Every now and then, Hollywood throws up some truly extraordinary women... women who combine style, intelligence and that rarest of rare characteristics - the ability to look sensual without the slightest effort.

American actress and former fashion model Halle Berry is perhaps the queen of that club.

She first came into the spotlight at 17, when she won the Miss Teen All-American Pageant in 1985 (representing the state of Ohio).

She made the switch to the world of television and films in the later 80s, although bad luck dogged her for the first few years. Her debut television serials - "Living Dolls", "Amen", "A Different World" and "They Came from Outer Space" were, to put it charitably unsuccessful.

Her cinematic debut was in 1991, with "Jungle Fever". Since then, the chocolate-skinned star has gone on to win a treasure trove of awards, ranging from Emmies, Golden Globes, Screen Actors' Guild awards and, of course, that Academy Award in 2002, for "Monster's Ball".

More recently, she was in the news for having won a legal battle against former beau Gabriel Aubry, stopping him from visiting their daughter, Nahla, 3, without supervision.

Legal battles aside... Halle Berry remains one of the world's sexiest women!

Check out a slideshow of the "X-Men" star...

Actress Halle Berry arrives at the Costume Designers Guild Awards in Beverly Hills, California

Actress Halle Berry attends the 2006 BAFTALA Cunard Britannia Awards in Los Angeles, California

Academy Award winning actress Halle Berry receives her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood

Actress Halle Berry arrives for the premiere of the film Perfect Stranger in Mexico City

Presenter Halle Berry poses backstage at the 67th annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills

U.S. Actress Halle Berry talks during a television show in Toronto

U.S. actress Halle Berry attends a photo call to present her movie Things we Lost in the Fire at the Rome International Film Festival

Actress Halle Berry receives star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Hollywood