Mila Kunis

Mila Kunis,

Milena "Mila" Kunis ( /miːlə kuːnɪs/ born Milena Markivna Kunis (Ukrainian: Мілена Марківна Куніс; Russian: Милена Маркοвна Кунис)on August 14, 1983) is an American actress. Her television work includes the role of Jackie Burkhart on That '70s Show and the voice of Meg Griffin on the animated series Family Guy. She has also played roles in film, such as Rachel Jansen in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Mona Sax in Max Payne and Solara in The Book of Eli.

Early life

Mila Kunis was born in Chernivtsi,in the Ukrainian SSR of the Soviet Union, to a Jewish family. Her mother, Elvira, is a physics teacher and drug store manager, and her father, Mark Kunis, is a mechanical engineer and cab company executive. She has an older brother, Michael. Her family moved to Los Angeles, California, in 1991.

Kunis said that a lottery system allowed her family to make the move: "It took about five years. If you got chosen the first time around, you went to Moscow, where there was another lottery, and you maybe got chosen again. Then you could come to the States." On her second day in Los Angeles, she was enrolled at Rosewood Elementary School not knowing a word of English. "I blocked out second grade," she says. "I don’t remember, but my mom tells me that I came home and cried every day. I wasn’t that traumatized. It was just a shock." Kunis added: "I didn't understand the culture. I didn't understand the people. I didn't understand the language. My first sentence of my essay to get into college was like, 'Imagine being blind and deaf at age seven.' And that's kind of what it felt like moving to the States."

Despite reports to the contrary, Kunis did not learn English from watching The Price Is Right. In Los Angeles, she attended Hubert Howe Bancroft Middle School. She was mostly taught by an on-set tutor for her high school years while filming That '70s Show. When not on the set, she attended Fairfax High School, where she graduated in 2001. She briefly attended UCLA and Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Career

Early career

At age nine, Kunis took acting classes after school at the Beverly Hills Studios, where she met her first and still current manager Susan Curtis. Said Kunis: "My parents told her, 'Listen, we can’t afford head shots; we can’t afford anything. We can’t take her to auditions because we work full-time.' ... [Curtis] said, 'Don’t worry. I’ll fix everything,' and she did. I ended up getting the first thing I went out for, which was a Barbie commercial. All my parents said was, 'You can do whatever you want to do as long as you get A's and stay in school.'" Kunis began appearing in print-ads, catalogues, and TV commercials for children's products like Lisa Frank products, Mattel's Barbie, and Payless Shoes. She also modeled for a Guess girls' clothing campaign. Her first TV role was as the young Hope Williams on an episode of the popular soap opera Days of our Lives.She had a minor role on 7th Heaven as Lucy's nemesis and supporting roles in Santa with Muscles, Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves, and the Angelina Jolie film Gia, as Gia Carangi's younger self.

In 1998 Kunis was cast as Jackie Burkhart in the Fox sitcom That '70s Show. All who auditioned were required to be at least 18 years old; Kunis, who was 14 at the time, told the casting directors she’d be 18 but didn't say when. Though they eventually figured it out, the producers still thought Kunis was the best fit for the role. That '70s Show ran for eight seasons, becoming the second longest-running live-action sitcom on Fox (after Married with Children). Kunis expressed some frustration with working on one show for so long. "Eight years of doing the same [show] felt like being behind a desk, and I lost my drive," she says. However, she quickly "had an epiphany. I decided I wasn't going to take my career so seriously and make my job who I am. I just want to be happy with my life."

Family Guy

Kunis on a panel for Family Guy at the 2009 Comic Con in San Diego.

In 1999, Kunis replaced Lacey Chabert in the role of Meg Griffin on the animated television sitcom Family Guy, created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series plot centers on a family called the Griffins, a dysfunctional family. The series starred MacFarlane, Alex Borstein, Seth Green and Mike Henry. Kunis won the role after auditions and a slight rewrite of the character, in part due to her performance on That '70s Show. MacFarlane called Kunis back after her first audition, instructing her to speak slower, and then told her to come back another time and enunciate more. Once she claimed that she had it under control, MacFarlane hired her. MacFarlane added: "What Mila Kunis brought to it was in a lot of ways, I thought, almost more right for the character. I say that Lacey did a phenomenal job, but there was something about Mila – something very natural about Mila. She was 15 when she started, so you were listening to a 15-year-old. Which oftentimes with animation they'll have adult actors doing the voices of teenagers and they always sound like Saturday morning voices. They sound, oftentimes, very forced. She had a very natural quality to Meg that really made what we did with that character kind of really work."

Kunis described her character as "the scapegoat." She further explained, "Meg gets picked on a lot. But it's funny. It's like the middle child. She is constantly in the state of being an awkward 14-year-old, when you're kind of going through puberty and what-not. She's just in perpetual mode of humiliation. And it's fun."

Kunis was nominated for an Annie Award in the category of Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production in 2007.She also voiced Meg in the Family Guy video game.

Early film work (2001–2007)

In 2001, she appeared in Get Over It opposite Kirsten Dunst. She followed that up in 2002 by starring in the straight-to-DVD horror film American Psycho 2 alongside William Shatner which was a sequel to the 2000 film American Psycho starring Christian Bale. American Psycho 2 was panned by critics; later, Kunis herself expressed embarrassment over the film.

In 2004 Kunis starred in Tony n' Tina's Wedding. Although the film was shot in 2004, it did not have a theatrical release until 2007. Most critics didn't like the film, which mustered a 25% approval from Rotten Tomatoes.DVD talk concluded that "fans would be much better off pretending the movie never happened in the first place".

That same year Kunis was in the never-released film Tom 51, a comedy about a young man who goes through 50 jobs before winding up as a driver for a call-girl service. Kunis worked with Clifton Collins, Jr. on the project, who later went on to be one of her co-stars in Extract.

In 2005 Kunis co-starred with Jon Heder in Moving McAllister, which was not released theatrically until 2007. The film received generally poor reviews and had a limited two week run in theaters.

While doing press for the film, writer and co-star Ben Gourley spoke fondly about the overall experience of working with Kunis, stating: "She’s happiest around people, talking, hanging out, experiencing life. I don’t think she spent over ten minutes a day in her trailer. She was always outside hanging out with the crew, rehearsing or talking to fans. She’s accepting of everyone she meets."

She followed up that project with After Sex playing alongside Zoe Saldana (who also appeared in Get Over It). In October 2006 she began filming Boot Camp (originally titled Straight Edge). The story centered around a group of troubled teens, sent to a rehabilitation program housed in a remote camp on the island of Fiji. What their parents believe is a state-of-the-art deluxe institution in a beautiful natural environment turns out to be a prison-like boot camp where they are abused and brainwashed. Although the film did not have a theatrical release in the United States, it was released on DVD on August 25, 2009.

Breakthrough (2008–2010)

Kunis was featured as Rachel Jansen in the 2008 movie Forgetting Sarah Marshall, co-produced by Judd Apatow. She had originally auditioned for Apatow for the film Knocked Up. Although she did not get the part, the audition led to the role in Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Kunis said that the improvisation in the film was challenging, but "the best kind of challenging [...] a great exercise." The film garnered positive reviews and was a commercial success, grossing $105 million worldwide. Kunis's performance was well-received; Joe Morgenstern of The Wall Street Journal praised her "fresh beauty and focused energy", while James Berardinelli wrote that she is "adept with her performance and understands the concept of comic timing". She was nominated for a Teen Choice Award.In an interview, Kunis stated: "I give Judd Apatow so much love for hiring me and letting me do something different, letting me break free of That ‘70s Show, letting me show that I could do something outside of Jackie."

Also in 2008, she starred alongside Mark Wahlberg in the action movie Max Payne, portraying Mona Sax, a Russian assassin. The film is based on the popular video game of the same name. Kunis underwent gun training for her role. She stated about her training: "It's crazy. I had never fired a gun before and here I am playing an assassin. But let me tell you, I'm really great at shooting guns now! The physical part of this film has definitely been fun. I did some boxing and a little bit of martial arts work."

Max Payne was relatively successful at the box office, grossing $85 million worldwide but was panned by critics with several reviewers calling Kunis miscast. Director John Moore supported Kunis and had no qualms with the decision to cast her. "Mila just bowled us over," says Moore. "She wasn't an obvious choice, but she just wears Mona so well. We needed someone who would not be just a fop or foil to Max; we needed somebody who had to be that character and convey her own agenda. I think Mila's just knocked it out of the park." For Kunis, the role presented a chance to explore new territory as an actor. "I've always wanted to be in an action movie. Mona is fierce and feisty and not willing to play second fiddle to anyone. I'd say that she and Max are very evenly matched." She was nominated for another Teen Choice Award for her role in the film.

