Now I was never a huge Saved By The Bell fan, but that doesn't mean I didn't rock a Mark Paul Gosselaar poster straight out of Teen Beat on my wall (nestled in between all the Corey Haim posters, of course). I also think it's very cool of the guy not to shy away from where he came from. So in honor of Gosselaar's awesomeness, I'm recognizing my nine favorite three-name celebrities.
Neil Patrick Harris: While Gosselaar was cutting his acting teeth at Bayside High School, Harris was pulling off complicated medical procedures as a teenage resident at Eastman Medical Center on Doogie Howser, M.D. After Doogie, he went on to tackle Broadway before coming back to television. Today Harris is more recognized as Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother, but like his three-name counterpart, he also paid tribute to his first big break with this hilarious SNL digital short, which kind of made me fall in love with him all over again.
Mary-Louise Parker: She's another triple-moniker star that never seems to age. I swear she
looks no different in Fried Green Tomatoes than she does in Weeds, and she's fantastic in both. She remains ruthless in her acting choices and doesn't seem to be afraid of tackling taboo subject matters. Like being a drug-dealing mother who's willing to let her own children get involved in the family business. Yay for Parker!Mary Stuart Masterson: Parker wasn't the only one hogging up poster space with Fried Green Tomatoes. Masterson gained fame in the 1980s with a string of films, including the classic Some Kind of Wonderful. She spends more time behind the camera now, but Masterson is still a legend among the best three-namers.
Harry Dean Stanton: Another alum of the house of John Hughes, Stanton captured my heart in Pretty in Pink, but he's also amazing in Big Love. And for some reason I always remember him hanging out for a jam session with members of the Brian Jonestown Massacre in the documentary DiG! The guy just exudes a cool air about him.Sarah Michelle Gellar: Of course Buffy had to make my list! Even if I never saw Gellar in anything else ever again, she'd always rank among the top three-name celebs for her iconic turn as America's favorite vampire slayer. Good luck trying to recapture that magic without Joss Whedon or another three-name celeb worthy of the role.
Sarah Jessica Parker: I don't know if the '80s spawned three-name stars or if it was mere coincidence, but here's another one. Totally adorable in everything from Girls Just Wanna Have Fun to Sex And The City, Parker's not only beloved but she also married Ferris Bueller! Plus, word is she's every bit the sweetheart she comes off as in interviews and appearances.
Helena Bonham Carter: She started out doing Merchant Ivory but has since become the
female Johnny Depp to Tim Burton. Sure, it's probably based on the fact that they're longtime partners, but what a muse she is. Carter's cornered the market on goth-chic characters often required for Burton films, but she nails them. Be sure to check out her vocal chops in Sweeney Todd and she's returning this summer as Bellatrix Lestrange in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.Jennifer Jason Leigh: She doesn't just deserve to be recognized for her name, but she deserves more work! She's showing up for a couple of episodes of Weeds this season and she was a highlight in Margot At The Wedding, but I'd love to see Leigh in a lot more. She's hotter now than she ever was in flicks like Single White Female and she's got a great connection to good work in her own director husband, Noah Baumbach. Oh right, hence her next project, Baumbach's Greenberg. Gotcha. Well, good for Leigh!
Daniel Day Lewis: He's more like three-name royalty among such celebs. The consummate performer, Lewis is known for being an actor's actor. And you have to respect anyone who can go from playing a smarmy oilman in There Will Be Blood (and picking up a second Oscar along the way) to singing and dancing his way through the highly-anticipated Rob Marshall musical Nine. Now that's versatility!
Of course, I'm leaving off a slew of three name stars, but these are a few faves that come to mind. Who comes to yours?
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