Terry Gross

Once known as the awkward kid on the cult TV hit Arrested Development, he's become a bona fide movie star with roles in the hit comedies Juno and Superbad. Next up for him: Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, another music-fueled teen love story.

When President Ahmadinejad of Iran spoke at the UN this week, his translator was Hooman Majd. But Majd isn't a professional translator. He's a writer, and his new book is called The Ayatollah Begs to Differ: The Paradox of Modern Iran.

Bassist Charlie Haden is known as a great jazz musician, but his lineage is all country: Growing up, he performed alongside his brothers and sister in the Haden Family Band, a country group led by parents, Carl and Virginia.