{|style="border: 1px solid; float: right; width: 250px;" !colspan="2" style="text-align: center; background: #CCC;"| |- |Density |1.15 g/cm³ |- style="background:#eee;" |Electrical conductivity (σ) |10⁻¹² S/m |- |Thermal conductivity |0.25 W/(m·K) |- style="background:#eee;" |Melting point |463–624 K 190–350 °C 374–663 °F |}

Nylon is a generic designation for a family of synthetic polymers known generically as polyamides, first produced on February 28, 1935, by Wallace Carothers at DuPont's research facility at the DuPont Experimental Station. Nylon is one of the most commonly used polymers.

Overview

Nylon is a thermoplastic, silky material, first used commercially in a nylon-bristled toothbrush (1938), followed more famously by women's stockings ("nylons"; 1940). It is made of repeating units linked by amide bonds and is frequently referred to as ''polyamide'' (PA). Nylon was the first commercially successful synthetic polymer. There are two common methods of making nylon for fiber applications. In one approach, molecules with an acid (-COOH) group on each end are reacted with molecules containing amine (-NH₂) groups on each end. The resulting nylon is named on the basis of the number of carbon atoms separating the two acid groups and the two amines. These are formed into monomers of intermediate molecular weight, which are then reacted to form long polymer chains.

Nylon was intended to be a synthetic replacement for silk and substituted for it in many different products after silk became scarce during World War II. It replaced silk in military applications such as parachutes and flak vests, and was used in many types of vehicle tires.

Nylon fibers are used in many applications, including fabrics, bridal veils, carpets, musical strings, and rope.

Solid nylon is used for mechanical parts such as machine screws, gears and other low- to medium-stress components previously cast in metal. Engineering-grade nylon is processed by extrusion, casting, and injection molding. Solid nylon is used in hair combs. Type 6,6 Nylon 101 is the most common commercial grade of nylon, and Nylon 6 is the most common commercial grade of molded nylon. For use in tools such as the spudger, a nylon is available in glass-filled variants which increase structural and impact strength and rigidity, and molybdenum sulfide-filled variants which increase lubricity.

Aramids are another type of polyamide with quite different chain structures which include aromatic groups in the main chain. Such polymers make excellent ballistic fibers.

Chemistry

Nylons are condensation copolymers formed by reacting equal parts of a diamine and a dicarboxylic acid, so that amides are formed at both ends of each monomer in a process analogous to polypeptide biopolymers. Chemical elements included are carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. The numerical suffix specifies the numbers of carbons donated by the monomers; the diamine first and the diacid second. The most common variant is nylon 6-6 which refers to the fact that the diamine (hexamethylene diamine, IUPAC name: hexane-1,6-diamine) and the diacid (adipic acid, IUPAC name: hexanedioic acid) each donate 6 carbons to the polymer chain. As with other regular copolymers like polyesters and polyurethanes, the "repeating unit" consists of one of each monomer, so that they alternate in the chain. Since each monomer in this copolymer has the same reactive group on both ends, the direction of the amide bond reverses between each monomer, unlike natural polyamide proteins which have overall directionality: C terminal → N terminal. In the laboratory, nylon 6-6 can also be made using adipoyl chloride instead of adipic.

It is difficult to get the proportions exactly correct, and deviations can lead to chain termination at molecular weights less than a desirable 10,000 daltons (u). To overcome this problem, a crystalline, solid "nylon salt" can be formed at room temperature, using an exact 1:1 ratio of the acid and the base to neutralize each other. Heated to 285 °C (545 °F), the salt reacts to form nylon polymer. Above 20,000 daltons, it is impossible to spin the chains into yarn, so to combat this, some acetic acid is added to react with a free amine end group during polymer elongation to limit the molecular weight. In practice, and especially for 6,6, the monomers are often combined in a water solution. The water used to make the solution is evaporated under controlled conditions, and the increasing concentration of "salt" is polymerized to the final molecular weight.

DuPont patented nylon 6,6, so in order to compete, other companies (particularly the German BASF) developed the homopolymer nylon 6, or polycaprolactam — not a condensation polymer, but formed by a ring-opening polymerization (alternatively made by polymerizing aminocaproic acid). The peptide bond within the caprolactam is broken with the exposed active groups on each side being incorporated into two new bonds as the monomer becomes part of the polymer backbone. In this case, all amide bonds lie in the same direction, but the properties of nylon 6 are sometimes indistinguishable from those of nylon 6,6 — except for melt temperature and some fiber properties in products like carpets and textiles. There is also nylon 9.

The 428 °F (220 °C) melting point of nylon 6 is lower than the 509 °F (265 °C) melting point of nylon 6,6.

