her dance routines, which were called "freestyle" and "Waack Dancing". Jody Watley is also an original former member of the group Shalamar (1977-1984).
With an amazing 32 Top Ten Singles and 13 No. 1 Singles in the R&B, pop and dance music genres over the past three decades as a solo artist - including such classics as "Looking For A New Love", "Don't You Want Me" and her groundbreaking collaboration with 'Eric B' and Rakim on "Friends" - Jody has consistently broken new ground in music, video and fashion: her 2006 album "The Makeover" benefited from an exclusive collaboration with the Virgin Megastore Music Chain that debuted as the No 1 nationwide store best-seller and No. 3 track on iTunes Electronic Chart.
'Beyonce Knowles' and Destiny's Child recorded one of Jody's compositions "Sweet Sixteen" on their best-selling "Writings on The Wall" album and Jody's special guest appearances have included work with Roy Ayers, 4Hero, Rahsaan Patterson and George Michael. An update of the Shalamar hit "For The Lover In You" by Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds featured Jody and LL Cool J.
Entrepreneur, label owner, recording artist, producer, songwriter and performer, actress; Jody Watley celebrates three decades in the world of entertainment carving her own destiny, very much her own woman, truly an inspiration for artists of today and beyond.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
A.J. Johnson was born on 3 September 1963 in Orange, New Jersey, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for House Party (1990), Baby Boy (2001) and Dying Young (1991).- Kathleen Bradley was born on 10 January 1951 in Girard, Ohio, USA. She is an actress, known for Friday (1995), Grey's Anatomy (2005) and Rise of the Tarragon. She has been married to Terrence Redd since 1 October 1988. They have one child. She was previously married to Bill Overton.
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Rebecca Alie Romijn was born on November 6, 1972 in Berkeley, California. Her father was Dutch-born and worked as a custom-furniture maker. Her mother was American-born, with Dutch and English ancestry, and was a teacher of English. Rebecca attended Berkeley High School where her nickname was the "Jolly Blond Giant", then she attended the University of California at Santa Cruz where she majored in Music, but left in 1995.
She was a natural for modeling, and has posed for Sports Illustrated, Christian Dior and Victoria's Secret, to name but a few. Rebecca first met John Stamos in 1994, at a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and had her first date with him at Disneyland. They married in September 1998, but have since gotten divorced.
Rebecca's favorite foods are fillet mignon, tuna sashimi and Häagen-Dazs Cappuccino Commotion ice cream. But to keep her weight at a svelte 130 pounds, she stays fit with a rigorous stretching and strengthening routine (her firm body tone is evident when compared to photos of her earlier modeling, where she was very slim but not toned). Rebecca's most famous movie role, so far, was as the shapeshifting Mystique in X-Men (2000), based on the long-running comic book series about teenage mutant superheroes (that Jack Kirby and Stan Lee created in 1962). To play Mystique every day, Rebecca had to start out nude, and then two female makeup artists would apply blue body paint and other stick-on parts for 8 hours a day. Rebecca told Jay Leno on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992) that things like tissue paper would stick to her hips; and, one day, the long hours of wearing sticky paint makeup made her so upset that director Bryan Singer told her to have a glass of white wine and relax. Notwithstanding those technical difficulties, X-Men (2000) was a box-office bonanza, and Rebecca's future in films was assured.- Actress
- Composer
- Music Department
Chanté Moore was born on 17 February 1967 in San Francisco, California, USA. She is an actress and composer, known for The Fan (1996), Romeo Must Die (2000) and Beverly Hills Cop III (1994). She has been married to Stephen Hill since 22 October 2022. She was previously married to Kenny Lattimore, Kadeem Hardison and Tony Guillen.- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Brandy Norwood is an African-American singer-songwriter and actress from McComb, Mississippi. She is known for her roles in Moesha, Osmosis Jones and Cinderella. She has released many R&B albums and singles since the 1990s. She is known as "The Vocal Bible". She gave birth to a daughter named Sy'rai Iman Smith in June 2002.- Music Artist
