Katy Perry

One wouldn't guess it by listening to the sexually suggestive lyrics in her music, but Katy Perry is actually the daughter of two pastors and grew up singing in church until she was 17. Perry was also a fan of gospel music, and in her freshman year of high school, the California native dropped out to pursue a career in music. Perry's church singing turned the heads of some music veterans, who brought her to Nashville to hone her songwriting skills. Her first album (which she released under her original name Kate Hudson) was rooted in gospel and proved to be an unmitigated failure.

After changing her name and moving to California, Perry recorded a rock album for Island Records with super-producer Glen Ballard, though it was never released. After a continued series of falling outs and shelved projects with a variety of record labels, Perry's undeniable talent and star quality captured the attention of a Capitol Music executive who signed her in 2007.

katy perry kisses a girl and likes it

While the first song released off Katy Perry's debut album called "Ur So Gay" created online buzz and controversy for obvious reasons, it was the official lead single "I Kissed A Girl," that established Perry as a bona fide pop sensation. The racy tale of woman-on-woman love soared to the top of the Billboard charts where it remained for seven weeks, while drawing the ire of gay and lesbian groups across the country. Perry's mother, an Evangelical Christian, was one of the song's most vocal critics, calling it "shameful and disgusting." Still, its injection into the cultural zeitgeist was undeniable, as was its success, earning Perry a nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 51st Grammys. Her debut album One of the Boys featured a string of equally successful singles including "Hot N' Cold" and "Waking Up in Vegas," making it a platinum-selling disc with a 71 week-long stay on the charts.

katy perry saddles up with russell brand

With her professional career progressing full steam ahead, all Katy Perry lacked was stability in her personal life. Ironic, then, that she began a courtship with notorious British bad-boy Russell Brand. After a rocky on-and-off again relationship with Gym Class Heroes singer Travis McCoy, Perry began seeing Brand after the two met at the MTV Video Awards, and their relationship has progressed into a highly publicized engagement under constant scrutiny from the tabloids. Set to marry this October, the couple is very vocal about their love for one another, and often share intimate details with the press. Though Brand -- a former drug addict -- will forgo the bachelor party festivities, Perry's bachelorette is being thrown by her good friend Rihanna. And yes, we're still waiting for our invitation in the mail.

katy perry looks to dominate the summer

When Katy Perry released "California Gurls" -- the infectious first single from her coming sophomore effort Teenage Dream, it instantly became the front-runner for the coveted "Song of The Summer" crown. The Snoop Dogg-featuring electro banger soared to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, which certainly bodes well for Perry's latest disc, released in the U.S. on August 24th. Perry claims that the song is a direct response to Jay-Z's Big Apple big-up "Empire State of Mind," igniting the fiercest coast wars since Tupac and Biggie went at it in the '90s.

katy perry takes on lady gaga

Speaking of feuds, Katy Perry must have been looking to shake up the pop landscape when she tweeted "using blasphemy as entertainment is as cheap as a comedian telling a fart joke," which was perceived as a direct shot at Lady Gaga and her controversial video for "Alejandro." Perry immediately clarified that her statement was directed at blasphemous pop stars in general, not just at Gaga, insisting that she's in fact a fan of the megastar. Millions of men around the world hoping for the world's sexiest cat fight just let out a simultaneous groan.

Avril Lavigne

From early childhood onward, Avril Lavigne always stood out among the 5,000 residents of Napanee, Ontario -- her 1984 birthplace. At first distinguished from her female peers because of her affinity for the baseball field in the summer and the hockey rink in the winter, Avril became recognizable in the community on the basis of her musical performances.

avril lavigne sings with shania twain
By age 10, she had graduated from the local church choir to the regional fairgrounds, singing country music in competitions. Three years later, Avril Lavigne began making her impact outside of Napanee, as her vocal skill won her the grand prize in a radio station contest: a trip to the city of Ottawa, to perform a duet in concert with another Ontario native, country music star Shania Twain. While this probably ranked as the pinnacle of pubescence for any other 13-year-old girl, Avril Lavigne went on to accomplish far greater things before leaving adolescence.

avril lavigne gets a record deal
By the time Avril Lavigne reached high school, her vocal prowess seemed rivaled only by her ability to play the guitar, and she began sending videotapes of her stage performances to labels and management companies throughout North America. Following a host of rejections, her talent finally caught the eyes of Nettwerk Management, an organization that fostered other such Canadian acts as Sarah McLachlan, Sum 41 and the Barenaked Ladies.

Nettwerk arranged for Avril Lavigne to fly down to New York City to meet with some other songwriters and begin work on a demo tape. As it turned out, Avril Lavigne was signed before she even had a chance to complete the demo. An Arista Records representative came to visit Avril Lavigne at her studio, and was sufficiently impressed with her voice to return with Arista CEO Antonio "L.A." Reid, who immediately signed the 16-year-old to a contract.

avril lavigne moves to new york city
After briefly returning to Canada, Avril Lavigne made the move to Manhattan to embark on her professional career, accompanied by her older brother Matt as an escort. Although she had been signed to Arista strictly as a vocalist, Avril Lavigne balked at the notion of singing someone else's songs and insisted on having a hand in the writing process. When she failed to click with any New York-based songwriters, Avril Lavigne made her third move of the year, this time to Los Angeles.

It was on the West Coast that she met producer/songwriter Cliff Magness, with whom she immediately developed a rapport. The two began composing together, and within a few months' time, Avril Lavigne's debut album had begun to take shape.

avril lavigne releases complicated and the album let go
Avril Lavigne's first single, "Complicated," was released in the early spring of 2002, and immediately began scaling the charts across the continent. By the summer, the track had reached the top spot among Canadian singles, and was in the top 15 on the Billboard Adult 40 list. The popularity of "Complicated" paved the way for the success of Avril's first full-length CD, Let Go, which debuted at No. 8 on the Billboard charts in June 2002. She received eight Grammy nods and won four Juno Awards for the album.

While Avril Lavigne's vocal range and high-energy musical style has brought her comparisons ranging from Alanis Morissette to Pink, she has been adamant in positioning herself as a unique artist, one who runs counter to the mainstream. This persona has been nurtured thanks to the lyrics of such songs as "Sk8er Boi," wherein Avril Lavigne is none too subtle in voicing her anti-conformist stance, and through her public remarks regarding other female musicians, notably Britney Spears.

avril lavigne releases under my skin

In 2004 Avril Lavigne released her second album, Under My Skin, which debuted at No. 1 in the U.S., Canada and elsewhere. The single "My Happy Ending" became her third biggest song. The album helped Avril win two World Music Awards and five Juno nominations. She also won the award for "Favorite Female Singer" at the eighteenth annual Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. The album sold eight million copies worldwide.

avril lavigne releases the best damn thing

Avril Lavigne's third album The Best Damn Thing debuted at No. 1 in the U.S. as well. The album was produced with the help of her husband, Deryck Whibley of the band Sum 41, and the single "Hot" was a huge success (Avril performed this hit at the American Music Awards). A small tour followed.

Rihanna Biography

Robyn Rihanna Fenty was born in the parish of Saint Michael, Barbados, on February 20, 1988. Growing up, Rihanna led a relatively simple, average life on her island home. She attended Combermere, a kind of technical high school, and, despite having a natural singing talent, she didn't give much thought to performing -- aside from singing with her friends for fun.

At one point, though, Rihanna did enter a beauty and talent pageant at her school. Singing Mariah Carey's "Hero" as part of the talent component, Rihanna went on to win the competition. But that performance -- and singing in the shower or in front of the mirror -- was the extent of her musical experience before 2004.

def jam discovers rihanna
During Christmas 2003, a series of chance events unfolded that would change Rihanna's life forever. A New York City record producer, Evan Rogers, was vacationing with his wife near Rihanna's home. A mutual friend introduced them, and after Rihanna belted out a few tunes for Rogers, he realized her potential and invited her to New York to record some demo songs. Rihanna jumped at the opportunity to sing professionally, and she took Rogers up on his offer the following spring.

