Charlie Chaplin's childhood featured hardship.

Charlie Chaplin Sir Charles Spencer `` Charlie '' Chaplin , ( 16 April 1889 -- 25 December 1977 ) was an English comic actor , filmmaker , and composer who rose to fame during the era of silent film . Chaplin became a worldwide icon through his screen persona `` the Tramp '' and is considered one of the most important figures in the history of the film industry . His career spanned more than 75 years , from childhood in the Victorian era until a year before his death in 1977 , and encompassed both adulation and controversy .   Chaplin 's childhood in London was one of poverty and hardship . As his father was absent and his mother struggled financially , he was sent to a workhouse twice before the age of nine . When he was 14 , his mother was committed to a mental asylum . Chaplin began performing at an early age , touring music halls and later working as a stage actor and comedian . At 19 , he was signed to the prestigious Fred Karno company , which took him to America . Chaplin was scouted for the film industry and began appearing in 1914 for Keystone Studios . He soon developed the Tramp persona and formed a large fan base . Chaplin directed his own films from an early stage and continued to hone his craft as he moved to the Essanay , Mutual , and First National corporations . By 1918 , he was one of the best-known figures in the world .   In 1919 , Chaplin co-founded the distribution company United Artists , which gave him complete control over his films . His first feature-length was The Kid ( 1921 ) , followed by A Woman of Paris ( 1923 ) , The Gold Rush ( 1925 ) , and The Circus ( 1928 ) . He refused to move to sound films in the 1930s , instead producing City Lights ( 1931 ) and Modern Times ( 1936 ) without dialogue . Chaplin became increasingly political , and his next film , The Great Dictator ( 1940 ) , satirised Adolf Hitler . The 1940s were a decade marked with controversy for Chaplin , and his popularity declined rapidly . He was accused of communist sympathies , while his involvement in a paternity suit and marriages to much younger women caused scandal . An FBI investigation was opened , and Chaplin was forced to leave the United States and settle in Switzerland . He abandoned the Tramp in his later films , which include Monsieur Verdoux ( 1947 ) , Limelight ( 1952 ) , A King in New York ( 1957 ) , and A Countess from Hong Kong ( 1967 ) .   Chaplin wrote , directed , produced , edited , starred in , and composed the music for most of his films . He was a perfectionist , and his financial independence enabled him to spend years on the development and production of a picture . His films are characterised by slapstick combined with pathos , typified in the Tramp 's struggles against adversity . Many contain social and political themes , as well as autobiographical elements . In 1972 , as part of a renewed appreciation for his work , Chaplin received an Honorary Academy Award for `` the incalculable effect he has had in making motion pictures the art form of this century '' . He continues to be held in high regard , with The Gold Rush , City Lights , Modern Times , and The Great Dictator often ranked on industry lists of the greatest films of all time .


Jackie Chan Chan Kong-sang , SBS , MBE , PMW , ( -LSB- ; born 7 April 1954 ) , known professionally as Jackie Chan , is a Hong Kong martial artist , actor , film director , producer , stuntman , and singer . In his movies , he is known for his acrobatic fighting style , comic timing , use of improvised weapons , and innovative stunts , which he typically performs himself . He has trained in Kung Fu and Hapkido . He has been acting since the 1960s and has appeared in over 150 films .   Chan has received stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars , and the Hollywood Walk of Fame . He has been referenced in various pop songs , cartoons , and video games . He is an operatically trained vocalist and is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star , having released a number of albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred . He is also a notable philanthropist . In 2015 , Forbes magazine estimated his net worth to be $ 350 million .


Colm Feore Colm Feore ( born August 22 , 1958 ) is an American-Canadian stage , film and television actor best known for his roles as First Gentleman Henry Taylor on the television series , 24 and as Lord Marshal Zhylaw in The Chronicles of Riddick .


Eagles (band) released at least the albums Hotel California and Their Greatest Hits (1971 -- 1975).

Eagles (band) The Eagles are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1971 by Glenn Frey , Don Henley , Bernie Leadon , and Randy Meisner . With five number-one singles , six Grammy Awards , five American Music Awards , and six number one albums , the Eagles were one of the most successful musical acts of the 1970s . At the end of the 20th century , two of their albums , Their Greatest Hits ( 1971 -- 1975 ) and Hotel California , were ranked among the 20 best-selling albums in the United States according to the Recording Industry Association of America . Hotel California is ranked 37th in Rolling Stones list of `` The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time '' and the band was ranked number 75 on the magazine 's 2004 list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time .   The Eagles are one of the world 's best-selling bands of all time , having sold more than 150 million records -- 100 million in the U.S. alone -- including 42 million copies of Their Greatest Hits ( 1971 -- 1975 ) and 32 million copies of Hotel California . Their Greatest Hits ( 1971 -- 1975 ) was the best selling album of the 20th century in the U.S. . They are the fifth-highest-selling music act and the highest-selling American band in U.S. history .   The band released their debut album , Eagles , in 1972 , which spawned three top 40 singles : `` Take It Easy , '' `` Witchy Woman , '' and `` Peaceful Easy Feeling . '' Their next album , Desperado ( 1973 ) , was less successful than the first , only reaching number 41 on the charts ; neither of its singles reached the top 40 . However , the album does contain what would go on to be two of the band 's most popular tracks : `` Desperado '' and `` Tequila Sunrise . '' The band released On the Border in 1974 , adding guitarist Don Felder as the fifth member midway through the recording of the album . The album generated two top 40 singles : `` Already Gone '' and their first number one , `` Best of My Love . ''   Their 1975 album One of These Nights included three top 10 singles : `` One of These Nights , '' `` Lyin ' Eyes , '' and `` Take It to the Limit , '' the first hitting the top of the charts . Guitarist and vocalist , Joe Walsh , also joined the band in 1975 . The Eagles continued that success and hit their commercial peak in late 1976 with the release of Hotel California , which would go on to sell more than 16 million copies in the U.S. alone and more than 32 million copies worldwide . The album yielded two number-one singles , `` New Kid in Town '' and `` Hotel California . '' They released their last studio album for nearly 28 years in 1979 with The Long Run , which spawned three top 10 singles : `` Heartache Tonight , '' `` The Long Run , '' and `` I Ca n't Tell You Why , '' the lead single being another chart-topping hit .   The Eagles disbanded in July 1980 but reunited in 1994 for the album Hell Freezes Over , a mix of live and new studio tracks . They toured consistently and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998 . In 2007 , the Eagles released Long Road Out of Eden , their first full studio album in 28 years and their sixth number one album . The next year they launched the Long Road Out of Eden Tour in support of the album . In 2013 , they began the extended History of the Eagles Tour in conjunction with the band 's documentary release , History of the Eagles .   Following the death of Frey in January 2016 , Henley stated in several interviews that he did n't think the band would perform again . However , in March 2017 it was announced that the Eagles would be headlining two concerts in July 2017 .


Anne Hathaway had a part in Hoodwinked!.

Anne Hathaway Anne Jacqueline Hathaway ( born November 12 , 1982 ) is an American actress and singer . Born in Brooklyn , New York and brought up in Millburn , New Jersey , Hathaway was inspired to act by her mother and as a high school student was nominated for the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Award for Best Performance by a High School Actress for her performance in Once Upon a Mattress . She made her professional screen debut in the short-lived Fox television series Get Real ( 1999 -- 2000 ) , before landing the lead role of Mia Thermopolis in the Disney comedy film The Princess Diaries ( 2001 ) , for which she won the Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress -- Comedy . Hathaway went on to become a widely praised `` role model for children '' for her roles in Nicholas Nickleby ( 2002 ) , Ella Enchanted ( 2004 ) , The Princess Diaries 2 : Royal Engagement ( 2004 ) , and Hoodwinked ! ( 2005 ) .   Hathaway began to transition to more adult roles in 2005 , winning a DVD Exclusive Award for Best Actress for Havoc ( 2005 ) , receiving a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for her role in the critically acclaimed Brokeback Mountain ( 2005 ) , garnering further recognition for appearing alongside Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada ( 2006 ) , and earning a BIFA nomination for Best Performance by an Actress for her portrayal of Jane Austen in Becoming Jane ( 2007 ) . Hathaway received praise for her performance as a recovering drug addict in Rachel Getting Married ( 2008 ) , for which she won the Critics ' Choice Movie Award for Best Actress and was nominated for the Academy , Golden Globe , Screen Actors Guild , and Indie Spirit Awards for Best Actress / Female Lead . She went on to win her second Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress -- Comedy for starring in Bride Wars ( 2009 ) and in 2010 , appeared in the box office hits Valentine 's Day , Alice in Wonderland and Love & Other Drugs , which earned her the Satellite Award for Best Actress and a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress -- Motion Picture Comedy or Musical .   In 2011 , Hathaway voiced Jewel in the animated film Rio and hosted the 83rd Academy Awards with James Franco , which was nominated for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Class Program . In 2012 , she portrayed Catwoman in Christopher Nolan 's The Dark Knight Rises , for which she won the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress . The same year , she starred as Fantine in Tom Hooper 's Les Misérables , which earned her widespread acclaim and she won the Academy , Golden Globe , BAFTA , and SAG Awards for Best Supporting Actress . Hathaway has since gone on to appear in Rio 2 ( 2014 ) , Interstellar ( 2014 ) , The Intern ( 2015 ) , and reprised her role as the White Queen in Alice Through the Looking Glass ( 2016 ) .   People magazine named Hathaway one of its breakthrough stars of 2001 , and she appeared on its list of the world 's 50 Most Beautiful People in 2006 . Following a four-year relationship with real estate developer Raffaello Follieri , Hathaway married Adam Shulman in 2012 , with whom she has one son , born in March 2016 .


Gregor Clegane is a character from a novel.

