Uma Thurman

Profile
Name: Uma Thurman
Birth Name: Uma Karuna Thurman
Height: 6'
Sex: F
Nationality: American
Birth Date: April 29, 1970
Birth Place: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Profession: actress, model
Education: Northfield Mount Herman School in Northfield, Massachusetts
Amherst Regional Junior High School in Amherst, Massachusetts
Professional Children's High School in New York
Husband/Wife: Ethan Hawke (actor; b. November 6, 1970; married on May 1, 1998; separated on July 20, 2004), Gary Oldman (actor; b. March 21, 1958; married in October 1990; divorced in 1992)
Relationship: Andre Balasz (hotelier; split on March 20, 2006), Timothy Hutton (actor; b. August 16, 1960; began dating during filming of Beautiful Girls - 1995)
Father: Robert A.F. Thurman (professor, teaches Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Studies at Columbia University, NYC; b. October 14, 1932)
Mother: Nena Thurman (psychotherapist, former model; born in 1941)
Brother: Dechen Thurman (actor; b. January 18, 1973), Mipam Thurman (born in 1978), Ganden Thurman (born in 1968)
Grand Father: Baron Karl von Schlebrugg (maternal grandparent; jailed by Nazis in WWII for not betraying Jewish business partners)
Grand Mother: Brigit Holmquist (maternal grandparent), Elizabeth Farrar (actress; paternal grandparent)
Son: Roan (born on January 15, 2002)
Daughter: Maya Ray Thurman-Hawke (born on July 8, 1998 in NYC)
Claim to fame: as Mia Wallace in Quentin Tarantino' Pulp Fiction (1994)

Biography
Uma Thurman had to break from her family’s core values to join the high school cheerleading squad. Her offbeat bohemian Buddhist upbringing in India and all over the United States made her a bit of an outcast among her all-American teen peers, and the cheerleading helped bridge the gap. School plays, though, were her favorite way to fit in, and she ultimately left her Massachusetts boarding school at age 15 for a New York acting career. The independent teen spent a year washing dishes and modeling to pay the rent, until hired for a role in Kiss Daddy Goodnight (1987). Critics liked Thurman far better than the movie, and casting directors took note. Her exotic good looks served her well the next year for the part of a goddess in The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and for the steamy Dangerous Liaisons.

At 18, Thurman moved to England to escape Hollywood typecasting -- the actor was more interested in a serious career than sex-symbol fame and her growing over-obsessive fan base. In 1990, at age 20, Thurman married fellow actor Gary Oldman. The couple divorced two years later. In 1990, too, she was cast in Where The Heart Is, and the intelligent (but steamy) Henry and June. She came solidly back to mainstream Hollywood, with a few independents thrown in, with Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (TV - 1991), Final Analysis (1992), Jennifer 8 (1992), Mad Dog and Glory (1993), and Even Cowgirls Get The Blues (1994). A role in the risky Pulp Fiction (1994) turned out to be a smart career choice, for Thurman earned an Oscar nomination, a Golden Globe nomination and an MTV movie award for her stellar performance.

She continued to mix sure commercial successes with less-sure art films, going on to star in A Month By The Lake (1995), Beautiful Girls (1996), The Truth About Cats and Dogs (1996), Batman and Robin (1997), Gattaca (1997), Les Miserables (1998), and The Avengers (1998 - “winning” a Razzie Worst Actress nomination and disappointing critics). She was busy off-camera in 1998 first marrying actor Ethan Hawke then giving birth to daughter, Maya Ray. Thurman went off-Broadway the next year with The Misanthrope, and then back to film with Sweet and Lowdown

Filmography
2007 In Bloom
2007 The Accidental Husband
2006 My Super Ex-Girlfriend
2005 The Producers
2005 Prime
2005 The Brothers Grimm
2005 The Naked Brothers Band
2005 Be Cool
2004 Kill Bill Vol. 2
2003 Paycheck
2003 Kill Bill Vol. 1
2002 Hysterical Blindness
2001 Chelsea Walls
2001 Tape
2001 Without Lying Down: Frances Marion and the Power of Women in Hollywood
2000 The Golden Bowl
2000 Vatel
1999 Sweet and Lowdown
1998 Les Miserables
1998 The Avengers
1997 Gattaca
1997 Batman & Robin
1996 Beautiful Girls
1996 The Truth About Cats & Dogs
1995 A Month by the Lake
1995 Duke Of Groove
1994 Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
1994 Pulp Fiction
1993 Mad Dog and Glory
1992 Final Analysis
1992 Jennifer Eight
1991 Robin Hood
1990 Where the Heart Is
1990 Henry & June
1989 The Adventures of Baron Munchausen
1988 Dangerous Liaisons
1988 Johnny Be Good
1987 Kiss Daddy Goodnight

Executive Producer
2002 Hysterical Blindness

Producer
2007 The Accidental Husband

Awards
Saturn Award
Year : 2004
Category : Best Actress
For : Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Won

Empire Award
Year : 2004
Category : Best Actress
For : Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Won

MTV Movie Award
Year : 2004
Category : Best Female Performance & Best Fight
For : Kill Bill: Vol. 1
Won

