>> Biography of Kate Beckinsale

Kathrin Romary "Kate" Beckinsale (born 26 July 1973) is an English actress. After some minor television roles, she made her film debut in Much Ado About Nothing (1993) while still a student at Oxford University. She then appeared in British costume dramas such as Prince of Jutland (1994), Cold Comfort Farm (1995), Emma (1996), and The Golden Bowl (2000), in addition to various stage and radio productions. She began to seek film work in the United States in the late 1990s and, after appearing in small-scale dramas The Last Days of Disco (1998) and Brokedown Palace (1999), she had a break-out year in 2001 with starring roles in the war film Pearl Harbor and the romantic comedy Serendipity. She built on this success with appearances in the biopic The Aviator (2004) and the comedy Click (2006).

Beckinsale appeared in 2003's Underworld and has since starred in many action movies including Van Helsing (2004), Underworld: Evolution (2006), Whiteout (2009), as well as Contraband, Underworld: Awakening, and Total Recall (all in 2012). She also makes occasional appearances in smaller dramatic projects such as Snow Angels (2007), Winged Creatures (2008), Nothing but the Truth (for which she earned a Critic's Choice Award nomination in 2008), and Everybody's Fine (2009).

Early life 
Kathrin Romary Beckinsale was born in London, England. She is the only child of actor Richard Beckinsale and actress Judy Loe. Her father was of one-quarter Burmese descent. She made her first television appearance at the age of four, in an episode of This is Your Life dedicated to her father. When she was five years old, her 31-year-old father died suddenly of a heart attack. Beckinsale was deeply traumatised by the loss and "started expecting bad things to happen". While she has seen her father "more on television than I have in life", "there are certainly enough memories for me not to feel that it's somebody I didn't know." Her widowed mother moved in with director Roy Battersby when Beckinsale was nine and she was brought up alongside his four sons and daughter. She has a close relationship with her step-father: "I couldn't have knitted a better one ... He wasn't pushy, he let me come to him." She has a paternal half-sister, actress Samantha Beckinsale, but they have not had regular contact. Beckinsale was educated at the fee-paying Godolphin and Latymer School in Hammersmith, West London[9] and was involved with the Orange Tree Youth Theatre. She was a two-time winner of the WH Smith Young Writers Award for both fiction and poetry. She has described herself as a "late bloomer": "All of my friends were kissing boys and drinking cider way before me. I found it really depressing that we weren't making camp fires and everyone was doing grown-up stuff." "I loathed being a teenager." She had a nervous breakdown and developed anorexia at the age of 15 and underwent Freudian psychoanalysis for four years.

Beckinsale read French and Russian literature at New College, Oxford, and was later described by a contemporary, journalist Victoria Coren, as "whip-clever, slightly nuts, and very charming". She was involved with the Oxford University Dramatic Society, most notably being directed by fellow student Tom Hooper in a production of A View from the Bridge at the Oxford Playhouse. She spent her third year in Paris as part of her compulsory year abroad as a Modern Languages student, after which she decided to quit university to concentrate on her burgeoning acting career: "It was getting to the point where I wasn't enjoying either thing enough because both were very high pressure. I was burning out and I knew I had to make a decision."

Personal life
Beckinsale had an eight-year relationship with actor Michael Sheen from 1995 until 2003. They met when cast in a touring production of The Seagull in early 1995 and moved in together shortly afterwards. She has said it was "love at first sight"[174] and that he saved her from "a hospital for the criminally insane". In 1997, they appeared in a radio production of Romeo and Juliet. Their daughter, Lily Mo Sheen, was born in London in 1999. The actress has said she was "embarrassed" that Sheen never proposed but felt as though she were married: "If you keep a library book out long enough, you feel it's yours."

Their relationship ended in early 2003, after the filming of Underworld.  Beckinsale had persuaded director Len Wiseman to cast Sheen in the film, but, while on set, she and Wiseman (who was married) began a relationship. All parties, aside from Wiseman's first wife, have maintained that there was no infidelity. Wiseman married Beckinsale on May 9, 2004 in Bel-Air, California. They live in Los Angeles. Beckinsale and Wiseman both remain friends with Sheen.

Charity work 
The British Heart Foundation has been Beckinsale's charity of choice "ever since I was six years old". She has also donated film memorabilia to the Epidermolysis Bullosa Medical Research Foundation,[188] MediCinema Habitat For Humanity  and the Entertainment Industry Foundation. In 2008 she hosted the 4th Annual Pink Party to raise funds for the Women’s Cancer Research Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and organised a screening of All About Eve for FilmAid International. In 2012 Beckinsale joined Nestlé's Share the Joy of Reading Programme to raise awareness about the importance of children's literacy.


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>> Biography of Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman (born June 9, 1981) is an Israeli-born American (with dual citizenship) actress, producer, and director. Her first role was in the 1994 action thriller Léon: The Professional, opposite Jean Reno, but mainstream success came when she was cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy (released in 1999, 2002 and 2005). In 1999, she enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology while still working as an actress. She completed her bachelor's degree in 2003.

In 2001, Portman opened in New York City's Public Theater production of Anton Chekhov's The Seagull. In 2005, Portman won a Golden Globe Award and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama Closer. She won a Constellation Award for Best Female Performance and a Saturn Award for Best Actress for her starring role in the political thriller V for Vendetta (2006). She played leading roles in the historical dramas Goya's Ghosts (2006) and The Other Boleyn Girl (2008). In May 2008, she served as the youngest member of the 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival jury. Portman's directorial debut, Eve, opened the 65th Venice International Film Festival's shorts competition in 2008. Portman directed a segment of the collective film New York, I Love You. Portman is also known for her portrayal as Jane Foster, the love interest of Marvel superhero Thor, in the film adaptation Thor (2011), and its sequel, Thor: The Dark World (2013).

In 2010, Portman starred in the psychological horror film Black Swan. Her performance received widespread critical acclaim and she earned her first Academy Award for Best Actress, her second Golden Globe Award, the SAG Award, the BAFTA Award and the BFCA Award in 2011.

Early life
Portman was born in Jerusalem. She is the only child of Shelley (née Stevens), an American homemaker who works as Portman's agent, and Avner Hershlag, an Israeli citizen who is a fertility specialist and gynecologist. Her maternal grandparents, Bernice (née Hurwitz; 1925-2014) and Arthur Stevens (whose family surname was originally "Edelstein"), were from Jewish immigrant families from Austria and Russia. Her paternal grandparents were Jewish immigrants to Israel. Natalie's paternal grandmother, Mania, from Romania, had the maiden name "Portman"; Natalie's paternal grandfather, Zvi Yehuda Hershlag, was born in Poland in 1914, and in 1938 moved to then British Mandate of Palestine, now Israel, where he was an economics professor; Zvi's parents died at Auschwitz. Natalie's Romanian-born great-grandmother was a spy for British Intelligence during World War II. Her original Hebrew first name is "Neta-Lee".

Portman's parents met at a Jewish student center at Ohio State University, where her mother was selling tickets. They corresponded after her father returned to Israel and were married when her mother visited a few years later. In 1984, when Portman was three years old, the family moved to the United States, where her father received his medical training. Portman, a dual citizen of the United States and Israel, has said that although she "really love[s] the States... my heart's in Jerusalem. That's where I feel at home."

Portman and her family first lived in Washington, D.C., but relocated to Connecticut in 1988 and then lived in Jericho, New York, on Long Island, in 1990.

Education
In Washington, D.C., Portman attended Charles E. Smith Jewish Day School. Portman learned to speak Hebrew[28] and while living on Long Island attended a Jewish elementary school, the Solomon Schechter Day School of Nassau County in Jericho, New York. She graduated from Syosset High School in Syosset, Long Island in 1999. She studied ballet and modern dance at the American Theater Dance Workshop in New Hyde Park, New York, and attended the Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts in Wheatley Heights, both on Long Island. Portman skipped the premiere of her film Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, so she could study for her high school final exams.

In 2003, Portman graduated from Harvard University with an A.B. degree in psychology. "I don't care if [college] ruins my career," she told the New York Post. "I'd rather be smart than a movie star." At Harvard, Portman was Alan Dershowitz's research assistant. While attending Harvard, she was a resident of Lowell House  and wrote a letter to the Harvard Crimson in response to an essay critical of Israeli actions toward Palestinians.

Portman returned to Israel and took graduate courses at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in the spring of 2004. In March 2006, she was a guest lecturer at a Columbia University course in terrorism and counterterrorism, where she spoke about her film V for Vendetta. Portman has professed an interest in foreign languages since childhood and has studied French, Japanese, German, and Arabic.

