Complex's 100 Hottest Women Right Now

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Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reaching No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her single "C'Mon"

With her long-awaited second album finally released, Ke$ha has vaulted right back into the spotlight on the strength of several highly popular tracks. "Die Young," her first single off Warrior, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reminded America why the glitter-clad 26-year-old became a star in the first place. And though none of us asked for it, Ke$ha has given us an even deeper look into her existence with her MTV documentary series Ke$ha: My Crazy Beautiful Life. Among other things, this has allowed us to watch Ke$ha drink her own pee. Ke$ha: a role model for us all.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving a Critics Choice Television Award nomination for Best Drama Supporting Actress, for her role on Sundance Channel's Rectify

Mad Men fans remember Abigail Spencer as Sally's teacher in season three, the one Don has an affair with. Since then, Spencer has appeared in both TV and film in supporting roles. She has been nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Drama Supporting Actress for her work in the Sundance original series Rectify, and appeared in Oz the Great and Powerful earlier this year. If you'd like to see Spencer in a leading role, you can find her as the star of The Haunting in Connecticut 2: Ghosts of Georgia. Yes, apparently there was demand for a sequel.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in two big summer movies, The Great Gatsby and Now You See Me

Mrs. Borat has had a big 2013 already, playing the adulterous Myrtle Wilson in The Great Gatsby and portraying Ron Howard's mischievous, illegitimate daughter in the just-released fourth season of Arrested Development. Her next project is the upcoming magician-heist caper Now You See Me, in which she plays a member of a team of rebellious magicians who rob banks during their shows.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in the yet-to-be-released music biopic CBGB

While breaking free of the "Twilight" label may be an ongoing process, Ashley Greene is doing her best to establish herself as a legitimate presence in Hollywood. Her next role will render her virtually unrecognizable from her Twilight days, as she'll play a sociopathic Goth who terrorizes a poor college student who stays on campus during a holiday vacation in the horror-thriller "Random." She'll also be appearing in the drama "CBGB," a film depicting the rise of the famed New York club that played host to the early days of punk icons like the Ramones and Velvet Underground.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reprising her role as Letty in the box office smash Fast & Furious 6

We could not be more excited to see Rodriguez's character Letty resurrected for Fast & Furious 6, and it looks like she'll almost certainly be back for Fast 7, 8, 9, and pretty much any others that follow. She'll also be reprising her role as Luz/Shé in Machete Kills, the sequel to 2010's Machete. In a decision to perhaps counteract the violence-heavy roles she takes in her live action performances, Rodriguez also did a guest appearance this year on a decidedly peaceful episode of SpongeBob SquarePants.

Occupation: Model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reaching more than 5.5 million views with her YouTube channel, "The Riel World"

Dannie Riel is just beginning to carve out a name for herself in the modeling world, serving as an import model after breaking in with Sport Compact Nights in her native Canada. These days, you can find her constantly updating her YouTube channel "The Riel World" (clever, clever) and hosting party events all over the world. For more photos of Riel, you can check out our look at her Instagram account here.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Winning the Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at Sundance, for her role in The Spectacular Now

A young star on the rise, Shailene Woodley made a name for herself with a Golden Globe-nominated performance in The Descendants and won the Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at this year's Sundance Film Festival for her performance in the independent drama-comedy The Spectacular Now. But don't think of her as strictly an indie girl; Woodley hasn't shied away from the big studio films. In 2014, she'll have big roles in two huge releases: as Beatrice Prior, the lead in the film adaptation of the popular young adult Divergent series, and also as Mary Jane Watson in The Amazing Spider-Man 2.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving two BET Awards nominations

Azealia Banks has made nearly as many headlines this year for her controversial tweets as she has for her music, but one thing we can all agree on is that the 21-year-old rapper is undeniably talented. Her first studio album, Broke With Expensive Taste is scheduled to drop later this year. Her work thus far has netted her two nominations for BET Awards: Best Female Hip Hop Artist and Best New Artist. She's also managed to start Twitter wars with pretty much every active rapper, putting to test the theory that there's no such thing as bad publicity. Based on her rising popularity, Banks seems to be right.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in Star Trek Into Darkness

A relative newcomer to the Hollywood scene, Alice Eve has taken on more and more roles in the last couple of years, with her most recent effort coming in Star Trek Into Darkness. She's also, apparently, an avid conspiracy theorist: In a recent Jimmy Kimmel interview, she told the late night host that she believes NASA is hiding that they know for a fact that aliens exist. While she continues on her search for the truth, she'll also be appearing later this year in the movie Cold Comes the Night, along with Bryan Cranston and Logan Marshall-Green. Sadly, there are no aliens involved.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: The upcoming release of her new album, Souled Out

After touring with Nas and signing to Def Jam in 2012, Jhene Aiko has spent much of this year hard at work on her album Souled Out, which will be dropping later in 2013. In addition to her new album, she's currently working with No I.D. and the Cocaine 80s on a side project. Naturally, they'll be a part of Aiko's new album as well.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-writing and starring in the Ridley Scott-produced The East

A darling of the Sundance Film Festival, Marling stars in the upcoming film The East, which premiered in January at Sundance and will be released nationally on May 31. It's already received strong reviews and earned the distinction of closing out the South by Southwest Film Festival. She recently appeared in Glamour, modeling several different throwback looks and talking about fishing for food in dumpsters to prepare for her role in The East.

Occupation: Actress, writer, director

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving the greenlight for a third season of Girls

Lena Dunham gets money. She wields power. She has the Girls. This makes Dunham something like Scarface. This makes Dunham something like invincible. Oh, you're upset because her mother takes art photographs, and this gave her an unfair edge in getting Judd Apatow and HBO to like her? As Tony Montana would say, "Fuck you," or some variation.

She's one of the most talented and compelling perspectives in pop culture today, and she's making a lot of people think about things they've been allowed to ignore for too long. Now run along and google "UTI." Because this is Lena Dunham's world.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Winning an award at the South Bank Sky Arts Awards for her album Devotion

Gifted with a voice as cool and clear as new ice, Jessie Ware released her debut album Devotion in the UK last year (it was finally released in the States in April of this year). Her utter poise when singing, especially on tracks like "Devotion" and "Sweet Talk," warrants comparisons to other R&B greats like Sade, a likeness that finds even more credence because of the smooth textures of her backing band. You can catch Ware touring this summer.

