Samuel L. Jackson (Derrick Vann)
Respectfully labeled as one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood , Jackson is an undisputed star as demonstrated in the fact that his films have grossed the most money in box office sales than any other actor in the history of filmmaking.
Jackson made an indelible mark on American cinema with his portrayal of Jules, the philosophizing hit man, in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction. In addition to unanimous critical acclaim for his performance, he received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations as Best Supporting Actor as well as a Best Supporting Actor award from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
Currently, Jackson can be seen as Mace Windu in the final episode of the Star Wars trilogy, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith. To no one’s surprise, the film made an overwhelming impact at the box office and broke numerous opening day records.
In early 2005, Jackson topped the opening weekend box office charts with the success of the Paramount Pictures film, Coach Carter. Jackson portrayed real-life high school basketball coach, Ken Carter, a dedicated role model and advocate for students succeeding in the classroom as well as on the basketball court. Coach Carter was screened as the opening night film of the prestigious Palm Springs Film Festival and at the Festival, Jackson received the Career Achievement Award for Acting at the closing night gala.
Jackson also recently starred in the independent film for Sony Classics, In My Country, based on the best-selling novel, Country of My Skull, by South African writer, Antije Krog. Jackson portrays an American reporter who must cope with the aftermath of apartheid as his newspaper assigns him to cover the Truth and Reconciliation Trials, established by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, that expose the worst cases of torture, abuse and violence. In My Country was directed by John Boorman and produced by Bob Chartoff and Mike Medavoy. Juliette Binoche co-stars. Jackson also reprised his role as Agent Augustus Gibbons in XXX: State of the Union for Sony Pictures. The film was directed by Lee Tamahori.
Jackson recently completed production on the film, Freedomland, directed by Joe Roth for Revolution Studios and is set to open later this year. Julianne Moore plays a distraught, single mother whose son disappears and is believed to be dead. She blames an African-American man from the projects for the kidnapping, creating a racial controversy. Jackson is now in production on New Line’s Pacific Air 121, directed by David R. Ellis and immediately upon completion of this film, Jackson begins production on Paramount Pictures Black Snake Moan where production will take place in Memphis . Christina Ricci and Justin Timberlake round out the cast.
In 2004, Jackson “appeared” as the character Frozone in the Disney animated action-adventure film, The Incredibles, which was released to record box office results this past November. The film was directed and written by Brad Bird and earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Picture as well as two Academy Award nominations.
In 2003, Jackson starred in S.W.A.T for Columbia TriStar. Directed by Clark Johnson, S.W.A.T. is about an arrested drug kingpin who is transported by a Los Angeles Police Department S.W.A.T. team and led out of the city and into Federal custody. Plans go awry when the kingpin offers $100 million to anyone who can free him. Colin Farrell and Michelle Rodriguez are also in the film.
In 2002, Jackson starred with Ben Affleck in the box office and critical success, Paramount ’s Changing Lanes. Jackson delivered an intense yet sympathetic performance of a father who was down on his luck, but intent on getting even with the man that wronged him. Also in 2002, Jackson starred and executive produced the Sony/ Screen Gems film Formula 51, with Robert Carlyle; co-starred in the sci-fi thriller, XXX; and reprised his role as Mace Windu in the second installment of George Lucas’ Stars Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones.
In 2001, Jackson starred in Jersey Franchise/Universal’s Caveman’s Valentine. Directed by Kasi Lemmons, the film followed the story of a homeless man in New York City who discovered a murder. Jackson also served as an executive producer on the project, which was the most successful independent film of this year. This was Jackson ’s second project with Kasi Lemmons with the first being the applauded, Eve’s Bayou, which he also produced.
Jackson also co-starred opposite Bruce Willis in writer/director M. Night Shyamalan’s suspense drama, Unbreakable for Disney. Jackson ’s character, Elijah Price, a highly suspicious and wheelchair bound man with a far-fetched theory, holds the key to the film’s underlying question of, “Are You Unbreakable?”
Jackson starred in John Singleton’s Shaft in the title role opposite Christian Bale and Vanessa Williams. Jackson also starred in Paramount ’s courtroom drama Rules of Engagement where he played Col. Terry Childers, a military officer on trial for ordering his soldiers to open fire on civilians. Directed by William Friedkin, the film co-starred Tommy Lee Jones. Both Shaft and Rules of Engagement were screened at the 2000 Deauville Film Festival, where Jackson was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Jackson starred in Warner Bros. Deep Blue Sea for director Renny Harlin, and in Francois Girard’s The Red Violin. Jackson also made a cameo appearance in George Lucas’ highly successful and popular Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace.
Jackson also starred in The Negotiator and Jackie Brown, his second film with director Quentin Tarantino. For the latter he received a Golden Globe nomination and the Silver Bear Award for Best Actor in a Comedy at the Berlin Film Festival.
Jackson starred opposite Sandra Bullock, Matthew McConaughey and
Kevin Spacey in Joel Schumacher’s 1996 film of the John Grisham novel A Time to Kill. For his performance Jackson received a Golden Globe nomination and an NAACP Image Award. He also starred opposite Bruce Willis in Die Hard with a Vengeance, the top-grossing movie internationally in 1995
Jackson made movie history with his portrayal of a crack addict in Spike Lee’s Jungle Fever when he was awarded the first and only Best Supporting Performance Award ever given by the judges at the Cannes Film Festival. He also won the New York Film Critics Award for Best Supporting Actor for that performance.
His other film credits include Twisted, 187, Sphere, The Long Kiss Goodnight, Hard Eight, Kiss of Death, Losing Isaiah and Amos and Andrew. Additional film credits include: Ragtime, Sea of Love, Coming to America, Ray, Do the Right Thing, School Daze, Mo’ Better Blues, Goodfellas, Strictly Business, White Sands, Patriot Games, Jumpin’ at the Boneyard, Father and Sons, Juice, Fresh and True Romance.
On television, Jackson starred in John Frankenheimer’s Emmy Award-winning
“Against the Wall” for HBO. His performance earned him a Cable Ace nomination as Best Supporting Actor in a Movie or Miniseries, as well as a Golden Globe nomination.
Jackson ’s career began upon his graduation from Morehouse College in Atlanta with a degree in dramatic arts. He went on to perform in numerous stage plays, including “Home,” “A Soldier’s Play,” “Sally/Prince” and “The District Line.” He also originated roles in two of August Wilson ’s plays at Yale Repertory Theatre. For the New York Shakespeare Festival, Jackson appeared in “Mother Courage and Her Children,” “Spell #7,” and “The Mighty Gents.” While still a student at Morehouse, Jackson made his film debut in Together for Days .
Eugene Levy (Andy Fiddler)
Eugene Levy is perhaps best known as the go-with-the-flow dad in the classic comedies American Pie, American Pie 2 and American Wedding. He has also co-starred in Christopher Guest’s Best in Show, Waiting For Guffman and A Mighty Wind, sharing writing credits on all three films. His other film credits include Dumb & Dumberer, Like Mike, Almost Heroes, Father of the Bride 2, Multiplicity and Once Upon a Crime. More recently, Levy was seen in the hit film, New York Minute, with Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen and in the smash hit Bringing Down the House, starring Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.
The veteran actor began his career as both an actor and a writer on the acclaimed comedy series “SCTV,” on which he starred for eight seasons, portraying a gallery of memorable characters, including Earl Camembert, Bobby Bittman, Alex Trebel and Stan Schmenge. Other television credits include “Hiller and Diller,” “Mad About You,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Billy Crystal’s Don’t Get Me Started,” “Bride of Boogedy,” “The Last Polka,” “The Enigma of Bobby Bittman” (which he also wrote and directed), “Maniac Mansion” (which he produced), and Showtime’s “Sodbusters” (which he co-wrote and directed). He recently starred in Fox Television’s series, “Greg the Bunny.”
Miguel Ferrer (Agent Peters)
Miguel Ferrer was most recently seen in The Manchurian Candidate with Denzel Washington. He has appeared in such films as Traffic, Robocop, The Harvest, Twin Peaks Fire Walk With Me, Where’s Marlowe? and lent his voice to the animated feature, Mulan. Ferrer can currently be seen on the NBC dramatic series, “Crossing Jordan,” where he also made his directorial debut last season. He will continue his work as a director on the show this upcoming season. Other television credits include series regular roles on “Twin Peaks” and “Lateline,” as well as guest staring roles on “Will and Grace,” “ER,” and the miniseries, “Drug Wars: The Camarena Story.”
Luke Goss (Joey Trent)
Luke Goss made his North American film debut with appearances in the independent drama Zigzag and Blade 2 opposite Wesley Snipes. Goss has just finished working with Omar Sharif and Peter O’Toole on the epic love story One Night With The King, and on the action/horror Cold and Dark.
He has also starred in the film, Charlie with Steven Berkoff. For television, Goss recently completed work on “Frankenstein,” with Donald Sutherland and William Hurt. He has also appeared in the action movie Silver Hawk with Michelle Yeoh.
