ELLEN PAGE

Once nicknamed ''The Tiny Canadian'' by her roommates, the powerhouse from Halifax proved this year that great things do come in small packages. As Juno's pregnant teenager, Ellen Page is neither a good girl gone wrong nor a bad girl getting her due — she's a real girl facing real life. The actress delivers a lived-in performance that makes every teenage film heroine that came before feel false by comparison. ''Films with young women are often ridden with stereotype,'' says the 20-year-old Golden Globe nominee. ''I'm so grateful I got to play this girl.... As corny as it sounds, acting is an emotional journey. My heart has to be in it, or I'm going to suck.'' Here's hoping it never fails her. —Sean Smith