1 Beyonce

As the front woman for one of the most popular groups of all time, Destiny’s Child, and a multi-platinum selling solo artist, Beyonce is known the world over for her soulful voice, infectious smile and ladylike poise. In the last few years, this Southern belle has also carried her talent onto the big screen, starring in such films as Austin Powers: Goldmember (2002), The Pink Panther (2006) and the critically acclaimed, award-season favorite Dreamgirls (2006).

Beyonce’s accomplishments over the last year have helped skyrocket her from last year’s No. 50 position to the coveted No. 1 spot (and deservedly so). Yes, she’s breathtakingly beautiful -- with sexy curves, wide eyes and luscious lips that make her every man’s fantasy woman -- but add a few scoops of talent to that beauty and you have the perfect 10. Beyonce not only proves that she looks great on the red carpet, but she demonstrates that she actually deserves to be on it.Not only did she help Destiny’s Child sell a total of 60 million albums and singles worldwide from 1998 to 2005, but her solo albums, Dangerously in Love (2003) and B’Day (2006), went platinum many times over and garnered her a combined 11 Grammy Award nominations in 2004 and 2007. At the 2004 Grammys, she took home five of the six awards she was nominated for.2006 was Beyonce’s year; B’Day sold more than 541,000 copies in the U.S. in its first week, giving her the record once held by Christina Aguilera as the highest first-week sales of any solo female artist that year. This also marked the year that Beyonce made her biggest and brightest silver-screen performance as Deena Jones in Dreamgirls. She received much critical praise for her role, and even garnered a coveted Golden Globe Award nomination.And while she has all the talent and beauty in the world, Beyonce’s big heart is what makes her the perfect woman. Her most notable philanthropic efforts have included becoming a global ambassador for the 2005 World Children's Day program, and forming the Survivor Foundation that same year for Hurricane Katrina victims in the Houston, Texas area.This female powerhouse has taken the world by storm and has certainly proven that everything she touches turns to gold.

Beyonce’s stream of good luck from 2006 has already carried over into 2007. The star garnered nominations for some of the most prestigious awards in the industry, including a Golden Globe nomination and multiple Grammy nods.

Beyonce
Beyonce pictures
Beyonce pics
Beyonce Gallery
Beyonce Gossip

1 Beyonce

2 Scarlett Johansson

Although she's been acting for over a decade, it wasn't until 2003 that Scarlett Johansson burst onto the scene with a star-making performance in Lost in Translation. Scarlett has spent the last several years appearing in a wide variety of films, including a historical drama, 2003’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, a science-fiction thriller, 2005’s The Island, and even a feature-length cartoon, lending her voice to 2004’s The SpongeBob Squarepants Movie. Scarlett’s reputation for hooking up with some of the hottest men in Hollywood -- young (Josh Hartnett) and old (Benicio Del Toro) -- precedes her, and she’s made it clear on several occasions that she doesn’t entirely believe in the concept of monogamy.

2006 was an expectedly busy year for Scarlett, as the actress appeared in three films of varying success. Scoop reunited the actress with her Match Point director, Woody Allen, while The Black Dahlia found Scarlett acting opposite then-boyfriend Josh Hartnett. Scarlett also appeared in The Prestige (director Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to Batman Begins) and lent her voice to two episodes of Comedy Central’s Robot Chicken.True to her sassy and daring nature, Scarlett raised eyebrows in February when she appeared naked along with Keira Knightley on the cover of Vanity Fair; making it clear, once again, why she’s remained a fixture on this list for the last several years and why she skyrocketed from No. 28 to No. 2 in just one.

Scarlett’s fans can expect to see (and hear) more of her over the coming year, as her first major project is due to be released in April. The Nanny Diaries, based on the hit book, casts Scarlett alongside folks like Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney and Chris Evans, while The Other Boleyn Girl -- a historical drama set during the reign of King Henry VIII -- counts Natalie Portman and Eric Bana among its cast members. Scarlett is also hard at work on her first album, Scarlett Sings Tom Waits, which will (as the title implies) consist entirely of Tom Waits covers.

