Elizabeth Shue
(Jordan Mooney)

She may be a bubbly blonde, but actress Elizabeth Shue has smarts too. She just put the finishing touches on a political science degree from Harvard a couple of years ago, and has transformed herself from the stereotypical girl-next-door actress to a well-respected professional in Hollywood. Like Cruise, Shue began acting in television commercials mainly as a way to make some extra cash. In 1984 she landed a role as Ralph Macchio's romantic interest in The Karate Kid. Adventures in Babysitting, 1987, was another hit for Shue where she portrayed an all-American teenager. Her role in Cocktail gave the actress the opportunity to play opposite Cruise in a more adult role. But it was not until her surprising depiction of prostitute Sera in Leaving Las Vegas, 1995, that Shue hit her dramatic stride. She was nominated for an Oscar® and a Golden Globe for her hefty performance opposite Nicholas Cage. Shue is married to television director David Guggenheim, and in 1997 gave birth to her son, Miles. Shue's brother Andrew is also a well-recognized actor. He starred in the television's Melrose Place.