20 Hollywood Stars Now And Then

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  • 20 Hollywood Stars Now And Then.

    Nicolas Cage, 57 years old
    1. Nicolas Cage, 57 years old

    Nicolas Cage was born Nicolas Kim Coppola in Long Beach, California, the son of comparative literature professor August Coppola (whose brother is director Francis Ford Coppola) and dancer/choreographer Joy Vogelsang. He is of Italian (father) and Polish and German (mother) descent. Cage changed his name early in his career to make his own reputation, succeeding brilliantly with a host of classic, quirky roles by the late 1980s.

    Initially studying theatre at Beverly Hills High School (though he dropped out at seventeen), he secured a bit part in Kuumat kinkut (1982) -- most of which was cut, dashing his hopes and leading to a job selling popcorn at the Fairfax Theater, thinking that would be the only route to a movie career. But a job reading lines with actors auditioning for uncle Francis' Taistelukala (1983) landed him a role in that film, followed by the punk-rocker in Valley Girl (1983), which was released first and truly launched his career.

    His one-time passion for method acting reached a personal limit when he smashed a street-vendor's remote-control car to achieve the sense of rage needed for his gangster character in Cotton Club (1984).

    In his early 20s, he dated Jenny Wright for two years and later linked to Uma Thurman. After a relationship of several years with Christina Fulton, a model, they split amicably and share custody of a son, Weston Cage Coppola (b.1992). He also has a son with his ex-wife, Alice Kim Cage.

    Tate Donovan, 58 years old.
    2.Tate Donovan, 58 years old.

    Tate Buckley Donovan began making television appearances while still in his teens, most often cast as angst-ridden high schoolers in such made-for-TV films such as Not My Kid (1985) and Pähkinänsärkijä (1987).

    Donovan was born to a large family in Tenafly, New Jersey, the son of Eileen Frances (McAllister) and John Timothy Donovan, a surgeon. He is of Irish descent. Donovan moved to Los Angeles to be closer to the television industry while he attended college at USC, where he also met several fellow actors who became longtime friends, such as Grant Heslov and George Clooney, with whom he still parties with to this day (he also had a fairly substantial part in their smash film, Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005). Although not quite as active as his friend Clooney in the romantic arena, confirmed bachelor Donovan has been engaged to both film star Sandra Bullock and television icon Jennifer Aniston, and has dated a diverse group of women such as socialite Plum Sikes (2000), stage actress Whitney Allen (2001) and television actress Lauren Graham, whom he met when they both appeared in the play "Once in a Lifetime" at the Williamstown Theater Festival in 2002. 

    After graduating from college, Donovan gained prominent notice for his portrayal of the charismatic yet self-centered co-pilot in the ensemble period drama Memphis Belle (1990). Prior to that, Donovan had appeared as the cocky elder camper in SpaceCamp - matka tuntemattomaan (1986) and as a recovering drug addict in Kuivilla (1988). His first leading role was in the charming but minor Lemmenjuoma nro 9 (1992), costarring Bullock, to whom he became engaged (their relationship ended in 1994). He then appeared in several independent features as sullen, withdrawn types before following up with a role in the Disney family comedy, Tosivaimo (1994). He returned to Disney for perhaps his highest-profile effort to date, the animated Herkules (1997), for which he provided the voice for the adult version of the title character. 

    His small-screen work has included a Cable ACE-nominated turn in the HBO series Vietnam War Story II (1988) (V). He joined the parade of film stars who turned to sitcoms, heading the cast of Partners (1995) opposite Jon Cryer. When that failed to catch on, he joined with his "Memphis Belle" co-stars Eric Stoltz and Reed Diamond to play three brothers in a memorable episode of NBC's Homicide - Pelon kadut (1993) and had a recurring role as a client and potential love interest for Calista Flockhart's titular lawyer Ally McBeal (1997). Switching networks, he had a recurring role as a love interest opposite his then-girlfriend Jennifer Aniston in NBC's Friends (1994) and donned clerical garb to play the priest son of a large Irish Catholic family in the short-lived NBC drama Suurkaupungin sielut (1998). More recently he has appeared as a guest star in several shows such as Oikeuden puolesta (2001), as well as Mister Sterling (2003) and in the new show O.C. (2003).

    John Cusack, 55 years old.
    3.John Cusack, 55 years old.

    John Cusack is, like most of his characters, an unconventional hero. Wary of fame and repelled by formulaic Hollywood fare, he has built a successful career playing underdogs and odd men out--all the while avoiding the media spotlight. John was born in Evanston, Illinois, to an Irish-American family. With the exception of mom Nancy (née Carolan), a former math teacher, the Cusack clan is all show business: father Dick Cusack was an actor and filmmaker, and John's siblings Joan CusackAnn CusackBill Cusack and Susie Cusack are all thespians by trade. Like his brother and sisters, John became a member of Chicago's Piven Theatre Workshop while he was still in elementary school. By age 12, he already had several stage productions, commercial voice overs and industrial films under his belt. He made his feature film debut at 17, acting alongside Rob Lowe and Andrew McCarthy in the romantic comedy Jenkkikassi ja pitsipöksy (1983). His next role, as a member of Anthony Michael Hall's geek brigade in Synttärit (1984), put him on track to becoming a teen-flick fixture. Cusack remained on the periphery of the Brat Pack, sidestepping the meteoric rise and fall of most of his contemporaries, but he stayed busy with leads in films like Varma pala (1985) and Pipo tiukalla (1985). Young Cusack is probably best remembered for what could be considered his last adolescent role: the stereo-blaring romantic Lloyd Dobler in Loistokaveri (1989). A year later, he hit theaters as a grown-up, playing a bush-league con man caught between his manipulative mother and headstrong girlfriend in The grifters - Huijarit (1990).

    The next few years were relatively quiet for the actor, but he filled in the gaps with off-screen projects. He directed and produced several shows for the Chicago-based theater group The New Criminals, which he founded in 1988 (modeling it after Tim Robbins' Actors' Gang in Los Angeles) to promote political and avant-garde stage work. Four years later, Cusack's high school friends Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis joined him in starting a sister company for film, New Crime Productions. New Crime's first feature was the sharply written comedy Grosse pointe blank - palkkamurhaaja pikkukaupungissa (1997), which touched off a career renaissance for Cusack. In addition to co-scripting, he starred as a world-weary hit man who goes home for his ten-year high school reunion and tries to rekindle a romance with the girl he stood up on prom night (Minnie Driver). In an instance of life imitating art, Cusack actually did go home for his ten-year reunion (to honor a bet about the film's financing) and ended up in a real-life romance with Driver. Cusack's next appearance was as a federal agent (or, as he described it, "the first post-Heston, non-biblical action star in sandals") in Con Air - Lento vapauteen (1997), a movie he chose because he felt it was time to make smart business decisions. He followed that with Clint Eastwood's Keskiyö hyvän ja pahan puutarhassa (1997), in which he played a Yankee reporter entangled in a Savannah murder case.

    Cusack has always favored offbeat material, so it was no surprise when he turned up in the fiercely original Being John Malkovich (1999). Long-haired, bearded and bespectacled, he was almost unrecognizable in the role of a frustrated puppeteer who stumbles across a portal into the brain of actor John Malkovich. The convincing performance won him a Best Actor nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards. In 2000, Cusack was back to his clean-shaven self in High Fidelity (2000), another New Crime production. He worked with Steve Pink and D.V. DeVincentis to adapt Nick Hornby's popular novel (relocating the story to their native Chicago), then starred as the sarcastic record store owner who revisits his "Top 5" breakups to find out why he's so unlucky in love. The real Cusack has been romantically linked with several celebs, including Driver, Alison EastwoodClaire Forlani and Neve Campbell. He's also something of a family man, acting frequently opposite sister Joan Cusack and pulling other Cusacks into his films on a regular basis. He seems pleased with the spate of projects on his horizon, but admits that he still hasn't reached his ultimate goal: to be involved in a "great piece of art".


    Cary Elwes, 59 years old.
    4.Cary Elwes, 59 years old.

    Cary Elwes was born in Westminster, London, England, the third son of interior designer/shipping heiress Tessa Georgina Kennedy and the late portrait painter Bede Evelyn Dominick Elwes. He is the brother of producer/agent Cassian Elwes and artist Damian Elwes. He was raised in London and attended Harrow. After graduating from Harrow, he moved to the US and studied drama at Sarah Lawrence College. He left school after two years to begin his film career. Cary is well respected by colleagues and fans alike and considered by many to be one of the finest actors working today. He is interested in history and says, "It's deliberate that a lot of my films have been period pieces". He is politically active for causes he believes in, such as protecting the environment and helping Native American people.

    Elwes is married to Lisa Marie Kurbikoff, a stills photographer. He comes from a long-established recusant English family on his father's side. Several prominent Catholic clerics are among his relatives, including Fr. Luke Cary-Elwes, Dom Columba Cary-Elwes, and Dom Cuthbert Cary-Elwes. His grandfather was society painter and war artist Simon Elwes. Cary (the surname "Cary-Elwes" was shortened to "Elwes" in some branches of the family) was an altar boy at London's Brompton Oratory, although he did not attend a Catholic high school. From his maternal grandmother, Daska Marija Ivanovic-Banac, who was born in Osijek in the Austra-Hungarian Empire (now in Croatia), he has Croatian Jewish and Serbian ancestry. Cary's other lineage is English, Irish, and Scottish.

    Kurt Russell, 70 years old
    5.Kurt Russell, 70 years old

    Kurt Vogel Russell was born on March 17, 1951 in Springfield, Massachusetts, to Louise Julia Russell (née Crone), a dancer, and Bing Russell, an actor. He is of English, German, Scottish and Irish descent. His first roles were as a child on television series, including a lead role on the Western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters (1963). Russell landed a role in the Elvis Presley movie, Sydän tarjolla (1963), when he was eleven years old. Walt Disney himself signed Russell to a 10-year contract, and, according to Robert Osborne, he became the studio's top star of the 1970s. Having voiced adult Copper in the animated Disney film The Fox and the Hound (1981), Russell is one of the few famous child stars in Hollywood who has been able to continue his acting career past his teen years.

    Kurt spent the early 1970s playing minor league baseball. In 1979, he gave a classic performance as Elvis Presley in John Carpenter's ABC TV movie Elvis (1979), and married the actress who portrayed Priscilla Presley in the film, Season Hubley. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for the role. He followed with roles in a string of well-received films, including Used Cars (1980) and Silkwood (1983), for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture. During the 1980s, he starred in several films by director Carpenter; they created some of his best-known roles, including the infamous anti-hero Snake Plissken in the futuristic action film Pako New Yorkista (1981) (and later in its sequel Pako L.A.:sta (1996)), Antarctic helicopter pilot R.J. MacReady in the horror film The Thing - 'se' jostakin (1982), and Jack Burton in the fantasy film Säpinää Chinatownissa (1986), all of which have since become cult classics.

    In 1983, he became reacquainted with Goldie Hawn (who appeared with him in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968)) when they worked together on Tyttö joka paiski töitä (1984). The two have lived together ever since. They made another film together, Garry Marshall's comedy Yli laidan (1987). His other 1980s titles include Viimeinen ottelu (1986), Tequila Sunrise (1988), Salaisuus (1989) and Tango & Cash (1989).

    In 1991, he headlined the firefighter drama Backdraft (1991), he starred as Wyatt Earp in the Western film Tombstone (1993), and had a starring role as Colonel Jack O'Neil in the science fiction film Stargate - Tähtiportti (1994). In the mid-2000s, his portrayal of U.S. Olympic hockey coach Herb Brooks in Miracle (2004) won the praise of critics. In 2006, he appeared in the disaster-thriller Poseidon (2006), and in 2007, in Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse: Death Proof (2007) segment from the film Grindhouse (2007). Russell appeared in The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014), a documentary about his father and the Portland Mavericks, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival in 2014. Russell starred in the Western films Bone Tomahawk (2015) and The Hateful Eight (2015), and had a leading role in the dramatization Deepwater Horizon (2016). He also co-starred in the action sequels Fast & Furious 7 (2015) and Fast & Furious 8 (2017).

    Russell and Goldie Hawn live on a 72-acre retreat, Home Run Ranch, outside of Aspen. He has two sons, Boston Russell (from his marriage to Hubley) and Wyatt Russell (with Hawn). He also raised Hawn's children, actors Oliver Hudson and Kate Hudson, who consider him their father. Russell is also an avid gun enthusiast, a hunter and a staunch supporter of the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution. He is also an FAA-licensed private pilot holding single/multi-engine and instrument ratings, and is an Honorary Board Member of the humanitarian aviation organization Wings of Hope.

    Adam Storke, 59 years old.
    6.Adam Storke, 59 years old.

    Adam Storke was born on August 18, 1962 in New York City, New York, USA as Adam J. Storke. He is an actor, known for Mystic Pizza (1988), Kuolema pukee häntä (1992) and The Phantom of the Opera (1990).

    Andrew McCarthy, 58 years old.
    7.Andrew McCarthy, 58 years old.

    Andrew McCarthy grew up in Westfield, New Jersey, until he was 15, when his family moved to Bernardsville. He attended the Pingry School, a prep school, where he performed in plays and musicals and played basketball. At 18, he went to New York University as a theatre major and wound up as the lead in the 1983 film Jenkkikassi ja pitsipöksy (1983). He also studied at the Circle in Square Theater School in New York. He has been in several on and off Broadway shows, such as 'Long Day's Journey', as well as over 40 movies. He continues to show his talented acting abilities in upcoming movies and shows.

    Since the mid-2000s, McCarthy has had a second career as a travel writer for such publications as National Geographic Traveler, Travel+Leisure, Afar, The Atlantic, The Wall Street Journal, Bon Appetit, The New York Times, Men's Journal, and Slate, among others. In 2010, the Society of American Travel Writers awarded McCarthy their Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism prize and named him Travel Journalist of the Year.

    Eric Stoltz, 60 years old.
    8.Eric Stoltz, 60 years old.

    Eric Cameron Stoltz is a theater-trained actor and producer who has starred in both independent and studio films. He was born on September 30, 1961 in Whittier, California, to Evelyn Vawter, a violinist and schoolteacher, and Jack Stoltz, an elementary school teacher. He has English, German and Scottish ancestry. Eric was raised in both American Samoa and Santa Barbara, California, where by the age of fourteen, he was earning money by playing piano for the local musical theater productions, including "Mame" starring Anthony Edwards, whom he co-starred with as two of Jeff Spicoli's stoner friends in Kuumat kinkut (1982). The two became friends, and then college roommates when both attended the University of Southern California. Dropping out in his junior year, Eric joined a repertory company that did 10 plays at the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. Moving to New York in 1981, he studied with Stella Adler and Peggy Feury, and soon appeared in his first film, Kuumat kinkut (1982). In the 1980s, he garnered attention (and a Golden Globe Award nomination) starring as Rocky Dennis in Mask (1985), and in John HughesJännät suhteet (1987). In 1988, he made his Broadway debut in Great Performances: Our Town (1989), for which he was nominated for a Tony Award.

    In the 1990s, he went back and forth from stage to film, building up an eclectic resume that included studio films (Pulp Fiction: Tarinoita väkivallasta (1994)), independent films (Sundance Festival Winner Unelmien tanssi (1992)), and films that he himself produced (Herra Mustasukkainen (1997)). He also continued to appear on the New York stage both on Broadway ("Three Sisters", "Two Shakespearean Actors") and off-Broadway ("The Importance of Being Ernest", "The Glass Menagerie"). He continued to work in television as well, doing a recurring role as Helen Hunt's ex on Hulluna sinuun (1992), a year on Chicagon lääkärit (1994), and in the television and cable movies Inside (1996) (directed by Arthur Penn), A Killer in the Family (1983) (with Robert Mitchum) and The Passion of Ayn Rand (1999) (with Dame Helen Mirren). Eric Stoltz lives in New Mexico, and has been romantically linked to Ally SheedyJennifer Jason LeighLili Taylor and Bridget Fonda. Since 2002, he has concentrated mainly on directing, having done a television movie, several short films, several independent films, and television series such as Greyn anatomia (2005), Boston Legal (2004), Nashville (2012) and Glee (2009). In 2014, he became the producing director of the CBS drama series, Rouva ministeri (2014).

    Gérard Depardieu, 72 years old.
    9.Gérard Depardieu, 72 years old.

    Gérard Depardieu was born in Châteauroux, Indre, France, to Anne Jeanne Josèphe (Marillier) and René Maxime Lionel Depardieu, who was a metal worker and fireman. Young delinquent and wanderer in the past, Depardieu started his acting career at the small traveling theatre "Café de la Gare", along with Patrick Dewaere and Miou-Miou. After minor roles in cinema, at last, he got his chance in Bertrand Blier's Riipukset (1974). That film established a new type of hero in the French cinema and the actor's popularity grew enormously. 

    Later, he diversified his screen image and became the leading French actor of the 80s and 90s. He was twice awarded a César as Best Actor for Viimeinen metro (1980) and Cyrano de Bergerac (1990), also received an Oscar nomination for "Cyrano" and a number of awards at international film festivals. In 1996, he was distinguished by the highest French title of "Chevalier de la Légion d'Honneur". He married Elisabeth Depardieu in 1971, and they divorced in 1996; she appeared with him in Katkeruuden lähde (1986) and Rakkauden lähde (1986); their children Guillaume Depardieu and Julie Depardieu are both actors.

    Billy Crystal, 73 years old.
    10.Billy Crystal, 73 years old.

    Billy Crystal was born on March 14, 1948 in Manhattan, New York, and was raised on Long Island. He is the youngest of three sons born to Helen (Gabler) and Jack Crystal. His father was a well-known concert promoter who co-founded Commodore Records and his mother was a homemaker. His family were Jewish emigrants from Russia, Austria, and Lithuania. With his father in the music business, Billy was no stranger to some of the top performers of the time. Legends such as Billie HolidayPee Wee Russell, and Eddie Condon regularly stopped by the Crystal household. At age 15, Billy faced a personal tragedy when his father died of a heart attack at the relatively young age of 54. This gave Billy a real appreciation of what his dad was able to accomplish while alive and what his mother did to keep the family together. Despite this tragedy, Billy was very upbeat and likable as a kid. He had a unique talent for making people laugh.

