Janet Gaynor (1906-1984) was an American actress, an icon of the silent film era and among the first to successfully transition to talkies.

She is remembered as the first recipient of the Academy Award for Best Actress (1929), an award received for her performances in three silent film masterpieces: *Seventh Heaven*, *Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans*, and *Street Angel*. Her adaptability also led her to success in sound film, culminating in a nomination for *A Star Is Born* (1937).

Her style was characterized by naturalness and grace. She often portrayed innocent, vulnerable yet resilient female figures, capable of evoking deep empathy. She was the ideal "girl next door," embodying purity and hope in the cinema of her era.