Hillary Duff

Want to know a little more about the multi-talented Hillary Duff? Read the article below to get an overview of her life and what she's accomplished.

Actress, model, and singer, Hillary Duff is an American pop culture icon. She has appeared in movies, commercials and television shows, and has released three music albums that have all topped charts in North America.

Hillary Duff was born on September 28th, in Houston, Texas. She is the second child to parents Robert Duff, an owner of a chain of mini-markets, and Susan Cobb, a homemaker. Hillary’s acting career would begin with a series of local theatre productions, alongside her sister, Haylie Duff. At age six, Hillary and Haylie performed in a San Antonio production of the ballet ‘The Nutcracker Suite’.

Susan and her two daughters then moved to Los Angeles so that the sisters could pursue a performance career more seriously. Robert Duff remained in Texas to stay in control of the family’s store chain. In the coming years, Hillary and her sister would appear in a number of television commercials.

Hillary landed a couple of uncredited movie roles in the late 1990’s, but her first significant movie experience was the 1998 production ‘Casper Meets Wendy’. The movie went directly to videos and did not get a lot of attention.

In 1999, Hillary had a supporting role in a television movie called ‘The Soul Collector’, for which she won a Young Artist Award for her performance. Although she was dropped from the 2000 television show ‘Daddio’ before it aired, she landed a starring role in the series ‘Lizzie McGuire’ shortly after, a role that would gain her widespread recognition; she began appearing on teen magazines around the country. In 2002 she starred in the independent film ‘Human Nature’, which was rated highly by critics.

Hillary Duff’s first major film role was in the 2003 movie ‘Agent Cody Banks’, which got enough attention in the box office to make a sequel, also starring Hillary. Also in 2003, she appeared in the movie ‘Cheaper By the Dozen’ with Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt. In 2004 she appeared in ‘A Cinderella Story’, and starred in ‘Raise Your Voice’. Her most recent movie was ‘The Perfect Man’, and is starring in several upcoming movies.

Hillary’s music career began with songs she performed for TV series Lizzie McGuire. She also recorded a holiday album, Santa Claus Lane in 2002. She recorded her first non-holiday album, Metamorphosis in 2003, which went to number one on both U.S. and Canadian charts. Hillary’s second album, simply titled ‘Hillary Duff’, came towards the end of 2004 and also topped charts in North America. Her third album, ‘Most Wanted’, debuted at number one when it was released in 2005.

There have been many rumors about a feud between Hillary and fellow American pop culture icon, Lindsay Lohan, though neither Hillary or Lindsay have ever said anything to confirm any hard feelings between the two.

A girl of many talents, Hillary has already created a stirred in the music and acting industries. With more movies and music on the way, Hillary Duff is a name that will likely remain in spotlights for some time to come.

I hope you enjoyed reading this article and found it be interesting. Hillary Duff will likely continue to rise as a star, so there's plenty more to read about her.

Want to Learn More About Eminem?

Eminem is perhaps one of the most talented rap artist to come into popularity. His music (and some acting) have astounded many of his fans. Below is an article about him and his life.

Eminem is a famous American rap musician and actor, and his music continues to top charts in the United States and Europe. He is praised for his versatile rhythms and his use of literary techniques in his lyrics to make for songs that flow exceptionally well. Though praised for his talent, he is also the subject for criticism and controversy for the content of his lyrics. In spite of the criticism, he has been enormously successful in his performance career, and has already won a Grammy award and has had several multi-platinum albums.

Eminem was born Marshall Bruce Mathers III, in St. Joseph, Missouri, on October 17th, 1972. He grew up in both Kansas City and a suburb of Detroit. From age thirteen, Eminem showed an interest in the rap genre of music, and early on achieved some regional fame with a group, Soul Intent. In 1995, his wife Kim Mathers gave birth to a daughter, Hailie Jade. Shortly after he released his first album of his own music, called Infinite. Reportedly, he sold several hundred copies of his album out of his car.

"Regardless of the criticism, he is still considered one of the most talented rappers alive today, and is something of a phenomenon for being white in a genre that has traditionally been virtually all black."

In the year following, he and his wife Kim went through a volatile period, and Eminem attempted suicide after a particular heated argument. Drawing on these emotional experiences, Eminem released his second album, Slim Shady LP in 1997. The considerably darker album sold over three million copies and was one of the most successful albums of 1999. He and his wife Kim were eventually divorced. In 2000, he released his third album, The Marshall Mathers LP which sold over two million copies.

Though his successful career alone would gather a lot of attention, much of his fame is centered on the controversy his lyrics stir up. Critics cite that his lyrics are abusive and disrespectful of women, and that they encourage violence and drug use. Regardless of the criticism, he is still considered one of the most talented rappers alive today, and is something of a phenomenon for being white in a genre that has traditionally been virtually all black. For this reason, he is sometimes referred to as the ‘great white hope’ of the rap world.

Eminem went on to release several more albums, which have all been highly successful on the charts but have had mixed degrees of success in sales. He is also a member of the band D12, which has produced its own album with some degree of success as well. In 2002, he began his career as an actor in the movie ‘8-Mile’, which won him his Oscar.

More recently in 2005, Eminem announced that he had entered into drug rehabilitation for an addiction to sedatives. He has alluded to ending his career as a rapper, but still performs to sell out crowds today.

Well, I hope you enjoyed that little article on Eminem. His story has a lot to tell.

The Life of Denis Leary

Denis Leary has performed in many of the arts including singing, acting, and stand-up comedy. He's done a lot in his life, but the article below will try and cover all his biggest achievements.

Denis Leary, born 1957 in Worcester, MA, is a multi-talented writer, director, comedian, and actor. Well known for his angsty, off-color humor, his career started on MTV during a comedy sketch where he ripped on REM. Best known as a stand-up comedian, he has released two full-length comedy albums, No Cure for Cancer and Lock'n'Load. Though admittedly not much of a musician, Leary's off-color song "Asshole" became extremely popular in 1994, reciving a great deal of noteriety both inside and outside the United States. However, the song's language kept it off of most major U.S. radio playlists, though it was huge on Australian radio stations.

Though he prefers stand-up, Denis Leary has acted in over 40 movies, even starring in some of them. His credits include The Sandlot, The Ref, Suicide Kings, and Demolition Man. His humor has also come through while voicing the characters of animated characters in Ice Age and A Bug's Life. Leary's career hasn't only been in comedy and acting though; he has produced numerous television shows, television specials, and movies (Including Blow) through his production company, named Apostle.

Though Leary was a long time friend with comedian Bill Hicks, the two had a falling out after Leary's release of No Cure for Cancer. Hicks accused Leary of stealing material, and their friendship ended quickly. Though Leary wanted to patch things up, Bill Hicks passed away in 1994. The issue was addressed in The Bill Hicks Story by Cynthia True, who also believed that Leary stole material from Hicks, though the controversy was never satisfactorily settled.

"Though he prefers stand-up, Denis Leary has acted in over 40 movies, even starring in some of them. His credits include The Sandlot, The Ref, Suicide Kings, and Demolition Man."

Denis Leary is also a bit of a philanthropist, founding the Leary Firefighters Foundation after his cousin and childhood friend were killed in a massive warehouse fire in Worchester, MA. The foundation has raised over 2.5 million dollars for fire departments in the area, providing equipment and facilities for the departments.

Though Leary's comedy is often sarcastic and full of angst, his rants rarely come down too hard on any one group. Though racial comedy has always been a hot button, Leary rarely delves into race. As he puts it, "Why hate someone for the color of their skin when there are much better reasons to hate them? Racism isn't born folks, it's taught. I have a two year old son. You know what he hates? Naps!"

Leary plans to continue to be a jack-of-all-trades in the entertainment business, bringing his humor to the stage, the big screen, and the small screen.

Well, I hope you enjoyed that little segment on Denis Leary. Truly a great guy to write about.

The Life of Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra is a very important and famous name in the entertainment world. Her accomplishments and performances have grabbed the attention of many people. The following article summarizes the life of Carmen Electra, and also gives a brief list of all that she has done.

On an average April day in Cincinnati, Ohio, a little girl was born by the name of Tara Leigh Patrick. Attending school in White Oak, little did any one know that the sparkle behind Tara’s eyes would take her to Los Angeles, California, and into National, if not International, stardom. Tara would use her singing, dancing and choreography talents to jumpstart an entertaining career that only she was able to see, even as she sat behind her desk in White Oak.

In 1981, Tara was accepted into the School for Creative and Performing Arts, and after several years of honing her skills, she moved on to Minneapolis and received some modeling jobs with the Target store chain. Eventually moving to Los Angeles, and changing her name to the now well known ‘Carmen Electra’, Tara’s goal was to land a recording contract, as all she really wanted to do was sing.

After meeting the infamous artist Prince, she signed as ‘Carmen Electra’ to his record label, Paisley Park. After Carmen released her first album, it quickly became clear to all involved that Carmen’s voice would never allow her to make it on her own. In a bold move, Carmen decided to show-off another side of herself and pose nude in Playboy for the March, 1996 issue.

After her Playboy pictorial was released, Carmen became the new ‘It’ girl and began landing gigs on MTV, and even replacing the popular, if not annoying, Jenny McCarthy on the hit MTV game show, “Singled Out”. In 1997 Carmen was offered the chance to fill in for the well known buxom, blonde beauty Pamela Anderson on Baywatch. Carmen’s face, figure and fantastic name were becoming more and more recognizable, as posters of her in that in-famous red bathing suit from the Baywatch set hung on countless teen-boys walls across suburban America.

