The gorgeous Gretchen Mol has joined the cast of ABC’s Life On Mars, playing the lead female role of feminist cop Annie Norris. Mol, who wowed critics with her performance in The Notorious Life of Bettie Page, first made waves as a fashion model in the mid-1990s, but it was her goal to be an actress. In fact, Mol moved to New York after high school to study acting. (It’s hardly her fault a modeling scout took notice along the way, right?)

Mol is not alone — some of Hollywood’s most popular actresses were first noticed for their beauty, landing in the pages of fashion magazines before they made it to the silver screen. When you consider that Hollywood legends like Lauren Bacall and Marilyn Monroe modeled before they acted, you realize the model-turned-actress is practically a Tinsel Town tradition.

Of course, not all models belong on the silver screen. Mol and a handful of others, including Academy Award winners Charlize Theron and Halle Berry, always had acting as their goal; but take, for example, women like Cindy Crawford and Christie Brinkley. They've made it clear that acting requires much more than a pretty face. (To Brinkley’s credit, she never ventured beyond her esteemed work in the role of Red Ferarri Girl in the National Lampoon’s Vacation movies.) … continue reading

I think, a few hold outs aside, we can all agree that Charlize Theron is a very attractive woman. Just in case you’re one of those “I need empirical evidence”-people, I give you exhibit A.:

She is also an intelligent, talented and successful woman. (Um, hello, Oscar.) That said, you’d think any movie studio would be happy to have her in their film – thrilled even. In fact, the very sight of her is probably enough to make any marketing department erupt with screams of glee. So then why is she all but missing for the marketing for her new misanthropic superhero film Hancock?

She’s not on the poster. She’s barely in the official trailer. She’s only in a couple of the TV spots – and even then just for split seconds. … continue reading

Last week, we gave you a few reasons why you might be into watching the MTV Movie Awards that aired Sunday night. While there probably were some highlights on the actual show (such as Ellen Page winning for Best Female Performance in Juno), most of the goods came from the women posing as they arrived. Here's a look at some of our favorite females and their fashion choices for the award show.

Charlize Theron

Leave it to Charlize to look chic in a corset with a pair of slacks. Unlike some celebs, she never seems to overdo it. It must be because of her natural beauty. She could probably make zoo pants look sexy.

Ellen Page

The rising star looked casual and hip, per usual, in her blazer and black jeans with sneakers. She pulls off the "just-dressed-up-enough" look effortlessly, and it's actually when she looks her best.

Lauren Conrad

The Hills beauty wears bright blue beautifully. I've always admired her ability to stay trendy yet classic. She won't be on anyone's worst dressed list anytime soon, that's for sure. … continue reading

Charlize Theron is hot. In fact, Esquire dubbed her the sexiest woman alive last year. And, as if being hot isn’t enough to make you successful in Hollywood, she is ridiculously talented, too.

With one Oscar win (and an additional nomination) under her belt, it is hard to dispute her abilities on the screen, but apparently, there are people out there who want to dispute her beauty. Yeah, you read that right, but don’t worry — I heard your collective Jill Bennett-esque “Whaaaaaat?!” and I am right there with you.

Allow me to explain: Theron is on the June 2008 cover of W magazine, presumably to help promote her summer flick with Will Smith, Hancock.

Things got weird was when the interviewer began to hint at the fact that she makes “risky” selections in her roles because the characters she usually portrays (Aileen Wournos in Monster, Josie Aimes in North Country, or Detective Sanders in In the Valley of Elah) look somehow vastly different from Theron herself. But she is very quick to combat his line of questioning:

“Oh, no, you better not be bringing up ‘ugly.’ Look, I get it, Monster was a transformation … [but it’s not when I play] women in middle America living normal lives. North Country was dirt. That’s what happens when you go into a mine. In the Valley of Elah — that’s when I took real offense, because that was just my real hair color and me with no makeup.”

Theron as herself and as Aileen in Monster

Theron in character for North Country

I must say, I applaud the woman. To imply that it is a career-effecting move to play a role where she actually looks like the rest of us is offensive, and it’s refreshing to see someone of such caliber (both physically and — I can only presume — intellectually) set the record straight. … continue reading

I’m going to be blatantly honest with you. My taste in movies usually aligns with the average 15-year-old boy. Think Superbad or Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby. I know there are all kinds of misogynistic and degrading aspects to this whole genre of films, but I simply can’t help myself. The urge to laugh at menial things is all too tempting.

That said, I can (and often do) appreciate well-made movies of a more serious nature, especially if a favorite actor is in it. That is exactly the case with Sleepwalking.

Starring Charlize Theron, alongside Nick Stahl and AnnaSophia Robb, the movie tells the story of a little girl (Robb) who must deal with her mother’s (Theron) abandonment and adjust to life with her uncle (Stahl). Stahl’s character, on the other hand, goes through his own discovery process while trying to reconcile his childhood with the predicament he finds himself in now. When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I thought it could be one of those rare movies that captures things that actually happen to real people. … continue reading

Recently, I have been contemplating getting another tattoo. After all, it has been scientifically proven that they are hot. Before I get inked, however, there are two things I have to decide on first: the design and the placement.

Now you see why I am holding out. There is nothing worse than a bad tattoo.

Let's be real, though: The design options are endless; the placement options are not. And what better way to decide where to permanently mark my body than by looking to celebrities for guidance? It seems to be the trend.