Golden Globe Awards
Year : 2003
Category : Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television
For : Hysterical Blindness
Won

Blockbuster Entertainment Award
Year : 1998
Category : Favorite Actress - Sci-Fi
For : Batman & Robin
Won

Trivia
* Has the same birthday with Michelle Pfeiffer, Daniel Day-Lewis, Jerry Seinfeld, and Andre Agassi.
* Was named for a Hindu goddess of light and beauty and the name means the one who bestows blessing.
* Her middle name, Karuna, is one of the four sublime abodes in Buddhism and means compassion.
* Her father, Robert A.F. Thurman,
* was the first person from western to become a Tibetan Buddhist monk
* A nude statue of her grandmother, Brigit Holmquist who was the wife of Baron Karl von Schlebrugg, can be found in the port town of Trelleborg.
* Wears shoes of size 11.
* Her name was used as a shade of Lancome lipsticks which was only available in Asia.
* Her name means "one" in Portugese and "kiss" in Polynesian.
* Supported John Kerry for U.S. President in the general election.
* Her uncle, John Thurman, performs with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as the cellist.
* Is a member of the Board of Directors of Room to Grow, a non-profit organization which aims to enrich the lives of babies born into poverty throughout their critical first 3 years of development.
* Ethan Hawke's book, "For Karuna," was dedicated to her.
* Is Laila Morse's former sister-in-law.
* Her daughter's name, Maya, is also the name of a character she portrayed in a TV movie entitled "Duke of Groove" (1996).
* Her feet were adored by Quentin Tarantino and this fascination of him could be seen in "Pulp Fiction" (1994) and "Kill Bill"(2003).
* Is suffered from body dysmorphia, a mental disorder concerning the dissatisfaction of one's own body because of a perceived physical defect.
* Her name has been used as the name of a Russian rock band which was previously known as Ne Nashego Mira.
* Failed to star in a planned biopic of Marlene Dietrich due to the death of its proposed director, Louis Malle.
* Received the Jury Coup de Chapeau at the 1993 Cognac Festival du Film Policier for her role in "Jennifer Eight" (1992).
* Acquired the 20th rank in Empire Magazine's list of 100 Sexiest Stars in Film History by 1995.
* Ranked 4th on Maxim.com's list of Sexiest Movie Assassins for her role as Beatrix Kiddo in the 2003 "Kill Bill" (Ap ril 2007).
* Was the nominee in two categories which were Best Female Performance and Best Dance Sequence through her role in "Pulp Fiction" (1994) at the 1995 MTV Movie Awards.
* She won the latter one, sharing it with John Travolta.
* Was placed on number 99 of Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time according to the U.K. edition of Empire Magazine in 1997.
* Was selected as the Favorite Actress - Sci-Fi at the Blockbuster Entertainment Awards in 1998 for her role in "Batman & Robin" (1997).
* Had been the spokesperson of Lancome cosmetics by June 2000.
* Was nominated for Best Suporting Actress category at the 2002 Independent Spirit Awards through her role in "Tape" (2001).
* Was originally cast for the role of Eowyn in "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" (2002), but the part later went to Miranda Otto.
* Turned down a role in Brian De Palma's "Femme Fatale" (2002).
* Received the Best Actress - Television Movie or Miniseries nomination at Screen Actors Guild Awards in 2003 for her role in "Hysterical Blindness" (2002).
* Consulted trainer/nutritionist Jackie Keller to help her losing weight for the role of The Bride in "Kill Bill" (2003).
* She lost 25 pounds in six weeks after delivered her second child by eating desserts.
* Was bestowed a Saturn Award for being the Best Actress from Academy of Science Fiction, * Fantasy & Horror Films, USA in 2004 through her role in "Kill Bill" (2003).
* Was honored the title of Best Actress at the 2004 Empire Awards for her role in "Kill Bill" (2003).
* Earned the nomination for Best Actress at the 2004 and 2005 Online Film Critics Society Awards, the 2005 Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, and the 2005 Empire Awards.
* Got the Choice Movie Actress - Drama/Action Adventure nomination at Teen Choice Awards in 2004 for her role in "Kill Bill" (2003).
* Was the nominee in Best Screenplay, Original for "Kill Bill" (2003) together with Quentin Tarantino at the 2004 Golden Satellite Awards.
* Took home two MTV Movie Awards in 2004 for winning the categories of Best Female Performance and Best Fight, which she shared with Chiaki Kuriyama, through her role in "Kill Bill" (2003).
* Was named Funniest American in Japan (Gringo/a más Gracioso en Japón) at the 2004 MTV Movie Awards, Mexico.
* Was mentioned as the nominee of Best Actress category by Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA in 2005 for her role in the second part of "Kill Bill" (2003).
* Gained a nomination at the 2005 Golden Satellite Awards in the category of Best Actress in Motion Pictures-Drama for her role in the second part of "Kill Bill" (2003).
* Was the Audience Award nominee in Best International Actress category at IFTA Awards in 2005.
* Scored two nominations in the categories of Best Female Performance and Best Fight at the 2005 MTV Movie Awards for her role in the second part of "Kill Bill" (2003).
* She took home the latter one along with Daryl Hannah.
* Has been chosen to be the new face of Louis Vuitton by the year 2005.
* Was granted an honor of a knight in the Order of Arts and Letters by the government of France on February 7, 2006.
* Accidentally broke her wrist on the set of her movie, "The Accidental Husband" (2008), resulted in the delay of shooting.