By now, Carmen Electra and her life, was of interest to millions of Hollywood star watchers across the country. Along with this new found fame came tabloid reports and papparazzi, and Carmen handled it all with all the grace that a good girl from Cincinnati could muster. From a quicky marriage to NBA Superstar Dennis Rodman, to Playboy Videos and large budget, movie cameos, Carmen Electra had finally found a place for herself amidst the Hollywood Stars. With her latest marriage to husband Dave Navarro, and a reality show based on their lives together, Carmen has shown once again that that sparkle in her eye is just as bright as it ever has been. Carmen Electra has found her spotlight, and though it was not exactly the same one that Tara Patrick had sought out so many years prior, it is a spotlight none the less.

Is Britney Spears Targeted?

Britney Spears gets a lot of publicity these days. What makes here attract all the attention? The following article discusses this famous singer, and also gives information about her life and her works that have contributed to such a popular young star.

Britney Spears is another high-profile mass media target (though one might suggest anyone entering celebrity village does so knowingly and of her own volition). Beautiful and entertaining pop star Britney Spears gets much coverage for her antics, attitudes, actions, and values, even. But what we wonder is this: which are intentional as contributions to her publicity campaigns and which are unintended leaks to the public?

“Oops, I did it again/I played with your heart…,” smirks the cheeky, sexy Spears. But is it really an innocent faux pas? With the debut and platinum catapult to success of her first album, Baby One More Time, Spears was the school girl with sex appeal…and the singing/dancing star at the top of the pop charts. Innocent, cute, but Lolita-esque at best. So the information begins…or, that is, the rumors take up housing in her high-profile life: she’s only seventeen (read: still a minor), and she has had breast implants. The publicity has begun!

Next, with only three years (and many best-sellers and awards) to her credit, Britney drops the maulable baby doll persona, drops a few more yards of material, and picks up a giant albino snake to writhe about with for her performance at the 2001 MTV Video Music Awards, and picks up slack from PETA.

Next, a Razzie Award for worst actress ever later, Britney’s painful separation from Justin Timberlake exposes the possibility of infidelity on her part. Britney opens a restaurant; it closes a year later. Britney goes into hiding for a bit—fueling fires of chat about her loss of pop princess status…. Britney tongues Madonna, and sparks of media coverage resuscitate….

Britney then marries a boy from her childhood years, the marriage getting annulled three days later. Two months beyond this, she gets engaged to Kevin Federline, divorced father of two at 26 years old. Within six months, Spears is married; three smash (and a few not so) hits, a moderately successful fragrance, and a crashing five-episode reality show failure later, Britney gives birth to baby Sean Preston Federline.

And though Britney has purportedly an “Original Doll” album in the making, clearly suggesting her awareness that her Lolita image is what works (or worked best), it is that image that has incurred the disdain of many: Governor Robert Ehrlich’s wife, First Lady Kendel, would “like to shoot Britney Spears;” is questioned as a fit role model; and is, of course, likened to Madonna—though she is far less the savvy and knowledgeable one, and cannot claim anywhere near the struggles and creative challenges Madonna has earned the right to.

So, consider the latest kinds of coverage on Britney Spears: first, while a star-search online usually yields a Wikipedia entry on page one of Google, for example, when you search for Britney Spears, the wiki entry shows up half way down page two. Hmmm. Next, in the latest edition of Us Weekly (which is generous with Jessica Simpson shots or plastered with Angelina Jolie articles and features), the items that appear on Brit involve 1) a photo of her in a food-stained dress, which she wore, Us said, on March 14; 2) a photo of her coming out of a gas station bathroom sans shoes, August 04 [also shown in earlier grocery store rags, btw]; 3) a photo of her standing on July 04 on a Ritz-Carlton balcony fondling her mate Kevin Federline’s crotch; and a one-paragraph dossier of sorts, with a three quarter page photo of Spears walking with Federline—the paragraph a discussion of her wanting Kevin back if he would only quit smoking cigarettes AND pot…for the sake of the baby.

But where are the shots of the baby? In that same issue, motherhood (and father hood) is a predominant theme—a three-paged bit is done on Angelina Jolie, featuring a full-paged and an additional inset photo of Jolie with newly adopted Zahara; centerfold “Mommy & Me” photographs appear with Liv Tyler, Kate Moss, and Denise Richards hanging out with their kids; and in “The Stars are Just Like Us!” we even see monumental stars like the great Dustin Hoffman taking his son to a NY Nicks game.

So is lack of baby evidence to protect the baby as well? Is it to protect and endure Britney’s teeny-bopper image? Is it to protect the hearts of the wishful thinking fans who fantasize being with Britney without baby or happily married mate in tow? It may be we will never know, as the line between popularity (candid, serendipitous coverage) and publicity (intentional stagings) is paper thin.

Unlike, say, pop diva Janet Jackson, whose publicity stunts are either passed off as bloopers or feigned “secret”, Britney Spears seems to be a relatively innocuous target who doesn’t use much more than a mock marriage or a crotch-grab to sell covers. But then, maybe she has us all fooled.

