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    Boasting exotic good looks and a never-say-die attitude, Rosario Dawson has worked her way up from the bottom to become one of our favorite actresses in Hollywood. The New York native was raised in a squat in an abandoned building that her parents illegally occupied and renovated without the knowledge of the owner or the city.

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    When she was a young girl, Rosario Dawson (like many other city children) made appearances on Sesame Street. The multi-cultural atmosphere of the classic children's program was a real reflection of life in New York, with kids of many different social and economic backgrounds all playing together in cheerful harmony.

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    At the age of 15, Rosario Dawson was discovered sitting on her stoop by photographer and film director Larry Clark. Clark was busy doing pre-production for Kids, a feature film written by teenage Harmony Korine, and he immediately cast Dawson for the role of Ruby. Actress Chloe Sevigny also got her first major exposure in the film.

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    After Kids became a critical success, Rosario Dawson began securing more and more parts on film and television. Her next few roles included Spike Lee's He Got Game and the role of Valerie in the live-action adaptation of Archie comic book Josie And The Pussycats, one of the most underrated teen movies of the decade.

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    In addition to indie movies, Rosario Dawson also appeared in a number of big-budget blockbusters. One of her biggest roles was as Laura Vasquez in Men In Black II. Sure, she was just the MacGuffin in a complicated chase plot, but she showed she could dominate the screen even when surrounded by special effects.

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    Rosario Dawson is also an actress who isn't afraid to take on nerdy side projects. Some of her most geek-friendly included the online TV series Gemini Division and doing voice work for Rob Zombie's animated film The Haunted World Of El Superbeasto. Dawson also created her own comic book series, Occult Crimes Taskforce.

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    Some of Rosario Dawson's other major roles include the part of Gail in Sin City, where she worked with Robert Rodriguez for the first time. She would also show up in Death Proof, and teamed up with old friend Talia Lugacy to produce and star in the independent horror flick Descent. She also won a NAACP Image Award for Seven Pounds.

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    In addition to acting, Rosario Dawson has dipped her toes into the world of music on occasion. The most notable instance came in 1999, when she was asked by Prince to provide a spoken introduction to a remake of his famous end of the century anthem. Dawson has also appeared on albums by Outkast and Kasabian.

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    You wouldn't expect a New York City girl to be a fervent soccer supporter, but Rosario Dawson has been very public in her cheering for British club Arsenal FC. She has supported the team on Twitter and been photographed wearing their jerseys. No idea whether she roots for the Mets or the Yankees, though. You'd have to ask her.

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    Next: Salma Hayek

    Rosario Dawson is also heavily involved in a tremendous number of charity activities, many of them centering around the Lower East Side neighborhood where she grew up. She also works with OXFAM, Amnesty International, the ONE Campaign and several other groups. Dawson is also a spokeswoman for the More Than Footprints program.

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