#25 Angelina Jolie:
More well-known for what's written about her in the tabloids than what she does on screen, Jolie has recovered from negative publicity at the start of the decade (from her odd behavior) to emerge as a goodwill ambassador and all-around heroine of sorts. More importnatly, she's proven in the last couple of years with her roles in A Mighty Heart and Changeling that her 1999 Oscar win for Girl, Interrupted was no fluke.
- #25 Angelina Jolie: More well-known for what's written about her in the tabloids than what she does on screen, Jolie has recovered from negative publicity at the start of the decade (from her odd behavior) to emerge as a goodwill ambassador and all-around heroine of sorts. More importnatly, she's proven in the last couple of years with her roles in A Mighty Heart and Changeling that her 1999 Oscar win for Girl, Interrupted was no fluke.
- #24 Cameron Diaz: Diaz can be stuck by casting directors in two boxes: Playing a hot babe or parodying her attractiveness (see "There's Something About Mary"), but Diaz has had more than a few opportunities to shine as an actress and has even generated mild Oscar buzz in films like Gangs of New York, Vanilla Sky and In Her Shoes. Her penchant for comic timing on screen also got her featured in Premiere's "Comedy Issue" in 2005.
- #23 Maggie Gyllenhall: Before she was known to most audiences as Katie Holmes' replacement on "The Dark Knight," Gyllenhall (along with her brother Jake) was known as somewhat of an independent queen. Her best work to date has been in films away from the limelight such as "The Secretary" and "Sherrybaby." An elusive Oscar nomination still eludes her
- #22 Halle Berry: With the exception of her growing role in the X-Men sequels, Halle Berry hasn't followed up her magnificent Oscar-winning performance in Monster's Ball with many commercial or critical hits, but there are no signs that, as a viable box office star, she's in decline.
- #21 Joan Allen: The consumate acterss of stage and screen has not been as prolific as some of the other actresses on the list but she delivered one of the decade's most memorable performances as vice presidential contender Laine Hanson in "The Contender" and earned considerable Oscar buzz opposite Kevin Costner in the independent gem "The Upside of Anger." Other credits this decade include "The Notebook" and "Bourne Ultimatum"
- #20 Kirsten Dunst: Kirsten Dunst was transformed overnight from child star (roles included Dick, Jumanji, and Wag the Dog) to the A-list with the record-breaking success of Spiderman in 2002. Since then, she has made bold choices, taking on an unconventional version of French history in the lead role in Marie Antoinette and venturing into Charlie Kaufman's twisted world in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
- #19 Catherine Zeta-Jones Another virtual unknown ten years ago, the exotic Welsh actress has found meaty roles alongside husband Michael Douglas in Traffic, in the Oscar-winning musical Chicago, and under the tutelage of Spielberg and Tom Hanks in The Terminal. With her self-conscious good looks, Zeta-Jones has proved the perfect fit for screwball comedies such as Intolerable Cruelty and America's Sweethearts.
- #18 Maggie Smith: The 2-time Oscar winner earned her sixth Oscar nomination for Godsford Park, won her 5th BAFTA for Tea with Mussolini and won an Emmy for "Nights of Umbria." However, it's her role as Minerva in the Harry Potter series that has garnered this Dame a place in pop culture.
- #17 Laura Linney: Deemed the "intelligent actress" of her generation, no one can say that Linney isn't smart about the roles she choses. She's appeared in a number of unlikely critical hits including Ken Longorean's directorial debut in "You Can Count on Me," "The Savages," "Kinsey" and "Mystic River," and while she would gladly forget "Man of the Year," she's earned three Oscar nominations this decade.
- #16 Natalie Portman: She emerged as a household name with her role as Queen Amidala in George Lucas's Star Wars prequels. The Star Wars prequels were notoriously panned for their wooden acting, but Portman's career has proved very resillient, culminating in her winning a Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress in Closer.
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