Evangeline Lilly

Evangeline Lilly
Birth Date: August 03, 1979
Birth Place: Alberta, Canada

For Evangeline Lilly fame came without the pre-requisite years of endless auditions. About six weeks after she decided to pursue acting in 2004, the former Sunday school teacher won the role of Kate, a castaway with a checkered past, on ABC's Lost.

Before filming the hit drama with costar and real-life love Dominic Monaghan, the Canadian beauty was a devout Baptist girl who spent time living in a grass hut as a missionary in the Philippines. Although fame came quickly, she hasn't let her Golden Globe nod and Emmy win get to her head: after the first season of Lost, Lilly trekked to Rwanda to return to her missionary roots.

Gisele Bündchen

Gisele Bündchen

Bündchen was born in the Brazilian town of Três de Maio and grew up in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, to Vânia Nonnenmacher, a bank clerk pensioner, and Valdir Bündchen, a university teacher and writer. She has five sisters — Raquel, Graziela, Gabriela, Rafaela and her fraternal twin Patrícia, Gisele's junior by five minutes. Bündchen was raised as a Roman Catholic, speaks Portuguese as her native language and English as a second language.

She is from Southern Brazil, a region whose population is largely composed of Brazilians of German descent. Bündchen is of distant German ancestry in both sides of her family: her great-great-grandparents immigrated to Brazil from Germany. In regards to her ethnic background, Bündchen was quoted:

"I was born in Horizontina, a town in the backcountry of (Brazilian) state Rio Grande do Sul. The town was once mainly colonized by Germans. In the school which I attended, learning German was actually obligatory from third grade on. But being out of touch with the language for such a long time, I unfortunately forgot it. (...) I belong to the sixth generation of my family in Brazil."

Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria
Birth Date: March 15, 1975
Birth Place: Corpus Christi, Texas

The exact moment Eva Longoria became the country's water-cooler topic can be easily pinpointed: It happened when her Desperate Housewives character, Gabrielle Solis, seduced her teen gardener in the first season.

Soon after, Longoria appeared on the cover of nearly every women's magazine and lad publication, including Maxim's 100th issue. But it's her tendency to gab that has drawn headlines. Example: When she claimed to be "the experienced one" in her relationship with NBA player Tony Parker. The pair, who married in a low-key civil ceremony in a Paris City Hall, wed again in a historic French church on July 7, 2007.

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron - Dream

Moviegoers were first introduced to the seductive charm of Charlize Theron in her feature film debut, MGM's 2 Days in the Valley. Starring with James Spader, Eric Stoltz, and Jeff Daniels, it was the bizarre story of what happens to the lives of ten people in the San Fernando Valley who cross paths over 48 hours. Theron played Helga, Spader's partner and love interest, who can't get enough of the danger that surrounds her. Even among an ensemble cast, Theron gave a standout performance.

In early 1997, Theron starred in Jonathan Lynn's Trial and Error for New Line Cinema opposite Michael Richards and, 2 Days in the Valley co-star, Jeff Daniels. In the fall of the same -year, she appeared on the big screen once again co-starring with Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves in the Warner Brothers thriller, Devil's Advocate.

Extraordinary talent was all Tom Hanks needed to see to cast Theron in his directorial debut, That Thing You Do!. The two time Academy Award-winning actor brought this story to film from the script he authored. It told the tale of a small town rock band, "The Wonders" and the hit song that brings them fame. Theron portrayed Tina, Guy's (Tom Everett Scott) hometown girlfriend who is less than dazzled by "The Wonders" overnight success.

Theron has risen to the challenge of a variety of roles in a rather short period of time. This incredibly talented actress began her career as a model in her native South Africa. She worked extensively in fashion capitols such as Milan and Paris before coming to the U.S.

Audiences saw Theron star in Woody Allen's Celebrity for which she received rave reviews and Mighty Joe Young opposite Bill Paxton for Disney. She starred opposite Johnny Depp in New Line Cinema's The Astronaut's Wife.

