Jodie Foster

An inimitable leading lady who radiates intelligence and charm, Foster began her showbiz career at age 3 by baring her bottom in a Coppertone suntan-lotion ad. Guest spots on myriad TV shows followed before she transitioned to the big screen in the early '70s. In 1976, the teen actress turned in a pair of antithetical powerhouse performances — a tomboy trapped in her mother's body in the Disney feature Freaky Friday and an Oscar-nominated turn as a hard-bitten 12-year-old hooker in Taxi Driver — thus proving her striking versatility. Foster continued to rack up credits on her résumé before slowing down to attend Yale University in the early '80s. After college, she swiftly graduated to adult roles and scored Oscars for a pair of poignant portrayals: a rape victim in 1988's The Accused and a rookie FBI agent in 1991's The Silence of the Lambs. She also began producing and directing. As the '90s wore on, Foster appeared in fewer projects, in part because she was channeling her energy into parenthood. The strong single mother gave birth to sons in 1998 and 2001 but never disclosed the father's identity nor addressed rumors about her sexual orientation. Yet despite keeping a low profile, she remained at the top of the Hollywood A-list.