Born and raised in Thousand Oaks, California, AMANDA BYNES (Daphne Reynolds) began her career at a comedy camp. As she continued to work on her craft, it was at a showcase performance in Los Angeles that producer Brian Robbins discovered her and added Bynes to the cast of Nickelodeon’s All That. After just one season, she was nominated for a 1997 CableAce Award, putting her in the company of such established actresses as Tracey Ullman and Janeane Garofalo.
Known for her unique style of bold, no-holds-barred physical comedy, Bynes has risen to the top of the Nickelodeon series and remained on All That for four seasons. By the age of 12, Bynes became the youngest performer to host her own variety sketch show, The Amanda Show, which has earned her the Favorite Television Actress honor three years in a row from Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards.
In addition, Bynes hosted Nickelodeon’s Nickelennium millennium celebration, The Big Help and Kid’s Choice Awards, and was nominated for The Hollywood Reporter’s Young Star Award in the category of Best Performance by a Young Actress in a Comedy Television Series.
Working steadily since the age of 10, Bynes recently charmed audiences in the hit comedy Big Fat Liar opposite Frankie Muniz.
Bynes, who currently resides in Southern California, spends her free time drawing, painting and writing.
A classically trained British theatre actor, COLIN FIRTH (Lord Henry Dashwood) is a veteran of numerous television and film roles. In 2001, he became best known to American audiences when he starred opposite Renée Zellweger in the hit British comedy Bridget Jones’s Diary, in which he portrayed Mark Darcy, the man who rivaled Hugh Grant for Bridget’s affections. He is probably best remembered for his breakout role in 1995 when he played Mr. Darcy in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, for which he received a BAFTA nomination for Best Actor and legions of female admirers.
He will next be seen starring in the Disney film Hope Springs with Heather Graham and Minnie Driver. He has recently completed production on the Universal film Love Actually with Hugh Grant and Laura Linney, as well as the independent film Girl With A Pearl Earring, opposite Tom Wilkinson and Scarlett Johansson.
He was recently seen starring opposite Rupert Everett and Reese Witherspoon in the Miramax Film, The Importance of Being Earnest. In 1998, Firth starred in Shakespeare in Love, where he played Lord Wessex, the evil husband to Gwyenth Paltrow’s character. In 1997, he starred in A Thousand Acres, with Michelle Pfeiffer and Jessica Lange, and in 1996, The English Patient, opposite Kristen Scott Thomas and Ralph Fiennes. His other film credits include Relative Values, My Life So Far, The Secret Laughter of Women, Fever Pitch, Circle of Friends, Playmaker, and the title role in Valmont.
In 1989, he received the Royal Television Society Best Actor Award as well as a BAFTA nomination for his work in the TV production Tumbledown. Firth’s other work on television includes roles in the films Conspiracy, Windmills on the Clyde: Making Donovan Quick, Donovan Quick, The Widowing of Mrs. Holroyd, Deep Blue Sea, Hostages, and the mini-series Nostromo. His London stage debut was in the West End production of Another Country playing Benett. He was then chosen to play the character Judd in the 1984 film adaptation.
Colin Firth resides in London, England with his wife and young son.
A talented and captivating performer, KELLY PRESTON (Libby Reynolds) has performed in a broad range of motion pictures, portraying roles in such diverse films as Jerry Maguire, Citizen Ruth and Twins. Her dynamic and compelling performances have proven her to be one of the most sought-after actors of our generation.
Recently, Preston finished production on The Cat in the Hat, based on the famous children’s fable by Dr. Seuss, starring opposite Mike Myers and Alec Baldwin and under the direction of Bo Welch. She can currently be seen starring opposite Gwyneth Paltrow and Christina Applegate in A View from the Top directed by Bruno Barreto.
Upon graduating from high school, Preston relocated to Los Angeles and enrolled in the University of Southern California where she studied drama and theatre. She ultimately transferred to the University of California at Los Angeles and decided to commit to pursue acting seriously. She would soon win her very first audition.
Preston was born and raised in Hawaii. As a result of her father’s position with an agricultural firm, the family moved first to Iraq for one year and then to Australia for two years. It was while she was a teenager in Hawaii that Preston appeared in television commercials and began to develop an interest in an acting career.
She made her feature film debut with a well-received role in the hit motion picture Twins, opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. Her additional film credits include Only You, Run, The Perfect Bride, The Experts, Spellbinder, Space Camp, 52 Pick-Up, Secret Admirer and Mischief. Ms. Preston also starred in the Academy Award-nominated short, Little Surprises directed by Jeff Goldblum.
Preston appeared to rave reviews opposite Tom Cruise in the number one box office smash hit Jerry Maguire. The Tri-Star picture was written and directed by Cameron Crowe. She was also seen in a pivotal role in the critically acclaimed motion picture Citizen Ruth for Miramax. In addition, she starred in the hit feature film Addicted to Love co-starring Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick and was seen in the comedy Nothing to Lose opposite Tim Robbins and Martin Lawrence.
Preston also starred in the feature film comedy The Holy Man, with Eddie Murphy and Jeff Goldblum; Jack Frost, opposite Michael Keaton for Warner Bros. Pictures; Daddy and Them, directed by Billy Bob Thornton; and starred opposite Kevin Costner in the Universal picture For the Love of the Game for director Sam Raimi.