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Winning the Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Female Artist

A successful turn as the troubled Alex Dupre on One Tree Hill has allowed Jana Kramer to parlay her success on TV into a blossoming country music career. Her debut single "Why Ya Wanna" off her debut album reached No. 3 on the U.S. country music charts. This past April she took home the Academy of Country Music Award for Top New Female Artist, and is also currently nominated for the CMT Awards for Female Video of the Year and Breakthrough Video of the Year. Starting this July she'll head out on tour to open for Blake Shelton, so expect rumors of them hooking up to start circulating by the first week in August.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: The third season renewal of her hit CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls

It may be hard to believe, but CBS' 2 Broke Girls continues to be one of the highest rated comedies on TV. It regularly pulls in 10 million viewers, and a major reason for that is Kat Dennings. Her dry sense of humor has made her a star, and later this year she'll be reprising her role from the first film in the Thor sequel The Dark World. She also made a surprising cameo earlier this year in Hanson's music video for their new song "Get The Girl Back." It's safe to assume that, at this point, she's probably the group's most famous fan.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, for Zero Dark Thirty

She's only been acting professionally for five years, but Jessica Chastain's stats are already staggeringly impressive. The redheaded acting queen has two Academy Award nominations, a pair of BAFTA nods, two Golden Globe noms, and, get this, 38 critics' groups award victories.

And here's the scary part: She's not even in her career's prime yet. Only 36, the Zero Dark Thirty star is well on her way to becoming the next Meryl Streep, assuming she wants to go that route. As evidenced by her turn as Goth chick in this year's horror hit Mama, she's not against sidestepping Oscar bait for the occasional genre exercise.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Singing the national anthem at Super Bowl XLVII

The highly talented Alicia Keys continues to crank out the hits and perform her past greats, taking the stage before national audiences at the Grammys and the Super Bowl. She also branched out beyond music, becoming the face of the new Blackberry 10 campaign and appearing in multiple events promoting the phone. She's also found time to sell over 750,000 copies of her late-2012 album Girl on Fire, launch a public information campaign in the U.S. to help promote HIV/AIDS awareness among women, and even take home a couple NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Female Artist and Outstanding Music Video (for "Girl on Fire").

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving a BAFTA Rising Star Award nomination

Did you know that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have a younger sister? And did you know that she's legitimately talented? The 24-year-old Elizabeth Olsen has taken on a number of challenging roles in a short time, including 2011's Martha Marcy May Marlene, a performance that garnered her many film critics associations' awards for Best Actress. If her performances in this year's new releases are anything like her previous efforts, more prestigious award recognition should be in her immediate future.

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year:Girls' Generation's album I Got a Boy reaches No. 1 on the Korean pop charts

While it's hard to stand out in singing group of nine attractive women, Yuri, of the K-Pop group Girls' Generation has managed to do just that. And it's not just because of her vocals. In addition to cranking out four different No. 1 albums with Girls' Generation (most recently with their album I Got a Boy that released on New Year's Day 2013), Yuri has landed the leading role in a film called No Breathing, which (true story!) will be the first swimming-based movie in the history of South Korea.

Occupation: Model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Appearing as a contestant on the ABC reality show Splash

Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when we get skeezy old-man sports announcers all jazzed up on national TV. Something like that. Katherine saw one of the greatest 24-hour Twitter follower jumps this side of Kanye last January when she was ogled by ESPN's Brent Musburger during the BCS National Championship Game. K-Webb's translated her 15 minutes of fame into an appearance on Splash a.k.a. Celebrity Diving, from which she had to withdraw after suffering a back injury. Who says television and tabloid culture don't do good things for people?!

Occupation: Model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Topping several fashion bloggers' list of the most beautiful celebrities attending the Cannes Film Festival

Who stole the soul? Candy Crush, that's who. One game, and lord forgive us, we don't know how to act. The Hungarian model Barbara Palvin has a similar effect. We still remember when that issue of Glamour Hungary hit our doorstep. We've been a legujabb magyar over her since, and it's all we can do to keep ourselves from spending our iTunes gift cards on boosts and begging friends for extra lives on Facebook.

Occupation: TV personality, model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Appearing on VH1's Love & Hip-Hop

Video model and singer Erica Mena joined the cast of Love & Hip-Hop for the second season of the drama-filled reality show. A Bronx native, Mena did not fail to turn up. More recently, she's been pursuing a career in music, at first with the help of Rich Dollaz. The two have since had a falling out, but Mena's career shows no signs of slowing. In fact, she recently shot a direct-to-DVD movie.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving a Critics Choice Television Awards nomination, for A&E's Bates Motel

It's been a good year for Vera Farmiga, whose turn as Norma Bates on the A&E show Bates Motel has turned a lot of heads. The show has been both a critical and ratings success, and Farmiga herself was nominated for the Critics' Choice Television Award for Best Drama Actress. She'll also be appearing in the horror film The Conjuring this July, portraying a paranormal detective who helps a family suffering from some increasingly terrifying events occurring in their home. She'll also star in Middleton, a film not about the future queen but instead about a fictional college at which Farmiga and Andy Garcia fall in love while taking their kids on an admissions tour.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Consistently stealing scenes in the altogether uneven second season of HBO's Girls

Known primarily for her role as the hyperactive Shoshanna Shapiro on Girls, Zosia Mamet has begun to establish a foothold as an up and coming young actress. She's been roundly praised for her work in the increasingly dark second season of Dunham's show, giving her seemingly shallow and superficial character a surprising amount of depth. New Yorkers can also catch her starring in Really, Really, an off-Broadway play based on Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing that inspired Mamet to dye her hair a striking shade of blonde.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in the international box office success Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters

After starting off 2013 with a top-billed performer in the dud Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Arterton will look to rebound with a couple of highly-anticipated releases later this year. She'll play a key role in September's Runner, Runner, which stars Justin Timberlake as a college student who goes broke playing online poker but is mentored by the site's owner, played by Ben Affleck. She also stars in Byzantium, a vampire-themed thriller in which Arterton plays a mother vampire on the run with her daughter. Given the fact that director Neil Jordan already has an Academy Award nomination for another vampire movie, this one has a higher probability of being successful than Arterton's previous on-screen efforts.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby

Carey Mulligan has become a bona fide star after her performance in as Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, and it seems inevitable that she'll be cast in many more films in the immediate future. She'll be in the Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, which just debuted to rave reviews at Cannes, winning the Grand Prix award as the second-best film at the festival. It will be released in mid-December. Mulligan also possesses one of the great marriage stories of all time, as she and husband Marcus Mumford (of Mumford & Sons) were childhood pen pals before reconnecting as famous adults after one of Mumford's concerts.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in the NBC drama series Deception

After a memorable guest spot on Californication, Good landed the lead role on NBC's Deception, a prime time soap opera that lasted only one season before being canceled a few weeks ago. That's OK for Good, though, who should still be plenty busy thanks to her work with her production company Freedom Bridge Entertainment and her scheduled appearances in the thriller octor Me and Anchorman: The Legend Continues. She also recently revealed that her immaculately-shaped eyebrows are not natural, but are instead tattooed on. She's quite practical.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Recieving her fourth Academy Award nomination, for The Master

Amy Adams is about to get her first taste of life as a worldwide phenomenon, an inevitability when you star in a comic book blockbuster. Adams will play Lois Lane in the upcoming Superman reboot, Man of Steel. Coming as it does on the heels of her multiple award-nominated performances in 2012, Adams is officially a star. She's got several movies slated for 2013 in addition to Man of Steel, and has also been serving as the spokeswoman for Lacoste's newest ladies' fragrance, Eau de Lacoste. She also will be appearing on the cover of Elle's July 2013 UK issue.