Gary Oldman

Profile
Name: Gary Oldman
Birth Name: Leonard Gary Oldman
Height: 5' 11"
Sex: M
Nationality: British
Birth Date: March 21, 1958
Birth Place: New Cross, London, England, UK
Profession: actor, director, writer
Education: Rose Bruford College of Speech and Drama in Kent, England (graduated in 1979)
Husband/Wife: Donya Fiorentino (photographer; married on February 16, 1997; divorced on April 13, 2001), Uma Thurman (actress; born on April 29, 1970; married in October 1990; divorced in 1992), Lesley Manville (actress; born on March 12, 1956; divorced)
Relationship: Isabella Rossellini (actress; born on June 18, 1952; reportedly engaged in July 1994; separated in 1996)
Father: Welder (died of alcoholism in 1984)
Mother: Kathleen Oldman
Sister: Laila Morse (actress; born on August 1, 1945)
Son: Gulliver Flynn Oldman (born in August 1997; mother: Donya Fiorentino), Charlie John (mother: Donya Fiorentino), Alfred Oldman (born in 1988; mother: Lesley Manville)
Step daughter: Phelix Imogen Fincher (born in April 1994; mother: Donya Fiorentino)
Claim to fame: as punk rocker Sid Vicious in Sid and Nancy (1986)

Biography
Oldman began his acting career in 1979, and worked extensively in the theatre, from Shakespearean plays to contemporary works. From 1989-89, Oldman performed exclusively with the Royal Court Theatre. Oldman quickly established himself as a gifted 'actor's' actor. Working for BBC, Gary Oldman starred in Mike Leigh's "Mean Time' and Alan Clarke's "The Firm"(1988). His first big 'breakthrough' into the world of film came with "Sid and Nancy", which earned him widespread recognition. After appearing in "JFK" as Lee Harvey Oswald, and in "Bram Stoker's Dracula" as Dracula, Oldman's talent was more fully recognized in Hollywood, leading to 'big' roles, such as in "The Fifth Element", "Air Force One" to name a few. In 1995, Oldman formed a production company with Douglas Urbanski, the SEB group, which produced, along with personal friend Luc Besson, "Nil by Mouth," Oldman's directorial and writing debut.Oldman's newest release is "Air Force One", in which he stars with the internationally known movie star, Harrison Ford.

Oldman is known for his chameleon like ability to 'become' the character. His whole persona changes
This astounding acting ability has led many to call him truly brilliant.
Unfortunately, his personal life has not held this success- two failed marriages (one to Uma Thurman, from 1990-1992). A marriage from the mid- eighties to English stage-actress, Lesley Manville, resulted in Oldman's son, Alfie, now eight and a half, with whom Oldman shares a good relationship. Oldman was also engaged to actress/model Isabella Rosselini, whom he met on the set of Immortal Beloved, but this too collapsed.

These failures are often blamed on Oldman's problems with alcohol abuse, inherited from his father. Though it never affected his acting career, in 1994, Oldman checked into an alcohol abuse program, and has since stayed sober.

Oldman married photographer Donya Fiorentino in early 1997, and his second son, Gulliver Flynn, was born in mid-August. Many hail Oldman as one of the greatest actors alive, and to watch one of his electrifying, consuming performances, one can see why.

Filmography
2008 The Dark Knight
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
2006 The Backwoods
2005 Dead Fish
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
2005 Batman Begins
2004 Who's Kyle
2004 The Magic Touch of Harry Potter
2004 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
2003 Tiptoes
2003 Sin
2002 Interstate 60
2001 Hannibal
2001 Nobody's Baby
2000 Jesus
2000 The Contender
1999 Plunkett & Macleane
1998 Quest For Camelot
1998 Lost in Space
1997 The Fifth Element
1997 Nil by Mouth
1997 Air Force One
1996 Basquiat
1995 The Scarlet Letter
1995 Murder in the First
1994 Romeo Is Bleeding
1994 The Professional
1994 Immortal Beloved
1993 Fallen Angels, Vol. 2
1993 True Romance
1992 Bram Stoker's Dracula
1991 JFK
1990 Heading Home
1990 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead
1990 State of Grace
1989 Chattahoochee
1988 The Firm
1988 Track 29
1988 We Think the World of You
1987 Prick Up Your Ears
1986 Sid and Nancy
1985 Honest, Decent and True
1982 Remembrance
1981 Meantime

Awards
* Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards: Alan J. Pakula Award, THE CONTENDER (2001)
* BAFTA Awards: Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film, NIL BY MOUTH (1998)
* BAFTA Awards: Best Screenplay - Original, NIL BY MOUTH (1998)
* Empire Awards: Best Debut, NIL BY MOUTH (1998)
* Edinburgh International Film Festival: Channel 4 Director's Award, NIL BY MOUTH (1997)
* CableACE Award: Actor in a Dramatic Series, FALLEN ANGELS: DEAD END FOR DELIA (1993)
* Saturn Award: Best Actor, DRACULA (1993)
* London Critics Circle Film Awards: Actor of the Year, PRICK UP YOUR EARS (1988)
* Evening Standard British Film Awards: Most Promising Newcomer, SID AND NANCY (1987)
* London Evening Standard Award: Most Promising Film Newcomer, SID AND NANCY (1986)
* London Critics Circle Film Award: Best Actor, THE POPE'S WEDDING (1985)

