November 22nd: Scarlett Johansson
USA
in Los Angeles, California, USA
Date of Birth
22 November 1984, New York City, New York,USA
Mini Biography
Scarlett Ingrid Johansson was born in New York City to mother, Melanie Sloan and father,Karsten Johansson. Scarlett showed a passion for acting at a young age and starred in many plays. She has a sister named Vanessa Johansson, a brother named Adrian, and a twin brother named Hunter Johansson born three minutes after her. She began her acting career starring as Laura Nelson in the comedy film North (1994). The acclaimed drama film The Horse Whisperer (1998) brought Johansson critical praise and worldwide recognition. Following the film's success, she starred in many other films including the critically acclaimed cult film Ghost World (2001) and then the hit Lost in Translation (2003) with Bill Murray in which she again stunned critics. Later on, she appeared in the drama film Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003).
November 23rd: Miley Cyrus
Date of Birth
23 November 1992, Franklin, Tennessee, USA
Miley Cyrus is the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and his wife Tish. She has 5 siblings - two half-brothers, a half-sister and a younger brother and sister. Her birth name is Destiny Hope, given to her by her parents who hoped she would achieve greatness. Her childhood nickname was Smiley, as she had a cheerful disposition which was eventually shortened to Miley.
Cyrus was initially educated at Heritage Elementary School in Tennessee. When she turned eight, her family moved to Toronto, Canada where Cyrus' father Billy Ray took a role in the TV series "Doc" (2001). It was around this time that Cyrus decided she wanted to act too. Her first role came alongside her father in "Doc" (2001). She also scored a small role in Tim Burton's Big Fish (2003).
In 2005, Cyrus was cast as the lead in the Disney series "Hannah Montana" (2006), about a teen leading a double life as a pop star. Again her father acted alongside her. The show was a smash and hit records, sell-out tours and merchandising deals soon followed. Cyrus became a teen superstar. Following the success of "Hannah Montana" (2006), Cyrus made the move into other roles - including playing Ronnie Miller in The Last Song (2010) and Lola in LOL (2012) alongside Demi Moore.
Cyrus was initially educated at Heritage Elementary School in Tennessee. When she turned eight, her family moved to Toronto, Canada where Cyrus' father Billy Ray took a role in the TV series "Doc" (2001). It was around this time that Cyrus decided she wanted to act too. Her first role came alongside her father in "Doc" (2001). She also scored a small role in Tim Burton's Big Fish (2003).
In 2005, Cyrus was cast as the lead in the Disney series "Hannah Montana" (2006), about a teen leading a double life as a pop star. Again her father acted alongside her. The show was a smash and hit records, sell-out tours and merchandising deals soon followed. Cyrus became a teen superstar. Following the success of "Hannah Montana" (2006), Cyrus made the move into other roles - including playing Ronnie Miller in The Last Song (2010) and Lola in LOL (2012) alongside Demi Moore.
Date of Birth
24 November 1978, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
When Heigl was nine, an aunt visiting the family decided to take a number of photographs of her. After returning to her home in New York, her aunt sent the photos to a number ofmodeling agencies, with the permission of Heigl's parents. Within a few weeks, Heigl was signed with Wilhelmina Models as a child model.[16] Soon after signing with the agency, a client slated Heigl for use in a magazine advertisement where she made her debut. At the time, she was earning $75 an hour posing for Sears and Lord & Taylor catalogs. Heigl appeared in her first national television spot for Cheerios cereal.
She made her acting debut in the 1992 movie That Night. Heigl appeared as Christina Sebastian in Steven Soderbergh's Depression-era drama King of the Hill before being cast in her first leading role in the 1994 comedy My Father the Hero. During this time, Heigl continued to attend New Canaan High School, balancing her film and modeling work with her academic studies. Heigl dropped out of New Canaan High School after her sophomore year to pursue her career in Hollywood.
In 1995, she starred in the Steven Seagal action thriller Under Siege 2: Dark Territory. Heigl portrayed a 16-year-old travelling on a train across a mountain pass to visit the grave of her deceased father with uncle Casey Ryback (Seagal), an ex-SEAL counter-terrorist expert. The main plotline has the train hijacked by mercenaries in Colorado, keeping her as a hostage. Much of her work in the film was opposite Morris Chestnut, Sandra Taylor and Everett McGill.
Despite an increased focus on acting, she still modeled extensively, appearing regularly in magazines such as Seventeen. She landed the lead role in Disney's made-for-television film Wish Upon a Star in 1996, portraying two body-swapping characters along with Danielle Harris. Also in 1996, Heigl's parents divorced and her mother was diagnosed with cancer.[12] After her high school graduation in 1997, she moved into a four-bedroom house in Malibu Canyon, Los Angeles, with her mother, who also became her manager.
In 1998, she co-starred with Peter Fonda in a re-working of the classic Shakespearean play The Tempest, set during the American Civil War. Later that year, she starred in the horror film Bride of Chucky.
November 25th: Christina Applegate
Date of Birth
25 November 1971, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
Christina is the daughter of record producer Robert Applegate and singer-actress, Nancy Priddy. Her parents split-up shortly after her birth. She has two half-siblings from her father's re-marriage - Alisa (b. 10 October 1977) & Kyle (b. 15 July 1981). Alisa and Christina are best friends and even lived together while Alisa was going to college. Christina's mother took her along on all of her auditions and acting jobs. She made her acting debut at age five months, when her mother got her in a commercial for Playtex nursers. Her mother never remarried, but kept company with Stephen Stills. Christina still cherishes a guitar Stephen gave her when she was young. She played in a number of TV series before landing her breakout role in "Married with Children" (1987) in 1987. Christina still studies jazz dance.
November 26th: Tina Turner
Date of Birth
26 November 1939, Nutbush, Tennessee, USA
After almost fifty years in the music business, Tina Turner has become one of the most commercially-successful international female rock stars to date. Her sultry, powerful voice, her incredible legs, her time-tested beauty and her unforgettable story all contribute to her legendary status.
Born to a share-cropping family in the segregated South, Anna Mae Bullock and her elder sister were abandoned by their sparring parents early on. After her grandmother's death, she eventually moved to St. Louis to reunite with her mother. This opened up a whole new world of R&B nightclubs to the precocious 16-year-old. Called up to sing on-stage with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm in 1956, she displayed a natural talent for performing which the band leader was keen to develop. Soon, Anna Mae's aspirations of a nursing career were forgotten and she began to hang around with the group. When the singer booked to record "A Fool In Love" failed to turn up for the session, Ike drafted in Anna Mae to provide the vocal with the intention of removing it later. However, once he heard her spine-tingling performance of the song, he soon changed his plans. He changed her name to Tina Turner and when the record became a hit, Tina became a permanent fixture in Ike's band and his quest for international stardom. One thing led to another: they were married in Mexico between the births of Tina's two sons - the first a result of an earlier relationship with a musician, the second with Ike.
Before too long the Ike and Tina Turner Revue was tearing up large and small R&B and soul venues throughout the early and mid-1960s. The hits were relatively few, but the unsurpassed energy and excitement generated by the live stage show (read: Tina) made the Revue a solid touring act, along with the likes of James Brown and Ray Charles. Their greatest attempt to "cross over" came in 1966 with the historic recording of the Phil Spector production, "River Deep, Mountain High". While it was a commercial flop in the US, it was a monster hit in Europe - and the start of Tina's European superstar status, which never faded during her long stint of relative obscurity in America in the late 1970s. The Revue entered that decade as a top touring and recording act, with Tina becoming more and more recognized as the star power behind the group's international success. Ike, while having been justly described as an excellent musician, a shrewd businessman and the initial "brains" behind the Revue, was also described (by Tina and others) as a violent, drug-addicted wife-beater who was not above frequently knocking Tina (and other women) around both publicly and privately. Despite hits such as "Proud Mary" and Tina's self-penned "Nutbush City Limits", further mainstream success eluded the group and Ike blamed Tina. After years of misery and a failed suicide bid, Tina finally had enough in July of 1976, when she fled the marriage (and the Revue) with the now-famous 36 cents and a Mobil gasoline credit card.
Tina, now nearing 40, endured a long and, at times, humiliating trek back to super stardom through working many substandard gigs and performing a repertoire of current Top 40 hits and old Ike & Tina tunes in hotel ballrooms and supper clubs. She now admits she was having the time of her life at this point, simply putting together her own show and performing. She refused to wrangle for a settlement from the divorce, despite being in huge debt to all the tour promoters she had let down by fleeing the Revue. After an appearance on Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights (1980) (TV), Tina - in a wise business move - persuaded Newton-John's management team to take her on. With Roger Daviesat her side, Tina's profile began to rise, and performances alongside the likes of Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones introduced her to the rock market she so wanted to pursue.
The European release of her cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" in 1983 was a major turning point in Tina's career. The record hit #6 in the UK chart and Capitol Records were soon demanding a full album. 'Private Dancer' was hurriedly produced in England in two weeks flat. The rest is rock and roll history. The next single - "What's Love Got To Do With It?" - became Tina's first #1 single the following year and the album hung around the Top 10 for months, spawning two further hits. At the 1985 Grammy Awards, her astonishing comeback was recognized with nominations in the rock, R&B and pop categories and rewarded with four trophies.
Since that time, the successes have just kept coming: a starring role in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985); duets with Bryan Adams, David Bowie, Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger amongst others; several sell-out world tours; a string of hit albums and awards; a best-selling autobiography, 'I, Tina'; and the blockbuster biopic What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) chronicling her life.
After her 'Twenty Four Seven Millenium Tour' in 2000, Tina announced she would retire from the concert stage, but continue to record and play live on a smaller scale. Four years later, at the age of 65, she released a career retrospective entitled 'All The Best' featuring new recordings, and reached #2 in the US album chart, her highest ever placing for an album there. She ended 2005 as one of five recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, the highest form of recognition of excellence in the arts in America.
Despite changing the direction of her working life, she will always be remembered as a dynamic live performer and recording artist, able to thrill audiences like no other woman in music history. Tina Turner is the undisputed Queen of Rock and Roll.
Born to a share-cropping family in the segregated South, Anna Mae Bullock and her elder sister were abandoned by their sparring parents early on. After her grandmother's death, she eventually moved to St. Louis to reunite with her mother. This opened up a whole new world of R&B nightclubs to the precocious 16-year-old. Called up to sing on-stage with Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm in 1956, she displayed a natural talent for performing which the band leader was keen to develop. Soon, Anna Mae's aspirations of a nursing career were forgotten and she began to hang around with the group. When the singer booked to record "A Fool In Love" failed to turn up for the session, Ike drafted in Anna Mae to provide the vocal with the intention of removing it later. However, once he heard her spine-tingling performance of the song, he soon changed his plans. He changed her name to Tina Turner and when the record became a hit, Tina became a permanent fixture in Ike's band and his quest for international stardom. One thing led to another: they were married in Mexico between the births of Tina's two sons - the first a result of an earlier relationship with a musician, the second with Ike.
Before too long the Ike and Tina Turner Revue was tearing up large and small R&B and soul venues throughout the early and mid-1960s. The hits were relatively few, but the unsurpassed energy and excitement generated by the live stage show (read: Tina) made the Revue a solid touring act, along with the likes of James Brown and Ray Charles. Their greatest attempt to "cross over" came in 1966 with the historic recording of the Phil Spector production, "River Deep, Mountain High". While it was a commercial flop in the US, it was a monster hit in Europe - and the start of Tina's European superstar status, which never faded during her long stint of relative obscurity in America in the late 1970s. The Revue entered that decade as a top touring and recording act, with Tina becoming more and more recognized as the star power behind the group's international success. Ike, while having been justly described as an excellent musician, a shrewd businessman and the initial "brains" behind the Revue, was also described (by Tina and others) as a violent, drug-addicted wife-beater who was not above frequently knocking Tina (and other women) around both publicly and privately. Despite hits such as "Proud Mary" and Tina's self-penned "Nutbush City Limits", further mainstream success eluded the group and Ike blamed Tina. After years of misery and a failed suicide bid, Tina finally had enough in July of 1976, when she fled the marriage (and the Revue) with the now-famous 36 cents and a Mobil gasoline credit card.
Tina, now nearing 40, endured a long and, at times, humiliating trek back to super stardom through working many substandard gigs and performing a repertoire of current Top 40 hits and old Ike & Tina tunes in hotel ballrooms and supper clubs. She now admits she was having the time of her life at this point, simply putting together her own show and performing. She refused to wrangle for a settlement from the divorce, despite being in huge debt to all the tour promoters she had let down by fleeing the Revue. After an appearance on Olivia Newton-John: Hollywood Nights (1980) (TV), Tina - in a wise business move - persuaded Newton-John's management team to take her on. With Roger Daviesat her side, Tina's profile began to rise, and performances alongside the likes of Rod Stewart and The Rolling Stones introduced her to the rock market she so wanted to pursue.
