Just as a lot of young actresses become known via debuts in young male magazines, Fox’s sexy spreads in FHM propelled her into the spotlight, as she first appeared in its 2005 spread and the year after, where she was ranked 68 on its list of “100 Sexiest Women of 2006.” Coinciding her role in the global hit Transformers, Fox appeared in the publication again in 2007, as well as other magazines. But once she emerged as Shia LaBeouf’s love interest Mikaela Banes, Fox’s career began to soar.

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Between her world-recognized performance in Transformers and its sequel Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, Fox, 23, took on rather risqué film roles – including a small part in Whore (2008), that starred Rumer Willis and none other than porn star Ron Jeremy. The film is a cautionary yarn, with a cast of young people heading to Hollywood, only to find it a darker world than they would imagine. She also starred in Oscar winner Diablo Cody’s follow-up screenplay to Juno – called Jennifer’s Body (2009), in which she plays a gorgeous cheerleader that begins killing male classmates that don’t respect her.

With the kind of success she has reaped by courting exposure quite openly and vigorously, Fox’s public life is often aired through the gossip mills. Most recently, her split with longtime partner Brian Austin Green made headlines, spewing intrusive and uncomfortable questions Fox’s way. “I understand that I asked for this attention,” says the Tennessee-born stunner, “but the scary thing about it is that you only imagine the positive and cool things about fame – you can’t imagine what it is like to be followed around by photographers lurking in dark corners and reporters asking you things that are none of their business. So it is pretty hard to stay focused sometimes,” she relays.

Other talk of Fox often centres on her comparison to Angelina Jolie. With her exotic features (attributed to her part Cherokee ancestry), her outspoken nature and seven or eight tattoos, she has on many occasions been dubbed the next Angelina. For Fox, this assessment has her bristling. “I am flattered to be mentioned alongside a very talented actress like Angelina Jolie,” says Fox. “But the camparisons seem to be for the wrong reasons – they are comparing us on only the most superficial of levels, that is why I find it a bit annoying.” But there is another side to Fox’s reaction: “I really haven’t given people a reason to take my work seriously yet, which is my responsibility. I think the expectations for me, as far as my ability as an actress goes, are very low. I feel like that means I can only ever be an over-achiever when people expect so little from me,” says Fox.

As for the future, Fox already has the next two years plotted out. She is currently starring in the Western-themed comic book adaptation Jonah Hex, opposite Josh Brolin, and is rumored to be appearing in two other big films, the historical drama Ironclad and the drama The Crossing. But for now, Fox is balancing her meteoric rise by living a simple life, away from the glare of a camera. “I am kind of a recluse. I have a fear of Hollywood, just watching what it does to people. You have to be a really strong human being to survive it, especially as a girl. So I try to avoid that scene as much as possible, and avoid those people that enjoy the Hollywood scene as well,” explains Fox. “Some might think that is boring.”

As one of the sexiest stars to grace the silverscreen, Fox remains grounded for a long stay in the movie industry.