Beyonce Knowles Biography

Born in Houston, TX on Sept. 4, 1981, Beyoncé Giselle Knowles was a natural talent right off the bat. The eldest daughter of Matthew and Tina Knowles, the Knowles brood also included a younger sister, Solange, who herself made a name for herself as an actress in films like “Johnson Family Vacation” (2004). Beyoncé was named after her mother’s surname. The local church served as a platform for the future star to hone her talents, singing in the choir at age seven and also taking dance classes. Along with childhood friend Kelly Rowland, Beyoncé started a singing and dancing group that was managed by her father. Two other girls – Latavia Roberson and Letoya Luckett – joined the group and the quartet would perform in neighbors’ backyards and in Tina’s hair salon. At that time, they were coined Girl’s Tyme, but would eventually change it to Destiny’s Child.

The girls got their first big break by appearing in the nationally televised show “Star Search” (CBS, 1983–2004). Girl’s Tyme did not win the competition, so Mr. Knowles decided to quit his salesman job and manage his daughter’s group full time. They were signed to Columbia Records in 1996 and with the new name, Destiny’s Child, the group made their recording debut with the single, "Killing Time," which appeared on the soundtrack for the 1997 film “Men in Black.” Their enjoyed their first taste of Billboard success with the song “No, No, No Part 2” off their first album as Destiny’s Child, titled simply, Destiny’s Child. However, follow-up singles "With Me Part 1" and "Get on the Bus" failed to reproduce the success of "No, No, No." Despite that fact, The LP eventually sold more than 2 million copies worldwide and the group garnered three “Soul Train” Lady of Soul Awards in 1998.

Though thought of as yet another one-hit-wonder girl band, when Destiny’s Child’s second album The Writing’s On the Wall was released in 1999, it spawned multiple hits including two Number Ones – “Bills, Bills, Bills” and “Say My Name.” The group won several awards for their sophomore effort, including Grammys for Best R&B Performance by Duo or Group with Vocals and Best R&B Song. Touring also became a big part of the group’s schedule, serving as opening acts to superstars like TLC and Christina Aguilera.

Unfortunately, just as they were about to truly break through, Roberson and Luckett – two of the original members – decided to leave the group, citing unhappiness with Matthew Knowles’ management. Two new members were brought in – Michelle Williams and Farrah Franklin – and Destiny’s Child was a foursome yet again. While the second record was still enjoying chart success, the former members took Beyoncé and the management team to court, citing financial issues and unfairness in how they were treated in the group. After just five months in Destiny’s Child, Franklin quit due to personal reasons. The group became a trio and it would stay that way into its third album and beyond.

In October 2001, Beyoncé, Rowlands and Williams recorded the theme song to the film version of the popular television series, “Charlie’s Angels” (2000), starring the new Angels, Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz. The song “Independent Women, Part 1” spent 11 weeks at the top of the charts. Their third album, Survivor, followed on its heels, solidifying Destiny’s Child as one of the most successful girl groups at that time. Beyoncé wrote and produced several tracks as well, winning Songwriter of the Year from the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers Pop Music Awards. She was the first African-American female and only the second female songwriter to be honored. Other hits spawned by Survivor included the infectious (and quietly mocked) “Bootylicious;” a cover of the Bee Gees-penned ‘70s hit, “Emotion” (originally recorded by Samantha Sang); and the catchy title song.

Because the spotlight was consistently on Beyoncé as the more dynamic lead in a female trio, she was often compared to Diana Ross – ironic, since in five years, she would portray an ersatz Ross in “Dreamgirls” – while the other girls were treated as backup singers. The ladies answered back by appearing on the cover of Vibe magazine looking glamorously reminiscent of the Supremes in full sixties garb. And as always, Rowland and Williams would publicly decry any rancor or professional jealousy, claiming they were long-time friends and nothing would ever come between them. And to be fair, whether this was true or not, Destiny’s Child remained strong, remaining focused on their music and looking fabulous as a trio, decked out in fashions designed by Tina Knowles.

That same year, Beyoncé was offered the part of Carmen for the MTV film, “Carmen: A Hip Hopera,” a modern day version of the famous opera. It would mark Abeyance’s first foray into acting, using her full name as her acting moniker. A year later, the promise she showed in “Carmen” lit up the big screen in “Austin Powers in Goldmember” in 2002. As sassy and sexy super agent Foxxy Cleopatra – an homage to roles made famous by Pam Grier in films such as “Coffy” (1973) and “Foxy Brown” (1974) – the afro-sporting Beyoncé showed off an unexpected comedic timing and grace, more than holding her own alongside the films star, comedian Mike Myers.

2003 was a good year – a great year for any artist, in fact. Beyoncé delivered a one-two punch, with the release of yet another movie and, more importantly, her first solo album. At the time, everyone speculated whether releasing a solo album meant that Destiny’s Child was kaput. Beyoncé promised the group would come back and that her solo career would never get in the way of her group’s career. She co-starred with Cuba Gooding, Jr. in the lighthearted and soulful film, “The Fighting Temptations,” in which she and Gooding attempt to revive a town's choir traditions in a modern society. Though it did not do as well box office-wise as “Austin Powers,” Beyoncé was once again singled out as a natural talent onscreen.

Her solo album, Dangerously in Love, on the other hand, became one of the biggest recording hits of the year, fueled by songs like “Crazy in Love,” “Naughty Girl,” and “Baby Boy.” The album was certified platinum after just three weeks of its release. Her sexy, see-thru top on the album’s cover was impossible to ignore, signaling a new sexier image for the diva. Not unexpectedly, due to its monster success cutting across all musical genres, Dangerously won a record-tying (with former winners Lauryn Hill in 1999; Alicia Keys in 2002 and Norah Jones in 2003) five Grammy awards in early 2004 – including two for its songs and one for the album itself – Best Contemporary R&B Album.

Even more titillating than her career, quickly became her personal life. In addition to constant rumors of discord between the girls and the alleged Svengali-like hold Matthew Knowles held over his daughter, the press followed Beyoncé’s love life as she jetted around the world – particularly as she began dating former street hustler-turned-rapper/producing impresario, Jay-Z, in 2003. The singers denied any romance at first, but photos of the couple spending vacations together proved beyond a doubt that pictures spoke louder than words. The couple even recorded a song, the not-so-subtle, “03 Bonnie and Clyde.”

Good on her word, it did not take long for Beyoncé to go back in the studio to work with Destiny’s Child. In 2004, they released their fourth album, Destiny Fulfilled with Rowland and Williams. It was bittersweet for both the girls and their fans because it would be the group’s last recorded album. Like its predecessors, it spawned hits like “Lose My Breath” and “Soldier,” and a massive world tour followed. Their final album # 1s was released in October 2005 as a thank you to their fans. It became the best-selling “greatest hits” album by any female group in the history of recorded music.

Beyoncé again delivered a one-two punch in 2006 with a brand new solo album and a knockout performance in one of the most talked about movies of the year “Dreamgirls.” She released the album B’Day on September 4, 2006 – coincidentally, her 25th birthday. There was no sophomore curse for Beyoncé, as hits like “Ring the Alarm” and “Irreplaceable” kept her on the top of the music charts. Adding to the charmed year, Beyoncé also starred in the blockbuster musical, “Dreamgirls,” a film adaptation of the popular Broadway production. Playing Deena Jones, a member of a fictional sixties’ girl group that rose to fame but found there were certain prices to pay along the way, Beyoncé considered Deena the role of a lifetime. She lit up every scene in the movie and was top-billed, along with actors Jamie Foxx and Eddie Murphy. Former “American Idol” (Fox, 2002- ) contestant Jennifer Hudson also starred in the movie and won multiple awards, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Effie White. Beyoncé also garnered nominations for her performance, including a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. Like they had when she was a part of Destiny’s Child, the media worked up a bit of professional jealousy between the big star Beyonce and the up-and-coming ingénue, Hudson. Both women denied a rift repeatedly when promoting the early Oscar fave (it would not receive a nod for Best Picture).

Acting awards may have slipped through her fingers, but Beyoncé proved she was still the darling of the Grammys when she won Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals at the 2006 award show for the song "So Amazing", a duet with Stevie Wonder from the Luther Vandross tribute album, So Amazing: An All-Star Tribute to Luther Vandross.

On February 2007, Beyoncé won the much sought after cover of the Sport Illustrated Swimsuit Edition. The singer-actress became the second African-American woman to get the coveted title. With everything she had accomplished so far – including starting the PETA-bashing fashion line, House of Deréon with her mother – Beyoncé remained grateful to her family and upbringing and devoted to her millions of fans.

To quote one of her hit songs, Beyoncé Knowles was an “Irreplaceable” artist – excelling as a vocalist, songwriter, fashion designer, model, actress and all around tabloid icon. The Texas-born Knowles – with her china doll beauty, killer body and powerful pipes – became a true superstar in a very short time. Starting her career in the late 1990s as lead singer of the R&B group, Destiny’s Child – one of the most successful girl groups of all time – and later triumphing as a solo star in music and film, Knowles added award-winning songwriter and accomplished fashion designer to her resume, giving similar entrepreneurial divas like Jennifer Lopez a run for their money. In the spring 2007, Beyoncé added “supermodel” to her already impressive resume by appearing on the coveted cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition – a first for a non-supermodel – as well as basked in the critical glow for her part in the popular film musical, “Dreamgirls” (2006).

Source: Yahoo! Movies
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Brooke Shields Biography
Shields' career as a model began in the late 1960s as an infant, and she continued as a successful child model throughout the 1970s. In early 1980 (at age 14), Shields was the youngest fashion model to ever appear on the cover of the top fashion publication Vogue magazine. Later that same year (at age 15), Shields appeared in controversial print and TV ads for Calvin Klein jeans. The TV ad included her saying the famous tagline, "Do you wanna know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing."


