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Montana Jordan is an American actor. He made his acting debut with his role as Jaden in the film The Legacy of a Whitetail Deer Hunter (2018), which starred Josh Brolin and Danny McBride.

Though Montana had no previous acting experience, his funny, outgoing personality prompted many in his small, east Texas town of Ore City, TX, to suggest that he respond to a local casting call for the movie. After receiving final word that he had been chosen for the role, Montana was able to travel back home from North Carolina, where casting took place, for one day to say goodbye to his friends and family before traveling with his mother back to North Carolina to begin rehearsing and filming.

Montana was born in Longview, TX, to Kelli Pieratt Smith, a first-grade teacher, and Tony Jordan. He is the youngest of three children and has two older sisters, Katelli Jordan and Jaden Jordan. He spent most of his youth racing dirt bikes and playing for the Ore City Rebels National team. Montana is an avid hunter and loves Motocross racing. He learned to play the acoustic guitar in preparation for his role as Jaden.

Forest Steven Whitaker has packaged a king-size talent into his hulking 6' 2", 220 lb. frame. He won an Academy Award for his performance as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in the film The Last King of Scotland (2006), and has also won a Golden Globe and a BAFTA. He is the fourth African-American male to win an Academy Award for Best Actor, following in the footsteps of Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, and Jamie Foxx.

Whitaker was born on July 15, 1961 in Longview, Texas, to Laura Francis (Smith), a special education teacher, and Forest Steven Whitaker, an insurance salesman. His family moved to South Central Los Angeles in 1965. The athletically-inclined Whitaker initially found his way into college via a football scholarship. Later, however, he transferred to USC where he set his concentration on music and earned two more scholarships training as an operatic tenor. This, in turn, led to another scholarship at Berkeley with a renewed focus on acting and the performing stage.

Whitaker made his film debut at the age of 21 in the raucous comedy Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982) wherein he played, quite naturally, a footballer. He went on to play another sports-oriented student, a wrestler, in his second film Vision Quest (1985). He gained experience on TV as well with featured spots on such varied shows as Diff'rent Strokes (1978) and Cagney & Lacey (1981), not to mention the TV-movie Civil War epic North & South: Book 1, North & South (1985) and its sequel. The movie that truly put him on the map was The Color of Money (1986). His one big scene as a naive-looking pool player who out-hustles Paul Newman's Fast Eddie Felson was pure electricity. This led to more visible roles in the "A" class films Platoon (1986), Stakeout (1987), and Good Morning, Vietnam (1987), which culminated in his breakout lead portrayal of the tortured jazz icon 'Charlie "Bird" Parker' in Clint Eastwood's passion project Bird (1988), for which Whitaker won the Cannes Film Festival award for "best actor" and a Golden Globe nomination. Whitaker continued to work with a number of well-known directors throughout the 1990s.

While his "gentle giant" characters typically display innocence, indecision, and timidity along with a strong underlying humanity, he has certainly not shied away from the edgier, darker corners of life as his occasional hitmen and other menacing streetwise types can attest. Although in only the first section of the film, he was memorable as the IRA-captured British soldier whose bizarre relationship with a mysterious femme fatale serves as the catalyst for the critically-lauded drama The Crying Game (1992). Always a willing participant to push the envelope, he's gone on to enhance a number of lesser films. Among those was his plastic surgeon in Johnny Handsome (1989), gay clothing designer in Robert Altman's Ready to Wear (1994), alien hunter in Species (1995), absentee father confronted by his estranged son in Smoke (1995), and Mafia hitman who models himself after the samurai warrior in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai (1999), among many others. As would be expected, he's also had his share of epic-sized bombs, notoriously the L. Ron Hubbard sci-fi disaster Battlefield Earth (2000). On the TV front, he was the consulting producer and host of a revamped Rod Serling's cult series classic The Twilight Zone (2002), which lasted a disappointing one season.

