Production Information

The renewed popularity of the R-rated comedy over the past several years has been marked by performances from two men who play seemingly irredeemable characters you just can’t help but root for. Bringing their complementary comic styles— withering commentary and acid tongue-lashings to meet bawdy humor mixed with countless sexual conquests—PAUL RUDD (Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and SEANN WILLIAM SCOTT (American Pie series, Old School) have joined for their first film together: Role Models. In the latest comedy from director DAVID WAIN (The Ten, Wet Hot American Summer, MTV’s The State), Rudd and Scott star as Danny and Wheeler, two salesmen who trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program called Sturdy Wings. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn’t look half bad. Surrounded by annoying do-gooders, Danny struggles with his every neurotic impulse to guide Augie (CHRISTOPHER MINTZ-PLASSE of Superbad, upcoming The Year One) through the trials of becoming a man. Unfortunately, the guy just dumped by his girlfriend, Beth (ELIZABETH BANKS of Zack and Miri Make a Porno, The 40- Year-Old Virgin), has only sarcasm to offer a bashful 16-year-old obsessed with medieval role play. Meanwhile, charming Wheeler tries to trade in an addiction to partying and women to assist a fifth grader named Ronnie (newcomer BOBB’E J. THOMPSON) in redirecting his foul-mouthed ways. It would probably help if Ronnie’s new mentor wasn’t an overgrown adolescent whose idea of quality time includes keggers in Venice Beach. Role Models—Production Information 2

Once Sturdy Wings’ ex-addict/ex-con director, Sweeny (JANE LYNCH of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby), gives them an ultimatum to shape up, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their kids. And if they can just make it through probation without getting thrown in jail, the world’s worst role models will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village idiot to raise a child. Directed from a screenplay by Paul Rudd & David Wain & KEN MARINO (The Ten, Diggers) and TIMOTHY DOWLING (George Lucas in Love, upcoming She’s Out of My League), the comedy is from a story by Timothy Dowling and WILLIAM BLAKE HERRON (The Bourne Identity, Ripley Under Ground). Role Models’ creative team is led by producers MARY PARENT (Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, The Kingdom), SCOTT STUBER (The Break-Up, You, Me and Dupree) and LUKE GREENFIELD (The Girl Next Door, The Animal). Key crew includes editor ERIC KISSACK (The Ten, Birds of America), director of photography RUSS T. ALSOBROOK (Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall), production designer STEPHEN LINEWEAVER (Blades of Glory, Jerry Maguire) and costume designer MOLLY MAGINNIS (The Bucket List, Norbit). The executive producers for the comedy are DAN KOLSRUD (The Fog, 13 Going on 30), ANDREW Z. DAVIS (Red Dragon, Rush Hour 2), MATT SEIGEL (television’s House Broken), WILLIAM SHERAK (Darkness Falls, Little Black Book) and JASON SHUMAN (The Messengers, Little Black Book).

ABOUT THE PRODUCTION

That’s Not a Venti: Role Models is Developed

When producers Mary Parent and Scott Stuber were searching for the next film to add to their production company’s growing collection of comedy hits, including The Break-Up and You, Me and Dupree, they came upon a story that writers Timothy Dowling and William Blake Herron had crafted about two guys who refused to grow up Role Models—Production Information 3 until they were forced into taking care of a couple of boys who needed their unique brand of guidance. They optioned the project with producer Luke Greenfield, but it would have to wait until Paul Rudd; Rudd’s often writing partner, director David Wain; and Seann William Scott expressed interest in the film before it would take off. The producers were long familiar with Scott and Rudd, as they had overseen the development of such Universal Pictures’ comedy hits as the American Pie series (with Scott) and The 40-Year-Old Virgin (with Rudd) during Stuber and Parent’s tenure as Universal’s heads of production. Parent notes, “The subject matter in Role Models was great and a perfect fit for these two actors. We find four disparate characters who are thrown together against their will and who would never have thought that the others could be a catalyst for the changes they go through.” Stuber admits that what interested them in pursuing the film with Rudd and Scott was that the style of humor of both men couldn’t be more different, or more complementary. While Scott is known for playing characters with raunchy humor and outrageous antics, Rudd’s scene-stealing roles as the straight man with a very dry wit and acerbic attitude offered comic potential that meshed well with Scott’s. The producer states, “When we were at Universal, Mary and I worked on the American Pie series with Seann and The 40-Year-Old Virgin with Paul; we were big fans of both. The script for this film presented one of those great pairings that we knew, right away, would work for the two of these guys. We felt there would be real comedic value in what they would bring to the story.” After Rudd and Scott were committed to the film, the production team felt that they had found just the men to rework the script and adapt it to Rudd and Scott’s sensibilities and timing. Along with director Wain and his fellow The State comedy troupe performer, Ken Marino, Rudd would develop the story of two immature energy drink salesmen who are, by nature, complete opposites, and, by default, best friends. Danny is cynical and a premature curmudgeon, while Wheeler loves the ladies and partying…responsibilities be damned. Rudd explains the steps: “I read the script, and it was a work in progress. I thought the idea was very funny and that there were some good jokes in it, but it was in the process of being written and rewritten. I thought of going different ways with the two Role Models—Production Information 4 characters, and then the producers asked if I wanted to write it. I had worked with David Wain and Ken Marino before, and I liked their humor. So, David came in to direct it, and David, Ken and I worked on the script together.” The writing team developed the character of Danny as a man who is at a point in his life where he simply cracks, willing to openly berate a coffee shop barista on her company’s choice of names for drink sizes. “He just can’t deal with it anymore,” Rudd explains. “Just the general things you deal with every day annoy him. It’s to the point where he can’t even brush it off his back when people say ‘24/7’ or ‘ASAP’ or ‘110 percent.’ He’s pretentious and hates everybody, but really hates himself the most.” Of her team’s choices, Parent explains, “We needed to discover these characters, and then tailor them to Seann and Paul. David Wain, Paul Rudd and Ken Marino had really fresh ideas for these characters and made them very real. They are idiosyncratic; they are eccentric. They’re specific, and, hopefully, they are memorable. We can all recognize elements of ourselves within all of the characters.” What sold Seann William Scott on the comedy was the camaraderie that develops between Danny and Wheeler over the course of their journey into mental adulthood. “My character has a really interesting relationship with Paul’s character, Danny,” Scott says. “It’s not the typical ‘best buddies’ kind of friendship. They don’t pal around; they butt heads, but, ultimately, there is a friendship there.” Scott looked forward to shooting with director Wain for the first time and commends, “Working with David was incredible. He makes it really comfortable to try something new. You have room to make a mistake. And, maybe, one of those mistakes isn’t actually a mistake. It’s actually a great moment.” The producers were duly impressed to see the extent to which Scott had grown as a comic actor since his early days of American Pie. His high-energy style matched well with Rudd’s acerbic riffs. “Sean knew when Paul was going to throw a curveball at him and was ready for it,” Stuber says. “Some of the best moments, frankly, are those moments in the movie where they just kept going. They found a really good rhythm for their jokes.” The filmmaker behind the darkly comic The Ten and the cult classic Wet Hot American Summer, director David Wain, had worked with Paul Rudd before. He Role Models—Production Information 5 explains of his interest in becoming part of the Role Models team: “When I got involved with this project as a director, Paul had done a draft of the script, and then Paul, Ken Marino and I started working on it. Having worked on other features in the past and being good friends, we really have a certain comedic shorthand. It was a lot of fun to collaborate in this way.” Of the challenges this comedy would bring, Wain continues, “A lot of what I’ve done in the past is to take some kind of genre and tweak it or subvert it or add a layer of something absurdist to it. This is a different kind of movie, and it’s more grounded in a believable reality than, say, Wet Hot American Summer or Stella or some of the other things I’ve done.” Wain expounds upon the casting of Scott and Rudd in the lead roles: “Paul and Seann are great together. They have different comedic images to the public, very different comedic sensibilities and are playing very different characters. When they come together, there is this slight disconnect on screen that is really amazing.” With the leads set, the production team would begin the search for a collection of misfits that included an exasperated girlfriend, an oversexed counselor with a cocaine- laden past and two young misfits who would help our heroes grow up…painfully so.

