Premiere magazine once called Gwyneth Paltrow the modern actress "most likely to assume the mantle of Audrey Hepburn." Paltrow was born into the business: her father was the director Bruce Paltrow, and her mother the actress Blythe Danner. Paltrow made her movie debut in Steven Spielberg's Hook (1991), and then grew into a willowy blonde beauty who had leading roles in the thriller Seven (1995, with Brad Pitt) and the Jane Austen flick Emma (1996). She proved herself as a leading lady by winning the best actress Oscar for playing Viola De Lesseps in the romantic comedy Shakespeare in Love (1998, with Imelda Staunton). Paltrow's romantic relationships with actors Pitt and Ben Affleck also kept her in the public eye, until she married singer Chris Martin of the band Coldplay in December of 2003. Paltrow's other films include The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999, with Matt Damon and Cate Blanchett), Duets (2000, directed by her father, Bruce Paltrow), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001, with Ben Stiller and Gene Hackman), Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (2004, with Jude Law), Proof (2005, with Jake Gyllenhaal), and The Good Night (2007, directed by her brother Jake Paltrow).

Extra credit: Paltrow and Martin have a daughter, Apple (b. 2004) and a son, Moses (b. 2006)... Her brother Jake (b. 1975) is a film writer and director... Bruce Paltrow was the executive producer of the TV series St. Elsewhere, among his many other credits.