Starring... (P-Z) Trivia Quiz

Answer: Hilary Swank

The 2007 romantic drama stars Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, about a young widow who discovers messages sent by her husband (before he died).
Hilary Swank is the winner of two Academy Awards for Best Actress, i.e., one for playing Brandon Teena in an early transgender film "Boys Don't Cry" (1999)
and the second for the 2004 movie "Million Dollar Baby" in Clint Eastwood's movie about an aspiring female boxer.

Answer: Denzel Washington

In this 2002 movie directed by Nick Cassavetes (son of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands), Denzel Washington is John Quincy Archibald whose son desperately needs a heart transplant which John's insurance won't cover (this was before 'Obamacare'). All of the choices are from the TV drama "St. Elsewhere", where Denzel got his start. Washington is another two time Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actor in "Glory" and Best Actor in "Training Day".

Answer: Ryan Reynolds

The movie, "R.I.P.D." is an acronym for "Rest in Peace Department" (really), but it should stand for 'ripped' off from the "Men in Black" franchise. Ryan Reynolds (Nick) and Jeff Bridges star as dead cops who fight off aliens and try to catch Nick's murderer. Now you may know why you might not have heard of this one! Ryan Reynolds is a Canadian actor who has also starred in such films as "The Proposal", "Green Lantern" and "A Million Ways to Die in the West".

Answer: Samuel L. Jackson

While all the choices above are in the 2003 action film "S.W.A.T." (for Special Weapons and Tactics), a special force of the LAPD, Samuel L. Jackson plays the team leader, Sergeant Dan 'Hondo' Harrelson, whose job is to recruit tough guys (and girls) to join the squad. Jackson is a wonderful actor who played the Bible-spouting hitman, Jules Winnfield, in "Pulp Fiction" (1994), and appeared in "Losing Isaiah" with Halle Berry, and "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" opposite Bruce Willis.

Answer: Richard Gere

Richard Gere plays wealthy Texas gynecologist Dr. Travis in this Robert Altman film from 2002, who has everything going his way until...his wife suffers a nervous breakdown, one of his daughters is going to get married despite the fact that she is really in love with the maid of honor, his youngest daughter sees conspiracies around every corner, his secretary is in unrequited love with him and on and on. Richard Gere has been acting for over three decades in movies like "Days of Heaven", "An Officer and a Gentleman", "Pretty Woman" and "Chicago", for which he won a Golden Globe.

Answer: Jennifer Lopez

This 1997 film features Sean Penn as a small-time criminal who is heading to Las Vegas to pay off a gambling debt when he stops in an Arizona town and meets Grace McKenna, played by Jennifer Lopez. She is married to Jake McKenna (Nick Nolte) and each wants the other dead - enter Bobby Cooper (Penn). Jennifer Lopez started out as a 'Fly Girl' on the TV comedy show "In Living Color" and has gone on to fame as both an actress (forget "Gigli") and a singer, but she is still "Jenny from the Block".

Answer: Peter Mayhew

All of the choices are in one "Star Wars" movie or another, but it is Peter Mayhew who portrays the Wookiee and companion to Han Solo, Chewbacca. "Star Wars V" is really the second episode of the series and features Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia and Solo facing attack from the Imperial Forces leading, ultimately, to a duel between Skywalker and Darth Vader (David Prowse). Peter Mayhew is actually a rather slim British actor who is 7'3" tall.

He got his start in 1976 when he was cast as a minotaur in "Sinbad and the Eye of the Tiger". George Lucas was going to cast David Prowse to play Chewbacca, but Prowse wound up as Darth Vader.

Answer: Josh Brolin

Actually all the choices were in "No Country for Old Men", a violent film about a drug deal gone very wrong. Josh Brolin (son of James) stars as George Bush, the younger, in "W", a 2008 film directed by Oliver Stone; it is loosely based on the life of the 43rd President of the United States. Josh is the stepson of Barbra Streisand and the ex-husband of Diane Lane.

His first role was in the 1985 movie "The Goonies".

Answer: Edward Norton

It is my opinion that Edward Norton is an underrated actor because - he is so good, you don't realize he is acting! In this 1998 film, Derek goes to prison for killing two thieves who tried to steal his truck; prior to his incarceration, he is a skinhead and a white supremacist who commits racial crimes throughout Los Angeles, CA, and is trying to prevent his brother from following the same path. Edward Norton's Academy Award nominations include: twice for Best Supporting Actor in "Primal Fear" in 1997 and for "Birdman" in 2015 and a Best Actor nomination for "American History X".

Answer: Brad Pitt

Yes, it was Brad Pitt who plays U.N. investigator Gerry Lane when, all of a sudden, a mysterious infection is turning the populace into mindless zombies (is that redundant?). Lane is given the task of finding a cause and a cure before humanity is destroyed. Brad Pitt (William Bradley Pitt) got his start in "Thelma and Louise", the 1991 film starring Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis.

He has been very busy in movies and at home with his wife and six children. Did you know that Brad Pitt won an Academy Award as one of the producers of "12 Years a Slave" in 2014?