Born Debra Lynn Messing in Brooklyn, NY on Aug. 15, 1968, Messing’s parents recognized her preoccupation with acting and singing when, as a child, she put on performances in their East Greenwich, RI home for family and visitors. The Messings encouraged their daughter to pursue a career in the arts, sending her to numerous performing arts camps during her adolescence. Following a high school tenure filled with numerous turns in musical and dramatic productions – with occasional moments of anti-Semitism thrown in, which the undaunted Messing used to strengthen her personality and resolve – she attended Brandeis University in Massachusetts. During her junior year, she also studied theater at the British European Studio Group, a prestigious program based in London. She graduated summa cum laude from Brandeis in 1990 with a Bachelor’s degree in Theater Arts, before being accepted into NYU’s exclusive Graduate Acting Program, which earned her a Master’s degree in Fine Arts.

Messing gained her earliest notices in a workshop production of Tony Kushner’s “Angels in America: Perestroika” in 1993, later appearing in New York productions of plays by John Patrick Shanley and Paul Rudnick. That same year, she also played Dana Abandando, the cold-hearted, man-hungry sister of Gail O’Grady’s character in three episodes of “NYPD Blue” (ABC, 1993-2005). Her movie debut, as Keanu Reeves’ war bride in Alfonso Arau’s World War II fantasy, “A Walk in the Clouds,” came in 1995, as did her first big break – her network series debut in “Ned and Stacey” (Fox, 1995-97). While the series was not long for this world, it would hone her comic chops and make network execs sit up and take notice.

As a liberal reporter who must pretend to be married to cantankerous conservative adman Thomas Haden Church, Messing earned solid reviews for her comic skills – and much admiration from everyone for holding her own against that powerhouse of snide, Haden Church. By the end of the series’ run in 1997, Messing was working regularly in film and on television. She had a two-episode turn – including the much-loved “The Yada Yada” episode – as a girlfriend of Jerry Seinfeld on “Seinfeld” (NBC, 1989-1998), and appeared as the female lead in the woeful big-screen adaptation of “McHale’s Navy” (1997) with Tom Arnold.

Messing turned down an opportunity for another network series in 1997, opting instead to appear in Donald Marguiles’ play “Collected Stories” in New York. Instead, she starred as a scientist who discovers a dangerous alternate form of human life in the TV movie “Prey;” its ratings were significant enough to warrant a series, which she also joined, but the show was pulled from the schedule after just 13 episodes. The following year, after netting a small role in Woody Allen’s film, “Celebrity” (1998), she was cast as Grace Adler, a successful, straight Jewish woman whose best friend was gay man, Will Truman (Eric McCormack) on “Will and Grace.”

With the initially controversial show beginning its long but steady ascent from cult hit and favorite among gay viewers to network powerhouse series, Messing proved she was no fluke in the laugh-getting department – even in a series which boasted two of the most hysterically outlandish supporting stars in Sean Hayes’ flamboyant Jack McFarland and Megan Mullally’s pill-popping Karen Walker. Messing’s convoluted onscreen romances with guest stars Woody Harrelson, Edward Burns and Harry Connick, Jr. – whom Grace would marry in 2002 – as well as her hopelessly co-dependant relationship with her “main gay” Will, endeared her to the show’s heterosexual female audience contingent. She also encouraged the writers to utilize Grace’s Jewish heritage for storylines; even to overturn Jewish stereotypes for laughs. No hypocrite, Messing was also an avid supporter of gay causes throughout the series’ run and beyond.

Messing underwent some considerable high points in her life and career during her show’s network run. She married her graduate school sweetheart, actor-writer Daniel Zelman, in 2000. She would also give birth to their son, Roman, in 2004 – a pregnancy which led to some memorably surreal moments on the series, as the increasing size of Messing’s belly was never quite addressed or explained; often blatantly. She also netted a staggering amount of nominations, including six Golden Globe nods, five Emmy nominations, and six Screen Actors Guild noms; taking home trophies for the latter two in 2003 and 2001, respectively.

Most importantly, the success of the show allowed Messing to branch out and work in other projects in film and on television – though the roles rarely made good use of her talents. She was underutilized as the prostitute Mary Magdalene in the 1999 TV production of “Jesus” (1999), and had little to do as Richard Gere’s ill-fated wife in “The Mothman Prophecies” (2002) or as Ben Stiller’s unfaithful new bride in “Along Came Polly” (2004). She had more exposure as Woody Allen’s scatterbrained live-in love in his glum comedy “Hollywood Ending” (2004), and lent her voice to an animated cat and love interest to “Garfield” (2005). Messing’s first top billing in a feature came the following year with “The Wedding Date” (2005), a cute but largely joyless comedy about a young woman who hires a male escort to be her date at her sister’s wedding. Messing handled the romance and the laughs with typical skill, but the picture itself gave her little to work with.

As “Will and Grace” drew to a close, Messing continued to dabble in side projects, appearing as a celebrity judge on the second season finale of “Project Runway” (Bravo, 2005- ) in 2006 and lent her voice to the park ranger who shelters a pampered bear (Martin Lawrence) in the likable animated feature, “Open Season” (2007). That same year, she turned up in Curtis Hanson’s much-delayed poker drama “Lucky You” (2007), before scoring her biggest post-“Grace” hit to date in “The Starter Wife” (2007), based on the novel by Gigi Levangie Grazer. As Molly Kagan, a 41-year-old wife and mother who suddenly finds herself single and alone after her film executive husband leaves her for a younger woman, Messing provided the blend of humor and pathos that earned her a devoted fan base during the “Grace” years, bringing her another Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Performer.

After much speculation as to who would make the cut, Messing joined a powerhouse cast that included Candice Bergen, Annette Bening, Eva Mendes, Jada Pinkett-Smith and Meg Ryan for Diane English’s film adaptation of Claire Booth Luce’s biting Depression-era play, “The Women” (2008).

• Born: on 08/15/1968 in Brooklyn, New York
• Job Titles:Actor

Family

• Brother: Brett Messing. older
• Father: Brian Messing. worked for a jewelry company
• Mother: Sandy Messing.
• Son: Roman Walker Zelman. born April 7, 2004

Education

• London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, London, England
• Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, London, England

Milestones

• 1994 Had recurring role of scheming Dana Abandando on “NYPD Blue” (ABC)
• 1994 Appeared Off-Broadway in “Four Dogs and a Bone” and “The Naked Truth”
• 1995 Made feature film debut in “A Walk in the Clouds”
• 1996 Played female lead in feature film version of “McHale’s Navy”, starring Tom Arnold
• 1997 Made guest appearance as Jerry’s unavailable crush on an episode of “Seinfeld” (NBC)
• 1998 Co-starred opposite Eric McCormack in the NBC sitcom “Will & Grace”; earned Emmy (2000, 2001, 2006), Golden Globe (2002, 2003, 2004) and SAG (2004) nominations for Best Actress in a Comedy
• 1998 Had tiny role as a journalist in Woody Allen’s “Celebrity”
• 1998 Replaced Sherilyn Fenn as star of the short-lived ABC midseason replacement sci-fi series “Prey”; played an anthropologist tracking an evolved species of man
• 2000 Starred as Mary Magdalene in the CBS miniseries “Jesus”
• 2002 Cast opposite Richard Gere in “The Mothman Prophecies”
• 2002 Cast opposite Woody Allen in “Hollywood Ending”
• 2004 Cast alongside Ben Stiller and Jennifer Aniston in “Along Came Polly” a film by writer-director John Hamburg
• 2004 Voiced Arlene, Garfield’s girlfriend in “Garfield: The Movie”
• 2005 Starred with Dermot Mulroney in the romantic comedy “The Wedding Date”
• 2006 Voiced Beth, a forest ranger in the animated comedy, “Open Season”
• 2007 Starred in the USA network mini-series, “The Starter Wife”; earned an Emmy nomination for Best Actress in a Miniseries
• Gained attention of entertainment industry as Harper Pitt in student workshop production of “Angels in America: Perestroika”
• Made professional stage debut in production of “The Importance of Being Earnest” at Seattle’s Intiman Theatre
• Raised in East Greenwich, Rhode Island
• Starred as Stacey Colbert, a liberal journalist who enters into a marriage of convenience in order to land a coveted Manhattan apartment, in the Fox sitcom “Ned and Stacey”

Mendes was born in Miami, Florida (although many sources incorrectly state her birthplace is Houston, Texas) to Cuban parents and was raised in Los Angeles. She went to Hoover High School in Glendale, California. She later attended California State University, Northridge but dropped out to seek an acting career. She studied with Ivana Chubbuck.

Mendes worked her way up through commercials to music videos (including an appearance in Will Smith’s video “Miami“) to guest roles in television soap operas and supporting film roles. She received her first big-screen break when she appeared in the award-winning and critically-acclaimed Training Day, where Mendes appeared completely nude. That performance led to roles in Stuck on You, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and as the female lead in the comedy Hitch opposite Will Smith. Her role in Once Upon a Time in Mexico also gave her a nomination at the Teen Choice Awards. She has two major movie projects pending, including Ghost Rider, in which she costars along with Nicolas Cage.

Mendes is a spokesmodel for Revlon. She has also worked in interior design and has written children’s books. Maxim ranked her #27 in their 2006 Hot 100 issue.

Young, talented and beautiful, Latino actress Eva Mendes rose to stardom on sheer luck and timing. Just five years prior to her starring role in “2 Fast 2 Furious” (2003), the sequel to the unexpected hit, “The Fast and the Furious” (2001), Mendes wasn’t even thinking about an acting career, much less actively pursuing one. But fortune shined it’s light on the energetic actress, and with her passion and zest for life, seized the moment and never looked back.

Born on March 5, 1978 in Miami, Mendes moved to Los Angeles with her family when she was two years old. Of Cuban descent, her parents fled the island in 1959 before the revolution, but ultimately split when Mendes was ten. Her mother worked as an accountant to support the family, and was very strict on Mendes and her three elder siblings. Mendes later attended Cal State Northridge where she majored in marketing, though she wasn’t terribly interested in the subject.

Then a stroke of dumb luck changed her life forever: her neighbor—a photographer—took a photographs of her at a garage sale. When the photographer was applying for a job, a casting agent noticed the pictures of Mendes and asked to meet her. Mendes was called into their office and was soon cast in her first movie, the straight-to-video release “Children of the Corn V: Field of Terror” (1998). The experience wasn’t a good one for Mendes: her performance was, according to her, “horrific.”

Determined not to let her career be defined by a cheesy horror flick, Mendes joined a few acting classes and spent the next few years in serious study of her craft. Along the way, she landed a few roles in commercials and music videos, including Will Smith’s “Miami” and Aerosmith’s “Hole in My Soul.” Mendes also continued to appear in less awful movies, including “Night at the Roxbury” (1998), starring SNL regulars Will Farrell and Chris Kattan, and “Urban Legends: Final Cut” (2000), with Jennifer Morrison and Matthew Davis.

Her break-out role, however, was in the critically acclaimed “Training Day” (2001), starring Oscar winner Denzel Washington. Though her role as Washington’s girlfriend was small, it was memorable; in a film revealing the acting chops of its lead actors, Mendes revealed something a bit different: her entire body. Mendes went on to appear in Steven Seagal’s comeback actioner, “Exit Wounds” (2001), co-staring rap star DMX. She also had a supporting role in “All About the Benjamins” (2002), a diamond heist comedy starring Ice Cube and Mike Epps. Then came her star turn in “2 Fast 2 Furious”, co-starring Paul Walker and Tyrese.

Mendes played a U.S. Customs agent who recruits Walker and Tyrese to ensnare a drug kingpin. Her flare for action led Paul Rodriguez to cast her in the third installment of his Mariachi trilogy, “Once Upon a Time in Mexico” (2003), in which she played a duplicitous Mexican Federale to Johnny Depp’s rogue CIA agent. Then the actress reunited with Washington for director carl Franklin’s thriller “Out of Time” (2003), playing the estranged wife of Washington’s Florida chief of police whose life falls apart when he becomes embroiled in a murder investigation. To top off her career, Mendes became a spokesmodel for Revlon. As she became more a presence in the pop culture, her on-screen profile rose as well with her winning starring role as Will Smith’s love interest, a gossip reporter unknowingly falling for a relationship consultant she’s also pursuing a story about, in the romantic comedy “Hitch” (2005).