Gregor Clegane Ser Gregor Clegane , nicknamed The Mountain , is a fictional character in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of fantasy novels by American author George R. R. Martin , and its television adaptation Game of Thrones . He is a retainer to House Lannister . An enormous man , he is well known for his size , prowess in battle and cruelty .   Introduced in 1996 's A Game of Thrones , Gregor is the older brother of Sandor Clegane , from the fictional kingdom of Westeros . He subsequently appeared in Martin 's A Clash of Kings ( 1998 ) , A Storm of Swords ( 2000 ) and in A Dance with Dragons ( 2011 ) as Ser Robert Strong .   Ser Gregor Clegane is a huge knight and the elder brother of Sandor Clegane . Called `` The Mountain That Rides '' , he is known for his incredibly cruel nature and uncontrollable temper . His size and strength make him a fearsome warrior , and he has earned a reputation for cruelty and brutality . He is able to wield a two-handed sword one handed . When they were children , Gregor shoved Sandor 's face into a brazier , gruesomely scarring him .   Gregor Clegane is portrayed by Conan Stevens in season one , by Ian Whyte in season two , and by Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson in seasons four , five , and six in the HBO television adaptation .


Kathy Bates was not nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress.

Kathy Bates Kathleen Doyle Bates ( born June 28 , 1948 ) is an American actress . Bates began her career on the stage , and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play in 1983 for her performance in ` night , Mother . She rose to prominence with her performance in Misery ( 1990 ) , for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress and Golden Globe Award for Best Actress . She followed this with major roles in Fried Green Tomatoes ( 1991 ) and Dolores Claiborne ( 1995 ) , before playing a featured role as Molly Brown in Titanic ( 1997 ) , which was at the time the highest grossing film of all time .   Bates ' television work has resulted in 14 Emmy Award nominations , two of which were for her starring role on the television series Harry 's Law , and most recently a win for her highly praised appearance in the third season of FX horror-thriller series American Horror Story , where she portrayed the real life socialite Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie . She won another Emmy Award in 2012 for her portrayal as the ghost of Charlie Harper on CBS comedy series Two and a Half Men , a role formerly portrayed by Charlie Sheen .


Roald Dahl Roald Dahl ( -LSB- langpronˈroʊ.əld _ ˈdɑːl -RSB- , -LSB- ˈɾuːɑl dɑl -RSB- ; 13 September 1916 -- 23 November 1990 ) was a British novelist , short story writer , poet , screenwriter , and fighter pilot . His books have sold more than 250 million copies worldwide .   Born in Wales to Norwegian parents , Dahl served in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War , in which he became a flying ace and intelligence officer , rising to the rank of acting wing commander . He rose to prominence in the 1940s with works for both children and adults and he became one of the world 's best selling authors . He has been referred to as `` one of the greatest storytellers for children of the 20th century '' . His awards for contribution to literature include the 1983 World Fantasy Award for Life Achievement , and the British Book Awards ' Children 's Author of the Year in 1990 . In 2008 , The Times placed Dahl 16th on its list of `` The 50 greatest British writers since 1945 '' .   Dahl 's short stories are known for their unexpected endings and his children 's books for their unsentimental , macabre , often darkly comic mood , featuring villainous adult enemies of the child characters . His books champion the kind-hearted , and feature an underlying warm sentiment . Dahl 's works for children include James and the Giant Peach , Charlie and the Chocolate Factory , Matilda , The Witches , Fantastic Mr Fox , The BFG , The Twits and George 's Marvellous Medicine . His adult works include Tales of the Unexpected .


Scotland Scotland ( -LSB- ˈskɒt.lənd -RSB- Scots : -LSB- - scoˈskɔt.lənd -RSB- Alba -LSB- ˈal̪ˠapə -RSB- ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and covers the northern third of the island of Great Britain . It shares a border with England to the south , and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to the east and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the south-west . In addition to the mainland , the country is made up of more than 790 islands , including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides .   The Kingdom of Scotland emerged as an independent sovereign state in the Early Middle Ages and continued to exist until 1707 . By inheritance in 1603 , James VI , King of Scots , became King of England and King of Ireland , thus forming a personal union of the three kingdoms . Scotland subsequently entered into a political union with the Kingdom of England on 1 May 1707 to create the new Kingdom of Great Britain . The union also created a new Parliament of Great Britain , which succeeded both the Parliament of Scotland and the Parliament of England . In 1801 , Great Britain itself entered into a political union with the Kingdom of Ireland to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland .   Within Scotland , the monarchy of the United Kingdom has continued to use a variety of styles , titles and other royal symbols of statehood specific to the pre-union Kingdom of Scotland . The legal system within Scotland has also remained separate from those of England and Wales and Northern Ireland ; Scotland constitutes a distinct jurisdiction in both public and private law . The continued existence of legal , educational , religious and other institutions distinct from those in the remainder of the UK have all contributed to the continuation of Scottish culture and national identity since the 1707 union with England .   In 1997 , a Scottish Parliament was re-established , in the form of a devolved unicameral legislature comprising 129 members , having authority over many areas of domestic policy . Scotland is represented in the United Kingdom Parliament by 59 MPs and in the European Parliament by 6 MEPs . Scotland is also a member of the British -- Irish Council , and sends five elected representatives to the British -- Irish Parliamentary Assembly .


Charles Mackay (author) Charles Mackay ( 27 March 1814 -- 24 December 1889 ) was a Scottish poet , journalist , author , anthologist , novelist , and songwriter , remembered mainly for his book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds .


United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland , commonly known as the United Kingdom ( UK ) or Britain , is a sovereign country in western Europe . Lying off the north-western coast of the European mainland , the United Kingdom includes the island of Great Britain , the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands . Northern Ireland is the only part of the United Kingdom that shares a land border with another sovereign statethe Republic of Ireland.Although Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK that shares a land border with another sovereign state , two of its Overseas Territories also share land borders with other sovereign countries . Gibraltar shares a border with Spain , while the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia share borders with the Republic of Cyprus , the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus and the UN buffer zone separating the two Cypriot polities . Apart from this land border , the United Kingdom is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean , with the North Sea to its east , the English Channel to its south and the Celtic Sea to its south-south-west , giving it the 12th-longest coastline in the world . The Irish Sea lies between Great Britain and Ireland . With an area of 242500 km2 , the United Kingdom is the 78th-largest sovereign state in the world and the 11th-largest in Europe . It is also the 21st-most populous country , with an estimated 65.1 million inhabitants . Together , this makes it the fourth-most densely populated country in the European Union ( EU ) .   The United Kingdom is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system of governance . The monarch is Queen Elizabeth II , who has reigned since 6 February 1952 . The capital of the United Kingdom and its largest city is London , a global city and financial centre with an urban area population of 10.3 million , the fourth-largest in Europe and second-largest in the European Union . Other major urban areas in the United Kingdom include the conurbations centred on Birmingham , Leeds , Glasgow , Liverpool and Manchester . The United Kingdom consists of four countries -- England , Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland . The last three have devolved administrations , each with varying powers , based in their capitals , Edinburgh , Cardiff and Belfast , respectively . The nearby Isle of Man , Bailiwick of Guernsey and Bailiwick of Jersey are not part of the United Kingdom , being Crown dependencies with the British Government responsible for defence and international representation .   The relationships among the countries of the UK have changed over time . Wales was annexed by the Kingdom of England under the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 . A treaty between England and Scotland resulted in 1707 in a unified Kingdom of Great Britain , which merged in 1801 with the Kingdom of Ireland to form the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland . Five-sixths of Ireland seceded from the UK in 1922 , leaving the present formulation of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.The Anglo-Irish Treaty was signed on 6 December 1921 to resolve the Irish War of Independence . When it took effect one year later , it established the Irish Free State as a separate dominion within the Commonwealth . The UK 's current name was adopted to reflect the change . There are fourteen British Overseas Territories . These are the remnants of the British Empire which , at its height in the 1920s , encompassed almost a quarter of the world 's land mass and was the largest empire in history . British influence can be observed in the language , culture and legal systems of many of its former colonies .   The United Kingdom is a developed country and has the world 's fifth-largest economy by nominal GDP and ninth-largest economy by purchasing power parity . The UK is considered to have a high-income economy and is categorised as very high in the Human Development Index , ranking 16th in the world . It was the world 's first industrialised country and the world 's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries . The UK remains a great power with considerable economic , cultural , military , scientific and political influence internationally . It is a recognised nuclear weapons state and is seventh in military expenditure in the world . The UK has been a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council since its first session in 1946 . It has been a leading member state of the EU and its predecessor , the European Economic Community ( EEC ) , since 1973 . However , on 23 June 2016 , a national referendum on the UK 's membership of the EU resulted in a decision to leave , and its exit from the EU is currently being negotiated . The UK is also a member of the Commonwealth of Nations , the Council of Europe , the G7 finance ministers , the G7 forum , the G20 , NATO , the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) , and the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) .


Anschluss is used to describe an event on 12 March.

Anschluss Anschluss ( -LSB- ˈʔanʃlʊs -RSB- , `` connection '' or `` joining '' ) is the term used to describe the annexation of Austria into Nazi Germany on 12 March 1938 . German spelling , until the German orthography reform of 1996 , was Anschluß and it was also known as the Anschluss Österreichs ( , Austrian Annexation ) .   The idea of an Anschluss ( Austria and Germany united to form a `` Greater Germany '' ) began after the Unification of Germany excluded Austria and the Austrian Germans from the Prussian-dominated German nation-state in 1871 . Following the end of World War I with the fall of the Austria-Hungarian Empire , in 1918 , the newly formed Republic of German-Austria attempted union with Germany , but the Treaty of Saint Germain ( 10 September 1919 ) and the Treaty of Versailles ( 28 June 1919 ) forbade both the union and the continued use of the name `` German-Austria '' ( Deutschösterreich ) and cutting several territories like the Sudetenland off .


Lisbon is the largest capital city in Portugal.

Lisbon Lisbon ( -LSB- ˈlɪzbən -RSB- Lisboa , -LSB- liʒˈβoɐ -RSB- ) is the capital and the largest city of Portugal , with a population of 552,700 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km ² . Its urban area extends beyond the city 's administrative limits with a population of around 2.7 million people , being the 11th-most populous urban area in the European Union . About 2.8 million people live in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( which represents approximately 27 % of the country 's population ) . It is continental Europe 's westernmost capital city and the only one along the Atlantic coast . Lisbon lies in the western Iberian Peninsula on the Atlantic Ocean and the River Tagus . The westernmost areas of its metro area is the westernmost point of Continental Europe .   Lisbon is recognised as a global city because of its importance in finance , commerce , media , entertainment , arts , international trade , education and tourism . It is one of the major economic centres on the continent , with a growing financial sector and one of the largest container ports on Europe 's Atlantic coast . Humberto Delgado Airport serves over 20 million passengers annually , as of 2015 , and the motorway network and the high-speed rail system of Alfa Pendular link the main cities of Portugal . The city is the 7th-most-visited city in Southern Europe , after Istanbul , Rome , Barcelona , Madrid , Athens and Milan , with 1,740,000 tourists in 2009 . The Lisbon region contributes with a higher GDP PPP per capita than any other region in Portugal . It 's GDP amounts to 96.3 billion USD and thus $ 32,434 per capita , 40 % higher than the average European Union 's GDP per capita . The city occupies 32nd place of highest gross earnings in the world . Most of the headquarters of multinationals in the country are located in the Lisbon area . It is also the political centre of the country , as its seat of Government and residence of the Head of State .   Lisbon is one of the oldest cities in the world , and the oldest in Western Europe , predating other modern European capitals such as London , Paris and Rome by centuries . Julius Caesar made it a municipium called Felicitas Julia , adding to the name Olissipo . Ruled by a series of Germanic tribes from the 5th century , it was captured by the Moors in the 8th century . In 1147 , the Crusaders under Afonso Henriques reconquered the city and since then it has been a major political , economic and cultural centre of Portugal . Unlike most capital cities , Lisbon 's status as the capital of Portugal has never been granted or confirmed officially -- by statute or in written form . Its position as the capital has formed through constitutional convention , making its position as de facto capital a part of the Constitution of Portugal .   Lisbon enjoys a Mediterranean climate . It has one of the warmest winters of any metropolis in Europe , with average temperatures 15 ° C during the day and 8 ° C at night from December to February . The typical summer season lasts about four months , from June to September , although also in April temperatures sometimes reach around 25 ° C.


Drew Barrymore refused to be an actress.

Drew Barrymore Drew Blythe Barrymore ( born February 22 , 1975 ) is an American actress , author , director , model and producer . She is a member of the Barrymore family of American stage and film actors , and is a granddaughter of actor John Barrymore . Barrymore began acting on television , and soon transitioned to film with roles in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial ( 1982 ) and Irreconcilable Differences ( 1984 ) .   Following a turbulent childhood that was marked by drug and alcohol abuse with two stints in rehab , she wrote her autobiography , Little Girl Lost ( 1991 ) . She appeared in a string of successful films , including Poison Ivy ( 1992 ) , Boys on the Side ( 1995 ) , Scream ( 1996 ) and Ever After ( 1998 ) . She has also co-starred with Adam Sandler in The Wedding Singer ( 1998 ) , 50 First Dates ( 2004 ) and Blended ( 2014 ) .   After Barrymore and Nancy Juvonen formed their joint production company Flower Films in 1995 , it went on to produce several films in which she also starred , such as Never Been Kissed ( 1999 ) , Charlie 's Angels ( 2000 ) , Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) and her directorial debut Whip It ! ( 2009 ) . Other acting credits include Music and Lyrics ( 2007 ) , He 's Just Not That Into You ( 2009 ) , Going the Distance ( 2010 ) and Miss You Already ( 2015 ) . Barrymore won the Screen Actors Guild Award and the Golden Globe Award for her portrayal of Little Edie in Grey Gardens ( 2009 ) . Barrymore currently stars with Timothy Olyphant in the Netflix comedy series Santa Clarita Diet ( 2017 ) .   She was named an Ambassador Against Hunger for the UN World Food Programme ( WFP ) . Since then , she has donated over $ 1 million to the program . A recipient of a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame , Barrymore appeared on the cover of the 2007 People magazine 's 100 Most Beautiful people .


Marilyn Burns Marilyn Burns ; ( born Mary Lynn Ann Burns ; May 7 , 1949 -- August 5 , 2014 ) was an American actress who became known for her role as Sally Hardesty in the Texas Chainsaw Massacre film series . Her other film roles included Eaten Alive ( 1977 ) and Future-Kill ( 1985 ) . She is also known for portraying Linda Kasabian in the three-time Emmy-nominated television film Helter Skelter ( 1976 ) .


Ethiopia is the second-most populous nation on the African continent.

Ethiopia Ethiopia ( -LSB- ˌiːθiˈoʊpiə -RSB- ኢትዮጵያ , , ) , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia ( የኢትዮጵያ ፌዴራላዊ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ሪፐብሊክ , yeʾĪtiyoṗṗya Fēdēralawī Dēmokirasīyawī Rīpebilīk ) , is a country located in the Horn of Africa . It shares borders with Eritrea to the north and northeast , Djibouti and Somalia to the east , Sudan and South Sudan to the west , and Kenya to the south . With over 100 million inhabitants , Ethiopia is the most populous landlocked country in the world , as well as the second-most populous nation on the African continent after Nigeria . It occupies a total area of 1,100,000 km2 , and its capital and largest city is Addis Ababa .   Some of the oldest evidence for anatomically modern humans has been found in Ethiopia . It is widely considered as the region from which modern humans first set out for the Middle East and places beyond . According to linguists , the first Afroasiatic-speaking populations settled in the Horn region during the ensuing Neolithic era . Tracing its roots to the 2nd millennium BC , Ethiopia was a monarchy for most of its history . During the first centuries AD , the Kingdom of Aksum maintained a unified civilization in the region , followed by the Ethiopian Empire circa 1137 . Ethiopia derived prestige with its uniquely successful military resistance during the late 19th-century Scramble for Africa , becoming the only African country to defeat a European colonial power and retain its sovereignty . Subsequently , many African nations adopted the colors of Ethiopia 's flag following their independence . It was the first independent African member of the 20th-century League of Nations and the United Nations . In 1974 , at the end of Haile Selassie 's reign , power fell to a communist military dictatorship known as the Derg , backed by the Soviet Union , until it was defeated by the Ethiopian People 's Revolutionary Democratic Front , which has ruled since about the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 .   Ethiopia 's ancient Ge'ez script , also known as Ethiopic , is one of the oldest alphabets still in use in the world . The Ethiopian calendar , which is approximately seven years and three months behind the Gregorian calendar , co-exists alongside the Borana calendar . A majority of the population adheres to Christianity ( mainly the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church and P'ent ` ay ) , while around a third follows Islam ( primarily Sunni Islam ) . The country is the site of the Migration to Abyssinia and the oldest Muslim settlement in Africa at Negash . A substantial population of Ethiopian Jews , known as Bete Israel , resided in Ethiopia until the 1980s , but most of them have since emigrated to Israel . Ethiopia is a multilingual nation with around 80 ethnolinguistic groups , the four largest of which are the Oromiffa , Amhara , Somali , and Tigrayans . Most people in the country speak Afroasiatic languages of the Cushitic or Semitic branches . Additionally , Omotic languages are spoken by ethnic minority groups inhabiting the southern regions . Nilo-Saharan languages are also spoken by the nation 's Nilotic ethnic minorities .   Ethiopia is the place of origin for the coffee bean which originated from the place called Kefa ( which was one of the 14 provinces in the old Ethiopian administration ) . It is a land of natural contrasts , with its vast fertile West , jungles , and numerous rivers , and the world 's hottest settlement of Dallol in its north . The Ethiopian Highlands are Africa 's largest continuous mountain ranges , and Sof Omar Caves contain Africa 's largest cave . Ethiopia has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Africa .   Ethiopia is one of the founding members of the UN , the Group of 24 ( G-24 ) , the Non-Aligned Movement , G-77 and the Organisation of African Unity . Ethiopia 's capital city Addis Ababa serves as the headquarters of the African Union , the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry , the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa , African Aviation Training HQ , the African Standby Force , and many of the global NGOs focused on Africa . In the 1970s and 1980s , Ethiopia suffered from civil wars and communist purges which devastated its economy . The country has begun to recover recently however , and now has the largest economy ( by GDP ) in East Africa and Central Africa . According to Global Fire Power , Ethiopia has the 42nd most powerful military in the world , and the third most powerful in Africa .


Charlemagne reached the height of his strength in 800.

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( -LSB- ˈʃɑːrlᵻmeɪn -RSB- ) or Charles the Great ( 2 April 742/747/74828 January 814 ) , numbered Charles I , was the King of the Franks from 768 , King of the Lombards from 774 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 . He united much of Europe during the early Middle Ages . He was the first recognised emperor in western Europe since the fall of the Western Roman Empire three centuries earlier . The expanded Frankish state that Charlemagne founded was called the Carolingian Empire .   Charlemagne was the oldest son of Pepin the Short and Bertrada of Laon . He became king in 768 following his father 's death , initially as co-ruler with his brother Carloman I. Carloman 's sudden death in 771 in unexplained circumstances left Charlemagne as the undisputed ruler of the Frankish Kingdom . He continued his father 's policy towards the papacy and became its protector , removing the Lombards from power in northern Italy and leading an incursion into Muslim Spain . He campaigned against the Saxons to his east , Christianising them upon penalty of death and leading to events such as the Massacre of Verden . Charlemagne reached the height of his power in 800 when he was crowned Emperor of the Romans by Pope Leo III on Christmas Day at Old St. Peter 's Basilica .   Charlemagne has been called the `` Father of Europe '' ( Pater Europae ) , as he united most of Western Europe for the first time since the Roman Empire . His rule spurred the Carolingian Renaissance , a period of energetic cultural and intellectual activity within the Western Church . All Holy Roman Emperors considered their kingdoms to be descendants of Charlemagne 's empire , up to the last Emperor Francis II and the French and German monarchies .   However , the Eastern Orthodox Church views Charlemagne more controversially , labelling as heterodox his support of the filioque and recognition by the Bishop of Rome as legitimate Roman Emperor , rather than recognising Irene of Athens of the Eastern Roman Empire . These and other machinations led to the eventual split of Rome and Constantinople in the Great Schism of 1054 .   Charlemagne died in 814 , having ruled as emperor for thirteen years . He was laid to rest in his imperial capital of Aachen in what is today Germany . He married at least four times and had three legitimate sons , but only his son Louis the Pious survived to succeed him .


