In Focus
In Focus: Sandra Bullock
02.23.07
She battled her misadventure-prone girl-next-door image by playing a raging racist in "Crash." Watch the unexpected projects roll in.
In Focus: Gerard Butler
02.20.07
He's played Dracula, Attila, the Phantom — all icons. But starring as lesser-known badass King Leonidas may finally make Gerard Butler a name to remember.
In Focus: Mark Ruffalo
02.09.07
His long list of lovely co-stars proves that he's had no trouble catching ladies onscreen, but criminals are a different story.
In Focus: Jim Carrey
02.02.07
Life as a blockbuster-comedy icon simply wouldn't satisfy Jim Carrey, who has tried everything from a thriller to a way-out-there romance since striking slapstick gold.
In Focus: Drew Barrymore
01.26.07
While adorable, feisty Gertie has a lot in common with this bubbly leading lady, she's lived 25 years and a whole lot of drama since "E.T."
In Focus: Sienna Miller
01.19.07
Standing up to two notorious womanizers turned "Sienna who?" into the woman who could land a sought-after role as the ultimate It girl.
In Focus: Jennifer Garner
01.12.07
This lovely girl-next-door looks like a romantic comedy regular, but she's spent a lot more time kicking butt.
In Focus: Alicia Keys
01.05.07
How does the singer follow three hit albums and nine Grammys? With a role as an assassin, of course.
In Focus: Hilary Swank
12.29.06
Ten years, a few choice roles and a couple of awe-inspiring performances put two Oscars into the hands of 'The Next Karate Kid.'
In Focus: Michelle Trachtenberg
12.22.06
Her "Harriet the Spy" cracked the case, and she was all-powerful on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Does that "Black Christmas" baddie stand a chance?
In Focus: Jessica Biel
12.15.06
Vampire slayer, unfaithful princess, Iraq vet — "7th Heaven" bad girl Mary Camden couldn't have predicted what kind of adventures she'd have on film.
In Focus: Angelina Jolie
12.08.06
This wild child evolved into a politically conscious mom, but that's nothing compared to the changes she's made onscreen.
In Focus: Patrick Dempsey
12.01.06
Sure, he's dreamy now, but it took him 20 years to get here. Trace Dempsey's onscreen path from '80s nerd to leading man.
In Focus: Cameron Diaz
11.22.06
This California girl makes everything from gross-out humor to gritty drama look easy — she's even a crush-worthy ogre.
In Focus: Heather Graham
11.17.06
There's a lot more to "Bobby" star Heather Graham than Rollergirl and that sitcom that was canceled after one episode. Trust us.
In Focus: Daniel Craig
11.10.06
With a history of tough-guy roles and a future as Lucifer, think twice before calling the new 007 "James Blond" — at least to his face.
In Focus: Eva Green
11.03.06
The French actress hits the big leagues with breakout roles as a bad Bond girl and a good witch.
In Focus: Penelope Cruz
10.27.06
Sorry, Tom Cruise and Matthew McConaughey — no other movie man makes Penélope shine quite like Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar.
In Focus: Scream Queens
10.20.06
They're targeted and terrified, and horror movies just wouldn't be the same without them. Take a good look at the women who scream bloody murder so well.
In Focus: Scarlett Johansson
10.13.06
Hate her because she's beautiful? Fine, but don't assume good looks equal smooth sailing. There's 12 years of work wrapped up in that pretty package.
In Focus: Ryan Phillippe
10.06.06
He's played a bad guy, a cop, an innocent and a total creep, but Phillippe lands right on the front lines of war in his next films.
In Focus: Amber Tamblyn
09.29.06
She assisted a higher power for two years on TV, but Amber Tamblyn will need all the heavenly help she can get as she shifts to scream queen.
In Focus: Jordana Brewster
09.22.06
The strong, sexy actress has consistently played feisty to a T, but taking on Leatherface would have any tough girl quaking in her boots.
In Focus: James Franco
09.15.06
He makes brooding bad boys look even better, but Franco's no one-trick star: There's an action hero, a romantic lead and even a director in him too.
In Focus: Ashton Kutcher
09.07.06
It hasn't taken Kutcher long to go from factory worker to TV star to movie lead to producer. What's his next move? Action hero, of course.
In Focus: Jacinda Barrett
09.01.06
Straight from "The Real World" to the big screen? Not quite. Education, bit parts and a few false starts paved her real-world road to the spotlight.
In Focus: Maggie Gyllenhaal
08.25.06
Her father helped launch her acting career, and her brother may be the bigger star, but Maggie Gyllenhaal isn't standing in anyone's shadow.
In Focus: Amy Smart
08.18.06
She's played the perfect girl next door for 10 years, but now Amy Smart is moving into edgier territory, dating a hit man and pulling off bank heists.