Trivia
* Looks unlikely to reprise his role as Sirius Black in the next Harry Potter film, after reports he has been mysteriously axed from the wizard franchise. (February 10, 2006)
* Pulled out of STAR WARS: REVENGE OF THE SITH because it was made outside the Screen Actor's Guild rules. (September 2004)
* Is facing a massive tax bill in his adopted home of America, after court papers were filed in Los Angeles claiming he owes $288,000. (May 22, 2004)
* Oldman has emerged victorious from a custody battle with ex-wife Donya Fiorentino over their two sons Gulliver, 5, and Charlie, 4. (July 29, 2003)
* As if Hogwarts wasn't stuffed to its magical rafters with the cream of British acting talent already, it looks mighty like English rent-a-baddie par excellence Gary Oldman will be joining HARRY POTTER 3 in the shape-shifting form of wizard Sirius Black -- confirmed to be in talks to play the canny animagus himself, Gary Oldman is certainly the perfect adversary for those pesky Dementors, fully capable of giving them the slip and escaping the rather limiting environs of Azkaban with just a few of his well-honed psychotic twitches. (January 9, 2003)
* Whether playing a punk rocker, an assassin, a war vet, or a ghoul, Oldman has consistently amazed viewers with his ability to completely disappear into his roles.
* In AIR FORCE ONE (1997) when Valera gives his thumbprint for a background check near the beginning of the film, the date of birth that comes up among his info (3/21/58) is his real birthday.
* In DRACULA (1992) Prince Vlad's scream after he drives his sword into the cross is not the voice of Oldman. Lux Interior, lead singer of punk band The Cramps, recorded the scream and it was dubbed in.
* In most of his shots in THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997), there is a circle around his head. In fact, a circle in the middle of the frame is a near-constant motif in this film. Bruce Willis, on the other hand, is more often framed by a rectangle or doorway behind him.
* At one point in LOST IN SPACE (1998), he is told, You are a monster. His characters have been told similar things in THE FIFTH ELEMENT (1997) and AIR FORCE ONE (1997).
* Had to lose weight to play Sid Vicious in SID AND NANCY (1986), but he lost so much that he ended up in a hospital.
* He asks Mathilda's Father if he likes Beethoven before he goes on his killing spree in LÉON (1994). Gary Oldman himself ends up portraying Ludwig van Beethoven in Immortal Beloved the same year.
* Playing Mason Verger in HANNIBAL (2001), he originally wanted to share star billing alongside Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore. When the producers denied him this, he declined to have any billing at all and, in the original theatrical release, remained uncredited at the film's opening and closing credits. In the VHS & DVD releases, however, his name has been added to the credits.
* (IMMORTAL BELOVED (1994): Starring as Beethoven, he had just that year starred in LÉON (1994), a film in which his character presents a monologue on the power of Beethoven's music.
* Various Stanley Kubrick references: Milk, as in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE (1971). His line, I don't have time for this Mickey Mouse shit, is similar to Sgt. Hartman's line and the many references to Mickey Mouse in FULL METAL JACKET (1987). The shot which follows the movement of the axe when Leon is smashing in the wall, is similar to the same type of shot in THE SHINING (1981). Leon dresses as John Wayne, who is mentioned many times by Private Joker in FULL METAL JACKET (1987).
* Was nominated for Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1999 for LOST IN SPACE.
* Sometimes Credited As: Maurice Escargot
* Trade mark: characters are usually borderline psychotics.
* Known for playing a wide variety of roles that often requires a variety of different accents.
* Considered a career in music.
* Was arrested for drunk driving in L.A. and released on bail the next morning. His passenger in the car was pal, Kiefer Sutherland. (8 August 1991)
* His library includes essays on Bertold Brecht, poetry by Roger McGough, a biography of Montgomery Clift, The Elizabethan World Picture, all things Shakespeare, and Jane Austen.
* Has used a different speaking voice (i.e. accent) in practically every movie he's ever been in.
* He and HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN co-star Timothy Spall have both played the character of Rosencrantz; Spall in Kenneth Branagh's HAMLET, Oldman in ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE DEAD.
* Was paid $1,000,000 for JESUS (1999) (TV)
* Was paid $5,000,000 for LOST IN SPACE (1998)
* Has appeared in a Guns-N-Roses music video.
* Sang I Wanna Be Your Dog and Frank Sinatra's My Way on the soundtrack to SID AND NANCY.
* His singing voice can also be heard in the songs You've Been Around and Stamford Hill on guitarist Reeves Gabrels' release The Sacred Squall of Now.
* Artist Julian Schnabel (the director of Basquiat) has a CD out entitled Every Silver Lining Has A Cloud. Gary sings on this CD and there is also a track called Gary's Song.
* Met Donya Fiorentino at alcoholic rehabilitation.
* Nil By Mouth, which marked his writing and directing debut, is semi-autobiographical.
* Early in the film THE FIFTH ELEMENT, Oldman's character quotes Nietzsche: What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. Oldman's costar, Bruce Willis, released a record album with that title in the 80's.