Occupation: Model, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in Oblivion opposite Tom Cruise

This Ukrainian star has put in a lot of work over the last few years, achieving global fame after appearing in the James Bond film Quantum of Solace and most recently starring alongside Tom Cruise and Morgan Freeman in Oblivion. She's also scheduled to appear alongside Pierce Brosnan in the spy thriller November Man, which should be hitting the big screen sometime next year. Of course, Kurylenko is probably just trying to build up the juice so we can finally see Empires of the Deep, a classic man-and-mermaid love story set against the backdrop of a war between oceanic mermaid tribes that despite its $130 million budget has yet to find a company willing to distribute it. Think The Little Mermaid crossed with Avatar, only with the worst special effects imaginable.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reprising her role as Hannah McKay in the final season of Showtime's Dexter

After her role as Sarah Walker on Chuck came to a close last year, Yvonne Strahovski quickly managed to find work again with a recurring role on Dexter, playing a woman with a history of murder who also gets romantically entangled with the titular character. She's the first foil for Dexter to not die at the end of a season, so kudos to her. Strahovski will next appear in the horror-thriller I, Frankenstein along with Aaron Eckhart and Bill Nighy, as well as a return trip to Dexter for the show's eighth season. Hope as we might, we're not sure she's going to be able to survive two years in a row.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reprising her role as Storm in the forthcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past

Halle Berry seems to get better with age, and the now 46-year-old has not shown any signs of slowing down. She has starred this year in the ensemble flop Movie 43 as well as The Call, in which she played a 911 operator trying to stop a killer. She'll be reprising her role as Storm in X-Men: Days of Future Past, filming now and scheduled to be released in 2014. (Hopefully it'll make up for all that lesser work.) Berry's used her platform to try her hand at activism as well, appearing earlier this year in a spot for Gucci's "Chime for Change" campaign that aims to raise money and awareness for issues impacting women.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in two films, The Immigrant and Blood Ties, that premiered earlier this month at the Cannes Film Festival

This Academy Award-winning favorite of Christopher Nolan has become a huge star, and this year added a unique award to her already formidable collection: Harvard's Hasty Pudding Theatricals' Woman of the Year. She also appeared in David Bowie's controversial music video "The Next Day," in which she dances with a priest played by Gary Oldman and promptly suffers fro, stigmata wounds on her hands that spray blood on everyone. It's weird. Later this year, the French actress will appear in two eagerly anticipated movies, The Immigrant (with Joaquin Phoenix and Jeremy Renner) and Blood Ties (with Clive Owen, Billy Crudup, Zoe Saldana and Mila Kunis).

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in next month's The Internship, alongside Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson

Ever since her fantastic performance in Bridesmaids, Byrne has seen her popularity take off and her volume of film roles rapidly expand. She recently appeared with Ryan Gosling and Bradley Cooper in The Place Beyond the Pines, and will also appear in the upcoming comedy The Internship with Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. She also locked down a leading role in I Give It a Year, a British marriage comedy destined to be quirky, awkward, and probably a box office dud when it's released in August no matter how good it is.

Occupation: Actress, writer

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in the critically beloved indie comedy Frances Ha

The 29-year-old Gerwig is a bona fide indie film darling. Her film Frances Ha, in which she portrays a failing dancer struggling with her friendships in New York, has opened to glowing reviews, particularly of Gerwig's performance. She even co-wrote the script, so the praise with which she's been lavished is entirely earned. While she waits for her next big opportunity in movies, she continues to lend her voice to Adult Swim's China, IL, where voices the character Pony.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reprising her role as Rogue in the forthcoming X-Men: Days of Future Past

The star of HBO's True Blood has totally escaped the typical pitfalls of child stars, sustaining her success well into her adult years. Now 30 years old, Paquin continues to earn award nominations for both her work on True Blood as well as her work in film. She starred earlier this year in the romantic comedy Straight A's with Ryan Phillippe and Luke Wilson, and later in 2013 will appear in the film adaptation of the crime novel Black Wings Has My Angel. She'll also reprise her role as Rogue, the mutant who can't touch anything without killing it, in next summer's blockbuster X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: The June 18 release of her fourth solo album, Talk a Good Game

Let's get this straight: Kelly Rowland didn't need the Super Bowl XLVII reunion of Destiny's Child to stay relevant. Rowland has done incredibly well outside of the girl group, involving herself in a number of projects going forward. She'll be joining the cast of The X-Factor this season as a judge, replacing Britney Spears. She's also released several new songs with Destiny's Child, embarked on a national tour, and will be releasing her fourth studio album Talk a Good Game in late June.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: The renewal of her contract to judge The X-Factor when it returns for its third season

Demi Lovato has found second life as a judge on Fox's X-Factor, seeming downright normal when put next to Britney Spears. Her performance on the first season was well-received enough that she'll be returning next season with a doubled salary, not too bad considering she pulled in $1 million for her work last year. She also released her new album Demi in mid-May, and its lead single Heart Attack climbed as high as No. 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Lovato is also currently penning an e-book, which will be released in mid-June and will soon after join the literary canon as one of the great works of our time.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Collaborating with adidas Originals to create the limited edition Harlem GLC

If you were writing about Teyana Taylor in 2012, as many of us were, the focus was her deal with G.O.O.D. Music. Taylor went on to record vocals for the Cruel Summer album, amid talk of her debut coming soon. In 2013, the buzz around Taylor has nothing to do with music; rather, it's about her collaboration with adidas Originals. In Februrary of this year, the shoe she designed with adidas, dubbed the Harlem GLC, became the fastest selling sneaker in adidas Originals history.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Becoming a series regular on HBO's Game of Thrones

Natalie Dormer has been the breakout star of this season of Game of Thrones, making the most of her screen time as the clever, scheming Margaery Tyrell. She has emerged as a scene stealer in a show bursting with excellent personalities, and her role will hopefully expand in future seasons. It also was announced recently that Dormer would also appear in three episodes of the CBS show Elementary, a surprise hit that will air its second season later this year. She's also got four movies slated to release in 2013, including a supporting role in The Counselor, a star-studded film also featuring Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Penélope Cruz, and Javier Bardem.

