Exclusive Portrait

CHICAGO – It’s a Happy Birthday for Joe Manganiello. The “True Blood” hunk was born on December 28th in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and has a red-hot career after co-starring last year in “Magic Mike,” with Channing Tatum and Matthew McConaughey. Manganiello was in Chicago recently meeting fans and signing his new book.

CHICAGO – Today the ubiquitous Miley Cyrus reaches the legal drinking age, and HollywoodChicago.com can say we knew her when. Cyrus visited Chicago in 2011 to appear on behalf of a retail outlet, and photographer Joe Arce dug up an outtake from that event to celebrate the pop singer’s big 21st birthday.

CHICAGO – Hollywood stuntwoman Zoë Bell is best known for an acting bit she did in Quentin Tarantino’s “Death Proof,” playing “herself.” Otherwise she has had a prolific career doubling on stunts for Lucy Lawless, Sharon Stone and Uma Thurman, among others. She attended the 49th Chicago International Film Festival last weekend to premiere her new film, with director Josh C. Waller, called “Raze.”

CHICAGO – Pop star Sheryl Crow was recently in Chicago, performing on behalf of the 2013 Macy’s “Glamorama” Tour, “Fashion in a New Light.” The event is a fashion and performance show that raised over $250,000 dollars for the Ronald McDonald House near the Ann & Robert Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago.

CHICAGO – Actress Jessica Alba has made her mark in Hollywood, known for her TV show “Dark Angel,” and films like “The Fantastic Four” and “Sin City.” She has expanded her versatility by penning her first book, “The Honest Life: Living Naturally and True to Yourself,” and was recently in the Chicago area promoting the best seller.

CHICAGO – It seems that 2013 so far has belonged to the Beyoncé, known now just by her first name. She began the year at President Obama’s second inauguration, admitting to lip-syncing her performance of the National Anthem. She followed that up with her triumphant Super Bowl halftime show, which also featured her former girl group, Destiny’s Child. Beyoncé then debuted her HBO special “Life is But a Dream,” which she also produced and directed.

CHICAGO – It is a horror movie image that is immediately recognizable. Michael Berryman portrayed “Pluto” in Wes Craven’s renown 1977 film, “The Hills Have Eyes,” and even the poster image evokes a memory of his distinctive look. Berryman made an appearance last November at the Days of the Dead Horror Convention in Chicagoland.

CHICAGO – The long career of Jamie Lee Curtis has taken her from early “scream queen” status to pitching yogurt. But what is lesser known about the popular actress is that she is a child’s book author of note. “My Brave Year of Firsts” is her tenth collaboration with illustrator Laura Cornell, and she was at Anderson’s Bookshop (Naperville, Ill) last autumn to read excerpts and autograph the book.

CHICAGO – Between appearing on “The Real Housewives of New Jersey,” “Celebrity Apprentice” and running her online boutique “TG Fabulicious,” Teresa Giudice is one of the top earners of all the Bravo TV’s “Real Housewives.” She spent the end of 2012 squashing rumors of a split from her husband, “Juicy Joe” Giudice, and is anticipating a fifth season of her popular series in 2013.

CHICAGO – The Windy City was rocking this week as the legendary band “The Who” had two shows on Thursday and Friday. While in town, the windmilling guitarist Pete Townshend stopped by at the Barnes & Noble Old Orchard in nearby Skokie to promote his new book, “Who Am I?”