Joan Cusack

Profile
Name: Joan Cusack
Height: 5' 8"
Sex: F
Nationality: American
Birth Date: October 11, 1962
Birth Place: New York, New York, USA
Profession: actress
Education: Piven Theater Workshop in Evanston, Illinois University of Wisconsin at Madison (majored in English; B.A.)
Husband/Wife: Richard Burke (attorney; born in 1963; met in 1993)
Father: Richard Cusack (actor; born on August 29, 1925; died on June 2, 2003)
Mother: Nancy Cusack (former math teacher)
Sister: Susie Cusack (actress; born in 1971), Ann Cusack (actress; born on May 22, 1961),
Brother: John Cusack (actor; born on June 28, 1966), Bill Cusack (actor; born in 1964)
Son: Miles (born in 2000), Dylan John Burke (born on June 17, 1997 in Chicago)

Biography
Joan was born in New York on October 11th, 1962, but was raised in Evanston, Illinois. Her dad was an actor, and Joan would follow in his footsteps along with siblings John, Bill and Ann. They trained at the Piven Theatre Workshop in Evanston from a very young age and grew up performing on stage. Joan was not a part of the "in" crowd at school, and was a shy and introverted young woman except when she was on stage.

Like her brother John, Joan made her debut in silly 1980's teen romps. Her first big screen appearance came in My Bodyguard, about a bully who gets his payback. More of the same followed, including 1983's Class, which marked the debut of her little brother. In 1985, Joan was offered a spot on the Saturday Night Live roster. She took the job with anticipation, long having been a fan of sketch and improv comedy. While studying English at the University of Wisconsin, she had spent a lot her time performing with The Ark, the school's improv troupe. However, SNL did not end up being to her liking. Cusack claimed that all of the best material was offered to the men, which left the women very little to work with. She left after only one season.

The move ended up being good for her career. Her time on the show had given her enough exposure to land a role in Broadcast News, playing supporting actress to Holly Hunter. Working Girl followed, where she played supporting actress to Melanie Griffith. The latter role earned Joan her first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

Joan was quickly building a solid reputation as being the actress to call if you needed a ‘buddy' for your glamorous star. She filled her role for Michelle Pfeiffer in Married to the Mob, and for a host of other actresses. Cusack was finally offered a lead in Steve Martin's My Blue Heaven, but the experience proved trying for Joan, who did not get along with director Herbert Ross. After the whole ordeal was over, Cusack ended up being overshadowed by Martin's over-the-top comedy.

Trying to put the whole experience behind her, Joan moved back home to Chicago. Fed up with L.A., she had to get back to her roots. In 1993, she married corporate attorney Richard Burke, and for the next few years concentrated on her marriage and starting a family. During this time, Joan barely appeared at the multiplex, making her personal life a priority.

In 1997, Joan Cusack came roaring back. Content with her new life and still living in Chicago, she went about forging a comeback. First came Gr osse Pointe Blank, in which she co-starred as the secretary of the hitman played by her brother John. That same year she appeared in In and Out as a fiancé who gets jilted at the altar when her groom realizes he's gay. Although the film was just fluffy fun, Cusack's role was felt to be so wonderful that she found herself once again nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.

Since her return, Joan has found herself offered a greater variety of roles than the first time around. She continues to work with John whenever possible, and the two have a close relationship. They appeared together most recently in Cradle Will Rock and High Fidelity. The duo are also developing a sitcom which John will write and in which Joan will star as an actress who returns home to Chicago to escape L.A.

Filmography
2007 The Martian Child
2007 War, Inc.
2006 Friends With Money
2005 Chicken Little
2005 Ice Princess
2004 Peep and the Big Wide World [Animated TV Series]
2004 Raising Helen
2003 School of Rock
2003 Looney Tunes: Back in Action
2002 It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie
2001 What About Joan [TV Series]
2000 Where the Heart Is
2000 High Fidelity
1999 Toy Story 2
1999 Runaway Bride
1999 Cradle Will Rock
1999 Arlington Road
1997 Grosse Pointe Blank
1997 In & Out
1997 A Smile Like Yours
1996 Mr. Wrong
1995 Nine Months
1995 Two Much
1994 The Mother
1994 Corrina, Corrina
1993 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle: The Radish Cure
1993 Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle: The Pet Forgetters Cure
1993 Addams Family Values
1992 Toys
1992 Hero
1991 Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez
1990 My Blue Heaven
1989 Say Anything...
1989 Men Don't Leave
1988 Married to the Mob
1988 Working Girl
1988 Stars and Bars
1987 Broadcast News
1987 The Allnighter
1985 Saturday Night Live: Season 11
1984 Grandview, U.S.A.
1984 Sixteen Candles
1983 Class
1980 My Bodyguard
1980 Cutting Loose

Awards
Academy
1997 Best Supporting Actress In And Out
1988 Best Supporting Actress Working Girl

