Multitalented actress Taryn Manning is about to have the summer of her life

Photography by Patrick Hoelck Taryn Manning has one of the most unconventional resumés in Hollywood. At 26, she’s driven cross–country with Britney Spears in Crossroads, ditched Eminem in 8 Mile and dry–humped Philip Seymour Hoffman in Cold Mountain. In her spare time, she fronts a band with her brother (Boomkat), designs a fashion line (Born Uniqorn), and counts roller skating, dance and karate ass–kicking among her many skills. Not bad for a chick who didn’t make the cut for Coyote Ugly.

“So far, so good,” says Manning of her current run. “I’ve had a lot of small parts in big films, but I’ve managed to make a mark.” And by the looks of it, the best is yet to come. This summer, the petite blonde will appear in five films, including the romantic comedy A Lot Like Love with Ashton Kutcher, and the hotly anticipated Hustle & Flow, in which she plays Nola, a cornrowed “hooker with a heart of gold.”

“It’s the kind of role I usually get offered, but it was such a great film I couldn’t say no,” says Manning about Hustle. “I’m sure all these girls who play the girl next door would die to have the roles I play, and here I’m dying to play the normal girl. But I guess I don’t look like her.” And that’s definitely a good thing.—Jessica Hundley

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