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The early 2000s were defined by low-rise jeans, glossy teen magazines, and a new wave of Hollywood “It Girls” who seemed to be everywhere. From the covers of Maxim and People Magazine to starring roles in beloved teen dramas and cult films, these actresses captured the spotlight with their beauty, charisma, and undeniable star power. They dominated red carpets, set fashion trends, and were fixtures in Us Weekly and FHM countdowns.
While some went on to steady careers or transitioned into different paths, others faded from the limelight, leaving behind unforgettable performances and iconic pop culture moments. Let’s take a nostalgic look back at 25 “It Girls” of the 2000s, ranked from 25 to 1.
25. Eliza Dushku
Eliza Dushku cemented herself as a cult favorite with her fierce turn as Faith in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel. She also headlined Bring It On opposite Kirsten Dunst, a performance that made her a staple in early 2000s teen culture. Dushku frequently appeared in Maxim’s Hot 100 and FHM lists, praised for her edgy, tough-girl appeal she showed in Dollhouse. Though she later stepped away from Hollywood, her legacy as one of the decade’s most striking stars remains strong.
24. Mischa Barton
Best known as Marissa Cooper on The O.C., Mischa Barton was everywhere in the mid-2000s. She graced the covers of Teen Vogue, Cosmopolitan, and People, with her character’s tragic arc cementing her as an icon of the era. Barton was a front-row regular at fashion shows and frequently appeared on best-dressed lists. While her later career slowed, her early fame defined the golden age of teen dramas.
23. Rachel Bilson
As Summer Roberts on The O.C., Rachel Bilson’s bubbly personality made her a fan favorite. She was regularly profiled in People’s Most Beautiful issues and appeared in Maxim’s Hot 100 for multiple years. Bilson’s sweet-but-sassy on-screen charm translated to the red carpet, where she became a fashion darling. Though she later starred in Hart of Dixie, her true “It Girl” peak was during her O.C. years.
22. Shannon Elizabeth
After stealing the show as Nadia in American Pie, Shannon Elizabeth became a late-’90s and early-2000s pin-up. She graced Maxim, Esquire, and FHM covers, where she was consistently ranked among the sexiest women alive. Beyond her comedic timing, Elizabeth also gained attention for her roles in Scary Movie and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Her image as a sultry bombshell cemented her It Girl status.
21. Mena Suvari
Mena Suvari became a household name with American Beauty and American Pie, two of the most defining films of the era. Her performance in American Beauty earned her critical acclaim, while her playful side was great in teen comedies. She was a fixture in Maxim’s Hot 100 and frequently appeared on best-dressed lists for her daring red-carpet choices. Suvari perfectly embodied the crossover between indie prestige and mainstream teen stardom.
20. Sarah Michelle Gellar
Though she rose to fame in the ’90s, Sarah Michelle Gellar remained a reigning queen of the early 2000s with Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s final seasons and films like Cruel Intentions and Scooby-Doo. She was a perennial presence in Maxim and FHM, adored for her girl-next-door beauty with an edge. Gellar’s style moments on the red carpet and in People’s Most Beautiful issues kept her at the forefront. She defined the supernatural trend that ruled the decade.
19. Alyssa Milano
By the early 2000s, Alyssa Milano had successfully reinvented herself from a child star into a sultry television staple with Charmed. She frequently appeared in Maxim, Stuff, and FHM, celebrated for her smoldering looks and girl-power appeal. Milano was a red-carpet favorite, often spotted at MTV and WB events during the height of her fame. She perfectly captured the blend of sexy and approachable that defined the era’s It Girls.
18. Tara Reid
Tara Reid was the ultimate early-2000s party girl, thanks to her breakout in American Pie and her scene-stealing role in Josie and the Pussycats. She was constantly in tabloids, featured in Maxim’s Hot 100, and photographed at every major Hollywood party. Reid’s public persona as a wild child often overshadowed her acting, but it cemented her as an unforgettable cultural figure. At her peak, she embodied the era’s fascination with young starlets living fast.
17. Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore transitioned seamlessly from pop princess to movie star with A Walk to Remember. She appeared in People’s 50 Most Beautiful and consistently ranked in Maxim’s Hot 100. Her fashion evolution from bubblegum teen to red-carpet elegance made her a standout at MTV events. Though she eventually focused more on music and later TV with This Is Us, her early 2000s reign was peak It Girl energy.
16. Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes became America’s sweetheart as Joey Potter on Dawson’s Creek. She was frequently on the covers of Seventeen and CosmoGirl, with her wholesome yet chic style defining late-’90s and early-2000s fashion. Holmes appeared in People’s 50 Most Beautiful and was a rising star in films like Pieces of April and First Daughter. Before her highly publicized marriage to Tom Cruise, Holmes was adored purely for her fresh-faced stardom.
15. Kirsten Dunst
Kirsten Dunst’s fame skyrocketed with Bring It On and the Spider-Man trilogy. She was regularly featured in Maxim and People, praised for her versatile performances and trendsetting red-carpet choices. Dunst also made Vanity Fair’s prestigious Hollywood cover in 2003, cementing her A-list status. Her ability to balance indie projects with blockbuster roles made her one of the era’s defining actresses.
14. Eva Mendes
Eva Mendes captivated audiences in Training Day and 2 Fast 2 Furious, quickly becoming a household name. She frequently graced Maxim and FHM lists, celebrated for her sultry screen presence. Mendes was also a red-carpet staple, turning heads with her glamorous style at every premiere. By the mid-2000s, she was among the most in-demand Latina actresses in Hollywood.
13. Denise Richards
Denise Richards became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces with roles in Wild Things, Starship Troopers, and as a Bond girl in The World Is Not Enough. Her striking looks and bold on-screen choices kept her in constant demand, while her appearances in Maxim, FHM, and People’s 50 Most Beautiful People cemented her status as one of the quintessential sex symbols of the era. Richards was frequently photographed on red carpets and in glossy spreads, known for her glamorous style and radiant presence. Whether stealing scenes in cult classics or making headlines in the tabloids, Richards perfectly embodied the early 2000s It Girl phenomenon.
12. Jessica Simpson
As both a pop star and reality TV personality, Jessica Simpson embodied 2000s pop culture. Her show Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica, turned her into a household name, and she frequently landed on Maxim’s Hot 100. Simpson’s fashion choices and music videos made her a constant tabloid fixture. At her peak, she was a cross-platform It Girl who commanded both the charts and red carpets.
11. Christina Aguilera
Christina Aguilera shed her Disney roots with the iconic Dirrty era in the 2000’s, but the 90s were her Genie in a Bottle era. She was a fixture on Maxim’s Hot 100 and appeared in FHM’s sexiest women lists throughout the decade. Aguilera’s red-carpet reinventions, from glamorous gowns to bold experimental looks, made headlines. Her powerhouse vocals and daring persona made her one of the boldest It Girls of the era.
10. Lindsay Lohan
With films like Mean Girls and Freaky Friday, Lindsay Lohan became the ultimate teen star of the 2000s. She was constantly in People and Us Weekly, while Maxim and FHM ranked her among the sexiest stars. Lohan’s high-profile lifestyle and party-girl image made her a paparazzi target. At her peak, she embodied both the glamour and chaos of 2000s Hollywood.
9. Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton wasn’t just an It Girl—she practically invented the concept for the 2000s. From The Simple Life to constant paparazzi appearances, Hilton dominated tabloids. She frequently graced Maxim covers and ranked in FHM’s hottest women lists. Hilton’s catchphrases and style made her an icon, even as critics debated her talent.
8. Nicole Richie
As Paris Hilton’s partner-in-crime on The Simple Life, Nicole Richie became a household name. Initially known for her wild persona, she evolved into a fashion trendsetter covered by People and InStyle. Richie’s red-carpet looks often outshined even Paris, earning her spots in best-dressed lists. Her transformation from reality star to style icon embodies the It Girl trajectory.