- Actress
- Producer
Monica Arnold was born October 24, 1980, in Oak Park, Georgia, to Marilyn Best, a church singer and airline customer service representative, and M.C. "Billy" Arnold, Jr., a mechanic. At the age of four, she began singing in her local church choir. After entering many talent shows, Monica was spotted by Dallas Austin, a record producer, who has put albums out for such big named artists,such as TLC. Amazed by her voice, Dallas offered her a record deal,with his Artista-Distributed Rowdy Records label. After her debut album 'Miss Thang' Monica's career began to really start. Her album included smash singles including "Before you walk out of my Life" and "Why I love you so Much." After graduating high school at the age of sixteen with a 4.0 grade average, Monica released her second album 'The Boy is Mine.' Teaming up with another teen icon, Brandy Norwood, the two put together a massive radio hit, "The Boy is Mine." She also put out other hit singles, "Angel of Mine" and "First Night." Her duet with Brandy went on to receive many awards, including Best Video of the Year, and best R&B Song. After her success with the album, she appeared on many television talk shows, Rosie O'Donnell, David Letterman, and also a small stint on Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990). Not only seen on television, Monica was also noticed on basically every teen magazine, YM, Teen People, Twist and Teen. After accomplishing singing, Monica accomplished another thing, acting. Summer 2000 released her first feature film, Boys and Girls (2000). Later she will have a starring role, opposite Charisma Carpenter in The Twins(2001).- Actress
- Producer
- Executive
Regina Hall was born December 12, 1970 in Washington, D.C., to Ruby, a teacher, and Odie Hall, a contractor. She graduated from Fordham University in 1992, and went on to earn a master's degree in journalism from New York University before shifting to an acting career. In 1997 at age 26, she began appearing in commercials, and then made the giant leap into movies. Her fame came with her role in the comedy-horror spoof Scary Movie, Regina Hall has frequented the big screen in roles that far from betrayed her age. Her recurring role in Scary Movie and the sequel Scary Movie 2 exhibited the 30-year-old's ability to maintain her youthful appearance, as she portrayed the high-school-aged Brenda Meeks. However, her first film role was in the 1999 film The Best Man. The following year, she made many other film appearances, including her starring role in Scary Movie in 2000. She first had a role in the movie Love and Basketball which also starred close friend Sanaa Lathan. In 2001, Hall's list of credits grew to include her first television role, as Corretta Lipp on the prime-time drama Ally McBeal, which was a recurring role for several episodes. Furthermore, in 2001 Scary Movie 2 was released, in addition to the Mandel Holland comedy The Other Brother, featuring Hall as Vicki. One year later, she starred in the action-drama Paid in Full, directed by Charles Stone III. She would later on start in other films such as;Malibu's Most Wanted, Scary Movie 3, The Honeymooners, and First Sunday.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Claudia's parents met when her father was in the Air Force, stationed at Brindisi, Italy where he met her mother, an Italian native. She was born and raised in Providence, Rhode Island where as an East Providence High School student, she was selected for the All State Track and Field team. She participated in three Junior Olympics and finished third in the long jump at the East Coast Invitational.
After high school, she attended Baldwin Wallace College in Ohio where she majored in broadcasting and journalism. She had her own campus radio program, worked at the Providence American Newspaper and at the Boston television station WHDH-TV.
She represented Rhode Island as Miss Teen USA in 1991 and Miss USA in 1997. In addition, she has done many commercials for such companies as Coor's Light, Sears, Denny's and Pepsi.- Producer
- Writer
- Music Department
Tracey Edmonds has created and produced groundbreaking projects for television, film, music, and digital media. She served as co-host of Extra TV alongside Mario Lopez and Charissa Thompson for 3 years, where she earned an Emmy Award. Edmonds currently serves as CEO and President of Edmonds Entertainment. Edmonds is also the Founder and Editor of the lifestyle, health and wellness media brand, AlrightNow.com.
