Alright; as promised we’re back with the list you’ve all been waiting for: our one shallow post of the year. Thanks to everyone for indulging us – as if you didn’t want this list posted. When I say “us,” I mean Andrew and Marina. We spent hours scouring Google images for the hottest stars (physically) working today. It’s really hard work but someone around here has got to do it; and c’mon, admit it… even you ultra-snobby film types like to work in the occasional ogle once in a while, so this post is for you too.
We did something a little bit different this year and decided that each entry on the list had to have starred in at least one major motion picture over the past year of 2008 (no television stars). Other than that, there is no criteria. The people ranked on these lists are there solely for their physical appearance; film quality, personality or acting prowess has no bearing on their rank (in general). So that’s enough babbling; let the voyeurism begin!
See all the hotties under the fold…
THE LADIES
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10: NAME: Marisa Tomei RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: 12/04/64 APPEARANCES: My Cousin Vinny, Four Rooms, In the Bedroom, Alfie, Factotum, Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead IN 2008: The Wrestler, War Inc. WHY WE LIKE HER: I stole these pictures from a site called 40 and fabulous. I couldn’t have described it better myself. With an Oscar nod this year and a performance that was worthy of one last year, I can only hope we see many, many more years of film in which the lovely Marisa appears. All it can do is help the film. |
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9: NAME: Paz Vega RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: 1/02/76 APPEARANCES: Sex and Lucia, Spanglish, 10 Items or Less IN 2008: The Spirit WHY WE LIKE HER: Making an honorable mention on last year’s list is nearly unacceptable. Admittedly her stint in the critically bashed The Spirit doesn’t help her career any, but looking over her past efforts certainly does. I know that my personal taste for the latina women (and that accent *shiver*) can sometimes skew voting results, but I dare you to try to look away from the screen during a showing of 2001′s Sex & Lucia. I double dog dare you. |
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8: NAME: Rhona Mitra RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: APPEARANCES: Get Carter, Stuck on You, Skinwalkers IN 2008: Doomsday WHY WE LIKE HER: Long silky hair, long tan legs, stabbingly fierce eyes and again with the accent, Rhona Mitra has become the bad girl of Hollywood. Kicking layers of ass in one of the most fun movies of the year, Doomsday, Mitra has given herself an “in”, so to speak, to the big budget genre pictures from tinsel town – and looking smokin’ while doing it. While Kate Beckinsdale is still my choice, I’ll have no problem plopping down ten bucks to see Rhona don the tight, black leather to slay Lycans and just add to the piles of ass she will be destroying in the upcoming Underworld 3. |
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7: NAME: Monica Bellucci RANK LAST YEAR: 7 DATE OF BIRTH: APPEARANCES: Pleasure, Under Suspicion, Malena, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Matrix II & III, The Brothers Grimm, Shoot ‘em Up IN 2008: Wild Blood, The Man Who Loves WHY WE LIKE HER: I think that’s obvious. |
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6: NAME: Anne Hathaway RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: APPEARANCES: Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted, Brokeback Mountain, Havoc, The Devil Wears Prad, Becoming Jane IN 2008: Rachel Getting Married WHY WE LIKE HER: This is the one lady on the list for which I can see an argument being made that she shouldn’t be here at all. And I admit that her surprise performance in Rachel Getting Married this year gave her a huge push for making this list. Still, when she takes off that ridiculous bright red, “Bozo the Clown” lipstick and just sort of goes au natural, Anne Hathaway is… well, maybe not gorgeous, but utterly and completely adorable. She cannot be ignored. |
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5: NAME: Rachel Bilson RANK LAST YEAR: 8 DATE OF BIRTH: APPEARANCES: The Last Kiss IN 2008: Jumper WHY WE LIKE HER: I was afraid she would be leaving the list this year, but lo and behold Bilson (who gained my attention earlier this year) actually managed to move up three spots to crack the top five. Not bad for the supporting actress next to Hayden Christiansen in Jumper. |
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4: NAME: Emmanuelle Chriqui RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: APPEARANCES: Detoit Rock City, Snow Day, Wrong Turn IN 2008: August, You Don’t Mess with The Zohan, Tortured, Cadillac Records WHY WE LIKE HER: Ms. Chriqui has the distinct honor (or dishonor depending on your perspective) of being the only woman to ever appear on this list whom I have never actually seen perform. But she did star in several films in 2008 and the pictures floating around online are more than enough to solidify her spot on this list. I must rush out and see Cadillac Records to get myself a better look at this doll. Wow. |
