Prince William & Kate's Last Name: Mountbatten-Windsor

Prince William & Kate's Last Name: Mountbatten-Windsor

Now that Prince William and Kate Middleton are married, some are wondering their last name.


Like other descendants of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, William's surname is Mountbatten-Windsor, and it will be Kate's too by marriage.


As explained by the official British royal website, the Queen's descendants carry the name Mountbatten, as well as the royal surname Windsor, to reflect her husband Prince Philip's surname.


The royal website explains further that the surnames are not always used, only when they are formally needed, such as the case of marriage.


While Prince William will be recorded as a Mountbatten-Windsor in the marriage registry today, he may choose a new name at a later point, specifically if and when he becomes king. As explained here, "Since a royal proclamation is not binding on succeeding rulers, King William could decide to add a name or two."


Prince William and Kate, who will go by the name of Catherine, also inherited the titles Duke and Duchess of Cambridge upon their marriage today.
source: special

Prince William, Kate leave palace in helicopter

Prince William, Kate leave palace in helicopter

Prince William and his new wife flew out of Buckingham Palace Saturday after tying the knot in a dazzling display blending centuries-old royal tradition with the private moments of any young couple.

But they did not fly off to their honeymoon, the couple has decided to stay in Britain this weekend, palace officials said Saturday.

William, who married Middleton on Friday in an opulent ceremony at Westminster Abbey, plans to return to military duty as a Royal Air Force helicopter rescue pilot in Wales at the end of this weekend, which includes a Monday holiday, officials said.
They will go on a honeymoon to an undisclosed overseas location later, officials said, stating that this is the couple's "personal preference."

The palace has not revealed where in Britain they have gone for the weekend. The couple are thought to be seeking privacy after the intense media focus on their wedding.

Earlier, officials said William has scheduled a two-week leave from his military duties for the couple's honeymoon, but no specific dates or locations have been announced.

Official photographs of the newly wed couple taken by Hugo Burnand, above and to the right, were also released Saturday by Clarence House, where William's father, Prince Charles, lives.

The prince and Kate Middleton, his 29-year-old girlfriend of nearly a decade, married in London's Westminster Abbey on Friday in a ceremony that captivated the world.

A million cheering people tried to catch a glimpse of the newlyweds as they rode from the abbey to Queen Elizabeth's Buckingham Palace in an open-topped carriage. One newspaper estimated the worldwide TV and online audience at 2.4 billion people.
Commentators praised the royal family for striking a balance between choreographed pomp and ceremony — military bands in black bearskin hats and household cavalrymen in shining breastplates — and personal

"The British still know how to combine pageantry, solemnity, romance  better than anyone else in the world," wrote Sarah Lyall in the International Herald Tribune newspaper.

'Sea change'
William, 28, drove his bride the short journey from Buckingham Palace to St James's Palace in his father's open-top Aston Martin with the license plate "JU5T WED". Their kisses on the palace's balcony carpeted newspaper front pages on Saturday.

Lives Saved by A Cellphone

Lives Saved by A Cellphone

Saved by my cellphone
Mobile phones are good for more than just texting, chatting and playing addictive games. You never know when you might need to place a call from the bottom of a tree well, like James Drummond recently did. Get his story and more examples of lifesaving cells.

James Drummond
This snowboarder’s afternoon was spoiled when he crashed into a 6-ft. deep tree well (what’s that?). Drummond used his phone to place a distress call to his wife, who alerted the snow patrol. He was rescued a halfhour later.

Carla Chapman
Chapman was gardening at her Sunshine state home when she was swallowed up by a 7-ft. sinkhole. She had her phone handy and tried dialing for help, but got no signal. How did her phone ultimately help her?

John Garber
Two ejected nightclub-goers angrily opened fire on the Atlanta hotspot where Garber was working as a valet. His cellphone — perched in his shirt pocket — blocked the stray bullet that would’ve otherwise entered his chest.

Thomas Wopat-Moreau
This Manhattan man’s car careened off a state highway, leaving him wounded and stranded for four days. It wasn’t a 911 call that alerted state troopers to his whereabouts — see how his phone helped them find him.

Dan Woolley
Woolley was making a film about poverty in Haiti’s capital when the nation’s devastating earthquake struck. Trapped under tons of wreckage in his hotel lobby, he used an iPhone app to learn how to treat his injuries.

Eric Cooper, Sr.
This SoCal coach turned to an iPhone app (see which one) for pointers when one of his teen basketball players fell ill on the court. Cooper was able to successfully administer CPR and revive the player.

Abby Flantz & Erica Nelson
While hiking in Alaska , Flantz and Nelson mistakenly wandered off route and went missing (for how long?). Here’s how rescuers used their phone to find them.

Kevin Weaver
When Weaver collapsed on the floor of his home  his specially trained service dog, Belle, sprang into action. The beagle knew how to bite the 911 speed-dial button on Weaver’s cellphone, alerting the paramedics.

Shannon Haight
Haight was abducted from a parking lot and attempted to call police while locked in a car trunk. After repeatedly dialing the wrong number by mistake, she eventually called her boyfriend, who called 911, setting off a high-speed chase.

Prince Williams Last Name

 Prince William s Last Name

With so much royal wedding buzz, we saw fit to include at least one question about the couple of the moment. So, what IS Prince William's last name? We called the British Embassy to get the answer to this question.

It says that members of the Royal Family do not commonly use a last name. Historically, kings and princes were known by the names of the countries over which they ruled. This is why Prince William can also be referred to as Prince William of Wales.

The most widely used title for Prince William would be His Royal Highness Prince William. If a surname were ever needed, that name would be Mountbatten-Windsor. This historical name is used by any descendant of Queen Elizabeth II and first appeared on an official document in 1973 during the marriage of Princess Anne and Captain Mark Phillips.

To get more information on the Royal Family and its names, visit the official website of the British Monarchy.

To get more information on the Royal Family and its names, visit the official website of the British Monarchy.

How famous couples met

How famous couples met

How famous couples met. From royal weddings to stolen smooches to crossword puzzle proposals, romance is in the air. To celebrate, we're taking a look at the blissful beginnings -- some passionate, some controversial -- of several famous couples.

Barack and Michelle Obama
The president pursued the future FLOTUS after she mentored him at a law firm

Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith
The Hollywood superstars met when Jada auditioned to play Will's girlfriend on his 1990s sitcom

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes
Katie and Tom began their romance in a very Hollywood way. What did she say about her future husband when she first saw the movie that helped launch his career.

Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi
The talk-show host left a big impression on the TV star when they first met. The two married in 2008.

Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom
The reality-show star and her NBA-playing husband met at a party, and their romance has continued on-screen ever since.

George and Laura Bush
The former president and his wife met at a cookout in Laura's hometown and went on to raise twin daughters together.

Prince William and Kate Middleton
The college sweethearts got engaged last year. See the family heirloom he gave her.

Peter Orszag and Bianna Golodryga
The media power couple met at an annual gala and got married last year. What surprising news was revealed during their engagement?

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie
The parents of six, superstars Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt bonded on the set of this action flick but didn't become a couple until later.

Derek Jeter and Minka Kelly
Ever since they were first spotted taking in some NCAA football action and then began dating, engagement rumors have swirled around the actress and her MLB squeeze.

David and Victoria Beckham
Fittingly, the soccer superstar met his future wife at a charity football match in their home country.

Faith Hill and Tim McGraw
Country music stars Faith Hill and Tim McGraw met backstage and have been on the road together ever since.

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony
The Latin-music singer told the "American Idol" judge she would be his wife years before they got hitched in a surprise ceremony. They had previously briefly dated and were longtime friends.

Bill and Melinda Gates
The Microsoft founder and his wife met in 1987, shortly after she joined his company.

Kendra Wilkinson and Hank Baskett
The reality-show stars met at a golf tournament put on by the former Playmate's much older boyfriend.

James Carville and Mary Matalin
The political odd couple -- watch them square off -- have been an item since the 1992 presidential campaign.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher
The Hollywood bombshell and her younger man met at a play in 2003 and got married in a secret ceremony two years later.

Tom Brady and Gisele Bündchen
The star quarterback was dating this actress when he met the Brazilian supermodel.

Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez
The Disney actress shared with David Letterman the story of how she met herteen-pop-sensation boyfriend.

Kate and William postpone honeymoon

William and Kate postpone honeymoon

Prince William and Kate delay foreign honeymoon as Prince William returns to work next week after bank holiday break in Britain.
Prince William and his new wife Kate Middleton have decided not to depart for their honeymoon immediately and have instead opted to spend the weekend in the UK, St James's Palace announced today.


It had been thought that the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge would take two weeks off for the traditional post royal wedding break.


But it appears they want some private time in familiar surroundings after one of the most important days in their life saw their marriage celebrated by the nation and beyond.
They will probably travel to the Queen's Balmoral Estate in Scotland, which will afford them privacy and stunning countryside in which to unwind.


They left Buckingham Palace this morning like a couple very much in love, walking hand in hand to a waiting helicopter which flew them off for their secret weekend break.
Before they boarded the aircraft, palace staff had carried out some of their luggage, which included a bouquet of white blooms.


A St James's Palace spokesman said: "The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have chosen not to depart for a honeymoon immediately.


"Instead, after spending the weekend privately in the United Kingdom, the Duke will return to work as a search and rescue pilot next week.


"The locations of both their private weekend before the Duke returns to work and their future honeymoon, which will be overseas, will not be disclosed in advance."


St James's Palace stressed that the couple had asked that the media respect their privacy over the weekend and during their holiday.


Speculation had been mounting about where the couple could spend their time away together.


They had been expected to travel either to somewhere in Africa, perhaps Kenya where Prince William proposed, or possibly Jordan where Kate spent two years as a child.


There were reports that the couple had booked a tailor made private tour of southern Jordan, including a visit to the ancient city of Petra.

Evolution of the Royal Wedding Dress

Evolution of the Royal Wedding Dress

These Historic Gowns Weren't Just Fashion Statements
Royal Wedding Dress as Symbol
Until Friday morning, probably the biggest mystery surrounding the latest British royal wedding was who designed Kate Middleton's wedding dress.

But when the future Queen Elizabeth II (pictured) walked down the aisle in London's Westminster Abbey in 1947, her wedding dress was more than a fashion statement: It represented the hopes of a nation, according to royal wedding gown curator Joanna Marschner.

With food and clothing still being rationed in postwar Britain, royal dressmaker Norman Hartnell sought to convey a message of national renewal, instead of focusing on opulent materials. He did this in part by embroidering the gown with garlands of spring flowers.

"It is a dress with a message for that particular moment in time," said Marschner, of Historic Royal Palaces, an independent charity that acts as caretaker for five British royal buildings.

"I think you can say that about all the royal wedding dresses—they have become amazing documents that can say a lot about the year when they were worn."

Thoroughly Modern Middleton?
Only time will tell what Kate Middleton's wedding dress—pictured during her Friday wedding to Prince William—really says about its time and place. But, despite its modern design, the dress clearly sounds themes of some historic British royal wedding gowns.

Like her new mother-in-law's 1947 wedding dress, Middleton's blooms with flora, including embroidered roses, thistles, daffodils, and shamrocks—which might be seen as signs of spring for Britain's stagnant economy. Some U.K. leaders, including Prime Minister David Cameron, who's called the wedding "unadulterated good news," have voiced hopes that the nuptials will provide an extended influx of tourist dollars, according to the Reuters news service.

And like Queen Victoria's 1840 gown, Middleton's does its bit to boost British industry. The handmade lace hails from the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, for example. And the new Duchess of Cambridge chose a British fashion house, Alexander McQueen, to design the dress—in part because of the brand's "craftsmanship and its respect for traditional workmanship and the technical construction of clothing," according to a statement on the official wedding website.

Springtime for Britain and Royalty?
The royal wedding dress of the future Queen Elizabeth II, worn during her marriage to Philip Mountbatten in 1947, is an important document of postwar Britain, according to royal wedding dress curator Marschner.