• Born: on 03/05/1978 in Houston, Texas
• Job Titles:Actress

Family

• Mother: Eva.

Significant Others

• Companion: George Gargurevich.

Education

• California State Northridge, Northridge, California, marketing

Milestones

• 1998 Had a small part in the comedy “A Night at the Roxbury”
• 2000 Was cast as Vanessa in the sequel “Urban Legends: Final Cut”
• 2001 Along side Steven Seagal and DMX, appeared in the action feature “Exit Wounds”
• 2001 Breakout role as Denzel Washington’s girl on the side in “Training Day”
• 2003 Co-Starred with Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear in the comedy “Stuck on You”
• 2003 Co-starred in the western feature “Once Upon a Time in Mexico”
• 2003 Reunited with Denzel Washington for the feature “Out of Time”
• 2003 Was the female lead in “2 Fast 2 Furious,” which was directed by John Singleton
• 2005 Cast as the object of Will Smith’s affection in the comedy “Hitch”
• 2006 Appeared in Lee Daniels’ indie film “Shadowboxer”
• 2006 Cast opposite Billy Crudup in Bart Freundlich’s “Trust the Man”
• c. 1980 Relocated from Houston to Miami and later to Los Angeles (Echo Park)
• Signed on to play the lady love for Nicholas Cage in the Marvel Comics-inspired “Ghost Rider” (lensed 2005)
• Will co-star with Joaquin Phoenix on the upcoming crime drama “We Own the Night”

In 1999, she debuted in Popular as Lily, the politically correct vegetarian. After a few years on the show, major management firms had her high on their list, but she has only done a total of six roles since then.

A petite, spunky, tousle-haired California girl best known for her role as activist and outcast Lily on “Popular” (The WB, 1999-2001), actress Tamara Mello got her start in the early 1990s, racking up independent film credits before landing on the aptly-named teen comedy-drama. Mello got her start in the mockumentary “…And God Spoke” in 1993, and the following year acted in an episode of the CBS drama “Sweet Justice”. 1995 saw her take a small supporting role in the hit spoof “The Brady Bunch Movie”, and in 1997 she was featured in the less successful comedy “The Beautician and the Beast”.

Mello began making frequent appearances on television in the mid-90s, guesting on episodes of “7th Heaven” (The WB) and “Boy Meets World” (ABC) in 1996 and 1997, respectively. From 1997-1998 she had a regular role on the critically acclaimed ABC drama “Nothing Sacred”. A provocative and somewhat controversial series about a renegade priest (Kevin Anderson), “Nothing Sacred” featured Mello as a receptionist in a Catholic church who deals with the emotional and spiritual fallout of an unplanned pregnancy and subsequent abortion. The series met an early demise despite its quality, and it was back to guest work for Mello, including a 1999 episode of “Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane”, a New York-set teen sitcom on The WB.

1999 would turn out to be a banner year for Mello, who followed up forgettable roles in the direct-to-video releases “Infidelity” and “Overnight Delivery” (both 1998) with a supporting turn in the hit teen feature “She’s All That” (1999). Playing Chandler Locklear, a stealthily sharp-tongued in-crowd member loyal to Uber-popular villainess Taylor (Jodi Lyn O’Keefe), Mello was surprisingly convincing as a catty high school student. She took a rather different role in “Popular” later that year, playing Lily Esposito, a tireless activist and one of the more outgoing and fearless members of the out-crowd. Down-to-earth and charming, with an energy more inspiring than annoying, Lily was an asset to the series due to Mello’s skilled portrayal.

While “Popular” won a fiercely loyal audience and numerous accolades from various organizations advocating responsible programming, Mello continued to pursue film work in her free time, portraying the quirky Mars Girl in the independent comedy “Spanish Judges” (2000) and taking a supporting role in 2001’s “Tortilla Soup”, a Los Angeles-set Mexican-American remake of Ang Lee’s “Eat Drink Man Woman”.

