Category: Girls

Angelina Jolie
Jolie in 2022
Born	Angelina Jolie Voight (1975-06-04) June 4, 1975 (age 49) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Other names	Angelina Jolie Pitt[1]
Citizenship	United States Cambodia[a]
Occupations	Actress filmmaker humanitarian
Years active	1982–present
Works	Full list
Spouses	Jonny Lee Miller ​ ​ (m. 1996; div. 2000)​ Billy Bob Thornton ​ ​ (m. 2000; div. 2003)​ Brad Pitt ​ ​ (m. 2014; div. 2019)​
Children	6
Parents	Jon Voight (father) Marcheline Bertrand (mother)
Relatives	James Haven (brother) Barry Voight (uncle) Chip Taylor (uncle)
Awards	Full list
Special Envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
In office April 17, 2012 – December 17, 2022
High Commissioner	António Guterres (2012–2015) Filippo Grandi (2016–2022)
Preceded by	Office established

Angelina Jolie^[3] (/dʒoʊˈliː/; born Angelina Jolie Voight;^[4] June 4, 1975) is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian. The recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Tony Award and three Golden Globe Awards, she has been named Hollywood's highest-paid actress multiple times.

Jolie made her screen debut as a child alongside her father, Jon Voight, in Lookin' to Get Out (1982). Her film career began in earnest a decade later with the low-budget production Cyborg 2 (1993), followed by her first leading role in Hackers (1995). After starring in the biographical television films George Wallace (1997) and Gia (1998), Jolie won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for playing a sociopath in the 1999 drama Girl, Interrupted. Her portrayal of the titular heroine in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) established her as a household name. Her fame continued with roles in the action films Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005), Wanted (2008), and Salt (2010). She also received acclaim for her performances in the dramas A Mighty Heart (2007) and Changeling (2008), the latter earning her a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress. Her other commercial successes include the fantasy film Maleficent (2014), its 2019 sequel, and the superhero film Eternals (2021). She played a voice role in the Kung Fu Panda animated film series from 2008 to 2016. Jolie has directed and written the war dramas In the Land of Blood and Honey (2011), Unbroken (2014), and First They Killed My Father (2017).

Jolie is known for her humanitarian efforts. The causes she promotes include conservation, education, and women's rights. She has been noted for her advocacy on behalf of refugees as a Special Envoy for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. She has undertaken various field missions to refugee camps and war zones worldwide. In addition to receiving a Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award among other honors, Jolie was made an honorary Dame Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George.

As a public figure, Jolie has been cited as one of the most powerful and influential people in the American entertainment industry. She has been cited as the world's most beautiful woman by various publications. Her personal life, including her relationships and health, has been the subject of widespread attention. Jolie is divorced from actors Jonny Lee Miller, Billy Bob Thornton, and Brad Pitt. She has six children with Pitt.

Early life and education[edit]

Angelina Jolie Voight was born on June 4, 1975, at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, California, to actors Jon Voight and Marcheline Bertrand.^[5][4][6] She is the sister of actor James Haven, and the niece of singer-songwriter Chip Taylor^[7] and geologist and volcanologist Barry Voight.^[8] Her godparents are actors Jacqueline Bisset and Maximilian Schell.^[9] On her father's side, Jolie is of German and Slovak descent.^[10] Jolie has claimed to have distant Indigenous (Iroquois) ancestry through her French-Canadian mother. However, her father says Jolie is "not seriously Iroquois", saying it is something he and Bertrand made up to make Bertrand seem more "exotic".^[11]

Following her parents' separation in 1976, she and her brother lived with their mother, who had abandoned her acting ambitions to focus on raising her children.^[12] Jolie's mother raised her as a Catholic but did not require her to go to church.^[13] As a child, she often watched films with her mother and it was this, rather than her father's successful career, that inspired her interest in acting,^[14] though she had a bit part in Voight's Lookin' to Get Out (1982) at age seven.^[15] When Jolie was six years old, Bertrand and her live-in partner, filmmaker Bill Day, moved the family to Palisades, New York;^[16] they returned to Los Angeles five years later.^[12] Jolie then decided she wanted to act and enrolled at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute, where she trained for two years and appeared in several stage productions.

Jolie first attended Beverly Hills High School, where she felt isolated among the children of some of the area's affluent families because her mother had a more modest income. She was teased by other students, who targeted her for being extremely thin and for wearing glasses and braces.^[14] Her early attempts at modeling, at her mother's insistence, proved unsuccessful.^[17][18] She transferred to Moreno High School, an alternative school, where she became a "punk outsider",^[17] wearing all-black clothing, going out moshing, and engaging in knife play with her live-in boyfriend.^[14] She dropped out of her acting classes and aspired to become a funeral director,^[15] taking at-home courses on embalming.^[19] At age 16, after the relationship had ended, Jolie graduated from high school and rented her own apartment before returning to theater studies,^[12][17] though in 2004 she referred to this period with the observation, "I am still at heart—and always will be—just a punk kid with tattoos."^[20]

As a teenager, Jolie found it difficult to emotionally connect with other people, and as a result she self-harmed,^[21] later commenting, "For some reason, the ritual of having cut myself and feeling the pain, maybe feeling alive, feeling some kind of release, it was somehow therapeutic to me."^[22] She also struggled with insomnia and an eating disorder^[19] and began using drugs; by age 20, she had used "just about every drug possible," particularly heroin.^[23] Jolie had episodes of depression and planned to commit suicide twice—at age 19 and again at 22, when she attempted to hire a hitman to kill her.^[15] When she was 24, she experienced a nervous breakdown and was admitted for 72 hours to UCLA Medical Center's psychiatric ward.^[15] Two years later, after adopting her first child, Jolie found stability, later stating, "I knew once I committed to Maddox, I would never be self-destructive again."^[24]

Jolie has had a lifelong dysfunctional relationship with her father, which started when Voight left the family when she was less than a year old.^[25] She has said that from then on their time together was sporadic and usually carried out in front of the press.^[26] They reconciled when they appeared together in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001), but their relationship again deteriorated.^[12] Jolie petitioned the court to legally remove her surname, Voight, in favor of her middle name, which she had long used as a stage name; the name change was granted on September 12, 2002.^[27] Voight then went public with their estrangement during an appearance on Access Hollywood, in which he claimed Jolie had "serious mental problems."^[28] At that point, her mother and brother also broke off contact with him.^[29] They did not speak for six and a half years,^[30] later rebuilding their relationship in the wake of Bertrand's death from ovarian cancer on January 27, 2007,^[29][31] before going public with their reconciliation three years later.^[29]

Career[edit]

Early work (1991–1997)[edit]

Jolie committed to acting professionally at the age of 16, but initially found it difficult to pass auditions, often being told that her demeanor was "too dark."^[15] She appeared in five of her brother's student films, made while he attended the USC School of Cinema-Television, as well as in several music videos, such as those for Lenny Kravitz's "Stand by My Woman" (1991), Antonello Venditti's "Alta Marea" (1991), The Lemonheads's "It's About Time" (1993), and Meat Loaf's "Rock and Roll Dreams Come Through" (1993). In 1993, she appeared on the cover of the Widespread Panic album Everyday.^[32] Jolie then learned from her father by noticing his method of observing people to become like them. Their relationship was less strained during this time, with Jolie realizing that they were both "drama queens".^[14]

Jolie started her professional film career in 1993, when she played her first leading role in the direct-to-video science-fiction sequel Cyborg 2, as a near-human robot designed for corporate espionage and assassination. She was so disappointed with the film that she did not audition again for a year.^[15] Following a supporting role in the independent film Without Evidence (1995), she starred in her first major studio film, Hackers (1995). The New York Times critic Janet Maslin wrote that Jolie's character "stands out ... because she scowls even more sourly than [her co-stars] and is that rare female hacker who sits intently at her keyboard in a see-through top."^[33] Hackers failed to make a profit at the box office, but developed a cult following after its video release.^[34] The role in Hackers is considered Jolie's breakthrough.^[35][36][37]

After starring in the modern-day Romeo and Juliet adaptation Love Is All There Is (1996), Jolie appeared in the road movie Mojave Moon (1996). In Foxfire (1996) she played Legs, a drifter who unites four teenage girls against a teacher who has sexually harassed them. Jack Mathews of the Los Angeles Times wrote of her performance, "It took a lot of hogwash to develop this character, but Jolie, Jon Voight's knockout daughter, has the presence to overcome the stereotype. Though the story is narrated by Maddy, Legs is the subject and the catalyst."^[38]

In 1997, Jolie starred with David Duchovny in the thriller Playing God, set in the Los Angeles underworld. The film was not well received by critics; Chicago Sun-Times critic Roger Ebert wrote that Jolie "finds a certain warmth in a kind of role that is usually hard and aggressive; she seems too nice to be [a mobster's] girlfriend, and maybe she is."^[39] Her next work, as a frontierswoman in the CBS miniseries True Women (1997), was even less successful; writing for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Robert Strauss dismissed her as "horrid, a fourth-rate Scarlett O'Hara" who relies on "gnashed teeth and overly pouted lips."^[40] Jolie also starred in the music video for the Rolling Stones's "Anybody Seen My Baby?" as a stripper who leaves mid-performance to wander New York City.^[41]

Rise to prominence (1998–2000)[edit]

Jolie's career prospects improved after she won a Golden Globe Award for her performance in TNT's George Wallace (1997), a film about segregationist Alabama Governor and presidential candidate George Wallace, played by Gary Sinise. Jolie portrayed Wallace's second wife, Cornelia Wallace, a performance Lee Winfrey of The Philadelphia Inquirer considered a highlight of the film.^[42] George Wallace was well received by critics, and Jolie received a nomination for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for her performance.^[43]

Jolie portrayed supermodel Gia Carangi in HBO's Gia (1998). The television film chronicles the destruction of Carangi's life and career as a result of her addiction to heroin, and her decline and death from AIDS in the mid-1980s. Vanessa Vance of Reel.com retrospectively noted, "Jolie gained wide recognition for her role as the titular Gia, and it's easy to see why. Jolie is fierce in her portrayal—filling the part with nerve, charm, and desperation—and her role in this film is quite possibly the most beautiful train wreck ever filmed."^[44] For the second consecutive year, Jolie won a Golden Globe Award and received an Emmy Award nomination. She also won her first Screen Actors Guild Award.^[45]

In accordance with Lee Strasberg's method acting, Jolie preferred to stay in character in between scenes during many of her early films. While shooting Gia, she told her husband, Jonny Lee Miller, that she would not be able to phone him: "I'd tell him: 'I'm alone; I'm dying; I'm gay; I'm not going to see you for weeks.'"^[46] After Gia wrapped, she briefly gave up acting, because she felt that she had "nothing else to give."^[15] She separated from Miller and moved to New York, where she took night classes at New York University to study directing and screenwriting.^[12] Encouraged by her Golden Globe Award win for George Wallace and the positive critical reception of Gia, Jolie resumed her career.^[15]

Following the previously filmed gangster film Hell's Kitchen (1998), Jolie returned to the screen in Playing by Heart (1998), part of an ensemble cast that included Sean Connery, Gillian Anderson, and Ryan Phillippe. The film received predominantly positive reviews, and Jolie was praised in particular; San Francisco Chronicle critic Peter Stack wrote, "Jolie, working through an overwritten part, is a sensation as the desperate club crawler learning truths about what she's willing to gamble."^[47] She won the Breakthrough Performance Award from the National Board of Review.^[48]

In 1999, Jolie starred in the comedy-drama Pushing Tin, alongside John Cusack, Billy Bob Thornton, and Cate Blanchett. The film met with mixed reception from critics, and Jolie's character—Thornton's seductive wife—was particularly criticized; writing for The Washington Post, Desson Howe dismissed her as "a completely ludicrous writer's creation of a free-spirited woman who weeps over hibiscus plants that die, wears lots of turquoise rings and gets real lonely when Russell spends entire nights away from home."^[49] Jolie then co-starred with Denzel Washington in The Bone Collector (1999), playing a police officer who reluctantly helps Washington's quadriplegic detective track down a serial killer. The film grossed $151.5 million worldwide,^[50] but was critically unsuccessful. Terry Lawson of the Detroit Free Press concluded, "Jolie, while always delicious to look at, is simply and woefully miscast."^[51]

Jolie next took the supporting role of Lisa, a sociopathic patient in a psychiatric hospital, in Girl, Interrupted (1999), an adaptation of Susanna Kaysen's 1993 memoir. For Variety, Emanuel Levy deemed her "excellent as the flamboyant, irresponsible girl who turns out to be far more instrumental than the doctors in Susanna's rehabilitation."^[53] Jolie won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture, the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in the film.

In 2000, Jolie appeared in her first summer blockbuster, Gone in 60 Seconds, which became her highest-grossing film to that point, earning $237.2 million internationally.^[50] She had a minor role as the mechanic ex-girlfriend of a car thief played by Nicolas Cage; The Washington Post writer Stephen Hunter criticized that "all she does in this movie is stand around, cooling down, modeling those fleshy, pulsating muscle-tubes that nest so provocatively around her teeth."^[54] Jolie later explained that the film had been a welcome relief after her emotionally demanding role in Girl, Interrupted.

Worldwide recognition (2001–2004)[edit]

Although widely praised for her acting and performances, Jolie had rarely found films that appealed to a wide audience, but 2001's Lara Croft: Tomb Raider made her an international superstar. An adaptation of the popular Tomb Raider video games, the film required her to learn an English accent and undergo extensive martial arts training to play the archaeologist-adventurer Lara Croft. Although the film generated mostly negative reviews, Jolie was generally praised for her physical performance; Newsday's John Anderson commented, "Jolie makes the title character a virtual icon of female competence and coolth."^[55] The film was an international hit, earning $274.7 million worldwide,^[50] and launched her global reputation as a female action star.

Jolie next starred opposite Antonio Banderas as his mail-order bride in Original Sin (2001), the first of a string of films that were poorly received by critics and audiences alike. The New York Times critic Elvis Mitchell questioned Jolie's decision to follow her Oscar-winning performance with "soft-core nonsense."^[56] The romantic comedy Life or Something Like It (2002), though equally unsuccessful, marked an unusual choice for Jolie. Salon magazine's Allen Barra considered her ambitious newscaster character a rare attempt at playing a conventional women's role, noting that her performance "doesn't get off the ground until a scene where she goes punk and leads a group of striking bus workers in singing 'Satisfaction'".^[57] Despite her lack of box office success, Jolie remained in demand as an actress;^[20] in 2002, she established herself among Hollywood's highest-paid actresses, earning $10–15 million per film for the next five years.^[58]

Jolie reprised her role as Lara Croft in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider – The Cradle of Life (2003), which was not as lucrative as the original, earning $156.5 million at the international box office.^[50] She also starred in the music video for Korn's "Did My Time", which was used to promote the sequel. Her next film was Beyond Borders (2003), in which she portrayed a socialite who joins an aid worker played by Clive Owen. Though unsuccessful with audiences, the film stands as the first of several passion projects Jolie has made to bring attention to humanitarian causes.^[59] Beyond Borders was a critical failure; Kenneth Turan of the Los Angeles Times acknowledged Jolie's ability to "bring electricity and believability to roles," but wrote that "the limbo of a hybrid character, a badly written cardboard person in a fly-infested, blood-and-guts world, completely defeats her."^[60]

In 2004, Jolie appeared in four films. She first starred in the thriller Taking Lives as an FBI prof

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "Krystal Forscutt" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Krystal Forscutt (married name Krystal Hipwell) is an Australian former model and reality television contestant. Since then she has gone into work as a waitress and as a personal trainer.^[1][2]

Biography[edit]

Reality television[edit]

Forscutt previously modelled for men's magazines and came to prominence as a contestant in the Australian Big Brother series in 2006. She has had her breast size increased with breast implants, which she got with her mother Karen Forscutt (who also appeared with her in Big Brother). In 2007 she appeared as a contestant on the Australian reality television show It Takes Two.^[3]

Modelling[edit]

Forscutt went on to appear regularly in Australian men's magazines Zoo Weekly, FHM and Ralph. She appeared in the video game Need for Speed: ProStreet, which makes her the first Australian to have a character in the game.^[3][4] The representatives of Electronic Arts approached Forscutt to appear in the new Need For Speed video game, after they spotted her in a bikini shoot in Zoo Weekly.^{[citation needed]} Forscutt was flown to EA's Vancouver headquarters where she was photographed and filmed for artists to create her character, a starting girl in the race series.