Scarlett Johansson
Scarlett Johansson pictures
Scarlett Johansson pics
Scarlett Johansson Gallery
Scarlett Johansson Gossip

2 Scarlett Johansson

3 Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba is cited as one of the most interesting celebrities in Hollywood. Voted 2006’s Most Desirable Woman, she is a perfect package, combining beauty, sex appeal, an innate kindness, and a slight sarcastic edge. "I'm really good at being sarcastic with guys," Jessica admits. "That's the best way to hang out with them because that's what guys like. They don't want the quiet, prissy little things."

Jessica Alba is a classic good girl. In 2006, she was involved in a lawsuit against Playboy for using her image without her consent. "I don't do nudity," explains Jessica. "I just don't. Maybe that makes me a bad actress. Maybe I won't get hired in some things. But I have too much anxiety.” Proof of her natural goodness, Jessica later dropped the lawsuit after Hugh Hefner apologized and agreed to make donations to two charities that Alba supports.Want more proof of her kindness? During the filming of Awake -- one of Jessica's many films slated for release in 2007 -- Alba and costar Hayden Christensen visited the nearby Bellevue hospital and spent time with the children, bringing them Christmas goodies.

Jessica Alba’s career is showing no signs of slowing down. In fact, with seven movies coming out or being shot in 2007, including sequels to Sin City and Fantastic Four, one could make the argument that Jessica is the busiest actress working today.

Jessica Alba
Jessica Alba pictures
Jessica Alba pics
Jessica Alba Gallery
Jessica Alba Gossip

3 Jessica Alba

4 Adriana Lima

Known as “the best face in the industry” and “the most in-demand runway model in the world,” Adriana Lima is at the very top of the supermodel food chain. Although she is best-known for her status as one of the sizzling Victoria’s Secret Angels, she is also a spokesmodel for Guess?, XOXO and Armani Jeans. Over the course of her career, she has appeared in dozens of ad campaigns and has graced the pages of innumerable fashion magazines.

After topping AskMen.com’s Top 99 Most Desirable Women of 2005 list and sitting comfortably in the No. 4 spot of the 2006 edition, Adriana is back in the top five in 2007. We can’t blame our readers for keeping her there; over the past year, she has become one of the most coveted models in the industry and the third highest-paid model in the world. In fact, she is so famous that she can’t even walk down the street in some countries. “It's insane!” she says. “Some people ask me for my autograph and a picture, but mostly they will follow me around. They follow me into bathrooms!”

As for 2007, Adriana should continue to appear alongside her fellow Angels, including Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen and Alessandra Ambrosio, in insanely hot Victoria’s Secret ad campaigns and fashion shows. She’ll also continue to strut her stuff on the world’s runways. But this Brazilian beauty isn’t only concerned with the fashion world. In fact, she continues to help with the expansion of an orphanage in her hometown of Salvador, Brazil. “When I help someone, I lose 0.01% of my ego,” she says.

Adriana Lima
Adriana Lima pictures
Adriana Lima pictures
Adriana Lima pics
Adriana Lima pics
Adriana Lima Gallery

4 Adriana Lima

5 Jessica Biel

Although best known for her role as Mary Camden on the WB’s squeaky clean series 7th Heaven, Jessica Biel has shown her diversity as an actress in taking on less PG-rated roles since her departure from the show. She was seen screaming for her life in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), donning a period costume and an English accent in The Illusionist (2006), and heading to war in Home of the Brave (2006). Of course, we can’t forget to mention that she’s also known for having one of the best bodies in Hollywood.

Jessica’s growing profile in the media has garnered her a two-spot jump on our list. Formerly at No. 7, Jessica spent the last year appearing in two films (The Illusionist and Home of the Brave), and donating her time to various charities like Make the Difference Network, PETA and the home rehabilitation organization Rebuilding Together. She also showed the world that her heart is as big as her talent as she auctioned off a date with herself to raise money for a Colorado teen who lost her leg in a car accident; the winning bid for a date with this stunning starlet was $30,000. As for her personal life, Jessica spent the latter part of the year frolicking on the beach and taking strolls around Los Angeles with her rumored boyfriend, New York Yankees star shortstop Derek Jeter.

