Uma Thurman was born on April 29th, 1970, in Boston. At the age of 15, Thurman began her career as a fashion model before turning to acting, a passion she discovered back in the 8th grade. Her first role was in the 1987 film Kiss Daddy Goodnight, which was followed up by three films in 1988: Johnny Be Good, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and her prominent role in the Oscar-winning Dangerous Liaisons. Since then, Thurman has brought her talents to movies, television, and stage, across a wide variety of genres. From her work in Kill Bill to Pulp Fiction, these are Uma Thurman's best performances to date.

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Cecile in Dangerous Liaisons (1988)

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Image via Warner Bros.

Set in 18th century France, the Marguise de Merteuil (Glenn Close) and the Vicomte de Valmont (John Malkovich) engage in a wager. If Valmont can seduce Cecile de Volanges (Uma Thurman), engaged to be married to an ex-lover, he will be rewarded by spending a night with Merteuil. What follows is a tailspin of seduction, lust, jealousy, and death. In playing the key role of the innocent and kind Cecile, she more than held her own against the acting heavyweights cast in the film with her.

Glory in Mad Dog and Glory (1993)

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Image via Universal Pictures

Wayne Dobie (Robert de Niro), a reserved police photographer, saves the life of Frank Milo (Bill Murray), crime boss and stand-up comedian wannabe. Indebted to Dobie for saving his life, Milo sends Glory (Uma Thurman), a bartender in his club, to spend the week with him. Over the week a romance develops between the two, forcing Dobie to stand up and fight for her at the end of the week. The inherent dangers of a film with a plot revolving around ownership of Glory are largely avoided, thanks in large part to de Niro and Murray playing against type, and Thurman adding a depth to what could have been a cardboard character.

Mia Wallace in Pulp Fiction (1994)

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Image via Miramax

The role that really pushed Thurman onto the A-list, and her first collaboration with Quentin Tarantino. Arguably more an experience than a film, Pulp Fiction is the story of two hit men (Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta), mob boss Marsellus Wallace (Ving Rhames), his wife Mia (Uma Thurman) and an aging boxer (Bruce Willis), and how their lives intersect across a time-hopping series of funny, odd, and challenging incidents. Thurman's Mia Wallace owns the film when she's on-screen. She's mysterious, intriguing, charming, addicted, and more, but Thurman is so excellent in a role that could make the character unlikeable in the hands of a lesser artist.

Noelle Slusarsky in The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996)

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Image via 20th Century Fox

Dr. Abby Barnes (Janeane Garofalo) is a radio host who is wooed by Brian (Ben Chaplin), who is captivated by her soft voice and personality. When Brian shows up at the radio station, Noelle (Uma Thurman) is mistaken for Abby, her best friend. Assuming that Brian would never want someone like her, Abby carries on the charade, talking to Brian herself on the radio and on the phone, while Noelle, faux-Abby, takes her place in the flesh. Rom-com that takes a shot at the value placed on the outside of a person instead of the inside. Thurman proves to be a good pairing with Garofalo, and makes the most of her screen-time.

Irene Cassini in Gattaca (1997)

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Image via Columbia Pictures

In the near future, genetic engineering of humans and DNA plays a definitive role in determining class. Those with perfect DNA are the upper class, while others are in the lower class, performing menial tasks for the benefit of the valids. Vincent (Ethan Hawke) is an in-valid, who dreams of being an astronaut. Circumstances lead him to assume the identity of Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), going to great lengths to ensure that his in-valid DNA is not captured by genetic tests. His new life lands him a role as celestial navigator for Gattaca Aerospace Corporation, where he meets Irene Cassini (Uma Thurman), a co-worker he begins pursuing a relationship with. The murder of the mission director almost derails Vincent's plan when investigators find his in-valid DNA on an eyelash. A movie with a unique and intelligent plot, with high marks given to Thurman and the rest of the cast.

Fantine in Les Misérables (1998)

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Image via Sony Pictures Releasing

The 1998 version of Les Misérables is an adaptation of the Victor Hugo novel, not its Broadway musical relation. Released from prison after serving time for stealing bread, Jean Valjean (Liam Neeson) is caught by the kind Bishop Myriel (Peter Vaughan) stealing silverware. Myriel does not hand him back to authorities, however, but sends him away with the silverware, inspiring him to become a new man. Having utilized this gift wisely, Valjean buys a factory, eventually working up to owning a number of factories and becoming mayor of the village. Valjean soon takes a single mother, Fantine (Uma Thurman), fired from one of his factories, under his care. Upon her death, he raises her out-of-wedlock daughter Cosette (Claire Danes) as his own. Critically well-received, with Thurman's portrayal of the tragic Fantine a highlight for many.

