The Many Looks of Vera Farmiga

Known for her piercing dramatic performances, the Oscar-nominated actress has demonstrated stunning versatility in a wide variety of starring and supporting roles. With her latest film, 'The Judge,' set to hit theaters, let's look back at her career highlights.

In an early film appearance, Farmiga costars as the daughter to Christopher Walken's safecracker. Their relationship isn't the best, which may be why she looks so glum.

With her hair dyed red, Farmiga looks quite different as a Czech crime-scene witness who falls for fire marshal Edward Burns -- with the marshal working with hotshot detective Robert De Niro to bring the criminals to justice.

In the refined, rarefied air of the Washington, D.C. elite, Farmiga fits in elegantly as the daughter of a senator (Meryl Streep) who enjoyed a past relationship with another senator (Jon Voight).

As the wife of low-level mobster Paul Walker, her simple elegance belies her ferocious nature, especially when children are involved. Then she gets really mad.

Caught between a gangster working undercover as a cop (Matt Damon), and a cop working undercover as a gangster (Leonardo DiCaprio), psychiatrist Farmiga is truly torn between two lovers. But even in casual clothing, it's easy to understand the attraction.

Opting for yet another shade of hair color proved to be a good decision for Farmiga as a mother who becomes increasingly distraught by the conduct of her young children.

Returning as a blonde, this time married to an increasingly depressed Korean man, Farmiga stands out even more so in this affecting drama. And the differences become more apparent when she makes a startling proposition to another Korean man, a stranger.

With her hair dark again, Farmiga is completely convincing as the faithful wife of a Nazi officer during World War II. When he is assigned as a concentration camp commander in Poland, she supports him until she learns the true nature of the camp.

She and Peter Sarsgaard are the happy adoptive parents of a beautiful young girl, but their joy turns to terror when young Esther turns out to be more than a handful.

Blonde again, she's a businesswoman in business clothing with an all-business attitude, happy to compare frequent flyer mileage -- and other, er, things -- with George Clooney.

In a unique case of "meeting cute," Farmiga runs into Keanu Reeves -- with her car! She's an aspiring actress, ready to dress the part beautifully for a period stage production.

In Duncan Jones' time-looping thriller, Farmiga is a straitlaced Air Force captain who must guide the often-confused Jake Gyllenhaal through a vital mission to save millions of lives.

Making her directorial debut, Farmiga also stars as a devout woman dealing with a crisis of faith. She is mesmerizing in the role, and, as director, expertly guides the movie's haunting, moving tone.

Untethered to reality, Farmiga's Wendy is an emotionally volatile woman with a 14-year-old son. She captures her character's flaky, annoying personality with charm.

Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds have top billing in this spy thriller, leaving Farmiga to look stylish as a CIA official, barking orders and staring at computer screens.

Set the early 1970s, James Wan's chiller is made more memorable by Farmiga's sympathetic performance as wife, mother and real-life paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, a true ghostbuster if ever we've seen one.