Chris Rock

Biography: This Brooklyn-bred comic with the oversize smile was just a teen when he started doing stand-up. Stints on Saturday Night Live and (briefly) In Living Color raised his profile, but it was his HBO specials, eponymous talk show and frequent hosting gigs that turned him into a star. Rock frequently appears on the big screen, and in 2003, he branched out to write, direct and star in Head of State. By 2005, the edgy comedian was so popular that he was invited to host the Oscars. That same year, he debuted Everybody Hates Chris, a family-friendly sitcom loosely based on his upbringing. The show aired for four seasons, and though Rock didn't star on the show, he took on the roles of cocreator, executive producer and narrator. In 2009, Rock worked on Good Hair, his first documentary. Inspired by his daughters, Rock explored black America's obsession with their hair and how it relates to their cultural identity.