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Though director Alejandro Iñárritu recently praised Bardem as "one of the best actors in the world," the seductive Spanish star remained relatively under the radar throughout most of his career, before exploding in films such as "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "No Country for Old Men" (for which he won an Oscar), and last year's "Eat Pray Love." He got his start in Pedro Almodovar's "High Heels" before landing the lead alongside Penelope Cruz in 1992's "Jamon, Jamon." One need only look at him to see how playing sexy, hypermasculine characters might come easily for Bardem, but he proved his versatility and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls" (2000), when he soared to new heights as a homosexual poet dying of AIDS and fighting persecution in "Fidel Castro's Cuba." (Image: Sofia Moro / Getty Images) See the Full story at The Daily Beast
Then: Mathilda, a hit-girl, in "Léon" ("The Professional")
Natalie was 12 when she made her feature film debut in the French action film "Léon" ("The Professional"), where she played—disturbingly—a 12-year-old protégé of a solitary New York City hit-man. Though it was generally well-received, the movie set off a debate about, as one critic put it, its “would-be sexy portrayal of a pre-teenage girl.” Portman’s breakout role was as the expressionless Padmé in George Lucas’ widely derided "Star Wars" prequels. Portman is still best at playing virginal characters, but just like the feverish dancer she portrayed in "Black Swan," for which she earned a Best Actress nomination, she has learned to show her dark side. (Image: Everett Collection) See the Full story at The Daily Beast
San Diego-raised Michelle Williams was not a far cry from the character that brought her into the spotlight. The young actress emancipated herself from her parents at 15, the same year she landed on the hit teen drama "Dawson’s Creek." Through the series’ six seasons, Williams’ character was on the periphery of a legendary TV love triangle, allowing her the opportunity to appear in projects from the Watergate satire "Dick" to the acclaimed HBO movie If "These Walls Could Talk 2." “Being on 'Dawson's Creek' was kind of like being a mobster,” the now-30-year-old mom told PopEater. “You set up a shop selling pizza, but in the back you're laundering money. You're doing one thing in plain sight and secretly plotting something else. I was plotting my tastes, my interests, my beliefs and hopes for what I could be.” It didn’t take long for the independent-film industry to recognize Williams’ talent and in 2006, she earned her first Oscar nomination for her supporting role in "Brokeback Mountain," where she met Heath Ledger. (Image: Getty Images) See the Full story at The Daily Beast
Just a year before her ill-fated marriage to Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman starred in "Dead Calm," a violent horror film about a young couple that happens upon a murderous sociopath during a sailing trip. In one famous scene, Kidman has sex with the murderer to distract him. But even amid the gore of her first big movie, there were sparks of her later critical acclaim: Variety said her performance was “excellent.” (Image: Warner Brothers / Everett Collection) See the Full story at The Daily Beast
Growing up in an acting family, Jeff Bridges was exposed to the Hollywood life at a very young age. He made appearances on his father’s shows, "Sea Hunt" and the self-titled "Lloyd Bridges Show" in his early adolescent years, but it wasn’t long before Bridges established himself as a credible actor, nepotism aside. His first major role in "The Last Picture Show" earned Bridges a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination in 1971 and the accolades continued to flow. His latest nod for "True Grit" marks Bridges’ sixth Academy Award nomination and potential second win after taking home the Best Actor gold for "Crazy Heart" last year. It takes someone particularly impressive not only to earn such praise and maintain a career for four decades, but to manage to get the Academy to overlook something like "Tron"… twice… and appeal to the masses with films like "The Big Lebowski." Bridges “is enough to make a picture worth seeing,” The New York Times once wrote of the actor. “Jeff Bridges just moves into a role and lives in it— so deep in it that the little things seem to come straight from the character’s soul.” (Image: Fox Photos / Getty Images) See the Full story at The Daily Beast
As we speak, James Franco has a "Three’s Company"-based art exhibition at the Sundance Film Festival, is studying for his Ph.D. in English at Yale University, stars in "The Green Hornet," and is preparing to direct a film version of William Faulkner’s "As I Lay Dying." At 32, James Franco has thrown his California-born-and-raised body into nearly every medium—and it seems to be paying off. Not only did Franco earn a Best Actor nomination from the Academy for his performance as a self-amputated mountaineer in "127 Hours," but he also agreed to co-host the ceremony… since apparently, he has so much free time. And though we can now applaud Franco’s audacious career choices, it’s hard to say many saw this professional path coming for the star of the short-lived TV series "Freaks and Geeks" in 1999. But after impressing audiences as the ultimate rebel in the 2001 TV biopic James Dean, which earned him Golden Globe, Emmy, and SAG nominations, Franco’s career took off. From "Spider-Man" to "Milk," he’s played it smart, despite his characters’ common quality. “I think I was just, I don't know, drawing on my inner dumb guy,” Franco once told NPR. “It's weird. I play a lot of dumb guys.” (Image: Everett Collection) See the Full story at The Daily Beast
Though director Alejandro Iñárritu recently praised Bardem as "one of the best actors in the world," the seductive Spanish star remained relatively under the radar throughout most of his career, before exploding in films such as "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," "No Country for Old Men" (for which he won an Oscar), and last year's "Eat Pray Love." He got his start in Pedro Almodovar's "High Heels" before landing the lead alongside Penelope Cruz in 1992's "Jamon, Jamon." One need only look at him to see how playing sexy, hypermasculine characters might come easily for Bardem, but he proved his versatility and earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls" (2000), when he soared to new heights as a homosexual poet dying of AIDS and fighting persecution in "Fidel Castro's Cuba." (Image: Sofia Moro / Getty Images) See the Full story at The Daily Beast
Jesse Eisenberg hasn’t always been the most famous actor in his family. His little sister, Hallie Kate, was one of the most recognizable faces of the late 1990s as “the Pepsi Girl,” and adorable child star in "Paulie," "Beautiful," and "Bicentennial Man." But while his sister was showing off her dimples to the world, the elder Eisenberg was shooting the short-lived Fox dramedy, "Get Real," which also starred this year’s Oscar co-host Anne Hathaway. A decade later, Hallie Kate was focusing on graduating from her New Jersey high school, giving Jesse the opportunity to stock his résumé with a slew of indie roles, including "Zombieland," "Adventureland," and the land-less "Squid and the Whale." Eisenberg’s performances led him to star as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in one of this year’s Oscar frontrunners, "The Social Network." Despite his recent praise, the curly haired actor claims he’s quite average. “I'm not famous,” he told People magazine. “Not like Tom Cruise.” (Image: Vince Bucci / Getty Images See the Full story at The Daily Beast
