Mental Floss

CELEBRITIES

James Sorensen/NBC/Newsmakers via Getty Images

'The West Wing' rose above early doubts to become one of most celebrated shows of its era, winning four consecutive Outstanding Drama Series Emmys.

Matthew Jackson




AFP/Getty Images

Though he’s widely considered one of the most iconic musicians of the 20th century, Jimi Hendrix passed away as his career was really just getting started.

Jennifer M Wood


Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Samuel L. Jackson in The Avengers (2012).

Earlier this year, 'Avengers: Endgame' became the highest-grossing movie of all-time worldwide—and turned many of its stars into Hollywood's highest-grossing actors.

Garin Pirnia








The affable actor takes a Zen approach to his career, alternating smaller parts with event films like the 'John Wick' and 'Matrix' franchises. He also may have married Winona Ryder by accident.

Jake Rossen, Todd Gilchrist


Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Mark Twain is widely considered the author of the first great American novel—'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn'—but his rollicking tales aren’t the only legacy he left behind.

Emily Petsko








Emma McIntyre, Getty Images for Turner

The iconic actor—who earned his first-ever Oscar nomination in early 2019 for 'A Star is Born'—has some advice for staying grounded: "Shovel sh*t, man."

Jake Rossen