At first, it looked as if Abbie Cornish’s fearless performance as a free-spirited teenager in the independent feature “Somersault” (2004) would be the rocket that propelled the Australian actresses to international household name status; unfortunately, it was her alleged involvement in the 2006 divorce of actors Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon that proved to be her ticket to overnight fame. Despite the publicity onslaught surrounding the break-up, Cornish’s innate talent – already recognized by her native homeland – helped propel her career to bigger and better things.Born Aug. 7, 1982 in
