Nina Arianda shines in theater spotlight in upcoming play 'Born Yesterday' after film, TV career

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Nina Arianda, star of Broadway's 'Born Yesterday,' takes a break between rehearsals.

Who's that girl?

Watching people pass by the Cort Theatre on W. 48th St., where "Born Yesterday" begins previews on Thursday, you can practically see thought balloons popping up over pedestrians' heads as they scan the stars' faces gazing out from the marquee.

That's Jim Belushi — he's the big lug from "According to Jim." That's Robert Sean Leonard — he's the good-looking doc from "House." That's Nina Arianda — she's the, uh, well, hmmm ... Who's Nina Arianda?

She's a 26-year-old actress who was born in Manhattan, grew up in New Jersey and Germany and has lived in Williamsburg the past three years. She's about to make her Broadway debut as Billie Dawn, the scatterbrained ex-showgirl in Garson Kanin's 1946 play. It's a role made famous on stage by Judy Holliday, who won an Oscar for the 1950 film version.

At a time when a play can cost between $2 million and $4 million to mount on Broadway, it's rare that producers are willing to cast a relative unknown. Plays tend to be all-star affairs. Banking on a fresh face and talent takes guts by the powers-that-be and director Doug Hughes. It's a very risky move.

But anyone who saw Arianda a year ago in her breakthrough performance in the play "Venus in Fur" gets that it's a calculated risk and understands why they took the chance.

Playing a mystery woman-goddess-dominatrix in the David Ives comedy, Arianda earned comparisons to everyone from a young Meryl Streep to a young Barbra Streisand and the sort of rave reviews actors dream of (even ones who insist they don't read them).

Especially actors, like her, who were fresh out of NYU with no credits to their name — even if they've been studying acting since they were 4 years old. Growing up in Clifton, N.J., Arianda's first language was Ukrainian; she took children's theater classes to improve her English.

"I read the script for 'Venus' and I instantly became possessive," says Arianda, who'd been working as a hostess at Orsay to make ends meet. "I kept saying, 'I have to do this play.' And I entered the room for the audition with that mentality."

It worked. As the play's director, Walter Bobbie, recalls it, "Nina Arianda walked into her audition for 'Venus in Fur' completely unknown to us, and within seconds David Ives and I were breathless," he says. "Intelligence, spontaneity, emotion, flawless comic instinct, all wrapped in the body of Venus.

"No callback," he continues. "Her audition was like a peek into her future. We hired her immediately and couldn't wait for rehearsals to begin. And then it only got better."

The dirty side of beauty: Pageant scandals

From racy photos to tumbles heard 'round the world - these beauty queens' lives aren't as picture-perfect as they seem. Check out the scandals that have rocked the beauty queen world.

Caroline Schwitzky, crowned in a local pageant in Feb. 2011, was dethroned after officials learned of her 2008 appearance at a New York porn convention. Schwitzky was named Miss Exxxotica in a contest at the event, leading Florida pageant officials to strip Miss Weston 2011 of her sash.

'We all have dumb things in our life that we're not necessarily proud of,' Schwitzky told NBC Miami.

The 21-year-old from Miami won the Miss Weston crown on Feb. 20, the first step toward her hopes of winning the Miss Universe title. But then organizers learned of her semi-sordid past. In addition to winning the pageant at the porn industry convention, Schwitzky also did a semi-nude photo shoot for a web site. Video of both events turned up on the internet.

Hollywood moms before and after baby

Don't hate on them because they're famous. And rich. Hate on them because they look so darn good so soon after having kids.

Less than four months after giving birth, supermodel Miranda Kerr is back to rocking her admirably svelte bod.

The new mom, who welcomed son Flynn with husband Orlando Bloom on Jan. 6, was photographed working during a Victoria's Secret shoot in Malibu in April, clad in a skimpy black bikini.

Check out these other star mamas who made losing their post-baby weight look like no sweat ...

Bad Girls Club

Been naughty? One flip through these bad-to-the-bone styles should set you straight. Check out the divalicious stars who are donning leather, lace and skintight rubber in a new wave of dominatrix chic.

Heather Morris continues to prove she has all the right moves. The dancer-turned-actress, best known for her role as Brittany S. Pierce on 'Glee,' loosens up and rocks out in a new Esquire.com video.

The Curse of Reality TV

They've entertained us for hours on end, but these reality show stars have been cursed by reality television and it's no laughing matter.