Television and acting[edit]

In January 2008, Forscutt became a regular guest on the Bigpond GameArena Benny and Richie show, and in October appeared in an episode of Seven Network's Packed to the Rafters. In May 2009, Forscutt appeared in the music video for the Steve Forde song “Guns & Guitars”. Forscutt briefly pursued a movie career in Hollywood. As of 2010 she had relocated to Melbourne. On 29 July 2010, she made an appearance on The Matty Johns Show.

Music[edit]

In November 2010, Krystal Forscutt spoke to the Herald Sun about her upcoming venture in music. She stated that she was a part of a girl group called "Video Girl" and that the group had already recorded their debut album and were in the process of putting together a show to perform at gigs. Forscutt said she would sing and DJ in the group. The band was supposed to release music in 2011; however, music industry sources indicated that Forscutt's music career had been cut short.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• Krystal Forscutt at IMDb
• Watch out for the imitation Krystal. Herald Sun.
• Krystal's first Ben and Richie appearance
• Guns and Guitars Music Video – featuring Krystal Forscutt

Lucy Pinder
Pinder in 2018
Born	Lucy Katherine Pinder (1983-12-20) 20 December 1983 (age 40) Winchester, Hampshire, England
Occupations	Actress model
Years active	2003–present
Modeling information
Height	165 cm (5 ft 5 in)
Hair color	Brown
Eye color	Brown
Agency	McLean-Williams Limited

Lucy Katherine Pinder^[1] (born 20 December 1983)^[1] is a British actress and model. She rose to international fame for her work as a glamour model in men's magazines, and made her film debut in the comedy horror Strippers vs Werewolves (2012), which was followed by supporting roles in several films.

Career[edit]

2003–2010: Modeling and television appearances[edit]

Pinder began her career in 2003 after being discovered by a freelance photographer on Bournemouth beach, and has appeared in such publications as the Daily Star tabloid newspaper^[2] and magazines FHM,^[1] Loaded and Nuts.

Pinder first appeared topless in Nuts in 2007, and was responsible for a weekly advice column in Nuts, entitled "The Truth About Women".^[3] With vital statistics of 32F-26-34,^[4] the Australian magazine Ralph declared that she had the "Best Breasts in the World" in 2007.^[2] Pinder has appeared on FHM's list of the "100 Sexiest Women in the World" 2007 (No. 92), 2006 (No. 35), and 2005 (No. 16),^[1] and, in 2010, she was head of the Bennetts Babe Squad.^[5] In addition, Pinder has appeared on the cover of several DVDs and in photo shoots for magazines, such as Loaded and Maxim.^[6][7]

In 2004, Pinder appeared on Living TV's series I'm Famous and Frightened!, spending the weekend at Bolsover Castle in Derbyshire investigating ghosts and spirits.^[8] Pinder appeared in the music video for the 4-4-2 song "Come On England" along with Michelle Marsh.^[9]

On 31 December 2005, Pinder appeared on Sky Sports as a celebrity soccerette on Soccer AM,^[2] during which she wore a Southampton F.C. jersey.^[1] She also sat on the sofa answering questions on topics such as modelling and football.^[10]

In September 2007, Pinder appeared as a contestant on a special edition of The Weakest Link, entitled "Wags and Glamour Girls".^[11]

On 15 January 2008, Pinder made her presenter debut for Nuts TV. She presented the Nuts TV live show on six further occasions in February and March 2008 and also presented Overexposed, which was a series on Nuts TV giving hints and tips to the aspiring amateur glamour photographer.^[12] Subsequently, she has appeared on the MTV channel's TMF, presenting, in conjunction with Kayleigh Pearson, Pinder and Pearson's Late-Night Love-in – a "countdown of saucy music videos."^[12] In February 2008, Pinder made a cameo appearance, along with Michelle Marsh, in Hotel Babylon on BBC One.^[12]

From 2 January 2009, Pinder appeared in the sixth series of Celebrity Big Brother.^[1] She revealed that "thick" people irritate her. She was the first housemate to be voted out,^[2] on 9 January (Day 8) with 57% of the public vote.^[13] Pinder declared her wish to leave the Big Brother house after being driven to distraction by the constant rapping of housemate Coolio.^[14]

In February 2010, Pinder appeared on BBC Three's The Real Hustle Undercover, in which she pulled a switch on an unsuspecting punter.^[12]

2012–present: Film career[edit]

This section needs expansion. You can help by adding to it. (June 2023)

Pinder began her professional film career in 2012, when she played her first supporting role in the comedy horror Strippers vs Werewolves.^[15] In 2016, Pinder made her Bollywood debut with the film Waarrior Savitri.^[16]

Charity work[edit]

Pinder has worked closely with a number of wildlife charities, getting involved in fundraising for TigerTime, the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, and International Animal Rescue.^[17] She was also an ambassador for Kick 4 Life, a charity that uses football to fight poverty and disease in developing countries.^[18] She has also produced original works of art for sale in charity auctions for Keech Hospice Care^[19] and the Sports for All campaign.^[20]

Pinder has also volunteered her time at Cats Protection as part of the charity's campaign "I'm A Celebrity... Let Me Volunteer!",^[21] and she was a judge for National Cat Awards in the "Hero Cat" category in 2012.^[22]

Pinder has worked with Help for Heroes, a British charity launched in 2007 to help provide better facilities for British servicemen and women who have been wounded or injured in the line of duty,^[23] and she has appeared in the 2011 and 2014 Hot Shots Calendar.^[24]

Pinder and Rhian Sugden continue to support the Male Cancer Awareness Campaign, and they took part in the five-mile "London Strut" awareness initiative in December 2013.^[25]

Pinder supported the "Stars & Stripes 2014 Celebrity Auction" by donating an original drawing of hers that was auctioned off, with the proceeds going to TigerTime.^[26]

Filmography[edit]

References[edit]

Red Hot Chili Peppers
The band playing live in London in 2022. From left: Flea, Anthony Kiedis, Chad Smith, John Frusciante
Background information
Also known as	Tony Flow and the Miraculously Majestic Masters of Mayhem (1982–1983)
Origin	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Funk rock alternative rock rap rock funk metal hard rock
Discography	Red Hot Chili Peppers discography
Years active	1982 (1982)–present
Labels	Capitol EMI Enigma Warner
Members	Anthony Kiedis Flea Chad Smith John Frusciante
Past members	Hillel Slovak Jack Irons Cliff Martinez Jack Sherman DeWayne McKnight D. H. Peligro Arik Marshall Jesse Tobias Dave Navarro Josh Klinghoffer
Website	redhotchilipeppers.com

The Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1982,^[1] comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk, punk rock, hard rock, hip hop, and psychedelic rock. Their eclectic range has influenced genres such as funk metal,^[2] rap metal,^[3] rap rock,^[4] and nu metal.^[5][3] With over 120 million records sold worldwide, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are one of the top-selling bands of all time.^[6] They hold the records for most number-one singles (15), most cumulative weeks at number one (91) and most top-ten songs (28) on the Billboard Alternative Songs chart.^[7] They have won three Grammy Awards, were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2012, and in 2022 received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles by Kiedis, Flea, guitarist Hillel Slovak and drummer Jack Irons. Due to commitments to other bands, Slovak and Irons did not play on the band's 1984 self-titled debut album, which instead featured guitarist Jack Sherman and drummer Cliff Martinez. Slovak rejoined for their second album, Freaky Styley (1985), and Irons for their third, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan (1987). Irons left after Slovak died of a drug overdose in June 1988.

With new recruits Frusciante and Smith, the Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded Mother's Milk (1989) and their first major commercial success, Blood Sugar Sex Magik (1991). Frusciante was uncomfortable with their newfound popularity and left abruptly on tour in 1992. After a series of temporary guitarists, he was replaced by Dave Navarro, who appeared on the group's sixth album, One Hot Minute (1995). Although successful, the album failed to match the critical or popular acclaim of Blood Sugar Sex Magik. Frusciante and Kiedis struggled with drug addiction throughout the 1990s.