Tracey most recently executive produced the second season of Games People Play (BET), a sexy stylized drama about the high-stakes world of the NBA starring Karrueche Tran and Sarunas Jackson. The show finished its first season, starring Lauren London, as BET's #1 show. Other recent projects The Postcard Killings starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Famke Janssen. As a television producer, Edmonds' past projects include the hit series Deion's Family Playbook (OWN) and the three-time NAACP Image Award nominated television movie With This Ring (Lifetime). Edmonds won high acclaim for the serialized version of her hit movie Soul Food, an hour-long drama for Showtime Networks, Inc., which ran for five seasons and won multiple NAACP Image Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series three years in a row. She also executive produced several groundbreaking reality shows including College Hill (BET's first reality show), which ran for six seasons, and its spinoff College Hill Interns; Lil' Kim: Countdown to Lockdown; and DMX: Soul of a Man. Edmonds' other film successes include the hit film Jumping the Broom starring Angela Bassett, which earned several NAACP Image Awards. Her upcoming projects include feature film End of the Road, starring Queen Latifah, Ludacris, and Beau Bridges for Netflix; a drama series, Invisible Life, for HBO; and College Hill: Celebrity Edition, a reimagined version of the original series, starring Nene Leaks, Ray J, Lamar Odom, Big Freedia, Stacey Dash, Dream Doll, India Love, and Slim Thug.
A Stanford University graduate, Edmonds has won numerous awards for her contributions to the entertainment industry, including Ebony Magazine's Outstanding Women in Marketing & Communications Entrepreneur Award (2002); the Volunteers of America Legacy of Leadership Award (2004); the National Organization for Women's Excellence in Media Award (2005); Alliance for Women in Media's Gracies Award for Best Host in Entertainment & Information (2015); Emmy Award, Outstanding Entertainment News Program (2016); and Alliance for Women in Media SoCal's Genii Award for Excellence in Entertainment (2016).
Edmonds served as the co-chair for the PGA's annual Produced By Conference for 6 years. Previously, she also served on the Board of Governors for the Producers Guild of America (PGA) and on the Board of Trustees for the American Film Institute. She is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and is on the Board of the Plby Group.
Edmonds also holds an Honorary Doctorate degree from Southern University.
Tracey Edmonds has two sons, Brandon and Dylan Edmonds.- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
Tracy Dawn Scoggins was born and raised in Dickinson, Texas. At age 16, she enrolled in Southwest Texas State, where she studied speech communications and physical education. After leaving college, she was hired by the Elite Modeling Agency and sent to New York City. After one year, she continued her modeling career with assignments in Italy, France and Germany. Later, she decided to return to the United States to study acting. She attended the Wynn Handman Studio and the Herbert Berghof Studio -- both well-known acting schools. After completing her training, she moved to Hollywood where she has become internationally known as a television and movie star. Today, she resides in Los Angeles, California and spends her free time developing workout videos, cycle riding, swimming and jogging.- Actress
- Music Department
- Composer
Patti LaBelle was born Patricia Louise Holte on May 24, 1944 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Patti began her career in the early 1960s as lead singer of the band Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles. A decade later the group changed their name to Labelle and recorded the hit song "Lady Marmalade". Patti became a solo artist in 1976 and her debut album was another success. During five decades she has sold more than 50 million records and also became an actress.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Jazsmin Lewis was born on 22 March 1976 in Cleveland, Ohio, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Barbershop (2002), Traci Townsend (2007) and My Sisters World. She has been married to Brian Kelly since 2005. They have one child. She was previously married to Jesse Saunders.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Jennifer Esposito was born in Brooklyn, New York. She launched her career with an appearance on Law & Order (1990) in 1996, and went on to play the character of "Stacey Paterno" in 36 episodes on the hit TV series Spin City (1996), starring alongside Michael J. Fox.
Her first major film was Spike Lee's Summer of Sam (1999). Other famous film credits include the Academy Award-winning film Crash (2004) and I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Shari Headley was born on 15 July 1964 in Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Coming to America (1988), Coming 2 America (2021) and Towelhead (2007). She was previously married to Christopher Martin.- Actress
- Stunts
- Director
Actress, stunt woman, and martial artist Marjean Holden was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and raised in Vail, Colorado. She started acting from the age of 9, well being from the family of entertainers, she already knew her profession. As a youngster, she showed multiple skills in her school plays, and also in sports. Later she started martial arts training in boxing and Wun Hop Kuen Do, which she used in most of her action-fighting films. With her athletic abilities and martial arts, she entered in the world of motion pictures as an actress and stunt woman. Some of her stunt work was in Bulletproof (1996), Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997) and Blade (1998).
