Front Line Blogs

Paula Abdul was born in San Fernando Valley, California. At eight, she started dancing lessons. She was a student at Van Nuys High School, where she was the senior class president and head cheerleader. She graduated in 1980 and started the college process at Cal State Northridge to major in TV and radio. After joining the L.A. Lakers cheerleaders, she became head cheerleader/choreographer after only a few months, eventually dropping out of college to dance and choreograph full-time. The Jacksons hired her to choreograph their 1984 movie "Torture" which was the first in a long sequence of videos and movies she would choreograph. After the release of her debut CD "Forever Your Girl" was released, she began singing and soon became a well-known performer and dancer. Her stint as an American Idol judge (2002) has made her an increasingly popular performer/dancer. Her father (Harry Abdul) is Sephardic Jewish and hails from Syria. Her mother, who is also Jewish, was born i...

Mary McDonnell, a two-time Oscar(r),-nominated actress, is best known for her performances on screen in traditional and contemporary roles. She also has a long history of roles both on stage and screen. Mary Eileen McDonnell was born on April 28, 1952 in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, to Eileen (Mundy) and John McDonnell, a computer consultant, both from Irish heritage. She was raised in Ithaca, New York, she graduated from the State University of New York (SUNY) in Fredonia. She then attended theatre school, after which she was accepted into Long Wharf Theatre Company (East Coast). Her first film role came in Dances with Wolves (1990) by Kevin Costner. She played the character of "Stands with a Fist" as a Sioux Indian-born white woman. In exchange for the role, she received her first Academy Award nomination. McDonnell's film credits also include Lawrence Kasdan's Grand Canyon (1991) & Mumford (1999) in which she starred alongside veteran actors such as Robert R...

Paula Faris, an American journalist, worked previously as the TV reporter at ABC News. Her most well-known work is her time as cohost of Good Morning America Weekend, 2014-2018, and as host of The View, 2015-2018. Before this, she co-anchored World News Now as well as America This Morning. After graduating, she worked in several communications-related jobs including an operations position at Mills/James Productions in Columbus, Ohio. Due to the lack of TV opportunities she was employed in radio sales. After a year of working as a production assistant at WKEF/WRGT, she eventually was capable of reporting and anchoring on occasion. She was the weekend anchor and weekday sports anchors at WCPO TV, Cincinnati, between 2002 and 2005. She became a reporter for sports at NBC's Chicago affiliate WMAQ-TV from November 2005 to December 2011 after her contract expired. In December 2011 she was employed by ABC News which is the news division of ABC. She first made an appearance on ABC News for...

Markie Post grew-up in Walnut Creek. She began her professional career as a TV and film producer, notably "The New Card Sharks", (1978), and "Card Sharks" (1986). She was later able to create projects like Double Dare (1976), and has been featured on many television shows like E! True Hollywood Story (1996) and Electra Woman and Dyna Girl (2001). Her most memorable TV role was that of "Christine Sullivan" in Night Court (1984). From 1984 until 1992, she was a part of 156 shows. Marylee (Armstrong) Post was her mother. She was an accomplished poet and nuclear scientist Richard Freeman Post (November 14 1918 - April 7, 2015.). Had two daughters with her husband, Michael A. Ross: Katie Ross (born June 26 1997) and Daisy Ross (born March 30 in 1990). Her birthplace was Palo Alto, California and grew up in the vicinity of Walnut Creek, California. As an athletics coach, she attended Las Lomas High school in Walnut Creek. Lewis & Clark College in Portlan...

Sarah Chalke was born on 27 August 1976 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Angie Chalke, and Doug Chalke are her parents. Sarah is the middle of two brothers, the older one, Natasha Chalke, one younger, Piper Chalke. Sarah began her acting career with City Boy (1992), the first television-produced film made by TV. Following her first film her audition, she was cast in 1993 for the role of "Becky" of Roseanne (1988). The show was looking for an actor to replace Alicia Goranson quit the show to attend college. Sarah graduated from high school in 1995 as she was filming the 1994-1995 Roseanne (1988) season. Sarah was also in the film with Jim Varney (1994) in Ernest Goes to School (1994). She was in Robin of Locksley (1996) and Stand Against Fear(1996). In both films Sarah played the role of Krista Wilson and was an athlete. Sarah was asked to play in a 1998 show called Nothing Too Good for a Cowboy. This was one year after Roseanne (1988). It was based on the show the show Nothing Too...

