The Master Thespian
Cate Blanchett
Hails From: Melbourne
Film Cred: Oscar gold for 'The Aviator' and a nod for 'Elizabeth.'
Why Her: From her award-winning turn as England's virgin queen to her role as Lothlorien's immortal elven queen, Blanchett is always a revelation. Need more proof? See 'Babel.' All hail the queen of Aussie actors!
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The Triple Threat
Hugh Jackman
Hails From: Sydney
Film Cred: Wolverine in the 'X-Men' franchise, 'Van Helsing'
Why Him: A leading man in the Cary Grant mold, he's compelling in any genre: action, romance ('Kate & Leopold') or drama ('The Prestige'); PLUS he can sing and dance. Make that quintuple threat!
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The Class Act
Nicole Kidman
Hails From: Sydney
Film Cred: She showed versatility in 'Moulin Rouge,' Oscar-winning chops in 'The Hours' and her nude form in, um, like 13 films.
Why Her: She sings, she dances, she wins awards. And she's just a little more press-friendly than her couch-jumping ex.
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The Drama King
Russell Crowe
Hails From: Sydney
Film Cred: One Oscar win ('Gladiator'), two nominations ('The Insider,' 'A Beautiful Mind'), one snub ('Cinderella Man')
Why Him: Crowe may have the nastiest temper in Hollywood, but the man can act his arse off. Just don't interview him about it.
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The Real Thing
Jacinda Barrett
Hails From: Brisbane
Film Cred: She holds her own opposite Zach Braff in 'The Last Kiss' and Billy Bob Thornton in 'School for Scoundrels.'
Why Her: Turns in a trio of summer flicks proved she's the most talented alum of MTV's 'Real World.' Sorry, Puck.
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The Oscar Upstart
Heath Ledger
Hails From: Perth
Film Cred: 'Monster's Ball,' Oscar nod for 'Brokeback Mountain'
Why Him: Instead of taking leading-man roles, Ledger first built up his repertoire in smaller films. Last year, his indirect path finally led him to acclaim and A-list status. Patience is a virtue, Heath.
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The Melancholy Beauty
Naomi Watts
Hails From: Sydney
Film Cred: She wowed us in 'Mulholland Dr.,' got an Oscar nod for '21 Grams' and wooed a giant ape in 'King Kong.'
Why Her: It's hard to believe someone so beautiful could be so tortured, yet she makes us believe time and time again.
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The Brooder
Eric Bana
Hails From: Melbourne
Film Cred: 'Munich,' 'Troy'
Why Him: Whether he's playing a prince, a scientist or an assassin, Bana specializes in the tortured soul -- the reluctant hero who questions his every move. But he always looks damn good doing it. Even in green.
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The Sexy & Smart One
Isla Fisher
Hails From: Sydney
Film Cred: 'I Heart Huckabees,' 'Wedding Crashers'
Why Her: To be the breakout comic in a movie starring Vince Vaughn AND Owen Wilson is a feat only Will Ferrell could achieve, until Fisher stole the show. She had us on the beach. And dinner.
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The Role Player
Hugo Weaving
Hails From: Sydney
Film Cred: Two little trilogies: 'The Matrix' and 'Lord of the Rings'
Why Him: Three words catapulted him into epic fandom: "Hello, Mr. Anderson." Need someone to wear funny costumes, nail an inimitable accent or steal scenes with a few lines? He's your man.
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The Rising Star
Abbie Cornish
Hails From: Lochinvar
Film Cred: 'Somersault,' 'Candy'
Why Her: In 'Somersault,' she wowed us as a fragile, sensual teen; in 'Candy,' she's hooked on heroin and Heath Ledger. Watch out for this vixen with an angel's face, whose rare beauty is matched only by staggering talent.
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The Risk Taker
Guy Pearce
Hails From: Geelong
Film Cred: 'Priscilla,' 'L.A. Confidential' and 'Memento'
Why Him: Despite major successes (and the occasional flop -- ahem -- 'Time Machine'), Pearce keeps a low profile except for edgy fare like 'The Proposition' and 'Factory Girl.'
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The Chameleon
Toni Collette
Hails From: Sydney
Film Cred: 'The Sixth Sense,' 'Little Miss Sunshine'
Why Her: We first noticed her in the Aussie comedy 'Muriel's Wedding' but didn't realize her versatility 'til she played the creepy kid's mom in 'The Sixth Sense.' To this day, she still surprises us.
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The Elder Statesman
Geoffrey Rush
Hails From: Brisbane
Film Cred: Won Oscar for 'Shine,' place in pop culture for 'Pirates of the Caribbean'
Why Her: The late-blooming thespian wasn't internationally known till '96, but made up for time passed with three Oscar nominations in five years.
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The Natural
Rachel Griffiths
Hails From: Melbourne
Film Cred: 'Step Up,' Oscar nod for 'Hilary and Jackie'
Why Her: Best known for her five years as brilliant-but-nuts Brenda on 'Six Feet Under,' she's such a pro at American accents many fans probably don't know she's Aussie. But we're outing her.
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Now for the Latinos in Hollywood
You've seen our favorite Aussies, now check out the film industry's hottest Latino talents, from babelicious Jessica Alba to actress-producer JLo to the trifecta of Mexican auteurs: Alfonso Cuarón, Alejandro González Iñárritu and Guillermo del Toro.
See our 11 picks
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Cultural Mis-Understandings
'Borat'
Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Pamela Anderson
Directed by: Larry Charles
Opens: Nov. 3
He may be Sacha to fiancee Isla Fisher, but to the rest of the world, he's the comic genius behind his various 'Da Ali G. Show' characters, like Kazakh TV-show host Borat, who has been sent to U.S. of A. to explore America's various cultural phenomena. Some critics have said this could be the funniest movie ever made.
Star Sightings
'Star Trek' Premiere
Check out Eric Bana, Chris Pine, Leonard Nimoy and others on the red carpet at the 'Star Trek' premiere.
See the pics
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