In the early 1990s, Whitaker widened his horizons to include producing/directing and has since gained respect behind the camera as well. He started things off co-producing the violent gangster film A Rage in Harlem (1991), in which he co-starred with Gregory Hines and Robin Givens, and then made his successful directorial debut with the soulful Waiting to Exhale (1995), showcasing a legion of distaff black stars. He also directed co-star Whitney Houston's music video of the movie's theme song ("Shoop Shoop"). He also helmed the fluffy romantic comedy First Daughter (2004) with Katie Holmes and Michael Keaton. Whitaker also served as an executive producer on First Daughter. He had previously executive produced several made-for-television movies, most notably the 2002 Emmy-award winning Door to Door, starring William H. Macy. He produced these projects through his production company, Spirit Dance Entertainment, which he shut down in 2005 to concentrate on his acting career.

In 2002, he co-starred in Joel Schumacher's thriller, Phone Booth, with Kiefer Sutherland and Colin Farrell. That year, he also co-starred with Jodie Foster in Panic Room.

Whitaker's greatest success to date is the 2006 film, The Last King of Scotland. His performance earned him the 2007 Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role, For that same role, he also received the Golden Globe Award, the Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA Award, and many critical accolades. He has also received several other honors. In September 2006, the 10th Annual Hollywood Film Festival presented him with its "Hollywood Actor of the Year Award," He was also honored at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2007, receiving the American Riviera Award. Previously, in 2005, the Deauville Festival of American Film paid tribute to him. In 2007, Forest Whitaker won the Cinema for Peace Award 2007.

In 2007, Whitaker co-starred in The Great Debaters with fellow Oscar winner Denzel Washington, and in 2008, Whitaker played opposite Keanu Reeves in Street Kings and Dennis Quaid in Vantage Point.

In 2009, Forest co-starred in the Warner Bros. film "Where the Wild Things Are," directed by Spike Jonze, which was a mix of live-action, animation and puppetry as an adaptation of the Maurice Sendak classic children's book. Around the same time, he also starred n "Repossession Mambo", with Jude Law, "Hurricane Season", "Winged Creatures", and "Powder Blue". He appeared in the Olivier Dahan film "My Own Love Song", opposite Renée Zellweger, and was part of the Africa Movie Academy Awards in 2009, in Nigeria.

He is married to former model Keisha Whitaker and has three children by her. His younger brothers Kenn Whitaker and Damon Whitaker are both actors as well.

Forest was given a star on the Hollywood Walk in April of 2007. In November 2007, Whitaker was the creative mind behind DEWmocracy.com, a website that let people decide the next flavor of Mountain Dew in a "People's Dew" poll. He directed a short film and created the characters for the video game. Whitaker has done extensive humanitarian work, he has been involved with organizations like, Penny Lane, an organization that provides assistance to abused teenagers. PETA and Farm Sanctuary, organizations that protect animals' rights. Close friends with Neurosurgeon Dr. Keith Black, Forest has helped raise awareness and funds for Dr. Blacks research. During the last couple of years, he has become a spokesperson for Hope North Ugandan orphanage and Human Rights Watch. In the year 2001 Forest received a Humanitas Prize. He was recently honored by The City of Los Angeles with the Hope of Los Angeles Award. And his entire clan received the LA BEST Family Focus Award. Last year he joined forces with "Idol Gives Back" and "Malaria No More"; he has become a GQ Ambassador supporting and fundraising for Hope North. He was a Surrogate for Barack Obama's campaign supporting him across the United States.

Whitaker's multimedia company, Spirit Dance Entertainment, includes film, television and music production. He works closely with a number of charitable organizations, giving back to his community by serving as an Honorary Board Members for Penny Lane, an organization that provides assistance to abused teenagers, the Human Rights Watch and The Hope North organization.

Madison Hu stars as Frankie on the popular Disney show Bizaardvark (2016). She is also known for her recurring guest star role as Marci on Disney Channel's Best Friends Whenever (2015). Born in Longview, Texas, Madison moved to California and began her acting career at age 7 when she landed her first role as a spelling bee contestant on Bad Words (2013). She then went on to showcase her comedy abilities in The Goldbergs (2013) and Tosh.0 (2009). Madison enjoys cuddling with her dog, Marshmallow, ice skating, swimming, playing guitar and piano, and hanging out with friends.