Lauren Ash is a recent Second City Chicago Mainstage alumna. She also graduated of the Second City Toronto Mainstage. She is also part of the comedy duo "Cory!". She has been a two-time Canadian Comedy Award winner for Best Female Improviser. She has also won awards for Best Comedic play in 2008 and Best Sketch Troupe in 2006. She has appeared in a variety of roles in the shows "Scare Tactics" and "Almost Heroes" and "Almost Heroes," as well. She played a frequent role in "The Ron James Show" as well as guest appearances in "Lost Girl," "Cracked," "Bomb Girls" and "Call Me Fitz." Other television and film credits include "Video on Trial,"" "Hotbox" as well as the Academy Award-nominated movie "Lars and the Real Girl." She voices Sam in "The Dating Guy" an animated Canadian series. In the years 2019 and 2020, her net worth has grown significantly. How mu...

Paula Patton was born in Los Angeles, California, to Joyce (Vanraden) and Charles Patton. Her father is African-American and her mother who is caucasian is of German, English, and Dutch roots. Her family lived directly next to the 20th Century Fox lot as she grew older, and she was an avid enthusiast of films from her early days. Her mother was a teacher while her father was an attorney. Paula claimed that she tried to escape as an innocent child by "pretending" to become someone else. Therefore, it's no surprise that she was a part of Hamilton Magnet Arts High School plays. Her most loved role was that of "Abigail" in "The Crucible". She continued her studies at the University of Southern California, where she completed a summer program in film. It was during this time that she was given a three-month task to create documentaries on PBS. Then she was employed as a production assistant on television documentaries as well as Howie Mandel's talk show...

Amy Carlson was raised in Glen Ellyn (Illinois) and was a part of her early years living in Chicago. Amy was a part of her family in Chicago until she was in junior high school. Her parents, Bob, and Barb taught at the American School in the Middle East. Amy has two sisters, Betsy and Lori, along with a brother Joe. Amy has traveled throughout Europe by herself and together with her family. Both of them were teachers and were able to go camping and travel together every summer because of this. In reality, they've spent time camping in every state other than Alaska. Amy also went to Rwanda following the 1994 war to assist in relief efforts. At a young age, Amy showed artistic talent performing in school productions, and winning contests for writing. Amy was a highly competitive athlete in high school who participated in the first ever 3200-meter relay in Illinois girls track. After an injury, she was able to return to theater and play many roles that included Lanford Wilson's ...

Penelope Cruz Sanchez was the daughter of Eduardo Cruz (a retailer) and Encarna Sanchez (a hairdresser). As a young child, she was an obsessive performer and would re-enact commercials on television for the enjoyment of her parents. But, she decided to focus her efforts on dance. She continued her dance training with a variety of highly-regarded dancers following her nine years studying classical ballet in Spain's National Conservatory. Her true calling was discovered at the age of 15, after she defeated over 300 contestants in an audition for an agency that represented talent. She was then offered roles on Spanish music videos and TV. This led to many more performances, which opened the door to a career on the world of big screens. Cruz made her film debut with The Greek Labyrinth (1993). (The Greek Labyrinth). Following that she was briefly featured in Framed (1992) directed by Timothy Dalton. Her final film, Belle Epoque (1992) was an Oscar-winning film where she played one of t...

Milena Govich, a director as well as actor and musician has directed many episodes of TV such as Chicago Med (2015), The Equalizer (2021), FBI The Most Wanted(2020), Chicago Fire (2012) among others. She was also the Co-EP/Producing Director on Dick Wolf's CBS series FBI (2018) and has been tapped to direct two pilots in the process of development. Milena was one of the eight women chosen by AFI for their famous Directing Workshop for Women. She also took part in the Sony Pictures Television Diverse Directors program. Unspeakable was her TV show and short film. The show starred Jeff Kober and Laura Vandervoort the film was awarded Best Episodic at the Seattle International Film Festival as in addition to the Best Pilot award at SoHo International Film Festival. The film she made in the short form Temporary (2017 written by Milena Vandervoort) has been shown all across the nation. It was awarded the award for Best Narrative Short at Anthem Film Festival and Best Dark Comedy at Atlan...

Piper Perabo has been nominated for an Golden Globe as a stage as well as a TV and film actor. She was born in Dallas and grew up in New Jersey. She was featured in Coyote Ugly's breakout role in 2000. She has been in a variety of films since when, including Christopher's "The Prestige" featuring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale and "Because I Said So" which starred Diane Keaton, and "First Snow" with Guy Pearce. "Cheaper by the Dozen", "Imagine Me and You" films starring Steve Martin, "Cheaper by the Dozen", "Cheaper by the Dozen", "Cheaper by the Dozen" films, "10th & Wolf" crime drama with a cast that also included Dennis Hopper and James Marsden. She was in the film with Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels in Rian Johnson's sci-fi action movie "Looper.". Perabo was Annie Walker's television part in five seasons on the USA Network's...

Ayelet Zurer is one of Israel's most highly regarded actresses. She was born in Tel Aviv and was first discovered by Hollywood when Steven Spielberg cast her in her first English-speaking film role as Eric Bana’s wife in Munich (2005). Zurer is an American actress who has appeared in Studio films, such as Sony Pictures' Vantage Point featuring Dennis Quaid (with William Hurt), Samuel Goldwyn’s Fugitive pieces alongside Stephen Dillane, Paul Schrader’s Adam Resurrected along with Jeff Goldblum and Willem Dafoe. Ron Howard's Angeles and Demons, opposite Tom Hanks, Darling Companion, an ensemble Lawrence Kasdan casting that features Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline and Warner Bros. Man Of Steel alongside Russell Crow. Ewan McGregor was her co-filming partner in the film of Rodrigo Garcia's The Last Days in Desert. The actress also waited for The Last Knights to be released by Kazuaki Kriya, Kazuaki Kriya, the Japanese director. She recently received the Gold Nymph Award for Outst...

Pollyanna McIntosh is a native of Scotland. She was born in Portugal, Colombia and then returned to Scotland. That's where she started performing on stage at The Edinburgh Festival. She moved to London at the age of 16 and soon was involved in filmmaking in the indie genre. The first time she was paid was as a stoner on Irvine Welsh's The Acid House (1998). She also performed as an actor and director in the theatre. Moving to Los Angeles in 2004 led to more stage work. She directed Anne Dudek (a regular star on Mad Men/Big Love (2006)) as and David Dayan Fisher (a regular part on 24 (2001/NCIS 2003)) to rave reviews. In Headspace (2005), she got her first US movie part as "Stacy", a manipulative person who was a newly-baptized Christian. Her first movie role was in Headspace (2005) as the manipulative, born-again Christian "Thumper Wint". This comedy was written by Heathers (1988). Exam (2009), which she worked in London and LA was her next. Awarded a BAFTA ...

Paget Valerie is an American actress, singer as well as voice actor. Her character as Kathy as a character that recurred on Friends the fourth season was her first public recognition. Her breakthrough role was Emily Prentiss, a Supervisory Special Agent on Criminal Minds. From 2006 to 2012 , she appeared on Criminal Minds regularly. The actress has returned for guest appearances since then and is now returning to Criminal Minds frequently in the year 2016. Her other roles include the voice of Elise as well as Mr. Mumbles on Dan Vs., Frankie Dart on the last season of Community, the voice of Birdgirl in Harvey Birdman Attorney at Law, Sara Kingsley on the Fox sitcom Grandfathered and also voicing Donald Duck's twin sister Della in the 2017 season of DuckTales, marking the first animated appearance for the character. Brewster was born in Concord, Massachusetts on March 10 of 1969. Her mother, Hathaway Brewster. (nee Tew) worked in the government. Her father Galen Brewster worked as s...

Pom Klementieff was born on May 3rd, 1986. She was trained at the Cours Florent drama school in Paris and has appeared in such films as Loup (2009), Sleepless Night (2011) and Hacker's Game (2015). She plays the role of Mantis in the Marvel Cinematic Universe films Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018) and Avengers: Endgame (2019). Pom Klementieff was born in Quebec City to a Korean father and French-Russian mother. He was employed as a consul for the French government. Eugene Klementieff, a painter was her grandfather. Because it is a resemblance to the Korean words for "spring" or "tiger", her parents gave their daughter the name Pom. The actress spent a year in Canada before her family moved throughout the world because of her father's work. Prior to moving to France the family lived in Japan and on the Ivory Coast. Klementieff lost her father to cancer at the age of five. Her mother was also diagnosed with schizophrenia. Kl...