Isabelle Fuhrman

A precociously talented young actress, Isabelle Fuhrman never shied away from dark material, making her film debut in the Dakota Fanning rural South drama "Hounddog" (2007). She earned excellent reviews for the horror flick "Orphan" (2009), in which she starred as the titular eerie adoptee. Holding her own against Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard in the film, Fuhrman displayed an impressive range and presence that set her apart from many of her peers. After starring in the indie comedy "Salvation Boulevard" (2011), Fuhrman landed the meaty supporting role of Clove, a merciless competitor out for the blood of Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) in "The Hunger Games" (2012), based on the popular trilogy by Suzanne Collins and tapped to become the world's next big film franchise. Wise beyond her years and drawn to challenging roles, Isabelle Fuhrman left no doubt with many fans and critics that she was destined for a fascinating career.

Born Feb. 25, 1997 in Washington, D.C., Isabelle Fuhrman was the daughter of a Soviet-born journalist mother and a business consultant father. Possessing a precocious intelligence, maturity and presence well beyond her years, Fuhrman impressed with her film debut, playing the mysterious Grasshopper, one of the few friends of the lonely, troubled Lewellen (Dakota Fanning) in Deborah Kampmeier's controversial deep South drama "Hounddog" (2007). Despite containing strong performances across the board, the film was plagued by criticism for a scene in which Fanning's character was raped; after suffering distribution problems, very few saw the powerful tale of a young woman navigating her abusive home life.

Fuhrman earned a Young Artist Award nomination for her guest spot as a specter on "Ghost Whisperer" (CBS, 2005-2010), but earned more attention when casting directors handpicked her to play Esther, the titular "Orphan" (2009) in the twisted horror film. Again displaying the chops and gravity of someone three times her age, Fuhrman delivered an unforgettably powerful performance as an unusual adoptee who terrorizes her new parents (Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard), only to eventually reveal a jaw-dropping secret: Esther is actually a 33-year-old murderous Russian dwarf suffering from a medical condition that makes her appear to be a child. Fuhrman's ability to ground such colorfully bizarre material impressed critics across the board.

Showing she was able to handle lighter fare as well, the young actress made a string of appearances in comedy skits on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (NBC, 1992-2009, 2010- ) and lent her voice to a cartoon turtle in the eco-adventure "Sammy's Adventures: The Secret Passage" (2010). She starred in the indie comedy "Salvation Boulevard" (2011) but landed a higher-profile supporting role when she landed the juicy supporting role of the vicious career tribute Clove, determined to personally murder fellow tribute Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) in "The Hunger Games" (2012). The tale of a dystopian future in which young adults murder each other on a government-sponsored reality show, the film was based on the immensely popular trilogy by Suzanne Collins and was poised to become a global blockbuster.

By Jonathan Riggs