Despite plans to relocate to Texas, Emily Maynard couldn't make things work out with 'The Bachelor' star Brad Womack. According to Life & Style, Maynard broke off her engagement with the unlucky-in-love reality star during the weekend of April 9.

'Emily told Brad that she can't picture them getting married,' a source told the mag. 'Brad's not acting like a fiancé, and she knows that he's not going to change. Emily knows in her heart of hearts that the relationship is finished.'

The couple became engaged during the season finale of the ABC reality dating show. During their first interview as a couple, they revealed they had canceled plans to wed in March and had already had a number of minor breakups.

Singer Jessie J to Courteney Cox: 'I'd much rather date you' than Cox's ex-husband David Arquette

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Singer Jessie J told Courteney Cox that she'd rather date her than ex-husband David Arquette.

David Arquette is bound to be disappointed: His crush has a crush on his estranged wife. The actor told Howard Stern that he's got the hots for singer Jessie J, but when we caught up with the sassy Brit singer at last week's Vanity Fair-sponsored opening party for the Guess Fifth Ave. flagship store, she said she much preferred Courteney Cox — and had even told her so! Turns out Cox and Jessie had met at the Jimmy Kimmel show that night, soon after Arquette made his comments. "I said to her, 'If it means anything, I'd much rather date you than him,'" Jessie told us. Cox, for her part, told the singer that she'd downloaded her album and was a fan. Mutual girl crush!

Dailycandy.com offers hacker sweet deal

Dailycandy.com doesn't hate on would-be hackers. When the site offered a limited number of $1 passes to a Tribeca Film Festival screening of Keira Knightley's new movie, "Last Night," one fan cracked the site's coding and claimed herself tickets a day before the deal went live. Dailycandy soon figured out the ruse — but instead of punishing the wily cinephile, they sent her an email saying they were "impressed with [her] persistence" and offering her a $150 Fred Segal gift bag in lieu of the pilfered tickets. Now that's sweet treatment!

Pauly D gets pumped for Britney tour

DJ Pauly D could be having a dry spell this summer – but not with the ladies. A source tells us the "Jersey Shore" star fueled rumors at Pacha nightclub on Thursday that he may be joining Britney Spears on her reportedly sober summer "Femme Fatale" tour for a few dates during his deejay set when he asked the 2,000-person crowd what they thought about him sharing the stage with the pop singer. After they shrieked their approval, he ripped off his shirt and threw it into the crowd. The insider says the DJ received 40K for his three-hour performance.

Who's that Rocket Man?

Elton John said he was "very nervous" before the Tribeca Film Festival's opening-night of "The Union," Cameron Crowe's documentary about Elton's collaboration with Leon Russell. He was probably worried about grownup critics, but kids are a tough crowd, too — and a pair of lucky young fans were on hand at the World Financial Plaza to put the superstar through his red-carpet paces. The kids, both 11, were doing interviews for Tribeca Kids Access site. "My parents made me do a lot of research," one youngster told us after his Elton John encounter. Did the rock 'n' roll homework pay off? "Yeah, it was really exciting to meet him," he said, "but I didn't expect him to ... look that way." His mom also had to remind him that the star's name was "Elton John" and not "John Elton."

Celebs chug, chug, chug 

The Village Pourhouse in Hoboken looked like it was hosting celebrity beer-pong Wednesday night, instead of the usual weekly karaoke party. A source says Albie and Chris Manzo, sons of "Real Housewives of New Jersey" star Caroline; Zach Parise of the New Jersey Devils, and Kevin Boss of the New York Giants spent the evening playing the fraternity-favorite drinking game. The real surprise in the crowd, however, was Candice Crawford, fiancée of Dallas Cowboy Tony Romo and sister of actor Chace Crawford, who eventually joined the game, too.

Lambert gets hot and heavy with beau

Adam Lambert and his Finnish reality star boyfriend, Sauli Koskinen, were a match made in gay night heaven at Studio XXI's Wednesday night party, The Cove, featuring DJ Martial. Dressed in similar blazers and necklaces, the heavily made-up singer and his blond BF danced, sipped tequila and "heavily made out" at a table "swamped with friends and fans."

Paris Hilton's Community Service in High Heels

Paris Hilton has started doing her 200 hours of community service. She was pleaded guilty to drug possession and obstructing a police officer in August, and she got 1 year probation that includes community service and enrollment in a substance abuse treatment program. She has also to pay a fine of $2000. You can view the pictures from Paris Hilton's first day of community service. She looks funny doing all the work on high heels!