But it was in the 1998 romance The Horse Whisperer, as Kristin Scott Thomas’ troubled daughter, that she caught Tinseltown’s attention. The movie’s leading man Robert Redford described her as “13 going on 30” and top casting agents immediately realised there was a H๏τ new talent in town.

Despite being very much a New Yorker, Scarlett took to the Hollywood scene with aplomb. The A-list status had its benefits, such as an art collection, a cool BMW and even cooler boyfriends. She’s dated Josh Hartnett and Sean Penn.

Having proved herself as an actress she began to set sights on future challenges, which include testing her mettle behind the camera. Most first-time directors start off with a short. Scarlett, on the other hand, is more inclined to think big. “I’d rather just dive into a feature,” she says.