As a student, Portman co-authored two research papers that were published in scientific journals. Her 1998 high school paper, "A Simple Method to Demonstrate the Enzymatic Production of Hydrogen from Sugar," co-authored with scientists Ian Hurley and Jonathan Woodward, was entered in the Intel Science Talent Search. In 2002, she contributed to a study on memory called "Frontal lobe activation during object permanence: data from near-infrared spectroscopy" during her psychology studies at Harvard.

Personal life
In 2006, she commented that she felt more Jewish in Israel and that she would like to raise her children Jewish: "A priority for me is definitely that I'd like to raise my kids Jewish, but the ultimate thing is to have someone who is a good person and who is a partner."

After starring in the video for his song "Carmensita", she began a relationship with American folk singer Devendra Banhart, which ended in September 2008.

Portman began dating ballet dancer Benjamin Millepied in 2009. The couple met while she was filming Black Swan, for which he was the choreographer. In December 2010, Portman announced their engagement and confirmed her pregnancy. Portman gave birth to their son Aleph Portman-Millepied in June 2011. In February 2012, Portman and Millepied were photographed wearing wedding rings at the Academy Awards ceremony, but representatives did not respond to requests for comment on the couple's marital status. On August 4, 2012, Portman and Millepied married in an intimate Jewish ceremony in Big Sur, California.

In January 2013, the Paris Opera Ballet announced that Millepied had accepted the position of director of dance, beginning September 2014. The couple plan to relocate to Paris when Millepied's new job starts in fall 2014. Portman has said she would like to become a French citizen when they move. In January 2014, Millepied said he was in the process of converting to Judaism.

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>> Biography of Mila Kunis

Milena Markovna "Mila" Kunis ( born August 14, 1983)  is an American actress. In 1991, at the age of seven, she moved from the USSR to Los Angeles with her family. After being enrolled in acting classes as an after-school activity, she was soon discovered by an agent. She appeared in several television series and commercials, before acquiring her first significant role prior to her 15th birthday, playing Jackie Burkhart on the television series That '70s Show. In September 1999, she began voicing Meg Griffin on the animated series Family Guy.

Her breakout film role came in 2008, playing Rachel Jansen in the romantic comedy-drama Forgetting Sarah Marshall. Subsequent film roles included Mona Sax in the neo-noir action film Max Payne (2008), Solara in the post-apocalyptic neo-Western and action film The Book of Eli (2010), Jamie in the romantic comedy Friends with Benefits (2011), Lori in the comedy Ted (2012), and the Wicked Witch of the West, Theodora, in the fantasy adventure film Oz the Great and Powerful (2013). Her performance as Lily in the psychological horror film Black Swan (2010) gained her worldwide accolades, including receiving the Premio Marcello Mastroianni for Best Young Actor or Actress at the 67th Venice International Film Festival, and nominations for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.

Early life and education
Kunis was born in Chernivtsi, in the Ukrainian SSR (now Ukraine). Her mother, Elvira, is a physics teacher who runs a pharmacy, and her father, Mark Kunis, is a mechanical engineer who works as a cab driver. Kunis has an elder brother named Michael (born c. 1976). She stated in 2011 that her parents had "amazing jobs", and that the family was "very lucky" and "not poor"; they had decided to leave the USSR because they saw "no future" there for Kunis and her brother. In 1991, when she was seven years old, her family moved to Los Angeles, California, with $250. "That was all we were allowed to take with us. My parents had given up good jobs and degrees, which were not transferable. We arrived in New York on a Wednesday and by Friday morning my brother and I were at school in LA."

Kunis comes from a Jewish family and has cited antisemitism in the former Soviet Union as one of several reasons for her family's move to the United States. She has stated that her parents "raised [her] Jewish as much as they could," although religion was suppressed in the Soviet Union. On her second day in Los Angeles, Kunis was enrolled at Rosewood Elementary School, not knowing a word of English. She later recalled: "I blocked out second grade completely. I have no recollection of it. I always talk to my mom and my grandma about it. It was because I cried every day. I didn't understand the culture. I didn't understand the people. I didn't understand the language. My first sentence of my essay to get into college was like, 'Imagine being blind and deaf at age seven.' And that's kind of what it felt like moving to the States."

In Los Angeles, she attended Hubert Howe Bancroft Middle School. She used an on-set tutor for most of her high school years while filming That '70s Show. She briefly attended Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES), but when that school proved to be insufficiently flexible about her acting commitments, she transferred to Fairfax High School, from which she graduated in 2001. She briefly attended UCLA and Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.

Personal life
On September 14, 2011, the FBI announced it was investigating the alleged hacking of Kunis's cellphone and email accounts, along with those of other celebrities. Christopher Chaney from Jacksonville, Florida, later pleaded guilty in federal court to nine counts of computer hacking.

In November 2011, Kunis was escorted by Sgt. Scott Moore to a United States Marine Corps Ball in Greenville, North Carolina. Kunis had accepted Moore's invitation in July after he posted it as a YouTube video while serving with the 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, in Afghanistan's Helmand province. The event celebrated the Marine Corps' 236th anniversary.

Kunis supports the Democratic Party and Barack Obama. In a 2012 interview, she criticized the Republican Party, saying: "The way that Republicans attack women is so offensive to me. And the way they talk about religion is offensive. I may not be a practicing Jew, but why we gotta talk about Jesus all the time?"

Relationships
Kunis began dating actor Macaulay Culkin in 2002. During their relationship, there were rumors of the couple getting married, but Kunis denied them. In an interview with BlackBook magazine, Kunis stated that marriage is "not something that's important to me". Kunis said she tried her best to protect her and Culkin's privacy, noting that "We don't talk about it to the press. It's already more high profile than I want it to be." When asked if it was difficult to stay out of the tabloids and press, Kunis responded: "I keep my personal life as personal as I physically, mentally, possibly can." Asked if that is difficult she said, "I don't care. I will go to my grave trying. It is hard, but I'll end up going to a bar that's a hole in the wall. I won't go to the 'it's-happening' place." On January 3, 2011, Kunis' publicist confirmed reports that Kunis and Culkin had ended their relationship, saying "The split was amicable, and they remain close friends."

Kunis began dating her former That '70s Show co-star Ashton Kutcher in April 2012, and they became engaged in February 2014. She gave birth to their daughter, Wyatt Isabelle, on October 1, 2014.

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>> Biography of Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie ( born Angelina Jolie Voight; June 4, 1975 ) is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. She has received an Academy Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and three Golden Globe Awards, and has been cited as Hollywood's highest-paid actress. Jolie made her screen debut as a child alongside her father, Jon Voight, in Lookin' to Get Out (1982). Her film career began in earnest a decade later with the low-budget production Cyborg 2 (1993), followed by her first leading role in a major film, Hackers (1995). She starred in the critically acclaimed biographical television films George Wallace (1997) and Gia (1998), and won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the drama Girl, Interrupted (1999).

Jolie's starring role as the video game heroine Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) established her as a leading Hollywood actress. She continued her successful action-star career with Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Wanted (2008), and Salt (2010), and received critical acclaim for her performances in the dramas A Mighty Heart (2007) and Changeling (2008), which earned her a nomination for an Academy Award for Best Actress. Beginning in the 2010s, she expanded her career by directing and producing the wartime dramas In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011) and Unbroken (2014). Her biggest commercial success came with the Disney fantasy Maleficent (2014).

In addition to her film career, Jolie is noted for her humanitarian efforts, for which she has received a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and an honorary damehood of the Order of St Michael and St George (DCMG), among other honors. She promotes various causes, including conservation, education, and women's rights, and is most noted for her advocacy on behalf of refugees as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). As a public figure, Jolie has been cited as one of the most influential and powerful people in the American entertainment industry, as well as the world's most beautiful woman, by various media outlets. Her personal life is the subject of wide publicity: divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller and Billy Bob Thornton, she is now married to actor Brad Pitt. They have six children together, three of whom were adopted internationally.

>> Complete Biography of Angelina Jolie

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>> Biography of Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson ( born November 22, 1984 ) is an American actress, model, and singer. She made her film debut in North (1994). In 1996, she was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead for her performance in Manny & Lo, garnering further acclaim and prominence with roles in The Horse Whisperer (1998) and Ghost World (2001). She shifted to adult roles with her performances in Girl with a Pearl Earring (2003) and Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation (2003), for which she won a BAFTA award for Best Actress in a Leading Role; both films earned her Golden Globe Award nominations as well.

Roles in A Love Song for Bobby Long (2004) and Woody Allen's Match Point (2005) earned Johansson two more Golden Globe Award nominations. Her subsequent films included The Island (2005), The Black Dahlia (2006), The Prestige (2006), The Other Boleyn Girl (2008), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) and He's Just Not That Into You (2009). She has played the Marvel comic book character Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff in Iron Man 2 (2010), The Avengers (2012) and Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) and is set to reprise the role in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). Johansson's roles in Don Jon (2013) and Under the Skin (2014) received critical acclaim and she won the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in the 2010 Broadway revival of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge. As a singer, Johansson has released two albums, Anywhere I Lay My Head and Break Up.

