And now for some beautiful women
When I listed some celebrities that I do not find beautiful despite Hollywood’s attempts to convince me otherwise, I didn’t expect to see such fervent responses! Many of you very strongly agreed or disagreed with my choices.
I also didn’t mean to imply I consider these women ugly, necessarily, only that they are not the gorgeous sex symbols that they seem to think they are (judging by their film roles). Women like Kathy Bates and Brenda Blethyn aren’t beautiful, either — but no one’s casting them as romantic leads or putting them on the covers of glamour magazines, either.
In other words, I don’t care if you’re not stunningly beautiful. Just don’t try to convince me you are if you’re not. Accept your averageness. I know I have.
Now then. To be fair, here are some actresses I do think are very beautiful. I wonder if my fondness for them correlates to the fact that many of them often play strong, powerful characters instead of dummies?
Uma Thurman
(Some of you had her on the ugly list, and I was shocked. I really do think she’s quite pretty.)
Natalie Portman
Mandy Moore
Mariska Hargitay (”Law & Order: SVU”)
Gillian Anderson
And though they’re 100 years old, I still think these dames are beautiful, too:
Julie Andrews
Helen Mirren
Mom
December 4th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Your Mom is adorable! But you are wrong about Uma. Sorry, the nose doesn’t work for me. Jessica Biel is hot, Uma is not. Krista Allen–smokin’ hot. Gillian Anderson, meh. Sienna Miller: stunningly- someone-dumped- a- big- bucket- of- sexy- on- her, HOT! Julie Andrews–what? Come on, man! Stick to someone in our age group (if your age group is 20-40 yrs old).
December 4th, 2007 at 6:19 pm
Pulls out the mom card. Nice. Someone isn’t getting coal this Christmas.
There was one on your ugly list I took exception to: Maggie Gylenghalleeleaal.
There is one on this list I think should have been on that other list: Gyllianhal Anderson.
We are so similar. But so different. What a world.
December 4th, 2007 at 6:24 pm
Relax, Phil. Every guy, once he starts being honest with himself has a couple of women that are a fair bit older than they are, who they still find absolutely stunning. Look at Michelle Pfeiffer. Incredible woman. Along with Julie Andrews, there are few women that will ever be that beautiful and graceful throughout their entire lives.
I wish the current crew of hotties luck as they age that more one (if that) may be lucky enough to join the list.
December 4th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
Wow! When I first started reading this, I thought I would throw in some crack at the end about how he should have mentioned his sainted mother. And then he did! No coal, indeed.
Charlize Theron is beautiful.
December 4th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
I’m still adamant about you leaving out Gong Li! She’s so lovely! But I do agree with the majority of the list. Especially Natalie Portman, she’s so luxe. And even though most people don’t like the movie, I loved her in Mars Attacks! She had some pretty fun cracks in it.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:07 pm
Besides Uma, I see a plethora of short brown hair. So we see Eric’s type…
December 4th, 2007 at 8:08 pm
Judging by this list (with the exception of the Sainted Mother), you like the man-looking-women. Gillian Anderson? Are you serious?
Charlize Theron is beautiful.
December 4th, 2007 at 8:31 pm
Julie Andrews Edwards has grace, poise, and exudes confidence. The other people on this list all play rolls in film that have grace, poise, and confidence (I don’t know if they have these qualities themselves, as I don’t know much about their personal lives — maybe I should read more tabloids). The short brown hair is a physical quality that the stylists use to help actresses look like they exude confidence.
December 5th, 2007 at 4:26 am
So apparently you can say your mom is 100 years old and get away with it, as long as you follow it up by saying that she is among the most beautiful women you know. I wonder if that would work with my wife.
December 5th, 2007 at 7:22 am
I admit I’ve always had a thing for Julie Andrews, maybe it was that costume in Mary Poppins :p haha.
Uma…meh. She’s not ugly, but I just don’t find her looks very ‘enchanting’. I guess that is a good term to describe it.
I like Natalie and I’ve always thought she was beautiful, though there are much better pictures of her!
Other than that I generally agree with a little less emphasis on Gillian. She’s attractive, but to me she always seems to give off a bit of a testosterone look for some reason.
December 5th, 2007 at 8:06 am
Is it just me or does Mandy Moore look a lot like Maggie Gyllenhaal? I’m surprised that one is on each list because they look similar to me.
December 5th, 2007 at 10:59 am
It’s just you (or that picture, anyway). Mandy Moore is far more fabulous than Maggie Gyllenhaal. I’m surprised to see Mariska Hargitay on this list. Eric, you are probably the only person I know of who would put her on a list like this. I am surprised not to see Julie Christie on the 100-year-old hotties list.
December 5th, 2007 at 11:09 am
Leah Jane,
Adamant? I do not think that means what you think that means. (In fact, I KNOW it doesn’t.)
“I’m still ‘unshakable or insistent especially in maintaining a position or opinion’ about you leaving out Gong Li!
REALLY? WTF?
December 5th, 2007 at 11:11 am
Aww, your mom. That was sweet.
Here’s why Uma is hideous: she resembles a fish. She has the bug-eyes and they’re too far apart on top of that. A little more and they’d be where her ears should be. You can’t look at her and not think of aquatic life.
December 5th, 2007 at 11:20 am
I both agree and disagree with both lists, but I notice the pictures on this list are better…
December 5th, 2007 at 11:26 am
Oh, and the most beautiful of all time? Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly.
http://www.arnadal.no/film/actors/images/bergman1.jpg
http://www.retrohairstyles.com/pictures/gracekellyhairstyles.jpg
December 5th, 2007 at 11:59 am
Awww, you are sweet to include your mom! What a good son. She IS pretty nice looking, especially compared to some of the plastic surgtrocities I’ve seen mature women turning into. Joan Rivers is no longer considered an Earthling, for instance.
December 5th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
She’s no longer considered a carbon-based lifeform.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I’m so glad you mentioned Ingrid Bergman and Grace Kelly! They’re two of my favorites as well.
December 5th, 2007 at 3:40 pm
All time:
Grace Kelly
Audrey Hepburn
Natalie Wood
Sophia Loren
Ava Gardner
Halle Berry
Michelle Phieffer
Heddie LaMarr
Charlize Theron
Katherine Zeta Jones
December 5th, 2007 at 4:19 pm
Eric, I’m surprised that you didn’t mention Julianne Moore on this list. I always thought you had a thing for her!
December 5th, 2007 at 5:07 pm
Wombatty, I’m getting old, but I’ll never be mature.
December 5th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
I always catch hell for saying Uma is hot as well. Quite the polarizer, that one.
December 5th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Scarlett Johansson!
December 5th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
I’ve been saying that Uma Thurman is the ugliest woman Hollywood says is hot for some time now. She was gorgeous as Venus in Baron Von Munchausen or whatever that movie was, but thazzabout it. It’s like she was originally supposed be a triclops and just had the middle eye removed — only in the process they banged up her nose something awful, and oh, crap her agent is here? Now?? Ohcrapohcrapohcrap — quick, give here a boob job! Yes, I’m serious, are you paying attention? Look at the face we made and tell me we aren’t going to jail if we don’t do SOMETHING right now–NO he can’t come in to see how it’s progressing! Distract him! Ask him to whom he wants to donate that third eye we removed.
December 6th, 2007 at 10:53 am
In fairness to the ugly crowd, the pics Eric posted of them were all bad shots from red carpet shoots and other public appearances, while the pictures of most of these ladies are professional or promotional photographs (with the exception of Mandy Moore & Eric’s mom–very cute btw!). Even the most attractive woman can look bad with the wrong angle, lighting, make-up or hairstyle, while most women can look passable in a photograph with the right combination of those.
I’m surprised no one has mentioned Hayden Panettiere. I realize she’s barely legal, but every guy I’ve talked to lately thinks she is the hottest thing.
December 6th, 2007 at 3:29 pm
I like that Mandy Moore has a tan line like me. The tan line across the arm - it’s great.
December 7th, 2007 at 10:09 am
I totally have a girl crush on Olivia Benson from SVU.
I think every girl does.
December 7th, 2007 at 7:56 pm
Hurray! I was wondering if anyone remembered Gillian Anderson. I always thought she was quite pretty.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Uma’s been getting a lot of hate in here, and I’ve got to put in my vote for her as one of hollywood’s most stunning actresses.
She’s got an unreal quality to her that can be divisive, I guess, but for me it really, really works.
December 8th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
No men! How dare you! You no good bigot!
December 8th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
I would be amiss if I didn’t add that Natalie Portman ONCE was cute, but lost it all in her whacked loved scenes in Episodes 2 and 3 of Star Wars: Lucas Wants to Buy an Island. I can’t fathom ever being attracted to her — what if you were about to kiss her, and she said something? EWWWWWW!
August 1st, 2008 at 7:38 pm
Mariska Hargitay. This woman is beautiful, very beautiful. Inside and out