Throughout the history of Hollywood, actresses have taken on a remarkable variety of roles. Some have carefully chosen projects that fit a particular image, while others have used challenging characters to demonstrate their range and move their careers in new directions.
A particularly interesting moment in an actress's career can come when she decides to move beyond the type of roles audiences have come to associate with her. A demanding dramatic performance, an unconventional character, or a more mature project can completely change the way audiences and filmmakers view an established star.
Looking back at the actresses featured on this original 2015 list, many were at interesting points in their careers. Some were transitioning from television to film, others were establishing themselves as serious dramatic performers, and several were simply looking for opportunities outside the characters that had made them famous.
10. Emma Watson
After spending a decade as Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise, Emma Watson had the difficult task of proving that she could successfully move beyond one of cinema's most recognizable characters.
Projects such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower and The Bling Ring gave audiences an opportunity to see a different side of her acting. Her growing involvement in social and humanitarian causes also helped establish an identity beyond her early film career.
Watson's career demonstrated how carefully selected roles can help a former child star develop into a more mature performer.
9. Krysten Ritter
Krysten Ritter spent much of her early career playing memorable supporting characters, often bringing humor and personality to best-friend and quirky-neighbor roles.
Her performance as Jessica Jones represented a major change. The series demonstrated that Ritter could successfully carry a darker and much more demanding leading role.
Her career is a good example of how one ambitious television project can completely change an audience's perception of an actress.
8. Sarah Hyland
Sarah Hyland became widely recognized through her role as Haley Dunphy on Modern Family. Over the course of the series, she developed the character from a seemingly stereotypical teenager into a much more layered personality.
Moving beyond a successful long-running sitcom can be difficult for any actor. For Hyland, exploring different genres and more demanding characters offered opportunities to demonstrate that her talents extended well beyond her best-known television role.
7. Ronda Rousey
Her transition into movies, television appearances and professional wrestling demonstrated that her public profile could extend far beyond the fighting world.
For athletes moving into entertainment, finding the right combination of personality, screen presence and challenging roles can be an important part of building a second career.
6. Victoria Justice
Victoria Justice became a familiar face to younger audiences through Nickelodeon before attempting to establish herself as an adult performer.
Like many former children's television stars, her challenge was to find projects that would allow audiences to see her as more than the character they remembered from their childhood.
Expanding into different genres and taking on more mature and challenging characters can be an important step for performers making that transition.
5. Jenna Coleman
Jenna Coleman became internationally recognized through her role as Clara Oswald in Doctor Who.
Playing a companion in such a famous science-fiction series gave Coleman a huge international audience, but it also created the challenge of establishing a separate identity as an actress.
Her later work showed her willingness to explore historical drama, television productions and more serious character-driven projects.
4. Mila Kunis
Mila Kunis has maintained an unusually durable career after becoming famous as Jackie Burkhart on That '70s Show.
Her film career eventually moved well beyond comedy, with performances in projects that allowed her to demonstrate a broader dramatic range.
Kunis is an example of a performer who successfully transformed early television fame into a long-lasting career in film and entertainment.
3. Alison Brie
Alison Brie attracted attention through major supporting roles in Mad Men and Community. The two shows allowed her to demonstrate very different sides of her acting ability.
Her career continued to develop as she moved into film, comedy and more dramatic material. Brie has consistently shown an ability to balance humor with more complex performances.
Her journey illustrates why moving between television, film and different genres can be valuable for an actress looking to build a long-term career.
2. Melissa Benoist
Melissa Benoist worked steadily in television before becoming widely known through Glee and eventually landing the lead role in Supergirl.
The superhero series gave Benoist the opportunity to establish herself as a leading performer while also reaching an international audience.
Her combination of acting ability, singing experience and television presence made her one of the more interesting young performers to watch during this period of her career.
1. Jennifer Love Hewitt
Jennifer Love Hewitt had already established herself as a recognizable Hollywood star by the time she reached the middle of her career.
Audiences first became familiar with her through Party of Five and films such as I Know What You Did Last Summer. She later continued working across television and film, demonstrating that she could remain relevant as the entertainment industry changed.
Her career is an interesting example of the longevity that can come from successfully moving between television, movies and different types of entertainment projects.
Looking back at this 2015 ranking today, the most interesting question isn't which actresses were willing to take controversial roles. It's how their careers developed after the list was published. Many of these performers went on to explore new genres, television projects, independent films and more demanding characters.
Ultimately, an actor's career is shaped by far more than appearance or one particular type of role. The strongest performers are often the ones willing to take creative risks, challenge audience expectations and continue developing their craft.