You might be wondering how we came up with this list. Let me tell you, it wasn’t scientific. I sat down with 4 other guys that were either in their teens or 20s in the 1980s and discussed this list. I thought it would take an hour or maybe 2. Think again. It took almost 8 hours and involved us pulling up key scenes from 80s movies from my Amazon prime collection. The first thing we did – and it was harder than we thought – was to debate what qualifies as “beautiful” vs “pretty” vs “hot” vs “cute”. What we agreed was this – beauty encompasses all aspects of physical attractiveness plus the personality that the actress exhibits in both her acting and her public life.
So, while this list was subjective, it wasn’t built without a lot of thought. First we’ll share a few Honorable Mentions and then the top 50.
#Honorable Mention – Molly Ringwald
Notable 80s Performances
Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Pretty in Pink (1986)
The Pick-up Artist (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Not everyone could agree that Molly was smoking hot, but she is super iconic and so represents teen movies in thee 1980s. And, she’s one of the few gingers on the list.
#Honorable Mention – Jessica Rabbit
Notable 80s Performances
“Who Framed Roger Rabbit” (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Jessica Rabbit isn’t exactly an actress, but she is unique in that she was one of the first cartoon character to be a sex symbol in a unique movie that was part animated and part live action.
#Honorable Mention – Susan Sarandon
Notable 80s Performances
Loving Couples (1980)
Witches of Eastwick (1987)
Bull Durham (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
In the 1980s, Susan was coming into her own – moving from sidekick roles to being the leading actress. This was partially based on her beauty but mostly on her acting chops.
#Honorable Mention – Glenn Close
Notable 80s Performances
World According to Garp (1982)
The Big Chill (1983)
The Natural (1984)
Fatal Attraction (1987)
Dangerous Liaisons (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
If this list was entitled “The Most Seductive Actresses of the 1980s”, Glenn Close would have been much closer to the top based on her performances in Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liaisons. But, it is “the hottest actresses” and Glenn landed in the honorable mention section.
#50 – Dolly Parton
Notable 80s Performances
9 to 5 (1980)
The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)
Steel Magnolias (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
To be clear, Dolly Parton, was a major sex symbol — just not of the 80s. She was 34 years old in 1980 when she starred in 9 to 5. Had she been 24, she almost certainly would have been higher up on the list.
#49 – Suzanne Sommers
Notable 80s Performances
The Fall Guy (1980) (TV)
Three’s Company (1982-87) (TV)
Why We Picked This Actress
Best known for her role as Chrissy in Three’s Company, Suzanne was the quintessential bubbly (and frequently dumb-acting) blonde. She’s pretty, but there is nothing unique about her beauty.
#48 – Justine Bateman
Notable 80s Performances
“Family Ties” (1982-89) (TV)
“The Fatal Image” (1988) (TV)
“Crossing the Mob” (1988) (TV)
Why We Picked This Actress
Our team of rankers debated whether Justine should be in the top 50. The thing that convinced us was that we all could remember wanting to date someone because they looked a little bit like her. And if that’s not a good enough reason, I don’t know what is.
#47 – Kate Jackson
Notable 80s Performances
Charlie’s Angels (1981-89) (TV)
Finder of Lost Loves (1985) (TV)
Why We Picked This Actress
The first of Charlie’s angel to make it to our list, Kate is lovely. Her look is a little more reminiscent of the 1970s than 1980s, but WOW is she beautiful.
#46 – Ally Sheedy
Notable 80s Performances
WarGames (1983)
Oxford Blues (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)
Short Circuit (1986)
Why We Picked This Actress
The second member of the brat pack to make our list so far. Ally is the quintessential girl next door. And, we all agreed that she has a really unique and engaging voice that adds to beauty.
#45 – Carrie Fisher
Notable 80s Performances
“The Empire Strikes Back” (1980)
“Return of the Jedi” (1983)
“Hannah and Her Sisters” (1986)
“When Harry Met Sally” (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Talk about an icon. Carrie Fisher was in 2 of the top 10 grossing movies of the 1980s (and the highest grossing movie of the 1970s). And just a short 6 years later, she was a (still beautiful) middle aged supporting actress in When Harry Met Sally.