John Lee Hancock was born on 15 December 1956 in Longview, Texas, USA. He is a writer and director, known for The Blind Side (2009), Saving Mr. Banks (2013) and The Highwaymen (2019).

Miranda Lambert was born on 10 November 1983 in Longview, Texas, USA. She is a music artist and actress, known for The Ice Road (2021), Burlesque (2010) and Hot Pursuit (2015). She has been married to Brendan McLoughlin since 26 January 2019. She was previously married to Blake Shelton.

Rodney Carrington was born on 19 October 1968 in Longview, Texas, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Rodney (2004), Beer for My Horses (2008) and Rodney Carrington: Live at the Majestic (2007). He was previously married to Terri.

Kenn Whitaker was born on 8 June 1963 in Longview, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Bulworth (1998), Most Wanted (1997) and Life (1999).

Lee Jackson was born on 25 February 1980 in Longview, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Friday Night Lights (2004).

Leona Gage was born on 8 April 1939 in Longview, Texas, USA. She was an actress, known for Tales of Terror (1962), Scream of the Butterfly (1965) and A House Is Not a Home (1964). She was married to Lawrence William Stone, Alexander Bernard Kaminer, Gunther Collins, Nicholas Bala Covacevich, Gene Norris Ennis and Edward Thacker. She died on 5 October 2010 in Sherman Oaks, California, USA.

Andy Bowles is an award-winning American actor and filmmaker. A longtime resident of the New York City area. Andy grew up in the small Texas town of Cedar Hill where he made his own independent movies out of pure love for the art. Andy studied acting in Hollywood with some of the best teachers in the industry and continues his studies in NYC. In 2004 Andy formed his production company APB Productions which he produces all his movies through.

Karen Silkwood, a nuclear plant laborer and union activist who died while investigating safety violations made by her employer, is viewed as a martyr by anti-nuclear activists; her story was made into the drama film Silkwood (1983).

On the night of November 13, 1974, Karen Silkwood, a technician at the Kerr-McGee Cimarron River nuclear facility in Crescent, Oklahoma, was driving her white Honda to Oklahoma City. There she was to deliver a manila folder full of alleged health and safety violations at the plant to a friend, Drew Stephens, a reporter from The New York Times and national union representative. However, seven miles out of Crescent, her car went off the road, skidded for a hundred yards, hit a guardrail, and plunged off the embankment. Silkwood was killed in the crash, and the manila folder was not found at the scene when Stephens arrived a few hours later. Nor has this come to light since. Although Kerr-McGee was a prominent Oklahoma employer whose integrity had never been challenged, as a part of the nuclear power industry it had many adversaries. The controversy ignited by Silkwood's death regarding the regulation of the nuclear industry was intense, with critics finally finding an example around which to focus their argument. The legacy of the Silkwood case continues to this day in the on-going debate over the safety of nuclear technology.

Silkwood seemed an unlikely candidate to have had such a dramatic impact on American society. One biographer commented that "most of her life was distinguished by how ordinary it was, as ordinary as her death was extraordinary." Born in Longview, Texas, Silkwood grew up in Nederland, in the heart of the Texas oil and gas fields. The oldest of three daughters of Bill and Merle Silkwood, she led a normal life. In high school, she played on the volleyball team and flute in the band, and was an "A" student and a member of the National Honor Society. She excelled in chemistry and, upon graduation, went to Lamar College in Beaumont to become a medical technician.

After her first year of college, Silkwood eloped with Bill Meadows. They moved around Texas, where Meadows worked in the oil industry and Silkwood took care of their three children. After years of financial struggle (they finally declared bankruptcy), Silkwood left him in 1972 when she discovered Meadows was having an affair with her friend. Giving Bill custody of the children, she moved to Oklahoma City. There she found a job at Kerr-McGee's Cimarron River plant in Crescent, thirty miles north of Oklahoma City, soon joined the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union, and walked the picket line during their largely unsuccessful nine-week strike in 1972.

