Jessalyn Gilsig Biography

NAME: Jessalyn Sarah Gilsig

OCCUPATION: Film Actress, Theater Actress, Television Actress

BIRTH DATE: November 30, 1971 (Age: 40)

EDUCATION: McGill University, American Repertory Theatre's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University

PLACE OF BIRTH: Montreal, Canada

Actress. Born Jessalyn Sarah Gilsig on November 30, 1971, in Montreal, Canada, to mother Clare, a translator and writer, and father Toby Gilsig, an engineer. Gilsig's entrance into the world of show business came early when, at the age of 12, she was hired to do voice work for Masquerade, a program produced by the National Film Board of Canada.

A trained theater actress, Gilsig stayed close to home for college, attending McGill University in Montreal, where she earned a degree in English in 1993. There, she also cut her teeth on a number of stage productions. Her early experiences in theater didn't come without a case of the nerves, however: "I remember staring at a sign-up sheet for auditions for a theatrical version of Wuthering Heights," she later recalled. "I was so scared, but I finally signed up."

A graduate of Montreal's McGill University, Gilsig headed south to Massachusetts where she excelled in the Harvard University-sponsored Institute of Advanced Theater Training at the American Repertory Theatre (ART). Completing her two-year course in 1995, the actress headed to NYC, but soon returned to Cambridge when the theater bucked policy and hired the actress for their professional theater though she was a new graduate. With ART she starred as Miranda in "The Tempest" (1995) and was featured in Moliere's "Tartuffe" (1996), and evinced a well-rounded spirit of both feminine nurturing and feminist strength in her portrayals. Returning to Manhattan, she was featured on stage in the Primary Stages production "Mere Mortals and Others" (1997) and co-starred in 1998's "Gun-Shy", a presentation at Playwrights Horizons. 1998 also saw her take on a lead voice role in the animated feature "Quest for Camelot", playing a young female hero, a girl who dreams of following in the footsteps of her father and serving as a noble knight of King Arthur's court.

Jennifer Tilly Biography

Birth Name : Jennifer Elizabeth Chan

Date of Birth : 16 September 1958, Harbor City, California, USA

Height : 5' 6½" (1.69 m)

Occupation : Actress

Born in Harbor City, California, Tilly was young when she moved to Canada with her family. Tilly ran track for Belmont High School in Victoria, British Columbia before returning to the states to study drama at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri. After graduating, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career (before sister Meg, contrary to popular myth), studying her craft with Peggy Feury, Stella Adler and Michael Shurtleff. She later performed in the otherwise all-black production of "Vanities" in Los Angeles before joining the Group Repertory Theater, where she appeared in Sam Shepard's "Buried Child" and "The Bacchae."

She successfully cultivated another fan base with the revitalization of the "Child's Play" horror comedy franchise. For Ronny Yu's Bride of Chucky (1998), the filmmakers turned to Jennifer to create the character who would spark the series in a new direction. She met the challenge and established a new horror icon in Tiffany. This Halloween, in Rogue Pictures' all-new Seed of Chucky (2004), written and directed by series creator Don Mancini, Jennifer again takes the popular series to the next level; she stars as Tiffany and as herself, the deadly doll's favorite actress, who soon becomes an unwitting hostess in more ways than one.

Jennifer's pitch-perfect voiceover work as Tiffany is not the only instance of her being able to incarnate a character from the vocal chords out. Families know her distinctive cadences from the recent Disney hits Home on the Range (2004) (in which Jennifer voiced a new-age bovine), directed by Will Finn and John Sanford; The Haunted Mansion (2003) (in which Jennifer acted from the neck up only), directed by Rob Minkoff; and the Pixar blockbuster Monsters, Inc. (2001) (voicing Mike's love interest Celia), directed by Pete Docter, David Silverman and Lee Unkrich.

Jennifer Morrison Biography

Birth Name : Jennifer Marie Morrison

Date of Birth : 12 April 1979, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Height : 5' 5¼" (1.66 m)

Occupation : Actress, model, film producer

Jennifer Morrison is the oldest child of teacher parents. She was raised in Illinois with a younger sister and brother. She attended the same school her parents taught at, Prospect High School. As a child she did some work as a model. After graduating from high school, she attended Loyola University in Chicago, where she studied Theater and English. She then moved on to study at the Steppenwolf Theater Company, before relocating to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.