Occupation: TV personality

Biggest accomplishment this year: Emerging as the face of VH1's Basketball Wives

Draya Michele has risen from obscurity to troll all of American with her on-screen behavior. She parties with Chris Brown and serves as the primary antagonist on Basketball Wives, totally unafraid to flaunt her lavish lifestyle. Her career résumé is less decorated, although she does promote her own brand of swimwear, Mint Swim. She also serves as the spokeswoman for the "Secret Kisses" cosmetics line, and is presently developing a new clothing line called-we are not making this up-"FAGS," or "Fine Ass Girls."

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Landing a starring role in Marvel's forthcoming Guardians of the Galaxy movie

It's hard to believe that, given all her success, Saldana was put in a supporting role next to immortal thespian Britney Spears in 2002's Crossroads. She's somehow managed to rebound, though, and her latest effort, Star Trek Into Darkness, has been a runaway box office success at $84 million (and counting) after just one week. Lately, it's been difficult to keep track of her personal life, as her status with Bradley Cooper seems to change every other day. Now it appears that she's been linked to Italian artist Marco Perego, a sad day for those who love the idea of Hollywood power couples.

Occupation: Model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Modeling in campaigns for UNIS, Levi's, and Boast

Model Adrianne Ho's Twitter page instructs us to "Follow A Ho," and many have. She's become the poster child for the tomboy look, frequently photographed in menswear. She also doesn't take herself too seriously and loves to wear sneakers, so it's hard to find anything not to like. She was the face of the 2012 Union Los Angeles campaign, and can also be seen modeling for brands such as UNIS, Levi's, and Boast. If you're interested in how she responds when someone wants to fight her, check out her interview in the June/July issue of Complex.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: The fourth season renewal of her hit Fox sitcom New Girl

Best known as Cece on New Girl, Hannah Simone continues to see her popularity grow right along with the show. She's stepped into the spotlight for her body type, which bucks the normal Hollywood type. In an April interview for Canada's Glow Magazine, Simone objected to the frequent ways in which she's described, saying that "curvy is just a polite way of saying fat. And I'm not." Her character on New Girl has become particularly beloved thanks to her intelligence and accurate BS detector, making her a refreshing change from the typical supporting female roles on TV.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring alongside Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender in Ridley Scott's The Counselor (in theaters November 15)

Penelope Cruz has been pretty quiet since her first big-budget project Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" in 2011, choosing her roles carefully. Her next wide release will occur this November with Ridley Scott's The Counselor, in which Cruz will appear alongside Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Javier Bardem, and Cameron Diaz. She has nevertheless been busy, supporting PETA and announcing in February of this year that she is pregnant with her second child. Between a movie and a baby, the end of Cruz's 2013 is going to be quite busy. She better get her rest now.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in the Jackie Robinson biopic 42

A relative newcomer to the Hollywood scene, Nicole Beharie has earned much critical praise for her role as Rachel Robinson in the Jackie Robinson biopic 42. She is rumored to be following that up with a starring role in a pilot for Fox based on the Sleepy Hollow movie and original short story. While her breakup with Michael Fassbender-her costar in 2011's Shame-made headlines earlier this year after Beharie announced it via Twitter, it seems a safe bet that she'll be making far more headlines for her acting in the near future.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Returning as a series regular for the sixth season of AMC's Mad Men

Jessica Paré launched to stardom last year with her stunning performance of "Zou Bisou Bisou" in the opening episode of season five of Mad Men and since then has become a fan favorite as the already-suffering wife of the philandering Don Draper. She just finished shooting a role in the romantic comedy Standby, in which she plays a woman stranded at an airport and forced to stay at her ex's house. Will they reconnect? We'll let you figure that one out. Paré has also done some work in the fashion world, appearing on the April 2013 cover of L.A. Confidential's annual spring fashion magazine.

Occupation: Model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Launching her online cooking show, Well Dunn with Jourdan Dunn

Jourdan Dunn has modeled for a host of different designers, making herself into a household name in the modeling world since debuting in 2007. Dunn made headlines earlier this year when she claimed Justin Bieber began uncomfortably flirting with her after Dunn accidentally flashed him during a dress rehearsal. She also has launched a successful cooking show called Well Dunn With Jourdan Dunnon Jay-Z's Life+Times YouTube channel, where she dispels the notion that all models don't eat. Additionally, she's continued to model, appearing so far this year in advertisements for Tommy Hilfiger, Aldo, and River Island.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in this August's The To Do List, her first movie as a leading lady

It is genuinely really difficult to tell how much of Aubrey Plaza's dry, deeply sarcastic sense of humor is an act and how much is genuine, and she probably prefers it that way. The Parks and Recreation star has seen her profile rise this year and will appear in upcoming movies The To Do List and Monsters University. She also made headlines for her thoroughly bizarre stage crash of Will Ferrell's acceptance speech at the MTV Movie Awards, which at first seemed staged but apparently wasn't, since Plaza was promptly thrown out of the event. It hasn't seemed to do much damage to her career, though, as she's since filmed a role in A Many Splintered Thing and will surely have several more projects coming her way.

Occupation: Actress, musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving a Golden Globe nomination for the hit Fox sitcom New Girl

Zooey Deschanel keeps humming along as America's favorite quirky character actress, and given the popularity of her show New Girl, it doesn't seem like she'll be going away anytime soon. She also recently released Volume 3, the fourth record she's released as part of She & Him, and the album has reached as high as No. 15 on the Billboard 200 charts. She was nominated twice for awards this year for her work in New Girl, first a People's Choice Award and then a Golden Globe as well. With seven months left to go in 2013, there's no telling what kind of silly shenanigans we'll see her get up to next.

Occupation: Actress, musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in the Broadway production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Scarlett Johansson certainly likes to diversify when it comes to her work projects, and this year we should get to experience the full breadth of what she can do. She'll appear as a stereotypical early-20s New Jersey woman alongside Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Don Jon, turning on her best possible Jersey Shore-esque accent for the role. She also was, once again, ranked highly on the Maxim Hot 100 list, coming in this year at No. 15. While she doesn't have any stage or musical project in the works like she has in the past, she has become quite politically active as she supports Scott Stringer's run for mayor of New York City.

Occupation: Professional wrestler

Biggest accomplishment this year: Taking part in the WWE Tag Team Championship match at Wrestlemania 29

Admit it, you'd love to have AJ Lee kick your ass. That's one of the main appeals of the WWE's lovely lineup of turnbuckle-leaping "Divas," chief of which these days is AJ Lee. Aside from her physical prowess, the New Jersey native's most cherished attribute, at least for the WWE's legion of loud and proud fanboys, is her self-proclaimed "Geek Goddess" reputation. She's just as apt to body-slam you as is she to play XBox and borrow your latest Spider-Man issue.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring alongside Will and Jaden Smith in After Earth

While you may not know Kravitz especially well now (beyond her famous father Lenny), that isn't going to last. She'll be featured in the upcoming Smith family sci-fi film After Earth, but the name recognition will only start there. Next year, she'll appear in the first chapter of the dystopian saga Divergent, a Hunger Games-esque series of popular young adult novels that will be the next big thing a year from now. In the interim, Kravitz also put out a line of jewelry earlier this year in collaboration with Swarovski, using entirely her own designs. It wouldn't surprise us much if her father wears some of it, given his eclectic fashion sense.

Occupation: Musician, Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Appearing in Fast & Furious 6

The 22-year-old member of Roc Nation (and Complex covergirl) is wrapping her second studio album, likely to be released later this summer. Ora also debuted in late April the music video for her song "Facemelt," and also appears in Snoop Dogg's new single "Torn Apart." She's been nominated for a host of awards, including the Best British Breakthrough Act at the 2013 Brit Awards (the UK equivalent of the Grammys).

Occupation: Model, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year:Successfully transitioning into feature film world via Spring Breakers

Benson has risen to prominence this past year with her work on the ABC Family show Pretty Little Liars as well as her turn as the gun-toting Brit in Spring Breakers. She also had a one episode cameo on How I Met Your Mother, appearing as (yet another) Ted Mosby love interest. The 23-year-old also dipped her toe into the modeling pool, signing on in January to be the face of evening wear designer Faviana. Sadly, she recently confirmed her split from Ryan Good, the alleged "swagger coach" for Justin Bieber. No word on whether the cause of the breakup had anything to do with Good's mostly-fictional profession.

Occupation: Musician, actress, TV personality

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reaching No. 62 on the Billboard Hot 100 with her latest single, "Live it Up" (featuring Pitbull)

Maybe it wasn't flat-out shocking, but the J-Lo comeback over the last couple years has certainly been unexpected. After some time out of the spot light, she has returned to the limelight with a vengeance, singing, dancing and acting her way back into the A-List spotlight. She recently unveiled "Live It Up," the lead single from her eighth studio album, and earlier this year appeared alongside Jason Statham in the crime thriller Parker. She's also taken on a more executive role, having been named Chief Creative Officer of nuvoTV and producing the upcoming ABC Family show The Fosters this year alone.

Occupation: MMA fighter, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in the box office smash Fast & Furious 6

This MMA star may not have to be a fighter for much longer; after a strong performance in Fast & Furious 6, Gina Carano has cemented herself as a bankable female action star. Her subway fight scene with Michelle Rodriguez was the kind of brutal, dragdown event moviegoers love to see. Not to mention, she'll be starring later this year in In the Blood, essentially a version of Taken where Carano is the one on the rampage. We certainly wouldn't want to mess with her. Her performances have been strong, and in 2013 she was nominated for the Critics Choice Award for Best Actress in an Action Movie for her role in 2012's Haywire.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Filming her first music video for the Pitch Perfect soundtrack single "Cups (When I'm Gone)"

Anna Kendrick is a young actress who hails from that hotbed of acting talent, Portland, Maine. She was nominated for a Tony Award when she was 13 (what were you doing when you were 13, Mr. Hairy Palms?); she was also in a bunch of those Twilight movies and Scott Pilgrim. But what we really want to know is—who's drunk?! Ok, we'll go first: Anna Kendrick. Kendrick Lamar. Lamar Odom. Odom... Odom... We got nothing. Damnit. Lamar Odom always fucks that game up.

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Released her debut album, Sentimental Journey

Emmy Rossum has established a foothold for herself with her work on Showtime's Shameless, garnering her several award nominations in late 2012. This year, she has already appeared in her first movie in over two years with her role as the sinister Ridley in Beautiful Creatures while continuing her work as the lead in season three of Shameless. She also found time to release her second studio album, Sentimental Journey, a compilation of cover songs from 1920-1960 that reached as high No. 92 on the Billboard charts.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in forthcoming movies from acclaimed directors Ron Howard (Rush) and Spike Jonze (Her)

It's been a big 2013 already for Wilde, who has already appeared in The Incredible Burt Wonderstone and has at least six other projects either completed or close to it including the festival hit Drinking Buddies and Third Person, a huge ensemble film starring James Franco, Mila Kunis, Liam Neeson, Adrien Brody, Maria Bello, Kim Basinger, and Casey Affleck. Wilde also has had a big year personally, announcing via Twitter in January that she and Saturday Night Live star Jason Sudeikis are now engaged. The 29-year-old also continues to endorse Revlon products, appearing on the pages of pretty much every major magazine sporting their lipstick and makeup. Not that she even needs it.

Occupation: Musician, Model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Lining up the release of her debut studio album, The New Classic

It's been a big year for Iggy Azalea, who's gone from a YouTube star to appearing alongside the likes of T.I. and B.o.B at the BET Hip-Hop Awards and touring the country with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. She was named the new face of Levi's jeans in the fall of 2012, and prior to that had signed on with Wilhelmina Models International and been featured in XXL Magazine's Top 10 Freshman issue. Her debut studio album, called "The New Classic" is slated to release this summer.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving a "Choice Female Hottie" nomination at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards

Her run in the Transformers franchise has come to a close, but that doesn't mean Megan Fox is done working. The 27-year-old signed on to play legendary reporter April O'Neil in the upcoming 2014 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, reuniting with car wash creep Michael Bay. She's also been nominated as the Choice Female Hottie at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards, a great achievement considering her lack of work over the last year. Perhaps the nomination is in reference to her advertising work, where she currently features in a TV campaign played only in Brazil for Brahma beer.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Bringing attention to genetic testing by announcing that she had a double mastectomy in February

Perhaps the most famous woman in the world, Jolie made headlines recently for her decision to undergo a preventative double mastectomy to protect against breast cancer. While she hasn't done much acting in recent years, she is scheduled to star in 2014's Maleficent alongside Elle Fanning and Sharlto Copley. It was also announced earlier this year that she will be working with the Coen brothers to make Unbroken, an adaptation of a popular biography about a World War II POW.

Occupation: TV Personality

Biggest accomplishment this year: Joining Entertainment Tonight as a correspondent

Despite the fact that she spent six long, highly productive years co-hosting BET's 106 & Park, vibrant and endearing on-air personality Rocsi Diaz's career is, that's right, just getting started. This year, the tube's sassier answer to Maria Menounos joined the Entertainment Tonight correspondence team, through which the Honduras-born, New Orleans-raised charmer conducts interviews with A-listers, travels the world over reporting on pop culture happenings, and slowly but surely gets her pre-global-domination Ryan Seacrest on.

