Armie Hammer
Sep 14th
(born August 28, 1986) is an American film and television actor.
Hammer was raised on the Westside of Los Angeles and the Cayman Islands. He attended high school in the San Fernando Valley. He has appeared in the television series Arrested Development, Veronica Mars, Gossip Girl, and Desperate Housewives. He was hand-picked by filmmaker George Miller after a long search to star in Justice League: Mortal as Batman/Bruce Wayne. The film was to be directed by Miller, but he left the project.
Hammer played the famous Christian evangelist Billy Graham in Billy: The Early Years which premiered in October 2008. The film garnered Hammer a “Faith and Values Award” nomination in the Grace Award category, which is awarded for the Most Inspiring Performance in Movie or Television.
Hammer’s most recent film appearance was as Harrison Bergeron in 2081, the film adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut‘s short story by that name.
Armie Hammer is married to television personality Elizabeth Chambers. He is the great-grandson of oil tycoon and philanthropist Armand Hammer and the son of Michael Armand Hammer.
Dakota Johnson
Sep 14th
(born October 4, 1989) is an American fashion model and actress. She is the daughter of actors Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith and the granddaughter of actress Tippi Hedren.
In 1999, she made her film debut in Crazy in Alabama where she and her half-sister Stella Banderas played daughters to their real-life mother Melanie Griffith. The film was directed by her stepfather Antonio Banderas.
She was voted Miss Golden Globe, 2006, where she served as the first second-generation Miss Golden Globe in the Globes’ history.
In 2006, she signed with IMG Models In 2009, she modeled for MANGO brand’s jeans line. Once she graduated from high school she signed with William Morris Agency and started her acting career. Now a working actress, she completed work on the feature film, Beastly , alongside Vanessa Hudgens and Mary-Kate Olsen, scheduled for release in 2010. She has three additional films in 2010: David Fincher‘s film The Social Network with Justin Timberlake; For Ellen; and Larry Clark‘s film Savage Innocent.
In 2010 Dakota traveled to Sydney, Australia where she shot the ‘Rising Star’ campaign for fashion label Wish.
Rashida Jones
Sep 14th
With her striking features and collected manner, Rashida Jones injected a dose of electricity and unpredictability into NBC’s breakout comedy hit, “The Office” (NBC, 2005- ) with her third-season addition to the cast. The exotic beauty – who unwittingly throws a monkey wrench into the workplace flirtation of the show’s fabled couple, Jim and Pam – had powerful genes on her side – being the daughter of composer and record producer (1982′s Thriller) Quincy Jones and leggy, blonde actress Piggy Lipton, of “Mod Squad” (ABC, 1968-1973) fame.
Born in Los Angeles, CA on Feb. 25, 1976, this product of a racially mixed family was raised in the swanky enclave of Bel Air, along with her older sister, Kidada. Not surprisingly, the youngster – whose name, Rashida, was Arabic for “wise” – was artistically and academically inclined from the start. While she was an avid reader by age five, she learned music primarily by ear. She would later say that while her photographic memory served her well when it came to listening to music and playing it back to near-perfection, she consequently did not learn to read music as well. Her father insisted that she must learn the fundamentals and theory as well. Nevertheless, even as a youngster, Jones was playing classical concerts and winning awards, no doubt making her musical genius father extremely proud. Despite her parents’ great love for one another, the couple divorced when Rashida was 10 years-old, leaving the two girls to move in with their mother.
After finishing at Buckley School with academic honors, Jones went on to attend Harvard University, where she studied religion and philosophy, as well as performed in college theater productions. While in school, she served as the music director of the Harvard a cappella group called The Harvard Opportunities, and was a composer for Harvard’s infamous “Hasty Puddings” theatricals. She also sang back-up for the band Maroon 5, providing vocals for the tracks “Tangled” and “Secret,” on their 2002 debut album, Songs About Jane. Accompanied by her father’s vocals, she also contributed to a tribute Tupac Shakur album, The Rose that Grew From Concrete. The family participation stemmed greatly from the fact that older sis, Kidada, had been engaged to the gangsta rapper at the time of his murder on the Vegas Strip in 1996.
Jones graduated Harvard in 1997, and started her acting career that same year with a role in CBS’ “The Last Don” – a telefilm adapted from the book of the same name by Godfather writer Mario Puzo. In 2000, she appeared in the indie film, “East of A,” and in HBO’s “If These Walls Could Talk II.” She also played school bully Karen Scarfolli in an episode of “Freaks and Geeks (Fox, 2000) entitled, “Kim Kelly is My Friend.”
