Best and Worst Models Turned Actresses

Charlize Theron
This South African beauty started modeling at age 16 -- and why not, at 5'10" Charlize is nothing short of stunning. After breaking into acting in the late '90s, Charlize took home the Oscar for Best Actress in 2004 for her gripping, frightening performance in Monster, making it very clear is she just more than just a pretty face.

Angie Everhart
This fiery redhead might have made waves as a model, but her work as an actress has been stone cold. With roles in such blockbusters (ahem) like Another 9 1/2 Weeks and Excecutive Target, no wonder this beauty moved to reality TV and infomercials.

Rebecca Romijn
The statuesque Rebecca Romijn was a mainstay in Sports Illustrated and Victoria's Secret before transitioning into acting. Although she got some work on sitcoms like "Friends" and "Just Shoot Me," Rebecca's big movie breakthrough came by way of 2000's X-Men where she played the shape-shifting Mystique. Rebecca most recently appeared on the TV show "Ugly Betty."

Cindy Crawford
As one of the most recognizable faces of the early '90s, it was inevitable that Cindy Crawford would try her hand at acting. Unfortunately, 1995's Fair Game made it very clear that Pepsi commercials and feature length films are very, very different. Cindy has laid off the acting (save a small guest role here or there) and her career rebounded from her silver screen disaster. Too bad Fair Game co-star William Baldwin can't say the same thing.

Gisele Bündchen
What do you get when you take Queen Latifah, Jimmy Fallon and Gisele and drop them in an American remake of a French action/comedy? You get 2004's Taxi and a cinematic embarrassment. It looks like dating Leonardo DiCaprio was as close as Gisele is going to get to quality acting.

Brooke Shields
The youngest fashion model ever to appear on the cover of Vogue, Brooke Shields has been in the public eye since she was a child. Aside from controversial roles in films like Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, Brooke's acting portfolio in the '80s to mid '90s was a little, well, weak (Brenda Starr anyone?). All that changed after a 1996 appearance on "Friends" led to her own sitcom, "Suddenly Susan". Brooke has had steady work in television ever since.

Cameron Diaz
Cameron Diaz started working as a model at age 16, appearing on the covers of magazines and in ads for Calvin Klein and Levi's. After scoring a role in 1994's The Mask her acting career took off. In 2008, Forbes listed Diaz as the highest paid actress in the world.

Tyra Banks
Is seems like Tyra Banks is really set on convincing us that she's the next Oprah. Whatever you think of her hosting abilities (or lack thereof), we can all agree that this former Victoria's Secret model should not step into character. To wit: 2000's Life-Size" (starring a then tweenage Lindsay Lohan) is hardly The Color Purple.

Molly Sims and Milla Jovovich
Both Molly Sims and Milla Jovovich have successfully transitioned from modeling to acting. For Molly Sims, the transition from Sport Illustrated Swimsuit issue model to TV star came by way of NBC's Las Vegas" which ran from 2003 - 2008.

Milla Jovovich is perhaps the best example of a working supermodel who also finds time to act in movies that aren't completely horrible. After 1997's The Fifth Element, Milla has continued to star in films, while also finding time to model, dabble in music and fashion design, and be a mother!

Kathy Ireland
A mainstay of theSports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue for more than a decade, Kathy Ireland has also tried her hand at acting, most memorably in 1988's B-movie schlockfest, Alien from L.A.. If you haven't seen the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" episode that eviscerates this film, trust us -- it's bad. Think about the worst movie you could ever imagine. It's worse.

Kathy doesn't need to worry -- she has an empire of fitness videos, home furnishings, clothing to keep her busy. We bet life is more fun as a mogul rather than an actress anyway!