Best Performance by an East High Graduate

Teachers at Denver’s East High School remember Don Cheadle (class of 1982) as an able student and a dedicated student actor; his turn as the Artful Dodger in Oliver is still cherished there. Since then, this talented character actor has stolen a show from Denzel Washington in Devil in a Blue Dress, broken hearts in Boogie Nights and, last year, turned a police stakeout (with fellow cop Luis Guzmán) in Traffic into a miniature comic masterpiece. Fortunately, fame hasn’t caused Cheadle to forget his humble beginnings: Teachers and staff at East say the actor returns to say hello whenever he’s in Denver.