With the country still suffering from the human and economic costs of World War II, "the idea behind the dress is all important, because it's a dress for promise for the future, for better times to come," she said.

With that in mind, royal wedding dress designer Hartnell took as his inspiration the Botticelli painting "Allegory of Spring"—despite the wedding's November date.

Once More Into the Bleach
Worn for her wedding to the future King George V in 1893, Princess Mary of Teck's royal wedding dress belongs to a collection of royal wedding gowns kept at Kensington Palace in London.

During the 19th century British royal brides switched from opulent wedding dresses made with gold and silver textiles—almost advertisements of Britain's wealth and power—to simpler, more common white bridal outfits.

Pale or white wedding dresses had long been worn by wealthier commoners, royal wedding dress curator Marschner explained.

"The lower down the social system you were, the darker color you would wear, because it was harder to keep—or employ someone else to keep—your dress clean," she said.

The white-wedding trend among royals was started by King George's grandmother, Queen Victoria, whose decision to adopt the example of her subjects "marked a watershed in royal bridal fashion," Marschner said.

Royal Wedding as Public Pageant
Queen Victoria's newlywed daughter, Princess Beatrice, poses for a wedding snapshot with Prince Henry of Battenberg in 1885.

In earlier centuries royal weddings were largely private, governmental matters arranged among the Europe's royal families. But in the 19th century, the growth of print media and photography helped fuel public interest in the royal wedding dresses.

Reports of Queen Victoria's wedding in 1840 "went to all the colonial regions of the British Empire. Within … a month it was in the all the U.S. newspapers," commented Paula Richter, a curator at the Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts.

"She married as the age of photography was beginning—there are quite a number of royal portraits done of the ceremony or of her wearing her garments … many people had a visual sense of that wedding," Richter said.

Nice Century for a White Wedding
When Queen Victoria tied the knot with Prince Albert in 1840, as shown in a period illustration, her choice of dress showed she approached her wedding day very differently to previous royal brides.

"All her advisers were suggesting red velvet robes and ermine and all the grand things of that earlier tradition," royal wedding dress curator Marschner said.

But Victoria, who wanted her marriage to be a personal event, not a political one, rejected royal protocol and opted instead for a simple—by royal standards of the era—ivory satin dress.

"It was the kind of dress well-brought-up girls up and down the country would wear," Marschner said.

"It may not be the first white wedding dress, but it is the first royal example," she added. "It made royal wedding fashions achievable for the general public."

Richter, of the Peabody Essex Museum, added the Queen Victoria's wedding "was as influential as Princess Diana's wedding in the early 1980s," in part due to Victoria's more accessible take on the royal wedding.

Made in Britain
Queen Victoria "saw it as her business to promote things British," and her wedding dress (sleeve pictured) was a perfect opportunity, royal wedding dress curator Marschner said.

Exploiting the worldwide media attention her wedding received, Victoria had the dress made from silk woven in East London and decorated with lace produced in southwestern England.

"Victoria on her wedding day was shouting loud about things that Britain was really good at," Marschner said.

Currently undergoing conservation work, Queen Victoria's wedding dress will go on display in 2012 in London's Kensington Palace—the potential future home of Prince William and Kate Middleton after their Friday wedding.

Last in a Royal Line
Shot through with silver thread, the wedding dress worn in 1816 by Princess Charlotte—only child of the future King George IV—is the last in a centuries-old line of royal wedding gowns made of precious materials.

"It's the last of the great big, expensive, showy dresses that survived in its entirety," said Marschner, the royal wedding dress curator.

Sadly, Princess Charlotte died in childbirth the year following her marriage to Prince Leopold of Saxe-Coburg.

Power Couple

While Prince William and Kate Middleton—who met about ten years ago in college—have had plenty of time to get to know each other before their wedding, Queen Mary I of England and Prince Philip of Spain (pictured) married two days after they'd met in 1554.

From medieval times to the 19th century, royal marriages were political unions, not fairy tale romances, and royal brides dressed accordingly, said royal wedding dress curator Marschner.

"They wore dresses made of precious gold and silver textiles to represent the status and the dignity of their nation," she said.