    With television becoming a new medium, Billy got his influence from shows like The Honeymooners (1955), and "The Ed Sullivan Show" and performers like Alan KingErnie Kovacs and Jonathan Winters. He started doing stand-up comedy at the age of 16. However, his real dream was to be a professional baseball player. His idol growing up was Yankees outfielder Mickey Mantle. He spent long hours in the summers playing softball in the middle of Park Avenue with his brothers and his father, a former pitcher at St. John's University . At Long Beach High, Billy played second base and was varsity captain in his senior year. This earned him a baseball scholarship from Marshall University in West Virginia which he accepted. However, he would never end up playing a game as the baseball program was suspended during his freshman year. This would lead him to leave the university and move back to New York. He then enrolled at nearby Nassau Community College, majoring in theater. It was there that he met and fell in love with a dancer named Janice Goldfinger. They would get married in 1970 and have two daughters. Shortly after, Billy got accepted in New York University, where he majored in Film and TV Direction. While at NYU, he studied under legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese. He also worked as house manager and usher on a production of "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown."

    After receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NYU in 1970, Billy temporarily worked as a substitute teacher until he was able to get gigs as a stand-up comic. He formed his own improv group, 3's Company, and opened for musicians like Barry Manilow. His impression of Howard Cosell interviewing Muhammad Ali became a huge hit with the audience. He left Long Beach for Hollywood in August of 1976 in the hopes of trying to land a role on a television series. It only took a year before he got his big break when he was chosen for the role of gay character Jodie Dallas on the controversial ABC sitcom Kupla (1977). This would be the first time that an American TV show would feature an openly gay character as a regular. The show ran successfully for four seasons and helped to jump-start Billy's previously stagnant career. After Kupla (1977) ended in 1981, Billy continued to do his stand-up routine, which was now attracting a larger audience with his growing celebrity status. During this time, he made many TV guest appearances and even hosted his own short-lived variety show, The Billy Crystal Comedy Hour (1982).

    He became a regular on Saturday Night Live (1975) in 1984 where his Fernando Lamas impression with the catchphrase "You Look Mahvellous" was a huge hit with viewers. This would lead to appearances in feature-length films such as Kaupungin nopeimmat kytät (1986) and Heitä mami junasta (1987). In 1986, along with Whoopi Goldberg and Robin Williams, he started Comic Relief, an annual stand-up comedy show which helped to raise money for housing and medical care for the homeless. The show has since grown substantially with the continued support of all three comics. Billy's career would peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His roles in the blockbuster movies Kun Harry tapasi Sallyn... (1989) and Kaupunkicowboyt (1991) helped to establish himself as one of Hollwood's top movie stars. This star status was further validated when he was chosen to host the annual Oscars in 1990, an honor in which he would repeat seven more times. He made his big screen directorial debut in the 1992 film Vitsivieteri (1992), which was about a washed-up stand-up comic who refuses to retire. He also wrote, produced and starred in the film. Although the film was not a huge hit, it proved that Billy was much more than an actor and comedian. In the following years, Billy continued to act in, produce, and direct several films.

    He had his share of hits (Terapian tarpeessa (1999), Valkokankaan lemmikit (2001)) and some flops (Isänpäivä (1997), Jättini (1998)). His role in as a therapist to mobster Robert De Niro in Terapian tarpeessa (1999) earned him critical praise. In 2001, Billy parlayed his childhood love of baseball and Mickey Mantle into a feature film. The movie, Ennätysjahti (2001), which premiered on HBO, centered on the relationship between Mantle and Roger Maris and their 1961 pursuit of Babe Ruth's home run record. The film for which Billy served as director and executive producer, garnered 12 Emmy nominations in all.

    Offscreen, Billy remains married to Janice Crystal and they have homes in California and New York. Both of his daughters are involved in the film business. Jennifer Crystal Foley is an aspiring actress, appearing in Ennätysjahti (2001), while Lindsay Crystal is an aspiring filmmaker, creating and directing the documentary My Uncle Berns (2003).

    Hugh Grant, 61 years old.
    11.Hugh Grant, 61 years old.

    Hugh Grant, one of Britain's best known faces, has been equally entertaining on-screen as well as in real life, and has had enough sense of humor to survive a media frenzy. He is known for his roles in Neljät häät ja yhdet hautajaiset (1994), with Andie MacDowellNotting Hill (1999), opposite Julia Roberts, and Sävel ja sanat (2007), opposite Drew Barrymore, among his other works.

    He was born Hugh John Mungo Grant on September 9, 1960, in Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom. His mother, Fyvola Susan (MacLean), was a teacher. His father, James Murray Grant, was an artist and carpet salesman, and his grandfather was in the British Army during WWII. He is of mostly Scottish and English descent, with many recent ancestors who were prominent in the military. Young Grant was fond of literature and acting. He won a scholarship to Oxford, going up to New College in 1979. There he was involved in student drama, and considered a career as an art historian. After Oxford, he turned down a scholarship to do postgraduate studies in Art History at the Courtauld Institute in London, and focused on his acting career. In 1982, while still a student, Grant made his big screen debut in Privileged (1982) by director Michael Hoffman.

    Grant's breakthrough came with the leading role as Charles in Neljät häät ja yhdet hautajaiset (1994), opposite Andie MacDowell, a role which won him a Golden Globe Award, as well as a BAFTA Film Award for Best Actor. During the 1990s Grant established himself as a very original and resourceful actor. He played a string of characters projecting a positive mindset, showing how do you stay optimistic when you are actually worried about a cascade of troubles. Grant had his own experience as a survivor of an unfortunate episode in his private life, which he managed to overcome thanks to having a pretty damn good outlook on life.

    His forte is playing characters projecting warmth and sincere happiness, with his hallmark stuttering, albeit some accused him of reprising the same character he has been playing for the past two decades. Grant's ability to show his character development within a limited screen time shines in Rakkautta vain (2003), with his witty portrayal of a Prime Minister whose personal insecurities become intertwined with his country's international affairs, a performance that earned him a nomination for European Audience Award. His screen presence and skillful understatement takes his characters beyond the written script, thanks to his mastery of timing and effortless style.

    Outside of his acting profession, Grant has been a good athlete, he played cricket and football in his younger years. He enjoys playing golf, frequently taking part in Pro-Am tournaments. He has been an avid art lover since his younger years, and has been collecting fine art, a passion he inherited from his father.

    Ethan Hawke, 50 years old.
    12.Ethan Hawke, 50 years old.

    Ethan Green Hawke was born on November 6, 1970 in Austin, Texas, to Leslie Carole (Green), a charity worker, and James Steven Hawke, an insurance actuary. His parents were students at the University of Texas at the time but divorced when Ethan was 5 years old. His mother raised him alone for the next five years, moving around the country, until she remarried in 1981 and the family settled in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.

    He attended West Windsor-Plainsboro High School and then transferred to the Hun School of Princeton and it was while he was there that he began taking acting classes at the McCarter Theatre on the Princeton campus. His early ambition had been to be a writer, but as a result of the acting lessons and appearances in student productions he persuaded his mother to allow him to attend an audition for a role in a sci-fi adolescent adventure, Explorers - tutkimusmatkailijat (1985). He got the role (along with River Phoenix) but although the movie was favourably reviewed, it met with little commercial success which discouraged Hawke from pursuing further movie roles for several years.

    He was admitted to the prestigious Carnegie-Mellon University to study theatre but his studies were interrupted when he won his break-through role opposite Robin Williams in Kuolleiden runoilijoiden seura (1989) and he did not complete his degree. He then appeared in numerous films before taking a role in the Generation X drama Reality Bites (1994) for which he received critical praise. He starred in the romantic drama Rakkautta ennen aamua (1995), and its later sequels Rakkautta ennen auringonlaskua (2004) and Rakkautta ennen keskiyötä (2013).

    His subsequent acting career was a mix of theatre work (earning a number of awards and nominations, including a Tony Award nomination for his role in "The Coast of Utopia" at the Lincoln Center in New York), and a mix of serious and more commercial movies, notably Gattaca (1997) (where he met his first wife, Uma Thurman) and Training day (2001). His role as the father in the coming-of-age drama Boyhood (2014) earned him multiple award nominations, including the Academy, BAFTA, Golden Globe, and SAG Award for Best Supporting Actor.

    Meanwhile, he also wrote two novels: "The Hottest State" (1996) and "Ash Wednesday" (2002).

    Patrick Dempsey, 55 years old.
    13.Patrick Dempsey, 55 years old.

    Patrick Dempsey has lived two charming but separate lives on film and television. From an exuberant, somewhat awkward charmer in college comedy films of the late 1980s and early 1990s, he has morphed spectacularly into a dreamy, wavy-haired television hunk of the new-age millennium and this seductive new image has since spilled off into romantic lead roles back on the large screen as a slightly offbeat, self-effacing Prince Charming type.

    Patrick Galen Dempsey was born on January 13, 1966 in Lewiston, Maine, to M. Amanda (Casson) and William Allen Dempsey. He is the youngest of three. His father, an insurance agent, and his mother, a school secretary, raised the children in Buckfield (Maine). His parents were both originally from Pennsylvania, and he has German, English, and Scottish ancestry ("Dempsey" was the surname of his step-grandfather). Patrick, who was diagnosed as dyslexic (he has to fully memorize his scripts), attended St. Dominic Regional High School but dropped out before graduating.

    Always interested in entertainment, Patrick studied juggling and entered several competitions. Acting was also a natural for him and, at age 15, he earned the role of the rebellious son in a Maine production of "On Golden Pond". Two years later, he won a prime role as David, the gay teen, in the Harvey Fierstein play "Torch Song Trilogy", spending several months touring the San Francisco area with the show. In between he, found supplementary gigs dancing and juggling. More opportunities came his way after winning the protagonist role of Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" that toured in 1984. Directed by the renowned comedy favorite Gene Saks, Dempsey started looking at the possibility of film work.

    He made his movie debut in the secondary part of a Catholic student in the 1960s-era school-age comedy Poikien koulu (1985) starring "Brat Pack" actor Andrew McCarthy. More silliness followed with Jurtit III (1986) and a ripe turn in the socially aware television-movie Disneyland: Kahden tulen välissä (1986) in which he played an epileptic teen who sues his parents (Beau Bridges and Karen Valentine) in order to have risky brain surgery. Around the same time, he found himself in a television series entitled Fast Times (1986), based on the ultimate school-age film Kuumat kinkut (1982), which made a star out of Sean Penn. Inheriting the Robert Romanus cool guy role of con artist Mike Damone, expectations were far too big and the television series died a quick death.

    However, his movie career got on a faster track and he scored well co-starring with the worldly Beverly D'Angelo in the movie In the Mood (1987), as a young man who makes headlines pursuing older women. Life resembled art that same year when Patrick married actress and drama coach Rocky Parker, who played a bit part in the film. He was 21 and she was 48. By this time, his trademark cuteness and appeal started taking shape. The youthful 21-year old Patrick played a nerd role next in the very funny high school comedy Näytön paikka (1987) with Amanda Peterson. A movie favorite for many, Patrick had reached the peak of his early career popularity. He showed a more serious side in the World War II-era drama Haudatut tunteet (1988), which presented a Cyrano de Bergerac-like story line with Patrick as the Christian de Neuvillette counterpart, but then he went straight back to familiar territory with the college-themed comedies Jotkut tytöt (1988) with Jennifer ConnellyLoverboy (1989), and Sekoitus kahdelle (1989).

    Stretching more in the 1990s, Patrick co-starred on stage in a 1991 production of "The Subject Was Roses" (playing the Martin Sheen film role) as the World War II soldier readjusting to civilian life with his parents (Dana Ivey and "Frasier" co-star John Mahoney). Films included the cross-country comedy-drama Matkalla Miamiin (1990), the action thriller Run (1991), Pahuuden valtakunta (1991), in which he made a stab at playing major Mafioso Meyer Lansky, Romanttiset sävelet (1993) opposite "Brat Pack" femme Molly Ringwald, the title role in Romanttinen ryöstäjä (1993), and the Mark Twain family-geared Ava's Magical Adventure (1994), co-directed by Patrick and wife Rocky. However, the couple divorced that same year. On television, Patrick played a young John Fitzgerald Kennedy in the miniseries J.F.K.: Reckless Youth (1993), Pierre Arronax in the television remake of Merten halki (1997), and Raskolnikov in a small screen version of Rikos ja rangaistus (1998). The rest of the decade on film was less newsworthy with co-starring or featured movie roles in Hugo Pool (1997), Kuumottavat kiusaukset (1998), There's No Fish Food in Heaven (1998) and Me and Will (1999).

    It was television that gave Patrick a shot in the arm as he progressed into the new millennium. A recurring role as Will's closeted sportscaster amour in the sitcom Will & Grace (1998) presented Patrick in a more mature, wry and sexier fashion. Another recurring role in Vielä kerran (1999) earned him a dramatic Emmy nomination in 2001 as Outstanding Guest Actor, and a third on Oikeus ja kohtuus (1997) was also extremely well-received. While the romantic comedy film Sweet Home Alabama (2002) opposite Reese Witherspoon really nailed the direction Dempsey was headed, the medical series Greyn anatomia (2005), as neurosurgeon Dr. Derek Shepherd (aka "Dr. McDreamy"), gave distaff audiences the whole heartthrob package. The perfect vehicle to showcase his undeniable charisma and sharp talent for offbeat comedy, he is a two-time Golden Globe nominee and his popularity has absolutely skyrocketed. This reawakening has also swung the door open again on high-profile film offers, registering with the ladies once again in a number of light leading man parts, notably Lumottu (2007), Rakastunut bestman (2008), Ystävänpäivä (2010), Flypaper (2011) and Bridget Jones's Baby (2016). More serious work included the title role in the mystery crime mini-series The Truth About the Harry Quebert Affair (2018) and as a bad guy in the drama series Devils (2020).

    Off-camera, Dempsey married a second time in 1999, to make-up artist and Delux Beauty founder Jillian Dempsey. The couple have three children: daughter, Tallulah Fyfe (born 2002), and twin sons Darby Galen and Sullivan Patrick (born 2007). An avid sports car racer (he has participated in the Indianapolis and Daytona Beach events), he showed off a more humanitarian side when he started the Patrick Dempsey Center for Cancer Hope and Healing in his hometown of Lewiston after his mother developed ovarian cancer. Befittingly, he has produced a sexy men's fragrance line by Avon called "Unscripted".

    Bill Pullman, 67 years old.
    14.Bill Pullman, 67 years old.

    William James Pullman was born in Hornell, New York, one of seven children of Johanna (Blaas), a nurse, and James Pullman, a doctor. He is of Dutch (mother) and English, Northern Irish, and Scottish (father) descent. After high school, Bill went into a building construction program at SUNY Delhi in New York. He transferred to State University of New York College at Oneonta where he received his BA in Theater. He received both his MFA in Theater/Directing and an honorary PHD from University of Massachusetts at Amherst. While teaching Directing at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana, one of Bill's students was the soon-to-be film director John Dahl, who later cast Mr. Pullman in "The Last Seduction".

    Moving to New York City, he worked with Kathy Bates in the acclaimed stage production of "Curse of the Starving Class". However, it was his first work in three strikingly diverse films that brought him to the attention of his audience: "Ruthless People" with Danny DeVito and Bette Milder, the Mel Brooks hit "Spaceballs" and the Oscar-nominated (and winner for Best Supporting Actress Geena Davis) "The Accidental Tourist". Still attracted to the art and study of building construction, Bill has designed and/or restored three "barns": In Montana, he converted a 1933 barn at his ranch into his family home. In Los Angeles, he built a Truss barn in the style of LA's 1910 fruit storage barns. In western New York State, he restored a '3-bay' barn that sometimes serves as a community center near his hometown of Hornell, New York. Focused more on neighborhoods than show business-based charities and societies, Pullman has defined himself by his work with his local communities. He works to bridge communities of Los Angeles through his board work with Cornerstone Theater. Pullman continues to work with his neighbors who formed "Concerned Citizens Montana" to secure a place at the table regarding the national need for a smart grid for energy transmission. He also works with the local university (Alfred University, New York) as well as supports local health services ("The Pullman Women's Health and Birthing Center" at St James Hospital, Hornell, NY).

    Pullman is also an MS Society Ambassador. Based in Los Angeles, New York City and Western Montana, Pullman is married to dancer Tamara Hurwitz Pullman, and they have three children, daughter singer/songwriter Maesa Rae and multi-talented sons Jack and Lewis Pullman, who is now also an actor.


    Richard Gere, 72 years old.
    15.Richard Gere, 72 years old.

    Humanitarian and actor Richard Gere was born on August 31, 1949, in Philadelphia, the second of five children of Doris Ann (Tiffany), a homemaker, and Homer George Gere, an insurance salesman, both Mayflower descendants. Richard started early as a musician, playing a number of instruments in high school and writing music for high school productions. He graduated from North Syracuse Central High School in 1967, and won a gymnastics scholarship to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, where he majored in philosophy. 

    He left college after two years to pursue acting, landing a lead role in the London production of the rock musical "Grease" in 1973. The following year he would be in other plays, such as "Taming of the Shrew." Onscreen, he had a few roles, and gained recognition in Etsin sinua Mr. Goodbar (1977). Offscreen, he spent 1978 meeting Tibetans when he traveled to Nepal, where he spoke to many monks and lamas. Returning to the US, on Broadway he portrayed a concentration-camp prisoner in "Bent," for which he received the 1980 Theatre World Award. 

    Back in Hollywood, he played the title role in American Gigolo (1980), establishing himself as a major star; this status was reaffirmed by Upseeri ja herrasmies (1982). In the early 1980s, Richard went to Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador (amidst ongoing wars and political violence); he traveled with a doctor and visited refugee camps. It is said that Richard was romantically linked with Tuesday WeldPriscilla PresleyBarbra Streisand and Kim Basinger. In 1990 Richard teamed up with Julia Roberts to star in the blockbuster Pretty Woman (1990); his cool reserve was the perfect complement to Julia's bubbling enthusiasm. 

    The film captured the nation's heart, and won the People's Choice award for Best Movie. Fans clamored for years for a sequel, or at least another pairing of Julia and Richard. They got that with Runaway Bride (1999), which was a runaway success (Richard got $12 million, Julia made $17 million, the box office was $152 million, which shows what happens when you give the public what it wants!). Offscreen, Richard and Cindy Crawford got married December 12, 1991 (they were divorced in 1995). Afterwards, Richard started dating actress Carey Lowell. They had a son, Homer James Jigme Gere, on February 6, 2000. Richard was picked by People magazine as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People in the world in 1991, and as their Sexiest Man Alive in 1999. He is an accomplished pianist and music writer. 

    Above all, Richard is a humanitarian. He's a founding member of "Tibet House," a nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Tibetan culture. He has been an active supporter of "Survival International" for several years, a worldwide organization supporting tribal peoples, affirming their right to decide their own future and helping them protect their lives, lands and human rights (these tribes are global, including the natives of the Amazon, the Maasai of East Africa, the Wichi of Argentina, and others). In 1994 Richard went to London to open Harrods' sale, donating his £50,000 appearance fee to Survival. He has been prominent in their charity advertising campaigns.

    Ethan Embry, 43 years old.
    16.Ethan Embry, 43 years old.

    Ethan Embry was born Ethan Philan Randall on June 13, 1978 in Huntington Beach, California, to Karen and Charles Randall. Before he started acting in movies, Ethan appeared in more than 100 TV and Radio commercials. In 1991, at the age of thirteen, he appeared in three films and has continued acting ever since. On average, Ethan released or filmed at least two films per year, which continued up until 1999, when he filmed about five films.

    Ethan spent most of his childhood in Southern California, growing up with his older brother, Aaron (said to be one of the best musicians in LA), and his little sister, Kessia. In 1998, he bought a home of his own.

    In the Fall of 1999, Ethan co-starred as Sebastian in the short-lived CBS sitcom Work with Me (1999). Sadly, due to lack of ratings, the show ended after only four episodes. 1999, however, did bring a happy event, Ethan's then-wife, Amelinda Smith, gave birth to their first child, whom they named Cogeian, after the Latin word "cogeo," which means "to think over."

    In the fall of 2000, Ethan starred as Derek Barnes in Friikkilinkit (2000) on Fox. Thirteen episodes were shot, but the series was soon canceled after its debut. Later success include a role as detective Frank Smith on Dick Wolf's remake of the classic series Dragnet (2003), a part in the recent cult classic Harold & Kumar - täydellisen hampurilaisen metsästys (2004), and a guest-starring role on the series Num3rot (2005).

    Harrison Ford, 79 years old.
    17.Harrison Ford, 79 years old.

    Harrison Ford was born on July 13, 1942 in Chicago, Illinois, to Dorothy (Nidelman), a radio actress, and Christopher Ford (born John William Ford), an actor turned advertising executive. His father was of Irish and German ancestry, while his maternal grandparents were Jewish emigrants from Minsk, Belarus. Harrison was a lackluster student at Maine Township High School East in Park Ridge Illinois (no athletic star, never above a C average). After dropping out of Ripon College in Wisconsin, where he did some acting and later summer stock, he signed a Hollywood contract with Columbia and later Universal. His roles in movies and television (Etsivä Ironside (1967), Virginialainen (1962)) remained secondary and, discouraged, he turned to a career in professional carpentry. He came back big four years later, however, as Bob Falfa in Svengijengi -62 (1973). Four years after that, he hit colossal with the role of Han Solo in Tähtien sota (1977). Another four years and Ford was Indiana Jones in Kadonneen aarteen metsästäjät (1981).

    Four years later and he received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his role as John Book in Todistaja (1985). All he managed four years after that was his third starring success as Indiana Jones; in fact, many of his earlier successful roles led to sequels as did his more recent portrayal of Jack Ryan in Näkymätön vihollinen (1992). Another Golden Globe nomination came his way for the part of Dr. Richard Kimble in Takaa-ajettu (1993). He is clearly a well-established Hollywood superstar. He also maintains an 800-acre ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

    Ford is a private pilot of both fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, and owns an 800-acre (3.2 km2) ranch in Jackson, Wyoming, approximately half of which he has donated as a nature reserve. On several occasions, Ford has personally provided emergency helicopter services at the request of local authorities, in one instance rescuing a hiker overcome by dehydration. Ford began flight training in the 1960s at Wild Rose Idlewild Airport in Wild Rose, Wisconsin, flying in a Piper PA-22 Tri-Pacer, but at $15 an hour, he could not afford to continue the training. In the mid-1990s, he bought a used Gulfstream II and asked one of his pilots, Terry Bender, to give him flying lessons. They started flying a Cessna 182 out of Jackson, Wyoming, later switching to Teterboro, New Jersey, flying a Cessna 206, the aircraft he soloed in. Ford is an honorary board member of the humanitarian aviation organization Wings of Hope.

    On March 5, 2015, Ford's plane, believed to be a Ryan PT-22 Recruit, made an emergency landing on the Penmar Golf Course in Venice, California. Ford had radioed in to report that the plane had suffered engine failure. He was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, where he was reported to be in fair to moderate condition. Ford suffered a broken pelvis and broken ankle during the accident, as well as other injuries.






    George Clooney, 60 years old.
    18.George Clooney, 60 years old.

    George Timothy Clooney was born on May 6, 1961, in Lexington, Kentucky, to Nina Bruce (née Warren), a former beauty pageant queen, and Nick Clooney, a former anchorman and television host (who was also the brother of singer Rosemary Clooney). He has English, German and Irish ancestry. Clooney spent most of his youth in Ohio and Kentucky, and graduated from Augusta High School. He was very active in sports such as basketball and baseball, and tried out for the Cincinnati Reds, but was not offered a contract.

    After his cousin, Miguel Ferrer, got him a small role in a feature film, Clooney began to pursue acting. His first major role was on the sitcom E/R (1984) as Ace. More roles soon followed, including George Burnett, the handsome handyman on The Facts of Life (1979); Booker Brooks, a supervisor on Roseanne (1988); and Detective James Falconer on Rakkaat siskot (1991). Clooney had his breakthrough when he was cast as Dr. Doug Ross on the award-winning drama series Teho-osasto (1994), opposite Anthony EdwardsNoah Wyle and Julianna Margulies.

    While filming "ER" (1994), Clooney starred in a number of high profile film roles, such as Robert Rodriguez's Hämärästä aamunkoittoon (1996), and One Fine Day (1996), opposite Michelle Pfeiffer. In 1997, Clooney took on the role of Batman in Joel Schumacher's Batman & Robin (1997). The film was a moderate success in the box office, but was slammed by critics, notably for the nipple-laden Batsuit. Clooney went on to star in Steven Soderbergh's Mieletön juttu (1998), Terrence Malick's Veteen piirretty viiva (1998), and David O. Russell's Kolme kuningasta (1999).

    In 1999, Clooney left "ER" (1994) (though he would return for the season finale) and appeared in a number of films, including Voi veljet, missä lienet? (2000), Meren raivo (2000) and Ocean's Eleven - korkeat panokset (2001). Collaborating once again with Steven Soderbergh, Ocean's Eleven (2001) received critical acclaim, earned more than $450 million at the box office, and spawned two sequels: Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007).

    In 2002, Clooney made his directorial debut with Salaisen agentin tunnustukset (2002), an adaptation of TV producer Chuck Barris' autobiography. This was the first film under the banner of Section Eight Productions, a production company he founded with Steven Soderbergh. The company also produced many acclaimed films, including Kaukana taivaasta (2002), Syriana (2005), Hämärän vartija (2006) and Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005). Clooney won his first Oscar for Best Supporting Actor in Syriana (2005), and was nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Good Night, and Good Luck. (2005).

    In 2006, Section Eight Productions was shut down so that Soderbergh could concentrate on directing, and Clooney founded a new production company, Smokehouse Productions, with his friend and longtime business partner, Grant Heslov.

    Clooney went on to produce and star in Michael Clayton (2007) (which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor), directed and starred in Sydän kolmantena jalkana (2008), and took leading roles in Burn After Reading (2008), Vuohia tuijottavat miehet (2009), Fantastic mr. Fox (2009), and Jason Reitman's Up in the Air (2009). Clooney received critical acclaim for his performance in Up in the Air (2009) and was nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe Award and Academy Award. He didn't win that year, but took home both Best Actor awards (as well as countless nominations) for his role as a father who finds out his wife was unfaithful as she lays in a coma in Alexander Payne's The Descendants (2011). Through his career, Clooney has been heralded for his political activism and humanitarian work. He has served as one of the United Nations Messengers of Peace since 2008, has been an advocate for the Darfur conflict, and organized the Hope for Haiti telethon, to raise money for the victims of the 2010 earthquake. In March 2012, Clooney was arrested for civil disobedience while protesting at the Sudanese embassy in Washington, D.C.

    Clooney was married to actress Talia Balsam, from 1989 until 1993. After their divorce, he swore he would never marry again. Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole Kidman bet him $10,000 that he would have children by the age of 40, and sent him a check shortly after his birthday. Clooney returned the funds and bet double or nothing he wouldn't have children by the age of 50. Although he has remained a consummate bachelor, Clooney has had many highly publicized relationships, including with former WWE wrestler Stacy Keibler. In 2014, he married lawyer and activist Amal Clooney.

    Freddie Prinze Jr., 45 years old.
    19.Freddie Prinze Jr., 45 years old.

    Freddie Prinze, Jr. was born on March 8, 1976, in Los Angeles, California, to Kathy Prinze (née Kathy Elaine Barber) and comedian/actor Freddie Prinze. He is of Puerto Rican, German, English, and Irish descent. Freddie lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in his early life. He attended three different schools during his childhood: Eldorado, Sandia, and La Cueva. After graduating in 1994, Freddie moved to L.A. to focus on an acting career. He immediately garnered featured roles on several episodic series, one of which was an episode of Family Matters: The Gun (1995), in which Freddie had a four-line part playing a punk kid who brought a gun to school. "That was my big break, and I thought it was huge," says Freddie. He then went on to appear in a few after-school specials, including ABC Afterschool Specials: Too Soon for Jeff (1996) and Detention: The Siege at Johnson High (1997) co-starring Ricky Schroder and Henry Winkler.
    Freddie is married to actress Sarah Michelle Gellar, with whom he has two children.

    Ben Stiller, 55 years old.
    20.Ben Stiller, 55 years old.

    Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller was born on November 30, 1965, in New York City, New York, to legendary comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. His father was of Austrian Jewish and Polish Jewish descent, and his mother was of Irish Catholic descent (she converted to Judaism).

    His parents made no real effort to keep their son away from the Hollywood lifestyle and he grew up among the stars, wondering just why his parents were so popular. At a young age, he and his sister Amy Stiller would perform plays at home, wearing Amy's tights to perform Shakespeare. Ben also picked up an interest in being on the other side of the camera and, at age 10, began shooting films on his Super 8 camera. The plots were always simple: someone would pick on the shy, awkward Stiller ... and then he would always get his revenge. This desire for revenge on the popular, good-looking people may have motivated his teen-angst opus Reality Bites (1994) later in his career. He both directed and performed in the film, which co-starred Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke.

    Before he got to Hollywood, he put in several consistently solid years in the theater. After dropping out of UCLA, he performed in the Tony Award winner, "The House of Blue Leaves". While working on the play, Stiller shot a short spoof of Suuret setelit (1986) starring him (in the Tom Cruise role) and his American Playhouse: The House of Blue Leaves (1987) costar John Mahoney (in the Paul Newman role). The short film was so funny that Lorne Michaels purchased it and aired it on Saturday Night Live (1975). This led to his spending a year on the show in 1989.

    Stiller made his big screen debut in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun (1987) in 1987. Demonstrating early on the multifaceted tone his career would take, he soon stepped behind the camera to direct Back to Brooklyn for MTV. The network was impressed and gave Stiller his own show, The Ben Stiller Show (1992). He recruited fellow offbeat comedians Janeane Garofalo and Andy Dick and created a bitingly satirical show. MTV ended up passing on it, but it was picked up by Fox. Unfortunately, the show was a ratings miss. Stiller was soon out of work, although he did have the satisfaction of picking up an Emmy for the show after its cancellation.

    For a while, Stiller had to settle for guest appearance work. While doing this, he saved up his cash and in the end was able to scrape enough together to make Reality Bites (1994), now a cult classic which is looked upon favorably by the generation it depicted. Ben continued to work steadily for a time, particularly in independent productions where he was more at ease. However, he never quite managed to catch a big break. His first big budget directing job was Jim Carrey's Sähköputkimies (1996). Although many critics were impressed, Jim Carrey's fans were not. In 1998, Sekaisin Marista (1998) had propelled Stiller into the mainstream spotlight. He also starred in such hit movies as Usko koetuksella (2000) and Perhe on painajainen (2000).