Nylon 5,10, made from pentamethylene diamine and sebacic acid, was studied by Carothers even before nylon 6,6 and has superior properties, but is more expensive to make. In keeping with this naming convention, "nylon 6,12" (N-6,12) or "PA-6,12" is a copolymer of a 6C diamine and a 12C diacid. Similarly for N-5,10 N-6,11; N-10,12, etc. Other nylons include copolymerized dicarboxylic acid/diamine products that are ''not'' based upon the monomers listed above. For example, some aromatic nylons are polymerized with the addition of diacids like terephthalic acid (→ Kevlar, Twaron) or isophthalic acid (→ Nomex), more commonly associated with polyesters. There are copolymers of N-6,6/N6; copolymers of N-6,6/N-6/N-12; and others. Because of the way polyamides are formed, nylon would seem to be limited to unbranched, straight chains. But "star" branched nylon can be produced by the condensation of dicarboxylic acids with polyamines having three or more amino groups.

The general reaction is:

A molecule of water is given off and the nylon is formed. Its properties are determined by the R and R' groups in the monomers. In nylon 6,6, R = 4C and R' = 6C alkanes, but one also has to include the two carboxyl carbons in the diacid to get the number it donates to the chain. In Kevlar, both R and R' are benzene rings.

Concepts of nylon production

The first approach: combining molecules with an acid (COOH) group on each end are reacted with two chemicals that contain amine (NH₂) groups on each end. This process creates nylon 6,6, made of hexamethylene diamine with six carbon atoms and adipic acid.

The second approach: a compound has an acid at one end and an amine at the other and is polymerized to form a chain with repeating units of (-NH-[CH₂]_n-CO-)_x. In other words, nylon 6 is made from a single six-carbon substance called caprolactam. In this equation, if n = 5, then nylon 6 is the assigned name (may also be referred to as polymer).

The characteristic features of nylon 6,6 include:

Pleats and creases can be heat-set at higher temperatures

More compact molecular structure

Better weathering properties; better sunlight resistance

Softer "Hand"

Higher melting point (256 °C/492.8 °F)

Superior colorfastness

Excellent abrasion resistance

On the other hand, nylon 6 is easy to dye, more readily fades; it has a higher impact resistance, a more rapid moisture absorption, greater elasticity and elastic recovery.

Characteristics

Variation of luster: nylon has the ability to be very lustrous, semilustrous or dull.

Durability: its high tenacity fibers are used for seatbelts, tire cords, ballistic cloth and other uses.

High elongation

Excellent abrasion resistance

Highly resilient (nylon fabrics are heat-set)

Paved the way for easy-care garments

High resistance to insects, fungi, animals, as well as molds, mildew, rot and many chemicals

Used in carpets and nylon stockings

Melts instead of burning

Used in many military applications

Good specific strength

Transparent to infrared light (−12dB)

Bulk properties

Above their melting temperatures, ''T''_m, thermoplastics like nylon are amorphous solids or viscous fluids in which the chains approximate random coils. Below ''T''_m, amorphous regions alternate with regions which are lamellar crystals. The amorphous regions contribute elasticity and the crystalline regions contribute strength and rigidity. The planar amide (-CO-NH-) groups are very polar, so nylon forms multiple hydrogen bonds among adjacent strands. Because the nylon backbone is so regular and symmetrical, especially if all the amide bonds are in the ''trans'' configuration, nylons often have high crystallinity and make excellent fibers. The amount of crystallinity depends on the details of formation, as well as on the kind of nylon. Apparently it can never be quenched from a melt as a completely amorphous solid.

Nylon 6,6 can have multiple parallel strands aligned with their neighboring peptide bonds at coordinated separations of exactly 6 and 4 carbons for considerable lengths, so the carbonyl oxygens and amide hydrogens can line up to form interchain hydrogen bonds repeatedly, without interruption (see the figure opposite). Nylon 5,10 can have coordinated runs of 5 and 8 carbons. Thus parallel (but not antiparallel) strands can participate in extended, unbroken, multi-chain β-pleated sheets, a strong and tough supermolecular structure similar to that found in natural silk fibroin and the β-keratins in feathers. (Proteins have only an amino acid α-carbon separating sequential -CO-NH- groups.) Nylon 6 will form uninterrupted H-bonded sheets with mixed directionalities, but the β-sheet wrinkling is somewhat different. The three-dimensional disposition of each alkane hydrocarbon chain depends on rotations about the 109.47° tetrahedral bonds of singly bonded carbon atoms.

When extruded into fibers through pores in an industrial spinneret, the individual polymer chains tend to align because of viscous flow. If subjected to cold drawing afterwards, the fibers align further, increasing their crystallinity, and the material acquires additional tensile strength. In practice, nylon fibers are most often drawn using heated rolls at high speeds.

Block nylon tends to be less crystalline, except near the surfaces due to shearing stresses during formation. Nylon is clear and colorless, or milky, but is easily dyed. Multistranded nylon cord and rope is slippery and tends to unravel. The ends can be melted and fused with a heat source such as a flame or electrode to prevent this.

When dry, polyamide is a good electrical insulator. However, polyamide is hygroscopic. The absorption of water will change some of the material's properties such as its electrical resistance. Nylon is less absorbent than wool or cotton.

Historical uses

Bill Pittendreigh, DuPont, and other individuals and corporations worked diligently during the first few months of World War II to find a way to replace Asian silk and hemp with nylon in parachutes. It was also used to make tires, tents, ropes, ponchos, and other military supplies. It was even used in the production of a high-grade paper for U.S. currency. At the outset of the war, cotton accounted for more than 80% of all fibers used and manufactured, and wool fibers accounted for nearly all of the rest. By August 1945, manufactured fibers had taken a market share of 25%, at the expense of cotton.

Some of the terpolymers based upon nylon are used every day in packaging. Nylon has been used for meat wrappings and sausage sheaths.

Use in composites

Nylon can be used as the matrix material in composite materials, with reinforcing fibers like glass or carbon fiber; such a composite has a higher density than pure nylon. Such thermoplastic composites (25% glass fiber) are frequently used in car components next to the engine, such as intake manifolds, where the good heat resistance of such materials makes them feasible competitors to metals.

Hydrolysis and degradation

All nylons are susceptible to hydrolysis, especially by strong acids, a reaction essentially the reverse of the synthetic reaction shown above. The molecular weight of nylon products so attacked drops fast, and cracks form quickly at the affected zones. Lower members of the nylons (such as nylon 6) are affected more than higher members such as nylon 12. This means that nylon parts cannot be used in contact with sulfuric acid for example, such as the electrolyte used in lead-acid batteries. When being molded, nylon must be dried to prevent hydrolysis in the molding machine barrel since water at high temperatures can also degrade the polymer. The reaction is of the type: :

Incineration and recycling

Various nylons break down in fire and form hazardous smoke, and toxic fumes or ash, typically containing hydrogen cyanide. Incinerating nylons to recover the high energy used to create them is usually expensive, so most nylons reach the garbage dumps, decaying very slowly. Some recycling is done on nylon, usually creating pellets for reuse in the industry.

Etymology

In 1940, John W. Eckelberry of DuPont stated that the letters "nyl" were arbitrary and the "on" was copied from the suffixes of other fibers such as cotton and rayon. A later publication by DuPont explained that the name was originally intended to be "No-Run" ("run" meaning "unravel"), but was modified to avoid making such an unjustified claim and to make the word sound better. An apocryphal explanation is that Nylon is a conflation of "New York" and "London". A humorous backronym is "Now You've Lost, Old Nippon" referring to the supposed loss of demand for Japanese silk.

See also

Aramid

Forensic engineering

Polymers

Plastic

Nylon 6

Nylon 6-6

Ballistic Nylon

Rip-stop Nylon

Cordura

Nylon riots

Step-growth polymerization

Nylon-eating bacteria

References

Further reading

''Textiles'' by Sara J. Kadolph, ISBN 0131187694

External links

For historical perspectives on nylon, see the Documents List of "The Stocking Story: You Be The Historian" at the Smithsonian website, by The Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.

A chemical demonstration of the synthesis of nylon in Carleton University's CHEM 1000 course. (Video)

Typical properties of Nylon / Polyamide

Polyamide material description

Discussion of nylon synthesis and properties

"How Nylon Yarn Is Made", January 1946, Popular Science from raw material to shipment article with drawings and illustrations

Category:Plastics Category:Synthetic fibers Category:Polyamides Category:DuPont Category:Dielectrics Category:1935 introductions Category:American inventions

af:Nylon ar:نايلون zh-min-nan:Nylon bg:Найлон br:Nilon ca:Niló cs:Nylon da:Nylon de:Polyamide#Nylon et:Nylon es:Nailon eo:Nilono eu:Nylon fa:نایلون fr:Nylon gd:Nàidhlean gl:Nailon ko:나일론 hr:Najlon id:Nilon it:Nylon he:ניילון jv:Nilon lt:Nailonas ms:Nilon nl:Nylon ja:ナイロン no:Nylon nn:Nylon pl:Nylon pt:Náilon ro:Nailon ru:Нейлон simple:Nylon sl:Najlon sr:Најлон fi:Nailon sv:Nylon tl:Naylon te:నైలాన్ tr:Naylon uk:Нейлон vi:Ni lông war:Nylon zh:尼龙

Name	Nicole Miller
Nationality	American
Birth date	1952
Birth place	Fort Worth, Texas
Education	Rhode Island School of Design, Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne
Awards	}}

Nicole Miller (born 1952) is an American fashion designer, businesswoman who was born in Texas and raised in Lenox, Massachusetts.

Miller attended the Rhode Island School of Design where she earned a BFA in Apparel Design. She studied for a year at L'Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne where she was trained to drape fabric and study the classical techniques of couture. Miller described her Parisian training as "intense," but explained that it gave her training in fabric manipulation, which became a signature of her designs.

