Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Erika Alexander is beloved for her iconic acting roles as Maxine Shaw (Living Single), Detective Latoya (GET OUT), Cousin Pam (The Cosby Show), Perenna (Black Lightning), and Linda Diggs (Wu-Tang: An American Saga). Erika wears many hats as not only an actress, but also a trailblazing activist, entrepreneur, creator, producer, and director — an all-around boss. Erika represents one of the most bold, daring, and powerful voices in our country today. Erika can currently be seen in Cord Jefferson’s directorial debut AMERICAN FICTION.

Hometown: Princetown, NJ

Chris Barron is a musician and songwriter best known as the lead singer of the band Spin Doctors. What you maybe didn't know is that long before he was that goofy guy in the hat on MTV, he was an even goofier kid with an acoustic guitar. Some of his well known hits include "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" and "Two Princes". Chris' solo shows have all the lyric poetry and singing virtuosity that Spin Doctors fans appreciate along with a range of expression and songwriting that will delight and surprise.

2023

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Matt Berninger is an American singer and songwriter known for being the frontman of Brooklyn indie rockers, The National. Upon graduating from St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Berninger studied graphic design at the University of Cincinnati. In 2013, Berninger appeared on the second volume of music from the HBO series Boardwalk Empire, and has since made appearances in AMC’s Revolutionary War Drama Turn and Endless Love. The National’s third studio album, Sleep Well Beast, went on to win a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in early 2018. Berninger’s full-length solo debut, Serpentine Prison, was released in October 2020.

2020

Hometown: Richmond, VA

Leslie Bibb is an actress and model. Bibb transitioned into film and television, first appearing on film in 1997 with a small role in Private Parts. Her role as Brooke McQueen on the WB Network dramedy series Popular brought her to the attention of a wider audience; she received a Teen Choice Award for Television Choice Actress for the role. She has also appeared in various television shows and films including Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, Confessions of a Shopaholic, Iron Man and Iron Man 2, as well as headlining her own show, WHIH Newsfront.

2021

Hometown: Auburn, MI

Betsy Brandt is known for her roles as Marie Schrader in Breaking Bad and Heather Huges in the CBS Sitcom, Life in Pieces. She has also had many recurring roles in television and cinematic productions such as Downtown Abbey, This is Us, and No Ordinary Family. In 2013, Brandt won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in the Drama series, Breaking Bad.

Brandt received her BFA in acting from the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign and received her MFA at Harvard University's Institute for Advanced Theater Training. She has also studied abroad at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Glasgow. She currently resides in Los Angeles.

2020

Hometown: Elliston, OH

Crystal Bowersox is a contemporary singer-songwriter from Ohio. She is best known for being a contestant finalist on American Idol in 2009, finishing the season as the runner-up winner. Her debut album, Farmer's Daughter, appeared later that year. In 2012, she signed with Shanachie Records and has since released two albums, All That for This and Alive.

2020

Hometown: Lynchburg, VA

Connie Britton is an American actress, singer, and producer. Britton starred as Tami Taylor on the hit series Friday Night Lights, for which she received two Emmy nominations. She went on to star in the FX series American Horror Story, garnering her an Emmy nomination for her performance. Britton starred as country singer Rayna Jaymes in the acclaimed series Nashville for which she was nominated for an Emmy and Golden Globe. She can also be seen in SMILF in the Fox drama 9-1-1. Britton made her feature film debut in the independent film The Brothers McMullen. Britton grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia, attended Dartmouth College, and later studied with Sanford Meisner at the Neighborhood Playhouse. Other recent projects include such films as American Ultra and the TV series American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson. She resides in Los Angeles with her son.

2018, 2019, 2021

Hometown: Greenville, SC

Danielle Brooks is an actress known for her role as Tasha "Taystee" Jefferson on the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black. She studied drama at The Juilliard School graduating in 2011 and made her Broadway debut as Sofia in The Color Purple, the musical. Her performance earned her a Tony nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

In addition to her work on stage and screen, she can be seen performing comedy in New York City. Brooks was born in Augusta, Georgia, and grew up Greenville, South Carolina.

2018

Hometown: Newport News, VA

Cocoa Brown is an American actress, writer and comedian. She is best known for her roles in Ted 2, The Single Moms Club, Tyler Perry’s For Better or Worse, Breaking Bad, Lakeview Terrace and Netflix’s comedy documentary, Dying Laughing. In 2018 Brown appeared in 9-1-1 opposite Connie Britton and Mariette Hartley.

She is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University, and received a Masters degree from The University of Phoenix.

2021

Hometown: Warrensville Heights, OH

Yvette Nicole Brown is an actor, writer, comedian and host. She is perhaps best known for her roles in the television comedies Community, The Mayor, Girlfriends, and Drake and Josh, among many others. Brown has extensive experience as a tv show host, and guest co-host on The View, The Real and The Talking Dead. Additionally, Brown has acted in voiceover roles for Elena of Avalor, DC Super Hero Girls, and Lego Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures.

She has starred in the NAACP Image Award winning BET mini-series, The New Edition Story and she is a 2020 NAACP Image Award Nominated writer for Always A Bridesmaid.

2020, 2021

Hometown: Canton, MI

David Michael Burtka is an American actor and professional chef from Michigan. He is known for his acting roles in theatre and television shows such as How I Met Your Mother and The Play About the Baby.

2022

Hometown: Tempe, Arizona

Lynda Jean Cordova Carter is an American actress and singer from Tempe, Arizona.

Lynda Carter is best known as the star of the live-action television series Wonder Woman, in the role of Diana Prince / Wonder Woman. In addition to her long acting career, Lynda has the distinction of producing and starring in five highly rated network television specials for CBS, several of which were Emmy Award nominated. She has appeared onstage with many of the world’s most famous popular singers including Ray Charles, Tom Jones, Kenny Rogers, George Benson and Ben Vereen.

2022

Hometown: Elizabeth, NJ

Tom Colicchio is the chef and owner of Crafted Hospitality, which includes renowned restaurants such as New York’s Craft, Temple Court and Vallata and Las Vegas’ Heritage Steak and Craftsteak among many others.

Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in addition to his successful career as a chef, he has a long-standing history of activism around food issues, Tom served as an executive producer to the 2013 documentary “A Place at the Table” about the underlying causes of hunger in the United States. This eye-opening experience led Tom on a journey to Washington DC where he has been a mainstay in our nation’s capital in the years since. From holding members of Congress accountable on their voting records around food to working with former FLOTUS Michelle Obama on the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, Tom has established himself as the leading “Citizen Chef” advocating for a food system that values access, affordability and nutrition over corporate interests. In 2020, Tom took this moniker to the airwaves launching a podcast with iHeartRadio. Citizen Chef dives into food and policy issues with lawmakers, journalists and food producers by connecting the dots of how our food system really works.

2023

Hometown: Toledo, OH

Liz Carey is a comedic actress and writer who has appeared on CBS’ Elementary and Strange Angel. Carey has recurring roles on Netflix's Love and ABC's Super Fun Night. She has also appeared in numerous films including The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Spanglish, Walk of Shame, and Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. Liz recently was a writer and actor for Fameless, and the co-host of the hit podcast Girlboss Radio.

2020

Hometown: Rocky River, OH

Michael Chernus is an actor who is perhaps best known for his role as Cal Chapman on the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange is the New Black. As an accomplished stage actor, Michael won a 2011 OBIE Award and received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for his performance in In the Wake. Chernus studied acting at Juilliard and his credits in regional theater include productions at the Williamstown Theater Festival, The Yale Repertory Theatre, and the Guthrie Theater, among others. Internationally, he appeared in Adam Rapp's Finer Noble Gases at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in London at the Bush Theatre.

2020

Hometown: Guildford, United Kingdom

Lily Collins is a British-American actress and model known for her performance as the lead in Netflix’s popular romantic-comedy series Emily in Paris, for which she has been nominated forGolden Globe Award for Best Actress – Television Series Musical or Comedy and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series. She has also starred in movies such as The Blind Side (2009), Love, Rosie (2014), and Rules Don’t Apply (2016). 

2024

Hometown: Copley, OH

Carrie Coon is a theatre, television and film actress best known for her starring role as Nora Durst in the HBO mystery drama series The Leftovers. Carrie has also made appearances in several television series and films including Fargo, Gone Girl, and Avengers: Infinity War. She won the TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Drama and was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her appearance in Fargo. Carrie was also nominated for a Tony Award in the Best Featured Actress category for her Broadway debut as Honey in the Steppenwolf Theatre's production of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

She received a BA in English and Spanish from the University of Mount Union, followed by her MFA in Acting at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

2020

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Billy Crudup is a Tony award winning stage and screen actor. He is known for roles in many films including Almost Famous, Big Fish, and Spotlight.

He began his career in theatre and continues to have an extensive stage career on and off-Broadway, having been nominated for 4 Tony Awards for his performances in Arcadia, The Elephant Man, The Pillowman, and winning a Tony for his two-part performance in The Coast of Utopia. He spent his childhood in New York and Texas before moving to Florida, where he attended Saint Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Crudup received his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned his MFA from the Graduate Acting Program at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. He currently resides in New York City.

2018, 2021

Hometown: Raleigh, NC

Ariana DeBose is an American actress, dancer, and singer. She is an Academy Award winner for her role as Anita in West Side Story, becoming the first queer woman of color to receive an Oscar in an acting category.

She is also a Grammy Award winner and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Disco Donna in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical.

2022

Hometown: Asbury Park, NJ

Daniel Michael "Danny" DeVito, Jr. is an actor, comedian, director, and producer. He first gained prominence for his portrayal of Louie De Palma on the ABC and NBC TV series Taxi (1978–1983), for which he won a Golden Globe and an Emmy.

DeVito and his wife founded Jersey Films, a production company known for films such as Pulp Fiction, Garden State, and Freedom Writers. DeVito also owns Jersey Television, which produced the Comedy Central series Reno 911!. DeVito and Perlman also starred together in his 1996 film Matilda, based on Roald Dahl's children's novel. He currently stars as Frank Reynolds on the FX sitcom It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

Hometown: Birmingham, MI

Patch Darragh is an actor portraying roles such as Ken Messner in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Everything Sucks!. He played stockbroker Mr. Bennett in Boardwalk Empire and is a guest star in the fourth season episode "William Wilson". Darragh has also appeared on many television series including Succession, Damages, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, The Good Wife and Weeds.

2020

Hometown: Evanston, IL and Maplewood, NJ

Joel de la Fuente is known for his roles as Dr. Johann Pryce in Hemlock Grove, Chief Inspector Takeshi Kido in The Man in the High Castle and recurring appearances on Law & Order: SVU.

De la Fuente was born in New Hartford, NY, to Filipino immigrant parents. He grew up in Evanston, Illinois. He earned his undergraduate degree from Brown University, and his MFA degree from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts

2018

Hometown: Valrico, FL

Beth Dover can currently be seen on the Emmy, Golden Globe, and SAG Award-winning series “Orange is the New Black” in the role of Linda Ferguson for Netflix. Dover also stars in the Comedy Central historical satire series “Another Period,” with a cast that includes Michael Ian Black, Christina Hendricks, and Jason Ritter, Dover recently reprised her role as Shari in Netflix's Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later.

Born in Chicago, Dover’s family was in the military and she moved every two years until she was 13 years old. She attended high school and college in Florida where she majored in theatre.

Dover is a strong supporter of Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the HRC. She lives in the Los Angeles area with her husband, actor Joe Lo Truglio, and their son.

2018

Hometown: Ann Arbor, Michigan

Jack Falahee is an American actor and singer from Ann Arbor, Michigan. He is best known for portraying Connor Walsh on the ABC legal thriller How to Get Away with Murder and Frank Stringfellow on the PBS historical drama Mercy Street.

2022

Hometown: Whitehouse Station, NJ

Taissa Farmiga (born August 17, 1994) is an American actress. Born in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, she is the younger sister of actress Vera Farmiga. Her numerous appearances in horror films have established her as a scream queen.

She rose to prominence for her work on the anthology series American Horror Story, starring in the seasons Murder House (2011), Coven (2013–2014), Roanoke (2016) and Apocalypse (2018). Her early film roles include the romantic comedy At Middleton (2013), the crime drama The Bling Ring (2013) and the psychological thriller Mindscape (2013), the latter of which was her first starring film role, and more.

Hometown: Mount Clemens, MI

Paul Feig is an actor and filmmaker known for directing films such as Bridesmaids, The Heat, Spy, and Ghostbusters. Feig created the comedy series Freaks and Geeks which has received two Primetime Emmy Awards nominations for writing. He has also directed several episodes of The Office, Arrested Development, and Nurse Jackie, as well as episodes of Mad Men, 30 Rock, and Parks and Recreation.

2020

Hometown: Lyndhurst, NJ

Melissa Fumero is an actress known for playing Zoe in the TV series Gossip Girl, Adriana Cramer in One Life to Live and Amy Santiago in Brooklyn Nine-Nine. She earned her BFA at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. She originally hails from Bergen County, NJ and now resides in Los Angeles with her family.