Her popularity grew with her role of assistant principal Louisa Fenn on the acclaimed David E. Kelley drama, “Boston Public,” (Fox, 2000-04). Although it was a supporting role, she made enough of an impact to be nominated for an NAACP Image Award. On top of proving her mettle as a quality actress, Jones’ unique beauty was getting its share of attention as well. In 2002, the newcomer appeared on People magazine’s highly publicized list of “50 Most Beautiful People.”
Continuing to pay her acting dues, Jones appeared in a bit part in the feature film “Full Frontal” (2002), in the independent film “Now You Know” (2002) and in the low budget mockumentary, “Death of a Dynasty” (2003). She also made two appearances in the wildly popular and cutting edge comedy program, “Chappelle’s Show” (Comedy Central, 2003-04) – first, in the fifth episode of the first season, followed by an appearance in the fourth episode of the second season. She continued honing her comedy chops with an appearance in the pilot for the 2005 improvisational comedy series, “Stella,” also on Comedy Central.
After playing a larger supporting role as Dr. Rachel Keyes in the widely panned romantic comedy “Little Black Book” (2004) starring Brittany Murphy, Jones landed a starring role in the British television series, “NY-LON” (2004), in which she played a bohemian New York City record store clerk who embarks on a doomed romance with a stockbroker visiting from London. That part helped lead to a recurring role as Det. Carla Merced in the series, “Wanted” (TNT, 2005).
But it was the part of Karen Filippelli on “The Office” that brought Jones her most widespread attention to date. Playing a part that, with her ravishing good looks, could easily have been a ruthless vixen, Jones brought a softness and a down-to-earth sensibility to Karen, which made her a believable match for ordinary guy Jim Halpert (John Krasinski). Although fans were mixed over the emergence of Karen, following the separation of the program’s beloved couple, Jim and Pam (Jenna Fischer), Jones was so unthreatening, that fans came to enjoy her goofy antics as much as the rest of the Dunder-Mifflin misfits. Interestingly enough, Jones did, in fact, at one time reportedly date Krasinski, as well as “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 1975- ) cast member Seth Myers, actor Tobey Maguire and DJ Mark Ronson.
Using her time in the spotlight wisely, Jones was scheduled to appear in a Paul Reiser project and to co-star in a planned ABC sitcom entitled, “Our Thirties,” as well as appear in the film, “Brief Interviews with Hideous Men,” directed by none other than “Office” co-star, Krasinski.
• Also Credited As:
Rashida L. Jones, Rashida Leah Jones
• Born:
Rashida Leah Jones on February 25, 1976 in Los Angeles, California, USA
• Job Titles:
Actor, Model
Family
• Father: Quincy Jones. Born Feb. 25, 1976; mother, Peggy Lipton
• Grandfather: Harold Lipton. Maternal grandfather
• Grandfather: Quincy Delight Jones Sr. Paternal grandfather
• Grandmother: Rita Lipton. Maternal grandmother
• Grandmother: Sarah Jones. Paternal grandmother; died of a stroke in 1999
• Half-Brother: Quincy Jones III. Born in 1972; son of Quincy Jones and Ulla Andersson
• Half-Sister: Jolie Jones.
• Half-Sister: Kenya Julia Miambi Sarah Jones. Born in 1993; daughter of Quincy Jones and Nastassja Kinski
• Half-Sister: Martina Lisa Jones. Daughter of Quincy Jones and Ulla Andersson
• Mother: Peggy Lipton. Played young detective Julie Barnes in the late 1960s early 1970s television show The Mod Squad (ABC) and conflicted waitress Norma Jennings from the 1990s television drama Twin Peaks (ABC); married to music mogul Quincy Jones from 1974 to 1990
• Parent: Peggy Lipton.
• Sister: Kidada Jones. Born March 22, 1974
• Uncle: Robert Lipton. Directed niece, Rashida and sister, Peggy in the 2003 play Pitching to the Star
Significant Others
• Companion: John Krasinski. Co-starred together on The Office (NBC); no longer together
• Companion: Jon Favreau. One of Barack Obama s speechwriters
• Companion: Mark Ronson. Engaged briefly in 2003; no longer together
• Companion: Seth Meyers.