You White? You Ben Affleck: Casting the Comedy

For the roles of Augie and Ronnie, the two boys who are chosen as most compatible for the new mentors, the filmmakers cast two adept young performers: Christopher Mintz-Plasse of Superbad as Augie and newcomer Bobb’e J. Thompson as Ronnie. Mintz-Plasse’s Augie is a lonely, awkward high-school kid whose guidance counselor signs him up with the Sturdy Wings program in the hopes that he can meet a mentor to tutor him on the way to becoming a man. What he gets, however, is the bitter, disaffected Danny who, initially, has next to no interest in getting to know his new little brother. Role Models—Production Information 6

Wain says, “We all saw Chris in Superbad and thought ‘Oh my God, who is that kid? He is unbelievable.’ Then you hear all these stories of how they found him on MySpace, and you think that he may be a fluke, that he was playing himself. But he is a really great actor with lots of skills. He came in and created a completely different character and knocked it out of the park.” Thompson’s Ronnie is a brash fifth grader who talks more trash and thinks he can party harder than Wheeler. He also takes great delight in harassing Danny, accusing him of being Ben Affleck (or a character from one of his movies) at every step. “Bobb’e is just filled with so much charisma, and he is so funny on- and off-screen. Every time the camera rolls, he does something different, and he will blow you away each time.” Playing the female leads in Role Models are two comic actors who happened to co-star with Paul Rudd in The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Elizabeth Banks and Jane Lynch. Lynch (Rudd’s sex-hungry electronics store boss in Virgin) was cast to play Sweeny, the former addict and founder of Sturdy Wings who is responsible for overseeing the mentorship of Danny and Wheeler. Banks (Steve Carell’s endlessly adventurous date in Virgin) came on board to play Danny’s weary girlfriend, Beth, the attorney who barters the deal to spare the errant salesmen jail time. Though Sweeny’s Sturdy Wings is intended to serve as a guidance center for youth who need a big brother or sister to help mentor them, Danny and Wheeler do their fair share of growing up with their charges. The writers conceived the character of Sweeny for Jane Lynch and realized that if she weren’t interested in accepting the job, they would have to rewrite the character. Fortunately, their gamble paid off. Lynch liked what was written for her and saw the raw comedy in the character. She laughs, “Sweeny misuses words. She gets her metaphors all goofed up and isn’t always linear in her thinking. Sometimes, she’s all over the place, and that, of course, drives Danny nuts because he’s so smart and logical. Here’s this woman with this power that she’s created for herself, and he has to put up with it and listen to her.” Too, she was glad to be a part of another R-rated comedy with some old friends. “When you try to keep within PG, you certainly don’t get the good stuff, the gold, when you’ve got those constraints around yourself. You can’t really let go.” Role Models—Production Information 7

Producer Parent offers of the center’s leader: “Jane is so talented, and she brings her unique comedy to creating the role of Sweeny—a character who has obviously been through a lot in her life and thinks, ‘I used to be addicted to pills, and now I’m addicted to helping people.’ Sweeny takes all of that energy and channels it to a place of now wanting to do good and help people. But being almost overcommitted and overly passionate makes for a hilarious character.” The filmmakers needed Danny’s girlfriend to be tough, emotional and very funny. She has had it with her complaining boyfriend and has reached the end of her rope. Just as she’s breaking up with Danny, Beth has to serve as the guys’ attorney to keep them out of prison. The producers and Wain found the intelligence and solid timing they were looking for in actor Elizabeth Banks, who has shown her versatility from comedies such as Wain’s Wet Hot American Summer and this past spring’s Definitely, Maybe to dramas such as Seabiscuit and this season’s W. Banks opted to join the production (her second film with Bobb’e J. Thompson) because she was pleased to find that her director would stay true to his favorite genre. “David Wain is not capable of making a comedy that’s not R-rated,” she laughs. “We found a place, tonally, for our movie that is realistic and makes sense when you have 30- year-olds in it. We drop the F-bomb and talk about sex a lot, so I don’t know how we can be truthful to ourselves and not make an R-rated movie.” Producer Stuber was happy to have Banks back in the Universal family. Of the film’s female lead, he notes, “Elizabeth is one of those rare women who is beautiful, smart and funny. If you can’t marry her, you must cast her in your movie. She always holds her own against great comedians and gives the jokes just as fast as she gets them. We were lucky to have her join the production.” The filmmakers welcomed the opportunities to create and cast several unique supporting characters that came from director/performer Wain’s two decades of work with a comedy troupe. “The 11 of us in the comedy troupe The State have been working together for 20 years now,” explains Wain, “and from there have built a larger community of people that I have worked with many times over—like JOE LO TRUGLIO, A.D. MILES, Ken Marino and KERRI KENNEY-SILVER. I know they will always be hysterical, and everyone just has great chemistry.” Role Models—Production Information 8

In addition to writing duties, Ken Marino plays Augie’s clueless step-dad, Jim; Kerri Kenney-Silver steps in as Augie’s out-of-touch mom, Lynette; A.D. Miles was brought on for the role of Martin, Sturdy Wings’ most helpful/annoying volunteer; NICOLE RANDALL JOHNSON was chosen to play Ronnie’s ferociously protective mother, Karen; and LOUIS CK cameos as the rent-a-cop who tries to rough up Danny and Wheeler outside a school in North Hollywood. For the key actors in Augie’s medieval role-play world, Wain hired KEN JEONG (whose memorable turn as the unpleasant OB-GYN in Knocked Up earned raves) to play Augie’s archnemesis, King Argotron; Joe Lo Truglio as medieval dork Kuzzik; MATT WALSH as duplicitous nerd Davith of Glencracken; and ALLIE STAMLER as Augie’s first love, Esplen. As writer/director Wain explains, he is always willing to invite new talent into this group. “I think it is a great way to build an evolving rep company,” he says. “I am thrilled that I can add people I haven’t worked with before, like Seann William Scott, Jane Lynch and Nicole Randall Johnson.” With the cast locked, the filmmakers began placing the players into the universe in which Danny and Wheeler worked and played, as well as into the medieval world in which Augie strives to become king of a make-believe nation.