It wasn't long before Rihanna was auditioning for Shawn "Jay-Z" Carter, head of Def Jam Recordings. Despite her nervousness, Rihanna wowed the Def Jam record execs and signed a deal before she walked out the door. Work immediately began on her singles, starting with "Pon de Replay," one of the punchy dance numbers that had first impressed Jay-Z.

rihanna releases pon de replay
The faith Def Jam placed in Rihanna's talent paid off when "Pon de Replay" became a summer smash in 2005. The song hit the third slot on the Billboard charts, and by late August, Rihanna released a second single, "If It's Lovin' That You Want," and her debut album Music of the Sun was out in stores.

The wave of popularity that stemmed from Rihanna's impressive debut carried her onto the small screen. She's been on Live with Regis and Kelly, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Today, and has performed at the 2005 Video Music Awards, World Music Awards and MTV Awards. She's also helped kick off sports events, from a performance alongside Kanye West at the start of the NFL season to a show for the start of the 2005 U.S. Lawn Tennis Open Championships.

rihanna has a hit single with sos

In 2006, Rihanna released her second album, A Girl Like Me, which boasted the hit singles "SOS," "Unfaithful," "We Ride," and "Break It Off" featuring Sean Paul. All of the songs spent some time on the U.S. Billboard charts except "We Ride."

That same year, Rihanna recorded a song called "Winning Women" with Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger for P&G’s female deodorant Secret. She also made her acting debut with a role in Bring It On: All or Nothing, which was released on August 8, 2006. To top it off, Rihanna appeared on an episode of the long-running soap opera All My Children and the drama Las Vegas.

rihanna releases umbrella and don't stop the music

2007 was another successful year for the budding talent. Rihanna released her third album, Good Girl Gone Bad. A number of hits also resulted from this album including "Umbrella," which featured Jay-Z. This song was the longest running No. 1 single since Wet Wet Wet's' single "Love Is All Around" back in 1994, and the longest running No. 1 by a female artist since Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You."

Rihanna's Good Girl Gone Bad also included the hits "Shut Up And Drive" and "Don't Stop The Music." At the 2007 American Music Awards Rihanna won for Favorite Female Artist in the Soul/Rhythm & Blues category.

rihanna is named no. 8 in 2008 & 2009 top 99

Bursting onto the music scene with panache, Rihanna made a name for herself in the music world in a very short time. Her talent, along with her gorgeous face and figure, make it evident why she was voted No. 8 on AskMen.com's Top 99 of 2008. That same year, she also appeared on several episodes of Dancing with the Stars.

It seemed nothing could bring this shining star down, especially after maintaining her No. 8 position for our Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2009, but while Rihanna was scheduled to perform at the 2009 Grammy Awards show, an incident of physical abuse from boyfriend Chris Brown kept the two from performing together on stage. Photos of battered Rihanna circulated the internet days after the incident, and Chris Brown released a statement to the public claiming he was finding the guidance he needed with friends and family, away from Rihanna. After the courts agreed to a plea bargain with Brown, Rihanna fans will be happy to know that part of the plea bargain requires Brown to stay far away from Rihanna. Phew.

Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson was born into what later became one of the most well-known and flat-out successful musical families ever created. Having displayed a keen appreciation for music before his 5th birthday, Michael Jackson took his greatest inspiration from the song and dance moves of James Brown and enjoyed sharing his musical gifts with others. In school, he performed for his classmates before joining his brothers Jermaine Jackson, Marlon Jackson, Tito Jackson, and Jackie Jackson to form a musical group that became The Jackson Five. As the youngest member of the group, Michael Jackson started as a backup performer, but much greater things were in store. By 1966, he became the face of the group and its lead singer.

In the wake of taking the top prize at a musical talent contest, Michael Jackson and his brothers worked with Indiana-based music label Steeltown, before hitting it big with a recording contract in 1968 from the legendary Motown Records. A year later, the group released its debut song "I Want You Back," the first of four consecutive singles (the others being "ABC," "The Love You Save," "I'll Be There) that topped the Billboard Hot 100 and become favorites for future generations. Barely older than 10, Michael Jackson had already earned the nickname of "genius" by Rolling Stone and appeared as a musical guest on the highly rated Ed Sullivan Show. His giddy performance style made him an audience favorite, but off the stage, life wasn't nearly as happy. Although his father, Joseph Jackson, was the architect of the group, he inflicted physical and emotional abuse on Michael Jackson. The group's runaway success and busy recording schedule also prevented Michael Jackson from having a normal childhood. Even with these obstacles, he did find a friend in musical legend Diana Ross, who lived with him temporarily and offered him further musical inspiration that came through in much of his later material.

michael jackson releases off the wall and thriller

During his time with Motown, Michael Jackson began branching out as a solo artist, with his first No. 1 single as a solo musician being 1972's "Ben." While filming a role as The Scarecrow in 1978's The Wiz (which starred Diana Ross), Michael Jackson met musical producer Quincy Jones, and the two soon began an album collaboration for Epic Records. The finished product was 1979's Grammy-winning Off the Wall, which sold more than 20 million units around the world and spawned hits like "Rock With You," "Don't Stop 'til You Get Enough" and "She's Out of My Life." Even though the album was the first one in U.S. history to have four Top 10 singles, Michael Jackson -- always the perfectionist -- believed that he was capable of something even better.

In 1982, that "something even better" arrived in the form of Thriller. With the album, Michael Jackson raised the musical bar to a success level that no one else has ever reached and also revolutionized the ways that people saw and heared music. The album became the biggest seller in music history and boasted seven singles that reached the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. One of them was "Beat It," a rock anthem featuring a guitar solo from the one-and-only Eddie Van Halen, while another one was "Billie Jean," a song that first brought Michael Jackson (and black artists) to the attention of MTV. A now legendary live performance of "Billie Jean" was done by Michael Jackson at the 25th anniversary of Motown in 1983, complete with a dance move now universally known as The Moonwalk. The success of the song was especially ironic given that producer Quincy Jones had initially wanted it removed from the album. The title track from Thriller took on a zombie theme for its memorable video -- a short film that became one of MTV's most popular videos ever and spawned dance moves copied around the world by fans and even prisoners.

michael jackson releases bad and dangerous

In the midst of the success of Thriller, Michael Jackson signed an advertising contract with Pepsi, but during the filming of a commercial in 1984, the singer suffered burns to his scalp. His overall appearance began to change, most noticeably his nose and skin color. Where music and popularity were concerned, he stayed in the celebrity driver's seat by cowriting the 1985 all-star charity single, "We Are the World," and starring in his own movie (Moonwalker) and 3-D film Captain Eo (from director Francis Ford Coppola). 1987 saw the release of his next album, Bad. While it didn't sell to Thriller-like numbers, the album did provide more instant classics like "Dirty Diana," "The Way You Make Me Feel," "The Man in the Mirror," and "Smooth Criminal." The latter song featured a patented dance move known as The Anti-Gravity Lean, while the album's title anthem was made into a memorable gang-themed video that was directed by Martin Scorsese.

The release of Bad was followed by a concert tour that played to 4.4 million guests and brought in $125 million, a Guinness World Record. Even so, the years between Bad and the release of Michael Jackson's 1991 album, Dangerous, featured more questions about his appearance and increasingly bizarre rumors. While he lived on the grounds of his privately funded amusement park, Neverland, Michael Jackson was alleged to have bought the bones of John Merrick (aka The Elephant Man) and thought to be regularly sleeping in an oxygen chamber. Both of these rumors were false, but Michael Jackson did disclose that his pale skin was the result of a skin disease called vitiligo.

Dangerous went on to be the singer's second biggest album after Thriller with "Black or White" (a music video featuring Macaulay Culkin), "Remember the Time" (which starred Eddie Murphy and Magic Johnson), and "Will You Be There?" (the anchor to the Free Willy soundtrack) being among the most memorable songs. While the singer's immensely popular 1993 Super Bowl halftime performance showed that he was still a global entertainment force, allegations of child molestation later that year and a substantial multi-million dollar payment from Michael Jackson to his accuser forever tainted his legacy.

michael jackson releases history and prepares this is it

After marrying Lisa Marie Presley, Michael Jackson sought to rehabilitate his career with the release of HIStory: Past, Present, and Future, Book I in 1995. The album, which featured the hits "Scream" (the most expensive music video ever made) and "You Are Not Alone" had more longevity than the marriage. By the time Michael Jackson's year-long concert tour for HIStory had ended, he was married to Debbie Rowe and a soon-to-be father. Save for two inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a 30th anniversary reunion with his brothers at Madison Square Gardens in 2001 and his marginally successful 2001 album, Invincible, Michael Jackson slowly began to fade into eccentric obscurity by wearing surgical masks in public and displaying the effects of cosmetic surgery gone terribly wrong. His career and personal life came to a grinding halt when he was brought to trial in 2005 on counts relating to another accusation of child molestation, but Michael Jackson was ultimately vindicated with a verdict of not guilty.

Four years removed from a Santa Monica courthouse, Michael Jackson offered up a number of shocking surprises in 2009. A full 12 years after his last concert tour, he announced a series of 10 concerts in London that were titled This Is It. Intended as a thank you to his fans and a chance for his own children to see him perform, the concerts were meticulously planned with a number of larger-than-life elements, like 3-D technology, eye-popping sets, aerial dancing, and short film clips. Any questions about Michael Jackson's level of popularity were answered when the enormous degree of public interest expanded the concert series to 50 shows, making them into "must-see" musical events. Michael Jackson described the concerts as "the final curtain call" and he was eerily correct.

On June 25th, 2009, the world stopped when he died suddenly of cardiac arrest from a lethal drug combination. An unprecedented musical memorial service -- watched by over 30 million Americans and featuring the likes of John Mayer, Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, and Stevie Wonder -- came next, as did a spike in album sales and digital downloads that reintroduced the music of Michael Jackson to the world all over again. While the concert series never came to be, This Is It still served as Michael Jackson's curtain call for live performing. The surviving rehearsal footage was edited into a concert film. London audiences never got to see him perform in person, but Michael Jackson's colossal legion of fans got to see him on stage and in action one final time when the musical documentary was released worldwide.

Jessica Simpson

Jessica Ann Simpson was born in Abilene, Texas, on July 10, 1980, and grew up in the small town of Richardson. Her life was textbook happy and included her father Joe, who was a psychologist and also served as youth minister in the local Baptist church (he later went on to not only become Jessica's manager, but her sister's manager as well).

With this background, it was only normal for young Jessica to participate in church activities and so she sang in the choir. Such was her gift that at the age of 12, she auditioned for The Mickey Mouse Club.

When she reached the finals, she froze and choked completely. Unfortunately, she didn't get the job.

jessica simpson and tommy mottola

She returned to Richardson, Texas, and bit into the Christian music she had been brought up with. Her father Joe (now her manager) took his daughter on the road, where they worked the Christian Youth Conference circuit. Jessica Simpson sang and sold her home-recorded album after performances. This was a winning formula and while she was still in junior high, Jessica was performing with famous gospel acts like Kirk Franklin and Ce Ce Winans.

It wasn't only Christian music fans who got into her music; pop lovers everywhere were being charmed by her voice. This was just the encouragement Jessica needed to pursue a middle-of-the-road pop music career. Sure enough, news of Jessica's success reached important people in the industry. Tommy Mottola of Columbia Records/Sony Music was one of them and he was stunned by Jessica Simpson's voice and skills.

jessica simpson's sweet kisses

Mottola believed Jessica Simpson had the talent to reach mainstream audiences. Still, Jessica Simpson made it clear that she would only be onboard if she could maintain her identity. Luckily, Mottola understood what she believed in and supported her decision.

After signing up with the music giant, her debut album, Sweet Kisses, was released in 1999, giving way to the singles "I Wanna Love You Forever" and "I Think I'm In Love With You." She then hit the road and showed audiences worldwide what the Jessica Simpson craze was all about.

Simpson joined boy band 98 Degrees on its tour and it didn't take long for her to fall in love with one of its members, Nick Lachey. Their budding romance only helped the release of their duet, "Where You Are," off Sweet Kisses.

In June 2001, her sophomore album Irresistible was released. The title track was a smash hit and it went as high as No. 3 on the Top 40 chart. After some remixes, her third album In This Skin was released in August 2003. However, Jessica Simpson's life was about to take a drastic turn.

jessica simpson on mtv's newlyweds

After a short breakup, Jessica and Nick finally got married in October 2002, and the celebrity marriage was rejoiced in gossip columns everywhere. As a result, MTV offered the couple a reality show based on their everyday life as a couple, much like The Osbournes.

The deal was struck and August 2003 marked the debut of Newlyweds: Nick & Jessica. Although the show overshadowed Jessica Simpson's new album, it became an incredible hit and it was picked up for second and third seasons.

Since the world couldn't seem to get enough of their goofy antics, the couple was offered a TV variety special reminiscent of The Sonny and Cher Show.

jessica simpson in the dukes of hazzard

Around the time of her marriage to Nick, Jessica Simpson appeared in three episodes of That '70s Show (between 2002 and 2003) as Kelso's love interest. She also appeared on The Twilight Zone in 2002, all of which led the way for her 2005 big-screen debut wearing sexy "Daisy Dukes" in the film version of The Dukes of Hazzard (costarring Johnny Knoxville and Seann William Scott). The film coincided with the release of Jessica Simpson's remake of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made For Walking." In 2006, she appeared in Dane Cook's film Employee of the Month.

jessica simpson in a public affair

At the dawn of Jessica Simpson's budding film career she and Nick Lachey filed for divorce, which was finalized in June 2005 on the basis of irreconcilable differences. On the heals of her divorce, she released her fifth album, A Public Affair, in 2006.

jessica simpson is no. 47 on 2008 top 99 and no. 70 in 2009 top 99

In 2006, Jessica Simpson started dating musician John Mayer and they were together for over nine months. The couple hooked up at Christina Aguilera's New Year's Eve party and were spotted months later as affectionate as can be at a post-Grammy bash. They split up in May 2007. And in November 2007, Jessica Simpson began dating Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.

She signed on to take the lead in two 2008 movies -- The Love Guru and Major Movie Star -- and although both of those movies were critically panned, she has stayed true to her music roots and released a country album, Do You Know.

Do You Know has become a hit on the country charts, but during her tour supporting the album she started getting criticized in the tabloids for having gained weight. What started out as a petty observation escalated into a full-on media battle, leading to numerous emotional appearances for Jessica while she battled the criticism about her curves.

Despite the scrutiny and because of all her hard work and penchant for staying in the spotlight, the beautiful and curvaceous Jessica Simpson ranked at No. 70 on AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2009 list. In the summer of 2009, Tony Romo and Jessica Simpson ended their relationship.

jessica simpson is "sexual napalm"

After coming in at No. 82 on AskMen.com's Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2010, Jessica Simpson was set to make her return to the spotlight with the March premiere of her VH1 docu-series The Price of Beauty, about the lengths women go to around the world to meet their respective culture's standard of beauty. For better or for worse, Simpson's ex-boyfriend John Mayer beat her to the punch when he told Playboy magazine in an interview that Simpson was "sexual napalm." Simpson responded to Mayer's remarks on Oprah by saying that, she doesn't “want people to know how [she’s] in bed.” Fair enough.

Emma Watson

You'd never guess that Emma Watson spent the first five years of her life in Paris, thanks to her upper-crust British accent. When her parents, both British lawyers working in France, divorced in 1995, Emma moved with her mother Jacqueline and younger brother Alex to Oxfordshire, England. While growing up, the aspiring actress learned to sing, dance and act at the Oxford branch of Stagecoach Theatre Arts.

emma watson gets cast in harry potter and the sorcerer's stone

Emma Watson starred in a number of school plays from age six to nine, but no films of the Hollywood variety. In fact, she had no films at all on her resume. When casting began for the film adaptation of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Emma's theater teacher directed casting agents to the budding actress. Eight auditions later and Watson, along with her then-future castmates Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint, landed the leading roles that would soon change the course of their lives. Sure, that might sound cliche, but when you're nine years old and you star in the highest grossing film of the year, life takes you by the hand and says, "Guess what, you're not going to be like anyone else you've known up until this point. Take a mental picture now and brace yourself."