Through the connections of her manager mother, a former model, Brooke Shields landed her first professional modeling job before her first birthday when she was selected to pose for advertisements for Ivory Snow photographed by Francesco Scavullo. Within two years, the toddler was a pro on the runways as well and was later featured as a Breck girl and in Colgate commercials shot by Richard Avedon. With her thick eyebrows, sensual pouty lips, lustrous hair and bright eyes, Shields projected the image of a Lolita while off-screen she was a conservative Catholic girl. When Louis Malle tapped her for the title role of a child prostitute in "Pretty Baby" (1978), a drama loosely inspired by the life of photographer E.J. Bellocq, she became embroiled in controversy, partly over the overt sensuality of her role and partly for her somewhat innocent nude scenes (such as a shot of the actress emerging from a bathtub).

Shields attempted to demonstrate a more wholesome persona co-starring with George Burns in "Just You and Me, Kid" (1979) and featured appearances in numerous TV variety specials headlined by veteran comic Bob Hope. Yet she reverted to teen vamp for the 1980 remake of "The Blue Lagoon" and Franco Zefferelli's overwrought adaptation of "Endless Love" (1981).

By the time she enrolled at Princeton in 1983, Shields was considered more of a personality than an actress and the few movies she made during her college years (e.g., "Sahara" 1984; "Brenda Starr" filmed in 1986 but released in 1989) merely confirmed that opinion. (It also didn't help that her beauty and modeling work had landed her on the cover of TIME magazine as "the face of the 80s".) She was equally famous for a chapter in a 1984 book she penned ("On Your Own") in which she extolled the virtues of remaining a virgin.

By the age of 16, Shields had become one of the most recognizable faces in the world because of her dual career as a provocative fashion model and controversial child actress. TIME magazine reported, in its February 9, 1981 cover story, that her day rate as a model was $10,000. In 1983 Shields appeared on the cover of the September issue of Paris VOGUE, the October and November issues of American VOGUE and the December edition of Italian VOGUE.

Shields's film career began in 1978 with her appearance in Louis Malle's Pretty Baby, a movie in which she played a child living in a brothel (and in which there were numerous nude scenes). Because she was only 12 when the film was released, and possibly 11 when it was filmed, questions were raised about child pornography. This was followed by a slightly less controversial, but also less notable film, Wanda Nevada (1979).

After two decades of movies, her best-known films are still arguably The Blue Lagoon (1980), which included a number of nude scenes between teenage cousins on a deserted island (Shields later testified before a U.S. Congressional inquiry that older body doubles were used in some of them), and Endless Love (1981). She won the People's Choice Award in the category of Favorite Young Performer in four consecutive years from 1981 to 1984.

Shields put her film career on hold to attend Princeton University from 1983 to 1987, graduating with a degree in French literature. Her senior thesis was titled "The Initiation: From Innocence to Experience: The Pre-Adolescent/Adolescent Journey in the Films of Louis Malle, Pretty Baby and Lacombe Lucien." It was here at Princeton where she spoke openly about her sexuality and virginity. During her tenure at Princeton, Shields was a member of the Princeton Triangle Club and the Cap and Gown Club.

Shields' career stalled at various times, and she has told interviewers that her height (6'0") prevented her from getting roles opposite shorter male actors.

Shields has appeared in a number of television shows, the most successful being the NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan, in which she starred from 1996 until 2000 and which earned her a People's Choice Award in the category of Favorite Female Performer in a New Television Series in 1997.

Shields has appeared in many on-stage productions, mostly musical revivals, including Grease, Cabaret, Wonderful Town and Chicago on Broadway; she also performed in Chicago in London's West End.

Shields made a couple of guest appearances on That '70s Show. She played Mrs. Burkhart, Jackie's (Mila Kunis) mother, who later was briefly involved with Donna's (Laura Prepon) father (played by Don Stark). Shields left That '70s Show when her character was written out. Shields recorded the narration for the SONY/BMG recording of The Runaway Bunny, a Concerto for Violin, Orchestra, and Reader by Glen Roven. It was performed by the Royal Philharmonic and Ittai Shapira.

As the 1990s rolled around, Shields worked hard to dispel those images. She effectively portrayed a stalking victim in the 1993 CBS movie "I Can Make You Love Me: The Stalking of Laura Black" and surprised many with her Broadway musical debut as bad girl Betty Rizzo in a revival of "Grease" in 1995. A well-received guest turn as a rabid soap opera fan on a two-part episode of "Friends" awoke many to her capabilities as a light comedienne and Shields soon was fielding offers for sitcoms. She opted to portray a San Franciscan journalist coping as a single woman in the NBC series "Suddenly Susan" (1996-2000). While the sitcom had a promising beginning, it quickly deteriorated into banality becoming the butt of jokes and critical derision.

The actress was unstoppable, though, and during each hiatus squeezed in at least one feature. Shields offered a nice turn as a snooty socialite at first willing to marry Chris O'Donnell until she learns of the terms in "The Bachelor" (1999). She also offered a strong turn as a documentary filmmaker following a group of white urban kids enthralled by hip-hop culture in James Toback's messy and uneven "Black and White" (also 1999).

