[caption id="attachment_106266" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Photo Credit: Getty Images[/caption]

Love her or hate her, and we have no idea how anyone could hate her, since her directorial debut in 1999 with The Virgin Suicides, director Sofia Coppola has created a unique film aesthetic that, no matter what film of her's you may be watching, makes her work instantly recognizable.

And then there is her impeccable casting.

She is back again today with the release of her latest film, The Bling Ring, a tale of woe and want and crimes committed on former cast members of The OC, and has yet again written and directed a film that not only adds to her astonishing legacy, but will become a turning point in the careers of her cast. And, an even bigger moment for her muses.

Miss Coppola, like most directors, loves her some muses. Unlike most directors however, each of Coppola's films seem to feature both a male and female muse, and she seldom reuses actors. There is James Woods and Kirsten Dunst in Suicides, Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson in Lost In Translation, Kiki again, this time with Jason Schwartzman, in Marie Antoinette, and Elle Fanning and Stephen Dorff, as the most adorable father daughter duo ever, in Somewhere.

She sure does love those California blonds.

For Ring however, Coppola has gone in a whole new direction by casting outside the Golden State and snatching up Brit Emma Watson, who does, of course, play a valley girl, and the unknown Israel Broussard, as the film's lead, Marc. Oh, and Kiki pops up in this one too for a hot second, just to remind us that she will always be Sofia's fave.

What these Bling kids can now look forward to, as reviews seem to already be indicating, is that aforementioned turning point in their careers, with Broussard no doubt fielding numerous offers since the film rolled out at Cannes, and Watson cementing her status On Hollywood's A-list. And that is one hard list to get on these days.

This is somehow always the case with Coppola's players, no matter how large or small the film's box office. She proved Dunst and Johansson were more than just pretty faced former child stars in her work with the pair, elicited a performance from an 11-year-old Fanning that blew away most of, if not all, the tween cutie's much older, and much more experienced, peers in the biz, and introduced Dorff, Woods and Murray to a new generation of moviegoers. And, some might say, maybe, kinda, sorta revived the careers of these acting legends. Or at the very least brought out depths in their work we had yet to previously see.

Oh, and she also introduced Murray to his first Oscar nomination.

An Oscar winner herself, for her Lost screenplay, and at the time only the third female director nominated for an Oscar for the same film, Coppola seems to have a way with her actors that is similar to directors like Woody Allen and Robert Altmann. Sure, Murray is in fact the only one of her actors to ever be up for the big prize, but there is always a groundswell of critical acclaim and recognition for her stars.

It is for this very reason that Watson's role in this movie is so important, and was such a smart choice for the young star. Ain't no one thinking about Hermione no more.

Those little vamps Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson might be wise to give Coppola a call. After Stewart dyes her hair blond of course.