Beyonce Knowles- A Great Singer

For those of us who know Beyonce Knowles and her work, we know that she is extremely talented. Delivering such performances and songs such as "Wishing on a Star", she sure is a major song artist. Below is a short article about what she as accomplished in her life, and some interesting tidbits about her.

At the writing of this article, Beyoncé Knowles will be in direct competition with Maria Carey and Alicia Keys—for Beyoncé Knowles, 24-year-old songstress, is nominated for a Grammy Award in the category of Best Female R & B Vocal Performance, for “Wishing on a Star.”

And Beyoncé is also nominated in another category as well—Best R & B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals, for “So Amazing.”

"Her talent and consistent performance record, that is, is known and greeted with as much gushing, gratitude and applause as is her winning record: in five short years she has rocketed to stardom with such awards and accolades as those from ASCAP Awards; BET Awards..."

Those of us who first encountered her found Beyoncé singing with Destiny’s Child, the Star Search-discovered singing group Beyoncé co-formed, produced, and was the chief songwriter and lead singer for. Others will recall first hearing Beyoncé at the 46th Grammy Awards, where she performed (with Prince, a surprise show) a medley of pieces including her “Crazy in Love” and three of Prince’s Purple Rain hits; or Beyoncé performing “Believe,” “Look To Your Path [Vois sur ton Chemin],” and “Learn to be Lonely” at the 77th Annual Academy Awards; or Beyoncé singing at any number of the awards shows…where she was often a winner.

Her talent and consistent performance record, that is, is known and greeted with as much gushing, gratitude and applause as is her winning record: in five short years she has rocketed to stardom with such awards and accolades as those from ASCAP Awards; BET Awards; Billboard Music Awards; Black Reel Awards; Brit Awards; Capital FM Awards; Grammy Awards; MTV Awards; People’s Choice Awards; Radio Music Awards; Soul Train Music Awards; Vibe Awards; and World Music Awards. In addition, Beyoncé Knowles the actress, the celebrity, and the humanitarian has won image awards, NAACP awards, Teen Choice awards; and Kids’ Choice awards.

However we each first “met” Beyoncé Knowles, her fans will tell you what’s more important is her skill and appeal as a stylized performer, her grace as a high-profile celebrity, and her beneficent contributions to charities and non-profit causes. And her R & B singing, her range, her versatility, and her beautiful and graceful stage presence all contribute to the star’s gifts and, subsequently, to her popularity. Will Beyoncé Knowles win her 49th (and 50th) awards this year? Her competition, of course, is stunning in their own right. But if you listen to her fans, you might likely champion Beyoncé as the winner…for according to one statistic, a Universal Music poll conducted in early 2005, Beyoncé was granted—over Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera—the moniker “Princess of Pop.” And the fans know best.

Beyonce Knowles is certainly a famed singer. She has done so much above and beyond just her work. Well, I hope you enjoyed this article and found it very interesting!

Bette Midler- A Multi-talented Legend

Better Midler has an interesting history. Performating in the arts since a young age, she quickly rose to the top when it came to entertainment. Below is an article about her life and what she accomplished.

Bette Midler is a famous American singer, composer, and stage and film actress. She has acted in a number of Broadway productions, countless films, has won a Tony Award, an Emmy, and has released over a dozen music albums.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii on December 1st, 1945, Bette Midler was named after the legendary Hollywood icon, Bette Davis, although Midler pronounces her first name as a single syllable. Bette was the third of four children to parents Fred and Ruth Midler; Fred was a house painter and Ruth a homemaker. Her older sisters Judy and Susan were named after Judy Garland and Susan Hayward. Her younger brother Daniel suffered from a mental disability.

Bette was interested in stage acting from a young age and performed in school plays and talent shows throughout grammar school and high school. When she graduated, she got a part in the movie ‘Hawaii’, and was encouraged enough to move to New York to try and crack into the professional acting world.

"Up to that point she’d been famous mostly for her singing, but Bette proved that she could act with the ‘The Rose’ and would go on to star in many other movies afterwards."

Her efforts eventually paid off when Midler won a part in the chorus of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’, and eventually was moved into a starring role in the same production. Her sister Judith died in a tragic car accident while visiting Bette from Hawaii.

After working in a series of nightclubs, Midler released her first album, ‘The Divine Miss M’ in 1972 and went on tour to promote it marking the beginning of what would be a long succession of chart toping albums and successful tours. Her success as a singer began landing her roles in films, and when she played the Janis Joplin inspired character of the movie ‘The Rose’ in 1978 she was nominated for an Oscar.

Up to that point she’d been famous mostly for her singing, but Bette proved that she could act with the ‘The Rose’ and would go on to star in many other movies afterwards. In several of the movies she appeared in, she would also write and perform portions of the soundtrack, such as with the 1988 movie ‘Beaches’.

