Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret

Abby Ryder Fortson (Actor) .. Margarethe Simon

Rachel McAdams (Actor) .. Barbara Simon

Born: November 17, 1978 in London, Ontario

Best Known For: Morning Glory and Mean Girls.

Early-life: Rachel Anne McAdams was born in London, Ontario, on November 17, 1978. She is the eldest of three children. She began figure skating at the age of four and competed in the sport until she was 18. She attended Disney and Shakespeare summer camps as a child and from the age of 12, appeared in Original Kids Theatre Company productions. After being persuaded by her English teacher to consider a career in acting, she enrolled on a four-year theatre programme at York University in Toronto. While at university, Rachel worked with the Necessary Angel Theatre Company.

Career: In 2001, McAdams shot an MTV pilot called Shotgun Love Dolls and in the same year, she made her film debut in My Name is Tanino. She received a Genie Award nomination in Canada for her role in Perfect Pie (2002). Her first Hollywood movie was The Hot Chick (2002), and her big break came in 2004 when she starred opposite Lindsay Lohan in teen comedy Mean Girls. Since then, McAdams has appeared in The Notebook (2004), Wedding Crashers (2005), State of Play (2009), Sherlock Holmes (2009) and Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011), Morning Glory (2010), Midnight in Paris (2011) and About Time (2013).

Quote: 'I have a certain curiosity for life that drives me and propels me forward.'

Trivia: Worked at McDonald's for three summers with her sister, Kayleen, and her brother, Dan.

Kathy Bates (Actor) .. Sylvia Simon

Born: June 28, 1948 in Memphis, Tennessee

Best Known For: Breaking James Caan's ankles in Misery.

Early-life: Born Kathleen Doyle-Bates on June 28, 1948, in Memphis, Tennessee, the youngest of three sisters. Her father, Langdon, was a mechanical engineer, while her mother, Bertye, was a housewife. She became hooked on acting at an early age and, after graduating from White Station High School in Memphis, enrolled at Dallas's Southern Methodist University. She originally intended to study English, but opted for theatre instead. Her parents weren't supportive of her career choice at first, but changed their minds after seeing her on stage.

Career: During the 1970s, Bates concentrated on New York stage work. Her first film was 1971's Taking Off, and she continued to work steadily on TV and in movies until her big break in 1990's Misery. She won an Oscar for her portrayal of a psychotic nurse in the production. Bates disrobed for the films At Play in the Fields of the Lord and About Schmidt (which also landed her an Oscar nomination), and won acclaim for Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and Primary Colors. She's also appeared in Titanic, Dolores Claiborne and The Waterboy. She had a lead role in David E Kelley's American TV legal comedy-drama Harry's Law.

Quote: 'Every time an Oscar is given out, an agent gets his wings.'

Trivia: Bates has fought ovarian cancer and breast cancer.

Benny Safdie (Actor) .. Herb Simon

Elle Graham (Actor) .. Nancy Wheeler

Amari Price (Actor) .. Janie Loomis

Katherine Kupferer (Actor) .. Gretchen Potter

Kate MacCluggage (Actor) .. Mrs Jan Wheeler

Kelly Fremon Craig (Director)

10:00 pm - 11:35 pm, Monday, May 25 on BBC Two England (2)

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