Along the way she realized that photography was not what she really wanted, and instead turned to acting. She was discovered while attending classes at Stella Adler Conservatory. An agent quickly signed her, got her on a few commercials and began her track toward stardom.

Her first few films were primarily independent releases or mediocre films, with the exception of the Kevin Kline film In and Out. The independent films, however, garnered a great deal of praise for Blair, but were shown to a very limited audience. Girl (with Dominique Swain and Tara Reid) was a tremendous film, which certainly would have faired decently at the box office but was never given the funding. Additionally, Strong Island Boys and Brown's Requiem both received excellent reviews, particularly for Selma's performances.

But then came Cruel Intentions, the teen remake of Dangerous Liasons, that scored big at the box office and was an excellent outing for all involved. It helped propell Selma's career, as well as Ryan Phillippe and Reese Witherspoon (who also became romantically involved in the filming and later married).

In fact, Selma had auditioned for the role of Buffy on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", a role that was filled by her Cruel Intentions costar Sarah Michelle Gellar. But TV was not a total loss for Blair, who also grabbed a role in "Getting Personal", but was later replaced. She did score with "Zoe, Duncan, Jack and Jane", later renamed "Zoe", which has received great reviews and amassed a sizeable audience.

Off the screen, Selma is said to be dating actor Jason Schwartzman (of Rushmore). And, she didn't abandon her college ideal - she graduated with a BA in Fine Arts from the University of Massachusetts.

Credits: IMDB