2007 will see Jessica solidify herself as one of the next big names in Hollywood with a little help from some A-list costars. Specifically, she'll be starring alongside Hollywood heavyweights Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore in Next, and the comedy I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry with Adam Sandler and Kevin James.

Jessica Biel
Jessica Biel pictures
Jessica Biel pics
Jessica Biel Gallery
Jessica Biel Gossip

5 Jessica Biel

6 Alessandra Ambrosio

Since being discovered following the Elite modeling agency's 1996 "Look of the Year" competition, this spicy Brazilian bombshell has been consistently gracing the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show. Her most memorable walk down the Victoria's Secret runway was in 2005, when she sported a bra and panties made entirely out of candy. Her exotic look has also been featured in high-profile campaigns for Guess? and Revlon.

Alessandra made quite a splash in 2006, skyrocketing from her previous No. 36 spot on the list to an impressive No. 6. The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and posing for magazine covers weren't Alessandra's only major accomplishments during the past year. She also dabbled briefly in the world of acting, making her movie debut with a seductive cameo appearance in Casino Royale.

Along with a guaranteed spot donning lingerie in the next Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, Alessandra Ambrosio will continue to grace the covers of some of the industry's best-known fashion magazines; to the relief of publishers and men all over the world.

Alessandra Ambrosio
Alessandra Ambrosio pictures
Alessandra Ambrosio pics
Alessandra Ambrosio Gallery

6 Alessandra Ambrosio

7 Shakira

The story of Shakira’s singing and songwriting career is the kind of stuff movies are made of. She started off as a talented girl from Colombia and turned into an international Latina star. Her success on the charts is unprecedented for someone of her background and style of music. With over 40 million albums sold worldwide and 10 Grammy and Latin Grammy Awards to her name, Shakira’s place in musical history has clearly been established. And as wonderful as her singing is, her exotic beauty is just as appealing.

After her departure from the list a couple of years ago, Shakira reappears on the list at an impressive No. 7. It's little surprise: 2006 marked a significant year in Shakira’s career with the release of her album Oral Fixation Vol. 2. She won the Grammy for Best Latin Rock/Alternative Album for the second time in her career, as well as five other Latin Grammy Awards. Moreover, Shakira had everyone in the world gyrating their bodies with her single “Hips Don’t Lie.” But Shakira’s success in 2006 was not predicated on her vocal talents alone; her extensive training as a belly dancer has helped produce some of the most tantalizing music videos ever created.

Shakira has already been nominated for a Grammy for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals for “Hips Don’t Lie.” Also this year, Shakira looks to take her musical success to the silver screen with her Hollywood debut in the movie Dare to Love Me. In the film, Shakira will be playing one of the love interests of the famous tango singer Carlos Gardel.

Shakira
Shakira pictures
Shakira pics
Shakira Gallery
Shakira Gossip

7 Shakira

8 Maria Menounos

When Maria quit her job as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight to focus on her acting career in 2005, many of her fans were disappointed that they would no longer get to feast their eyes upon her on a daily basis. Fortunately, later that year, Maria had a change of heart and became a correspondent for both The Today Show and Access Hollywood. But that hasn’t distracted Maria from her acting goals. She has landed several roles in popular TV series and movies since her departure from ET, including one in Fantastic Four (2005) alongside Jessica Alba.

In addition to gaining more visibility on Access Hollywood and Today through 2006, Maria appeared in an episode of the hospital sitcom Scrubs. She also produced the short films Longtime Listener, starring Wilmer Valderrama, and Fwiends.com, in which she appeared opposite Lara Flynn Boyle. In addition, she cohosted the Eurovision Song Contest in Greece and appeared in the video for Jessica Simpson’s “A Public Affair.” As if that weren’t enough, Maria continued to donate her time to philanthropic causes, including Take Action Hollywood!, a charity she founded to utilize the power of the entertainment industry to create social change.

Although Maria can still be seen as a correspondent on NBC, she will continue to pursue her acting career. She already has a role in the feature-length comedy Kickin It Old Skool (2007) with Jamie Kennedy and Vivica A. Fox. And since Maria is quite happy with diversity in her career, you can expect to see more of her everywhere. “A lot of people criticized me at a young age because I wanted to do a lot of different things,” she says. "And that’s just how I am. I’m happiest when I’m doing a million things. I don’t see my career going in any one direction. I see myself doing a potpourri of things."

Maria Menounos
Maria Menounos pictures
Maria Menounos pics
Maria Menounos Gallery

8 Maria Menounos

9 Angelina Jolie

Regarded as one of the most beautiful women in the world, Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie is known just as much for her starring roles in movies like Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) and Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005) as she is for adopting children and being Brad Pitt’s girlfriend. And Angelina doesn’t let the fact that she’s one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actresses get to her head; she’s a true humanitarian at heart, devoting most of her time to charitable causes as a goodwill ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency.

As the third most desirable woman on last year's Top 99, Angelina's career highlights from 2006 have kept her in this year's top 10. While having spent most of 2006 pregnant and reveling in Namibia with Brad and the rest of the Pitt clan, this raven-haired beauty appeared in the Robert De Niro-directed flick, The Good Sheppard, and spent the latter part of the year filming A Mighty Heart in India. Angelina’s good deeds extended well into 2006, as she spent Christmas Day in San José, Costa Rica, handing out presents to Colombian refugees.

Aside from claiming that she and Brad would like to adopt more children from impoverished countries, Angelina is set to grace the silver screen in 2007 in Beowulf and A Mighty Heart. She is also slated to direct the documentary A Moment in the World.

Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie pictures
Angelina Jolie pics
Angelina Jolie Gallery
Angelina Jolie Gossip

9 Angelina Jolie

10 Elisha Cuthbert

Though she’s been a familiar face among Canadians for almost a decade, Elisha Cuthbert didn’t achieve star status in the States until she stepped into the shoes of Kim Bauer on the FOX hit 24. She stayed with the show for three seasons, and eventually parlayed that success into a thriving movie career. Small roles in several films -- including Old School (2003) and Love Actually (2003) -- followed, and it wasn’t long before Elisha was headlining movies such as 2004’s The Girl Next Door and 2005’s House of Wax. And as if this blonde belle weren’t tantalizing enough, Elisha is also known for being a die-hard hockey fan, holding season tickets for the Los Angeles Kings, and even writing a blog on the NHL website.

Elisha kept out of the limelight for much of 2006, though she did crop up from time to time. Elisha’s sole cinematic appearance was in a low-budget indie film called The Quiet, which cast the actress as a cruel high schooler who mercilessly taunts a deaf girl. She also reprised her Kim Bauer role on 24’s fifth season for two episodes, and lent her voice to the highly anticipated 24: The Game. Lastly, all good rock fans know that Elisha capped off her 2006 work by starring in the music video for Weezer's "Perfect Situation."This marks the fourth straight year that Elisha has appeared on this list, and judging by the red-hot trajectory of her career, this certainly won’t be the last.

Staying true to her motto of trying new things, Elisha has a trio of films scheduled for release in 2007 that couldn’t possibly be more different from one another. First, Elisha will star in a gritty horror flick that’s been compared to Saw called Captivity, then she'll appear in a romantic comedy based on a hit South Korean film entitled My Sassy Girl. Finally, our No. 10 woman will be seen in He Was a Quiet Man, a quirky drama starring Christian Slater and William H. Macy.