Quincy Jones Quincy Delight Jones , Jr. ( born March 14 , 1933 ) , also known as `` Q '' , is an American record producer , actor , conductor , arranger , composer , musician , television producer , film producer , instrumentalist , magazine founder , entertainment company executive , and humanitarian . His career spans six decades in the entertainment industry and a record 79 Grammy Award nominations , and 28 Grammys , including a Grammy Legend Award in 1991 . He is best known for the role of himself in Yakety Yak , Take it Back , Trash Talk , and Fantasia 2000 .   Jones came to prominence in the 1950s as a jazz arranger and conductor , before moving on to work prolifically in pop music and film scores . In 1968 , Jones and his songwriting partner Bob Russell became the first African Americans to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song , their `` The Eyes of Love '' for the Universal Pictures film Banning . That same year , Jones was the first African American to be nominated twice within the same year for an Academy Award for Best Original Score , as he was also nominated for his work on the film In Cold Blood ( 1967 ) . In 1971 , Jones was the first African American to be named as the musical director and conductor of the Academy Awards ceremony . In 1995 , he was the first African American to receive the Academy 's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award . He is tied with sound designer Willie D. Burton as the African American who has been nominated for the most Oscars ; each has received seven nominations .   Jones was the producer , with Michael Jackson , of Jackson 's albums Off the Wall ( 1979 ) , Thriller ( 1982 ) , and Bad ( 1987 ) , as well as the producer and conductor of the 1985 charity song `` We Are the World '' , which raised funds for victims of destitution in Ethiopia .   In 2013 , Jones was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as the winner , alongside Lou Adler , of the Ahmet Ertegun Award . Among his awards , Jones was named by Time Magazine as one of the most influential jazz musicians of the 20th century .


Jackie Chan Chan Kong-sang , SBS , MBE , PMW , ( -LSB- ; born 7 April 1954 ) , known professionally as Jackie Chan , is a Hong Kong martial artist , actor , film director , producer , stuntman , and singer . In his movies , he is known for his acrobatic fighting style , comic timing , use of improvised weapons , and innovative stunts , which he typically performs himself . He has trained in Kung Fu and Hapkido . He has been acting since the 1960s and has appeared in over 150 films .   Chan has received stars on the Hong Kong Avenue of Stars , and the Hollywood Walk of Fame . He has been referenced in various pop songs , cartoons , and video games . He is an operatically trained vocalist and is also a Cantopop and Mandopop star , having released a number of albums and sung many of the theme songs for the films in which he has starred . He is also a notable philanthropist . In 2015 , Forbes magazine estimated his net worth to be $ 350 million .


Back to the Future Part II is the second installment in the Back to the Future trilogy.

Back to the Future Part II Back to the Future Part II is a 1989 American science-fiction adventure comedy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Bob Gale . It is the sequel to the 1985 film Back to the Future and the second installment in the Back to the Future trilogy . The film stars Michael J. Fox , Christopher Lloyd , Thomas F. Wilson , and Lea Thompson and continues immediately following the original film . After repairing the damage to history done by his previous time travel adventures , Marty McFly ( Fox ) and his friend Dr. Emmett `` Doc '' Brown ( Lloyd ) travel to 2015 to prevent McFly 's future son from ending up imprisoned . However , their presence allows Biff Tannen ( Wilson ) to steal Doc 's DeLorean time machine and travel to 1955 , where he alters history by making his younger self wealthy .   The film was produced on a $ 40-million budget and was filmed back-to-back with its sequel , Part III . Filming began in February 1989 after two years were spent building the sets and writing the scripts . Two actors from the first film , Crispin Glover and Claudia Wells , did not return for the final two . While Elisabeth Shue was recast in the role of Wells ' character , Jennifer , Glover 's character , George McFly , was not only minimized in the plot , but also was obscured and recreated with another actor . Glover successfully sued both Zemeckis and Gale , changing how producers can deal with the departure and replacement of actors in a role . Back to the Future Part II was also a ground-breaking project for effects studio Industrial Light & Magic ( ILM ) : In addition to digital compositing , ILM used the VistaGlide motion control camera system , which allowed an actor to portray multiple characters simultaneously on-screen without sacrificing camera movement .   Back to the Future Part II was released by Universal Pictures on November 22 , 1989 . The film received mixed reviews from critics and grossed over $ 331 million worldwide , making it the third-highest-grossing film of 1989 .


Linda Schuyler is a television producer from London.

Linda Schuyler Linda Schuyler , ( née Bawcutt ; born in 1948 in London , England ) is a Canadian television producer involved in the creation and production of the Degrassi series and Instant Star series of teen programs .


Amy Adams Amy Lou Adams ( born August 20 , 1974 ) is an American actress and singer . She was named one of 100 most influential people by Time magazine in 2014 and is among the highest-paid actresses in the world . She has won two Golden Globe Awards , and has been nominated for five Academy Awards and six British Academy Film Awards .   Adams began her career on stage performing in dinner theater and went on to make her feature film debut in Drop Dead Gorgeous ( 1999 ) . After moving to Los Angeles , she made several appearances on television and in B-movies , before starring in Steven Spielberg 's 2002 biopic Catch Me If You Can . Adams 's breakthrough role came in the 2005 independent film Junebug , in which her portrayal of a young pregnant woman earned her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress nomination . In 2007 , she starred as a princess in the commercially successful Disney musical film Enchanted .   Adams received three more Oscar nominations for her supporting roles in Doubt ( 2008 ) , The Fighter ( 2010 ) , and The Master ( 2012 ) . She played reporter Lois Lane in the 2013 superhero film Man of Steel and a troubled con artist in David O. Russell 's film American Hustle ; for the latter , she won a Golden Globe Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress . She won a second consecutive Golden Globe Award for portraying artist Margaret Keane in the comedy-drama Big Eyes ( 2014 ) . In 2016 , Adams reprised the role of Lois in Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , and garnered acclaim for her leading roles in the science-fiction film Arrival and the crime thriller Nocturnal Animals .


Jim Rash James `` Jim '' Rash ( born July 15 , 1971 ) is an American actor , comedian , producer , screenwriter , and director . He is known for playing Dean Craig Pelton on the NBC/Yahoo ! sitcom Community . In 2012 , he received a Golden Globe nomination and won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film The Descendants .


Natalie Portman lost the only Academy Award for Best Actress she was ever nominated for.

Natalie Portman Natalie Portman ( born Neta-Lee Hershlag , נטע-לי הרשלג June 9 , 1981 ) is an actress with dual American and Israeli citizenship . Her first role was in the 1994 action thriller Léon : The Professional , opposite Jean Reno . She was later cast as Padmé Amidala in the Star Wars prequel trilogy ( released in 1999 , 2002 and 2005 ) .   Born in Jerusalem to an Israeli father and American mother , Portman grew up in the eastern United States from the age of three . She studied dancing and acting in New York , and starred in Star Wars : Episode I -- The Phantom Menace while still at high school on Long Island . In 1999 , Portman enrolled at Harvard University to study psychology , alongside her work as an actress ; she completed a bachelor 's degree in 2003 . During her studies she starred in a second Star Wars film and opened in New York City 's The Public Theater production of Anton Chekhov 's The Seagull in 2001 .   Portman won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award for starring in the 2004 drama Closer , appeared in Star Wars : Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith the following year , and won a Constellation Award for Best Female Performance and the 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 ) , and also appeared in Thor ( 2011 ) and its 2013 sequel . In 2010 , Portman starred in the psychological thriller 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 . In 2016 , she portrayed First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy in the biographical drama Jackie . She was nominated for an Academy Award , a BAFTA Award , a Golden Globe Award , a Screen Actors Guild Award and won the BFCA for Best Actress .   In May 2008 , Portman served as the youngest member of the 61st Annual Cannes Film Festival jury . The same year she directed a segment of the collective film New York , I Love You . Her first feature film as a director , A Tale of Love and Darkness , was released in 2015 .


Harmanpreet Kaur Harmanpreet Kaur ( ਹਰਮਨਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਕੌਰ born 8 March 1989 , Moga , Punjab ) is an Indian cricketer who has played in 2 Tests , 49 women 's one-day internationals and 53 Twenty20 internationals for India . Indian women 's cricket team .


Jeremy Irons refused to ever star in Elizabeth I.

Jeremy Irons Jeremy John Irons ( born 19 September 1948 ) is an English actor . After receiving classical training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School , Irons began his acting career on stage in 1969 and has since appeared in many West End theatre productions , including The Winter 's Tale , Macbeth , Much Ado About Nothing , The Taming of the Shrew , Godspell , Richard II , and Embers . In 1984 , he made his Broadway debut in Tom Stoppard 's The Real Thing and received a Tony Award for Best Actor .   Irons ' first major film role came in the 1981 romantic drama The French Lieutenant 's Woman , for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor . After starring in dramas such as Moonlighting ( 1982 ) , Betrayal ( 1983 ) , and The Mission ( 1986 ) , he gained critical acclaim for portraying twin gynaecologists in David Cronenberg 's psychological thriller Dead Ringers ( 1988 ) . In 1990 , Irons played accused murderer Claus von Bülow in Reversal of Fortune , and took home multiple awards , including an Academy Award for Best Actor .   Other notable films have included Steven Soderbergh 's mystery thriller Kafka ( 1991 ) , the period drama The House of the Spirits ( 1993 ) , the romantic drama M. Butterfly ( 1993 ) , the voice of Scar in Disney 's The Lion King ( 1994 ) , Simon Gruber in the action film Die Hard with a Vengeance ( 1995 ) , the drama Lolita ( 1997 ) , Musketeer Aramis in The Man in the Iron Mask ( 1998 ) , the action adventure Dungeons & Dragons ( 2000 ) , the drama The Merchant of Venice ( 2004 ) , the drama Being Julia ( 2004 ) , the epic historical drama Kingdom of Heaven ( 2005 ) , the fantasy-adventure Eragon ( 2006 ) , the Western Appaloosa ( 2008 ) , and the indie drama Margin Call ( 2011 ) . In 2016 , he appeared in Assassin 's Creed and , starting that year , he plays Alfred Pennyworth in the DC Extended Universe , beginning with Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice , and later reprising the role in Justice League ( 2017 ) and The Batman ( TBA ) .   Irons has also made several notable appearances on TV . He earned his first Golden Globe Award nomination for his break-out role in the ITV series Brideshead Revisited ( 1981 ) . In 2005 , Irons starred opposite Helen Mirren in the historical miniseries Elizabeth I , for which he received a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actor . From 2011 to 2013 he starred as Pope Alexander VI in the Showtime historical series The Borgias . He is one of the few actors who won the `` Triple Crown of Acting '' , winning an Academy Award ( for film ) , an Emmy Award ( television ) and a Tony Award ( for theatre ) . In October 2011 , he was nominated Goodwill Ambassador of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations .


Bill Cosby has been accused by 51 women of rape.

Bill Cosby William Henry Cosby Jr. ( born July 12 , 1937 ) is an American stand-up comedian , actor , and author . His start in stand-up comedy began at the hungry i in San Francisco and was followed by his landing a starring role in the 1960s television show I Spy . He was also a regular on the children 's television series The Electric Company during the show 's first two seasons .   Using the Fat Albert character developed during his stand-up routines , Cosby created , produced , and hosted the animated comedy television series Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids , a show that ran from 1972 to 1985 , centering on a group of young friends growing up in an urban area . Throughout the 1970s , Cosby starred in a number of films , and he occasionally returned to film later in his career . After attending Temple University in the 1960s , he received his bachelor 's degree there in 1971 . In 1973 , he received a master 's degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst , and in 1976 , he earned his Doctor of Education degree , also from UMass . His dissertation discussed the use of Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids as a teaching tool in elementary schools .   Beginning in the 1980s , Cosby produced and starred in a television sitcom , The Cosby Show , which aired from 1984 to 1992 and was rated as the number one show in America for five years , 1984 through 1989 . The sitcom highlighted the experiences and growth of an affluent African-American family . Cosby produced the Cosby Show spin-off sitcom A Different World , which aired from 1987 to 1993 , starred in The Cosby Mysteries from 1994 to 1995 , starred in the sitcom Cosby from 1996 to 2000 ; and hosted Kids Say the Darndest Things for two seasons , from 1998 to 2000 .   Cosby has been the subject of sexual assault allegations , the earliest of which date back decades but becoming highly publicized since about 2014 . He has been accused by 51 women of rape , drug facilitated sexual assault , sexual battery , child sexual abuse , and sexual misconduct , with the earliest alleged incidents taking place in the mid-1960s and the most recent in 2008 . He has denied the allegations . Numerous related lawsuits against Cosby are pending ; and although most of the acts alleged by his accusers fall outside the statutes of limitations for criminal legal proceedings , one notable case has been ruled actionable , and he has been charged with three felony counts of aggravated indecent assault in Montgomery County , Pennsylvania . He surrendered to authorities on December 30 , 2015 , and was released on $ 1 million bail . Cosby is scheduled to go on trial on or before June 5 , 2017 .


Jim Henson James Maury `` Jim '' Henson ( September 24 , 1936 -- May 16 , 1990 ) was an American puppeteer , artist , cartoonist , inventor , screenwriter , film director and producer who achieved international fame as the creator of the Muppets . Born in Greenville , Mississippi , and raised in Leland , Mississippi , and Hyattsville , Maryland , Henson began developing puppets while attending high school . While he was a freshman at the University of Maryland , College Park , he created Sam and Friends , a five-minute sketch-comedy puppet show that appeared on television . After graduating from the University of Maryland with a degree in home economics , he produced coffee advertisements and developed some experimental films . Feeling the need for more creative output , Henson founded Muppets Inc. in 1958 ( which would later become the Jim Henson Company ) .   Henson became famous in the 1960s when he joined the children 's educational television program Sesame Street , and there helped develop characters for the series . He also appeared on the sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live . In 1976 , after scrapping plans for a Broadway show , he produced The Muppet Show . He won fame for his creations , particularly Kermit the Frog , Rowlf the Dog , and Ernie , and was involved with Sesame Street for over 20 years . Rowlf the Dog was a cast member on the Jimmy Dean Show in the early 60 's . He also had frequent roles in Muppets films such as The Muppet Movie , The Great Muppet Caper , and The Muppets Take Manhattan , and created advanced puppets for projects like Fraggle Rock , The Dark Crystal , and Labyrinth . During the later years of his life , he also founded the Jim Henson Foundation and Jim Henson 's Creature Shop . His involvement in two television programs -- The Storyteller and The Jim Henson Hour -- led to Emmy Award wins .   Henson died of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome on May 16 , 1990 , at age 53 , twenty hours after experiencing a medical emergency -- an unexpected event that was widely lamented in the film and television industries . In the weeks after his death , he was celebrated in a wave of tributes . He was posthumously inducted into the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1991 , and as a Disney Legend in 2011 .


50 Cent was ranked as the sixth-best artist of the 2000s by Billboard.

50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III ( born July 6 , 1975 ) , known professionally as 50 Cent , is an American rapper , actor , businessman , and investor . Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of the borough of Queens , Jackson began selling drugs at age twelve during the 1980s crack epidemic . Although he left drug-dealing to pursue a musical career , in 2000 he was shot nine times . After Jackson released the compilation album Guess Who 's Back ? in 2002 , he was discovered by Eminem and signed by Shady Records , Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope Records .   With the aid of Eminem and Dr. Dre ( who produced his first major-label album , Get Rich or Die Tryin ' ) , Jackson became one of the world 's best selling rappers and rose to prominence with East Coast hip hop group G-Unit ( which he leads de facto ) . In 2003 , he founded G-Unit Records , signing his G-Unit associates Young Buck , Lloyd Banks and Tony Yayo . Jackson had similar commercial and critical success with his second album , The Massacre , which was released in 2005 . He released his fifth studio album , Animal Ambition , in 2014 and is working on his sixth studio album , Street King Immortal . He executive produces the show Power , which airs on Starz .   During his career Jackson has sold over 30 million albums worldwide and won several awards , including a Grammy Award , thirteen Billboard Music Awards , six World Music Awards , three American Music Awards and four BET Awards . He has pursued an acting career , appearing in the semi-autobiographical film Get Rich or Die Tryin ' ( 2005 ) , the Iraq War film Home of the Brave ( 2006 ) and Righteous Kill ( 2008 ) . 50 Cent was ranked the sixth-best artist of the 2000s and the third-best rapper ( behind Eminem and Nelly ) by Billboard . Rolling Stone consider Get Rich or Die Tryin ' and `` In Da Club '' to be in their lists of `` 100 Best albums of the 2000s '' and `` 100 Best songs of the 2000s '' at numbers 37 and 13 .


Nocturnal Animals could not compete in the 73rd Venice International Film Festival.

Nocturnal Animals Nocturnal Animals is a 2016 American neo-noir psychological thriller film written , co-produced , and directed by Tom Ford , based on the 1993 novel Tony and Susan by Austin Wright . The film stars Amy Adams , Jake Gyllenhaal , Michael Shannon , Aaron Taylor-Johnson , Armie Hammer , Laura Linney , Andrea Riseborough , Karl Glusman , and Michael Sheen . Principal photography began on October 5 , 2015 , in Los Angeles , California . The film was released in the United States on November 18 , 2016 , by Focus Features , received generally positive reviews from critics and has grossed $ 30 million worldwide .   Nocturnal Animals was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 73rd Venice International Film Festival , where it won the Grand Jury Prize . It received numerous accolades , including nine BAFTA Award nominations and Golden Globe Award nominations for Best Director and Best Screenplay , plus a Best Supporting Actor win for Taylor-Johnson . At the 89th Academy Awards , Shannon received a nomination for Best Supporting Actor .


The Hobbit is a work of fantasy for children.

The Hobbit The Hobbit , or There and Back Again is a children 's fantasy novel by English author J. R. R. Tolkien . It was published on 21 September 1937 to wide critical acclaim , being nominated for the Carnegie Medal and awarded a prize from the New York Herald Tribune for best juvenile fiction . The book remains popular and is recognized as a classic in children 's literature .   The Hobbit is set in a time `` between the Dawn of Færie and the Dominion of Men '' , and follows the quest of home-loving hobbit Bilbo Baggins to win a share of the treasure guarded by Smaug the dragon . Bilbo 's journey takes him from light-hearted , rural surroundings into more sinister territory .   The story is told in the form of an episodic quest , and most chapters introduce a specific creature or type of creature of Tolkien 's geography . Bilbo gains a new level of maturity , competence , and wisdom by accepting the disreputable , romantic , fey , and adventurous sides of his nature and applying his wits and common sense .  The story reaches its climax in the Battle of the Five Armies , where many of the characters and creatures from earlier chapters re-emerge to engage in conflict .   Personal growth and forms of heroism are central themes of the story , along with motifs of warfare . These themes have led critics to view Tolkien 's own experiences during World War I as instrumental in shaping the story . The author 's scholarly knowledge of Germanic philology and interest in fairy tales are often noted as influences .   The publisher was encouraged by the book 's critical and financial success and , therefore , requested a sequel . As Tolkien 's work progressed on the successor The Lord of the Rings , he made retrospective accommodations for it in The Hobbit . These few but significant changes were integrated into the second edition . Further editions followed with minor emendations , including those reflecting Tolkien 's changing concept of the world into which Bilbo stumbled .   The work has never been out of print . Its ongoing legacy encompasses many adaptations for stage , screen , radio , board games , and video games . Several of these adaptations have received critical recognition on their own merits .


Precious (film) Precious : Base on Nol by Saf ( Based on the Novel `` Push '' by Sapphire ) , or simply Precious , is a 2009 American drama film , directed and co-produced by Lee Daniels . Precious is an adaptation by Geoffrey S. Fletcher of the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire . The film stars Gabourey Sidibe , Mo'Nique , Paula Patton , and Mariah Carey . This film marked the acting debut of Sidibe .   The film , then without a distributor , premiered to acclaim at both the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and the 2009 Cannes Film Festival , under its original title of Push : Based on the Novel by Sapphire . At Sundance , it won the Audience Award and the Grand Jury Prize for best drama , as well as a Special Jury Prize for supporting actress Mo'Nique . After Precious '' ' screening at Sundance in January 2009 , Tyler Perry announced that he and Oprah Winfrey would be providing promotional assistance to the film , which was released through Lionsgate Entertainment . Precious won the People 's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in September . The film 's title was changed from Push to Precious : Based on the Novel `` Push '' by Sapphire , to avoid confusion with the 2009 action film Push . Precious was also an official selection at the 62nd Cannes Film Festival ( particularly the un certain regard section ) .   Lionsgate gave the film a limited release in North America on November 6 , 2009 ( the release was expanded on November 20 ) . Precious received largely positive reviews from critics ; the acting , the story , and its message were generally praised . In the film 's opening weekend in limited release , it grossed $ 1.8 million , putting it in 12th place at the box office . As of February 2010 , the film had grossed over $ 47 million domestically , ranking no. 65 for 2009 , recouping its $ 10 million budget , and making it a box office success.Precious '' received six Academy Award nominations , including one for Best Picture , at the 82nd Academy Awards . Geoffrey Fletcher won for Best Adapted Screenplay . Mo'Nique won the award for Best Supporting Actress , for which she received a standing ovation at the ceremony , along with numerous other accolades .


