Philip Baker Hall, 77
Best Known for: Hard Eight, Boogie Nights, Seinfeld, Magnolia
Most Recognized for: Hall began his career on the New York stage in the '60s and later segued to TV, where he first appeared as a motel owner on Good Times. But it was his hilarious stint as Bookman the library detective on a 1991 episode of Seinfeld that opened the most doors. ''I've only had to audition twice since then.''
An Actor He Admires: Ryan Gosling. ''He really is a kid, but he's a spectacular actor — unbelievable, really.''

Tina Majorino, 23
Best Known for: Waterworld, Napoleon Dynamite, Veronica Mars, Big Love
Most Recognized for ''Surprisingly, [the 1994 girl-meets-seal kiddie film] Andre. Even though I'm 23. Most of the time, people look at me kind of funny and then say, 'You know, you really resemble that little girl who was in Andre. Has anyone ever told you that before?' And I'll be like, 'Yeah.' Unless they straight-out ask, I don't say, 'Well, I amthat person.' That's a little awkward.''

Romany Malco, 39
Best known for: Weeds, The 40 Year-Old Virgin
Most Recognized for: Virgin — but the recognition came in waves, starting with some ''thuggish dudes'' who complimented him three weeks before its release. ''I realized what it was: The gangsters saw the bootleg before it came out.''
His Previous Life: Malco worked as a rapper and music producer before John Leguizamo encouraged him to try acting.

Jayma Mays, 29
Best Known for: Heroes, Ugly Betty
Her Favorite Role: Cynthia, the stressed-out hotel clerk in her first movie, Red Eye. ''Everything was new and fresh and I was nervous. And [Cynthia] was nervous. So it worked.''
The Name Game: Mays played a character named Charlie on both Heroes and Ugly Betty. ''It's just so weird. I told my manager, 'Look, if there's a role that opens up called Charlie, just send it to me. I'm gold. I don't care if it's a man.'''

Larry Miller, 54
Best Known for: Pretty Woman, The Nutty Professor, Best in Show
An Actor He Admires: ''Gene Hackman. He brings a little heroism and innocence to the worst people, and a tired darkness to the best.''
On Playing the Jerk: ''[People say], 'Gee, you so often play —,' and I say, 'Annoying, horrifying people? Someone who, if you ran into the guy, would be just awful?' To me, that's hysterical. It's been years [since] it dawned on me that I was playing a lot of parts like that.''

Sarah Paulson, 33
Best Known for: Jack & Jill, Deadwood, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip
The Role That Got Away: ''I really wanted [Claire Danes' part in] Shopgirl. It spoke to me a lot more than playing so-and-so's wife in a disaster movie. [Pause] Although... don't get me wrong, I wouldn't sneeze at that, either!''
What She Loves About Her Career: ''That I've got all my fingers in all of the different pots — theater, movies, and television. I feel very lucky that I can do all three.''

Martha Plimpton, 37
Best Known for: The Goonies, Parenthood, Beautiful Girls
Most Recognized for: ''I went to jury duty the other day, and somebody said, 'You always play drug addicts!' I've played a few on TV, and I imagine because the shows get replayed, it seems like more. But yeah, people tend to see me as this pregnant teenage heroin addict.''
An Actor She Admires: ''Gena Rowlands in Gloria. She's a massive hero to me.''

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