7. Britney Spears
Britney Spears wasn’t just a pop princess—she was the defining cultural figure of the early 2000s. Her appearances in Rolling Stone, Maxim, and People kept her constantly in the spotlight. Spears’ style moments, from denim-on-denim to red carpets, shaped a generation of fans. Even as her career faced struggles, her It Girl impact remains unparalleled.
6. Hilary Duff
As the star of Lizzie McGuire and crossover films like A Cinderella Story, Hilary Duff was beloved by teens everywhere. She appeared on Teen People’s “25 Hottest Stars Under 25” and CosmoGirl covers. Duff’s transition into music with hit singles and her polished red-carpet looks cemented her It Girl status. She perfectly captured the clean-cut Disney-to-Hollywood journey of the decade.
5. Jessica Alba (Top 5 Hottest ‘It Girls’ of the 2000s)
Before becoming a household name in Fantastic Four and Sin City, Jessica Alba was an It Girl thanks to her role in Dark Angel. She became a sex symbol almost overnight, claiming the top spot on Maxim’s Hot 100 in 2001. With her exotic beauty and undeniable talent, Alba graced the covers of GQ and Esquire, where she was praised for bringing a fresh, modern edge to Hollywood glamour and redefining what it meant to be a screen siren in the new millennium. Though she later built a business empire, her early years made her a quintessential It Girl.
4. Jennifer Love Hewitt (Top 5 Hottest ‘It Girls’ of the 2000s)
From I Know What You Did Last Summer to Heartbreakers, Jennifer Love Hewitt was everywhere in the early 2000s. No one dominated the men’s magazines of the early 2000s like Jennifer Love Hewitt. With her irresistible mix of girl-next-door charm and bombshell curves, she became every young man’s dream girl of the era. She appeared on countless covers, from Maxim to People, and was a fixture on FHM’s sexiest women lists, consistently celebrated in fan polls as one of Hollywood’s most desirable stars. Her blend of wholesome appeal and sultry roles made her unforgettable.
3. Jessica Biel (Top 5 Hottest ‘It Girls’ of the 2000s)
Jessica Biel went from a teen favorite on 7th Heaven to Hollywood It Girl with films like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre remake. She was crowned Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive in 2005 and appeared regularly in Maxim’s Hot 100. In the 2000s, her physique was unmatched. No one else blended fitness, curves, and her famously sculpted figure into such a captivating package quite like Jessica Biel. Her rise from TV sweetheart to silver-screen siren cemented her as one of the most desirable stars of the decade.
2. Megan Fox (Top 5 Hottest ‘It Girls’ of the 2000s)
Megan Fox became the ultimate bombshell and one of the most beautiful women in the world after her breakout in Transformers. Her irresistible and unstoppable allure cemented her status as the sexiest woman in the world at the time. The early 2000s were prime Megan Fox. She topped FHM’s 100 Sexiest Women in the World and became a cover girl for Maxim and Esquire. Fox’s sultry red-carpet appearances and sharp personality made her a cultural phenomenon. Though her career had ups and downs, her peak It Girl status remains unmatched.
1. Scarlett Johansson (The Hottest ‘It Girl’ of the 2000s)
Scarlett Johansson was the epitome of an early-2000s It Girl before becoming one of Hollywood’s most beautiful and bankable stars. She is arguably the most beautiful woman of the 2000s-2020s. Her commanding beauty and undeniable sex appeal have transcended generations. Films like Lost in Translation, Girl with a Pearl Earring, to Vicky Cristina Barcelona showcased her talent, while Esquire named her “Sexiest Woman Alive” twice (2006 and 2013). She appeared in Maxim’s Hot 100 multiple times and was a red-carpet favorite for her Old Hollywood glamor. Johansson’s mix of critical acclaim and bombshell appeal made her the undisputed No. 1.
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