Diana Rigg aka Mrs. Emma Peel
Mary Tyler Moore as she was on the original The Dick Van Dyke Show
Joanie Summers (I have no idea of what she looked like, but when she sang “Now it’s Pepsi for those who think young” chills ran up my spine.)
Elizabeth Taylor as she was in the 50s
Leslie Caron as Gigi
Straight, 72
I boggle that no one has mentioned Sharon Stone yet ('87-97):
Sharon Stone
Demi Moore
Janet Jackson
Michelle Pfeiffer
Alicia Silverstone (probably one of the greatest genetic failures of our time)
Straight Male, one month shy of 38. my tastes seem to track pretty close to Ellis Dee’s.
Denise Richards
Jennifer Connelly (Rocketeer style curvy, not latter-day cadaverous)
Jennifer Love Hewitt (on the later end)
Kristy Swanson (had the BIGGEST star crush on her after Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
Elizabeth Shue
I originally had Jennifer Love Hewitt on my list but I had to nix her because I Know What You Did Last Summer came out too late. Rose McGowan just snuck in there with Scream, where she was possibly the hottest woman I had ever seen.
My favorite Jennifer Connelly hotness role by far was Career Opportunities.
Kristy Swanson is an interesting case. In my mind, she had two completely different looks, so different that I didn’t realize they were the same person for the longest time. I had a big thing for body suits so I was transfixed by her in Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She had a similar look in The Chase. But I think I liked her best in Higher Learning, and I didn’t even realize that was her. That look was similar to this, only moreso. I can’t find any movie stills, but 1:02 into this youtube video gives a glimpse.
Of course it didn’t hurt that she made out with Jennifer Connelly, but oddly enough I didn’t realize that was Jennifer Connelly for the longest time, either. A final point is that I resisted the BtVS series for years because I though Sarah Michelle Gellar didn’t measure up to Kristy Swanson in hotness.
Sandy & Bud on Flipper!
WOW. How did I not know about her before now?
As for myself (hetero male), we’re looking for the hot chicks of the '70’s. The famous Farrah Fawcett poster has to be number one. Bailey Quarters ranks way up there. Sophia Loren probably still brought game.
I may need some bumps to the memory.
Ya know, it was the freaking '70’s. Strange stuff happened, and it may or may not be remembered all that accurately.
Straight men, age range from 1980-1989…
Adding to previous nominees:
Phoebe Cates (cue “movin in stereo”)
Ann Margaret (mmmmm… baked beans)
Michelle Pfeiffer
Cindy Crawford
Ming-Na
Rene Russo
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Straight male, 45, so from 1978-1987
Raquel Welch
Kate Bush
Ann & Nancy Wilson (Heart)
Kate Jackson/Jaclyn Smith tie
Olivia Newton-John
Bi male, 26 now.
Hugo Weaving
James Hetfield (at the earlier end of things, 16-18ish)
Sean Bean
Tilda Swinton
Clancy Brown
*Almost * in the top five are David Bowie and Monica Belucci.
She’s not the most recognizable name, but she’s probably most well-known in the US as a Victoria Secret model, as well as Sports Illustrated. I know her best because I used to buy French Photo magazine, and she seemed to be in it every other issue circa the mid-late 90s. She was also in that live-action Asterix film.
Interesting how some of the multi-entried celebs here like Kristy Swanson, Erin Gray, & Sherilyn Fenn couldn’t break through to the next level of stardom.
Have to concur that Laetitia Casta is a goddess…
Another thing I see is that for the most part, those mentioned here who are now considerably older have aged quite nicely. Maybe us fogies “adjust” our memories and politely forget those who lost some of their sparkle.
Also straight, also 40. I’ll go with:
Salma Hayek
Samantha Fox
Cindy Crawford
Elle MacPherson
And y’know, Raquel Welch was a contender even then. Astonishingly beautiful lady.
Without a doubt. I had to strain to get five to list. As a cheat I used the list of Oscar winners, actors and movies, to try to remember who all was in contention. Liz and Sophia were no stretch at all, and even Kim was appealing for a long time. But I resorted to Shirley and Jean because almost everybody else looked (or else began to look) pretty beat up within the next decade or so. I thought about Ingrid but her “hotness” had begun to fade in those years. And most of the hotties from the next generation were too young, or not yet on the scene, for honest inclusion.
I would love to have been able to include:
Jennifer Connelly
Virginia Madsen
Sherilyn Fenn
Frederique Van der Wal
and above all
Salma Hayek
but alas they were after my time.
ETA: Raquel!
I was sixteen in 1985. At that age, I thought Cybill Shepherd was Earth’s hottest woman. I think Valerie Bertinelli and Bonnie Franklin were both high in my esteem too. Nobody else stands out.
That poses an interesting question. There must be more to it than just looks. Talent and luck, just for starters.
But then, none of them did too badly; headlining a movie or a couple years as regular cast on a network TV series. I’m sure there were drop-dead gorgeous babes from that era that make Sherilyn Fenn seem like a household name.
27, female, bi
Kate Winslet
Anthony Rapp
Benjamin Bratt
Noah Wyle
James Marsden