Mena Suvari

Actress-model Mena Suvari may have begun her career as a doe-eyed ingénue, but she soon proved herself not only willing, but capable of taking on grittier roles in projects both large and small. Rocketing to stardom with high-profile roles in two of the year's biggest films - "American Pie" (1999) and "American Beauty" (1999) - the 20-year-old actress suddenly found herself in the precarious position of being one of Hollywood's hottest properties. There was, of course, the requisite sequel "American Pie 2" (2001), although impressive work in films like "Spun" (2002) and a recurring role on "Six Feet Under" (HBO, 2001-05) did much to dispel any misconceptions about a perceived lack of depth. Nonetheless, the danger of playing against expectations bore itself out as Suvari struggled to find her footing over the ensuing years in a hodgepodge of films that included the thrillers "Trauma" (2004) and "Stuck" (2008), neither of which approached the commercial or critical success of her earlier efforts. Guest turns on television series like "Psych" (USA Network, 2006-14) and "American Horror Story" (FX, 2011- ), gradually filled out periods between feature film projects, including a return to the raunchy comedy franchise that started it all with "American Reunion" (2012). Although never forgetting her lighthearted roots, Suvari had grown as an actress considerably over the course of the decade, and sought to demonstrate her dexterity as a performer in a wide array of roles in any number of genres.