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone went on to make $975 million worldwide, en route to becoming one of the most lucrative movies of all time. Emma Watson reclaimed her role as bookworm Hermione for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2002), Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (2004) and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005). How many people get to watch not only themselves but their character grow up on camera?

emma watson and teen vogue

Along the way, Emma Watson has been featured on the cover of Teen Vogue a total of three times, acted with luminaries like Richard Harris and Gary Oldman and has become a regular on the talk show circuit. In 2007, she starred in the fifth installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.

emma watson in harry potter and the half-blood prince

After lending her voice to the animated flick The Tale of Despereaux, which costarred Dustin Hoffman, Sigourney Weaver and Matthew Broderick, Emma Watson began Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which came out in July of 2009. Prior to the opening of The Half-Blood Prince, the Potter flicks had already taken in over $4.5 billion worth of ticket sales.

emma watson finishes filming the harry potter series

Emma Watson recently wrapped up filming Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I (out in 2010) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (out in 2011). Where will you see her post-Potter? University, most likely. "Until something comes along that I feel as strongly about as I did Hermione -- like, I felt that it was life or death -- I don't want to act again," says the young actress who plans to study English literature and art at an Ivy League school this fall.

emma watson and burberry

Emma Watson won't be completely out of the limelight any time soon, and not just because Harry Potter films will be in theaters until 2011. Emma will star in Burberry's Fall/Winter 2009, shot by none other than world-renowned photographer Mario Testino.

Gaining more and more attention as a style icon, one of Emma Watson's favorite fashion houses is Chanel and, given that she herself admits she has enough money never to work again, we can understand why. The actress had the opportunity to meet Chanel's head honcho, the eccentric Karl Lagerfeld, when he recently photographed her for French magazine. "I'd met Karl a few times before, at parties or something where we really couldn't talk," says Emma. "But this was a dream come true." Yes, she gets to call him "Karl."

Justin Bieber Biography

By now the story of how Justin Bieber came to be is the stuff of legend. In an age where fame is only a viral video away, Bieber’s meteoric ascension to pop super stardom is still an exception, not yet a rule. Born in Stratford, Ontario, to a single, teenage mother, Bieber grew up playing sports, while secretly teaching himself how to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet.

It wasn’t until he was 12, that Bieber was ready to show the world what he could do. After placing second in a local singing competition, his mother posted a video of his performance on YouTube for friends and family that weren’t able to attend. The video went viral, and Bieber’s mother continued uploading videos of Bieber covering a string of syrupy hits by the likes of Usher, Justin Timberlake and other future colleagues.

justin bieber impresses usher

When the former marketing executive of So So Def, Scooter Braun, accidentally stumbled upon Justin Bieber’s YouTube channel (he was actually trying to track down a different singer) he knew he had found a star. Braun literally hunted Bieber down -- tracking down former teachers, school board members and even unearthing footage of Bieber busking in front of a theater.

Though Bieber’s mother originally envisioned her son serving God through his music, she gave in to Braun’s aggressive advances. After continuing to build his profile on YouTube, Braun arranged a meeting between his keen protege and R'n'B impresario Usher. Bieber’s natural charisma and talent immediately impressed Usher -- who had once been in Bieber’s shoes -- who signed him to Raymond Braun Media Group. Just like that, the prepubescent tween from Stratford, Ontario, had a record deal with Island Records, and a new home in Atlanta, where his path toward super-stardom began.

justin bieber releases my world

By the time Justin Bieber released his debut EP My World in 2009, he already had the luxury of a mass following shrewdly constructed by his management team on YouTube. In short, there was no way this thing would fail. Couple Bieber’s arsenal of syrupy confection of R’n’B pop, with his newly polished urban teenybopper aesthetic (thanks in large to his Usher-appointed swagger coach Ryan Good) and tween girls everywhere had found their ultimate crush. The record debuted at No. 6 on the Billboard charts with four singles landing safely in the Top 100. It wasn’t long before Bieber-mania was as ubiquitous as text messaging, with the mop-topped one performing for everyone from Ellen DeGeneres to Mr. and Mrs. Obama.

justin bieber releases my world 2.0

When Justin Bieber released “Baby,” the infectious lead single off his follow-up disc My World 2.0, he had become one of the music industry’s foremost saviors -- a camera-ready Messiah in purple sneakers and a straight-brimmed cap. The single propelled My World 2.0 to No. 1 on the Billboard charts, making Bieber the youngest male solo act to top the chart since Stevie Wonder did it in 1963. But by now, Justin Bieber had become more than just a best-selling pop star -- the pint-sized pipsqueak from Stratford, Ontario had become a genuine cultural phenomenon. Gigs on Saturday Night Live, The View and The Late Show meant that in 2010, there was no escaping Justin Bieber.

can justin bieber escape the backlash?

Justin Bieber’s omnipresence in the media, and his lightning-quick rise to fame were sure to inspire backlash, especially in the quick-to-hate blogosphere. Bieber’s shrewd embracing of social media (the boy tweets!), and his easy-to-pick-on effeminacy (lesbians who look like Justin Bieber has become its own meme) made him an easy target for both critics and creeps.

Internet trolls have perpetuated a string of maliciously preposterous rumors about the Biebster; no he does not have syphilis, no he has not joined a cult, and as far as we know he’s not dead. But despite his many critics, Bieber has been embraced by the cred-solidifying hip-hop community; he pals around with Drake, Ludacris appears on his album; and Kanye West’s admitted fandom led to a much-tweeted about remix of Bieber’s “Runaway Love” featuring none other than Wu-Tang’s street disciple Raekwon.

love him or hate him, justin bieber isn’t going anywhere

If Justin Bieber was the prince of 2010, he may just end up being the king of 2011. So for all the haters out there, a warning: Justin Bieber is here to stay. With his best-selling tour wrapping up in December, Bieber has spent the last year dominating the internet (he was the most searched celebrity in July), inspiring riots and hysterics everywhere he went (remember the riot in Long Island?) and performing in some of the most revered venues in the world. Bieber’s recent gig at Madison Square Garden was filmed for his upcoming 3-D biopic due next winter, and his new album will feature at least two songs produced by Dr. Dre. Yes, Dr. Dre -- he of gun-toting NWA fame -- is producing two songs for the grinning charmer with pearly whites from Stratford, Ontario. Is it the end of the world as we know it?

Shakira Biography and Photo

Shakira is a two-time Grammy Award-winning and seven-time Latin Grammy Award-winning artist and celebrity. She has been a major figure in the pop music scene of Latin America since the mid-1990s, but in 2001, she made her mark in the English-speaking world with the release of "Laundry Service".shakira is the only child of Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado, a Colombian of Spanish and Italian ancestry, and William Mebarak Chadid, of Lebanese descent.

Name: Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll
Famously known as: Shaki
Birth date: 02-02-1977
Birth place: Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
Parents: Nidia del Carmen Ripoll Torrado and William Mebarak Chadid
Profession: Singer-songwriter,dancer,music video director, record producer, philanthropist,actress
Genre: Pop, latin pop, rock en Español, pop-rock, R&B
Instruments: Vocals, guitar, harmonica, drums

Engaged to: Antonio de la Rúa(in 2001)

Shakira

Shakira

Shakira wallpaper

Angelina Jolie Tattoo

Angelina Jolie Tattoo

Ellen Page Photo

Ellen Page Photo

Octomom Biography

Nadya Denise Suleman was born October 12, 1975, in Fullerton, California. The only child of a high school teacher and a Realtor, she always hoped to have a large family of her own. “I just longed for connections and attachments with another person that I really lacked, I believe, growing up,” she says.

nadya suleman has difficulty conceiving

Nadya Suleman came one step closer to starting a family of her own in 1996 when she married Marcos Gutierrez. Unfortunately, she and her husband could not conceive children. “I went through about seven years of trying,” she explains. “And through artificial insemination... medication.... all of which was unsuccessful.” Upon closer examination, doctors discovered she had lesions in her fallopian tubes, thereby further complicating her attempts to become pregnant.