After few films, she made her first professional debut in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure (1989) and made appearances in such films as Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot (1992) and SF film Nemesis (1992).
Her memorable roles were in Ballistic (1995), in which all martial arts movie goers knows that she had a match against body builder lady Corinna Everson. Next is The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997), Mortal Kombat: Annihilation (1997), where she portrayed Sheeva and John Carpenter's horror Vampires (1998) as one of the vampire masters. As for her TV appearances, she was in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993) and Babylon 5: A Call to Arms (1999), but she became famous for her roles in Crusade (1999) and BeastMaster (1999) TV series. She played a supporting role besides Bruce Willis in Hostage (2005). She recently completed working on "Bring me the Head of Lance Henriksen" with Michael Worth.- Actress
- Writer
- Music Department
Cheryl Ladd is an American actress, singer, and author best known for her role as Kris Munroe in the ABC television series Charlie's Angels, whose cast she joined in its second season in 1977 to replace Farrah Fawcett-Majors. Ladd remained on the show until its cancellation in 1981. Her film roles include Purple Hearts (1984), Millennium (1989), Poison Ivy (1992), Permanent Midnight (1998), and Unforgettable (2017).- Actress
- Composer
- Director
Lonette McKee's career began in the music industry in hometown Detroit, Michigan as a child prodigy, where she began playing keyboards composing music and lyrics, singing and performing professionally at a young age. At fourteen she recorded her first record, "Stop Don't Worry 'Bout It" which became an instant regional Pop/R&B hit.
Lonette made her feature film debut playing 'Sista' in Sparkle. Following were starring roles in films Which Way is Up and Brewster's Millions opposite legendary, Richard Pryor, The Cotton Club and Gardens of Stone for renowned director, Francis Ford Coppola. Sundance Film Festival winner, Lift, earned Lonette a Black Reel Nomination. Other films include Cuba, Men of Honor, 'Round Midnight for outstanding French filmmaker, Bertrand Tavenier. Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, He Got Game and She Hate Me for renowned filmmaker and mentor, Spike Lee. Recently, Lonette appeared in films, A Day in Black and White, Honey, ATL, Paper Mache Chase, Fast Food Fast Women, Honey 2, This Narrow Place and LUV, opposite hip hop mega-star, Common. Television films include, Women of Brewster Place, with Oprah Winfrey, for which Lonette received an NAACP nomination; Having Our Say, Queen, To Dance with Olivia, For Love of Olivia, Blind Faith and Dangerous Passions. She also received an NAACP Nomination for her recurring appearances on As The World Turns and has enjoyed a recurring lead role in hit series' Third Watch and The Game. Solo television guest appearances include The Tonight Show, Today Show, Good Morning America and David Letterman. Lonette was recognized in "People Magazine's Fifty Most Beautiful Issue." Winning the coveted Tony Nomination for her portrayal of the tragic mulatto, 'Julie', in the Houston Grand Opera's production of Showboat, she earned the distinction of becoming the first African American actress to play the coveted role in the U.S. and later reprised the role for great theatrical director Hal Prince on Broadway. Critical praise and a Drama Desk Nomination was earned for her heartbreaking portrayal of Billie Holiday in the one-woman hit drama with music, Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill.
Lonette has written and produced solo CD's entitled, Lonette, Words and Music, Natural Love, Acoustic Tracks, Lonette McKee and Superstar. She has toured throughout the world in solo concert performances including the prestigious JVC Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall.
Studying film directing at The New School in NYC she also apprenticed film directing under the tutelage of mentor Spike Lee. Lonette continues to write and produce music and screenplays along with television concepts for Lonette McKee Entertainment Inc. To include Dream Street, an original screenplay for theatrical release which was chosen as Finalist in Sundance Film Lab and will mark her directorial debut.
A recent concert at Aaron Davis Hall played to a sold-out audience.
Lonette is a Blog Contributor for the Huffington Post and teaches the Actor's Workshop at The City College of New York Continuing and Professional Studies. She recently enjoyed rave reviews in New York for her work Off Broadway in Sowa's Red Gravy and A Raisin in the Sun at the prestigious Clarence Brown Theatre, both directed by Woodie King Jr. She was recently nominated for a 2013 AUDELCO Award in Best Actress category.