In 2009, she appeared in the comedy Extract with Ben Affleck and Jason Bateman. The film received mostly positive reviews and grossed $10.8 million at the box office. Justin Chang of Variety called Kunis "fine",and Roger Ebert, while criticizing Extract for not being believable, wrote that Kunis "brings her role to within shouting distance of credibility." Director Mike Judge commented that part of what was surprising to learn about Kunis was her ability to make references to the cult animation film Rejected. Judge said: "As beautiful as Mila is, you could believe that maybe she would cross paths with you in the real world." After seeing Kunis perform in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Judge wanted to cast her in the role of Cindy in Extract: "I just thought, 'Wow, this girl’s perfect.' And she really wanted to do it, which was fantastic." Said Kunis, "I’m a huge fan of Mike Judge's from Office Space, so I was, like, 'Okay, this is a very easy decision.' I told them I would do anything needed to be in this production – like craft service, or, say, acting."

In 2010, she starred alongside Denzel Washington in the action film The Book of Eli. Although the film received mixed reviews, it has performed well at the box office grossing over $157 million worldwide. Film critic Richard Roeper praised Kunis's performance calling it a "particularly strong piece of work". Several other reviews were equally positive of her performance, including Pete Hammond of Boxoffice magazine, who wrote that she's "ideally cast in the key female role" Even reviewers who did not necessarily like the film complimented her performance, such as James Berardinelli who stated that "the demands of the role prove to be within her range, which is perhaps surprising considering she has been thus far pigeonholed into more lightweight parts" and Colin Covert of the Star Tribune who wrote that she "generated a spark and brought a degree of determination to her character, developing an independent female character who’s not always in need of rescuing." Some critics, however, called her miscast. Kunis received another Teen Choice Award nomination for her performance.The directors of The Book of Eli, the Hughes brothers, appreciated Kunis's ability to convey vulnerability mixed with boldness and optimism. Albert Hughes stated: "Mila is a firecracker. She plays Solara in a way that lets you watch her grow."

Kunis was also cast in a minor role in the 2010 comedy Date Night starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell. She garnered several positive reviews for her performance. Frank Scheck of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that she played her role "with enjoyable comic relish."

Future projects

She and Natalie Portman play rival ballet dancers in Darren Aronofsky's upcoming Black Swan. The film is set to premiere as the opening film at the 67th Venice International Film Festival in September 2010. The film is also scheduled for a gala screening at the 35th Toronto International Film Festival later that month and then its initial release to the public a few months later on December 1, 2010.

"She electrified me and made the screen sizzle. I instantly knew I wanted to work with her."

Darren Aronofsky on casting Kunis in Black Swan after seeing her in Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008).

Kunis took ballet training to prepare for her role in Black Swan. The training was grueling, requiring one hour of cardio followed by four hours of ballet seven days a week. She was restricted to a 1200-calorie a day diet ("because I have to have bones sticking out") so she was looking forward to the final day of production.

Kunis was cast alongside Justin Timberlake in the romantic comedy Friends with Benefits about two friends who try to take their relationship to the next level. The film is set to begin production in July 2010. Kunis is also slated to star in Cover Girl , the latest romantic comedy from Donald Petrie. The production is expected to begin shooting in Cambridge, England in September 2010.

Media publicity

Kunis was ranked #54 in Stuff's "102 Sexiest Women in the World" (2002); Maxim named her #47 on its 2006 Hot 100 list. In 2008, she was ranked #81 on the Maxim Hot 100 list. She was also ranked #81 on the FHM U.S 100 Sexiest Women in the World 2008, although she is unranked in other FHM magazines from different nations. Kunis was also described as one of the "most attractive geeks" in 2008 by Wired.com due to her much-publicized affinity for World of Warcraft. The same year she was featured and on the cover of the October issue of Complex Magazine.

In 2007 Kunis participated in a video for the website Funny or Die playing alongside James Franco. The video was a parody of the MTV show The Hills and was a huge success for the website with well over one million views. Shawn Levy, director of Date Night, stated that part of what made him decide to cast Kunis with James Franco in the film was the chemistry he felt they had in the Funny or Die video.

In December 2008, Kunis was featured in Gap's "Shine Your Own Star" Christmas campaign with other celebrities such as Jennifer Hudson, Jason Bateman, Mary-Louise Parker, Jon Heder, and others.

In 2009 she was ranked #5 in "Maxim Magazine's Hot 100" list.[82] In addition, she won the award for "Hottest Mila" at the 2009 Spike Guys' Choice Awards beating out Milla Jovovich.Also in 2009 Premiere.com ranked Mila the most beautiful woman in Hollywood. In 2010 she was featured in the "Women We Love" segment in Esquire with an accompanied video. For the 2010 "Maxim Magazine Hot 100" Kunis ranked #22, and for the 2010 FHM Hot 100 list she ranked #17. Kunis has kept this type of media attention in perspective and has remained grounded by saying: "You've got to base your career on something other than being FHM's top 100 No. 1 girl. Your looks are going to die out, and then what's going to be left?"

In 2010 Kunis served with Randy Jackson as the Master of Ceremonies for the 9th Annual Chrysalis Foundation Benefit. The Chrysalis Foundation is a Los Angeles-based non-profit organization formed to help economically disadvantaged and homeless individuals to become self-sufficient through employment opportunities.

Personal life

Kunis has spoken with affection about her parents and has credited them for being a positive influence and keeping her focused on what is important in life. "I had a normal upbringing and went to public school," she says. "If I ever, even for a second, started getting a big head, I was brought back to reality pretty quickly. My parents are why I'm pretty grounded." Kunis has been dating actor Macaulay Culkin since 2002.Although there have been rumors of the couple getting married, Kunis has denied this, saying:

"I've been engaged. I think I've already been married. And I'm sure I have a child somewhere. I'm waiting to have something else happen. No, I'm not married. And no, I'm not engaged. And no, I do not have a child. No one seems to listen. And next week I'll be engaged again. I think, at one point, they were like, 'Seen shopping in Beverly Hills for engagement rings.' We were in Japan working. What is wrong with these people? Half the time you can say they misconstrued facts. But, more often than not, they just make stuff up."

In an interview with BlackBook Magazine Kunis stated that marriage is "not something that’s important to me". Regarding her relationship with Culkin she said she tries her best to protect their privacy. "We don't talk about it to the press. It's already more high profile than I want it to be." When questioned if it was difficult to stay out of the tabloids and press, Kunis responded: "I keep my personal life as personal as I physically, mentally, possibly can." Asked if that is difficult she said, "I don't care. I will go to my grave trying. It is hard, but I'll end up going to a bar that's a hole in the wall. I won't go to the "it's-happening" place."

She has identified herself in interviews as a fan of the online computer game World of Warcraft and has received a certain amount of attention from the game's fan community as a result. She has not released what server she is in but says she is with her close friends in the Alliance. In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, she said she does not use voice chat in the game after another player recognized her voice. Although Kunis has described herself as a "computer nerd" she does not have a Myspace, Facebook or Twitter account.

In an interview with H Magazine Kunis stated that she does not devote as much time to World of Warcraft anymore, but enjoys hanging out with her friends when she can. "When we have ‘friends night’ and we all get together, we play board games like The Settlers of Catan." She also mentioned that she and her friends enjoy doing Murder Mystery tours, where they drive around the Los Angeles area exploring locations of famous murders that have taken place. Kunis also enjoys traveling, and often goes on trips with her older brother, Michael. She and Michael have explored countries such as Fiji and Korea. "I like the way he travels," she explains. "He grabs a map, says, 'Let's walk,' and makes you explore."

When asked to describe her perfect day Kunis said: "It would be going for a swim, lazing around the house, playing with my dogs, drinking a root beer float, catching up on TiVo, having some food, a glass of wine and calling it a night."

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes

1995 Make a Wish, Molly Melinda

1995 Piranha Susie Grogan Television movie

1996 Santa with Muscles Sarah

1997 Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves Jill, Party Guest Direct-to-video

1998 Gia Gia at Age 11 Television movie

1998 Krippendorf's Tribe Abbey Tournquist

1998 Milo Martice Uncredited

2001 Get Over It Basin

2002 American Psycho 2 Rachael Direct-to-DVD

2004 Tony n' Tina's Wedding Tina

2005 Tom 51 Little Boy Matson also known as Tom Cool

2005 Stewie Griffin: The Untold Story Meg Griffin (Voice) Direct-to-DVD

2007 After Sex Nikki

2007 Moving McAllister Michelle

2007 Boot Camp Sophie

2008 Forgetting Sarah Marshall Rachel Jansen

2008 Max Payne Mona Sax

2009 Extract Cindy

2010 The Book of Eli Solara

2010 Date Night Whippit

2010 Black Swan Lily post-production

TBA Friends with Benefits filming

Television

Year Title Role Notes

1994–

1995 Baywatch Anne

Bonnie Episodes: "Aftershock"

"Hot Stuff"

1995 The John Larroquette Show Lucy 1 episode

1995 Hudson Street Devon 1 episode

1996 Unhappily Ever After Chloe 1 episode

1996–

1997 Nick Freno: Licensed Teacher Anna-Maria Del Bono 5 episodes

1996–

1997 7th Heaven Ashley 4 episodes

1997 Walker, Texas Ranger Pepper Episode: "Last Hope"

1998 Pensacola: Wings of Gold Jessie Kerwood 1 episode

1998–

2006 That '70s Show Jackie Burkhart 200 episodes

2002 Get Real Taylor Vaughn 2 episodes

2002 MADtv Daisy 1 episode

2004 Grounded for Life Lana Episodes: "Space Camp Oddity"

"The Policy of Truth"

2000–

present Family Guy Meg Griffin (Voice) 114 episodes

2005–

present Robot Chicken Various (Voice) 10 episodes

2009 The Cleveland Show Meg Griffin (Voice) Episode: "Pilot"

Music videos

Year Title Artist

1999 In The Street Cheap Trick

2000 The Itch Vitamin C

2001 Rock and Roll All Nite KISS

2001 Jaded Aerosmith

2003 The End Has No End The Strokes

2008 LA Girls Mams Taylor feat. Joel Madden

Video games

Year Title Role

2006 Saints Row Tanya Winters (Voice)

2006 Family Guy Video Game! Meg Griffin (Voice)

Awards and nominations

Awards

Year Award Category Film Result

1999 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Series – Young Ensemble That '70s Show Nominated

1999 YoungStar Award Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy TV Series That '70s Show Won

2000 Teen Choice Award TV – Choice Actress That '70s Show Nominated

2000 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Series – Young Ensemble That '70s Show Nominated

2000 YoungStar Award Best Young Actress/Performance in a Comedy TV Series That '70s Show Won

2001 Teen Choice Award TV – Choice Actress That '70s Show Nominated

2001 Young Artist Award Best Performance in a TV Comedy Series – Leading Young Actress That '70s Show Nominated

2002 Teen Choice Award TV – Choice Actress That '70s Show Nominated

2002 Young Hollywood Award One to Watch – Female That '70s Show Won

2003 Teen Choice Award Choice TV Actress – Comedy That '70s Show Nominated

2004 Teen Choice Award Choice TV Actress – Comedy That '70s Show Nominated

2005 Teen Choice Award Choice – TV Actress: Comedy That '70s Show Nominated

2006 Teen Choice Award TV – Choice Actress: Comedy That '70s Show Nominated

2007 Annie Award Best Voice Acting in an Animated Television Production Family Guy Nominated

2008 Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Breakout Female Forgetting Sarah Marshall Nominated

2009 Guys Choice Awards Hottest Mila N/A Won

2009 Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Actress: Action Adventure Max Payne Nominated

2010 Teen Choice Award Choice Movie Actress: Action Adventure The Book of Eli Nominated

(source:wikipedia)

Gary Coleman

Gary Wayne Coleman (February 8, 1968 – May 28, 2010) was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986) and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars." After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman struggled financially later in life. In 1993, he successfully sued his parents and business adviser over misappropriation of his assets.




Early life

Coleman was born in Zion, Illinois. He was adopted by Edmonia Sue, a nurse practitioner, and W.G. Coleman, a fork-lift operator. He suffered from a congenital kidney disease caused by focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (an autoimmune destruction and alteration of the kidney), which halted his growth at an early age, leading to a small stature (4 ft 8 in; 1.42 m) and a childlike appearance. He underwent two kidney transplants, one in 1973 and one in 1984, and required daily dialysis.



Career

While best known for his role on Diff'rent Strokes, Coleman had appeared earlier on The Jeffersons and on Good Times as Penny's friend Gary. He also appeared in a 1978 pilot for a revival of The Little Rascals as Stymie.



Diff'rent Strokes
Coleman was cast in the role of Arnold Jackson in the television sitcom Diff'rent Strokes, portraying one of two young African-American brothers adopted by a wealthy Caucasian widower in Manhattan. The successful show was broadcast from 1978 to 1986.
Coleman became the most popular fixture of the show, enhanced by his character's catchphrase "What'choo talkin' 'bout, Willis?" At the height of his fame on Diff'rent Strokes, he earned as much as $100,000 per episode. A Biography Channel documentary estimated he was left with a quarter of the original amount after paying his parents, advisers, lawyers, and taxes. He later successfully sued his parents and his former advisers for misappropriation of his finances and was awarded $1.3 million.
Later character appearances
Coleman became a popular figure, starring in a number of feature films and made-for-TV movies including On the Right Track and The Kid with the Broken Halo. The latter eventually served as the basis for the Hanna-Barbera-produced animated series The Gary Coleman Show in 1982.
Candidacy for Governor of California

Coleman was a candidate for governor in the 2003 California recall election. This campaign was sponsored by the free newsweekly East Bay Express as a satirical comment on the recall. After Arnold Schwarzenegger announced his candidacy, Coleman stated that he would be voting for Schwarzenegger. Coleman placed 8th in a field of 135 candidates, receiving 14,242 votes.



Avenue Q

Coleman is parodied in the hit 2003 Broadway musical Avenue Q, which won the 2004 Tony Award for best musical. A character presented as Coleman works as the superintendent of the apartment complex where the musical takes place. In the song, "It Sucks to be Me", he laments his fate. On Broadway, the role was originally played by Natalie Venetia Belcon.
The show's producers have said they originally considered asking Coleman himself to play the Gary Coleman role, and he expressed interest in doing so. However, he never showed up for a meeting scheduled to discuss it.
In 2005, Coleman announced his intention to sue the producers of Avenue Q for their depiction of him, although the lawsuit never materialized. At the 2007 New York Comic Con, Coleman said, "I wish there was a lawyer on Earth that would sue them for me."
The off-Broadway cast of Avenue Q announced that the May 28, 2010 show would be dedicated to Coleman, following his death. They released a statement saying, "The creators, producers, and company of Avenue Q are terribly saddened to hear of the death of Gary Coleman, whose tremendous gifts brought delight and inspiration to audiences around the world. While everything in life may be only for now, we suspect that Gary's legacy will live on for many years to come. Gary's memory will certainly endure in the hearts and minds of those of us who live on Avenue Q. When the show concludes tonight at 10pm at New World Stages, Danielle K. Thomas, who portrays Mr. Coleman in the musical, will pay a tribute to him from the stage."



Personal life

Coleman secretly wed his girlfriend of five months, Shannon Price, 22, on August 28, 2007. They met on the set of the 2006 comedy film Church Ball. On May 1 and 2, 2008, Coleman and his wife appeared on the show Divorce Court to air their differences in front of Judge Lynn Toler. Unlike regular Divorce Court participants, they appeared on the show with the intent to save their marriage rather than adjudicate a separation.



Legal struggles
Financial matters
In 1989, Coleman sued his parents and former business adviser over misappropriation of his $3.8 million trust fund. He won a $1,280,000 ruling on February 23, 1993. Coleman later filed for bankruptcy in 1999; he attributed his financial problems to mismanagement of his trust.



Assault
Coleman was charged with assault in 1998 after he punched a woman. He was working as a security guard, and bus driver Tracy Fields requested his autograph while he was shopping for a bulletproof vest in a California mall. The two argued about the autograph, and Fields mocked Coleman's lackluster career as an adult actor. Coleman testified that "I was getting scared, and she was getting ugly"; he said that he thought Fields was going to hit him, so he punched her. Coleman pleaded no contest and received a suspended sentence. He was also ordered to pay Fields $1,665 for hospital bills resulting from the fight.
Citation for disorderly conduct
On July 26, 2007, Coleman was cited for misdemeanor disorderly conduct by a Provo, Utah, police officer after Coleman was seen having a "heated discussion" with his wife, Shannon Price.
On July 3, 2009, Coleman and his wife were involved in a domestic dispute in which Coleman's wife was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, and both parties were cited for disorderly conduct.
Automobile accident
Coleman was involved in an automobile accident in Payson, Utah on September 6, 2008. According to Payson police, Coleman was backing up his truck in a Payson bowling alley parking lot when he allegedly hit 24-year-old Colt Rushton. According to a witness, the tire of Coleman's truck hit Rushton's knee and pulled him under the truck. Coleman's vehicle then hit another car. Rushton was transported to a local hospital, where he was treated and released with minor injuries. Police said Coleman's driving speed was not excessive. Witnesses told police the incident stemmed from an argument that started in the bowling alley after Rushton photographed Coleman. Coleman objected to Rushton taking his picture and the two men started arguing, according to witnesses. There was no citation or arrest for either man. Police said neither man would make a statement at the scene.
On December 2, 2008, Coleman pleaded no contest to charges of disorderly conduct and reckless driving. The court ordered him to pay a $100 fine for disorderly conduct. The reckless driving charge was to be waived in one year if Coleman did not commit any further violations. On January 14, 2010, Coleman settled a civil suit related to the incident for an undisclosed amount.
Domestic violence assault
On January 24, 2010, Coleman was arrested on a domestic violence assault warrant in Santaquin, Utah. Coleman was subsequently booked into the Utah County Jail  and released on January 25, 2010.