British-born Goss started his career as part of the multi-platinum selling band, “Bros.” He currently lives in Los Angeles .
Anthony Mackie (Booty)
Anthony Mackie is getting ready to step into some big shoes as he prepares to tackle the role of Peterson (played in 1981 by Denzel Washington) in the Pulitzer Prize winning Charles Fuller play, "A Soldiers Play," opposite Taye Diggs. Previews start in September at New York 's Off-Broadway Theatre--Second Stage.
Mackie recently finished shooting the film Freedomland for director Joe Roth. The film reunites him with Samuel Jackson alongside Julianne Moore. He is currently shooting the independent film, Half Nelson opposite Ryan Gosling. He just finished a critically acclaimed run Off-Broadway as the title character in the world premiere of Stephen Belber's play, "McReele," produced by the Roundabout Theatre Company, in which he received a Drama League Nomination. He last appeared on Broadway in Regina Taylor’s “Drowning Crow” (2004), opposite Alfre Woodard, and made his Broadway debut in August Wilson's “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” (2003).
Mackie can currently be seen starring in the critically acclaimed and Sundance Award winning independent feature film Brother to Brother, for which he recently received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for best debut performance and a Gotham Award nomination for best breakthrough performance. He was also recently seen being knocked out by Morgan Freeman as the flashy boxer "Shawrelle" in the Academy Award winning Best Picture Million Dollar Baby opposite Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman and Hilary Swank, directed by Clint Eastwood. The film also received a Golden Globe nomination and a nod from the National Board of Review as 4th Best film of the Year. He can also be seen in Haven with Orlando Bloom and Bill Paxton and the Showtime feature film Sucker Free City, directed by Spike Lee.
Mackie made his screen debut in the critically acclaimed blockbuster film 8 Mile opposite Eminem, directed by Curtis Hanson. Other theater roles include “The Moderator in Talk” at the Public Theater (dir. Marion McClinton, Obie Award), Booth in “Topdog/Underdog” (understudy for Don Cheadle), Tupac in “Up Against the Wind“ at the NYTW, “Blues for Mister Charlie” at Julliard, “The Mahabharata” and “Someone Who'll Watch Over Me.” Film credits include roles in The Manchurian Candidate, directed by Jonathan Demme, Spike Lee’s She Hate Me and Sony’s Hollywood Homicide, directed by Ron Shelton. He has also appeared as a guest star on "Law & Order: Criminal Intent."
Susie Essman (Rita Carbone)
Susie Essman’s work in film includes roles in The Secret Lives of Dentists, Keeping the Faith, The Siege, Punchline, Volcano, What’s Your Sign and Crocodile Dundee II.
Essman is well known for her work on the critically acclaimed HBO series “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” Her role as Larry David’s manager’s wife, Susie Green, is brutally honest and always bombastic.
Other television credits include appearances on “Law & Order,” “Jenny McCarthy Show,” and “King Of Queens” among others. She has also been a guest host on Comedy Central’s “Friar’s Roast” and appeared in stand up specials for HBO and Comedy Central.
Horatio Sanz (Diaz)
A native of Chicago , Horatio Sanz returns this Fall to the cast of "Saturday Night Live" for his seventh season. Sanz has performed in numerous sketches and created such characters as the stoner, Gobi , on the collegiate webcast "Jarrett's Room," Sully and Denise's friend Frankie, The "Wake Up Wakefield" faculty advisor Mr. Banglian, community access host Vasquez Gomez Vasquez, and Jasper Hahn, the political cartoonist for "Weekend Update." Over the years, Sanz, backed by cast mates Jimmy Fallon, Chris Kattan and Tracy Morgan, have sung the praises of the holiday season, performing "Christmas is Number One" throughout the year...regardless of the calendar. His impressions include Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John, Gene Shalit, as well as portraying two-thirds of the "Axis of Evil" Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong Il.
Sanz has been seen in the feature films Boat Trip, Tomcats and the hit
movie Road Trip. He most recently appeared opposite Martin Lawrence in the 2005 summer release Rebound. In December of 2005, Sanz will appear in Lucky You, directed by Curtis Hanson.
Prior to "SNL," Sanz was a writer and performer at theaters including the Court Theater and Chicago 's famed Second City . He is also one of the founding members of The Upright Citizens Brigade. Sanz currently resides in New York .
Rachael Crawford (Dara Vann)
Rachael Crawford has appeared in leading roles in films such as Rude and When Night is Falling . She has played regular roles in television series like “Show Me Yours,” “Hoop Life'” and “Traders.”
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