#44 – Cher
Notable 80s Performances
“Silkwood” (1983)
“Mask” (1985)
“Witches of Eastwick” (1987)
“Moonstruck” (1987)
“Suspect” (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Not many people know that Cher’s birth name was Cherilyn Sarkisian. She was half Armenia and that accounts for exotic style of beauty. Cher first became famous in the late 60s in her teens, so it’s noteworthy that she was already 34 in 1980.
#43 – Debra Winger
Notable 80s Performances
Urban Cowboy (1980)
Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Terms of Endearment (1983)
Black Widow (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Debra Winger is a bit of surprise on the list. We wanted more representation of for working class kind of beauty and based on her roles in Orban Cowboy and An Officer and a Gentleman, she was the easy choice.
#42 – Jennier Beals
Notable 80s Performances
“My Bodyguard” (1980)
“Flashdance” (1983)
“Split Decisions” (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Jennifer Beals is one of the few women of color on our list (her dad was African American). The 80s was kind of famous for dance movies and Flashdance (which Beals headlines in) kicked off that craze.
#41 – Melanie Griffith
Notable 80s Performances
Something Wild (1986)
Working Girl (1988)
Milagro Beanfield War (1988)
Bonfire of the Vanities (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Melanie Griffith is beautiful for sure – but of the things that we all remembered about Melanie is her little girl voice. Even as a 31 year old in Working Girl, she still sounds like a 12 year old girl.
#40 – Kathleen Turner
Notable 80s Performances
“Body Heat” (1981)
“Romancing the Stone” (1984)
“Crimes of Passion” (1984)
“Prizzi’s Honor” (1985)
“Jewel of the Nile” (1985)
“Peggy Sue Got Married” (1986)
“The Accidental Tourist” (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Kathleen Turner was an absolute powerhouse in the 1980s. She starred in movies that relied on her sex appeal from the beginning of the decade to the end. And, she has a unique husky kind of voice as well that adds to her mystique.
#39 – Catherine Bach
Notable 80s Performances
Dukes of Hazzard (1980-1985)
Cannonball Run (1981)
Cannonball Run II (1984)
Why We Picked This Actress
Catherine Bach is so beautiful that a sexy fashion trend of the 1980s is named after her. To this day, people refer to revealing denim shorts as “Daisy Dukes”. And – oh my god – did she look amazing in them.
#38 – Mia Sara
Notable 80s Performances
“Legend” (1985)
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986)
“A Stranger Among Us” (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Mia Sara was a bit of dark horse in our list. She only had one major role in the decade – as Sloane in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off. But it was an iconic movie and she lit up the screen with her Italian-style beauty. FYI – her birth name is Mia Sarapochiello.
#37 – Kelly McGillis
Notable 80s Performances
“Witness” (1985)
“Top Gun” (1986)
“The Accused” (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Everyone knew that Kelly would make this top 50 list, it was just a matter of where. She is probably best known for her role as Charlie Blackwood is Top Gun.
#36 – Andie MacDowell
Notable 80s Performances
“The Legend of Tarzan” (1984)
“St. Elmo’s Fire” (1985)
“Sex, Lies, & Videotape” (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Andie was just kicking off her acting career and was only in a few movies in the 1980s. The role that best showed off her casual, understated beauty was as Ann Mullany in Sex, Lies and Videotape. So much of her beauty lies in the hesitancy of she brings to her parts.
35 – Pam Grier
Notable 80s Performances
“The Big Score” (1983)
“Something Wicked This Way Comes” (1983)
“Fort Apache the Bronx” (1984)
“On the Edge” (1986)
“Above the Law” (1988)
“Midnight Run” (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Sadly, Pam Grier is the only completely African American actress on the list. We tried to find others but it just wasn’t a great decade for actresses of color. What a hottie Pam was, though.
#34 – Brigitte Nielsen
Notable 80s Performances
Red Sonja (1985)
Rocky IV (1985)
Cobra (1986)
Beverly Hills Cop II (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Brigitte was tall, blonde, skinny and very angular in the 1980s and all of this combined to make her a real beauty.