• Also Credited As:Tamara L. Mello
• Born: on 02/22/1970 in Los Angeles, California
• Job Titles:Actor

Milestones

• 1993 Had a small role in the mockumentary “…And God Spoke” (released in the USA in 1994)
• 1994 Guest starred on an episode of “Sweet Justice” (CBS)
• 1995 Was featured in “The Brady Bunch Movie”
• 1996 Had a guest role on “7th Heaven” (The WB)
• 1997 Acted in an episode of “Boy Meets World”
• 1997 Appeared in the feature “The Beautician and the Beast”
• 1997 Featured in the independent romantic comedy “Without a Map”
• 1998 Featured in the direct-to-video releases “Infidelity” and “Overnight Delivery”
• 1999 Guest starred on The WB’s “Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane”
• 1999 Had a supporting role as a high schooler who is less than entusiastic in welcoming outcast Laney (Rachael Lynn Cook) into her popular fold in “She’s All That”
• 2000 Acted in the thriller “Spanish Judges”, playing a wacky character aptly named Mars Girl
• 2001 Featured in “Tortilla Soup”, a Los Angeles-set remake of Ang Lee’s “Eat Drink Man Woman”
• Born and raised in Southern California
• Played activist and outcast Lily on “Popular”, a topical teen comedy-drama series on The WB
• Spotted by talent agent while appearing in “Agnes of God” with the Vanguard Theater Group
• Was a regular on the critically acclaimed, short-lived ABC drama “Nothing Sacred”

Born in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Van Nuys, McPhee moved with her parents and sister to Sherman Oaks when she was 12 years old. McPhee has been singing since the age of two. Her mother, Patricia Burch McPhee (stage name Peisha Arten), a vocal coach and accomplished cabaret singer, recognized a talent for music in her daughter and decided to train her. Her father, Daniel McPhee, is a television producer and her older sister, Adriana Burch McPhee (born June 30, 1982) is an aspiring producer as well. McPhee also has two dogs named Lilly and Nena. She carries them along when she is on shoots or during recordings

McPhee graduated in 2002 from Notre Dame High School. At Notre Dame, McPhee was a student body vice president, a varsity swimmer, and a thespian. She performed in school plays with her elder sister Adriana; both sisters were Homecoming Princess nominees in their senior year.

Afterward, McPhee attended Boston Conservatory for three semesters, majoring in musical theater. McPhee left the college due to her manager’s suggestion that she try out for television pilots in Los Angeles. In a People news article it was reported that she was rejected in “only 195 out of 200 auditions.” She was eventually cast as “Paramount Girl” in the 2006 musical film about the life of Hank Garland, Crazy Other early acting endeavors included lead actress in local professional productions of Annie Get Your Gun and The Ghost and Mrs. Muir. She was nominated in 2005 for the Theatre L.A. Ovation Award for her lead role in Annie Get Your Gun. McPhee was also part of a failed mall-based MTV soap opera entitled You Are Here, playing the older sister of a more popular younger sister.

American Idol:

McPhee was persuaded by a significant other to try out for American Idol. She auditioned in San Francisco, and sang “God Bless the Child,” originally performed by Billie Holiday. Paula Abdul said that McPhee looked beautiful, Randy Jackson hailed her audition as potentially the best so far that season, and Simon Cowell complimented her for being “current” in terms of her appearance. Cowell also noted that McPhee was not the wannabe that he’d presumed she was after learning that her mother was a singer.

In the final cut-down show for the Top 24, McPhee was one of the first to be put through and, in excitement, kissed all three judges on the lips.

McPhee listed Whitney Houston and Brian McKnight as her favorite artists in the American Idol interview of the top 24 semi-finalists.

During the week leading to the third round of the semi-finals, she was rumored to be quitting due to pregnancy. However, during the performance show on March 7, 2006, she denied this accusation, attributing it to a poor choice of clothing. Host Ryan Seacrest, with tongue-in-cheek, later asked about her and fellow Idol contestant Kevin Covais; McPhee denied any relationship.

During the week preceding the top three show, McPhee visited her former high school for her hometown celebration.

McPhee’s run on American Idol led to the popular use of the term “McPheever”, coined by Ralph Garman of Los Angeles radio station KROQ’s morning show Kevin and Bean.

McPhee was congratulated by Congressman Brad Sherman of Sherman Oaks, the 27th district of California, who raised a flag in her honor at the United States Capitol on the day of the finale show.

During the competition, McPhee roomed with fellow contestant Kellie Pickler, and when Pickler was eliminated, she roomed with Paris Bennett.

 

Eric the Midget controversy

Eric Lynch, better known as Eric the Midget, is a frequent caller to the Howard Stern Show on Sirius radio. On May 22, 2006, Lynch called the Stern Show and measured his penis in exchange for McPhee’s personal telephone number. (Lynch claimed that his penis measured at just over five inches.)

McPhee reportedly hates the Stern show now because Lynch called her too many times, according to Howard Stern, who told Lynch this news during the January 31, 2007, show. (Lynch claimed he only called her three times.)

As a result, McPhee refused to record a message for either the Stern show or Eric the Midget when she visited Sirius headquarters on January 30, 2007, according to Howard 100 News.

 

Post-Idol

On June 6, 2006, Sony BMG and 19 Entertainment announced that McPhee had signed to American Idol series creator Simon Fuller’s 19 Recordings Limited and Sony BMG’s RCA Records.

McPhee’s debut single, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow/My Destiny” was released on June 27, 2006 by RCA Records. “Somewhere Over The Rainbow” peaked at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and “My Destiny” peaked at #60.

McPhee toured with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, and performed in three of his concerts during his tour in the United States from June 9 through June 11, 2006.

In June 2006, McPhee revealed to “People” magazine that she previously suffered from bulimia. After a period of about five years, she began treatment after qualifying for American Idol. During her run on American Idol, she lost 30 lbs.

McPhee missed the start of the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2006, due to severe bronchitis and laryngitis. McPhee commented on her illness in a public interview, saying “I just have to sing easily so I can get through the tour… I bruised [my vocal cords] because I was doing so much coughing”. McPhee eventually joined the tour on July 28, in Washington, D.C. just in time for all ten finalists to visit the White House to meet President George W. Bush.

On July 21, 2006, Broadway World announced that McPhee is co-producing Michael Albanese’s play Red Herring with her partner; along with Robert Hawk, Angelina Bruno, and Jeff Kasal. McPhee was quoted in the promo as describing a desire to become involved in theatre, stating that although “audiences know me best from American Idol… my passion has always been theatre.” The play will be a part of the 10th Annual New York International Fringe Festival.

McPhee and her sister appeared on debut of The Dr. Keith Ablow Show on September 18, 2006 to discuss her struggles with a reading problem, bulimia, and her childhood fear of her father. On the show, McPhee stated that she was thought to have a learning disability during her middle school years but was finally diagnosed with a vision problem.

On December 2, 2006, McPhee attended VH1’s “Big in ‘06 Awards” along with Melissa McGhee and won the award for “Big ‘It’ Girl”.

McPhee sang at the Tournament of Roses Parade along with Lisa Tucker on January 1, 2007.

McPhee made a cameo appearance on the January 19, 2007 lonelygirl15 episode, “Truth or Dare”.

On January 11, 2007, it was confirmed that McPhee will play herself in the Ugly Betty episode, “I’m Coming Out,” which aired on February 1.

 

2007: Katharine McPhee

McPhee’s self-titled debut album sold 116,000 copies its first week, making it the second best selling album in the United States that week behind Norah Jones’ Not Too Late.

In mid-November, McPhee’s management enlisted the music promotion website Promosquad.com to test some of her debut album’s potential singles. Three songs resembling the rhythm and blues and pop music genres with the titles “Open Toes,” “Each Other,” and “Over It” appeared on the site for music fans to review.

On November 29, 2006, MTV announced that McPhee has worked with the likes of Babyface, songwriter Kara DioGuardi, Chad Hugo of The Neptunes, and Timbaland’s production partner, Nate Hills. Mentioned in the article was five potential tracks included on the album - “Somehow” (produced by Ryan Leslie), “Home” (a power ballad written by DioGuardi), “Each Other”, “Neglected” (which McPhee co-wrote), and “Open Toes,” and does not include “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

On December 11, 2006, Wal-Mart released an exclusive CD single for the tracks “I Lost You” and “Dangerous.” Although many fans thought it was the first single, McPhee posted many bulletins on her MySpace claiming that it was not. The first single off the album has been confirmed to be “Over It” and was released for U.S. radioplay on January 16, 2007. However, following the AOL Music First Listen, radio began playing the single during the first week of January. “Over It” debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 48 on February 7, 2007

 

Religious Views:

In the past, McPhee had attended and completed two individual courses in Scientology, and had completed the purification. Nevertheless, according to a May 12, 2006 interview on Los Angeles radio station KROQ 106.7 (Kevin and Bean), McPhee stated she “dabbled in Scientology” because of a former love interest but is not a Scientologist; according to her, she was “quickly out the door.”

Source: Wikipedia

Rose Arianna McGowan (born September 5) is an American actress, known for her role as Paige Matthews in Charmed. She has also appeared in Hollywood films including Scream and Jawbreaker. Although her exact age is unknown various reliable sources have listed her year of birth as 1973, 1974, and 1975.

Early Life

Rose McGowan, the second-eldest of six children (including two half-siblings), was born in Florence, Italy to Daniel McGowan (an Irish-born artist) and Terri (a French American writer); her parents were members of the Children of God and her father ran the Italian chapter of the group. McGowan spent her early childhood in the group’s communes and travelling Europe with her parents. Through her father’s art contacts, McGowan had become a child model and had appeared in Vogue Bambini and various other Italian magazines. Her parents divorced when McGowan was ten. She subsequently lived in Oregon and Gig Harbor, Washington. McGowan did not speak English until she moved to the U.S.

McGowan’s high school years were spent with her father in Seattle attending Roosevelt High School and Nova Alternative High School. At the age of fifteen, McGowan officially emancipated herself from her parents. She pursued a possible career in the film industry during her late teens. She also enrolled in a beauty school as a back-up.

Career

McGowan’s first attempt to “break” into Hollywood came in the form of a bit-role in the 1992 Pauly Shore comedy Encino Man. Her role in the 1995 black comedy, The Doom Generation, brought her to the attention of film critics and she received a nomination for “Best Debut Performance” at the 1996 Independent Spirit Awards. She was subsequently cast as Tatum Riley, the best friend of Neve Campbell’s character Sidney, in the 1996 hit horror-satire film Scream.

McGowan spent the majority of the 1990s appearing in low-budget films, including parts in Southie, Going All the Way and Lewis & Clark & George. She appeared in the critically-acclaimed short Seed, directed by San Francisco-born filmmaker Karin Thayer, in 1997, and played opposite Peter O’Toole in the 1998 movie adaptation of Phantoms, based on a novel by Dean Koontz. Notably, she also starred in the 1999 black comedy, Jawbreaker, where she played a high school student who tries to cover up a classmate’s murder. The role of Courtney Shayne earned McGowan a nomination for Best Villain at the 1999 MTV Movie Awards.

In 2001, after some minor film roles (including a small role in the wrestling-themed movie Ready to Rumble, which performed poorly at the box-office), McGowan was cast as Paige Matthews in the popular television series Charmed, as a replacement lead actress after Shannen Doherty’s resignation from the show. McGowan was offered to be a producer after the seventh season, but turned it down. The series ended its run in May 2006.

In May 2005, she portrayed actress/singer Ann-Margret in Elvis, a CBS mini-series about the life of Elvis Presley. That same year, McGowan lent her voice to the video game Darkwatch as a femme fatale named Tala. The game was published by Capcom for PlayStation 2 and Xbox.

McGowan can be seen starring in the upcoming Quentin Tarantino/Robert Rodriguez double-feature Grind House, scheduled to be released on April 6, 2007. She also had a brief appearance in the upcoming Brian de Palma film The Black Dahlia.

Modeling

McGowan was the face of American clothing company bebe from 1998-1999. She was also the cover model for the Henry Mancini tribute album Shots in the Dark, which was released in 1996.

In addition to clothing endorsements, McGowan has appeared on numerous magazine covers including Seventeen, Interview, Maxim and GQ. Rose has also been featured on Maxim, FHM and Stuff magazine’s sexiest women lists.

Awards

In 1996 Rose was nominated for a Independent Spirit Award for her role in the dark comedy “The Doom Generation.” A few years later, at the 1999 MTV Movie Awards, Rose was nominated for “Best Villain” for her role as Courtney Shayne in 1999’s “Jawbreaker.” In 2005 Rose won her very first award “Best Sister” at the Family TV Awards, for her role as Paige Matthews on the witchy hit series “Charmed.”

Private Life

McGowan gained a reputation for playing brassy, violent characters, especially in the film Devil In The Flesh, where she portrayed a serial murderer and stalker while still in high school. In one especially violent scene, she sent her grandmother to a bloody death with her own cane. She was in a very public five-year relationship with shock-rocker Marilyn Manson, and often appeared with him at celebrity events in extremely provocative clothing, such as the chain-mail transparent dress and thong she wore to the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards. McGowan later ended their two-year engagement over “lifestyle differences.” She has since gone on to have relationships with fellow actor Kip Pardue, TV personality Ahmet Zappa and Men’s Health magazine editor David Zinczenko.

McGowan used to live in Seattle but currently lives in Los Angeles. At one point, she suffered from obsessive compulsive disorder[citation needed]. As a victim of sexual assault, McGowan has led discussions on the subject among campus groups.

McGowan is an avid lover and activist for Boston Terriers. She has two herself, Bug and Fester, and has personally donated to various Boston rescues. She encouraged friends to donate to Boston Terrier Rescue Net, and according to BTRN: “Having fallen in love with Bug and Fester, her friends donated generously. It amounted to a considerable contribution, which will go a long way in helping BTRN and the needy volunteers who selflessly give to deserving Bostons.”

Music

While dating Marilyn Manson, she appeared in a music video for the song “Coma White”, and also performed backing vocals on the song “Posthuman”. Both these songs are available on the album Mechanical Animals. McGowan appeared on a BT track called “Superfabulous” from his album Emotional Technology, which was also featured on the final Charmed soundtrack, The Final Chapter. The song has been featured in several films, including Win a Date with Tad Hamilton and Raising Helen. She has written and recorded a song titled “Protection” which was featured in her 2001 film Strange Hearts.

McGowan has also appeared in the Imperial Teen music video for “Yoo Hoo”, which was featured on the Jawbreaker soundtrack.

In the Charmed episode “Sense and Sense Ability,” McGowan performed, in character, a cover of the Peggy Lee classic “Fever”.

McGowan has expressed interest in recording an album of her own. During an interview with Living TV she has stated, “I was actually thinking of going [back and doing] more soulful tunes and older tunes… and I would love to, when I have a little bit more time.”

Trivia

* She was a child model in Italy

* Has admitted to sleepwalking as a kid. “The weirdest spot I ever woke up was a snowbank in Montreal. Now I just speak Italian in my sleep.”

* Nominated for a 1996 Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance for her role as Amy Blue in The Doom Generation

* Has a tattoo of a pin-up girl on her right shoulder

* Collects Marlene Dietrich memorabilia

* Hates fish of any kind.

* Hosted the 2006 Scream Awards with Rosario Dawson and Marley Shelton

* Was a Bebe Stores spokesmodel in 1998.

* Surname is pronounced two ways according to Rose.Mostly at the end of a season eight Charmed episode while the Spelling credits are rolling,Rose says “Hey this is Rose McGowan”,saying it as “Mic-go-winn”.While other times she appears on TV,she says it as if it was pronounced “Mic-gaw-winn”.

* Never sunbathes in order to maintain her pale complexion.

* Favorite scary movie is Gaslight.

* Was the headline guest for Starfury’s - The Witching Hour convention. This was the world’s first ever Charmed convention. McGowan had to cancel seven days before the event as she had acting commitments

* Is selling her own line of Pinken Mint purse caddies, which are hooks used to hang handbags from tables and chairs in restaurants so they don’t have to get dirty sitting on the floor. Stars like Keira Knightly, Carmen Electra, and Virgina Madsen are already big fans of the Pinken Mint purse caddies.

Source: Wikipedia