Death

Wikinews has related news: US actor Gary Coleman dies aged 42
On May 26, 2010, Coleman was admitted to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, Utah, after falling and hitting his head and suffering an epidural hematoma at his home in Santaquin, Utah. He was announced to be in critical condition. According to a hospital spokesman, Coleman was 'conscious and lucid' on the morning of Thursday May 27, but his condition subsequently worsened.  By mid-afternoon on May 27, 2010, Coleman was unconscious and on life support. He died at 12:05 p.m. MDT (18:05 UTC) on May 28, 2010.
The off-Broadway cast of Avenue Q dedicated the May 28, 2010, production of the show to Coleman, with Danielle K. Thomas, who portrays Coleman in the musical, paying tribute to him from the stage at the show's end. In the hours following his death, Gary Coleman's name became the top trending topic on social networking site Twitter. His catchphrase “What you talkin bout Willis” also made it on to the trending list as well.
Ranking Among Child Stars

United States Cable Television Channel VH1 rated Coleman first on a list of 'the 100 greatest child stars' on television.
Filmography

Film
Year Film Role Notes
1979 The Kid from Left Field Jackie Robinson "J.R." Cooper Television film
1980 Scout's Honor Joey Seymour Television film
1981 On the Right Track Lester
1982 The Kid with the Broken Halo Andy LeBeau Television film
Jimmy the Kid Jimmy
1983 The Kid with the 200 I.Q. Nick Newell Television film
1984 The Fantastic World of D.C. Collins D.C. Collins Television film
1985 Playing with Fire David Phillips Television film
1994 Party The Liar Short film
Associate producer
S.F.W. Cameo
1996 Fox Hunt Murray Lipschitz, Jr.
1997 Off the Menu: The Last Days of Chasen's Himself Documentary
1998 Dirty Work Cameo
Like Father, Like Santa Ignatius Television film
1999 Shafted!
2000 The Flunky
2002 Frank McKlusky, C.I. Cameo
2003 Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Himself Cameo
A Carol Christmas Christmas Past Television film
2004 Chasing the Edge Cameo
Short film
Save Virgil Himself/The Devil
2005 A Christmas Too Many
2006 Church Ball
2008 An American Carol Bacon Stains Malone
2009 Midgets vs. Mascots Gary Last film appearance
Television
First appeared in a commercial for Harris Bank. His line, after the announcer says "You should have a Harris banker" was "You should have a Hubert doll". "Hubert" was a stuffed lion representing the Harris bank logo.
The Jeffersons (1977, guest)
Good Times (1977, guest)
Diff'rent Strokes (1978–1986)
The Facts of Life (1980)
Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (episode "The Cosmic Wizz-Kid", also has a cameo in a later episode)
The Gary Coleman Show (1982) (voice)
Amazing Stories (1986) Season 1: Episode 13 – "The Sitter"
227 (1990)
Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (guest) (as Arnold Jackson, with Conrad Bain as Phillip Drummond) (1996)
The Ben Stiller Show (1993) as himself
The Wayans Bros. (Pilot Episode: "Goop, Hair-It-Is" - January 11, 1995, guest; as himself)
The Simpsons, "Grift of the Magi" (December 19, 1999)
The Drew Carey Show, "What's Wrong with this Episode? IV" (March 28, 2001)
Drake and Josh (guest)
My Wife and Kids (guest)
The Jamie Foxx Show (guest as Cupid)
Married… with Children (guest)
The Surreal Life (guest)
Unscrewed with Martin Sargent (2003–2004, guest)
Simon & Simon, "Like Father, Like Son"
The Parkers as himself
Penn & Teller: Bullshit! "The Apocalypse" as himself (July 16, 2009, guest)
Source:wikipedia
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Kojak

Kojak is an American television series starring Telly Savalas as the title character, bald New York City Police Department Detective Lieutenant Theo Kojak. It aired from October 24, 1973, to March 18, 1978, on CBS. It took the time slot of the popular Cannon series, which was moved one hour earlier. Kojak's Greek heritage, shared by actor Savalas, was prominently featured in the series.


Production

The show was created by Abby Mann, an Academy Award-winning film writer best known for his work on drama anthologies such as Robert Montgomery Presents and Playhouse 90. Universal Television approached him to do a story based on the 1963 Wylie-Hoffert "Career Girls Murders". The crime involved the brutal rape and murder of two young professional women in Manhattan.
Due to poor police work and the prevailing casual attitude toward suspects' civil rights, the crimes in the Wylie-Hoffert case were pinned on a young African-American male, George Whitmore, Jr., who had been arrested on a separate assault charge. After illegally obtaining a confession, the police had the suspect all but convicted until a second investigation by a different team of detectives exonerated the suspect and identified the real killer, a white junkie.
Mann developed the project as a gritty police procedural, but with a subtext focusing on institutionalized prejudice and the civil rights of suspects and witnesses. The result was the 1973 made-for-TV movie, The Marcus-Nelson Murders. The opening and closing titles of the film emphasized the point that it was a fictional account of the events that led to the creation of Miranda rights by the US Supreme Court in 1966.
Telly Savalas starred in The Marcus-Nelson Murders as a police detective whose last name was spelled "Kojack." The film would serve as a pilot for the Kojak television series. Kojak himself was a composite character, based on a number of detectives, lawyers, and reporters who were involved in the Wylie-Hoffert murder case.



Plot

The series was set in the New York City Police Department's Thirteenth Precinct, Manhattan South Patrol Borough. The show revolved around the efforts of the tough and incorruptible Lieutenant Theo Kojak (Telly Savalas), a bald, dapper, New York City policeman who was fond of lollipops and for using the catchphrase, "Who loves ya, baby?" Kojak was stubborn and tenacious in his investigation of crimes - and also displayed a dark, cynical wit, along with a tendency to bend the rules if it brought a criminal to justice. Savales described Kojak as a "basically honest character, tough but with feelings -- the kind of guy who might kick a hooker in the tail if he had to, but they'd understand each other because maybe they grew up on the same kind of block."
In the early episodes of the series, Kojak smoked heavily; in order to reflect the anti-smoking sentiment gaining momentum on American TV, the writers decided that Kojak had quit smoking. He began sucking on lollipops as a substitute, which became a trademark of the character (although Kojak is frequently seen smoking a cigarillo when he winds up a case by interrogation of the main suspect(s)). The lollipop made its debut in the Season 1 episode "Dark Sunday", broadcast on Dec. 12, 1973; Kojak lights a cigarillo as he begins questioning a witness, but thinks better of it and sticks a lollipop (specifically, a Tootsie Pop) in his mouth instead. Later in the episode, Kevin Dobson's character asks about the lollipop and Kojak replies, "I'm trying to bridge the generation gap."


Telly Savalas as Lt. Theo Kojak with ubiquitous lollipop
His longtime supervisor was Capt. Frank McNeil (Dan Frazer). Later in the series, McNeil was promoted to Chief of Detectives in Manhattan. Kojak is the commander of the Manhattan South Precinct's detective squad. His squad includes one of his favorite employees: young plainclothes officer, Det. Bobby Crocker (Kevin Dobson). Detectives Stavros (played by Telly's real-life brother George Savalas, who originally used the name "Demosthenes" as his screen credit; under his real name, Savalas also received a Production Associate credit during the early seasons), Saperstein (Mark Russell), and Rizzo (Vince Conti), all gave Kojak support.
Although the show primarily focused on Kojak's police work, it occasionally veered into other areas of the character's lives, such as the first season episode "Knockover" which included a subplot involving Kojak romancing a (much younger) female police officer.
In 1976, acclaimed crime writer Joe Gores received an Edgar Award from the Mystery Writers of America for Best Episode in a TV Series Teleplay for the third-season episode "No Immunity for Murder" (first aired November 23, 1975).

The show ended in 1978, after five seasons, due to low ratings. Reruns of Kojak became successful in syndication and TV Land. Years after the series ended, Savalas reprised the role in two TV movies, The Belarus File (1985), an adaptation of the John Loftus book The Belarus Secret, and The Price of Justice (1987), based on Dorothy Uhnak's novel, The Investigation. Kojak is not a character in either book.
In 1989–1990 Kojak returned to television in five two-hour episodes that aired on ABC, rotating with three other series as part of the ABC Mystery Movie. No longer a lieutenant commanding a precinct detective squad, Kojak had been promoted to inspector and put in charge of the NYPD's city-wide Major Crimes Squad. Andre Braugher was cast as a young detective assigned to Kojak's command.
Series stars The Savalas Brothers (Telly & George), Frazer and Dobson are the only cast members to appear in every episode of the series, and stayed throughout the entire run.



