Sunday, July 5, 2009

Who is Virginia Elizabeth Davis ?





Who is Virginia Elizabeth Davis? The world knows her as Geena Davis, Davis is an Academy Award-, Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated American actress, film producer, writer, former fashion model and a women's Olympics archery team semi-finalist.[1]

Davis was born January 21, 1956 in Wareham, Massachusetts, USA, the daughter of Lucille, a teacher's assistant, and William Davis, a civil engineer; she has a brother named Dan.[2] At an early age, she became interested in music. She learned piano, flute and drums and played organ well enough as a teenager to serve as an organist at her church in Wareham. Davis attended Wareham High School and while an exchange student in Sandviken, Sweden, she became bilingual; she is fluent in Swedish. Enrolling at New England College, Davis eventually graduated with a bachelor's degree in drama from Boston University in 1979. While at Boston University, Davis worked part time for the Media Group.

After graduating, Davis signed with New York's Zoli modelling agency and served as a window mannequin for Ann Taylor. With a height of six feet and a shoe size of 11 (US), Davis was a striking model cast from a different mold. Davis auditioned for roles in many popular movies, including The Terminator’s Sarah Connor, which went to Linda Hamilton. She was working as a model when director Sydney Pollack spotted her and cast her in Tootsie (1982)as a soap opera actress. She followed this up with roles in the short-lived television series Buffalo Bill (1983–1984) (for which she also wrote an episode); Sara; and a small role in Fletch (1985).
Davis made her film breakthrough with The Fly and Beetlejuice. She received an Oscar as Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Accidental Tourist (1988), and a Best Actress nomination for her role in Thelma and Louise (1991). Davis replaced Debra Wingerfor the lead in A League of Their Own (1992)
A League of Their Own (1992) - Part 1 - The best video clips are right hereand received a Best Actress Golden Globe Award nomination for her performance. She then co-starred in Hero alongside Dustin Hoffman and Andy Garcia.

In 2000-2001, Davis starred in the short-lived sitcom The Geena Davis Show. In early 2004, she guest-starred as Grace Adler's sister Janet on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace. She most recently starred in the ABC television series Commander in Chief as the first female President of the United States. This role garnered her a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Drama Series in 2006, and she also was nominated for an Emmy Award and a SAG Award for Outstanding Female Actor in a Drama Series.

Davis was married to Richard Emmolo (March 25, 1982 – February 26, 1983); actor Jeff Goldblum, with whom she co-starred in three films, Transylvania 6-5000, The Fly and Earth Girls Are Easy (1987 – 1990);and Renny Harlin,
who directed her in Cutthroat Island and The Long Kiss Goodnight (1993 – 1998). On September 1, 2001, Davis married Iranian-American Reza Jarrahy.
They have three children: daughter Alizeh Keshvar (born April 10, 2002) and fraternal twin boys Kian William Jarrahy and Kaiis Steven Jarrahy on May 6, 2004.

Davis is 6 feet (1.83 m) tall and is a member of American Mensa, the society of persons with IQs in the statistical top 2%,[3] with an IQ of 140.
Davis was considered for roles in Ghost (1990), The Silence of the Lambs (1991), Basic Instinct (1992), My Cousin Vinny (1992), Speed (1994), The Bridges of Madison County (1995), etc.

The handprints of Geena Davis in front of The Great Movie Ride at Walt Disney World's Disney's Hollywood Studios theme park.
Davis is fronting the Women's Sports Foundation campaign Geena Takes Aim in support of Title IX — an Act of Congress focusing on equality in sports opportunities, now expanded to prohibit gender discrimination in United States' educational institutions.
In 2004, while watching children’s television programs and videos with her daughter, Davis noticed what she thought was an imbalance in the ratio of male to female characters. From that starting point, Davis went on to sponsor the largest research project ever undertaken on gender in children’s entertainment (resulting in 4 discrete studies, including one on children’s television) at the Annenberg School for Communication of University of Southern California. The study, directed by Dr. Stacy Smith, shows that there are nearly 3 males to every 1 female character in the nearly 400 G, PG, PG-13, and R-Rated movies the undergraduate team of Annenberg students coded. That research sparked Davis to launch The Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media in 2007. The Institute’s first focus is an on-the ground program that works collaboratively with the entertainment industry to dramatically increase the presence of female characters in media aimed at children and to reduce stereotyping of both males and females.
For her work in this field she received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Bates College in May 2009.[4]

Geena Davis was one of 300 women competing in July 1999 [5] for a semifinals berth in the US Olympic team for archery, to participate in the Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics. She placed 24th of 300 and did not qualify for the team, but participated as a wild-card entry in the Sydney International Golden Arrow competition.[6]
Davis states that she wasn't an athlete growing up,[7] and that her introduction to the sport was in 1997, two years prior to her tryouts. more

Who is Anna Helene Paquin?

