Ukrainian-born actress Olga Kurylenko is known for her steamy but serious roles in several French films. Following a successful career in France, Kurylenko has crossed over into American movie roles. Currently she is contracted to play the latest "Bond girl", Camille, in Quantum of Solace (a sequel to 2006's Casino Royale), due in theaters November 2008.

Kurylenko was born Nov. 14, 1979 in Berdyansk, Ukraine. The youngster was sent to live with her grandmother, Raisa, following her parents' bitter divorce. Here Kurylenko is said to have grown up in poverty, dressing in rags and sharing a small apartment with a number of other individuals, including six adults and several children.

According to sources, Kurylenko's Cinderella story began at the age of 13, when her mother, Marina, an art teacher, took her on a trip to Moscow. While in the city, the two were approached by by a modeling scout. This chance meeting opened doors for Kurylenko, who began studying art, dance and piano in addition to training as a fashion model.

Just three years later, Kurylenko moved to Paris, where her modeling career officially took off. By the age of 18, she had appeared on the cover of the high-fashion magazine Glamour. During the course of her career, she also appeared in other well-known publications as Vogue, Elle and Marie Claire. She was also contracted to be  the "face" of the Lejaby lingerie line.

Briefly married to (1999-2001) and then divorced from Cedric van Mol, a photographer, Kurylenko decided to try her hand at acting. Her first appearance was in the 2005 French film Annulaire, L', as Iris, the leading role. This sexy part was followed by others, earning Kurylenko the reputation of being "the most sensual woman in the Ukraine". In 2007, Kurylenko played the part of Nika in Hitman, an espionage film based on a video game by the same name. And in Paris, je' taime ("Paris, I Love You"), she starred opposite an international cast including American actor Elijah Wood.

The 2008 release of Quantum of Solace will put Kurylenko front-and-center with U.S. audiences. In the Casino Royale sequel, Camille (Kurylenko) starts out as an opponent of Agent 007, only to later fall for his charms, a theme common to Bond films. Kurylenko is rumored to have trained for three weeks with various weapons and in the art of "body flying" (a type of indoor skydiving) before filming. She is also said to have studied the proper excecution of a Spanish accent for the role. In addition, Kurylenko watched a box-set of 007 movies; in her native Ukraine, she had never heard of the Bond series.