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3: NAME: Kate Beckinsdale RANK LAST YEAR: 3 DATE OF BIRTH: APPEARANCES: Uncovered, Last Days of Disco, Brokedown Palace, Serendipity, Laurel Canyon, Underworld, Van Helsing, Click IN 2008: Snow Angels, Nothing But the Truth, Winged Creatures WHY WE LIKE HER: Having the honor of being at the #1 spot on this list a few years back, we admire Kate quite a bit and she’ll always be remembered as a former first lady. Kate Beckinsdale (or Beckinsale depending on which web site you frequent), seems to be holding steady and floating right around the #3 spot for well over 24 months now. She’s still gorgeous, still has that delightfully charming accent and she does seem to be making some better career choices, so I don’t see her slipping in the rankings any time soon (I will miss the tight black leather with her absence from the Underworld franchise though). |
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2: NAME: Freida Pinto RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: APPEARANCES: Slumdog Millionaire IN 2008: Slumdog Millionaire WHY WE LIKE HER: If she wasn’t a high profile actress before, she will be now. With her looks and starring in what will likely be an Oscar winning film, as long as Ms. Pinto stars in a movie each year forward, you can bet your bippy she’ll be in this author’s top 3 for years to come. |
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1: NAME: Penelope Cruz RANK LAST YEAR: 1 DATE OF BIRTH: 4/28/74 APPEARANCES: All About My Mother, Vanilla Sky, Woman on Top, Blow, Volver IN 2008: Elegy, Vicky Christina Barcelona WHY WE LIKE HER: With fears that she might slip this year, I have to admit that Penny solidified her standing in the rankings with two stellar performances in 2008. While acting ability and film quality are not supposed to be a factor in this list, I am more smitten with Ms. Cruz than ever after watching her seduce and destroy in her two performances of 2008. Tapping into my odd obsession with Latina women, Penelope Cruz still holds my heart at #1. Happy anniversary darling. |
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Runners Up:
Beyonce Knowles, Keira Knightley, Zoe Saldana, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Thandie Newton, Eva Mendes, Jessica Biel
Beyonce Knowles, Keira Knightley, Zoe Saldana, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Thandie Newton, Eva Mendes, Jessica Biel
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Now onto the men…
THE DUDES
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10: NAME: Jonathan Rhys Meyers RANK LAST YEAR: 2 DATE OF BIRTH: 08/27/77 APPEARANCES: Bend It Like Beckham, Vanity Fair, Match Point, The Children of Huang Shi IN 2008: The Children of Huang Shi WHY WE LIKE HIM: The main reason Meyers is so attractive is his apparent disdain for the spotlight and his reluctance to accept the moniker of “sex symbol”. Yet, it’s impossible to look at him and not feel a little wobbly around the knees. Meyers has only recently been making splashes in Hollywood with his appearance in a few films here and there but it’s his stint on TV’s “The Tudors” that is gaining him notoriety. I hope to see more of this Irish bloke over the next few years. |
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9: NAME: Scott Speedman RANK LAST YEAR: 3 DATE OF BIRTH: 09/01/75 APPEARANCES: Duets, Dark Blue, Underworld, The 24th Day, Weirdsville, Adoration IN 2008: Adoration, The Strangers WHY WE LIKE HIM: Speedman’s career finally looks like it’s picking up steam. With turns in Atom Egoyan’s upcoming Adoration and his appearance in the excellent horror film The Strangers, his career seems to be picking up speed sadly, he doesn’t seem to have too much work lined up for 2009. I only hope that someone gives him the opportunity to shine in a dramatic role. |
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8: NAME: Paul Rudd RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: 04/06/69 APPEARANCES: Clueless, Romeo + Juliet, Wet Hot American Summer, The Ten, Diggers, Knocked Up, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Role Models IN 2008: Over Her Dead Body, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Role Models WHY WE LIKE HIM: They say that the way to a woman’s heart is through laughter and when you look as good as this heart-throb, it would be difficult to turn away. Rudd first caught my attention in 1995′s Clueless and since then, he’s been popping in and out of movies. As of late however, he’s been making a splash with turns in a number of very funny comedies these past few years (notably this year’s little seen but very funny Role Models), Rudd is back on the fast track to the top. Next year’s I Love You, Man is sure to be a winner. |
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7: NAME: Chris Evans RANK LAST YEAR: 5 DATE OF BIRTH: 06/13/81 APPEARANCES: Cellular, Fantastic Four, Sunshine, Street Kings IN 2008: Street Kings, The Loss of a Teardrop Diamond WHY WE LIKE HIM: The reason for the drop isn’t a loss of appeal but rather the fact that this young man has been keeping a much lower profile. Though he seemed to be everywhere in 2007, 2008 was a little more quiet with only the release of two films, one of which was a disappointment (thought it featured another man that will make an appearance on this list) and the other which was little seen outside of the festival circuit. With only one other film scheduled for release in 2009, it’ll be curious to see if Evans can stay on track to super-stardom. He’s shown that he has some acting ability which extends further than simply looking good and hopefully he’ll get a few more opportunities in the coming years. It would be disappointing to see him disappear so quickly. |
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6: NAME: Matthew Goode RANK LAST YEAR: 8 DATE OF BIRTH: 04/03/78 APPEARANCES: Chasing Liberty, Match Point, The Lookout IN 2008: Brideshead Revisited WHY WE LIKE HIM: Goode has been on my watch list for a few years now and with the upcoming release of Watchmen later this year, he’s about to go from handsome indie darling to Hollywood leading man. Hopefully his soon to be found success won’t mean the end to his appearance in the smaller productions I love. |
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5: NAME: James McAvoy RANK LAST YEAR: 7 DATE OF BIRTH: 04/21/79 APPEARANCES: Wimbledon, Last King of Scotland, Penelope, Atonement, Wanted IN 2008: Wanted WHY WE LIKE HIM: Never would I have guessed that period piece shoe-in James McAvoy would have an action movie in him but not only did 2008 prove to be the year of the “McAvoy Surprise”, it was also the year that the mainstream came to pay attention. And who can blame them? Though given little chance to act, he certainly showed that he could kick ass and look great doing it. The Scottish lad is certainly trying to avoid being pigeonholed into a “type”. I wonder what’s next…bad boy perhaps? |
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4: NAME: Joshua Jackson RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: 06/11/78 APPEARANCES: Cruel Intentions, The Skulls, Battle in Seattle, Shutter IN 2008: Shutter WHY WE LIKE HIM: Jackson came onto the scene when he starred in “Dawson’s Creek” but once the show went off the air, Jackson seemed to disappear. He’s shown up in various supporting roles but it was last year’s Shutter (a bad remake of a Japanese horror film) that brought him back into the mainstream. I expect that “Fringe” may keep him around for a few more months (it’s unlikely the show will last longer than that) but hopefully when that disappears, it won’t mean the disappearance of Jackson as well. |
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3: NAME: Robert Pattinson RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: 05/13/86 APPEARANCES: How to Be, Little Ashes, Twilight IN 2008: Twilight WHY WE LIKE HIM: Known more for his hair than his acting, what really caught my attention was this young Brit’s 1,000 watt smile. Girls everywhere gasped when Pattinson cut off his locks but regardless of the length of his hair, Pattinson’s constant surprise at the throngs of girls only makes him that much more adorable. Though young, he has the makings of a leading man – if the screaming teen girls don’t crush him first. |
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2: NAME: James Franco RANK LAST YEAR: NR DATE OF BIRTH: 04/19/78 APPEARANCES: Spider-Man 1/2/3, City by the Sea, Tristan + Isolde, Annapolis, An American Crime IN 2008: Pineapple Express, Milk, Nights in Rodanthe WHY WE LIKE HIM: One complaint I’ve consistently heard about Franco is that he always looks weepy. It’s a bit true, the actor is usually cast as the good guy/romantic lead and for the most part, those roles have required a little tear-shedding but with Milk, Franco proved what I always knew was there: talent. Was it luck or finally the opportunity to actually act? I’m going with the latter and I’m hopeful that at least one of this upcoming projects will give him the opportunity to shine again. |
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1: NAME: Keanu Reeves RANK LAST YEAR: 1 DATE OF BIRTH: 09/02/64 APPEARANCES: Bill and Ted, Speed, The Matrix, The Devil’s Advocate, Sweet November, Constantine, Lake House, Street Kings, The Day the Earth Stood Still IN 2008: Street Kings, The Day the Earth Stood Stil WHY WE LIKE HIM: It’s going to take a miracle of nature to unseat Reeves from his throne. How does one get past a crush that’s been around since high-school? Most would grow out of it but I simply can’t. Although I’ve still to see his latest film, I can’t get past the point of going all mushy whenever I see him on-screen – even when the films are less than stellar. I’m still hopeful that one day he’ll stumble on another perfect role until then, I’ll happily revisit the Keanu classics. |
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Runners Up:
Dominic Cooper, Matthew Macfadyen, Ed Westwick, Christian Bale
Dominic Cooper, Matthew Macfadyen, Ed Westwick, Christian Bale
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Andrew, I can tell you’re definitely into the exotic beauties more than the girl-next-door type. Thank you though for including Anne Hathaway.
Watching Matthew Fox trying to pull off a Keanu Reeves impression in Speed Racer made me like Keanu Reeves alot more than I did before. He’s a cool guy who doesn’t give a shit about talent, he just talks untill they say cut.
“He’s a cool guy who doesn’t give a shit about talent, he just talks until they say cut.”
LOL
I like Keanu Reeves for his principles. He seems to stick to the shit that HE likes – which is experimental, genre type stuff (Matrix, Johnny Mnemonic, Scanner Darkly, Constantine, Dracula, etc). Sure he does the paycheck stuff too, but I like that he keeps going back to what he wants to do – whether it ends up working or not.
i was going to be pissed if this was the standard “Jessica Alba, Jessica Beil, Elisha Cuthbert” list and not actresses that were both beautiful AND relevant.
awesome, awesome list, the best i have seen in years!
besides Rachel Bilson
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Says you :rolleyes:
I hope when Fringe gets renewed, that will shut your hell hole.
That’s a bit harsh Yee4tatt especially considering that I do actually like Fringe (the 8 episodes I’ve seen of it so far). But it’s the way the cookie crumbles – good shows often get canned.
Agreed with Murph. Beautiful and relevant. Freida Pinto especially – who (like I’ve said a lot lately) may be the most beautiful woman alive. Also, how someone can look so good in their 40s as Marisa Tomei (without any apparent plastic surgery or at least some really that is impressively unnoticeable) is beyond me.
Holy Moses though, Matthew Goode looks absolutely nothing like he did in The Lookout (I had no idea until now, unless I forgot, that he was also the second guy in Match Point – what a transformation).
If Marina had posted these she would of just gone with “Top 10 hottest chicks and dudes”. Yeah Marina, I still remember that magazine cover you posted.
Well, Penelope Cruz wouldn’t even make my top 100. And Kate Beckinsale would be #1. I would probably rank Monica Bellucci higher, but that may be because I just watched Brotherhood of the Wolf this weekend! I’d also rank Marissa Tomei higher too, myself. I’ve always had a huge crush on her.
“Well, Penelope Cruz wouldn’t even make my top 100.”
Your house will explode in 60 seconds. If I were you, I would run.
This is practically the exact same as last year, Andrew, no?
no Rose Byrne (Sunshine)?
no Christina Hendricks (redhead from Mad Men)?
No Michelle Williams?
for shame…
you have a latino fixation.
Christina Hendricks isn’t in any movies I don’t think (not in 2008 for sure). Michelle Williams is a cutie, but she’s not overly gorgeous – nothing compared to the women on this list. Rose Byrne however, yeah she’s beautiful; but not in any major films in 2008.
And no, not the same as last year’s list. Only four people are the same, but three of them are in the same position.
Rose Byrne was in Sunshine so she qualifies, and Christina Hendricks (seen below) is the exception to the rule, due to the rarely observed hotness clause.
Sunshine was 2007 dude. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not arguing; I would be more than proud to call Rose Byrne my girlfriend. I did some pretty extensive research for this list. Kind of feel like maybe Rosario Dawson should’ve maybe made the cut as well, but something about her just doesn’t sit right with me.
Beckinsdale lol, where did that come from? Kate is #1 in my book.
@QuietEarth – I’m trying to remember that magazine cover but am drawing a blank.
Oh, erase that. I DO remember the cover:
http://www.rowthree.com/2008/03/26/grindhouse-uncut/
she’s black?
RACIST
Yup, that’s it. Way to not bother looking at my honorable mentions or last year’s list.
I think it’s more likely that it’s because she actually knows how to speak Klingon.
I heart Rosario. Love that Grindhouse cover. But mainly it is Spike Lee’s 25th Hour, the club scene that is the show-stopper.
I REALLY like her in Clerks II. Dante was an idiot for not seeing it sooner.
Rosario in Clerks 2 = Healthy suspension of disbelief. Ha. Yea, she can deliver Kevin Smith dialogue like a champ too.
Rosario is a babe in Alexander.
have to point out, Andrew: Kate Beckinsale NOT Kate BeckinsDale
Rosario Dawson gives her best performance in He Got Game!
And I agree that her in Clerks 2 is the best acting ever associated with Kevin Smith. She managed to be believeable.
By the way, have you seen Penelope’s sister Monica? It’s proof of God.
i got a boner
I don’t know, Andrew. Neither of the Cruz sisters really do anything for me. Maybe they’re just not my type. I mean, I tend to like women like Kate Beckinsale, Marissa Tomei, Monica Bellucci, and Salma Hayek. Oh yeah, I really like Britt Hysen on Mad Men too. (-:
Not that I’m complaining, mind you, they are all great. But not a single blonde or redhead in the group. Do we have a certain preference?
@Bob Last year Jessica Simpson made the list at #10. But yeah that’s kinda funny; I’m very partial to brunettes. Do you have a blonde or redhead to suggest that made a movie this past year?
Should have included Paula Patton and/or Leonor Varela.