Who is Anna Helene Paquin? The world knows her as Anna Paquin, she is a New Zealand actress. Her breakthrough performance was in the New Zealand film The Piano, which earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1994, making her the second youngest winner in history at the age of 11.[1] Paquin is best known for her roles as Rogue in the X-Men movies and as Sookie Stackhouse in the HBO series True Blood.

Paquin was born July 24, 1982 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, the daughter of Mary Paquin (née Brophy), an English teacher and native of Wellington, New Zealand, and Brian Paquin, a high school physical education teacher. Paquin is the youngest of three children; she has two older siblings: brother Andrew, born in 1977, and sister Katya, born in 1980.[2][3] Paquin moved to New Zealand when she was four. She attended the Raphael House Rudolf Steiner School until she was eight or nine.[4] Her musical childhood hobbies in New Zealand included playing the viola, cello and piano. She also did gymnastics, ballet, swimming and downhill skiing, though she did not have any hobbies related to acting.[5][6]

While in New Zealand, Paquin attended Hutt Intermediate School in 1994 and 1995, where she completed Form 1 and 2. Having begun her secondary education in Wellington at Wellington Girls' College, she completed her high school diploma at Windward School in Los Angeles, where she moved with her mother following her parents' divorce in 1995.[7] She graduated from Windward School in June 2000 and completed the school's community service requirement by working in an LA soup kitchen and at a special education center. She studied at Columbia University for one year, but has since been on a leave of absence to continue her acting career.



It was in New Zealand in 1991 that Paquin became an actress by chance. Director Jane Campion was looking for a little girl to play a key role in The Piano, set to film in New Zealand, and a newspaper advertisement was run announcing an open audition. Paquin's sister read the ad and went to try out with a friend; Paquin herself tagged along because she had nothing better to do. When Campion met Paquin—whose only acting experience had been as a skunk in a school play—she was very impressed with the nine-year-old's performance of the monologue about Flora's father, and she was chosen from among the 5000 candidates.[6]



When The Piano was released in 1993 it was lauded by critics, won prizes at a number of film festivals, and eventually became a popular movie among a wide audience. Paquin's debut performance in the film earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at the age of eleven, making her the second-youngest Oscar winner in history after Tatum O'Neal.[6] The Piano was made as a small independent movie and wasn't intended to be widely known, and Paquin and her family didn't plan to continue in the acting circles.[5] However, she was invited to the William Morris Agency, and she kept receiving offers for new roles. She systematically refused them, but she did appear in three commercials for the phone company MCI (now Verizon).[8] She also appeared as a voice in an audio book entitled The Magnificent Nose in 1994.


In 1996, she appeared in two movies. The first role was as young Jane in Jane Eyre. The other was a lead part in Fly Away Home playing a young girl who, after her mother dies, moves in with her father and finds solace in taking care of orphaned goslings.[9]

As a teenager, she had roles in films including A Walk on the Moon, The Member of the Wedding, Amistad, Hurlyburly, Almost Famous and She's All That.

Paquin returned to worldwide prominence with her role as Rogue in the blockbuster X-Men movie in 2000,[1] its sequel X2 in 2003, and its third installment X-Men: The Last Stand in 2006.

In the summer of 2006, she completed filming Blue State. She was the executive-producer of the film, the film having been made by Paquin Films, a production company formed by both her and her brother, Andrew Paquin.[10] In November 2006, she completed Margaret. This film has yet to be released. Its release is unknown, due to ongoing legal disputes.

In 2007, Paquin received an Emmy Award nomination for Supporting Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie for her role as Elaine Goodale in HBO's made-for-TV movie Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, based on Dee Brown's bestseller. She also received Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations in similar categories.

In 2008, Paquin appeared as Sookie Stackhouse in the HBO series True Blood, her first role in a TV series. The show is based on The Southern Vampire Mysteries series of novels by Charlaine Harris.[11] Paquin won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Television Drama Series for her role in the show, and also won a Satellite Award in a similar category. The second season of the show began airing in the US on June 14, 2009.


In 2009, Paquin played Irena Sendler, a Polish woman hailed as a heroine of the Holocaust, in The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler, a CBS TV film biopic based on the book Mother of the Children of the Holocaust: The Irena Sendler Story,
by Anna Mieszkowska. The film was made in Latvia, and was a Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation for the network.[12]

Paquin's next film project is to be The Romantics, a romantic comedy, alongside Liv Tyler, Josh Duhamel and Katie Holmes.
The film is slated for a 2010 release.[13]

Paquin is also an award-winning stage actress, having made her stage debut in 2001 in a production of The Glory of Living at the MCC Theater. She won a 2001-2002 Theater World Award for her performance.[14] She has since appeared in a number of other plays, but has only once appeared in a play outside of the USA, when she appeared on the West End stage in London in a production of This is Our Youth in 2002.

On August 5, 2009, it was announced that Anna Paquin had become engaged to her True Blood co-star Stephen Moyer, whom she had been dating since filming the series' pilot in 2007.[15][16][17] Paquin lives in Venice, Los Angeles, California. Her hobbies include surfing and cycling.[18]


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Who is Micah LeVar Troy?

Who is Micah LeVar Troy? The world knows him as Pastor Troy, Troy is an American rapper and record producer and a member of the hardcore rap group D.S.G.B. (Down South Georgia Boys). After being featured on recordings by such artists as Lil Jon and Ludacris, as well as being featured on the soundtrack to the movie xXx, Troy's 2002 album Universal Soldier became popular throughout the United States.[1]

Pastor Troy, was born on November 18, 1975, in the College Park Suburb of Atlanta, GA. Troy was the son of a drill instructor turned pastor Alfred Troy, a principled man of Haitian Descent who is a former instructor turned pastor. attended Creekside High School along with his brother Alfred Troy Jr. in the Atlanta area. Troy was once a student at Paine College in Augusta, GA before he fully pursued his career in rap.[1]

Recognized for the lyrical self-consciousness, thoughtfulness, and sincerity he injects into his otherwise standard approach to Dirty South Rap, Pastor Troy stood out among the masses of up-and-coming Southern MC trying to break out nationally in the early 200s. Street culture, and specifically rap music.

Pastor Troy released his first album, We Ready: I Declare War, in 1999. Subsequently, he was featured in several songs by other artists and helped get other up and coming artists get a name for themselves, i.e Rasheeda/Que bo gold ("do it"), & underground hip-hop producer Joey Cutless, who now produces soundtracks for network television and composes film scores. Ludacris featured Troy on his album Back for the First Time in the song "Get Off Me."[2] In addition, Pastor Troy is also the front man of the rap group D.S.G.B. (Down South Georgia Boys).DSGB originated in Augusta, Georgia.[3] He was also featured on the collaborative album Kings of Crunk by Lil Jon in the song "Throw it Up".[4]]] Troy and then friend Lil' Jon reached the top of the charts in the south with songs such as "Vice Versa" and "Throw it Up". Since being in the music industry, Pastor Troy has been in public beefs with Master P[1], Lil Scrappy and The BME Click, and Sno, with whom he has since come to terms. In 2002, Troy's album Universal Soldier became popular in the South, especially with the song "Are We Cuttin'" featuring Ms. Jade, which was also featured on the soundtrack for the action film xXx that year.[5] The album debuted at #13 on the Billboard 200.[6] In 2003, Troy appeared on Young Jeezy's 2003 album Come Shop wit' Me on the track titled "GA".[7]

Troy later released one of his more commercial albums, By Any Means Necessary, in 2004. This album featured songs like the hit "Ridin' Big". Following this release, Pastor Troy was released from his Universal contract because of creativity disputes.[1] He then released Face Off, Part II, which addressed some issues with Lil Stinker and BME, adding new songs, and even remade some of his hits. In 2005, he appeared with Killer Mike on Chamillionaire's track "Southern Takeover" off of The Sound of Revenge.

Pastor Troy released three albums in 2006, starting with Stay Tru, then followed by By Choice Or By Force and Atlanta 2 Memphis, which is a collaboration album with Memphis rapper Criminal Manne. Stay Tru debuted at the Billboard 200 at #150, selling 6,000 copies its first week.[8] Currently, Pastor Troy is signed with two record labels. SMC (Stay Tru, Tool Muziq) and Money and Power Records (Face Off Part 2, Atlanta 2 Memphis).[9]

Pastor Troy owns a Customised Ford F-650 truck, which was highlight on The Raw Report DVD , Vol. 1. [10] He has also been mentioned in two songs by Kanye West: "Get 'Em High" (featuring Talib Kweli and Common): "And I will cut your girl like Pastor Troy / And I don't usually smoke, but pass the 'dro", as well as "'03 Electric Relaxation" (featuring Consequence): "Original rude boy like Pastor Troy/The G-500 is my favorite toy/Cause it don't look like a thug or a hood/But he keep dem gorillas so we still be good." Pastor Troy also just did a deal with Atlanta Base Big Cat Records and is coming out with an album very soon.

