Born in Benoni, she rose to fame in the late 1990’s in films such asThe Devils Advocate and The Cider House Rules. In 2003 she won an Oscar, and 18 other awards, playing a serial killer in the filmMonster.

She’s the go-to girl for unlikeable characters other actresses are too sissy to play. That’s because she’s a down-to-earth South African who’s seen the best and worst of human nature, who enjoys getting beyond the surface of things.

With a passion for activism, she’s a UN Messenger of Peace, has spoken out on violence against women, and helps fund HIV/Aids projects in Southern Africa.

Woody Allen once said, ‘She’s so hot if she was in this room, your buttons would melt.’