Gabourey Sidibe – 38 Years Old

Gabourey Sidibe is one of the few women who catapulted into the spotlight in a snap. That’s because she was nominated for an Academy Award for her first-ever film performance, playing Claireece ‘Precious’ Jones in Precious.

Sidibe used to have no interest in acting and instead chose to earn a degree in psychology in college. She worked part-time as a receptionist to help pay for her education. During this time, a buddy informed her about a film audition for the lead role in Precious. Although she was familiar with the character, the gifted actress was hesitant to appear because it would interrupt her education. Sidibe drew inspiration for the audition from her own life experiences, despite having no acting experience. Now a well-known actress, the rising star selected a radically different character for her second film, appearing as a bully opposite Zoe Kravitz in Yelling to the Sky.