In 1998, following Navarro's departure, Frusciante rejoined the band. Their seventh album, Californication (1999), became their biggest commercial success, with 16 million copies sold worldwide. By the Way (2002) and Stadium Arcadium (2006) were also successful; Stadium Arcadium was their first album to reach number one on the Billboard 200 chart. Frusciante left again in 2009 to focus on his solo career; he was replaced by Josh Klinghoffer, who appeared on I'm with You (2011) and The Getaway (2016), before Frusciante rejoined in 2019. They released their 12th and 13th albums, Unlimited Love and Return of the Dream Canteen, in 2022.

History[edit]

1982–1984: Early history[edit]

The Red Hot Chili Peppers were formed in Los Angeles in 1982 by singer Anthony Kiedis, guitarist Hillel Slovak, bassist Flea, and drummer Jack Irons, classmates at Fairfax High School.^[8] Their first performance was on December 16, 1982, at the Grandia Room club on Hollywood Boulevard to a crowd of approximately 30. Gary Allen, a friend of the band, was hosting a release party for his new EP and asked Kiedis and Flea to put together an opening act.^[1]

At the time, Slovak and Irons were already committed to another group, What Is This?; however, the new band was asked to return the following week.^[9] In March, they changed their name to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, playing several shows at Los Angeles venues. Six songs from these shows were on the band's first demo tape.^[10] In November 1983, manager Lindy Goetz struck a seven-album deal with EMI America and Enigma Records. Two weeks earlier, however, What Is This? had also obtained a record deal with MCA, and in December Slovak and Irons quit the Red Hot Chili Peppers to focus on What Is This?.^[11] Flea and Kiedis recruited Weirdos drummer Cliff Martinez and guitarist Jack Sherman.^[12]

The band released their debut album, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, in August 1984. Airplay on college radio and MTV helped build a fan base,^[13] and the album sold 300,000 copies. Gang of Four guitarist Andy Gill, who produced the album, pushed the band to play with a cleaner, more radio-friendly sound,^[14] and the band was disappointed with the result, finding it over-polished.^[15] The album included backing vocals by Gwen Dickey, the singer for the 1970s disco funk group Rose Royce.^[16] The band embarked on a gruelling tour, performing 60 shows in 64 days. During the tour, continuing musical and lifestyle tension between Kiedis and Sherman complicated the transition between concert and daily band life.^[17] Sherman was fired in February 1985.^[18] Slovak, who had just quit What Is This?, rejoined in early 1985.^[19]

1985–1988: Building a following, drug abuse, and death of Slovak[edit]

The second Chili Peppers album, Freaky Styley (1985), was produced by funk musician George Clinton, who introduced elements of punk and funk into the band's repertoire.^[20] The album featured Maceo Parker and Fred Wesley. The band used heroin while recording the album, which influenced the lyrics and music.^[21] The band had a much better relationship with Clinton than with Gill,^[22] but Freaky Styley, released on August 16, 1985, also achieved little success, failing to make an impression on any chart. The band also considered the subsequent tour unproductive.^[23][24][25] Despite the lack of success, the band was satisfied with Freaky Styley; Kiedis reflected that "it so surpassed anything we thought we could have done that we were thinking we were on the road to enormity."^[26] Around this time, the band appeared in the 1986 films Thrashin', playing the song "Blackeyed Blonde" from Freaky Styley, and Tough Guys, performing "Set It Straight".^[27]

In early 1986, EMI gave the Chili Peppers $5,000 to record a demo tape for their next album. They chose to work with producer Keith Levene from Public Image Ltd, as he shared their interest in drugs.^[28] Levene and Slovak put aside $2,000 of the budget to spend on heroin and cocaine, which created tension between the band members. Martinez's "heart was no longer in the band", but he did not quit, so Kiedis and Flea fired him in April 1986.^[29] Irons rejoined the band, to their surprise; it marked the first time all four founding members were together since 1983. During the recording and subsequent tour of Freaky Styley, Kiedis and Slovak were dealing with debilitating heroin addictions. Due to his addiction, Kiedis "didn't have the same drive or desire to come up with ideas or lyrics" and appeared at rehearsal "literally asleep".^[30]

For their third album, the Chili Peppers attempted to hire Rick Rubin to produce, but he declined due to the band's increasing drug problems. They eventually hired Michael Beinhorn from the art funk project Material, their last choice.^[31] The early attempts at recording were halted due to Kiedis's worsening drug problems, and Kiedis was briefly fired.^[32] After the band were named "band of the year" by LA Weekly, Kiedis entered drug rehabilitation.^[33] The band auditioned new singers,^[34] but Kiedis, now sober, rejoined the recording sessions with new enthusiasm.^[35] Songs formed quickly, blending the funk feel and rhythms of Freaky Styley with a harder, more immediate approach to punk rock. The album was recorded in the basement of the Capitol Records Building.^[36] The recording process was difficult; Kiedis would frequently disappear to seek drugs.^[37] After fifty days of sobriety, Kiedis decided to take drugs again to celebrate his new music.^[36]

The third Red Hot Chili Peppers album, The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, was released in September 1987 and peaked at No. 148 on the Billboard 200 chart,^[38] a significant improvement over their earlier albums. The band immediately embarked on a two and a half month North American tour to promote the release, accompanied by Faith No More as support who were also promoting their new album Introduce Yourself.^[39][40] During this period, however, Kiedis and Slovak had both developed serious drug addictions,^[41] often disappearing for days on end. Slovak died from a heroin overdose on June 25, 1988, soon after the conclusion of the Uplift tour.^[42] Kiedis fled the city and did not attend Slovak's funeral.^[43] Irons, troubled by the death, left the band; following years of depression, he became a member of the Seattle grunge band Pearl Jam in 1994.^[44]

1988–1989: Frusciante and Smith join[edit]

DeWayne "Blackbyrd" McKnight, a former member of Parliament-Funkadelic, joined as guitarist, and D. H. Peligro of Dead Kennedys joined as drummer.^[when?] Kiedis re-entered rehab for 30 days, and visited Slovak's grave as part of his rehabilitation, finally confronting his grief. Three dates into the tour, McKnight was fired for lack of chemistry with the band.^[45] McKnight was so unhappy he threatened to burn down Kiedis's house.^[46]

Peligro introduced Kiedis and Flea to teenage guitarist and Chili Peppers fan John Frusciante,^[47] who brought a darker, more melodic rock style to the band.^[48] Frusciante performed his first show with the Chili Peppers in September 1988. The new lineup began writing for the next album and went on a short tour, the Turd Town Tour. In November, Kiedis and Flea fired Peligro due to his drug and alcohol problems.^[49] Following open auditions, they hired drummer Chad Smith in December 1988, who has remained since.^[50] According to Smith, "We started playing, and right away we just hit it off musically."^[51]

The Chili Peppers began work on their fourth album in 1989.^[52] Unlike the stop-start sessions for The Uplift Mofo Party Plan, preproduction went smoothly. However, the sessions were made tense by Beinhorn's desire to create a hit, frustrating Frusciante and Kiedis.^[53] Released on August 16, 1989, Mother's Milk peaked at number 52 on the U.S. Billboard 200.^[38] The record failed to chart in the United Kingdom and Europe, but climbed to number 33 in Australia.^[54] "Knock Me Down" reached number six on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks, whereas "Higher Ground" charted at number eleven^[55] and reached number 54 in the UK and 45 in Australia and France.^[56][57] Mother's Milk was certified gold in March 1990 and was the first Chili Peppers album to ship over 500,000 units.^[58]

1990–1993: Blood Sugar Sex Magik, fame, and Frusciante's first departure[edit]

In 1990, after the success of Mother's Milk, the Chili Peppers left EMI and entered a major-label bidding war. They signed with Warner Bros. Records and hired producer Rick Rubin. Rubin had turned the band down in 1987 because of their drug problems but felt they were now healthier and more focused. He would go on to produce five more of their albums. The writing process was more productive than it had been for Mother's Milk, with Kiedis saying, "[every day], there was new music for me to lyricize".^[59] At Rubin's suggestion, they recorded in the Mansion, a studio in a house where magician Harry Houdini once lived.^[60]

In September 1991, Blood Sugar Sex Magik was released. "Give It Away" was the first single, which went on to achieve international fame and became the band's first number-one single on the Modern Rock chart.^[55] The ballad "Under the Bridge" was released as a second single, and reached number two on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the band's highest position to date.^[55]

