Thursday, January 8, 2009

Who is Patrick Wayne Swayze ?

Who is Patrick Wayne Swayze? Swayze is a three-time Golden Globe-nominated American actor, dancer and singer-songwriter.
Swayze was born on August 18, 1952 in Houston, Texas ,the son of Patricia "Patsy" Yvonne Helen (née Karnes) — a choreographer, dance instructor, and dancer — and Jesse Wayne Swayze, an engineering drafter.[1] Although the surname "Swayze" is of Norman French origin, he is of mainly Irish descent, as well as some Apache ancestry.[2] His brother, Don Swayze, is also an actor.
Until age 20, Swayze lived in the Oak Forest neighborhood of Houston, where he attended St. Rose of Lima Catholic School, Oak Forest Elementary School, Black Middle School, and Waltrip High School. During this time, he also pursued multiple artistic and athletic skills, such as ice skating, classical ballet and acting in school plays. He studied gymnastics at nearby San Jacinto College for two years.
In 1972, he moved to New York City to complete his formal dance training at the Harkness Ballet and Joffrey ballet schools.


Swayze's first professional appearance was as a dancer for Disney on Parade. He starred as Danny Zuko in the Broadway theatre production of Grease before his debut film role as "Ace" in Skatetown, U.S.A. (1979). He also appeared as Pvt Sturgis in the M*A*S*H episode "Blood Brothers" (episode 9.18, 6 April 1981). Swayze became known to the filming industry after appearing in The Outsiders (1983), as the older brother of C. Thomas Howell and Rob Lowe. Swayze, Howell, and Howell's friend Darren Dalton reunited in Red Dawn the next year, and Lowe and Swayze reunited in Youngblood, where he was considered a member of the Brat Pack, but his first major success was in the 1985 television miniseries North and South, which was set during the American Civil War.

His real breakthrough to stardom came with his performance as the dance instructor in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, alongside his Red Dawn costar, Jennifer Grey. His earlier ballet experience came to good use in this film. Dirty Dancing was a low-budget project that was intended to be shown in theaters for one weekend only and then go straight to video, but it became a surprise hit and achieved massive international success. It was the first film to sell one million copies on video and as of 2007, has earned over US$ 300-million worldwide and spawned several alternate versions, ranging from a television series to stage productions to a computer game. Swayze received a Golden Globe Award nomination for the role and also sang one of the songs on the soundtrack, "She's Like the Wind", which he had originally co-written with Stacy Widelitz for the film Grandview, U.S.A. The song became a top ten hit and has been covered by other artists, such as David Hasselhoff, and in 2006 was converted into a hip-hop version by Lumidee, who took it to the top of the charts in Germany.





After Dirty Dancing, Swayze found himself heavily typecast as beefcake and appeared in several flops, of which Road House (1989) was the most successful. His biggest hit came in 1990, when he starred in Ghost with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg.[3] This role had considerable cultural impact, and modern hip-hop lyrics routinely use the phrase "I'm Swayze" (meaning "I'm ghost" which is in turn slang for "I'm leaving") in reference to that film (for more info, see the "Cultural Impact" section of the movie Ghost). In 1991, he starred alongside Youngblood castmate Keanu Reeves in another major action hit, Point Break, and was also chosen by People magazine as that year's "Sexiest Man Alive".
Swayze was seriously injured in 1996 while filming HBO's Letters from a Killer in the Ione area, when he fell from a horse and hit a tree. Both of his legs were broken and he suffered four detached tendons in his shoulder. Filming was suspended for two months, but the film aired in 1999. Swayze recovered from his injuries, but had trouble resuming his career until 2000, when he costarred in Waking Up in Reno, with Billy Bob Thornton and Charlize Theron, and in Forever Lulu, with Melanie Griffith.
In 2001, he appeared in Donnie Darko, where he played a motivational speaker and closet pedophile, and in 2004, he played Allan Quatermain in King Solomon's Mines. He also had a cameo appearance in the Dirty Dancing prequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) as an unnamed dance instructor.
He made his London stage debut in the musical Guys and Dolls as Nathan Detroit on July 27, 2006 alongside Neil Jerzak, and remained in the role until November 25, 2006. His previous appearances on the Broadway stage had included productions of Goodtime Charley (1975) and Chicago (2003).
Swayze's latest starring role was in the film Christmas in Wonderland (2007). In August 2007, Swayze played an aging rock star in the upcoming film Powder Blue (slated for 2009 release), costarring his younger brother Don in their first film together. Patrick recently wrapped taping on an A&E pilot/FBI drama The Beast[4], filming in Chicago in summer 2008; he will play FBI Agent Charles Barker. The Beast is scheduled to air in early 2009.[5]
He has also made an appearance in the show MacGyver.

Swayze has been married to Lisa Niemi since 1975. The couple first met in 1970, when Lisa, then age 16, was taking dance lessons from Swayze's mother. Niemi was born in Houston, Texas to her Finnish-American parents, Edmond Melvin Haapaniemi and Edna Karin Hyttinen.
As a reaction to his father's death by heart attack, in 1982, Swayze began to drink heavily. His sister Vicky passed away in 1994,[6] leading him to seek treatment for alcoholism. After initial recovery, he temporarily withdrew from show business, retreating to his ranches in California and Las Vegas, New Mexico, to breed Arabian horses. His best-known horse was the late Tammen, a chestnut Arabian stallion.
Swayze, a licensed pilot with an instrument rating, made the news again on June 1, 2000 while flying with his dogs in his twin-engine Cessna from Van Nuys, California to Las Vegas, New Mexico. His plane developed a pressurization problem over northern Arizona, causing Swayze to make a precautionary landing on a dirt road in a housing complex in Prescott Valley. The plane's right wing struck a light pole that he hadn't seen from the air, but Swayze was unharmed. He locked up the cockpit, left it parked in the subdivision, and obtained a ride (with his dogs) from a passing vehicle, allegedly in order to telephone the authorities. According to the police report, witnesses said that Swayze appeared to be extremely intoxicated and asked for help to remove evidence (including an open bottle of wine and a 30-pack of beer) from the crash site.[7] He also made himself unavailable to police for several hours. It was later determined that the alcohol in question was not in the cabin but stored in external storage compartments inaccessible in flight and that the alleged "intoxication" was due to the effects of hypoxia during descent.
He has followed several spiritual traditions. Brought up a Roman Catholic, he has also studied the Bahá'í Faith, Buddhism and Scientology.[citation needed]


Swayze was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in late January 2008, and has been undergoing chemotherapy and other treatments at the Stanford University Medical Center.[8][dead link][9][dead link] A March 5, 2008 Reuters article reports that Swayze "has a very limited amount of disease, and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far".[10] Swayze's doctor has confirmed the actor has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but insists he's not as close to death as reports suggest. Specifically, Swayze was diagnosed with a type of pancreatic tumor called Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasm (IPMN).
In early May 2008, it was widely reported in a number of tabloids that Swayze had undergone surgery to remove part of his stomach after the spread of the cancer, and that he had rewritten his will, transferring his property to his wife.[11][12] In a statement made on May 28, Swayze said that he continues to respond well to treatment at Stanford University Medical Center. In late May 2008 he was seen at a Los Angeles Lakers basketball game, his first public appearance since his diagnosis.[13] In 2008 Swayze was treated with Cyberknife radiotherapy cancer treatment.[14]
In late July 2008, six months after allegedly being given just weeks to live by medical experts, Swayze was seen in Los Angeles LAX airport appearing healthy. When asked about his condition, he told reporters "I'm cooking. I'm a miracle dude, I don't know why".[15]
Swayze appeared on the ABC, NBC, and CBS simulcast of Stand Up to Cancer in September 2008, to appeal to the general public for donations for the initiative. Swayze said to a standing ovation, "I dream that the word 'cure' will no longer be followed by the words 'it's impossible'. Together we can make a world where cancer no longer means living with fear, without hope, or worse".[16] After the show ended, Swayze lingered onstage and talked to other cancer survivors; executive producer Laura Ziskin said, "He said a beautiful thing: 'I'm just an individual living with cancer.' That's how he wants to be thought of. He's in a fight, but he's a fighter".[16][17]
Swayze has denied claims made by tabloids that the cancer has spread to his liver.[18] However, in his interview with Barbara Walters which aired in January of 2009, Swayze revealed that he had a "tiny little mass" in his liver.

Who is Emily Mortimer?




Who is Emily Mortimer? She is an English actress. She began performing on stage, and has since appeared in several film and television roles, including 2000's Scream 3 and 2005's Match Point.

