British actor, writer and comedian Simon Pegg rose to fame in the United Kingdom as the star of the popular twenty-something slacker sitcom "Spaced" (Channel 4, 1999, 2001). Pegg frequently collaborated with other talent from the series, forming a hip new clique of British comedians who eventually found widespread appeal with international audiences. He co-wrote and starred in the adored cult zombie spoof "Shaun of the Dead" (2004), earning a following in the United States that ballooned to full-blown stardom in 2007 with the action-flick send-up, "Hot Fuzz." Adding further luster to his cool-factor, Pegg was cast as chief engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in J.J. Abrams' retelling of the "Star Trek" (2009) film franchise, assuring Pegg's jump to celebrity status.