Johansson is considered one of Hollywood's modern sex symbols, and has frequently appeared in published lists of the sexiest women in the world, most notably when she was named the "Sexiest Woman Alive" by Esquire magazine in both 2006 and 2013 (the only woman to be chosen for the title twice), and the "Sexiest Celebrity" by Playboy magazine in 2007.

Early life
Scarlett Johansson was born in New York City. Her father, Karsten Johansson, is a Danish-born architect originally from Copenhagen, and her paternal grandfather, Ejner Johansson, was a screenwriter and director. Her mother, Melanie Sloan, a producer, comes from an Ashkenazi Jewish family from the Bronx; Sloan's ancestors were Jewish immigrants from both Poland and Minsk in the Russian Empire. She has an older sister, Vanessa, also an actress; an older brother, Adrian; a twin brother, Hunter (who appeared with her in the film Manny & Lo) and an older half-brother, Christian, from her father's first marriage.

Johansson grew up in a household with "little money", and with a mother who was a "film buff". She and her twin brother attended P.S. 41 in the upper-middle-class Greenwich Village neighborhood, in Manhattan, for elementary school.  Johansson began her theatrical training by attending and graduating from Professional Children's School in Manhattan in 2002.

Personal life
Johansson celebrates a "little of both" Christmas and Hanukkah, and has described herself as Jewish.

Relationships
From 2001 to 2002, while Johansson attended the Professional Children's School, she dated classmate Jack Antonoff, who went on to become the guitarist for the band Fun. She dated her Black Dahlia co-star Josh Hartnett for about two years until the end of 2006, with Hartnett citing their busy lives as the reason for the split.

Johansson began dating Canadian actor Ryan Reynolds in 2007, and in May 2008 it was reported that they were engaged. On September 27, 2008, the couple married in a quiet ceremony near Tofino, British Columbia. hey purchased a $2.8 million home together near Los Angeles.  On December 14, 2010, the couple announced their separation. Their divorce was finalized on July 1, 2011.

Following her separation from Reynolds, Johansson dated actor Sean Penn in a short-lived, but highly publicized relationship that lasted until June 2011, after which Johansson entered a year-and-a-half long relationship with advertising executive Nate Naylor. The pair split up in October 2012.

In November 2012, Johansson started dating Frenchman Romain Dauriac, the owner of an independent advertising agency. In September 2013, it was announced that Johansson and Dauriac were engaged. In 2014, Johansson and Dauriac began dividing their time between residences in New York City and Paris, France. Her representative confirmed on September 4, 2014, that their daughter, Rose Dorothy, had been born at an unspecified date. Johansson and Dauriac married on October 1, 2014 in Philipsburg, Montana.

>> Complete Biography of Scarlett Johansson

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>> Biography of Will Smith

Willard Carroll "Will" Smith, Jr. (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has enjoyed success in television, film, and music. In April 2007, Newsweek called him the most powerful actor in Hollywood. Smith has been nominated for four Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards, and has won four Grammy Awards.

In the late 1980s, Smith achieved modest fame as a rapper under the name The Fresh Prince. In 1990, his popularity increased dramatically when he starred in the popular television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The show ran for nearly six years (1990–96) on NBC and has been syndicated consistently on various networks since then. In the mid-1990s, Smith moved from television to film, and ultimately starred in numerous blockbuster films. He is the only actor to have eight consecutive films gross over $100 million in the domestic box office, and 11 consecutive films gross over $150 million internationally and the only one to have eight consecutive films in which he starred open at the number one spot in the domestic box office tally.

Will Smith is ranked as the most bankable star worldwide by Forbes. As of 2014, 17 of the 21 films in which he has had leading roles have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over $100 million each, five taking in over $500 million each in global box office receipts. More so, as of 2014, his films have grossed $6.6 billion in global box office.

He has received Best Actor Oscar nominations for Ali and The Pursuit of Happyness.

Family and early life
Smith was born in West Philadelphia, the son of Caroline (Bright), a Philadelphia school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith, Sr., a refrigeration engineer. He grew up in West Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood, and was raised Baptist. He has three siblings, sister Pamela, who is four years older, and twins Harry and Ellen, who are three years younger. Smith attended Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic elementary school in Philadelphia. His parents separated when he was 13, but did not actually divorce until around 2000.

Smith attended Overbrook High School. Though widely reported, it is untrue that Smith turned down a scholarship to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); he never applied to the school, although he was admitted to a "pre-engineering program" there. According to Smith, "My mother, who worked for the School Board of Philadelphia, had a friend who was the admissions officer at MIT. I had pretty high SAT scores and they needed black kids, so I probably could have gotten in. But I had no intention of going to college."

Recording and acting career
Early work
Smith started as the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer,  as well as Ready Rock C (Clarence Holmes) as the human beat box. The trio was known for performing humorous, radio-friendly songs, most notably "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime". They gained critical acclaim and won the first Grammy awarded in the Rap category (1988).

Smith spent money freely around 1988 and 1989 and underpaid his income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income. Smith was nearly bankrupt in 1990, when the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him.

The show was successful and began his acting career. Smith set for himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world," studying box office successes' common characteristics.

Feature films
Smith's first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and the action film Bad Boys (1995) in which he starred opposite Martin Lawrence.

In 1996, Smith starred as part of an ensemble cast in Roland Emmerich's Independence Day. The film was a massive blockbuster, becoming the second highest grossing film in history at the time and establishing Smith as a prime box office draw. He later struck gold again in the summer of 1997 alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the summer hit Men in Black playing Agent J. In 1998, Smith starred with Gene Hackman in Enemy of the State.

He turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix in favor of Wild Wild West (1999). Despite the disappointment of Wild Wild West, Smith has said that he harbors no regrets about his decision, asserting that Keanu Reeves's performance as Neo was superior to what Smith himself would have achieved, although in interviews subsequent to the release of Wild Wild West he stated that he "made a mistake on Wild Wild West. That could have been better."


Smith in May 2012
In 2005, Smith was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for attending three premieres in a 24-hour time span.

He has planned to star in a feature film remake of the television series It Takes a Thief.

On December 10, 2007, Smith was honored at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard. Smith left an imprint of his hands and feet outside the world renowned theater in front of many fans. Later that month, Smith starred in the film I Am Legend, released December 14, 2007. Despite marginally positive reviews,  its opening was the largest ever for a film released in the United States during December. Smith himself has said that he considers the film to be "aggressively unique". A reviewer said that the film's commercial success "cemented [Smith's] standing as the number one box office draw in Hollywood." On December 1, 2008, TV Guide reported that Smith has been selected as one of America's top ten most fascinating people of 2008 for a Barbara Walters ABC special that aired on December 4, 2008.

Smith was reported in 2008 to be developing a film entitled The Last Pharaoh, in which he will star as Taharqa.

Men in Black III opened on May 25, 2012 with Smith again reprising his role as Agent J. This was his first major starring role in four years.

On August 19, 2011, it was announced that Smith had returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards to work on his fifth studio album. Edwards has worked with artists such as T.I., Chris Brown, and Game. Smith's most recent studio album, Lost and Found, was released in 2005.

Smith and his son Jaden played father and son in two productions: the 2006 biographical drama The Pursuit of Happyness, and the science fiction film After Earth, which was released on May 31, 2013.

Smith starred opposite Margot Robbie in the romance drama Focus. He played Nicky Spurgeon, a veteran con artist who takes a young, attractive woman under his wing. Focus was released on February 27, 2015. Smith was set to star in the sci-fi thriller Brilliance, an adaptation of Marcus Sakey's novel of the same name scripted by Jurassic Park writer David Koepp. But he left the project.

According to Variety, Smith is set to star in a football drama based on the GQ article "Game Brain" by Jeanne Marie Laskas. Smith would play Dr. Bennett Omalu of the Brain Injury Research Institute, a forensic neuropathologist who became the first person to discover Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a football player's brain. CTE is a degenerative disease caused by severe trauma to the head that can be discovered only after death. Smith's involvement is mostly due to his last-minute exit from the sci-fi thriller-drama Brilliance. Concussion will be directed by Peter Landesman and will be filmed in Pittsburgh, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. It will receive $14.4 million in film tax credits from Pennsylvania. Principal photography started on October 27. Actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw will play his wife. Omalu will serve as a consultant.

Nobel Peace Prize Concert December 11, 2009, in Oslo, Norway: Smith with wife Jada and children Jaden and Willow

Personal life
Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992. They had one son, Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III on November 11, 1992, and divorced in 1995. Trey appeared in his father's music video for the 1998 single "Just the Two of Us".

Smith married actress Jada Koren Pinkett in 1997. Together they have two children: Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born 1998), his co-star in The Pursuit of Happyness and After Earth, and Willow Camille Reign Smith (born 2000), who appeared as his daughter in I Am Legend. Smith and his brother Harry own Treyball Development Inc., a Beverly Hills-based company named after Trey. Smith and his family reside in Los Angeles, California.

Smith was consistently listed in Fortune Magazine's "Richest 40" list of the forty wealthiest Americans under the age of 40. He donated $4,600 to the 2008 presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama. On December 11, 2009, Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway to celebrate Obama's winning of the prize.

Religious beliefs
Smith was raised in a Baptist household and went to a Catholic school, but he no longer identifies himself as religious. Though he is not a Scientologist and has denied rumors claiming him as a member of the Church of Scientology, he has spoken favorably about it, saying "I just think a lot of the ideas in Scientology are brilliant and revolutionary and non-religious."

Smith gave $1.3 million to charities in 2007, of which $450,000 went to two Christian ministries, and $122,500 went to three Scientology organizations; the remaining beneficiaries included "a Los Angeles mosque, other Christian-based schools and churches, and...the Yitzhak Rabin Memorial Center in Israel." Smith and his wife have also founded a private elementary school in Calabasas, California, the New Village Leadership Academy. Federal tax filing showed that Will Smith donated $1.2 million to the school in 2010.


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>> Biography of Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise (born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV; July 3, 1962) is an American actor, filmmaker and scientologist. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and has won three Golden Globe Awards. He started his career at age 19 in the 1981 film Endless Love. After portraying supporting roles in Taps (1981) and The Outsiders (1983), his first leading role was in the romantic comedy Risky Business, released in August 1983. Cruise became a full-fledged movie star after starring as Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in the action drama Top Gun (1986). He has since 1996 been well known for his role as secret agent Ethan Hunt in the Mission: Impossible film series, which has a fifth film set for release in 2015.

One of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood, Cruise starred in several more successful films in the 1980s, including the dramas The Color of Money (1986), Cocktail (1988), Rain Man (1988), and Born on the Fourth of July (1989). In the 1990s, he starred in a number of hit films, including the romance Far and Away (1992), the drama A Few Good Men (1992), the legal thriller The Firm (1993), the romantic horror film Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994), the romantic comedy-drama sports film Jerry Maguire (1996), the erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut, directed by Stanley Kubrick, and the drama Magnolia (both 1999).

In the 2000s, Cruise starred in a number of successful films, including the science fiction thrillers Vanilla Sky (2001) and Minority Report (2002), the epic war film The Last Samurai (2003), the crime film Collateral (2004), in which he portrays a hitman, the science fiction disaster thriller film War of the Worlds (2005), the war drama Lions for Lambs (2007), the historical thriller Valkyrie (2008), the action comedy Knight and Day (2010), the thriller Jack Reacher (2012), the post-apocalyptic science fiction film Oblivion (2013), and the military science fiction film Edge of Tomorrow (2014). In 2012, Cruise was Hollywood's highest-paid actor. Fifteen of his films grossed over $100 million domestically; twenty-one have grossed in excess of $200 million worldwide.

He won Golden Globes for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in Drama in 1990 for Born on the Fourth of July; Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in Comedy/Musical in 1997 for Jerry Maguire; and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture in 2000 for Magnolia. In 2002, the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films named Cruise Best Actor for Vanilla Sky. In 2003, he won an AFI Movie of the Year Award for The Last Samurai and an Empire Award for Best Actor for Minority Report. Cruise is known for his support for the Church of Scientology and its affiliated social programs.

Early life
Cruise was born as Thomas Cruise Mapother IV in Syracuse, New York, the son of Mary Lee (née Pfeiffer), a special education teacher, and Thomas Cruise Mapother III (1934–84), an electrical engineer. Cruise has three sisters, Lee Anne, Marian, and Cass. Cruise's surname originates from his great-grandfather, born Thomas Cruise O'Mara, who was renamed "Thomas Cruise Mapother". Cruise is of Irish,  German, and English ancestry.[12] One of his paternal great-great-great-grandfathers, Patrick Russell Cruise, was born in north County Dublin, in 1799; he married Teresa Johnson in Warrenstown House, County Meath, in 1825. They left Ireland for America that same year and settled in New York.

He grew up in near poverty, and had a Catholic upbringing. The family was dominated by his abusive father, whom Cruise has described as "a merchant of chaos."

He was beaten by his father, who Cruise has said was a bully and coward.

He was the kind of person where, if something goes wrong, they kick you. It was a great lesson in my life—how he'd lull you in, make you feel safe and then, bang! For me, it was like, 'There's something wrong with this guy. Don't trust him. Be careful around him.'

Cruise's family spent part of his childhood in Canada. They moved to the Ottawa suburb of Beacon Hill in late 1971 so that Cruise's father could take a position as a defense consultant with the Canadian Armed Forces. There, Cruise attended the just opened Robert Hopkins Public School for much of grade four as well as grade five. In grade four, Cruise first became involved in drama, under the tutelage of George Steinburg. Cruise and six other boys put on an improvised play to music called IT at the Carleton Elementary School drama festival. Drama organizer Val Wright, who was in the audience that night, reflected that "the movement and improvisation were excellent. It was a classic ensemble piece." Cruise also enjoyed sports at the school including playing floor hockey, though he was known more for his aggression than his talent. For grade six Cruise went to Henry Munro Middle School. However, in the spring of that year Cruise's mother left his father, taking Cruise and his sisters back to the US. His father died of cancer.

He briefly attended a Franciscan seminary in Cincinnati on a church scholarship and aspired to become a Catholic priest. In his senior year, he played football for the varsity team as a linebacker, but he was cut from the squad after getting caught drinking beer before a game. In total, Cruise attended 15 schools in 14 years, including stints in at least two suburban New Jersey towns, including Glen Ridge.

Career
Acting
Cruise first appeared in a bit part in the 1981 film Endless Love, followed by a major supporting role as a crazed military academy student in Taps later that year. In 1983, Cruise was part of the ensemble cast of The Outsiders. That same year he appeared in All the Right Moves and Risky Business, which has been described as "A Generation X classic, and a career-maker for Tom Cruise", and which, along with 1986's Top Gun, cemented his status as a superstar. Cruise also played the male lead (Jack O' the Green) in Legend (released 1986).

Cruise followed up Top Gun with The Color of Money, which came out the same year, and which paired him with Paul Newman. 1988 saw him star in Cocktail, which earned him a nomination for the Razzie Award for Worst Actor. Later that year he starred with Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man, which won the Academy Award for Best Film and Cruise the Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. Cruise portrayed real-life paralyzed Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic in 1989's Born on the Fourth of July, which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama, the Chicago Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor, the People's Choice Award for Favorite Motion Picture Actor, a nomination for BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, and Cruise's first Best Actor Academy Award nomination.

Cruise's next films were Days of Thunder (1990) and Far and Away (1992), both of which co-starred then-wife Nicole Kidman as his love interest. In 1994, Cruise starred along with Brad Pitt, Antonio Banderas and Christian Slater in Neil Jordan's Interview with the Vampire, a gothic drama/horror film that was based on Anne Rice's best-selling novel. The film was well received, although Rice was initially quite outspoken in her criticism of Cruise having been cast in the film, as Julian Sands was her first choice. Upon seeing the film however, she paid $7,740 for a two-page ad in Daily Variety praising his performance and apologizing for her previous doubts about him.

In 1996, Cruise appeared as superspy Ethan Hunt in the reboot of Mission: Impossible, which he produced. It was a box office success, although it received criticism regarding the Jim Phelps character being a villain despite being a protagonist of the original television series. In 1996, he took on the title role in Jerry Maguire, for which he earned a Golden Globe and his second nomination for an Academy Award. In 1999, Cruise costarred with Kidman in the erotic Stanley Kubrick film Eyes Wide Shut, and took a rare supporting role as a motivational speaker Frank T.J. Mackey in Magnolia, for which he received another Golden Globe and nomination for an Academy Award.


Cruise in March 2006
In 2000, Cruise returned as Ethan Hunt in the second installment of the Mission Impossible films, releasing Mission: Impossible II. The film was directed by Hong Kong director John Woo and branded with his gun fu style, and it continued the series' blockbuster success at the box office, taking in almost $547M in worldwide figures, like its predecessor, being the third highest grossing film of the year, despite being a success it along with its predecessor received a mixed reception. Cruise received an MTV Movie Award as Best Male Performance for this film. His next five films were major critical and commercial successes. The following year Cruise starred in the romantic thriller Vanilla Sky (2001) with Cameron Diaz and Penélope Cruz. In 2002, Cruise starred in the dystopian science fiction thriller, Minority Report which was directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the science fiction short story by Philip K. Dick.

In 2003, he starred in the Edward Zwick's historical drama The Last Samurai, for which he received a Golden Globe nomination as best actor. In 2005, Cruise worked again with Steven Spielberg in War of the Worlds, a loose adaptation of the H. G. Wells novel of the same name, which became the fourth highest grossing film of the year with US$591.4 million worldwide. Also in 2005, he won the People's Choice Award for Favorite Male Movie Star, and the MTV Generation Award. Cruise was nominated for seven Saturn Awards between 2002 and 2009, winning once. Nine of the ten films he starred in during the decade made over $100 million at the box office.

In 2006, he returned to his role as Ethan Hunt in the third installment of the Mission Impossible film series, Mission: Impossible III. The film was more positively received by critics than the previous films in the series, it grossed nearly $400 million at the box office. In 2007, Cruise took a rare supporting role for the second time in Lions for Lambs, which was a commercial disappointment. This was followed by an unrecognizable appearance as "Les Grossman" in the 2008 comedy Tropic Thunder with Ben Stiller, Jack Black, and Robert Downey, Jr. This performance earned Cruise a Golden Globe nomination. Cruise played the central role in the historical thriller Valkyrie released on December 25, 2008 to box office success.

In March 2010, Cruise completed filming the action-comedy Knight and Day, in which he re-teamed with former costar Cameron Diaz; the film was released on June 23, 2010. On February 9, 2010, Cruise confirmed that he would star in Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, the fourth installment in the Mission:Impossible series. The film was released in December 2011 to high critical acclaim and box office success. Unadjusted for ticket price inflation, it is Cruise's biggest commercial success to date.

On May 6, 2011, Cruise was awarded a humanitarian award from the Simon Wiesenthal Centre and Museum of Tolerance for his work as a dedicated philanthropist. In mid-2011, Cruise started shooting the movie Rock of Ages, in which he played the character Stacee Jaxx. The film was released in June 2012.

Cruise starred as Jack Reacher, an adaptation of British author Lee Child's 2005 novel One Shot. The film was released on December 21, 2012. It met with positive reviews from critics and was a box office success grossing $216,568,266 worldwide. In 2013, he starred in the science fiction film Oblivion based on director Joseph Kosinski graphic novel of the same name. The film met with mixed reviews and grossed $285,600,588 worldwide. It also starred Morgan Freeman and Olga Kurylenko.

As of 2014 Cruise's films have grossed about $7.9 billion worldwide. ]

Cruise is set to return as Ethan Hunt and produce the fifth installment of the Mission: Impossible series., along with Simon Pegg as Benji and Jeremy Renner as William Brandt, which will be directed by his frequent collaborator Christopher McQuarrie.

Producing
Cruise partnered with his former talent agent Paula Wagner to form Cruise/Wagner Productions in 1993, and the company has since co-produced several of Cruise's films, the first being Mission: Impossible in 1996 which was also Cruise's first project as a producer.

Cruise is noted as having negotiated some of the most lucrative film deals in Hollywood, and was described in 2005 by Hollywood economist Edward Jay Epstein as "one of the most powerful – and richest – forces in Hollywood." Epstein argues that Cruise is one of the few producers (the others being George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Jerry Bruckheimer) who are regarded as able to guarantee the success of a billion-dollar film franchise. Epstein also contends that the public obsession with Cruise's tabloid controversies obscures full appreciation of Cruise's exceptional commercial prowess.

Cruise/Wagner Productions, Cruise's film production company, is said to be developing a screenplay based on Erik Larson's New York Times bestseller, The Devil in the White City about a real life serial killer, H. H. Holmes, at Chicago's World's Columbian Exposition. Kathryn Bigelow is attached to the project to produce and helm. Meanwhile, Leonardo DiCaprio's production company, Appian Way, is also developing a film about Holmes and the World's Fair, in which DiCaprio will star.

With Katie Holmes in May 2009

Relationships
Cruise has been married three times and has three children (two adopted and one biological).

Cruise had a relationship with Risky Business co-star Rebecca De Mornay from 1983 to 1985. Singer and actress Cher says that she dated Cruise in 1985.

Cruise married actress Mimi Rogers on May 9, 1987. The marriage lasted two years, and their divorce was finalized on February 4, 1990. Rogers introduced Cruise to Scientology.

Cruise met his second wife, actress Nicole Kidman, on the set of their film Days of Thunder in 1989. The couple married on December 24, 1990. Cruise and Kidman adopted two children, Isabella and Connor Antony. In February 2001 Cruise filed for divorce from Kidman while she was unknowingly pregnant. The pregnancy ended with a miscarriage. In 2007 Kidman clarified rumours of a miscarriage early in her marriage to Cruise, saying in an interview, "It was wrongly reported," and explaining that she had actually had an ectopic pregnancy. Before her next marriage, to Keith Urban, Kidman spoke of how much she still loved Cruise, saying in 2006: "He was huge; still is. To me, he was just Tom, but to everybody else, he is huge. But he was lovely to me. And I loved him. I still love him."

Cruise was next romantically linked with Penélope Cruz, his co-star in Vanilla Sky. The relationship ended in 2004. An article in the October 2012 issue of Vanity Fair states that several sources have said that after the breakup with Cruz, the Church of Scientology launched a secret project to find Cruise a new girlfriend. According to those sources, a series of "auditions" of Scientologist actresses resulted in a short-lived relationship with British-Iranian actress Nazanin Boniadi, who subsequently left Scientology. The Church and Cruise's lawyers issued strongly worded denials and threatened to sue, accusing Vanity Fair of "shoddy journalism" and "religious bigotry." Journalist Roger Friedman later reported that he received an email from director and ex-Scientologist Paul Haggis confirming the story.

In April 2005, Cruise began dating actress Katie Holmes. On April 27 that year, Cruise and Holmes – dubbed "TomKat" by the media – made their first public appearance together in Rome. A month later, Cruise declared his love for Holmes on The Oprah Winfrey Show, famously jumping up and down on Winfrey's couch during the show. On October 6, 2005, Cruise and Holmes announced they were expecting a child; their daughter, Suri, was born in 2006. On November 18, 2006, Holmes and Cruise were married at the 15th-century Odescalchi Castle in Bracciano, Italy, in a Scientology ceremony attended by many Hollywood stars. The actors' publicist said the couple had "officialized" their marriage in Los Angeles the day before the Italian ceremony.[68] There has been widespread speculation that the marriage was arranged by the Church of Scientology. David Miscavige, the head of the Church of Scientology, served as Cruise's best man. On June 29, 2012, it was announced that Holmes had filed for divorce from Cruise after five and a half years of marriage. On July 9, 2012, it was announced that the couple had signed a divorce settlement worked out by their lawyers. Because New York law requires that all divorce documents remain sealed, the exact terms of the settlement are not publicly available.

Cruise is also the first cousin of actor William Mapother, with whom he has appeared in five films.

Scientology
Cruise is an outspoken advocate for the Church of Scientology and its associated social programs. He became involved with Scientology in 1990 through his first wife, Mimi Rogers. Cruise struggled with dyslexia at an early age and has said that Scientology, specifically the L. Ron Hubbard Study Tech, helped him overcome dyslexia. In addition to promoting various programs that introduce people to Scientology, Cruise has campaigned for Scientology to be recognized as a religion in Europe. In 2005, the Paris city council revealed that Cruise had lobbied officials Nicolas Sarkozy and Jean-Claude Gaudin, described him as a spokesman and militant for Scientology, and barred any further dealings with him. Cruise co-founded and raised donations for Downtown Medical to offer New York City 9/11 rescue workers detoxification therapy based on the works of L. Ron Hubbard. This drew criticism from the medical profession as well as firefighters. For these activities and others, Scientology leader, David Miscavige, created the Scientology Freedom Medal of Valor and awarded it to Cruise in late 2004.

In January 2004, Cruise made the controversial statement "I think psychiatry should be outlawed." Further controversy erupted in 2005 after he openly criticized actress Brooke Shields for using the drug Paxil (paroxetine), an anti-depressant to which Shields attributes her recovery from postpartum depression after the birth of her first daughter in 2003. Cruise asserted that there is no such thing as a chemical imbalance, and that psychiatry is a form of pseudoscience. Shields responded that Cruise "should stick to saving the world from aliens and let women who are experiencing postpartum depression decide what treatment options are best for them." This led to a heated argument between Matt Lauer and Cruise on NBC's Today on June 24, 2005. Medical authorities view Cruise's comments as furthering the social stigma of mental illness. Shields herself called Cruise's comments "a disservice to mothers everywhere." In late August 2006, Cruise apologized in person to Shields for his comments.[90] Scientology is well known for its opposition to mainstream psychiatry and the psychoactive drugs which are routinely prescribed.

On January 15, 2008, a video produced by the Church of Scientology featuring an interview with Cruise was posted on YouTube, showing Cruise discussing what being a Scientologist means to him. The Church of Scientology said the video had been "pirated and edited", and was taken from a three-hour video produced for members of Scientology. YouTube removed the Cruise video from their site under threat of litigation. After YouTube investigated this claim, they found that the video did not breach copyright law, as it is covered by the fair use clause. It was subsequently reinstated back on the site, and as of January 2014, the video has achieved 9 million views. YouTube has declined to remove it again, due to the popularity of the video, and subsequent changes to copyright policy of the website.

In March 2004, his publicist of 14 years, Pat Kingsley, resigned. Cruise replaced her with his sister, fellow Scientologist Lee Anne DeVette, who served in that role until November 2005. DeVette was replaced with Paul Bloch from the publicity firm Rogers and Cowan. Such restructuring is seen as a move to curtail publicity of his views on Scientology, as well as the controversy surrounding his relationship with Katie Holmes.

In 2013, Cruise admitted that ex-wife Katie Holmes divorced him in part to protect the couple's daughter Suri from Scientology. He also admitted that Suri is no longer a practicing member of the church.

Cruise and Katie Holmes interacting with fans in March 2006

Popularity
In 1990, 1991 and 1997, People magazine rated him among the 50 most beautiful people in the world. In 1995, Empire magazine ranked him among the 100 sexiest stars in film history. Two years later, it ranked him among the top 5 film stars of all time. In 2002 and 2003, he was rated by Premiere among the top 20 in its annual Power 100 list.

In 2006, Premiere ranked Cruise as Hollywood's most powerful actor, as Cruise came in at number 13 on the magazine's 2006 Power List, being the highest ranked actor. The same year, Forbes magazine ranked him as the world's most powerful celebrity.

In August 2006, Paramount cited Cruise's "recent conduct" as the reason they did not renew their production contract with him. In addition, Marketing Evaluations reported that Cruise's Q score (a measure of the popularity of celebrities), had fallen 40 percent.

October 10, 2006 was declared "Tom Cruise Day" in Japan; the Japan Memorial Day Association said that he was awarded with a special day because he has made more trips to Japan than any other Hollywood star.

Reference Wikipedia

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>> Biography of Shakira

Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( born February 2, 1977), is a Colombian singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, choreographer, and model. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she began performing in school, demonstrating Latin, Arabic, and rock and roll influences and belly dancing abilities. Shakira released her first studio albums, Magia and Peligro, in the early 1990s, failing to attain commercial success; however, she rose to prominence in Latin America with her major-label debut, Pies Descalzos (1996), and her fourth album, Dónde Están los Ladrones? (1998).

Shakira entered the English-language market with her fifth album, Laundry Service. Its lead single, "Whenever, Wherever", became the best-selling single of 2002. Her success was solidified with her sixth and seventh albums Fijación Oral, Vol. 1 and Oral Fixation, Vol. 2 (2005), the latter of which spawned the best-selling song of the 21st century, "Hips Don't Lie". Shakira's eighth and ninth albums, She Wolf (2009) and Sale el Sol (2010), received critical praise but suffered from limited promotion due to her strained relationship with label Epic Records. Her official song for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)", became the biggest-selling World Cup song of all time. With over 813 million views, its music video is the ninth most-watched video on YouTube. Since 2013, Shakira has served as a coach on the American version of The Voice, having appeared in two of its seven seasons—fourth and sixth. Her tenth album, Shakira (2014), is preceded by its lead single, "Can't Remember to Forget You".

Shakira has won many awards, including five MTV Video Music Awards, two Grammy Awards, eight Latin Grammy Awards, seven Billboard Music Awards, 28 Billboard Latin Music Awards and has been Golden Globe-nominated. She has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and sold more than 60 million records worldwide, making the third best selling Latin artist of all time. She carries out well-known philanthropic activities through charity work and benefit concerts, notably her Pies Descalzos Foundation, her performance at the "Clinton Global Initiative" created by former U.S. President Bill Clinton, and her invitation to the Oval Office by President Barack Obama in February 2010 to discuss early childhood development. As of 2014, she is listed as the 58th most powerful woman in the world by Forbes. As of July 2014, Shakira has become the first person to reach 100 million followers on Facebook.

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>> Biography of Selena Gomez

Selena Marie Gomez (born July 22, 1992) is an American actress and singer. Born and raised in Grand Prairie, Texas, she was first featured on the children's series Barney & Friends in the early 2000s. In 2007, Gomez came to prominence after being cast in the Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place. She portrayed the starring character Alex Russo until its conclusion in 2012. She formed her band Selena Gomez & the Scene after signing a recording contract with Hollywood Records in 2008; they released the studio albums Kiss & Tell (2009), A Year Without Rain (2010), and When the Sun Goes Down (2011) before beginning a hiatus in 2012.

Gomez entered the film industry with star billings in feature films including Ramona and Beezus (2010), Monte Carlo (2011), and Hotel Transylvania (2012). She embraced an increasingly mature public image with her star billing in the controversial film Spring Breakers (2013) and her debut solo studio album Stars Dance (2013). The latter project debuted at number one on the U.S. Billboard 200 and spawned the Billboard Hot 100 top-ten single "Come & Get It". Gomez was released from her recording contract with Hollywood Records following the completion of her greatest hits album For You (2014). She subsequently signed with Interscope Records to continue work on her second studio album.

Beyond entertainment, Gomez has ventured into other endeavors. She has worked with numerous organizations for charitable causes, and has most notably worked with UNICEF for several years. She formed her own production company, July Moon Productions, in 2008. In Fall of 2010, Gomez launched her clothing line "Dream Out Loud" through Kmart; the brand features all material that was made from eco-friendly or recycled material. In 2011, she released a self-titled perfume. Since beginning her music career, Gomez has sold an estimated 2.8 million albums and 18.1 million singles.

1992–2005: Early life and career beginnings
Selena Marie Gomez was born in Grand Prairie, Texas on July 22, 1992, o Ricardo Joel Gomez and former stage actress Amanda Dawn "Mandy" Cornett. Gomez was named after Tejano singer Selena. Her father is of Mexican descent while her mother, who was adopted, has some Italian ancestry. Regarding her Hispanic heritage, Gomez has stated, "My family does have Quinceañeras, and we go to the communion church. We do everything that's Catholic, but we don't really have anything traditional except [that we] go to the park and have barbecues on Sundays after church." Gomez's parents divorced when she was only five, with Gomez staying with her mother. Gomez has two siblings. Her sister, Gracie Elliot Teefey, was born to Amanda and her second husband Brian Teefey on June 12, 2013. Gomez has a second sister, Victoria Gomez, born to Ricardo and his wife Sara on June 25, 2014. She earned a high school diploma through homeschooling in May 2010

When Gomez was born, her mother was sixteen years old. The family had financial troubles during Gomez's childhood, with her mother struggling to provide for the pair. At one point, Gomez recalled the pair had to search for quarters just to get gas for their car. Her mother later recalled the two would frequently walk to their local dollar store to purchase spaghetti for dinner, though got by. Gomez stated "I was frustrated that my parents weren't together, and never saw the light at the end of the tunnel where my mom was working hard to provide a better life for me. I'm terrified of what I would have become if I'd stayed [in Texas]." She later added "I remember having a lot of macaroni and cheese but my mom never made it seem like it was a big deal. She was really strong around me. Having me at 16 had to have been a big responsibility. My mom gave up everything for me, had three jobs, supported me sacrificed her life for me." Gomez had a close relationship with her grandparents as a child, and appeared in various pageants growing up. Her grandparents often took care of Selena while her parents finished their schooling, and the pair went as far as stating that they "raised her" up until she found success in the entertainment industry.

She first gained an interest in pursuing a career in the entertainment industry watching her mother prepare for stage productions. She began auditioning for various roles, meeting Demi Lovato during an audition for Barney and Friends. Both girls were later selected to appear on the series in 2002, with Gomez portraying the character Gianna. The show was her first experience in acting, with Gomez recalling "I was very shy when I was little...I didn't know what 'camera right' was. I didn't know what blocking was. I learned everything from Barney." Gomez appeared in fourteen episodes of the show throughout 2002 to 2004, though was let go by the show's producers as she was getting "too old" for the series. While working on the series, Gomez had a cameo role in the film Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) and the made-for-television film Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005).

2006–08: Breakthrough with Wizards of Waverly Place
With experience now under her belt, Gomez auditioned for roles under the Disney channel company along with Lovato. Gomez made a guest appearance in a 2006 episode of the Disney series The Suite Life of Zack & Cody. The following year, Gomez was given a recurring role on the Disney series Hannah Montana; she made three appearances on the series spanning two seasons. During this time, Gomez filmed pilot episodes for two potential Disney Channel series; the first, titled Arwin!, was a spin-off to the Suite Life series, while the second was a spin-off to the series Lizzie McGuire. She later auditioned for a role in the Disney series Wizards of Waverly Place, ultimately landing the lead role of Alex Russo. Upon receiving the role, Gomez and her mother moved to Hollywood; Lovato and her family also moved with the pair, hoping to achieve similar success to Gomez. Wizards of Waverly Place saw Gomez portraying a teenage girl in a family of wizards who own a restaurant in New York. The series quickly became a hit for the network, propelling Gomez to more mainstream success. The series received numerous awards and nominations.  Gomez recorded the theme song for the series, titled "Everything is Not What It Seems".

With Gomez achieving mainstream success, the media began to compare her to fellow Disney star Miley Cyrus; both had a hit series on the network. Various bloggers and sites began to depict the two as rivals, with rumors of a feud between the two continuing for multiple years. Despite this, both parties denied that there was any drama between the two. Following Demi Lovato's rise to fame through the Disney channel shortly afterwards, the three became referred to as the "Disney girls" and their careers were frequently compared to one another. Forbes magazine later listed Gomez as one of the "Eight Hot Kid Stars to Watch" in 2008. Further attention was drawn to Gomez when it was reported that she was in a relationship with fellow Disney star Nick Jonas. Gomez later appeared in the music video for the song "Burnin' Up" by the Jonas Brothers. This further fueled rumors of a feud between Gomez and Cyrus, as Nick and Cyrus had previously been a couple. She later appeared in an episode of the reality series Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream.

While working on the second season of Wizards of Waverly Place, Gomez appeared on the Disney channel special Studio DC: Almost Live alongside various other Disney stars. She contributed a cover of the song "Cruella de Vil" to the compilation album DisneyMania 6, and later recorded the original song "Fly to Your Heart" for the soundtrack of the animated film Tinker Bell. She had a leading role in the musical film Another Cinderella Story that same year, portraying an aspiring dancer. The film was released to generally positive reviews, and won the 2010 Writers Guild of America Award for Children's script-long form or special. Gomez recorded three songs for the soundtrack, and released the song "Tell Me Something I Don't Know" as a promotional single. Later that year, Gomez had the supporting role of Helga in the animated film Horton Hears a Who!. The film was a commercial success, and went on to gross nearly three hundred million dollars worldwide. She was signed a recording contract with Hollywood Records, who had already signed both Cyrus and Lovato.

Gomez launched her own production company, July Moon Productions. She partnered with XYZ Films for the project, giving Gomez the opportunity to option articles, hire writers and create talent packages to shop to studios. Gomez was slated to release two films under the company. The first, known as What Boys Want, saw Gomez portray a girl who could hear the thought of men. She later announced the film Thirteen Reasons Why, which saw Gomez portray a young girl who commits suicide; ultimately, neither film was released.

Gomez attending the sixth annual "Hollywood Style Awards" (2009)

2009–11: Selena Gomez & the Scene and film career
Gomez continued to have mainstream success throughout the following year, appearing as Alex Russo in a crossover episode of the Disney series The Suite Life on Deck. She later made a guest appearance on the Disney series Sonny With a Chance, starring Lovato. She appeared in a remix of the Forever the Sickest Kids' single "Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone)", released as a single in April of that year. The song peaked at number 78 on the Pop 100 chart in the United States. Gomez, along with Lovato, starred in the Disney Channel film Princess Protection Program, which aired in June 2009. The film was a critical success, and had a total of 8.5 million viewers during its premiere. For the film, Gomez and Lovato recorded the song "One and the Same", which was later released as a promotional single. She later provided the voice of Princess Selenia in the animated film Arthur and the Revenge of Maltazard. On August 28, 2009, Gomez starred in Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie, a television film based on the series. The film premiered to an audience of 11.4 million viewers becoming cable's No. 1 scripted telecast of 2009 and Disney Channel's second most-viewed film premiere after High School Musical 2. The film won the series its second consecutive Emmy for "Outstanding Children's Program" at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards.


Gomez attending the sixth annual "Hollywood Style Awards" (2009)
Hoping to achieve a successful crossover into music, Gomez formed the pop-rock band Selena Gomez & the Scene through her record deal with Hollywood Records. The group released their debut studio album in August 2009 which went on to receive a Gold certification from the RIAA. It spawned the widely successful single "Naturally", which helped Gomez achieve mainstream music success. During this time, Gomez and Jonas ended their romantic relationship. She was later linked to actor Taylor Lautner for several months, though the two split. Following her split with Lautner, Gomez rekindled her relationship with Jonas; the two split again months later. Gomez was part of Sears' back-to-school fashion ad campaign. As part of the campaign Gomez was featured in the television commercials. In August 2009, Gomez also hosted the "Sears Arrive Air Band Casting Call" – to select five people for the first-ever "Sears Air Band", which performed at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Gomez was a spokesperson for Borden Milk, and was featured in the campaign's print and television ads. She was also a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance and appeared in numerous television commercials, which air on the Disney Channel, to raise awareness of being a safe driver.

In 2009, Gomez signed on to star as one of the two female leads in Ramona and Beezus, a film adaption of the children's novel series by Beverly Cleary. Gomez stated that she felt no pressure in taking more adult roles, saying "I think I'm fully aware of my audience and I'm still just a kid myself. I wouldn't do a role I don't feel comfortable doing or that my audience wouldn't feel comfortable seeing." The film premiered on July 23, 2010 and was met with generally positive reviews. Gomez's band released their second studio album that same year, achieving further success and becoming their second album to be certified by the RIAA.

After having previously announced plans to launch a fashion line, Gomez launched "Dream out Loud by Selena Gomez" in 2010. The collection consisted of and featured bohemian dresses, floral tops, jeans, skirts, jackets, scarves and hats, all made from recycled or eco-friendly materials. Gomez said that the line reflected her own personal style and described the clothing as being "pretty, feminine, and bohemian". She was later quoted as saying, "With my line, I really want to give the customer options on how they can put their own looks together....I want the pieces that can be easy to dress up or down, and the fabrics being eco-friendly and organic is super important....Also, the tags will all have some of my inspirational quotes on them. I'm just looking to send a good message." Gomez teamed up with designers Tony Melillo and Sandra Campos, both who have worked with big-name fashion houses. Gomez said of the partnering, "When I met Tony and Sandra, I was instantly comfortable with them and now they are just like family to me ... They are so creative and I love how I can just call them up whenever and talk to them about everything, even if it's just about changing a button ... They've been so cool about everything." The brand was manufactured by, Melillo and Campos teamed with New York-based Adjmi Apparel and formed by Adjmi CH Brands LLC, the holding company for the brand.

On February 27, 2011, Gomez attended the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party with Canadian singer Justin Bieber, confirming several months of media speculation about a romantic relationship between the pair. The couple quickly gained much media attention, and were labeled "Jelena" by online sites. Gomez appeared in the film Monte Carlo that same year, starring as a girl who's "mistaken for a socialite while on a trip to Paris." To prepare for the role, Gomez learned how to play polo and also took two weeks of vocal training to learn two different British accents. Gomez appeared in a cameo role for the film The Muppets, and appeared in the Disney series' So Random! and PrankStars. Selena Gomez & the Scene released their third and final studio album that same year, with the album's second single receiving a 4x Platinum certification from the RIAA. It was announced on July 14, 2011, that Gomez had signed a license agreement with Adrenalina, an extreme sports and adventure-themed lifestyle brand, to develop, manufacture, and distribute the actress' fragrance. Chairman and C.E.O. of Adrenalina, Ilia Lekach, said, "We are incredibly enthused to be working with Ms. Gomez and will reveal more details pertaining to the fragrance as we get closer to the launch date." Gomez later released the self-titled perfume.

Gomez performing during the Stars Dance Tour (2013)

2012–2014: Stars Dance, new record label and For You
Gomez confirmed in January 2012 that she would be taking a musical hiatus, opting rather to focus on her acting career. That year, Wizards of Waverly Place officially ended its run on the Disney channel after four successful seasons. She appeared in Hotel Transylvania, an animated film, voicing the character of Mavis, alongside Adam Sandler and Steve Buscemi. The film premiered at the 37th annual Toronto International Film Festival and was released on September 21, 2012. Gomez had a role in the controversial Harmony Korine film Spring Breakers, alongside James Franco. The film saw Gomez in a more mature role than her previous works, and reportedly led to Gomez having a "bit of a meltdown on set". In early November 2012, it was widely reported that Gomez and Bieber had ended their relationship after approximately two years together. They reconciled later that month.

