Rene Russo

Despite being discovered by a talent scout at a Rolling Stones concert when she was 17, model-turned-actress Rene Russo had an early life that was far from a fairy-tale existence. Born Feb. 17, 1954, in Burbank, Calif., Russo was raised by her single mother after her father abandoned the family. Plagued by scoliosis, Russo wore a back brace for much of her youth.

When, at the ripe old age of 30, Russo's modeling career started to fade, she took time off to study acting, and in 1987 was cast on the TV series "Sable." Her film debut came in 1989 when she was cast opposite Tom Berenger in Major League.

Since then, Russo has proved she can more than hold her own with the toughest guys, playing strong women in films such as One Good Cop, In the Line of Fire, Outbreak, Get Shorty, Tin Cup, the 1999 remake of The Thomas Crown Affair (opposite Pierce Brosnan) and 2005's Yours, Mine and Ours.

Filmography