Monday, October 22, 2012

Ben "Armageddon" Affleck Biography


Born in California in 1972, Ben Affleck is an actor and screenwriter whose big break came with a role in the Academy Award-winning Good Will Hunting. In 1998, he starred in the successful blockbuster Armageddon, and landed a part in the Academy Award-winning film Shakespeare in Love. He went on to star in the films Dogma and Forces of Nature. In 2003, Affleck announced his engagement to Jennifer Lopez,with whom he co-starred in the film flop Gigli. In 2000, he turned in a supporting performance in the slick stock-market drama Boiler Room, and headlined the fast-paced action thriller Reindeer Games, co-starring Charlize Theron and Gary Sinise. He also co-starred opposite Paltrow in the romantic drama Bounce. In the summer of 2001, Affleck teamed up again with Armageddon director-producer team Michael Bay and Jerry Bruckheimer for the blockbuster action flick Pearl Harbor, co-starring Kate Beckinsale, Josh Hartnett and Cuba Gooding Jr. Shortly after the film hit theatres, Affleck checked himself into an exclusive rehabilitation center in Malibu, California, to undergo treatment for alcohol abuse. The son of an alcoholic, Affleck announced through a spokesman that he "decided that a fuller life awaits him without alcohol." A year later, a newly sober Affleck found romance with actress and musician Jennifer Lopez. Their relationship pushed Affleck back into the glare of the spotlight, and earned the couple the moniker "Bennifer."

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Danica "NASCAR" Patrick Biography


Born Danica Sue Patrick on March 25, 1982, in Beloit, Wisconsin, Danica Patrick began racing go-karts with her sister at age 10, and dropped out of high school to advance her racing career in England. It was there that she finished second at the Formula Ford Festival, the highest-ever finish by either a woman or an American in the event. In 2002, Patrick signed with Rahal-Letterman Racing, which is co-owned by former driver Bobby Rahal and talk show host David Letterman. During the next two years, Patrick achieved moderate success and was a consistent finisher on the podium, but never won a race. In 2008, Patrick made history when she became the first woman to win a IndyCar race. She made an impressive showing at the Indianapolis 500 the following year, coming in third in that event. In February 2013, Patrick won the time trials at the Daytona 500. This victory made for another first—she became the first woman to win the pole position at the famous NASCAR event. "I was brought up to be the fastest driver, not the fastest girl," Patrick said, according to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway website. "That's how I've always approached my racing career. I've been lucky enough to make history and be the first woman to do many things. We have a lot more history to make and we are excited to do it." At the 2013 Daytona 500, held a week later, Patrick came in eighth place.

Monday, October 8, 2012

Teri "Desperate Housewives" Hatcher


Teri Lynn Hatcher was born on December 8, 1964, in Palo Alto, California. She experienced a career renaissance as the sweet, but clumsy Susan Mayer on the hit comedy series Desperate Housewives. She got her start in the entertainment industry as a cheerleader for the football team the San Francisco 49ers in 1984. Next up for Teri Hatcher was a role as a mermaid dancer on the popular television show The Love Boat. This led to a recurring role on the action-adventure series MacGyver starring Richard Dean Anderson. She made her film debut in The Big Picture (1989) directed by Christopher Guest. Hatcher continued making movies and television appearances, most notably in Soapdish (1991) with Kevin Kline and Sally Field. In 1993, Teri Hatcher took on the classic comic book and film character, journalist Lois Lane, in Lois & Clark - The New Adventures of Superman. Starring opposite Dean Cain in the dual role of the man of steel and Clark Kent, she became part of a television super couple. Fans of the show watched the complicated romantic situation unfold as the series progressed, with Lois in love with Superman, not knowing that he is actually Kent. In the true comic book tradition, they also tuned in to see the battle between good and evil as Superman worked to save the city of Metropolis from the likes of bad guys like Lex Luthor. Even before the series ended in 1997, Teri Hatcher made an effort to branch out from Lois Lane's good girl image. She took a dark turn in Two Days in the Valley (1996) as a woman who wants her ex-husband dead. Hatcher then took another iconic part - the love interest of James Bond in the 1997 installment of the series Tomorrow Never Dies with Pierce Brosnan.