Mortimer was born 1 December 1971 in London, England, the daughter of Sir John Mortimer QC (lawyer and dramatist famous for Rumpole of the Bailey) and Penelope (née Gollop). Her maternal grandfather was a pig farmer.[1] She has a younger sister, Rosie, and a half brother, Ross Bentley. Mortimer studied at St Paul's Girls' School, where she appeared in several student productions. After St. Paul's, she moved on to Lincoln College, Oxford, where she read Russian, and performed in several plays. Before becoming an actress, Emily wrote a column for the Daily Telegraph, and was also screenwriter for a screen adaptation of Lorna Sage's memoir, Bad Blood.
Mortimer performed in several plays while studying at Oxford University, and while acting in a student production she was spotted by a producer who later cast her in a supporting role in a television adaptation of Dame Catherine Cookson's The Glass Virgin (1995). Subsequent television roles included Sharpe's Sword. Her first film role was opposite Val Kilmer in 1996's The Ghost and the Darkness. Mortimer was then in the Irish coming-of-age story The Last of the High Kings, released later the same year. In 1998 she appeared as Kat Ashley in Elizabeth, and played Miss Flynn in the TV mini-series Cider with Rosie, which was adapted for television by her father.
In 1999, she played three roles that raised her profile outside the UK: She was the ill-fated "Perfect Girl" dropped by Hugh Grant in Notting Hill, appeared as Esther in the American TV mini-series Noah's Ark, and was Angelina, the star of the film-within-a-film, in the upscale slasher flick Scream 3.
In 2000, Mortimer was cast as Katherine in Kenneth Branagh's musical adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost, where she met actor and future husband Alessandro Nivola. Mortimer changed her prim image in favor of a more provocative one when she appeared full-frontally nude in the 2001 film Lovely and Amazing. She took on her biggest role in an American film to date, playing opposite Bruce Willis in The Kid. In 2002, she had a major role in The 51st State (also known as Formula 51), starring opposite Samuel L. Jackson and Robert Carlyle, and was a supporting character in John Woo's war drama Windtalkers. In 2004, she appeared in the movie Dear Frankie. In 2005, she played a major role as the oblivious spouse of an adulterous Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Woody Allen's Match Point, as well as voicing young Sophie in the English-dubbed version of Howl's Moving Castle. She also appeared in The Pink Panther in 2006, as the love interest of Inspector Clouseau (Steve Martin), and will appear in the sequel. In the last three episodes of 30 Rock's first season, she played Phoebe, a love interest of Alec Baldwin's character Jack Donaghy.
In 2009, she will play one of the title characters in Martin Scorsese's next film, Ashecliffe.

In 2000, Mortimer met American actor Alessandro Nivola, while both were starring in Love's Labour's Lost. The couple married on 3 January 2003. A Mexican punk band performed at their wedding. Mortimer gave birth to their son, Samuel, on 23 September 2003.

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Who is Anne Jacqueline Hathaway?

Who is Anne Jacqueline Hathaway? Anne is an American actress. She made her acting debut in the 1999 television series Get Real, but her first prominent role was in Disney's family comedy The Princess Diaries starring opposite Julie Andrews, which established her career.
She continued to appear in family films over the next three years, with lead roles in Ella Enchanted and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement in 2004. Hathaway would later venture away from the "G-rated" image her early acting career bestowed upon her, starring in the adult-themed films Havoc and Brokeback Mountain. She later starred in The Devil Wears Prada opposite Meryl Streep, Becoming Jane, in which she portrays Jane Austen, and Get Smart opposite Steve Carell.



Her acting style has been compared to that of Judy Garland and Audrey Hepburn[3] and she cites Hepburn as her favorite actress[4] and Streep as her idol.[5] People magazine named her one of 2001's breakthrough stars.



Hathaway was born November 12, 1982 .in Brooklyn, New York, to Gerald Hathaway, a lawyer, and Kate McCauley, an actress who inspired Hathaway to follow in her footsteps. The family moved to Millburn, New Jersey, when she was six years old.[8] She was named after the wife of playwright William Shakespeare. She has an older brother, Michael, and a younger brother, Thomas. Hathaway has mainly Irish and French ancestry, with more distant German and Native American roots.[9]
Hathaway was raised a Catholic with what she considered "really strong values," and has stated she wanted to be a nun during her childhood.[8][10] However, at the age of fifteen she decided not to become a nun after learning that her brother Michael was gay.[10] Despite her Catholic upbringing, she felt that she could not be part of a religion that disapproved of her brother's sexual orientation. She has stated that she is a non-denominational Christian.[10]
As a child, Hathaway was involved in a Montessori program as a preschooler and was then able to enter first grade while she was technically still a kindergartner.[11] Hathaway graduated from Millburn High School where she participated in many school plays; her high school performance as Winifred in Once Upon a Mattress garnered her a New Jersey Rising Star Award nomination for Best Performance by a High School Actress. During this time period Hathaway was also involved in plays such as Jane Eyre and Gigi at New Jersey's Papermill Playhouse.[12] She spent several semesters studying as an English major and Women's Studies minor at Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York before transferring to New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study.[13] She referred to her college enrollment as one of her best decisions because she enjoyed being with others who were trying to "grow up."[14] Hathaway was a member of the Barrow Group Theater Company's acting program and was the first teenager ever admitted into the program.[15] She is a trained stage actress and has stated that she prefers performing on stage to film roles.[8]

A soprano, Hathaway performed in 1998 and in 1999 with the All Eastern U.S. High School Honors Chorus at Carnegie Hall and has performed in plays at Seton Hall Prep in West Orange. Three days after her 1999 performance at Carnegie Hall, she was cast in the short-lived FOX television series Get Real at age sixteen.[16]


Hathaway made her film debut in the Garry Marshall-directed The Princess Diaries (2001). It was generally well received by critics.
Hathaway's first role in a motion picture was as Jean Sabin in The Other Side of Heaven opposite Christopher Gorham. Before production of Heaven began in New Zealand, she auditioned for the lead role of Mia Thermopolis in the Garry Marshall-directed The Princess Diaries. Hathaway auditioned for the role during a flight layover on the way to New Zealand and won the role after only one audition. Marshall claimed that he loved her immediately because she fell off her chair during the audition and believed her clumsiness would make her perfect for the role.[4] (However, in a 2008 conversation with Steve Carell, Hathaway denied that she fell during this audition, although she openly admits to being a "klutz".)[2] The Princess Diaries was released before The Other Side of Heaven in the hopes that its success would increase interest in Heaven. Across the world, The Princess Diaries was a commercial success,[17] and a sequel was planned shortly thereafter. Many critics praised Hathaway's performance in Diaries; a BBC critic noted that "Hathaway shines in the title role and generates great chemistry."[18] The Other Side of Heaven was received weakly by critics, but it performed well for a religious-themed film.[19][20]
In February 2002, Hathaway starred opposite Brian Stokes Mitchell in the City Center Encores! concert production of Carnival! in New York City, receiving positive reviews for her portrayal of Lili. Also in 2002, Hathaway began voicing the audio book releases of The Princess Diaries and has since voiced the first three books of the series. She also provided the voice of the character Haru in the English version of Hiroyuki Morita's The Cat Returns.[21]
Hathaway continued to appear in family-oriented films over the next three years and subsequently became known in mainstream media as a children's role model.[22] In 2002, she appeared in Nicholas Nickleby opposite Charlie Hunnam and Jamie Bell, which opened to positive reviews; the Northwest Herald referred to it as "an unbelievably fun film,"[23] and the Deseret News said that the cast was "Oscar-worthy."[24] Despite critical acclaim, the film never entered wide release and failed at the North American box office, totaling less than US$4 million in ticket sales.[25]






Hathaway's next film role was as the titular character in Ella Enchanted (2004), the film adaptation of the novel, which opened to mostly indifferent reviews.[26][27] Hathaway sang two songs in the film as well as three on the soundtrack.
In 2004, Hathaway was set to star opposite Gerard Butler in The Phantom of the Opera, but was forced to turn down the role due to the movie having a production schedule that overlapped with that of The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, which she was contractually obligated to make.[13] Disney began production on The Princess Diaries 2 in early 2004 and it was released in August of that year. The film opened to negative reviews, but still managed to peak higher at the box office than its predecessor, commissioning $95.1 million against a $40 million budget.[28]

Hathaway began appearing in more dramatic roles after The Princess Diaries 2. She said that "anybody who was a role model for children needs a reprieve,"[14] although she also noted that "it's lovely to think that my audience is growing up with me", a reference to her previous status as a children's actress.[22] She voiced Little Red Riding Hood in Hoodwinked!, which received generally positive reviews. That same year, Hathaway starred in the R-rated Havoc (2005), in which she played a spoiled socialite. In a surprise move, Hathaway was featured in several nude and sexual scenes throughout the film. Despite the content of the movie being radically different from her previous films, Hathaway denied that her role in the film was a blatant attempt to be seen as more of an adult actress, citing her belief that doing nudity in certain movies is merely a part of what her chosen form of art demands of her, and because of that belief she does not consider appearing nude in the appropriate films to be morally objectionable.[29]






After Havoc, she appeared opposite Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal in the drama Brokeback Mountain, in a role that further displayed a more serious side of Hathaway. Havoc was not released in theaters in the United States (but was later released in other countries) because of its weak critical reception,[30] but Brokeback Mountain won rave reviews for its depiction of a homosexual relationship in the 1960s, and received several Academy Award nominations.[31] Hathaway would later assert that the content of Brokeback Mountain was more important than its award count and also stated that making the film made her more aware of the kind of stories she wanted to tell as an actress.[32]
Hathaway's next film was the 2006 comedy The Devil Wears Prada, in which she starred as an assistant to a powerful fashion magazine editor portrayed by Meryl Streep, whom Hathaway described as being "just divine."[8] Hathaway said that working on the film earned her respect in the fashion industry, but she claims that her personal style is something she "can't get right" and instead prefers "doing the things she loves."[15]
In an interview with Us Weekly, Hathaway spoke about her weight loss for the film, stating, "I basically stuck with fruit, vegetables and fish (to slim down for the movie). I wouldn’t recommend that. Emily Blunt and I would clutch at each other and cry because we were so hungry."[33]
Hathaway was initially cast in the 2007 comedy Knocked Up but dropped out before filming began and was replaced by Katherine Heigl. Writer/director Judd Apatow stated in a May 2007 issue of The New York Times Magazine that Hathaway dropped out "because she didn't want to allow us to use real footage of a woman giving birth to create the illusion that she is giving birth."[34] In an August 2008 interview with Marie Claire magazine, Hathaway commented that she "didn't believe that it was necessary to the story."[35]
Hathaway was next seen in the 2007 drama Becoming Jane, in which she portrayed English writer Jane Austen.[32] Also in 2007, Hathaway performed a selection from the musical Saturday Night for Stephen Sondheim's 75th Birthday and ASCAP Foundation Concert.
Tim Burton considered Hathaway for the part of Johanna in his 2007 film Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, but in the end the role was given to Jayne Wisener, a then-unknown actress, reportedly because Burton decided he wanted an unknown actress for the part.

