A primetime presence for virtually the entire first decade of the new millennium, actress Julie Bowen found her niche in comedy/drama hybrids that cast her as the straight-woman to hijinks-prone leading men. Her role as a small town teacher opposite a bowling alley-owning lawyer (Tom Cavanagh) on “Ed” (NBC, 2000-04) set the precedent for her future runs as put-upon girlfriends and wives on “Boston Legal” (ABC, 2004-08), and the fall 2009 breakout, “Modern Family” (ABC, 2009- ), in which she anchored the wacky ensemble as the relatable mom-next-door.
Are Melissa McCarthy and Peter Dinklage now household names? The plus-sized actress walked off with the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a comedy series, beating out veteran funny women, including past winners Edie Falco ("Nurse Jackie") and Tina Fey ("30 Rock"). And the 4'5" Dinklage nabbed the supporting drama actor statue for HBO's "Game of Thrones," his first Emmy after a career as a journeyman player. more »
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