Model Behavior: Shooting the Film

Role Models filmed in and around Los Angeles, from the keg party to which Wheeler takes the eager Ronnie and from Augie’s house, where Danny has a volatile (and improv’d) dinner in Venice Beach, to the school where Danny and Wheeler trash a statue of the mascot with their “Minotaur Mobile” in El Segundo. Such additional locations as the Santa Monica airport, which housed the Minotaur energy drink’s corporate offices; Venice Beach’s Boys & Girls Club, which hosted the Sturdy Wings center; the Santa Clarita campgrounds; and Beth’s legal offices in downtown L.A. also served as settings for the production. Role Models—Production Information 9

While there are always a number of challenges in shooting in busy metropolitan areas, production designer Steven Lineweaver knew that he had his work especially cut out for him when the screenplay called for the development of an alternate universe. Augie feels the most comfortable in the medieval world of Live Action Interactive Role- playing Explorers; therefore, the scenes shot at LAIRE were the setting for multiple battle scenes, as well as for the climax of the film. LAIRE is a fictional LARP (an acronym for Live Action Role Playing) group, in which the players assume Middle Ages identities and act as specific characters for the duration of game play. The game is a scenario written by the moderator, or Game Master. Alternatively, the LARP may be based on individual decisions made by the participants. LARP may have existed for at least a century, but it gained popularity during the ‘70s due to games such as “Dungeons & Dragons.” Many LARP games are medieval- or fantasy-themed, since many participants are Renaissance Faire or “Dungeons & Dragons” enthusiasts. These LARP games feature knights, castles, wizards, damsels, dragons and, of course, dungeons. The days spent with LAIRE offered fertile ground for physical comedy among the cast: an unrealistic setting rife with over-the-top elements, such as bastardized Shakespearean-speak, lavish costumes and behind-the-scenes personal dramas among such denizens as King Argotron, Kuzzik and Davith of Glencracken. LAIRE is such a specific universe that it needed to be created with its own caste system, language, logic, rules and celebrity. For Augie, Christopher Mintz-Plasse’s character, this is the only place in which he doesn’t feel like a weakling…and can carry a torch for the mythic princess Esplen. “Augie is a bit awkward in his own life, but when he goes to LAIRE events, he feels like he can really be himself. He belongs with these people; they get him,” says Mintz-Plasse. Lineweaver’s biggest task was re-creating a LAIRE event at Disney Ranch outside Los Angeles in Santa Clarita. For key sequences, he had to imagine the theatricality and insanity of these events. This world was a fun yet daunting task for costume designer Molly Maginnis, who had to dress not only the stars in LAIRE costumes but also the other actors and Role Models—Production Information 10 numerous extras who fought and filled up the event, as types ranging from Roman foot soldiers to Samurai warriors. Parent commends, “Molly and her team did a great job making the costumes look homemade. If you take a good look at Augie’s breastplate, you will see that it is made out of crushed cans.” Banks summarizes the experience of much of the cast: “It was amazing. I drove up to the set one day, and I saw all the background players. I really thought I had made a wrong turn into the Renaissance Faire. These guys are so committed. They have amazing costumes, jewels on their faces, tattoos, hats, crazy hair extensions. There was a woman with a giant butterfly on her face. You name it, and these guys have come up with it.” When our heroes decide to help Augie fight the evildoers at LAIRE, they don homemade costumes that have little to do with the Middle Ages. “The new costumes were all about David,” says Parent. “I admittedly, at first, was a little like, ‘Really? You think?’ But it ends up being such a great part of the film, and it’s totally unexpected— something that Wheeler really brings to the table that pays off.” Payoffs are one thing, but tight costumes and too much makeup are another. Scott endured multiple outfit changes to get the laughs in Role Models—the Minotaur mascot’s furry uniform, as well as his costume for the LAIRE event. “The costume was fun for the first day,” laughs Scott, “but those jeans…they were super tight.” Scott wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the process—at first. Mintz-Plasse remembers, “I went in and was like, ‘This is gonna be awesome.’ Then you realize that you are going to wake up at 4:45 and go in the trailer and sit there for an hour and get cold makeup sprayed on your face and wigs glued on your hair. It didn’t end up being as fun as I thought it would be.” What was enjoyable for the cast was the opportunity to work with legendary stunt coordinator JEFF IMADA, who has worked on such memorable action films as From Dusk Till Dawn, The Bourne Ultimatum and Mr. and Mrs. Smith. “Initially, I felt bad for Jeff,” recalls Mintz-Plasse. “He went from training Matt Damon in this $200 million movie to teaching Ken Jeong and me how to fight with foam swords in this comedy. He knows like 20 different styles of combat. It’s crazy.” Role Models—Production Information 11

Rudd adds that they would work with Imada and DP Alsobrook to land just the right moves during LAIRE events throughout the course of production: “It was crazy that Jeff would come and work with us on this, but when David and I would talk about it, we really wanted to make the scenes like Braveheart or something big.” **** Shooting wrapped, bandages applied after days of LAIRE shoots and nipples given a rest after numerous tweakings, the cast and crew said goodbye to Role Models’ filming, and Wain and editor Eric Kissack headed to the editing bay to assemble the footage. Appropriately, our Sturdy Wings leader provides the parting words about her latest R-rated comedy: “I’ll tell you what audiences can’t expect,” deadpans Lynch. “Don’t expect big words. Don’t expect highfalutin concepts. Don’t expect the characters to do the right thing. Just sit back, relax and have a good time.” Universal Pictures presents, in association with Relativity Media, a Stuber/Parent production: Role Models, starring Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz- Plasse, Jane Lynch and Elizabeth Banks. The music for the comedy is by Craig Wedren; the co-producer is Juan Castro. The costumes are designed by Molly Maginnis; the film is edited by Eric Kissack. Role Models’ production designer is Stephen Lineweaver, and its director of photography is Russ T. Alsobrook, ASC. Executive producers for the comedy are Dan Kolsrud, Andrew Z. Davis, Matt Seigel, William Sherak and Jason Shuman. The film’s producers are Mary Parent, Scott Stuber and Luke Greenfield. Role Models’ story is by Timothy Dowling and William Blake Herron, and the film is from a screenplay by Paul Rudd & David Wain & Ken Marino and Timothy Dowling. The comedy is directed by David Wain. ©2008 Universal Studios www.rolemodelsmovie.com Role Models—Production Information 12

ABOUT THE CAST

SEANN WILLIAM SCOTT (Wheeler), a native of Cottage Grove, Minnesota, was discovered at a talent competition in Los Angeles and has become one of Hollywood’s most prolific actors working today, starring in blockbuster comedies such as Universal Pictures’ American Pie trilogy; the feature-film version of the popular ’80s television series The Dukes of Hazzard; Road Trip, with Breckin Meyer and Amy Smart; and the comedy smash-hit Dude, Where’s My Car?, opposite Ashton Kutcher. Scott’s other film credits include Richard Kelly’s Southland Tales, opposite Sarah Michelle Gellar and Dwayne Johnson; Universal’s hit action-adventure film The Rundown, opposite Dwayne Johnson; MGM’s Bulletproof Monk, with Chow Yun-Fat; New Line Cinema’s thriller Final Destination; the DreamWorks sci-fi-comedy Evolution, directed by Ivan Reitman and co-starring Julianne Moore, David Duchovny and Orlando Jones; and unforgettable cameos in Miramax’s Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back and the hit comedy Old School, opposite Will Ferrell. Scott recently starred in The Promotion, opposite John C. Reilly and Mr. Woodcock, opposite Billy Bob Thornton and Susan Sarandon. He also lent his voice to the animated film Ice Age 2: The Meltdown and will be the voice of the alien Skiff in the upcoming Planet 51, with Dwayne Johnson and Jessica Biel. Scott currently is bicoastal, living in both Los Angeles and New York.

PAUL RUDD (Danny/Screenplay by) recently starred in Judd Apatow’s Knocked Up, opposite Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann. Knocked Up grossed more than $300 million worldwide and won the People’s Choice Award for Favorite Movie Comedy. It was also nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award for Best Comedy Movie and named one of AFI’s top 10 Movies of the Year. Rudd recently completed production on John Hamburg’s I Love You, Man, starring opposite Jason Segel. Rudd plays a newly engaged guy who sets out to find the perfect best man for his wedding. Paramount Pictures plans to release I Love You, Man on March 13, 2009. Role Models—Production Information 13

Rudd will lend his voice to the upcoming animated feature Monsters vs. Aliens, which co-stars Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Seth Rogen, Stephen Colbert, Rainn Wilson and Kiefer Sutherland. Monsters vs. Aliens is scheduled to be released by DreamWorks Animation on March 27, 2009. Rudd’s other film credits include Forgetting Sarah Marshall; The 40-Year-Old Virgin; Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy; The Ten, on which he also served as a producer; Night at the Museum; Diggers; Reno 911!: Miami; The Cider House Rules; The Object of My Affection; Wet Hot American Summer; The Château; Clueless; and William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet, among others. On stage, Rudd starred in Richard Greenberg’s Three Days of Rain, opposite Julia Roberts and Bradley Cooper. He also starred in Neil LaBute’s Bash in both New York and Los Angeles, as well as LaBute’s The Shape of Things in London and New York. After successful runs on both the London and New York stages, Rudd starred in The Shape of Things on the big screen. Rudd made his West End debut in Robin Phillips’ London production of Long Day’s Journey Into Night, opposite Jessica Lange. Other stage credits include Nicholas Hytner’s production of Twelfth Night at Lincoln Center Theater, with a special performance that aired on PBS’ Great Performances, and in Alfred Uhry’s Tony Award- winning play, The Last Night of Ballyhoo. On television, Rudd guest-starred on NBC’s Friends for the final two seasons as Phoebe’s (Lisa Kudrow) husband, Mike Hannigan, and starred as Nick Carraway in A&E’s production of The Great Gatsby.

CHRISTOPHER MINTZ-PLASSE (Augie) took his cinematic bow in 2007 in the Greg Mottola-directed comedy Superbad. In that picture, Mintz-Plasse played a nerdy but extremely resourceful young man who procures a lousy fake ID and gains the friendship of two wild cops. Role Models is his second movie. Mintz-Plasse recently finished shooting Columbia Pictures’ The Year One, starring Jack Black and Michael Cera, and lent his voice to DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon. He is currently filming the action-comedy Kick-Ass. Role Models—Production Information 14

JANE LYNCH (Sweeny) cut her theatrical teeth at The Second City, at the Steppenwolf Theatre Company and in many church basements all over the greater Chicagoland area. Film credits include the upcoming Julie & Julia, The Post-Grad Survival Guide, Spring Breakdown, Another Cinderella Story and Brownie Masters, as well as the recent films The Rocker and the animated Space Chimps. Past film work includes Christopher Guest’s For Your Consideration, A Mighty Wind and Best in Show, as well as Alvin and the Chipmunks, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Margaret Cho’s Bam Bam and Celeste, Alan Cumming’s Suffering Man’s Charity, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Sleepover and Surviving Eden. Recent television credits include the Lifetime original series Lovespring International, Desperate Housewives and Weeds. Lynch also appears in the current season of The L Word, opposite Cybill Shepherd. She has recurring roles on Boston Legal, Two and a Half Men, Criminal Minds and The New Adventures of Old Christine. Lynch’s play Oh Sister, My Sister! has had runs at the Tamarind Theatre and Bang Theater, garnering the LA Weekly Theater Award for Comedy Ensemble of the Year.

BOBB’E J. THOMPSON (Ronnie) is the youngest of nine brothers and sisters. At the age of five, Thompson made his stage debut on Showtime at the Apollo, rapping to Lil’ Bow Wow’s “What’s My Name.” In 2002, he won the Apollo Theater Talented Tykes competition. Thompson’s television work includes roles on ABC’s My Wife and Kids; NBC’s The Tracy Morgan Show and Joey; and Growin’ Up Different; Disney Channel’s That’s So Raven; and MTV’s Human Giant. Thompson’s film work includes Blood Money, with Busta Rhymes; Miramax’s My Baby’s Daddy; DreamWorks Animation’s Shark Tale; Cellular; Universal Pictures’ Idlewild; Warner Bros.’ comedy Fred Claus; and the independent film Of Boys and Men. Thompson was also a featured dancer and rapper in the children’s hip-hop dance group JammX. Role Models—Production Information 15

ELIZABETH BANKS (Beth) is one of Hollywood’s most sought-after young actresses. This year, Banks has a number of films in various stages of production, including W., Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Meet Dave, The Uninvited and Lovely, Still. Banks can currently be seen in Oliver Stone’s W., in which she portrays First Lady Laura Bush, opposite Josh Brolin (George W. Bush). The impressive cast includes James Cromwell and Thandie Newton. Lionsgate released the film on October 17, 2008. Banks can also be seen opposite Seth Rogen in Kevin Smith’s Zack and Miri Make a Porno. Banks (Miri) and Rogen (Zack) play two broke friends who decide to cure their financial ills by making an X-rated movie. The Weinstein Company distributed the film on October 31, 2008. In January 2009, Banks will be seen starring in a horror remake, The Uninvited, for Paramount Pictures. The film follows two sisters who return home after living in a mental institution. Banks portrays their cruel stepmother, who is haunted by an interfering ghost. The film is scheduled for release on January 30, 2009. Banks has also taken on a new role as producer. She already has several films on the slate of her company, Brownstone Productions, which she founded with her husband, Max Handelman. Banks has completed production on Lovely, Still, an independent film that stars Ellen Burstyn and Martin Landau. The story is a holiday fable about an elderly grocery store owner who discovers love for the first time. Banks plays Ellen Burstyn’s daughter in the film, which is the directorial debut of Nicholas Fackler, who also wrote the screenplay. Banks was last seen starring in 20th Century Fox’s Meet Dave, opposite Eddie Murphy. The film is a comedy about a spaceship that takes the form of a human being (Murphy). Banks portrays Dave’s roommate, who is also his love interest. She also appeared in the Working Title/Universal romantic comedy Definitely, Maybe, opposite Ryan Reynolds, Abigail Breslin, Rachel Weisz and Isla Fisher. Brownstone Productions’ first film, The Surrogates, a sci-fi feature starring Bruce Willis and directed by Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines), is currently shooting in Boston. The film is based on the graphic novel of the same name and is being co-produced with Mandeville Films. Banks will produce and star in the Role Models—Production Information 16

Universal Pictures comedy What About Barb?, about a socialite who must allow her crazy cousin to be maid of honor in her wedding so that her rich uncle will pay for the wedding. Universal has acquired the rights to “Too Far From Home,” a Chris Jones book about three astronauts who were stranded on the International Space Station. Also on Brownstone’s slate is the Universal comedy Pitch Perfect. In 2007, Banks was seen in the Warner Bros. holiday comedy Fred Claus, opposite Vince Vaughn and Paul Giamatti. To date, the film has grossed more than $70 million. Banks was also seen as journalist Betty Brant in Spider-Man 3. Banks appeared in both of the previous Spider-Man blockbusters in this role, which director Sam Raimi created for her. In 2006, Banks starred in the Disney blockbuster Invincible, opposite Mark Wahlberg and Greg Kinnear. The film opened No. 1 at the box office. In 2005, Banks made a memorable turn in The 40-Year-Old Virgin as Beth, a sex-crazed bookstore employee. The same year, she also appeared in The Sisters, an independent film opposite Maria Bello and Eric McCormack. She was also seen in Universal Pictures’ critically acclaimed horror-comedy Slither. In June 2005, Banks was seen starring in the Sony Pictures Classics/Merchant Ivory drama Heights, opposite Glenn Close and James Marsden. Said Ebert and Roeper, “Performances are all excellent, with Banks the real find here. The camera loves her.” Also in 2005, Banks appeared in IFC Films’ The Baxter. Banks’ additional feature credits include roles in Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can; Daltry Calhoun, starring Johnny Knoxville; Seabiscuit, starring Tobey Maguire; Showtime Independent Films’ Sexual Life, which screened at the Los Angeles Film Festival; John Singleton’s Shaft, with Samuel L. Jackson; and Wet Hot American Summer, starring Janeane Garofalo and David Hyde Pierce. She has also appeared in several independent features including The Trade and Ordinary Sinner, which won the Best Film Award at the 2002 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City. Her extensive theater credits include many roles in American Conservatory Theater productions, as well as the Guthrie Theater’s production of Summer and Smoke, directed by David Esbjornson. In 2006, Banks played Cherie, the female lead, in William Inge’s comedy Bus Stop, as part of the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Role Models—Production Information 17

