TOM CRUISE
TOM CRUISE (JACK REACHER) has achieved extraordinary success as an actor, producer, and philanthropist in a career spanning over three decades. He is a three-time Academy Award® nominee and three-time Golden Globe Award winner whose films have earned in excess of eight billion dollars worldwide—an incomparable accomplishment. Seventeen of Cruise’s films have grossed over one hundred million dollars in the United States alone and eighteen have grossed over two hundred million globally. Since he first appeared on screen in the films “Endless Love” and “Taps” in 1981, Cruise’s versatility is evidenced by the varied films, and roles he chooses. He has made 34 films, had a producing role on 17 and worked with a remarkable list of acclaimed film directors, including Harold Becker, Francis Ford Coppola, Paul Brickman, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, Martin Scorsese, Barry Levinson, Oliver Stone, Ron Howard, Rob Reiner, Sydney Pollack, Neil Jordan, Brian de Palma, Cameron Crowe, Stanley Kubrick, Paul Thomas Anderson, John Woo, Steven Spielberg, Michael Mann, J.J. Abrams, Robert Redford, Ben Stiller, Bryan Singer, James Mangold, Brad Bird, Adam Shankman, Christopher McQuarrie and Joe Kosinski. “Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol” opened in December 2011 to critical acclaim and grossed close to 700 million dollars making it the biggest box office success of Cruise’s career. The franchise has brought in over two billion dollars worldwide since Cruise conceived the idea for the films and began producing them at Paramount while starring as the legendary spy Ethan Hunt. Cruise produced the fourth film with J.J. Abrams and Brad Bird directed. Most recently Cruise appeared as rocker Stacee Jaxx in “Rock of Ages.” This December, Cruise will star in Christopher McQuarrie’s suspense thriller “Jack Reacher,” based on the Lee Child book One Shot, from his hugely successful series about a former military police-man-turned-drifter. Next, Cruise stars in Joseph Kosinski’s “Oblivion,” which will be released in April 2013. Cruise is currently shooting the sci-fi action film “All You Need Is Kill” directed by Doug Liman out in March 2014. In 2010, Cruise starred with Cameron Diaz in the romantic-action-comedy “Knight & Day.” Two years earlier, Cruise played German officer Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg in the critically acclaimed and worldwide hit “Valkyrie”, the historical thriller about the attempted assassination of Adolf Hitler during World War II. Directed by Bryan Singer, the film grossed $200 million world-wide making it the 5th highest grossing WWII film, of all time. Cruise also appeared in Ben Stiller’s comedy smash “Tropic Thunder” as the hip hopping foul-mouthed Hollywood movie mogul Les Grossman. This performance, based on a character he created earned him critical acclaim and his seventh Golden Globe Award nomination. Cruise received Academy Award® nominations for Best Actor for “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Jerry Maguire”, in addition a Best Support Actor nomination for “Magnolia”. He also garnered two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actor for “Born on the Fourth of July” and “Jerry Maguire”, as well as Best Supporting Actor for “Magnolia”, and nominations for his roles in “Risky Business”, “A Few Good Men”, “The Last Samurai” and “ Tropic Thunder.” Cruise has also earned acting nominations and awards from BAFTA, the Screen Actors Guild, the Chicago Film Critics Association, and the National Board of Review. His list of memorable credits also includes such diverse films as “Collateral,” “Minority Report,” “Interview with the Vampire,” “The Firm,” “Rain Man,” “The Color of Money” and “Top Gun.” Cruise has been honored with tributes ranging from Harvard's Hasty Pudding Man of the Year Award to the John Huston Award from the Artists Rights Foundation as well as The American Cinematheque Award for Distinguished Achievement in Film. While continuing to explore new artistic challenges, Cruise has used his professional success as a vehicle for positive change to become an international advocate, activist and philanthropist in the fields of health, education and human rights. He has been honored by the Mentor-LA organization for his work on behalf of the children of Los Angeles and around the world and in May, 2011 he received the Simon Wiesenthal Humanitarian Award. This past summer he received the Entertainment Icon Award for Humanitarianism from the Friars Club. He is the fourth person to receive this honor after Douglas Fairbanks, Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra.
ROBERT DUVALL
A leading man since the 1960s, ROBERT DUVALL (Cash) has specialized in taciturn cowboys, fierce leaders and driven characters of all types. Respected by his peers and adored by audiences worldwide, he has earned numerous Oscar® nominations for his performances in “The Godfather,” “Apocalypse Now,” “The Great Santini” and “The Apostle.” Duvall won the Academy Award® as Best Actor for his role in “Tender Mercies,” and later earned the Golden Globe for his performance in the title role of HBO’s “Stalin.” More recently, Duvall was honored with the Golden Globe and Emmy Award for his iconic portrayal of Prentice Ritter in AMC’s “Broken Trail.” Duvall made his big screen debut in 1962, as the creepy Boo Radley in “To Kill a Mockingbird.” He has gone on to star in such films as “Bullitt,” “True Grit,” “M*A*S*H,” “The Conversation,” “Network,” “The Natural,” “Colors,” “Days Of Thunder,” “A Handmaid’s Tale,” “Rambling Rose,” “Wrestling Ernest Hemingway,” “Phenomenon,” “A Civil Action,” “Open Range,” “Thank You For Smoking,” “The Road,” “Get Low” and “Crazy Heart,” among many others. As a director and producer, Duvall got behind the camera for his labor of love project “The Apostle,” in which he also starred. The film went on to earn many accolades, including being named on over 75 film critics “Top 10 Films for 1997” lists, including The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. He also wrote, produced and starred in “Assassination Tango.” Duvall was most recently seen as Johnny Crawford in “Seven Days in Utopia.”
DAVID OYELOWO
DAVID OYELOWO [Pronounced – “oh-yellow-oh”] (Detective Emerson) graduated from the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), having received the Scholarship for Excellence from Nicholas Hytner in 1998. Oyelowo has been seen in a variety of compelling projects, from indie films to big studio blockbusters, including; the George Lucas-produced bio-pic “Red Tails,” which told the story of the heroic Tuskegee Airmen who fought in WWII; the summer blockbuster “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” alongside James Franco and Frieda Pinto; the critical and popular hit “The Help.” He was also completed filming on Lee Daniels’ “The Paperboy,” opposite Nicole Kidman and Matthew McConaughey; and Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln,” with Daniel Day-Lewis and Tommy Lee Jones. Additionally, David was also seen starring in “96 Minutes,” which premiered at the 2011 SXSW Film Festival; Simon Brand’s thriller “Default”; and Ava Duvernay’s “The Middle of Nowhere.” Oyelowo first impressed audiences in “The Suppliants,” at the Gate Theatre, playing King Palasgus, for which he received the Ian Charleson award commendation. Following this he played the title role of “Henry VI,” becoming the first black actor to play an English king for the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company). The role won him the Ian Charleson Award and an Evening Standard Award nomination. Other theatre credits include an acclaimed performance in Richard Bean’s “The God Brothers” at the Bush Theatre and the title role in Aeschylus’ “Prometheus Bound,” which was off-Broadway and for which David received rave reviews. Beyond theatre, David starred in the BAFTA award-winning series “Spooks” (airing as “MI:5” on BBC America), playing Danny Hunter. Additionally, he won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Actor and was also nominated for a BAFTA for the same role for his work on “Small Island.” David also starred in the BBC1 original television movie “Born Equal,” opposite Colin Firth, as well as ABC’s 2008 production of “A Raisin in the Sun,” alongside Sanaa Lathan and Sean Puffy Combs. David made his U.S. debut in two HBO productions: the Kenneth Branaugh-directed “As You Like It,” opposite Bryce Dallas Howard; and in the mini-series “Five Days,” for which he won the Satellite Award for Best Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television. In 2008, David starred in the acclaimed adaptation of the Alexander McCall Smith novel “The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency,” directed by the late Anthony Minghella. He was also seen on the big screen in Kevin MacDonald’s “The Last King of Scotland”; “Who Do You Love”; “A Sound of Thunder”; “Derailed”; and “The Best Man”. His most challenging screen role to date was in the acclaimed BBC2 film “Shoot the Messenger,” which earned him a Best Actor nomination at the 2006 TriBeCa Film Festival.
WERNER HERZOG
WERNER HERZOG (The Zec) was born in Munich and grew up removed from technology in a remote Bavarian village. He worked as a welder to fund the production of his first film at age 19 (and ‘borrowed’ a camera from a local school) and has since directed more than 50 features. He has also published more than a dozen written works and directed as many operas. His films have won numerous awards, including the special Grand Jury prize at the Cannes Film Festival for “The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser” (’74) and Best Director at the Cannes Film Festival for “Fitzcarraldo” (‘82). His other films include: “Aguirre, Wrath of God” (‘72), “Nosferatu” (‘78), “Little Dieter Needs to Fly” (‘97), “Grizzly Man” (‘05), “Rescue Dawn” (‘06), “Encounters at the End of the World” (‘07, Oscar®-nominated for Best Documentary) ,“Bad Lieutenant” (‘09), “Cave of Forgotten Dreams” (‘10) and “Into the Abyss” (‘11).
JAI COURTNEY
Rising star JAI COURTNEY (Charlie) has quickly become highly sought after having already been cast opposite two of Hollywood’s biggest stars – Tom Cruise in “Jack Reacher” and Bruce Willis in “A Good Day to Die Hard.” Most recently Courtney was cast opposite Joel Edgerton and Tom Wilkinson in “Felony,” which centers on a decorated cop (Edgerton) who runs a cyclist off the road after drinking with his buddies to celebrate a major gang bust. His split-second decision to lie about the incident changes everyone’s lives forever. Jai plays a young police detective who suspects Edgerton’s character is lying and gradually builds a criminal case against him. The film will shoot in Australia this fall. Courtney was born and raised in the northwest region of Sydney where he developed an early interest in acting. He participated in a state sponsored drama program for young people, which led him to audition for the National Institute of Dramatic Art after high school. In 2004 he joined the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) a well-respected institution in Perth that counts Hugh Jackman and the late Heath Ledger among its alumni and from where he graduated in 2008. Following graduation, he quickly landed guest star roles on two hit Australian shows, “Packed to the Rafters” and “All Saints” and later that year he won a Theatre Critics Award for Best Newcomer for his performance in The Turning at the Perth Theatre Company. In 2009 he landed the sought after role of Varro in the international Starz hit television series “Spartacus: Blood and Sand.” The character of Varro became the closest confidante to Spartacus until his death in the tenth episode. Fans of the show created an uproar over Varro’s death and to this day continue to lament about it on the many Spartacus fan sites and blogs. After “Jack Reacher,” Jai went directly to the Lionsgate film “I, Frankenstein” opposite Aaron Eckart. The film is a modern twist on the classic horror tale, in which he plays the leader of one of two immortal clans raging in endless war, with Frankenstein’s soulless monster standing between them. The film, which is directed by Stuart Beattie, is scheduled to be released in 2013. After “I, Frankenstein,” he shot “A Good Day to Die Hard “on location in Europe this year. The fourth installment of the “Die Hard” franchise opens in February 2013. In addition to these roles, Jai has been working tirelessly to raise awareness and the funds needed to produce the feature-length documentary “Be Here Now” about his friend the late Andy Whitfield, who passed away 18 months after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. It was Andy’s desire to have this documentary produced in order to help and inspire others dealing with cancer or any of life’s challenges. The documentary is helmed by Academy Award nominated documentarian Lilibet Foster.
ALEXIA FAST
Actress ALEXIA FAST (Sandy) is quickly making a strong impression as a rising star in the young Hollywood community.
Alexia stars in the award winning indie film, BLACKBIRD, opposite "Falling Skies" Connor Jessup, which premiered at the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival.
Previously Fast appeared in Carl Bessai's indie feature REPEATERS with Dustin Milligan and Amanda Crew. Other film credits include the indie western HUNGRY HILLS, with Kier Gilchrist, which premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival, and the indie feature HELEN, with Ashley Judd, which follows a manic-depressive woman and her family, and premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. Fast also starred in TRIPLE DOG with Brittany Robertson and Scout Taylor Compton, KICKIN' IT OLD SKOOL with Jamie Kennedy, the indie thriller PAST TENSE, and FIDO with Carrie Anne Moss.
In television, Fast recently guest starred as the recurring characters "Bliss" in the ABC series RED WIDOW and "Eva" on CW's SECRET CIRCLE. She has also starred in a number of television movies including THE 19TH WIFE for Sony Pictures Television, Syfy's TIN MAN with Zooey Deschanel and Richard Dreyfus, and Nickelodeon's GYM TEACHER with Christopher Meloni. She has also appeared as a guest star on FLASHPOINT and the CW's SUPERNATURAL.
Fast's impressive body of work has garnered her a number of accolades including Leo Awards in 2011 for "Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film" for REPEATERS, 2007 for "Best Lead Actor in a Feature Film" for PAST TENSE and a nomination in 2009 for "Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Feature Length Drama" on behalf of HELEN.