Elisha Cuthbert
Elisha Cuthbert pictures
Elisha Cuthbert pics
Elisha Cuthbert Gallery
Elisha Cuthbert Gossip

10 Elisha Cuthbert

11 Halle Berry

Despite having appeared in some questionable movies in her early days, such as 1991’s Strictly Business and 1993’s Father Hood, Halle Berry has emerged as one of the biggest movie stars in the world. And though Halle’s first few attempts at establishing herself as a serious actress fell flat, all that changed once she accepted the title role in the TV movie Introducing Dorothy Dandridge (1999). She won an Emmy and a Golden Globe for her work, and soon found herself being asked to appear in such high-profile films as 2000’s X-Men (and its sequels), 2001’s Monster’s Ball (for which she won an Oscar) and 2002’s James Bond adventure Die Another Day.

Halle Berry has been a permanent fixture on this list over the years; she peaked at No. 3 in 2002, and held the No. 19 spot in 2006. She continues to take on challenging roles that, more often than not, wind up raising eyebrows and winning her legions of new fans. Halle’s sole cinematic appearance for the year was in X-Men: The Last Stand, in which she reprised the role of Storm for the third and possibly final time. 2006 also marked the beginning of a new relationship for Halle, as the actress began dating a Canadian supermodel named Gabriel Aubry.

Halle Berry has two intriguing yet vastly different movies scheduled for release in 2007. In the erotic thriller Perfect Stranger, Halle plays a woman who finds herself embroiled in a murder mystery, and pits the actress opposite folks like Bruce Willis and Giovanni Ribisi. Halle will follow that up with Things We Lost in the Fire, a hard-hitting drama costarring Benicio Del Toro, Alison Lohman and David Duchovny.

Halle Berry
Halle Berry pictures
Halle Berry pics
Halle Berry Gallery
Halle Berry Gossip

11 Halle Berry

12 Marisa Miller

Marisa Miller is a breathtaking beauty who has appeared in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition on five different occasions. Marisa has also appeared in several other magazines over the years, including Fitness, Shape, and Vogue. And with her 34D-23-35 measurements, it comes as no surprise that she's also modeled for Victoria's Secret. On the television front, Marisa appeared as one of the judges in 2004's Manhunt: The Search for America's Most Gorgeous Male Model.

Marisa returns to our Top 99 list this year in full force courtesy of her fifth appearance in SI’s 2006 Swimsuit Edition, which took the voluptuous model’s career to a new level. Marisa’s keen personality and beach-babe good looks also won her several television cameos in 2006, including an appearance on The Best Damn Sports Show Period. Marisa even acquired a spot as a judge in Sports Illustrated’s Best Looking Athlete Competition. And, of course, the buxom blonde graced the pages of several magazines this past year, including GQ and Stuff.

This year looks very promising for Marisa. As SI continues to immortalize her beauty on its pages, Marisa's rising popularity consistently gives her more opportunities within the entertainment industry. Although she got married in 2006, all hope of seeing Marisa’s provocative poses is not lost: You can still look forward to many more swimsuit photo shoots in 2007.

Marisa Miller
Marisa Miller pictures
Marisa Miller pics
Marisa Miller Gallery

12 Marisa Miller

13 Heidi Klum

Heidi Klum: supermodel, actress, fashion designer, television producer, artist... oh, did we forget to mention absolutely gorgeous woman? With her lean, athletic and extremely feminine physique, flowing blond hair, hazel eyes, and infectiously radiant smile, Heidi is the picture of femaleperfection. In fact, beauty specialist Louis Ahearne has named her the most beautiful woman in the world. Heidi’s beauty has been featured on the covers of such esteemed magazines as Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition, GQ, ELLE, Esquire, Cosmopolitan, and Harper’s Bazaar. Her modeling work with Victoria’s Secret has been pivotal to the success of that line and she has appeared in myriad of films, TV shows and video games, including Spin City, 54, Blow Dry, James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing, and Ella Enchanted.

