JK Rowling’s story is that of rags-to-riches. She is the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series, which have sold more than 500 million copies and is the best-selling book series in history. She also writes crime fiction albeit under a pen name. Rowling supports many charities and has founded Lumos, an international NGO, working for children.
American actress, Marisa Tomei, gained fame when she starred in the 1992 film My Cousin Vinny. She received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for the film. She was also appreciated for in the movies In the Bedroom and The Wrestler. What Women Want, Anger Management, The Ides of March, Cyrus, The Big Short and Avengers: Endgame are some of her other notable films.
Widely regarded as the Queen of Country Pop, Shania Twain is the best-selling female artist in the history of country music, having sold more than 100 million records worldwide. She is also one of the best-selling music artists ever. According to Billboard, Shania Twain is the 13th Greatest Music Video Female Solo Artist ever.
Ranked 79th on VH1's list of 100 Greatest Kid Stars, Diane Lane started off as a child actress before becoming a well-known leading Hollywood actress. Also known for her beauty, Diane has been featured in lists, such as Top 99 Most Desirable Women. A talented actress, Diane Lane has also worked with several charity organizations, such as Heifer International.
Popular actress and model, Brooke Shields, was exposed to the show business early on as her mother was a model. Her mother helped her find work when she was just a baby. Starting her career as a model, she eventually moved on to acting. Besides TV shows and films, she has also appeared in many Broadway musicals.
Best known for her roles in the Austin Powers franchise, Bedazzled, and The Royals, Elizabeth Hurley began her career as an Estee Lauder model. A trained ballerina, she has also been in the news for her relationship with Hugh Grant and her marriage to textile magnate Arun Nayar.
Bjork is an Icelandic singer, record producer, songwriter, DJ, and actress. She is best known for her association with the now-defunct yet popular band, The Sugarcubes. The bestselling Icelandic singer-songwriter of all time, Bjork was named in Time magazine's most influential people in the world list in 2015. Over the course of her illustrious career, Bjork has received several awards.
Kyra Sedgwick is a popular American filmmaker and actress. Such is her popularity as a TV actress that Kyra Sedgwick started earning around US$300,000 per episode in 2007. Among many other prestigious awards, such as an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, she has also received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Sunita Williams is an American US Navy officer and astronaut. She formerly held the records for most spacewalk time for a woman and most spacewalks by a woman. In 2007, she became the first person to run a marathon in space. She has several honors under her belt, including a NASA Spaceflight Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Navy Commendation Medal.
Marlee Matlin is an American actress and author. Her portrayal of Sarah Norman in the 1986 film Children of a Lesser God earned her the Academy Award for Best Actress, making her the only deaf performer to have received an Oscar. Apart from being an accomplished actress, Matlin is also an important member of the National Association of the Deaf.
Kristin Davis is an American actress best known for portraying Charlotte in the popular comedy-drama TV series Sex and the City. Also renowned for her philanthropic work, she has campaigned in support of Oxfam's work as the confederation's global ambassador since 2004. As part of her philanthropic work, Kristin Davis has traveled to places like South Africa, Haiti, and Mozambique.
Sarah Jessica Parker's name is synonymous with the TV series, Sex and the City TV. Apart from being an actress, she is also known for her work in the fashion industry; she has become the face of several popular fashion brands, such as Garnier and Gap. Not surprisingly, she has launched her own fashion line, featuring accessories and clothing items.
Sherilyn Fenn is an American actress best known for playing Audrey Horne on the mystery horror drama TV series, Twin Peaks. Over the years, Fenn's acting skills have been overshadowed by her good looks with several publications including her on their lists like the most beautiful women in the world, sexiest women in the world, and 50 hottest babes ever.
Maura Tierney is an actress who has been contributing immensely to the success of the American film and TV industry since the 1990s. She mainly plays supporting roles, many of which have been worthy of prestigious awards. Maura Tierney is a cancer survivor.
Embeth Davidtz is a South-African American actress known for playing important roles in popular movies, such as Schindler's List and Fracture. She also serves as an inspiration to those fighting against cancer as she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2013, for which she had to undergo a mastectomy.
Paige Turco is best known as April O'Neil from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie franchise. She has also played significant roles in series such as All My Children, Person of Interest, and The 100. Though she aspired to be a ballerina, an ankle injury made her change her plans.
Joely Richardson is an English actress whose decision to turn towards acting after giving up on her ambition of becoming a tennis player has proved fruitful. Apart from being an actress, Joely Richardson is also a humanitarian; she serves as an ambassador for UK's principal charity for kids with brain injury, The Children's Trust.
Newscaster and TV host, Harris Faulkner, is currently associated with Fox News Channel. She hosts her own prime time political franchise called Town Hall America with Harris Faulkner and also a daily daytime show The Faulkner Focus. A much-respected figure in the TV industry, she is the recipient of six Emmy Awards and the Amelia Earhart Pioneering Lifetime Achievement Award.
Linda Evangelista is a Canadian fashion model. Considered one of the most influential and accomplished models of all time, Evangelista holds the record for making the most number of appearances on Vogue Italia's cover. Also an activist, Linda Evangelista works towards promoting breast cancer and HIV/AIDS research and awareness. She is also a supporter of the Elton John AIDS Foundation.
Abby Lee Miller is a choreographer, dance instructor, and reality TV personality. She is credited with founding the Abby Lee Dance Company where the popular TV series Dance Moms was filmed. The series follows the training of children in dance under the tutelage of Miller. In 2018, Miller was diagnosed with a type of cancer that has left her wheelchair-bound.
Constance Marie is an American actress best known for playing Angie Lopez in the popular sitcom TV series George Lopez, for which she received the Best Actress in Television Comedy award at the 2004 Imagen Awards. She was also nominated for an ALMA Award and Young Artist Award for her portrayal of Angie. She also has her own clothing line.
Model, actress, and author, Paulina Porizkova, became the first woman from Central Europe to be featured on the cover of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue in 1984. She began modeling as a teenager and became a top model in Paris during the early 1980s. She eventually began acting as well. Also a writer, she has written a few books.
Born to an Italian Germanist scholar father and a Greek painter mother, Valeria Golino was destined to be associated with the arts but had initially aspired to be a cardiologist. She later stepped into movies and gained fame for her roles in movies such as Rain Man and the Hot Shots! franchise.
Leslie Hope is a Canadian actress best known for her portrayal of Teri Bauer in the popular American action drama TV series, 24. Over the years, she has played an important role as an actress in both the Canadian and American entertainment industries. Apart from being an actress, Leslie Hope is also a director.
Princess Stéphanie of Monaco is the youngest child of Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and his wife, Grace Kelly, an American actress. She is currently 14th in the line of succession to the Monegasque throne. As a schoolgirl, she learned classical dance and piano. In her career, she has been a singer, swimwear designer, and fashion model.
Actress, Michelle Forbes, is best known for her role in the TV series The Killing, for which she received a Saturn Award. As a young girl, she wanted to become a dancer and received formal training at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. She is more active on TV though she has appeared in a few films.