Prior to being literally plucked off the street to star in Larry Clark’s controversial “Kids” (1995), actress Rosario Dawson exhibited little interest in what became her eventual career. The 15-year-old was discovered on the front steps of her building by the director, a life-changing event for a young girl still trying to figure out what life had to offer outside the confines of New York City. Ever since her breakthrough performance, which attracted the attention of numerous critics, as well as Hollywood, Dawson ran the film gamut, starring in such critically-appreciated independents like “He Got Game” (1998) and “25th Hour” (2002), and Hollywood duds like “The Adventures of Pluto Nash” (2002) and “Alexander” (2004). But her exotic good looks – she had an usual mix of Cuban, Puerto Rican, Irish and Native American descent – gave Dawson the opportunity to explore a variety of roles without being typecast, leading to films as divergent as “Rent” (2005), “Sin City” (2005) and “Grindhouse” (2007) – resulting in a vibrant career in which she was able to chart her own path.