25 Years of Sundance Stars

Reese Witherspoon

In 1996, a fresh-faced Reese Witherspoon frolicked in the snow during a photo shoot for Freeway. The future Oscar winner played a 15-year old runaway in the indie thriller, which also starred Kiefer Sutherland.

-Bronwyn Barnes

Katie Holmes

After wrapping up her role as Joey Potter on the small screen hit Dawson's Creek in 2003, Katie Holmes joined her Pieces of April co-stars Oliver Platt, Patricia Clarkson and Alison Pill for some Park City portraits. "What drew me to playing April was the fact that she's in her early 20's and trying to figure it all out," the then 25-year old Holmes said.

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston

got some support form Brad Pitt and Sundance founder Robert Redford at the premiere of The Good Girl in 2002. Aniston took a break from playing Rachel on the TV hit Friends to make the film, taking on the role of a married woman involved in an affair with a younger man, played by Jake Gyllenhaal.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth Paltrow

was still getting used to all the attention when she hit the festival-accompanied by then-boyfriend Ben Affleck-to promote Sliding Doors in 1998. Just over a year later, Paltrow picked up the Best Actress Oscar for her role in Shakespeare in Love.

Sarah Jessica Parker

Before she became a household name on Sex and The City, Sarah Jessica Parker hit Park City for the premiere of Miami Rhapsody with co-star Carla Gugino. On the set of the movie, Parker forged a friendship with stylist Patricia Field, who later became the costume designer for Sex.

Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal

Sundance was a family affair for Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal, who joined their father, Stephen, and mom Naomi Forner for a party to celebrate Maggie's indie flick Secretary in 2002.

Nicole Kidman

Russell Crowe showed up to support fellow Aussie Nicole Kidman at the Sundance premiere of Birthday Girl in 2002. "I'd read and liked the script and had to basically convince [the director] to cast me in it," Kidman has said. "Because it was a bit of a risk to cast me as a Russian girl."

Winona Ryder, Janeane Garofalo and Ethan Hawke

Winona Ryder

, Janeane Garofalo and Ethan Hawke were the coolest kids in town when they debuted the 20-something slacker film Reality Bites in 1994. The iconic film also marked the directorial debut of Ben Stiller.

2004 Sundance Film Festival

At the tender age of 14, Stewart got her first taste of the film festival circuit when she joined co-stars D.B. Sweeney, Hallee Hirsh and Elizabeth Perkins for a portrait session to promote the family drama Speak at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival.