The Olsen twins shot to fame in the 90s, with nascent acting careers, beginning at just six months old! The globally recognized fraternal twins these days shy away from the spotlight, however, are making waves in the fashion world, with their “bohemian-bourgeois” brands The Row and Elizabeth and James appearing on celebrities, in major department stores, as well as on high-end fashion sites Farfetch, Net-A-Porter and MatchesFashion.
Their company Dualstar, which released their own home décor, fragrance and teen-apparel lines, saw them appear on the 2007 Forbes list as the eleventh-richest women in the biz, with a net worth of $100 million. Talented, and business-savvy. Maybe baby Ari was right when she sang “God is a woman?”
Dawn Wells
Who can forget the warmth of Mary Ann Summers on "Gilligan’s Island?" She and Tina Louise are the last cast members still standing from the original series; signaling almost the end of an era. Her role on the show brought her great success, starring in TV shows, films, and even has her own show at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in 1985. She was ranked in 2005 for her leading role as one of TV Guide’s “50 Sexiest Stars of All Time.”
But whilst she is a star, she too is only human. Just this year, a good friend of Dawn Wells, Dugg Kirkpatrick planned to launch a fundraiser to help the "Gilligan’s Island" star pay off medical bills. Within ten days, over $140,000 was raised by loyal fans. Sadly, Dawn passed away in December 2020, she was 82 years old.
Marina Sirtis
Born in London to Greek parents, her parents fought with her so she would not become an actress. Secretly applying to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Sirtis was determined to make it. And make it she did! Best known as Counselor Deanna Troi on "Star Trek: The Next Generation" as well as the feature films which followed, Sirtis hilariously remarked; “I was originally cast to be the brains of the Enterprise. Somehow, I became The Chick."
"There’s a little ugly girl inside of me going “Yay! I’m a sex symbol!” A true ugly duckling story! See girls; dreams do come true! The British-American actress followed her "Star Trek" role with appearances in "Crash," "Grey’s Anatomy" and "NCIS." In more recent times, Sirtis was in the movie "As Greek As It Gets."
Melissa Rauch
The witty, hilarious, and loveable next actress made her mark as Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz on "The Big Bang Theory." Funnily enough, Bernadette’s voice isn’t like Rauch’s real voice at all! She modeled the voice of Bernadette after her parents: with her “sweet, high-pitched purr” an imitation of her mother, and the “eerie, haranguing imitation” of Mrs. Wolowitz of her father! Seems she’s a true comedienne.
Not just a pretty face, Rauch co-wrote and produced with her husband Winston Rauch, the film "The Bronze," which received charming reviews from Variety magazine “Rauch…has never carried a film before. But she delivers the best breakthrough comedic performance by an actress since Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids.” High praise indeed! Now in her 40s, Rauch has two kids with partner Winston Rauch, and most recently voiced Harley Quinn in the animated film Batman and Harley Quinn.
Maureen McCormick
Best known for her role as Marcia Brady on "The Brady Bunch," the ugly side of fame reared its head, with a recent article disclosing the star was troubled as a young woman. At one point, her addiction was so severe that she would be awake for days on end because to her, it was all that kept her going. When her parents were about to hand her over the police, and her husband Michael Cummings threatened to leave, she went cold turkey.
Whilst battling her addiction, she ventured into stage acting, as well as appearances on reality TV shows. In 2008, her autobiography debuted at number four on The New York Times bestseller list, exposing her controversial past and issues with substance abuse. Whilst she may not be a squeaky-clean role model, she overcame adversity and emerged triumphantly.