My Eight True Loves of the '00s

1. Zooey Deschanel

I first encountered Zooey Deschanel as the neurotic older sister Anita Miller in the 2000 film Almost Famous. I think I really fell in love with her though in Elf (2003), one of the only Will Ferrell comedies that doesn't annoy me more than it entertains me. What can I say? I'm a sucker for big, beautiful eyes.


2. Naomi Watts

If steamy lesbian scenes like the one between Naomi Watts and Laura Harring in Mulholland Drive (2001) were a requirement for my love, I can think of a whole lot of other women who would be on this list. But yet, only Naomi Watts made it. Why? Because she has one of the prettiest faces I've ever seen, she's a brilliant actress, and at the age of 42 she has proven that it is possible to age with grace and beauty.

3. Rachel McAdams

After The Notebook (2004), Rachel McAdams was that actress who you were pretty much required to love. If you'd been watching your popular movies, however, you would have seen her coming on the scene in the ridiculous Rob Schneider film The Hot Chick (2002) or in the surprisingly poignant film Mean Girls (2004). She may not have been taking roles as that girl you have to love yet, but she was certainly flexing her acting muscles in places where you wouldn't expect an actress to shine.

4. Scarlett Johansson

The first movie I remember seeing Scarlett Johansson in was either Eight Legged Freaks (2002) or Lost in Translation (2003), whichever one I watched first. The first time I saw her it was an accident, but every subsequent time was on purpose. I have since realized that I can be thoroughly entertained if I cater my movie watching to movies that Scarlett Johansson is in. I was even able to sit through He's Just Not That Into You several times, and inflict this movie like a Korean grudge film on those around me, simply because Johansson was in it. She's a great actress, and she's wonderful to look at.

5. Evangeline Lilly

While she wasn't the sole reason for my obsession with the television program LOST, Evangeline Lilly certainly added her share to this addiction. I am bowled over by the fact that she is so talented and yet this was her first significant acting role ever.


6. Kristen Bell

Kristen Bell is smart, sassy and she has a sense of humor. She's also beautiful. The thing that puts Bell above all the rest is the fact that she caters to her geek audience. On Veronica Mars, Bell commonly used the word "frack" instead of other forms of foul language as a shout out to the Battlestar Galactica fans. Furthermore, she was the lead female in the movie Fanboys (2008), which tells the story of a group of people who are really excited for Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace (1999). She's the kind of girl who you could go on a romantic date with and she'd probably want to play D&D with your friends the next day.


7. Felicia Day

Felicia Day is another champion of the geeks. I first saw her in the internet sensation Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008), only to find out that it was based on another internet sensation called The Guild that Day had been doing since the writer's strike in order to be productive instead of just playing World of Warcraft all day. She can sing. She can dance. She can write. She can direct. She can produce. She can create. She can act. She's understated and a natural beauty.

8. Alison Brie

The last addition to the list, but certainly not the least, Alison Brie caught my eye near the decline of the decade when the hit comedy program Community premiered in 2009. I found it interesting how she developed from a cute school girl to a sex icon during the first season. On interviews she's charming and flawless. She makes me excited for what this coming decade has in store.