Catherine Zeta-Jones

Welsh-born actress Catherine Zeta-Jones captivated both U.S. audiences and one of film's most prominent leading men, establishing her as Hollywood royalty seemingly overnight. Following more than a decade's worth of work on the stages of Britain, Zeta-Jones broke out in a big way opposite Antonio Banderas in the swashbuckling adventure, "The Mask of Zorro" (1998). After a pair of unremarkable mainstream efforts, she earned critical acclaim for her turn in Steven Soderbergh's drama "Traffic" (2000), co-starring her future husband, Hollywood icon Michael Douglas. Zeta-Jones later drew upon her extensive musical theater background for her Oscar-winning performance in Rob Marshall's adaptation of "Chicago" (2002). Critical and commercial disappointments such as the Coen Brothers' dark-comedy "Intolerable Cruelty" (2003) were balanced by bright spots like a supporting turn in Soderbergh's heist sequel, "Ocean's Twelve" (2004), but Zeta-Jones increasingly chose to devote her time to her and Douglas' growing family. A Tony Award for her Broadway performance in "A Little Night Music," Douglas' battle with throat cancer, and her own hospitalization for a bipolar disorder were just a few of the high and low points that marked a tumultuous period for Zeta-Jones between 2009 and 2011. Eventually, she returned to screens in several feature films, the musical, "Rock of Ages" (2012), among them. Almost preternaturally beautiful and talented, Zeta-Jones remained one of film's more impressive leading ladies.