• Companion: Tobey Maguire. Rumored to have briefly dated
Education
• Harvard University, Cambridge , Massachusetts, Religion, Bachelors of Arts, B.A., 1997
• The Buckley School, Sherman Oaks , California
Milestones
• 1989 Visited an ashram in India at age 13 and converted to Hinduism
• 1997 Featured in the CBS miniseries Mario Puzo s The Last Don
• 1999 Acted in the festival-screened independent drama East of A
• 2000 Cast in the controversial Fox drama Boston Public as the sharp-witted assistant to principal Harper (Chi McBride)
• 2000 Guest starred on an episode of Freaks and Geeks (NBC) playing high school tough Karen Scarfolli
• 2000 Played a feminist in the 1972 segment of HBO s well-made lesbian-themed anthology If These Walls Could Talk 2
• 2002 Appeared on stage in L.A. with mother and uncle in the one-act play Pitching to the Star
• 2004 Cast opposite Brittany Murphy in the romantic comedy Little Black Book
• 2006 Joined the cast of NBC s The Office in the third season as a love interest to Jim Halpert (John Krasinski)
• 2008 Cast in the Farrelly brothers produced sitcom, Unhitched (Fox)
• 2009 Cast opposite Amy Poehler in the NBC comedy, Parks and Recreation
• 2009 Played Paul Rudd s fiance in I Love You, Man
• Film acting debut in the as yet unreleased independent romantic comedy Myth America (lensed 1996)
Andrew Garfield
Sep 14th
Actor Andrew Garfield arrived on the Hollywood scene in the mid- to late 2000s, with supporting roles in a pair of big-screen releases: he performed alongside Robert Redford, Tom Cruise, and Meryl Streep in Redford‘s directorial outing Lions for Lambs (2007) and then signed for a part in Terry Gilliam‘s fanciful morality tale Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus (2009). ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
Joseph Mazzello
Sep 14th
A bright, expressive child actor of TV and film with impressive range, Joseph Mazzello gained widespread attention as Tim, the grandson of Richard Attenborough, who is beset by dinosaurs in “Jurassic Park” (1993). His previous credits include “Presumed Innocent” (1990) and “Radio Flyer” (1992), as one of two brothers dealing with an abusive alcoholic stepfather. Working with Sir Richard in Spielberg’s mammoth blockbuster led to a supporting role in the more modest, Attenborough-directed “Shadowlands” (1993) as the reserved American son of a professor (Debra Winger) who falls in love with writer C.S. Lewis (Anthony Hopkins). He had another illustrious mom, Meryl Streep, in the solid actioner “The River Wild” (1994). One of Hollywood’s hottest kid stars, Mazzello starred opposite Louis Gossett Jr. in “A Father for Charlie” (CBS, 1995), a superior TV-movie set in the Ozarks during the Depression. More recently, Mazzello co-starred as the best friend of the title character in “Simon Birch” (1998).
- Also Credited As:
Joe Mazzello, Joseph Mazzello III
- Born:
Joseph Mazzello III on September 21, 1983 in Rhinebeck, New York, USA
- Job Titles:
Actor
Family
- Brother: John Mazzello. Born c. 1987
- Father: Joseph Mazzello Jr. Owns and operates a dance studio in Hyde Park, NY
- Mother: Ginny Mazzello. Owns and operates a dance studio in Hyde Park, NY
- Sister: Mary Mazzello. Born c. 1982
Education
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
- Our Lady of Lourdes High School, Poughkeepsie, NY
Milestones
- 1990 Feature film debut, Presumed Innocent
- 1990 Made acting debut in the ABC docudrama, Unspeakable Acts
- 1992 Cast in the NBC TV-movie, Desperate Choices: To Save My Child (credited as Joe Mazzello)
- 1992 First feature lead, Radio Flyer
- 1993 Appeared as the grandson in Steven Spielberg s Jurassic Park
- 1993 Played Debra Winger s son in Shadowlands
- 1994 Cast as Meryl Streep s son in The River Wild
- 1995 Played a youth afflicted with AIDS in The Cure
- 1997 Had a cameo in Jurassic Park: The Lost World
- 1998 Played the best friend of the title character in Simon Birch, which is loosely based on John Irving s A Prayer for Owen Meany
- 2004 Had a small role in Raising Helen
- 2006 Made his directorial debut with Matters of Life and Death ; also financed and co-starred in the film
- 2010 Cast as Eugene Sledgehammer Sledge, one the the three leads, in the HBO Miniseries, The Pacific ; executive produced by Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks
Justin Timberlake
Sep 14th
Grammy-winning recording artist and actor Justin Timberlake more or less grew up in the spotlight. Making his screen debut before he was even old enough to shave, Timberlake was a cast member of the early 1990′s revamp of “The Mickey Mouse Club (The Disney Channel, 1989-1994). His greatest claim to fame, however, was as the front man for the phenomenally popular boy band N’Sync. Striking out on his own in the early 2000′s, Timberlake established credibility as a solo artist, soon eclipsing the careers of his ‘N Sync colleagues. After securing his position as one of the modern music industry’s most reliable artists – and one half of pop music’s cutest one-time couple, alongside fellow Mouseketeer Britney Spears – Timberlake made his way to Hollywood, where he sought to re-ignite his acting career with a series of bold movie roles in off-beat films.
