Director Enrico Casarosa has described Luca as “deeply personal story” inspired by his childhood in Genoa with the title character based on himself and Alberto on his best friend. Casarosa has stated: “my summers were spent on beaches … I met my best friend when I was 11. I was really shy and I found this troublemaker of a kid who had a completely different life. I wanted to make a movie about those kinds of friendships that help you grow up.” Contrary to many theories alleging LGBTQ+ themes in this movie, Casarosa stated that this movie celebrates childhood friendships: “Childhood friendships often set the course of who we want to become, and it is those bonds that are at the heart of our story in Luca. So, in addition to the beauty and charm of the Italian seaside, our film will feature an unforgettable summer adventure that will fundamentally change Luca.” During earlier drafts of the film, it’s said that John Lasseter pushed for Luca to be bigger scaled which included a climax where a giant kraken threatens the town of Portorosso. Casarosa said that Lasseter “had great instincts but it was a little more dogmatic.” Lasseter’s departure in 2018 allowed Casarosa to pursue the smaller and more intimate film that he wanted to make as well as experiment with the animation with using more personable stories. To prepare, Pixar sent several of the film’s artists to the Italian Riviera for a research trip, taking photos of the landscape and its people. The film’s also rooted in the 1950s and 1960s that Casarosa sees as a “golden age that feels timeless”, with the music and designs inspired from that period “to capture a little bit of this timelessness of summer.” Sea monsters featured are pulled from Italian myths and regional folklore. This includes the Tellaro octopus and “little legends about sea dragons, creatures that either come to help or get into trouble.” Casarosa said: I always found the old sea monsters on maps really fascinating. The mystery of the sea was so represented in the weird creatures that we used to draw. And that area has a lot of wonderful myths.” Production designer Daniela Strijleva said: “We were really inspired by old sea maps. Some design details that carried through to the final film are things like the shapes of the fins of the sea monsters, how decorative their scales are, and the curves of their tails.” While in Luca, the sea monster is a “metaphor for feeling different.”  Strijleva said that it took a year to design Luca because they wanted to get to know him: “Enrico always wanted Luca to be a bit of an introvert and someone who was curious, but it took us a bit longer to figure out that Luca is a dreamer. He has a strong imagination and a really evolved inner life. That’s when the character came to life for me.” Since it was released amid the Covid 19 pandemic in 2021, it went directly to Disney+ and received rave reviews. In this post, you’ll meet the voices behind 6 characters from Raya and the Last Dragon as well as Luca, Alberto, Giulia, and Grandma Paguro.

531. Patti Harrison

Dates: 1990-present

Early Life and Career: Born supposedly Patrick Harrison in Orient, Ohio as the youngest of 7 children. Parents met during her father’s US Army service in Vietnam while her Vietnamese mother was a janitor in the barracks. Father died of a heart attack when she was 6. First involvement with comedy came from her participation in an improv team during her time at Ohio University from which she didn’t graduate. Came out as a transgender woman shortly after with her family being supportive. Moved to New York City to pursue a comedy career in 2015, but later moved to Los Angeles. Said that her stand-up style has drastically changed since her early performance days because she felt anxious about making jokes about sex and her sexuality due internalized transphobia stemming from her identity as a trans woman. Rose to prominence when she appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon where she made jokes about Trump’s ban on transgender people in the military. Made her breakthrough with Shrill in 2019.

Movies and Cartoons: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

Characters: Chief of Tail

Also Known For: Actress and comedian best known for appearing in comedy TV series. Film appearances include A Simple Favor, Together Together, The Lost City, Mack & Rita, Theater Camp, Trolls Band Together, and The Luckiest Man in America. TV appearances include Shrill, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, The Special with Brett Davis, Broad City, Search Party, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, High Maintenance, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, BoJack Horseman, Magical Girl Friendship Squad, History of Swear Words, Bob’s Burgers, Ziwe, Tuca & Bertie, Q-Force, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Adventure Time: Distant Lands, The Great North, Made for Love, She-Hulk: Attorney at Law, and American Dad!.

Personal Life: Has been openly trans since dropping out of Ohio University and was diagnosed with ADHD in 2021.

Later Life: Has canvassed for Democratic Socialists of America.

Trivia: Has been the first transgender woman to voice in an animated Disney movie. Is a frequent artist and frequently posts her work on Instagram.

532. Dumbfoundead

Dates: 1986-present

Early Life and Career: Born Jonathan Edgar Park in Buenos Aires, Argentina to South Korean immigrants. At 3, his family immigrated to the United States, crossing the US-Mexican border without green cards and settled in the Koreantown neighborhood in Los Angeles. Inspired by the rappers he saw perform weekly at a local microphone workshop at Project Blowed, he began rapping at 14. At 16, he dropped out during his sophomore year at John Marshall High School and moved into an apartment with his sister and a roommate. Worked a series of odd jobs, including that of bail bondman, before becoming a full-time rapper. At 19, he became a US citizen. Released his first solo album in 2011. Began growing a web fan base after video clips of his rap battles were posted on YouTube.

Movies and Cartoons: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

Characters: Chai

Also Known For: Argentine-American rapper and actor who began his career his career in the 2000s as a battle rapper Los Angeles and has since become one of the most prominent East Asian American rappers. Also known for his witty and socially conscious lyrics. Film appearances include Detention, Bad Rap, Bodied, Mid-Century, Quiz Lady, K-Pops!, and Sweet Dreams. TV appearances include Power, Adventure Time, The Mick, and Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens.

Personal Life: Can’t find anything about his personal life.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: None.

533. Sung Kang

Dates: 1972-present

Early Life and Career: Born Sung-Ho Kang in Clarkston, Georgia to Korean immigrant parents. Raised by his mother and black stepfather in Gainesville, Georgia. Family moved to Barstow, California while he was in high school. Attended University of California, Riverside where he chose acting over law school. First role was in the film Better Luck Tomorrow in 2002.

Movies and Cartoons: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

Characters: Chief Dang Hai

Also Known For: Actor best known as Han Lue in the Fast & Furious franchise starting with Better Luck Tomorrow and John Mak in Power. Film appearances include Mystery Men, Pearl Harbor, Antwone Fisher, Forbidden Warrior, The Motel, Undoing, War, Finishing the Game, Live Free or Die Hard, Los Bandoleros, Ninja Assassin, Bullet to the Head, Eden, Hollywood Adventures, Pali Road, The Free World, Code 8, We Can Be Heroes, Snakehead, and Weekend in Taipei. TV appearances include Felicity, NYPD Blue, Girlfriends, Spin City, The Shield, Cold Case, Without a Trace, Monk, MADtv, CSI: Miami, Knight Rider, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Easy to Assemble, Robot Chicken, Gang Related, Family Guy, Hawaii Five-0, Magnum P. I., Lisey’s Story, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Hot Wheels: Ultimate Challenge.

Personal Life: Married to Miki Yim.

Later Life: Still working as of 2025.

Trivia: Owned a restaurant called Saketini in Brentwood, California that closed in 2013. Launched a watch with Perrelet in 2016.

534. Sierra Katow

Dates: 1994-present

Early Life and Career: Born at Huntington Memorial Hospital in Pasadena, California. Grew up in Los Angeles County’s La Canada where she attended La Canada Elementary School, La Canada High School, and Harvard University. At Harvard, she was part of a number of comedy groups including the Harvard College Stand-Up Comic Society and vice-president of The Harvard Lampoon; and from 2013 to 2014 a cartoonist for The Harvard Crimson. Also, while in college, Katow performed in and around Boston and around Hollywood during summer break as well as participated in a Lampoon roast and award ceremony for Jimmy Fallon in 2015. Graduated with a computer science degree in 2016. Began performing in comedy clubs at 16 and broke into the West Coast comedy industry while in high school. Was the youngest comedian on the ninth season of Last Comic Standing during her junior year in college.

Movies and Cartoons: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)

Characters: Talon Merchant and Fang Officer

Also Known For: Stand-up comedian, actress, writer, and podcaster. Film appearances include Distancing Socially and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. TV appearances include Last Call with Carson Daly, Last Comic Standing, Take My Wife, Drop the Mic, Earth to Ned, and The Sex Lives of College Girls.

Personal Life: Can’t find anything about her personal life.

Later Life: Does work as a freelance full-stack web developer.

Trivia: None.

535. Ross Butler

Dates: 1990-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Singapore to a Chinese-Malaysian mother and a English-Dutch father. Lived in Jakharta, Indonesia before moving to the United States when he was 4. Was raised by his mother in Fairfax, Virginia, a suburb just outside of Washington D.C. Studied chemical and biomolecular engineering at Ohio State University but dropped out after a year and moved back to Virginia, where he took courses at a community college. Moved to Los Angeles at 20. Took his first acting class at 21. Got his start in student films and low budget projects. Landed his breakthrough role with K.C. Undercover.