Elizabeth II Elizabeth II ( Elizabeth Alexandra Mary ; born 21 April 1926 ) has been Queen of the United Kingdom , Canada , Australia , and New Zealand since 6 February 1952 . She is Head of the Commonwealth and Queen of 12 countries that have become independent since her accession : Jamaica , Barbados , the Bahamas , Grenada , Papua New Guinea , Solomon Islands , Tuvalu , Saint Lucia , Saint Vincent and the Grenadines , Belize , Antigua and Barbuda , and Saint Kitts and Nevis .   Elizabeth was born in London as the elder child of the Duke and Duchess of York , later King George VI and Queen Elizabeth , and she was educated privately at home . Her father acceded to the throne on the abdication of his brother Edward VIII in 1936 , from which time she was the heir presumptive . She began to undertake public duties during the Second World War , serving in the Auxiliary Territorial Service . In 1947 , she married Philip , Duke of Edinburgh , a former prince of Greece and Denmark , with whom she has four children : Charles , Prince of Wales ; Anne , Princess Royal ; Prince Andrew , Duke of York ; and Prince Edward , Earl of Wessex .   Elizabeth 's many historic visits and meetings include a state visit to the Republic of Ireland and visits to or from five popes . She has seen major constitutional changes , such as devolution in the United Kingdom , Canadian patriation , and the decolonisation of Africa . She has reigned through various wars and conflicts involving many of her realms . She is the world 's oldest reigning monarch as well as Britain 's longest-lived . In 2015 , she surpassed the reign of her great-great-grandmother , Queen Victoria , to become the longest-reigning British monarch and the longest-reigning queen regnant and female head of state in world history . In October 2016 , she became the longest currently reigning monarch and head of state following the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand .   Times of personal significance have included the births and marriages of her children , her coronation in 1953 , and the celebration of milestones such as her Silver , Golden , and Diamond Jubilees in 1977 , 2002 , and 2012 , respectively . In 2017 she became the first British monarch to commemorate a Sapphire Jubilee . Moments of sadness for her include the death of her father in 1952 at age 56 ; the assassination of Prince Philip 's uncle Lord Mountbatten in 1979 ; the breakdown of her children 's marriages in 1992 ( her annus horribilis ) ; the death in 1997 of her son 's former wife , Diana , Princess of Wales ; and the deaths of her mother and sister in 2002 . Elizabeth has occasionally faced republican sentiments and press criticism of the royal family ; however , support for the monarchy remains high , as does her personal popularity .


John Malkovich starred in an action movie.

In the Line of Fire In the Line of Fire is a 1993 American action thriller film , directed by Wolfgang Petersen and starring Clint Eastwood , John Malkovich and Rene Russo . Written by Jeff Maguire , the film is about a disillusioned and obsessed former CIA agent who attempts to assassinate the President of the United States and the Secret Service agent who tracks him . Eastwood 's character is the sole active-duty Secret Service agent remaining from the detail guarding John F. Kennedy in Dallas , Texas , at the time of his assassination in 1963 . The film also stars Dylan McDermott , Gary Cole , John Mahoney , and Fred Thompson .   The film was co-produced by Columbia Pictures and Castle Rock Entertainment , with Columbia handling distribution . Eastwood and Petersen also originally offered the role of Leary to Robert De Niro , who turned it down due to scheduling conflicts with A Bronx Tale . After In the Line of Fire , Eastwood directed every film he starred in , until 2012 's Trouble with the Curve .


Con Air Con Air is a 1997 American action film directed by Simon West , written by Scott Rosenberg , and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer , producer of The Rock . The film stars Nicolas Cage , John Cusack , and John Malkovich alongside Steve Buscemi , Colm Meaney , Mykelti Williamson , Ving Rhames , Nick Chinlund , Jesse Borrego , Jose Zuniga , and Monica Potter .   It was released theatrically on June 6 , 1997 by Touchstone Pictures and was a box office success , grossing over $ 224 million against a production budget of $ 75 million . Despite this , the film received mixed reviews from critics , but praising Cage and the cast performances as well as its action sequences , stunts and the villain portrayed by Malkovich . The film also borrows its title from the nickname of the Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System .


John Malkovich John Gavin Malkovich ( born December 9 , 1953 ) is an American actor , director , and producer . He has appeared in more than 70 films . For his roles in Places in the Heart and In the Line of Fire , he received Academy Award nominations . He has also appeared in films such as Empire of the Sun , The Killing Fields , Con Air , Of Mice and Men , Rounders , Ripley 's Game , Knockaround Guys , Being John Malkovich , Shadow of the Vampire , Burn After Reading , RED , Mulholland Falls , Dangerous Liaisons , and Warm Bodies , as well as producing films such as Ghost World , Juno , and The Perks of Being a Wallflower .   In January 2017 , he launched his menswear fashion line with an online shop .


AC/DC was thoroughly uninvolved with the release of For Those About to Rock We Salute You.

AC/DC AC/DC are an Australian rock band , formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young . A hard rock/blues rock band , they have also been considered a heavy metal band , although they have always dubbed their music simply `` rock and roll '' .   AC/DC underwent several line-up changes before releasing their first album , High Voltage , in 1975 . Membership subsequently stabilised until bassist Mark Evans was replaced by Cliff Williams in 1977 for the album Powerage . Within months of recording the album Highway to Hell , lead singer and co-songwriter Bon Scott died on 19 February 1980 after a night of heavy alcohol consumption . The group considered disbanding , but buoyed by support from Scott 's parents , decided to continue and set about finding a new vocalist . Ex-Geordie singer Brian Johnson was auditioned and selected to replace Scott . Later that year , the band released the new album , Back in Black , which was made as a tribute to Bon Scott . The album launched them to new heights of success and became their all-time best-seller .   The band 's next album , For Those About to Rock We Salute You , was their first album to reach number one in the United States . Drummer Phil Rudd was fired in 1983 and replaced by ex-A II Z drummer Simon Wright , who left to join Dio in 1989 . The band experienced a resurgence in the early 1990s with the release of The Razors Edge . Phil Rudd returned in 1994 after Chris Slade , who was with the band from 1989 to 1994 , was asked to leave in favour of him , and contributed to the band 's 1995 album Ballbreaker . Stiff Upper Lip , released in 2000 , was well received by critics . The band 's studio album , Black Ice , released in 2008 , was the second-highest-selling album of that year , and their biggest chart hit since For Those About to Rock , eventually reaching No. 1 on all charts worldwide . The band 's line-up remained the same until 2014 with Malcolm Young 's retirement due to early-onset dementia and Rudd 's legal troubles . In 2016 , Johnson was advised to stop touring on account of worsening hearing loss and Guns N ' Roses frontman Axl Rose stepped in as the band 's vocalist for the remainder of that year 's dates . Long-term bass player Cliff Williams retired from the band at the end of their 2016 Rock Or Bust world tour .   AC/DC have sold more than 200 million records worldwide , including 71.5 million albums in the United States , adding them to the list of highest-certified music artists in the United States and the list of best-selling music artists . Back in Black has sold an estimated 50 million units worldwide , making it the second-highest-selling album by any artist -- and the highest-selling album by any band . The album has sold 22 million units in the US , where it is the sixth-highest-selling album of all time . AC/DC ranked fourth on VH1 's list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock '' and were named the seventh `` Greatest Heavy Metal Band of All Time '' by MTV . In 2004 , AC/DC ranked No. 72 on the Rolling Stone list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' . Producer Rick Rubin , who wrote an essay on the band for the Rolling Stone list , referred to AC/DC as `` the greatest rock and roll band of all time '' . In 2010 , AC/DC were ranked number 23 in the VH1 list of the `` 100 Greatest Artists of All Time '' .


The first Ku Klux Klan flourished in the Southern United States.

Ku Klux Klan The Ku Klux Klan ( KKK ) , or simply the Klan , is the name of three distinct movements in the United States that have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy , white nationalism , anti-immigration , and , especially in later iterations , Nordicism , anti-Catholicism , and antisemitism . Historically the KKK used terrorism , both physical assault and murder , against groups or individuals whom they opposed .  All three movements have called for the `` purification '' of American society , and all are considered right-wing extremist organizations .   The first Klan flourished in the Southern United States in the late 1860s , then died out by the early 1870s . It sought to overthrow the Republican state governments in the South during the Reconstruction Era , especially by using violence against African American leaders . With numerous chapters across the South , it was suppressed around 1871 , through federal law enforcement . Members made their own , often colorful , costumes : robes , masks , and conical hats , designed to be terrifying , and to hide their identities .   The second group was founded in 1915 , and it flourished nationwide in the early and mid-1920s , particularly in urban areas of the Midwest and West . It was rooted in local Protestant communities and opposed Catholics and Jews , and stressed its opposition to the Catholic Church at a time of high immigration from mostly Catholic nations of southern and eastern Europe . This second organization adopted a standard white costume and used code words which were similar to those used by the first Klan , while adding cross burnings and mass parades to intimidate others .   The third and current manifestation of the KKK emerged after 1950 , in the form of small , local , unconnected groups that use the KKK name . They have focused on opposition to the Civil Rights Movement , often using violence and murder to suppress activists . It is classified as a hate group by the Anti-Defamation League and the Southern Poverty Law Center . , the Anti-Defamation League puts total Klan membership nationwide at around 3,000 , while the Southern Poverty Law Center ( SPLC ) puts it at 6,000 members total .   The second and third incarnations of the Ku Klux Klan made frequent references to America 's `` Anglo-Saxon '' blood , hearkening back to 19th-century nativism . Although members of the KKK swear to uphold Christian morality , virtually every Christian denomination has officially denounced the KKK .


The Illusionist (2006 film) The Illusionist is a 2006 American romantic mystery film written and directed by Neil Burger and starring Edward Norton , Paul Giamatti , and Jessica Biel . It is based loosely on Steven Millhauser 's short story , `` Eisenheim the Illusionist '' . The film tells the story of Eisenheim , a magician in turn-of-the-century Vienna , who reunites with his childhood love , a woman far above his social standing . The film also depicts a fictionalized version of the Mayerling Incident .   The film premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival and opened the 2006 Seattle International Film Festival ; it was distributed in limited release to theaters on August 18 , 2006 , and expanded nationwide on September 1 . The film was a commercial and critical success .


Henry VIII of England waged a battle with the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

Henry VIII of England Henry VIII ( 28 June 1491 -- 28 January 1547 ) was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death . Henry was the second Tudor monarch , succeeding his father , Henry VII .   Henry is best known for his six marriages and , in particular , his efforts to have his first marriage , to Catherine of Aragon , annulled . His disagreement with the Pope on the question of such an annulment led Henry to initiate the English Reformation , separating the Church of England from papal authority and appointing himself the Supreme Head of the Church of England . Despite his resulting excommunication , Henry remained a believer in core Catholic theological teachings .   Domestically , Henry is known for his radical changes to the English Constitution , ushering in the theory of the divine right of kings to England . Besides asserting the sovereign 's supremacy over the Church of England , he greatly expanded royal power during his reign . Charges of treason and heresy were commonly used to quash dissent , and those accused were often executed without a formal trial , by means of bills of attainder . He achieved many of his political aims through the work of his chief ministers , some of whom were banished or executed when they fell out of his favour . Thomas Wolsey , Thomas More , Thomas Cromwell , Richard Rich , and Thomas Cranmer all figured prominently in Henry 's administration . He was an extravagant spender and used the proceeds from the Dissolution of the Monasteries and acts of the Reformation Parliament to convert into royal revenue the money that was formerly paid to Rome . Despite the influx of money from these sources , Henry was continually on the verge of financial ruin due to his personal extravagance as well as his numerous costly continental wars , particularly with Francis I of France and the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V , as he sought to enforce his claim to the Kingdom of France . At home , he oversaw the legal union of England and Wales with the Laws in Wales Acts 1535 and 1542 and following the Crown of Ireland Act 1542 he was the first English monarch to rule as King of Ireland .   His contemporaries considered Henry in his prime to be an attractive , educated , and accomplished king , and he has been described as `` one of the most charismatic rulers to sit on the English throne '' . He was an author and composer . As he aged , Henry became severely obese and his health suffered , contributing to his death in 1547 . He is frequently characterised in his later life as a lustful , egotistical , harsh , and insecure king . He was succeeded by his son Edward VI .


Ardipithecus (album) Ardipithecus ( stylized as ARDIPITHECUS ) is the debut studio album by American singer Willow . It was released on December 11 , 2015 through Roc Nation . Willow is credited as sole songwriter on 11 tracks , and sole producer on 10 of them . The album also features contributions from Willow 's half-brother Trey Smith , under the moniker AcE , and frequent collaborator Jabs . The track `` F Q-C # 7 '' was released as a single on May 7 , 2015 , with an accompanying music video . A video to the track `` Why Do n't You Cry '' was also released .   The album takes its name from the genus of an extinct hominine of the same name .


Whip My Hair `` Whip My Hair '' is the debut single by American recording artist Willow Smith . The song was written by Ronald `` Jukebox '' Jackson and Janae Rockwell , with the former producing the track as well . Initial reception of the song praised the song 's kid-friendly , yet universal appeal , while dubbing Smith `` baby Rihanna . '' However , other critics called the song 's hook `` grating '' and `` a nightmare of a brain drill . '' The official remix featuring British rapper Tinie Tempah was released on January 3 , 2011 .


Young Artist Award The Young Artist Award ( originally known as the Youth in Film Award ) is an accolade bestowed by the Young Artist Association , a non-profit organization founded in 1978 to honor excellence of youth performers , and to provide scholarships for young artists who may be physically and/or financially challenged .   First presented in 1979 , the Young Artist Awards was the first organization established to specifically recognize and award the contributions of performers under the age of 21 in the fields of film , television , theater and music .   The 1st Youth In Film Awards ceremony was held in October 1979 , at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Hollywood to honor outstanding young performers of the 1978/1979 season . The 38th Annual Young Artist Awards ceremony , honoring young performers of 2016 , was held at the Alex Theatre in Los Angeles , California on March 17 , 2017 .


Willow Smith Willow Camille Reign Smith ( born October 31 , 2000 ) , known professionally as Willow , is an American singer , actress and dancer . She is the daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith , the younger sister of Jaden Smith and the half-sister of Willard Carroll `` Trey '' Smith III . Smith made her acting debut in 2007 in the film I Am Legend and later appeared in Kit Kittredge : An American Girl alongside Abigail Breslin . She received a Young Artist Award for her performance .   Smith launched her music career in the autumn of 2010 with the release of the singles `` Whip My Hair '' and `` 21st Century Girl '' , and signed to her current mentor Jay-Z 's record label Roc Nation , becoming the youngest artist signed to the label . `` Whip My Hair '' peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100 . The video was nominated for Video of the Year at the BET Awards of 2011 . She released her debut album , ARDIPITHECUS , on December 11 , 2015 .


Homework was the name of Daft Punk's first album.

Daft Punk Daft Punk are a French electronic music duo formed in 1993 by Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter . The duo achieved significant popularity in the late 1990s as part of the French house movement and had continuous success in the years following , combining elements of house music with funk , techno , disco , rock music and synthpop influences . They are also known for their visual stylization and disguises associated with their music ; the duo have worn ornate helmets and gloves to assume robot personas in most of their public appearances since 2001 and rarely grant interviews or appear on television . The duo were managed from 1996 to 2008 by Pedro Winter ( also known as Busy P ) , the head of Ed Banger Records .   Bangalter and de Homem-Christo were originally briefly in an indie rock band named Darlin ' . When the group disbanded , it left the two to experiment musically with drum machines and synthesisers . The duo released their debut studio album Homework through Virgin Records in 1997 to highly positive reviews . The duo 's next album Discovery ( 2001 ) was even more successful , driven by the release of the hit singles `` One More Time '' , `` Digital Love '' and `` Harder , Better , Faster , Stronger '' . In March 2005 , the duo released their third album Human After All to mixed reviews . However , the singles `` Robot Rock '' and `` Technologic '' achieved considerable success in the United Kingdom .   Daft Punk toured throughout 2006 and 2007 and released the live album Alive 2007 , which won a Grammy Award for Best Electronic/Dance Album . The duo later composed the score for the Disney film Tron : Legacy in 2010 , and released its soundtrack album that same year . In January 2013 , Daft Punk left Virgin for Columbia Records , and released their next album Random Access Memories in 2013 to worldwide critical acclaim . The album 's lead single `` Get Lucky '' became an international success , peaking on top 10 charts in 32 countries . Random Access Memories won five Grammy Awards in 2014 , including Album of the Year and Record of the Year for `` Get Lucky '' . Daft Punk later gained their first number one on the Billboard Hot 100 with the song `` Starboy '' , a collaboration with The Weeknd .


Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award ( MVP ) is an annual Major League Baseball ( MLB ) award , given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League . Since 1931 , it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers ' Association of America ( BBWAA ) . The winners receive the Kenesaw Mountain Landis Memorial Baseball Award , which became the official name of the award in 1944 , in honor of the first MLB commissioner , who served from 1920 until his death on November 25 , 1944 .   MVP voting takes place before the postseason , but the results are not announced until after the World Series . The BBWAA began by polling three writers in each league city in 1938 , reducing that number to two per league city in 1961 . The BBWAA does not offer a clear-cut definition of what `` most valuable '' means , instead leaving the judgment to the individual voters .   First basemen , with 34 winners , have won the most MVPs among infielders , followed by second basemen ( 16 ) , third basemen ( 15 ) , and shortstops ( 15 ) . Of the 24 pitchers who have won the award , 15 are right-handed while 9 are left-handed . Walter Johnson , Carl Hubbell , and Hal Newhouser are the only pitchers who have won multiple times , Newhouser winning consecutively in 1944 and 1945 .   Hank Greenberg , Stan Musial , Alex Rodriguez , and Robin Yount have won at different positions , while Rodriguez is the only player who has won the award with two different teams at two different positions . Barry Bonds has won the most often ( seven times ) and the most consecutively ( 2001 -- 04 ) . Jimmie Foxx was the first player to win multiple times ; 9 players have won three times , and 19 have won twice . Frank Robinson is the only player to win the award in both the American and National Leagues .   The award 's only tie occurred in the National League in 1979 , when Keith Hernandez and Willie Stargell received an equal number of points . There have been 18 unanimous winners , who received all the first-place votes . The New York Yankees have the most winning players with 22 , followed by the St. Louis Cardinals with 17 winners . The award has never been presented to a member of the following four teams : Arizona Diamondbacks , Miami Marlins , New York Mets , and Tampa Bay Rays . The most recent recipients are Mike Trout in the American League and Kris Bryant in the National League .   In recent decades , pitchers have rarely won the award . When Justin Verlander won the AL award in 2011 , he became the first pitcher in either league to be named the MVP since Dennis Eckersley in 1992 . Verlander also became the first starting pitcher to win this award since Roger Clemens had accomplished the feat in 1986 . The National League went even longer without an MVP award to a pitcher -- after Bob Gibson won in 1968 , no pitcher in that league was named MVP until Clayton Kershaw in 2014 .


2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 2000 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 71st playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League ( AL ) and National League ( NL ) , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball . The game was held on July 11 , 2000 at Turner Field in Atlanta , Georgia , home of the Atlanta Braves of the National League . The Florida Marlins were originally awarded the 2000 All-Star game in July 1995 , but then-NL president Len Coleman took it away in November 1998 and gave it to the Atlanta Braves , saying the league wanted the game in new ballparks . The result of the game was the American League defeating the National League by a score of 6 -- 3 .   The 2000 All-Star Game was one of the few occurrences in which the manager of the host team also managed the home team of the game , in this case , the National League ( Bobby Cox had led the Braves to the World Series the previous year earning the right to manage the National League ) .   It is remembered for Chipper Jones ' home run off James Baldwin . This was also the last MLB All-Star Game that was broadcast on NBC .