Miller's first shop opened in 1986 on Madison Avenue. The brand has grown to 20 boutiques in major cities across the United States. and is sold in a number of high-end department stores. Miller designs an extensive collection for J.C. Penney and a home furnishing collection for Bed, Bath and Beyond.

Of her style, the designer has said: "I've always been downtown and uptown. I've had a lot of artist friends and I was always a little bit of a renegade." Her modern design aesthetic is known for its bright prints and patterns.

Young life

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Miller was raised in Lenox, Massachusetts. Her father and Parisian-born mother, met in World War II. Her father was an engineer at General Electric. Her father was great influence on young Miller; she attributes her ability to make clothing to her father's engineer-like mind. Miller said: "The way you figure out how to make something is engineering."

Her mother, on the other hand, "hated" living in America and insisted dressing her daughters in a French-influenced style. When Miller was asked by the Mattel toy company to design a Barbie doll, she claimed to have never owned a Barbie herself because her mother insisted that she and her sister play with French dolls. Since December 2009 Miller's Barbie has been featured in an ongoing exhibit, Barbie: The Fashion Experience, at the The Children's Museum of Indianapolis.

Early career

After completing studies at the L'Ecole de la Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne and graduating from the Rhode Island School of Design, Miller interned with legendary dress designer Clovis Ruffin in New York City. Miller began working as head designer at P.J. Walsh, a dress manufacturer. There, she was hired by the president of the company, Bud Konheim. Konheim said one of the reasons he hired Miller was for her belief that design and business can be successful combination. In 1982, Konheim started the company Nicole Miller with Nicole.

Creative aesthetic

Her signature style has historically been black or boldly colored—with the cut of the clothes most important. Her main concern has always been proportions, curves and necklines. Her designs are known to be sexy, yet classic. She is a self-identified fabric junkie credited with popularizing many futuristic fabrics. Her styles range from body-conscious cocktail dresses, to wedding attire, to lounge wear, but she is best known for her form-flattering dresses.

Miller draws inspiration from a wide range of influences including cinema, contemporary art, mid-20th century cinema, contemporary art, mid-20th century architecture and exotic cultures.

Company

In 1986, Miller opened her first shop on Madison Avenue. Miller's fashion line launched in the mid 1980s with a conversational print men's tie collection that became a hit in the fashion world for a number of years. Miller made headlines in September 1998 by presenting her spring 1999 clothing line one week ahead of her French counterparts, becoming the first American to do so.

In 2002, Miller designed costumes for the Houston-based Stages Repertory Theatre production of García Lorca's "Blood Wedding,"

In a departure from designing adult fashions, Miller designed a Sesame Street line of clothing for babies and toddlers in 2004. She also created a line of makeup products for Melaleuca.

Since 2005, Miller has designed a line of affordable clothes, handbags, footwear, fashion jewelry and other accessories for J.C. Penney. J.C. Penney credits this collaboration as result of extensive customer input. Miller also designs a home furnishings collection that is distributed through Bed Bath and Beyond.

Celebrities of varying ages including Angelica Huston, Beyonce Knowles, Angelina Jolie, Brooke Shields, Leann Rimes, Lauren Hutton, Jennifer Stone, Susan Sarandon and Eva Longoria have worn, and continue to wear, her designs. Miller designed clothes for singer Cyndi Lauper's world tour. She created gowns for Sheryl Crow to wear at the Grammys.

Miller and her partner, Kohnheim, have been in business together for over 28 years; the label has brought in $650 million in annual sales.

Currently, Miller's women's collection apparel is sold in more than 1,200 independent specialty stores and namesake boutiques in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and in the affluent resort town of La Jolla. Her fashion line is also sold in department stores such as, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's and Nordstrom.

Personal life

Miller and her husband, financier Kim Taipale, were married in 1996 by then-New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani. They have one son and divide their time between New York City's Tribeca neighborhood and a weekend home in Sag Harbor, NY.

Miller is a member of the Council of Fashion Designers of America and serves on its board of directors. Nicole is an avid collector of contemporary art and French modern furniture. Her art collection includes work by Damien Loeb, John Stango, Ellen Gallagher, Andy Warhol and Le Corbusier.

Television appearances

Iron Chef'' (2009) as a guest judge.

''The Chopping Block'' (2009) as herself (Episode 3).

''Holland's Next Top Model'' (2006) as a guest judge (Season 1, Episode 7).

''America's Next Top Model'' (2004) as a guest judge (Season 3, Episode 7).

''The Apprentice'' (2004) as herself.

''Miss Universe Pageant'' (2002) as a guest judge.

''The Price Is Right'' (2011) as a guest presenter.

''Rocco's Dinner Party'' (2011) as a guest.

''Love Broker'' (2012) as herself.

Filmography

"Picture Me" (2009). Directors: Sara Ziff and Ole Schell. A documentary about the inside world of modeling. Miller appears as herself.