2023

Hometown: Hollywood, FL

Josh Gad is an actor, comedian, and singer. He is known for voicing Olaf in Disney’s Frozen, playing Elder Arnold Cunningham in the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon, and LeFou in the live-action adaptation of Disney's Beauty and the Beast. For his role as Olaf, Gad won two Annie Awards, and for his work in The Book of Mormon, he received a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical. Gad has also appeared in various film and television productions including The Comedians, Love & Other Drugs, and Avenue 5.

Gad attended the University School of Nova Southeastern University, National Institute of Dramatic Art, and Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts where he graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama.

2020

Hometown: Virginia Beach, VA

Jason George is an American actor and producer. He is best known for his work on Grey's Anatomy, Eve, Sunset Beach and Station 19. For over eight years he has starred on Grey’s Anatomy and was recently tapped for the new Shonda Rhimes firefighter series spinoff, Station 19.

In addition to his work with The Hometown Project, George is a long time member of SAG-AFTRA’s National Board as well as the chair of their Diversity Advisory Committee.

He and his family return to their hometowns regularly for holidays and family visits throughout the year.

2017, 2019, 2021

Hometown: Grand Prairie, TX

American singer, actress, and producer Selena Gomez was born and raised in Texas. In her teens, she rose to prominence for her role as Alex Russo in the Emmy Award–winning Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place. She has also starred in many films including Ramona and Beezus, Another Cinderella Story, Monte Carlo, The Dead Don't Die, and A Rainy Day in New York. She voices the character of Mavis in the Hotel Transylvania film franchise, and executive produced the Netflix television series 13 Reasons Why and Living Undocumented.

In 2009, Gomez released her first album with her band called "Selena Gomez & the Scene," and has since released two solo albums, which debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 list. She has scored eight top-ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100 including Come & Get It and Hands to Myself. In 2017, Billboard reported that Gomez has sold over seven million albums and 22 million singles worldwide. She has received various accolades and was honored as the Billboard Woman of the Year in 2017.

2020

Hometown: Radford, VA & Brooklyn, NY

Evan Gregory is one fourth of the Gregory Brothers. The group, formed in Brooklyn, New York consists of Michael Gregory, Andrew Rose Gregory, Evan Gregory and Sarah Fullen Gregory. They’re best known for their comedy music videos uploaded to their YouTube channel, “schmoyoho” where they have accumulated over three million subscribers, 65 million views on their award winning song, “Winning,” and 150 million views on their “Bed Intruder Song.” Their channel consists of both political and non-political comedic music videos.

Evan Gregory originally hails from Radford, Virginia.

2021

Hometown: Santa Fe, NM and Brooklyn

Adrian Grenier is an American actor, producer, director, musician and environmentalist. He is best known for playing Vincent Chase in the HBO series Entourage. He has starred in the films Drive Me Crazyand The Devil Wears Prada.

He is a United Nations Environment Goodwill Ambassador for and also works as an advocate for the Lonely Whale Foundation. Grenier is a Board Member at React to Film, a non-profit that leverages the best documentary filmmaking to promote social responsibility.

2018

Hometown: Triad area, NC

Emily V Gordon is a former therapist and current writer and producer best known for co-writing the Oscar nominated film The Big Sick. She has also written for TV, created and produced The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail for Comedy Central, and authored a book called Super You: Release Your Inner Superhero.

She was born and raised in the Triad area of North Carolina and is intensely passionate about the people that live there and southern food. She returns home often.

2018

Hometown: Livonia, MI

Judy Greer is an American actress known for portraying characters, including Kitty Sanchez on the Fox/Netflix series Arrested Development and Cheryl Tunt on the animated comedy series Archer. Greer has had supporting roles in a number of romantic comedy films, including The Wedding Planner, 13 Going on 30, 27 Dresses and Love and Other Drugs.

She is also the author of the comedic collection of essays, I Don’t Know What You Know Me From,: My Life as a Co-Star. Greer grew up in Livonia, Michigan and graduated from The Theatre School at DePaul University.

2020

Hometown: Detroit, Michigan

David Alan Grier is an American actor and comedian from Detroit, Michigan. He is best known for his work on stage and screen, including In Living Color, playing Jackie Robinson on Broadway, and The Carmichael Show. He is a known stand up comedian and as appeared in many critical acclaim Stand Ups on Comedy Central.

2022

Hometown: Chesterfield, VA

Jenny Han is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before series. She is an executive producer on all three Netflix films—To All the Boys I've Loved Before, To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You, and To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Lara Jean. She is also the author of the New York Times bestselling Summer I Turned Pretty series. Her books have been published in more than thirty languages. A former librarian, Jenny earned her MFA in creative writing at the New School. Originally from Chesterfield, Virginia, she now lives in Brooklyn, New York.

2019

Hometown: Cleveland Heights, OH

Kathryn Hahn is a well-versed actor of stage and screen, known for starring in the HBO series Mrs. Fletcher and Jill Soloway’s Emmy Nominated series Transparent. Kathryn Hahn can currently be seen in the HBO limited series I Know This Much is True, and in the Apple TV+ animated series Central Park.

Kathryn Hahn is the recipient of numerous awards and nominations including a 2013 Gotham Award nomination for her role in Afternoon Delight, a Gotham Independent Film nomination for Private Life, and her 2017 Emmy Award nomination in for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series in Transparent.

She received her Bachelor’s Degree from Northwestern University and her Masters in Fine Arts from the Yale School of Drama. Hahn grew up in the suburbs of Northeast Ohio.

2020

Hometown: Worthington, OH

Rachael Harris is an actress and comedian. She is perhaps best known for her role as Dr. Linda Martin on Lucifer and as a guest star on shows such as Reno 911!, New Girl, Suits and The Good Wife. After an appearance on Star Trek: Voyager in 1997, Harris went on to a recurring role in The WB's Sister, Sister. Other television credits include The Daily Show, Friends, and Desperate Housewives. Harris has also played parts in various films such as the The Hangover and Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

She graduated from Worthington High School and attended Otterbein College obtaining her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts.

2020

Hometown: St. Louis, MO

Jon Hamm is an actor and producer known for playing Don Draper in the AMC television drama series Mad Men. He has made appearances in television series Providence, The Division, and Related. His performance in Mad Men earned him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Television Series Drama in 2008 and again in 2016, and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2015. Hamm has also appeared in many film productions such as Baby Driver and has provided his voice for the animated films Shrek Forever After and Minions. Hamm has received 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in or production of Mad Men, 30 Rock , and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

2020

Hometown: Sayreville, NJ

Dule Hill, the accomplished American actor, is renowned for his diverse contributions to the world of entertainment. While he was born in East Brunswick, New Jersey, he spent a significant part of his formative years in Sayreville, a town that left an indelible mark on his life. It was in Sayreville that Hill's passion for the performing arts took root, and he attended Sayreville War Memorial High School, where his interest in acting and dance blossomed.

Dule Hill's career includes notable roles in television, film, and theater. He gained recognition for his portrayal of Charlie Young in the critically acclaimed series "The West Wing" and is beloved by audiences for his comedic talent as Burton "Gus" Guster in "Psych." Hill's journey from Sayreville to Hollywood exemplifies his talent and dedication, with his roots in this New Jersey town shaping the foundation of his successful career in the entertainment industry.

2023

Hometown: Traverse City, MI

Brian Holden is a producer, actor and co-founder of StarKid Productions, a live-theater and YouTube production company. He is an award-winning audiobook narrator and works with companies such as Tantor Media, Brilliance Audio, and HarperAudio. Beginning his career with A Very Potter Musical, Holden has since created twelve original musicals, two national concert tours, two sketch shows at the Second City, and performed at countless festivals, conventions, and events around the world. He has most recently hosted REACH: A Space Podcast for Kids with his wife, Meredith Stepien.

2020

Hometown: Detroit, MI

Ernie Hudson is an actor perhaps best known for his roles as Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters film series, Sergeant Darryl Albrecht in The Crow , and Warden Leo Glynn on HBO's Oz . Hudson has also acted in the films The Basketball Diaries, Miss Congeniality, and The Ron Clark Story. Additionally, Hudson can be found in the 2016 Ghostbusters’ reboot as well as The Secret Life of the American Teenager.

Hudson is a graduate of Wayne State University and has also studied at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities and Yale School of Drama.

2020

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA

Kate Hudson is an actress and author. Her performance in the film Almost Famous garnered her a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Her other films include How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, You, Me and Dupree, Bride Wars and Mother's Day.

Hudson co-founded the fitness brand and membership program, Fabletics. In 2016, Hudson released her first book, Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body, and in 2017, she released her second book, Pretty Fun: Creating and Celebrating a Lifetime of Tradition.

2020

Hometown: Alexandria, VA

Rob Huebel was born in Alexandria, Virginia, and attended Annandale High School in Annandale, Virginia, before attending Clemson University, where he studied marketing in hopes of working in advertising, He later moved to New York and began studying improv comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Huebel is an American actor, comedian and writer best known for his sketch comedy work on the MTV series Human Giant and for his role of Dr. Owen Maestro on the Adult Swim series Children's Hospital.

Hometown: Louisville, KY

Jim James , is a vocalist, guitarist, producer, and primary songwriter of the band My Morning Jacket. He has also released three solo albums.

Jim grew up in Louisville, Kentucky.

2019

Hometown: Bethlehem, PA

Daniel Dae Kim continues his string of multifaceted and stereotype-breaking roles as an actor, director and producer. Prior to his seven-season portrayal of Chin Ho Kelly on Hawaii Five-0, Kim was best known for his role as Jin Soo Kwon on the hit TV series Lost. In 2009, he was recognized with the prestigious KoreAm Achievement Award in the field of Arts and Entertainment, and has twice been named one of PEOPLE Magazine’s "Sexiest Men Alive." In 2024 he starred in the Broadway premiere of the stage play Yellow Face.

Hometown: Richmond, VA

Boris Kodjoe is an award-winning Austrian-American actor, producer, and model. He is best known for his work in Brown Sugar, Showtime’s Soul Food, The Last Man on Earth, BET’s Real Husbands of Hollywood, and the Grey’s Anatomy spin-off, Station 19.

Kodjoe is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia where he earned 75 career singles wins as a member of the men’s tennis team.

2021

Hometown: Toledo, OH

Eric Kripke is a writer and show creator. He is best known as the creator of The WB and The CW fantasy drama series Supernatural, the NBC post-apocalyptic drama series Revolution, the NBC science fiction series Timeless, and the Prime Video superhero action series The Boys. While raised in Ohio, Kripke graduated from Sylvania Southview High School and later attended the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts.

2020

Hometown: Chennai, India

Padma Lakshmi is an Indian-American author, model, activist, producer and television host. From 2006 to 2023, she hosted the cooking competition program Top Chef on Bravo. She is also the creator, host, and executive producer of the docuseries Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (2020). She has written five books, including cookbooks and a children’s book. In 2023, she was listed among Time's "100 most influential people in the world".

2024

Hometown: Quezon City, Philippines and Cleveland, OH

Born in Quezon City, Philippines, Lee is a professional actor best known for his roles on Grimm, Prison Break, and The Fast and the Furious. As a child, Lee grew up in Cleveland, Ohio where he spent his grade school and high school years and trained at the Cleveland Playhouse among other venues. Lee is a Los Angeles based actor who has also had memorable roles in film, including Tai Huang in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. He recently finished the Netflix feature Sweet Girl opposite Jason Momoa and currently stars as Head DDA Thomas Choi on the CBS courtroom drama All Rise.

2020

Born in Lansing, Michigan, actor Matthew Lillard had his breakthrough role as the creepy Stuart in "Scream" (1996). While his film debut came with a job as an extra in the forgettable 1991 sequel "Ghoulies III: Ghoulies Go to College", more significant was his first featured film acting role, as the teenaged son of the title maniac in John Waters' "Serial Mom" (1994). Frequently cast as weirdos, undoubtedly due to his frantic physical edginess, Lillard previously portrayed off-balanced computer genius Cereal Killer in "Hackers" (1995). That same year, he appeared in the interactive film "Ride For Your Life", the popular feature "Mad Love" and co-starred as Mira Sorvino's grad student boyfriend in the independent drama "Tarantella."

2023

Hometown: Cedar Rapids, IA

Ron Livingston is an actor starring in notable films including Swingers, Office Space, Adaptation, and The Conjuring. Early on in his career he earned a Golden Globe nomination for the role of Captain Lewis Nixon in the 2001 miniseries Band of Brothers. Livingston's television credits include Boardwalk Empire and Sex and the City. He is now a central character in the new ABC series, A Million Little Things. Livingston was born and raised in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He earned his B.A. in Theatre Studies and English Literature at Yale. Livingston resides in Los Angeles, California with his spouse, actress Rosemarie DeWitt and their children.

2018

Hometown: NY, NY

Laura Linney began her acting career on Broadway in 1990 and has since received Tony Award nominations for her stage roles in The Crucible, the original Broadway productions of Sight Unseen and Time Stands Still, and The Little Foxes. Her television credits include Wild Iris, Frasier, and HBO’s John Adams. Linney starred in the Showtime series The Big C, which won her a fourth Emmy in 2013, and in 2017 she began starring in the Netflix crime series Ozark. She is the recipient of several awards, including two Golden Globe Awards and four Primetime Emmy Awards.