#33 – Jaclyn Smith
Notable 80s Performances
“Charlie’s Angels” (1980-81) (TV)
“The Love Boat” (1982-85) (TV)
“Hotel” (1983-1987)
“Murder, She Wrote” (1984-89)
Why We Picked This Actress
Jaclyn is the 2nd (of 4) Charlie’s angels to make our list. She is best remembered with that feathered hair style that oh so popular during the 1980s.
#32 – Linda Fiorentino
Notable 80s Performances
Vision Quest (1985)
Silverado (1985)
Sex, Lies & Videotape (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
One of our favorite things about Linda Fiorentino is the permanent sneering expression that she has on her face. It’s like she knows a secret that she’s not telling — and that secret is that she’s way to hot for the likes of you.
#31 – Sharon Stone
Notable 80s Performances
Irreconcilable Differences (1984)
King Solomon’s Mines (1985)
Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold (1986)
Action Jackson (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Most of the world only discovered Sharon Stone in the 1990s when she starred in Basic Instinct, but she did several movies in the 1980s as well. And she was a real beauty in them.
#30 – Madonna
Notable 80s Performances
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985)
Shanghai Surprise (1986)
Who’s That Girl (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
So much of Madonna’s beauty lies in her sense of style and individuality. Don’t get me wrong, objectively she’s attractive, but her clothes, jewelry, hair style, and bohemian attitude make hear beauty all the more alluring.
#29 – Elizabeth Shue
Notable 80s Performances
The Karate Kid (1984)
The Karate Kid Part II (1986)
Adventures in Babysitting (1987)
Cocktail (1988)
Back to the Future Part II (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Elizabeth Shue is the girl next door. She’s cute. She has freckles and a bubbly personality. But there’s something that makes her stand out even more than that. Maybe it was because she was cast in one of the most iconic movies of the decade – The Karate Kid.
#28 – Ione Skye
Notable 80s Performances
River’s Edge (1986)
A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon (1988)
Say Anything (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
It’s hard not to put Ione Skye in a prominent place on the list when her most famous role (Diane Court in Say Anything) casts her as the almost perfect, unattainable girl. We were pretty much programmed to view her as the standard of 1980s beauty.
#27 – Joan Chen
Notable 80s Performances
“Little Flower” (1980)
“Tai-Pan” (1986)
“The Last Emperor” (1987)
“China Girl” (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
It’s true that there weren’t a lot of roles for women of color in the 1980s, but Asian (or Asian American) actresses were the most neglected. Joan Chen is one of the few Asian actresses that had starring roles in the 1980s.
#26 – Jennifer Grey
Notable 80s Performances
“Reckless” (1984)
“Red Dawn” (1984)
“American Flyers” (1985)
“Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986)
“Dirty Dancing” (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
If this list were the “Cutest Actresses of the 1980s”, Jennifer Grey might have nabbed the top spot. Her career defining role as Baby in Dirty Dancing forever cemented her as the little girl who turns into a beauty when puts on makeup and a dress.
#25 – Marlee Matlin
Notable 80s Performances
Children of a Lesser God (1986)
Walker (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Most people think of Marlee Matlin as deaf first and everything else second. Well, we think of her as a stone cold fox from the 1970s. She is almost heart-stoppingly lovely.
#24 – Meg Tilly
Notable 80s Performances
“Fame” (1982) (TV)
“The Big Chill” (1983)
“Agnes of God” (1985)
Why We Picked This Actress
Meg Tilly has a truly unique look. She is 50% Asian, 50% Irish, and 100% hot. I don’t think most people in the 80s knew about her mixed background. They just thought she was blessed with those exotic features.
#23 – Heather Locklear
Notable 80s Performances
Eight is Enough (1980-1981) (TV)
Dynasty (1981-1989) (TV)
Firestarter (1984)
T.J. Hooker (1982-1986) (TV)
Why We Picked This Actress
In addition to being an actress, Heather Locklear was on many of the posters that adorned my friends’ walls in the 1980s. She had an amazing smile and a killer body.