nadya suleman begins saving for in vitro fertilization

Nadya Suleman never abandoned her dream of having children. She began saving for in vitro fertilization (IVF) by working around the clock as a psychiatric technician at Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk, California. “I was able to work double-shifts, constantly working double-shifts, 'cause I was hoarding my money, and I was saving it and nonstop working,” she says. “I was so driven, so determined, I wouldn't give up. There's no way I would have ever allowed any obstacle… to get in my way of my dream.” Creepy.

nadya suleman goes on disability

Nadya Suleman had already saved enough money for several procedures by 1999 when she suffered a severe lower back injury in a riot at the hospital. The ensuing trauma left her unable to work, and she began receiving disability payments. She also fell into a deep depression which, coupled with her inability to conceive children, led to the termination of her marriage in 2000.

nadya suleman has six children in five and a half years

Still determined to become a mother, Nadya Suleman convinced a platonic friend to donate his sperm and, on May 18, 2001, she finally gave birth to a baby boy named Elijah. “I kept praying,” she says. “And it worked.” Suleman underwent another IVF treatment soon after, and 13 months later gave birth to a little girl named Amerah. And she didn’t stop there. Another IVF treatment resulted in the birth of a second boy named Joshua in August of 2003. “At that point, the doctor's like: ‘You're the only one who's come back more than twice,’” she says. “But he knew I wanted a big family, and this [was] my only option.” She then gave birth to Aidan in 2005 and to twins Caleb and Calyssa in 2006, giving her a total of six children in just five and a half years. Still unable to work, Suleman supported her children through her rapidly diminishing savings, student loans and her disability checks.

nadya suleman undergoes another round of in vitro fertilization

Nadya Suleman made another life-changing decision the following year when she opted to use the frozen embryos left over from the batch that produced her twins. “I couldn't live with the fact that if I had never used them, [I’d] be 70 years old and regret the fact that I didn't allow these little embryos to live,” she explains. The first two IVF treatments were unsuccessful, but then, in June of 2008, she was informed that all six embryos had been successfully transferred. “I embraced it fully,” she says.

nadya suleman gives birth to octuplets

Nadya Suleman’s pregnancy progressed well until the fifth month when the extraordinary weight of the fetuses snapped several of her ribs, forcing her to go on bed rest. She was then brought into hospital at 30 weeks for an emergency C-section after doctors expressed concern that one of the babies was not growing. Suleman was still in for one more major surprise when doctors discovered she was carrying eight babies and not seven as previously thought, meaning that two of her six embryos had resulted in twins. “I actually started crying,” she admits. “It was an overwhelming feeling of shock.”

the public reacts in disgust

Public reaction to the birth was at first positive until news started to leak that Nadya Suleman was unmarried, unemployed and already had six other children under the age of eight. Protesters eventually gathered in front of her home and even threatened her life. Despite the negative backlash, Suleman says she does not regret her decision to have more children and believes strongly that she is a responsible mother. “I'm providing for my children,” she says. “I'm providing myself to my children. I'm loving them unconditionally, accepting them unconditionally. I have a plan.”

Nadya Suleman’s babies are now out of the hospital and have since become the longest surviving octuplets in U.S. history.

Ellen Page Biography

Canadian thespian Ellen Page didn't grow up anywhere close to Hollywood, or even Hollywood North (Vancouver) for that matter. Her humble beginnings came in Nova Scotia, where she alternated between competing interests in tree-climbing, action figure duels, soccer, and performance. An aspiring performer since age 4, she developed her interest further by appearing in school productions like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, in which she played Charlie, and courses at her hometown's Neptune Theatre School. She would make her screen debut at 10 by playing Maggie in 1997's Pit Pony, a TV movie that would later be picked up as a TV series. In 29 episodes on the show, Page would hone her craft while also being rewarded with nominations at the Young Artist Awards and the Genie Awards.

Ellen Page continued to develop her acting reputation through intense training and impressive credits. On the training side, she moved to Toronto, where she took on a heavy drama-infused course load at Vaughan Road Academy. On the acting side, she enjoyed a recurring guest role as Treena Lahey on the Canadian TV favorite, Trailer Park Boys, before winning the female ACTRA Maritimes Award for Outstanding Performance for her work in the searing family drama Marion Bridge. The first of two Gemini Awards for Ellen Page would come via another family drama, where she played a girl coping with the loss of her mother in Mrs. Ashboro's Cat. Now a pro at playing it nice, Page would soon turn the tables on her screen type and come out stronger on the other side.

ellen page in x-men: the last stand and juno

Not wanting her fans and industry observers to prematurely conclude that she could only play nice, Ellen Page played a pair of darker characters in 2005 that deservedly bolstered her acting credibility and overall awareness. In Mouth to Mouth, she aptly played an impressionable teen in who gets caught up in the ill-advised activities of a European youth gang. For her subsequent effort, Hard Candy, she portrayed a conniving girl who squares off against a suspected pedophile (Patrick Wilson). The merciless on-screen battle would feature her using a scalpel and a bag of ice in ways that would be enough to make any man squirm.

Following this pair of serious-minded indies, Ellen Page sent some love to the comic book crowd for the 2006 superhero sequel, X-Men: The Last Stand. As Kitty Pryde, the mutant gifted with the superhuman ability of phasing, Page gamely established the character as her own after following in the footsteps of two different predecessors. Page's string of engaging performances -- and especially her work in Hard Candy -- caught the eye of director Jason Reitman, who made her his first choice to play the opinionated and very pregnant teen title character in the 2007 indie dramedy, Juno. She accepted the role and the resulting film became a surprise blockbuster, grossing more than $230 million around the world. As Juno-isms like "honest to blog" became rampant across pop culture and teen pregnancy's like Bristol Palin's became fodder for "copycat pregnancy" accusations, Page reaped the benefits of increased popularity and success by netting an Oscar nomination for her endearing performance. Marion Cotillard, was eventually crowned the winner.

ellen page in whip it and inception

At this point in her career, moviegoers and pop culture observers couldn't get enough of Ellen Page. To go along with kudos from Entertainment Weekly, FHM and Time, Ellen Page hosted Saturday Night Live in 2008 and appeared in animated form on The Simpsons a year later. For the latter, she poked fun at entertainment tween queen Miley Cyrus by voicing the satirical character, Alaska Nebraska. Where movies were concerned, she joined the 2008 Dennis Quaid-Sarah Jessica Parker ensemble dramedy, Funny People, which was followed by Whip It, the cinematic ode to roller derby that cast Page as a Texas teen who learns to "Be your own hero." The film was also Drew Barrymore's directorial debut.

In 2010, Ellen Page joined the cast of what would become her biggest film to date -- Christopher Nolan's mind-bending thriller, Inception -- which was top-lined by Leonardo DiCaprio. Besides being yet another prime showcase for her talents, the film was also notable for Ellen Page in its casting of her previous Oscar competition, Marion Cotillard, in a supporting role. Following Inception, Ellen Page traded barbs with Rainn Wilson of The Office in the superhero comedy, Super, before going the cable route opposite Diane Keaton for Tilda, a series about DeadlineHollywood.com creator, Nikki Finke.

Elisabeth Moss Biography

Elisabeth Moss was born on July 24, 1982, and raised in Los Angeles. The daughter of a jazz musician and a harmonica player, Elisabeth Moss was raised by parents who encouraged her to indulge in her every artistic whim. She subsequently enrolled in ballet classes at the tender age of 5, and began auditioning for a variety of movies and television shows shortly thereafter.

In 1990, Elisabeth Moss made her professional debut with a bit part in an obscure made-for-television movie entitled Bar Girls. That same year, she worked side-by-side with such fellow up-and-coming actresses as Sandra Bullock, Shawnee Smith and Nicolette Sheridan in the Emmy-winning miniseries Lucky Chances. Elisabeth Moss spent the next several years appearing in a whole host of movies and television shows, including the 1994 Harvey Keitel drama Imaginary Crimes and The Last Supper, a 1995 black comedy starring Cameron Diaz, Bill Paxton and Annabeth Gish.

It was also around that time that Elisabeth Moss got her first taste of success on the small screen after she landed a recurring role on the popular David E. Kelley drama Picket Fences. Her work on the critically acclaimed CBS show opened doors for her all over Hollywood, and Elisabeth Moss soon found herself appearing alongside such familiar faces as Michelle Pfeiffer, Natalie Portman and Jason Lee in a variety of projects.

elisabeth moss in girl, interrupted and the west wing

In 1999, Elisabeth Moss joined the predominantly female cast of Girl, Interrupted and quickly found herself propelled to an entirely new level of fame thanks to her searing performance opposite Winona Ryder, Angelina Jolie and Brittany Murphy. That same year, Elisabeth Moss kicked off a run of 25 episodes on the Emmy-winning series The West Wing in which she took on the high-profile role of President Bartlet’s daughter Zoey. Elisabeth Moss proved that she could more than hold her own opposite such powerhouse performers as Martin Sheen and Allison Janney, and her efforts eventually landed her a nomination for Best Performance in a TV Drama Series - Guest Starring Young Actress at the 2001 Young Artist Awards.

elisabeth moss on mad men

The turn of the century found Elisabeth Moss appearing in a variety of critically acclaimed independent projects, with her work alongside Robin Wright Penn in the 2003 drama Virgin earning her a nod for Best Female Lead at the 2004 Independent Spirit Awards (she lost to Charlize Theron). She followed that up by taking on a series of guest spots on shows like The Practice, Law & Order: Criminal Intent and Medium, though it wasn’t until she successfully auditioned for a starring role on the made-for-AMC series Mad Men that Elisabeth Moss finally took her place in the limelight.

The series became an instant hit among critics and discerning viewers, with its bracingly authentic look at the lives of 1950s era advertising executives eventually landing it a record number of Emmy nominations. Elisabeth Moss’ work has been singled out for its complexity and depth, and it’s certainly not surprising to note that she is, along with Jon Hamm and Christina Hendricks, considered one of the show’s breakout stars.

Olivia Palermo Photo

Olivia Palermo Photo

Rachael Taylor Biography

Rachael Taylor hails from the island of Tasmania, off the coast of mainland Australia. With her pretty, natural looks, she started out as a teenage model with the Skye-Jilly International agency, and also entered the Miss Teen Tasmania and Miss Universe/Miss World state finals.

At the urging of her college English professor/modeling agent, Rebecca Miller, Taylor relocated to Sydney to advance her modeling and acting careers. During this time, she entered the University of Sydney to study history and politics.

Taylor made her acting debut in 2004, appearing as Maryann Marinkovich in the Peter Bogdanovich-directed TV movie The Mystery of Natalie Wood, which was filmed in Sydney. In 2005, she was featured as Catherine Oxenberg in another U.S.-produced telefilm shot Down Under: Dynasty: The Making of a Guilty Pleasure. That same year she costarred as Teri Richards in the gory sci-fi flick Man-Thing, made a guest appearance on the Aussie series McLeod's Daughters, and played the Sphinx in the TV movie Hercules.

Taylor left her studies after landing a regular role on the Australian soap opera Headland, which debuted in the fall of 2005. The part of Sasha Forbes afforded the actress her first opportunity to speak on-screen using her native accent. The series ended its run in February 2006, and despite the fact that the show was off the air for a couple of months, she earned a Logie Award as Most Popular New Female Talent that spring. In May, she appeared as Zoe in the horror movie See No Evil.

Taylor got her big break when she landed the role of Maggie Madsen in Michael Bay's Transformers, one of the most anticipated films of 2007. Despite mixed reviews, the action-packed flick cleaned up at the box office, helping to increase her profile immensely.

She was cast in the 2007 thriller The Tourist with Ewan McGregor and Hugh Jackman, and in a remake of the Thai horror movie Shutter (2008).

Gabrielle Anwar Biography

Gabrielle Anwar was born on February 4, 1970, in Laleham, Middlesex, England. Gabrielle’s father, Tariq Anwar, is an Oscar-nominated film editor, while her mother, Shirley, is an actress. Gabrielle attended Laleham Church of England Primary and Middle School starting at age 5, and as early as 1982, she was performing in school productions. Originally, Gabrielle planned to be a dancer and she was trained at ballet school.

At 15, an injury forced Gabrielle to transfer to the drama department of her school. Gabrielle’s parents didn’t want her going into show business, she later quipped, “because they’re smart.” But within months of her switch to acting, Gabrielle was getting professional work. Gabrielle had already been kicked out of one school for fighting, and the competition for drama school was fierce, so she made up her mind to start acting professionally. Gabrielle debuted in Hideaway, a British miniseries, in 1986, and appeared in several other British TV shows while continuing her education with a private tutor.

gabrielle anwar in scent of a woman

While working in London, Gabrielle met American actor Craig Sheffer, with whom she would have a lengthy relationship through to the mid-'90s. In 1989, Gabrielle relocated with Sheffer to Los Angeles. She appeared in If Looks Could Kill (1991) and Wild Hearts Can’t Be Broken (1991), and she guest-starred on a 1992 episode of Beverly Hills, 90210. But it was Gabrielle’s seven-minute tango lesson with Al Pacino in Scent of a Woman (1992) that really got the young actress noticed in Hollywood.

Bigger roles in more prominent movies followed: Gabrielle starred in the Body Snatchers remake the following year, and appeared alongside Michael J. Fox in For Love or Money. Also in 1993, Gabrielle played Queen Anne in Disney’s version of The Three Musketeers, with Charlie Sheen and Kiefer Sutherland. Gabrielle was nearly replaced for her Disney role as she was a few months pregnant with her first child, Willow, during filming. A few costume adjustments and careful filming hid her condition, although Gabrielle’s custody dispute with Willow’s father, actor Reyn Hubbard, was harder to cover up.

gabrielle anwar in the tudors

Gabrielle continued to work steadily as the '90s progressed. After an unsatisfying role in Things to Do in Denver When You’re Dead (1995) with Andy Garcia, Gabrielle spent the next decade on the B-list. She appeared in a number of movies with ex-boyfriend Craig Sheffer, including In Pursuit of Honor (1995), The Grave (1996), Turbulence 3: Heavy Metal (2001), Flying Virus (2001), Save It for Later (2003), Water Under the Bridge (2003), and Long Lost Son (2006). In the meantime, Gabrielle married actor John Verea, had two children with him, and subsequently got divorced.

Gabrielle’s star has risen once again, but this time it’s on cable television. In 2006, she co-starred with Noah Wyle in The Librarian 2 on TNT, and she starred as Henry VIII’s sister, Princess Margaret, on Showtime’s hit historical drama The Tudors in early 2007. Gabrielle followed that up as a regular on the USA Network’s comedy series Burn Notice, playing Fiona Glenanne, the IRA-connected ex-girlfriend of series star Jeffrey Donovan. Between acting gigs, raising her three children and taking care of her dog, Gabrielle likes to write screenplays and children’s books.

What else do you need to know?

Minka Kelly Biography

As Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights, Minka Kelly was a picture of perfection: head cheerleader, dating the high school quarterback, born again Christian, and eventual college student. It was hard to believe that Kelly’s own upbringing didn’t somehow mirror her coming of age on the show. Well, not quite.

Kelly was born out of wedlock; her mother was an exotic dancer in Vegas and her father a sometime guitarist for Aerosmith. Kelly was raised by her mother in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and her childhood was, in her own words, “pretty rough” (Stinka Smelly rolls right off the tongue, doesn’t it?). But with the support of her mother -- with whom she was close -- Kelly graduated high school and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in show business.

minka kelly says no to a career in modeling

During a model casting, Minka Kelly was approached by a former Playmate, who offered to manage the young ingenue. The plan was to have Kelly work as a receptionist at a plastic surgeon’s office until she earned herself a pair of fake breasts, making her a shoo-in for Playboy’s Playmate of the Year honors. The only problem was that Kelly liked the way she looked, and canceled the surgery days before it was scheduled. Instead, she decided to pursue a career in nursing, and save for a few small roles on some bargain-bin television shows, Kelly seemed destined for a life of changing diapers and bedsheets.

minka kelly stars on friday night lights

In an industry that fetishizes youth, a 26-year-old Minka Kelly was already over-the-hill when she was cast as head cheerleader Lyla Garrity in NBC’s football drama Friday Night Lights, especially since she was charged with the task of playing a high school student. But play her she did, with as much conviction, poise and heart as some of Hollywood’s most seasoned actresses. Even The New York Times called the young actress’ performance “heartbreaking.”

When Kelly left the show after four seasons, she had all the momentum of most young actresses coming off hit shows, except that she was already pushing 30, and the offers weren’t coming in. Bit parts opposite Jamie Foxx in The Kingdom and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in (500) Days of Summer proved that Kelly was equipped with the tools to command the big screen, but the offers just weren’t coming.

minka kelly is named esquire’s sexiest woman alive

Past winners of Esquire’s “Sexiest Woman Alive” have starred in films like Match Point, Monster’s Ball and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. They’ve worked with directors like Woody Allen, Oliver Stone and Paul Haggis. They’ve been nominated for and won Oscars. This year’s winner has appeared in episodes of American Dreams, What I Like About You and Parenthood. Her current claim to fame is her relationship with one of the winningest baseball players of all time, Derek Jeter. OK, so maybe we’re being a little hard on Minka Kelly. Her figure is near perfect and her face is liable to start wars, but isn’t she just a more syrupy version of another brunette whose name rhymes with Fegan Mox?

Perhaps her selection was Esquire’s way of “thinking outside the box” or maybe no A-list actress was willing to appear on the cover, for fear that it might forever relegate them to that dreaded “sexpot” category, vanquishing all aspirations of a serious acting career (even Angelina Jolie has trouble playing anything other than a seductress). Whatever the case may be, we’re sure Minka Kelly isn’t complaining. With her thriller The Roommate (costarring Leighton Meester) on the way, the sexy cover and inside photo spread has been burning a hole through the interweb, and drumming up just enough publicity for her upcoming film to make it a hit. Isn’t 30 the new 20 anyways?

Lady Gaga Photo

Lady Gaga Photo

Lady Gaga Photo

Lady Gaga Photo

Lady Gaga Photo

Vanessa Hudgens Biography

Vanessa Anne Hudgens was born on December 14, 1988, in Salinas, California. While still a toddler, Vanessa and her younger sister, Stella, were uprooted and moved to San Diego. Vanessa’s passion for music was borne early on, and undoubtedly stems from the presence of her grandparents, who were actively involved in the big-band scene in the 1930s.

By the time she was just 8 years old, Vanessa successfully petitioned her parents to allow her to try out for a whole host of local musicals (including The King and I, Cinderella and Evita). It quickly became evident that Vanessa had a real gift for both performing and singing, and she consequently decided (along with her parents, of course) to spend some time in London studying drama and music.

vanessa hudgens in still standing

Upon her return from the United Kingdom, Vanessa decided that her best shot at securing a bona fide career in show business involved a move to Los Angeles. There’s little doubt that Vanessa would still be toiling on local stages were it not for the support of her family, who abandoned their comfortable lives in San Diego to support the burgeoning star. Vanessa immediately dived into the grueling auditioning scene, trying out for anything and everything she was allowed access to. Her hard work paid off in 2002, when she landed one-off guest spots on a pair of television shows: the sitcom Still Standing and the crime drama Robbery Homicide Division.

vanessa hudgens in thirteen

A year later, Vanessa found herself cast opposite fellow up-and-comers Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed in Thirteen, a drama revolving around the reckless exploits of several teenagers. She followed that up with a role in the 2004 live-action adaptation of Thunderbirds (opposite no less than Ben Kingsley), and popped up on TV shows such as The Brothers Garcia and Quintuplets. But it wasn’t until she successfully auditioned for the part of Gabriella Montez in the Disney Channel movie High School Musical that Vanessa finally began to receive the recognition she so richly deserved.

vanessa hudgens in high school musical

After blowing away the producers with a stirring rendition of Robbie Williams’ “Angels” during her audition, Vanessa soon found herself starring alongside folks like Zac Efron and Ashley Tisdale in the smash hit High School Musical (2006). The film, along with its soundtrack, quickly became a sensation among the tweener set, propelling Vanessa to household-name status within the ranks of such viewers. Vanessa soon found herself being offered spots on commercials for high-profile companies like Old Navy and Blockbuster, and the actress even won a Teen Choice Award for Choice Chemistry with costar Zac Efron (it was a good choice -- as the pair became a couple).

Vanessa Hudgens went on to star in High School Musical 2 and High School Musical 3.

vanessa hudgens releases v

Buoyed by her massive High School Musical success, Vanessa decided the time was right to fulfill her lifelong dream of recording an album of her own, and consequently signed with Hollywood Records in 2006. Hoping to take advantage of the heat surrounding her, Vanessa worked day and night on the album for two months. On September 26, 2006, V was released to monstrous success. It premiered at No. 24 on the U.S. pop album charts and sold 34,000 copies. The album spawned a hit single, “Come Back to Me,” and Vanessa spent the latter part of 2006 touring in support of the disc (first as an opener for The Cheetah Girls, then as part of the High School Musical concert series). In addition to her relentless touring schedule, Vanessa found time to make a series of appearances on the popular Disney Channel show The Suite Life of Zack and Cody.

vanessa hudgens is named no. 61 in 2008 and 2009 top 99

In September 2007, a collection of nude photos of Vanessa Hudgens surfaced online, sparking a major controversy. Both she and her publicist addressed the scandal, citing that the photos were taken in privacy and that it was a shame they were leaked to the public. Despite this, Disney indicated that they intended to continue working with the young star. With more eyes on her than ever before, Vanessa successfully bounced back from the scandal, as evidenced by her position at No. 61 on AskMen.com's list of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2008 and again in 2009.

vanessa hudgens releases identified

In April 2008, Vanessa Hudgens released the first single "Sneakernight" from her second album Identified. She also appeared in the third installment of the hit movie franchise High School Musical 3: Senior Year and, in '09, she worked on the flick Rock On with Lisa Kudrow.

vanessa hudgens takes more nude photos

While in the midst of filming Beastly, a film about a teen who gets transformed into a hideous creature in order to find true love, more nude photos of Vanessa Hudgens surfaced online in August of 2009. These Vanessa Hudgens nude photos -- featuring her in a variety of "come hither" poses -- were even racier than the ones from 2007. We're not saying that's a bad thing.

Queen Rania Biography

Rania Al-Yasin was born in Kuwait on August 31, 1970. The daughter of Palestinian parents, she attended Kuwait's prestigious New English School, where she was given the opportunity to interact with children of all races and backgrounds.

"There was a very large expatriate community in Kuwait," she recalls. "My classroom had children from many different nationalities, so I grew up with people from Europe, the United States, Africa, the Far East. These interactions made me realize how alike we are, that what makes us similar is much more than what separates us."

rania begins a career

Following the completion of her secondary education, Rania moved to Egypt, where she received a degree in business administration from The American University in Cairo in 1991. Upon her graduation, Rania made tracks once again. This time, she set her sights on Jordan, where she began a career at Citibank before taking a job in information technology at Apple Computers.

Rania's fate changed forever one night in 1993 when she met Abdullah Bin Al-Hussein, the son of Jordan's King Hussein, at a party. "I could never have imagined what fate had in store for me," she says. "At that time, as a recent graduate, I was living and working in Amman, and certainly never expected to marry a Prince of the Hashemite lineage or, one day, become the Queen of Jordan."

rania and prince abdullah are wed

Less than six months later, on June 10, 1993, the pair married in a lavish ceremony. Despite his royal lineage, neither one of them expected to ascend to the throne since Prince Abdullah was not officially a crown prince. That honor belonged to Prince Hassan. Reflecting upon that time, Rania considers Prince Abdullah's status to have been something of a blessing.

"I was lucky, because when I came into the family, I had the opportunity to get used to a new way of life," she says. "My husband was just a prince, and I was just a princess, so I could control, to some extent, the separation of my public duties from my private life."

rania begins a family

Left to their own devices, the young couple began planning a family, and on June 28, 1994, Rania gave birth to their first son, Prince Hussein. Princess Iman followed just two years later on September 27, 1996.

Sadly, the family suffered a devastating setback in 1999 with the death of His Majesty King Hussein. Two weeks before succumbing to cancer, the King shocked many observers around the world by switching the line of dynastic succession and making Abdullah his heir rather than Hassan.

queen rania ascends to the throne

The newly crowned Queen Rania remembers it as being an overwhelming time. "Following the sad passing of His Late Majesty King Hussein, and the ascension of His Majesty King Abdullah, we were faced with enormous responsibilities and challenges," she recalls. "Fortunately, we had had a taste of public life in our roles as Prince and Princess, but still the adjustments to King and Queen were considerable. In fact, we are still learning."

That may be so, but Jordan's new queen took to her role admirably, immediately giving a voice to many of Jordan's disenfranchised. "I work in areas related to child protection and family safety, women's empowerment, the creation of opportunities for youth, and culture and tourism," she says. "Daunting? Yes. Impossible? No. In fact, such challenges energize me.

rania and abdullah extend their family

Queen Rania and King Abdullah have since had two other children. Princess Salma was born on September 26, 2000, and Prince Hashem was welcomed into the world on January 30, 2005. "For now, I am cherishing Prince Hashem and this special time at home with my family," she says. "Being surrounded by them grounds me and reminds me of what is important."

Sandra Bullock Biography

Sandra Bullock knew that she was destined for greatness the moment that she first started hearing voices -- singing voices. As the daughter of an opera singer and a vocal coach, she was surrounded by voices and spent the greater part of her childhood in Germany watching her mother regularly belt out operatic tones on stage. Sandra Bullock joined her mother's operas occasionally and got her first taste for the arts through dual training in ballet and choir practice. Upon returning to her home state of Virginia, she acted in school plays at Washington-Lee High School and -- like every future Hollywood girl next door -- she danced on the cheerleading squad.

East Carolina University was the next stop for Sandra Bullock. She studied drama all the way until her graduating year, but dropped out early, finding the lure of New York City and its many young, starving actors to be too strong to resist. She joined them as a part-time bartender and coat-check girl while she brushed up on her acting technique at the city's prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse. After earning a spot in an off-Broadway stage production, she got her first major screen role in the 1989 TV movie, Bionic Showdown: The Six Million Dollar Man and the Bionic Woman -- placing her alongside 1970s pop culture heroes, Lee Majors and Lindsay Wagner.

sandra bullock in speed and crash

Sandra Bullock remained active in television in the early 1990s and even won the lead of her own TV series, Working Girl, which was based on the earlier Harrison Ford/Melanie Griffith movie of the same name. The show was a non-factor in prime-time TV, but in 1993, Sandra Bullock caught a major break when she was chosen to play the no-nonsense futuristic cop, Lt. Lenina Huxley in the testosterone-laced Sylvester Stallone/Wesley Snipes collaboration, Demolition Man. An effective supporting player in the action genre already, she became the coolest woman to ever drive a bus in 1994 when she teamed up with Keanu Reeves for the action blockbuster, Speed. Besides having displaying an amazing ability to help Keanu Reeves act better, she effortlessly exuded charisma and became an instant front-page name.

Building on her charm and likability, Sandra Bullock shifted to the romantic comedy genre for films like While You Were Sleeping, Miss Congeniality and Two Weeks Notice, showing the entertainment world that there could be life without Julia Roberts. While a few of her other efforts like Speed 2: Cruise Control (1997) and attempts at more serious fare like Murder By Numbers and 28 Days didn't attract audiences, they did little to hurt Sandra Bullock's overall career trajectory as it seemed like her next comedy hit was never that far away.

By 2004, though, Sandra Bullock was pushing 40 and there was some debate as to whether she might be growing a bit long in the tooth for her genre of choice. She fired back in the Oscar-winning Crash by playing completely against type as a yuppie whose racial hostilities boil to the surface after a carjacking incident. The performance won over the critics who previously thought she couldn't be credible in a serious film and breathed new life into her career.

sandra bullock in the proposal and the blind side

An on-screen reunion with Keanu Reeves in The Lake House was the high point for Sandra Bullock in 2006. Her other film that year, Infamous, in which she played Harper Lee, was quickly overshadowed by the similarly themed Oscar favorite, Capote. Rather than retreat to the romantic comedy genre, Sandra Bullock went the way of supernatural suspense opposite Julian McMahon for 2007's Premonition. The film cast her as a woman living her days out of order and trying to change the fate of her husbands imminent death.

Following a two-year break from the movie world, Sandra Bullock returned to the big screen with a vengeance in 2009 and had what was arguably one of the most successful year of any modern American actress. Showing that she was older, wiser and not quite done yet, she played cougar to Hollywood's It Boy, Ryan Reynolds, for the marriage comedy, The Proposal. It proved to be one of highest-grossing films of her career and a few months later, it was deja vu all over again. Her next film, the fact-based drama The Blind Side became the first film top-lined by an actress to gross over $200 million in North America. For her efforts as a woman who adopts a struggling football hopeful, Sandra Bullock would further reap the benefits of her comeback with her first-ever Oscar (as well as nomination) for Best Actress.

sandra bullock, jesse james and michelle mcgee

After winning the Academy Award for Best Actress, it seemed like life for 45-year-old Sandra Bullock couldn't get any better, but the actress was blindsided by Michelle "Bombshell" McGee, a tattoo model who went to In Touch magazine with a story of her alleged affair with Bullock's husband Jesse James -- an affair that apparently took place while Bullock was filming The Blind Side. Bullock has since reportedly moved out of her home with James.

Naomi Watts Biography

Naomi Ellen Watts was born on September 28, 1968, in Kent, England. She spent the majority of her adolescence growing up in England, where her father worked as a road manager and sound engineer with legendary ‘70s prog-rock band Pink Floyd. After the separation of her parents -- followed by the death of her father -- Naomi Watts eventually went to live in Australia with her mother and brother, and it was there that she discovered her passion for acting.

It was while attending an Australian acting class that Naomi Watts first met Nicole Kidman, and the two remain close friends to this day. In 1986, Naomi Watts traveled to Japan in the hopes of launching a career in modeling -- though her efforts quickly proved fruitless and she was forced to return home just a few months later. After spending a few years working at an Australian fashion magazine, Naomi Watts decided to throw herself into acting full-time and she was soon working regularly on a variety of locally shot projects (including beloved Australian soap Home and Away).

naomi watts in tank girl

Naomi Watts worked steadily throughout the early part of the 1990s; in 1993 alone, she appeared in four films (including the John Goodman comedy Matinee), though it wasn’t until 1995 that she got her first taste of mainstream success. Cast opposite Lori Petty and Ice-T in the big-budget comic-book adaptation Tank Girl, Naomi Watts’ time on the $25 million spectacle (and subsequent bomb) proved to be an educational experience for the relatively green actress. She spent the remainder of the decade working almost exclusively in small independent efforts, including 1996’s dark noir Persons Unknown (alongside fellow up-and-comer Jon Favreau) and 1998’s period piece Dangerous Beauty.

naomi watts in mulholland dr.

Naomi Watts marked the turn of the century by successfully landing a role in Mulholland Dr., which was initially filmed as the pilot episode of a new TV show. After it became clear that no network wanted it, director David Lynch added new scenes and turned it into one of the most talked-about movies of 2001. Naomi Watts instantly found herself the center of a worldwide media storm, and it was her decision to follow-up her Mulholland role with 2002’s The Ring that catapulted her to the A-list.

Naomi Watts' desire to prove herself as a serious actress resulted in a string of critically acclaimed yet financially underwhelming efforts, such as 2003’s searing 21 Grams (although it did garner her an Oscar nomination), 2004’s baffling I Heart Huckabees and the 2006 costume drama The Painted Veil.

naomi watts is named no. 82 in askmen.com's 2008 top 99

Naomi Watts’ appearance in Peter Jackson’s big-budget 2005 remake of King Kong cemented her status as one of Hollywood’s top actresses, and she received recognition for her expectedly first class work in the Viggo Mortensen thriller Eastern Promises.

In July 2007, Naomi Watts gave birth to her first child, son Alexander, with Liev Schreiber.

In 2008, she signed on to star in Funny Games and The International, Need, and in '09 she appears in Kicked, Bitten and Scratched, Angles and Demons and The Birds.