First, there's the old-school armband that Pamela Anderson made popular.

Her thoughts on body art?

"Tattoos are like stories — they're symbolic of the important moments in your life. Sitting down, talking about where you got each tattoo and what it symbolizes, is really beautiful."

But what exactly does barbed wire symbolize? Oh, right: There was that 1996 movie written by someone named Ilene Chaiken. But I digress.

Moving on, I present to you arms and wrists.

Clockwise from top left: Winona Ryder, Jessica Alba, Alanis Morissette and Tegan and Sara.

(See more of Tegan and Sara's tattoos here.)

Of course, I could follow the examples of Megan Fox, Alyssa Milano and Christina Ricci and choose the back of my shoulder. … continue reading

It's movie poster time! (And you know what that really means: I'm too tired to actually write.)

First, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day:

The linster blogged about this one a while ago. In the poster, Frances McDormand doesn't really look shocked — more like intrigued. That could be wishful thinking on my part.

Next, Nim's Island:

I love the trailer and am looking forward to the movie, but why does Jodie Foster look so weird in the poster? Her face has been softened or something. I don't like it.

Next, Mercedes, which I hadn't heard of before today. … continue reading

Depending on which media outlets you're reading, you're either convinced the writers' strike is over, or you're cautiously optimistic that it will be soon but you're not counting your chickens just yet. Seems one former Disney exec has proclaimed the strike to be at an end. Unfortunately, Michael Eisner may not know exactly what he's talking about. (Why does this come as no surprise to me?)

Eisner is quoted as saying, "I have some friends in certain places and I believe there was a handshake last Friday ... it's possible they (the writers) will turn it down but it would be insane if they turned it down." Call me a pessimist, but it sounds like posturing to me. His statements are being widely reported as confirmation that all is said and done, but that's not exactly the truth of the matter. In fact, the WGA released its own statement earlier in the week, warning its membership to be wary of reports that claim a settlement is "imminent." For me, this yes-it's-over-no-it-isn't dance is frustrating. The writers are meeting on Saturday to go over the ins and outs of the current proposal, which is a good sign. But a handshake is not a signature on the dotted line.

All this workplace strife has me thinking of movies I love in which workers fought against the powers that be for what was fair and right. More specifically, I'm remembering movies in which women bucked the system for the betterment of not just themselves, but every other woman in the system. In the spirit of solidarity, I thought I'd share those films with you.

Let's start with the classic Norma Rae, starring Sally Field.

Based on a true story of one woman's efforts to unionize the workers at the textile mill where she worked, this was Field's first Oscar-winning performance. (Her second speech was more memorable though.)

1983 brought us the brilliance of Meryl Streep and one of the best performances of Cher's career, all wrapped up in one depressing little package called Silkwood.

And did I mention it was penned by Alice Arlen and one Nora Ephron? All four women got Oscar nods for their work on the film. … continue reading

I think the readers of this site know a little about sexy women. In fact, I would say that we’re experts on the matter. So I believe we’re more than qualified to weight in on Esquire’s choice for this year’s Sexiest Woman Alive. Drum roll, please. Oh, never mind. I know you can see the picture.

Charlize Theron is this year’s sexiest living lady, following recent honorees Scarlett Johansson, Jessica Biel and Angelina Jolie. To which I say, nice choice, fellas. Y’all did good this year. Real good. … continue reading

We all already know that the one-sheet for The Brave One is the Best. Jodie. Movie. Poster. Ever. But then I saw the Chinese poster and thought, “Hey, why did they replace Jodie Foster with Zac Efron’s 14-year-old blond cousin?”

After getting over my initial aversion to this airbrushed anomaly, I began to see the poster as a sentimental reminder of the tomboyish Jodie of yore. Remember her? She was all bell bottoms and skateboards and Shaun Cassidy hair. So adorable. So butch.

Which got me thinking about other famously butch movie posters. Which lead to research. Which led to the realization that, sadly, there aren’t that many butch/tomboyish images of women in film advertising. … continue reading

Here's some news that really struck my fancy: Charlize Theron is starring in and executive producing a new film, The Burning Plain, written by Guillermo Arriaga (21 Grams, Babel). And if you have ever had your fancy struck, you will know what a silly little smile it causes on your face. This bit of news also made me think, "Go on, Charlize, with your bad self."

Charlize Theron is one of those actresses I root for. One I want to see have some measure of success. Obviously, she's gorgeous, but good-looking women in Los Angeles who call themselves actresses are a dime a dozen. (OK, with inflation, let's say $1.63 a dozen, which is still way cheaper than a gallon of gasoline or a bushel of organic fruit at Whole Foods.) In Theron's case, there seems to be a unique star beneath that stunning surface.

The Burning Plain will feature Theron playing "a woman who tries to find common ground with her parents after a turbulent childhood." The actress has firsthand knowledge of a turbulent childhood. Being raised in South Africa before the abolishment of apartheid and facing the death of her father at the hands of her mother surely must give a person a different filter on life in general and on maintaining perspective regarding celebrity and movie-making. … continue reading

Hey, Helen Mirren, can I bend your ear for a moment? I have one of those bone thingies to pick with you. Seriously, sit down. We need to talk.

… continue reading

Listen, I know you just won the Oscar and are probably still basking in its post-coital embrace. But at times like these, it is important not to lose one's head.