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For a billionaire businessman, Branson comes across as more of a rock star. A creative thinker who originally wanted to become a journalist, Branson began his entrepreneurial career with a student magazine, as well as selling discounted albums from the boot of his car!

Miley Cyrus credits the support of her close family and friends for allowing her to pursue a TV, movie and singing career while still in her early teens. Without that supportive network she says she would have gone crazy, and could have ended up like so many other child stars, washed up, with a drug or alcohol addiction, constantly on the wrong side of the law.

After more than forty years of working in the film industry, George Lucas still gets just as much of a kick out of his movies as his fans do. A car accident forced him to change course in his career, taking liberal arts over pursuing a racing career, and almost fifty years later is worth an estimated 3 billion US dollars.

The world gameʼs pin-up boy, Ronaldo spent his formative years at the most famous club in the English Premier League - Manchester United, before transferring to Real Madrid for a record fee of 94 million Euros, in late 2009. But even if his career with his new club doesnʼt reach the heights it has with the Red Devils, heʼs still assured a living in advertising.

Almost as well-known for his wife, Victoria Beckham, and his fashion sense as for his talent on the soccer field, the former Manchester United star is perhaps the most recognized soccerm player of his generation. Becks had wanted to play soccer for as long as he could remember, but even he could not have predicted the heights to which heʼd rise within the sport.

Still in her 20ʼs, the former Destinyʼs Child star admits that life as a solo artist is pretty good. She credits her family for keeping her grounded; and despite the trappings of fame, is grateful to have a life outside of being a pop star. Beyonce has carved out a career on her own, both in music and acting in movies such as Dream Girls.

Born Victoria Caroline Adams, in Essex, England, she first caught the attention of the media and public as Posh Spice, a member of one of the most successful female musical groups in the world. "Wannabe", the first Spice Girls single, went to number one in 31 countries, the band becoming an instant global phenomenon, especially with pre-teen and teenage girls.

An incredible acrobat, Chan has been wowing audiences since the 1970ʼs with his improvisational martial arts fighting style and comic timing. He manages most stunts himself, a fact that has endeared him to fans of action films worldwide. He worked for ten years as an actor and stuntman in China, enjoying great success, but wasn't in the international market until 1995, with Rumble in the Bronx.

Former boy band and Mickey Mouse Club member Justin Timberlake has come a long way from Memphis Tennessee in his relatively short career. After a seven year run with NʼSync, and an acrimonious break-up with girlfriend Britney Spears, Timberlake went solo, releasing his debut album Justified, which included the single "Cry Me a River", rumoured to be about his relationship problems with Spears.

The Guinness Book of Records has named Madonna the most successful female recording artist of all time. In a quarter of a century, sheʼs seen it all, done it all, and is still wowing audiences worldwide whenever she happens to tour. Her amazing career began in the early eighties, when her debut album spawned three hit singles, and soon everyone was copying her look.

He may be the worldʼs richest man but Bill Gates is just as dedicated to giving money where itʼs needed (Live 8 - Make Poverty History) as he is to making it for himself and his company, software giant Microsoft. He began the business back in the late seventies with a friend from university, Paul Allen, and launched its first operating system, Windows. The rest, as they say, is history.

The adventures of a certain boy wizard were enough to propel J.K Rowling into millionaire status but by 2007 the story that began it all came to an end. Rowling said goodbye to the series with the launch of the seventh book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The idea for the series was born on a long train journey, and by the time the author disembarked she couldnʼt wait to start writing.

An actor whose Hawaiian name means "Cool breeze over the mountain", Keanu is part English, Hawaiian and Chinese, but was born in Lebanon! Inscrutable, handsome and very private, he has let his films do the talking for him, choosing a mix of blockbusters such as Speed and the Matrix trilogy with smaller, independent films with an edge, such as Feeling Minnesota and Constantine.

The English Premier League powerhouse, Manchester United, is one of the most famous sporting clubs in the world. Not only are the one of the most successful clubs in the league, they have also set a benchmark for the promotion of their brand all over the world. Quick to capitalize on advances in technology, Man U became the first soccer team to have their own television channel.

Perhaps the most photographed woman on the planet, Diana, Princess of Wales, lived a short, tumultuous life, in which she was revered by the public for her charity work and hounded, literally to death, by the paparazzi. She was a style icon, the peopleʼs princess; an approachable figure that Britons felt they could identify with because of her warm, human nature.

Though frequently mocked for her progressive attitudes towards family and relationships, Jolie has held true to her own strongly held beliefs and sense of morality. Even her critics canʼt deny that her dedication to humanitarian work, her loyalty to her ever expanding family and her relationship with Brad Pitt have propelled her to a level of influence never before enjoyed by a mere film star.

Peleʼs amazing prowess on the soccer field earned him the nickname "The King" and endeared him to thousands in his home country of Brazil. These days he is recognised around the world as one of the greats of the game.

Australiaʼs sweetheart Nicole was presented with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in January 2003, not long after splitting with husband Tom Cruise. But despite their divorce, she still acknowledges his influence in her career, as heʼd noticed her stunning performance in Dead Calm (with Sam Neill) and cast her opposite him in Days of Thunder.

From his earliest days working as an advocate for the poorer people of Chicago all the way to the steps of the White House, Barack Obama has never forgotten his roots, and even as President of the United States and arguably, "leader of the free world", he still lists social reform as one of his chief concerns.

Growing up in Missouri must have seemed a lifetime away from the bright lights and madness of Hollywood, but the star of movies such as Seven, Kalifornia, Oceanʼs Eleven and itʼs sequels, and more recently, Inglorious Basterds admits that the thought of settling down in a normal, nine-to-five job like his peers terrified him, but his passion was films.

Late fashion photographer Herb Ritts once claimed that it was impossible to take a bad photograph of German supermodel Claudia Schiffer. She was one of the six highest paid models of the eighties and nineties dubbed "supermodels", which included Elle McPherson, Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista.

The life and death of Hollywood sex symbol Marilyn Monroe continues to fascinate the public almost fifty years after her untimely demise. An absolute icon, she was a living paradox - a blonde bombshell known as much for her dalliances with famous men as for her breathless, childish vulnerability on screen. Men wanted her, and women wanted to be her.

With her famous stage-fright, it is a credit to the singer and actor that she forged the amazing career that she has. Barbra Streisand began singing as a teenager to support her family, but it was thanks to the runaway success of her first film, Funny Girl, that she was able to imagine the duel life of an actress and performer.

John Travolta got the world disco dancing - and helped sell white suits everywhere - as the hip-thrusting Tony Minero in Saturday Night Fever in the seventies, then broke hearts as Danny Zuko in the musical made for the screen, Grease, in the early ʻ80ʼs. Then came a string of flops in the 90ʼs, and it seemed as though the once promising career of the Italian-American actor might be over.

All American good guy Tom Hanks has made a career of playing endearingly ordinary guys put in extraordinary situations, who somehow manage to succeed despite the odds. He has earned many awards, not the least his two Oscars for best actor for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump.