SEAN PENN (“Sam Bicke”)
Academy Award winner Sean Penn has become an American film icon in a career spanning just over two decades. He has been nominated four times for the Academy Award as Best Actor: in DEAD MAN WALKING, SWEET AND LOWDOWN, I AM SAM and most recently won the Oscar in 2003 for his searing performance in Clint Eastwood's MYSTIC RIVER.

Penn made his feature film acting debut in 1981 in Harold Becker's TAPS. In 1982, he acted his way into pop-culture history starring as "Jeff Spicoli" in Amy Heckerling's FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH.

Penn has appeared in nearly thirty films including, THE FALCON AND THE SNOWMAN, AT CLOSE RANGE, COLORS, CASUALTIES OF WAR, WE’RE NO ANGELS, STATE OF GRACE, CARLITO’S WAY, U-TURN, THE THIN RED LINE, DEAD MAN WALKING (Winner Best Actor / 1995 Berlin Film Festival), SHE’S SO LOVELY (Winner Best Actor / 1997 Cannes Film Festival), HURLYBURLY (Winner Best Actor / 1998 Venice Film Festival), and 21 GRAMS (Winner Best Actor / 2003 Venice Film Festival)

Penn's feature film directorial debut came with 1991's THE INDIAN RUNNER, which he also wrote and produced. In 1995, He directed THE CROSSING GUARD, which he also wrote and produced. The film featured highly acclaimed performances by Jack Nicholson, David Morse, Anjelica Huston and Robin Wright Penn. His third film as director/producer was 2001’s THE PLEDGE, again starring Nicholson and Wright Penn and was named in the Top Ten Films of 2001 by The National Board of Review.

Since then, Penn wrote and directed the United States' contribution to the documentary film 11'09"01. This important film gathered 11 acclaimed directors from around the world to create short films in response to the horrific events of September 11, 2001. In 2003 the film was nominated for a French Cesar in the best European Union Film category and received a special recognition award from the National Board of Review.

Penn has appeared on stage in productions including Alfred Hayes' GIRL ON THE VIA FLAMINIA and Albert Innaurato's EARTHWORMS IN LOS ANGELES. On Broadway, Penn performed in Kevin Heelan's HEARTLAND and John Byrne's SLAB BOYS. He appeared in David Rabe's HURLYBURLY, at the Westwood Playhouse, and GOOSE AND TOM TOM, at Lincoln Center, both productions directed by the author. Most recently, Penn starred opposite Nick Nolte and Woody Harrelson in THE LATE HENRY MOSS, written and directed by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Sam Shepard.

In 2002, Sean Penn was presented with the Modern Master Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. In 2003, he was the youngest to receive the Donostia Lifetime Achievement Award from the San Sebastien Film Festival.

Penn recently finished filming opposite Nicole Kidman in Sydney Pollack’s THE INTERPRETER and will soon begin principal photography on Steven Zaillian’s ALL THE KING’S MEN opposite Jude Law and Meryl Streep.

NAOMI WATTS (“Marie Bicke”)
Naomi Watts received her first Academy Award nomination as Best Actress for her role in Alejandro Gonzales Iñarritu's 21 GRAMS, in which she starred alongside Sean Penn and Benicio Del Toro. Her performance also garnered Best Actress awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, Southeastern Film Critics Association, Washington Area Film Critics and San Diego Film Critics, as well as nominations from the SAG Awards, BAFTAs, Broadcast Film Critics and Golden Satellites. At the film's premiere at the 2003 Venice International Film Festival, she received the Audience Award (Lion of the Public) for Best Actress, and she was also honored by the Palm Springs Film Festival.

Watts earned widespread acclaim for her work in David Lynch's controversial drama MULHOLLAND DRIVE, which premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival and which brought her Best Actress awards from a number of critics' organizations, including the National Society of Film Critics. In addition, she was named the Female Star of Tomorrow at the 2002 ShoWest Convention, and received the Breakthrough Acting Award at the 2002 Hollywood Film Festival. Watts also produced and starred in the short film ELLIE PARKER, which screened in competition at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival and for which she received the Best Actress in a Short Film Award from the Method Fest.

Watts has since been filming non-stop and has an extensive list of recent and current credits: WE DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE, opposite Laura Dern, Peter Krause and Mark Ruffalo -- on which she also served as a producer; David O'Russell's I (HEART) HUCKABEE'S, with Jude Law, Lily Tomlin and Dustin Hoffman; STAY for Mark Forster, opposite Ewan McGregor and Ryan Gosling; and THE RING 2 -- the sequel to her 2001 blockbuster, THE RING; and Peter Jackson’s upcoming remake of KING KONG.

Watts also starred in the Merchant-Ivory production LE DIVORCE, in which she joined an ensemble cast that included Kate Hudson, Glenn Close and Stockard Channing, and starred in Gore Verbinski's box office hit THE RING. Other film credits include UNDERTAKING BETTY and NED KELLY.

Born in England, Watts moved to Australia at the age of 14 and began studying acting. Her first major film role came in John Duigan's FLIRTING (alongside Nicole Kidman and Thandie Newton.)

DON CHEADLE (“Bonny”)
Since being named Best Supporting Actor by the Los Angeles Film Critics for his breakout performance opposite Denzel Washington in DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS, Don Cheadle has consistently turned in powerful performances on the stage and screen.

