Lake Bell

An intelligent, appealingly offbeat American actress, Lake Bell earned her dramatic training in England before making the leap to the small screen with such projects as "War Stories" (NBC, 2003) opposite Jeff Goldblum and "Miss Match" (NBC, 2003) opposite Alicia Silverstone. She came to the attention of critics and audiences alike as Sally Heep, a lawyer who beguiles James Spader on "The Practice" (ABC, 1997-2004) and "Boston Legal" (ABC, 2004-08) and then booked the lead on her own series, the sci-fi aquatic adventure "Surface" (NBC, 2005-06). An excellent comedic second banana, Bell delighted as snarky women in "Over Her Dead Body" (2008), "What Happens in Vegas" (2008), "It's Complicated" (2009) and "No Strings Attached" (2011). As she began to branch out into writing and directing as well, Bell achieved minor stardom for her hilarious turn as Dr. Cat Black, who narrated and anchored the cult favorite "Childrens Hospital" (Adult Swim, 2008- ), which pushed bizarre black comedy to its limits and beyond. Distinguished by her smart, funny screen presence and penchant for unusual projects, Lake Bell exhibited a unique energy and likability that set her apart from her more fame-obsessed, less self-aware colleagues.