25 Most Iconic Swimsuit Moments In Movie History
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Brooke Shields – The Blue Lagoon, 1980
Brooke Christa Shields is the daughter of famous model and actress Teri Shields. Born in 1965 and began her modeling career at just 11 months old. She had a very successful career as a child model and actress. She was the youngest fashion model to be on the cover of Vogue at just 14 years.
Arguably The Blue Lagoon was her best-known movie released in 1980, in which she played the role of Emmeline. This movie was quite sensual and starred Christopher Atkins along with Brooke Shields. The film about teenage love on a tropical island and including nude scenes grossed over $58 million on just a $4.5million budget.
Ludivine Sagnier – Swimming Pool, 2003
This French beauty was born on July 3, 1979, and made her debut on the big screen at a very early age of nine years in the year 1989. Ludivine Sagnier leaped forward in 2003 in the Hollywood industry with the movie Swimming Pool, which bagged her various nominations and prizes.
This thriller movie is directed by François Ozon and stars Charlotte Rampling along with Ludivine Sagnier. In the movie, Sagnier plays the role of a girl named Julie, who claims to be the daughter of the crime novelist Sarah Morton. The film was a hit at the box office and received a lot of love.
Elizabeth Hurley – Bedazzled, 2000
Being an all-rounder in the industry, Elizabeth Jane Hurley is an incredible actress, a successful businesswoman, a humorous comedian, and a beautiful model. On June 10, 1965, she was born and made her Hollywood debut in 1987 with the movie Aria.
She rose to fame with her role as a fictional character as Casey Jean, popularly known as C.J. Parker from the famous series Baywatch. Anderson became an international sensation as a sensual symbol after her role as C.J. Parker, the longest-serving character. The iconic red swimsuits from the Baywatch series were custom-made for all the actresses.
Ursula Andress – Dr. No, 1962
Ursula Andress is a diva in a true sense. She is a Swiss actress who is famous for making fashion statements. She has six siblings; growing up, she also worked as a nanny. She certainly came a long way from doing walk-on parts in films to featuring in the James Bond series.
She got her breakthrough after appearing in the first James Bond film Dr. No, as Honey Ryder. It is basically a spy film, directed by Terence Young. The white bikini Ursula wore in Dr. No is categorized as the most stunning bikini ever. Alongside, that particular scene is considered to be a masterpiece in the cinema and fashion industry.
Kate Bosworth – Blue Crush, 2002
Catherine Anne Bosworth, born on January 2, 1983, is an American model and actress.
She began her acting career in 1998 with minor roles in movies like The Horse Whisperer and Remember the Titans, which was released in 2000. Her breakthrough in Hollywood was in the year 2002 with the sports film Blue Crush, which was a box office hit.
In the movie, Bosworth played the character of a young surfer named Anne Marie Chadwick. To get a perfect body for her role, she regularly trained for about seven hours a day for numerous months to gain some muscles; in turn, she received a lot of love for her work.
Halle Berry – Die Another Day, 2002
Maria Halle Berry is an American producer, director, and actress who began her career as a model. Berry worked in various movies in high-profile roles, making her one of the highest-paid actresses during the 2000s in the Hollywood industry.
One of her famous roles was Jinx Johnson, a fictional character from the movie Die Another Day which received immense love. This bikini picture of Halle depicts the scene when she emerges from the ocean, paying tribute to the character of Ursula Andress as Honey Raider from Dr. No, the first Bond movie. Lindy Hemming, the designer, insisted that Halle Berry use a knife to pay homage.
Virginie Ledoyen – The Beach, 2000
Virginie Fernández is popularly known by her stage name, Virginie Ledoyen. This French beauty is an exceptional actress who has a never-ending list of hit movies. She was born on November 15, 1976, in Aubervilliers. Apart from winning the audience’s heart in French films, she is popularly known for playing the character of Françoise, the girlfriend of Étienne in the movie The Beach.
The movie is filled with drama and adventure based on the novel The Beach written by Alex Garland. Ledoyen starred with Leonardo DiCaprio and Tilda Swinton and has done justice to her character in this moderately successful movie by John Hodge.