Hathaway's first film of 2008 was a modern adaptation of the 1960s Mel Brooks television series Get Smart, in which she starred opposite Steve Carell, Dwayne Johnson, and Alan Arkin. The film was a hit at the box office and received mostly positive reviews, prompting talk of a sequel. She also made a cameo appearance in the corresponding film Get Smart's Bruce and Lloyd: Out of Control. In October 2008, she premiered the drama Passengers, alongside Patrick Wilson, as well as the drama Rachel Getting Married, opposite Debra Winger. Rachel Getting Married premiered at the 2008 Venice and Toronto Film Festivals and has generated Oscar buzz as well as a Golden Globe nomination for her performance as Kym. Hathaway stated that the film appealed to her because of its real depiction of relationships and because of the strong emotional connection she felt with her character.[36]
Hathaway has finished filming the comedy Bride Wars, in which she will star with Kate Hudson. The film is scheduled to be released on January 9, 2009. She appeared with Hudson on the February/March 2008 cover of Modern Bride, despite her admission that she is "not the type of girl who dreams about her wedding."[37] Her future projects include a film adaptation of the Julie Buxbaum novel The Opposite of Love, a Tim Burton-directed adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass alongside Helena Bonham Carter and Johnny Depp, and the romantic comedy The Fiance, in which she will play a woman who ends her engagement only to have her overzealous parents try to get her back together with her ex.[38]
In January 2008, Hathaway joined beauty giant Lancôme as the face of their fragrance Magnifique.[39] In October of that year, Hathaway hosted Saturday Night Live, with musical guest The Killers.

Hathaway is involved with various charities including The Creative Coalition, The StepUp Women's Network, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, The Human Rights Campaign, and The Lolipop Theatre Network, an organization that screens films to critically ill children. In 2008, she was honored at Elle Magazine's "Women in Hollywood" Tribute and has also been honored for her work with The StepUp Women's Network and The Human Rights Campaign.
In early 2007, Hathaway spoke of her experiences with depression during her teenage years, and said that she eventually overcame the disorder without medication.[40]






In a fall 2008 appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, Hathaway noted that she had once again stopped smoking. The actress, who had begun smoking “heavily” while filming Rachel Getting Married, had "quit for a while", but had started again in the wake of her stressful summer and the end of her relationship with Raffaello Follieri.[41][42] [43] She credited the decline in her stress level to her quitting smoking. She also declared her return to being a vegetarian.[43]
As of November 2008, Hathaway is reportedly in a relationship with actor Adam Shulman.[44]
In regard to personal strife and subsequent media attention, Hathaway's self-subscribed mantra is a quote by Oscar Wilde: "The less said about life's sores the better."[45]






In 2004, Hathaway began a relationship with Italian real estate developer Raffaello Follieri.[8][46] During their relationship, Hathaway took part in the development of the charitable Follieri Foundation, serving as a financial donor as well as a member of the foundation's board of directors until 2007.[47] A Manhattan-based charity founded in 2003 focusing on programs such as providing vaccinations for children in Third-World nations, the organization had come under investigation in early June 2008 by the IRS, reportedly for failing to file tax papers required from non-profit organizations.[48] Citing the fear that this and other ongoing legal issues involving Follieri would become detrimental to her acting career, as well as for her own ethical reasons, Hathaway ended her relationship with Follieri in mid-June 2008.[47]
Follieri was arrested in June 2008 on fraud charges for allegedly fleecing investors out of millions of dollars in a scheme involving purchasing Catholic properties in the U.S. for re-development. Court papers state that Hathaway was an unwitting beneficiary of the stolen money which had in large part paid for Follieri's opulent lifestyle of jet-setting, shopping sprees and fine dining.[49] It was reported that the FBI had confiscated Hathaway's private journals from Follieri's New York City apartment as part of their ongoing investigation into Follieri's activities; however, Hathaway was never implicated in any wrongdoing from the events.[50]
In the October 2008 issue of W Magazine, Hathaway spoke for the first time of the break-up and Follieri's subsequent arrest. She related that she "spent a week in shock" after Follieri's arrest, and credited the kindness of friends to her ability to keep working during such difficult times.[51]

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Who is Heather Joan Graham?

Who is Heather Joan Graham? She is an American actress and fashion model.

Graham was born January 29, 1970 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the daughter of Joan, a teacher and noted author of children's books, and James Graham, a retired FBI agent.[1] Graham has a younger sister, Aimee, who is also an actress and writer. The family, who are of Irish descent, followed a strict traditional Catholic upbringing; Graham has since estranged herself from the Catholic Church.[2] Graham has practiced Hinduism and associated transcendental meditation since 1991.[3] Graham graduated from the Agoura High School in California in 1989. In 1986, she appeared on a special "Teen Week" episode of the NBC-TV game show Scrabble.
After high school, Graham enrolled in extension classes of the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA), and she also met the actor James Woods. They became romantically involved at about the time she was cast in the movie Diggstown, which starred Woods. Two years later, Graham stopped taking classes at UCLA to pursue acting full time, over her parents' objections. She then moved to Hollywood, where she worked different jobs while continuing to establish herself as an actress.

