Simon Rex

Known to MTV viewers of the mid-1990s as a popular VJ, Simon Rex went on to become an actor and a rapper. Conventionally handsome, Rex exploited his youthful appearance in a pair of solo pornographic films, and this gave him a taste for being in front of the camera.

A few years later, he resurfaced as an MTV personality. Garnering attention for his model-like appearance and laidback persona, Rex eventually shifted to acting, appearing as a regular on the sitcom "Jack & Jill" (WB, 1999-2001) and in a guest stint on the drama "Felicity" (WB, 1998-2002).

In 2003, he was featured in his first major Hollywood film, the hit horror-spoof sequel "Scary Movie 3," and he reprised his role in "Scary Movie 4" (2006). As his screen career stalled, Rex created the rapping alter ego of Dirt Nasty and began to build a cult following after the release of his self-titled debut album in 2007.

Along with his various Dirt Nasty appearances, he filmed the 2009 failed TV pilot "Rex" and later learned to stick to his strengths, mainly lowbrow humor, returning to the "Scary Movie" fold for "Scary Movie V" (2013).

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay area, Rex excised his last name of Cutright when he set out to become a performer. With his tanned good looks, Rex started on an unconventional path to stardom, appearing in two pornographic videos while he was still in his late teens, albeit under the assumed name of Sebastian.

While this move didn't rocket him to success, it motivated him to find less taboo screen work, namely as an outgoing VJ on MTV. Following time in the spotlight on the then-video-centric channel, Rex joined another youth-friendly network, the WB, first in a recurring role on the collegiate drama "Felicity," then on the short-lived sitcom "Katie Joplin" (1999) and later as part of the ensemble cast of the romance-oriented sitcom "Jack & Jill," which also featured Amanda Peet and Jaime Pressly, the latter who he dated briefly.

When "Jack & Jill" ended its two-season run and Rex hung up his hat as Mikey Russo, he moved on to another sitcom, "What I Like About You" (WB, 2002-06), starring Amanda Bynes and Jennie Garth, but left after only one season.

Rex made the leap to Hollywood fare with 2003's "Scary Movie 3," portraying the clueless George, who turns out to be an aspiring rapper when not being plagued by silly horror-movie creatures and curses. He reunited with Pressly on-screen for the talking-animal TV movie "The Karate Dog" (ABC Family, 2004) and found himself in tabloids when he began dating hotel heiress Paris Hilton.

Following a cameo in "Scary Movie 4" (2006), Rex appeared in the little-seen Hilton-starring comedy "Pledge This!" (2006), though his relationship with her had already ended, only to become an on-again/off-again romance.

Later in 2006, he returned to TV dramas with a role on the Lifetime series "Monarch Cove," but it was quickly cancelled. With a number of misfires to his credit, Rex took refuge as crude rapper Dirt Nasty and later worked on "Rex," a 2009 TV pilot that offered a fictionalized version of his life but didn't find a network home.

After turning up in videos by the raucous pop act LMFAO, Rex was back at home as a featured player in 2013's "Scary Movie V," and he later unveiled another Dirt Nasty album to the delight of his dedicated group of fans.