Theron played Candy Kendall in the widely acclaimed and Oscar- nominated The Cider House Rules by Miramax, which was based on the novel by John Irving. The same year she starred in John Frankenheimer's Reindeer Games with Ben Affleck. Next, Theron played Adelle in Robert Redford's The Legend of Bagger Vance with Will Smith and Matt Damon.

Other roles include Fox 2000's Navy Diver with Robert DeNiro and Cuba Gooding, Jr., directed by George Tillman, Jr. In 2001, Theron was seen in The Yards, directed by James Grey. The drama starred Mark Wahlberg, Joaquin Phoenix, James Caan and Faye Dunaway. Also released in 2001, were Sweet November, 24 Hours and Miramax's Waking Up In Reno.

Carmen Electra

Carmen Electra
Birth Date: April 20, 1972
Birth Place: White Oak, Ohio

Carmen Electra was just Tara Patrick before auditioning for Prince in 1990. The audition changed her life (and her name), with the 18-year-old touring with Prince and recording an album. Though the singing never took off, she eventually found fame as a Playboy centerfold.

The Ohio native gained more recognition when she replaced two fellow Playmates: Jenny McCarthy as host of the MTV game show Singled Out and Pamela Anderson as a lifeguard on Baywatch – even though she didn't know how to swim.

After a short Las Vegas marriage to basketball star Dennis Rodman in 1998, Electra married guitarist Dave Navarro and filmed her journey to the altar for MTV's 'Til Death Do Us Part: Carmen & Dave. But, in 2006, she amicably split and filed for divorce from Navarro.

Fergie

Fergie
Birth Date: March 27, 1975
Birth Place: Whittier, Calif.

A graduate of Disney's Kids Incorporated, Stacy Ferguson elevated the once all-male underground rap group the Black Eyed Peas to new pop heights. She cut her last name in half, dropped the Stacy (and most of her clothing), and became the Peas' gyrating, belly-baring, real-life Bratz doll songstress.

Before the "humps" and "lady lumps," Fergie formed the girl group Wild Orchid. But, when the group fell apart, so too did Fergie; her escalating drug use spiraled into a crystal-meth addiction. With her mother's help, she rehabbed and joined the Black Eyed Peas.

After winning a Grammy with the group, Fergie went solo, releasing her debut album The Dutchess in 2006. As it topped the charts, so did her personal life with hunky fiancé, actor Josh Duhamel.

Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes
Birth Date: March 05, 1974
Birth Place: Miami, Fla.

One nude scene with Denzel Washington in 2001's Training Day turned then-unknown beauty Eva Mendes into a star. Within the next two years, the sultry Cuban bombshell went from Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror to appearing in five major films, including 2 Fast 2 Furious and Stuck on You.

The Los Angeles-bred Latina got her start in commercials, even appearing in Will Smith's (her future Hitch costar) ''Miami'' music video. Mendes has since starred with two of PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive honorees, Johnny Depp and Matt Damon. In 2008, the Revlon pitchwoman, who starred opposite Joaquin Phoenix in We Own the Night, entered rehab before lending her face – and body – to Calvin Klein Underwear.

Madonna

Madonna
Birth Date: August 16, 1958
Birth Place: Bay City, Mich.

Watching her roll around onstage in a wedding dress and fishnet stocking at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards, few could have predicted that Madonna would become a cultural force to be reckoned with over the next two decades.

Since that moment, the Catholic schoolgirl turned Kabbalist has made movies, launched style trends, sparked religious controversy, sold over 200 million records, and proved herself to be a savvy businesswoman.

Offstage, Madonna took on the roles of wife, mother, children's-book author and humanitarian. In 1996, her daughter Lourdes was born, and in 2000, Madonna married British film director Guy Ritchie. The two have a son, Rocco, and are in the process of adopting a boy from Malawi named David. The family primarily resides in England.

