Naomi Watts

Although she had been performing for more than 15 years in her native Australia, actress Naomi Watts finally landed her breakthrough role when she was tapped by David Lynch to portray an aspiring starlet in "Mulholland Drive" (2001), the director's bizarre, darkly nightmarish vision of show business.

Her vaunted turn propelled the unknown actress into stardom, resulting in leading roles in major Hollywood films and a healthy tabloid interest in her private life when she began dating fellow Aussie actor, Heath Ledger.

Watts followed up by starring in the Japanese horror remake, "The Ring" (2002), while turning in an award-worthy performance as a wife and mother grieving the tragic loss of her family in the downbeat "21 Grams" (2003). She next displayed her wide range the following year with the relationship drama "We Don't Live Here Anymore" (2004), the historical drama "The Assassination of Richard Nixon" (2004), and David O. Russell's existential comedy "I [Heart] Huckabees" (2004). Watts reached her widest audience as the damsel in distress in Peter Jackson's "King Kong" (2005), while starring in the sequel "The Ring Two" (2005).

After lower key movies like "Eastern Promises" (2007) and "The International" (2009), Watts flirted with further critical acclaim as exposed CIA agent Valerie Plame in "Fair Game" (2010) and a frantic mother searching for her family in "The Impossible" (2012), which underscored her reputation as one of Hollywood's most versatile and beautiful actresses.