WHY MIRANDA KERR IS No.5When Miranda Kerr signed on with Victoria’s Secret as Gisele Bundchen’s official replacement in 2007, many wondered if the statuesque Aussie had what it took to fill the legendary Brazilian’s, er, bra. Well, it’s 2011, and Kerr has done more than fill it; she’s made it her own. Currently one of the top-paid models in the world (Gisele still tops the list), Kerr has become the luxe lingerie brand’s most recognizable face (it must be those dimples), and her marriage to Orlando Bloom and the recent birth of their son is the stuff fairy tales are made of. Last year, when Sydney-based banker David Kiely was suspended from his job after he was seen viewing racy photos of the model on his computer while in the background of a co-worker’s live television interview, Kerr publicly supported the scorned worker and helped him regain his job.
WHY SELITA EBANKS IS No.4
Cayman Islands-born beauty Selita Ebanks has been on male radar since she started working with designers like Ralph Laurenand Tommy Hilfiger. In 2005, she joined the esteemed Victoria’s Secret Angels, remaining an Angel until 2009. The next year, she moved into reality television as a contestant on Celebrity Apprentice, only to get fired halfway through the season. Her most notable project to date has been her role in Kanye West’s epic 35-minute music video for "Runaway," in which she trades her Angel wings to play a half-woman/half-Phoenix who falls to Earth, is rescued by West and falls in love with him. He should be so lucky. Having sampled the worlds of fashion, television and music videos, Selita Ebanks’ next project will see her attempt to break into the world of publishing when she releases her own self-help book for women.
WHY SOFIA VERGARA IS No.3
We can talk about the clever writing on ABC’s monster hit Modern Family until the show wins its billionth Emmy, but we all know the reason men everywhere (especially in the 18-34 demographic) watch the popular sitcom is to get that weekly dose of Sofia Vergara, owner of the best cleavage on television (sorry, Christina Hendricks). We’ll be the first to admit that as the Colombian bombshell-turned-matriarch of a white, upper-middle-class, suburban family, Vergara’s overacting can be a bit grating, but with a rack like that, the former model and television hostess could be the sonic facsimile of glass on a chalkboard, and we’d still love her. This year, she was also nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series. And with boyfriend Nick Loeb considering a run for the Senate, Vergara's giving men a whole new reason to be engaged in politics.
WHY MILA KUNIS IS No.2If you never thought Mila Kunis had what it takes to be a movie star, don't worry -- neither did we. Before she was cast as the crush-magnet love interest in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Kunis was best known as Jackie, Ashton Kutcher's ditzy arm candy in That 70's Show and as the grating voice of Meg Griffin, misfit daughter in Family Guy. Neither suggested movie-star pedigree. But as the funny, charming and gorgeous hotel clerk in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Kunis was a revelation. She's since gone on to star in Max Payne, The Book of Eli and the psychological thriller Black Swan, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role for the same role. Next year, Kunis returns to her romantic comedy roots in Friends with Benefits, where she'll star alongside fellow fledgling movie star Justin Timberlake as best friends who complicate their relationship by having sex. In Timberlake’s shoes, it's a risk we'd be happy to take.
WHY BLAKE LIVELY IS No.1When Blake Lively, sporting a spectacular Chanel frock, walked the red carpet at this year's Toronto International Film Festival for the premiere of her film The Town, her transformation was officially complete. In just three years, Lively had gone from star of the salacious teen soap Gossip Girl to a legitimate movie star. But today, with her nomination for Favorite TV Drama Actress at the 2011 People's Choice Awards, Blake Lively is on the verge of something even bigger. With her relationship to Penn Badgley quietly behind her and a growing sense that, despite its continued success, Gossip Girl is nearing an end, Lively continues her transition to the big screen as she prepares for next summer’s superhero saga Green Lantern, in which she plays Ryan Reynolds' love interest. Unlike some of her equally-talented colleagues whose careers were derailed by the temptations that accompany sudden success (don't worry, Lindsay -- we won't mention any names), Lively has climbed to the top of the ranks with an unusual amount of dignity and composure. At just 23 years old, she's a highly sought-after actress (is there a high-profile film she's not attached to these days?), a New York City style icon and a proud proprietor of the sexiest cleavage in Hollywood.
