In the late 1990’s, pop music was overtaken by a stream of teen stars whose good looks, attitude, catchy songs and powerful hype machines often overshadowed their talent--or lack thereof. The anomaly of this teen invasion was Christina Aguilera, who backed up the hype with a powerful set of pipes that validated her pop star status. Possessing a four-octave range, Aguilera faced constant comparison to another blonde ex-Mousketeer, Britney Spears, when vying for the role of pop music’s top diva. Her eponymously titled debut album, released in August 1999, took the music world by storm and eventually sold over 10 million copies. Though she also rivaled Spears and Jessica Simpson as the pop star with the most wholesome image, Aguilera would eventually break that mold to become something she was more comfortable with: herself.

BIOGRAPHY

Restless energy channeled into the relentless pursuit of success transformed teen rap artist the Fresh Prince into Academy Award-nominated leading man and blockbuster movie producer, Will Smith. His witty charisma, infectious spirit and rare versatility transcended racial and generational borders, continually attracting record-breaking crowds to sci-fi adventures, comedies and dramas. He was equally at home shooting a film with Barry Sonnenfeld as he was recording with Snoop Dogg.

BIOGRAPHY

The great-granddaughter of famed hotelier Conrad Hilton and co-heir to the Hilton fortune, socialite Paris Hilton stridently endeavored to make her own mark in the world – and for the most part, succeeded. Alongside her younger sister, Nicky, Paris Hilton became one of the first media-dubbed "celebutantes” – a term used to describe a growing trend of young, attractive party girl socialites-turned-models/actresses and quasi-celebs.

BIOGRAPHY

It was difficult to say whether Shannen Doherty was best known for her acting or her off camera antics. As Brenda Walsh, twin sister to Brandon and the resident Midwestern girl putting down roots in Beverly Hills, Doherty made her mark on pop cultural history with her four-year stint on Fox's iconic TV hit, “Beverly Hills, 90210” (1990-2000). At the same time she played virginal Brenda, Doherty began attracting media attention – both tabloid and mainstream – for her perceived temperamental behavior off screen.

BIOGRAPHY

Despite a short-lived start on series television, actor Heath Ledger moved into features as a heartthrob in teen films, quickly developing into one of Hollywood’s most prominent and gifted talents, as well as a tabloid favorite for his very public relationships with actresses Naomi Watts and Michelle Williams.

BIOGRAPHY

When it came time to find a young actress to assume the role of the twins (originated by Hayley Mills) for the 1998 remake of the film "The Parent Trap," an exhaustive casting search occurred throughout the USA, Canada and even in London. Perhaps because the behind-the-scenes figures opted to avoid the obvious and cast the Olsen twins, thousands of girls were considered. After three callbacks and a screen test with stars Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson, freckle-faced Long Islander, Lindsay Lohan, won the role.

BIOGRAPHY

A longtime favorite of frat boys and fan-boys alike, actress Jessica Alba started out in commercials before graduating to the small screen. Her turn as a pre-adolescent mean queen during the 1994-95 season of the children’s comedy series, “The Secret World of Alex Mack” (Nickelodeon, 1994-98), helped her land the role of Maya Graham for the first two seasons of “The New Adventures of Flipper” (Synd., 1994-2000).

BIOGRAPHY

A bubbly, blonde pop music sensation who built a fan base with a girl-next-door sweetness, catchy tunes, flashy dance moves and a magnetic sexual appeal, Britney Spears went from a small-town Louisiana girl to the veritable heir to Madonna's media saturation crown, beginning with the release of her first single in 1998 and holding fast well into the next millennium – and much like Madonna, the attention quickly shifted away from her artistry and focused squarely on her personal dramas.