Linney is also an acclaimed film actress. She made her film debut with a minor role in Lorenzo's Oil and went on to receive Academy Award nominations for the dramas You Can Count On Me , Kinsey, and The Savages.

2020

Hometown: Grosse Pointe, MI

Lisa Locicero was born and raised in Detroit and Grosse Pointe Michigan and grew up on the beautiful waters of the Great Lakes.

She left home to pursue a career as an actress, and is best known for her roles as Ensign Miral Paris on Star Trek Voyager and her now decade long Emmy nominated run as Olivia Falconeri Quartermaine on ABC’s General Hospital.

2018, 2020

Hometown: Dallas, TX

Lisa Loeb is a Grammy-Award winning singer-songwriter, producer, and actress. She started her career with the platinum-selling #1 hit song, Stay, I Missed You from the film Reality Bites. She holds the title of having the first number one single for an artist without a recording contract. Two of her certified Gold Albums include Tails and the Grammy-nominated Firecracker. Loeb has also featured in films and television shows such as Gossip Girl, Netflix's Fuller House, and Hot Tub Time Machine 2. She has released award-winning children's CDs and books as well as founded the Lisa Loeb Eyewear Collection and The Camp Lisa Foundation.

2020

Hometown: Margate, FL

Beloved character actor Joe Lo Truglio has played fan favorite ‘Detective Charles Boyle’ for six seasons on NBC’s (formerly FOX’s) Golden Globe Award Best Comedy Brooklyn Nine­Nine.

Joe has also starred, for two seasons, on acclaimed Netflix comedy Wet Hot American Summer, as ‘Neil,’ a role he created as a member of legendary sketch comedy troupe The State. Additionally, Joe starred in the Comedy Central series Reno 911 and continues to recur on Bob’s Burgers (FOX) and Drunk History(Comedy Central).

Joe was raised in Margate, Florida and now works in Los Angeles with his wife, actor Beth Dover, and their son.

2018, 2020, 2021

Hometown: Richmond, VA

Aimee Mann is a Grammy Award winning singer and songwriter. She was a co-founder, bassist and vocalist for the band ‘Til Tuesday until beginning her solo career in 1990. Mann released her first solo album, Whatever in 1993. In 1999 she recorded original music for the soundtrack to the film Magnolia, directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, earning Academy and Grammy Award nominations. She then co-founded her own label, SuperEgo Records. Mann released seven more records under her label, earning a Grammy in 2018 for Best Folk Album for her most recent record, Mental Illness.

2021

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Eli Maiman is a member of the rock band, Walk the Moon. The group independently released their debut studio album, I want! I want!, in 2010, receiving airplay for the track Anna Sun on multiple alternative radio stations. In 2011, Walk the Moon signed to RCA Records and in 2012, released their first major label studio album, Walk the Moon. The band then released their second major-label studio album, Talking Is Hard which includes the song Shut Up and Dance, which hit number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number one on the Billboard Rock and Alternative Songs chart.

2020

Hometown: Highland Park, Michigan

Tim Meadows is an American actor and comedian who was one of the longest-running cast members on Saturday Night Live, where he appeared for ten seasons and for which he received a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series . He also played main character John Glascott on the ABC sitcom Schooled for its two-season run after playing the same character in a recurring role for six seasons on The Goldbergs.

2022

Hometown: Plainfield, NJ

Mary McCormack, the accomplished American actress, was born on February 8, 1969, in Plainfield, New Jersey. Her hometown of Plainfield played a pivotal role in fostering her early love for the performing arts. She attended Wardlaw-Hartridge School in nearby Edison, where her interest in acting and drama first took root.

Mary McCormack is renowned for her versatile performances in television, film, and theater. Notably, she portrayed National Security Advisor Kate Harper in "The West Wing" and U.S. Marshal Mary Shannon in "In Plain Sight." Her career's success is a testament to her talent, with her roots in Plainfield, New Jersey, contributing to the foundation of her accomplished journey in the entertainment industry.

2023

Hometown: Alexandria, VA

Christopher Meloni is an American actor. He is best known for his role as an NYPD detective in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Chris Keller in the HBO drama Oz. His film credits include Man of Steel, Wet Hot American Summer, 42, and Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.

Meloni was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in Alexandria, Virginia.

2021

Hometown: Flint, Michigan

Jerry Minor Jr. is an American actor, comedian and writer known for his comedic roles in numerous television programs such as Mr. Show, Saturday Night Live, Trigger Happy TV, Delocated, Brickleberry, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Crossballs, The Hotwives of Orlando, Carpoolers, Community, Lucky Louie, and Dr. Ken.

2022

Hometown: Mechanicsville, VA

Jason Mraz is a Grammy award winning singer-songwriter. His albums include Waiting for My Rocket to Come, Mr. A-Z, and We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. debuted His hit song "I'm Yours", spent a then-record 76 weeks on the Hot 100. His fourth album, Love Is a Four Letter Word, peaked at number 2 on the Billboard 200, his highest-charting album to date.

He has earned Platinum and multi-Platinum certifications in over 20 countries, and has toured in North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and parts of Africa. Jason grew up in Mechanicsville, Virginia.

2019

Hometown: Hopewell, VA

Meshell Ndegeocello is a singer-songwriter, rapper, and bassist. Her music incorporates a wide variety of influences, including funk, soul, jazz, hip hop, reggae and rock. She has received significant critical acclaim throughout her career, including 10 Grammy nominations. She has been credited for helping to have "sparked the neo-soul movement."

Meshell has worked with a variety of artists, including Madonna, Alanis Morissette, John Melencamp and Chaka Khan. Her music has been featured in a number of film soundtracks, including How Stella Got Her Groove Back, Lost & Delirious, Batman & Robin, Love Jones, Love & Basketball, Talk to Me, Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls, The Best Man, Higher Learning, Down in the Delta, The Hurricane, Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom, and Soul Men.

2019

Hometown:

Kumail Nanjiani is an Oscar-nominated writer and critically acclaimed actor and comedian.

2024

Hometown: Boston, MA & Columbia, MD

Edward Norton is a Golden Globe Award-winning and Academy Award nominated American actor, director, producer, and screenwriter. He is best known for his roles in Fight Club, The Illusionist, Primal Fear, Moonrise Kingdom, and American History X. He is the Chair of the board of The Signature Theatre. Norton co-founded Crowdrise.com to provide a platform for grassroots fundraising supporting social and environmental initiatives.

