Just Like the Movies

Frank Capra
Brief Biography

Birth name: Francesco Rosario Capra
Date of birth: May 18, 1897
Birth place: Bisacquino, Sicily, Italy
Date of death: September 3, 1993 (age 94)
Significant others: Helen Howell (1923-1928, divorced), Lou Capra (1932-1984, her death)
Children: Frank Capra Jr. (born 1934, died 2007; with Capra), John Capra (born 1935, died 1938; with Capra), Lula Capra (born 1937; with Capra), Tom Capra (born 1941; with Capra)
Occupation: director, producer, screenwriter
First significant film: director of The Strong Man
iBest known for: director and produce of It Happened One Night; director and producer of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington; director and associate producer of Arsenic and Old Lace; director, producer, and co-writer of It’s a Wonderful Life
Trivia: His films typically center around a simple man who tries to fight the corruption in society.

“I thought drama was when the actors cried. But drama is when the audience cries.”

Sandra Oh
Brief Biography

Date of birth: July 20, 1971
Birth place: Nepean, Ontario, Canada
Significant others: Alexander Payne (2003-2006), Andrew Featherstone (2007-present, dating)
Occupation: Actress
First significant role: Jade Li in Double Happiness
Best known for: Patti in Under the Tuscan Sun, Stephanie in Sideways, Carol French in Wilby Wonderful, Judy Tokuda in Hard Candy, Dr. Christina Yang in Grey’s Anatomy
Trivia: She speaks fluent English, Korean, French, and Spanish.

“I work very hard, sometimes too much, at my job because I love it so much. It is more than wonderful when all your hard work is noticed and honored by your peers and the industry. Winning the Golden Globe was one of the best moments of my life.”

(Source: listal.com)

Guy Ritchie
Brief Biography

Date of birth: September 10, 1968
Birth place: Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
Significant others: Madonna (2000-2008), Jacqui Ainsley (presently dating)
Children: Rocco John Ritchie (born 2000; with Madonna), David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie (born 2005; adopted with Madonna), Unnamed Baby Ritchie (expected September 2011; with Ainsley)
Occupation: Director, screenwriter
First significant role: Director and screenwriter of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
Best known for: Director and screenwriter of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels; director and screenwriter of Snatch.; director and writer of RocknRolla; director of Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Trademark: His films often involve numerous plots that all intersect and assist in each other’s payoffs.

Julie Andrews
Brief Biography

Date of birth: October 1, 1935
Birth place: Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Significant others: Tony Walton (1959-1967), Blake Edwards (1969-2010)
Children: Emma Walton (born 1962; with Walton), Amy Edwards (born 1974; adopted with Edwards), Joanna Edwards (born 1975; adopted with Edwards)
Occupation: Actress, singer
First significant role: Cinderella in Cinderella (TV movie)
Best known for: Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins, Emily Barham in The Americanization of Emily, Maria von Trapp in The Sound of Music, Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie, Queen Clarisse Renaldi in The Princess Diaries and The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement
Trademark:  Her five-octave coloratura soprano range (until a vocal nodule surgery mishap ruined her singing voice).

“Films are much more my level. On stage I never feel quite enough.”

Steven Spielberg
Brief Biography

Date of birth: December 18, 1946
Birth place: Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.A.
Significant others: Amy Irving (1985-1989), Kate Capshaw (1991-present)
Children: Max Spielberg (born in 1985; with Irving), Theo Spielberg (born in 1988; adopted with Capshaw), Sasha Spielberg (born in 1990; with Capshaw), Sawyer Spielberg (born in 1992; with Capshaw) Mikaela George Spielberg (born in 1996; adopted with Capshaw), Destry Allen Spielberg (born in 1996; with Capshaw)
Occupation: Director, producer
First significant film: Director of Jaws
Best known for: Producer and director of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial; producer and director of Schindler’s List; producer and director of Saving Private Ryan; producer, screenwriter, and director A.I. Artifical Intelligence; producer and director of Catch Me If You Can
Interesting Trademark: In his films, important images or characters are often seen through the rear-view mirror of a car (Duel, E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Schindler’s List, A.I. Artificial Intelligence).

“Once a month the sky falls on my head, I come to and I see another movie I want to make.”

(Source: collider.com)

Jason Reitman
Brief Biography

Date of birth: October 19, 1977
Birth place: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Significant others: Michele Lee (married 2004-present)
Occupation: Director, producer, screenwriter
First significant film: Director and screenwriter of Thank You for Smoking
Best known for: Director and screenwriter of Thank You for Smoking; Director of Juno, Director; screenwriter, and producer of Up in the Air

(Source: kdhx.org)

Mila Kunis
Brief Biography

Birth name: Milena Markovna Kunis
Date of birth: August 14, 1983
Birth place: Chernivtsi, Ukrainian SSR, USSR (now Ukraine)
Significant others: Macaulay Culkin (together 2002-2010)
Occupation: Actress
First significant role: Melinda in Make a Wish, Molly
Best known for: Jackie Burkhart in That ’70s Show, Rachel Jansen in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, in Solara The Book of Eli, in Lily The Black Swan

Paul Rudd
Brief Biography

Birth name: Paul Stephen Rudd
Date of birth: April 6, 1969
Birth place: Passaic, New Jersey, USA
Significant others: Julie Yaeger (married 2003-present)
Child: One son, Jack Rudd (born in 2006)
Occupation: Actor
First significant role: Josh in Clueless
Best known for: David in The 40-Year-Old Virgin; Pete in Knocked Up; Danny in Role Models; Peter Klaven in I Love You, Man

(Source: moviecritic.com.au)

Katharine Hepburn
Brief Biography

Birth name: Katharine Houghton Hepburn
Date of birth: May 12, 1907
Birth place: Hartford, Connecticut, USA
Date of death: June 19, 2003
Significant others: Ludlow Ogden Smith (married 1928-1934); Spencer Tracy (together 1941-1967)
Occupation: Actress
First role: Sydney Fairfield in A Bill of Divorcement
Best known for: Susan Vance in Bringing up Baby, Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story, Rose Sayer in The African Queen, Ethel Thayer in On Golden Pond

(Source: nndb.com)