Blood Sugar Sex Magik sold over 12 million copies.^[61] It was listed at number 310 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, and in 1992 it rose to number three on the US album charts, almost a year after its release. The album was accompanied by a documentary, Funky Monks.^[62] The band began their Blood Sugar Sex Magik tour, which featured Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins, three of the era's biggest upcoming bands in alternative music, as opening acts.^[63]

Frusciante was troubled by fame, and began falling out with Kiedis. He isolated himself and developed a secret heroin addiction. In an appearance on Saturday Night Live, he performed off-key; Kiedis believed he wanted to sabotage the performance.^[48] Frusciante abruptly quit after a show in Tokyo in May 1992.^[48] He returned to Los Angeles and spent years living in squalor, struggling with addiction.^[48]

The Chili Peppers contacted guitarist Dave Navarro, who had just split from Jane's Addiction, but Navarro was involved in his own drug problems. After failed auditions with Zander Schloss, Arik Marshall of Los Angeles band Marshall Law^[64] was hired,^[65] and the Chili Peppers headlined the Lollapalooza festival in 1992.^[66] Marshall also appeared in the music videos for "Breaking the Girl" and "If You Have to Ask", as well as the Simpsons episode "Krusty Gets Kancelled".^{[67][unreliable source?]} In September 1992, the Chili Peppers performed "Give It Away" at the MTV Video Music Awards. They were nominated for seven awards, winning three, including Viewer's Choice. In February 1993, they performed "Give It Away" at the Grammy Awards, and the song won the band their first Grammy, Best Hard Rock Performance With Vocal.^[68]

The Chili Peppers dismissed Marshall with the explanation, "It just wasn’t working out...".^[69] They held auditions for new guitarists, including Buckethead, whom Flea felt was not right for the band.^[70] Guitarist Jesse Tobias of the Los Angeles band Mother Tongue was briefly hired, but dismissed due to poor chemistry.^[71] However, Navarro said he was now ready to join the band.^[72] In August 1993, the non-album single "Soul to Squeeze" was released and featured on the soundtrack to the film Coneheads.^[73] The song topped the Billboard US Modern Rock chart.^[74]

1994–1997: One Hot Minute and Dave Navarro[edit]

Navarro first appeared with the band at Woodstock '94, performing early versions of new songs. This was followed by a brief tour, including headlining appearances at Pukkelpop and Reading Festivals as well as two performances as the opening act for the Rolling Stones.^[75] The relationship between Navarro and the band began to deteriorate;^[76] Navarro admitted he did not care for funk music or jamming. Kiedis had relapsed into heroin addiction following a dental procedure in which an addictive sedative, Valium, was used, though the band did not discover this until later.^[77]

Without Frusciante, songs were written at a far slower rate.^[77] Kiedis said: "John had been a true anomaly when it came to songwriting ... I just figured that was how all guitar players were, that you showed them your lyrics and sang a little bit and the next thing you knew you had a song. That didn't happen right off the bat with Dave."^[77] With Kiedis often absent from recording due to his drug problems, Flea took on a larger role when he wrote and sang lead on his song, "Pea".^[78]

One Hot Minute was released in September 1995 after several delays. It departed from the band's previous sound, with Navarro's guitar work incorporating heavy metal riffs and psychedelic rock.^[79] The band described the album as a darker, sadder record.^[80] Kiedis's lyrics addressed drugs, including the lead single, "Warped", and broken relationships and deaths of loved ones, including "Tearjerker", written about Kurt Cobain and "Transcending" about River Phoenix. Despite mixed reviews, the album sold eight million copies worldwide.^[81] The band also contributed to soundtracks including Working Class Hero: A Tribute to John Lennon^[82] and Beavis and Butt-Head Do America,^[83] and Flea and Navarro contributed to Alanis Morissette's single "You Oughta Know".^[84]

The Chili Peppers began the tour for One Hot Minute in Europe in 1995. The US tour was postponed after Smith broke his wrist. In 1997, several shows were cancelled following deteriorating band relations, injuries, and Navarro and Kiedis's drug use. The band played three shows that year, including the first Fuji Rock Festival in Japan.^[85] In April 1998, the Chili Peppers announced that Navarro had left due to creative differences. Kiedis said the decision was mutual.^[86] Reports at the time indicated that Navarro's departure came after he attended a band practice under the influence of drugs.^[81]

1998–2001: Return of Frusciante and Californication[edit]

Elisha Cuthbert
Cuthbert in 2015
Born	Elisha Ann Cuthbert (1982-11-30) November 30, 1982 (age 41) Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1996–present
Spouse	Dion Phaneuf ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	2
Signature

Elisha Ann Cuthbert (/əˈliːʃə/; born November 30, 1982)^[1] is a Canadian actress. As a child actress, she made her first televised appearance as an extra in the horror-themed series for children Are You Afraid of the Dark? and co-hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids. She made her feature-film debut in the 1997 Canadian family drama Dancing on the Moon. Her first major lead role came in the 1998 drama film Airspeed (No Control) alongside Joe Mantegna. In 2001, she starred in the movie Lucky Girl, for which she received her first award, the Gemini Awards.

After moving to Hollywood in 2001, she was cast as Kim Bauer in the series 24, her first big role in an American production, alongside Kiefer Sutherland. For this role, she was nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards twice. In 2003, she played Darcie Goldberg in the college comedy Old School and Carol-Anne in Love Actually. Cuthbert received wide recognition for her breakout role as Danielle in the 2004 teen comedy film The Girl Next Door, being nominated for Best Breakthrough Performance at the 2005 MTV Movie Awards, and for her next role as Carly Jones in the 2005 House of Wax, for which she received two nominations for the Teen Choice Awards, including Best Actress: Action/Adventure/Thriller. Subsequently, Cuthbert appeared in the lead role in the drama The Quiet (2005) and the horror Captivity (2007). This role, along with Are You Afraid of the Dark?, 24 series and House of Wax, established her as a scream queen.^[2][3]

From 2011 to 2013, Cuthbert starred as Alex Kerkovich in the three seasons of the ABC comedy Happy Endings. From 2016 to 2020, she had a recurring role as Abby Phillips on the Netflix series The Ranch, before becoming a main cast member in the series' second season.^[4] She received praise for her performance on the Canadian comedy series Jann (2020), being nominated for the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Performance in a guest role.

Cuthbert has appeared in numerous magazines, such as Maxim, Complex, and FHM. In 2013, Maxim magazine named her "TV's most beautiful woman".^[5]

Early life[edit]

Elisha Cuthbert was born in Calgary, Alberta, the daughter of Kevin, an automotive design engineer and Patricia, a housewife.^{[citation needed]} She grew up in Greenfield Park, Quebec. In 2000, she graduated from Centennial Regional High School and moved to Los Angeles at the age of 17.^[6] As a child, she participated in Girl Guide programs as a member of Girl Guides of Canada.^[7]

Career[edit]

Early work[edit]

When she was nine, Cuthbert began modeling children's clothing while appearing as a foot model.^[8] She made her first televised appearance as an extra in Are You Afraid of the Dark?, a horror-themed series for children; she later became a regular on the show. Cuthbert co-hosted Popular Mechanics for Kids with Jay Baruchel, filmed in Montreal. Her reporting captured the attention of Hillary Clinton, who invited her to the White House.^[9]

Cuthbert landed a role in a feature film in the family drama Dancing on the Moon (1997). She appeared in other Canadian family films and in an airplane thriller, Airspeed. In 2000, Cuthbert co-starred in Believe, a Canadian film with Ricky Mabe. The following year she starred in the Canadian television movie, Lucky Girl, and was awarded a Gemini Award for her performance.^[10]

2000s[edit]

Soon after moving to Hollywood, she was cast as Kim Bauer, daughter of federal agent Jack Bauer, in the television series 24. She appeared in the show's first three seasons, but not in its fourth; she guest-starred in two episodes in the fifth season. She also reprised her role as Kim Bauer in 24: The Game and again guest-starred in five episodes of the seventh season and in two episodes of the eighth season.

She began her Hollywood film career with small roles in Old School, which grossed $87 million. Cuthbert next appeared in Love Actually, which earned $246.4 million worldwide.^[11]

Her first break in a major film role was in 2004, The Girl Next Door. She played an ex–porn star, Danielle, opposite Emile Hirsch. She had reservations about taking the part, but director Luke Greenfield persuaded her to accept the role. Cuthbert did research for the film speaking to adult actresses from Wicked Pictures and Vivid Entertainment.^[12] The film was compared to Risky Business^[13][14] although Cuthbert said her character was not directly based on Rebecca De Mornay's. Critics were divided; some praised the film for boldness, while others, notably Roger Ebert, called it gimmicky and exploitative.^[15][16] Ebert wrote that he saw Cuthbert's character as "quite the most unpleasant character I have seen in some time."^[17] The View London said: "Cuthbert is surprisingly good, too – aside from being drop dead gorgeous, she also proves herself a capable comic actress in the Cameron Diaz mould".^[18] Cuthbert won two nominations for the MTV Movie Awards for Best Kiss and Best Breakthrough Performance.

In her next film, Cuthbert starred with Paris Hilton and Chad Michael Murray in the 2005 remake of the horror film House of Wax. In one scene, her character attempted to open her mouth while her lips were sealed with glue. For realism, she used Superglue over prosthetics.^[19] House of Wax was largely panned, critics citing a range of flaws. It was called "notable for having some of the most moronic protagonists ever to populate a horror film," though of those characters, critics tended to think Cuthbert "did the best". Though it received negative reviews the film was a box office success, which grossed $70 million worldwide.^[20] The Houston Chronicle cited Cuthbert as an exception.^[21] Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle said of the film, "Elisha Cuthbert's matter-of-fact, likable quality helps. Seeing her turn into wax would be as bad as seeing that happen to Glenda Farrell (the star of the 1933 version)."^[22] The Movie said: "The performances are always professional and understated in their believable cogency, particularly Cuthbert, a talented, beautiful young actress who has proven time and again just what a multilayered and promising future she has ahead of her. Cuthbert digs into the role of Carly with strength, determination, and horrified realism; you believe as you watch her that she is going through these things and forget all about the actor playing the part, which is the biggest compliment of all.^[23] Brian Orndorf of Filmjerk.com said: "[Paris] Hilton ... only plays her known personality in the film. She's overshadowed by the strong work from the rest of the cast, notably Chad Michael Murray and especially Elisha Cuthbert, who gives the film a strong dose of enthusiasm with her Jamie Lee Curtis-esque performance."^[24] Cuthbert was nominated at Teen Choice Awards in two categories Choice Movie: Actress – Action / Adventure / Thriller and Choice Movie: Rumble.

Cuthbert's next film was the indie film The Quiet. She was a co-star and co-producer. She played Nina, a 17-year-old cheerleader who is sexually abused by her father. Cuthbert looked to her younger cousin as her inspiration in portraying a teenager.^[25] The Quiet, distributed by Sony Pictures Classics, premiered at the 2005 Toronto International Film Festival and received a limited release in Los Angeles and New York City on 25 August 2006^[26] before expanding regionally in the US on September 1. Cuthbert initially wanted to play the part of the silent Dot, but director Jamie Babbit cast Camilla Belle in the role instead^[27] after Thora Birch pulled out.^[28] Babbit reasoned "To me, Dot has to be someone you could believe would be invisible in high school. You look at Elisha, this beautiful woman with the most perfect body you've ever seen, and you think, there's no high school in America where this girl could be invisible. No matter how much hair and makeup I do, it's not going to happen." The Daily Californian conceded that "Despite the plot's failings, Cuthbert does a convincing job in her role, exuding an outer shell so tough that when her inner, softer layers emerge, it's a natural change of character.^[29] Empire Movies agreed, commenting "this is Elisha Cuthbert's best film performance to date. Cuthbert's Nina has the majority of the most graphic and disturbing dialogue in the film, especially during one particular lunchroom scene where the camera is close up on Cuthbert and Belle's faces."

Cuthbert appeared in the music video for Weezer's "Perfect Situation" in early 2006, playing the group's fictional original singer who threw a tantrum that led to Rivers Cuomo, the roadie, becoming the band's frontman.^[30] She also had a small role in Paris Hilton's music video for the song "Nothing in This World".^[31]

In 2007, Cuthbert appeared in Captivity, a thriller centered on a fashion model taunted by a psychopath who imprisons her in a cellar.^[32][33] She was nominated for a Razzie award as Worst Actress^[34] and Teen Choice Awards for Choice Movie Actress: Horror/Thriller for the movie.^[35] The film grossed $10.9 million at the box office.^[36] The critic Stephen Whitty of the Newark Star-Ledger said, "When, in the last few minutes, Cuthbert finally slipped her bonds and began looking for her tormentors, I knew exactly how she felt."^[37] The View London said: "The worst Cuthbert struggles to make her character sympathetic because the script doesn't give her anything to work with, while Daniel Gillies is too creepy-looking to convince as a potential love interest."^[38]

In He Was a Quiet Man, Cuthbert played Vanessa, a quadriplegic; she starred alongside Christian Slater. The film was in limited release in 2007, and it was released on DVD in early 2008.^[39] The critic Peter Bradshaw in his review for The Guardian praised Cuthbert's performance, writing that she "is very good".^[40] In 2008, Cuthbert appeared in My Sassy Girl, a remake of a Korean film, starring with Jesse Bradford. Nikhat Kazmi of The Times of India said the "Elisha is cute and their zany affair keeps the reels rolling in an unusual love story with the usual heartbreak and happy home-comings".^[41] Although Lacey Mical (Callahan) Walker of Christian Spotlight on Entertainment was not impressed by Bradford performance, she praised Cuthbert's, saying, "Elisha Cuthbert's talent rises above the character she was given to play, and she almost saves the bitter first half with a stellar performance".^[42]

Her next film was the family comedy, The Six Wives of Henry Lefay with Tim Allen, in which she played his daughter. She starred in the Canadian miniseries Guns. She was a judge in season two, episode two of Project Runway Canada. Designers were challenged to create a "party dress" for her.^[43] Cuthbert reprised her character Kim Bauer in the seventh season of 24 for five episodes.^[44] She was to star in the CBS drama pilot Ny-Lon, playing a New York literacy teacher/record-store clerk who embarks on a transatlantic romance with a London stockbroker. The project, based on a British series starring Rashida Jones and Stephen Moyer, was cancelled.^[45]

In December 2009, ABC said Cuthbert had joined the cast of The Forgotten in a recurring role as Maxine Denver, a Chicago professional.^[46] It was expected for Cuthbert to play the role of Trixie in sports action- comedy film Speed Racer (2008), but Christina Ricci was eventually chosen.^[47]

2010s[edit]

From April 2011 to May 2013, Cuthbert starred as Alex Kerkovich for three seasons on the ABC ensemble comedy Happy Endings alongside Eliza Coupe, Zachary Knighton, Adam Pally, Damon Wayans Jr., and Casey Wilson.^[48] Despite critical acclaim and having a cult following, the show was canceled by ABC after the conclusion of its third season on 3 May 2013. Cuthbert was nominated for the Online Film & Television Association Award in 2012 and 2013 in the category of "Best Cast in a Comedy Series"^[49] and TV Guide Awards for Favorite Cast. The series was also nominated for 28 other awards including the Satellite Awards for Best Series comedy television or music. Cuthbert's performance received positive reviews from critics. In 2013, she was regarded as a promising contender for an Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series category,^{[50][51][52][53]} however she was not nominated.

In 2012, Cuthbert was host of the American Music Awards.^[54] In October 2012, she appeared in The Gaslight Anthem's music video "Here Comes My Man", playing the girlfriend of a man who mistreats her until she imagines a romantic relationship with a character in a film and chooses to end her real relationship.^[55]

In 2013, she appeared on the cover of Maxim, which named her TV's Most Beautiful Woman.^[56]

In February 2014, Cuthbert signed to play the female lead role in Liz Feldman and Ellen DeGeneres' NBC sitcom pilot One Big Happy. Cuthbert stars as Lizzy, a lesbian who gets pregnant just as her straight male best friend Luke (played by Nick Zano) meets and marries the love of his life, Prudence.^[57] Six episodes of the show were ordered on 9 May 2014, and it debuted mid-season in early 2015. The series was canceled after one season.^{[citation needed]}

In 2015, Cuthbert joined Seann William Scott in a sequel to the 2011 comedy Goon. Goon: Last of the Enforcers began production in June in Toronto. Liev Schreiber and Alison Pill reprised their roles from the first film.^[58]

In 2016, Cuthbert joined the cast of Netflix's The Ranch, a comedy series.^[59]

2020s[edit]

In 2020, she started the film Eat Wheaties!.^[60]

She is set to star the horror movie The Cellar,^[61] Bandit and the comedy Friday Afternoon in the Universe.^[62][63] For her performance in the comedy series Jann (2020), she was nominated for the Canadian Screen Awards for Best Guest Performance.^[64]

Public image[edit]

Since she began playing Kim Bauer, she has frequently been named to the magazines FHM and Maxim's annual lists of "hottest women". Her highest ranking was No. 4 in the 2008 UK Edition of FHM's 100 Sexiest Women in the World list. She was ranked No. 14 in 2003, No. 10 in 2004,^[65] No. 5 in 2005,^[66] No. 22 in 2006, No. 10 in 2007,^[67] and No. 7 in 2009.^[68] The U.S. Edition ranked her No. 53 in 2003, No. 63 in 2004, and No. 54 in 2006.

Cuthbert was ranked No. 10 by AskMen.com readers in the list "Top 99 Women of 2007."^[69] In Maxim's Hot 100 list, she was ranked No. 84 in 2002,^[70] No. 9 in 2003,^[71] No. 21 in 2004,^[72] No. 92 in 2006, No. 25 in 2007, No. 6 in 2008, No. 43 in 2009, No. 65 in 2011,^[73] No. 34 in 2012,^[74] and No. 10 in 2013.^[75] The magazine also featured her in its Girls of Maxim Gallery. In 2013, the magazine named her the Most Beautiful Woman in Television.^[76] BuddyTV ranked her No. 33 on its TV's 100 Sexiest Women of 2011 list,^[77] No. 13 in 2012,^[78] and No. 30 in 2015.^[79] She was included in the list of The 15 Best Comedy Supporting Actresses of the 2011–2012 TV Season^[80] and 2012–2013 TV Season.^[81] The Canadian Business named her one of the most powerful Canadians in Hollywood,^[82] and The New York Daily News listed her as one of the Sexiest Canadian celebrities of 2016.^[83][84]

Complex has ranked her in The 25 Hottest Canadian Women,^[85] The 100 Hottest Women of the 2000s,^[86] The 25 Hottest Blonde Bombshell Actresses,^[87] and The 50 Hottest Celebrity Sports Fans.^[88] In 2013, GQ magazine listed her among The 100 Hottest Women of the 21st Century^[89] and The 100 Sexiest Women of Millennium.^[90]

Personal life[edit]

Cuthbert has two younger siblings and enjoys painting.^[91] She is also an ice hockey fan. In 2005, she maintained a blog on the NHL website, though she did not post for most of the season.^[92][93]

Marriage[edit]

Cuthbert and ice hockey player Dion Phaneuf, then the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs, announced their engagement in September 2012^[94][95] and married 6 July 2013 at St. James Catholic Church in Summerfield, Prince Edward Island.^[96] Living in Ottawa during the ice hockey season, Cuthbert and Phaneuf spend their summers at their waterfront estate outside New London, Prince Edward Island, his parents' home province.^[96][97][98] The couple have two children, a daughter born in 2017 and a son in 2022.^[99][100]

Filmography[edit]

Film[edit]

Television[edit]

Christina Aguilera
Aguilera in 2023
Born	Christina María Aguilera (1980-12-18) December 18, 1980 (age 43) New York City, US
Other names	Xtina
Occupations	Singer songwriter actress television personality
Years active	1993–present
Organization	Christina Aguilera Fragrances
Works	Discography songs videography concerts and tours
Spouse	Jordan Bratman ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2011)​
Partner	Matthew Rutler (eng. 2014)
Children	2
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Pop R&B soul hip hop
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	RCA Sony Latin
Musical artist
Website	christinaaguilera.com
Signature

Christina María Aguilera (/ˌæɡɪˈlɛərə/ AG-il-AIR-ə, Spanish: [kɾisˈtina maˈɾi.a aɣiˈleɾa];^[1] born December 18, 1980) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality. Referred to as the "Voice of a Generation", she is noted for her four-octave vocal range, musical reinventions, sustaining high notes including use of the whistle register, and a signature use of melisma throughout her music. Recognized as an influential figure in popular music, she also became known for incorporating controversial themes such as feminism, sexuality, LGBT culture and the sex-positive movement into her work. Aguilera was also honoured as a Disney Legend, for her contributions to The Walt Disney Company.

After appearing on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (1993–1994) as a child, Aguilera recorded "Reflection", the theme for the 1998 animated film Mulan and signed a record deal with RCA Records. She rose to fame in 1999 with her self-titled debut album and the US Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles, "Genie in a Bottle", "What a Girl Wants" and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)". Aguilera also won the Grammy Award for Best New Artist and followed with Mi Reflejo (2000) and My Kind of Christmas (2000); with the former becoming the best-selling Latin pop album of 2000. After gaining more control over her career, Aguilera sought a departure from her teen idol image and released Stripped (2002), which initially had a mixed response. The album later became one of the best-selling albums of the 21st century. Aguilera underwent another reinvention with the release of the critically praised old-school-music inspired Back to Basics (2006). Throughout these periods, she amassed numerous international successes, including the number-one single "Lady Marmalade", alongside "Beautiful", "Dirrty", "Can't Hold Us Down", "Fighter", "Ain't No Other Man" and "Hurt".

Throughout the early 2010s, Aguilera had a moderately successful period with the albums Bionic (2010) and Lotus (2012), with their respective lead singles, "Not Myself Tonight" and "Your Body", topping the US Dance Club Songs chart. She also starred in the 2010 film Burlesque and contributed to its soundtrack, earning a Golden Globe Award nomination. Aguilera returned to the top of the charts with a string of collaborations, including "Feel This Moment", "Say Something", and "Moves like Jagger"; with the latter reaching number-one on the Hot 100, making Aguilera one of the few artists to reach the top spot over three decades. She found critical success with her follow-up albums Liberation (2018) and Aguilera (2022). Her concurrent ventures included a role in the series Nashville (2015), roles in the films The Emoji Movie (2017) and Zoe (2018), becoming an ambassador for the World Food Programme (WFP), performing two concert residencies, co-founding the company Playground, and serving as a coach on the reality competition show The Voice (2011–2016).

Aguilera is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, with estimated sales of over 90 million records sold worldwide.^[2] Considered a pop culture icon and a triple threat entertainer, she has been named one of the greatest vocalists of all time by publications such as Rolling Stone and Consequence of Sound and has been hailed as one of the most successful artists to come out of the 2000s. In 2009, Billboard named her the twentieth most successful artist of the decade, and was ranked eighth on VH1's list of greatest women in music. Aguilera has since been regarded as one of the most influential Latin artists in the entertainment industry, having helped shape the "Latin explosion" in the music industry. Her accolades include five Grammy Awards, two Latin Grammy Awards, six ALMA Awards, two MTV Video Music Awards (VMA), one Billboard Music Award, one Guinness World Record, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Early life and education[edit]

Christina María Aguilera was born on December 18, 1980, in New York City, to Shelly Loraine (née Fidler) and Fausto Wagner Xavier Aguilera.^[3] Her father is an Ecuadorian emigrant from Guayaquil while her mother has German, Irish, Welsh, and Dutch ancestry.^[4][5] Fausto Aguilera was a United States Army sergeant, and Shelly Loraine was a violinist in the American Youth Symphony before becoming a Spanish translator.^[6][7]

Due to Fausto's military service, Aguilera's family moved frequently, living in New Jersey and Texas.^[8] In 1983, they moved to Japan and lived in Sagamihara for at least two years.^[9] During her youth in Pittsburgh metropolitan area, Aguilera attended North Allegheny Intermediate High School before leaving there to be homeschooled to avoid bullying she experienced at school.^[10][11]

