Elizabeth Reaser

Although this Juilliard graduate is quite comely in real life, she was unrecognizable as a ferry-crash victim in her breakthrough turn on Grey's Anatomy. For nine episodes, Reaser's natural beauty was buried under makeup and prosthetics to play Jane Doe, a pregnant amnesiac with a smashed face. Ironically, her previous TV role had been on the other side of the hospital bed, as a doctor on the short-lived drama Saved. After finishing acting school, the Michigan native honed her craft on New York stages and the soap Guiding Light. She found work in indie films, and gave a fiery performance as a foreign mail-order bride in the '20s period drama Sweet Land. Since her character was unable to speak English, Reaser communicated her emotions via her expressive eyes, earning her an Independent Spirit nomination. It was also excellent experience for her Grey's Anatomy gig, since she was unable to speak during the first few episodes.