In Focus: André Benjamin
08.11.06
Triple threat? How limiting. This rapper, singer, songwriter, music producer, TV producer, film actor and fashion icon is a walking one-man show.
In Focus: Samuel L. Jackson
08.04.06
He's made up for a slow career start by kicking onscreen butt all over the place -- including a galaxy far, far, away and the not-so-friendly skies.
In Focus: Hilary Duff
07.28.06
She took her first job at age 6 and hasn't slowed down since, but you don't find success as an actress, singer and fashion designer by taking it easy.
In Focus: Julia Roberts
07.21.06
The small-town Southern girl turned Hollywood superstar smiles big, takes career chances and wins America's heart -- and an Oscar -- with down-to-earth roles.
In Focus: Ashanti
07.14.06
R&B star Ashanti is relatively new to the acting game, but she's been quick to battle, facing off with bad boyfriends, evil scientists and a leather-clad Miss Piggy.
In Focus: Bryce Dallas Howard
07.07.06
The road to success was laid out for this child of Hollywood royalty, but she's forged her own path paved with fearless choices and the faith of M. Night Shyamalan.
In Focus: Kate Hudson
06.30.06
She's bubbly and fun and all but sparkles onscreen, so it's no wonder Kate Hudson's career has been full of romance and laughter -- and the odd nightmare.
In Focus: Keira Knightley
06.23.06
Dress her in a costume, send her back in time and look out. The Oscar-nominated actress is pretty as a picture, but few could take her in an onscreen fight.
In Focus: Johnny Depp
06.23.06
He's creepy and he's kooky -- and a practically peerless actor. There's got to be someone Johnny Depp can't play, but he hasn't found him yet.
In Focus: Brandon Routh
06.16.06
It's a bird, it's a plane -- um, no. It's a 6-foot-3 mystery man with dark hair who looks great in tights. Yes, it's Superman.
In Focus: Adam Sandler
06.09.06
He's gone from "SNL" to superstardom, from starring as Satan's sheltered son to playing a decent, hardworking dad. And we're still laughing.
In Focus: Kate Bosworth
06.02.06
She fell into acting because she wanted to ride horses, went on to a starring role riding some serious waves, and now she's riding shotgun with Superman.
In Focus: Julia Stiles
05.26.06
Actively seeking out roles since age 11 has offered Julia Stiles the chance to live as a dancer, "shrew," temptress and mother of a demon.
In Focus: Hugh Jackman
05.19.06
He sings. He dances. He grows amazing sideburns and saves the world through the deft use of razor-sharp talons. It's all in a day's work for the man behind Wolverine.
In Focus: Halle Berry
05.12.06
The former beauty queen made Oscar history with "Monster's Ball," took her "Catwoman" lumps with a smile and continues to unleash a Storm on action fans.
In Focus: Jessica Simpson
05.05.06
From singing in the church choir to walking all over you, Texan Jessica Simpson has played out career shifts and personal changes in plain view.
In Focus: Jessica Alba
05.01.06
The actress went from 'Nowhere' to everywhere with a few choice career steps, a big-budget break and a 2005 to remember.
In Focus: Tom Cruise
04.28.06
It's been six years since Tom Cruise last stepped into "Mission: Impossible" Agent Ethan Hunt's shoes -- and a whole lot has changed for the actor since 2000.
In Focus: Movie Awards Sexiest Performance
04.24.06
A Southern belle with moxie, a singer turned suspect, a stripper tailed by trouble, a beauty on the rise and a pro with the right stuff. So who's sexiest?
In Focus: Ciara
04.14.06
The Grammy-nominated R&B singer has plenty of experience serving up hits and now she's adding volleyballs -- and acting roles -- to her repertoire.
In Focus: Mandy Moore
04.07.06
She was a teen pop star with two hits to her credit at 16. Six years later, Moore is making a mark on the big screen in a big way.
In Focus: Eva Longoria
03.31.06
It didn't take many episodes of "Desperate Housewives" to turn Eva Longoria from a "Who?" to an "Ohh." Will her steady climb end in big-screen success?
In Focus: Josh Hartnett
03.24.06
An alien invasion, a super creepy uncle, countless broken hearts and a poorly timed chastity pledge -- is there anything Josh Hartnett can't handle?
In Focus: Big Boi
03.20.06
Already a star on wax, Outkast's Big Boi breaks into celluloid, scoring a serious role in "ATL" and stepping into the 1930s for the elusive "Idlewild" ...
In Focus: Amanda Bynes
03.13.06
She's been compared to comedy legend Lucille Ball, but even Lucy didn't have her own sketch-comedy show and a handful of film roles on her résumé at age 19 ...
