Elise Neal
Neal at the Slim-Fast Fashion Show, 2008
Born	(1966-03-14) March 14, 1966 (age 46)[1] Memphis, Tennessee, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1992–present

Elise Neal (born March 14, 1966)^[2] is an American film and television actress.

Early life[link]

Neal, a Memphis, Tennessee native, was born on March 14, 1966, the daughter of a nurse and a construction worker.^{[1] [2]} She attended Lakeview Elementary. She was a ballet dancer and a cheerleader. She broke her left wrist in a high toss cheerleading stunt; after the bones healed, her wrist never straightened back out completely. She graduated from Overton High School for the Creative and Performing Arts in 1984, and attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.^[1] Elise left college after two years and moved to New York City where she landed roles in musical theater and found herself traveling the world with various touring companies. Her experience in musical theater allowed her to easily transition into commercials, eventually bringing her to Los Angeles.

Career[link]

Once in Los Angeles, Neal landed the role of "Janice Sinclair" on the ABC soap opera Loving. Shortly after she made the leap to primetime on seaQuest 2032, as fighter pilot Lieutenant J.J. Fredericks. Her film debut was a starring role in John Singleton's Rosewood. Other film credits include: Paid in Full, Money Talks, Mission to Mars and Restaurant. Neal's newest film, 4 Life, also starring Wood Harris, hit stores July 3, 2007. This project also marks her first debut soundtrack single, "I'm Down Baby", produced by Hustle & Flow's award-winning songwriter. She also appeared in the series K-Ville, which starred Anthony Anderson and Cole Hauser. Neal will also be seen in Ransom Games, playing a wife forced to negotiate for the safe return of her husband.

Neal and the rest of the cast of Hustle and Flow were nominated for a Screen Actors Guild award for best ensemble, an NAACP award for Best Picture, and won as Best Cast at the "Young Hollywood" awards. She has three NAACP award nominations: Best Actress in a Comedy for The Hughleys twice and a Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for Hustle and Flow.

Neal appeared in numerous music videos including Dannii Minogue's 1993 video for "This Is It", Black Sheep's 1992 video for "Strobelight Honey", Father MC's 1991 video for "Lisa Baby", Aretha Franklin's 1998 video for "A Rose Is Still a Rose", 50 Cent's 2007 unreleased video for "Follow My Lead", Vanessa Williams's video "Work to Do", Portrait's "Honey Dip" music video, as well as Chubb Rock's music video "Just the Two of Us" and Trick Daddy's "I'm a Thug". Neal has also graced the cover of the November 2007 edition of King Magazine.

Expanding her role as producer, Neal is creating and developing several multimedia projects: a reality show based on her R & B group, "Assorted Flavors", a fitness and lifestyle brand, and multiple feature projects through her development deal with Mandalay Bay Entertainment.

Partial filmography[link]

Films[link]

• Love Ranch (2010)
• Jack and Janet Save the Planet (2009)
• Preaching to the Pastor (2009)
• Who's Deal? (2008)
• 4 Life (2007)
• Hustle & Flow (2005)
• Playas Ball (2003)
• Paid in Full (2002)
• Mission to Mars (2000)
• Restaurant (1998)
• Scream 2 (1997)
• Rosewood (1997)
• Money Talks (1997)
• How to Be a Player (1997)
• Malcolm X (1992)

Television Work[link]

• A.N.T. Farm (2011)
• Private Practice (2009)
• My Manny (2009)
• K-Ville (2007)
• CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2005)
• Method & Red (2004)
• All of Us (2003–2005)
• A.S.U.A (2003)
• The Hughleys (1998–2002)
• Fantasy Island (1998)
• The Wayans Bros (1998)
• The Steve Harvey Show (1996)
• Living Single (1996)
• ABC Afterschool Special (1996)
• SeaQuest 2032 (1995–1996)
• Chicago Hope (1995)
• Loving (cast member in 1994)
• The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1994)
• Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1993–1995)
• Family Matters (1993)
• Tales of the City (1993) (TV movie)
• Law & Order (1992)

Awards and nominations[link]

• Black Reel Awards
  • 2006, Best Actress (Nominated)
• Image Awards
  • 2006, Outstanding supporting actress in a motion picture:Hustle & Flow (nominated)
  • 2001, Outstanding actress in a comedy series:The Hughleys (nominated)
• Screen Actor Guild Awards
  • 2001, Best actress (nominated)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Elise Neal at the Internet Movie Database
• Elise Neal at AllRovi

Jamie Foster

Personal information
Full name	James(Jamie) Foster
Born	(1990-07-27) 27 July 1990 (age 21) St Helens, Merseyside, England
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	84 kg (13 st 3 lb) [1]
Playing information
Position	Centre, Wing, Fullback
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2010–	St. Helens	53	34	233	0	602
As of 23 March 2012
Source: [1]

James "Jamie" Foster (born 27 July 1990) is a professional rugby league player who plays for St Helens in the European Super League. His position of preference is in the centre, but he has been known to convert to the wings and fullback. Signing from local amateur club Blackbrook Royals ARLFC, Foster is also a recognised goalkicker.

Début season (2010)[link]

In the fourth round of the 2010 Challenge Cup, he finally made his first-grade début, after three years in reserve-grade rugby, playing on the wing in place of the injured Francis Meli, where he kicked eight goals from as many attempts in a 56-16 win over Toulouse Olympique.^[2] In his Super League debut the week later, again deputising for Meli, Foster looked impressive once more with the boot - kicking eight from eight in a 41-20 success over Leeds Rhinos.^[3][4][5] In fact, his first failure with the boot only came in his third appearance, when, in a 54-0 Magic Weekend win over Hull KR, he kicked only two from six, whilst also scoring his maiden try for the club.^[6] He missed the cut for the Challenge Cup game against Harlequins RL, but thanks to a recurrence of Meli's injury, Foster returned for the 34-42 loss at Salford City Reds, in which he was brought off the field after ten minutes after a shocking display defensively.^[7] However, this did not end his run in the first team, as he started on the wing against Rovers in a 68-12 win,^[8] before being dropped for the loss at Hull FC. However, he returned to play on the right wing in a 24-22 win at home to Huddersfield, where he kicked five goals.^[9] The next week (in round 18) he was again on the wing for a 24-26 win over rivals Wigan Warriors, where he kicked three from five and scored a try.^[10] He missed three games with a calf knock but returned for Saints in a centre role against Wakefield that saw him kick seven goals from nine attempts.^[11] He was also part of beaten finalists St. Helens where Wigan Warriors won 22-10 in the 2010 Super League Grand Final.

2011 season[link]

Jamie has been in excellent form so far in 2011, scoring 14 tries and 77 goals, a total of 210 points, in 13 appearances and 3 from the bench. His partnership with Francis Meli this season has been excellent, and we can all tell Jamie is loving his time in the first team and looks to have secured a first team place. He has made himself a fan favorite this season. In the first game of the 2011's Super League XVI St. Helens played Wigan Warriors in a repeat of repeat of the Super League final. In this game Saints were losing 16-0 at halftime and came back to draw 16-16 with Jamie coming off the bench to kick 2 goals. Foster then kicked 8/10 against Salford City Reds in round 2. When Saints played Leeds Rhinos, in Round 6, he scored 2 tries, including a round the back trick to score in the corner, and kicked 5 goals. In Round 12, I kicked a touchline goal to win the game for Saints against Castleford Tigers. In the Challenge Cup Fifth Round Jamie kicked 11 out of 12 goals in a 70-0 thrashing of Featherstone Rovers. Royce Simmons, the Saints coach, has said "Jamie Foster's ability to kick points is vital to the Saints. The way Foster can turn four points into six, he can break the heart of another side through that." Jamie is currently the fourth top try scorer in Super League with 12 tries, and is the fifth top goal scorer with 58 successful kicks.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Profile

Robin Simone Givens (born November 27, 1964) is an American actress and model. She is perhaps best known for her role as Darlene Merriman on the ABC television sitcom, Head of the Class.

Early life[link]

Givens was born in New York City, the daughter of Ruth Roper (née Newby) and Reuben Givens.^[1] Givens's mother and father divorced when she was two. She and her sister Stephanie were raised by their mother in Mt. Vernon and New Rochelle, New York. Givens graduated two years early (1980) from New Rochelle Academy (a N-12 private school which closed in June 1987). At the age of 15 she enrolled at Sarah Lawrence College. She later studied various medical courses at Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.^[2]

Career[link]

Givens first began acting in 1985 with an appearance on The Cosby Show, followed by roles in Diff'rent Strokes, and the 1986 television film Beverly Hills Madam opposite Faye Dunaway. That same year, she landed her breakthrough role as rich girl Darlene Merriman on the ABC sitcom Head of the Class. The series lasted five seasons, ending in 1991. In 1989, while starring in Head of the Class, she appeared in The Women of Brewster Place with Oprah Winfrey. She later appeared in 1992's Boomerang. In 1994, she posed nude for Playboy magazine^[3] and was ranked #88 on Empire Magazine 100 Sexiest Stars in Film History list in May 1995.^[4]

In 1996, Givens portrayed Claudia in the television movie The Face (also known as A Face to Die For) with Yasmine Bleeth. Later that year, she co-starred in the UPN sitcom Sparks. The series ended its run in 1998.

In January 2000, Givens appeared in a cameo in music video "He Wasn't Man Enough" by Toni Braxton, as the wife of a cheating husband.^[5] She returned to the entertainment industry later that year as the host of the talk show Forgive or Forget, replacing television personality Mother Love halfway through the show's second. Ratings initially increased after Givens took over hosting duties,^[6] but soon fell. The series was canceled after this season.^[7]

In 2006, Givens attempted a return to television on MyNetworkTV's telenovela Saints and Sinners,^[8] but the show garnered low ratings and was soon canceled. Givens continued acting in made-for-television films while also making appearances on Trinity Broadcasting Network's Praise the Lord program (July 12, 2007), and Larry King Live. In June 2007, she released her autobiography Grace Will Lead Me Home.^[9]

In 2008, Givens returned to feature films in Tyler Perry Southern drama The Family That Preys. Givens also had a recurring role portraying a fictionalized version of herself on the CW comedy-drama The Game. She has also had a recurring role on the TBS show Tyler Perry's House of Payne, and she has a guest role on USA Network's Burn Notice.

In addition to television and film roles, Givens has also performed onstage. In 2001, she appeared in an Off Broadway production of The Vagina Monologues.^[10] From February to April 16, 2006, she played the role of Roxie Hart in the Broadway play Chicago.^[11] In 2007, she toured the country playing a part in the I'm Ready Productions play Men, Money & Golddiggers.

Givens starred in the 2009 stage play A Mother's Prayer, which also starred Johnny Gill, Shirley Murdock and Jermaine Crawford.

In 2007, she published a memoir entitled Grace Will Lead Me Home. In it, she reflects on the life of her praying grandmother, Grace, her experiences of domestic violence, her strong will to survive, feeling abandoned by her father, and her faith in God.^[12]

In 2011, she guest-starred in 3 episodes of NBC's spy-comedy Chuck as Jane Bentley.

Personal life[link]

Givens dated her Head of the Class co-star, Brian Robbins, comedian and actor Eddie Murphy, and a pre-fame Brad Pitt.^[2][13] She briefly dated Howard Stern from 1999–2000.^[14]

After meeting in March 1987, she married boxer Mike Tyson on February 7, 1988. Tyson was then estimated to have US$50 million, and he and Givens did not make a prenuptial agreement. During their marriage, Givens and her mother bought a $4.5 million mansion in the affluent suburb of Bernardsville, New Jersey.^[15][16]

After a miscarriage in May 1988, the marriage began to fall apart.^[2] She alleged spousal abuse while Tyson alleged alienation and interest in his money, not in him. The marriage ended on Valentine's Day, just a year later. Newspapers reported that Givens received a divorce settlement of over $10 million from her marriage to Tyson.^[17] She later denied the report stating "I didn’t receive one dime".^[18] She received negative press following her split from Tyson, particularly within the African American community. One article in particular described her as "the most hated woman in America".^[19]

In 1993, Givens adopted her first son, and she has a second son with ex-boyfriend, Murphy Jensen.^[20]

In 1997, she married her tennis instructor, Svetozar Marinkovic, only to separate from him the same day of the marriage. Givens filed for divorce months later.^[4]

Legal problems[link]

Lawsuit[link]

In January 2004, Givens critically injured an 89-year-old pedestrian, Maria Antonia Alcover, while driving an SUV through a Miami, Florida intersection.^[21] Givens was ticketed for failing to use due care with a pedestrian in a crosswalk, but the charges were later dismissed.^[22] In June 2004, Alcover filed a civil lawsuit against Givens and her sister (the owner of the SUV Givens was driving) for an unknown amount.^[23]

Tax problems[link]

A May 7, 2009 article in Forbes magazine reported that the Internal Revenue Service was suing Givens for unpaid federal income taxes totaling $292,000 which includes interest and penalties. The government has asked a federal court in Florida for a judgment against her on thirty-nine assessments covering a span of eight years.^[24]

Filmography[link]