#22 – Courtney Cox
Notable 80s Performances
As the World Turns (84-85) (TV)
Family Ties – 1984-1985 (TV)
Why We Picked This Actress
Courtney Cox only has a few acting credits to her name in the 1980s. But anyone who saw her – like I did when she was Alex Keaton’s girlfriend on Family Ties – knew that she was going to world famous. She is the rare dark haired, pale skinned beauty.
#21 – Helen Slater
Notable 80s Performances
Supergirl (1984)
The Legend of Billie Jean (1985)
Ruthless People (1986)
The Secret of My Succe$s (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
It’s pretty impressive that Helen Slater’s first major movie was as Supergirl. That certainly got everyone’s attention – that and her striking beauty.
#20 – Uma Thurman
Notable 80s Performances
“Dangerous Liaisons” (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Uma Thurman is more remembered for her roles in the 1990s. She only had one supporting role in the 1980s – in Dangerous Liaisons – but boy did it show the world what a beauty she was.
#19 – Heather Thomas
Notable 80s Performances
“The Fall Guy” (1981-1986) (TV)
“Love Boat” (1983-1984) (TV)
Why We Picked This Actress
If you didn’t grow up in the 80s, it might be easy to confuse Heather Locklear and Heather Thomas. They’re both beautiful — but Heather Thomas has a certain IT factor that separates them.
#18 – Michelle Pfeiffer
Notable 80s Performances
“Grease 2” (1982)
“Scarface” (1983)
“Ladyhawke” (1985)
“Witches of Eastwick” (1987)
“Dangerous Liaisons” (1988)
“Tequila Sunrise” (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
I’m just gonna say it. Michelle Pfeiffer has the cutest, poutiest lips ever. She’s all around beautiful, but her pouty lips add a little extra.
#17 – Meg Ryan
Notable 80s Performances
“Top Gun” (1986)
“Innerspace” (1987)
“Promised Land” (1987)”
The Presidio” (1988)
“When Harry Met Sally” (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Meg Ryan might be one of the most memorable actresses of the 1990s. She got her start in the 1980s with a bunch of so-so roles and then cemented her position as rom-com queen when she played Sally Alrbight in When Harry Met Sally in 1989.
#16 – Rebecca de Mornay
Notable 80s Performances
Risky Business (1983)
The Trip to Bountiful (1985)
God Created Woman (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Rebecca de Mornay is sexy as hell and vaguely European. All actresses should ad a “de” in their name. It not only makes them seem like they are more talented, but more beautiful as well.
#15 – Isabella Rosselini
Notable 80s Performances
“White Nights” (1985)
“Blue Velvet” (1986)
“Cousins” (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Isabella Rosselini is beauty royalty. Her mom, Ingrid Bergman, might have been the most beautiful woman alive in the 1940s and – wow – what a stunning daughter she had. She didn’t act in many movies – she was a stunner in the ones she did.
#14 – Daryll Hannah
Notable 80s Performances
“Blade Runner” (1982)
“Splash” (1984)
“Clan of the Cave Bear” (1986)
“Roxanne” (1987)
“Wall Street” (1987)
“Steel Magnolias” (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Daryll Hannah was the go to blonde starlet in the 1980s. She was both voluptuous and fresh-faced. I’m sure Tom Hanks still dreams about her almost 40 years later after making Splash.
#13 – Olivia Newton-John
Notable 80s Performances
“Xanadu” (1980)
“Physical” (1981) (TV)
“Grease 2” (1982)
“Two of a Kind” (1983)
Why We Picked This Actress
Olivia Newton-John straddled both the 1970s and the 1980s with her beauty. Her Australian accent made her traditional blonde beauty just a little more alluring.
#12 – Bo Derek
Notable 80s Performances
“Ten” (1980)
“Tarzan, the Ape Man” (1981)
“Bolero” (1984)
Why We Picked This Actress
Bo Derek’s breakout role was in Ten where she was … well … a “10.” Some of you readers may think she deserves a higher spot on the list. The only thing that kept her down was that we couldn’t remember one thing about her personality.
#11 – Cheryl Ladd
Notable 80s Performances
“Charlie’s Angels” (1980-1981)
“Romantic Comedy” (1983)
“Purple Hearts” (1984)
“Dynasty” (1986-1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Cheryl Ladd spent most of her career on TV shows and never made the jump to the big screen. That shouldn’t detract from the fact that she was a legitimate beauty.
#10 – Lisa Bonet
Notable 80s Performances
Cosby Show (TV) (1984-1989)
Different World (TV) (1987-1989)
Angel Heart (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Lisa Bonet is the highest ranked woman of color on our list. She’s half Caucasian and half African American – but she got the best of both races. She is just so damn exotic looking. In researching her, we found out that she change her name to Lilakoi Moon not long after her run on The Cosby Show.
#9 – Winona Ryder
Notable 80s Performances
Lucas (1986)
Beetlejuice (1988)
Heathers (1988)
Great Balls of Fire! (1989)
Night on Earth (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
Winona Ryder is one of those girls that could go unnoticed in a baseball cap and sweatshirt, but the next moment be the most beautiful girl in the room. The pale skin / dark hair really works for her.
#8 – Cybil Shepherd
Notable 80s Performances
“The Last Song” (1980)
“Americathon” (1980)
“The Return” (1982)
“Chances Are” (1983)
“Long Hot Summer” (1985) (TV)
“Moonlighting” (1988) (TV)
Why We Picked This Actress
Cybil Shepherd has a timeless beauty. After a promising early career in the 1970s, she languished in the 1980s until she landed the role of Maddie in Moonlighting which allowed her to break out for the second time.
#7 – Meryl Streep
Notable 80s Performances
“The French Lieutenant’s Woman” (1981)
“Sophie’s Choice” (1982)
“Silkwood” (1983)
“Out of Africa” (1985)
“Ironweed” (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Meryl Street puts the “actress” in most beautiful actress. She is hands downs the most talented and recognized actress on our list with 21 Oscar nominations and 3 wins. And she is incredibly striking as well. It must be great to have it all.
#6 – Demi Moore
Notable 80s Performances
Blame It on Rio (1984)
No Small Affair (1984)
St. Elmo’s Fire (1985)
About Last Night (1986)
Why We Picked This Actress
Demi Moore is the third member of the brat pack to make it to our list. In addition to her stunning looks, Demi has an absolutely unique, husky voice that sets her aside as a actress.
#5 – Farrah Fawcett
Notable 80s Performances
“The Cannonball Run” (1981)
“The Burning Bed” (1984) (TV)
Why We Picked This Actress
Farrah Fawcett also has one foot in the 1970s and the other in the 1980s. Besides Bo Derek, Farrah Fawcett might be 2nd most featured face (and body) on the posters teen-aged boys hung on their bedroom walls.
#4 -Diane Lane
Notable 80s Performances
“The Outsiders” (1983)
“Rumble Fish” (1983)
“The Cotton Club” (1984)
Why We Picked This Actress
Diane Lane was a gorgeous child actresses who — shocker — grew up to be a gorgeous adult actress. Her coquettish smile could melt anyone’s heart.
#3 – Phoebe Cates
Notable 80s Performances
“Fast Times at Ridgemont High” (1982)
“Private School” (1983)
“Date with an Angel” (1987)
“Bright Lights, Big City” (1988)
Why We Picked This Actress
Phoebe Cates probably has the distinction of being in the most paused movie scene of all time. you the one I’m talking about – when she climbs out of the pool in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. He career was short – it was practically over by 1994 when Princess Caraboo was released. But Phoebe did burn bright for those 12 years.
#2 – Robin Wright
Notable 80s Performances
“The Princess Bride” (1987)
Why We Picked This Actress
Robin Wright might have been the most beautiful person alive in the late 80s. The only reason that she’s not in the top spot is that she only had one role in the 1980s as Buttercup in The Princess Bride. Oh my god, doesn’t her picture take your breath away.
#1 – Brooke Shields
Notable 80s Performances
“The Blue Lagoon” (1980)
“Endless Love” (1981)
“Brenda Starr” (1989)
Why We Picked This Actress
I have always been surprised that Brooke Shields didn’t go on to greater acting fame. After all, she was the “teen sex symbol” of the 1980s. I wonder if the controversy around this came back to haunt her. Can you think of anyone more stunning than her?