Pastor Troy released his 16th solo album entitled Ready For War on June 9, 2009 on Real Talk Ent. Ready For War is Pastor Troy's 2nd album released on Real Talk Ent. The first album Pastor Troy released on Real Talk Ent. was entitled Attitude Adjuster (album) on February 19, 2008.









Discography

Solo

Down South Georgia Boyz

Collaborations

Mixtapes / Compilations / Remix albums

  • 2001: A Thin Line Between The Playaz And The Hataz
  • 2002: Revelations
  • 2004: I Am American (Compilation) (presented by Lil Jon & Pastor Troy)
  • 2005: Hood Hustlin': The Mix Tape, Vol. 1 (with Nino of P.K.O.)
  • 2005: Hood Hustlin': The Mix Tape, Vol. 2 (Slowed and Chopped) (with Nino of P.K.O.)
  • 2006: Down South Hood Hustlin (with Nino of P.K.O.)
  • 2009: Still No Play In Georgia (Best Of)

Singles

Solo

Year Song U.S. Hot 100 U.S. R&B U.S. Rap UK singles AUS singles Album
2001 "This Tha City" - - - - - Face Off
2002 "Vice Versa" (featuring Peter The Disciple) - 13 - - - Universal Soldier

Watch more Face Off videos on AOL Video


2002 "Are We Cuttin" (featuring Ms. Jade) 97 13 - - - Universal Soldier
2003 "You Can't Pimp Me" (featuring Peter The Disciple) - - - - - Universal Soldier
2004 "Ridin' Big" - 91 - - - By Any Means

Watch more By Any Means Necessary videos on AOL Video

Necessary
2007 "Saddam" - - - - - Tool Muziq
2008 "Heaven" - - - - - A-Town Legend

With D.S.G.B.

Year Song U.S. Hot 100 U.S. R&B U.S. Rap UK singles AUS singles Album
2001 "The Last Supper" - - - - - The Last Supper
2003 "D.S.G.B./Make Em' Get That Money Right" - - - - - 'Til Death Do Us Part

Featured

  • 2000: "Big Mouth, Big Talk" - Hypnotize Camp Posse (Three 6 Mafia & T-Rock) feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2000: "War Face" - Baddazis feat. Pastor Troy & Muffie
  • 2000: "Get Off Me" - Ludacris feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2000: "Do It" - Rasheeda feat. Pastor Troy, Quebo Gold & Re Re
  • 2003: "Fuck Em" - David Banner feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2003: "Teacher's Pet" - T-Rock feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2004: "We Ain't Playin'" - Lil Flip feat. Pastor Troy, B aby D, Killer Mike & Shawty Beezlee
  • 2004: "Ride & Smoke" - Xzibit feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2004: "Get Some Crunk In Yo System" - Trillville feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2006: "Tilt Ya Hat" - G-Dinero feat. Pastor Troy & Tomeka
  • 2006: "Make Me Know It Then" - B.A. Boys feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2006: "Say Say Lil Fine Ass" - Joi feat. Pastor Troy, Bun B & Trauma Black
  • 2008: "Keep It 100" - Yung Envy feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2008: "Put Em Up" - Baby D feat. Sean P & Pastor Troy
  • 2008: "Power Up" - 100 Grand feat. Pastor Troy & C.P.
  • 2008: "Break The Rules" - Prophet Posse (Scarfo, Scan Man, K-Rock & Indo G) feat. Pastor Troy
  • 2009: "Throw it up" - Lil Jon feat. Pastor Troy & BME Click
  • 2009: "Dreads Hang" - Sho feat. Pastor Troy [Produced by Shawty Redd]
  • 2009: "Pussy Poppin'" - Juney Boomdata feat. Project Pat & Pastor Troy

Pastor Troy

  • Book I (by Pastor Troy & The Congregation):

"Havin' A Bad Day"

"This Tha City"
"My Niggaz Is The Grind"
"Move To Mars"
"Throw Your Flags Up"
"No Mo Play In GA"
"Eternal Yard Dash" with Big Toombs
"Oh Father"

"Universal Soldier"
"Bless America"

"WWW (Who, Want, War)"
"Where Them Niggaz At"
"Respect Game"

"I'm Down"

D.S.G.B.

"We Dem Georgia Boyz"
"My Folks"
"Brang Ya Army"
"Above The Law II"
"Southside"
"Repent"

"I'm Outside Ho"
"Sittin' On Thangs" with Taj Mahal

Who is Luigi "Geno" Auriemma?

W ho is  Luigi   " Geno "   Auriemma? The college basketball world recognizes him as the most successfull division 1  college bas...