Southern Belle Ashley Scott Defines the American Standard.

The legend of Hollywood has been built by stars delivering performances they were born to give - think Jimmy Stewart in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington or Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's. While the talent of those actors was undeniable, the world of films has seen more than it's fair share of promising hopefuls fall by the wayside of the studio machine. The key for any actor to defy the odds and break through to the other side is "The Role."

For Lousiana-born and South Carolina-bred Ashley Scott, her definind role has yet to come. It's a situation similar to what many actresses must deal with before hitting the A-list, but it's not like Scott's has been out of the limelight by any means. She has graced the cover of some of the most popular magazines in the country and garnered lead roles in films and television shows. Yet, her Julia Roberts-in-Pretty Woman opportunity still hasn't knocked on the door.

The statuesque Scott (who stands five-foot-nine) first started out waling the runways of Paris, Milan and Miami with the Elite Modeling Agency. Sucess in the world of fashion came easily as her unmistekable beauty flourished within the designs of haute couture's elite. Eventually deciding that her interest lied elsewhere, namely on screen, Scott headed west hoping to break the model-turned-actress stereotype.

Her career began seemingly well, landing auditions around town for notable projects such as Al Pacino's Simone. The first break came in 2001, though, when she joined the cast of the Jessica Alba vehicle Dark Angel, playing a journalist's assistant. Following the cancellation of that show, Scott was quicly cast in the lead role on the WB's comic book-inspired series Birds of Prey. That move led to buzz about Scott being the next "It" girl on television. While those accolades were well deserved, she proved to be the lone bright spot on an otherwise unspectacular show that managed to last only one season.

Though short lived, these projects created a rabid fanbase who aren't afraid to plaster Web sites with her pictures and celebrate everything Ashley Scott. Consequently, any studio who cast her has a grassroots campaing already in place to reach potential customers -something that certainly hasn't hurt Scott's marketability to executives.

While most actresses might see the cancellation of two TV shows back-to-back as a sign from above that it might be time to find a new profession, Scott trufged on. She bounced back by finding a niche as the beautiful love nterest for both Colin Farrell in the blockbuster S.W.A.T. and The Rock in Walking Tall. Parlaying the sucess of those films in to more prominent roles, Scott was cast in Into the Blue

The film starred Paul Walker and Scott Caan, as well as reunited her with former co-star Jessica Alba. With a huge promotional push from the studio and the resurrection of Alba's own career thanks to her appeaance in Sin City, the film did well enugh to make three hit movies in a row for Scott.

As things started to get rolling professionally during this time, Scott also found her personal life comimg together. In 2004, she married movie producer Anthony Scott Rhulen, whose credits include The Butterfly Effect and the upcoming adaptation of the Hunter S. Thompson novel The Rum Diary. To show her devotion, shortly after her nuptials Scott tattooed the couple's shared initials, "ASR," on the back of her neck.

With a stable relationship now backing her, Scott appears ready to once again become "The Next Big Thing." First up (and seemingly the most promising project) will be the comedy Easier Softer Way, directed by and co-starring Mekhi Phfier. The film, tentatively scheduled for a spring release, also features That's 70's Show's Danny Materson, SNL's Darrel Hammond and Scrubs' John C. McGinleyt. The plot revolves around two stoners(Masterson and writer/co-star Ronnie Warner) who try to rip off money from a mysterious figure.