Hottest Actresses That Have Won Oscars

With the luscious Penelope Cruz nominated this year for "Volver" it got me thinking about past female winners that have been not only blessed with the ability to turn out a compelling, interesting, complex, nuanced performance but by also looking incredible while doing so. A lot of the time actresses will downplay, or even complete disguise all and every trace of a flawless profile (Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron) to disappear into a believable character, but often if the role requires it, an actress will play around with her physical appearance by creating a striking, sexy image to flesh out a character. Think Julia Roberts In Erin Brockovich. But what makes these actresses really hot is not what they look like, but what they bring to the character. How real these actresses make their characters to be. Here is my list of the Hottest Women performers and performances that have won.

Angelina Jolie - Best Supporting Actress - Girl Interrupted (1999)

Jolie won for her wild, fragile role as Lisa, Winona Ryder's Psychiatric ward- mate in this true story from Susanna Kaysen's autobiographical memoir. Jolie played Lisa as surly, vulnerable and tragic. Like glass that could shatter any second. Now Jolie is Tabloid and Gossip Site queen #1, but remembering this early performance it's obvious Jolie can act up a firestorm.

Mira Sorvino - Best Supporting Actress - Mighty Aphrodite (1995)

Sorvino scored with her ditzy call-girl, ex porn-star new york gal role in 1995. Playing Linda Ash Sorvino created a character that was vibrant and found humour in life, even while coming to terms regarding her past and current situation. Linda always looked toward a brighter tomorrow, next year or whenever. Sorvino shone in this role, creating a person who could laugh at herself but would wound deeply when she felt others were laughing at her.Sorvino played a role similar in the also hilarious "Romy And Michele's High School Reunion". But it's the vulnarbility of Linda that resonates the deepest.

Marisa Tomei - Best Supporting Actress - My Cousin Vinny (1992)

"You stick out here like a sore thumb" I'm sure those thoughts were going through a lot of people's minds upon seeing Marisa Tomei at the 1992 Oscars. Tomei was nominated for her spunky turn as Mona Lisa Vito. With her stand-by-her-man stance and nasally Bwook-lyn accent she may play the dimbulb at the beginning but it's her smart's that wins the day and the audience. One of Oscar History's biggest urban myths is that Jack Palance read the envelope wrong when announcing the winner and declared Tomei the winner by accident. Bull! Can you even remember who else was even nominated that year? Maybe, maybe not, I do remember Judy Davis' seething, manic performance in Husbands And Wives but Tomei's performance is still remembered and enjoyed today.

Other Hot Female Performances: From present to 1960:

Rachel Weisz - Best Supporting Actress - The Constant Gardner (2005)

Catherine Zeta-Jones - Best Supporting Actress - Chicago - (2002)

Nicole Kidman - Best Actress - The Hours (2002)

Halle Berry - Best Actress - Monster's Ball (2001)

Kim Basinger - Best Supporting Actress - L.A. Confidential (1997)

Juliette Binoche - Best Supporting Actress - The English Patient (1996)

Jodie Foster - Best Actress - The Accused (1988) & The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)

Geena Davis - Best Supporting Actress - The Accidental Tourist (1988)

Marlee Matlin - Best Actress - Children Of A Lesser God (1986)

Jessica Lange - Best Supporting Actress - Tootsie (1982)

Meryl Streep - Best Actress - Sophie's Choice (1982)

Diane Keaton - Best Actress - Annie Hall (1977)

Faye Dunaway - Best Actress - Network (1976)

Ellen Burstyn - Best Actress - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974)

Jane Fonda - Best Actress - Klute (1971)

Julie Christie - Best Actress - Darling (1965)

Sophia Loren - Best Actress - Two Women (1961)