Is she destined for similar omnipresence? Only time will tell. One thing's for certain: You won't hear us complaining about it.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving a People's Choice Award nomination for her work on ABC's Modern Family

Sofia Vergara's emergence as a star on Modern Family has allowed her to truly blossom into a borderline leading lady in Hollywood. She'll certainly be busy in 2013, adding to her Modern Family schedule with roles in several big movies including The Smurfs 2, How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Machete Kills. Additionally, she was nominated for the People's Choice Award for Favorite TV Comedy Actress. Hollywood is finally taking this beauty seriously.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving great reviews as a judge on NBC's The Voice

Prior to beginning work as a judge on NBC's hit singing competition The Voice, pop radio killer Shakira had, for the most part, fallen back from the public eye. The reason? She was pregnant with her first child.

Now that her son, Milan, has made his debut, the Colombian pop star is back in fighting condition physically, and beloved by millions of reality TV junkies thanks to her anti-contrarian attitude on The Voice. Alongside co-judges Blake Shelton, Usher, and Adam Levine, Shakira is consistently a ray of optimism.

Occupation: UFC Ring Girl

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in a show on CineFix's YouTube channel

While it seems like it would be really difficult for someone who just walks around holding a giant card with a number on it to be famous, Arianny Celeste has proven herself to be quite the trailblazer. The UFC Ring Girl has graced the pages of Playboy, FHM and Maxim, coming in most recently at No. 18 in this year's Maxim Hot 100 poll. She also recently graced the cover of UFC 360 magazine, a move that seems like maybe, just maybe, it was meant to target the mostly-male demographic that watches MMA.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in the second season of HBO's Girls

Allison Williams has been accused of being the beneficiary of nepotism in landing her role on Girls, what with her dad being some sort of hot-shotty news-type talking head and all. To which we say: We may have some fucks to give on this count, but you'll have to give us a minute to dig around in the couch cushions to find them. Really, who cares? Allison is cute, and funny to boot Allison is cute, and funny to boot (peep her "Funny or Die" series), and she holds an English degree from Yale. They don't give those out to any ol' private school girl from Connecticut. Ok, maybe they do, but we bet you don't even know if the "t" in "sonnet" is silent or not, so there. (It totes is, for the record. We think.)

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving a nomination for Best First Screenplay nomination at the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards, for co-writing Celeste and Jesse Forever

The Parks and Recreation star has become a big name in Hollywood in recent years, playing supporting roles in prominent films like I Love You, Man and The Social Network. Jones is also a talented writer, and was nominated for the 2013 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Screenplay for her work on Celeste and Jesse Forever, a well-received but relatively little-watched movie in which she co-starred with Andy Samberg.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring in Ain't Them Bodies Saints (set for an August 16 release), which was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at this year's Sundance Film Festival

Fun fact that many don't realize about Rooney Mara: her family is NFL royalty; her mom's side founded the Pittsburgh Steelers, and her dad's side still owns the New York Giants. Beyond the gridiron, Rooney has carved out a very successful career for herself as an actress. She starred earlier this year in Steven Soderbergh's Side Effects, and will also appear with Amy Adams and Joaquin Phoenix in Spike Jonze's Her later this year. Mara also has also crossed over into the modeling world, recently becoming the of Calvin Klein's new "Down Town" fragrance. As if that weren't enough, she's a philanthropist as well, serving as president of the board of directors for her Faces of Kibera foundation, which provides assistance to kids in one of Africa's largest slums.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in The Hangover Part III

With apologies to The Miz, Jamie Chung is easily the most successful of any past Real World cast member. After leaving the MTV bosom following a victory on The Real World/Road Rules Challenge, Chung has embarked on a modestly successful acting career. She reprised her role as Ed Helms' new bride in The Hangover III, and will also appear in the upcoming sequel, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. She currently has a recurring role as Mulan on the ABC series Once Upon a Time, a show in which a normal town's residents are, in fact, fairy tale characters. Surprising as it may sound, the show has actually done quite well and was just renewed for a third season.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in the critically acclaimed indie drama The Place Beyond the Pines

While we were very disappointed not to see her in Fast Six after her cameo in Fast Five, Eva Mendes still found time to appear alongside her de facto husband Ryan Gosling in The Place Beyond the Pines earlier this year. She also announced in February of this year that she'll be launching her own fashion collection, adding that to her stable of other products that include linens and dinnerware. Even at age 39, Mendes looks like someone half her age and continues to model for Revlon, Pantene, and Calvin Klein.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reprising her voice acting role as Smurfette in The Smurfs 2

Everyone knows about Katy Perry. She has branched out into pretty much all areas of the entertainment industry, and this year alone has made headlines on a number of fronts. She'll be releasing her fourth studio album in September, a work which she says will be a lot darker than her previous efforts. She also will be reprising her tour de force performance as Smurfette in The Smurfs 2, thus far her only foray into cinema where she didn't appear as herself. She also released her third fragrance (Killer Queen), something we're not totally sure the world was clamoring for. Since Perry was named Men's Health's Sexiest Woman of 2013, though, we're also guessing most people won't mind.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Receiving a Golden Globe nomination for Best Suporting Actress, for ABC's Nashville

Hayden Panettiere, the pint-size star of ABC's country music soap opera Nashville, provides the show's sass and sexual as the feisty singing sensation Juliette Barnes. On the show, the former Heroes scene-stealer is tough, confident, not afraid to diss and dismiss her haters, and tactical enough to use her disarming good looks to her advantage.

She's vulnerable, too, a facet of her character that's allowed Panettiere to show and prove as a dramatic actress. Considering her recent Golden Globe nomination, the industry is taking notice.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in the upcoming second season of HBO's The Newsroom

Olivia Munn has been the biggest breakout star of HBO's The Newsroom, a slightly self-righteous look at the dynamics of a national news broadcast. In addition to her work on the show, Munn also had a three-episode stint this past season on New Girl as Nick's new stripper girlfriend. After two consecutive years finishing at No. 2 in the Maxim Hot 100 list, Munn plummeted to No. 28 this year; somehow, we think she'll get over it. She's also well-known for her devotion to animals and PETA, this year lending her face to a campaign against cruelty on Chinese fur farms.

Occupation: Model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Landing a new Yves Saint Laurent beauty campaign

Ah, the model with the severe eyebrows. But answer us this, you supercilious aficionado of the supercilium: Would you kick Ms. Delevingne out of bed for plucking her 'brows? No, sir, you would not. Would you kick her out of bed for dropping a glassine bag containing some powdery white substance? Of course fucking not. Now, one more: How do you pronounce her name? Eh? Who's talking slick now, buddy?

