Gwyneth had a great year

After a blink and you'll miss it debut as young Wendy in Spielberg's Hook (odd they never worked together again), Gwyneth Paltrow firmly announced her presence in a series of remarkable supporting turns - Flesh and Bone, Se7en, Midnight and Valentino, Hard Eight - before cementing her fame as the still definitive embodiment of Jane Austen's Emma in 1996.

She wasted no time cashing in on her new name and pulled a Jessica Chastain in 1998 except, but with all leading parts. Hush is a bit embarassing, really, but she is excellent in A Perfect Murder, Sliding Doors is highly entertaining and just a bit brainy, she's fairly smashing in Great Expectations and, of course, Shakespeare in Love won her the Oscar which, all things (Cate Blanchett) considered, it is hard to begrudge her.

She's done plenty of great work since - Royal Tenenbaums, The Talented Mr Ripley, Possession, Sylvia, Two Lovers, even Duets - but is frankly underappreciated.

All her 1998 roles below:

Sliding Doors:

Great Expectations:

Hush - what rubbish:

A Perfect Murder:

Shakespeare in Love: