Alexa Davalos

After a quintessentially bohemian childhood that found her straddling New York, Paris, and Los Angeles (with a photographer father and actress mom), Alexa Davalos packed up, left the nest, and headed to Manhattan, flying solo. In the Big Apple, she instantly snagged lucrative assignments as a photographer's model for the likes of Peter Lindbergh, then discovered an inborn passion for acting and decided to make it the focus of her life.

In 2002, Davalos -- desirous of Hollywood fame and success -- migrated to Los Angeles and began signing for guest parts on series such as Angel and Undeclared. Her big break arrived when producers selected her to play Kyra, the heroine in the 2004 futuristic fantasy vehicle The Chronicles of Riddick, starring Vin Diesel. Davalos next took on a prominent role as Samantha on the high-concept mystery-period series Reunion (2005). When highly touted series failed to catch on with viewers and was canceled after half a season, Davalos bounced back with a convincing portrayal as Diane Keaton's daughter in the well-received made-for-television feature Surrender, Dorothy (2006). The following year, Davalos stepped up several notches with a lead role in Robert Benton's much-anticipated drama Feast of Love -- an ensemble piece about a free-spirited woman who arrives in a small Northwestern town and recolors the life of everyone she meets. Also in 2007, Davalos appeared in the Stephen King horror adaptation The Mist, directed by Frank Darabont.

by Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide