# Let's list persons who are beautiful but not sexy. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 1, 2012, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936 "2012-07-01T20:00:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/61 "2012-08-18T02:51:00Z")
Jennifer Lopez. Supposed to be super hawt. Nawt. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/62 "2012-08-18T03:14:47Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > Watching Fringe, I was always impressed by how little sex appeal [Anna Torv](https://www.google.com/search?num=10&hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&q=anna+torv&oq=anna+torv&gs_l=img.3..0l10.699.2695.0.3198.9.7.0.2.2.0.182.820.1j6.7.0...0.0.CI1PymaYZTQ&biw=1603&bih=1115&sei=5ffwT83MC8iprQH915CPAg) has, for being a very beautiful woman. I was thinking exactly the same thing after having just finished season 1 of Fringe. There is one episode where she’s sort of possessed in her dreams by the psyche of a guy, and it shows her character Olivia walking around as if she were him. She (he) goes into a strip club and starts leering at a pole dancer, and I’ve never seen an actress imitate a guy so well, from body language to the leering expression right up to the point where she starts making out with the girl. And it didn’t do a single thing for me. So far I’ve found Fringe unusual in that it gets me to care about the lead female character (in spite of all the silly situations) yet not have the slightest mental inclination to do her. It’s almost like it’s getting me to appreciate her as, like, a person or something. It’s so manipulative that way! ---
**Author:** ![D-bear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@D-bear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D-bear)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/63 "2012-08-18T04:33:53Z")
Do a Google image search on [“Young Maggie Smith.”](http://get-on-the-carousel.tumblr.com/post/6918805213/maggie-smith-in-the-1978-macbeth-okay-two) Some of the pics returned are stunningly beautiful, but I can not find a sexy “young Maggie Smith.” ---
**Author:** ![Greekfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@Greekfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greekfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/64 "2012-08-18T06:03:13Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > I agree but I can’t put my finger on exactly _why_. Can you? Well, for me she’s just milquetoast. I don’t care for blondes to begin with, but then she opens her mouth and that lifeless yammer comes out… she sounds like she’d be rather having tea instead of bumpin’ uglies. The rest of my “sexy” list suggest a bit of danger, and/or are European. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/65 "2012-08-18T06:26:18Z")
> [@Greekfreak](#): > > Unsexy > > Drew Barrymore I am prepared to fight you to the death for this comment. ---
**Author:** ![Greekfreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@Greekfreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greekfreak)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/66 "2012-08-18T08:06:24Z")
> [@Superdude](#): > > I am prepared to fight you to the death for this comment. Don’t get me wrong, I used to think she was sexy, but she hasn’t aged very well, and it’s only going to get worse. Me and Drew are the same age, but I look good. ---
**Author:** ![Koxinga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/4af34b/32.png) [@Koxinga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Koxinga)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/67 "2012-08-18T08:24:10Z")
When she was younger she was always too much of a cute kid sister type girl for me. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/68 "2012-08-18T08:36:01Z")
The prototype for “pretty, not sexy” was Billie Burke, a.k.a. Glinda. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/69 "2012-08-18T08:43:05Z")
> [@Greekfreak](#): > > Gwenyth Paltrow (completely sexless) > [@Ambivalid](#): > > I agree but I can’t put my finger on exactly _why_. Can you? > [@Greekfreak](#): > > Well, for me she’s just milquetoast. I don’t care for blondes to begin with, but then she opens her mouth and that lifeless yammer comes out… she sounds like she’d be rather having tea instead of bumpin’ uglies. > > The rest of my “sexy” list suggest a bit of danger, and/or are European. Gwyneth Paltrow seems like she would talk endlessly about how great it is to play strong, assertive female characters instead of actually playing her characters as strong and assertive. I really want to like her in something, but when she should be doing something, she’s just looking hesitant and pensive while she thinks about what she should be doing. There was a scene in the trailer for _Iron Man 2_ where Tony is about to jump out of an airplane and asks Pepper (Paltrow) for a kiss. She kisses his helmet and then throws it out of the plane. Even that looks awkward for her. If you’re gonna tease the guy, then really sell it. Look like you’re enjoying it. _Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow_ was the same way; too much thinking, no enough doing. Her mother, on the other hand, yowza! ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/70 "2012-08-18T16:09:58Z")