Movies and Cartoons: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) as well as the series K.C. Undercover along with TV movies Teen Beach 2 and Perfect High.

Characters: Chief of Spine

Also Known For: Singaporean-American actor best known as Zach Dempsey in 13 Reasons Why, Bret Willis in K.C. Undercover, Reggie Mantle in Riverdale, and Superhero Eugene Choi in the DC Universe starting with Shazam!. Film appearances include The Internship, Flavors of Youth, To All the Boys: P.S. I Love You, and Love in Taipei. TV appearances include Major Crimes, Happyland, Chasing Life, Teen Wolf, Swimming with the Sharks, and Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens.

Personal Life: Has a giant pet tortoise named Sheldon.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: None.

536. Francois Chau

Dates: 1959-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. At 6, his family moved to Saigon (now Ho Chih Minh City). Only to move to France a year later due to the Vietnam War and then to Washington D.C.  where he grew up. After graduating from college, Chau moved to Los Angeles. Made his first screen appearance in 1985.

Movies and Cartoons: Raya and the Last Dragon (2021) as well as the series K.C. Undercover.

Characters: Wahn

Also Known For: Cambodian-American actor best known as Dr. Pierre Chang in Lost, Quick Kick in G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero, Dr. Chang in 21 & Over, Shredder in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze, and Jules-Pierre Mao in The Expanse. Film appearances include The Iron Triangle, Point of No Return, Rapid Fire, Blue Tiger, No Way Back, Beverly Hills Ninja, City of Industry, Chinese Box, Lethal Weapon 4, Godzilla 2000, What’s Cooking?, Deep Core, Paris, Rescue Dawn, The Lodger (2009), Ingenious, Powder Blue, The Boy Next Door, The Honeymoon Phase, and Birds of Prey. TV appearances include Hill Street Blues, China Beach, Hiroshima: Out of the Ashes, The Flash, Baywatch, MacGyver, Intruders, Wild Palms, ER, Melrose Place, Nash Bridges, JAG, Stargate: SG-1, Dragnet, Alias, Helter Skelter, 24, Grey’s Anatomy, 9/11: The Twin Towers, Numb3rs, The Unit, Medium, Gary Unmarried, The Deep End, Chuck, Franklin & Bash, Childrens Hospital, Castle, Charlie’s Angels, NCIS: Los Angeles, Awake, The Secret Life of an American Teenager, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, The Mentalist, Hawaii Five-0, Rizzoli & Isles, Criminal Minds, Bones, Major Crimes, The Tick, The X-Files, Last Man Standing, NCIS, Veronica Mars, How to Get Away with Murder, Magnum P. I., Fantasy Island, The Good Doctor, Chicago Med, Quantum Leap, Law & Order: Organized Crime, Barry, Avatar: The Last Airbender, and The Penguin. Video game appearances include Wing Commander III: Heart of the Tiger, Starlancer, XCOM: Enemy Unknown, and Ghost of Tsushima.

Personal Life: Is married and has a daughter.

Later Life: Currently lives in Los Angeles.

Trivia: None.

537. Jacob Tremblay

Dates: 2006-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. Began acting in television roles. Film debut was The Smurfs 2 in 2013. But really broke through as the little boy in Room.

Movies and Cartoons: Luca (2021) as well as the short Ciao Alberto and the live action version of The Little Mermaid.

Characters: Luca Paguro

Also Known For: Actor best known for his roles in Jack Newsome in Room, August “Auggie” Pullman in Wonder, Max Newman in Good Boys, and Damian Wayne / Robin in Harley Quinn. Film appearances include Orion in the Dark, The Smurfs 2, Extraterrestrial, Donald Trump’s The Art of the Deal: The Movie, Before I Wake, The Book of Henry, My Father’s Dragon, Queen of Bones, Burn Your Maps, Shut In, Cold Copy, The Toxic Avenger, and The Life of Chuck. TV appearances include Motive, Mr. Young, The Last Man on Earth, Billy on the Street, American Dad!, Animals, The Twilight Zone, and Invincible.

Personal Life: Brother of actress Emma Tremblay.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Received a Critics’ Choice Award and was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. Was the youngest nominee for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role. Is an avid Star Wars fan and has a dog named Rey. While his excitement seeing R2-D2, C-3PO, and BB-8 during the 88^th Academy Awards was considered the highlight of the evening.

538. Jack Dylan Grazer

Dates: 2003-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Los Angeles. Father’s an actor. Attended the Adderly School of the Performing Arts in Pacific Palisades, California. Began his career by playing guest roles on film and television. Breakthrough role came in an adaptation of Stephen King’s It.

Movies and Cartoons: Luca (2021) as well as the short Ciao Alberto.

Characters: Alberto Scorfano

Also Known For: Actor best known as Eddie Kaspbrak in It and It Chapter Two and Freddy Freeman in the DC Extended Universe starting with Shazam!. Film appearances include Tales of Halloween, Beautiful Boy, Don’t Tell a Soul, Ron’s Gone Wrong, Dreamin’ Wild, Downtown Owl, and Friendship. TV appearances include The Greatest Event in Television History, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Me, Myself & I, Speechless, We Are Who We Are, and The Spiderwick Chronicles.

Personal Life: Nephew of producer Brian Grazer. Came out as bisexual in 2021.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Named among the top 30 stars under 18 by the Hollywood Reporter in 2018. Sponsors a scholarship at his old high school for 2 students a year.

539. Emma Berman

Dates: 2008-present

Early Life and Career: Born in San Francisco, California. Began her acting career performing in local theatre productions with the Bay Area Children’s Theatre and 42^nd Street Moon. Also voiced 6 of the LeapFrog toys. Made her screen debut in 2019.

Movies and Cartoons: Luca (2021) as well as the series SuperKitties.

Characters: Giulia Marcovaldo

Also Known For: Actress best known as Ginny in SuperKitties and Nash Durango in Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures. TV appearances include Abby Hatcher, Go! Go! Cory Carson, and Spidey and His Amazing Friends.

Personal Life: Can’t find anything about her personal life.

Later Life: Still actively working of 2025.

Trivia: None.

540. Sandy Martin

Dates: 1949-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Began acting at 15. Is a founding member of several theater companies in New York City and Los Angeles. Has adapted the screenplays of several theatrical plays and served as associate producer of various TNT productions.

Movies and Cartoons: Luca (2021) as well as the live action Dumbo and the series Big City Greens.

Characters: Grandma Paguro

Also Known For: Actress, playwright, director, and producer best known for her roles in Napoleon Dynamite, Big Love, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and Ray Donovan. Film appearances include 48 Hrs., Real Genius, Vendetta, Barfly, China Moon, Speed, Above Suspicion, One Night at McCool’s, The Great Buck Howard, Marley & Me, Seven Psychopaths, Lovelace, Some Kind of Beautiful, and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. TV appearances include Lou Grant, St. Elsewhere, The Greatest American Hero, Hill Street Blues, Falcon Crest, Night Court, The Twilight Zone, Designing Women, Fresno, Matlock, Prison Stories: Women on the Inside, ER, Sliders, Providence, NYPD Blue, Days of Our Lives, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Astro Boy, Without a Trace, Desperate Housewives, CSI: NY, Nip/Tuck, Cold Case, Jericho, Saving Grace, My Name Is Earl, The Young and the Restless, Weeds, Shameless, The Closer, Parenthood, 2 Broke Girls, Rizzoli & Isles, Hand of God, Playing House, The Haves and the Have Nots, Transparent, Mom, and Grey’s Anatomy.

Personal Life: Can’t find anything about her personal life.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: None.