Lonette is an animal lover and outspoken advocate for human and animal rights.- Music Artist
- Actress
- Producer
Faith Evans was born on 10 June 1973 in Lakeland, Florida, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for Girls Trip (2017), Puff Daddy Feat. Faith Evans & 112: I'll Be Missing You (1997) and The Fast and the Furious (2001). She has been married to Stevie J since 17 July 2018. She was previously married to Todd Russaw and The Notorious B.I.G..- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Gloria Reuben is an actress, singer and published author whose impressive credentials in television, film, theater and music include portraying the HIV+ physician assistant Jeanie Boulet on the hit NBC series ER (a role that garnered her two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination) and many other television series including Raising The Bar, Falling Skies, Marvel TV's Cloak & Dagger, City On A Hill and The First Lady.
Gloria completed her role as Krista Gordon (the therapist to Rami Malek's Elliot Alderson) in the hit TV series Mr. Robot. As Rolling Stone wrote in their review of the Mr. Robot series finale: "...what makes the scene so powerful are the performances by Rami Malek and Gloria Reuben (who delivers a masterclass in how to convey so much information while making it feel emotionally resonant)."
In film, Gloria portrayed Elizabeth Keckley alongside Daniel Day-Lewis & Sally Field in the Steven Spielberg film LINCOLN, appeared with Paul Rudd and Tina Fey in Paul Weitz's Admission, and starred opposite Samuel L. Jackson in Reasonable Doubt. Gloria's portrayal of Condoleezza Rice in David Hare's play Stuff Happens at The Public Theater in NYC garnered her a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actress.
In music, Gloria's career includes being a backup singer for Tina Turner in 2000, which led her to record her solo record Just For You. Gloria released her first jazz album Perchance To Dream in 2015 on the iconic Mcg Jazz label, and her new album For All We Know was released on Valentine's Day 2020, again on the Mcg Jazz label, to rave reviews.
Gloria's non-fiction book My Brothers' Keeper: Two Brothers. Loved. And Lost. (an intimate tribute to her two brothers who have passed away) was published by Post Hill Press in November 2019.- Actress
- Soundtrack
One of television's premier African-American series stars, elegant actress, singer and recording artist Diahann Carroll was born Carol Diann (or Diahann) Johnson on July 17, 1935, in the Bronx, New York. The first child of John Johnson, a subway conductor, and Mabel Faulk Johnson, a nurse; music was an important part of her life as a child, singing at age six with her Harlem church choir. While taking voice and piano lessons, she contemplated an operatic career after becoming the 10-year-old recipient of a Metropolitan Opera scholarship for studies at New York's High School of Music and Art. As a teenager she sought modeling work but it was her voice, in addition to her beauty, that provided the magic and the allure.
When she was 16, she teamed up with a girlfriend from school and auditioned for Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts show using the more exotic sounding name of Diahann Carroll. She alone was invited to appear and won the contest. She subsequently performed on the daily radio show for three weeks. In her late teens, she began focusing on a nightclub career and it was here that she began formulating a chic, glamorous image. Another TV talent show appearance earned her a week's engagement at the Latin Quarter.
Broadway roles for black singers were rare but at age nineteen, Diahann was cast in the Harold Arlen/Truman Capote musical "House of Flowers". Starring the indomitable Pearl Bailey, Diahann held her own quite nicely in the ingénue role. While the show itself was poorly received, the score was heralded and Diahann managed to introduce two song standards, "A Sleepin' Bee" and "I Never Has Seen Snow", both later recorded by Barbra Streisand.
In 1954 she and Ms. Bailey supported a riveting Dorothy Dandridge as femme fatale Carmen Jones (1954) in an all-black, updated movie version of the Georges Bizet opera "Carmen." Diahann later supported Ms. Dandridge again in Otto Preminger's cinematic retelling of Porgy and Bess (1959). During this time she also grew into a singing personality on TV while visiting such late-nite hosts as Jack Paar and Steve Allen and performing.