Midler is still released music, going on tour, and appearing in movies today. Her most recent film appearance was the 2003 remake of ‘The Stepford Wives’, which met with mixed reviews but did well in the box office. She seems to be one of those stars people either love or hate, but even her most ardent critics admit that she is a very talented performer.

As you can see, Betty was sort of a mainstream talented performer. She never out shone anyone else, but always delivered a solid performance. That, perhaps, is what makes the entertainment world so good.

Need Information about Benny Hill?

Benny Hill is perhaps one of the most loved British comedians ever. His masterful performances mad him loved by many. In the following article, you will find out more about the life of Benny Hill and what he accomplished during his life.

There is a bicycle, an auto, or some other form of conveyance, usually. There is fast-motion filming—at the end of each session, with gorgeous women chasing a flailing and frantic everyman. And there is much blundering and busting out in laughter. This is an understated definition, of course, of the great Benny Hill, world-renowned British comedian who is best known for the spectacular Benny Hill Show.

Benny Hill endeared himself to millions the world over by way of what are now called the Thames shows, televised hour-long shows (revised to half-hour shows for US audiences) that numbered 58 and ran starting in the late sixties--featuring the bumbling, bubbly, self-effacing chubby, witty one as star. And brilliant wit and star he was. As much as his shows still air in re-run and as available as are, thankfully, his skits on DVD, fascinating facts about Hill are still discussed today:

Benny Hill, born Alfred Hawthorn Hill, took the stage name Benny in honor of his favorite comedian Jack Benny.

Not only did Benny Hill work at various jobs before landing his own shows—bridge operator, driver, drummer, milkman—but as a comic he was a “compulsive” worker, devoting many hours to work over socializing.

Besides The Benny Hill Show, which is still in syndication (after building it for twenty years), Hill also acted in such films as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (in which he played the toymaker); Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (wherein he played Fire Chief Perkins); and A Midsummer night’s Dream (a TV movie for which he co-starred as Bottom).

A seemingly unpredictable versatility (and gall) has found Benny Hill making an appearance in Phil Collin’s/Genesis’ music video, “Anything She Does”; upping to Thames to produce his show with ATV, leaving BBC cranky and without Hill, whom they had slated in four shows; and creating skits that, in the feminist-eighties, were criticized gauche and sexist. (Though Hill reportedly responded by suggesting it was not the women on his show who were exploited—for they were depicted in dignified, intelligent form; it was the men, chasing and being rebuffed by these beauties, who were portrayed as the “buffoons.”)

A successful and wealthy man, Benny Hill made his will out to name his parents as beneficiaries. But when Hill died (of complications of obesity, purportedly), his parents were already passed. The will’s contents then would go to his siblings, but they too were deceased. So Hill’s estate was divided among seven nieces and nephews, who shared somewhere between 7.5 and 10 million pounds.

As rumors circulated about Hill’s burial—that he had been buried sheathed in gold and riches—those intent on sharing the wealth uninvited dug up his grave.

We who enjoyed his ditties and his dabbling appearances can still share in the wealth of one who is still considered one of the most recognized comedians of the UK: we can catch the old episodes of his shows, might, if we are lucky enough, catch a re-run of his appearances on “Top of the Pops” or “What’s My Line.” And, if we’re smart enough, we can rent or buy his acts of buffoonery and bumbling on tape, record, and DVD.

Great guy, great guy. I hope you enjoyed this little article about Benny Hill. Remember, if you want to see his acts and antics, go ahead and buy some DVDs- it will be well worth it.

Interesting Facts about Bela Lugosi

I'm sure you've all heard of the name Bela Lugosi. If not the name than the works and roles he has played in numerous movies, including vampire ones. Below is a little bit about the life and accomplishments of Bela Lugosi. If you were a fan, than you'll want to read this.

A lot of household names earn their status because the stars are beautiful, sexy, cast in roles in which they deliver great lines. One household name may not include characteristics of great beauty or indomitable sex appeal, but the gifts he brought to the silver screen are unparalleled. Bela Lugosi is the name. You recognized it immediately, didn’t you? You saw Bela Lugosi pictures in your mind, or you heard the classic staccato “I vahnt-to suck-your blud.” Or you might have gone over all the films this definitive star made in his career of acting in over 109 movies over forty-two years.

Interesting, too, are the Bela Lugosi trivia:

Bela Lugosi ran away from home (and a strict father) at the age of eleven.

Lugosi’s jobs—besides acting—included mining, working the railroad, and working for the army (which he got out of by successfully feigning mental illness).

Bela Lugosi began acting not in films but on stage, in Shakespearean roles, when he was a young man in Hungary (where he was born, in all places, Transylvania).

Though he was born Béla Ferenc Dezs? Blaskó (in October of 1882), he took a stage name for his work in Cinema of Hungary--Arisztid Olt—before becoming the Bela Lugosi we know.

