Women to Watch

Taryn Manning
Age: 24
Where you've seen her: Britney's scrappy friend in Crossroads and Crazy/Beautiful and in guest spots on TV's Boston Public and NYPD Blue.
Her story: It takes much more than a bare midriff and a belly ring to hold your own next to Britney Spears - and her songs - on the big screen, but Taryn Manning had it covered. Brit's first flick, Crossroads, won surprisingly good reviews and had most critics asking after, not the pop starlet lead, but Manning as Mimi, the spunky, down-on-her-luck buddy. As if being a busy actress weren't enough, Manning's a singer in a band, Boomkats, with brother Kellin. In her younger days, she won trophies for dancing and karate. With that, you can safely say she kicks ass.
She said it: 'I was 10, I think, the first time I ever French kissed. I was in a department store. I pushed him back so hard that he fell back and knocked over a shelf. It was totally awkward after that.'
About love: No beau in tow just yet. With her crazy schedule, you can hardly blame her.
What's next: The big-screen adaptation of White Oleander with Michelle Pfeiffer and Renee Zellweger. She's also playing Eminem's girl in his semi-autobiographical 8 Mile. Boomkats just signed with DreamWorks records. Their first album is out in the States in September.

Franka Potente
Age: 27
Where you've seen her: Before scoring international success as the uber-red-headed sprinter in the German flick Run Lola Run, Franka worked mostly in her homeland. She also played Johnny Depp's ill-fated first girlfriend in Blow.
Her story: Rumour has it that she was 'discovered' by a casting agent who struck up a conversation with the feisty-looking beauty in a bar toilet one night. But this rising German star can rely on more than luck - she's pretty talented too. Few can straddle countries - and languages - but Franka's a global big shot. They've even named the German Oscar 'Lola', and salons are still fielding requests for 'Lola Red'. Pretty impressive.
She said it: On her new world fame: 'To put it in a very banal way, I know how to pack a suitcase in five minutes. If you tell me I have to fly to Hong Kong tomorrow, I can do it.'
About love: With Run, Potente caught the spotlight and her man - she's been dating the film's writer/director, Tom Tykwer, since 1998.
What's next: She's the spunky, sexy sidekick to Matt Damon's spy in The Bourne Identity, out in September. Up ahead: the romantic comedy Try Seventeen with Elijah Wood and Mandy Moor.

Kerry Washington
Age:25
Where you've seen her: The wise-cracking, street-smart sis in Save the Last Dance.
Her story: 2001's sleeper teen hit Dance stuck Kerry firmly on the map. Before that, she was a fresh theatre school graduate trying to break into the big time. Now, she's juggling projects co-starring some of Tinseltown's biggest names - Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins and Meg Ryan, to name a few. But even with a full two years' work ahead, Kerry's still got her feet on the ground. She's a certified yoga instructor, in case that Hollywood movie star thing doesn't work out. We're betting it will.
She said it: 'One muscle in me that's strong is my rejection muscle. People say no to me three times a week.'
About love: Kerry's kept mum about her love life.
What's next: She can be seen in the true-life boxing drama Against the Ropes in 2003 with Meg Ryan and The Human Stain with Kidman and Hopkins.