1999-2005: from TV guest spots to an Oscar-nomination

Amy Adams moved to Los Angeles with her brother Eddie when she was 24. Eddie Adams played in Austin Powers 3 and is now working for TMZ. Amy guest-starred in a number of TV series like Charmed, Smallville, Buffy and The West Wing. She refused a role in the TV kids' show Power Rangers. She was asked to play Pink Ranger but declined the offer because she wanted something more challenging as an actress.

She also worked in small films like Psycho Beach Party, Pumpkin and Serving Sara and got the lead role in Manchester Prep - retitled Cruel Intentions 2 - which was supposed to be a television series spin-off of the first movie Cruel Intentions.

Casting director Deborah Zane brought her to Steven Spielberg's attention. She appeared in Catch me if you can as Leonardo Di Caprio's love in 2002 and was hailed by the critics as an actress to watch. Yet, she was unemployed for a year after that.

Adams starred in The Last Run in 2004. In the same year, she was cast in the television series Dr Vegas with Rob Lowe but was fired after a contract dispute. Amy says she was lucky to have the support of her lawyer and friends at the time: 'It was right after a table read and they were like, "We'll see you tomorrow!" and then 20 minutes later I get the call. It was just that betrayal that I couldn't overcome.'

Ironically, this little incident led her to what we can call her breakthrough role. Right after she left the show Dr Vegas - which was cancelled shortly after her departure anyway - she filmed the low-budget indie film Junebug. It premiered at the 2005 Sundance FilFestival where she won the Special Jury Prize for her performance as Ashley Johnsten. She received further numerous critical accolades including an Academy-Award nomination for 'Best supporting actress'. She lost the Oscar to Rachel Weisz but was catapulted to the verge of stardom as one of America's top actresses.