Challenge Accepted
Chris Hemsworth has overcome several obstacles along the way to becoming a global superstar, but his latest role proved to be the most daunting—and rewarding—of his career. Chris Hemsworth, a powerhouse of talent and charisma, steps into the spotlight once again with his latest film, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. The Australia-born actor has carved quite a niche for himself in Hollywood,... Read More
Far From Finished
Orlando mayor buddy dyer has led the city for more than two decades, but in the midst of his final term he’s still motivated to do more. Having served as mayor of Orlando since 2003, Buddy Dyer is now the longest-serving mayor in the city’s history. After winning reelection this past November, Dyer announced this mayoral term will be his last. But, before he leaves office and... Read More
Leaders in Higher Education Roundtable 2024
Central Florida’s colleges and universities are well positioned to tackle today’s challenges while meeting the unique needs of their students. Leading a college or university has never been an easy job, but there is no doubt that the men and women charged with pushing institutions of higher learning forward have faced one major challenge after another over the past decade—with... Read More
Up to the Challenge
With two new film roles that promise to push her career in a different direction, plus her status as one of the faces of her generation, Zendaya continues to set the bar high. In a rapidly evolving cultural landscape, where social consciousness and individual identity sit at the forefront of the way celebrities and influencers present themselves, Zendaya has found, perhaps unwittingly,... Read More
Dynamic Determination
Olympic gold medalist Dominique Dawes aims to revolutionize the gymnastics culture by creating academies that prioritize positivity, fostering a healthy and nurturing environment for aspiring gymnasts. At the tender age of 11, Dominique Dawes dared to dream of Olympic glory, as many young gymnasts do. However, unlike others, her unwavering determination and unstoppable perseverance... Read More
The Genuine Article
Jennifer Garner exudes warmth both on screen and off, whether she’s raising her three children or starring in comedic, family-friendly fare like her new movie on Netflix. Amongst the obvious glitz and glamour of Hollywood, Jennifer Garner shines with a distinct warmth that transcends the screen. Known for her congeniality, and a brand of approachable charm that feels both aspirational... Read More
Self-Made Man
When Chazz Palminteri was struggling to find good parts as an actor, he created his own by writing A Bronx Tale. More than 30 years later, it continues to resonate with fans both young and old, whether onscreen or onstage. Although it reached cliché status long ago, the old adage “write what you know” remains the No. 1 tip for aspiring playwrights, novelists and screenwriters.... Read More
Homegrown Superman
From his humble beginnings to boy-band superstardom, Nick Carter’s musical talents have helped him amass legions of fans all around the world. Growing up in Tampa, Carter never imagined he would one day be a member of one of the highest-selling boy bands of all time, with over 130 million albums sold. The Backstreet Boys, consisting of Carter and bandmates Howie Dorough, AJ McLean,... Read More
Leading the Way
Seb Hines is originally from London, but is quite familiar with the Orlando area. Having previously been a player for Orlando City, he followed his playing career by joining the front office of the Pride, working as a scout and in player development. In 2020, he became an assistant coach with the team before being named the Pride’s head coach in 2022—a historic hire that made... Read More
Getting By With a Little Help from His Friends
Close friendships have sustained Will & Grace alum Eric McCormack throughout his remarkable career on stage and screen. A groundbreaking sitcom premiered 25 years ago, starring Eric McCormack as a gay corporate lawyer named Will, and Debra Messing as his best friend, a straight interior designer named Grace. The sitcom’s cast also included two quirky sidekicks, “Just”... Read More
Full Speed Ahead
Oscar winner Jamie Lee Curtis has been entertaining film audiences for more than four decades, and her latest movie, Haunted Mansion, shows that she has no plans on slowing down just yet. A horror movie star who doesn’t watch horror movies? Perhaps it is such splicing of non-conformity into a career that has flourished in the mainstream that has seen Jamie Lee Curtis remain a... Read More
All the World’s a Stage
Guy Quigley is a Renaissance man who has lived and worked around the world—everywhere from Africa and London to Pennsylvania. Indie-film producer, screenwriter, author, inventor, cattle rancher, entrepreneur and devoted family man, Quigley has done it all, and put his heart and soul into every venture. Raised in Dublin, Ireland, Quigley came from a family of thespians who made... Read More
An Open Book
Bestselling horror writer Chuck Wendig has had many writing jobs in his time, including storytelling for role-playing games, comics, television and film. On one writing job—his very first, in fact—he wrecked a van … but more on that later. Wendig has written fiction since 1997, but his reputation as a novelist reached a new height in 2019 with his pandemic thriller novel Wanderers.... Read More
In Perfect Harmony
Ever since Gloria Estefan was a young child she claims she “saw” or “knew” things that were going to come to pass at some point in the future. And as time went on and this happened frequently enough, she began to rely more and more on these instinctive feelings whenever they arose. So it should come as no surprise that after first meeting her now-husband Emilio and joining... Read More
An Eye on the Future
As president of the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Katherine Ramsberger is invested in helping Orlando’s arts and culture scene reach new heights. It’s no secret that Orlando has a vibrant and continuously evolving arts scene that caters to a wide variety of audiences from across the region and beyond. Yet, in some ways, it feels like the city is only just starting... Read More
The Perfect Matches
Jewish Matchmaking on Netflix is Changing Modern-Day Dating Rituals So how did a nice Jewish woman from Pennsylvania become the host of the global hit Jewish Matchmaking, a new reality dating show from Netflix that is helping us reevaluate and recalibrate our dating and mating rituals? Well, it appears that much like finding the right date or mate, Aleeza Ben Shalom, a matchmaker... Read More
Holding All The Cards
You may have heard that the sports trading card world is back in a big way and everyone from first-time collectors to those intrigued by the nostalgia of it all are on board and paying top dollar for the rarest of finds. But before you go rushing into your basement to uncover all those cards you think are worth a mint, Ken Goldin would like you to know that they are indeed not. “Literally,... Read More
A Healthy Appetite
Phil Rosenthal loves to talk about food, travel, comedy, friends, family and the important connections they help us foster with one another. And anyone who has ever caught any episodes of his wildly popular Netflix series Somebody Feed Phil has witnessed this firsthand. The sixth season of the show recently premiered at the same time he released a new 341-page companion book Somebody... Read More
Raising Hope
The National Infertility Association will recognize National Infertility Week later this month, from April 23-29, with the goal of empowering those who are struggling and changing the narrative when it comes to an issue that affects millions of Americans. Through various events and fundraisers, the organization aims to educate the general public and assist those facing barriers... Read More
Better Than Ever
For a little more than 30 years, Marlon Wayans has been making folks laugh out loud. Whether he’s on screen, on stage or behind the scenes, he has enjoyed tremendous longevity in what can be a sometimes unforgiving entertainment world. Yet, despite his track record of success, he shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, he may just be ramping up. “I feel like I’ve been... Read More
King of the Kitchen
Richard Blais has had quite the storybook career thus far. He learned the art of cooking working alongside some of the world’s most renowned chefs such as Thomas Keller and Daniel Boulud. He became a household name after appearing as a contestant (twice) and later a judge on the hit show Top Chef. What’s more, Blais has opened up restaurants on both coasts, become an author,... Read More