Pondering the origins of human personalities with the concept of determinism, filmmaker Pete Docter pitched the idea of an idea set in the astral plane involving souls with personalities back in 2016. With co-writer Mike Jones, Docter worked on the main character’s development for 2 years. Initial ideas include portraying Joe as a scientist, which didn’t feel “so naturally pure.” So they eventually settled on portraying Joe Gardner as a musician because they wanted an appealing profession for the audience. Since they decided that he’d specialize in jazz, he was also created to black since in the US, jazz history has been tied to black people. Co-filmmaker Kemp Powers also based several elements of Joe on his personal life but wanted the character to “transcend his own experience” in order to make him more accessible. Powers also placed additional emphasis on authentically depicting Joe’s relationships with the black community. In order to accurately portray African-American culture within the film, Pixar worked with an internal “Cultural Trust” composed of black Pixar employees and hired several consultants. These included musicians  Herbie Hancock, Terri Lyne Carrington, Quincy Jones, and Jon Batiste; educator Johnetta Cole, as well as stars Questlove and Daveed Diggs. While Mike Jones came up with the idea of Joe’s soul entering a therapy cat’s body, which allowed Joe to “be able to look at his own life from a different perspective” and appreciate it. Mindful of the history of racist imagery (like the caricatured depictions of African Americans) in animation and wanted to create black characters as well as integrate authentic African-American culture into the film’s “DNA” to prevent caricatures, stereotypes, and tropes. Pixar sought to capture the fine character details, including black hair texture and the wavy light plays on various tones of black skin. Animators also used footage of several music performers including Batiste as reference for the film’s musical sequences. By capturing MIDI data from these sessions, animators retraced the exact key played on the piano with each note and animated the performances authentically. Animators assigned to specific instruments often had experience either playing them or appreciating them. Unlike other Pixar movies and due to the Covid 19 pandemic in late 2020, Soul didn’t have a theatrical release so I can’t really give you the box office receipts. But it did receive critical acclaim as well as 2 Academy Awards. In this post, we’ll meet the voices behind Wilden Lightfoot, the Jerrys, Libba Gardner, Dez, Paul, Street Singer, and Doctor.

511. Kyle Bornheimer

Dates: 1975-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Mishawaka, Indiana. Attended St. Monica Grade School and Marian High School, graduating in 1994. Is a founding member of The Curtainbox Theatre Company. With a string of national commercials, Bornheimer established an “always on TV” reputation with 30-second spots for companies like Geico, Staples, Coors Light, Imodium, Stanley, and T-Mobile.

Movies and Cartoons: Onward (2020)

Characters: Wilden Lightfoot

Also Known For: Actor and comedian best known for his appearances on sitcoms and commercials. Film appearances include Spokane, Blades of Glory, For Christ’s Sake, She’s Out of My League, You Again, Bachelorette, The Big Wedding, Veronica Mars, The D Train, Me Him Her, Rules Don’t Apply, Little Failure, Marriage Story, Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made, and The Lovebirds. TV appearances include Worst Week, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Casual, Playing House, Monk, The O.C., How I Met Your Mother, Medium, Will & Grace, Weeds, The Office, Girlfriends, Breaking Bad, Jericho, Party Down, Better Off Ted, Chuck, Royal Pains, Romantically Challenged, Perfect Couples, Arrested Development, Workaholics, Justified, Agent Carter, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Angel from Hell, The Mindy Project, Westworld, Modern Family, Love, Drunk History, Avenue 5, Amazing Stories, Broke, High School, and St. Denis Medical.

Personal Life: Married to Shannon Ryan. They have 2 children.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: None.

512. Alice Braga

Dates: 1983-present

Early Life and Career: Born Alice Braga Moraes in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Mother’s an actress and often accompanied her and her aunt on film sets. Began her career by appearing in school plays and commercials. With her first commercial being for yogurt when she was 8. In her teens, she began pursuing roles in television and films. Made her film debut in 1998 then returned to her schooling. Breakthrough came in 2002 with City of God.

Movies and Cartoons: Soul (2020) as well as the short 22 vs. Earth.

Characters: Soul Counselor Jerry A

Also Known For: Brazilian actress producer best known as Angelica in City of God, Karinna in Lower City, Dolores in God Only Knows, and Teresa Mendoza in Queen of the South. Film appearances include I Am Legend, Predators, The Rite, Elysium, The Shack, The Suicide Squad, Journey to the End of Night, Drained, Redbelt, Blindness, Crossing Over, Repo Men, On the Road, Latitudes, The Ardor, Kill Me Three Times, The Duel, The New Mutants, and Hypnotic. TV appearances include Dark Matter, Superbonita, The Brazilians, Samantha!, We Are Who We Are, Slumberkins, and A Murder at the End of the World.

Personal Life: Niece of actress Sonia Braga. Speaks fluent Portuguese, Spanish, and English. Has been in 2 long-term relationships. First was with actress Bianca Comparato from 2020-2023. Second and currently is with producer Renata Brandao.

Later Life: Resides in Los Angeles and Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Trivia: Friends with actor Diego Luna and Wagner Moura.

513. Richard Ayoade

Dates: 1977-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Hammersmith, London in England. Mother’s Norwegian. Father’s Nigerian. Family moved to Ipswich when he was young. Studied at the independent St. Joseph’s College in Ipswich. From 1995 to 1998, Ayoade studied law at St. Catharine’s College at Cambridge University where he won the Martin Steele Prize for play production and was president of the amateur theatrical club Footlights. Wrote and performed in several productions with vice-president John Oliver, appearing in the 1997 and 1998 touring shows: Emotional Baggage and Between a Rock and a Hard Place. Later teamed with Footlights colleague Matthew Holness to write and perform the stage show Garth Mareghi’s Fright Knight which later landed them a TV show.

Movies and Cartoons: Soul (2020) as well as the short 22 vs. Earth and a few series.

Characters: Soul Counselor Jerry B

Also Known For: British comedian, actor, writer, director, and presenter best known as Maurice Moss in The IT Crowd and Dean Learner in the Garth Marenghi’s Dark Place and Man to Man with Dean Learner. Film appearances include The Watch, The Double, The Boxtrolls, Early Man, Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, The Bad Guys, Festival, Bunny and the Bull, Paddington 2, The Souvenir, The Souvenir Part II, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, and The Rat Catcher. TV appearances include The Mighty Boosh, Nathan Barley, The Big Fat Quiz of the Year, Was It Something I Said?, Gadget Man, Travel Man, The Crystal Maze, Strange Hill High, Apple & Onion, Krapopolis, Time Trumpet, Snuff Box, Full English, Noel Fielding’s Luxury Comedy, The Vicar of Dibley, Danger Mouse, Neo Yoko, Have I Got News for You, Moominvalley, The Mandalorian, Code 404, Question Team, Disenchantment, Birdgirl, Rugrats, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Black Mirror, Transformers: EarthSpark, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Hamster & Gretel.

Personal Life: Married to Lydia Fox since 2007, which makes him related to the show-business Fox family by marriage. They have 2 children. Brother-in-law of actor Lawrence Fox with whom he engaged in a vocal feud in 2020, when Fox asked Ayoade to support him on Twitter after a controversial appearance on Question Time. The episode in question was condemned for allowing Fox on as a guest, particularly when he told a black woman in the audience that discussing racism was “boring.” According to Fox, Ayoade told him that “You have never encountered racism.” Fox stated that he told Ayoade that he had, because he “he worked in Kenya once” and “racism can be deferential.”

Later Life: Lives in East Dulwich, London. Has written books titled Ayoade on Ayoade: A Cinematic Odyssey in 2014, The Grip of Film in 2017, Ayoade on Top in 2019, The Book That No One Wanted to Read in 2022, The Fairy Tale Fan Club: Legendary Letters collected by C.C. Cecily in 2024, and The Unfinished Harauld Hughes in 2024.

Trivia: Footlights contemporaries include David Mitchell and John Oliver. Has directed music videos for Kasabian, Arctic Monkeys, Vampire Weekend, and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Hosted the British Academy Television Awards from 2020 to 2022.

514. Wes Studi

Dates: 1947-present

Early Life and Career: Born Wesley Studie in Nofire Hollow, Oklahoma, a rural area in Cherokee County named after his mother’s family. Stepfather was a ranch hand. Although a man named Eugene Philpott was listed as his father on his birth certificate, it turns out that his real biological father is either one of 2 brothers Jess and Bobby Blair. Only spoke Cherokee at home until elementary school. Attended the Chiloco Indian Agricultural School for high school and graduated 1964 with his vocational major in dry cleaning. At 17, Studi enlisted in the Oklahoma National Guard and had his basic combat training and advanced individual training in Fort Polk, Louisiana. Also, volunteered for active service and went to Vietnam with the 3rd Battalion 39th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division where he served for a year. After his discharge, Studi became politically involved in Native American activism. He participated in the Wounded Knee Incident at Pine Ridge Reservation in 1973. Became interested in acting while attending Tulsa Community College and had a role in the play The Royal Hunt of the Sun at the American Indian Theater Company. After his studies, Studi taught the Cherokee language and syllabary as well as helped a establish a Cherokee language newspaper. He then went into ranching until his first marriage ended in divorce. After a recommendation from a friend as a field to meet women, Studi decided to study acting.

Movies and Cartoons: Planes Fire & Rescue (2014) and Soul (2020) as well as the series The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.