As a supporting actress, Graham was cast in a number of parts that brought her attention, including Nadine in the 1989 film Drugstore Cowboy. In 1991, she appeared in the TV series Twin Peaks as Annie Blackburn, Dale Cooper's second-season love interest. However, her breakthrough role was that of 1970s porn starlet Roller Girl in 1997's Boogie Nights, for which she received several award nominations. Her first starring role was in 1999 as Felicity Shagwell in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. She also appeared in the music video for Lenny Kravitz's cover of "American Woman" by The Guess Who. More recently, she starred as Mary Kelly in the 2001 film From Hell, based on the story of Jack the Ripper.
Although Graham has been featured in mainstream films, she has also been cast in a number of independent films. Some of those films, like 2002's The Guru, have brought her critical praise. She also starred opposite Joseph Fiennes in the less successful Killing Me Softly. In 2001, Graham was named by People as one of the "50 Most Beautiful People in the World".[4]
Graham also played herself on one episode of the TV series Sex and the City. She was given special guest-star status on several episodes of NBC-TV's Scrubs during its fourth season (2004–2005), and also appeared in a small role as a teacher in an episode of Fox's Arrested Development. In 2005, Graham became the spokeswoman and TV model for the Garnier brand of hair care products. Graham's print ad for Skyy vodka, which was photographed in 2003 (titled "#3, Entourage") is still appearing in national magazines today as well.
Graham starred in the ABC-TV comedy series Emily's Reasons Why Not, in 2006. However, ABC-TV announced that the show was canceled after its first airing on January 9, 2006. Because they print their covers weeks in advance, and they did not expect the quick cancellation, Life did a cover story on Graham two weeks later in their January 27, 2006 issue, and they referred to her as "TV's sexiest star".[5][6] Billboard ads also remained in place promoting the show weeks after the cancellation.
Graham voiced the character of Antonia Bayle in the online role playing game EverQuest 2.


Graham has been in relationships with Chris Doyle, Adam Ant and actors James Woods, Kyle MacLachlan, Elias Koteas, Heath Ledger, Elijah Blue, and Edward Burns (1998-2000).

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Who is Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr.?

Who is Clifford Joseph Harris Jr? The world knows hims as TI. He was born September 25, 1980,[1] better known by his stage name T.I., and also by his alter ego T.I.P., is an American rapper, songwriter, producer, actor, and co-CEO of Grand Hustle Records.[2] As of October 2008, T.I. has had nine Top 10 Billboard Hot 100 singles, with three of them reaching number one ("My Love" with Justin Timberlake, "Whatever You Like" and "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna). Website TrapMuzik.com

T.I. is from Bankhead, Atlanta, Georgia and was raised by his grandparents. As a teenager, he was a drug dealer.[3] T.I. explained the origin of his nickname Rubber Band Man, saying, "We used to wear rubber bands to signify how much money, how much blow we had."[4] He was nicknamed "Tip" after his paternal great-grandfather.[5] Upon signing with Arista Records subsidiary LaFace Records in 2001, he shortened his name to T.I. out of respect for label mate Q-Tip.[6]
T.I. has been in a relationship with former Xscape member Tameka "Tiny" Cottle since 2001.[5] Together, they have two sons: King and Major Harris. He has three other children with ex-girlfriend Lashon Dixon: Domani, Messiah and Deyjah.[3][7] Overall, T.I. has five children.[8]
His debut album I'm Serious was released on October 9, 2001 through Arista Records, which spawned the single of the same title which featured reggae vocalist Beenie Man. His debut album included Pharrell of The Neptunes (who named him the Jay-Z of the south),[9] Jazze Pha, and Youngbloodz. Production was by The Neptunes, DJ Toomp, Madvac, and The Grand Hustle Team. However, the album did not sell very well, and he was dropped from the label.
T.I. released the first single "I'm Serious" with Beenie Man. The single had little airplay and failed to chart. The label would not release another single or video for the album, so T.I. created a video for "Dope Boyz", which had not a video nor single released, but can be seen on YouTube.
He released several mixtapes with the assistance of DJ Drama, which created an underground buzz. He resurfaced in the summer of 2003 on Bone Crusher's song "Never Scared".