As the sympathetic and conflicted immunologist Dr. Allison Cameron on the hit television medical drama, "House, M.D." (Fox, 2004- ), actress Jennifer Morrison brought a touch of humanity, not to mention pulchritude, to the grave and occasionally morbid series. Prior to her breakthrough series role, Morrison had her career start in feature films, playing small supporting parts in films like "Intersection" (1994) and "Miracle on 34th Street" (1994). Following forays into the horror genre with "Stir of Echoes" (1999) and "Urban Legends: Final Cut" (2000), Morrison began to make strides on the small screen; first with an episode of "Touched By an Angel" (CBS, 1994-2003), then with a prominent recurring role on the teen hit "Dawson's Creek" (The WB, 1998-2003). After appearing in "Surviving Christmas" (2004) and "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (2005), Morrison landed the role of a lifetime on "House," which starred Hugh Laurie as a brilliant, but irascible infectious disease specialist who takes on cases no one else can crack. Morrison was on the show for six seasons; some of which were spent being romantically involved with co-star Jesse Spencer, though she was eventually written off in 2009. Still, the talented young actress finally landed that star-making role that promised greater things to come.

Jennifer Lynch Biography

Name : Jennifer Lynch biography

Date of Birth : 7 April 1968, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Occupation : Director, Screenwriter, Producer, Actress

Jennifer Chambers Lynch (born April 7, 1968) is an American film director and screenwriter, best known for writing the book The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer and for writing and directing the 1993 feature film Boxing Helena. Lynch was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of artist and filmmaker David Lynch and painter Peggy Reavey. At the age of three, Lynch appeared in her father's Eraserhead. Lynch was educated in Los Angeles and Michigan (at the prestigious Interlochen Arts Academy) and, as a teen, worked as a production assistant on her father's Blue Velvet (1986). Already known for her precocious writing ability, she authored The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer to accompany the Twin Peaks television show (1990) and wrote an episode of the popular science-fiction television series Friday the 13th: The Series (also in 1990). Her commissioned screenplay for Boxing Helena, which she would later go on to direct, attracted top-drawer talent, including Madonna. Sherilyn Fenn ultimately played the part of Helena. Kim Basinger was also attached and was famously sued after walking away. The controversy surrounding that case, as well as feminist outcry over Helena's sadistic subject matter and the inevitable accusations of nepotism, undoubtedly contributed to the movie's critical drubbing upon its release in 1993.

Lynch retreated from the public eye but came back into the spotlight with the film Surveillance. She was announced as director of the film Nagin (the film is also known as Hisss) starring Bollywood actress Mallika Sherawat.

In October 2008, Surveillance took the top prize at the Festival de Cine de Sitges. A month later, Lynch became the first woman to receive the New York City Horror Film Festival's Best Director award.

On March 21, 2010, Lynch was a judge at the International Surrealist Film Festival. She works as producer for the upcoming Corey Brandenstein natural horror film The Compound.

Jennifer Hudson Biography

NAME: Jennifer Hudson

OCCUPATION: Film Actress, Theater Actress, Television Actress, Singer

BIRTH DATE: September 12, 1981 (Age: 30)

PLACE OF BIRTH: Chicago, Illinois

ZODIAC SIGN: Virgo

Born Jennifer Kate Hudson on September 12, 1981, in Chicago, Illinois, she earned minor attention as one of the twelve finalists on the third season of the FOX TV series in 2004. She came in an underwhelming sixth runner-up. Hudson grew up singing in gospel choirs, acting in community theater productions, singing on cruise ships and touring for in Disney's Hercules: The Musical. With no formal musical training, her gospel-tinged voice initially pleased the panel of judges. The songs were arguably ill-advised but evidence of her greatness peeked through at times. She, Fantasia Barrino and La Toya London were promoted as the show's own version of the Dreamgirls and were expected to be the final three standing in the competition when Jennifer was unexpectedly cut from the pack. Fantasia won the competition and all the glory and the fame.

After singing for a year on a Disney cruise ship, Hudson auditioned for the third season of FOX's American Idol in 2004. As a finalist, she gained exposure and a fan base, then all but disappeared from the limelight until 2005. That year, Hudson beat out hundreds of competitors to win the role of Effie White in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Dreamgirls. Her scene-stealing performance earned the young singer several accolades including a Golden Globe, an Oscar, and an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

In September 2008, Hudson and her boyfriend, David Otunga, became engaged. Otunga, known as "Punk" on the TV reality show I Love New York 2, proposed on the singer's 27th birthday. No wedding date has been disclosed, but it was announced in June 2009, that the couple is expecting their first child.

Jennifer Hawkins Biography

Name : Jennifer Hawkins

Date of Birth : 22 December 1983, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia

Height : 6' (1.83 m)

Occupatoion : Model

Jennifer Hawkins was born in the Australian city of Newcastle, two hours north of Sydney, in 1984. This regional township has a predominant beach culture, making it the perfect family environment.

Jennifer was the youngest of four children, a position that exposed her to plenty of influence and tutelage from older siblings. Her parents, homemaker Gail and train company manager Robert, remain happily married to this day.

One of Jennifer's first hobbies was dancing, something she took up at the age of 5. While she was devoted to dancing, it never got in the way of her education, which commenced at Barnsley Public Primary School and then continued at West Wallsend High School. During those years, Jennifer was regarded as a quiet student and was always at the top of her class.

In 2001 she was named the National Rugby League's Cheergirl of the Year and got on the cover of Big League magazine (the National Rugby League's official publication). That was the start of her modeling career - first she modeled for a student designer fashion show, then moved on to beauty pagenats - and soon she was Newcastle's Miss Surfest. Jennifer finished third at the Bartercard Miss Indy competition, and did a television ad for the Newcastle Knights Store. This got her contracts for modeling jobs with Airtime Clothing and Dirt Action magazine.

Jennifer won the title of Miss Australia which gave her national attention - and the chance to participate in the Miss Universe pageant in Quito, Ecuador, in 2004. Jennifer became Miss Universe and besides some knick-knack, she was awarded a $45,000 film school scholarship and an apartment in New York.

Jennifer Flavin Biography

Birthname: Jennifer Flavin

Nickname: Jenn

Category: Model

Birth: Aug 14, 1968 (age: 43) Leo

United States / Illinois / Chicago

Height: 5ft 9in (175cm)

Flavin was born in Los Angeles, California and grew up in West Hills, Los Angeles, California, a district of Los Angeles, and currently resides in Beverly Crest neighborhood of Los Angeles. She has six siblings, two sisters Tricia and Julie, and four brothers Tom, Pat, Shannon and Mitch. She attended El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills, California. Jennifer's father died when she was 12 years old leaving her mother to care for 7 children. She started modeling at the age of 19 at the Elite Modeling Agency as a way to earn a good living.

She spent her childhood in San Fernando Valley, California and attended George Ellery Junior High School. After that El Camino Real Senior High School, Woodland Hills, California and in the end went to California State University Northridge to study Oceanography. She owns a skin care company, Serious Skin Care. Her acting career isn't that successful and she had only small roles in few movies.

On May 17, 1997 she married Sylvester Stallone and they have three children until now. The first one, Sophia Rose Stallone, was born on August 27, 1996 in South Beach, Miami, Florida, the second, Sistine Rose Stallone was born on June 27, 1998 in Los Angeles, California and the third, Scarlet Rose Stallone was born on May 25, 2002.

Jennifer Connelly Biography

Name: Jennifer Connelly

Born: 12 December 1970 (Age: 41)

Where: Woodstock, New York, USA

Height: 5' 8"

Awards: Won 1 Oscar, 1 BAFTA, 1 Golden Globe

Occupation : Actress

She was born Jennifer Lynn Connelly on the 12th of December, 1970 (same day as Madchen Amick), in Woodstock, New York, just over a year after the famous music festival at Yasgur's farm. Her mother, Eileen, ran an antiques shop in Woodstock, while her father, Gerard, sold children's clothes in New York City. They were fairly well-to-do and owned another property at Bellport, Long Island. When Jennifer was four, they moved to Brooklyn Heights, just across the Brooklyn Bridge from Manhattan, Jennifer completing her primary and secondary education at St Ann's school.

Her education widened quickly. An advertising executive friend of the family suggested that 10-year-old Jennifer, being extraordinarily good-looking, might make a great child-model. So,they went looking for representation, and found it in the prestigious Ford Agency and, after school, Eileen would take little Jennifer into the city to auditions. She was very successful, appearing in many newspaper and magazine ads, and in TV commercials. These days, Jennifer claims she can remember very little about this, in fact recalling only one ad - for Scott's toilet paper.

Though she had been a model and performed in over a dozen movies since she was 12 years old, actress Jennifer Connelly spent most of her early life trying to make a name for herself. While certainly known in Hollywood, Connelly remained relatively anonymous to the public at large until her major breakthrough with a gutsy performance in "Requiem for a Dream" (2000). Prior to that role, Connelly had several brushes with potential stardom, especially with her turns in "The Rocketeer" (1991) and "Inventing the Abbotts" (1997), both of which could have seriously launched her career had they been hits. But it was her Oscar-winning performance as the tortured wife of a brilliant mathematician suffering from schizophrenia in "A Brilliant Mind" (2001) that put Connelly on the map for good. Since that time, she churned out other award-worthy performances - notably "House of Sand and Fog" (2003) and "Reservation Road" (2007), while taking on the occasional blockbuster like "The Day the Earth Stood Still" (2008), certainly making Connelly one of the most compelling, yet underrated actresses of her time.

Jennifer Beals Biography

Name : Jennifer Beals

Date of Birth : 19 December 1963, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Height : 5' 8½" (1.74 m)

Occupation : Actress

Jennifer Beals was born on December 19, 1963, in Chicago, Illinois. She is the product of a biracial union: her father, who passed away when she was 10, was African-American, and her mother is Irish. She graduated from Francis W. Parker School in Chicago, a primary school and high school that emphasized community and citizenship. During her teens, Jennifer was a fashion model and baby-sat Regis Philbin's children.

Intelligent and beautiful with a disarming smile, Jennifer Beals managed to exude both strength and tenderness in her work, making her one of the most relatable and talented actresses of her time. A pop culture icon after her star-making debut as Alex Owens in "Flashdance" (1983), Beals weathered the backlash storm after it was revealed she had a dance double in the hit film. After disappearing off the radar for some time - perhaps spooked by her overnight "Flashdance" fame - Beals would eventually come back to the Hollywood fold and build an less flashy but impressive film and television career over the next 20 years. Her touching portrayal of lesbian workaholic Bette Porter on the provocative drama "The L Word" (Showtime, 2004-09), instantly revitalized Beal's career. She returned to headline the cast of "The Chicago Code" (Fox, 2010-11), a critically acclaimed police drama, sadly canceled in its first season. Further projects were in the offing, however, and several decades after her early 1980s mega-stardom, Beals proved that her talent and timeless beauty would keep her working steadily for years to come.

Yes, we all enjoyed believing that Jennifer was the owner of that incredible butt and the force behind those slinky dance moves in Flashdance, but even if she wasn't... who cares? She's still got it going on. You can just tell that she knows what she wants when it comes to the sexual arts and that she'd use all her womanly guile to get it. The one downside is that she's now over 40. Then again, if all cougars looked like her, women in their 20s would be very lonely.

Jennifer Aniston Biography

NAME: Jennifer Aniston

OCCUPATION: Television Actress

BIRTH DATE: February 11, 1969 (Age: 42)

EDUCATION: Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts

PLACE OF BIRTH: Sherman Oaks, California

Actress. Born February 11, 1969 in Sherman Oaks, California. The daughter of soap opera star John Aniston and actress Nancy Dow, Jennifer began appearing in stage productions in the late 1980s. She attended Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts, where she was active in drama. After several minor film and television roles, Aniston hit Hollywood gold playing Rachel Green on the hit NBC sitcom Friends. She stayed with Friends for ten years, banking $1 million per episode for the last three seasons, until the show ended in 2004.She won both a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award during her tenure on the show.

Thankfully, Aniston had no shortage of projects lined up to take her mind off of personal tribulations. The often cruel blog press took gleeful delight in the title of her next project, "He's Just Not That Into You" (2009), based on the best-selling guidebook for women in bad relationships, written by former "Sex and the City" (HBO, 1998-2004) scribe, Greg Behrendt. Beating the romantic comedy into the theaters was Aniston's turn in the tender love story of a man and his dog, again based on a bestseller, "Marley & Me" (2008), co-starring Owen Wilson. Back on the small screen, Aniston earned an Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for an episode of "30 Rock" (NBC, 2006- ), in which she played the former roommate of Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) who develops a stalker-like obsession with Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin).

Jennie Garth Biography

Birth Name: Jennifer Eve Garth

Birth Place: Urbana, IL

Date of Birth / Zodiac Sign: 04/03/1972, Aries

Profession: Actress; model

Born April 3, 1972 in Urbana, IL, the young beauty was discovered at age 15 by a talent scout who suggested she head to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Garth did just that – dropping out of high school in her junior year to move west. Not long after arriving, she landed a role in the short-lived TV series "Brand New Life" (NBC, 1989-1990). Although "Life" did little to launch her career. Playing the popular tramp-turned-good girl Kelly through the years afforded Garth the opportunity to not only grow up on camera in front of America, but to fully develop her character and improve her acting chops each season.

Therefore, she dropped out of high school during her junior year, and she and her mom moved to Los Angeles, California so she could become an actress. She later obtained her diploma in California. There, she started taking acting classes and went to auditions almost every day. After living in LA for about four months, she landed the role of 'Ericka McCray' on the NBC series "A Brand New Life" (1989). Within a year, she was cast as 'Kelly Taylor' on the long-running hit teen drama-series "Beverly Hills, 90210" (1990) on FOX television. Ever since, she has starred in several movies made for TV, a number of which she has produced and directed herself. On January 20th, 2001, she married actor Peter Facinelli, the father of her first daughter, Luca Bella (born June 29th, 1997), on her ranch in Santa Barbara, California. On December 6th, 2002, Jennie and Peter welcomed their second daughter, Lola Ray and their third daughter Fiona Eve on September 30th, 2006. Jennie most recently starred in the WB network sitcom "What I Like About You" (2002) as 'Valerie Tyler' until its cancellation in 2006.

Jenni Farley Biography

Name : Jennifer "Jenni" Farley

Date of Birth : 27 February 1986, Franklin Square, New York, USA

Height : 8½" (1.74 m)

Occupation : Artist, model, designer, television personality

Jennifer "Jenni" Farley (born February 27, 1986), also known as JWoww, is an American television personality. She first came to prominence as one of the eight main cast members in the MTV reality series Jersey Shore. She has also made several appearances on other shows, such as Total Nonstop Action Wrestling and Disaster Date.

In the fall of 2009 Jenni Farley's fame exploded when MTV aired the premiere of Jersey Shore. The reality show follows Jwoww and 7 other 'guido/guidettes', as they spend the summer partying at the Jersey Shore. Jenni is seen as an over the top Italian-American, flaunting her large fake breasts and hair extensions as she drinks and parties nightly with her roomates. The viewers are often treated to Jenni getting herself into altercations at the nightclubs, usually ending in hair pulling and b*%#@ fights. Jwoww started season 1 off with a boyfriend but was quick to cheat with her fellow housemate Pauly D, ultimately ending her relationship with her boyfriend by the third episode. The cast is currently filming season 3 back at the Jersey Shore after a season 2 departure that was filmed in Miami.

Jenna Jameson Biography

NAME: Jenna Jameson

OCCUPATION: Film Actress, Entrepreneur

BIRTH DATE: April 09, 1974 (Age: 37)

PLACE OF BIRTH: Las Vegas, Nevada

ZODIAC SIGN: Aries

Adult film actress and entrepreneur. Born Jenna Marie Massoli on April 9, 1974, in Las Vegas, Nevada, to Lawrence and Judith Massoli. Lawrence was a local sheriff, and Judith was a showgirl on the Las Vegas Strip. Jameson had only a few years with her mother, who died from skin cancer on February 20, 1976, shortly before Jameson's second birthday. Bankrupt from paying all the necessary medical bills, the family was forced to move into a trailer while her father worked long hours to pay off debts. Jameson and her older brother, Tony, were essentially left to parent each other.

Although she was a gifted ballerina and a frequent winner on the pageant circuit, Jameson's teen years were a difficult and destructive time for the burgeoning starlet. She endured several sexual assaults and seeded the beginnings of a significant drug habit. At the age of 16, she left home to live with her boyfriend. The following year, she removed the braces from her teeth with a pair of pliers and used a fake ID to land her first job as an exotic dancer. Soon noticed by a Penthouse scout, Jameson began modeling for adult magazines. Around this time, she also made the shift from the surname "Massoli" to her stage name, "Jameson," a moniker she picked for its boozy and rebellious implications.

As her popularity at video stores and online grew, she started crossing over to mainstream entertainment. She hosted episodes of E! Entertainment Television’s “Wild On” and provided household tips on “The Man Show” (Comedy Central, 1994-2004), while making appearances on “Entertainment Tonight” (Syndicated, 1981- ) and “Extra” (Syndicated, 1994- ). She also provided her voice on an episode of “Family Guy” (Fox, 1998- ) and had a recurring role as herself on the short-lived political drama, “Mister Sterling” (NBC, 2003). In 2003, E! Entertainment aired a two-hour “True Hollywood Story” in which she talked about overcoming her inner demons and her rise as the industry’s most powerful porn actress. Meanwhile, she appeared with other industry stars in the documentary, “Porn Star: The Legend of Ron Jeremy” (2001), then made her first mainstream feature film as a fictional character in the straight-to-video comedy about a slow-witted gumshoe (Danny Masterson), “Dirt Merchant” (2002). Jameson also crossed-over to the video game realm, providing the voice of the prostitute Candy Suxx in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. She even made a cameo appearance—again as herself—in the Robert DeNiro-Billy Crystal comedy, “Analyze That” (2002).

Jenna Fischer Biography

Birth Name : Regina Marie Fischer

Date of Birth : 7 March 1974, Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA

Height : 5' 5½" (1.66 m)

Occupation : Actress, director

Born on March 7, 1974 in Fort Wayne, IN, Fischer was raised by her father, Jim, and her mother, Anne, a former acting teacher, both of whom started calling her Jenna despite naming her Regina. The family soon picked up stakes from Indiana, however, and settled in St. Louis, MO. Meanwhile, Fischer showed an interest in acting from a very young age, attending her first acting class - taught by her mother - at six years old. After going to Pierremont Elementary School, she attended Nerinx Hall High School, a private, all-girls Catholic school in the St. Louis suburb of Webster Groves. Following high school, she earned a bachelor's degree in theater from Truman State University and soon after moved to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. To support herself, she worked as an office temp for five years - an experience that no doubt helped her play Pam on "The Office." But before she landed the role, Fischer struggled through numerous casting calls, and even found herself the victim of a fraudulent audition. Thinking she was up for a role as a member of "International Spice Girls," she came to the slow realization that the producer who hired her was really a pimp in a high-end prostitution ring. She quickly changed all her phone numbers and never heard from the "producer" again.

Guest appearances on several TV shows followed, including Spin City, What I Like About You, Strong Medicine and Miss Match. In 2004 she wrote, directed and co-starred (with husband James) in the mockumentary Lollilove, about a rich couple who try to make a difference by giving homeless people lollipops that have cheerful slogans on the wrappers. As a result, Fischer was awarded the Screen Actors Guild Emerging Actor Award at the St. Louis Film Festival and the Tromadance Independent Soul Award at the American Film Market.

In 2005 she became a familiar face to TV viewers as Pam on the sitcom The Office, modelled after the British hit The Office. Playing an unambitious receptionist who doesn't respect her boss, Fischer received a 2007 Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series and shared a 2007 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series with the rest of the cast.

Jenna Elfman Biography

NAME: Jenna Elfman

OCCUPATION: Film Actress, Television Actress

BIRTH DATE: September 30, 1971 (Age: 40)

EDUCATION: University of California at Northridge

PLACE OF BIRTH: Los Angeles, California

Actress, dancer. Born Jennifer Mary Butala, on September 30, 1971, in Northridge, California. She was the youngest of three children born into a middle-class family. Raised by her parents, Richard and Susan Butala, Elfman enjoyed a carefree childhood in Southern, California, where she began classical ballet training at age five. In 1989, she entered Los Angeles County High School for the Arts as a dance major. Shortly after her enrollment, she abandoned a professional ballet career when a recurring ankle injury limited her range of motion.

After briefly attending the University of California at Northridge, Elfman's first step toward a career in show business came when she was awarded the opportunity to perform in the opening presentation for the 1991 Academy Awards Show. The exposure led to greater opportunities, and she was cast in a slew of rock videos for various artists, including Depeche Mode and Chris Isaak. Standing 5"10," tall, the striking California blonde, also toured with ZZ Top as one of the band's signature "Legs" girls.

An ebullient performer who earned fame with her role as a buoyant free-spirit on the popular sitcom "Dharma & Greg" (ABC, 1997-2002), actress Jenna Elfman broke through as a stand out cast member of the failed sitcom, "Townies" (ABC, 1996). A professional dancer who made the switch to acting in the early 1990s, Elfman made immediate strides on the small screen, landing guest starring roles on both dramas and sitcoms, including "Roseanne" (ABC, 1988-1997) and "NYPD Blue" (ABC, 1993-2005) before landing her first regular gig with "Townies." Though "Townies" was only on the air a short time, network executives were duly impressed with Elfman's talents and signed her to an exclusive deal to develop her own series. The result was "Dharma & Greg," which managed to stay on for five seasons while earning the actress three consecutive Emmy Award nominations. Once the show was canceled, however, Elfman's career hit a brief rough patch that included starring in the failed sitcom, "Courting Alex" (CBS, 2006), while publicly embarrassing herself after a heated argument with a Scientology critic that ignited a brief, but white-hot media firestorm. But Elfman returned to form with her third star turn in a sitcom, "Accidentally On Purpose" (CBS, 2009), which proved that she had both the talent and drive to persevere.

Jenna Dewan Biography

Birth Name : Jenna Lee Dewan

Date of Birth : 3 December 1980, Hartford, Connecticut, USA

Height : 5' 3" (1.60 m)

Occupation : Actress, model, dancer

Born Dec. 3, 1980 in Hartford, CT to parents Darryll Dewan and Nancy Lee Bursch Smith, Dewan grew up in Dallas, TX after her parents split while she was still a child. Taking up dance at the tender age of six, Dewan found she had a passion for the performing arts and continued to dance throughout her childhood and high school years, studying ballet and other forms of modern dance. After moving to Los Angeles for college, Dewan began the arduous process of auditioning for music videos. Proving that she had a natural talent for her craft, Dewan booked her first video in 2001, landing a back-up dancing gig in the Janet Jackson video "All For You." Performing well in the video, Dewan went on to tour with Jackson for over a year on the "All For You" World Tour. She went on to land gigs in music videos for N'Sync, Justin Timberlake (whom tabloids falsely reported her to be dating), Ricky Martin, Missy Elliott, Toni Braxton, and Mandy Moore, as well as tour as a back-up dancer on Justin Timberlake's "Justified" World Tour and P. Diddy's "We Invented the Remix" Tour in 2003.

Intense in her spirituality despite her witchy onscreen debut, Dewan would get her first taste of success when tabloids began falsely speculating on a romance with fellow dancer Justin_Timberlake. Easy to shrug off the rumors and quick to stay on her feet, it was Dewan's impressive footwork that landed her a subsequent role in the 2006 Antonio_Banderas musical drama Take the Lead. Though Dewan's screen time may have been a bit brief in that particular effort, a role in the same year's dance romance Step_Up found the rising star doing precisely that as she danced away juvenile delinquency alongside She's the Man's Channing_Tatum in a role that truly allowed her to cut loose for the cameras.

Jemima Khan Biography

Birth Name : Jemima Goldsmith

Date of Birth : 30 January 1974, London, England, UK

Known for : Writer, campaigner

Religion : Islam

Nationality : British, Pakistani

Jemima Goldsmith was born to a wealthy London tycoon and his mistress on January 30, 1974. Her father, Sir James Goldsmith, brought Jemima up in the height of luxury, raising her as a true aristocrat. Jemima seemed suited to the lifestyle that she was born into, and from a young age, she demonstrated a natural talent for horsemanship. But the girl shunned the equestrian life and chose academia instead, enrolling in Bristol University's prestigious English literature program. Jemima's studies further fueled her innate curiosity about the world, and her interests soon shifted to religious matters, specifically Islam and its clear messages about life on Earth.

She comes from a wealthy family. At first her parents weren't married, but after their second child was born in 1975 they got married. She attended Francis Holland School Clarence Gate and Bristol University.

In 1995 she met her future husband, Imran Khan, in a nightclub. She converted to Islam and in May they got married in London. Suleiman is their first son and was born in 1997. After two years their second child, Qasim was born. Living in Pakistan, she started several business such a as brand of tomato ketchup and the "Jemima Khan" fashion label. The community in Pakistan didn't want her there and she appeared in newspapers all the time, this causing damage to her marriage. Another bomb for her marriage came when it was said that her husband had a child with Sita White. He denied everything. In 2003 she went to the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London to get a Master's degree. In June 2004 it was announced that she had divorced. She had a relationship with famous actor Hugh Grant until February 2007.

Jeanne Tripplehorn Biography

Birth Name : Jeanne Marie Tripplehorn

Date of Birth : 10 June 1963, Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA

Height : 5' 7" (1.70 m)

Occupation : Actress

Born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on June 10, 1963, Jeanne Tripplehorn developed an interest in performing through her father, guitarist Tom Tripplehorn, who at one time recorded with the pop group Gary Lewis & The Playboys on such hits as "This Diamond Ring". (Note: many references list Jeanne's father's birth date as February 2, 1949, but this seem very unlikely as he would have been only 14 years old when she was born). Graduating from Edison High School, Jeanne began her career as a local radio and TV host.

Despite landing significant roles in high-profile features early in her career, actress Jeanne Tripplehorn worked for years before becoming a household name on the hit cable series, "Big Love" (HBO, 2006- ). Prior to playing one of three wives married to a Mormon polygamist, the stage-trained Tripplehorn worked steadily in features, making her big screen debut with a prominent supporting turn in "Basic Instinct" (1992). She upped her profile in a big way when she starred opposite Tom Cruise in "The Firm" (1993), but faded a bit after playing Kevin Costner's wife in "Waterworld" (1995), considered by many to be one of Hollywood's biggest and most notorious box office disasters. From there, Tripplehorn settled into a series of non-studio features like "Very Bad Things" (1998) and "Sliding Doors" (1998), the latter of which gave her a rare opportunity to display her comedic gifts. But it was her finely nuanced performance on "Big Love" - at once both strong and wounded - that earned Tripplehorn considerable acclaim and the promise of greater things to come.

