The most beautiful actresses in the world
When we began to compile our list of the world's 50 most beautiful actresses, we were only an inch down the highway when we hit a roadblock.
Were we talking about actresses working today or the entire history of cinema? One young 'un on staff said: "Sure, Sharon Stone and Jessica Lange were hot in the 1980s -- [spoken as though it was the Stone Age] -- but there is NO way you can publish pictures of those women in their 50s and 60s. That's sick!"
The whippersnapper was corrected and given a lengthy lecture about Great Garbo, Ingrid Bergman, Veronica Lake, Katherine Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe.
Hollywood beauty and top 50 contender Diane Lane
Many young people have such a narrow window of reference that screen beauties like Catherine Deneuve and Brigitte Bardot mean nothing to them. Seen through young, know-nothing eyes, those stunning actresses from a bygone age are old, overweight, and irrelevant.
Then we were up against the problem of whether we should consider looks alone or a combination of looks and acting talent. Taking talent into consideration, we could immediately eliminate air heads who can't act, women such as Madonna and Jennifer Lopez. There were a few borderline cases where the editor was open to persuasion. One such case was Jessica Alba, who in the editor's opinion is a hotty with the acting talent of a green bean -- but she is showing signs of improving.
Michelle Williams
The final selection was arrived via the dictatorial decision of our film editor, named Adolf appropriately enough. He took note of the staff's and readers' choices, then ignored them. A few hundred readers wanted Michelle Williams, an undoudtedly talented actress, but according to Adolf, Michelle Williams is a plain Jane who doesn't even raise a flicker on the hotometer.
Sexy over 40
Amid squeals of protest from readers and staff members under 20, Adolf picked an entire cartload of actresses 40 years and older. Kids on the staff called them grannies. Adolf corrected the kids: "These are real women with real features who lead real lives. They're not fame-hungry celebs who think it is so totally exciting to be seen and photographed on Rodeo Drive."
Many of Adolf's suggestions were incredibly easy to make and met with broad support. A few maverick suggestions by fringe staffers were swiftly ignored. One young writer believed the plate-faced star of Swimfan, Erika Christensen, to be the most beautiful woman in the world. Hmmmm, no. In fact, no frickin' way!
Maggie Gyllenhaal, in contention for the top 50 list
Nobody whether young or old, had a probem with Salma Hayek, Halle Berry, Angela Bassett, Kate Beckinsale, Aishwarya Rai, Mary Steenburgen, or Diane Lane, to name just a handful.
We can't mention actresses without mentioning movies. Compiling the list reminded us of the many fantastic films starring these actresses. How about Pulp Fiction with Uma Thurman, Jackie Brown with Pam Grier, Melvin and Howard with Mary Steenburgen, Sweet Dreams with Jessica Lange, LA Confidential with Kim Basinger, and Sideways with Virginia Madsen.
Of course, some movies do not stand the test of time -- they're turkeys and lemons -- but they nevertheless feature some steamingly hot scenes. How about Jessica Lange in King Kong; Sharon Stone in Basic Instinct; Kim Basinger in Nine And A a Half Weeks; Halle Berry in Monster's Ball (Let's be real, that film was not worthy of an Oscar, was it?), Christina Ricci in Black Snake Moan.
Private life
Let's rant in another direction: It is a sad fact of Hollywood's vise-like grip over art that bubble-headed celebs who can't act are finding their way into movies. Samuel L. Jackson has said he is sick and tired of starring alongside the latest gold-toothed hip-hop star who hasn't the faintest background or training in acting.
Any minor starlet, male or female, with a top-10 record or a reality show victory is likely to be offered a movie deal these days, even if only the B-movie variety where they are expected to flash their boobs and scream. Paris Hilton, an actress? C'mon, people! Or Beyonce, what's she doing in movies? She can sing, but her acting sucks.
Famke Jansen
Equally puzzling is the the manner in which so many top actresses go into career free-fall at 40. Sharon Stone Michelle Pfeiffer, Ellen Barkin, and Kim Basinger have all suffered from this horrible fate.
Suddenly, at five over 40, the phone stops ringing because young movie execs, writers, and directors think that guys can only look at a leading lady who's 35 and under -- even if the male romantic lead is a guy in his 60s or 70s (we're talking about you Sean Connery).
This very issue was the subject of Patricia Arquette's documentary Seaching For Debra Winger. Arquette interviewed a swathe of Hollywood actresses, all of whom testified to the drying up of female careers after 35. The stars were: Laura Dern, Jane Fonda, Whoopi Goldberg, Melanie Griffith, Daryl Hannah, Holly Hunter, Julia Ormond, Gwyneth Paltrow, Charlotte Rampling, Vanessa Redgrave, Sharon Stone and Debra Winger.
Penelope Cruz
Movie critic Roger Ebert offered a solution: "There has to be an end to the multiplexes being block booked with movies for teenage boys." Amen to that. We want adult entertainment -- no, not that kind of adult entertainment.
British actress Rula Lenska says: "In Europe, older women in whose faces you can see life and passion are revered. That doesn't seem to happen in Britain or America. When I was younger I was told that I would be in my prime in my middle years. Well, I am now well into my middle years and while I get offered good work in theatre, there is not a sniff of television, let alone film."
Fortunately, a number of women actresses have managed to keep their careers and leading lady status even as they go beyond 40 to 50 and 60. Think of Dame Helen Mirren, who at more than 60 is still doing nude scenes. It's been said of the roles she plays, "She looks at them, sees it is all about sex and domination. Part submissive, vulnerable and yet invincible. That's how she does it. She makes every part sexy, even if she playing an old bag."
By Giles Devos, Athina Simonidou, and Tiffers von Tien
Go to the top 50 gallery
Readers respond
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Chris, Washington, D.C. Megan Fox? An actress? I don't think so. She is no better looking than thousands of women who look just the same as her. You should have more drop-dead stunning women on your list. Emmanuelle Beart is an excellent choice. Fantastic actress. Beautiful lips and eyes.
Bob, Honolulu No Bardot? No Marilyn Monroe. This list sucks. Ok, Catherine Deneuve is beautiful, but Uma Thurman? That woman is ugly!
Kuldip, Chicago Aishwarya Rai should be number one on the list. Freida Pinto should not be in the top 10. She's only made one movie as far as I know.
Conrad, Hamburg I don't agree with this list. Lena Olin should be in the top 10. She was so sexy in The Unbearable Lightness of Being
. Juliette Binoche should top 10 as well. And Faye Dunaway was fantastic in her young years. She was much more beautiful than Jessica Lange who looks weird and cross-eyed.
Brian, Green Bay Ellen Barkin in Sea of Love
with Al Pacino was the sexiest performance ever. Kim Basinger needs to be in the top 10 as well.
Fred, London I vote for Helena Bonham Carter who's beautiful, sexy, and deliciously weird.
Nick, Brighton Uma Thurman? You're pulling my plonker, right? She's not even top 50. Vivica Fox is hotter than Angela Bassett. And where's Halle Berry. She should make the top 10 easy.
Hans, Copenhagen Connie Nielsen should make the list. Beautiful, talented Danish actress who has been in lots of Hollywood movies.
Mike, Watford Dame Helen Mirren is the best actress by far and she's hot as hell. She's over 60 and as sexy as ever. She doesn't mind doing nude scenes either.
Jordan, Newark Mandy Moore is the sexiest actress in the world. She is so hot! She's funny too.
Didier, Calais I want to vote for the French actress Emmanuelle Devos. She is very talented, not so famous like Deneuve and Binoche but very famous in France.