Following her 'Pollock' win, Harden became an in-demand central player in acclaimed dramas like 'Space Cowboys' (2000), 'Mystic River' (2003) and 'Into the Wild' (2007), although such genre fare as the adaptation of the Stephen King novella 'The Mist' (2007) also proved easily within the versatile actress' wheelhouse. Whether the script called for a devoted wife, glamorous movie star, or religious zealot, Harden's name was frequently at the top of casting agents' wish lists, maintaining her status as one of film's busiest supporting actresses, who was willing to venture into TV for the right role. 14, 1959, one of five children born to a U.S. Harden spent a peripatetic childhood, changing her identity all the time she would later admit that she even pretended to be a boy for a time while living in Japan. Intending to enter diplomatic service, Harden changed her plans while the family was living in Greece. She was overcome during a visit to the historic Parthenon, and while standing at the foot of the ancient stage, she suddenly became determined to join the legacy of thousands of years of dramatic arts.