TOUGH GIRL. Laura Croft in Tomb Raider, where she plays a touch woman, capable of just about anything, both mentally and physically. She holds her own and then some against the bad guys and even a love interest. She is not about to outdone, by anyone, especially a man. Her character, much like that of Harrison Ford in Raiders of the Lost Ark, but without the humor, portrays a very tough woman without taking away from her feminity. Well portrayed.

FRIENDLY. Cecile de France in Around the World in 80 Days, portrays a very amiable, friendly woman who befriends Philleas Fogg and then maneuvers her way with charm and pleasantness into joining the expedition that takes them around the world. Her character is always pleasant and friendly, despite Fogg's attempt to get rid of her, and makes friends with those she meets, including a train load of children. A good example of a female character

AGGRESSIVE. Eva Mendes in Hitch portrays an aggressive, confident woman with a mission and is not deterred by people around her. She goes after Hitch, thinking he is a fraud, and destroys his business career without concern for specific details and accuracy. This is a good portrayal of how being aggressive can affect other people as well as oneself, and the results obtained may not be what was originally desired.

RESULTS-ORIENTED. Rachel McAdams in Red Eye portrays a woman who is intrrested in the bottom line. When her life is threatened, she never loses sight of her objective and continually works toward achieving it, despite the many difficulties and constant fears. Her character takes charge of a problem back on her job while on vacation to get the results needed, arranges her itinery to reach her objective, then determines what she needs to do to escape from her antagonist, seeing the results in her mind and carrying them out.

ROMANTIC: Kiera Knightley in Pride and Prejudice brings a romantic character to the screen who finds herself emotionally taken by the snobbish Mr. Darcy. Her efforts to resist her mother's push to get her married to just about anyone provides an emotional strength to hold out for love. The character shows both a strong-willed nature as well as a soft-hearted woman looking for the romance she so deservingly craves.

RISK-TAKER. Kate Hudson in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, shows a young woman willing to stake her career on a bet to gain the right to be more than just a writer of meaningless articles for a Woman's Magazine. The risk eventually costs her the love of her life and also does not result in the desired promotion, but the risk was worth the taking as she put everything on the line to win. This is a good example of someone who is willing to take a risk to achieve a personal goal.

ASSERTIVE. Shirley McLain in Guarding Tess, whose character, the wife of a former U.S. President, asserts herself in running the lives of Secret Service members who are assigned to guard her life, and even asserts herself with the current President to obtain her way in having others do exactly what she wants. A good portrayal of quiet dignity of an assertive person who neither demands outright nor exerts power or force to obtain her way and assert herself into the decision-making governing her life.

ARROGANT. Michelle Rodriguez in Season 2 of the TV Series Lost. Her character, a former Los Angeles police woman with an arrogant past, shows up in the Lost episodes dealing with the second group of survivors who were in the tail section and landed on the other side of the island. She has taken over that group and commands them with complete authority. Her arrogance in subsequent episodes costs the lives of several people and alienates most of the people she encounters. This is a good example of what happens to arrogant people who lord it over others and have no interest in people and their needs.

ANALYLTICAL. Nicole Kidman in The Interpreter, portrays an analytical woman who interprets for the U.N. and in the course of her work, becomes the target of terrorists. She not only analyzes the events that occur around her, but her analytical nature is even more exposed in the surprising finale of the story that shows how she had analyzed and planned the final results. The character portrays a good example of how a quiet, unassuming person with analytical ability can fool others who think they know the person but really do not.

TAKE CHARGE. Elastigirl character in The Incredibles, with Holly Hunter's voice over. Though a cartoon personage, the character displays a fine example of someone who takes charge and the method and behavior involved. This is also a good example of someone who is loving and kind but who also rises to the occasion when needed and takes charge of her environment and acts in accordance with her character.

KIND. Dagmara Dominczyk in The Count of Monte Christo portrays a kind woman who is deeply in love and retains that love though her lover is torn from her grasp never to be seen again, or so she thinks until he reappears. Through all of this, her kindness overshadows her character and allows the audience to sympathize with her unfair plight and to root for her to win back her love. This is a good example of kindness and unassuming caring of the character.