Characters: Windlifter and Soul Counselor Jerry C

Also Known For: Actor and film producer who’s garnered critical acclaim and awards throughout his career, particularly for his portrayal of Native Americans. Best known as Sagat in Street Fighter. Film appearances include Dances with Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, Geronimo: An American Legend, The New World, Hostiles, Heat, Mystery Men, Avatar, A Million Ways to Die in the West, The Doors, Deep Rising, The Horse Whisperer, Ice Planet, Christmas in the Clouds, Road to Redemption, Undisputed, Animal, Trail of Tears: A Cherokee Legacy, Seraphim Falls, Older Than America, The Only Good Indian, Being Flynn, Sugar, Road to Paloma, Badland, A Dog’s Way Home, A Love Song, and Mending the Line. TV appearances include Penny Dreadful, Longarm, The Flash, Highlander, Ned Blessing: The Story of My Life and Times, The Broken Chain, 500 Nations, Streets of Laredo, Crazy Horse, Adventures from the Book of Virtues, Skinwalkers, The Lone Ranger, The Thief of Time, The Coyote Waits, Into the West, Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, Comanche Moon, We Shall Remain, Kings, Saving Grace, The Mentalist, Hell on Wheels, The Red Road, In Plain Sight, Grey’s Anatomy, Miracle Workers, Reservation Dogs, Spirit Rangers, and Launchpad.

Personal Life: Married twice. First wife was Rebecca Graves from 1974 to their divorce in 1982. They have a daughter named Leah and a son named Daniel. Second and current wife is Maura Dhu since 1986. They have a son named Kholan. Son-in-law of actor Jack Albertson.

Later Life: Has lived on his farm in Santa Fe, New Mexico since the 1990s. Performs in the band Firecat of Discord with his wife. Serves as honorary chair of the national endowment campaign of the Indigenous Language Institute in Santa Fe.

Trivia: In 2019, The New York Times ranked him #19 on its list of the “25 Greatest Actors of the 21^st Century (So Far).” 6^th great-grandson of Ghiagu and Cherokee leader Nancy Ward. Received an honorary Academy Award in 2019 becoming the first Native American and one of indigenous heritage to receive one. That same year, he was inducted into the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum. Was a presenter at the Golden Globes in 1994.

515. Fortune Feimster

Dates: 1980-present

Early Life and Career: Born Emily Fortune Feimster in Charlotte, North Carolina. Grew up in Belmont, North Carolina where she attended Belmont Central Elementary School and Belmont Junior High. Graduated from South Point High School in 1998, where she played basketball, softball, and tennis. That same year, she was presented to society at the Gastonia Debutante Ball. Attended Peace College where she was elected class president, majored in communications, and played soccer and tennis. Graduated summa cume laude and was the student speaker at her college’s commencement ceremony in 2002. After spending a year living in Spain, Feimster moved to Los Angeles in 2003 to become a personal assistant to actress Emily Procter and pursue comedy. After connecting with Procter’s neighbor, a journalist for the Lost Angeles Daily News, she began a 7-year career in entertainment journalism. In 2005, she joined The Groundlings Theatre, studying improv and sketch comedy. After 4 years, she was selected to join The Groundlings Sunday Company. Made her TV debut in Last Comic Standing.

Movies and Cartoons: Soul (2020)

Characters: Soul Counselor Jerry D

Also Known For: Writer, comedian, and actress best known as Colette in The Mindy Project and Heather in The L Word: Generation Q. Film appearances include The Secret Life of Dorks, Life in Color, Office Christmas Party, Social Animals, Father of the Year, The Happytime Murders, Friendsgiving, Chick Fight, Bar and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Yes Day, Sex Appeal, Family Switch, and You’re Cordially Invited. TV appearances include Last Comic Standing, After Lately, Chelsea Lately, 2 Broke Girls, Workaholics, Mulaney, Glee, Drunk History, Chelsea, Life in Pieces, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Nobodies, Another Period, Dear White People, Champions, Summer Camp Island, Craig of the Creek, Historical Roasts, Tales of the City, Sunnyside, Bless the Harts, Nailed It!, iCarly, Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens, Kenan, Is It Cake?, RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars, Madagascar: A Little Wild, Frog and Toad, Strange Planet, The Morning Show, Velma, The Sex Lives of College Girls, and StuGo. Podcast appearances include Queery, The Margaret Cho, Anna Faris Is Unqualified, Lovett or Leave It, The Joe Rogan Experience, Good for You, Life Is Short with Justin Long, Comedy Bang! Bang!, Scam Goodness, Don’t Ask Tig, We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle, and You Made It Weird with Pete Holmes.

Personal Life: Came out as a lesbian in 2005. Married to kindergarten teacher Jacklyn Smith since 2020. But they’ve been separated as of 2025.

Later Life: Is said to appear as Nibbles in Zootopia 2. Owns homes in Los Angeles and Belmont, North Carolina.

Trivia: None.

516. Zenobia Shroff

Dates: 1965-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Bombay, India (now Mumbai) to a Parsi family. Began her professional career as a commercial print model at 16. After 7 successful modeling years, she switched to acting. Got her acting start in Mumbai under the mentorship of Pearl Padmanese before moving to study acting at New York City’s Circle in the Square Theatre School. Soon after, she appeared at the Broadway Castillo Theatre and the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Appeared in her first film in 1989.

Movies and Cartoons: Soul (2020)

Characters: Soul Counselor Jerry E

Also Known For: Indian-American actress best known as Muneeba Khan in Ms. Marvel and The Marvels. Film appearances include The Big Sick, Percy, Little Zizou, When Harry Tries to Marry, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, Save Yourselves!, and 7 Days. TV appearances include The Resident, The Affair, and Madam Secretary.

Personal Life: Has a master’s degree in psychology.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Has also been a lifelong dancer and is a founding member of the Shiamak Davar dance company with whom she toured nationally doing musical theatre.

517. Phylicia Rashad

Dates: 1948-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Houston, Texas. Mother was Pulitzer Prize-nominated artist, poet, playwright scholar, and publisher Vivian Ayers. Father was an orthodontist. Parents divorced when she was 6. At 13, she moved with her mother and sister to Mexico City, Mexico in order to avoid segregation. Rashad later returned to the United States to study at Howard University, graduating in magna cume laude in 1970 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree and was a member of the Alpha chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. First became known for her Broadway performances before she appeared on The Cosby Show.

Movies and Cartoons: Soul (2020) as well as the special Mickey’s 60^th Birthday and the series Sofia the First and The Rocketeer.

Characters: Libba Gardner

Also Known For: Actress best known as Clair Huxtable in The Cosby Show, Ruth Lucas in Cosby, and Brenda Glover in Little Bill. Film appearances include For Colored Girls, Good Deeds, Creed, Creed II, The Beekeeper, Once Upon a Time…When We Were Colored, The Visit, Just Wright, Frankie & Alice, Gods Behaving Badly, Emily & Tim, A Fall from Grace, Black Box, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey, Tick, Tick…Boom!, Creed III, and Our Son. TV appearances include A Raisin in the Sun, This Is Us, One Life to Live, Santa Barbara, The Love Boat, Uncle Tom’s Cabin, A Different World, False Witness, Polly, Reading Rainbow, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Earth Day Special, Blossom, Jailbirds, American Playhouse, Ghostwriter, The Cosby Mysteries, Touched by an Angel, Intimate Portrait, Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child, Bull, Biography, Everybody Hates Chris, Psych, Steel Magnolias, The Cleveland Show, Do No Harm, Jean-Claude Van Johnson, Empire, When We Rise, David Makes Man, Station 19, 13 Reasons Why, Grey’s Anatomy, The Good Fight, Curses!, and Diarra from Detroit. Stage appearances include A Raisin in the Sun, Skeleton Crew, Into the Woods, Jelly’s Last Jam, Gem of the Ocean, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Ain’t Supposed to Die a Natural Death, The Wiz, Dreamgirls, A Wonderful Life, Cymbeline, and August: Osage County.

Personal Life: Sister of actress, choreographer, and director Debbie Allen. Aunt of DeVaughn and Vivian Nixon. Married 3 times. First husband was William Lancelot Bowles Jr. from 1972 to their divorce in 1975. They have a son named William Lancelot Bowles III born in 1973. Second husband was original Village People front man Victor Willis from 1978 to their divorce in 1982. Third husband was former NFL wide receiver and sportscaster Ahmad Rashad from 1985 to their divorce in 2001. Their daughter is actress Condola Phylea Rashad who was born in 1986. Is a vegetarian.

Later Life: Has long been friends with Bill Cosby who gave her away at her third wedding. She also defended him during his 2018 sexual assault trial. Appointed dean of Howard University’s Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts from 2021 to 2024. Has directed 3 revivals of August Wilson plays in Princeton, New Jersey and Los Angeles. Also directed Purpose during its 2024-2025 run at the Helen Hayes Theater on Broadway.

Trivia: Has won 2 Tony Awards and is the first black woman to win a Tony Award for Best Actress. Has been nominated for 6 Emmys and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Dubbed “Mother of the Black Community” by the NAACP Image Awards. Received an honorary doctorate from Carnegie Mellon University.

518. Donnell Rawlings

Dates: 1968-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Washington D.C. Grew up in Alexandria, Virginia with his mother where he attended T.C. High School. Served in the US Air Force. Stationed in South Korea and at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C. during the late 1980s to early 1990s. Made his first screen appearance in 1996.

Movies and Cartoons: Soul (2020)

Characters: Dez

Also Known For: Comedian, actor, and radio host best known as a cast member on Chappelle’s Show and The Wire. Film appearances include Fever, Spider-Man 2, Fifty Pills, Car Babies, Legacy, Last Day Summer, The Last Film Festival, Inside the Rain, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, and Clerks III. TV appearances include Def Comedy Jam, Law & Order, The Corner, It’s Showtime at the Apollo, Third Watch, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Premium Blend, BET’s Top 25 Countdown, Reality Bites Back, Laugh Factory, Guy Code, Black Dynamite, Guy Court, Black Jesus, Unsung Hollywood, Saturday Night Live, The Last O.G., Historical Roasts, Twenties, BMF, Phat Tuesdays: The Era of Hip Hop Comedy, and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.

Personal Life: Has a son named Austen.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: None.

519. Daveed Diggs

Dates: 1982-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Oakland, California. Mother’s a Jewish social worker. Father’s a black bus driver. Attended Berkeley High School and graduated from Brown University with a bachelor’s degree in theater arts. Although he was originally recruited by Brown for his track skills and broke his college’s record for the 110-meter hurdles with a time of 14.21 seconds. Worked as substitute teacher after graduating. Began his career in experimental theater. Met Lin-Manuel Miranda through Thomas Kail while performing with freestyle rap group Free Love Supreme or FLS. In 2012, Miranda invited Diggs to read and hear the demo versions of Hamilton. The rest is history.

Movies and Cartoons: Soul (2020) as well as the live action The Little Mermaid.

Characters: Paul

Also Known For: Actor, rapper, and singer-songwriter. Vocalist of the experimental hip-hop group Clipping. Best known for originating the roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in Hamilton. Film appearances include Wonder, Velvet Buzzsaw, Blindspotting, Ferdinand, The Starling, Trolls Band Together, Nickel Boys, DC League of Super Pets, A Tree Fell in the Woods, and Magic Hour. TV appearances include Black-ish, Snowpiercer, Blindspotting, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Get Down, Sesame Street, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, BoJack Horseman, Bob’s Burgers, Green Eggs and Ham, Star Wars Resistance, Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Star Trek: Prodigy, Central Park, The Good Lord Bird, Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur, Extrapolations, The Crossover, and Star Wars: Visions. Stage appearances include Temptation, The Tempest, Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train, Six Degrees of Separation, Troilus and Cressida, Red Light Winter, In the Red Brown Water, A Behanding in Spokane, White Noise, and Freestyle Love Supreme. Albums include Small Things to a Giant, midcity, CLPPNG, Wriggle, Splendor & Misery, There Existed an Addiction to Blood, Visions of Bodies Being Burned, Thumbs, Good for You, and x Infinity.

Personal Life: In a relationship with actress and singer Emmy Raver-Lampman since 2015.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Wrote and performed “Parlez-Vous Rap” for Zootopia (2016). Has won a Tony and a Grammy as well as been nominated for a Grammy for Hamilton.

520. Cody Chesnutt

Dates: 1968-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Atlanta, Georgia. After moving to Los Angeles, Chesnutt found work with Death Row Records, writing and producing 5 songs for the R&B Group Six Feet Deep. Chesnutt and his former band, The Crosswalk with James (Jaime) O’Connell, John Maggio and Jay Gordon, had a brief stint with Hollywood Records. But the label later released them and the band later broke up. He released a double LP called The Headphone Masterpiece, which was recorded on a 4-track cassette recorder in his bedroom recording studio that he calls “The Sonic Promisedland.” Closest he came to mainstream success was when The Roots remade his song “The Seed” for their album Phrenology in 2002.

Movies and Cartoons: Soul (2020)

Characters: Street Singer

Also Known For: R&B and neo soul musician whose music blends rock, funk, soul, hip hop, and blues. Albums include The Headphone Masterpiece and Landing On A Hundred. Single includes “The Seed (2.0).”

Personal Life: I can’t find anything about his personal life.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Wrote and performed “Parting Ways” for Soul (2020).

              In 2019, the Walt Disney Company acquired 21^st Century Fox’s assets from Rupert Murdoch for $71 billion, making it the biggest acquisition in Disney’s history. The New York Times described Disney as “an entertainment colossus the size of which the world has never seen.” Through this deal, Disney got 20^th Century Fox, 20^th Century Fox Television, Fox Searchlight Pictures, National Geographic Partners, Fox Networks Group, a 30% stake in Hulu, and more. That same year, it became the first studio to have 7 films gross $1 billion. In November, Disney launched the Disney+ streaming service which had 500 movies and 7,500 TV episodes from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and other brands. Within its first day, the streaming service had over 10 million subscriptions. By 2022, it had over 135 million. In 2020, Disney removed the name Fox from its assets. During the Covid 19 pandemic in 2020, Disney temporarily closed all its theme parks, delayed the releases of several movies, and stopped all cruises. Due to closures, Disney then announced it would cease paying 100,000 employees but still provide healthcare benefits, as well as urged US employees to apply for government benefits, saving the company $500 million a month. While Disney executive chairman Bob Iger gave up his salary and CEO Bob Chapek took a 50% pay cut. The company later reported a $1.4 billion loss with earnings declining 91% to $475 million from $5.4 billion in 2019. By August financial institutions owned 2/3 of the company. The next month, it dismissed 28,000 employees, 67% who were mostly part-time from its Parks, Experiences, and Products Division. Division chairman Josh D’Amaro wrote: “We initially hoped that this situation would be short-lived, and that we would recover quickly and return to normal. Seven months later, we find that has not been the case.” In its third quarter, Disney lost $4.7 billion and laid off another 4,000 employees. While Touchstone Television ceased operations that December. In 2021, Disney announced it would be launching 20^th Century Animation for mature audiences and closed down Blue Sky Studios. In 2022, Disney ceased operations in Russia because of its invasion of Ukraine and was the first major Hollywood studio to do so. Other studios followed. In 2023, Disney began its “100 Years of Wonder” in celebration of its centennial anniversary of the company’s founding. Today the Walt Disney Company is one of the world’s largest entertainment companies and is considered a pioneer in the animation industry.

In 2014, producer Peter Del Vecho said that he, Chris Buck, and Jennifer Lee made a good team and he envisioned another Frozen-related project. However, Walt Disney Studios chairman Alan F. Horn said that a sequel won’t immediately happen because the studio was more focused on the Frozen Broadway adaptation. While Disney CEO Bob Iger said in an CNBC interview that the company won’t force any sequel development, because it was concerned about not living up to the first film. Later saying that the Frozen franchise “is something that is kind of forever for the company”, similar to The Lion King. That summer, Lee confirmed that John Lasseter had authorized her and Buck to explore Frozen sequel ideas. While working on the short Frozen Fever, they realized that they missed the characters and decided to go ahead. But although they didn’t get all the details right, Del Vecho, Buck, and Lee decided to end the sequel with Anna as Queen of Arendelle and Elsa as “free.” Once again, the production team traveled to Norway, Finland, and Iceland for background research. They also decided to make Elsa a “mythic hero” with magic ice powers and Anna a “fairytale hero” who lives in a magical world but has no magical powers to speak of. In addition, the filmmakers collaborated with Sami experts on the Northuldra people’s depiction with Verdett, and advisory group which was a result of an agreement with the Walt Disney Company, the transnational Saami Council, and the Sami parliaments of Norway, Sweden, and Finland. Frozen II later underwent significant revisions in order to clarify the Voice and the point of Elsa’s transformation as well to add more comedy and the shots of Bruni the salamander. One scene of expository dialogue where the lead characters explained to the people trapped in the Enchanted Forest why they had come there was switched with Olaf’s Frozen recap. While technological advancements allowed the designer to create more detailed outfits with extra beads and sequins. Upon its 2019 release, Frozen II received positive reviews from critics but wasn’t seen as good as the first film. Yet, it also grossed $1.45 billion at the box office and 2 Academy Award nominations.

