Birthday girl Kim Basinger spent much of her career being discounted: she emerged from the modeling world, her films were often deemed frivolous, and she lost that Boxing Helena lawsuit. But she scored a major comeback in 1997 as, in many ways, the heart of L.A. Confidential, a major hit and major Oscar contender. Though I might have given the award to Boogie Nights‘ Julianne Moore, I was thrilled for Basinger (seriously — I was cheering in my dorm room!), who remains underrated in the film. It was a nice underdog win and a reminder to never discount anyone’s Oscar chances based on their past career choices.

This article is part of a special year-long series of anecdotes, reflections and thoughts about the Academy Awards.