Sue Lyon – Lolita, 1962
From a teenage model to a well-established actress and fashion icon. This is how one can define Sue Lyon’s incredible journey. She is an American actress who has featured in movies like The Night of the Iguana, 7 Women, and Tony Rome. However, she came into the spotlight after playing the lead role in the 1962 film Lolita.
There were reports that Sue was selected amongst the 800 other girls who auditioned for the same part. Interestingly, she was just 14 years old when she played the role of Dolores “Lolita” Haze. She became the fourth-youngest actor to win a Golden Globe Awards.
Angelina Jolie – Tomb Raider, 2001
One of the most respected actresses in the film industry, Angelina Jolie, has been named the highest-paid actress of Hollywood multiple times. Born on June 4th, 1975, Jolie is also a filmmaker apart from a well-known actress.
Angelina became a well-established name after her extraordinary performance as a video game heroine in the action-adventure movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. This movie is based on a video game of the same name where Lara Croft tries to procure ancient artifacts from an Illuminati. Despite receiving some not-so-great reviews, Angelina was adored for her work, and it became the highest-grossed movie on the opening weekend.
Jessica Alba – Into The Blue, 2005
Jessica Marie Alba is a successful American businesswoman and an actress who stepped into Hollywood at the age of 13. On April 28, 1981, Alba was born and gained popularity at just 19 years of age with her lead role in Dark Angel.
In 2005 Jessica acted in an American thriller and action movie, Into The Blue, as Samantha Nicholson starring Paul Walker, Josh Brolin, and Ashley Scott. The film portrays the life of a couple who try to save themselves from a drug lord after finding some illegal stuff on a sunken plane. The movie grossed around $44 million worldwide and received a lot of love and appraisal.
Annette Funicello – Beach Party, 1963
Annette Funicello is an American actress and singer who was born on 22nd October 1942. However, not many know that she began her career as a child performer at 12 years of age. Before establishing herself as a successful film actress, Annette appeared on the original Mickey Mouse Club as the most popular Mouseketeers. She also worked as a singer and released singles like Tall Paul and Pineapple Princess as a child.
Her major breakthrough happened when she appeared in the film Beach Party opposite Frankie Avalon. It is one of the seven Beach party films that aim at a teen audience.
Carrie Fisher – Star Wars, 1977
As the daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, Carrier Fisher was all set to leave her mark in the Hollywood industry. Apart from being an actress, she was also a great writer who wrote some great movies such as Hook and Wishful Drinking.
She left her mark in the acting industry as Princess Leia, who starred opposite Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill in the science fiction film “Star Wars Episode IV – A New Hope.”
Before being cast for this role, Fisher had to fulfill the condition of losing 10 pounds of weight. Fisher was also nominated for four Saturn Awards for her character in Star Wars.
Sharon Tate – Don’t Make Waves, 1967
Popular for featuring in fashion magazines as a model, Sharon Tate is also an American actress who started her career as a Television actress but went further ahead and became part of many movies. She garnered loads of appreciation for her comedy timing and acting.
Her film debut was with the Barabbas; however, she just had a small role in the film as an extra. She came into the limelight after featuring in the comedy film Don’t Make Waves. Most of the film was shot near beaches, and some alluring photos of Sharon from those shots became a worldwide sensation.
Farrah Fawcett – Sunburn, 1979
Farrah Leni Fawcett was an American fashion model, artist, and actress. Born on February 2, 1947, at just the age of 21, she began her career in the Hollywood industry with commercials and a few guest roles on various TV series like Six Million Dollar Man and Harry O.
Starring in Charlie’s Angel was her breakthrough into various movies. One of which was Sunburn, released in the year 1979, a British American comedy detective movie. In the film, Farrah played the role of a hired wife to Dekker, whose name was Ellie Morgan. Farrah’s first film was to be sold for $3.5 million.
Bo Derek – 10, 1979
Mary Cathleen Collins, popularly known as Bo Derek, was born on November 20, 1965. She was an American model and actress who was best known for starring in the romantic comedy movie 10, released in 1979. At the age of 19, Mary Collins, whose stage name was Bo Shane, married John Derek and was called Bo Derek after that.
Mary’s role as Jenny Hanley became really popular, and her cornrow hairstyle was liked and copied by the people. After this movie, Bo Derek was shot to fame as a symbol of womanliness. Her character in 10 was also nominated for the Golden Globe Award For New Star Of The Year.