Despite her earlier statements that she would be focusing on her acting career, Gomez confirmed that she was working on her debut solo studio album. The album's lead single, "Come & Get It", went on to become Gomez's biggest hit to date. It became her first top ten hit in the United States, and her most successful song on pop radio. Her debut album, Stars Dance, was released on July 23, 2013. It became her first album to top the Billboard 200, and gave Gomez the highest first week sales of her career. The album's second single, "Slow Down", failed to match the success of its predecessor. Gomez embarked on her Stars Dance Tour throughout 2013, which went on to have several sold out dates and become a financial success. Gomez filmed a cameo appearance in the film Aftershock, and had a role in the film Getaway. She also starred in the Disney channel special The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex that year. Gomez initially stated she hoped to take a second musical hiatus following the tour, though she later opted to focus on both music and acting.

Gomez canceled the Australian and Asian leg of her Stars Dance Tour in December 2013, stating that she would be taking a hiatus to spend time with her family. The following month, Gomez spent two weeks at Dawn at The Meadows, a treatment center in Wickenburg, Arizona that specializes in treating addiction and trauma in young people. Her representative stated that she had spent time there "voluntarily...but not for substance abuse." It was later speculated that her on-again-off-again relationship with Bieber had led to her stint in rehab. In April of that year, it was confirmed that Gomez had fired her mother and stepfather as her managers; the two had managed Gomez since her career began.[citation needed] It was confirmed that the decision was purely business based and that there was no strain in their relationship. It was also confirmed that the decision had nothing to do with Gomez's mother's disapproval of her relationship with Bieber. Gomez later signed with the WME and Brillstein companies to manage her career. The news of Gomez's new management also fueled rumors that her recording contract with Hollywood Records was ending, and that Gomez was searching for a new label. It was confirmed in September that Gomez had signed a new contract with Interscope and had begun working on her second studio album. Gomez released a compilation album, For You, to finalize her deal with Hollywood Records.

2015–present: Upcoming second studio album
Gomez starred in the film adaption of the Ric Browde novel While I'm Dead... Feed the Dog opposite Dylan McDermott and Nat Wolff. Titled Behaving Badly, the film received a negative critical and commercial reception. She later appeared in the film Rudderless, the directorial debut of William H. Macy. Gomez recorded a song for the soundtrack of the film, and received praise from the film's director. The independent film received a mixed reception from critics.

She is currently working with Zedd, Dreamlab and the LA-based producer Ruffian on her second studio album.

Artistry
Gomez names Bruno Mars as her major musical influence and idol, saying she is influenced in everything he does from "his style of music, his style in general, the way he performs, the way he carries himself." Gomez also cites Beyoncé and Rihanna as influences. Gomez's debut solo album Stars Dance (2013) was prominently influenced by singers Britney Spears, Taylor Swift and Skrillex. She has a net worth of $18 million.

Philanthropy
Gomez was involved in the UR Votes Count campaign which encouraged teenagers to learn more about 2008 presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain. In October 2008, Gomez participated in St. Jude's Children's Hospital "Runway For Life" benefit. That same month, Gomez was named UNICEF's spokesperson for the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign, which encouraged children to raise money on Halloween to help children around the world. She said that she was "extremely excited" to "encourage other kids to make a difference in the world." In August 2009, a 17-year-old Gomez became the youngest UNICEF ambassador ever, passing fellow songstress Hayley Westenra, who was 18 when she was chosen. In her first official field mission, Gomez traveled to Ghana on September 4, 2009 for a week to witness first-hand the stark conditions of vulnerable children that lack vital necessities including clean water, nourishment, education and healthcare. Gomez explained during an interview with Associated Press that she wanted to use her star power to bring awareness to Ghana: "That's why I feel very honored to have a voice that kids listen to and take into consideration... I had people on my tour asking me where IS Ghana, and they Googled it...and because I went there, they now know where Ghana is. So it's pretty incredible." Gomez said of her role as ambassador that: "Every day 25,000 children die from preventable causes. I stand with UNICEF in the belief that we can change that number from 25,000 to zero. I know we can achieve this because every moment, UNICEF is on the ground providing children with the lifesaving assistance needed to ensure zero becomes a reality."

She is the ambassador of DoSomething.org after being involved with the charity Island Dog, which helps dogs in Puerto Rico. She got involved while filming Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie in Puerto Rico. Gomez is also involved with the charity RAISE Hope For Congo, an initiative of the Enough Project, which helps raise awareness about conflict minerals and violence against Congolese women. Gomez was named spokesperson for UNICEF's 2009 Trick-or-Treat campaign, for the second year in a row. Gomez, who raised over $700,000 for the charity in 2008, stated that she hopes to be able to raise 1 million dollars in 2009. Gomez participated in a celebrity auction and hosted a live web cast series on Facebook in support of the Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign. From 2009 to 2012, Gomez was involved in Disney's Friends for Change, an organization which promotes "environmentally-friendly behavior", and appeared in its public service announcements. Gomez, Demi Lovato, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers recorded "Send It On", a charity single with all of its proceeds to the Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 20. Also in 2009, Gomez made a surprise visit to a Los Angeles elementary school as part of the "A Day Made Better" program that was sponsored by OfficeMax. During her visit, Gomez gave the school an award and $1,000 worth of school supplies, and talked to students about the importance of giving back to the community. On January 22, 2010, Gomez participated in the Hope for Haiti Now Telethon with a number of other celebrities.

Gomez returned as the UNICEF spokesperson for the 60th anniversary of Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign in 2010. In celebration of the 60th anniversary, Gomez and her band, The Scene, held a benefit concert donating all proceeds to the campaign. In February 2011, Gomez traveled to Chile to witness and meet with the families of UNICEF's supported program, "Programa Puente" which helps families better understand and develops skills to deal effectively with early childhood education, development and other issues related to raising children. From her field trip experience, Gomez said "UNICEF is helping Chilean families get out of poverty, prevent violence within the home and promote education. To witness first hand these families' struggles, and also their hope and perseverance, was truly inspiring." In March 2011, Gomez participated in the UNICEF Tap Project's "Celebrity Tap Pack" limited-edition, custom-made water bottles featuring tap water from the homes of each celebrity advocate, in order to raise funds and increase profile for the clean water and sanitation programs. She is also featured in videos promoting the campaign. In April 2012, Gomez was named ambassador to the Ryan Seacrest Foundation. It was announced on July 30, 2012, that Gomez would partner with Case-Mate as part of its upcoming "Right Case, Right Occasion" marketing campaign. She will be teaming up with Fergie and Common to create fashionable custom phone cases for a good cause.

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>> Biography of Rihanna

Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born February 20, 1988), known by her stage name Rihanna, is a Barbadian singer, actress, and fashion designer. Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, her career began upon meeting record producer Evan Rogers in late 2003 through mutual friends; she recorded demo tapes with his guidance. Her tape was sent to several record labels, and she subsequently signed a contract with Def Jam Recordings after auditioning for its then-president, hip-hop producer and rapper Jay-Z. Both her debut album, Music of the Sun (2005) and its follow-up A Girl Like Me (2006) peaked in the top ten on the US Billboard 200; the former featured the commercially successful song "Pon de Replay" while the latter produced her first Billboard Hot 100 number-one single, "SOS".

She rose to widespread prominence and became a household name with the release of her third studio album, Good Girl Gone Bad (2007), and its chart-topping lead single "Umbrella." The album and its 2008 Reloaded re-release were nominated for nine Grammy Awards, winning Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Umbrella". From 2009 to 2012, following a highly publicized altercation with then-boyfriend, entertainer Chris Brown, she annually released four Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) platinum certified albums: Rated R (2009), Loud (2010), Talk That Talk (2011), and her first Billboard 200 number one album Unapologetic (2012). The same year, she appeared in her first theatrical feature film, Battleship.

Rihanna has sold over 150 million records worldwide, making her one of the best-selling artists of all time.[5] Many of her songs rank among the world's best-selling singles of all time, such as "Umbrella", "Take a Bow", "Disturbia", "Only Girl (In the World)", "S&M", "We Found Love", "Diamonds" and "Stay". In addition to her solo work, Rihanna has collaborated with other artists and was featured on the worldwide hits "Can't Remember to Forget You" (with Shakira), "Live Your Life" (with T.I.), "Run This Town" (with Jay-Z and Kanye West), "Love the Way You Lie" and "The Monster" (both with Eminem). She has achieved thirteen number-one singles on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the youngest and fastest solo artist to accomplish this record. Billboard named her the Digital Songs Artist of the 2000s decade and the top Hot 100 artist of the 2010s decade.

Rihanna is known for frequently reinventing her style and image, most notably since Good Girl Gone Bad. Her work has earned her numerous awards and accolades, including eight Grammy Awards, eight American Music Awards, 23 Billboard Music Awards, and two BRIT Awards. In 2012, Forbes ranked her the fourth most powerful celebrity of the year, with earnings of $53 million between May 2011 and May 2012. The same year, TIME named Rihanna one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. At the American Music Awards of 2013, she received the first ever Icon Award. On June 2, 2014, Rihanna received the Fashion Icon lifetime achievement award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA).

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