Zhang Ziyi

While known best for her movies, Ziyi, which means Happy Child, has also starred in numerous advertising roles, including Starbucks and Visa.

Many of her pictures in the gallery are completely covered in makeup. No longer a sexy starlet, Chinese Zhang Ziyi has become some kind of night-time fairy creature.

At other times, however, she looks the part of the model–half naked and dressed in black.

Her movies (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Memoirs of a Geisha; Hero) struck US audiences enough that she was invited to model for Men’s magazine FHM.