T.I. released Trap Muzik in the summer 2003 through Grand Hustle Records and debuted at number four and sold 109,000 copies in its first week.[10] It spawned the singles "24s", "Be Easy", "Rubberband Man", and "Let's Get Away". The album featured guest appearances by Eightball & MJG, Jazze Pha, Bun B and Macboney and producers include Jazze Pha, Kanye West, David Banner, Madvac and DJ Toomp. The success of the album was followed by some controversy; while on tour, T.I. was charged with violating his probation over a 2003 drug charge, and turned himself in. He was sentenced to three years in prison. While there, he was granted rights to film the music video for "Let's Get Away". It sold over 1 million copies in the U.S. and was certified Platinum by the RIAA.[11]


T.I. released his third album Urban Legend in late 2004. His first single is "Bring 'Em Out", having much success. His second single is "U Don't Know Me". His third single "ASAP" reached #75 on the U.S. charts,[12] #18 on the U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop charts,[12] #14 on the Rap charts,[12] and #35 on the U.K. singles chart.[citation needed] T.I. created a video for "ASAP"/"Motivation". However, "Motivation" only made it to #62 the U.S. R&B/Hip-Hop singles chart,[12] but not on the other charts like "ASAP."
In 2006, T.I. received two Grammy Award nominations for Best Song Collaboration ("Soldier" w/ Destiny's Child & Lil Wayne) and Best Rap Solo Performance for "U Don't Know Me" at The 48th Grammy Awards.


His fourth album, King debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the first half of 2006, selling 522,000 copies in its first week.[13] T.I. released his promo-singles "Front Back" and "Ride with Me" before the album's release date. The singles had small attention, but it helped promote the album and his debut movie ATL. The album also included other singles, "What You Know," "Why You Wanna," "Live in the Sky," and a remix of "Top Back." King earned numerous awards and nominations including a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album.
"What You Know" won a "Best Rap Solo Performance" and was nominated for Best Rap Song at the 49th Grammy Awards.[14]
T.I. collaborated with Justin Timberlake for "My Love," which proved to be a worldwide hit. It earned him a Grammy Award for Best Collaboration with Justin Timberlake at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards.[14]


T.I. released his fifth album T.I. vs. T.I.P. on July 3, 2007. The first single from the album was "Big Things Poppin' (Do It)" which was produced by Mannie Fresh and was released to radio stations on April 17, 2007. T.I. released a second single "You Know What It Is," featuring Wyclef Jean, on June 12, 2007.
T.I. vs. T.I.P. sold 468,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan, and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. The Grand Hustle/Atlantic set is T.I.'s second chart-topper in the past year-and-a-half; King opened at number one on the Billboard 200 with 522,000 copies in late March 2006.[15] The album included guests by Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Wyclef Jean, Nelly, and Eminem with productions by Eminem, Jeff Bass, Mannie Fresh, Grand Hustle, The Runners, Just Blaze, Wyclef Jean and Danja. This is his first album without production by long time producer DJ Toomp or The Neptunes.
On October 3, 2007, T.I. released his third single, "Hurt," featuring Busta Rhymes.

"Whatever You Like" (2008)
T.I.'s second single from his sixth studio album Paper Trail.
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T.I. released his sixth album Paper Trail on September 30, 2008. The title of the album refers to the lyrics he had written down on paper. Like many other rappers, T.I. abandoned this style of rapping after his debut album I'm Serious by just memorizing lyrics. "He wanted to take more time to really put something down [this time]," explained his rep.[16] The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 selling 568,000 copies in the United States.[17]
The first promo single off the album, "No Matter What," was released on April 29, 2008. The music video was released on June 27 on MTV's FN Premieres. The second promo single was "Swing Ya Rag" which was produced by and featured Swizz Beatz.[18] The first main single off the album "Whatever You Like," was released on July 29, and became his most successful single of his career so far, breaking the record for the highest jump to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, jumping from #71 to #1. It is T.I.'s first solo number one on the chart. The subsequent single "Live Your Life" featuring Rihanna, T.I. broke his own record on the Billboard Hot 100 when it jumped from number 80 to the number one.[17]

In Spring 2006, T.I. starred in his first film, ATL. The other cast members included Lauren London, Antoine Patton, Evan Ross, Mykelti Williamson, Jason Weaver, and Keith David. The movie was written by Tina Gordon Chism and Antwone Fisher, produced by Timothy M. Bourne, Tionne Watkins, and Will Smith, and directed by Christopher Robinson. T.I. played the character Rashad Swann, an orphaned 17-year-old senior in high school. In its opening weekend, the film grossed a total of $11.5 million, ranking third in the United States box office, and went on to gross $21.2. It grossed a million nationwide.[19]
T.I. also appeared in American Gangster with fellow rappers Common and RZA.[20] and was featured on the soundtrack.[21]
According to HHNLive.com T.I. revealed that he is launching Grand Hustle Films. The first project from the movie division of his Grand Hustle brand is titled Once Was Lost. T.I. will star in the film alongside veteran Hollywood actor Danny Glover, who will also act as producer. Filming is scheduled to begin in October 2008.[22]
In September 2008, T.I. appeared as himself in the Entourage episode "The All Out Fall Out" as one of Ari Gold's clients.