The European release of her cover of Al Green's "Let's Stay Together" in 1983 was a major turning point in Tina's career. The record hit #6 in the UK chart and Capitol Records were soon demanding a full album. 'Private Dancer' was hurriedly produced in England in two weeks flat. The rest is rock and roll history. The next single - "What's Love Got To Do With It?" - became Tina's first #1 single the following year and the album hung around the Top 10 for months, spawning two further hits. At the 1985 Grammy Awards, her astonishing comeback was recognized with nominations in the rock, R&B and pop categories and rewarded with four trophies.
Since that time, the successes have just kept coming: a starring role in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985); duets with Bryan Adams, David Bowie, Eric Clapton and Mick Jagger amongst others; several sell-out world tours; a string of hit albums and awards; a best-selling autobiography, 'I, Tina'; and the blockbuster biopic What's Love Got to Do with It (1993) chronicling her life.
After her 'Twenty Four Seven Millenium Tour' in 2000, Tina announced she would retire from the concert stage, but continue to record and play live on a smaller scale. Four years later, at the age of 65, she released a career retrospective entitled 'All The Best' featuring new recordings, and reached #2 in the US album chart, her highest ever placing for an album there. She ended 2005 as one of five recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, the highest form of recognition of excellence in the arts in America.
Despite changing the direction of her working life, she will always be remembered as a dynamic live performer and recording artist, able to thrill audiences like no other woman in music history. Tina Turner is the undisputed Queen of Rock and Roll.
November 27th: Jaleel White
Born:
Jadealeel Ahmad White
in Pasna, California, USA
White's first television role was a guest stint on The Jeffersons, in 1984. He later auditioned for the role of Rudy Huxtable on The Cosby Show. According to White, he was cast in the role (the character was originally intended to be male) but was replaced by Keshia Knight Pulliam when Bill Cosby decided to mirror his television family after his real life family.[5] The following year, he was cast as the son of Flip Wilson and Gladys Knight on the CBS sitcom Charlie and Company. The series was intended to be CBS' answer to the highly rating Cosby Show which debuted on NBC in 1984.[6] Unlike The Cosby Show, Charlie and Company did not catch on with audiences and was canceled in May 1986.[7] In 1987, he appeared in the pilot episode for Good Morning, Miss Bliss, and had a guest role on Mr. Belvedere. In 1988, White had a supporting role in Cadets, a sitcom starring Soleil Moon Frye. The pilot episode aired during a preview special on September 25, 1988 on ABC. The series, however, was not picked up by the network.[8]
In September 1990, White had a role in the NBC television movie Camp Cucamonga. The film features an ensemble cast including Sherman Hemsley, Jennifer Aniston, and Brian Robbins. Several other child actor of the era including Chad Allen, Candace Cameron, Danica McKellar, Josh Saviano, and Breckin Meyer also appear.
November 28th: Jon Stewart
Date of Birth
28 November 1962, New York City, New York, USA
Jon Stewart is just hitting his stride. It's amazing that it has taken this long for people to embrace his sarcastic, sardonic and incisive sense of humor. Of particular note was a regular "gig" on "The Larry Sanders Show" (1992). Playing himself, Stewart was the oft-timed "Guest Host" of "The Larry Sanders Show". He became as much a part of the show's fabric as some of the regular performers. He has emerged as a bonafide television personality with his ascension to host of "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" (1996)/Comedy Central since taking over for Craig Kilbornin 1999.
November 29th: Howie Mandel
Date of Birth
29 November 1955, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Mini Biography
The story goes that huggable stand-up comedian Howie Mandel, who ran a carpet business once upon a time, began his show biz career by chance while catching amateur night at the Comedy Store on the L.A. Sunset Strip during a vacation. Goaded on by friends to try out, a producer spotted him, hired him for an appearance on the comedy game show "Make Me Laugh," and the rest is history. Talk about luck! Born in Toronto, Canada in 1955, Howie became a highly affable performer who quickly graduated to TV talk shows and Vegas gigs. Six years on, the critically-acclaimed "St. Elsewhere" (1982) medical drama not only increased his visibility but earned him Emmy nominations. An affinity for children led him to the Emmy-nominated animated kids' series "Bobby's World" (1990) serving as creator, executive producer and vocal talent. Film stardom has been elusive with silly, bumbling vehicles such as A Fine Mess (1986), Walk Like a Man (1987) and Little Monsters (1989) failing to click with audiences. Kids, however, enjoyed his cuddly voice as Gizmo, in the Gremlins (1984) film series.
Following his own failed talk show "The Howie Mandel Show" (1998) during the 1998-1999 season, Howie has managed a full time schedule of concerts and comedy specials that keeps him current with today's audiences.
Following his own failed talk show "The Howie Mandel Show" (1998) during the 1998-1999 season, Howie has managed a full time schedule of concerts and comedy specials that keeps him current with today's audiences.
November 30th: Ben Stiller
Date of Birth
30 November 1965, New York City, New York, USA
Ben Stiller was born on November 30, 1965, in New York, New York to legendary comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. It's not surprising that Ben Stiller has followed in his family's footsteps. Ben's parents made no real effort to keep their son away from the Hollywood lifestyle and he grew up among the stars, wondering just why his parents were so popular. At a young age, he and his sister Amy Stiller would perform plays at home, wearing Amy's tights to perform Shakespeare. Ben also picked up an interest in being on the other side of the camera and, at age 10, began shooting films on his Super 8 camera. The plots were always simple: someone would pick on the shy, awkward Stiller...and then he would always get his revenge. This desire for revenge on the popular, good-looking people may have motivated his teen-angst opus Reality Bites(1994) later in his career. He both directed and performed in the film, which costarred Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke.
Before he even got his start in Hollywood, Ben put in several consistently solid years in the theater. After dropping out of UCLA, he performed in the Tony Award winner, "The House of Blue Leaves". While working on the play, Stiller shot a short spoof of The Color of Money (1986) starring him (in the Tom Cruise role) and his "American Playhouse: The House of Blue Leaves (#6.8)" (1987) costar John Mahoney (in the Paul Newmanrole). The short film was so funny that Lorne Michaels purchased it and aired it on "Saturday Night Live" (1975). This led to Ben spending a year on the show in 1989.
Ben made his big screen debut in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun (1987) in 1987. Demonstrating early on the multifaceted tone his career would take, he soon stepped behind the camera to direct Back to Brooklyn for MTV. The network was impressed and gave Stiller his own show,"The Ben Stiller Show" (1992). He recruited fellow offbeat comedians Janeane Garofalo and Andy Dick and created a bitingly satirical show. MTV ended up passing on it, but it was picked up by Fox. Unfortunately, the show was a ratings miss. Stiller was soon out of work, although he did have the satisfaction of picking up an Emmy for the show after its cancellation.
For a while, Ben had to settle for guest appearance work. While he was doing this, he saved up his cash and in the end was able to scrape enough together to make Reality Bites (1994), now a cult classic which is looked upon favorably by the generation it depicted. Ben continued to work steadily for a time, particularly in independent productions where he was more at ease. However, he never quite managed to catch a big break. His first big budget directing job was Jim Carrey's The Cable Guy (1996). Although many critics were impressed, Jim Carrey's fans were not.
In 1998, There's Something About Mary (1998) had propelled Ben into the mainstream spotlight. With his wince-inducing turn in the Farrelly brothers' gross-out film, Ben really "struck a nerve" with mainstream America. In recent years, Ben has starred in such hit movies as Keeping the Faith (2000) and Meet the Parents (2000). Ben excels at cerebral comedy, but he knows how to get down and lowbrow when he needs to, making him one of America's currently most popular performers.
Before he even got his start in Hollywood, Ben put in several consistently solid years in the theater. After dropping out of UCLA, he performed in the Tony Award winner, "The House of Blue Leaves". While working on the play, Stiller shot a short spoof of The Color of Money (1986) starring him (in the Tom Cruise role) and his "American Playhouse: The House of Blue Leaves (#6.8)" (1987) costar John Mahoney (in the Paul Newmanrole). The short film was so funny that Lorne Michaels purchased it and aired it on "Saturday Night Live" (1975). This led to Ben spending a year on the show in 1989.
Ben made his big screen debut in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun (1987) in 1987. Demonstrating early on the multifaceted tone his career would take, he soon stepped behind the camera to direct Back to Brooklyn for MTV. The network was impressed and gave Stiller his own show,"The Ben Stiller Show" (1992). He recruited fellow offbeat comedians Janeane Garofalo and Andy Dick and created a bitingly satirical show. MTV ended up passing on it, but it was picked up by Fox. Unfortunately, the show was a ratings miss. Stiller was soon out of work, although he did have the satisfaction of picking up an Emmy for the show after its cancellation.
For a while, Ben had to settle for guest appearance work. While he was doing this, he saved up his cash and in the end was able to scrape enough together to make Reality Bites (1994), now a cult classic which is looked upon favorably by the generation it depicted. Ben continued to work steadily for a time, particularly in independent productions where he was more at ease. However, he never quite managed to catch a big break. His first big budget directing job was Jim Carrey's The Cable Guy (1996). Although many critics were impressed, Jim Carrey's fans were not.
In 1998, There's Something About Mary (1998) had propelled Ben into the mainstream spotlight. With his wince-inducing turn in the Farrelly brothers' gross-out film, Ben really "struck a nerve" with mainstream America. In recent years, Ben has starred in such hit movies as Keeping the Faith (2000) and Meet the Parents (2000). Ben excels at cerebral comedy, but he knows how to get down and lowbrow when he needs to, making him one of America's currently most popular performers.
December 1st: Bette Midler
Date of Birth
1 December 1945, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Multi Grammy Award-winning singer/comedienne/author who has also proven herself to be a very capable actress in a string of both dramatic and comedic roles, Bette Midler was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on December 1, 1945. She studied drama at the University of Hawaii and got her musical career started by performing in gay bathhouses with piano accompaniment from Barry Manilow. Her first album was "The Divine Miss M" released in November 1972, followed by the self-titled "Bette Midler" released in November 1973, both of which took off up the music charts, and Bette's popularity swiftly escalated from there.
After minor roles in several film/TV productions, she surprised all with her knockout performance of a hard-living rock-and-roll singer (loosely based on the life of Janis Joplin) in The Rose (1979), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. In 1986, directorPaul Mazursky cast Midler opposite Nick Nolte and Richard Dreyfuss in the hilarious Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), and so began a string of very funny comedic film roles. She played an obnoxious wife who was the victim of a kidnap plot by her scoundrel husband, played byDanny DeVito, in Ruthless People (1986), was pursued by CIA and KGB spies in Outrageous Fortune (1987), played mismatched twins withLily Tomlin in Big Business (1988) and shone in the tear-jerker Beaches (1988).
Bette matched feisty James Caan in the WWII drama For the Boys (1991), made a dynamic trio with Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton in The First Wives Club (1996), was back on screen with DeVito for the tepid comedy Drowning Mona (2000) and turned up in the glossy remake ofThe Stepford Wives (2004). Apart from her four Grammy awards, Bette Midler has also won four Golden Globes, one Tony Award, and three Emmy Awards, plus she has sold in excess of 15 million albums worldwide. Most recently, she toured with her sassy "Kiss My Brass" show, and is promoting her album "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook".
After minor roles in several film/TV productions, she surprised all with her knockout performance of a hard-living rock-and-roll singer (loosely based on the life of Janis Joplin) in The Rose (1979), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. In 1986, directorPaul Mazursky cast Midler opposite Nick Nolte and Richard Dreyfuss in the hilarious Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), and so began a string of very funny comedic film roles. She played an obnoxious wife who was the victim of a kidnap plot by her scoundrel husband, played byDanny DeVito, in Ruthless People (1986), was pursued by CIA and KGB spies in Outrageous Fortune (1987), played mismatched twins withLily Tomlin in Big Business (1988) and shone in the tear-jerker Beaches (1988).
Bette matched feisty James Caan in the WWII drama For the Boys (1991), made a dynamic trio with Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton in The First Wives Club (1996), was back on screen with DeVito for the tepid comedy Drowning Mona (2000) and turned up in the glossy remake ofThe Stepford Wives (2004). Apart from her four Grammy awards, Bette Midler has also won four Golden Globes, one Tony Award, and three Emmy Awards, plus she has sold in excess of 15 million albums worldwide. Most recently, she toured with her sassy "Kiss My Brass" show, and is promoting her album "Bette Midler Sings the Rosemary Clooney Songbook".
December 2nd: Britney Spears
Date of Birth
2 December 1981, McComb, Mississippi, USA
Britney Jean Spears was born in McComb (Mississippi) and raised in rural Louisiana (Kentwood) to Jamie Spears and Lynne Spears. As a child, Britney attended dance classes, and she was great at gymnastics, winning many competitions and the like. But, most of all, Britney loved to sing. At age 8, Britney tried out for "The All New Mickey Mouse Club" (1989), but was turned down due to her young age. This directed her to an off-Broadway show, "Ruthless", for a 2-year run as the title character. At age 11, she again tried for "The All New Mickey Mouse Club"(1989) and, this time, made it as a mouseketeer alongside many stars of today (Justin Timberlake and J.C. Chasez of *NSYNC and Ryan Gosling). Her big break, however, came when she was signed as a Jive Recording Artist in the late 90s. With the release of her debut album, "...Baby One More Time" in early 1999, Britney became an international success, selling 13 million copies of "Baby" and 9 million (as of July 2001) of her sophomore album, "Oops!...I Did It Again", released in May of 2000.
December 3rd: Ozzy Osbourne
Born in Birmingham England, after leaving school and having many odd jobs he ended up in a band with Geezer Butler. This group then split leading Ozzy and Geezer to join Tony Iommi and Bill Ward in a new band that went under several names (including Earth) that ended up being called Black Sabbath after a song of the same name that appeared on their first album (released 1969/70). He recorded several more albums with Sabbath despite the decline of his relationship with Tony Iommi, which after several break ups led to him leaving/being fired from the band in 1979. After a short time he launched a solo career with a line up behind him that varied immensely from album to album and tour to tour. During the 80's he was treated several times for alcoholism and was sued twice for the suicides of some of his young fans (cleared completely). Following his No More Tears album he declared he would tour for the last time. In 1991, on his last date he reformed briefly on stage with Black Sabbath for three songs. However a much talked about reformation tour fell through and Ozzy seemed to go into retirement, his bassist (Mike Inez) joined Alice in Chains and the guitarist (Zakk Wylde) formed his own band, Pride and Glory. Now however he is recording a new album and has said he intends to tour again. The album should be out in the summer of 1995 and the tour should be shortly after. Geezer Butler has now quit Sabbath (again) and rejoined Ozzy (he played bass for him on tour during the mid to late 80's) and should play on the new album.
December 4th: Tyra Banks
Born:
in Los Angeles, California, USA
When Banks was 15 years old, she started modeling while attending school in Los Angeles. She was rejected by six modeling agencies before she was signed by L.A. Models and then switched to Elite Model Management at age 16. When she got the opportunity to model in Europe, she put college on hold and moved to Milan. In her first runway season, she was booked in 25 shows at the 1991 Paris fashion week. She would later appear on the covers of magazines such as Elle, Teen Vogue and Vogue. She walked the runways for Chanel, Valentino, Fendi and others. She has featured in advertising campaigns for Dolce & Gabbana, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren and Nike.[13] In the mid-1990s, Banks returned to America to do more commercial modeling.
Banks was the first African American woman on the covers of GQ and the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.[14] In 1997, she received the VH1award for, "Supermodel of the Year."[8] That same year, she became the first-ever African American chosen for the cover of the Victoria's Secret catalog.[15] She was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 1997 to 2005.[16] In 2010, Banks re-signed with her former modeling agency IMG Models.[17] Banks is now a contributor of the Vogue Italia website.[18]
December 5th: John Rzeznik
Date of Birth
5 December 1965, Buffalo, New York, USA
John Joseph Theodore Rzeznik was born to Joseph and Edith Rzeznik, the youngest of their five children. From early on in his life John found that his parents were constantly arguing due to his fathers drinking problem. His father died at the age of 55 as result of alcohol complications. As the family were trying to come to terms with the death of Joe, John's life was completely shattered just over a year later when his mother died of a sudden heart attack. At the age of 16 John had lost both of his parents and was to be raised by his four older sisters. During this time and while attending high school John's friend introduced him to a hobby which he would stick to for the rest of his life, playing the guitar. After graduating from high school John attended Buffalo State College, only to drop out after his freshman year. It was at this time that he met fellow musician Robby Tacak. Together with drummer George Tutuska the Goo Goo Dolls were born. The Goo Goo Dolls signed to Celluloid by 1985 but didn't gain any success for nine years. During this time the trio released five records and constantly toured. Also John began dating Laurie Farinacci and they married in 1993. The band's 1995 album, "A Boy Named Goo", went double platinum and after hearing their song "Name" the band were asked by music producers to write a song for the upcoming film City of Angels. This song turned out to be "Iris" their most successful hit. The song was featured on their next album "Dizzy up the Girl". The Goo Goo Dolls most recent album is "Gutterflower" released in 2003. John Rzeznik has also written and performed a song for Disney movie "Tresure Planet".
December 7th: Dominic Howard
in Manchester, England, UK
Howard was born in Stockport, Greater Manchester, in England.[1] When he was around 8 years old he moved with his family to Teignmouth, a small town in Devon. He began playing drums at about the age of 12, when he was inspired by ajazz band performing at school.[citation needed]
Howard's first band was named Carnage Mayhem,[2] which he was in at school. Meanwhile, he befriended Matt Bellamy, who played guitar but did not have a stable band. Not long after, Bellamy was offered the chance to join Howard's band. After two years of drop-outs, Bellamy suggested that they write their own songs, and only Howard and Bellamy remained.Chris Wolstenholme, who played drums in "Fixed Penalty", then entered the scene and with a great "spirit of sacrifice" he began to play bass.
In the first months of 1994 Gothic Plague was born, followed by Rocket Baby Dolls and then finally Muse.
December 8th: Teri Hatcher
in Palo Alto, California, USA
Teri Lynn Hatcher was born in Palo Alto, California, USA, as the only child of Owen and Esther Hatcher, and grew up in nearby Sunnyvale, California. Her father is a nuclear physicist and her mother is a computer programmer. She spent her childhood dancing and fishing with her father. While at Fremont High School, she was captain of the Featherettes, a dance team that had the look of regular cheerleaders, with the exception of the large headdresses they wore. She was voted "Most Likely to Become a "Solid Gold" (1980) Dancer" by her graduating class in 1982. Hatcher studied acting at the American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco while taking a degree course in mathematics and engineering at De Anza College in Cupertino, California. She became a member of the 1984 Gold Rush, the name of the professional cheer leading squad of the American football San Francisco 49ers.
Hatcher went to Hollywood to lend moral support to a friend during a open casting call. She, however, auditioned and won the role of the singing and dancing mermaid for the television series "The Love Boat" (1977). She went on to play "Penny Parker," a ditsy but sweet-hearted struggling actress on "MacGyver" (1985). When that show ended, she auditioned for and won the role of smart and savvy "Lois Lane" on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1993), saying that she didn't want to be stuck with the pretty airhead image she had acquired as "Penny Parker."
She married actor Jon Tenney in May 1994. She gave birth to daughter Emerson Tenney on November 10, 1997. Later, she signed to play "Sally Bowles" in a road tour of Cabaret. The tour debuted in Los Angeles on March 2, 1999. Her final show was on September 4, 1999. She stayed out of the industry for a little bit before nabbing a role on the darkly comedic soap opera "Desperate Housewives" (2004), which could have been a huge mistake. The show turned out to be a mega-hit, which skyrocketed Hatcher to the A-list. Her portrayal of a divorced mother, "Susan Mayer," was consistently named as America's favorite "Desperate Housewife." Hatcher won both a Golden Globe for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and the SAG Award for Female Actor in a Comedy Series before the show's first season was even over.
Hatcher went to Hollywood to lend moral support to a friend during a open casting call. She, however, auditioned and won the role of the singing and dancing mermaid for the television series "The Love Boat" (1977). She went on to play "Penny Parker," a ditsy but sweet-hearted struggling actress on "MacGyver" (1985). When that show ended, she auditioned for and won the role of smart and savvy "Lois Lane" on "Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman" (1993), saying that she didn't want to be stuck with the pretty airhead image she had acquired as "Penny Parker."
She married actor Jon Tenney in May 1994. She gave birth to daughter Emerson Tenney on November 10, 1997. Later, she signed to play "Sally Bowles" in a road tour of Cabaret. The tour debuted in Los Angeles on March 2, 1999. Her final show was on September 4, 1999. She stayed out of the industry for a little bit before nabbing a role on the darkly comedic soap opera "Desperate Housewives" (2004), which could have been a huge mistake. The show turned out to be a mega-hit, which skyrocketed Hatcher to the A-list. Her portrayal of a divorced mother, "Susan Mayer," was consistently named as America's favorite "Desperate Housewife." Hatcher won both a Golden Globe for Lead Actress in a Comedy Series and the SAG Award for Female Actor in a Comedy Series before the show's first season was even over.
December 9th: Felicity Huffman
in Bedford, New York, USA
Huffman made her debut on stage in 1982 and 80's and 90's worked as a rule on stage productions.[5] In 1988, she debuted on Broadwayin the role as Karen in David Mamet's play Speed the Plow.[4][5] In 1995, Huffman won Obie Award for her performance in the critically successful play The Cryptogram by David Mamet.[5] In 1999 she starred in the premiere of David Mamet's play Boston Marriage, about the daringly intimate relationship between two turn-of-the-century women, as well as in several other major theatrical productions.[6][7]
December 10th: Raven-Symone Born:in Atlanta, Georgia, USARaven-Symoné Pearman was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but at a young age moved to New York. Raven is of both African American and Native American descent. While there Raven signed with the Ford Modeling Agency. They sent her out on a audition for a movie called Ghost Dad(1990), which also starred the legendary Bill Cosby. She was deemed too young for the role since was only 3 years old, but Cosby could see she had talent. They asked Raven to come back to read lines, and she did so well that she got a starring role as Olivia on the last three seasons of "The Cosby Show" (1984). After the show finished its run, she decided to try something new like singing. In 1993, she became the youngest person ever to sign with MCA Records. She also went back to acting with a starring role in "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" (1992), alongside Mark Curry and a small role in the TV mini-series "Queen" (1993). After another small role in the feature film The Little Rascals (1994) and the role of Goldilocks in the TV series "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" (1995), "Hangin' with Mr. Cooper" ended. Raven's singing career was doing well and she landed a role in Doctor Dolittle (1998) alongside Eddie Murphy and a made-for-TV movie calledZenon: Girl of the 21st Century (1999) (TV). She also starred in Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001), but she was not available to do Zenon: The Zequel (2001) (TV). However, the Walt Disney Company, which made the Zenon movies, wanted her back to do a pilot for a new Disney TV show called "Absolutely Psychic," in which she would be a supporting character. She impressed them so much that they changed the show's premise to be about her and the show's name was changed to "That's So Raven" (2003). After the show was a hit she did the made-for-TV movie The Cheetah Girls (2003) (TV) and recorded a new album. A movie based on "That's So Raven" may be in the works. December 11th: Mos Def date of Birth11 December 1973, Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USATaking a cue from the Afrocentric stylings of the Native Tongues crew, which included De La Soul, Jungle Brothers, A Tribe Called Quest andAndres Titus, Mos Def has emerged as one of the more conscientious voices of new school hip-hop, alongside the likes of Common, Outkast,Goodie Mob and The Roots, to name just a few. A lyricist lounge staple, he gained acclaim appearing on recordings by De La Soul and Bush Babees before releasing the single "Universal Magnetic" in 1997. Since then he has appeared on numerous recordings with several crews, including Medina Green and Black Star (of which he is half). His full-length debut album, "Black On Both Sides", was released in 1999 and is destined to achieve classic status. December 12th: Jennifer ConnellyDate of Birth12 December 1970, Catskill Mountains, New York, USA
Jennifer Connelly grew up in Brooklyn Heights, just across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, except for the four years her family spent in Woodstock, New York. Back in Brooklyn Heights, she attended St. Ann's school. Her father was in the garment industry, and a close friend of the family was an advertising executive. When Jennifer was 10, the friend suggested that her parents take her to a modeling audition. She began appearing in newspaper and magazine ads (among them, "Seventeen" magazine) and soon moved on to television commercials. A casting director saw the girl and introduced her to Sergio Leone, who was seeking a young girl to dance in his gangster epic Once Upon a Time in America (1984). After graduation, she enrolled at Yale, and then transferred two years later to Stanford. Her first film appearance after that was a British TV series "Tales of the Unexpected" (1979) in 1984. Her first movie appearance was in Dario Argento's Phenomena (1985). Has appeared in a rock video "I Drove All Night," a Roy Orbison song, co-starring Jason Priestley. Is appearing in an upcoming Miller Beer commercial. Released a single called "Monologue of Love" in Japan in the mid-1980s, in which she sings in Japanese a charming little song with semi-classical instruments arrangement. B-side is "Message Of Love," which is an interview with music in background. Trained in classical theater and improvisation, studying with the late drama coach Roy London, Howard Fine, and Harold Guskin. She did television commercials in Japan. Was "engaged" in an unconventional sense, i.e., no real plans to marry, to Billy Campbell, her co-star in The Rocketeer (1991). They were together on and off for about five years. Lives in New York. She's 5'7", speaks fluent Italian and French. Was a member of Gold's Gym in Venice for a year or two, but is no longer active. Enjoys physical activities such as swimming, gymnastics, bike riding. Is an outdoors person -- camping, hiking and walking. Is interested in Quantum Physics and philosophy. Is fairly level-headed and grounded as a person and is not overly seduced by the Hollywood fantasy. Likes horses, Pearl Jam, SoundGarden, Jesus Jones. Occasionally wears a small picture of the The Dalai Lama on a necklace. Favorite colors: cobalt blue, forest green, and "very pale green/gray -- sort of like the color of the sea". Likes to draw.