In "The Weekend" (filmed in 1998 but released in 2000), she was cast as a daughter who constantly disappoints her critical mother (Gena Rowlands) while the 2001 Lifetime TV movie "What Makes a Family" offered her a juicy role as a lesbian single parent. Shields was next seen in a pair of miniseries: "Widows" (ABC, 2002) as the low-rent actress Shirley, one of the widows of three men killed while trying to steal a famous painting who join forces to find their husband's killers and finish off the job of stealing the painting; and "Gone But Not Forgotten" (2004), as a female lawyer who defends a mogul accused of being a serial killer. She also enjoyed a recurring role as the vain Pamela Burkhart, mother of Mila Kunis' character Jackie on the popular Fox sitcom "That 70s Show" beginning in 2004.

In 2005, Shields released her memoir Down Came the Rain, which chronicled her struggles with post-partum depression, including becoming dependant on anti-depressant Paxil, following the birth of her daughter Rowan in 2003. The sparked an odd public war of words with her one-time "Endless Love" costar Tom Cruise, who in an interview with "Access Hollywood" denounced Shields' use of medication--in line with the teachings of the Church of Scientology, he suggested that "vitamins" would have been a sufficient cure--and took a swipe at the state of her career. Shields fired back, calling his comments "dangerous" and suggested that people shouldn't take advice from someone who devotes his life to a worship of aliens.

The actress also had a string of successful stints on stage, beginning with her off-Broadway debut performance as Suzanne in "The Eden Cinema" in 1986. Later in her career, she wowed skeptical crticis with her replacement stint as Rizzo in the revival of "Grease" in 1995. Following a 2001 Los Angeles performance in the "Vagina Monologues" Shields was tapped to play Sally Bowls in "Cabaret" with Broadway's Roundabout Theatre Company that same year. In 2003 Shields appeared, while pregnant, in the off-Broadway production of "The Exonerated", a piece based on interviews with death row inmates. She next starred as Ruth Sherwood in the Tony-nominated Broadway revival of "Wonderful Town" at the Martin Beck Theatre in 2004 and made her London stage debut playing Roxie Hart in the West End production of "Chicago" in 2005, then returning to Broadway in the same later that year.

Brooke Shields Personal life

Shields, whose middle name, Camille, is the name she adopted for her Confirmation at age 10, was born in New York City into a well-known American society family with links to Italian nobility. She was delivered by the New Jersey obstetrician, Dr. Frederick A. Small. Her father was Francis Alexander Shields, and her mother was Teri Shields (né Maria Theresia Schmonn). Shields' parents divorced when she was a child, and her father later married Diana Lippert Auchincloss, the former wife of Thomas Gore Auchincloss (a half-brother of Gore Vidal and a stepbrother of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis). The actress has three half-sisters: Marina (who married Thomas William Purcell), Olympia, and Christiana Shields. Also, she has two stepsiblings, Diana Luise Auchincloss and Thomas Gore Auchincloss Jr.

Her paternal grandparents were Francis Xavier Shields, a tennis star of Irish descent, and his second wife, Donna Marina Torlonia di Civitella-Cesi, a half-Italian, half-American socialite who was a sister of Don Alessandro Torlonia, 5th Prince di Civitella-Cesi, the husband of Infanta Beatriz of Spain (an aunt of King Juan Carlos I of Spain). Shields is a second cousin once removed of the actress Glenn Close. Shields's great-grandmother Mary Elsie Moore (wife of Don Marino Torlonia, 4th Prince di Civitella-Cesi) was Close's great-aunt, a sister of Close's maternal grandfather, Charles Arthur Moore.

During the 1980s and 1990s, Shields' romantic relationships were the subject of many tabloid articles. Among the celebrities she dated were Ted McGinley (her high school prom escort), Dean Cain (her Princeton roommate and the first man with whom she had sex, according to an article published by the Associated Press), John F. Kennedy Jr., Michael Bolton, Prince Albert II of Monaco, and Michael Jackson (his date to the 1984 Grammy Awards).

Shields was married from April 19, 1997, to April 9, 1999, to professional tennis player Andre Agassi; their marriage was annulled. Since April 4, 2001, she has been married to television writer Chris Henchy. They have two daughters: Rowan Francis (b. May 15, 2003) and Grier Hammond (b. April 18, 2006). Coincidentally, Shields' second child was born on the same day and in the same hospital as the first child of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, Suri.

Postpartum depression

In the spring of 2005, Shields spoke to magazines (such as the Guideposts shown here) and appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show to publicize her battle with postpartum depression, an experience that included depression, thoughts of suicide, an inability to respond to her baby's needs, and delayed maternal bonding. The illness may have been triggered by a traumatic childbirth, the death of her father three weeks earlier, stress from in vitro fertilization, a miscarriage, and a family history of depression, as well as the hormones and life changes brought on by childbirth. Her book, Down Came the Rain, discusses her experience.

In May 2005, Tom Cruise, a Scientologist whose religion frowns upon psychiatry, condemned Shields both personally and professionally, particularly for both using and speaking in favor of the antidepressant drug Paxil. As Cruise said, "Here is a woman, and I care about Brooke Shields because I think she is an incredibly talented woman, you look at and think, where has her career gone?" Shields responded that Cruise's statements about anti-depressants were "irresponsible" and "dangerous."

She said he should "stick to fighting aliens", (a reference to Cruise's starring role in War of the Worlds as well as some of the more exotic aspects of Scientology doctrine and teachings), "and let mothers decide the best way to treat postpartum depression." The actress responded to a further attack by Cruise in an essay War of Words published in The New York Times on July 1, 2005, in which she made an individual case for the medication and said, "In a strange way, it was comforting to me when my obstetrician told me that my feelings of extreme despair and my suicidal thoughts were directly tied to a biochemical shift in my body. Once we admit that postpartum is a serious medical condition, then the treatment becomes more available and socially acceptable.

With a doctor's care, I have since tapered off the medication, but without it, I wouldn't have become the loving parent I am today". On Thursday, August 31, 2006, according to USAToday.com, Cruise privately apologized to Shields for the incident, and Shields accepted, saying it was "heartfelt". Three months later, she and her husband attended the wedding of Cruise and Katie Holmes in November 2006.

Since writing her book, Shields has guest-starred on shows like FX's Nip/Tuck and CBS' Two and a Half Men.

Brooke Shields Photos

Brooke Shields in Black and White Movie

Brooke Shields in The Weekend Movie

Source: Yahoo! Movies, Wikipedia
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Born Dec. 2, 1981 in the rural Louisiana town of Kentwood to parents Jamie and Lynne Spears, the young girl started training for her future superstar status as a small child. A skilled dancer and gymnast – as well as a capable singer – Spears had the determination and stamina to get to the top, starting her career in the entertainment industry early – too early, in fact – for producers of the revamped "The Mickey Mouse Club" (The Disney Channel, 1989-1994).


Producers of the star-making kiddie show turned down the talented youngster because of her age when she first auditioned in 1990. Starting in 2004, a much mocked marriage to back-up dancer, Kevin Federline, the birth of two babies in quick succession, and a seemingly self-imposed exile from the music industry kept her name in the forefront – though mainly as a gossip curiosity piece.

A bubbly, blonde pop music sensation who built a fan base with a girl-next-door sweetness, catchy tunes, flashy dance moves and a magnetic sexual appeal, Britney Spears went from a small-town Louisiana girl to the veritable heir to Madonna's media saturation crown, beginning with the release of her first single in 1998 and holding fast well into the next millennium – and much like Madonna, the attention quickly shifted away from her artistry and focused squarely on her personal dramas.

Mindful of her potential, Spears was hooked up with an agent and temporarily moved with her mother and baby sister to New York City the following year. Here, she starred in the off-Broadway production, "Ruthless," a stage comedy loosely based on "The Bad Seed." Playing the evil but seemingly angelic child was an enjoyable role for the 10-year-old Spears, who next wowed judges with her debut performance on the televised talent competition, "Star Search" (CBS, 1983-2004) in 1992. A year later, she was finally welcomed into the cast of the "Mickey Mouse Club," becoming a part of an elite cast that included future TV star Keri Russell as well as fellow teen pop luminaries Justin Timberlake and J.C. Chasez of *NSYNC and Christina Aguilera. As part of the ensemble, she could do all the dancing, acting and singing her heart desired, but unfortunately, the show ended its run in the midst of only her second season.

When "MMC" called it a day in 1994, the young star-in-the-making returned to Louisiana and attended a private junior/senior high school in nearby McComb, MS, but missed the excitement of the entertainment world. In 1997, she signed with Jive Records, beginning a partnership that would make Spears a household name. In 1998, she toured the malls of America a la teen pop star Tiffany did a decade earlier, getting her bouncy, blonde image into the minds of the people while, at the same time, getting her promo tape into their stereos. Her debut single "...Baby One More Time" was a smash hit in the last days of 1998, thanks, in part, to the provocative schoolgirl uniform-sporting music video that accompanied the catchy and oddly edgy tune.

While the fresh-faced teen sensation improbably crooned "My loneliness is killing me," audiences of all ages were transfixed – from middle-aged men creepily fixating on the singer's short plaid kilt and midriff-baring blouse, to seven-year-old girls hopping around the playground, strangely pleading "Hit me baby, one more time." Spears' debut album went multi-platinum while her single stayed at the top of the charts in the first months of 1999.

Upping her visibility, Spears' controversial Rolling Stone cover (clad only in a bra and hot pants, surrounded by stuffed animals while talking on the phone) had parent groups up in arms when the overtly sexy image hit stands in April – nearly eight months before the star's 18th birthday. Meanwhile, Spears and her inner circle began a long-standing policy of sending mixed messages, proclaiming the star's commitment to Southern, church-going values and remaining a virgin until she married.