Heidi Klum’s 2006 was a hectic year, but it kept her in the spotlight and on our list (in previous years she has ranked No. 4, No. 3, No. 5, and No. 11). Her popular show, Project Runway, has just about every fashion expert enthralled with her critiques and criticisms of aspiring designers. And to promote the show, Heidi made time in her schedule to appear on programs such as The View, The Tonight Show, Ellen, and the Emmy Awards. With regard to new endeavors outside of TV, Heidi also released a single and a video for her song “Wonderland.”As for her personal life, Heidi gave birth to her son Johan in November, but proving that there is actually no rest for the wicked, she returned to form in 34 days to be in the annual Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

With an eye toward her work in 2007, Heidi has already made an appearance at the Golden Globes, her perfume line is now available and she continues to work on her fashion line, which includes clothing for infants. It’s obvious that Project Runway is here to stay, and as long as Heidi stays on as the producer and hostess, it will continue to be an unbelievable success. Heidi will also spend her year hosting Germany’s Next Top Model (just like Tyra Banks does here in America). Ultimately, we can look forward to seeing a lot of Heidi this year, as she promotes her show and continues to dazzle us with her runway splendor.

Heidi Klum
Heidi Klum Gallery
Heidi Klum Gossip

13 Heidi Klum

14 Gisele Bundchen

Gisele Bundchen is an international supermodel who ranks in the upper echelon of the industry. This Brazilian beauty began her modeling career in 1996 and has since appeared in thousands of magazines, such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, and Allure. She has also been the face for many designers, including Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Louis Vuitton, and Versace. Standing at 5’11”, Gisele originally had aspirations to be a volleyball player, but became one of the world's highest-paid models instead. In fact, she was named World’s Richest Model by Guinness World Records, with a net worth of $150 million.

Gisele is more than a pretty face with endless legs; she also has her own line of sandals and owns the Palladium Executive hotel in the south of Brazil. In 2006, one year after the end of her five-year relationship with Leonardo DiCaprio, Gisele was romantically linked with surfer Kelly Slater and actor Chris Evans. Though her film debut was in 2004’s Taxi, Gisele made a high-profile cameo appearance in the 2006 film The Devil Wears Prada. This appearance no doubt catapulted Gisele into a more mainstream light, and helped unlock her from the No. 26 position she held on our last two Top 99 lists. 2006 also marked the year Gisele agreed to a multimillion-dollar contract with Apple Computers to appear in its "Get a Mac" advertisements.

In 2007, Gisele Bundchen is set to continue her work with the biggest names in the fashion industry -- such as Dolce & Gabbana and the campaign for its fragrance The One -- which means she'll be impressing us with her style and grace throughout the year. On a more serious note, Gisele will also spend 2007 supporting the protection and recovery of the Xingu River in her native Brazil, as well as continuing her work with GRAACC, a support group for adolescents and children suffering from cancer.

Gisele Bundchen
Gisele Bundchen pictures
Gisele Bundchen pics
Gisele Bundchen Gallery
Gisele Bundchen Gossip

14 Gisele Bundchen

15 Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams is the goofy and sometimes not-so-nice girl next door that we have come to love from her work in The Hot Chick (2002), Mean Girls (2004) and the nauseatingly romantic film The Notebook (2004). But it was in 2005 that Rachel really hit the public eye thanks to three big hits -- the Wedding Crashers, Red Eye and The Family Stone -- all of which starred big-name talent and were helmed by notable directors. On the personal front, Rachel has been dating her Notebook costar Ryan Gosling for the past three years.

Rachel McAdams clearly has star appeal. After all, it was only her contractual obligations to work on The Marriage with Pierce Brosnan that kept her from roles as the new Bond Girl in Casino Royale and as the love interest of Zach Braff in The Last Kiss. FHM and Maxim listed Rachel in decent spots on their own lists of the hottest women of 2006 and she debuts at No. 15 on our 2007 edition of the Top 99 without having worked very much last year. Ultimately, this goes to show that she’s riding a wave of success, and that future endeavors are sure to come.

In 2007, Rachel McAdams will release The Marriage, a crime drama in which a husband puts a hit out on his wife in lieu of divorce proceedings. She is also in negotiations for the sci-fi film The Time Traveler’s Wife. Rumor has it that Rachel has been asked to play the romantic lead in the upcoming Ironman (though it seems that role may go to Gwyneth Paltrow), and she may also appear in a film Ryan Gosling is setting up for his directorial debut. For now, she resides in Toronto, Canada, which makes it easier to keep up with her boyfriend and fellow Canadian.

