Some
actors and actresses think Brad Pitt or Michelle Pfeiffer's
rapid rise in Hollywood was largely as a result of the
undeniable fact that they are stunningly attractive, and
such good looks were certainly a boon to the meteoric
ascent of Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Her bracing
breakout performance in 1998's The Mask of Zorro left
many a critic anxiously rooting through his thesaurus
to ferret out synonyms for "striking" and
"gorgeous." More to the point, perhaps, Catherine's
sizzling chemistry with Antonio Banderas proved the
captivating newcomer was much more than just another
pretty face.
Of course,
most cinematic success stories don't truly happen overnight,
and Catherine Zeta-Jones had been acting professionally
for well over a decade, becoming equally reputed for
her work in theater, television, and film, before Zorro
made her an international sensation.