Appearances on a myriad of specials and awards shows and a guest stint on the ABC sitcom "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (ABC/WB, 1996-2003) helped keep her in the minds and hearts of the public in between record releases. When her follow-up effort, Oops!... I Did It Again dropped in 2000, her audience welcomed it with open wallets. Another round of multi-platinum sales were made, and the video for the lead-off title track won the performer more kudos, proving her dance talents with an eye-catching routine in a fetching red vinyl catsuit.

When Spears appeared at that year’s “MTV Video Music Awards,” tearing off a man's tuxedo to reveal a flesh colored body suit, her sexy image was solidified. Indeed, it became central to her routinely controversial image, with fans and media debating over lurid topics such as whether or not the young star had received breast implants.

Spears' sex appeal was tempered for her more family value-minded fans by her sweet and seemingly chaste relationship with longtime boyfriend (and former Mouseketeer) Justin Timberlake – by then, the lead singer of the hugely popular boy band *NSYNC, which shared the same musical management as Spears. Expressing herself, showing her versatility and growing up in the public eye while losing very few of her original preteen fans, the singer seemed poised to stand the test of time.

Though potential roles in the TV series "Dawson's Creek" (WB, 1998-2003) and the feature "Scary Movie" (2000) came to naught – reportedly due to her busy schedule – new projects with Spears' name attached sprung up frequently. Rumors of her co-starring with hot Latin singer Ricky Martin in a sequel to the 1987 hit musical, "Dirty Dancing," were not realized, but the singer/dancer made another major impression on TV viewers.

Following a second erotically charged performance on the 2001 “MTV Music Video Awards,” during which she undulated in a barely-there harem outfit to her new song "I'm a Slave for U" while an albino python wrapped around her neck, viewers of both sexes were blown away yet again by her brazen “barely legal” performance. Britney-mania continued with her saucy performance in the HBO live concert, "Britney Spears: Live in Las Vegas" (2001) – a production that demonstrated her adult sex appeal as much as it did her propensity to lip-synch. Not satisfied with just conquering the music market, Spears tried her hand at publishing, co-authoring with her mother the autobiographical tome Britney Spears' Heart to Heart (2000) and the novel A Mother's Gift (2001) – the latter of which was turned into the ABC Family Channel telepic, "Brave New Girl" (2004), which Spears and her mother co-executive produced.

After much build-up, at last the young diva made her big-screen acting debut – with a healthy dash of the more proven skill, singing – in "Crossroads" (2002). Directed by Tamra Davis, the critically panned flick focused on three childhood friends on a road trip of self-discovery. Neither the mawkish film nor Spears' candy-coated, “aw-shucks” performance were exactly Oscar material, but it did appeal to a certain audience of die-hard Spears fans – namely the preteen and teen female and occasional smitten male. A blight on an otherwise world-conquering 2002 – including opening her own New York restaurant NYLA (which became a spectacular failure) and continuing to tour around the globe –was Spears’ very public break-up with Timberlake, amid sordid rumors of infidelity on her part. On the defensive, Timberlake rather ungentlemanly confirmed to much feigned shock that he and Spears had, indeed, put an end to her much-discussed virginity (as well as latter outing her as the cheater in his future solo hit single and video, “Cry Me a River”). Amidst all the professional solo triumphs and personal set-backs, she found time for a brief cameo in the comedy hit, "Austin Powers: Goldmember" and to record songs for a variety of film soundtracks.

By 2003-04, the media saturation of Spears and her fellow teeny-bopper idols (including Aguilera, Backstreet Boys and *NSYNC) resulted in the beginnings of the inevitable backlash, with the singer making news more for her personal escapades than professional activities. In a move many saw as desperate for all parties involved, Spears made headlines when, during an appearance on the 2003 “MTV Music Video Awards,” she opened the show in a musical sequence opposite her idol Madonna and her reported rival Aguilera, in which she shared a lip-lock with the Material Girl. That was followed by the release of her fourth album, In the Zone, in which the singer further pushed provocative boundaries in an obvious attempt to establish herself as a grown-up artist and to capitalize on her always buzzed-about sexpot charms. The album received a critical drubbing in most quarters and did not entirely live up to commercial expectations. The disc still provided hit singles, including the ubiquitous dance floor favorite "Toxic" and its controversial, overtly sexy music video, which was briefly relegated to late-night-only airings on MTV. Oddly, during the promotional period for the album, Spears appeared in many increasingly provocative, skin-baring photographs, including a recreation of a 1960s-era Angie Dickinson shot with her bare bottom peaking out of a strategically stretched sweater for the cover of Esquire, yet she claimed in interviews she did not approve the shots, still trying to project – albeit, unconvincingly at this point – an innocent, girl-next-door persona.