On the small screen, Banks has been seen in a recurring role as Dr. Kim Briggs on NBC’s Scrubs. Dr. Briggs is J.D.’s (Zach Braff) ex who was also pregnant with his baby. In early 2008, she was seen in the CBS miniseries Comanche Moon, which is Larry McMurtry’s popular prequel to Lonesome Dove. Originally from Massachusetts, Banks received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and her graduate degree at the American Conservatory Theater.

ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS

DAVID WAIN (Directed by/Screenplay by) is a New York-based director, writer and performer. Last year, he directed, produced and co-wrote (with Ken Marino) the feature comedy The Ten. Based on the Ten Commandments, this quirky interrelated story features Paul Rudd, Winona Ryder, Gretchen Mol, Rob Corddry, Famke Janssen, Jessica Alba, Liev Schreiber, Oliver Platt, Adam Brody, Ken Marino and Justin Theroux. Wain’s first feature film (as director, co-writer and co-producer) was the 2001 cult hit Wet Hot American Summer, starring Janeane Garofalo, David Hyde Pierce, Paul Rudd and Molly Shannon. It received rave reviews, including being listed as one of Entertainment Weekly’s top-10 films of the year, was re-released in theaters as a midnight movie in 2003, and still maintains a loyal following on DVD, college campuses and midnight screenings. In 2005, Wain was a co-star, executive producer, co-writer and director of the Comedy Central series Stella. Stella follows the “modern-day Marx Brothers” adventures of Wain, Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black. In addition to the TV series, the Stella live stage show played to sold-out audiences all across the country and aired on Comedy Central as a special. The 26 Stella Shorts, featuring Wain and his partners, are collected on a popular DVD. In 1988, Wain joined the comedy troupe The State, for which he co- created an award winning and critically acclaimed MTV series. The State also did a special for CBS, a book for Hyperion Press, an album for Warner Bros., toured the United States and performed their sketch show Molt and off-Broadway. In addition to Role Models—Production Information 18 directing more than 80 short films for The State, Wain served as cast member, supervising producer, writer and editor. On television, Wain has written, directed and/or performed on shows such as Mad TV (FOX); The Cosby Show (NBC); You Wrote It You Watch It; Idiot Savants (MTV); Best Week Ever; Random Play; Retroflix Live; I Love the ‘70s (VH1); Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!; Sheep in the Big City (Cartoon Network); The Daily Show With Jon Stewart; Crank Yankers; and Strangers with Candy (Comedy Central). As an actor, he appears in the feature films Bamboozled, Keeping the Faith, The Baxter and Delirious, as well as the upcoming films The Guitar and I Love You, Man. He plays the lead character of The Warden on Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim series Superjail! Wain also creates, writes, directs and stars in the Internet phenomenon, Webby Award-winning series Wainy Days. Wain grew up in Shaker Heights, Ohio, and graduated from NYU film school.

KEN MARINO (Jim/Screenplay by) has been a constant presence in film and television since his acclaimed comedy group, The State, first appeared on MTV. In recent years, he’s added to his numerous acting credits by expanding into writing and producing features and pilots. Marino wrote, produced and starred opposite Paul Rudd in last year’s independent release Diggers. He co-wrote, starred in, produced and wrote soundtrack lyrics for the indie comedy, The Ten, which also opened last year after a successful premiere at Sundance. In addition to Diggers and The Ten, Marino starred in Wet Hot American Summer and Love for Rent. He was also featured in Reno 911!: Miami, Joe Somebody and Tortilla Soup. In television, Marino has had recurring parts on Veronica Mars, Reaper, Charmed, Dawson’s Creek and Reno: 911! and guest-starred on Grey’s Anatomy, The Sarah Silverman Program, CSI: Miami, NYPD Blue and Monk. He was a series regular on Men Behaving Badly, Leap of Faith and First Years. He starred this year in the FOX pilot Outnumbered, which remains in contention for a series order, and in the Rob Thomas pilot Party Down. Role Models—Production Information 19

TIMOTHY DOWLING (Screenplay by/Story by) was born and raised in Wellesley, Massachusetts. He grew up acting and doing theater. Dowling moved to Los Angeles for college and attended the University of Southern California, where he majored in theater and the humanities. At USC, he was a member of the improv comedy troupe Commedus Interruptus and still performs improv in and around L.A. As an actor, Dowling can be seen in the films Thank You for Smoking, Dr. Benny, The Beautician and the Beast, The Life Coach, Sleepover and Lower Learning. Dowling co-wrote and co-created the short film George Lucas in Love with friends from USC. The short won numerous awards and acclaim around the world, and at the time, was the most downloaded short ever (and is still a best-selling short film). For a few months straight in 2000, it was listed as the top-selling video on Amazon.com, even outranking the Star Wars films by which it was inspired. Role Models marks Dowling’s first feature film credit as a screenwriter, though he has done uncredited work on 20th Century Fox’s What Happens in Vegas, starring Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher, and the upcoming DreamWorks/Paramount film She’s Out of My League, starring Jay Baruchel. Dowling currently resides in Los Angeles and is working on several different writing projects at various studios.

A Texan by birth and heritage, WILLIAM BLAKE HERRON (Story by) eventually relocated with his family to Chicago, Illinois, and subsequently to Faribault, Minnesota, where he graduated as valedictorian of Shattuck-St. Mary’s School. A summer season working at the Guthrie Theater for eminent directors Liviu Ciulei and Richard Foreman preceded his matriculation into Middlebury College. There, Herron went on to spend his junior year studying at Pushkin University, where he received acting training from members of the Taganka Theatre and various “underground” theatrical companies. Upon returning to The States, Herron moved to New York with his rock band, Neon Scream, and performed in such famed venues as CBGB’s, The Pyramid Club and The Bitter End. At the same time, Herron supported his musical aspirations by working as a paralegal for Wall Street law firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobsen. Role Models—Production Information 20

Herron’s time was spent equally between assisting entertainment industry clients and working on multimillion-dollar and billion-dollar corporate takeovers. Clients he served included Columbia TriStar, Imagine Films, Coca-Cola and P&G. Rather than continue on the expected path to law school, Herron applied to New York University’s competitive graduate film program. Following his acceptance, he won more than 12 national and international awards for his film shorts, including the Princess Grace Award for emerging artists. After graduation, Herron wrote, directed and executive produced the microbudgeted feature film Liebestod, an edgy update of Wagner’s Tristan + Isolde. The film had its premiere at the Boston Film Festival and went on to receive distribution with Pandora Films, ITC and 20th Century Fox Home Video. During this starving-artist period, Herron supported his “film habit” through a variety of odd jobs, among them press liaison for Billy Joel during his tour of the Soviet Union, patient supervisor at an asylum for violent, mentally disabled men, building-demolition worker and test subject for an electric-shock pain study. Out of poverty came a prolific period of writing, yielding two screenplays that finished simultaneously in the semifinals of the Motion Picture Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship and a third, that ascended to the top 20 of the Sundance Screenwriters Lab. With accolades under arm, Herron moved to Hollywood and was quickly given a writing assignment at Warner Bros. Over the following years, Herron wrote for literally every major studio, in both film and television. Two scripts he co-wrote have been made into films—The Bourne Identity, starring Matt Damon, and Ripley Under Ground, based on the Patricia Highsmith novel of the same name, starring Barry Pepper, Willem Dafoe, Tom Wilkinson and Alan Cumming. In addition, Herron returned to his passion of directing with the semiautobiographical film A Texas Funeral, starring Martin Sheen, Joanne Whalley, Robert Patrick and Chris Noth. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation. Critics enthusiastically embraced the movie when it was subsequently released theatrically in Europe and as a domestic cable premiere on Starz. Role Models—Production Information 21

Herron is an avid martial artist and holds expert level belts in two fighting systems. He lives with his wife, five-year-old son and two-year-old daughter in Pacific Palisades, California.

In March 2008, MARY PARENT (Produced by) became chairman of MGM Motion Picture Group, overseeing production, distribution and marketing for MGM and United Artists. Since she joined the studio, films she has shepherded on the production and distribution slate include the big-screen version of Robert Ludlum’s The Matarese Circle, starring Denzel Washington; Jim Sheridan’s Brothers, starring Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman; The Cabin in the Woods, directed by Drew Goddard (Cloverfield), who co-wrote the script with Joss Whedon; a remake of RoboCop, directed by Darren Aronofsky; and a reimagining of Fame. Before taking the reins at MGM, Parent, alongside producing partner Scott Stuber, co-ran Stuber/Parent Productions. Prior, she served as vice chairman of worldwide production for Universal Pictures, transitioning to an exclusive five-year production deal with Universal. The first film under Parent and Stuber’s deal was summer 2006’s hit You, Me and Dupree, which grossed more than $130 million worldwide. While Parent was at the company, films produced included Peter Berg’s The Kingdom, which starred Jamie Foxx and Jennifer Garner, and the Martin Lawrence comedy Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. As vice chairman of worldwide production at Universal, Parent oversaw the planning, development and production of the studio’s annual slate of films, including King Kong, three-time Academy Award®-winning director and producer Peter Jackson’s reimagining of the 1933 classic, starring Naomi Watts, Adrien Brody and Jack Black; The 40-Year-Old Virgin, directed by Judd Apatow, starring Steve Carell and co-written by Apatow and Carell; and Serenity, the science-fiction adventure from Joss Whedon. Parent was integral to the worldwide success of many box-office hits. She oversaw the development and production process for the comedy sensation Meet the Fockers, the sequel to the smash hit Meet the Parents. Fockers, starring Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand, under the direction of Jay Roach, was the most successful live-action comedy in the worldwide marketplace, grossing an all- Role Models—Production Information 22 time high of more than $500 million worldwide. Parent also saw worldwide marketplace success with Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, the follow-up to Bridget Jones’s Diary, starring Renée Zellweger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth and directed by Beeban Kidron. The Edge of Reason has earned more than $245 million worldwide, surpassing the original’s box-office gross. Additionally, under Parent’s watch was the successful comedy Along Came Polly, which opened to a record-breaking $32 million in North America and went on to gross more than $170 million worldwide. During Parent’s tenure at Universal, she also oversaw the development and production of such varied films as Seabiscuit; American Wedding; Hulk; 8 Mile; Red Dragon; Jurassic Park III; Hannibal; Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and the Academy Award®-winning Gladiator, a co-production with DreamWorks. Prior to being named vice chairman of worldwide production for Universal Pictures in 2003, Parent previously served as president of production, from 2001. She joined Universal Pictures in 1997 as senior vice president of production. Parent arrived at Universal from New Line Cinema, where she had worked since 1994, most recently as vice president of production. Prior, she served as a creative executive as well as director of development at New Line, where she was responsible for and executive produced the films Pleasantville and Set It Off. She began her career as an agent trainee at ICM.

In March 2008, SCOTT STUBER (Produced by) transitioned the company he founded with Mary Parent into Stuber Productions. This exclusive producing agreement with Universal Pictures began in 2005 after he left his post as the studio’s vice chairman of worldwide production. Prior to that, Stuber had served as president of production since February 2001, having joined Universal Pictures as senior vice president of production in August 1997. Now Stuber Productions is run solely by Stuber. During his eight years at Universal—five of which he spent co-running production—he was responsible for many of the studio’s critically acclaimed and commercially successful films, including King Kong, Jarhead, A Beautiful Mind, Seabiscuit, Cinderella Man, Munich, Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, About a Boy, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, 8 Mile, Spy Role Models—Production Information 23

Game, The Family Man, The Nutty Professor, Nutty Professor II: The Klumps, Miami Vice, The Mummy franchise, the American Pie franchise, The Fast and the Furious franchise, Friday Night Lights, Bring It On and many others. Of the dozens of films Stuber supervised, more than 20 of them have grossed more than $100 million domestically. As a producer, Stuber has put together a prolific and varied slate of films that includes tent-pole comedies and star-driven dramas and thrillers, as well as high-profile books and original scripts by established and visionary writers. The Break-Up, which Stuber produced with Vince Vaughn, grossed more than $200 million worldwide. Vaughn and Stuber are developing multiple projects together, including the upcoming Couples Retreat, which will star Vaughn, Jon Favreau—who is also penning the script— and Jason Bateman. His first production under the Stuber/Parent banner, summer 2006’s comedy hit You, Me and Dupree, grossed more than $130 million worldwide and was followed by Peter Berg’s critically acclaimed film The Kingdom and the Martin Lawrence comedy Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins. Next up for release in 2009 is The Wolfman, directed by Joe Johnston and starring Benicio Del Toro and Anthony Hopkins; Traveling, directed by Brandon Camp and starring Jennifer Aniston, Aaron Eckhart and Martin Sheen; and the sci-fi thriller The Repossession Mambo, starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker and directed by Miguel Sapochnik. Other projects include Your Highness, from the comedic team of Danny McBride, Jody Hill and Ben Best, which David Gordon Green will direct and in which Danny McBride will star; the time-travel thriller Archive, penned by playwright David Auburn and to be directed by James Mangold; Goners, an original script written and to be directed by Joss Whedon (Serenity, television’s Buffy the Vampire Slayer); a remake of 1939’s Midnight, written by Academy Award® winner Michael Arndt, with Academy Award® winner Reese Witherspoon set to star; the comedy Sober Buddies, produced with and starring Jim Carrey; Moby Dick, a reimagining of the Herman Melville whale tale that Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) will direct; a film about the Fugees, a youth soccer club made up of international refugees; Devil in the Junior League, produced with and starring Jennifer Garner; The Prisoner, based on the British television series, written by Role Models—Production Information 24

Janet and David Peoples and directed by Christopher Nolan; Hard Sell, based on Jamie Reidy’s behind-the-scenes book about Pfizer and the launching of its most popular drug; an original project from Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated actor Steve Carell; I, Thalus, a comedy set at the first Olympics, from writers Craig and Jeff Cox (Blades of Glory), with Peter Segal (Get Smart) attached to direct; Kill the Messenger, based on the true story of journalist Gary Webb and his suicide after he linked the CIA to arming Contra rebels and importing cocaine; the sci-fi epic Earth vs. Moon; Resurrection, based on the popular comic book, which centers on a group of survivors trying to take back control of the planet after an apocalyptic invasion; and the comedy Repeat After Me, about a couple who realizes that they are reliving their disastrous wedding day again and again, and start to question getting married in the first place.