References

External links

Official website

Category:1952 births Category:Living people Category:American fashion designers Category:American fashion businesspeople

it:Nicole Miller

name	Nina Dobrev
birth name	Nina Constantinova Dobreva
birth date	January 09, 1989
birth place	Sofia, Bulgaria
nationality	Bulgarian-Canadian
occupation	Actress, model
yearsactive	2006–present }}

Nina Dobrev (born Nina Constantinova Dobreva, January 9, 1989) is a Bulgarian-Canadian actress and model. She played the role of Mia Jones, the single teenage mother, on ''Degrassi: The Next Generation'', from the show's sixth to ninth season. She currently stars as Elena Gilbert and Katherine Pierce on The CW television teen drama, ''The Vampire Diaries''.

Personal life

Nina Dobrev was born in Sofia, Bulgaria, and moved to Canada at the age of two, where she was raised in Toronto, Ontario. She speaks fluent French, English, and Bulgarian. She has an older brother, Alexander; her father is a computer specialist and her mother is an artist.

Dobrev attended J. B. Tyrrell Sr. Public School, where she started ballet and jazz classes, and competed in rhythmic gymnastic. Then, she attended and Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts in Scarborough, Ontario and Ryerson University in Toronto, majoring in sociology. She left in 2008 to pursue her acting career.

While working on the show, she began dating her ''Vampire Diaries'' co-star Ian Somerhalder.

Career

Modeling jobs led to commercials, which then turned into film auditions. Shortly thereafter, she booked roles in feature films, including ''Fugitive Pieces'', ''Away from Her'', ''Never Cry Werewolf'', and the television series ''Degrassi: The Next Generation''. She starred in a number of Lifetime original movies. She also was in an MTV movie called ''The American Mall'' on CTV. She is currently starring in The CW's drama ''The Vampire Diaries'', playing the dual role of Katherine Pierce, a vampire loved by two human brothers during the American Civil War, and Katherine's doppelgänger Elena Gilbert, a human who is caught between the same two brothers, now vampires, Damon and Stefan Salvatore.

She also had a minor role in the erotic thriller ''Chloe'', theatrically released by Sony Pictures Classics on March 26, 2010. The film had enjoyed commercial success and became director Atom Egoyan's biggest moneymaker ever.

In April 2011, she was cast as Candace in the film adaptation of ''The Perks of Being a Wallflower'', alongside Logan Lerman, Emma Watson and Paul Rudd. Shooting began in May of that year in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and she completed her scenes on June 27, 2011.

Philanthropy

In September 2011, Dobrev co-hosted We Day alongside Joe Jonas. We Day is organized by Free the Children. Dobrev also designed a T-Shirt with Me to We Style, which gives 50% of its profits to Free the Children.

Filmography

! Year	! Title	! Role	! Notes
2006	''Away from Her''	Monica
2006		Shania
2006–2009	''Degrassi: The Next Generation''		TV, 46 episodes
2007	''How She Move''	Tall Girl in the Bathroom
2007		Rachel
2007		Bella
2007	''My Daughter's Secret''	Justine
2007	''Too Young to Marry''	Jessica
2008	''Repo! The Genetic Opera''	Teenage Zydrate Addict
2008	''Mookie's Law''	Rosebella	Short film
2008	''The American Mall''	Ally Shepherd	First time singing.
2008	''Never Cry Werewolf''	Loren Hansett
2008		Maia	TV, 2 episodes: "Articles of Faith" and "Blowback"
2009		Anna
2009	''Degrassi Goes Hollywood''
2009		Grace Dahl	TV, 1 episode: "Eternal"
2009	''Merry Madagascar''	Cupid the Reindeer	Voice
2009–present	''The Vampire Diaries''	Elena Gilbert/Katherine Pierce	Main roleTV
2011	''The Super Hero Squad Show''	Ellen	VoiceTV, 1 episode: "This Man-Thing, This Monster!"
2011	''The Roommate''	Maria	Cameo
2011		Lori
2012		Candace	Post-production

Accolades

! Year	! Award	! Category	! Work	! Result
2010		Choice TV Breakout Star – Female	''The Vampire Diaries''
2010	Teen Choice Awards	Choice TV Actress – Fantasy/Sci-Fi	''The Vampire Diaries''
2010	J-14 Teen Icon Awards	Iconic TV Actress	''The Vampire Diaries''
2011		Choice TV Actress – Fantasy/Sci-Fi	''The Vampire Diaries''
2011	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Hottie – Female
2011	Teen Choice Awards	Choice Vampire
	People's Choice Awards	Favorite TV Drama Actress	''The Vampire Diaries''

References

External links

Category:1989 births Category:Bulgarian expatriates in the United States Category:Bulgarian film actors Category:Bulgarian emigrants to Canada Category:Bulgarian television actors Category:Canadian child actors Category:Canadian expatriate actors in the United States Category:Canadian film actors Category:Canadian people of Bulgarian descent Category:Canadian television actors Category:Naturalized citizens of Canada Category:Living people Category:People from Sofia Category:People from Toronto

ar:نينا دوبراف az:Nina Dobrev bg:Нина Добрев cs:Nina Dobrev da:Nina Dobrev de:Nina Dobrev et:Nina Dobrev es:Nina Dobrev fa:نینا دوبرو fr:Nina Dobrev hy:Նինա Դոբրև hi:नीना दोब्रेव hr:Nina Dobrev it:Nina Dobrev he:נינה דוברב ka:ნინა დობრევი lv:Ņina Dobreva lt:Nina Dobrev hu:Nina Dobrev mk:Нина Добрев nl:Nina Dobrev ja:ニーナ・ドブレフ no:Nina Dobrev pl:Nina Dobrev pt:Nina Dobrev ro:Nina Dobrev ru:Добрев, Нина simple:Nina Dobrev sk:Nina Konstantinova Dobreva sl:Nina Dobrev ckb:نینا دۆبرێڤ fi:Nina Dobrev sv:Nina Dobrev th:นีน่า โดเบรฟ tr:Nina Dobrev uk:Ніна Добрев vi:Nina Dobrev zh:妮娜·杜波夫

birth name	Mary-Kate Olsen
birth date	June 13, 1986
birth place	Los Angeles
occupation	Actress (1987-2012), fashion designer, author, producer
years active	1987–present
height	5'2
Associated acts	Ashley Olsen, Elizabeth Olsen, Bob Saget, Candace Cameron Bure, Jodie Sweetin, John Stamos, Dave Coulier, Lori Loughlin, Dylan Tuomy-Wilhoit, Blake Tuomy-Wilhoit, Andrea Barber, Scott Weinger }}

Mary-Kate Olsen (born June 13, 1986 in Sherman Oaks, California) is an American actress, fashion designer, author, and businesswoman. Having risen to fame as a child star alongside her fraternal twin sister Ashley, Olsen pursued acting independently as an adult until 2012.

Birth and family

Olsen and her sister Ashley were born in Sherman Oaks, California to David Olsen (b. 1953) and Jarnette (Jarnie) Jones (b. 1954). Despite being very similar in appearance, they are not identical, but fraternal twins. They have an older brother, Trent, and a younger sister, Elizabeth Olsen, as well as a half-brother, Jake, and a half-sister, Taylor. The twins' parents divorced in 1995; Taylor and Jake are from their father's second marriage.

Mary-Kate and Ashley's younger sister Elizabeth became an actress as an adult, making an acclaimed film debut in 2011's ''Martha Marcy May Marlene''.

Child and teen career

Along with her twin sister Ashley, Olsen was cast at the age of nine months to share the role of Michelle Tanner on the ABC sitcom ''Full House''. The Olsens portrayed Michelle throughout the series' 1987–1995 run. In the early 1990s, the sisters established a company, Dualstar, which produced a long string of TV movies and direct-to-video releases featuring the girls. The Olsens continued to release direct-to-video films up to the early 2000s, along with starring in the 1995 feature film ''It Takes Two''. After ''Full House'', the sisters starred in two other sitcoms (''Two of a Kind'' and ''So Little Time'') and an animated series (''Mary-Kate and Ashley in Action!''), each of which lasted only one season. Mary-Kate was nominated for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series at the 2002 Daytime Emmy Awards for her performance in ''So Little Time''. These ventures, combined with a massive array of licensing deals for their names and likenesses, made the twins phenomenally wealthy at a young age. They became co-presidents of Dualstar upon their eighteenth birthday. Following a second feature film, 2004's ''New York Minute'', Ashley Olsen ceased to pursue acting further.

Adult career

Olsen's first solo acting appearance was in the movie ''Factory Girl'', released in December 2006. The short scene was ultimately cut from theatrical release, but made part of the DVD. In addition, she has had a recurring role on Showtime's ''Weeds'' as Tara Lindman. She appears in the 2008 film ''The Wackness'' as Union. At the Sundance Film Festival, co-star and Academy Award–winner Sir Ben Kingsley praised her by saying "Mary-Kate's portrayal of this girl is perfect — she's hysterical. She's a pro. It makes sense. She's been in this business a lot longer than I have." However, this is hyperbole; as Kingsley's first film credit was in 1966, and he even won his Academy Award a few years before Mary-Kate and Ashley were born.

Olsen made a one-episode appearance on the ABC comedy ''Samantha Who?''. On November 10, 2008 during the second season of the show, Olsen played Natalie in episode 5, a self-destructive, bad girl whom Samantha tries to help while doing community service.

Her most recent job was a role in the movie ''Beastly'', which was based on the book of the same name by Alex Flinn. Her last role was as Stacey in the movie ''Story of a Girl'', which is currently in pre-production and stars Kevin Bacon, Julian Thome and Terrence Howard. In 2012 Mary-Kate and Ashley decided to quit acting for good to focus on their fashion career. One of Mary-Kate and Ashley's new dreams is to open up a fashion shop.