Characters

Telly Savalas - Lieutenant Theo Kojak - A bald detective
Dan Frazer - Capt. Frank McNeil - Kojak's boss
Kevin Dobson - Det. Bobby Crocker - Kojak's partner
George Savalas (Demosthenes) - Det. Stavros - Kojak's supporting co-worker
Mark Russell - Det. Saperstein
Vince Conti - Det. Rizzo
Andre Braugher - Det. Winston Blake (1989-90 ABC revival)



A roster of guest stars

During its five season run, many unfamiliar and/or familiar actors who guest-starred on the show went on to greater fame; among those appearing in Kojak episodes are: John Ritter, Bernie Kopell, Kathleen Quinlan, Sharon Gless, Swoosie Kurtz, Stacy Keach, Sr., Sylvester Stallone, Thayer David, Lenny Montana, Jayne Kennedy, David White, Harvey Keitel, Charles Siebert, Joan Van Ark, John Pleshette, Pamela Hensley, Dominic Chianese, Yvonne Craig, Mary Beth Hurt, Roosevelt Grier, Lynn Redgrave, Kene Holliday, John Larroquette, Lonny Chapman, Judith Chapman, Richard Eastham, Erik Estrada, Robert Ito, Richard Herd, Robert Webber, Sally Kirkland, Richard Gere, Paul Benedict, James Luisi, Roger E. Mosley, Stephen Macht, Nicholas Colasanto, Dabney Coleman, James Sloyan, Michael Ansara, Paul Michael Glaser, Marco St. John, Ken Kercheval, Judith Light, John M. Pickard, Eileen Brennan, Al Franken, Irene Cara, Hector Elizondo, Jackie Cooper, William Katt, Jerry Orbach, Danny Thomas, Allan Miller, Danny Aiello and James Woods, among many others.
Future Hill Street Blues stars, Daniel J. Travanti and Veronica Hamel would make guest appearances on the show, along with future Falcon Crest stars David Selby and Susan Sullivan, future The Young and The Restless stars Eric Braeden and Jess Walton, and Len Lesser, who portrayed Uncle Leo on Seinfeld, made appearances on the show, as well.



Music

The somewhat more well-known first Kojak theme, in two distinct arrangements is the work of Billy Goldenberg, who scored the early episodes. John Cacavas composed the second main title theme used throughout the show's 5th and final season.


Episodes

Main article: List of Kojak episodes
Kojak aired for 5 seasons on CBS, from 1973-1978. In the mid-eighties Kojak returned in two made-for-TV movies. In 1989, eleven years after the series ended, Telly Savalas returned to play Kojak in 5 TV movies that aired on ABC as part of their ABC Mystery Movie theme block which aired on Saturday nights.


Revival

Main article: Kojak (2005 TV series)
In March 2005, a new Kojak series debuted on the USA Network cable channel and on ITV4 in the UK. In this re-imagined version, African-American actor Ving Rhames portrays the character. The series only lasted one season.



Cultural impact

In the hit 1977 movie Smokey and the Bandit, Cledus Snow (Jerry Reed) referred to a police officer with a radar gun as a "Kojak with a Kodak".
In Brazil the show was so successful that in the 1970s and 80s the term "Kojak" became Brazilian slang for "bald man". Telly Savalas visited the country to do promotional work.
In Rio de Janeiro, the expression: "I won't give a chance to Kojak" became popular among criminals — as in, the speaker would avoid leaving any clue that would lead the police to him or her. Later, this expression became popular among lay people. Nowadays, it means "I won't let anyone see my mistakes".
On French television, actor Henry Djanik dubbed Kojak. He also dubbed "Dog Savalas", who was modelled on Telly Savalas, and was a character from the manga and anime versions of the popular Japanese series Space Adventure Cobra.
In Chile and Romania, a "kojak" is a slang to refer to any kind of lollipop.
In poker, specifically Texas Hold 'Em, the starting hand K-J is often referred to as Kojak.
In Ace Attorney Investigations, the trenchcoated Detective Badd is first seen with a white stick between his lips. When he takes it out it's revealed to be a lollipop.


DVD releases

Universal Studios Home Entertainment has released Season One of Kojak on DVD in Region 1, 2 and 4.
Mediumrare Entertainment released Seasons 2 & 3 on DVD in Region 2 on April 26th, 2010.
DVD Name Episodes Release dates
Region 1 Region 2 Region 4
Season One 22 March 22, 2005 July 18, 2005 June 1, 2006[6]
Season Two 25 N/A April 26, 2010[7] N/A
Season Three 24 N/A April 26, 2010[8] N/A
Season Four 25 N/A N/A N/A
Season Five 22 N/A N/A N/A
Source:wikipedia

Bridget Fonda

Bridget Jane Fonda, (born 27 January 1964) is a US actress.

Early life

Fonda was born in Los Angeles, California into a family of actors including her grandfather Henry Fonda, her father Peter Fonda, and her aunt Jane Fonda. Her mother Susan Jane Brewer is an artist. She is named after actress Margaret Sullavan's daughter Bridget Hayward who committed suicide at the age of 21. Sullavan was her grandfather's first wife. Her parents divorced and Peter remarried Portia Rebecca Crockett (former wife of author Thomas McGuane). Peter and Portia brought up Bridget, her brother Justin, and older stepbrother Thomas McGuane Jr (born circa 1962) in the Coldwater Canyon section of Los Angeles as well as just south of Livingston, Montana, where both brothers attended high school.[citation needed] Fonda attended Westlake School for Girls in Los Angeles. During this time she and Justin had little contact with the Fonda family, with Bridget recalling in an interview: "When I was a kid, the most important thing for me was my home. People would come and go and things would change but that place wouldn't. I loved it. I want to have that for the rest of my life. I want to have a place".



Career

Fonda first became involved with the theatre when she was cast in a school production of Harvey. She refused to solicit acting tips and advice from her famous relatives and studied method acting at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts and the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.
She made her film debut at the age of five in the 1969 movie Easy Rider as a child in the hippie commune that Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper visit on their trek across the United States. Her second (also non-speaking) bit part was in the 1982 comedy Partners. In 1988 she got her first substantial film role, costarring with John Hurt in Scandal, based on the Profumo affair. That year she also appeared in You Can't Hurry Love and Shag.
Her breakthrough role, however, was as a journalist in The Godfather, Part III. After gaining additional work experience in a few theater productions she was cast in the lead in Barbet Schroeder's Single White Female, followed by a role in Cameron Crowe's ensemble comedy Singles, both in 1992. A review in the New Yorker proclaimed her "provocative, taunting assertiveness", and Rolling Stone said Fonda was "a comic delight". In 1997 Fonda was on the same plane flight as Quentin Tarantino when he offered her the part of a beach babe in Jackie Brown. Fonda was also offered the lead role in the television series Ally McBeal (later accepted by Calista Flockhart), but turned it down to focus on her film career.



Personal life

Fonda has not appeared in films since 2002. On 29 November 2003 Fonda married film composer and former Oingo Boingo frontman Danny Elfman.They have a son Oliver, born in mid-January 2005.



Award nominations

1990 - Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for Scandal
1997 - Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for In the Gloaming
2002 - Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actress In A Mini-series or Motion Picture Made for Television for After Amy



Filmography

Easy Rider (1969) (uncredited part as little girl in hippie commune)
Partners (1982)
Aria (1987)
You Can't Hurry Love (1988)
Light Years (1988) (voice in English version)
Scandal (1989)
Jacob Have I loved (1989)
Shag (1989)
Strapless (1989)
Frankenstein Unbound (1990)
The Godfather Part III (1990)
Out of the Rain (1991)
Doc Hollywood (1991)
Iron Maze (1991)
Drop Dead Fred (1991)
Leather Jackets (1992)
Single White Female (1992)
Singles (1992)
Army of Darkness (1992)
Bodies, Rest & Motion (1993)
Point of No Return (1993) aka (outside the US) The Assassin
Little Buddha (1993)
It Could Happen to You (1994)
The Road to Wellville (1994)
Camilla (1994)
Rough Magic (1995)
Balto (1995) (voice of Jenna)
City Hall (1996)
Grace of My Heart (1996)
Touch (1997)
Mr. Jealousy (1997)
Jackie Brown (1997)
Break Up (1998)
A Simple Plan (1998)
Finding Graceland (1998)
Lake Placid (1999)
South of Heaven, West of Hell (2000)
Delivering Milo (2001)
Monkeybone (2001)
Kiss of the Dragon (2001)
No Ordinary Baby (2001)
The Whole Shebang (2001)
Snow Queen (2002)
Source:wikipedia

Shia LaBeouf

Shia Saide LaBeouf, (pronounced /ˈʃaɪ.ə ləˈbʌf/ SHY--ə lə-BUFF; born June 11, 1986) is an American actor, voice actor, and comedian. LaBeouf began his comedy career when he was 10 years old, and then launched his acting career in 1998 at the age of 12. He became known among younger audiences for his part in the Disney Channel series Even Stevens, also appearing in three Disney TV movies. In 2003, LaBeouf made his theatrical film debut in Holes, also appearing in the lead role in The Battle of Shaker Heights that same year.

In 2005, LaBeouf made his transition into more mature roles with The Greatest Game Ever Played. In 2007, he starred as the leads in Disturbia and Transformers, and the following year he appeared in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull as Indiana's son. In 2009, LaBeouf reprised his role as Sam Witwicky in the Transformers sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, and appeared in New York, I Love You. LaBeouf's upcoming films include the lead roles in The Associate, Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps and Transformers 3. In 2004, LaBeouf made his directorial debut by directing "Lets Love Hate" with Lorenzo Eduardo. He also directed Cage's music video for the single "I Never Knew You".

LaBeouf has been in one long-term relationship, which began in 2004 and lasted three years. He is currently in a relationship with Carey Mulligan; the two began dating in the summer of 2009. In November 2007, LaBeouf was arrested for misdemeanor criminal trespassing in a Chicago Walgreens after refusing to leave; the criminal charges were dropped the following month. In July 2008, LaBeouf was involved in a car accident, which was caused by the other driver. LaBeouf was arrested at the scene of the car accident for misdemeanor drunk driving, and his driver's license was suspended for one year because he refused a breathalyzer examination. As a result of the injuries he sustained from the accident, he has undergone multiple surgeries on his left hand; his hand has permanent damage and scarring.

Early life

LaBeouf was born in Los Angeles, California, the only child of Shayna (née Saide) and Jeffrey Craig LaBeouf.Shayna is a dancer and ballerina turned visual artist and clothing jewelry designer; before she met LaBeouf's father, she ran a head shop in Brooklyn.[3] LaBeouf's father is a Vietnam War veteran who "drifted" from job to job, working as a mime at a circus, a snow cone salesman, a rodeo clown, a stand-up comedian, and touring with the Doobie Brothers as their opening act. LaBeouf's New York-born mother is Jewish and his father is a Cajun (once described by LaBeouf as a "Ragin' Cajun"). LaBeouf was raised in the Jewish religion and had a Bar Mitzvah, though he was also baptized. The name Shia is Hebrew for "gift from God" (שי-יה), and the surname LaBeouf is a corruption of "le bœuf", the French term for "the ox" or "the beef". LaBeouf has said that he comes from "five generations of performers" and was "acting when [he] came out of the womb."One of LaBeouf's great-grandmothers played piano in gangster Lucky Luciano’s casino. LaBeouf's maternal grandfather, a Polish-born Holocaust survivor who shared his first name, was a comedian who worked in the Borscht Belt of the Catskill Mountains and sidelined as a barber for the Mafia. LaBeouf's alcoholic paternal grandfather was a Green Beret in the military and LaBeouf's paternal grandmother was a Beatnik poet and lesbian who associated with Allen Ginsberg.

LaBeouf has described his parents as "hippies", his father as "tough as nails and a different breed of man", and his upbringing as similar to a "hippy lifestyle", stating that his parents were "pretty weird people, but they loved me and I loved them." LaBeouf's father used to grow cannabis, and the two smoked marijuana together when LaBeouf was ten. LaBeouf has also said he was subjected to verbal and mental abuse by his father, who once pointed a gun at his son during a Vietnam War flashback. LaBeouf says his father was "on drugs" during his childhood and was placed in drug rehabilitation for heroin addiction while LaBeouf's mother was "trying to hold down the fort."His parents eventually divorced, mainly due to financial problems, and LaBeouf had what he has described as a "good childhood", growing up poor with his mother (who worked selling fabrics and brooches) in Echo Park, Los Angeles, California. LaBeouf's uncle was going to adopt him at one stage because his parents could not afford to have him anymore and "they had too much pride to go on welfare or food stamps."

LaBeouf attended a predominantly Latino and African American school.Theatrically, LaBeouf attended 32nd Street Visual and Performing Arts Magnet school in Los Angeles (LAUSD)[7] and Alexander Hamilton High School, although he received most of his education from tutors.Following high-school, LaBeouf was accepted to Yale University but declined, later remarking, "[I am] getting the kind of education you don't get at school,"although he would like to attend college.In a May 2009 Parade magazine interview, LaBeouf commented on how his parents' personal struggles, and his childhood, had an influence on him, "My dad and my mom were both artists who never found an audience for their artwork. And so I lived in poverty. Now that I'm not poor, I know that is what it was. Like Hemingway said, you can't write anything if you've never been shot at or been gorged by a bull, you know? So I look back at that stuff and I'm grateful. It's like scars. You become proud of them." In that same interview, LaBeouf explained that part of what he remembers is: in 1988, when he was two, his dad began dressing him up as a clown and putting him to work shilling for the family's pushcart business.LaBeouf recalled, "It was a hustle. We’d walk around the neighborhood in full clown regalia [...] My embarrassment factor didn't exist. I had fun, because I knew that in the middle of a performance my parents couldn't fight. So, for sure, every day, there had to be some peaceful time for us, or we weren't going to make it through the week financially."

Career

Early work, 1996–2006

Prior to his acting career, LaBeouf's career as a comedian originated when he would "create things, story lines and fictitious tales" during his childhood; he practiced stand-up comedy around his neighborhood as an "escape" from a hostile environment. At the age of ten, he began performing stand-up and "talking dirty" at comedy clubs (including The Ice House in Pasadena), describing his appeal as having "disgustingly dirty" material and a "50-year-old mouth on the 10-year-old kid".] LaBeouf, who described himself as an "insult comic", stated that his comic material included talking about his first erection and cursing. LaBeouf commented on his stand-up comedy career, "I just knew that money was a solution to whatever the hell was going on in my household. With money, I and my family would have had more options. So I went after a job that I thought I could make the most money for a 10-year-old or an 11-year-old boy."'LaBeouf subsequently found agent Teresa Dahlquist (who is his agent as of June 2008) through the Yellow Pages. He was taken on after doing his stand-up act for her and pretending to be his own manager, promoting himself in the third person. LaBeouf has said that he initially became an actor because his family was broke, not because he wanted to pursue an acting career. LaBeouf commented, "My humor came from seeing my parents have sex, smoke weed, my mom being naked—just weird hippie stuff, twisted R-rated humor. I’d get up there in my OshKosh B’Gosh outfit and my bowl haircut. I was a little kid with a Lenny Bruce mouth. That was the act. But there’s no money in stand-up comedy, so I went into acting." LaBeouf began acting when he was 12 years old. His acting debut was on Caroline in the City, in the episode "Caroline and the Bar Mitzvah", and he made guest appearances on popular television shows: The X-Files, Touched by an Angel, Jesse, and Suddenly Susan, all in 1999.

LaBeouf became well known among young audiences after playing Louis Stevens on the Disney Channel weekly program Even Stevens, a role for which he was cast three months after being signed by his agent. Even Stevens aired from 2000-2003 for three seasons and 65 episodes. Even Stevens ended with The Even Stevens Movie—a TV movie which premiered June 13, 2003, on the Disney Channel. In 2003, LaBeouf was awarded a Daytime Emmy Award for the role of Louis and has said, "[he] grew up on that show" and his childhood was "kind of lost", although being cast in the show was the "best thing" that has happened to him. His father, having just been released from rehab, served as LaBeouf's on-set parent and the two bonded. Around this time period, LaBeouf pitched an arrangement to Disney inspired by his and his father's residence at motels. Disney bought the rights to the story, but the project, entitled Rent-A-Dad, has never moved out of development—presumably because the material may not have been suited to the family-oriented film studio. In 2001 LaBeouf had a supporting role in the Disney Channel TV movie Hounded, as Ronny Van Dussel, a rival of the main character. The following year he appeared in another Disney Channel TV movie Tru Confessions, where he played a mentally challenged kid with a sister who made a documentary about his disability. Gary Marsh, President of Entertainment for Disney Channel Worldwide, described LaBeouf as giving an "unbelievable acting performance", and stated, "to this day I believe [that performance] gave him the leverage and credibility to get a lot of other roles." During this time, LaBeouf also appeared in sketch shows on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

In 2003, he appeared in another Disney production, Holes, as Stanley "Caveman" Yelnats IV, opposite Jon Voight. While filming Holes, Voight lent LaBeouf acting books that turned him on to the notion that acting could be about more than just a paycheck. The film was a moderate box office success. Steven Spielberg was a fan of LaBeouf in Holes, saying he reminded him of a young Tom Hanks. The film Holes made over US$67 million worldwide and was well-received by critics, garnering a 77% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That same year, he was heavily featured in the HBO documentary show Project Greenlight, which chronicled the making of the independent film The Battle of Shaker Heights, his first PG-13 film. In the film, LaBeouf played the lead role of troubled teen Kelly Ernswiler. The Battle of Shaker Heights was theatrically released on August 22, 2003, in limited release and had a poor box office performance. LaBeouf also had minor roles in the films, Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle and Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd.

LaBeouf in November 2006, promoting Bobby.

In 2004, LaBeouf co-wrote and directed the short film Let's Love Hate with Lorenzo Eduardo, which was LaBeouf's directorial debut. Also in 2004, LaBeouf played Farber, a minor role in I, Robot[33] and, the following year, appeared in the action-horror film Constantine as Chas Kramer, a supporting character.[34] LaBeouf made his transition into more mature roles, playing the lead role in the 2005 Disney film The Greatest Game Ever Played, as Francis Ouimet, a real-life golfer from a poor family who won the 1913 U.S. Open Championship. He also voiced the character Asbel in the English dubbed version of the 1984 film Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, a Japanese anime film directed by Hayao Miyazaki. LaBeouf appeared in the 2006 ensemble drama Bobby as Cooper, a campaign volunteer for Robert F. Kennedy.[36] As part of the cast of Bobby, LaBeouf won a Hollywood Film Award for "Ensemble Of The Year", and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award for "Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture".[38] Also in 2006, LaBeouf played the younger version of Dito Montiel in A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, the older version being played by Robert Downey, Jr. in a semi-autobiographical account of Montiel's upbringing in 1980s Astoria, Queens. In her review for the film, Lisa Schwarzbaum, of Entertainment Weekly, described LaBeouf as being "lavishly talented".

Breakthrough and commercial success, 2007–2008

In 2007, LaBeouf starred in Disturbia, a thriller released on April 13. He played a teenager under house arrest who suspects that his neighbor, played by David Morse, is a serial killer. The film was a sleeper hit and LaBeouf received positive reviews for the role, with The Buffalo News stating, "[LaBeouf] has grown into an appealing, bright young actor who is able to simultaneously pull off [the character's] anger, remorse and intelligence", Kurt Loder of MTV wrote "[LaBeouf] gets his star ticket decisively punched", and the San Francisco Chronicle noted, "[LaBeouf is] fast becoming the best young actor in Hollywood". In comparing the film with Rear Window, The New York Daily News described LaBeouf's appeal as "more John Cusack than James Stewart". On April 14, 2007, LaBeouf hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Avril Lavigne to promote the film. Throughout the show, LaBeouf and Lavigne acted in skits. Also in 2007, LaBeouf voiced Cody Maverick, the narrater, in the animated mockumentary film Surf's Up. That same year, LaBeouf played teenager Sam Witwicky, who becomes involved in the Autobot-Decepticon war on Earth, in Michael Bay's Transformers, released on July 3. Executive producer Steven Spielberg cast him in the role, having been impressed by his performance in Holes. Bay initially considered LaBeouf too old for the part of Sam, having only seen his performance in Constantine, but he was "bowled" over by LaBeouf's enthusiasm. LaBeouf performed his own stunts in the film. LaBeouf received critical acclaim for his role, with Empire's Ian Nathan praising him as "a smart, natural comedian, [who] levels the bluntness of this toy story with an ironic bluster". For his role in Transformers, LaBeouf was nominated for an Empire Award, and a National Movie Award, as well as being named 2007's "star of tomorrow" by the ShoWest convention. For his lead role in the film, LaBeouf was reportedly paid $500,000. In February 2008, LaBeouf was awarded the BAFTA Orange Rising Star Award, which was voted on by the British general public.

In April 2007, it was confirmed that LaBeouf had been cast in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. LaBeouf was Steven Spielberg's first choice for the role, again having been impressed by his performance in Holes. LaBeouf said that he signed on to the film without reading the script and did not know what character he would play. LaBeouf was cast as Mutt Williams, a greaser who is Indiana Jones' son. LaBeouf said, in order to prepare for his role in the film, that he worked out seven days a week for three hours a day and described his diet as being "protein-heavy, carb-heavy"; LaBeouf gained over fifteen pounds of muscle from training. LaBeouf said of the experience, "I have definitely not trained like this for anything in my life. I'm preparing like I'm going into battle." During filming LaBeouf pulled his rotator cuff while filming a fight scene, which was the first injury of his career. The injury got worse throughout filming, and he pulled his groin. The film was theatrically released in May 2008, and grossed over $780 million worldwide. LaBeouf's performance in the film received mixed reviews: Todd Gilchrist of IGN commented in his review for the film, "one can't quite help but wonder what Spielberg saw in the young actor that inspired him to cast LaBeouf"; Stephanie Zackarek of Salon.com noted, "[LaBeouf] sensibly keeps his performance as low-key as possible" and was "appealing enough". To promote the film, LaBeouf, for the second time, hosted Saturday Night Live on May 10, 2008, with musical guest My Morning Jacket. LaBeouf's next, and final, 2008 film was Eagle Eye, a thriller directed by D. J. Caruso, co-produced by Spielberg, and released on September 26. Eagle Eye was LaBeouf's second collaboration with Caruso, and his third with Spielberg. Eagle Eye proved to be another commercially successful film for LaBeouf, making over $177 million worldwide. In December 2008, LaBeouf dropped out of the film Dark Fields due to a hand injury he had acquired in a car crash which would not be fully healed by the time production started.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen and beyond, 2009–present

LaBeouf in Paris in June 2009, promoting Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

In February 2009, LaBeouf teamed with rapper Chris "Cage" Palko to direct the music video for "I Never Knew You," the first single off of Cage's third album, Depart From Me. The music video was shot on location in downtown Los Angeles on February 21 and 22. It features cameos by other Definitive Jux artists: El-P, Aesop Rock, Chauncey, F. Sean Martin, Yak Ballz, and Alex Pardee. According to LA Weekly, this video marks the first in a series of collaborations between LaBeouf and Cage and will ultimately result in a film about the rapper's life, starring LaBeouf. When asked what it was like directing the "I Never Knew You" video, LaBeouf said, "I'm 22 and I'm directing my favorite rapper's music video. This shit is better than riding unicorns."] The video premiered on May 18, on MTV2 and MtvU.

LaBeouf reprised the role of Sam Witwicky in the 2009 sequel to Transformers, entitled Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. Filming for the movie began in May 2008 and ended in late 2008. Due to LaBeouf's injury from his car accident, Michael Bay and screen writer Roberto Orci had to rewrite the script to protect LaBeouf's hand throughout filming. LaBeouf said production was only delayed two days after his accident because Bay made up for it by filming second unit scenes, and LaBeouf recovered a few weeks earlier than expected, allowing him to return to the set.Near the end of filming, LaBeouf injured his eye when he hit a prop; the injury required seven stitches. LaBeouf resumed filming two hours later. For his lead role in the film, LaBeouf was reportedly paid around $5 million. The film was a commercial success, making over $800 million worldwide, but received negative critical reviews. Joe Neumaier, of New York Daily News, felt the film showed LaBeouf "finally" proved that he's a "viable leading man".

LaBeouf played Jacob in the romantic comedy New York, I Love You, a collection of short stories about finding love in the five boroughs of New York and the sequel to Paris, je t'aime. The film premiered at the 2008 Toronto International Film Festival in September 2008 and was released in October 2009to mixed reviews from critics. In June 2009, it was confirmed that LaBeouf had signed on to star as the lead role in the Oliver Stone directed film Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps; the film is the sequel to the Academy Award-winning film Wall Street. In the film, LaBeouf will play Jacob "Jake" Moore, an ambitious Wall Street trader who is in a relationship with Gordon Gekko's daughter, Winnie. The film is set to close the 2010 Cannes Film Festival in May 2010. Co-starring Michael Douglas and Carey Mulligan, the film is set to be theatrically released in September 2010.

In an interview with MTV, Neil Gaiman said he is planning to direct a film adaption of the comic book series Death: The High Cost of Living, tentatively titled Death and Me, and showed interest in casting LaBeouf in the film, particularly the lead role. Gaiman commented that while LaBeouf was "one of 'Death’s biggest supporters", a concern for casting him as the lead was due to his age, but added that, "I wouldn’t be surprised if he were in it."It has been confirmed that LaBeouf will reprise his role in the third Transformers film. The film is expected to begin filming in May 2010 and to be released in July of the following year. In early December 2008, LaBeouf signed on to star as the lead role, Kyle McAvoy, in the film adaption of the novel The Associate by John Grisham. The film is currently in pre-production. Grisham, who had reportedly hand-picked LaBeouf for the role, said of his casting, "I think he'll be wonderful! He's a very talented actor." In December 2009, LaBeouf was set to star in the film The Promised Land, but the project was shelved primarily because of financial concerns. LaBeouf's disappointment over the project resulted in him leaving his agents at William Morris Endeavor.After trying to go without an agent, he eventually signed with Creative Artists Agency[78] in January 2010.

