7. Scream - Drew Barrymore
The early career of Drew Barrymore is a puzzling thing to consider. Having started out as the picture of '80s innocence in the loved-or-nobody-trusts-you E.T., the actress decided that the best way to avoid being typecast/break the mould/make sure everyone thought she was utterly insane was to appear in some of the trashiest films you're ever likely to see. To point out how bad some of the films she starred in, I honestly believe that the infamous Poison Ivy (a movie where an unhinged teenage girl has an unhealthy obsession with an older man) is not even at the bottom of the list. No, that award has to go to Bad Girls, in which Barrymore and Andie MacDowell are ex-prostitute cowboys. Yep. However, a change came in Barrymore's fortunes when she was cast in Wes Craven's Scream, for a part which featured surely less than ten minutes of screen time. Her performance was so memorable and likeable that, despite mainly being terrified and ultimately splattered she became one of the most bankable talents around for the girl-next-door face of inoffensive romantic comedies and quirky dramas for the next 10 years. We might not like Charlie's Angels or much to do with Adam Sandler post 2000 movies, but you have to hand it to Barrymore... going from addiction-ravaged husk to cutesy money raker in less than 5 years is pretty impressive.