Rachel McAdams
Rachel McAdams Gallery

15 Rachel McAdams

16 Kate Beckinsale

A veteran of over two dozen films, Kate Beckinsale has been a fixture among British audiences since the early ‘90s. Her early days were spent working in a wide range of films, including Kenneth Branagh’s Much Ado About Nothing (1993) and 1998’s The Last Days of Disco. Her star status changed dramatically in 2001, however, when she appeared in a pair of high-profile films (Pearl Harbor and Serendipity), and it wasn’t long before Kate was labeled "the next big thing."

Kate began 2006 with a bang, reprising her role as vampire warrior Selene in Underworld: Evolution. The film -- directed by Kate’s husband, Len Wiseman -- became one of the first big hits of the year, and cemented Kate’s status as her generation’s go-to butt-kicker. Eager to try her hand at comedy, Kate’s next effort, the comedy Click, proved that she was more than able to hold her own opposite folks like Adam Sandler, Christopher Walken and David Hasselhoff. With those successes in mind and the fact that she’s as talented as she is beautiful, it’s not very difficult to see why Kate has remained such a familiar face on our list.

Kate’s reputation for taking on roles from a wide variety of genres continues in 2007, as she is currently scheduled to appear in a gritty thriller and a somber drama. Vacancy pairs Kate with Luke Wilson in a film revolving around a maniac with a penchant for homemade snuff movies, while Snow Angels (based on the acclaimed novel by Stewart O’Nan) casts her as the doomed neighbor to a character portrayed by noted scene-stealer Sam Rockwell.

Kate Beckinsale
Kate Beckinsale pictures
Kate Beckinsale pics
Kate Beckinsale Gallery
Kate Beckinsale Gossip

16 Kate Beckinsale

17 Eva Longoria

Eva Longoria started out acting on soap operas like General Hospital and The Young and the Restless, but quickly skyrocketed to celebrity status as Gabrielle Solis on the quirky, critically acclaimed television drama, Desperate Housewives. In 2005, she was nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series. Eva also turned her celebrity into a lucrative modeling career that same year, becoming the 2005 face of L’Oreal. In addition to her acting success, Eva has topped magazine lists at People, FHM and Maxim for her sex appeal and stunning beauty.

In 2006, Eva Longoria continued her success on Desperate Housewives. During hiatus, however, she took a break to tackle the big screen in The Sentinel, costarring Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland and Kim Basinger. Although the film was not a monetary success, Eva was certainly cast in good company. On the personal front, Eva also found time to get engaged to NBA player Tony Parker. Eva first appeared on our Top 99 list at No. 72 in 2005, and in 2006, she skyrocketed up to No. 10. She has since stepped down to No. 17, but her determination and versatility for acting, modeling and other projects will definitely keep her relevant for ranking next year.

Aside from her work on the third season of Desperate Housewives, Eva already has two film productions set for release in 2007. She will lend her voice to the animated feature Foodfight! alongside Charlie Sheen, Hilary Duff and other talents. Eva will also take a small role in How I Met My Boyfriend’s Dead Fiancée, starring Jason Biggs. In marital news, Eva and her fiancé Tony Parker will marry in the summer of 2007 in Paris, France, but no specific date has been issued.

Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria pictures
Eva Longoria pics
Eva Longoria Gallery
Eva Longoria Gossip

17 Eva Longoria

18 Monica Bellucci

Though most North American filmgoers know her best for her role as Persephone in the two Matrix sequels, Monica Bellucci has been acting steadily since her movie debut in 1990. With her exotic beauty and seemingly ageless looks, it’s not surprising that Monica got her start as a model; in fact, she has appeared in the pages of such major magazines as GQ and Vanity Fair. After modeling for some years, Monica smoothly transitioned into the world of acting, quickly establishing herself as a natural-born performer. In 1999, Monica married frequent costar Vincent Cassel and has subsequently managed to carve out a niche for herself in both European and Hollywood films.

