Diane Lane's films of the 1980s, such as "Rumble Fish" and "The Outsiders," put her on the map, but she struggled in the 1990s with such films as "Chaplin" and "Judge Dread." But in 1999's "A Walk on the Moon," Lane's dynamic performance reestablished her career. In 2000, Lane appeared in "The Perfect Storm" and earned an Oscar nomination for her role as a wayward wife in 2002's "Unfaithful."

Born on January 22, 1965, in New York City, Lane's parents divorced when she was an infant, and she spent her first six years living with her mother. In 1971, Lane's father regained custody, and she remained in his care for the rest of her childhood. Her father, Burt Lane, was a drama coach and eventually doubled as his daughter's manager.

Lane began her film career at age 13, opposite Sir Lawrence Olivier, in "A Little Romance." Lane earned critical acclaim for her performance as a bright American girl living in Paris. She became very popular among teenage audiences. In 1979, she graced the cover of Time, which profiled her as Hollywood's newest rising star.

Lane's sultry combination of sexuality and innocence caught the attention of director Francis Ford Coppola. He bolstered her visibility by casting her in a number of his films including "The Outsiders," which paired her with Matt Dillon, and "Rumble Fish." Coppola also gave Lane the lead role in "The Cotton Club," which co-starred Richard Gere.

Throughout the early '90s, Lane made a number of movies including the heart-warming film "My Dog Skip" with Kevin Bacon and Frankie Muniz. She co-starred with Keanu Reeves in "Hardball" and in the spooky drama "The Glass House," with Leelee Sobieski. She then co-starred with Bruce Willis in the mystery "Me Again." Lane has recently been in "Man of Steel" and "Secretariat."

Lane is also involved in several charities, including Heifer International, which focuses on world hunger, and Artists for Peace and Justice, a Hollywood organization that supports Haiti relief. However, she tries not to draw attention to her humanitarian efforts: "Sometimes I give with my heart. Sometimes I give financially, but there's something about [helping others] that I think ought to be anonymous. I don't want it to be a boastful thing."

Lane featured heavily in the documentary "Half The Sky," based on the book "Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide." The documentary saw Lane and several other A-list actresses/celebrities visit Africa and other areas where women are oppressed. Lane has become very much an ambassador for this kind of work and charity work in general.

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