Fast began her career in film at the age of 7, when she wrote, directed and starred in the short film, THE RED BRIDGE, which premiered at the 2002 Atlantic Film Festival, and Reel to Reel film Festival.
ROSAMUND PIKE
ROSAMUND PIKE (Helen Rodin) has quickly emerged as a contemporary and multifaceted actress having earned international acclaim for both her stage and film roles. She began her career at the age of 16, when she discovered her love of the stage while starring as Juliet in “Romeo and Juliet.” After starring in many other stage productions, such as “The Taming of the Shrew” and “The Libertine,” Pike found herself starring in her first BBC production, “Wives and Daughters,” opposite Michael Gambon. She received critical acclaim for her performance and her film career immediately took off. Pike starred in the James Bond film, “Die Another Day,” opposite Pierce Brosnan. She returned to the London stage to star in the Royal Court Theatre production of “Hitchcock Blonde,” directed by Terry Johnson. Due to its enormous success, the play moved to the Lyric Theater in the West End. In 2004, Pike began work on Laurence Dunmore’s film version of “The Libertine,” opposite Johnny Depp. Pike was rewarded for her performance with a 2005 British Independent Film Award for Best Supporting Actor/Actress. Pike then starred alongside Kiera Knightley, Brenda Blethyn and Judi Dench in the film adaptation of the classic Jane Austen novel, “Pride and Prejudice,” directed by Joe Wright. Pike earned rave reviews and a 2006 London Film Critics Circle Award for her portrayal of Jane Bennett. In 2007, Pike was seen opposite Ryan Gosling and Anthony Hopkins in the legal thriller, “Fracture,” directed by Gregory Hoblit. She also starred in the Jeremy Podeswa directed independent film, “Fugitive Pieces,” which opened the 2007 Toronto Film Festival. Pike then starred in the independent film, “Devil You Know,” directed by James Oakley and also starring Lena Olin. Pike returned to the stage, starring at the Old Vic Theater, in Patrick Hamilton’s Victorian thriller “Gaslight,” directed by Peter Gill. She followed that performance by starring in the independent film, “An Education,” directed by Lone Scherfig. Pike then starred in “Surrogates,” opposite Bruce Willis, and then in the independent film, “Burning Palms,” directed by Christopher Landon. In 2009, Pike starred in The Wyndham Theater’s production of “Madame de Sade,” opposite Judi Dench. Shortly after completing this production, she began pre-production on the independent film, “Dagenham Girls,” opposite Sally Hawkins, directed by Nigel Cole. Pike then starred in another independent film, “Barney’s Version,” opposite Paul Giamatti and Dustin Hoffman. Last year, Pike starred in the title role of the UK touring production of “Hedda Gabler,” for which she received rave reviews. Immediately following the final performance, Pike traveled to Cape Town, South Africa, to star in the BBC movie, “Women in Love.” Pike was recently seen starring in “Wrath of the Titans,” the sequel to the 2010 blockbuster “Clash of the Titans,” opposite Liam Neeson and Sam Worthington; “The Big Year,” opposite Owen Wilson, Jack Black and Steve Martin; and the film comedy “Johnny English Reborn,” starring opposite Rowan Atkinson.
RICHARD JENKINS
RICHARD JENKINS (D.A. Rodin) is one of the most in-demand character actors in Hollywood, with almost seventy feature film credits on his resume. Jenkins received an Oscar® nomination for Best Actor for his highly praised performance in director Tom McCarthy’s “The Visitor.” The film premiered to critical acclaim at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival and the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and won the Grand Prix at the 34th Deauville Festival of American Film. Richard’s performance as Walter Vale, a disillusioned Connecticut economics professor whose life is transformed by a chance encounter in New York City, made “The Visitor” the independent film hit of 2008 and also earned him Independent Spirit Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations. In 2012, he starred with Bradley Whitford in Drew Goddard’s thriller, “Cabin in the Woods;” in Andrew Dominik’s “Cogan’s Trade” opposite Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta and James Gandolfini; and in Lawrence Kasdan’s comedy/drama, “Darling Companion,” starring with Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline and Dianne Wiest. Jenkins also starred alongside Shia LaBeouf, Robert Redford, Susan Sarandon, Nick Nolte and Julie Christie in Redford’s “The Company You Keep.” An adaptation of the Neil Gordon novel, it’s the story of an ex-Weather Underground militant wanted by the FBI for 30 years, who must go on the run when his true identity is exposed by a young, ambitious reporter. Jenkins plays a college professor who is a link to former radicals in hiding. Jenkins starred opposite Johnny Depp in Bruce Robinson’s adaptation of the Hunter S. Thompson, “The Rum Diary”; re-teamed with the Farrelly Brothers for “Hall Pass,” opposite Owen Wilson and Jason Sudeikis; and appeared in Will Gluck’s “Friends with Benefits,” with Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis. In 2010, he earned rave reviews when he starred alongside Julia Roberts in Ryan Murphy’s “Eat, Pray, Love,” based on the international bestseller by Elizabeth Gilbert, and in Overture’s “Let Me In,” written and directed by Matt Reeves. In 1997 Jenkins received an Independent Spirit Award nomination as Best Supporting Male for his performance in David O. Russell’s comedy, “Flirting with Disaster,” appearing with Ben Stiller, Tea Leoni, Josh Brolin and Lily Tomlin. In 1986, Jenkins had his first starring film role in Oscar®-winning writer Horton Foote’s “On Valentine’s Day.” Numerous film roles followed, including George Miller’s “The Witches of Eastwick,” opposite Jack Nicholson, Susan Sarandon, Cher and Michelle Pfeiffer; Richard Benjamin’s “Little Nikita,” opposite River Phoenix and Sidney Poitier; “Sea of Love” with Al Pacino and Ellen Barkin; Mike Nichols’ “Wolf,” appearing again with Jack Nicholson; with Charlize Theron in 2005’s “North Country”; opposite Jim Carrey and again with Tea Leoni in the Judd Apatow comedy “Fun with Dick & Jane”; and in Peter Berg’s 2007 film, “The Kingdom”. More recent credits include Lasse Hallström’s “Dear John,” based on the Nicholas Sparks novel; the Coen brothers’ “Burn After Reading,” with George Clooney, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich and Frances McDormand (his third collaboration with the writing / directing duo); and Adam McKay’s hit comedy, “Step Brothers,” alongside Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly and Mary Steenburgen. Over the years Jenkins has worked with such esteemed filmmakers as Clint Eastwood in “Absolute Power,” the Farrelly brothers in “There’s Something About Mary” and “Me, Myself & Irene,” opposite Jim Carrey; and Sydney Pollack in “Random Hearts,” opposite Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas. In 2001, Jenkins began a collaboration with Joel and Ethan Coen, when he appeared with Billy Bob Thornton, James Gandolfini and Scarlett Johansson in “The Man Who Wasn’t There.” He went on to work again with the Coen brothers in 2003’s “Intolerable Cruelty,” opposite George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones. On television, Jenkins is best remembered as Nathaniel Fisher,’ the deceased patriarch of the Fisher family, on HBO’s immensely successful drama, “Six Feet Under.” His occasional appearances as the heart of this often-dysfunctional family help earned the cast a Screen Actors Guild nomination in 2002 for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. He also appeared in numerous made-for-television films, including “Sins of the Father” and the Emmy-winning HBO film, “And the Band Played On.” In theater, Jenkins has amassed an impressive list of credits as a company member for 14 years at Rhode Island’s Trinity Repertory Company, and served an additional four years as its Artistic Director.
JOSEPH SIKORA
JOSEPH SIKORA (Barr) will be seen in Lionsgate’s “Safe,” opening April, 2012, in which he plays a Russian gangster and nemesis to Jason Statham. The picture is produced by Lawrence Bender and directed by Boaz Yakin. Sikora was born in Chicago, studied improv and acting at Columbia College, and scored a Jefferson nomination for one of the many plays he starred in within the prestigious Chicago theatre community. In Los Angeles, he worked at the Geffen Playhouse and won an L.A. Theatre Ovation Award for his performance in “Killer Joe” at the Lost Angeles Theatre. In television, he’s been seen guest-starring in more than two dozen television programs, including Martin Scorsese’ pilot episode of “Boardwalk Empire,” “CSI: NY,” “CSI: Miami,” “Criminal Minds,” “Law & Order: SVU” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” and also starred opposite Jessica Lange and Tom Wilkinson in the highly controversial HBO film, “Normal.” Sikora—who was also seen in Scorsese’s “Shutter Island”—was last featured in David Schwimmer’s directorial debut “Trust,” opposite Clive Owens. Sikora is based in New York.