Born on Jan. 31, 1981, Justin Randall Timberlake grew up in the suburb of Millington, TN, just outside the city of Memphis. The grandson of a Baptist mister, Timberlake was raised in the religion and even attended the same Baptist church where his father, Randall, served as choir director. Randall Timberlake and Justin’s mother, Lynn Bomar Timberlake, divorced in 1985. However, Lynn remained an active part of her son’s life and career well into his adulthood. Showing a proclivity for singing early on, the 11-year-old Timberlake appeared as a contestant on “Star Search” (Synd., 1983-1995) in 1993. Performing under the stage moniker of “Justin Randall,” Timberlake crooned cute country-western tunes to an appreciative audience. While he did not go home a winner that night, Timberlake’s career was officially launched.
Soon after his “Star Search” appearance, Timberlake was tapped by an Orlando casting for a remake of the popular children’s variety series, “The Mickey Mouse Club.” The cast proved to be a talented assemblage – in addition to Timberlake, other cast members included Timberlake’s future girlfriend, Spears, future tour mate Christina Aguilera and future ‘N Sync band member, J.C. Chasez. It was Timberlake and his short-cropped curly blonde hair – with his burgeoning dancing and singing talents frequently on display – who emerged as one of the show’s brightest stars.
After “The Mickey Mouse Club” ended production in 1995, Timberlake was recruited by singer Chris Kirkpatrick and music producer Lou Pearlman to be a member of a new all-male vocal group. To help fill the remaining ranks, Timberlake recommended his fellow Mouseketeer, J.C. Chasez. Along with J y Fatone and Lance Bass, the photogenic quintet was dubbed N Sync (or *NSYNC, as it was often stylized). Launching their careers in Germany first, the group later conquered U.S. charts. Their first album, 1998′s self-titled *NSYNC spawned a number of Top 40 hits, most notably the chart topper “Tearin’ Up My Heart” and the saccharine sweet puppy lust ballad, “God Must Have Spent a Little More Time On You.” N Sync’s next effort, 2000′s No Strings Attached, fared even better, selling over 2.4 million albums in its first week – eventually becoming the group’s fastest selling album of all time.
Not surprisingly, expectations ran extraordinarily high for their next album, 2001′s Celebrity. Although the album did well – eventually selling well over 5 million units – sales for Celebrity fell far short of the 15 million copies sold of No Strings Attached. Soon after the completion of the Celebrity tour in 2002, ‘N Sync issued a press release stating that the group would be taking a sabbatical from the recording studio. As expected, Timberlake used the time off to pursue his long-rumored solo project. Tired of his squeaky-clean image, Timberlake actively sought out help from hip-hop producers Pharrell Williams and Timbaland to help him craft a sexier, edgier new sound. Mindful of his old fan base, Timberlake also hired R&B singer-producer Brian McKnight to polish his sexy pop-friendly ballads. Released on Nov. 5, 2002, Justified debuted at #2 on the charts and eventually went seven times platinum. In addition to winning the Grammy for Best Pop Vocal Album of the year, Justified also spawned a Grammy-winning single “Cry Me a River” – and a video that so obviously took a swipe at his now ex-girlfriend Spears.
Alas, Timberlake’s road to success was not without its share of bumps In February 2004, the singer found himself thrust into the center of controversy as the result of a performance during the Super Bowl XXXVIII half-time show. Scheduled to sing “Rock the Body” live on-stage alongside Janet Jackson, Timberlake surprised audiences with an especially sultry rendition and sexually suggestive choreography. At the climax of the song, Timberlake tore off a part of Jackson’s black leather outfit as part of a planned costume reveal. As part of her outfit detached, however, Jackson’s right breast – complete with metal nipple cover – was briefly exposed before 140 million viewers worldwide. The fallout from this so-called “wardrobe malfunction” was surprisingly intense. The next day, CBS (the network that aired the Super Bowl that year) issued a press release, expressing outrage over the incident. Pressured into offering a mea culpa, Timberlake publicly apologized for the boob-boo at the 2004 Grammy Awards. For her part, Jackson seemed less contrite. Ironically enough, as a result, it was she – much more so than Timberlake – who ended up taking the brunt of the controversy.
The only thing hotter than Timberlake’s recording career was his personal life. Between 1998 to 2007, Timberlake was romantically linked with a bevy of A-list starlets and songstresses, starting with pop queen and former Mouseketeer, Spears. The relationship ended after four years in 2002 amid speculations of her infidelity – which he had so blatantly revealed to the world with his “Cry Me a River” video, complete w/ a cheating Britney look-a-like – but the two remained friendly after the break-up. After his split with Spears, Timberlake entered into another long-term romance, this time with actress, Cameron Diaz. The love connection between these two young, beautiful, and highly successful individuals lasted nearly four years, during which time the athletic twosome graced the covers of countless supermarket tabloids, often seeing golfing or surfing. In early 2007, however, the couple confirmed what many gossip columnists had predicted by splitting up. Timberlake reportedly wasted no time re-embracing his bachelorhood. Following his break-up with Diaz, Timberlake was publicly spotted in the company of some of Tinseltown’s hottest ingénues, including a rumored Jessica Biel and Scarlett Johansson.
In September 2006, Timberlake released his second solo album, FutureSex/LoveSounds, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard charts. To promote the album, Timberlake appeared on “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 1975- ) as both guest host and musical guest. The highlight of the evening was a mock music video that featured Timberlake and “S.N.L.” regular Andy Samberg for a song called “D*ck in a Box.” Shockingly vulgar and riotously funny, “D*ck in a Box” quickly gained a cult following on the internet, becoming one of the most downloaded video clips on YouTube.com. In addition to spawning two hit singles – “SexyBack” and “My Love (featuring T.I.)” – FutureSex/LoveSounds also garnered Timberlake two more Grammys for Best Dance Recording and Best Rap/Collaboration.
Hot off his latest musical triumphs, Timberlake launched his screen-acting career in 2007. Though Timberlake had a few small film roles in the past – such as in the 2006 direct-to-video thriller, “Edison Force” – Timberlake’s first true role of substance was as Frankie Ballenbacher in director Nick Cassavettes’ “Alpha Dog” (2007). Based on the true-life story of baby-faced drug dealer, Jesse James Hollywood, “Alpha Dog” fared poorly at the box office, despite a strong marketing push from Universal Pictures. Timberlake’s next project, the unsettling “Black Snake Moan” (2007) did nominally better, but reception of Timberlake’s performance was decidedly mixed. Timberlake was such a hot property on so many levels, however, that Hollywood hardly cared, lining up to land the singer-turned-actor for roles in future film projects. After earning a Grammy nod in 2008 for his collaboration with Madonna on “4 Minutes” off her Hard Candy album, Timberlake received an Emmy Award win in 2009 for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series for his hosting stint on “Saturday Night Live” (NBC, 1975- ), in which he reunited with cast member Samberg for their hilariously inappropriate follow-up video to “D*ck in a Box” – “MotherLover.”
- Also Credited As:
Justin Randall, Justin Randall Timberlake
- Born:
Justin Randall Timberlake on January 31, 1981 in Memphis, Tennessee, USA
- Job Titles:
Singer, Songwriter, Actor, Producer
Family
- Father: Randall Timberlake. Divorced Justin’s mother c. 1985; remarried and had two more children with his second wife
- Half-Brother: Jonathan. Born c. 1993
- Half-Brother: Steven. Born c. 1998
- Mother: Lynn Harless. Divorced Justin’s father c. 1985; remarried; runs an entertainment company called Just-in Time Entertainment
- Step-Father: Paul Harless.
- Step-Mother: Lisa Timberlake.
Significant Others
- Companion: Alyssa Milano.
- Companion: Britney Spears. Appeared together on The Mickey Mouse Club (Disney); confirmed relationship in 2000; split in 2002
- Companion: Cameron Diaz. Began dating June 2003; split in December 2006
- Companion: Janet Jackson.