Fashion

As adults, Ashley and Mary-Kate have devoted much of their attention to the world of fashion. They head a couture fashion label, "The Row," as well as the "Elizabeth and James" and "Olsenboye" retail collections. They also authored a 2008 book of interviews with fashion designers, titled ''Influence''.

In addition, Mary-Kate has embarked on a solo fashion project with celebrity stylists Jane Belfry and Fred Holston. The line was reportedly in development as of 2009.

Mary-Kate's sometimes controversial fashion choices have often found her on both the best and worst dressed fashion lists, particularly for her decision to wear fur.

Personal life

In 2004, Olsen graduated from Campbell Hall School and began attending New York University with Ashley. Both of them withdrew from NYU the following year, a few months apart, and returned to California. Also in 2005, Mary-Kate Olsen ended her romance with Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III. "I miss him and I adore him," Olsen said. "It's a hurtful and a painful subject." When asked if there was a specific reason for her leaving NYU, she replied, "I think we can all guess."

Olsen dated Maxwell Snow, the younger brother of the late New York-based artist Dash Snow, from September 2006 until the summer of 2007. In 2008 Olsen started dating artist Nate Lowman. The two split up in February 2010.

Health issues

In mid-2004, Olsen announced she had entered treatment for an eating disorder, anorexia nervosa. A Got Milk? ad featuring the twins was pulled following the announcement. It was rumored that there was also a drug problem, but the Olsens' publicist said, "Mary-Kate was not admitted for drugs. Period." Mary-Kate suffers from ADHD and has had Depression.

On November 20, 2007 she was hospitalized for a reported kidney infection.

Death of Heath Ledger

Mary-Kate was a close friend of late actor Heath Ledger around the time of his death, January 22, 2008. After discovering Ledger unconscious in his bed, his masseuse called Olsen twice before contacting police. Olsen sent a private security guard to the scene.

Responding to a claim by an anonymous law enforcement official that she would not speak to federal investigators without a promise of legal immunity, Olsen's attorney Michael C. Miller said: She was never interviewed by investigating officers.

Filmography

{|class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Movie ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 2006 | ''Factory Girl'' | Molly Spence | Small scene/guest |- | 2007 | ''Weeds'' | Tara Lindman | 8 episodes |- |rowspan=2| 2008 | ''The Wackness'' | Union | Supporting role |- | ''Samantha Who?'' | Karen McNeicep | 1 episode |- |rowspan=2| 2011 | ''Beastly'' | Kendra Hilferty | Supporting role |- | ''Story of a Girl'' | Stacey | In production |}

Further reading

Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, with Damon Romine. ''Mary-Kate and Ashley: Our Story: Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen's Official Biography''. HarperEntertainment 2000. ISBN 0061075698.

References

External links

Mary-Kate's Page

Mary-Kate Olsen at TV.com

Category:1986 births Category:Actors from California Category:American businesspeople Category:American child actors Category:American film actors Category:American television actors Category:American voice actors Category:Living people Category:People from Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles Category:People from the San Fernando Valley Category:Twin people from the United States

cy:Mary-Kate Olsen et:Mary-Kate Olsen fa:مری کیت اولسن ru:Олсен, Мэри-Кейт sr:Мери-Кејт Олсен fi:Mary-Kate Olsen sv:Mary-Kate Olsen

birth date	April 30, 1986
birthname	Dianna Elise Agron
birth place	Savannah, Georgia, United States
occupation	Actress, singer, dancer
yearsactive	2006–present
website	http://youmeandcharlie.com/ }}

Dianna Elise Agron (; (born April 30, 1986) is an American actress, singer, and dancer best known for her portrayal of Quinn Fabray on the television series ''Glee'' and Sarah Hart in ''I Am Number Four''.

Early life

Dianna Agron was born in Savannah, Georgia, and raised in San Antonio, Texas and San Francisco, California. She is the daughter of Mary and Ronald S. Agron, a general manager of Hyatt hotels. Agron's father's family is originally from Russia, and their original surname, Agronsky, was altered by Ellis Island officials. Her father was born Jewish and her mother converted to Judaism; Agron attended Hebrew school and had a bat mitzvah. Agron attended Burlingame Intermediate School and then Burlingame High School in Burlingame, California. She has been dancing since the age of three, and began teaching dance as a teenager. Before she moved to California at the age of nine, she was the subject of anti-Semitic bullying in school.

Career

Agron has appeared on television shows such as ''Shark'', ''Close to Home'', ''CSI: NY'', ''Numb3rs'', and had a recurring role on ''Veronica Mars''. She then appeared as Harper on a 13-episode series of short films called ''It's a Mall World'', directed by Milo Ventimiglia, and airing on MTV, and then on the second season of ''Heroes'' as Debbie Marshall, the head cheerleader/captain of the cheer squad at Costa Verde High School. Dianna has also hosted a mini Music Festival for 826LA in Los Angeles called Chickens in Love.