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Taking the lead role in Ryan Gosling's directorial debut, How to Catch a Monster

On Mad Men, Christina Hendricks plays Joan Harris, the only female partner at the SCDP. The show's sixth season, airing now, hasn't given us enough of Harris, who's one of the most complex, sympathetic figures in the office. Thankfully, she'll play the lead in Ryan Gosling's How to Catch a Monster, where she'll play a single mom who works at a fetish club.

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring on the hit Fox series Glee

Right now, Naya Rivera is best be known for her work on Glee, but she's already starting branching out beyond the show to prepare for her literal and figurative graduation from the popular Fox show. She appeared in an M&Ms ad during this year's Super Bowl, and has a feature film appearance slated for later this year with Home. She also has made headlines for her relationship with Big Sean, and while the two went public barely a month ago they've already been spotted vacationing together in Hawaii. With got two successful and talented people, Hawaii must be the equivalent of going to the mall for all those normal couples out there.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Winning the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, for Les Misérables

After a turn in Les Misérables that earned her an Academy Award, Anne Hathaway has the film world at her feet. The personable actress even made an appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 in January with her version of Les Mis' "I Dreamed a Dream," reaching as high as No. 69 despite the song not being pushed as a single. Her next two projects are big, sweeping epics of decidedly different sorts; she'll be reprising her role as Jewel in Rio 2, and she'll also be starring alongside Matthew McConaughey in the sci-fi themed film "Interstellar." Both are scheduled to be released in 2014, and her only scheduled role this year is a minor appearance in the comedy "Don Jon."

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Returning to the Billboard Hot 100 with "Young and Beautiful," her single from the The Great Gatsby soundtrack

Del Rey started the year strong, beating out Taylor Swift by winning the BRIT award for the Top International Female Solo Artist in February. Since then, she's been at work on her third studio album and released music videos for two cover songs she's done, "Chelsea Hotel #2" and "Summer Wine." Her new song, "Young and Beautiful," was featured in the recently-released film adaptation of The Great Gatsby, and served as the soundtrack's lead single. It reached as high as No. 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, Del Rey's best mark since her debut track "Video Games."

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in the successful, very adult indie film Spring Breakers

Any "good girl" image of Vanessa Hudgens we might have been holding on to vanished with this year's Spring Breakers, in which the former High School Musical star forced James Franco to deep throat a gun, among other jaw dropping scenes. She's further exterminated her wholesome image with her latest musical effort, a song entitled "$$$ex" that (shockingly) espouses the virtues of "hot sex." Despite her musical pursuits, going forward Hudgens will be focusing more on the big screen; she has three movies awaiting release later this year, and will be cashing in next year with the latest installment in the more family-friendly Journey series.

Occupation: Musician

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starting her own label, Saint Records

Did you know that there's more than one singing Knowles child? If you answered no, shame on you. Solange has established herself as a legitimate talent in her own right with smash singles like "Losing You." Her third studio album, coming later this year, will get her voice into more speakers and ear buds. She's got a funny side too, appearing in Lonely Island's "Semi-Colon" video that came out barely a week ago.

Her style is entirely unique for her big sister's, but the 26-year-old has followed in Beyonce's steps in the way in which she has branched out beyond music. Her most, how to say, unique pet project is Baby Jamz, a line of toys intended for preschoolers that has a decidedly hip hop-styled flair to it. Obviously, they aren't meant to teach spelling.

Occupation: Professional tennis player
Biggest accomplishment this year: Upcoming participation in the 2013 French Open and the 2013 Wimbledon Championships

As of right now, Serena Williams is the No. 1 ranked female tennis player in singles, and shows no signs of losing the energy that carried her through last season, when she was named WTA Player of the Year for the fourth time in her career. She's currently participating in the French Open, where she's set to face against Caroline Garcia.

Occupation: Musician, model

Biggest accomplishment this year: Being named as the face of Forever 21's summer collection

In April, Cassie dropped her mixtape RockaByeBaby, which featured performances from Rick Ross and Wiz Khalifa, among others, while also working on her second studio album, slated to release sometime this year. On the modeling side, she was named the face of Forever 21's summer collection and also served a term as the face of ASOS' spring collection.

Occupation: Professional basketball player

Biggest accomplishment this year: Getting drafted at No. 3 overall in the WNBA Draft

It's been a great year for Skylar Diggins. After becoming the all-time leading scorer for the University of Notre Dame's women's basketball program, she was named Big East Player of the Year and was selected to the AP All-America First Team. She then went No. 3 overall in the WNBA Draft, signing on with Jay-Z's Roc Nation Sports as their first female client. As if that weren't enough, her new agency decided that as a graduation gift, they'd surprise Diggins with a brand new Mercedes-Benz. We can't wait to see what they do if she wins Rookie of the Year or MVP.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Scoring the female lead role in Seth MacFarlane's next movie, A Million Ways to Die in the West

For Charlize Theron, started from the bottom means an uncredited role in 1995's Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest. 2013 has been a quiet year for Theron, after spending 2012 in space and fairy tales (Prometheus and Snow White and the Huntsman, respectively). In February, it was announced that she'll play the lead in the adaptation of Gillian Flynn's novel of rural crime and cults, Dark Places. She also contend with violence in wide open spaces when she stars in Seth MacFarlane's follow up to Ted, A Million Ways to Die in the West.

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Scoring her first-ever No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 single with "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"

It would be a fun experiment for Taylor Swift to see if she could release a song that wouldn't go to No. 1. We're confident that there is absolutely nothing the 23-year-old couldn't turn into a hit, as she now has had an astounding 41 singles appear on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. She also recently appeared as a bitter ex on an episode of New Girl, a role that she seemed particularly well-suited for. Of course, we would be remiss if we didn't mention her extensive dating history, and after her most recent relationship (with One Direction's Harry Styles) fizzled, she's found herself single yet again. Several singles lamenting this fact will inevitably follow.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Earning nominations for two People's Choice Awards, for co-starring in Ted

Kunis' film career continues to take off even as she continues voicing Meg on Family Guy; the Ukrainian-born actress is scheduled to appear in four movies in the rest of 2013. She already had a well-received turn in Oz the Great and Powerful earlier this year, and finished as runner-up to Jennifer Lawrence in the 2013 Ask Men Top 99 Most Desirable Women list. She was also recently named the global brand amabassador for Gemfields, a luxury jewelry company that specializes in precious stones that (hopefully) won't remind people of the movie Blood Diamond.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Reprising her role as Gwen Stacy in the currently filming The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Funny is sexy. Sexy is sexy. Funny and sexy is, like, doubly sexy or something. Well, duh. Emma Stone first came to our attention in Superbad, being both funny and sexy. She doesn't always do funny any more (although she voiced an Australian shepherd in the animated Marmaduke, which, not fur nothing is even sexier than funny-sexy—she's done The Amazing Spider-Man and adopted a Southern accent for The Help—but she shows no signs of losing the sexy part any time soon.