Unable to break through into the top ranks in film (she appeared in a secondary role once again in Paris Blues (1961), a Paul Newman/Joanne Woodward vehicle), Diahann returned to Broadway. She was rewarded with a Tony Award for her exceptional performance as a fashion model in the 1962 musical "No Strings," a bold, interracial love story that co-starred Richard Kiley. Richard Rodgers, whose first musical this was after the death of partner Oscar Hammerstein, wrote the part specifically for Diahann, which included her lovely rendition of the song standard "The Sweetest Sounds." By this time she had already begun to record albums ("Diahann Carroll Sings Harold Arlen" (1957), "Diahann Carroll and Andre Previn" (1960), "The Fabulous Diahann Carroll" (1962). Nightclub entertaining filled up a bulk of her time during the early-to-mid 1960s, along with TV guest appearances on Carol Burnett, Judy Garland, Andy Williams, Dean Martin and Danny Kaye's musical variety shows.
Little did Diahann know that in the late 1960s she would break a major ethnic barrier on the small screen. Though it was nearly impossible to suppress the natural glamour and sophistication of Diahann, she touchingly portrayed an ordinary nurse and widow struggling to raise a small son in the series Julia (1968). Despite other Black American actresses starring in a TV series (i.e., Hattie McDaniel in "Beulah"), Diahann became the first full-fledged African-American female "star" -- top billed, in which the show centered around her lead character. The show gradually rose in ratings and Diahann won a Golden Globe award for "Best Newcomer" and an Emmy nomination. The show lasted only two seasons, at her request.
A renewed interest in film led Diahann to the dressed-down title role of Claudine (1974), as a Harlem woman raising six children on her own. She was nominated for an Oscar in 1975, but her acting career would become more and more erratic after this period. She did return, however, to the stage with productions of "Same Time, Next Year" and "Agnes of God". While much ado was made about her return to series work as a fashionplate nemesis to Joan Collins' ultra-vixen character on the glitzy primetime soap Dynasty (1981), it became much about nothing as the juicy pairing failed to ignite. Diahann's character was also a part of the short-lived "Dynasty" spin-off The Colbys (1985).
Throughout the late 1980s and early 90s she toured with her fourth husband, singer Vic Damone, with occasional acting appearances to fill in the gaps. Some of her finest work came with TV-movies, notably her century-old Sadie Delany in Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years (1999) and as troubled singer Natalie Cole's mother in Livin' for Love: The Natalie Cole Story (2000). She also portrayed silent screen diva Norma Desmond in the musical version of "Sunset Blvd." and toured America performing classic Broadway standards in the concert show "Almost Like Being in Love: The Lerner and Loewe Songbook." She then had recurring roles on Grey's Anatomy (2005) and White Collar (2009).
Diahann Carroll died on October 4, 2019, in Los Angeles, California.- Paulette Braxton was born on 31 January 1965 in Houston, Texas, USA. She is an actress, known for A Night at the Roxbury (1998), Homeboys in Outer Space (1996) and CSI: Miami (2002).
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Liris Crosse was born in Randallstown, Maryland, USA. She is known for Law & Order: Organized Crime (2021), The Best Man (1999) and Project Runway (2004).- Producer
- Actress
Ashley Graham was born on 30 October 1987 in Lincoln, Nebraska, USA. She is a producer and actress, known for Love Advent (2011), Dirty Old Town (2012) and 100% Taxes (2017). She has been married to Justin Ervin since 14 August 2010. They have three children.- Make-Up Department
Denise Bidot was born on 13 June 1986 in Miami, Florida, USA. She is known for Gothic Vampires from Hell (2007), Straight/Curve: Redefining Body Image (2017) and A Perfect 14 (2018).- Anansa Sims was born on 27 December 1978 in New York City, New York, USA. She was previously married to David Patterson.