She was among many young Hollywood stars selected to be in Wal-Mart's Ocean Pacific spring 2010 marketing campaign. The national campaign debuted in fashion, lifestyle and entertainment magazines such as '' Elle'', ''Teen Vogue'', '' Seventeen'' and ''Cosmopolitan'', outdoor and online at the official Ocean Pacific website. In addition, the celebrities hosted an Ocean Pacific party in Los Angeles in late April and made personal appearances on behalf of the brand.

Agron's most notable role to date is as Quinn Fabray, a high school cheerleader, on the Fox series ''Glee''. The show has received high ratings and critical acclaim, including a Screen Actors Guild cast award in 2009 and two Golden Globes for Best Television Series – Musical or Comedy.

In 2010, Agron directed the music video for "Body" by Thao with the Get Down Stay Down.

In 2010, Agron played the small role of Natalie, fiancée to main character Ali's love interest Jack, in the movie ''Burlesque'' alongside Christina Aguilera, Cher, and Stanley Tucci.

Agron was chosen by ''People'' to be part of their Most Beautiful 2010. She also came 8th in the 2011 Afterellen.com "Hot 100" list.

Agron appeared alongside Alex Pettyfer and Timothy Olyphant in the 2011 science-fiction action thriller ''I Am Number Four'', directed by D. J. Caruso.

Agron appeared as herself in Punk'd.

The Biography Channel aired a ''Glee'' documentary named "''Glee: Don't Stop Believing''" on April 10, 2012, where Agron was interviewed about her role in the show.

Agron will host GLAAD Media Award on June 2, 2012 in San Francisco. Her co-stars of ''Glee'', Naya Rivera and Cory Monteith hosted them on March 24, 2012 in New York City.

Personal life

thumb|upright|Agron at the ''Glee'' premiere party, May 11, 2009Agron is a vegetarian and a supporter of PETA. Also an avid supporter of gay rights, Agron worked with The Trevor Project in 2012 to raise money in honor of her birthday. She promised to match all donations made to the organization by April 30th, 2012. She has also dated British actor Alex Pettyfer.

Filmography

border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9;>

Films
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
2005	''Talkers Are No Good Doers''	Jen
2006		Cheerleader	Uncredited
	''T.K.O.''	Dyanna
	Megan
	''Fuchsia Elephant''	Charlotte Hill	Also produced, directed and wrote the screenplay
''Dinner with Raphael''	Dianna	Funny or Die Short.
''Celebrities Anonymous''	Sadie
	''Bold Native''	Samantha	Supporting role
''''	Minnow	Supporting role
	Alice	Main role, limited theatrical release film
	Natalie	Supporting role
		Sarah Hart	Main role
''Glee: The 3D Concert Movie''	Quinn Fabray	Main role
2013	''Famous''	Sophia	Lead role

border="2" cellpadding="4" background: #f9f9f9;>

Television
! Year	! Title	! Role	Notes
		Drunk Girl	Episode:"Homecoming"
''CSI: NY''	Jessica Grant	Episode: "Murder Sings the Blues"
''Drake & Josh''	Lexi	Episode:"The Great Doheney"
	Gia Mellon
''Veronica Mars''	Jenny Budosh	3 episodes
		Debbie Marshall	4 episodes
''It's a Mall World''	Harper	Main cast
2008	''Numb3rs''	Kelly Rand
2009–present		Quinn Fabray	Main cast
	''Punk'd''		Season 9, Episode 3
''Biography ChannelDocumentary''
''GLAAD Media Award''	Host - June 2, 2012
	MTV Channel

Awards

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result
		Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
	Choice TV: Female Breakout Star	''Glee''
Breakthrough Of The Year Awards,	Breakthrough Newcomer	''Glee''
		Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	''Glee''
	Choice TV: Female Scene Stealer	''Glee''
Victoria's Secret: What Is Sexy List	Sexiest Smile	Herself
2012		Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	''Glee''

Discography

References

External links

Website

Category:1986 births Category:Actors from Georgia (U.S. state) Category:American female singers Category:American film actors Category:American people of Russian descent Category:American people of Russian-Jewish descent Category:American television actors Category:American vegetarians Category:Animal rights advocates Category:Jewish actors Category:Jewish singers Category:Living people Category:Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Screen Actors Guild Award winners

ar:ديانا أغرون az:Dianna Aqron ca:Dianna Agron cs:Dianna Agronová da:Dianna Agron de:Dianna Agron es:Dianna Agron fr:Dianna Agron ko:다이애나 아그론 hr:Dianna Agron id:Dianna Agron it:Dianna Agron he:דיאנה אגרון ka:დიანა აგრონი hu:Dianna Agron nl:Dianna Agron ja:ディアナ・アグロン no:Dianna Agron pl:Dianna Agron pt:Dianna Agron ru:Агрон, Дианна sh:Dianna Agron fi:Dianna Agron sv:Dianna Agron tr:Dianna Agron