              While directing Monsters University, filmmaker Dan Scanlon was encouraged to develop personal stories. He didn’t tell his brother about the film since these movies take long to make. In 2017,then-Pixar chief John Lasseter announced a “suburban fantasy” at the D23 Expo was in development. The inspiration behind Onward was the death of Scanlon’s father when he was only a year old and his older brother was 3, and their relationship with each other. They had seen home videos of their dad but there was no audio. Scanlon became inspired to write the story after a family member found an old cassette with his dad’s voice on it. He listened to it along with his mom and brother with only the words “Hi” and “Goodbye” being heard from his dad, which Scanlon described as “magical.” When it came to animation, animators first developed Onward’s magic using hand-drawn animated drawings before turning them into computer-animated effects. With effects supervisor Vincent Serritella saying, that “[they] made shapes and graphic elements that really lend themselves to what’s happening in a 2D environment.” He also said that “the key” was mixing hand-drawn and computer animation, arguing that “[g]oing one way or the other didn’t work. Going too graphic didn’t fit into the world that the background and the characters were created in. And going too physical in an animated world seemed too real” so “[they] found the right balance” by turning hand-drawn animated graphics into “light objects” and giving them “[a] true volumetric, glowing atmosphere.” Unfortunately, while Onward received positive reviews, it only grossed $142 million at the box office against a $175-200 million budget. And that was mainly because it came out during the start of the Covid 19 pandemic. But it found greater success through streaming. In this post, we’ll meet the voices behind Harmony’s Mom, Young Elsa, Yelena, Ryder, Honeymaren, Queen Iduna, King Runeard, the Voice, Cold Bronco, and Gaxton.

501. Patricia Arquette

Dates: 1968-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Chicago, Illinois. Father was an alcoholic actor and puppeteer Lewis Arquette who’s best known as J.D. Pickett from The Waltons. Mother was involved in the arts and worked as a therapist but was violently abusive. Grandfather was comedian Cliff Arquette. Refused to get braces as a child because she didn’t want to look perfect. For a time, her family lived in a commune in Bentonville, Virginia where she claimed the longer they lived there, the poorer they became. At 7, her family moved back to Chicago and later settled in Los Angeles, California. Attended Catholic school and wanted to be a nun as a teenager (although she was clearly not raised Catholic). At 14, she ran away from home after learning that her dad was having an affair, ultimately settling with her sister Rosanna in Los Angeles. Before pursuing an acting career, Arquette also considered working as a midwife. Yet, she briefly put the career prospect aside in an attempt to gain acting jobs and gained success in the industry. Made screen debut in 1987.

Movies and Cartoons: Toy Story 4 (2019)

Characters: Harmony’s Mom

Also Known For: Actress best known as Kristen Parker in A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Allison DuBois in Medium, and Dee Dee Blanchard in The Act. Film appearances include True Romance, Ed Wood, Flirting with Disaster, Lost Highway, The Hi-Lo Country, Bringing Out the Dead, Holes, Boyhood, Pretty Smart, Uncle Buck, Prayer of the Rollerboys, The Indian Runner, Inside Monkey Zetterland, Trouble Bound, Ethan Frome, Holy Matrimony, Infinity, The Secret Agent, Nightwatch, Goodbye Lover, Stigmata, Little Nicky, Searching for Debra Winger, The Badge, Tiptoes, A Single Woman, Girl in Progress, A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, Vijay and I, Electric Slide, The Wannabe, Permanent, Waves for Water, Otherhood, You Cannot Kill David Arquette, and Gonzo Girl. TV  appearances include Escape at Dannemora, Severance, CBS Schoolbreak Special, Tales from the Crypt, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Boardwalk Empire, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, CSI: Cyber, Inside Amy Schumer, and High Desert.

Personal Life: Sister of Rosanna, Alexis, and David Arquette. Married twice. First husband was actor Nicholas Cage from 1995 to their divorce in 2000. Although they separated 9 months into their marriage (which doesn’t surprise me because she probably had no idea what being married to a guy like Cage would entail. Seriously, the guy has a reputation). Second husband was actor Thomas Jane from 2006 to their divorce in 2011. She has a daughter named Harlow Jane with her second husband born in 2003 and a son named Enzo Rossi with musician Paul Rossi born in 1989. Was in a relationship with painter Eric White from 2014-2023.

Later Life: After the 2010 Haitian earthquake, she and childhood friend Rosetta Millington-Getty formed GiveLove, a non-profit organization supporting ecological sanitation and composting, community development projects and housing construction in Haiti. After losing her mother to breast cancer in 1997, Arquette has run for the Race for the Cure and was a spokesperson for Lee Denim Day in 1999. In 2010, she teamed up with welding students of the Robert Morgan Education Center in Miami, Florida to build shelters in Haiti from 20 used shipping containers to provide housing to those the earthquake displaced. In 2017, Arquette participated in in the Women’s March against Donald Trump.

Trivia: Has won an Academy Award, 3 Golden Globes, 2 Emmys, 2 SAG Awards, a Critics’ Choice, and an Independent Spirit Award.

502. Mattea Conforti

Dates: 2006-present

Early Life and Career: Born in West Caldwell, New Jersey. First appeared onscreen in a Charmin commercial at 7. At a young age, Conforti bought tickets to see Matilda the Musical with her grandmother. But she felt a “tinge of disappointment” since she could “easily see herself [starring as the lead character]” and “[she] could have done that.” At 8, Conforti attended an open casting call for Matilda the Musical where she was later cast as the titular character as a replacement 2 months later.

Movies and Cartoons: Frozen II (2019) and the stage version of Frozen in 2017.

Characters: Young Elsa

Also Known For: Actress best known as Matilda Wormwood in Matilda the Musical (2015), Louise in Sunday in the Park with George, and Moon in The Ollie & Moon Show. Film appearances include 3 Generations, The Super, Viper Club, and The Many Saints of Newark. TV appearances include Gotham, Power, The Good Cop, and NOS4A2.

Personal Life: I can’t find anything about her personal life.

Later Life: Enrolled in Harvard University in the fall of 2024 and is a member of Harvard’s Hasty Pudding Theatricals.

Trivia: None.

503. Martha Plimpton

Dates: 1970-present

Early Life and Career: Born in New York City. Daughter of actors Keith Carradine and Shelley Plimpton. Granddaugther of actor John Carradine. Attended the Professional Children’s School in Manhattan. First stage appearance was when her mother brought her on stage for the curtain call of a short-lived Broadway play The Leaf People and another called The Ass in the Heart. Began her career as a model, securing an early 1980s campaign for Calvin Klein, making an impression as a sophisticated but tomboyish little girl. Made her film debut in 1981.

Movies and Cartoons: Frozen II (2019) as well as the series Doc McStuffins.

Characters: Yelena

Also Known For: Actress from the Carradine family who began her career in her teens in film before transitioning to adult roles. Best known as Virginia Chance in Raising Hope. Film appearances include Rollover, The Goonies, The Mosquito Coast, Running on Empty, Parenthood, Samantha, Beautiful Girls, Small Town Murder Songs, Mass, The River Rat, Stars and Bars, Another Woman, Stanley & Iris, Inside Monkey Zetterland, Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle, Last Summer in the Hamptons, I Shot Andy Warhol, Colin Fitz, Eye of God, Music from Another Room, Pecker, 200 Cigarettes, Hair High, Marvelous, Dante’s Inferno, Remember Me, Company, Hello Again, and Honey Bee. TV appearances include The Good Wife, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Rea O’Neals, Family Ties, ER, 7^th Heaven, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Surface, Medium, Grey’s Anatomy, Fringe, How to Make It in America, The Blacklist, Generation, Sprung, A Town Called Malice, Family Guy, The Regime, and Prime Target. Stage appearances include The Coast of Utopia, Top Girls, Pal Joey, Shining City, Cymbeline, A Delicate Balance, The Heidi Chronicles, SubUrbia, Uncle Vanya, The Playboy of the Western World, The Glass Menagerie, Hedda Gabler, Absolution, Hobson’s Choice, Boston Marriage, The False Servant, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Company, Other Desert Cities, Sweat, As You Like It, and Here We Are.

Personal Life: Niece of actor David and Robert Carradine. Had a romantic relationship with River Phoenix from 1986-1989.