THOUGHTFUL. Sophia Myles in Tristan + Isolde who portrays a thoughtful and caring woman. Despite the dangers of her own people, and that of the enemy, she risks her life to help nurse a wounded man back to health that turns out to be a prince of her enemy's people. She shows thoughtfulness in her treatment of him, as well as those of his people. This is a good example of a kind, caring and thughtful character who extends to others her time and effort for no reward involved.

ORGANIZED. Sandra Bullock in Net portrays an organized computer expert with extensive ability to analyze and determine problems in software programs. Her life is orderly and well managed to the point of boredom, and when her life is taken from her, the organization is threatened but finally asserts itself as she organizes a plan to get her life back. This is a good example of an organized person who remains in character despite extreme challenges and pressures in her life.

SELF-ASSURED. Frances O'Connor in Timeline portrays a strong-willed woman who has plenty of self assurance in what she is doing and how it should be done. Her character has total belief in the archaelogical dig she is on, knowing certain things exist if she persists, then after being captured in the time line of the past, is assured she can handle freeing her comrades. Her assurance helps save their lives and places her in the forefront of the decisions that eventually lead to their escape

DISCOURAGED. Sandra Bulloch in Two Weeks Notice, portrays an attorney who wants to save the world, but has been defeated at every turn. She is offered a dream job where she can pursue her ambitions but finds herself being a valet to her millionaire boss. Her discouragement persists no matter how much she tries to avoid it and finally decides she has to quit her job and get away from the man who is unwittingly controlling her life and keeping her from achieving her own dreams and goals.

OPTIMIST. Meg Ryan in You've Got Mail portrays a woman who is being challenged with the loss of her business to a major book store in her area and remains positive throughout until she is finally forced to close her doors. Her optimistic, positive-thinking character remains true to form despite the problems she faces. After failing, she undergoes a short period of depression, but bounces back and gets her life into optimistic mode once again.

TOUGH GUY. Hugh Jackman in X-Men, where he plays a completely different role from Kate & Leopold, a tough guy seemingly afraid of nothing and willing to put his life on the line to find the answers for which he searches. The character maintains his toughness throughout yet does so without taking away from the human likeableness of his inner self. His character is the quinnesdential tough guy in a world where toughness is needed to defeat the bad guys, however, still able to show a tenderness toward others who deserve his friendship

FRIENDLY. Mark Wahlberg in Invincible, portrays a friendlly, unassuming character in a tough environment where friends and family are both hostile and critical, and where his life has taken a desperate turn for the worse. In the course of this desperation, he is talked into trying out with a professional football team because of his tough, competitive nature wrapped inside that friendly personality. The outcome is remarkable as his toughness shows through, yet never overshadowing his nice, kindly and friendly nature.
 

AGGRESSIVE. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Collateral Damage, where he portrays a normal husband and father who loses his family to a terrorist attack and becomes an aggressive man bent on retaliation. portrays a friendlly, unassuming character in a tough environment where friends and family are both hostile and critical, and where his life has taken a desperate turn for the worse. In the course of this desperation, he is talked into trying out with a professional football team

RESULTS-ORIENTED. Robert Redford in The Last Castle, portrays a results-oriented, non-aggressive incarcerated General forced into standing up for himself and others. Without seeming to take charge of the situation, he forms a plan in his mind and works under the guise of innocence to achieve the results he wants. This protrayal points out that a reuslts-oriented individual does not need to be aggressive or take-charge of a situation, but can work behind the scenes to achieve the results sought.

ROMANTIC: Hugh Jackman in Kate & Leopold. Using charm and experience, Jackman's character, a 19th-Century gentlemen of culture finds himself in present-day New York City amidst a fast-paced, unruly, and thoughtless society. His charm eminates from portraying gentlemanly characteristics alongside every-day New Yorkers. The writer achieved the desired effect as Jackman portrays a kind, benevolent, manly, gentleman, expressing his intuitive understanding of women and their romantic treatment.

