Abigail Breslin Biography and Profile

Abigail Breslin Profile
Name: Abigail Breslin
Birth Name: Abigail Kathleen Breslin
Height: 4' 4"
Sex: F
Nationality: American
Birth Date: April 14, 1996
Birth Place: New York, New York, USA
Profession: Actress, Actor
Father: Michael Breslin
Mother: Kim Breslin
Brother: Spencer Breslin (actor; born on May 18, 1992), Ryan Breslin (born in 1985)
Claim to fame: Her role in the sleeper comedy hit “Little Miss Sunshine” (2006)

Abigail Breslin Biography

Of the many pleasures found in the sleeper comedy hit “Little Miss Sunshine” (2006), none were more endearing than the performance by child actress Abigail Breslin. As seven-year-old Olive, her unflagging enthusiasm blinded her to both the fact that her doughy, bespectacled appearance was entirely at odds with a child beauty pageant that she wished to participate in, and that her family – who are constantly on the verge of mental and emotional collapse – might provide her biggest stumbling block in achieving the title of “Little Miss Sunshine.” Drawing comparisons to a young Dakota Fanning and even Drew Barrymore in her younger, “E.T.” (1982) days, Breslin’s astonishing performance was alternately hilarious, heartbreaking and hopeful, and helped secure the promise of the talent beyond her years she had shown in her earlier films. Born April 14, 1996, Breslin was the younger sister of child actor Spencer Breslin, who starred in “Disney’s The Kid” (2000) and “The Cat in the Hat” (2003); the siblings appeared together in the 2004 weeper “Raising Helen” and “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement.” Her acting career began with appearances in several national television commercials, starting with a spot for Toys ‘R’ Us at the age of three. Her big break came in 2002 when M. Night Shyamalan cast her as Mel Gibson’s youngest daughter in his science fiction hit, “Signs.” Her character in the film – a curiously grave adolescent girl dealing with the traumatic death of her mother – clearly showed that Breslin had the chops to handle complex parts even at the tender age of six. Turns on episodic series such as “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC, 1999- ) and “Navy N.C.I.S.” (CBS, 2003- ) preceded a trio of films in 2004 – all very different in tone and audience. In “Raising Helen,” she was one of three recently orphaned children being raised by their career-minded aunt, while in the frothy teen comedy/romance “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement” (2004), she had what amounted to a cameo as a parade girl. Her final 2004 film was the dark, psychological drama “Keane” by “Clean, Shaven” (1995) director Lodge Kerrigan, in which she played the young daughter of a down-and-out mother who entrusts her child to a man who appears to be teetering on the edge of madness. More TV and a direct-to-video feature – the kids’ movie “Chestnut: Hero of Central Park,” (2006) – followed, but “Little Miss Sunshine” was primed and sitting in the wings. Breslin found herself once again the subject of critical praise and movie audiences’ adoration. Her entrancing, star-making performance – which stood out in a cast peopled by such top talent as Greg Kinnear, Toni Collette, Steve Carrell, and the esteemed Alan Arkin, with whom she shared some of the film’s funniest scenes – was recognized by the Gotham Awards, who nominated her for Breakthrough Performance and as part of the Best Ensemble Cast. She also got a nod from the Screen Actors Guild Awards, earning a nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role – Theatrical Motion Pictures. The ultimate recognition came in early 2007 when Breslin garnered an Oscar nod for Best Supporting Actress, making her the fourth-youngest actress ever nominated. Since her summer triumph in “Little Miss Sunshine,” Breslin kept busy on both film and television; among her 2006 credits was a turn on “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC, 2005- ) as a child who can not experience physical pain, and several features, including the Vince Vaughn comedy “Fred Claus” (2007) and “Definitely, Maybe” (2008), a romantic comedy in which she played the daughter of divorcee Ryan Reynolds.

Abigail Breslin Milestones
* 2002 Discovered by M. Night Shyamalan who cast her as Mel Gibson’s daughter in “Signs”
* 2002 Made guest appearances on “What I Like About You” (WB) and “Hack” (CBS)
* 2004 Starred opposite Kate Hudson and older brother, Spencer Breslin in “Raising Helen”
* 2006 Breakout role as a beauty pageant contestant in the independent film “Little Miss Sunshine”; received SAG and Oscar nominations for Best Supporting Actress
* 2007 Co-starred with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart in “No Reservations”
* 2008 Co-starred with Jodie Foster in the adventure-fantasy film Nim s Island
* 2008 Played Ryan Reynolds daughter in “Definitely Maybe”
* 2008 Played the title role in the family film, Kit Kittredge: An American Girl
* Appeared in her first commercial for Toys R Us when she was three years old

Abigail Breslin Filmography
* Rango (2011)
* Quantum Quest (2010)
* My Sister's Keeper (2009) Andromeda 'Anna' Fitzgerald
* Definitely, Maybe (2008) Maya Hayes
* Kit Kittredge: An American Girl (2008) Kit Kittredge
* Nim's Island (2008) Nim Rusoe
* No Reservations (2007) Zoe
* The Ultimate Gift (2007) Emily Rose
* Chestnut: Hero of Central Park (2006) Ray
* Little Miss Sunshine (2006) Olive/ Olive
* The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) Trish
* Keane (2005) Kyra Bedik
* Raising Helen (2004) Sarah Davis
* The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004) Parade Girl Carolina
* Signs (2002) Bo Hess
* The Wild Bunch

Abigail Breslin Gossip, News & Trivia
# Ranked #4 on Forbes' List Of Valuable Young Stars. (March 2009)
# Will replace Dakota Fanning in New Line drama MY SISTER'S KEEPER, directed by Nick Cassavetes. (February 2008)
# The youngest Academy Award-nominated American actress since Tatum O'Neal.
# Abby and Kate Hudson bonded while on the set of RAISING HELEN (2004)
# Was spoofed in the 2003 comedy, SCARY MOVIE 3 (2003).
# Is doublejointed.
# Is very good friends with fellow young actress Skye McCole Bartusiak.
# Said that if she were a superhero, she would want to fly and be able to speak every other language.
# When speaking for Kids with a Cause, said she thought everybody needed a friend.
# Her on-screen brother in RAISING HELEN (2004) was played by her real- life brother, Spencer Breslin.
# Her favorite Disney film is FINDING NEMO (2003).
# Donated many items to Rocky Stone to be given to less fortunate kids as part of the Toy Mountain Campaign.
# Became friends with Dakota Fanning when Dakota filmed THE CAT IN THE HAT (2003) with her older brother Spencer Breslin.
# Sometimes Credited As: cast of Miss Sunshine
# Nickname: Abby
# Nominated for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role at Academy Awards for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2007)
# Nominated for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at BAFTA Awards for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2007)
# Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture at Screen Actors Guild Awards for LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (2007)

Abbie Cornish Biography and Profile

Abbie Cornish Profile
Name: Abbie Cornish
Height: 5' 8"
Sex: F
Nationality: Australian Birth Date: August 7, 1982
Birth Place: New South Wales, Australia
Profession: Actress
Claim to fame: Her award-winning lead performance in 2004's Somersault

Abbie Cornish Biography

At first, it looked as if Abbie Cornish’s fearless performance as a free-spirited teenager in the independent feature “Somersault” (2004) would be the rocket that propelled the Australian actresses to international household name status; unfortunately, it was her alleged involvement in the 2006 divorce of actors Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon that proved to be her ticket to overnight fame. Despite the publicity onslaught surrounding the break-up, Cornish’s innate talent – already recognized by her native homeland – helped propel her career to bigger and better things. Born Aug. 7, 1982 in Lochnivar, New South Wales, Cornish grew up on a large farm with her parents and four siblings. “Boredom” was the answer she gave for pursuing a career in front of the camera, and after winning a contest through the Aussie teen magazine Dolly, she landed an agent and began auditioning for roles on Australian television. Her first critical notices came at the age of 15 when she played a quadriplegic in the television series “Children’s Hospital” (Two Network, 1997). Two years later, Cornish – who had since moved away from her parents at the age of 16 – was honored by the Australian Film Institute for her performance in a 1999 episode of the police drama “Wildside” (Australian Broadcast Corporation, 1997-99). Despite the acclaim, Cornish devoted an equal amount of her time to her studies and planned to become a veterinarian. A string of impressive roles in Australian features quickly followed her AFI win – she was a sexually charged poetess who goes missing in the lesbian-themed mystery “The Monkey’s Mask” (2000); a venomous schoolgirl in the black comedy “Horseplay” (2003), and a young drug casualty in the rave-culture drama “One Perfect Day” (2004) – but it was “Somersault” (2004) that made critics around the world stand up and take notice. An often disturbing drama about a teenage girl’s headlong dive into sex and the people around her who seem all too willing to take advantage of her naiveté, Cornish’s performance earned her raves at the Cannes Film Festival, as well as awards at numerous film festivals in her native country and around the world. Two years later, Cornish’s success in “Somersault” paid off in spades with high-profile roles in a string of attention-garnering features. She co-starred with fellow Aussie superstars Heath Ledger and Geoffrey Rush in “Candy” (2006), a stylized romance between a heroin-addicted poet (Ledger) and a painter (Cornish). She also showed off a flawless American accent as a California teenager searching for her father in “A Good Year” (2006), Ridley Scott’s adaptation of the Peter Mayle novel about a businessman (Russell Crowe) who inherits a vineyard and its offbeat neighbors. After “A Good Year,” Cornish became involved in two projects – one of which garnered considerable press (mostly of the prurient-investigative kind). “Stop Loss” (2007) was the film, directed by “Boys Don’t Cry” helmer Kimberly Peirce, that she was working on in the United States when reports surfaced that she and co-star Ryan Phillippe were engaged in an affair. The alleged incriminating evidence came to light shortly after Phillippe and his wife, Academy Award winner Reese Witherspoon, had announced their separation in the press – which naturally led the media to speculate that Cornish was the crux of their marital discord. Her representatives openly and sternly denied any wrongdoing on the part of the actress. Back on screen, Cornish costarred in “The Golden Age” (2007), director Shekhar Kapur’s follow-up to “Elizabeth” (1998). She portrayed Elizabeth Throckmorton, secret wife to Sir Walter Raleigh (Clive Owen) and lady-in-waiting to Queen Elizabeth (Cate Blanchett). The queen learns of Raleigh’s marriage during their own affair, prompting her to imprison her former lover and banish Throckmorton from her court and triggering a long period of royal disfavor for the famed explorer.

Abbie Cornish Significant Others
* Companion: Ryan Phillippe. Met on the set of Stop-Loss (2008); rumored to have been the cause of his break-up from Witherspoon, but Phillippe denied this; spotted together several times in 2007

Abbie Cornish Milestones
* 1997 Acting debut on the Australian series, “Children’s Hospital” playing a quadriplegic
* 1999 Became a regular on the crime drama series Wildside (ABC)
* 2000 Film debut, The Monkey’s Mask starring Kelly McGillis
* 2001 Landed a regular role on the Australian series, “Outriders”
* 2001 Was the first actress to play Penne in the Australian series, “Life Support”
* 2003 Appeared in the film, “Horseplay” a comedy about a horse trainer
* 2004 Co-starred with Hugo Weaving in the 18-minute short, “Everything Goes” directed by Andrew Kotatko
* 2004 Earned rave review portraying a runaway teenager in “Somersault”
* 2006 Cast as Russell Crowe’s long-lost American cousin in “A Good Year”
* 2006 Received widespread critical acclaim as Heath Ledger’s heroin-addicted lover in “Candy”
* 2007 Joined Cate Blanchett and Clive Owen in “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” a sequel to the award winning feature Elizabeth
* 2008 Co-starred with Ryan Phillippe in the war drama “Stop Loss”
* Began taking jobs as a model after reaching the finals of a Dolly magazine competition

Abbie Cornish Filmography
Actor Credits
* Bright Star (2009) Fanny Brawne * Stop-Loss (2008) Michele * Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) Bess Throckmorton * Candy (2006) Candy * Somersault (2006) Heidi * A Good Year (2006) Christie Roberts * One Perfect Day (2004) * The Monkey s Mask (2001) Mickey * Last Battle Dreamer * More Than Scarlet

Abbie Cornish Gossip, News & Trivia

* Served as a judge at the The Reel Deal Short Film Festival on August 11, 2007 at the Revesby Workers' Club in Sydney, Australia. * Was considered for the role of Briony - 18 years old for Atonement (2007), but bailed out due to scheduling conflicts with Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007). * Ranked #80 on Maxim's Hot list 2007. * Served as judge of the Myer Fashions on the Field event at the 2007 Melbourne Cup. * Learnt to drive at the age of 12. * Has been a vegetarian since the age of 13. * Plays piano and guitar. * Her parents split up when she was 16 years old. * Favorite actresses are Cate Blanchett and Samantha Morton. * Good friends with Rose Byrne. * After reaching the final of a competition by Dolly magazine, she worked as a model for a while. * Is good friends with former Wildside (1997) co-star John O'Hare. * At age 13, Abbie was a finalist a Dolly magazine modeling competition, after which she began taking jobs as a model. * She likes trekking. She has trekked across Morocco, Brazil, Italy and France

