The women of summer

THIS has been a sizzling summer for Sisters in cinema. From saving the world in The Matrix: Reloaded to saving a swamped, stay-at-home dad in Daddy Day Care to saving a couple of outrageous cops from themselves in Bad Boys II to saving a big-city businessman's soul in The Fighting Temptations, Sisters have set a new record this summer for rescuing the movie industry in an otherwise flat film season.

Collectively, Jada, Beyonce, Regina King, Nona Gaye and Gabrielle Union raised the bar for actresses in some of the biggest blockbusters and are sure to be factors to contend with for years to come. The fabulously fearsome five had Sisters applauding in the aisles and Brothers hanging on the edge of their seats. In the process, they proved, among other things, that Black women can pack the movie houses with the best of them.

Beyonce Knowles

THE beautiful Beyonce Knowles was a triple threat this summer, dominating the silver screen, ad campaigns and the radio airwaves. Fans of the hit trio Destiny's Child watched the 22-year-old lead singer explode on the big screen as the feisty single mom in the movie The Fighting Temptations, a comedy about a big-city businessman (Cuba Gooding Jr.) leading a small-town choir to success. On the music front, the Texas stunner released her first solo effort, Dangerously In Love, one of the fastest-selling albums on Billboard's Top 100 Chart.

While juggling her movie and music career, Knowles also became the new pitchwoman for Pepsi, snagging the lucrative ad campaign from pop star Britney Spears. On the home front, Beyonce and her constant companion, rap superstar Jay-Z (the two are being touted as the Camelot couple of hip-hop) are rumored to be headed for the altar.

The singer has purchased three homes in Miami, and according to celebrity gossip columnist Cindy Adams, the two are "seriously serious."

Jada Pinkett Smith

NEVER one to lounge in the shadow of her superstar husband Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith--mother, producer and now bona fide action hero--showed the world what she was made of this summer in her role as Niobe in The Matrix: Reloaded. Not only was her gear (complete with twist braids and cool shades) a major standout in the film, her dazzling stunts really upped the ante for action lovers, especially when the petite renegade was called on to save Laurence Fishburne's behind. Always talented and beautiful, Pinkett Smith's stellar performance in the summer's biggest movie further cemented her status on mainstream Hollywood's coveted A-list. She is the executive producer for the new Warner Bros. sitcom, All of Us, and is currently recording the voice-over for the animated character Gloria the Hippo in the new adventure Madagascar, a film about animals released from the zoo and sent back to the wild. In her various roles as mother, wife, producer, and actress, Pinkett Smith has created a new national standard for what today's superstar spouse should aspire to be--sexy, smart, supportive, sophisticated and always in control.

Regina King

BLACK America loved her as Brenda from the hit sitcom series 227, but Regina King is all grown up now and has effectively earned her status as one of the most sought-after Black actresses in Tinsletown.

The 32-year-old actress stunned audiences as the no nonsense wife of Will Smith in the hit film, Enemy of the State, and left audiences in stitches in Eddie Murphy's latest comedy Daddy Day Care.

King, who lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Ian, and their 7-year-old son, Ian Jr., will be seen in the upcoming sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde, and is currently filming Unchain My Heart: The Ray Charles Story.

Gabrielle Union

GABRIELLE Union is the first to admit that she never chased the glitz and glamor of Hollywood. If she had followed her first mind, she would be a high-powered attorney today instead of one of the most alluring ladies in young Hollywood.

Earlier this year, Union was cast in the leading roles in the comedy Deliver Us from Eva and had a major role in the drama Cradle 2 the Grave. But it was her role as Sydney Burnett in Bad Boys II that really has Hollywood honchos and film audiences taking notice of her rising star power.

Next, Union will appear opposite Jamie Foxx and Morris Chestnut in The Breakup Handbook, a romantic comedy about a man who gets dumped by his fiancee and then writes a best-selling self-help book for men.

Nona Gaye

LIKE her famous dad, R&B legend Marvin Gaye, Nona Gaye began her trek to stardom in the music industry. But the summer of 2003 proved to be sizzling for the multitalented 28-year-old. Gaye's breakout performance as the warrior Zee in The Matrix: Reloaded (she will return in the final installment of the Matrix trilogy due out later this year) exuded an onscreen intensity that's sure to make Nona Gaye a household name among movie buffs. Looking ahead, Gaye is returning to the recording studio to complete her sophomore album, and she will be heading back onto the movie lot, this time filming The Polar Express alongside actor Tom Hanks.