The wild child beneath the surface was bubbling over into her public persona, with the mainstream and tabloid press endlessly chronicling every juicy aspect of her behavior – which allegedly included late night partying and hook-ups with celebrity lotharios Fred Durst and Colin Farrell. The dam seemingly broke loose in January of 2004, when the singer shocked fans with a surprise marriage to her childhood friend Jason Alexander in an apparently booze-fueled New Year's Eve wedding in Las Vegas – something she called "a joke that had gone too far." The marriage was annulled within 55 hours (with a lucrative pay-off to Alexander), but that did not stop Spears' shocking second rush to the altar later that same year – this time to seemingly gold-digging back-up dancer, Kevin Federline. This union was not without its controversy either, as at the start of their romance, Federline was an expectant father involved in a relationship with actress Shar Jackson – who had already bore him one child not long before. Their engagement was announced in June, with plans for a fall 2004 wedding. Somewhere between romances, Spears continued to self-promote with faux-revelatory documentary specials on MTV, ABC and E! networks, and she performed a surprisingly uninspired live version of her universally panned Onyx Hotel tour for the HBO special "Britney Spears: Live in Miami" (2004). The blonde idol pulled out of the final leg of her poorly received tour after injuring her knee in June of that year, requiring surgery and four months of recuperation (she also admitted that her head "really wasn't into" the tour).

As a newly married woman in September of 2004, Spears increasingly found herself the subject of snarky bloggers and tabloid magazines. Much of it she brought on herself, as she was constantly photographed leaving gas station bathrooms barefoot and chowing down on Cheetos while cruising around town in a number of luxury vehicles. Worse yet, she often looking disheveled and messy coming in and out of seemingly every fast food restaurant in the greater Los Angeles area. And interestingly enough to the public – she seemed not to care what people thought of her or her new husband. This was most apparent when Spears and Federline sold home movies taken during their courtship to UPN, resulting in the May, 2005 premiere of their reality show, "Britney & Kevin: Chaotic" – complete with the questionable catchphrase: “Can you handle our truth?” By this time, it seemed the answer was no – and that no one cared to. Critics were less than kind, to say the least. In fact, the show made the couple an even bigger laughing stock than before, what with the constant stream of nonsensical baby-talk, mugging close-ups and uncomfortable pawing of one another. But Spears seemed happy – especially after giving birth to her first child, Sean Preston in September, 2005.

Not long after her son’s birth, however, Spears found that the media had zeroed in on something more sensitive than her fashion sense or choice in men – her mothering skills. In a quick succession of scandalous incidents, starting in early 2006, Spears was photographed driving with her infant son on her lap; with her infant son in the wrong car seat, facing the wrong way in a convertible – and finally – tripping on a NYC street, almost dropping the baby, while teetering on heels and trying to hold onto a glass of water. The public lambasting of Spears as bad mom was at an all time high that spring – enough that by the third incident in New York, some celebrity first-time mothers and organizations stuck up for her, especially after video footage shot through a restaurant window hit the internet, clearly showing Spears clinging to her baby and crying after the tripping incident.

By the fall, the public scorn seemed to shift and redirect toward Federline – especially after he was spotted all over L.A. and Vegas, partying with cronies, while his wife, now pregnant with their second son was M.I.A. When a bedraggled Spears was forced to do damage control by sobbing to Matt Lauer on a notorious “Dateline NBC” interview in June, fans began counting down the days until Spears come to her senses and left the man they considered the ruin of the old Britney. The week the wannabe rapper released his first album, Playing with Fire – to a unanimous and expected critical beatdown – the public got its wish. On Nov. 7, Spears filed for divorce from Federline, citing “irreconcilable differences” and asking for physical and legal custody of one-year-old Sean and two-month-old Jayden, but for Federline to receive reasonable visitation rights. Spears gave the date of separation as the day before – the same day she flaunted her revamped post-pregnancy physique during a surprise appearance on “The Late Show with David Letterman” (CBS, 1993- ).

Following her divorce announcement, Spears made news of a different kind. Free from her troubled marriage, the singer began a seemingly non-stop series of nights-on-the-town – first, with fellow party girl, Paris Hilton, then by herself or with new friends. When Spears was shot on three different occasions getting out of cars sans underwear, she became the toast of celebrity blogs and late night comics the world over – many of whom seemingly relished Spears' new out-of-control lifestyle. Her parenting again was called into question, as everyone – including her estranged husband, who was now, looking more and more the stable parent – wondered who was at home, minding the boys while Spears hit the club scene. Her partying ways continued into the new year, along with rumors of lesbian behavior dropped by her brief boyfriend, model Isaac Cohen, who spilled the beans to the press of her supposed sexual appetites. During the months of nighttime cavorting, Spears changed her hair color repeatedly – and after a one-day stint in rehab for undisclosed reasons – shaved it off altogether, leaving fans in shock at her radical appearance. The weekend after photos of a bald Spears hit the media, the troubled star checked herself into rehab for another one-day stint, only to take off with no explanation. Only days later, after an alleged confrontation with Federline, who reportedly threatened to take the boys away if she did not reenter rehab, Spears once again entered Promises Malibu, her mother Lynne driving her back again.



Britney Spears Family
* Brother: Bryan Spears. born c. 1977
* Father: Jamie Spears. born c. 1953
* Mother: Lynne Spears. born c. 1955
* Sister: Jamie Lynn Spears. born c. 1991
* Son: Jayden James Federline. born September 12, 2006; father, Kevin Federline
* Son: Sean Preston Federline. born September 14, 2005 in Santa Monica, California; father, Kevin Federline

Britney Spears - Significant Others
* Companion: Columbus Short. rumored to be the cause of her 2002 split from Justin Timberlake
* Companion: Fred Durst. announced on the "Howard Stern Show" that he slept with Spears in 2003; Spears denied they were ever involved
* Companion: Isaac Cohen. Cohen's agent confirmed they were dating as of December 2006; spit two months later
* Companion: Justin Timberlake. member of the popular singing group *NSYNC; the two appeared together on the "Mickey Mouse Club" in the early 1990s; dated for three years; split in 2002
* Companion: Nick Carter. member of the singing group "Backstreet Boys"; rumored to have dated in 2002
* Husband: Jason Allen Alexander. married in Las Vegas on January 3, 2004; marriage annulled 2 days later
* Husband: Kevin Federline. began dating March 2004, while his ex-girlfriend was pregnant with their second child; engaged in June 2004; married September 18, 2004 at a private home in Studio City, California; some sources show that the wedding ceremony that occurred on September 18 was a "faux" ceremony, and that the real date of the start of their wedding was October 6, 2004; filed for divorce in November, 2006, citing "irreconcilable differences" and asking for legal and physical custody of the couple's two sons
* Companion: Fred Dunst. rumored to be dating as of January 2003; no longer together as of February 2003
* Companion: Justin Timberlake. member of the popular singing group *NSYNC; the two co-starred on the "Mickey Mouse Club" in the early 1990s; reportedly separated in 2002
* Companion: Nick Carter. member of the singing group Backstreet Boys; rumored to be dating as of September 2002

Britney Spears Education
* Professional Performing Arts School, New York, New York, 1991
* Park Lane Academy, McComb, Mississippi

Britney Spears Milestones
* 1987 Began dance lessons at the age of five (date approximate)
* 1989 Trained as a gymnast at age seven (date approximate)
* 1990 Auditioned for the Disney Channel series "The Mickey Mouse Club"; at eight was considered too young by producers
* 1991 Moved with mother and sister to New York City to pursue an acting career
* 1991 Starred in the Off-Broadway production "Ruthless", a comedic remake of "The Bad Seed"
* 1992 Competed on the syndicated talent series "Star Search"; won for her debut performance, but was defeated the following week
* 1993 Was a cast member on "Mickey Mouse Club"
* 1997 Signed with Jive Records
* 1998 First single, "...Baby One More Time"
* 1998 Went on a promotional shopping mall tour
* 1999 Guested on an episode of the sitcom "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch" (ABC)
* 1999 Released multiplatinum debut album "...Baby One More Time"
* 2000 Appeared in a McDonald's commercial filmed in Canada but refused to film a non-union United States-produced commercial for Clairol's Herbal Essence shampoo during the commercial actors' strike; donated $1 of each ticket sold at a concert in California to the SAG Foundation
* 2000 Followed up with the successful sophomore effort "Oops!... I Did it Again"
* 2000 Lent her vocal talents to an episode of "The Simpsons", playing herself
* 2001 Hosted the American Music Awards telecast on ABC
* 2002 Feature film acting debut in "Crossroads", directed by Tamra Davis
* 2002 Opened restaurant called NyLa in New York; terminated her relationship with the restaurant citing mismanagement and management's failure to keep her fully apprised in November 2002.
* 2002 Started production company called Britney Spears Productions
* 2003 Recieved Star on the Hollywood walk of Fame
* 2003 Released fourth album "In the Zone", which featured Madonna on it's first single Me Against the Music
* 2004 Received a Grammy nomination for Best Dance Recording for the song "Toxic"
* 2004 Released "Greatest Hits: My Prerogative" featuring three new songs, including My Prerogative and Do Somethin'
* 2004 Signed a five year deal with Elizabeth Arden to develop fragrance, cosmetics and skin care products
* 2005 Guest starred on an episode of "Will & Grace," (NBC) as a Christian conservative sidekick to Sean Hayes' character, Jack, who hosts his own talk show
* 2005 Starred in a six-part reality series titled "Britney and Kevin: Chaotic" (UPN), which mixed footage shot during the pair's whirlwind engagement in 2004
* 2006 Appeared on Dateline NBC to discuss tabloid rumors about an impending divorce from her husband, future career plans, her emotional state and motherhood
* Returned to Louisiana

Britney Spears Biography (summmary):
* Name: Britney Spears
* Birth Name: Britney Jean Spears
* Height: 5' 4"
* Nationality: American
* Birth Date: December 2, 1981
* Birth Place: Kentwood, Louisiana
* Profession: singer
* Education: NYC's Professional Performing Arts School, Broadway Dance Center, Mickey Mouse Club

Source: Yahoo! Movie
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