Anyway, for the first inaugural post, I present a list of the classiest ladies Hollywood has to offer:
Angela Bassett
This leading lady has always stayed true to her roots, and has also stood her ground. She's been "fierce," as they say, since her first few movies, and she has not lost momentum in the 20+ years she's been working.
Cate Blanchett
For only being in the "mainstream" pop culture for only 10 or so years, it's amazing how much she has done for herself. Her first big and major role landed her an Oscar nomination (1998's Elizabeth) and they just kept (deservedly) coming her way. She seems to shy away from the limelight and always has a classy mist around her on the red carpet. She's undeniably one of the greatest actresses living.
Charlotte Gainsbourg
Perhaps she's not incredibly popular in the US, but in France, she is pop culture royalty. Instead of laying on her parents and their fame, she's made a name for herself as on of France's greatest and most popular actresses and is now a semi-full-fledged fashion icon.
Jennifer Connelly
She is the prime example of child stars growing up into adults stars (for all the right reasons). Not only did she survive the "child actor" stages, but she also survived the model age, which, for some young people, is difficult. Since then, she's always selected projects that demand the acting prowess only few people possess (...excluding The Incredible Hulk, of course).
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman is proof that you can be both a successful "indie film" actress and a "box office" actress (although it's still up for debate whether or not she's a highly successful box office star). Recently, she keeps a balance between the more low-key films (like Fur, Birth, and Dogville) as well as the big-budget movies (The Golden Compass, Australia, Moulin Rouge). Despite many of her movies being named "flops," it's undeniable that she puts her heart and soul into her work. Not only is she an actress, but she is also a great humanitarian that keeps her efforts more low-key than say...Angelina Jolie. And who cares if Nicole has botox (or more)? It's her face.
Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore is, in a way, in the same boat as Cate Blanchett. They both became popular around the same time and have remained with strong accolades. However, Julianne Moore is noted for her activism, especially as the spokesperson for GLAAD. There's nothing more classy than a person fighting for a cause. I think we should all applaud her for showing that age means nothing. At 47, she provocatively posed for Vogue magazine, and you know what? It wasn't trashy, but it was also sexy. Good for her.
Thandie Newton
Thandie Newton should get credit for surviving the tabloid frenzy attached to her and her weight a few years back. The way she handled it was admirable (to the best of my recollection, it didn't seem to fluster her all that much and it certainly didn't harm her career). Her acting also more than makes up for the tabloid rumors surrounding her weight back then. Her standout role in Crash really proved that she's up there with the best of them. Now, only if we could erase Mission Impossible 2 from our memories.
Charlize Theron
Let's be honest here: there was a time when Charlize Theron was in demand because she was "the hot actress" and took her shirt off a few times for movies. She was verging on being one of those actresses whose talent was wasted on bad movies (Reindeer Games...really?). But that all changed when she finally got to "act" in Monster. Since then, her career has flourished and she has become a full-fledged movie star that will probably be remembered forever. Plus, it's next to impossible to find a picture from a set of images from a premiere or red carpet where's she's not smiling, laughing or having a good time.
Liv Tyler
Anyone that can detach herself from her parent/father's footsteps gets cred in my book, and she has done just that. You'd think having a father like hers, she'd be in more tabloids and more...trouble? But she isn't. It goes to prove that young actresses don't need to tabloids and sex tapes to sustain their career.
Naomi Watts
It certainly took her long enough to get to where she is now. For years she was the typical "struggling actress," but she never gave up...and look where she is now. It's really an inspiring story, and touching as well. She has managed to stay under the radar, while she could have become tabloid fodder like her friend, Nicole Kidman. Also similar to Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts mastered both the indie and big-budget world...but with many less flops than Nicole. Naomi Watts is one of those actresses that fully commits to any role she does, and it's obvious on screen. It's a shame a lot of her movies will never be as popular as they could have been. She never hides from the most difficult roles, either (especially in Funny Games or Mulholland Drive). She's been around for a while now, and she's not even near the height of her career. I hope she'll be around for years and years. And I hope she wins an Oscar. She deserves it.
Kate Winslet
Kate Winslet seems to be the epitome of class. She's idolized by many for her acting and her "figure," (which I still consider her thin; I don't know why people say she's "curvy," maybe she's not rail-thin, but she's not fat or big...but maybe I just don't know enough about women's bodies). Ever since Titanic, she could have gone two ways: tabloid trash or high class. It's admirable to me that both her and Leonardo DiCaprio both took the classy option. I suggest that next year, Kate Winslet, Julianne Moore and Laura Linney are finally given Oscars. Between the three, they have 12 nominations and 0 wins.
The up-and-coming ladies
Emily Blunt
Could she be considered the anti-Anne Hathaway? Emily Blunt's break-up with that annoying jazz guy (his name's not important to me) was in the tabloids for about a day. Perhaps it's because Emily Blunt isn't famous enough, or perhaps it's because she didn't want to give into press like that. Whatever it is, she's already one of the most respected young actresses...and she's only starred in about five movies.
Rose Byrne
She's already respected in Australia, and she's been getting acclaim in the US due to her role in the show Damages, but outside of Australia, most people have no clue who she is. Most people would recognize her as the girl that did Brad Pitt in Tory, or the crazy bitch from Wicker Park. Her beauty paired with her acting talent and down-to-earth personality will make her a huge star in years to come. And you know what? She'll be able to handle it with the greatest class and ease. Perhaps her role alongside Nicholas Cage in the film "Knowing" will be her big break......or not, considering it is Nicholas Cage. His box-office movies have done not done much to Rose's friend Dianne Kruger.
Eva Green
For only being in 5 movies (7 if you count movies not yet out), she has made such a name for herself. She is the epitome of a budding fashion icon. She's already known for her often outrageous outfits and red-carpet hairstyles. She maintains a sex-kitten exterior, but inside it's clear that she's a fun-loving person (which I wish came out more often).
Amanda Seyfried
It's taking forever for Amanda to become famous, but I believe that one day, she will be a house-hold name. She's gained acclaim for both her film work (Mama Mia and Mean Girls), as well as her television work (Big Love). She seems popular among the younger crowd, but the older people will probably only recognize her from Mama Mia or Big Love. But anyone that can stay as humble as her after being in the business for so long must have some pretty thick skin. Maybe she'll follow in Jennifer Connelly's footsteps.
Kerry Washington
Kerry Washington deserves her HUGE big break sometime soon. She's beautiful and she can act and she is one of the most down-to-earth people out there. I honestly don't know why she's not more popular. If Ray could make Jamie Foxx a glorified actor, it should have done the same for Kerry Washington.
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