When Brooke Shields uttered the suggestive fashion catchphrase, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing…” she may as well have been talking about her career instead of a pair of jeans. Shields carved out a long and profitable run as a model, actress, and author, despite innumerable personal and professional setbacks that would have derailed even the most driven entertainer.

It was unclear which fact was more extraordinary about Anna Paquin – that she won an Academy Award at age 11 for her performance in “The Piano” (1993), or that after the win, she had no plans to continue acting.