In 1986, the family returned to the United States, and settled in Pennsylvania, where they welcomed her younger sister, Rachel, in 1986.^[12] Aguilera has spoken out about her father's physically and emotionally abusive behavior.^[13] She noted that this is what made her turn to music, noting that, "growing up in an unstable environment and whatnot, music was my only real escape".^[14] In 1987, Shelly filed to divorce Fausto and moved with Aguilera and Rachel to her mother's home in Rochester, a suburb of Pittsburgh.^[15] She later married James Kearns with whom she had a son named Michael.^[16] In 2012, following decades of estrangement, Aguilera expressed interest in reconciling with her biological father.^[17]

Aguilera moving to her grandmother's home allowed her to explore her grandmother's records, which featured mostly soul and blues singers and increased her interest in music.^[18] She also began to practice singing in public and competing in talent contests.^[19] Following numerous contests, she earned reputation in her neighborhood as the "little girl with a big voice" and received widespread attention from local television and radio programs.^[20][21]

In 1990, she performed the popular song "A Sunday Kind of Love" on the reality competition show Star Search, but was eliminated during the semi-final round.^[22] Aguilera was eventually invited to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner" before Pittsburgh Penguins hockey, Pittsburgh Steelers football, and Pittsburgh Pirates baseball games, and at the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals.^[23][24]

Career[edit]

1993–1998: Career beginnings[edit]

In 1991, Aguilera auditioned for a position on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (MMC), aired on the Disney Channel. She ran against 400 candidates, and while she made the shortlist she was ultimately rejected for not meeting the minimum age requirement.^[25] One year later, in 1992, Aguilera received a call from one of the show's producers asking if she was still interested in becoming a "Mouseketeer". She once again competed for a spot (this time, against 15,000 candidates) and was selected to join the variety program the following year.^[26] Her fellow cast members included Ryan Gosling, Keri Russell, Britney Spears, and Justin Timberlake.^[27] During the show recordings—which included Aguilera performing musical numbers and comedy sketches—she moved with her family to Orlando, Florida.^[28] In 1994, it was reported the series would not return for a new season.^[29]

Aiming to begin a music career, Aguilera moved to Japan in 1997. She was selected to record a duet with Japanese singer Keizo Nakanishi, with whom she performed in concert shows around the country.^[30] Their song, "All I Wanna Do", was released as a single but failed to reach commercial success.^[20] In June 1997, Aguilera went on to Romania to represent the United States in a singers contest during the Golden Stag Festival, but she failed to win over the audience.^[31]

Seeking a recording contract, Aguilera recorded numerous demo tapes directed to record labels, including Walt Disney Records, for which she sent a cover of "Run to You" by Whitney Houston.^[32] She eventually was chosen to record "Reflection", the theme song from the animated film Mulan (1998), which reached number 15 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart.^[33] Following the attention she received with "Reflection", Aguilera caught the ear of Ron Fair, the A&R executive from RCA Records, who consequently signed Aguilera to the label.^[8] In late 1998, she began to record her debut studio album into which producers reportedly invested over $1 million worth of writers, producers and vocal lessons.^[8]

1999–2001: Breakthrough with debut album[edit]

In May 1999, Aguilera released "Genie in a Bottle", the lead single off her long-awaited debut album, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks and became the second best-selling single of 1999.^[34] The song became an international success, increasing Aguilera's popularity worldwide, topping the charts in over 20 countries.^[35] The single also attracted the attention of conservatives including celebrities such as Debbie Gibson that spoke out against its lyrical content, and was eventually considered "too provocative" to be sung by a teen idol.^[36][37] Due to the criticism, Radio Disney replaced the song with a censored version.^[38] The song was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.^[39]

Aguilera's self-titled debut album, Christina Aguilera, was released on August 24, 1999, to critical praise, debuting at number one on the Billboard 200.^[40] It catapulted Aguilera into fame globally and sold over ten million copies in its first year.^[41] It was later certified eight times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),^[42] and it has sold over 17 million copies worldwide.^[43][44] Originally, Aguilera's desire was to create material directly inspired by R&B and soul, but the label opted for a more teen pop production due the genre's high financial return in the late 1990s.^[45] At the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards, Aguilera won the Best New Artist category for which Time credited the award for "[helping] certify her credentials as a real singer".^[46]

After the album's release, "What a Girl Wants", topped the Hot 100 and is recognised as the first new number one entry on the chart for the 2000's decade.^[48] The song was also nominated for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.^[48] This was followed with "I Turn to You" which reached number three there,^[40] and "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" which became Aguilera's third number one song and achieved worldwide success.^[49] She also released a cover of "The Christmas Song" in November 1999 which peaked at number 18 and became the second highest charting position of the song after the original in 1944.^[50]

In May 2000, Aguilera embarked on her debut concert tour, Christina Aguilera in Concert, which toured North America, Latin America, Europe, and Japan until February 2001.^[51][52] Her success continued to rise with the release of her second studio album, Mi Reflejo, in September 2000 which topped both the Billboard Top Latin Albums and Latin Pop Albums for nineteen consecutive weeks.^[53] The album featured Spanish-language versions of several songs from her debut album along with new songs, and had Latin pop themes.^[54] Three singles were release for the album including the Spanish version of "Come On Over Baby (All I Want Is You)" titled "Ven Conmigo (Solamente Tú)", "Pero Me Acuerdo de Ti" and "Falsas Esperanzas".^[55] The latter two were performed at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards.^[56] The album went on to be the best-selling Latin pop album of 2000 and was later certified six times Latin platinum by the RIAA.^[28][57] Mi Reflejo also reached the platinum stats in Argentina, Mexico, and Spain.^[58] At the 2nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards, the album won Best Female Pop Vocal Album.^[59]

In October 2000, Aguilera also released her third studio album, My Kind of Christmas, her first Christmas album, which reached number one on the US Top Holiday Albums chart.^[60][61] The album received generally polarized reviews at the time but has since gone on to retrospectively receive praise.^[62] Aguilera starred in a holiday special, My Reflection, which aired on December 3, 2000, on ABC.^[63] Aguilera's commercial success saw her being named the 2000 Top Female Pop Act by Billboard.^[64] The same year, she also filed a fiduciary duty against manager Steve Kurtz for "improper, undue, and inappropriate influence over her professional activities".^[65] She eventually hired Irving Azoff to manage her career, aiming for control of her career and image.^[65]

On January 16, 2001, Aguilera featured on Ricky Martin's "Nobody Wants to Be Lonely", which topped charts internationally and peaked at number 13 on the Hot 100, becoming her fifth top-20 hit in the US.^[66][67] The song was ranked at number 65 on VH1's "100 Greatest Love Songs",^[68] and was nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards.^[69] In April of that year, Aguilera featured alongside Lil' Kim, Mýa, and Pink on "Lady Marmalade" from the soundtrack for the film, Moulin Rouge! (2001).^[70] The song received positive reviews and topped the Hot 100 for five consecutive weeks, becoming Aguilera's fourth number one.^[71][72] The song also won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals and the MTV Video Music Award for Video of the Year.^[73]

In August 2001, Warlock Records released Just Be Free, a demo album recorded by Aguilera between 1994 and 1995 while she was looking for a recording deal following the end of The All-New Mickey Mouse Club (MMC).^[74] She filed a suit against the label and the album's producers aiming to stop the release of the album; however, both parties came to a confidential settlement to release the album, in which Aguilera lent out her name, likeness, and image for an unspecified amount of damages.^[75]

2002–2004: New image with Stripped[edit]

With a new management, Aguilera started moving away from her teen pop niche and began working on a new project.^[76] She cultivated a new image by adopting the alter ego Xtina, dyeing her hair black, and sporting several tattoos and body piercings.^[77] Aguilera's new persona was widely criticized by media outlets.^[78][79][80] In September 2002, she released the controversial song, "Dirrty", which garnered mixed reviews and peaked as number 48 on Billboard Hot 100.^[45] The song's accompanying music video generated controversy for depicting overtly sexual fetishes,^[81] and attracted the attention of conservative organizations and moralists who sought to have the video banned on MTV.^[82] The video also sparked protests in Thailand and was eventually banned on the country's local television.^[83][84] "Dirrty" topped the charts in the UK and Ireland,^[85] and has gone on to become a cult classic.^[86]

Aguilera's fourth studio album,