After a decade of commitment to exploring smart, tough, interesting characters, actress Maria Bello gained widespread acclaim with Golden Globe-nominated roles in “The Cooler” (2003) and “A History of Violence” (2005). Never looking to be the next two-dimensional blonde, her reputation for intense drama made Bello a favorite among artful directors like John Sayles, David Cronenberg, and Alan Ball, but she also snared the occasional complex female role in multiplex fare like “Payback” (2000) and “The Jane Austen Book Club” (2007).

Maria Bello