- Companion: Jessica Biel. First linked at the 2007 Golden Globes
Milestones
- 1992 Competed on the talent series Star Search (syndicated) billed as Justin Randall; was awarded 3-and-a-half stars but lost
- 1993 Was a regular on the Disney Channel variety series The Mickey Mouse Club
- 1995 Formed the pop group *NSYNC with four other young singers, including former MMC co-star J.C. Chasez
- 1998 *NSYNC released the holiday album Home for Christmas
- 1998 *NSYNC released their self-titled American debut album, spawning the hits I Want You Back and Tearing Up My Heart
- 1999 *NSYNC sued Pearlman and his record company, Trans Continental, for defrauding the group of more than 50% of their earnings; Pearlman countersued for $150 million for breach of contract; the injunction was thrown out of court and *NSYNC signed with Jive Records
- 2000 *NSYNC released No Strings Attached to record-breaking debut week sales of 2.4 million
- 2000 Co-starred in the ABC TV-movie Model Behavior
- 2000 Featured in the HBO concert special *NSYNC Live at Madison Square Garden
- 2001 Lent his voice to an episode of The Simpsons (FOX) that featured cartoon likenesses of *NSYNC
- 2001 With *NSYNC, starred in the IMAX concert film *NSYNC: Bigger Than Live, a chronicle of their No Strings Attached tour
- 2002 Appeared in the feature Long Shot ; film produced by Trans Continental Pictures, owned by *NSYNC manager Lou Pearlman
- 2002 Released first solo album Justified ; received 5 grammy nominations
- 2003 With entrepreneurs Art and Allan Davis, opened a bar called Chi in Hollywood, California
- 2004 Performed with Janet Jackson at Superbowl XXXVIII halftime show; resulted in scandle when a bodice-ripping stunt exposed Janet Jackson s pierced nipple
- 2004 Signed on to cohost a Motown 45th anniversary TV special with Lionel Richie
- 2005 Film debut as a young journalist who discovers an elite team of corrupt police officers in Edison, opposite Kevin Spacey and Morgan Freeman (released straight to DVD)
- 2006 Co-starred with SNL s Andy Samberg in the popular, digital short, Dick in a Box a parody of R&B sex ballad videos from the early 1990s; also contributed to the lyrics
- 2006 Co-wrote and co-produced the tracks on his sophomore album, FutureSex/LoveSounds ; earned 4 Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year
- 2007 Co-starred with Samuel L. Jackson, and Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan
- 2007 Earned five Grammy nominations for his collaborations with 50 Cent, Timbaland and Nelly Furtado and for the single What Goes Around…/…Comes Around, from the album FutureSex/LoveSounds
- 2007 Partnered with Interscope Records to launch his own label, Tennman Records; Timberlake will serve as chairman and CEO
- 2007 Voiced Artie, King Harold s rebellious nephew in Shrek the Third
- 2008 Earned a Grammy nomination for his collaboration with Madonna on the song 4 Minutes for her Hard Candy album
- 2009 Earned three Grammy nominations for his collaboration with T.I. on the song, Dead and Gone and with Ciara on the song, Love Sex Magic ; Timberlake also co-wrote and co-produced both songs
Jesse Eisenberg
Sep 14th
Unlike many young actors trying to build their careers, Jesse Eisenberg had the luxury of choosing artistically fulfilling roles while occasionally balancing higher-profile parts in major studio films. Though he made his first onscreen strides on television, Eisenberg made a distinct impression as a teenager who is looking to become a man in the indie drama, “Roger Dodger” (2002). While he was lost in the shuffle of M. Night Shyamalan’s “The Village” (2004), he earned strong critical praise for his performance in “The Squid and the Whale” (2005), a semi-autobiographical coming-of-age drama directed by Noah Baumbach. Following major supporting roles in “Cursed” (2005) and “The Hunting Party” (2007), Eisenberg had his mainstream breakout with a starring role as a nebbish survivor of the zombie apocalypse in the surprise horror comedy hit, “Zombieland” (2009). Thanks to the success of that movie, Eisenberg had established himself as a talented and accomplished performer on the cusp of becoming a major star.
Born Oct. 5, 1983 in Bayside, Queens, NY, Eisenberg was raised by his father, Barry, a former hospital administrator who later became a college professor, and his mother, Amy, a professional clown. Also in the family was his sister, Hallie Kate, who became known in the late 1990s after starring in a series of popular Pepsi commercials. Though she became famous for being the curly-cued Pepsi girl, Eisenberg embarked on his own acting career, making his Broadway debut in a revival of Tennessee Williams’ “Summer and Smoke” (1996). Two years later, he received good reviews for his part in “The Broadway Kids Sing Broadway,” a national touring company that featured kids 8-16 performing wholesome, child-oriented entertainment. After moving with the family to New Jersey when he was 16, where he attended East Brunswick High School, Eisenberg made his television debut in the short-lived series “Get Real” (Fox, 1999-2000), an irreverent dramedy about a dysfunctional San Francisco family that also starred a young Anne Hathaway. He followed with “Lightning: Fire from the Sky” (ION, 2001), which paired him with John Schneider as a father-son duo who struggle to save their Missouri town from a potentially destructive storm.
Eisenberg took the next step in his career with a starring role in “Roger Dodger” (2002), an independent comedy about a teenager who turns to his ladies’ man uncle (Campbell Scott) in New York City for help chatting up women and losing his virginity. The young actor more than held his own against Scott, Isabella Rossellini, Jennifer Beals and Elizabeth Berkley in the dark, disturbing flick. Following “Roger Dodger,” Eisenberg moved toward larger studio films, though he traded off with small supporting roles. After playing a party-minded student being tasked to better himself by a dedicated private school teacher in “The Emperor’s Club” (2002), Eisenberg had a small part in M. Night Shyamalan’s supernatural thriller, “The Village” (2004). Eisenberg next received good reviews and much attention for his role in “The Squid and the Whale” (2005), writer-director Noah Baumbach’s coming-of-age drama about two young boys (Eisenberg and Owen Kline) dealing with the divorce of their parents (Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney). The film earned considerable critical praise and several award nominations, including a nod for Best Supporting Male at the Independent Spirit Awards for Eisenberg.
Having proven himself a qualified up-and-comer, Eisenberg followed a supporting turn in Wes Craven’s horror thriller “Cursed” (2005) with “The Hunting Party” (2007), a comedic crime thriller about three journalists (Eisenberg, Richard Gere and Terrence Howard) who make a half-hearted attempt at capturing an alleged architect of ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, only to be mistaken for CIA agents. Eisenberg became a bona fide star with the hit horror comedy, “Zombieland” (2009), in which he played a neurosis-laden nerd forced into survival mode following the zombie apocalypse. Joining a bad-ass Zombie hunter (Woody Harrelson) and two scamming sisters (Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin), he fights off an ever-increasing horde – and has an unfortunate confrontation with actor Bill Murray – on his way to Pacific Playland, where all hope to recapture some sense of normalcy. A surprise hit, “Zombieland” was both bitingly funny and chock full of gory violence, all of which added up to a successful run at the box office. Meanwhile, Eisenberg starred in two indie coming-of-age dramas, “The Education of Charlie Banks” (2009) and “Adventureland” (2009), before being seen in a slew of smaller films the following year, including “The Living Wake” (2010), “Solitary Man” (2010) and “Holy Rollers” (2010).
- Also Credited As:
Jesse Adam Eisenberg
- Born:
Jesse Adam Eisenberg on October 5, 1983 in Queens, New York, USA
- Job Titles:
Actor
Family
- Father: Barry Eisenberg. Formerly ran a hospital and later became a college professor
- Mother: Amy Eisenberg.
- Sister: Hallie Kate Eisenberg. Born in 1992; best known for a series of Pepsi commercials and for roles in The Insider (1999) and Bicentennial Man (1999)
- Sister: Kerri Eisenberg.
Education
- East Brunswick High School, East Brunswick, NJ
- The New School, New York, NY
Milestones
- 1996 Made his Broadway debut as an understudy in a revival of Summer and Smoke
- 1999 First TV role was on the FOX series, Get Real
- 2002 First lead role was in the independent comedy, Roger Dodger
- 2002 Played a student in Kevin Kline’s prep-school class in The Emperor s Club
- 2005 Co-starred in the Wes craven directed horror film, Cursed
- 2005 Played Jeff Daniels and Laura Linney’s eldest son in Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and the Whale
- 2007 Played a young journalist in The Hunting Party
- 2009 Joined an ensemble cast for Adventureland ; directed by Greg Mottola
- 2009 Starred in the Fred Durst directed The Education of Charlie Banks
- Became a member of the popular youth singing group, The Broadway Kids