Cheadle has starred in such major motion pictures as the Academy Award-winning TRAFFIC, and OCEAN’S ELEVEN, opposite George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Brad Pitt and Matt Damon. In both films, he worked with director Steven Soderbergh, with whom he first collaborated on OUT OF SIGHT. Additional film credits include BOOGIE NIGHTS — the breakout feature by director Paul Thomas Anderson — in which he played the memorable “Buck,” a porn star constantly reinventing himself. He’s also starred in VOLCANO opposite Tommy Lee Jones; the John Singleton-directed ROSEWOOD (for which he also received an N.A.A.C.P. Image Award nomination); SWORDFISH with John Travolta and Halle Berry; Brian De Palma’s MISSION TO MARS opposite Gary Sinise and Tim Robbins; and the Warren Beatty-directed BULWORTH. Cheadle also delivered a memorable comedic cameo as a guardian angel in Universal Pictures’ FAMILY MAN opposite Nicolas Cage and Tea Leoni.

Cheadle has also embraced independent features, working on such projects as the all digital MANIC, by director Jordan Melamed, and the low-budget feature THINGS BEHIND THE SUN, directed by Allison Anders - a performance which garnered Cheadle an Emmy nomination. Both films premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001. He recently starred in Kevin Spacey’s Trigger Street Production, THE UNITED STATES OF LELAND, in which he starred opposite Spacey and Ryan Gosling.

Cheadle is also well-recognized for his television work. He received a Golden Globe award for his remarkable portrayal of Sammy Davis Jr. in HBO’s THE RAT PACK, a performance which was also nominated for a best supporting actor Emmy. That same year, he received a lead actor Emmy nomination for his starring role in HBO’s adaptation of the critically acclaimed best-selling novel A LESSON BEFORE DYING by Ernest J. Gaines, in which Cheadle starred opposite Cicely Tyson and Mekhi Phifer. He also starred for HBO in REBOUND: THE LEGEND OF EARL “THE GOAT” MANIGAULT, directed by Eriq La Salle. Well known for his two-year on the critically-acclaimed series PICKET FENCES, Cheadle’s other series credits include THE GOLDEN PALACE and THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR. Cheadle was also part of the stellar cast of the thrilling live CBS television broadcast of FAIL SAFE, produced by and starring George Clooney. He was also nominated for an Emmy for his guest star arc on NBC’s E.R. An accomplished stage actor, Cheadle originated the role of “Booth” in Suzan-Lori Parks’ Pulitzer Prize-winning play TOP DOG UNDERDOG at New York’s Public Theatre under the direction or George C. Wolfe.

Cheadle’s most recent credits include AFTER THE SUNSET, co-starring Salma Hayek, Pierce Brosnan, and Woody Harrelson; and HOTEL RWANDA; and OCEAN’S TWELVE. He will make his feature directing debut with the adaptation of the Elmore Leonard novel TISHOMINGO BLUES.

JACK THOMPSON (“Jack Jones”)
JACK THOMPSON is a noted Australian star that was honored as Best Supporting Actor at the Cannes Film Festival and Best Actor by the Australian Film Institute for his performance in Bruce Beresford’s much acclaimed BREAKER MORANT. In 1994, the Film Critics of Australia named him Best Actor for his role opposite Russell Crowe in THE SUM OF US.

An Australian icon whose career parallels the nation’s emergence into mainstream cinema, Thompson first gained prominence as star of the television series SPYFORCE, and then further established his credential’s with the feature films PETERSEN and SUNDAY TOO FAR AWAY. As an integral player in the fast-growing Australian film industry during the 1970’s, he also starred in such hits as MAD DOG MORGAN, THE CHANT OF JIMMIE BLACKSMITH, and THE MAN FROM SNOWY RIVER.

Other titles in his filmography include Nagisa Oshima’s MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE, Mike Newell’s BAD BLOOD, Paul Verhoeven’s FLESH AND BLOOD, Carol Ballard’s WIND, Bruce Beresford’s LAST DANCE, Clint Eastwood’s MIDNIGHT IN THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL, Michael Cristofer’s ORIGINAL SIN, George Lucas’ STAR WARS: EPISODE II, Brett Leonard’s MANTHING, and most recently Anna Reeves OYSTER FARMER.

Thompson is known to the American television audience for roles opposite Sally Field in A WOMAN OF INDEPENDENT MEANS and Ingrid Bergman in GOLDA. Thompson has been honored with the Order of Australia for his contributions to the Australian film industry and has been Australian’s Good Will Ambassador to the United Nations for numerous years.

MICHAEL WINCOTT (“Julius Bicke”)
In an acting career that has spanned nearly 20 years, Michael Wincott has appeared in feature films, theatre, and television. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, and attended New York's prestigious Juilliard School of Drama. Since graduating in 1986, his talent has won him impressive supporting roles in films such as BORN ON THE FOURTH OF JULY, THE DOORS (both directed by Oliver Stone), Jim Jarmusch’s DEAD MAN, Ridley Scott’s 1492: CONQUEST OF PARADISE, Julian Schnabel’s BEFORE NIGHT FALLS, Alex Proyas’ THE CROW, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s ALIEN: RESURRECTION.