Broadcast Film Critics Association
1997 Best Supporting Actress In & Out

Chicago Film Critics Association
1999 Commitment to Chicago Award

Golden Globe
1997 Best Supporting Actress In and Out

New York Film Critics Circle
1997 Best Supporting Actress In & Out

Trivia
* After working together no less than six times before on screen, John and Joan Cusack might get another chance to appear together in the remake of 1975 thriller, THE STEPFORD WIVES -- With Joan already confirmed to play a hard-drinking, sarcastic wife pre a touch of robot transformation, little brother John is now in talks to star opposite Nicole Kidman in the reworking of the quietly feminist tale. (March 8, 2003)
* One of Hollywood's funniest and most underappreciated actresses, Joan Cusack was for years relegated to playing the buddy sidekicks of her more glamorous co-stars and known primarily as John Cusack's older sister.
* In the softball game scene, Cusack wears a Peaches baseball cap, a reference to A League of Their Own, which was directed by Penny Marshall (director Garry Marshall's sister) and which co-starred Anne Cusack (Joan's sister).
* Was nominated Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for IN & OUT in 1998 and for WORKING GIRL in 1989.
* After working together no less than six times before on screen, John and Joan Cusack might get another chance to appear together in the remake of 1975 thriller, THE STEPFORD WIVES -- With Joan already confirmed to play a hard-drinking, sarcastic wife pre a touch of robot transformation, little brother John is now in talks to star opposite Nicole Kidman in the reworking of the quietly feminist tale. (March 8, 2003)
* One of Hollywood's funniest and most underappreciated actresses, Joan Cusack was for years relegated to playing the buddy sidekicks of her more glamorous co-stars and known primarily as John Cusack's older sister.
* In the softball game scene, Cusack wears a Peaches baseball cap, a reference to A League of Their Own, which was directed by Penny Marshall (director Garry Marshall's sister) and which co-starred Anne Cusack (Joan's sister).
* Joan and John are real-life siblings as they also play brother and sister in SAY ANYTHING (1989).
* Joan's entire family are actors or actresses, including all four siblings and her parents.
* Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture at Golden Globe Awards for IN & OUT (1998)
* Joan and John used to put on family plays in the garage. Joan would play the princess; their sister Ann would play the queen, but baby brother John would always get stuck playing the dog. In the '80s, Joan was a member of the Chicago improv group, An Impulsive Thing, with Bonnie Hunt.

Liam Neeson

Profile
Name: Liam Neeson
Birth Name: William John Neeson
Height: 6'4"
Sex: M
Nationality: British
Birth Date: June 7, 1952
Birth Place: Ballymena, Northern Ireland, U.K.
Profession: actor
Education: St. Mary's Teaching School (dropped out) Queen's University in Belfast, Northern Ireland
Husband/Wife: Natasha Richardson (actress; born on May 11, 1963; married on July 3, 1994)
Relationship: Helen Mirren (actress; b. July 26, 1945; 1981-1985), Julia Roberts (actress; b. October 28, 1967; 1988-1990), Brooke Shields (actress; b. May 31, 1965), Barbra Streisand (actress, singer; b. April 24, 1942), Sinéad O'Connor (singer; b. December 8, 1966)
Father: Barney Neeson
Mother: Kitty Neeson
Sister: Bernadette Neeson
Son: Daniel Jack Neeson (born on August 28, 1996), Michael Richard Antonio Neeson (born on June 22, 1995)
Claim to fame: as Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List (1993

Biography
Irish-born Neeson worked as a forklift operator for Guinness, truck driver, assistant architect and an amateur boxer. He had originally sought a career as a teacher by attending St. Mary's Teaching College in Belfast. However, in 1976, Neeson joined the Belfast Lyric Players' Theater and made his professional acting debut in the play "The Risen People". After two years, Neeson moved to Dublin's Abbey Theater where he performed the classics. It was here that he was spotted by director John Boorman and was cast in the film Excalibur (1981), which dealt with the Arthurian legend. From there, he acted in a number of average films and Television Mini-series until he gained notice for his role as the mute in Suspect (1987). Neeson did not play the lead in a movie until he appeared in Darkman (1990). Good performances in Leap of Faith (1992) and Husbands and Wives (1992) led to Neeson being picked for the role of Oskar Schindler in Steven Spielberg's Schindler's List (1993). For this role, Neeson was nominated for the Academy Award and the Golden Globe. In 1993, he made his Broadway debut in "Anna Christie" in which he co-starred with Natasha Richardson. For his role in this play, Neeson was nominated for a Tony. When he returned to the big screen, Neeson again co-starred with Richardson in the Jodie Foster movie Nell (1994). In the next 2 years, Neeson played characters close to his roots when he was the eighteenth century Scottish Highlander Rob Roy (1995) and the Irish revolutionary leader Michael Collins (1996).