- Actress
- Producer
British actress and model Iskra Lawrence was born in Worcestershire, England to a Northern Irish mother and an English father. She was educated at Bromsgrove School and was accepted into The National Youth Theatre at age 15. She also successfully auditioned and was accepted to train at the ITV/BBC Television Workshop in Birmingham. She is a Brand Ambassador for NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) USA and is the Managing Editor of Runway Riot a Dan Abrams premier fashion site for curvy females.- Actress
- Writer
Cassandra Freeman was born on 1 October 1978 in West Palm Beach, Florida, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Inside Man (2006), Luke Cage (2016) and Atlanta (2016). She is married to Tom Paul. They have one child.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Danielle Brooks was born on 17 September 1989 in Augusta, Georgia, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Peacemaker (2022), Orange Is the New Black (2013) and Robin Roberts Presents: Mahalia (2021). She has been married to Dennis Gelin since 13 January 2022. They have one child.- Malika Haqq was born on 10 March 1983 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Sky High (2005), ATL (2006) and 20 Years After (2008).
- Khadijah Haqq was born on 10 March 1983 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Sky High (2005), You People (2023) and ATL (2006). She has been married to Bobby McCray since 19 July 2010. They have three children.
- Luciana Andrade was born on April 8, 1986, in Curitiba, Brazil, as Luciana Mourão de Andrade. She is a lawyer and model, best known for being a ring girl and on-air personality for the Ultimate Fighting Championship - UFC at events across the United States, Latin America and EMEA. Luciana went to Law School in both Brazil and United States.
- Damaris Lewis was born on 10 October 1990 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for BlacKkKlansman (2018), Pose (2018) and Titans (2018).
- Actress
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Additional Crew
Nayo Kamilah Wallace was born in Detriot, Michigan. Nayo (pronounced Nah-yo) is an African name and means "we have joy". A Detroit native who now lives in Los Angeles, Nayo splits her talents between screen, stage and voice over. Most recently she completed the second season of the animated series Care Bears Welcome to Care-A-Lot where she provides the speaking and singing voice for Harmony Bear. She's also voiced and performed the motion capture for a number of characters in video games. On stage she performed the role of Sarabi in The Lion King on Broadway and in their first national tour. She was also a member of the LA and Vegas productions of Rock Of Ages.
Nayo believes deeply that artists can and will change the world. She is grateful to her forbears and all of the other incredibly courageous artists who came before her and left their exquisite mark on the planet. She is honored to be a part of such an important profession and passionately strives to do the same.- Actress
- Producer
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Simone always knew she was meant to perform. Growing up, Simone spent years playing the violin, singing, and playing sports before she decided to focus on acting. While in her first year as an English major at Howard University, she decided to take a theatre for non-majors course. This class solidified her commitment to acting, and she graduated with a minor in Theatre arts. Following graduation, Simone traveled to Oxford, England, where she participated in the British American Drama Academy taking Master Classes with greats Ben Kingsley, Alan Rickman, and Jane Lapotaire. She then honed her craft performing in regional theatre in Detroit, Michigan before packing it all up and moving to Los Angeles. In 2015, Simone made her debut as "Misty Knight" in "Marvel's Luke Cage". She has since reprised her role as that character in "Marvel's: The Defenders", and Season 2 of both "Marvel's Luke Cage" and "Marvel's Iron Fist". In the spring of 2018, Simone made her New York theatre debut in Dominique Morrisseau's "Paradise Blue" at the Signature Theatre. This fall, Simone stars and is a producer on the highly anticipated Orion pictures film, "Jinn", which will be in theaters in the fall of 2018.- The youngest of three daughters born to Doug, an electrician who died in 1993, and Marion, a nurse, Webb graduated in 1983 from Detroit's Waldorf School. Moving to New York City to study design the same year, Webb got her modeling start after a makeup artist saw her in a housewares boutique.
- Actress
- Producer
- Composer
Goapele was born on 11 July 1977 in Oakland, California, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Barbershop (2002), Hitch (2005) and Honey (2003). She is married to Theo Rodrigues. They have one child.- Actress
- Composer
- Soundtrack
Courtney Michaela Ann "Coco" Jones was born on January 4, 1998 in Columbia, South Carolina and raised in Lebanon, Tennessee to Javonda Antenessia Jones (née Floyd), a session vocalist & Mike Jones, a former NFL player. She rose to prominence starring in the Disney Channel film, Let It Shine (2012) & was featured on Radio Disney's Next Big Thing from 2010 to 2011. Jones was formerly signed with Hollywood Records, before releasing her independent singles and EPs beginning in 2014. As of March 2022, Jones is officially signed to Def Jam Recordings.