His struggles and challenges include his being included in post-collapsed Hungarian Soviet Republic persecutions of left-wingers and trade unionists; getting addicted to morphine (which was originally prescribed for the intense back pain he suffered); having difficulties finding work (in the 30’s and 40’s), worrying him about supporting his family; divorce from a wife who announced she had divorced him by telegram; and his marrying five times throughout his life.

Lugosi’s Count Dracula debuted on stage, running for 33 weeks in 1929, two years before the movie version (which slated Lon Chaney for the part originally, only casting Lugosi after Chaney died and after heavy negotiations and pleading).

Bela Lugosi was paid much less than the star with second-billing, David Manners. He was paid $3500 for his role in Dracula.

Lugosi died at the age of seventy-three, of a heart attack which was reportedly drug-related. When he died, he was sitting in a chair holding a script by Ed Wood, the quirky but clever director who had sought out Lugosi and resuscitated his acting career.

He was buried in one of the Dracula capes he had worn in the stage productions of Horace Liveright and John Balderston’s Dracula, adapted from Bram Stoker’s novel of the same name.

Wow, pretty interesting I dare say. This guy was sure talented. I hope you enjoyed this little tid bit about this famous actor.

Learn More About Ashanti- Famous Singer and Actress

Ashanti is a relatively young and newly popular singer and actress. With many talents, including singing (releasing a good number of hit albums) and also a little of acting, she definitely deserves to be put on our site of famous and illustrious people. Below is an article about her life, what she did, and some random interesting tidbits.

Ashanti is an American R&B singer and actress who came into the spotlight during the early 2000s. She has released four char topping albums, has appeared on several television shows, and more recently has begun appearing in movies, such as ‘Bride and Prejudice’ (2004), and ‘Coach Carter’ (2005).

Ashanti was born on October 13th, 1980, in Glen Cove, in the Long Island area of New York. Her full name is Ashanti Shequoyia Douglas, though she uses her first name only professionally. Her father is a mix of Chinese and African American, while her mother is a Dominican African American blend. The results have worked out very well for Ashanti, she has a kind of exotic and rare beauty that is unique to her. Her mother was a dance instructor and her father a skilled singer; her stunning good looks and family background for performance made Ashanti an almost certain success in the entertainment industry.

Ashanti’s sang in gospel choirs from the age of six, and honed her vocals throughout her childhood. Before she was even in high school she had danced at Carnegie Hall, and a played a role in the Disney TV movie ‘Polly’.

In 2001, Ashanti caught more attention when she appeared as background vocalist in Vita’s remake of the Madonna song ‘Justify My Love’, and in Big Pun’s single ‘How We Roll’. Then in 2002 she was featured in Ja Rule’s ‘Always On Time’ and Fat Joe’s ‘What’s Luv?’, which were both enormous hits and brought Ashanti a lot of recognition. At one time during the year, these two songs were at the number one and number two slots on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.

Ashanti’s new found fame landed her a deal with the label Murder Inc. and she released her first album, self titled ‘Ashanti’ in 2002. The album went gold in a week, and platinum many times over in the months to come. She won numerous awards for her work on the album, including a Grammy, and was without a doubt the hottest new female artist for the year.

Ashanti made several television appearances starting in 2003 with a cameo on ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’, and on ‘First Date’. Her first film role came with the ‘Bollywood’ movie ‘Bride and Prejudice’. The movie role she is best known for came in 2005 with ‘Coach Carter’ where she acted along with Samuel L. Jackson. She is scheduled to star in a 2006 movie, ‘John Tucker Must Die’.

Ashanti has released three albums since then, ‘Chapter II’ in 2003, ‘Concrete Rose’ in 2004, and ‘Can’t Stop’ in 2005, though ‘Can’t Stop’ was actually recorded in 1997. All of these follow ups have been very successful, but none have matched the sales she gathered on her debut album.

With many talents, a beautiful voice and amazing good looks, hopefully we’ll all be seeing plenty more of Ashanti in the years to come.

Well, I hope that quenched your need to find out more about this amazingly talented person. At being so young and accomplishing so much, it is a rare feat indeed.

Alec Baldwin- You Need to Know This

Alec Baldwin is perhaps one of the most appealing men around. He has accomplished so much, it's hard to find something that he didn't do extraordinarily. Below is a great article on Alec. It discusses what he's accomplished in his life and some personal information you might find interesting.

Maybe it’s the charming appeal of blue eyes cum rugged looks of Alec Baldwin that sets us to swooning. Maybe it’s the extensive Filmography of a man who blazed the acting trail for brothers Billy, Daniel, and Stephen that impresses us. Maybe it’s his involvement in politics that has us leaning in his direction. Whatever it is, Alec Baldwin has made a mark on our memories and minds that is as indelible as that cleft in his beautiful chin.

Alec’s a Long Island Boy, growing up down the road a piece from Rosie O’Donnell (Baldwin in Massapequa, O’Donnell in Commack). He was raised by his homemaker mother and school teacher father. He started studies at George Washington University, where he originally planned to study law; but “on a dare,” Baldwin auditioned at NYU’s drama program, and changed his life plans when he was accepted in 1979.

