rules of the game; Born in Paris and raised in the States, Alexa Davalos combines American know-how with an undeniable je ne sais quoi.('The Chronicles of Riddick')(Brief Article)

Byline: Sarah Haight

With her ropes of auburn hair and wide almond eyes, Alexa Davalos possesses the ideal visage for a role in a Judi Dench period film, which is precisely what the 21-year-old spent six months shooting last spring. The only catch? The "period" in question is the twenty-sixth century, and her other costar is none other than action-hero Vin Diesel. "I know, I know," says Davalos from her home in Los Angeles, where she's lived on and off since moving from Paris with her mother, an actress, at the age of eight. "No one can picture Vin and Judi in a movie together, but they got along spectacularly." Davalos spent two months in weapon and martial-arts training to take on the role of Kyra, the ...