Vivica A. Fox

Unafraid of reinventing herself anew several times throughout her career, actress-producer Vivica A. Fox was seen in everything from low-brow theatrical comedies to award-winning procedural TV dramas, and continually racked up recognition from the Image Awards and Black Reel Awards for her performances. The former soap opera actress' breakout role was playing Will Smith's hardworking single mom girlfriend in the blockbuster "Independence Day" (1996), after which her subdued sexiness and authentic appeal were tapped for quality family dramas like "Soul Food" (1997) and "Kingdom Come" (2001) and quirky actioners like Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill, Vol. 1" (2003). While Fox's reputation dipped with her many starring roles in straight-to-video titles and her increasing involvement in reality television, she maintained her integrity with steady runs on respected TV fare including Lifetime's "1-800-Missing" (Lifetime, 2003-06) and a surprise recurring stint on HBO's dry "Curb Your Enthusiasm" (HBO, 2000-), both of which showcased the versatility that made her one of the most in-demand African-American actresses in Hollywood.