[
T.I. was co-executive producer of B.G.'s upcoming album and making beats for artists like Mariah Carey, Cassidy, Rick Ross, Maino, B.o.B., Yung Joc, Young Dro, and himself.[23] He also executive produced the soundtrack to the film Hustle & Flow and released the collection through his record label.[24]

Late 2007, T.I. linked up with Los Angeles based production company 828 Entertainment to executive produce a new reality show titled Life on Mars which chronicles the life of young prodigy music producer LaMar "MARS" Edwards.[25][26] T.I. partnered 828 Entertainment with his company Grand Hustle Records to produce a slate of both television and film projects.

According to AllHipHop,[27] T.I. and Lil' Flip had an altercation in Lil' Flip's neighborhood, the Cloverland section of Houston. It has been said that T.I. went there to create a DVD exposing Lil' Flip to be a fraud. When T.I. went to Cloverland with his entourage, he was met by Flip and his people. Then it was said a fight broke out with the two sets with Lil' Flip swinging on T.I. until one of TIPS body guards started shooting. The same day T.I. went on a Houston, Texas radio station talking about the altercation. He revealed that he had the tape and he was going to release it with an upcoming mixtape, but that didn't happen due to the fact that J. Prince stopped him from distributing the tape. It is unknown whether T.I. still has the tape or not. The feud was squashed by Rap-A-Lot's J. Prince after having them sit down and resolve their feud. The feud was documented by the Houston Press.[28]


On June 24, 2007 at the Sunset Tower Hotel in West Hollywood, California, T.I. was involved in a brawl. During a luncheon held by Kevin Liles of Warner Music Group (parent company of T.I.'s label, Atlantic Records), the MC got into a fight with Ludacris' manager Chaka Zulu. According to witnesses, T.I. punched Zulu in the face and choked him and a small, brief melee ensued.[29]
T.I. brought home the award for Best Hip-Hop Artist at the BET Awards, and took the opportunity to apologize for his scuffle with Disturbing tha Peace executive Chaka Zulu earlier in the week. While accepting his award, he expressed regret over the situation. "They say it's a fine line between brilliance and insanity," he said, in an apparent reference to his troublesome alter ego, T.I.P. During the broadcast, cameras showed his onetime rival Ludacris smiling in the audience. The audience stood up and clapped for T.I.[30]



T.I. was on probation stemming from a 1998 conviction for violating a state controlled substances act and for giving false information. After being released on probation, he earned a litany of probation violations in several counties around Georgia for offenses ranging from possession of a firearm to possession of marijuana.[33] In 2006, after appearing in an Atlanta court on (May 10) and having charges that he threatened a man outside a strip club last year dropped for lack of evidence, T.I. was arrested on an outstanding probation violation warrant from Florida. The warrant claimed that T.I. did not complete the required number of community service hours he was sentenced for a 2003 assault of a female sheriff deputy at University Mall in Tampa. T.I. was detained by several mall Security Guards at the time of the incident, among them, Jason Phillips (founder of Certified Protective Services), Larry Warner (founder of Tactical Response Services), and Arturo Ortiz, now a security manager in Florida. According to WBS-TV Atlanta, the rapper’s attorney said that the problem was nothing more than a "technical matter" between Georgia and Florida. The confusion arose because T.I. was also sentenced to community service in Georgia for driving with a suspended license, for which he did complete 75 hours of community service in his home state. The rapper was released on bail shortly after being arrested, and was expected to surrender to Florida state authorities the following week to resolve the matter.[34]
On October 13, 2007, federal authorities arrested T.I. four hours before the BET Hip-Hop Awards[35]. He was charged with two felonies — possession of three unregistered machine guns and two silencers, and possession of firearms by a convicted felon. The arrest was made in the parking lot of a downtown shopping center, which a witness identified as the Walgreens drug store at the corner of North and Piedmont Avenues. Harris was arrested after allegedly trying to purchase the guns from a "cooperating witness" with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. According to federal officials, the witness had been cooperating with authorities since Wednesday, when he was arrested on charges of trying to purchase guns from a federal agent. The witness had been working as Harris' bodyguard since July, authorities said.[36][37] T.I. walked out of the Atlanta United States District Court after appearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan J. Baverman on October 26, 2007. Judge Alan J. Baverman required T.I. post a $3 million bond, $2 million in cash and $1 million in equity on property he owns. The rapper was required to remain at home except for medical appointments and court appearances. The only people allowed to live with him were his girlfriend and children. Visitors were required to be approved by the court. T.I.'s suppression hearing was originally stated for January 3, 2008; however, U.S. Magistrate Alan J. Baverman pushed back the suppression hearing until February 19, 2008. The performer later pleaded guilty to US federal weapons charges. He will serve a year in jail beginning in March 2009 after completing 1,000 hours of community service.[38]
In an interview with MTV about serving jail time, T.I. stated, "Presumably, while I'm there, I'll be able to strategize my comeback." He went on to say that he would not "just be sitting still doing nothing".[39]
On November 21, 2008, T.I. testified in the murder trial of his entourage Philant Johnson, who was murdered in a shooting that occurred after a post-concert party at a club.[40]
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