From Models to Movie Stars

As the cynical American teenager Margo Roth Spiegelman in 'Paper Towns,' British supermodel Cara Delevingne proves that she's more than just a pretty face. Meet some other famous models turned movie stars in our gallery.

The Oscar winner began modeling at 12 in Louisville, Kentucky. Four years later, in 2006, she was being photographed by the legendary Bruce Weber. Lawrence soon decided to focus on acting, however, and the rest is history.

When he wasn't busy stripping, the young dancer-model was a busy client of the Ford Modeling Agency. Tatum made his Milan Fashion Week debut in 2002, strutting down the catwalk for top designers.

The future 'Resident Evil' star was a bona fide supermodel when she began her screen career in 1988. Credit is due to the late photographers Herb Ritts and Richard Avedon, who championed Jovovich when she was just 11(!).

Born in Benin, West Africa, Hounsou was living hand-to-mouth in Paris when a photographer introduced him to fashion designer Thierry Mugler. He soon became a top model, and made his way to Hollywood in 1990.

With her classic Californian looks, it's no surprise that Diaz was quickly signed to Elite Model Management. In 1990, she graced the cover of 'Seventeen' – when she herself was 17. She debuted in 'The Mask' four years later.

College freshman Kutcher won the "Fresh Faces of Iowa" contest in 1997, and New York's Next modeling agency came calling. Kutcher's transition to acting didn't take long: he was cast on 'That '70s Show' in 1998 when he was 20.

Romijn began modeling in 1991, at 18. Soon she was working the runway for Victoria's Secret and appearing in 'Sports Illustrated''s Swimsuit Issue. Before being cast as Mystique in 'X-Men' (2000), she debuted on a 1997 episode of 'Friends.'

Long before the ‘Twilight’ movies, Pattinson was an adolescent fashion model. He started posing at 12, when, as he later put it, he had the "androgynous look." He gave up at 16 when he became – again, in his own words – "too much of a guy."

As her mother was once a top model, Thurman's own modeling stint was inevitable. She began posing for the cameras at 15 and twice made the cover of British 'Vogue' before finding her niche as an actress in 1988.

It's no secret that the Northern Irish star of this year's 'Fifty Shades of Grey' worked steadily as a model before finding success as an actor. Dornan appeared in ads for Calvin Klein, Armani and many others.

There are countless other models turned actors, from Candice Bergen to Rene Russo, from Mark Wahlberg to James Marsden. But no one was a crossover superstar quite like Brooke Shields in the late '70s – or now, for that matter.