Later Life: Is an active campaigner for abortion rights who’s lobbied for Congress on behalf of Planned Parenthood and is on the board of directors of the women’s rights organization “A Is For.” In 2014, she wrote a lengthy article both U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby and McCullen v. Coakley, revealing that she’s had at least 2 abortions in the past. She wrote that her purpose was “A) to contribute to the dismantling of an oppressive, artificial and unfair shaming of women who seek abortion care, B) make clear just how normal, common, and healthy a decision it is for the women who make it, and C) to encourage women who are part of this one third to be unashamed and come out of the abortion closet.” Is also a big campaigner for LGBT+ rights. In addition, she resides part-time in London.

Trivia: Has won a Primetime Emmy and an Independent Spirit Award. Has been nominated for 3 Tony Awards.

504. Jason Ritter

Dates: 1980-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Los Angeles. Son of actors John Ritter and Nancy Morgan. Grandson of country singer Tex Ritter and actress Dorothy Fay. Stepson of Amy Yasbeck. Began his career by appearing as a toddler on his father’s show Three’s Company with Joyce DeWitt. His appearance was unplanned but the producers liked the added touch so they kept it. Attended middle and high school at the Crossroads School in Santa Monica, California. Attended and graduated from the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University where he studied at the Atlantic Theater Company. Later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Made his professional acting debut at 10, playing Harry Neal Baum in the 1990 TV movie The Dreamer of Oz: The L. Frank Baum Story.

Movies and Cartoons: Frozen II (2019) as well as the series Gravity Falls.

Characters: Ryder

Also Known For: Actor known as Mark Cyr in Parenthood. Film appearances include Mumford, Swimfan, Freddy vs. Jason, Raise Your Voice, Happy Endings, The Education of Charlie Banks, W., The Perfect Family, Wild Canaries, The Meddler, Carrie Philby, Bitch, The Tale, Our Very Own, The Wicker Man (2006), The Deal, Good Dick, The Perfect Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Peter and Vandy, The Dry Land, Hammer, The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, The End of Love, Free Samples, The Big Ask, The East, Hits, About Alex, We’ll Never Have Paris, The Steps, Embers, and The Intervention. TV appearances include Joan of Arcadia, Another Period, Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, Raising Dion, Matlock, Days of Our Lives, Undressed, Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, The Class, All Grown Up!, WWII HD, The Event, Robot Chicken, Drunk History, Person of Interest, Key & Peele, Garfunkel and Oates, Girls, Wander Over Yonder, Goliath, Gillmore Girls: A Year in the Life, The Long Road Home, Skylanders Academy, A Million Little Things, Superstore, Candy, The Last of  Us, and  Captain Fall.

Personal Life: Brother of Tyler River. Was in a relationship with Scottish actress Marianna Palka from 1999-2013. Married to New Zealand actress Melanie Lynskey since 2020. They have a daughter together born in 2018. Has also struggled with alcoholism and credits his relationship with Lynskey for giving him the strength to get sober.

Later Life:

Trivia: Was roommates with actor and comedian Simon Helberg at New York University. Has been nominated for 2 Primetime Emmy Awards.

505. Rachel Matthews

Dates: 1993-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Los Angeles. Daughter of actress Leslie Landon. Granddaughter of actor Michael Landon Sr. Became interested in acting at an early age after watching Shirley Temple movies, leading to tap and voice classes, and ultimately joining a local theater program at 10. Continued to pursue the stage by studying acting at New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Made her film debut in 2017.

Movies and Cartoons: Frozen II (2019)

Characters: Honeymaren

Also Known For: Actress best known for starring in Happy Death Day and Happy Death Day 2U. Film appearances include Tankhouse, Do Revenge, and Upgraded.  TV appearances include Batwoman and Looking for Alaska.

Personal Life: Niece of Michael Jr., Christopher, Jennifer, and Mark Landon.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: Friends with actress Camilla Mendes and musician Maggie Rogers.

506. Evan Rachel Wood

Dates: 1987-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Raleigh, North Carolina. Mother’s an actress, director, and acting coach. Father is actor, theater director, and playwright Ira Wood III. Father also co-founded and serves as executive director of a community theater company called Theater in the Park, where she was an active member since she was a few months old. Attended Cary Elementary School in Cary, North Carolina. When her parents divorced, she moved to Los Angeles with her mother to further her acting career. Attended public school in California before leaving at 12 for homeschooling, earning her high school diploma at just 15. Began her career by appearing in several made-for-television movies that were shot in her native North Carolina from 1993 onwards. Made Hollywood debut in 1997. Made her teenage debut as a leading actress in 2001.

Movies and Cartoons: Frozen II (2019)

Characters: Queen Iduna

Also Known For: Actress best known as Sophie-Anne Leclerq in True Blood, Veda Pierce in Mildred Pierce (miniseries), Dolores Abernathy in Westworld, and Madonna in Weird: The Al Yankovic Story. Film appearances include Digging to China, Thirteen, The Wrestler, Whatever Works, The Ides of March, Practical Magic, Little Secrets, Simone, The Missing, Pretty Persuasion, The Upside of Anger, Down in the Valley, Asterix and the Vikings, Shark Bait, Running with Scissors, King of California, The Life Before Her Eyes, Battle for Terra, Across the Universe, The Conspirator, Charlie Countryman, Barefoot, Strange Magic, Into the Forest, Allure, Flavors of Youth, Kajillionaire, Viena and the Fantomes, and Backspot. TV appearances include Once and Again, Search for Grace, A Father for Charlie, American Gothic, Profiler, Touched by an Angel, The West Wing, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Robot Chicken, Doll & Em, Drunk History, What We Do in the Shadows, and Phoenix Rising.

Personal Life: Aunt was a Hollywood production designer. Admitted to being bisexual in 2011. Has been married to British actor Jamie Bell from 2012 to their divorce in 2014. They have a son born in 2013 who was subject to a heated custody battle between the two during the early 2020s. Was in a relationship with bandmate Zach Villa from 2015-2017. In the late 2010s, she claimed that singer Marilyn Manson raped her twice during their relationship when she as 18 and he was 37. Although she was among 16 women who accused him while 4 had sued him for sexual assault, Wood was the most high profile name that Manson sued her in 2022 for defamation. Despite that he later dropped the case and later agreed to pay  her legal fees, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department declined to file charges against Manson  due to lack of evidence.

Later Life: In 2012, she recorded “I’d Have You Anytime” which is on the fourth CD of Chimes of Freedom: The Songs of Bob Dylan Honoring 50 Years of Amnesty International, a compilation production for the benefit of the organization. Performed as electro-pop duo Rebel and a Basketcase with multi-instrumentalist Zach Villa in 2016. But they disbanded in 2017. Is currently one half of cover band Evan + Zane which she formed with guitarist/singer-songwriter Zane Carney with whom she released the album Dreams in 2022. Told some of the stories of the Orlando night club shooting in a video that the Human Rights Campaign released in 2016. Testified before the United States House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security and Investigations in support of the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Bill of Rights Act in 2018. Also testified before the California State Senate to help pass the Phoenix Act, which extended the statute of limitations in domestic violence cases from three to five years and requires police to have additional training. In her testimonies, Wood said that singer Marilyn Manson had physically, sexually, and emotionally abused her and that she was subsequently diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

Trivia: Earned a black belt in taekwondo at 12 and participated in the AAU Junior Olympic Games. Has received a Critics’ Choice Award. Has been nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys and 3 Golden Globes.

507. Jeremy Sisto

Dates: 1974-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Grass Valley, California. Mother’s an actress. Father’s a jazz musician and educator. Parents divorced and his father later remarried a fabric artist. He lived with his mother and said that his father’s absence has made parenting his own son difficult. Was raised in the lower Sierra Nevada Mountains before moving to Chicago at 7. Attended The Hayfield Montessori School in Louisville, Kentucky for first grade, then the Francis Parker School in Chicago. He and his sister performed in A House Not Meant to Stand at the Goodman Theatre. Also, Sisto worked with local theater companies such as the Cherry Street Theater and the Absolute Theater Company. Appeared in the film Grand Canyon while in high school. Despite his lack of achievement in high school, Sisto was accepted to the University of California, Los Angeles with the stipulation that he sign a non-disclosure agreement to keep it quiet unless or until he became a well-known actor. However, he didn’t really attend UCLA or any other college because his career took off and he began acting full-time.

Movies and Cartoons: Frozen II (2019)

Characters: King Runeard

Also Known For: Actor best known as Billy Chenowith in Six Feet Under, NYPD Detective Cyrus Lupo in Law & Order, George Altman in Suburgatory, Jubal Valentine in FBI, Shane Mungitt in Take Me Out, and Freddy Green in Ice. Film appearances include Clueless, Suicide Kings, Thirteen, Waitress, Break Point, Grand Canyon, Hideaway, Moonlight and Valentino, White Squall, Bongwater, Some Girl, Without Limits, Playing by Heart, The Space Between Us, Track Down, Don’s Plum, Angel Eyes, May, Showboy, Now You Know, The Movie Hero, Wrong Turn, In Enemy Hands, Dead & Breakfast, The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things, A Lot Like Love, In Memory of My Father, Population 436, The Thirst, Unknown, Broken, Gardens of the Night, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Into Temptation, Robot & Frank, Sironia, Hangman, The Other Side of the Door, Ferdinand, and Last Straw. TV appearances include Jesus, The Return, The Shaggy Dog, Duckman, Rugrats, The Day Lincoln Was Shot, The Wild Thornberrys, The Outer Limits, Julius Caesar, The Twilight Zone, Dawson’s Creek, Ancient Egyptians, Punk’d, Celebrity Poker Showdown, World Poker Tour, American Dad!,  Kidnapped, Numb3rs, Saturday Night Live, Hell’s Kitchen, Last Week with John Oliver, Wicked City, The Long Road Home, Hollywood Game Night, Robot Chicken, and To Tell the Truth.

Personal Life: Younger brother of actress Meadow Sisko. Married twice. First wife was actress Marisa Ryan from 1993 to 2002. Although they separated shortly after their wedding. Second and current wife is Addie Lane since 2009. They have 2 children born in 2009 and 2012.

Later Life: Resides in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles.

Trivia: Has been nominated for a Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Actor in a Comedy Series.

508. Aurora

Dates: 1996-present

Early Life and Career: Born Aurora Aksnes at Stavanger University Hospital in Stavanger, Norway. Mother’s a midwife. Father’s a garage door salesman. Spent her first 3 years in Hole where she developed her taste in nature, singing, and traditional clothing. Family later moved further north in western Norway to a house in the small village of Drange, located in the woodlands of the Os mountains, a remote municipality in Hordaland, near Bergen and Lysefjord. One of her earliest memories is finding an electric piano in her parents’ attic that once belonged to one of her sisters and was fascinated by the melodies that instrument could produce. Started learning how to play the piano at 6 by playing the songs she listened to. Began writing songs at 9, crediting Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, Enya, and the Chemical Brothers as influences. Parents didn’t encourage her to pursue music as a career or hobby. But Aurora went from imitating classical music to composing her own music, preferring to keep her music private. Also aspired to be a doctor, physicist, or a dancer. Took dancing lessons from 6 to 16 and performed in a contemporary dance group that twice participated in the Norwegian Youth Festival of Art. First song she finished writing was “The Lonely Man.” First job before embarking on her music career was washing a pizza restaurant on the outside using a hose. Wrote several songs at this stage in her life. Another of her songs is “I Had a Dream” which she performed at her high school’s graduation ceremony. Her recording and video of “Puppet” was uploaded online without permission, which angered her. Although this soon led to her discovery by Artists Made Management who invited Aurora to visit their office for a meeting in 2013. Although she initially declined, she later agreed. In a few hours, her songs “I Had a Dream” and “Puppet” received thousands of visits in Norway, earning her a fan base on Facebook.

Movies and Cartoons: Frozen II (2019)

Characters: The “Voice”

Also Known For: Norwegian singer, songwriter, and record producer. Referred as the “Norwegian Art-pop Pioneer,” she’s one of the biggest breakout acts in the country during the 2010s. Her debut studio album All My Demons Greeting Me as a Friend charted in various European countries and earned a platinum certificate in Norway twice. Music is primary electro-pop, folk, and art pop with vocals referred as “ethereal.”

Personal Life: Her 2 older sisters are her personal costume designer and makeup artist. Is an admitted introvert and bisexual. Experienced a string of tragedies from an early age including a family friend at 11, a friend who died in a car accident, a friend who died by suicide, and a friend who died in the Utoya Massacre.

Later Life: Lives is Bergen but often travels to Os to visit her parents. Identifies as a feminist as well as done work for causes related to environmental protection and human rights.

Trivia: Worked alongside film composer Hans Zimmer, providing vocal work for the soundtrack to Frozen Planet II.

509. Mel Rodriguez

Dates: 1973-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Miami, Florida. Grew up in its Little Havana neighborhood. First pursued a career in boxing until a high school teacher at his encouraged him to pursue acting, first starring in a play about AIDS awareness titled The Inner Circle with Pedro Zamora. Dropped out of high school but managed to receive a scholarship at the prestigious arts and film conservatory at SUNY Purchase. After his graduation, he stayed in New York, managed a cigar shop, and worked primarily in theatre. After his first screen role on Law & Order in 1999, he moved to Los Angeles.

Movies and Cartoons: Onward (2020)

Characters: Colt Bronco

Also Known For: Actor best known as Nurse Patsy de la Seda in Getting On, Todd Rodriguez in The Last Man on Earth, Ernie Gomes in On Becoming a God in Central Florida, and Marco Pasternak in Better Call Saul. Film appearances include Wirey Spindle, Panic Room, Deuces Wild, Showtime, The Terminal, Garfield: The Movie, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Shark Bait, Unknown, Little Miss Sunshine, Lakeview Terrace, The Watch, Fat, Suburban Gothic, Brave New Jersey, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie, Overboard (2018), The Last Thing He Wanted, and We Bare Bears: The Movie. TV appearances include Running Wilde, Enlisted, CSI: Las Vegas, Law & Order, Third Watch, Spin City, George Lopez, Malcolm in the Middle, Gillmore Girls, CSI: NY, NYPD Blue, The Bernie Mac Show, Ghost Whisperer, Without a Trace, Tyler Perry’s House of Payne, The Middle, Big Love, Workaholics, Community, Hot in Cleveland, Grace and Frankie, Animals, The Afterparty, Carol & The End of the World, and The Residence.

Personal Life: Has 2 daughters named Stella and Pearl.

Later Life: Still actively working as of 2025.

Trivia: None.

510. Wilmer Valderrama

Dates: 1980-present

Early Life and Career: Born in Miami, Florida. Moved to Venezuela at 3 but family returned to the United States when he was 13. Father is Venezuelan. Mother is Colombian. Got his start performing in numerous plays. Made his debut in a Spanish-language Pacific Bell commercial. At his drama teacher’s suggestion, he got an agent and was cast in a couple of series. Made his big-screen debut in Summer Catch.

Movies and Cartoons: Onward (2020) and Encanto (2021) as well as various series for the Disney Channel.

Characters: Gaxton and Augustin Madrigal

Also Known For: Actor best known as Fez from That ‘70s Show, Special Agent Nick Torres in NCIS, Manny in Handy Manny, Carlos Madrigal in From Dusk till Dawn: The Series, and Prince Philippe Charming in Charming. Film appearances include Party Monster, Beauty Shop, Fast Food Nation, Unaccompanied Minors, Larry Crowne, The Adderall Diaries, Summer Catch, Clifford’s Really Big Movie, The Darwin Awards, Zoom, El Muerto, The Condor, Columbus Day, Days of Wrath, The Dry Land, From Prada to Nada, The Brooklyn Brothers Beat the Best, Trouble, Blast Beat, and A Sudden Case of Christmas. TV appearances include Grey’s Anatomy, The Ranch, Four Corners, Grounded for Life, MADtv, Punk’d, Robot Chicken, Yo Momma, Higglytown Heroes, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, The Cleveland Show, Royal Pains, Suburgatory, Awake, Men at Work, Raising Hope, RuPaul’s Drag Race, Minority Report, Lip Sync Battle, NCIS: New Orleans, The Price Is Right, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, NCIS: Hawai’i, NCIS: Los Angeles, and The ‘90s Show.

Personal Life: Has dated actress Mandy Moore, actress Lindsay Lohan, and singer Demi Lovato. Has been engaged to Amanda Pacheco since 2020. They have a daughter and are currently expecting a second child as of February 2025.

Later Life: Has taken multiple tours with the United Services Organization since 2007, traveling more than 46 times as well as made hosting appearances in Afghanistan, Iraq, Germany, Poland, South Korea, and Bahrain. Was named USO global ambassador in 2021. Co-founded Harness with America Ferrera and Ryan Piers Williams in 2017 that aims to improve representation in historically marginalized communities. Has also worked with the organization Voto Latino since its founding in 2004 and currently serves on its impact council. From 2009-2012, Valderrama served as spokesman for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s Ready to Lead program. Launched a podcast called Essential Voices with Wilmer Valderrama which highlights the experiences of key workers.

Trivia: Is an avid car collector.