The Cimarron facility manufactured fuel rods that were used in nuclear fission reactors. Contained within these fuel rods were particles of plutonium, an element created from uranium atoms, and the most toxic substance then known. Even pollen-sized grains of plutonium can cause cancer, as had been shown in animal experiments, but the workers at the plant were not alerted to any danger. Nonetheless, Silkwood became increasingly concerned about health and safety violations that went uncorrected by management, and as 1974 drew on, got involved with the bargaining committee for the union. The Cimarron plant was experiencing sixty percent employee turnover a year, was using second-hand equipment, and was behind on production.

Desperate to avoid another strike, which was looming, Kerr-McGee organized a union de-certification vote that, though ultimately failing, galvanized the union into bringing the safety violations to the attention of federal officials. Silkwood and two other local union officials went to Washington, D.C., to confer with national union leaders and the Atomic Energy Commission. Chief among their allegations were the lack of training given employees, failure to minimize contamination, and poor monitoring, including the finding of uranium dust in the lunchroom. At this meeting, Silkwood secretly agreed to obtain before and after photomicrographs of faulty fuel rods showing where they were being ground down to disguise faults.

After this meeting, Silkwood began carrying around notebooks to document a variety of safety violations at the plant. Her assertion was that people were being contaminated by plutonium all the time, and indeed there were at least 17 acknowledged incidents of exposure involving 77 employees in the recent past. Silkwood's concern was obsessive. As her friend Stephens remarked: "She just lived it, couldn't let it go and relax, particularly in the last month she was alive." On November 4 and 5, 1974, for two consecutive days, Silkwood was contaminated by radioactivity, detected by plant electronic monitors when leaving work. By November 7, her urine showed very high levels of radioactivity. When tested, her apartment also showed high levels, especially in the refrigerator. At this time, Silkwood was convinced she was going to die of plutonium poisoning. She and her roommate and Stephens were sent to Los Alamos, New Mexico, to be more thoroughly tested. The exposure level was deemed not serious.

On November 13, Silkwood attended a local union meeting then got into her car to drive to Oklahoma City to deliver the manila folder of evidence, the results of her seven-week vigil, to New York Times reporter David Burnham. Ten minutes later, her car went off the road and Silkwood died. The state patrol ruled it an accident, saying "it's pretty clear she fell asleep at the wheel. She never woke up." While blood tests showed a small amount of alcohol and methaqualone (a prescription sedative) in her system, it is doubtful the amount was sufficient to induce sleep in ten minutes. A subsequent investigation by a private detective concluded that she had likely been forced off the road by another car; a dent in the rear bumper showed metal and rubber fragments, as if another car had rammed her from behind. The manila folder was not recovered from the site of the crash, though other personal effects were.

A subsequent Justice Department investigation also ruled this an accident. However, Congressional hearings, along with a lawsuit on behalf of Silkwood's children, have revealed an intriguing and bizarre story to discredit critics, involving the FBI, newspaper reporters, and the nuclear industry, a story largely left untold. It is possible Silkwood's phone had been tapped and that she had been under surveillance for a while. Union official Jack Tice has said that Silkwood had been alarmed before her death: "She was starting to think someone was out to get her."

The truth of what happened the night of November 13, 1974, may never be known. What is clear is that the death of Silkwood has become a rallying point for anti-nuclear activists and put the nuclear industry on the defensive. The Atomic Energy Commission confirmed three violations at the Cimarron plant, which eventually shut down. And a major questioning of the nuclear industry has occurred as a result of the revelations that have come to light. In a suit filed by Bill Silkwood on behalf of his grandchildren, a jury in May 1979, awarded the Silkwood estate over ten million dollars in punitive damages and cleared Silkwood of the allegation that she had stolen plutonium from the plant. It also found that Kerr-McGee had been negligent and that someone had planted plutonium in her apartment. Though an appeals court overturned the decision, the Supreme Court eventually agreed with the lower court, reinstating the victory for the Silkwood family and saying that punitive damages could be awarded in cases involving the nuclear industry, effectively allowing state and jury regulation.

