Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio

A gifted actress and singer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio was blessed with a striking beauty and undeniable screen presence that brought her recognition alongside some of filmdom's biggest stars. After making her impressive, blood-soaked feature film debut in Brian De Palma's controversial gangster epic "Scarface" (1983), she performed on the stages of New York for a time before returning to the screen opposite multi-generational screen idols Paul Newman and Tom Cruise in Martin Scorsese's "The Color of Money" (1986). However, consequent efforts such as "Slam Dance" (1987) and "The January Man" (1989) failed to capitalize on that early success. Although visionary director James Cameron's ambitious undersea epic "The Abyss" (1989) placed the actress back in the spotlight, the exhausting and dangerous experience on the set of the adventure may have also soured her taste for blockbuster filmmaking. Early 1990s work included starring turns in respectable films like "Class Action" (1991) and "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" (1991), followed by participation in the easily forgotten "White Sands" (1992) and "Consenting Adults" (1992). While her output decreased in the years that followed, the actress resurfaced occasionally in high-profile projects like "The Perfect Storm" (2000). Even though her films were not all met with rave reviews, Mastrantonio's innate talent allowed her to retain a highly respected reputation as one if Hollywood's more dependable actresses.