A Million Little Pieces

Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Actor) .. James Frey

Born: June 13, 1990 in High Wycombe

Best Known For: Nowhere Boy and the Kick Ass movies.

Early-life: Aaron Perry Johnson was born in High Wycombe on June 13, 1990 (he changed his name to Aaron Taylor-Johnson after marrying director Sam Taylor-Wood). He began acting on the stage at an early age, starring in The Thief Lord when he was just six. He made his TV debut in the 2001 BBC drama Armadillo and roles followed in the film Tom & Thomas (2002) and episodes of The Bill, Feather Boy and Casualty. Between 1996 and 2008, he also attended the Jackie Palmer Stage School in High Wycombe.

Career: Taylor-Johnson went on to star on the small screen in Talk to Me and Nearly Famous and in the movie Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging (2008), but his big break came in 2009 when he played the lead role in John Lennon biopic Nowhere Boy, which was directed by his future wife, Sam Taylor-Wood. More recently, he has been cast in Albert Nobbs (2011), Kick-Ass (2010) and its 2013 sequel, Anna Karenina (2012), Savages (2012), Godzilla (2014) and Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015).

Quote: "I was always told at school that you had to have a back-up plan, but all I ever wanted to do was act."

Trivia: He won an Empire award in 2010 for his role in Nowhere Boy.

Billy Bob Thornton (Actor) .. Leonard

Born: August 04, 1955 in Arkansas

Best Known For: His marriage to Angelina Jolie.

Early-life: Born William Robert Thornton on August 4, 1955, in Arkansas, the eldest child of a teacher father and a mother who supposedly had psychic abilities. He had three brothers: James Donald (who died at the age of 30 after suffering a heart attack), James Bean and John David. They were raised alongside other members of their family in a shack that had no plumbing or electricity. His dream of becoming a baseball star was cut short by injury, so Thornton turned to acting, eventually moving to Los Angeles in 1981 with friend Tom Epperson (who became his writing partner) to pursue his career. He also sought work as a musician.

Career: After years of trying to interest studios in their script, Thornton and Epperson sold their screenplay for One False Move, which was turned into a movie in 1992. Thornton co-starred, and by 1996 he had written, directed and starred in the critically acclaimed Sling Blade for which he won an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Thornton was then snapped up for projects including U Turn, Armageddon, A Simple Plan, Pushing Tin, The Man Who Wasn't There, Monster's Ball, Bad Santa and Bandits. More recent projects have included School for Scoundrels, Mr Woodcock, Eagle Eye and Manure, and the TV miniseries Fargo.

Quote: "I was the fattest baby in Clark County, Arkansas. They put me in the newspaper. I was like a prize turnip."

Trivia: Thornton has recorded several albums.

Odessa Young (Actor) .. Lilly

Giovanni Ribisi (Actor) .. John

Born: December 17, 1974 in Los Angeles

Best Known For: A string of TV and film roles.

Early-life: Antonino Giovanni Ribisi was born in Los Angeles on December 17, 1974, to Gay and Albert. He is the twin brother of actress Marissa Ribisi and the brother of voice artist Gina Ribisi. He made his acting TV debut in an episode of Highway to Heaven.

Career: For a number of years, his acting career has been made up of recurring and guest roles on a number of TV shows, including My Two Dads, Married with Children, The Wonder Years, Friends (as Phoebe's brother, Frank), Chicago Hope, Walker, Texas Ranger and My Name Is Earl. His film credits include Gone in 60 Seconds (2000), Saving Private Ryan (1998), Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004), Public Enemies (2009) and Avatar (2009). Recently, he starred in short-lived American sitcom Dads.

Quote: "I just consider myself a committed actor. If a movie is a success, that's great; I'm happy for that. But I've learned just to concentrate on my job and do the best that I can."

Trivia: Giovanni is an active Scientologist. He wed model Agyness Deyn in 2012. He had a daughter with first wife Mariah O'Brien.

Juliette Lewis (Actor) .. Joanne

Born: June 23, 1973 in Los Angeles

Best Known For: Cape Fear

Early-life: Born June 23, 1973, in Los Angeles. She is one of actor Geoffrey Lewis's 10 children. Her mother is a graphic designer. She knew she wanted to act from an early age, and began gaining professional work at 12. Having to attend school and parental pressure meant she had to turn down lots of roles, so she became legally emancipated at 14, which meant she was free of child labour laws and could accept acting jobs. She eventually completing her school exams with help from a tutor.

Career: Lewis's TV debut came in TV movie Home Fires in 1987, and later the same year she had a recurring role in the series I Married Dora. Her first film was 1988's My Stepmother is an Alien. Projects such as National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Too Young to Die? and A Family for Joe followed. She had a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination in 1991 for Cape Fear. She's since appeared in Husbands and Wives, Kalifornia, Romeo is Bleeding, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Natural Born Killers, Strange Days, From Dusk Till Dawn and Starsky & Hutch.

Quote: "I'm naturally kind of ridiculous. I don't take myself or others too seriously."

Trivia: She's tours with her band, The Licks.

Sam Taylor-Johnson (Director)

12:25 am - 02:10 am, Sunday, January 4 on BBC Two England (2)

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