Though many mysteries remain surrounding the death of Silkwood, the public has gained much awareness about nuclear issues and has pressured the industry to become more responsible to health and safety concerns. As former Congresswoman Bella Abzug has commented, the issues stemming from the Silkwood case are "a matter of concern both in regard to public safety and the rights of individuals."

Silkwood's story was unveiled to a much greater audience in the 1983 drama film directed by Mike Nichols. Meryl Streep starred as Karen Silkwood with Kurt Russell and Cher in supporting roles. Silkwood (1983) garnered numerous Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for acting, directing, and screenplay writing. Cher won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Howard often used her camera capturing moments from Hollywood during the 1940s & 50s. She photographed parties, gatherings, sports tournaments etc., shooting everyone from Tyrone Power, Gene Tierney, Richard Burton to Cole Porter, Judy Garland, Hedy LaMarr and Jennifer Jones. In 1989, a book of her photography was published, "Jean Howard's Hollywood" - a tribute to the golden days of Hollywood.

Lee Supercinski was born on 28 October 1972 in Longview, Texas, USA. He is a producer and production manager, known for Futurama (1999), Synergy: Visions of Vibe (1999) and Disenchantment (2018). He has been married to Nicole Supercinski since 17 August 2002.

Desmond Dhooge was born on 27 October 1924 in Longview, Texas, USA. He was an actor, known for Paper Moon (1973), Keep My Grave Open (1977) and Silent Rage (1982). He was married to Daisy Bell Mitchell. He died on 23 November 1999 in Dallas, Texas, USA.

Austin Meyers was born on 7 March 1984 in Longview, Texas, USA. Austin is known for The Expendables (2010), The Mechanic (2011) and The Voyeurs (2021).

Monte Pittman was born on 19 November 1975 in Longview, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Edison (2005), Megalodon: The Frenzy (2023) and Shooting Gallery (2005). He was previously married to Lisa Donatz.

Michael Saikin was born on 3 September 1981 in Longview, Texas, USA. Michael is a writer, known for Disenchantment (2018), Futurama (1999) and Axe Cop (2012).

Marvin Fleming was born on 2 January 1942 in Longview, Texas, USA. He is an actor, known for Heaven Can Wait (1978), Superdome (1978) and Switch (1975).

Tiffany Terrell was born on 11 October 1980 in Longview, Texas, USA. She is an actress, known for Battle Doll Angelic Layer (2001), Cross Ange: Rondo of Angel and Dragon (2014) and Dennou Coil (2007).

Ben Idom's has a range of credits from reality-television producer, to art director, and even stunt zombie. No matter the project, he injects his enthusiasm into it wholeheartedly. He's known for his work on big productions like American Idol and The Voice but he also spends a great deal of his time working on passion projects with his friends. He is working on a documentary titled Still Overcoming, about the first African American woman hired by his Alma mater, the University of Texas.

D'Lytha Myers was born on 30 December 1979 in Longview, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for The Shadow of a King (2024), Aria Appleton Shines and Stella Long (2024). She is married to Nathan Daniel Myers.

Rachel Frances Reid was born on 11 August 1988 in Longview, Texas, USA. She died on 5 September 2003 in Tatum, Texas, USA.

Kristy Hawkins was born on 28 August 1980 in Longview, Texas, USA.

Lacy Prince was born on 5 September 1985 in Longview, Texas, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Fan Girls (2014), Makeshift Moviemakers (2013) and Card Me If You Can (2011). She has been married to Jordan Crowder since 6 August 2011.

John Moreland was born on 22 June 1985 in Longview, Texas, USA. He is known for Boomtown (2017), Servant (2019) and About Scout (2015).