Within a year, Alec was making the credits on such shows as NBC’s “The Doctors” and CBS’s “Knots Landing.” Not long after, he was launching his career as a film star, in “Forever Lulu,” “Beetle Juice,” and “Married to the Mob.” Over seventy film, television, and stage credits and nearly a dozen producing and directorial efforts later, Alec Baldwin has earned star status, as well as a Tony nomination for his revival of Stanley Kowalski in “Streetcar Named Desire;” Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for the same role (televised); an Obie for his performance in Off-Broadway version of “Prelude to a Kiss;” a Theatre World Award, for his work in “Loot;” an Academy Award nomination for his characterization in “The Cooler;” and a Writer’s Guild Award for his production company’s, Eldorado Pictures’, collaboration on “The Confession.”

Besides being an esteemed performer, Alec Baldwin is notably one of Hollywood’s most involved proactivists, as well—vociferous and high profile is he in his efforts in and support of the arts, the environment, campaign finance reform, animal rights, gun control, breast cancer research, and those causes championed by boards and panels on which he serves.

So, Alec Baldwin’s beauty is only one part of the equation of integral contributions he makes to the entertainment world in particular and the social and political and humanitarian public in general.

As you can see, this guy has done so much that deserves recognition. I hope you enjoyed reading this little article on Alec Baldwin. Maybe it will help you to persue a similar course of life.

Alain Delon- Some Crucial Information

The article below discusses the life and works of the famous French actor. If you want more information about him, or need to know what works he was in, then you need to read the following article.

Alain Delon is a famous French Actor, producer and composer, made famous for his rough, gangster like roles in movies throughout the 60’s and 70’s. Some of the movies he is best known for include ‘Plein Soleil’ (1960), ‘Rocco and His Brother’ (1960), ‘The Leopard’ (1963), ‘Once a Thief’ (1965), ‘Le Samourai’ (1967), ‘Red Sun’ (1971), ‘Zorro’ (1975), and ‘Le Gang’ (1977).

Born on November 8th, 1935 in Sceaux, France, Alain was something of a troublemaker as a child. His parents were divorced when he was very young, and he was expelled from several of the schools he attended. At the age of 17 he joined a paratrooper division of the French Marines and served in French Indochina in the early 1950s. Upon returning to France in the mid 50s, he worked a series of odd jobs before landing a part in the 1957 production, ‘Quand le Femmes S’en Mele’. It was not a major role, but it launched what would become a major career in acting.
Delon’s first major Hollywood production came in 1965 with ‘Once a Thief’. He filmed several other movies in America, including ‘The Lost Command’, ‘Texas Across the River’, and ‘Yellow Rolls-Royce’ before returning to France.

Alain’s first leading role would come in the 1958 movie ‘Christine’, though the lead that is considered by most to be his ‘breakout’ part came in the 1960 movie ‘Plein Soleil’. ‘Plein Soleil’ was a hit worldwide, bringing the young French actor an international celebrity status. In the movie he played an American psychopath and murderer, beginning a trend toward darker, tougher roles that would follow him throughout his career. Throughout the early 60’s, Delon stared in several more movies, mostly in roles that kept up his good-looking bad guy image. He was often thought of as the French counterpart to America’s James Dean.

Delon continued to star in French movies back in his home country for many years to come. In 1969 he was caught up in a scandal when his friend and bodyguard was found in a dumpster, shot to death. The investigation that followed seemed to point to a web of murders, drugs, sex and deceit that involved many of France’s celebrities and politicians, and many thought that Delon would be finished in the movie industry. However, the incident only seemed to add to his fame, reinforcing his tough guy, gangster image, and his career did not falter.

Through the 80’s and 90’s, Delon was in a number of box office failures, and in 1997 announced that he would no longer act. Today, Alain Delon lives with his wife Natalie in France.

This guy has obviously accomplished a lot in his life. I hope you thoroughly enjoyed reading this interesting article.

Some Background Information on Aaliyah Haughton

Those of us who remember this famous multi-talented women know that she accomplished a lot in her life. You might be interested in the article below, which discusses all that she did and a little bit about her life.

Aaliyah Haughton was an iconic American R&B singer, model, actress and dancer. She is best known for the numerous hit albums she recorded, her modeling work with Tommy Hilfiger, and for her starring roles in the movies ‘Romeo Must Die’ (2000), and ‘Queen of the Damned’ (2001). She died in a tragic plane accident on August 25th of 2001.

Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born in Brooklyn on January 16th, 1979, to parents Michael and Diane Haughton. She spent most of her childhood growing up in Detroit, Michigan, and attended performing arts schools at a young age. In 1993, she signed on with her uncle, Barry Hankerson’s label and released her first album, ‘Age Ain’t Nothing but a Number’. To date, her first album has sold two million copies in the United States, and five million worldwide.

In something of a tabloid scandal, it was leaked to the press in 1994 that Aaliyah and R. Kelly, who had co-produced her first album, had been married. Aaliyah was 15 at the time, and had apparently claimed to be 18 so that the marriage could commence legally. Neither Aaliyah or R. Kelly ever confirmed that they had indeed been married, and any marriage they did have was promptly annulled.

Aaliyah released a second album in 1996, ‘One in a Million’, which went double platinum in sales within its first year. The album was mostly written and produced by Missy Elliot and Tim Mosley.

With the attention she gathered from the major success of her second album, Aaliyah caught the eye of Tommy Hilfiger, and was signed on as a model. Over the next few years she would do a series of modeling campaigns and advertisements with Hilfiger, and made several guest appearances on the albums of other singers such as Missy Elliot and Timbaland (Tim Mosely).

In 1997 Aaliyah appeared on the soundtrack for the Disney remake of Anastasia, and performed the song in the Oscars that year having been nominated for an award. She also appeared on the Doctor Doolittle soundtrack of 1998, her song from that movie becoming a large success. In 2000 she began her acting career starring along side Jet Li in ‘Romeo Must Die’, and followed it up with Stuart Townsend in 2001’s ‘Queen of the Damned’.

While working on the production of ‘Queen of the Damned’, Aaliyah recorded her third album, self-titled ‘Aaliyah’. When it was released in July of 2001 and went gold within a month.

After filming a music video in the Bahamas, Aaliyah boarded a small Cessna airplane with the destination of Miami. Unfortunately, the plane crashed into a dense forest shortly after taking off and everyone on board was killed. It was later revealed that the plane was dangerously overloaded and the pilot had drugs and alcohol in his system. It was also reported that the pilot had faked his flying hours in order to get his license.

Though no longer with us, Aaliyah made a tremendous impact of the R&B world, and her albums are still popular around the world today.

I hope this little tribute to Aaliyah was found interesting and honorable to you. She was a great singer, model, and actress. She will not easily be forgotten. At least she won't as long as she's listed in our archives of famous people.

Welcome to Famous and Illustrious People!

Thank you for visiting my site! Here you will find background information about a variety of well-known people. If you've ever wanted to know a little more detail about someone you idolize, this is the place to be. Feel free to browse around the site and check out some of your favorite people!

Background of 50 Cent aka Fifty or Fiddy

If you like 50 Cent's music, then you might be interested in learning a little bit about the background of the famous singer. How did he rise to fame and glory? The article below discusses the life and music of 50 Cent.

Curtis James Jackson, or more frequently known as 50 Cent, Fifty, or Fiddy, is one of the most prominent and successful rap musicians of the current decade. Though he has had a strong ‘underground’ following in New York for some time, he rose suddenly to widespread recognition with the release of his first major album, ‘Get Rich Quick or Die Tryin’’, in 2003.

50 Cent was born on July 6th, 1975 in South Jamaica, Queens, in and has lived in New York his whole life. His father left the family when he was still a baby, and his mother was shot dead during a drug deal when he was only 8, so 50 Cent he was raised primarily by his grandparents.

With dreams of becoming a heavyweight boxer, 50 cent instead became involved in the illicit drug trade as a teenager. He was arrested a couple of times for felony drug charges, but was able to avoid doing serious prison time by serving 7 months in an incarceration ‘boot camp’.

50 Cent began his rapping career studying under Jay Master Jay from Run DMC, signing on with his label in the late 1990’s. He then went on to sign on with Colombia Records in 2000 and recorded his first full length album, ‘Power of the Dollar’. Unfortunately, in May of 2000, 50 Cent was shot three times in a drive-by style shooting. It is widely stated that he was shot nine times, though this is an exaggeration; he was shot at nine times and hit three times. Though not critically wounded, the incident won him enough attention to scare Colombia Records into dropping his deal without ever releasing the album.

After meeting with fellow rap stars Eminem and Dr. Dre, 50 Cent signed on with Eminem’s label Aftermath/Shady & Interscope. With Eminem and Dr. Dre’s backing, 50 Cent released his first major album, ‘Get Rich Quick or Die Tryin’’, in 2003. The album was an enormous success, going nearly platinum in the first week, breaking records for the most units ever sold in a first week. In March of 2005, 50 Cent released his 2nd album, ‘The Massacre’, which has also been highly successful.

50 Cent now has his own record label, ‘G-Unit Records’. With the endorsement of popular rappers like Eminem and Dr. Dre, a large underground following, and the actual experience of having been involved in the kinds of violent crimes that are the subject of his music, 50 Cent is already an icon in the rap music industry and will likely remain as such for years to come.

Great guy, great guy. 50 Cent has definitely accomplished a lot in his music. I hope you enjoyed reading this article. If you want to learn more about other famous people, be sure to check out my other articles as well.