Though Monica stayed out of the English-speaking world in 2006, she made quite a splash on the international scene with her role in Napoleon & Me, in which she plays a baroness whose world is shaken up by the arrival of Napoleon Bonaparte. Monica also took on a starring role in a French film called The Stone Council, based on an acclaimed fantasy novel and costarring screen legend Catherine Deneuve. In addition to those roles, she appeared alongside husband Vincent Cassel in the sardonic and critically acclaimed horror film Sheitan. It’s no wonder that Monica placed first on the list in 2002.

In addition to appearances in foreign films, Monica is slated to star in one of the most highly anticipated films of 2007. Shoot 'Em Up, costarring Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti, casts Monica as a pregnant woman who is rescued by Owen’s character. There’s also a rumor that Monica may be taking on a role in Joel Schumacher’s next drama; whatever the case may be, you can bet we’ll be watching.

Monica Bellucci
Monica Bellucci pictures
Monica Bellucci pics
Monica Bellucci Gallery
Monica Bellucci Gossip

18 Monica Bellucci

19 Keeley Hazell

While Keeley is one smart and beautiful Brit babe, she’s best-known for her 32Es. Since winning The Sun's Page 3 Idol competition in 2004, Keeley has been one of the UK’s most popular Page 3 girls. This blonde beauty and her signature pout can be seen regularly in Zoo magazine, as well as in The Sun at least once every two weeks.

Keeley’s endeavors in 2006 have helped award her a debut spot on our Top 99. This glamour model was busy at work all year, not only appearing on Page 3 and in other various magazines, but also on the cover of The Sun's 2006 Page 3 calendar, as well as on the covers of her own 2006 and 2007 wall calendars. She is also the face of PlayStation 2’s Formula One 06 video game. Finally, Keeley ventured outside of her modeling comfort zone this year, making a short appearance as “Naked Girl” in the film Cashback.

Keep your eyes peeled for Keeley and her two best assets to carry on making their regular Page 3 appearances throughout 2007.

Keeley Hazell
Keeley Hazell pictures
Keeley Hazell
Keeley Hazell Gallery

19 Keeley Hazell

20 Rihanna

The past two years have been an insane whirlwind of success for Rihanna. In 2004, she was still a teenager who enjoyed participating in beauty pageants and school talent shows in her native Barbados. But a chance encounter with a record producer who was vacationing in her homeland turned her life around overnight. He helped Rihanna record a demo that caught Jay-Z’s attention, and before the young singer knew it, she had a record deal with Def Jam. Since 2005, she has pumped out two albums and a slew of chart-topping hits, including “Pon De Replay,” "SOS (Rescue Me)” and “Unfaithful.”

While many artists would sit back and bask in their own glory after reaching No. 2 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 with their first single -- in Rihanna’s case, it was “Pon De Replay” -- this talented and driven singer is clearly cut from a different cloth. In fact, she waited less than eight months to release her second album, A Girl Like Me, in April 2006. The risk paid off: "SOS (Rescue Me)" shot up to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, and “Unfaithful” became her third top 10 hit in the U.S. and the UK. Given her success, Rihanna was offered several endorsement deals from high-profile companies, including Nike and J.C. Penney, and AskMen.com readers voted her onto the 2007 list of the Top 99 Most Desirable Women -- her debut appearance.

With everything she has accomplished in such a short period of time, it’s hard to predict what Rihanna will do next. She made a cameo appearance in Bring It On: All or Nothing (2006), alongside Solange Knowles and Hayden Panettiere, so we can only hope to see more of her on the big screen in 2007. Fortunately, we can be certain that we’ll have the chance to ogle her exotic looks in magazines and on billboards, as she will be a spokesperson for CoverGirl.

Rihanna
Rihanna pictures
Rihanna pics
Rihanna Gallery

20 Rihanna