Naomi Campbell

Naomi Campbell
Birth Date: May 22, 1970
Birth Place: London, England

For all of her accomplishments, model Naomi Campbell will best be remembered for making a Blackberry an assault weapon. In 2007, after years of court battles over her temper, the supermodel performed five days of community service – decked out in couture – for throwing her jewel-encrusted phone at her former maid.

Within two years of being discovered in London, the British stunner became the first black model to grace the cover of British Vogue. Then, in 1992, designer Gianni Versace sent Campbell – alongside Christy Turlington and Linda Evangelista – down his catwalk and the supermodel phenomenon was born. The gorgeous model has had her pick of rich and famous boyfriends, including Mike Tyson, Robert De Niro, and Usher.

Rachel Bilson

Rachel Bilson
Birth Date: August 25, 1981
Birth Place: Los Angeles, Calif.

With her role as The OC's Summer Roberts, Rachel Bilson made an indelible impression on viewers as both a charming actress and an emerging style icon.

The L.A. darling grew up in a showbiz family, where her film director father encouraged her to act. After appearing in episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and 8 Simple Rules, Bilson landed her star-making role on The OC. Although the TV guilty pleasure ended after four seasons, it spawned a three-year romance with costar Adam Brody, a close friendship with Mischa Barton, and a blossoming film career for Bilson, who appeared with Zach Braff in The Last Kiss and opposite real-life love Hayden Christensen in the thriller Jumper.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio
Birth Date: November 11, 1974
Birth Place: Hollywood, Calif.

Teen fans sobbed when Leonardo DiCaprio, with his beguiling, baby-faced good looks, slipped into watery oblivion in 1997's megahit Titanic. However, the formerly hard-partying heartthrob with a penchant for supermodels has also shown his acting range and talent by taking on risky, challenging roles.

In 2006, his dramatic performances in Blood Diamond and The Departed put DiCaprio in competition with himself for the Best Actor Golden Globe, and he collected his third Oscar nomination for Diamond.

The star is private about his personal life, which includes romances with supermodel Gisele Bündchen and Israeli beauty Bar Refaeli. He does, however, speak out about environmental issues, raising awareness of global warming.

Hilary Duff

Hilary Duff
Birth Date: September 28, 1987
Birth Place: Houston, Texas

Former Lizzie McGuire star Hilary Duff grew up without losing the perky, mom-friendly image that was cast aside by fellow Disney actors like Lindsay Lohan.

Lizzie spawned a movie spin-off that launched Duff's big-screen career, and as a pop singer, she released three platinum albums, two of which topped the Billboard charts. But it was a reported feud with Lohan over pop star Aaron Carter that had the tabloids buzzing. Although Duff eventually moved on and found happiness with rocker Joel Madden from Good Charlotte, it ended in late 2006 after nearly two and a half years.

Matt Damon

Matt Damon
Birth Date: October 08, 1970
Birth Place: Cambridge, Mass.

Former Harvard student Matt Damon cemented his fame in 1998, when he won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay (Good Will Hunting) with best friend Ben Affleck. Overnight, the two boys-next-door became bonafide A-listers.

While Affleck went on to commercial blockbusters like Armageddon, Damon aligned with award-friendly directors like Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan) and Anthony Minghella (The Talented Mr. Ripley). More recently, Damon has balanced dramatic work in The Departed and The Good Shepherd with popular trilogies like Ocean's Eleven and The Bourne Identity.

Though he has dated starlets like Winona Ryder and Minnie Driver, PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive in 2007 has kept his love life private. In 2005, he quietly married Luciana Bozan Barroso before welcoming daughter, Isabella, in 2006. In 2008, the couple will be adding a third child to their brood.

America Ferrera

America Ferrera
Birth Date: April 18, 1984
Birth Place: Los Angeles, Calif.