Occupation: Model, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Winning the People's Choice Award for Favorite Drama Movie Actress, for The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Another child star now trying to shake her old image and take on more controversial roles, Watson has already become a very in-demand star for a host of different movies. She will be starring as an absolutely insane version of herself in the upcoming star-studded apocalypse comedy This Is the End, and also stars in the soon to be released film The Bling Ring, a based on a true story about a group of teens who rob famous actors' homes. Her work in The Perks of Being a Wallflower garnered her many award nominations, including a win at the People's Choice Award for Favorite Drama Movie Actress and an MTV Movie Award for Trailblazer.

Occupation: Model, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Appearing on her second consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue cover

Kate Upton made history this year when she appeared on her second consecutive cover of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, becoming the first model to do so since Tyra Banks in 1996 and 1997. She certainly suffered for her craft, temporarily losing hearing and eyesight during the cover shoot in Antarctica. In addition to her swimsuit work, Upton has begun to appear in higher fashion magazines like Vogue and is branching out into the acting world. She is currently filming a small role in The Other Woman, a comedy starring Cameron Diaz slated to come out sometime next year.

Occupation: TV personality, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Carrying her first child

Kim Kardashian is everywhere. We dare you to try to escape her. Her relationship with Kanye West, and the baby she's carrying, have made her the most talked about woman in Hollywood, and in true Kardashian style, she has not shied away from the attention. She's continued to promote her fashion boutique D-A-S-H, and even found the time to finally polish off her divorce with Kris Humphries.

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Working with producer Mike WiLL on her upcoming single "We Can't Stop"

Cyrus has been a star for a long time, and at this point anything she does is going to draw a ton of attention, whether it involves twerking or not. She'll be releasing her fourth studio album later this year, and recently confirmed that the album's first single "We Can't Stop" will drop on June 3. Her lifestyle away from the studio has also made headlines, with everything from her outrageous haircut to her relationship with Liam Hemsworth subject to constant analysis and scrutiny.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Playing Holly Go-Lightly in the Broadway production of Breakfast at Tiffany's

Who doesn't love the Mother of Dragons? The Game of Thrones star might just be the show's biggest breakout performer. Her willingness to take on risque scenes has certainly made her a fanboy favorite, but she has also proven to be a tremendous actress capable of playing a variety of roles. She'll be appearing in the upcoming film Dom Hemingway, starring Jude Law, and will star alongside James Franco in the film Garden of Last Days.

Occupation: Musician, TV personality

Biggest accomplishment this year: Becoming the most charted female rapper in the history of the Billboard Hot 100

Everyone knows Nicki Minaj by now, as the rapper turned American Idol host has been the only redeeming part of the show this season. After winning The Source's Woman of the Year award in 2012, Nicki followed that up with by becoming the most charted female rapper in the history of the Billboard Hot 100, making her 44th appearance in April of this year. Last week, she won Best Rapper at the Billboard Music Awards, much to the chagrin of her fellow American Idol judge and personal nemesis Mariah Carey. She's currently working on a third studio album, which is scheduled to be released sometime in 2013.

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-starring in the successful indie film Spring Breakers

Like it or not, Selena Gomez is one of the most famous and successful young female entertainers today. Her high-profile relationship with fellow youngster Justin Bieber has made the pair tabloid stars for the better part of two and a half years even after their reported January 2013 breakup. Gomez has done just fine on her own, and recently released "Come & Get It," the first single off her new album Stars Dance, scheduled to drop this summer. She also made waves for her role in the controversial film Spring Breakers, in which she plays the one "good girl" in the entire movie.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Starring on ABC's hit drama series, and social media sensation, Scandal

After scoring a big hit with her performance in Django Unchained, Kerry Washington has taken it up another level with Scandal, the most talked about show on network TV right now. Earlier this year, People Magazine year ranked her as No. 2 on their 100 Most Beautiful People list, eclipsed only by her pal Gwyneth Paltrow. She also was given the honor of being named the commencement speaker at her alma mater, George Washington University. Less prestigious was her role in Tyler Perry Presents Peeples, a rare flop for Perry that had the tough task of going up against the second week of Iron Man 3 and the opening week of The Great Gatsby.

Occupation: Musician, Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Co-directing Life is But a Dream, her revealing, all-access HBO documentary

When you can refer to someone by just their first name and anyone alive immediately knows who you're talking about, that's when you know that person has made it. Beyoncé's pregnancy rumor a week ago practically shut down the Internet, to the degree that Jay-Z had to issue a public statement just to calm the furor. Beyoncé is much too busy to be pregnant again, anyway; this year alone she was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world, (controversially) sang the national anthem at President Obama's inauguration, and voiced Queen Tara in the recently-released animated film Epic.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Winning the Academy Award for Best Actress, for Silver Linings Playbook

At this point, we're all living in Jennifer Lawrence's world. The 22-year-old has become one of the most sought-after names in Hollywood, winning an Oscar for Silver Linings Playbook and being named one of Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People in the World this past April. She's attached to a number of upcoming projects, most notably the first Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire, which is slated for release in November of this year. She also had a hosting gig on Saturday Night Live, proving that she is certainly not above making fun of herself.

Occupation: Actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: The fourth season renewal of NBC's Community

Alison Brie's days as an underground success is coming to a close. Her standout performances this season as Annie on NBC's much-loved but little-watched Community and Trudy on Mad Men have helped propel her to wider recognition. She'll be appearing in the independent The Kings of Summer, which will be coming out in limited release on May 31. Interviews with Brie reveal a person who is refreshingly quirky and sure of herself, with subjects ranging from her freestyle rap skills to anecdotes about hooking up with a gay male friend all being in play.

Occupation: Musician, actress

Biggest accomplishment this year: Winning her seventh Grammy Award for her "We Found Love" music video

Never one to shy away from the spotlight (or controversy), Rihanna has once again done it big in 2013. She kicked off the year by getting back together with Chris Brown, a runaway favorite in the battle for worst human being on the planet. Fortunately they broke up again, this time without incident. Even while stirring the pot with her personal life, Rihanna has continued to enjoy huge success in her career; she took home her seventh Grammy award in February, and also debuted her own fashion line during London Fashion Week. She'll also be returning to the big screen next month, playing herself in a small role in the apocalypse-comedy This Is The End.