Lauren Graham

Biography: In between recurring roles on hit series such as NewsRadio and Law & Order in the 1990s, Graham starred in a succession of short-lived shows and was even filming one, M.Y.O.B., when she landed her signature role as a sexy and sarcastic single mom on Gilmore Girls. She expanded her Hollywood resume in the show's final season when she began serving as a producer. A winning combination of beauty and quirkiness, Graham brought her talents to the big screen in a number of supporting roles, including a memorably naughty turn as a sex-crazed Claus lover in the outrageous comedy Bad Santa. In 2007, she secured a seven-figure development deal with NBC and, in 2009, was tapped for a lead role in the network's small-screen adaptation of the hit film Parenthood. When she's not in front of the camera, Graham splits her time between Los Angeles and New York.