Filmography
2008 Taken
2008 The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
2006 Home
2006 Seraphim Falls
2005 Batman Begins
2005 Kingdom of Heaven
2005 The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
2005 Riverdance: The Ten Years
2004 Patrick
2004 Kinsey
2004 Breakfast on Pluto
2003 Martin Luther, Part 2: The Reluctant Revolutionary
2003 Martin Luther [TV Documentary Series]
2003 Love Actually
2003 Martin Luther, Part 1: Driven to Defiance
2003 Coral Reef Adventure
2002 Gangs of New York
2002 Liberty's Kids [Animated Series]
2002 K-19: The Widowmaker
2001 Evolution, Part 3: Extinction!
2001 Evolution, Part 4: The Evolutionary Arms Race
2001 Evolution, Part 7: What About God?
2001 Journey into Amazing Caves
2001 Evolution [TV Documentary Series]
2001 Evolution, Part 1: Darwin's Dangerous Idea
2001 Evolution, Part 2: Great Transformations
2001 Evolution, Part 6: The Mind's Big Bang
2001 Evolution, Part 5: Why Sex?
2001 Evolution: Learning and Teaching Evolution
2000 Inside the Space Station
2000 The Directors: Steven Spielberg
2000 The Endurance: Shackleton's Legendary Antarctic Expedition
2000 Gun Shy
1999 The Haunting
1999 The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization, Part 3 - Empire of Mind
1999 The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization, Part 1 - The Revolution
1999 Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace
1999 The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization, Part 2 - Golden Age
1998 Les Miserables
1998 Everest
1996 Before and After
1996 Michael Collins
1995 Rob Roy
1994 Nell
1994 Out of Ireland: The Story of Irish Emigration to America
1993 Schindler's List
1992 Husbands and Wives
1992 Leap of Faith
1992 Ruby Cairo
1992 Under Suspicion
1992 Ethan Frome
1992 Shining Through
1990 Darkman
1990 Crossing the Line
1989 Next of Kin
1988 The Dead Pool
1988 High Spirits
1988 Satisfaction
1988 The Good Mother
1987 Sweet as You Are
1987 Suspect
1987 A Prayer for the Dying
1987 Sworn to Silence
1986 The Mission
1986 If Tomorrow Comes
1986 Duet for One
1985 The Innocent
1985 Arthur the King
1985 Lamb
1985 Hold the Dream
1984 The Bounty
1984 A Woman of Substance, Episode 3: The Secret Is Revealed
1984 A Woman of Substance, Episode 2: Fighting for the Dream
1984 A Woman of Substance, Episode 1: Nest of Vipers
1983 Across the Water
1983 Krull
1983 Ellis Island
1981 Excalibur
1979 Christiana
Hold the Dream, Part 1
Hold the Dream, Part 2
Hold the Dream, Part 3

Intertitle Writer
1996 A Leap of Faith

Awards
Academy
1993 Best Actor Schindler's List

British Academy Awards
1993 Best Actor Schindler's List

Golden Globe
2004 Best Actor - Drama Kinsey
1993 Best Actor (Drama) Schindler's List

Independent Spirit Award
2004 Best Actor Kinsey

L.A. Film Critics Association
2004 Best Actor Kinsey

London Film Critics Association
2005 Best British Actor Kinsey

Venice International Film Festival
1996 Volpi Cup for Best Actor Michael Collins

Trivia
* In order to research her role as Blanche in a staging of the Tennessee Williams play A Streetcar Named Desire, his wife Natasha Richardson moved out of their marital home to keep her mind focused. (2005)
* American conservative groups are outraged over the film KINSEY, which stars Neeson about controversial sex researcher Alfred Kinsey whom they accuse of being a closet pornographer. (2004)
* Is turning his back on big Hollywood roles because he wants to spend more time with his family. (November 5, 2003)
* Neeson and a film team visited Indiana University's Kinsey Institute this week to view its sex research and get acquainted with the Bloomington area, including the Elm Heights house where sex research pioneer Alfred Kinsey and his family lived -- The trip is part of the team's preparations for a film on Kinsey which is expected to be released next year. (June 6, 2003)
* Fractured his right pelvis and chipped his left pelvis and sustained multiple abrasions to his legs after hitting a deer while riding his 1989 Harley Davidson motorcycle near his home in Washington, New York. He was thrown off the motorcycle just before it smashed into a nearby tree. A passing motorist found Neeson crawling along the roadside. (July 11, 2000)
* Chosen by Empire magazine as one of the 100 Sexiest Stars in film history (#74). (1995)
* Was named an Officer of the Order of British Empire (OBE) by Britain's Elizabeth, Queen on New Year's Eve, 1999
* Loves fly-fishing
* Was a boxer as a teen-ager in Northern Ireland, which resulted in getting his nose broken at the age of 15. Nevertheless, he went on to win the Irish Youth Championship. A brief blackout after one of his fights, however, caused him to give up the ring for good.
* Won a libel case against newspapers who claimed that his marriage was in trouble. (October 1998)
* Ranked #69 in Empire (UK) magazine's The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time list. (October 1997)
* First worked with future wife actress Natasha Richardson on the TV mini-series ELLIS ISLAND in 1984.
* Has a fear of heights.
* Was considered for the role of James Bond in GOLDENEYE (1995).
* In DEAD POETS SOCIETY (1989) he had originally landed the leading role to be directed by Jeff Kanew, but lost it to Robin Williams when director Peter Weir came on board.
* In SHINING THROUGH (1992), he works with his future sister-in-law, Joely Richardson.
* (STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE (1999): Sets were built only as high as the tops of the actors' heads and computer graphics filled in the rest. But he was so tall that he cost the set crew an extra $150,000 in construction.** The person who places the flower on top of the stones in the closing credits of SCHINDLER'S LIST is him and not Spielberg as some people think.
* Neeson was confined to a supporting role on Thursday when he unveiled a statue to Irish freedom fighter Michael Collins on the 80th anniversary of his assassination and thousands of people crowded into the tiny village of Clonakilty, Collins's hometown on the southwest Irish coast, to see the Oscar-nominated actor unveil the seven-foot bronze statue of the man regarded as one of the main architects of Irish independence from Britain. (August 2002)
* Nominated for Best Fight at MTV Movie Awards for STAR WARS: EPISODE I - THE PHANTOM MENACE (2000)
* Nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role at Academy Awards for SCHINDLER'S LIST (1994)
* Nominated for Best Actor Leading at BAFTA Awards for SCHINDLER'S LIST (1994)
* Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for SCHINDLER'S LIST (1994)
* Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama at Golden Globe Awards for MICHAEL COLLINS (1977)