Grand slam (baseball) In baseball , a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners ( `` bases loaded '' ) , thereby scoring four runs -- the most possible in one play . According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary , the term originated in the card game of contract bridge , in which a grand slam involves taking all the possible tricks . The word slam , by itself , usually is connected with a loud sound , particularly of a door being closed with excess force ; thus , slamming the door on one 's opponent ( s ) , in addition to of course the bat slamming the ball into a home run .


Alex Rodriguez Alexander Emmanuel Rodriguez ( born July 27 , 1975 ) , nicknamed `` A-Rod '' , is a Dominican-American former professional baseball shortstop and third baseman . He played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball ( MLB ) for the Seattle Mariners , Texas Rangers , and New York Yankees . Rodriguez was one of the sport 's most highly touted prospects and is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time . During his 22-year career , Rodriguez has amassed a .297 batting average , 696 home runs , over 2,000 runs batted in ( RBI ) , over 2,000 runs scored , and over 3,000 hits . He is a 14-time All-Star and has won three American League ( AL ) Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) Awards , ten Silver Slugger Awards , and two Gold Glove Awards . Rodríguez is the career record holder for grand slams with 25 . However , he has led a highly controversial career due to signing two of the most lucrative sports contracts in history while incurring criticism from the media for his behavior and use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs .   The Mariners selected Rodriguez first overall in the 1993 MLB draft , and he debuted in the major leagues the following year at the age of 18 . In 1996 , he became the Mariners ' starting shortstop and finished second in voting for the AL MVP Award . Rodriguez 's combination of power , speed , and defense made him a cornerstone of the franchise , but he left the team via free agency after the 2000 season to join the Rangers . The 10-year , $ 252 million contract he signed was the richest in baseball history . He played at a high level in his three years with Texas , highlighted by his first AL MVP Award win in 2003 , but the team failed to make the playoffs during his tenure . Prior to the 2004 season , Rodriguez was traded to the Yankees , for whom he converted to a third baseman due to incumbent shortstop Derek Jeter . In his first four seasons with New York , he was twice more named AL MVP . After opting out of his contract following the 2007 season , Rodriguez signed a new 10-year , $ 275 million deal with the Yankees , extending his record for the sport 's most lucrative contract . He became the youngest player ever to hit 500 home runs , reaching the milestone in 2007 . He won his first World Series in 2009 , which was the first year of the new Yankee Stadium . The following year , he became the career leader in home runs by a player of Hispanic descent . In recent years , Rodriguez has been hampered by hip and knee injuries , which have caused him to exclusively become a designated hitter . He played his final game as a Yankee on August 12 , 2016 .   In February 2009 , after previously denying use of performance-enhancing drugs , including during a 2007 interview with Katie Couric on 60 Minutes , Rodriguez admitted to using steroids , saying he used them from 2001 to 2003 when playing for Rangers due to `` an enormous amount of pressure '' to perform . While recovering from a hip injury in 2013 , Rodriguez made headlines by feuding with team management over his rehabilitation and for having allegedly obtained performance-enhancing drugs as part of the Biogenesis baseball scandal . In August 2013 , MLB suspended him 211 games for his involvement in the scandal , but he was allowed to play while appealing the punishment . Had the original suspension been upheld , it would have been the longest non-lifetime suspension in Major League Baseball history . After an arbitration hearing , the suspension was reduced to 162 games , keeping him off the field for the entire 2014 season .


1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game The 1996 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 67th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League ( AL ) and National League ( NL ) , the two leagues comprising Major League Baseball . The game was held on July 9 , 1996 , at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia , the home of the Philadelphia Phillies of the National League . This marked the fifteenth and final all star game appearance of Ozzie Smith , who retired after the 1996 season . Smith entered the game in the top of the sixth inning . His first at-bat was greeted by chants of `` Oz-zie , Oz-zie '' from the Philadelphia crowd . Iron Man Cal Ripken , Jr. , who was in the midst of his record-breaking run of consecutive games played , broke his nose during the pre-game AL team picture . However , he was ready to go at game time and started at SS .   During the pregame ceremonies , Kelsey Grammer of Frasier sang the American National Anthem and Canadian singer Sarah McLachlan sang the Canadian National Anthem . U.S. Congressman Jim Bunning ( who was elected to the baseball hall-of-fame in 1996 ) joined other Phillies ' hall of fame alumni Mike Schmidt , Steve Carlton , Richie Ashburn and Robin Roberts in tossing the ceremonial first pitches .   Joe Carter , the Toronto Blue Jays representative to the All-Star Game , received good-natured boos from the crowd for his home run that ended the 1993 World Series .   The game resulted in the National League defeating the American League 6 -- 0 . The National League would not win another All-Star Game until 2010 .   After the game , then-Chairman of the Executive Committee Bud Selig presented the All-Star Game MVP Award to Mike Piazza . Bobby Brown had presented the MVP Award in 1993 , while National League President Len Coleman had presented the award in 1994 and 1995 . After presenting the MVP Award at the 1998 Major League Baseball All-Star Game , Selig was officially named Commissioner of Baseball .   This is the only All-Star Game in which not a single pitcher walked a batter ; appropriately , Braves closer Mark Wohlers was the final pitcher of the game .   Veterans Stadium also held the `` distinction '' of being the most recent host stadium to be closed down , a distinction it lost after Yankee Stadium closed at the conclusion of the 2008 season .


1993 Major League Baseball draft The 1993 Major League Baseball draft began with first round selections on June 3 , 1993 . Alex Rodriguez was selected first overall by the Seattle Mariners . Other notable draftees included Chris Carpenter , Torii Hunter , Jason Varitek , Scott Rolen , future NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk , and Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward .


2009 World Series The 2009 World Series was the 105th edition of Major League Baseball 's ( MLB ) championship series . The best-of-seven playoff was contested between the Philadelphia Phillies , champions of the National League ( NL ) and defending World Series champions , and the New York Yankees , champions of the American League ( AL ) . The Yankees defeated the Phillies , 4 games to 2 , to win their 27th World Series championship . The series was played between October 28 and November 4 , broadcast on Fox , and watched by an average of roughly 19 million viewers . Due to the start of the season being pushed back by the 2009 World Baseball Classic in March , this was the first World Series regularly scheduled to be played into the month of November . This series was a rematch of the 1950 World Series .   Home field advantage for the Series went to the AL for the eighth straight year as a result of its 4 -- 3 win in the All-Star Game . The Phillies earned their berth into the playoffs by winning the National League East . The Yankees won the American League East to earn their berth , posting the best record in the Major Leagues . The Phillies reached the World Series by defeating the Colorado Rockies in the best-of-five National League Division Series , and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-seven NL Championship Series ( NLCS ) . The Yankees defeated the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the AL Championship Series ( ALCS ) to advance to their first World Series since 2003 . As a result of their loss , the Phillies became the first team since the Yankees to lose the World Series after winning it the previous year .   Cliff Lee pitched a complete game in the Phillies ' Game 1 victory , allowing only one unearned run , while Chase Utley hit two home runs . In Game 2 , solo home runs by Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui helped the Yankees win by a score of 3 -- 1 . After a rain delayed start , Game 3 featured more offense , with a combined six home runs and thirteen total runs en route to a Yankee victory . The Yankees won Game 4 by scoring the decisive three runs in the ninth inning after an alert base running play by Johnny Damon . The Phillies avoided elimination with a win in Game 5 , aided by Utley 's second two -- home run game of the series . The Yankees secured their World Series championship with a Game 6 victory in which Matsui hit his third home run of the series . He was named Most Valuable Player ( MVP ) of the series , making him the first Japanese-born player and the first full-time designated hitter to win the award ; Matsui was the series ' MVP despite starting only the three games that were played at Yankee Stadium , since the designated hitter position is not used in NL ballparks .   Several records were tied , extended , or broken during this World Series , including team championships ( Yankees with 27 ) , career postseason wins ( Andy Pettitte with 18 ) , career World Series saves ( Mariano Rivera with 11 ) , career World Series home runs ( Chase Utley with seven ) , home runs in a postseason series ( Chase Utley with five ) , strikeouts by a hitter in a World Series ( Ryan Howard with 13 ) , and runs batted in in a single World Series game ( Hideki Matsui with six ) .


Aaliyah Aaliyah Dana Haughton ( -LSB- ɑ : ˈliːə -RSB- January 16 , 1979 -- August 25 , 2001 ) was an American singer , actress , and model . She was born in Brooklyn , New York , and raised in Detroit , Michigan . At the age of 10 , she appeared on the television show Star Search and performed in concert alongside Gladys Knight . At age 12 , Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and her uncle Barry Hankerson 's Blackground Records . Hankerson introduced her to R. Kelly , who became her mentor , as well as lead songwriter and producer of her debut album , Age Ai n't Nothing but a Number . The album sold three million copies in the United States and was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America ( RIAA ) . After facing allegations of an illegal marriage with R. Kelly , Aaliyah ended her contract with Jive and signed with Atlantic Records .   Aaliyah worked with record producers Timbaland and Missy Elliott for her second album , One in a Million , which sold 3 million copies in the United States and over eight million copies worldwide . In 2000 , Aaliyah appeared in her first film , Romeo Must Die . She contributed to the film 's soundtrack , which spawned the single `` Try Again '' . The song topped the Billboard Hot 100 solely on airplay , making Aaliyah the first artist in Billboard history to achieve this goal . `` Try Again '' earned Aaliyah a Grammy Award nomination for Best Female R&B Vocalist . After completing Romeo Must Die , Aaliyah filmed her role in Queen of the Damned . She released her third and final album , Aaliyah , in July 2001 .   On August 25 , 2001 , Aaliyah and eight others were killed in a plane crash in the Bahamas after filming the music video for the single `` Rock the Boat '' . The pilot , Luis Morales III , was unlicensed at the time of the accident and toxicology tests revealed that he had traces of cocaine and alcohol in his system . Aaliyah 's family later filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Blackhawk International Airways , which was settled out of court . Aaliyah 's music has continued to achieve commercial success with several posthumous releases . Aaliyah has sold an estimated 24 to 32 million albums worldwide . She has been credited for helping redefine contemporary R&B , pop and hip hop , earning her the nicknames `` Princess of R&B '' and `` Queen of Urban Pop '' . She is listed by Billboard as the tenth most successful female R&B artist of the past 25 years and 27th most successful R&B artist in history .