Jean-Claude Van Damme Biography

Birth Name : Jean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg

Date of Birth : 18 October 1960, Berchem-Sainte-Agathe, Brussels, Belgium

Height : 5' 9" (1.75 m)

Occupation : Actor, martial artist, director

Born Jean-Claude Van Varenberg, the future big screen butt-kicker entered the world on Oct. 18, 1960, in Belgium. Physical perfection and martial arts were always his focus, beginning when he entered martial arts training at the age of 11. He earned a black belt in Shotokan karate and won the European Professional Karate Association's middleweight championship while still in his late teens. After touring internationally as a competitor on the professional karate and kickboxing circuits, he opened his own gym in his hometown of Brussels. His moderate level of renown in the bodybuilding and martial arts industries led to some modeling work and product endorsements, and with stars in his eyes, Van Damme spent some time in Hong Kong trying to break into martial arts films. By the time he was 21 years old, he was set on the idea of parlaying his background into a career as a movie star. Not surprisingly, he moved to Hollywood, trying out various stage names like Frank Cujo (which he dropped upon the release of the horror film of the same name) and Jean-Claude Vandam, while taking a variety of odd jobs to make ends meet.

On 3 February 1994 Van Damme married for the fourth time, now with Darcy La Pier. She worked as a model and was born in 1965. She won the Hawaiian Tropic beauty-contest, representing the state of Oregon in 1985.

Though Van Damme often refers to himself as a loving and devoted husband, Darcy LaPier filed for divorce, claiming the "Muscles from Brussels" terrorized her and their son, Nicholas. She also stated instances of mood swings and physical abuse, which she attributed to his cocaine addiction. Among LaPier's other claims: Van Damme threatened to kidnap their son and leave the United States; he threatened to kill one of her lawyers; and he once assaulted her so badly that she needed to go to the hospital. In Sun Valley, Idaho, LaPier called 911 after an argument with him. No charges were filed. In 1996 their divorce was finalized and a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge granted LaPier custody of their son and Jean ClaudeJean-Claude Van Damme was ordered to pay $27,000 a month in child support and $85,000 a month in spousal support. It was one of the largest litigated child support awards ever handed. On the other hand, once in Bali, Van Damme claims, LaPier attacked him with an end table. Anyway. Darcy LaPier does not like Van Damme anymore.

Van Damme's parents did not approve of LaPier. "We told him, marriage, don't do it," says his father. "Not a good woman for you," his mother warned him. Van Damme's mother, a vital, statuesque woman who used to run a flower shop in Brussels, is very positive about his son. " Jean-Claude Van Damme is a very family man ", she once said. Jean-Claude Van Damme visited the family in Europe as often as he could (his older sister, Veronique, owns a hair salon in Belgium) and flew them to his various movie sets around the world.

Jayma Mays Biography

Birth Name : Jayma Suzette Mays

Date of Birth : 16 July 1979, Grundy, Virginia, USA

Height : 5' 4" (1.63 m)

Occupation : Actress, singer

Jayma was born Jamia Suzette Mays. She was raised in Grundy, Virginia, with her older brother and sister. Her father was a high school teacher at Grundy Senior High School for 7 years, before spending 25 years working in the coal-mining industry. He is now retired and lives with Jayma's mother in Bristol.

At school, Jayma enjoyed Math and singing. She graduated from high school in 1997. She then went on to get an Associate degree from Southwest Virginia Community College. She then did a year at Virginia Tech, transferring to Radford University. After earning her degree in Theatre in 2000, she moved to California.

Mays expanded her acting profile with recurring roles in a string of highly acclaimed TV series. She played a Hollywood agent's witty and sassy assistant on HBO's "Entourage" (2004- ) before landing a supernatural role on NBC's "Heroes" (NBC, 2006- ). Mays played Charlie, a diner waitress with telepathic powers and the love interest of time traveler Hiro Nakamura (Masi Oka). Although her character is eventually murdered by the series' primary villain, Sylar (Zachary Quinto), she reprised the role of Hiro's ill-fated girlfriend on a 2009 episode that found him zipping back in time to save his sweetheart. Mays and Oka also played lovers on "Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd: Out of Control" (2008), a direct-to-DVD release inspired by the feature film "Get Smart" (2008). In 2007, Mays returned to comedy with a recurring role on ABC's fish-out-of-water series "Ugly Betty" (ABC, 2006- ), in which she portrayed Charlie, the scheming and back-stabbing girlfriend of Betty Suarez's (America Ferrara) workplace crush, Henry (Christopher Gorham). The doe-eyed actress was deliciously evil as her character befriended Betty as a ploy to block the budding romance between the bespectacled heroine and her own boyfriend. Charlie finally crushed Betty's hopes of falling in love by announcing she was pregnant with Henry's child. The love triangle injected the perfect dose of drama and tension to the show's well-received first season.