Michelle Trachtenberg

Profile
Name: Michelle Trachtenberg
Birth Name: Michelle Christine Trachtenberg
Height: 5' 7"
Sex: F
Nationality: American
Birth Date: October 11, 1985
Birth Place: New York, New York, USA
Profession: actress
Education: Bay Academy Junior High School in Brooklyn, New York Notre Dame high school in Sherman Oaks, California (September 2002)
Relationship: Shawn Ashmore (actor; born on October 7, 1979; spotted together while attending 2004 MTV Movie awards)
Father: Michael Trachtenberg
Mother: Lana Trachtenberg
Sister: Irene Trachtenberg (older)
Claim to fame: as Dawn Summers on TV Series Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Biography
Michelle Trachtenberg's television acting career took off with a guest starring role on the Nickelodeon series, The Adventures of Pete and Pete as Nona Mecklenberg. While that series continued, Michelle moved on to daytime soaps as Lily Montgomery on All My Children. While on the show for two years, Michelle worked with her now Buffy co-star, Sarah Michelle Gellar. In 1996, Michelle got her first leading role as Harriet in the Nickelodeon movie, Harriet the Spy. Her career continued with roles in the TV movies, A Holiday for Love and A Father's Choice, the TV series Meego and was a recurring guest on the Nickelodeon game show, Figure It Out. In 1999, Michelle landed the role of Penny in the movie, Inspector Gadget and co-starred as Julie in Can't Be Heaven. Her latest movie released to theaters was Snow Days. In the summer of 2000, Michelle Trachtenberg got the role of Dawn on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and is the first character since the show's start to begin as a regular cast member.

Filmography
2007 The Possibility of Fireflies
2006 Beautiful Ohio
2006 Black Christmas
2005 Ice Princess
2004 Eurotrip
2004 Mysterious Skin
2004 Six Feet Under: Parallel Play
2004 Six Feet Under: Can I Come Up Now
2002 Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 07
2001 Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 06
2000 Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Season 05
1999 Forever Together
1999 Inspector Gadget
1998 Reading Rainbow: Math Cure
1996 Harriet the Spy
1995 The Adventures of Pete & Pete: Season 03
1994 The Adventures of Pete & Pete: Season 02
1991 Law & Order: God Bless the Child

Trivia
* Sometimes credited as: Michelle C. Trachtenberg, Michelle Trachtenberg, Trachtenberg
* Nickname: Mitchie
* Worked with Sarah Michelle Gellar on ALL MY CHILDREN before BUFFY and they were good friends. Sarah was the one who recommended Michelle for the part of Dawn.
* Grew up in New York but moved to LA three years ago with her mom. Her dad still lives in LA.
* Appeared at the Excel centre at a Sci-fi expo alongside Kristine Sutherland (May 2002)
* Eyes color: Blue
* Hair color: Brown
* Hobbies: Swimming, rollerblading, ice-skating, bicycling, creating beaded jewelry and writing short stories
* Best friend: Lindsay Lohan
* Pets: 1 Cat (Casey)
* Favorite Color: Purple
* Favorite Sandwich: Tomato
* he has a sister, Irene
* Said the last line ever in the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) series.
* Dating X-Men actor Shawn Ashmore (2004-)
* She loves to play tennis.
* She helped then President Bill Clinton launch The Coalition for a Drug Free America campaign.
* Attended Notre Dame High School. She graduated with awards in Social Studies and Religion and was also named under the California Scholarship Federation.
* Shares a birthday with Joan Cusack and Luke Perry.
* Attended Bay Academy Junior High School in Brooklyn, New York
* Speaks Russian.
* Her birthday is also the wedding anniversary of her "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" (1997) cast mate Alyson Hannigan (Willow) and "Angel" (1999/I)'s Alexis Denisof (Wesley).
* Was able to sneak a souvenir from the "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" set when the show ended, a wooden stake.
* Studied ballet as a child, which helped her perfect her skating abilities for "The Ice Princess."