"Wearing something that was really precious, really striking, was important," Marschner added. "They were playing their part in the great game of international politics."

Mitch Daniels will sign bill to defund Planned Parenthood

Mitch Daniels will sign bill to defund Planned Parenthood

Indiana Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels announced late Friday afternoon that he will sign a controversial bill to defund Planned Parenthood.


"I supported this bill from the outset, and the recent addition of language guarding against the spending of tax dollars to support abortions creates no reason to alter my position," he said in a statement.
Daniels' decision was closely watched since he is considering a presidential run. His earlier call for a "truce" on social issues had garnered the ire of social conservatives, and the bill was seen as a test of where he stood on such issues. Daniels has cast himself as focused primarily on fiscal issues.


Had Daniels vetoed the bill, which will make Indiana the first state to strip Medicaid funding for the network of reproductive health clinics, it would likely have hardened opposition to Daniels among social conservatives, who make up a significant portion of the GOP primary electorate in the key early voting states of Iowa and South Carolina. Signing the bill may help Daniels alleviate some of the reservations to his candidacy among that group if he decides to run.


"Any organization affected by this provision can resume receiving taxpayer dollars immediately by ceasing or separating its operations that perform abortions," Daniels said in his statement.


On Thursday, Rick Santorum, a potential Daniels rival in the GOP presidential primary, called on the governor to sign the bill, saying of Planned Parenthood, "That's an organization that has a very sordid history and founding and one that I still think focuses in on activities that a lot of people have moral objections to." During the budget fight earlier this year that almost led to a government shutdown, Republicans tried and failed to eliminate federal funding for Planned Parentood, which is legally barred from using federal money to perform abortions.


The Indiana bill will eliminate $2 million in federal funding that Planned Parenthood receives, funneled through the state (the legislature has no control over an additional $1 million Planned Parenthood in Indiana receives from the federal government). About $1.3 million of that money comes from Medicaid funds allocated for family planning. It will also ban abortions after 20 weeks.

7 Skin-Care Myths Busted!

7 Skin-Care Myths Busted!

The Myth: Using more of a product will make it work faster.
The Truth: "In most cases, heaping on a skin-care product is only going to land you in the dermatologist's office faster,"; says Kenneth Beer, a dermatologist in Palm Beach, Florida. "Anything that contains an active ingredient will irritate your skin if you overdo it." The most common active ones are vitamin C, retinol, and alpha hydroxy acids (like glycolic), which work to smooth the skin and soften lines, and beta-hydroxy acids (like salicylic) and benzoyl peroxide, which clear breakouts. If you're using something that contains these ingredients, apply just enough to barely cover the area you're treating. If you're using a retinol cream, for example, a pea-size dab will do the trick.

The Myth: Everyone needs to use a toner.

The Truth: "Ninety percent of people using toners shouldn't be," says Ranella Hirsch, a dermatologist in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "In most cases, they strip the skin of the oil it needs to stay soft." Just cleansing is enough to remove surface dirt and oils.

But what about that dark stuff you see on the cotton ball after you cleanse? It's not dirt. It's healthy oils that darken when exposed to air. So who should use a toner? Only people with very oily or acne-prone skin. If this is you, look for one with alcohol and salicylic acid to fight breakouts.
The Myth: You can get addicted to your favorite lip balm.
The Truth: There's no basis to the conspiracy theory that lip balms are spiked with ingredients that make your lips drier . "Balms simply make your lips look and feel soft, so we tend to reapply them as soon as they wear off," says New York City dermatologist Doris Day. "But there's no possibility of physical addiction."

The real issue, explains Dr. Beer, is that lip-balm application is often accompanied by lip licking. "That constant wetting and drying becomes a habit, and that's what depletes moisture." To stop the cycle and start fresh, apply cortisone cream to your lips and top it with Vaseline for a week. Then stick to balms that contain petrolatum, glycerin, or mineral oil — they won't rub off easily or irritate your lips.

