Transformation

When people call Thandie Newton a princess, they're not speaking metaphorically—the actress's Zimbabwean mother was a royal of the Shona tribe. "She instilled in me self-love, self-respect, and the idea that we are all princesses," Newton has told InStyle. Certainly, with her honey-colored skin and delicate features, the British star is fairy-tale beautiful. But whether she wears her locks stick straight or naturally curly, her inspiration is home grown. "My favorite thing is that I look like my daughter, [9-year-old Ripley]," says Newton. "I appreciate my features so much more than I used to, because now when I look in the mirror I see her."

1995: The young Brit took on the role of Sally Hemings in Jefferson in Paris.