Hazelle Goodman made screen history of sorts when Woody Allen cast her in the role of the prostitute Cookie, the voice of reason amidst chaos, in "Deconstructing Harry" (1997), making her the first African American actress to have a major role in one of the writer-director's films. The Trinidadian actress and comedienne delivered a tantalizing, scene-stealing turn that made audiences and film critics sit up and take notice.

The attractive Goodman harbored dreams of a show business career from age six when she saw the film version of "The Sound of Music". She spent her formative years in