Katherine Heigl…no. Fun to look at but unsexy. Imogen Poots: terrible name, not at all traditionally hot or my type usually, but seeexxxy. And as a straight guy, I can totally see why ladies fall over Tom Hiddleston. I’ll admit it, he has lovely eyes. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/71 "2012-08-18T16:35:15Z")
> [@Koxinga](#): > > I was thinking exactly the same thing after having just finished season 1 of Fringe. There is one episode where she’s sort of possessed in her dreams by the psyche of a guy, and it shows her character Olivia walking around as if she were him. She (he) goes into a strip club and starts leering at a pole dancer, and I’ve never seen an actress imitate a guy so well, from body language to the leering expression right up to the point where she starts making out with the girl. And it didn’t do a single thing for me. Awesome! Torv is all mine then… Her character as Olivia is sexless, but Faulivia, drips hot sexy sex with every saucy step, smile and hip swing… ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/72 "2012-08-18T18:19:11Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > Imogen Poots: terrible name, not at all traditionally hot 😕 She’s actually [a pretty good example](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&tok=jwLTxMwD8Bevai_Xj8jGvg&cp=8&gs_id=u&xhr=t&q=imogen+poots&safe=off&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1066&bih=570&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=kdsvUI2hA5HvqQGev4CADQ) of “traditionally hot.” ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/73 "2012-08-18T18:24:01Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > Her character as Olivia is sexless, but Faulivia, drips hot sexy sex with every saucy step, smile and hip swing… You got that right. When Fauxlivia was introduced, I gained a new appreciation for Torv as an actress. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/74 "2012-08-18T19:07:01Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > 😕 She’s actually [a pretty good example](https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&tok=jwLTxMwD8Bevai_Xj8jGvg&cp=8&gs_id=u&xhr=t&q=imogen+poots&safe=off&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&biw=1066&bih=570&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=kdsvUI2hA5HvqQGev4CADQ) of “traditionally hot.” Holy crap, it’s [Ayla](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayla_%28Earth%27s_Children%29)! (Or at least, Ayla how she looks in my head.) ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/75 "2012-08-18T20:17:02Z")
I’ll chime in on Jessica Alba as beautiful but not sexy. She has a beautiful body, she knows how to pose it in ways that look sexy, but she does not project sexy. She seems like a really nice person, actually, when she was younger, a “sweet kid.” Decent and all. But not sexy. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/76 "2012-08-18T20:26:06Z")
> [@Greekfreak](#): > > Don’t get me wrong, I used to think she was sexy, but she hasn’t aged very well, and it’s only going to get worse. Me and Drew are the same age, but I look good. While I agree that she has taken some unflattering photos lately, I think that she’s still [extremely](http://rootfun.net/hollywood/drew-barrymore-wallpapers/attachment/drew-barrymore-mobile-wallpapers-2/) [friggin’](http://www.zimbio.com/photos/Drew+Barrymore/2012+New+York+City+Ballet+Spring+Gala/X9cjLfVQt3K) [sexy](http://www.welovecontroversy.com/2012/06/drew-barrymore-third-marriage-will-successful/#.UDAjtN1lRRM). Okay, the first photo isn’t from this year, but damn… ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Borgia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_borgia/32/156_2.png) [@Larry\_Borgia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Borgia)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2012, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/77 "2012-08-18T21:54:40Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’ll start with [Cobie Smulders](http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xNCALArwfmo/TxozJl9vxhI/AAAAAAAAIMc/qsXiwXH1aFc/s1600/Cobie+Smulders+Hot4.jpg) from _How I Met Your Mother_. Quite lovely, but not even a little sexy. I don’t know why; she just doesn’t do it for me. Man, different strokes, I guess. That pic pushed buttons I didn’t know I had. If I saw her in real life I would forget my own name. ---
**Author:** ![simple\_homer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@simple\_homer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simple_homer)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936/78 "2012-08-19T12:21:56Z")
> [@Krokodil](#): > > The prototype for “pretty, not sexy” was Billie Burke, a.k.a. Glinda. Wow, she was 53 when she played Glinda the good witch. Amazing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-list-persons-who-are-beautiful-but-not-sexy/626936.md?page=3)