Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in San Pedro, California, Misty Copeland understands her role as a trailblazer in the classical dance world. She is the first Black female principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre.
“Being a part of a Disney blockbuster wasn’t anything I thought I could ever dream of,” said “Jungle Cruise” actor Philipp Maximilian. “Jean-Vincent Puzos built the most incredible sets for us, so filming this movie was like being a kid in a candy store for a Disneyland nerd like me. Jesse Plemons (Prince Joachim) and I had so much fun playing around with my character, Axel, and coming up with a lot of silly stuff.”
“I think I’d like to go camping with Agatha – maybe Yosemite,” said Laurie Fortier, the actress who plays the character on “The Walking Dead.” “I imagine she’d know how to pitch a tent, fish and make a fire.”
Trial attorney by day and content creator by night, Joanne Lee Molinaro is known to her millions of social media followers as the Korean Vegan. In her social media posts, she delivers beautifully crafted videos showing her cook, while she shares personal stories about her life and that of her parents, who had escaped North Korea as children before immigrating to the United States as adults.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have worked both in Mexico and the United States,” said Cristina Rodlo, star of Netflix’s horror film, “No One Gets Out Alive.” “Honestly, the biggest difference is the budget. Other than that, it’s pretty much the same.”
With his latest movie, “Blue Bayou,” award-winning filmmaker Justin Chon (“Gook,” “Ms. Purple”) explores the plight of Antonio LeBlanc, a New Orleans man who was adopted as a baby and is facing deportation, due to his lack of U.S. citizenship. Based on the real-life cases of adults who literally were sent back to “where they came from,” the movie had its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, before its September 17, 2021 theatrical release.
Jocko Sims portrays Dr. Floyd Reynolds on the NBC medical series, “New Amsterdam.” An avid traveler, Sims said before he sets out to explore a new city or country, “I absolutely look up restaurants. I want to go to the best of the best, from very cheap to most expensive. What built the town or the culture? What place is impossible to get into? That floats my boat.”
“My grandfather is from Sicily and I heard the story of his childhood,” said Rachael Ray. “All I’ve ever done is daydream about living in Italy. I think the air smells sweeter and I feel completely relaxed and at home there.”
“I love going down South to visit my mom’s side of the family,” said “General Hospital” star Sydney Mikayla. “My Grandma Tina always cooks up big meals. What can I say? I love to eat good soul food. It’s also nice to be around my extended family since my immediate family is just the three of us and my dog.”
“We were in Vietnam for six weeks and I got to see my parents’ childhood home, met family I didn’t know, and got to connect with my roots,” said “Van Helsing” costume designer Beverley Huynh. “It oddly felt like home. Going to Vietnam felt like I was connecting with a piece of me I felt was missing. That trip changed everything and travel became a part of me that I never want to give up.”