RISK-TAKER. Johnny Depp in Piretes of the Caribbean. Defying the British government and miitary in 17th Century Caribbean, Depp's piratical character passes through one adventure after another and fights against improbable odds to glory, fortune, and a girl. His risk-taking is both humorous and well founded within his charasmatic character, providing the audience with a very sympathetic character even though being a pirate and the object of the governments efforts to hang the bad guys.

ASSERTIVE. Steven Seagal in Under Siege, portrays a character that is difficult to rile, yet when pushed, asserts himself into the problem and quietly works to achieve what needs to be done. Though possesing skills to brag about, he is remarkably self-sufficient, seldom saying much about what he's going to do, but assertign himself into the surrounding environment and is not deterred, despite the dangers involved. This is an an excellent example of how to be assertive without being aggressive.

ARROGANT. Guy Pearce in The Count of Monte Christo, who portrays a man with no redeeming values, whose character is self-centered and arrogant, with no interest in anyhone but himself. At all times and in all situations, the character has complete disdain for others, expressing proud self-importance and contempt for others. The character shows an excellent example of arrogance in matters of love, hate, revenge, and all human life about him.

ANALYTICAL. Tom Hanks in The Terminal, where his character, a visitor to the U.S. from a fictitioius foreign country, is trapped in the New York airport terminal while officials determine what to do about him. While waiting, he goes about analyzing his situation and finding ways to take care of himself, eat, and make friends. A good example of how analytical people are generally easy-going, slow-paced, and evaluative. Also shown is how analytical people tend to be inward and happy when left alone to figure out their lives.

TAKE CHARGE. Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity, where his character, suffering from a serious case of amnesia, takes control of his life on a quest to find answers. He continually takes over situations to move his quest forward, uncovering as he goes the physical ability to take care of himself in any situation from his previoius life. A good example of how take charge people can be non-aggressive, almost passive at times, yet act when acted upon, or when action is required.

KIND. John Trvolta in Phenomenon, whose character protrays a kindly individual, interested in helping others, and being pleasant at all times. His kindness toward the woman he loves as well as to his best friend, and even toward his enemies, is an excellent example of a kindly person. A good portrayal of kindness in spite of difficult and even life-threatening situations as well as in face of unfair treatment by men with power.

THOUGHTFUL. Tom Hanks in You've Got Mail portrays a thoughtful person, especially toward the girl who considers him her worst nightmare. His portrayal of bringing her flowers, meeting with her despite her continual reminders of how he nearly destroyed her life is good example of one person being thoughtful toward another. lHis character is also thoughtful toward the younger children in his extended family, and alongwith thoughtfulness, a patience is also shown which is a companion behavior to one who is thoughtful.

ORGANIZED. Nicholas Cage in National Treasure. Cage's character has organixzed his entire life in pursuit of a series of clues leading to a treasure of immense size. His knowledge, understanding and intellect go hand-in-hand with his organizational skills. Keep in mind that organized people are not always easy-going and pleasant as Cage's character is portrayed. They can also be impatient and aggressive when others disagree with their organization.

SELF-ASSURED. Josh Lucas in Poseidon, whose character portrays a self-assured individual faced with a life-threatening situation and willing to handle it in a self-assured manner. His protrayal of reluctantly leading others is also a good example of self-assuredness that often relies on one's self without regard for others necessarily. The trait of self-assuredness, as shown by Lucas' character, is "never say die" but continue on in the face of harship and difficulty because the person knows he will prevail.

DISCOURAGED. Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai portrays a man who has reached the depth of dispair and disolusionment. His discouragement guides his actions in which he loses himself in another culture and another person, while maintaining his discouragement until the he is brought up out of the depths of dispair by a people and attitude he had never before encountered. A good example of a lost soul eventually finding his way back to the humanity he had forsaken.
 

OPTIMISTIC. Warren Beatty in Heaven Can Wait portrays an extremely optimistic individual with a constant and never ending positive attitude, despite the circumstances that have disrupted his life. Through thick and thin, one exchanged life after another, his optimistic nature holds true and unwaveringly points him toward his eventual goal. This 1978 film is an old one, but an excellent example of an optimistic, positive-thinking character.