LUKE GREENFIELD (Produced by) was born in Manhasset, New York. He grew up 40 minutes outside of New York City in Westport, Connecticut. In 1994, Greenfield graduated from the University of Southern California’s School of Cinema-Television. In 2000, Adam Sandler and producers Jack Giarraputo and Todd Garner saw an early cut of Greenfield’s short film The Right Hook and offered him his first studio feature film, The Animal, starring Rob Schneider, for Columbia Pictures. Following The Animal, Greenfield co-wrote and directed New Regency’s The Girl Next Door, distributed by 20th Century Fox. In May 2004, Greenfield signed a two-year first-look deal with 20th Century Fox- based New Regency Pictures and created his own production company, WideAwake, Inc. In 2005, WideAwake made an overall deal with 20th Century Fox Television. In 2006, Greenfield directed the critically acclaimed television pilot Aliens in America. In 2008, Greenfield signed a first-look deal with ABC Studios and has created the upcoming comedy series My Mom Is Hot for ABC. He has also co-created the upcoming comedy series Broke Friends for NBC. Greenfield is currently co-writing his next movie, The Last Bachelor, which he will direct in 2009. Role Models—Production Information 25

DAN KOLSRUD (Executive Producer) was born in Trollhuset, Norway, the son of a noted mountain climber and his British-born opera-singer wife. Kolsrud attended Oslo Tecknik University, where he majored in pre-Viking Norsk studies before discovering a passion for the film arts after attending the Tromso Film Festival, Depressive Tendencies in 1940s Scandinavian Cinema. Kolsrud became internationally known after directing a low-budget, black-and- white feature melodrama Lutefisk. Shot entirely on location in a 16th-century wooden warehouse in the port city of Bergen, Lutefisk won praise for its blending of naturalistic and surrealistic imagery in a vivid evocation of a dysfunctional family at the turn of the 20th century. Lutefisk won Kolsrud a Lefse Award. Kolsrud hit a quiet period in his career when he made several films, which were silent and used only white objects in order to reflect his experience of suffering a case of snow blindness while vacationing near the Arctic Circle. Although the films were critically well received, they did not garner commercial interest. He still keeps a reindeer with him, Bob, which he felt was responsible for saving his life during that difficult time. Between film assignments, Kolsrud enjoys literally following in his father’s footsteps by ascending some of the world’s most challenging peaks, including Bargh-al- Mak in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mount Luftflossen in Norway’s Arctic Circle, Old Man’s Hat in the Canadian Rockies and Kilinmisoftli in Tanzania, from which he parachuted in a daredevil leap that was filmed for the IMAX film Freefalling.

ANDREW Z. DAVIS (Executive Producer) is the head of production for the Universal Studios-based Stuber Productions. The company and Davis are currently involved with postproduction on The Wolfman, staring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins and Emily Blunt; Traveling, starring Jennifer Aniston and Aaron Eckhart; and Repossession Mambo, staring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker. Davis was the producer on the blockbuster comedy Rush Hour 3 and executive producer of Rush Hour 2, both directed by Brett Ratner and starring Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker. Prior to that, he executive produced Universal’s Red Dragon, directed by Ratner and starring Anthony Hopkins, Edward Norton and Ralph Fiennes, and The Family Man, also directed by Ratner and starring Nicolas Cage and Téa Leoni; the Role Models—Production Information 26 critically acclaimed coming-of-age drama Love & Basketball, directed by Gina Prince- Bythewood, starring Omar Epps, Sanaa Lathan and Alfre Woodard; the mega hit Enemy of The State, starring Will Smith and Gene Hackman; and Love Affair, starring Warren Beatty and Annette Bening. Davis also produced the action film Volcano, starring Tommy Lee Jones and Anne Heche. His other producer credits include Lost Angels, Sid and Nancy and Tapeheads. Davis served as executive vice president of production for MGM and earlier in his career was an executive at The Walt Disney Company before signing an independent production deal with the studio under his banner, Andrew Davis Productions. Davis is a graduate of the University of Southern California School of Cinema- Television.

MATT SEIGEL (Executive Producer) has recently been hired by EQAL Inc., the social entertainment company behind the lonelygirl15 franchise, to executive produce the company’s first creative collaboration with CBS. Seigel began his career working for feature film producer and current president of the Academy Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Sid Ganis. He later earned his executive ranks under Suzanne de Passe at de Passe Entertainment (Lonesome Dove), before partnering with director Luke Greenfield (The Animal, The Girl Next Door) and fellow producer, Juan Castro, to form their production banner WideAwake, Inc. in 2003. While a partner at WideAwake, Seigel worked with Greenfield on various film and television projects, including Role Models.

Blue Star Entertainment is quickly becoming one of Hollywood’s youngest and most innovative production companies. The two founding partners, WILLIAM SHERAK (Executive Producer) and JASON SHUMAN (Executive Producer) are establishing themselves as forces within the entertainment industry. They founded their company in 1998 with their first feature, an independent film titled Four Dogs Playing Poker. To date, their films have grossed more than $160 million worldwide. In 2000, Blue Star Entertainment signed an overall producing deal with Revolution Studios. With Sherak being 25 years of age and Shuman 26, they were the Role Models—Production Information 27 youngest producers in history to obtain a studio overhead deal. Their past film credits include Sony Pictures’ Darkness Falls (2003), which was No. 1 at the box office, the first in a long streak for Sony, on Super Bowl weekend; and The Messengers (2007), which was their second No. 1 to open on that same weekend a few years later. As a result of these successes, they moved their deal to Sony for a two-year producing pact. They produced the family film Daddy Day Camp for TriStar; Sony Pictures/Revolution Studios’ romantic comedy Little Black Book; Lionsgate Films’ Comic Book Villains; and the independent film Four Dogs Playing Poker. In 2005, Blue Star Entertainment produced its first television movie for Lifetime Television, Dawn Anna, starring Debra Winger, for which she earned an Emmy Award nomination. They also produced The Hard Easy for HBO; Bachelor Party 2: The Last Temptation for 20th Century Fox Home Video—a sequel to the hit 1984 comedy—and the comedy Harold, which stars Cuba Gooding Jr., Spencer Breslin and Nikki Blonsky. The year 2008 looks to be a banner year for Blue Star Entertainment, with several projects spanning diverse genres. Blue Stars’ list includes the Nicolas Cage thriller Bangkok Dangerous (Lionsgate Films), directed by the Pang brothers, which was No. 1 at the box office the week of September 5th and is currently still in theaters worldwide. Also in ‘08 is the horror-western The Burrowers, for Lionsgate Films, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. Also awaiting release is Messengers 2: The Scarecrow, a sequel to their successful 2007 film. Blue Star Entertainment just finished production on I Hate Valentine’s Day, a romantic comedy starring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett in their first reteaming since the smash hit My Big Fat Greek Wedding. About to start filming is the drama Middle Men, starring Luke Wilson and Giovanni Ribisi, written and to be directed by George Gallo, as well as the medical thriller Unfinished Country, starring Samuel L. Jackson. Projects in development include the independent comedy Cold Turkeys; the family film We’ll Be Out By Christmas for Paramount Pictures; the high-concept family film Heist School for 20th Century Fox; and a remake of Baby Boom for MGM. Sherak was born in Baltimore, Maryland, but raised in Calabasas, California. He studied marketing and management at the University of Denver before starting his career at Davis Entertainment. Role Models—Production Information 28

Shuman was born in Detroit, Michigan, but his family moved to Los Angeles just before he started high school. Schuman attended the University of Southern California School of Cinema-Television’s production program before starting his career with producer Arnold Kopelson. It was in college where Shuman and Sherak met, from an introduction through a mutual friend. The two shared a similar love of film, specifically Oliver Stone’s Wall Street, which was the topic of their first conversation. In later years, when Blue Star Entertainment was formed, they picked the name from the airline in the 1987 film as a tribute to their initial meeting and a symbol of something great taking flight. From the outset, Sherak and Schuman’s goals were to embrace the work ethic of veteran producers they admired like Zanuck, Brown, Zaentz and Spiegel—producers who watched a film from the inception of an idea through to its release in theaters. Since January 2007, Blue Star has been a fully independent production company, allowing Sherak and Shuman to make a multitude of different projects fueled at different studios with varying budgets. As it nears its 10th year in existence, the company is now 100 percent self-financed, with offices in Beverly Hills.

RUSS T. ALSOBROOK’s, ASC (Director of Photography) recent work includes collaborating with Apatow Productions on the comedy hits Forgetting Sarah Marshall and summer 2007’s Superbad. Alsobrook first crossed paths with Judd Apatow when he shot several episodes of the critically acclaimed The Ben Stiller Show in the early ‘90s. The two teamed again for Apatow’s Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared. Other feature film credits include Mike Binder’s Reign Over Me, starring Adam Sandler and Don Cheadle, and Binder’s Man About Town, starring Ben Affleck. Alsobrook is currently filming Columbia Pictures’ comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop, starring Kevin James. Other television series credits include the ABC one-hour drama Dragnet, starring Ed O’Neill; Alicia Silverstone’s series Miss Match; the Disney Channel megahit Lizzie McGuire; HBO’s current hit Big Love, starring Bill Paxton and Jeanne Tripplehorn; and ABC’s What About Brian. Alsobrook also lensed several movies for television, including The Shaggy Dog, Role Models—Production Information 29

The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, Escape to Witch Mountain and Freaky Friday. Alsobrook is a member of The American Society of Cinematographers and chairman emeritus of its heralded annual awards committee. Born in Hollywood, California, Alsobrook grew up in San Diego, starting in the film business as a gopher. Alsobrook enjoys flying classic aircraft, traveling and classic films, and appreciates fine food and wine.

STEPHEN LINEWEAVER’s (Production Designer) early films include working as art director on Martin Scorsese’s After Hours and Jonathan Demme’s Something Wild. He continued to production design with such directors as James L. Brooks and Cameron Crowe on I’ll Do Anything, Jerry Maguire and Singles. Recent feature credits include The Spy Next Door, Are We There Yet? and Snow Dogs, all directed by Brian Levant; Blades of Glory, starring Will Ferrell; and the upcoming Mardi Gras. Lineweaver’s early television work includes working as a visual consultant with James L. Brooks on The Simpsons and The Tracey Ullman Show.

ERIC KISSACK (Edited by) got his start editing funny television shows like The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Al Franken Show, Stella and The Whitest Kids U Know. His first feature film, The Ten, directed by David Wain, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007.

MOLLY MAGINNIS’ (Costume Designed by) work was recently seen in Rob Reiner’s The Bucket List, the Eddie Murphy comedy Norbit and the family films The Shaggy Dog and Flicka. Previously, Maginnis worked with such talents as Paul Weitz (American Dreamz, In Good Company), James L. Brooks (the multiple Academy Award® winners As Good as It Gets and Broadcast News), Lawrence Kasdan (Dreamcatcher), Irwin Winkler (Life as a House), Peter Chelsom (Town & Country), Stephen Frears (the live telefilm Fail Safe) and Alan Parker (Come See the Paradise). Role Models—Production Information 30

On television, Maginnis recently completed work on the telefilm Captain Cook’s Extraordinary Atlas, directed by Thomas Schlamme. Maginnis designed the costumes for the miniseries Tales of the City, which netted her a BAFTA nomination for Best Costume Design. She also created the costumes for the live-telefilm version of On Golden Pond, starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer. Maginnis’ work will next be seen in DreamWorks’ She’s Out of My League.

CRAIG WEDREN (Music by) is the critically acclaimed songwriter and singer who began his career fronting the avant-rock band Shudder to Think. Blessed with a voice of unsurpassed beauty and with incredible versatility as a songwriter and arranger, Wedren has made a name for himself in both the traditional world of rock and as a sought-after film composer for major feature films. His music continues to be vital and exhilarating as he prepares his upcoming multi-media release—the ambitious and addictive musical film project WAND. Wedren began his career as the singer and primary songwriter for Washington, D.C.-based Shudder to Think, a band that started out in the “hard-core” music scene only to challenge the aesthetics and limitations of the then emerging musical genre. After breaking indie music tradition by signing with Epic Records (Sony Music), Shudder to Think released three major label offerings including their opus, “Pony Express Record.” Shudder to Think toured widely with bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Fugazi and Pearl Jam, and their videos were featured in regular rotation on MTV. Although Shudder to Think may have been poised to inherit the commercial success that many of their contemporaries enjoyed, a battle with Hodgkin’s Disease forced Wedren to put the band on hold at a crucial time in their acceleration. After beating cancer, Wedren’s focus returned to Shudder to Think with a new goal in mind—to create music for film. While in Shudder to Think, Wedren scored the independent films First Love, Last Rites and High Art. He also contributed music to the film Velvet Goldmine. Shortly after the band made this transition to film work, they dissolved their partnership and Wedren continued to grow both as a film composer and as a solo musician. As a composer, Wedren has scored many popular feature films including School of Rock, Laurel Canyon, Reno 911!: Miami, Wet Hot American Summer, Beautiful Ohio, Role Models—Production Information 31

The Ten, P.S., The Baxter and Boxers and Ballerinas. Wedren has also written and performed music for the television shows Reno 911!, Stella, The State and Dawson’s Creek. While continuing to grow creatively and commercially as a composer, Wedren also is actively developing a successful career as a solo artist. In 2005, he released his first solo album, “Lapland,” on Conor “Bright Eyes” Oberst’s Team Love record label (Saddle Creek). Critical acclaim was tremendous. Tour dates followed the release of “Lapland” with Wedren opening for the Foo Fighters both in America and in Australia. Wedren also performed a series of art gallery- style events in New York City with Joe Lally, formerly of Fugazi. Wedren has continued to perform live with artists including Bright Eyes, M. Ward, OK Go, Nina Persson of The Cardigans, Joan As Police Woman, The Citizens Band and many more. On February 4, 2008, Craig Wedren organized the political event “Barack Rock” at New York City’s Bowery Ballroom, which featured performances by OK Go, comedy ensemble “Stella” (David Wain, Michael Showalter and Michael Ian Black), a reunited incarnation of Shudder to Think and many others, to raise awareness among college-age and first-time voters, and to support the primary campaign of presidential hopeful Barack Obama. Now with the development of his second solo release, the ambitious and ground- breaking WAND, as well as a limited number of Shudder to Think reunion performances bringing old and new fans together, Wedren is in position to take even greater steps in the development of his adventurous and successful career as a singer, songwriter, composer and accomplished musical adventurer.

—role models—