2021

Hometown: Jackson, MS

Tig Notaro was born in Jackson, MS and raised in Pass Christian, MS. A renowned comedian, actor and writer, she has received several nominations for her comedy album, Live, HBO special Boyish Girl Interrupted and her Netflix Original Documentary Tig.

Tig wrote, produced, and starred in the critically acclaimed semi-autobiographical Amazon series One Mississippi, which she co-created with Diablo Cody. In 2019 she appeared opposite Octavia Spencer in the Paramount Pictures comedy Instant Family. Her latest project is her screenplay First Ladies for Netflix, with Jennifer Aniston as the first female President of the United States, and Tig as the First Lady.

In her time off, Tig enjoys bird-watching with Stephanie, their twin sons, and cat, Fluff, at home in Los Angeles.

2019

Hometown: Youngstown, OH

Ed O'Neill is an actor and comedian known for his role of Al Bundy on Married... with Children, for which he was nominated for two Golden Globes. He is also known for his role as Jay Pritchett on the award-winning ABC sitcom Modern Family, a role for which he was nominated for three Primetime Emmy Awards and won four Screen Actors Guild Awards. He has appeared in the Wayne's World film series, Little Giants, Prefontaine, The Bone Collector and Sun Dogs. O’Neil is also recognized for his voice-work in the Wreck It Ralph franchise and Finding Dory.

2020

Hometown: Anchorage, KY

Joan Osborne is a singer, songwriter and has recorded and performed in various popular American musical genres including pop, soul, R&B, blues, and country. She is best known for her recording of the Eric Bazilian song "One of Us", from her debut album Relish. Both the single and the album became worldwide hits and garnered a combined seven Grammy award nominations. Osborne has toured with Motown sidemen the Funk Brothers and was featured in the documentary film about them, Standing in the Shadows of Motown.

2019

Hometown: Sterling, VA

Patton Oswalt is a stand-up comedian, actor, voiceover artist, and writer perhaps best known for the show, The King of Queens, the films, Ratatouille and Young Adult, and his roles on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and the new Veronica Mars. He has appeared in various stand-up specials and won both an Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special, as well as Grammy for his Netflix special Patton Oswalt: Talking for Clapping.

In addition to his work on screen, he can be seen performing comedy in Los Angeles and across the US. Oswalt was born in Portsmouth, Virginia, and raised in Sterling, VA.

2019, 2021

Hometowns: Georgia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas & Illinois

Danielle Panabaker began acting as a teenager and came to prominence for her in the HBO miniseries Empire Falls .

Panabaker guest-starred as Dr. Caitlin Snow on The CW television series Arrow and has gone on to reprise the role of Caitlin Snow as a main character in The CW hit spin-off series The Flash. Panabaker was born in Georgia and spent several years of her childhood growing up in South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Texas and Illinois.

2018

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Sarah Jessica Parker is an actress and producer. She is perhaps best known for her role as Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO television series Sex and the City, for which she won two Emmy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series and three Screen Actors Guild Awards. She later reprised the role in films Sex and the City and Sex and the City 2 . Her other film roles include Hocus Pocus, Footloose, and Did You Hear About the Morgans?.

Parker is also known for portraying Isabelle Wright in the FOX series Glee and Frances Dufresne in the HBO series Divorce, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. Since 2005, she has run her own production company, Pretty Matches, which has been creating content for HBO and other channels.

2020

Hometown: Hershey, PA

Steven Pasquale is an actor and producer, known for his roles in Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Rescue Me and Six Feet Under. His television credits include FX’s limited series American Crime Story: The People v. O.J. Simpson and NBC’s Do No Harm. Pasquale has also starred in several theatrical productions including Carousel, A Man of No Importance, and Miss Saigon. He received the 2016 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical for portraying Jamie Lockhart in the 2016 revival of The Robber Bridegroom, at the Roundabout Theater Company.

Pasquale attended Bishop McDevitt High School and later graduated from Southern Methodist University.

2020

Hometown: Toms River, NJ

Piper Perabo is a Golden Globe nominated actress. She is currently filming Netflix’s Turn Up Charley, opposite Idris Elba.

She made her Broadway debut in Neil LaBute’s controversial Tony nominated play Reasons to be Pretty. She has been seen in such films as The Prestige, Cheaper by the Dozen, Imagine Me & You, Looper, and Coyote Ugly. In addition to her work on stage and screen, Perabo is a Voice for the International Rescue Committee to raise awareness surrounding the refugee crisis and to help those displaced by conflict, religious persecution and political oppression around the globe. She is also on the Advisory Board for Vote Run Lead.

Perabo’s Hometown is Toms River, NJ. Presently, she resides in Los Angeles and New York City.

2018, 2021

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

James Pickens Jr. is an actor best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Webber on the ABC medical drama television series Grey's Anatomy, and for his supporting role as Deputy Director Alvin Kersh on later seasons of the Fox Network science fiction series The X-Files. Pickens graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelor of Fine Arts and began his stage career at the Roundabout Theatre in New York City. Pickens has starred in the Negro Ensemble Company's production of A Soldier's Play and appeared on the soap opera Another World. Pickens also made several appearances on Beverly Hills, 90210, and the comedy series Roseanne among many others.

2020

Hometown: Columbus, OH

Josh Radnor is an actor and filmmaker known for portraying Ted Mosby on the popular Emmy Award-winning CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother. He made his writing and directorial debut with the 2010 comedy drama film Happythankyoumoreplease, for which he won the Sundance Film Festival Audience Award and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize. In 2012, he wrote, directed and starred in his second film, Liberal Arts, which premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Radnor has also appeared in the Broadway play Disgraced, the PBS American Civil War drama series Mercy Street, and musical series Rise.

Radnor graduated from Kenyon College with a B.A. in Drama and received his Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from New York University's Graduate Acting Program at the Tisch School of the Arts.

2020

Hometown: Lutz, FL

J. R. Ramirez is a Cuban-American actor known for his role as Julio on Starz series Power and Oscar Arocho on Netflix series Jessica Jones. He is currently starring on the new hit series, NBC's Manifest

Ramirez was born in Matanzas, Cuba was raised in Lutz, Florida, north of Tampa.

2018

Hometown: Trenton, Michigan

Mary Lynn Rajskub is an American actress, comedienne and singer who is best known as a co-star of Kiefer Sutherland on the popular television series 24

While she has mainly been a television star, Rajskub has also had roles on the big screen in Magnolia (1999), Man on the Moon (1999), and Road Trip (2000), among other works. She offered mesmerizing performances in Mysterious Skin (2004), Sweet Home Alabama (2002), and in Punch-Drunk Love (2002), then played a few more visible roles such as Janet Stone in Firewall (2006), opposite Harrison Ford, and as Pam in Little Miss Sunshine (2006). In 2006 Rajskub was awarded the Female Breakthrough Award for her comedic stage productions and acting prowess in both TV and film. She was also nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Awards twice, in 2005 and 2007.

Outside of acting, Mary Lynn is a well-regarded artist and guitarist. Her own paintings have been displayed and sold at art auctions and exhibits.

2022

Hometown: Bloomfield, MI

Elizabeth Reaser is a film, television, and stage actress. Her work includes The Twilight Saga, The Good Wife, and The Haunting of Hill House.

Reaser was born and raised in Bloomfield, Michigan. Reaser attended the Academy of the Sacred Heart in Bloomfield Hills and went on to attend the Juilliard School's Drama where she graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts.

2018

Hometown: Roseville, Michigan

Crystal Reed is an American actress who came to prominence for portraying Allison Argent in the series Teen Wolf from 2011 to 2014.

Following Teen Wolf, Reed portrayed Sofia Falcone on the fourth season of Gotham and the lead role of Abby Arcane in the series Swamp Thing. She has also appeared numerous films including Skyline, Crush, Too Late, and Ghostland.

2022

Hometown: Detroit, MI

Sam Richardson is an actor, comedian, and writer. Known for his role as Richard Splett on the HBO comedy series Veep, television credits also include Detroiters and Arrested Development. Richardson has also been featured on episodes of The Office, Drunk History, and New Girl. He has made appearances in films including We're the Millers, Horrible Bosses 2, Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, and Ghostbusters. In 2016, Richardson was nominated for the Best Performance in a Variety or Sketch Comedy Program or Series award at the Canadian Screen Awards for his work on The Second City Project. He was also nominated for the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series at the 2015, 2016, and 2017 Screen Actors Guild Awards for his work on Veep, winning in 2018.

Richardson graduated from the University of Detroit Jesuit High School and Academy and studied theater at Wayne State University. Early in his career, Richardson performed at the Second City sketch theatre group in Detroit and then in Chicago.

2020

Hometown: Cleveland, OH

Phoebe Robinson is a multi-talented standup comedian, New York Times best-selling author, actress and producer. She is best known as the co-creator and co-star of the hit podcast turned TV show 2 Dope Queens on HBO. Last year, Robinson inked an overall deal with ABC Studios to launch a production company, Tiny Reparations. Her first project under Tiny Reparations is hosting and executive producing an interview series titled, Doing the Most with Phoebe Robinson, set to launch on Comedy Central.

Robinson penned the New York Times best seller You Can’t Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have To Explain–a collection of essays about race, gender and pop culture–as well as Everything’s Trash, But It’s Okay.

Following success with her critically-acclaimed podcasts 2 Dope Queens and Sooo Many White Guys, Phoebe launched her new podcast, Black Frasier, in August 2020. On the show, she sits down with entertainers, activists, writers and politicians to discuss social issues and answer listeners’ advice questions with her unfiltered humor.

2020

Hometown: Kenosha, WI & Virginia Beach, VA

Mark Ruffalo is an environmental activist and actor known for his Oscar nominated performances in The Kids Are All Right, Foxcatcher and Spotlight. He also portrayed Bruce Banner/the Hulk in the movie The Avengers and its sequel.

Mark was born and raised in Kenosha, Wisconsin and spent his teenage years in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Ruffalo is widely known as an environmental activist, particularly focusing his efforts on combating fracking in New York state.

2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023

Hometown: Dayton, OH

Sherri Saum is an American actress best known for her role as Lena Foster in the Freeform drama series The Fosters as well as a subsequent guest star role in its spinoff Good Trouble. She is also known for her television roles in Beggars and Choosers, Rescue Me and In Treatment, as well as for her roles in the daytime soap operas Sunset Beach and One Life to Live. Saum has had a plethora of television appearances in shows such as Roswell, New Mexico, the Netflix fantasy drama Locke & Key, and the ABC series How to Get Away with Murder.

Saum attended Ohio State University in Columbus, and New York University.

2020

Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina

Amy Sedaris is an actress, author, comedian and rabbit educator. She has appeared often on screen, both large and small.

Sedaris’ Emmy® nominated comedy series, At Home with Amy Sedaris, received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in the category of “Outstanding Variety Sketch Series.”

Sedaris can also be seen in the Emmy® award-winning Disney+ series The Mandalorian, as space mechanic Peli Motto. In addition, Sedaris lent her voice to Princess Carolyn in the Netflix Original TV Series BoJack Horseman. She has also made many guest appearances on TV programs such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Broad City, 30 Rock, The Good Wife, Rescue Me, Monk, Just Shoot Me!, Sex and the City, My Name Is Earl, The Closer, The Middle, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Raising Hope, and Sesame Street.

2022

Hometown: Lexington, KY

Michael Shannon is award winning actor and musician, known for his roles in films like Man of Steel, Revolutionary Road and Guillermo Del Toro’s The Shape of Water. For several seasons he also played Nelson Van Alden in the HBO period drama series Boardwalk Empire. Following his passion for music, in 2002 Michael Shannon formed a band called Corporal, who he performs with regularly. Michael Shannon was born and raised in Lexington, Kentucky.

2018

Hometown: Shaker Heights, OH

Molly Shannon spent six seasons as a member of the repertory company on “Saturday Night Live,” primarily known for the eclectic characters she created, such as Mary Katherine Gallagher and Sally O’Malley. Her career has ranged from roles in a number of films, such as A Night at the Roxbury, Never Been Kissed, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, to her performance in the highly acclaimed drama Other People, which earned her the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Molly can currently be seen in the popular HBO comedy, “Divorce,” opposite Sarah Jessica Parker and Thomas Haden Church. Born in Shaker Heights, Ohio, Molly earned a BFA in drama from New York University’s prestigious Tisch School of the Arts. She currently lives in California with her husband and two children.

2018, 2020

Hometown: Libertyville, IL

Phillipa Soo is an American actress and singer. She is best known for originating the role of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton in the Broadway musical Hamilton, a performance for which she was nominated for the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Her additional stage credits include the role of Natasha Rostova, which Soo originated in a number of New York productions of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, and the title role in Amélie, which Soo originated on Broadway in 2017. She can be seen in the CBS television series The Code.

2020

Hometown: Danville, Virginia

Robert Lee "Skipp" Sudduth IV is an American theater, film and television actor and director. He is perhaps best known for his role in the 1998 film Ronin and his lead in the TV drama Third Watch.

Sudduth has directed episodes of ER, Criminal Minds, Women's Murder Club, CSI: Cyber, and multiple episodes of CSI: NY.

Hometown: Portsmouth, VA, and Gambrills, MD

Wanda Sykes is an Emmy winning, eleven-time nominated stand up comic, writer, actress and producer. Her fifth standup special, Wanda Sykes: Not Normal, is currently streaming on Netflix and was nominated for two 2019 Primetime Emmy Awards. She has had four prior comedy specials: 2016’s What Happened...Ms. Sykes?, 2009’s Wanda Sykes: I'ma Be Me on HBO, nominated for two Primetime Emmy awards, HBO’s 2006 comedy special Wanda Sykes: Sick & Tired, nominated for a 2007 Primetime Emmy for “Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special,” and, her first, 2003’s Wanda Sykes: Tongue Untied, which premiered on Comedy Central. Wanda’s role on ABC’s Black-ish earned her two back-to-back Primetime Emmy Award Nominations for “Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series” (2018 and 2017). She has also appeared in The New Adventures of Old Christine, The Chris Rock Show, Broad City, House of Lies, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more. Wanda formed Push It Productions in 2012, a production company dedicated to creating quality, comedy-based programming for network and cable television outlets. The company's diverse slate of projects includes sketch comedy, concerts, reality talk/variety, and competition formats.

2019, 2021

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI

Toni Trucks is a theater, film, and television actress. Her previous film credits include Dreamgirls, Weapons, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 and Music and Lyrics.

Trucks is currently a series regular on CBS's SEAL Team. She also featured in Made in Jersey. Trucks has over 17 years of dance training, leading to her presence in theatre roles such as in Stormy Weather, Kiss Me, Kate, West Side Story, Oklahoma! and Footloose.

2020

Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI

Brian Vander Ark is the lead singer and principal songwriter for the band The Verve Pipe. The band has sold more than 3 million albums worldwide and produced a string of hit singles, including the #1 song The Freshmen. Since the success of The Freshmen, Brian has released four solo albums, two Verve Pipe children's albums, and two holiday CDs. His most recent accomplishments are writing, producing and starring in the multiple award winning short, Bullies On Vacation, and developing the live action animated children's educational show, Charlie & Company. On stage, Brian garnered rave reviews as Charley Bowdrey in The Collective Works Of Billy The Kid at the prestigious La Jolla playhouse.

2020

Hometown: Shaker Heights, OH

David Wain is an American comedian, writer, actor, and director. He is most widely known for directing the feature films Role Models, Wanderlust and for both creating the Wet Hot American Summer franchise and directing the feature film Wet Hot American Summer, and the Netflix series Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp and Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later. He is also known for his work on the sketch comedy series The State. Wain is a founding member of comedy group Stella, along with Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black. Wain was born and raised in Shaker Heights Ohio.

2018

Hometown: Tucson, AZ

Kate Walsh is an American actress and businesswoman. Her roles include Dr. Addison Montgomery on the ABC television dramas Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, and Olivia Baker on the Netflix drama series 13 Reasons Why. Walsh grew up partly in San Jose, California and partly in Tucson, Arizona, later attending the University of Arizona, where she became involved in regional theater before spending time in Chicago and New York. Walsh is an environmental and political activist and is involved with several boards and advocacy campaigns nationwide.

2018

Hometown: Woodbridge, VA

Haley Webb is an award-winning American filmmaker and actress. She is perhaps best known for the MTV series Teen Wolf as Jennifer Blake and The Final Destination as Janet Cunningham. Her film and television work includes independent films such as Sugar Mountain, On the Inside, and the upcoming film Blonde. Webb founded the production company Legion of Horribles in 2011 with her directorial debut short film Patti, about the life and work of musician Patti Smith. She continues to direct, write and act through Legion of Horribles and is currently touring the festival circuit with her most recent short film, Joyeux Noël.

Haley was born and raised in Woodbridge, Virginia.

Hometown: The Bronx, NY

Kerry Washington is an actress, producer, and director. She is known for her leading role as Olivia Pope in the ABC drama series Scandal in which she was nominated twice for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and once for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Television Series Drama. Her portrayal of Anita Hill in the HBO television political thriller film, Confirmation, earned her a nomination for both the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress Miniseries or Television Film. Washington’s film credits include playing the role of Kay in The Last King of Scotland, Alicia Masters in the live-action Fantastic Four films, and as Broomhilda von Shaft in Django Unchained. She has also starred in the independent films Our Song, The Dead Girl , and American Son. Washington has won a total of five NAACP Image Awards, including The President's Award.

Most recently Washington starred in the original Hulu series Little Fires Everywhere, based on the novel by Celeste Ng. She can currently be seen in the musical The Prom on Netflix.

She graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a double major in anthropology and sociology from George Washington University.

2020

Hometown: Chester County, PA

Silas Mitchell is an actor and activist. He has appeared in guest roles in the series 24, Numb3rs, My Name is Earland Prison Break. One of his most notable roles is that of mentally unstable recurring character James Hogan on Cold Case. In October 2011, Mitchell was cast as Monroe in the NBC TV series Grimm. He studied at Brown University and was born and raised in Chester County, PA.

2018

Hometown: Cincinnati, OH

Kevin Allison is an actor, comedian and host of the podcast, RISK! He is a writer and actor, known for The State and The Ten .Kevn Allison was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio.

2018

Hometown: Madison WI

Bradley Whitford was born in Madison, Wisconsin, to Genevieve Smith Whitford, a poet and writer, and George Van Norman Whitford. He studied theater and English literature at Wesleyan University and earned a master's degree in theater from the prestigious Juilliard Theater Center.

Bradley Whitford's credits in film, television and theater include work with some of the most noted writers, directors and playwrights in the arts, and constitute a career worthy of a Juilliard-trained actor -- which he is. But stardom is something else altogether, and it remained elusive, at least until 1999 and his appearance on NBC's acclaimed political drama, The West Wing (1999).

2023

Hometown: Farmington Hills, MI

James Wolk is an actor known for his starring roles in the CBS comedy series The Crazy Ones and the AMC series Mad Men. Wolk has also appeared in the CBS drama thriller series Zoo, the CBS All Access psychological thriller series Tell Me a Story, and the HBO superhero limited series Watchmen. Wolk holds a seat on the Board of Directors of the nonprofit organization, Brad Cohen Tourette Foundation.

2020

Hometown: Glen Rock & Ridgewood, NJ

Michael Zegen is an American actor of stage and screen. He is perhaps best known for his roles in the prime time network television series Rescue Me, as well as HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime. Zegen grew up in Ridgewood and Glen Rock in New Jersey.

2023