Ugly has never been this beautiful! As bushy-browed brace face Betty Suarez on ABC's Ugly Betty, America Ferrera charmed audiences, made the endearingly hilarious series a must-see hit, and turned herself into a Golden Globe, SAG and Emmy Award-winning star.

The sixth and youngest child of Honduran immigrants, Ferrera got her big break in HBO's Sundance darling, Real Women Have Curves, at age 16. Her breakthrough performance helped her land the teen girlfriend hit The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants before her Betty fame.

Ferrera, who has been with live-in boyfriend Ryan Piers Williams for the last four years, was saluted by Congress for providing a role model for young Latinas, while landing on PEOPLE's Most Beautiful and Time's Most Influential lists.

Katie Holmes

Katie Holmes
Birth Date: December 18, 1978
Birth Place: Toledo, Ohio

Few fans of Katie Holmes' doe-eyed Joey Potter in the teen melodrama Dawson's Creek could have guessed what was in store for the actress. After she started seeing superstar Tom Cruise, the former girl-next-door emerged as half of the "TomKat" duo that took the world by storm.

The high-profile couple attracted a whirlwind of publicity, due to Cruise's couch-jumping declaration of love, a Parisian wedding proposal and the birth of daughter Suri, and a star-studded wedding in Italy.

Before her relationship stole the spotlight, Holmes built a respected career with roles in little-seen but acclaimed screen gems like The Ice Storm, Wonder Boys and Pieces of April. The actress continues to choose her roles carefully and appears next in Mad Money with screen legend Diane Keaton.

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey
Birth Date: March 27, 1969
Birth Place: Huntington, N.Y.

The life of Mariah Carey has never been lacking in rollercoaster drama. She shot up the charts in 1990 with her debut album and five-octave range, eventually becoming the best-selling female artist of all time. Then, in 2001, she fell from grace with her poorly received film debut, Glitter, and her subsequent emotional breakdown.

Carey's love life was just as volatile. At 19, she met Sony Music mogul Tommy Mottola, who signed her with Columbia Records, making her a star at 21 and his wife at 24. The marriage ended four years later, but Carey continued to record with Columbia until signing a reported $80 million, four-album deal with Virgin Records in 2001.

In 2005, the pop diva came back stronger than ever with The Emancipation of Mimi, which became the year's best-selling album and added three more Grammys to growing collection.

Leighton Meester

Leighton Meester
Birth Date: April 09, 1986
Birth Place: Marco Island, Fla.

As Blair Waldorf – the ruling Queen Bee of New York's Upper East Side – Leighton Meester took her character to richer and bitchier heights when she chartered a helicopter to go to the airport and let her BFF take the wrap for a rumored pregnancy on The CW's Gossip Girl. With her ultra luxe wardrobe (and equally glossy lips), Meester has burst out of this ensemble to stardom.

Opposite Blake Lively and Chase Crawford, Meester's performance has been hailed by Variety as "a predatory junior Joan Collins who practically breathes fire out of her pinched, perfectly WASP-ish nostrils." Pre-GG, Meester made the TV rounds on such hit series as 24, House M.D. and Entourage, where she played a virginal pop star.

Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken
Birth Date: November 30, 1978
Birth Place: Raleigh, N.C.

After first planning to audition for the reality show Amazing Race, Clay Aiken decided to give American Idol a shot instead. He ended the second season as runner-up to Ruben Studdard with a fanbase called "Claymates."

Although Aiken studied special education, music has always been his passion. His debut single, "This Is the Night," bested Elton John's record-holding "Candle in the Wind" for first-week sales. Subsequent albums – notably The Measure of a Man – also topped the charts.

The singer has battled in court with a biographer who claimed Aiken defamed her and has addressed rumors about his sexuality by telling PEOPLE simply "people are going to believe what they want."

Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum
Birth Date: June 01, 1973
Birth Place: Bergisch Gladbach,

GermanyBefore gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated's swimsuit issue and sporting lingerie for Victoria's Secret, Heidi Klum was an undiscovered stunner from the small West German city of Bergisch Gladbach.

While still in high school, Klum won a modeling competition that launched her career in Europe. In the '90s, she went on to conquer the American market beside fellow supermodel Tyra Banks, but wasn't content on banking on her looks. She expanded her portfolio as the host, judge and producer of Project Runway and launched her own fragrance, jewelry and clothing lines.

Klum, who was previously married to Ric Pipino and had a daughter with Italian entrepreneur Flavio Briatore, has since married pop star Seal, with whom she has two children.

Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock
Birth Date: July 26, 1964
Birth Place: Arlington, Va.

After stepping on the gas as the bus-driving damsel in distress in 1994's action hit Speed, Sandra Bullock became a romantic comedy-making machine (While You Were Sleeping, Hope Floats). But the girl-next-door seemed to have difficulty finding her real-life Mr. Right.




While producing and starring in her own films (Miss Congeniality), Bullock also kept busy building a life away from Hollywood in Austin, Texas. At 40, Bullock, who has been linked to Ryan Gosling and Matthew McConaughey, married twice-divorced, tattooed motorcycle tycoon Jesse James and embraced her role as stepmother to his three children.

Kanye West

Kanye West
Birth Date: June 08, 1977
Birth Place: Atlanta, Ga.

Kanye West is anything but a wallflower: he's spoken out against homophobia and materialism, and famously slammed White House inaction after Hurricane Katrina, saying, "George Bush doesn't care about black people."

But at the end of the day, West's music speaks for itself. After bringing a soulful, distinctive sound to artists like Jay-Z and Alicia Keys, West won multiple Grammys for his rap debut, The College Dropout, and his follow-up, Late Registration.

In November 2007, tragedy struck when West's mother, Donda, passed away after undergoing a cosmetic procedure. He delivered an emotional tribute to her at the 2008 Grammy Awards, where he won his third Best Rap Album Grammy for Graduation. Said West: "I know you wouldn't want me to stop and you want me to be the No. 1 artist in the world, and Mama, all I'm going to do is keep making you proud. We run this!"

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman
Birth Date: June 20, 1967
Birth Place: Honolulu, Hawaii

Don't be fooled by the porcelain skin and To Die For looks. Nicole Kidman's got acting chops. The Oscar winner proves that perfection in skill and beauty can both be had.

After her 10-year marriage to Tom Cruise ended in 2001, the media was waiting for Kidman to break a sweat, instead, she kept working, avoiding the media tsunami set off by her ex and his frenzied courting of Katie Holmes. Kidman continued to get richer, literally (earning $3.71 million per minute for a Chanel commercial) and figuratively (winning an Oscar for Best Actress in The Hours in 2003).

Shortly after marrying country music sensation Keith Urban in 2006, Kidman stood by her man when he entered rehab for alcohol abuse. Now, the regal movie star is heading toward a happy ending with Urban, as the couple is expecting their first child together in 2008.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise
Birth Date: July 03, 1962
Birth Place: Syracuse, N.Y.

Never one to sit on the sidelines – unless he's rooting for his kids at a sports game – Tom Cruise loves a big gesture, whether it's couch jumping on Oprah or doing his own stunts.

The Oscar-nominated actor, who once considered becoming a Catholic priest, now belongs to the Church of Scientology, which he believes helped him overcome dyslexia. His divorce from Nicole Kidman drew attention, but not nearly as much as his whirlwind romance with Katie Holmes.

Before Holmes gave birth to daughter Suri, Cruise criticized actress Brooke Shields for taking antidepressants for postpartum depression. Though he has since apologized, Paramount Pictures severed their 14-year relationship, claiming that his off-screen antics hurt ticket sales. Cruise has since signed with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. to resurrect United Artists, where he will star in and produce films.