In Focus: Natalie Portman
03.06.06
With over a decade of silver-screen experience, a Harvard degree and a Golden Globe in her back pocket, Natalie Portman prepares to take on an unjust world onscreen ...
In Focus: Matthew McConaughey
02.27.06
How did this laid-back Texan charm his way from sleazeball cameo player to romantic lead in record time? It's amazing what a shave and a haircut can do ...
In Focus: JoJo
02.20.06
Before she turned 14, JoJo was a talent-contest reject -- with a platinum album. Now the singer is out to conquer the movie world with roles in "Aquamarine" and "R.V." ...
In Focus: Paul Walker
02.13.06
The California golden boy stepped out of angelic child-star roles, graduated from high school films and took hold of the action-star wheel starting with "The Fast and the Furious" ...
In Focus: Sarah Jessica Parker
02.06.06
She's danced with Helen Hunt on film, starred as "Annie" on Broadway, played a nerd on TV and fell for Ferris Bueller in real life. Move over, Carrie Bradshaw ...
In Focus: Justin Timberlake
01.30.06
He found success as a boy-band star and a solo artist, and now Justin Timberlake is ready to try living as a relentless reporter, a drug-runner and a cartoon prince ...
In Focus: Beyoncé Knowles
01.23.06
She's played a detective, a suspect and a choirgirl, and Beyoncé shows no signs of slowing her acting roll -- scoring what may be her dream part in "Dreamgirls" ...
In Focus: Tyrese Gibson
01.16.06
How do you follow an initial acting job that introduces you to millions, a debut album that goes platinum and a first film role that places a whole movie on your shoulders? If you're Tyrese Gibson, you keep on fighting ...
In Focus: Scott Speedman
01.09.06
He didn't have the goods for "Batman & Robin," but Scott Speedman has managed to lure Keri Russell across the country, drive Kate Beckinsale to betray her family and sing karaoke with Gwyneth Paltrow ...
In Focus: Kate Beckinsale
01.02.06
She started off doing Shakespeare, hit her stride as a nurse torn between two pilots and played a film legend for Scorsese, but most know Kate Beckinsale as a love-struck vampire navigating the "Underworld" ...
In Focus: Jennifer Aniston
12.19.05
Pretty girl with soap-star dad scores a hit TV series, becomes a style icon, marries a heartthrob, moves on to movies, divorces the heartthrob ... and what's next is anyone's guess ...
In Focus: Johnny Knoxville
12.12.05
After a very brief stint in drama school, Johnny Knoxville jumped into the wild world of stupid pranks, where a "Jackass" -- and a star -- were born ...
In Focus: Jake Gyllenhaal
12.08.05
Having family in the business doesn't help when they don't let you take roles, but Jake Gyllenhaal's interesting career choices have more than made up for missing out on "The Mighty Ducks" ...
In Focus: Luke Wilson
12.07.05
Owen may be the bigger box-office draw, but younger brother Luke Wilson has the movie-star looks and a whole lot of love-interest experience ...
In Focus: Lindsay Lohan
12.06.05
From her very first film role to more Personal music, Lindsay Lohan has tackled challenges head-on ...
In Focus: Naomi Watts
12.05.05
Making friends with her competition and dropping acting for a behind-the-camera job may not sound like a recipe for critical and box-office success, but it's worked for Naomi Watts ...
In Focus: Jack Black
12.05.05
He's pushed cereal with the Smurfs, taught school kids to rock and unleashed some seriously funny metal with the D. Now Jack Black attempts to harness the power of a giant ape ...
In Focus: Charlize Theron
11.21.05
From a farm in South Africa to a Best Actress Oscar, good luck, good looks and unexpected acting choices have brought Charlize Theron a long way ...
In Focus: Usher
11.14.05
With triple-threat appeal -- as a dancer, singer and actor -- Usher Raymond aims for the same success onscreen that he's had on the charts ...
In Focus: Reese Witherspoon
11.07.05
From "Pleasantville" to "Legally Blonde" to playing June Carter Cash in "Walk the Line," the Lousiana native has never shied from tough (or goofy) roles ...
In Focus: Jamie Foxx
10.31.05
The Oscar-winner has come a long way from the skit comedy show, "In Living Color" -- but it's not likely that he'll ever leave the jokes entirely behind ...
In Focus: Uma Thurman
10.24.05
Perhaps her unorthodox upbringing helped the statuesque blonde adjust easily to a wildly varied career, playing an assassin one minute and a seductress the next ...
In Focus: The Rock
10.17.05
Brains and brawn -- in Hollywood (as in life) a rather formidable and unlikely combination. For Dwayne Johnson, however, it's money in the bank ...
In Focus: Kirsten Dunst
10.10.05
In a career spanning (brace yourselves) more than 15 years, the Dimpled One has managed to convey sweetness and strength in equal measure ...
