Sure you may watch Entertainment Tonight or read People Magazine, but how well do you really know your favorite stars? Here are some interesting facts you may not know about some of Hollywood’s most famous celebrities.
10 Celebrity Facts You May Not Know
- Adam Sandler Might Have Played Willy Wonka – Actor, comedian, film writer, and producer Adam Sandler is known for hit movies like Billy Madison, The Wedding Singer, and Anger Management. But did you know that he was also considered for the role of Willy Wonka in the 2005 remake of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? The role eventually went to Johnny Depp.
- Will Ferrell’s Ron Burgundy Character Was Inspired By A Real Person – Funnyman Will Ferrell, star of the hit comedy Anchorman (among many other films), based his famous Ron Burgundy character on veteran Philadelphia and Detroit news anchor Mort Crim. Ferrell watched a documentary on Jessica Savitch, who was Crim’s former co-anchor in the 1970s. In the documentary, Crim admitted he was a “male chauvinist pig” and that he was not nice to Savitch, who was one of the first female network news anchors. Ferrell used Crim’s deep voice, pompousness, and sexist attitude as inspiration for his Ron Burgundy character.
- Jerry Seinfeld Collects Luxury, Vintage, and Rare Cars – Jerry Seinfeld is more than a comedian, actor, television producer, and writer. He is also an avid car collector, with a collection said to be worth millions of dollars. According to reports he has a secret 3-story climate-controlled garage near his Manhattan apartment where he keeps over 46 Porsches, including several ultra-rare cars. The garage is also said to have an office, kitchenette, bathroom, and a club room with a pool table.
- Katt Williams Had Legal Problems – Actor, comedian, and rapper Katt Williams has many TV and film credits including guest appearances and roles in NYPD Blue, The Tracy Morgan Show, Rebound, Epic Movie, and Norbit. But his success on screen has sometimes been clouded by his off-screen legal problems. Throughout the years Williams has had several run ins with the law including arrests for burglary, criminal trespassing, and assault.
- Seth Rogen Never Graduated High School – Roles in movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Knocked Up, 50/50, and Superbad, made actor, comedian, and director Seth Rogen a household name. Rogen began to pursue comedy seriously when he was an early teen and never graduated high school because his career had already started to flourish.
- Chris Rock Spoofed A Hit Sitcom – Comedian and actor Chris Rock was a Saturday Night Live cast member and went on to appear in many films including I’m Gonna Get You Sucka and New Jack City. In 2005 he created the critically acclaimed TV sitcom Everybody Hates Chris, which was actually a spoof on the popular sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond starring Ray Romano. Everybody Hates Chris was inspired by his years growing up in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant section.
- Eddie Murphy Had A Hit Song – Actor and comedian Eddie Murphy was yet another Saturday Night Live cast member who broke out to film superstardom. But in addition to starring in hit movies like 48 Hours, Beverly Hills Cop, and Coming to America, he also recorded a hit song. In 1985 Eddie Murphy recorded “Party All The Time,” a song written and produced by Rick James and Kevin Johnson. The song reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Murphy continues to record music in his home studio.
- Seth MacFarlane Performed at Carnegie Hall – The multi-talented Seth MacFarlane is an animator, actor, director, writer, producer, and creator of the animated hit Family Guy. As if that wasn’t enough, he is also a skilled pianist and singer. He has performed at Carnegie Hall and in 2011, MacFarlane released Music Is Better Than Words, an album featuring classic standards.
- Steve Carell Was Not The First Choice For The Office – He wasn’t the second, third or fourth choice either. Paul Giamatti, Hank Azaria, Bob Odenkirk, and Martin Short were all considered ahead of him for what would be Steve Carell’s iconic role as Dunder Mifflin Regional Manager, Michael Scott.
- Paul Rudd Started In Horror – Paul Rudd, the well-known comedic actor who starred in movies like Clueless, Anchorman, I Love You, Man, and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, is actually quite a versatile performer who has played a variety of roles. In fact, the movie he starred in prior to his breakthrough role in Clueless, was Halloween 6: The Curse of Michael Myers, the sixth installment of the popular Halloween horror series.