Personal life

LaBeouf bought his own two-bedroom house at the age of 18[80] and lives in Burbank, California. LaBeouf is a cigarette smoker, but he stated in June 2009 that he had recently begun trying to quit. LaBeouf drives a Nissan Maxima, and has two bulldogs named Brando and Rex.[80] LaBeouf has said, "sports are so big in my life", and that he is a "film junkie". He enjoys the music of The Shins, CKY, and the hip hop label Definitive Jux. LaBeouf has said that he is a fan of The Transformers television series and the 1986 film, The Transformers: The Movie. LaBeouf is a fan of the Los Angeles Clippers and the Los Angeles Lakers.While doing research for his role in Wall Street" Money Never Sleeps, LaBeouf developed an interest in stock market trading, which he described as his "favorite hobby" in April 2010.

LaBeouf has said that he is "very serious" about his career and has made "a calculated effort to stay away from the party scene," believing that "if the industry takes you lightly because you're always partying, then they will take your work lightly as well." Interviewer Jamie Portman of The Vancouver Sun described LaBeouf as seeming to have a "love-hate relationship with the teenage culture that has spawned him. LaBeouf has said that, although he does not devoutly practice Judaism, he has a "personal relationship with God that happens to work within the confines of Judaism". LaBeouf has said that he is not the "All-American Disney role model" and chose to appear in some of his film roles in order to "curse as much as possible" and "age [himself] publicly" after his Disney roles. However, he specifies that Disney is "great and all" and a "nurturing place". He has said that he enjoyed being a child actor and disliked school

LaBeouf has three known tattoos as of May 2009, which are: 1986-2004 on his inner right wrist, a dog paw tattoo on his upper left arm, and a hand with a shackle on it on his left upper side torso. LaBeouf said he got the tattoo on his wrist because, "I’ve been doing this [acting] for 10 years, a lot of people say, ‘Oh, I forgot my childhood or I miss my childhood’ [...] so that’s just precautionary." LaBeouf described the tattoo on his upper side torso, "It’s like an artist drawing his own prison," and continued, "Just life. That’s where I’m at". LaBeouf has cited actors Gary Oldman,Dustin Hoffman, Jodie Foster, Jon Voight, and John Turturro as inspirations, and has also cited director Francis Lawrence as an inspiration, with whom LaBeouf worked on Constantine. LaBeouf described his agent Teresa Dahlquist, who paid for his head shots and rent during his Disney career, as being "one of the few pillars" in his life, adding that "she lifted me up and cared for me."

Despite having a hardship relationship with both his parents during his childhood, LaBeouf remains close to them both. During the winter, LaBeouf's father usually stays with him; during the summers, he lives in a tepee in Montana on a $10,000 plot of land LaBeouf bought him in 2003.LaBeouf bought his mother a house that is a ten-minute drive from his own house, in Tujunga, Los Angeles, California. He commented, "They don't work.  I take care of them, and they get to create art for the rest of their days." When LaBeouf was 19, after a neighbor in his Studio City apartment complex had allegedly insulted his mother and rear-ended her car, LaBeouf brought a knife, and a friend for backup, to the neighbor's apartment, which resulted in LaBeouf being assaulted by the neighbor and six of the neighbor's friends.

LaBeouf confirmed to People that, from 2004 to 2007, he dated model China Brezner, whom he met on the set of The Greatest Game Ever Played. He said of the reason for the break-up, "My focus became so work-related that I couldn't devote any time to a relationship", but, "We were inseparable, she was my best friend and my love". He described the break-up as being like "rebuilding after a tornado."[95] LaBeouf has said he tries to avoid relationships with co-stars saying, "It's really easy to fall for someone on-set, but in the end you know, it's a representative and it's not really them." As of August 2009, LaBeouf is in a relationship with British actress Carey Mulligan, his co-star in Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Mulligan and LaBeouf were introduced by the film's director, Oliver Stone, prior to filming and began dating shortly after.

Arrests

LaBeouf in July 2009, promoting Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. An injury LaBeouf sustained in car accident the year before, was written into the film's storyline.

On November 4, 2007, LaBeouf was arrested early in the morning for misdemeanor criminal trespassing in a Chicago Walgreens after refusing to leave when asked by a security guard. The criminal charges were dropped on December 12, 2007. In March 2008, an arrest warrant was issued for LaBeouf after he failed to make a court appearance. The hearing was in relation to a ticket he received for unlawful smoking in Burbank, California, in February 2008. When neither LaBeouf nor a lawyer appeared at the court at 8:30 a.m., a $1000 bench warrant was issued for his arrest. However, the court commissioner in California recalled this warrant on March 19, 2008, after the actor’s attorney arrived a day late to plead not guilty on LaBeouf's behalf, and a pre-trial hearing was set for April 24, 2008. The charge was dismissed after the actor paid a $500 fine.

At approximately 3 A.M. on July 27, 2008, LaBeouf was involved in a car crash at the intersection of La Brea Avenue and Fountain Avenue in Los Angeles. His Ford F1-50 was hit from the side by a vehicle running a red light. LaBeouf had been gripping the top of the windowsill as he drove and, upon impact, the truck rolled onto his exposed left hand, crushing it.While responding to the accident, police officers smelled alcohol on LaBeouf's breath. Because he refused a breathalyzer examanization, authorities arrested LaBeouf at the scene for misdemeanor drunk driving and his driver's license was suspended for one year. Michael Bay stated that LaBeouf had been drinking hours before the car accident and he had felt that, by the time the accident had occurred, the alcohol had worn off. LaBeouf had to undergo one of many hand surgeries immediately after the accident. His passenger, Isabel Lucas, and the driver and passenger in the other car suffered only minor injuries. Due to severe damages from the accident, LaBeouf's truck was totaled; his father keeps the vehicle at his home as a 'memento'.

Two days later, a Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman announced that LaBeouf was not at fault in the accident as the other driver had ran a red light. LaBeouf returned to the set of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen at this time, and shooting resumed In September of that year, LaBeouf described the car accident as being "eye-opening and terrifying." LaBeouf stated that, as a result of the injuries to his left hand, he had screws and plates put in his hand; there is also scarring. One screw was placed in one of his knuckles, and he had a shaved piece of bone from his hip made into a bone for his finger. In April 2009, he stated he had undergone three hand surgeries. He said that he would regain "probably about 80-something percent" usage of his hand and, while he would able to make a fist again, "there’s a knuckle [I will] never be able to move again" and in May 2010, he said that he has "completely" regained movement in his fingers.

Filmography

Year Film Role Notes

2003 The Battle of Shaker Heights Kelly Ernswiler main role (limited release)

Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Max Petroni minor role

Dumb and Dumberer: When Harry Met Lloyd Lewis minor role

Holes Stanley "Caveman" Yelnats IV main role

2004 I, Robot Farber supporting role

2005 The Greatest Game Ever Played Francis Ouimet main role

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Asbel voice (English version)

Constantine Chas Kramer supporting role

2006 Bobby Cooper minor role

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints Young Dito supporting role

2007 Disturbia Kale Brecht main role

Surf's Up Cody Maverick voice

Transformers Sam Witwicky main role

2008 Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull Henry "Mutt Williams" Jones III supporting role

Eagle Eye Jerry Shaw/Ethan Shaw main role

2009 Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Sam Witwicky main role

New York, I Love You Jacob minor role

2010 Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps Jake "Jacob" Moore main role (filming)

2011 Transformers 3 Sam Witwicky main role (pre-production)

2012 The Associate Kyle McAvoy main role (pre-production)

Film Made for Television or Video

Year Title Role Notes

1998 The Christmas Path Cal main role

Monkey Business Wyatt minor role

Breakfast with Einstein Joey supporting role

2001 Hounded Ronny van Dussel supporting role (Disney Channel original movie)

2002 Tru Confessions Eddie Walker supporting role (Disney Channel original movie)

2003 The Even Stevens Movie Louis Stevens main role (Disney Channel original movie)

Television

Year Title Role Notes

1998 Caroline in the City Ethan Episode: ("Caroline and the Bar Mitzvah")

1999 Jesse Moe Episode: ("Momma Was a Rollin' Stone")

1999 Suddenly Susan Ritchie Episode: ("A Day in the Life")

1999 Touched by an Angel Johnny Episode: ("The Occupant")

1999 The X-Files Richie Lupone Episode: ("The Goldberg Variation")

2000 ER Darnel Smith Episode: ("Abby Road")

2000 Freaks and Geeks Herbert the mascot Episode: ("We've Got Spirit")

2000–2003 Even Stevens Louis Stevens main role

2001 The Nightmare Room Dylan Pierce Episode: ("Scareful What You Wish For")

2002 The Proud Family Johnny McBride Episode: ("I Love You Penny Proud") (Voice)

(source:wikipedia)