THE GRAY SUIT: Suit by DUNCAN QUINN, $1950; T-shirt by VISVIM $108; sneakers by CONVERSE, $40

AGE 32
HOMETOWN Silver Spring, Maryland

It's safe to say Michael Ealy won't be going back to his day job. After too many years slaving away in various New York restaurants, the Maryland native was finally promoted from waiter to working actor with a lead in 2002's Barbershop, and he's been on a roll ever since.

"I remember many nights wondering, Am I an actor, or am I a waiter?" laughs Ealy. "I would get a job doing a pilot or an off-Broadway play, and then I would come back to my old life and it would be, 'Would you like rice or peas with that?' At times that was very painful. But I always knew: If this doesn't kill me, it will make me stronger."

Just over three years later, Ealy has nine films under his belt, the very hot Halle Berry on his arm, and a starring role in Showtime's terrorist drama, Sleeper Cell.

"I play Darwyn, a very conflicted undercover FBI agent who also happens to be a devout Muslim," explains Ealy. "I'm still amazed that I have this incredible part on this amazing show. I think I really appreciate what I have and what I've accomplished because of where I'm from-I'm pretty far from that restaurant, but damn, it feels like yesterday! In the end it was just about taking the right steps, in the right direction."

WHERE YOU CAN SEE HIM NEXT: In addition to his role on Sleeper Cell, Ealy stars in the  independent drama Jellysmoke.