amanwithaview PEOPLE YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF, BUT YOU SHOULD HAVE BY NOW!: June 28, 2012

These are NOT celebrities in need of the Snookie Alert!  They are worthy of your attention:

Martha Wainwright - Singer

Martha is the sister of Rufus, but no longer fills her time by singing back-up for her bro and has RIGHTLY moved into her own spotlight.  She's quickly become a favorite of David Letterman, and has sung numerous times on his show.  I've listened to her constantly since I met her at her bro's show, and she keeps amazing me with her creative voice (she has an amazing ability to sing multiple genres of music and make it work).  Check her out, below, singing her song When the Day is Short on Letterman: (From: YouTube)

Ben Chaplin - Actor

Ben has had a slew of films, since his first BIG American film, The Truth About Cats and Dogs.  Remember that one?  I do!  It's STILL one of my favs.  Especially since Janeane is in it as well.  Some of my personal favs, outside of Cats & Dogs, are Birthday Girl, Feast of July (SEE THIS FILM!), and Stage Beauty.  I'm sure a lot of you have seen his work, but you just haven't realized what a great performer he is.  He deserves more starring roles, and his gorgeous eyes make him one HOT actor to watch!  Just look at him...def the European version of "the guy next door." (Photo below from zimbio.com)

Check Ben out at IMDB.com here: See which of Ben's films you've seen here! 

Greg Araki - Film Director

Araki is probably most famously known for discovering Rose McGowan and casting her in one of her best roles (aside from her AMAZEBALLS show Charmed of course!) in The Doom Generation.  I remember discovering his films in high school, and trolling EVERY video store in search of them.  His vision is kind of "other worldly" and he def has some drug-induced stylings going on in almost all of his movies.  If you want to see something more recent, yet sill being inclusive of his ballsy take on Hollywood filmmaking, check out Mysterious Skin with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the glorious Elisabeth Shue (speaking of whom...)  Mental note on Elisabeth TAKEN!

Araki at the Cannes Film Festival (From: photoshelter.com)

Greg's IMDB profiile can give you some great, detailed info on his work.  His earlier stuff is groundbreaking, as far as telling some gritty, gay stories on film.  Check him out here:

Taking film to the next level - that's Greg Araki!! (From: IMDB)