Date of Birth13 December 1989, Reading, Pennsylvania, USA
Taylor Swift is a multi-Grammy award-winning American singer/songwriter who, in 2010 and at the age of 20, became the youngest artist in history to win the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In 2011, Swift was named Billboard's Woman of the Year. Additionally Swift has been named the American Music Awards Artist of the Year, as well as the Entertainer of the Year for both the Country Music Association and the Academy of Country Music, among many other accolades. As of this writing, she is also the top-selling digital artist in music history.
Swift is only beginning to emerge as an acting talent, having voiced the role of Audrey in the animated feature The Lorax (2012). She also made appearances in the theatrical release Valentine's Day (2010/I) and in an episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" (2000) She contributed two original songs to The Hunger Games (2012) soundtrack: "Safe & Sound featuring The Civil Wars" and "Eyes Open". Born 13 December 1989 in Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift spent most of her childhood on an 11 acre Christmas tree farm. Her family moved to Wyomissing, Pennsylvania, when she was age 9. At age 12, Swift was shown by a computer repairman how to play three chords on a guitar, inspiring her to write her first song, "Lucky You". Swift's family moved to Nashville when she was age 14 as part of her father's job transfer. Once she was in Nashville, Swift secured an artist development deal with RCA Records. Swift left RCA Records when she was age 15 because she was ready to release an album using her own material, while RCA wanted her to record the work of other songwriters and wait until she turned 18 to release an album. At an industry showcase at Nashville's The Bluebird Café in 2005, Swift caught the attention of Scott Borchetta, a Dreamworks Records executive, who was in the process of forming independent label Big Machine Records. Swift was one of Big Machine's first signings. In addition to winning the Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2010, Swift also took home the awards for Country Album of the Year, Best Country Song and Best Country Female Vocal Performance. Her six-time-platinum "Fearless" album is the most awarded album in country music history. Swift released her first-ever concert CD and DVD set, Taylor Swift: Speak Now World Tour Live (2011) (V) on November 21, 2011. Her fourth studio album is scheduled to be released in October 2012. Date of Birth14 December 1988, Salinas, California, USAVanessa Anne Hudgens (born December 14, 1988) is an American actress and singer, who is best known for her portrayal of the character Gabriella Montez in the High School Musical series. She also earned critical acclaim for her role in the 2009 film Bandslam.
As an actress, Hudgens has appeared in several television programs including Quintuplets, Still Standing, The Brothers García, Drake & Josh, and The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. She made her screen debut in the 2003 drama Thirteen as Noel. She got her first starring role in the 2004 science-fiction-adventure Thunderbirds as Tintin.
Hudgens' debut album V was released on September 26, 2006. The album entered the Billboard 200 at number twenty four, and was later certified Gold. Hudgens released her second album, Identified, on July 1, 2008 in the U.S.
Hudgens' fame has also been marked by scandal caused by the release of private, self-taken nude photographs of herself on the Internet without her permission on several occasions. Since a third and anonymous release of these images, the FBI is now investigating these leaked photos in an attempt to find the source in connection with similar investigations regarding such hackings around altogether about 50 Hollywood celebrities.
December 15th: Adam Brody
Date of Birth
15 December 1979, San Diego, California, USA
Born and raised in San Diego, California, Adam Brody spent a lot of his teen years hanging out with his friends, having fun and surfing. Upon graduation, he convinced his parents to allow him to attend college in Los Angeles. However, instead of enrolling in school, he hired an acting coach, signed with a personal manager and soon landed the lead in the NBC movie-of-the-week, Growing Up Brady (2000) (TV), playing Barry Williams (Greg Brady). Soon after, Brody was cast as the lead in the MTV cult series Now What? His television credits also include a recurring role as Coop in ABC's "Once and Again" (1999); a recurring role as Dave in the WB's Emmy-nominated "Gilmore Girls" (2000); and standout guest starring roles in "Judging Amy" (1999), "Family Law" (1999) and "Smallville" (2001). Brody also starred in the Fox television series "The O.C." (2003), playing the son of Peter Gallagher's character.In addition to starring in the skateboarding movie Grind (2003), Brody's feature film credits include a very small role in the 2002 hit thriller The Ring (2002) and the dynamic lead role as Patrick in Missing Brendan (2003), opposite Edward Asner and Illeana Douglas. December 17th: Milla Jovovich Date of Birth17 December 1975, Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]
Milla Jovovich is an Ukrainian-born actress, supermodel, fashion designer, singer and public figure, who was on the cover of more than a hundred magazines, and starred in such films as The Fifth Element (1997), Ultraviolet (2006), and the Resident Evil (2002) franchise. She was born Milica Natasha Jovovich on December 17, 1975, in Kiev, Ukraine, Soviet Union (now Kiev, Ukraine). Her Serbian father, Bogdan Jovovich, was a medical doctor in Kiev. There he met her mother Galina Jovovich, a Russian actress. At the age of 5, in 1981, Milla with her parents emigrated from the Soviet Union, moving first to London, UK, then to Sacramento, California, and eventually settled in Los Angeles. There her parents worked as housecleaners for the household of director Brian De Palma. Her parents separated, and eventually divorced, because her father was arrested and spent several years in prison.
December 19th: Criss Angel
Date of Birth18 December 1963, Shawnee, Oklahoma, USA
An actor and producer known as much for his versatility as he is for his handsome face, Golden Globe-winning actor Brad Pitt's most widely recognized role may be Tyler Durden in Fight Club (1999). But his portrayals of Billy Beane in Moneyball (2011), and Rusty Ryan in the remake of Ocean's Eleven (2001) and its sequels, also loom large in his filmography.
Pitt was born William Bradley Pitt on December 18th, 1963, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and raised in Springfield, Missouri. He majored in journalism at University of Missouri, but left college two credits shy of graduating to move to California. Pitt's earliest credited roles were in television, starting on the daytime soap opera "Another World" (1964) before appearing in the recurring role of Randy on the legendary prime time soap opera "Dallas" (1978). Following a string of guest appearances on various television series through the 1980s, Pitt gained widespread attention with a small part in Thelma & Louise (1991), in which he played a sexy criminal who romanced and conned Geena Davis. This lead to starring roles in badly received films such as Johnny Suede (1991) and Cool World (1992). But Pitt's career hit an upswing with his casting in A River Runs Through It (1992), which cemented his status as an multi-layered actor as opposed to just a pretty face. Pitt's subsequent projects were as quirky and varied in tone as his performances, ranging from his unforgettably comic cameo as stoner roommate Floyd in True Romance (1993) to romantic roles in such visually lavish films as Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994) and Legends of the Fall (1994), to an emotionally tortured detective in the horror-thriller Se7en (1995). His portrayal of frenetic oddball Jeffrey Goines in Twelve Monkeys (1995) won him a Globe for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role. Pitt's portrayal of Achilles in the big-budget period drama Troy (2004) helped establish his appeal as action star and was closely followed by a co-starring role in the stylish spy-versus-spy flick Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005). It was on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith that Pitt, who married Jennifer Aniston in a highly publicized ceremony in 2000, met his current partner Angelina Jolie. Pitt left Aniston for Jolie in 2005, a break-up that continues to fuel tabloid stories years after its occurrence. He continues to wildly vary his film choices, appearing in everything from high-concept popcorn flicks such as Megamind (2010) to adventurous critic-bait like Inglourious Basterds (2009) and The Tree of Life (2011). He has received two Best Actor Oscar nominations, for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and Moneyball (2011). Pitt and Jolie have six children, including two sons and a daughter who were adopted.
December 19th: Criss Angel
Date of Birth19 December 1967, Long Island, New York, USA
riss Angel was born on December 19, 1967 and raised in East Meadow, New York. He grew up loving music, playing the drums and always having an interest in magic. Two of his biggest magic influences are Harry Houdini and Richiardi Jr.. His father was also a big influence on him, especially after a long battle with cancer until his death in 1998. As a teenager, he performed as a magician at birthday parties, night clubs and private events. He got his pyrotechnics license at age 18. He also has a 7th degree black belt and a background in dance and gymnastics. Criss played in a band called "AngelDust" with friend Klay Scott, who produced and helped arranged his CD's and music for Criss' Mindfreak show. He performed in "World Of Illusion" at Madison Square Garden in 1998. Criss then scored a show on Broadway titled "Mindfreak", which ran up until Jan. 6, 2003 with almost 600 performances. He has had many television appearances and specials such as The Science of Magic(1997) (TV), The Science of Magic II (2003) (TV), the ABC Family special Criss Angel Mindfreak (2002) (TV), and the Sci-Fi channel's Criss Angel Supernatural (2003) (TV). He became a household name with the A&E channel "Criss Angel Mindfreak" (2005) television series airing every Wednesday night. Seasons 1 & 2 were filmed at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas with season 3 filmed at the Luxor Hotel in Las Vegas.
Angel is the only magician to have won the Merlin Magician of the Year award twice: in 2001 and 2004. He holds the world records for longest time submerged underwater (24 hours), the longest body suspension (5 hours, 42 minutes), fastest time to perform the "Metamorphosis" illusion (under a second) and the fastest straight-jacket escape (2 minutes & 30 seconds). One of his favorite musicians is Korn and he is now a personal friend of Jonathan Davis, who has appeared on his television series.
December 20th: JoJo
Date of Birth20 Decemer 1990, Brattleboro, Vermont, USA
Joanna Levesque was born in Brattleboro, Vermont. Her mother, a church soloist and theatre performer, would sing hymns when Joanna was a baby. She grew up being a big fan of Whitney Houston, Etta James, Aretha Franklin and Ella Fitzgerald. A few years later she wanted to show her talent to the world and found an audition for "Kids Say the Darndest Things" (1998). She appeared at the audition and was allowed into the episode on the spot. Then, at Bill Cosby's request, she performed "Respect" for the audience, and got an amazing response from Cosby. That's when the calls started pouring in. First Oprah Winfrey asked her to appear on her super-popular talk show, followed by the Republican National Convention, the Boston Celtics, and Rosie O'Donnell. However, it was at the 2001 Gospelfest that she brought an entire crowd to its feet. Next she auditioned for "America's Most Talented Kids" (2003) competition. She didn't win, but she met a man named James Womack, who introduced her to an executive at Da Family Entertainment. She signed with them, and was offered two contracts before finding her match with Blackground Records. Before her single "Leave (get out)" came out she toured with the prince of R'n'B, Mr Usher Raymond himself. Finally her single came out and went directly to the top of the American charts.
December 21st: Kiefer Sutherland
Date of Birth21 December 1966, Paddington, London, England, UK
Kiefer Sutherland was born in London, England, UK to parents Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas. He got his first film role in the comedy drama Max Dugan Returns (1983). Sutherland's first major role was in the Canadian drama The Bay Boy (1984), which earned Sutherland and director Daniel Petrie, Genie award nominations for best actor and best director, respectively. Following his success in The Bay Boy, Sutherland eventually moved to Los Angeles and landed television appearances in "The Mission", an episode of "Amazing Stories" (1985) and in the telefilm Trapped in Silence (1986) (TV) with Marsha Mason.
In 1992, Sutherland starred opposite Ray Liotta and Forest Whitaker in Article 99 (1992) and in the military drama A Few Good Men (1992) also starring Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise. Later, in 1994, he starred with Jeff Bridges and Nancy Travis in the American version of The Vanishing(1993) for 20th Century Fox. In 1997, he co-starred with William Hurt and Rufus Sewell in Dark City (1998), directed by Alex Proyas, which was a special presentation at the Cannes Film Festival. Sutherland also added his second directorial credit and starred in Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997) alongside Kevin Pollak, Mykelti Williamson, Rod Steiger and Martin Sheen. He stars in the Fox drama series "24" (2001) as Jack Bauer for which he has earned a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series. Most recently, he has been seen in the movie Phone Booth(2002) as a man who calls up someone at a phone booth and threatens to kill them if they hang up. |
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