Zoë Kravitz

The daughter of a soulful rocker and a Cosby kid, Zoe Kravitz possessed the makings of a Hollywood star roughly from birth. Yet while she could have easily taken the child actor route, Kravitz studied her craft and honed her skills with offbeat and emotionally charged roles in independent films.

In one of her first acting roles, she proved she could hold her own opposite Jodie Foster in the Neil Jordan-directed revenge drama "The Brave One." Kravitz, who was also an accomplished model and musician, stretched her acting muscles with a part in the quirky drama, "It's Kind of a Funny Story" (2010), a film that followed the patients of a psychiatric hospital. After several years appearing in art house projects, Kravitz landed a featured part in "X-Men: First Class" (2011), a superhero epic that had all the spectacle and buzz of a blockbuster, yet still showcased the actress's raw talent, alluring personality and potential for a long-standing career in entertainment.

Zoe Isabella Kravitz was born on Dec. 1, 1988 in Los Angeles. Her father Lenny Kravitz was an award-winning singer, songwriter and musician, and her mother, actress Lisa Bonet, starred on the much-loved NBC comedy series, "The Cosby Show" (1984-1992). After six years of marriage, Kravitz's parents divorced and she ended up living with her father.

The future star attended Miami Country Day School in Miami, FL prior to graduating from the Rudolf Steiner School in New York. Kravitz made her onscreen debut in two feature films during her senior year at Rudolf Steiner. She played a supporting role opposite Catherine Zeta-Jones and Aaron Eckhart in the romantic drama "No Reservations" (2007), and a teen prostitute in the crime thriller "The Brave One," about a woman (Jodie Foster) who survives a brutal attack only to seek revenge against her assailants.

After high school, Kravitz enrolled in the acting conservatory at State University of New York in Purchase, which boasted notable alumni such as Edie Falco and Stanley Tucci.

Kravitz became a darling of the independent film community after appearing in a handful of provocative movies that focused on character study rather than big budget thrills. In 2008, she appeared in the ensemble comedy "Birds of America," about a man (Matthew Perry) who takes his grown-up siblings under his wing following their parents' death.

The following year, Kravitz played a young woman addicted to attending grief counseling in "The Greatest." The film, which also starred Pierce Brosnan and Susan Sarandon, premiered at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival and received rave reviews.

Aside from her acting career, Kravitz also pursued other artistic endeavors. Taking after her rock star father, she sang lead vocals and co-wrote for the band Elevator Fight. She was also a featured singer on will.i.am's 2008 single, "We Are the Ones," which was inspired by Barack Obama's Presidential campaign. Kravitz, who bore an uncanny resemblance to her bohemian chic mother but shared her father's rock-n-roll style, was also a successful model who landed campaigns for Vera Wang's "Princess" fragrance, fashion spreads in Elle magazine, and advertisements for designer Alexander Wang.

The year 2010 proved to be Kravitz's busiest yet, with a handful of critically acclaimed films expanding her repertoire. She played an Upper East Side party girl in the Joel Schumacher-directed drama, "Twelve," and was cast in a supporting role opposite Zach Galifianakis and Emma Roberts in the coming-of-age film "It's Kind of a Funny Story." Kravitz also portrayed a high school sex columnist in the indie comedy "Beware the Gonzo," which also starred Amy Sedaris and Campbell Scott, and premiered at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.

That same year, Kravitz landed a role in "X-Men: First Class," a prequel to the blockbuster "X-Men" film series of the early millennium. In the highly anticipated film, Kravitz played teenager Angel Salvadore who morphs at will into the half-insect superhero Tempest. Based on the characters created by Marvel Comics, "X-Men: First Class" also starred James McAvoy, January Jones and Nicholas Hoult.