Aaron Stanford Biography and Profile

Aaron Stanford Profile
Name: Aaron Stanford
Height: 5' 9"
Sex: M
Nationality: American
Birth Date: April 18, 1977
Birth Place: Westford, Massachusetts, USA
Profession: Actor
Education: Rutgers University Mason Gross School of Arts (graduated in 2000 magna cum laude) London Academy of Theatre
Brother: David Stanford (composer)
Claim to fame: His role as John Allerdyce (Pyro) in X-Men 2

Aaron Stanford Biography

A young actor on the rise, Aaron Stanford worked steadily on both stage and screen throughout most of his life, but made his big screen mark playing the conflicted, fire-throwing Pyro in both "X2: X-Men United" (2002) and "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006). Born May 18, 1977 in Westford, MA, Stanford began his career with an intense focus in theatre, beginning with a local theatre in his small Massachusetts hometown, followed by college theatre and work with the London Academy of Theatre. Stanford returned to the stage in 2004, performing to rave reviews in “Where Do We Live,” at the Vineyard Theatre in Manhattan. A graduate of Rutgers University, Stanford received critical acclaim for his feature film debut in “Tadpole” starring opposite Sigourney Weaver and Bebe Neuwirth. In 2002, he essayed the role of Pyro, the one mutant not sure if he is fighting for the right side. He ends up leaving the X-Men, who wish to co-exist peacefully with humans, to join up with Magneto and gang of destructive mutants who feel no compassion for humans -- only hatred for all they have subjected them to. He reprised this fan favorite role in 2006's sequel, "X-Men: The Last Stand." While "X-Men" put him on the map, he continued to prove himself in other projects. He received the Rising Star of Tomorrow award from the 2004 Hamptons Film Festival for his performance in “Winter Solstice.” “Runaway Boys,” which he starred in and produced, was an official selection at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. Stanford’s other film credits include Spike Lee’s “25th Hour,” Woody Allen’s “Hollywood Ending,” and David Mamet’s “Spartan.” Following his success as the Marvel Comics mutant, Stanford nabbed a starring role in Fox Searchlight’s remake of Wes Craven’s “The Hills Have Eyes,” (2006), and the independent films, “Flakes” and “Live Free or Die,” the latter premiering at the 2006 SXSW and GEN ART film festivals. That same year, Stanford landed a starring role in ABC-TV’s and Warner Bros. Television's pilot “Traveler,” in which he played the title role of Will Traveler. The thriller was in the vein of “Enemy of the State” and “Three Days of the Condor,” and asked the question, do you really know who your friends are?

Aaron Stanford Milestones
* 1999 Made television debut on the drama series Third Watch
* 2002 Made feature debut starring in comedy Tad Pole
* 2003 Co-starred as Pyro in the action drama X-Men 2
* 2005 Starred in the drama Winter Solstice
* 2006 Cast in the indie comedy Standing Still
* 2006 Co-starred in a remake of the Wes Craven thriller, The Hills Have Eyes
* 2006 Reprised the role of Pyro in X-Men: The Last Stand
* 2007 Co-starred in Gregg Kavet and Andy Robin s crime comedy Live Free or Die
* 2007 Co-starred with Zooey Deschanel in the quirky comedy, Flakes

Aaron Stanford Filmography

# Cake Eaters (2009) Beagle
# Flakes (2007) Neal Downs
# Live Free or Die (2007) John Rugged Rudgate
# Standing Still (2006) Rich
# X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)John Allerdyce/ Pyro
# The Hills Have Eyes (2006) Doug Bukowski
# Runaway (2005)
# Winter Solstice (2005) Gabe Winters
# Rick (2004) Duke
# Spartan (2004) Michael Blake
# X2: X-Men United (2003) John Allerdyce/ Pyro
# 25th Hour (2002) Marcuse
# Hollywood Ending (2002) Actor
# Tadpole (2002) Oscar Grubman