The Myth: The more SPF products you layer on, the higher your level of sun protection will be.
The Truth: Between your SPF 30 moisturizer, SPF 15 foundation, and SPF 10 powder, you probably think you're up to an SPF of 55, right? Wrong. While your math is impressive, sun protection, unfortunately, isn't cumulative. If you're wearing layers of SPF, you're only protected up to the highest number that you put on. So in this case, 30 plus 15 plus 10 equals...30.

The Myth: Everyone needs to buy a separate eye cream.
The Truth: The skin around your eyes is the thinnest on your body, so it needs a little extra TLC. But that doesn't mean you need to drop a Benjamin on an itsy-bitsy jar of eye cream. "If you use a very hydrating face cream, there's no reason you can't apply it up to your eyes," says Dr. Bank. "You don't need another product."

To avoid any problems, make sure your moisturizer is fragrance-free — fragrance is the number one cause of irritation in skin-care products. If it contains sunscreen, physical ray repellers are less likely to bother your eyes than chemical ones  are. And even if you slap cream on the rest of your face, use your ring finger to dab it under your eyes and on your lids; it will keep you from tugging on delicate skin.

The Myth: You won't see results if you don't use a brand's entire line.
The Truth: That's what the lady at the counter said before she asked for your credit card. But you may be doing your skin more service by picking and choosing products from different lines. "There are a lot of great skin-care companies, but no one has the market cornered," says David Bank, a dermatologist in Mount Kisco, New York. "One might make a great moisturizer, another a fantastic cleanser. You should find the best combination for you." Score samples so you can test out brands without breaking the bank. (Many department-store lines dole out freebies, and drugstore brands often have giveaways on their Websites.)

The Myth: Your mascara might go bad, but not the stuff you use on your skin.
The Truth: No such luck. The night cream that's been sitting on your dresser for two years? It's probably not doing much for you at this point. Over time, the ingredients in face-care products evaporate or degrade, so they don't work as well. If the product's old enough that its preservatives have worn off, it's also vulnerable to bacteria. "The rule of thumb is to replace any skin-related item after a year," says New York City dermatologist Arielle Kauvar. That's about how long preservatives remain stable. Some products now come with a label that tells you how many months (6, 12, 15...) they last after you've opened them. How do you remember when that was? Use a permanent marker to write the date on the bottom of the bottle.

Famous May birthdays

Famous May birthdays

Famous May birthdays
A country singer, Oscar winner, all-star athlete and groundbreaking politician are just a few of the famous folks who were born in May. To celebrate, we’re revealing some fun facts about them.

Tim McGraw
The multitalented entertainer has a decades-long music career as well as a promising acting career.

This Oscar-nominated director is known for his quirky directing skill and his working partnership with an eccentric actor.

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson
The wrestler-turned-movie star is returning to the ring after a seven-year absence.

This Italian fashion designer has outfitted celebrities for decades, and was parodied by Maya Rudolph on “Saturday Night Live”.

Christina Hendricks
The “Mad Men” star is famous for her attention-getting curves.

This inventor and pitchman used his company to introduce the world to the Pocket Fisherman, Mr. Microphone and the Showtime Rotisserie.

Erin Andrews
The sideline reporter and “Dancing With the Stars” contestant dealt with a scary situation in 2009.

This ailing former Egyptian president was ousted by a revolution and is facing corruption charges. Read the latest news on his condition.

Adele
The British soul singer is making a big splash across the pond with her latest album. Watch her music videos.

This NBC news anchor is becoming as well known for his cameos on an NBC sitcom and late-night TV bits as he is for his reporting.

George Clooney
The perennial bachelor got his start on a long-running TV drama and went on to win an Oscar for his role in this movie.

This major league slugger with a funny nickname still holds fourth place on an impressive list. His controversial godson holds the top spot.

Shawn Marion
The NBA All-Star shoots for the Dallas Mavericks but started out his career with the Phoenix Suns.

This stand-up comedian starred in a pot-centered documentary and hosts a movie-themed podcast.

Don Rickles
“Mr. Warmth” has been insulting audiences for more than 60 years but took on a more kid-friendly role in a beloved movie franchise .

This Latin singer inherited his musical genes from his crooner dad. See who his famous girlfriend is.

Rosario Dawson
The New York actress made her big-screen debut in a controversial 1995 movie and went on to co-star with Denzel Washington in an action thriller. Next up? A Kevin James comedy.

The musician known as the “Piano Man” is turning 62 and has a daughter who is following in his footsteps.

Bono
The U2 front man has become one of the world’s most famous philanthropists.

This “Saturday Night Live” cast member got his start on a Nickelodeon sketch show.

Louis Farrakhan
The controversial Nation of Islam leader is turning 78. What is his birth name?

This actor – who plays a teen heartthrob on “Glee” – got caught up in a photo shoot controversy last year.

Tony Hawk
The professional skateboarder landed the first-ever 900 in competition and went on to build a hugely successful video-game empire.

This actor grabbed audiences’ attention in a cult hitand melted viewers’ hearts when he gave away his Golden Globe.

Robert Pattinson
The “Twilight” star tries to keep his real-life relationship with his co-star under wraps.

This late-night host uses his parody news show to skewer everyone from Bill O’Reilly to the president. Watch him testify before Congress.

Cate Blanchett
The Oscar-winning actress is known for her fashion sense as well as her talent.

This popular director has never won an Oscar despite his success at the box office. Read his bio.

Madeleine Albright
The first female secretary of state was known for her pin collection.

This former star NFL running back put his athletic skills to use to win “Dancing With the Stars.”

Janet Jackson
The pop icon from a legendary family once stirred up controversy with her Super Bowl performance.

This bombshell actress get her big break in “Transformers” and has a big comedy coming out next year.

Craig Ferguson
The late-night talk show host was born in Glasgow, Scotland.

This Nine Inch Nails front man surprised lots of fans when he won an Academy Award.

Chow Yun-fat
The Hong Kong action star broke through in Hollywood with roles in “Anna and the King” and “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

This Indy Car champion was born in Bathgate, Scotland, and is married to a Hollywood actress.

Nora Ephron
The Oscar-nominated writer-director is known for her romantic comedies.

This PBS newsman has a side job as a presidential debate moderator.

Cher
The Oscar-winning actress-singer starred in a Golden Globe-nominated movie last year.

This U.S. senator’s wife posed for a controversial ad.

Mr. T
We pity the fool who doesn’t love the star of “The A-Team.” He even had his own cereal!

This Minnesota senator transitioned from a sketch-comedy career to become a major player in Congress.

Apolo Anton Ohno
The Olympic gold medal speed skater traded in his skates for dancing shoes to win a reality competition show.

This British supermodel is famous for several “incidents” and was even connected to controversial stones.

Drew Carey
The former sitcom star took over for this longtime host as the face of “The Price Is Right” in 2007.

This singer is expecting her first baby with her cowboy husband.

Bob Dylan
The singer-songwriter with a trademark voice is celebrating his 70th birthday.

This iconic soul singer has been entertaining audiences since the 1960s.

Sir Ian McKellen
The star of the “X-Men” films and the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy is working on a highly anticipated prequel.

The star of “Hung” and ex-girlfriend of a popular talk-show host got her start in daytime soap operas.

Jack Kevorkian
The man known as “Dr. Death” was released from prison in 2007.

This funky rocker has a keen fashion sense and plays a mean guitar.

Louis Gossett Jr.
The Oscar-winning star of “Officer and a Gentleman” and the “Iron Eagle” franchise returned to the big screen last year.

This former secretary of state won a Nobel Peace Prize with this leader.

Carey Mulligan
The British actress has been nominated for an Oscar and gone through a public breakup.

This soul singer has been performing with her backup band since the 1960s.

Melissa Etheridge
The “Come to My Window” rocker battled a health set back before going through an ugly breakup with her actress wife last year.

This New York Knicks star won an NCAA championship at this university. Watch his recent late-night cameo.

Wynonna Judd
The country music star has a new reality show with her mom.

This hip-hop superstar sang with an Oscar winner and will be a judge for a new singing competition.

Clint Eastwood
The Oscar-winning actor-director – who turns 81 – is working on his next big movie.

This longtime actress got her start as a teenage jeans model and had a highly publicized feud with an A-list actor.