Amy in Tape (2001)

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Image via Lionsgate

Two former high school friends, Vince (Ethan Hawke) and Johnny (Robert Sean Leonard), meet up in Vince's small motel room. Johnny is in town to show his film in a film festival, and Vince invites him over to celebrate. Or so he says. The evening turns into an interrogation of Johnny by Vince, regarding an issue from their past involving Amy (Uma Thurman). Without playing spoiler, Amy arrives at the same motel room, the three of them in a taut, claustrophobic environment. Vince then plays his master card: he is in possession of a tape that touches each one of them in relation to their past. Director Richard Linklater uses the tight quarters effectively, and the single room setting of the entire film tests the three actors' abilities, and they all nail it, especially Thurman in a role that could have made Amy an object instead of the capable character she becomes in her hands.

Debby Miller in Hysterical Blindness (2002)

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Image via HBO

This HBO film features Thurman as Debby Miller, a woman recently diagnosed with hysterical blindness, a condition that causes sight to fade in and out intermittently. Prompted to go out and have fun with her friends, Debby and BFF Beth (Juliette Lewis) go to Ollie's, their favorite pub, for a drink and a man. Debby leaves the pub, angry that Beth is flirting with the bartender, and runs into Rick (Justin Chambers). It's clear Rick isn't interested, but Debby insists that he escort her to her car, where she tells him that she'll be back at the pub tomorrow. The next day, they see each other again, and despite Rick's indifference they end up at his house. The next morning, Debby thinks she's found true love, but Rick only wanted a one-night stand. Thurman would end up winning a Golden Globe for her performance.

The Bride in Kill Bill: Volumes I and II (2003/2004)

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Image via Miramax Films

Pairing with Quentin Tarantino again, Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2 gave Thurman the opportunity to truly be the star, the indisputable lead. The two-volume film follows The Bride (Thurman), a former member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, led by Bill (David Carradine). Pregnant with Bill's child, she flees to Texas, where she falls in love with a man. At her wedding rehearsal, Bill and the Squad gun down the party, leaving The Bride to die. Awaking from a coma four years after, The Bride discovers her baby is gone. Hell-bent on vengeance, she hunts down Bill and the rest of the Squad. Succeeding in killing most of the assassins (Elle's (Daryl Hannah) death is unconfirmed), she makes her way to Bill, who actually has their daughter B.B. (Perla Haney-Jardine). A final skirmish completes her death list, allowing her and B.B. to start a new life. Heavy on action, violence, and, in true Tarantino fashion, dialogue, Kill Bill shot The Bride into pop-culture history.

Mrs. H in Nymphomaniac (2013)

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Image via Nordisk Film

The controversial Nymphomaniac, written and directed by Lars von Trier, is a two-part erotic art film that begins with a bachelor named Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård), who finds Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg) beaten up and lying in an alley. He takes her back to his home to recuperate, offering a cup of tea. Soon Joe, a nymphomaniac, begins to tell her stories of her erotic experiences, from adolescence to now, in eight distinctive chapters. Thurman plays Mrs. H, who figures prominently in Chapter Three. In flashback, Joe has numerous lovers that come and go. One, who she has named H (Hugo Speer), refuses to leave before her next lover arrives, so Joe convinces him to leave by saying she can't stand the fact that he won't leave his wife for her. He calls her bluff, coming back with a suitcase, and claiming to have left his wife and kids. Shortly afterwards, Mrs. H and the children can be heard in the hall, and eventually make their way into Joe's apartment. Mrs. H then launches into a riveting, guilt inducing, passive-aggressive attack, absolutely epic in scope. She gives the car keys to H because she and the kids will now get used to the bus. She shows the kids Daddy's favorite place, the bed in Joe's bedroom. She indicates she wasn't going to bring the children at all, but figured it best that H see the lives he's destroying. Finally, Mrs. H begins screaming furiously at H, stepping in to slap him, before leaving the building. The role would be nominated for multiple awards.