Jacqueline Bisset – The Sweet Ride, 1968
The prettiest Jacqueline Bisset is an English actress. She began her career as a film actor in 1965 with the movie The Knack… and How to Get It, although she received no such credit for the role. Her first noteworthy part was in the comedy-drama movie Two for the Road.
She was not someone who would give up easily; she kept on working hard until she finally became part of films like The Detective, Bullitt, and The Sweet Ride in 1968. She received a Golden Globe Nomination for her character Vickie Cartwright in The Sweet Ride.
Joan Blackman – Blue Hawaii, 1961
Joan May Blackman, aka John Blackman, was born on 17th May 1938 in San Francisco, California. She started as an actor at the age of 19 and gained an immediate following with her incredible talent and hard work. Although she is not working as an actor anymore, Joan is quite famous on social media.
Out of all the fantastic work she has done, she got most recognized for her movies with Elvis Presley; one of them is Blue Hawaii, where she played the role of Elvis’s girlfriend. Elvis was smitten with her even before they did a movie together. While they were filming, his not rumors about them dating also sparked.
Rachel McAdams – The Notebook, 2004
Rachel Anne McAdams is a Canadian actress born November 17, 1978. Post her graduation; she began working in Canadian film production and television. She made her debut in Hollywood in 2003 with the comedy movie The Hot Chick but became famous in 2004 with her fantastic performance in the romantic drama movie The Notebook.
The Notebook movie was a hit and is based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks, in which she starred with Ryan Gosling. Her character of Allie Hamilton with a forbidden love life received a lot of praise from the audience and won numerous awards and nominations.
Esther Williams – Easy To Love, 1953
Esther Williams is a renowned American competitive swimmer and actress. Williams will forever be remembered as the starlet who turned swimming into an art form. Her most famous movie Million Dollar Mermaid is based on Australian aquatic star Annette Kellerman. The film is an ultimate showcase of Esther’s unique aquatic talents.
Easy to Love is a technicolor musical film directed by Charles Walters. It is choreographed by Busby Berkeley and stars Williams, Van Johnson, and Tony Martin. It was Williams’ final aquatic film set in the United States. Her retro look in a white swimsuit makes her appear exceptionally beautiful.
Angela Bassett – How Stella Got Her Groove Back, 1998
A brilliant American-African actress known for portraying African women in leads. Born on August 16, 1958, Angela Evelyn Bassett is a producer, director, and actress. Though she was quite a famous name, she rose to stardom after starring in How Stella Got Her Groove Back.
In this romantic drama movie, Angella played the role of a mother named Stella Payne, who is a successful stockbroker. She falls in love with a Jamaican man 20 years younger than her during a vacation. Bassett was praised for her laudable work as Stella, winning two awards for the best actress and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Motion Picture.
Denise Richards – Wild Things, 1998
The definition of true beauty, Denise Richards, was born on February 17, 1971. After getting a firm grip on fashion modeling, she took a chance in the Hollywood industry. To no one’s surprise, Richards became a famous personality in very little time.
She is best known for her work as Kelly Lanier Van Ryan in Wild Things. This steamy thriller film, released in 1998, gained recognition for the sensual scenes. The movie completely changed the perception of how people saw Denise. She was known for portraying good-girl roles, and suddenly she was playing the role of a manipulative villain in Wild Things.
Sophia Loren – Madame Sans Gene, 1961
Italian women are beautiful, and this evergreen actress is a living example of that. If you are passionate about something, none of the obstacles can stop you, be it being born in a low-income family or having no dialogues in the debut project she faced and conquered it all.
Currently, she is the only living actress mentioned in the Greatest Female Stars of Classic Hollywood Cinema list. Among many of her noteworthy movies, one is the 1961 film Madame Sans Gene, where she portrayed Catherine Hubscher. Her glamorous glimpse from the film set a benchmark for all the other actresses at that time.
Deborah Kerr – From Here To Eternity, 1953
Deborah Kerr is a British actress who received the Academy Honorary Award recognizing her as an artist of impeccable grace and beauty. Her motion picture career has always stood for perfection, discipline, and elegance. Her most famous movie Edward, My Son, revolves around a father’s extreme attempts to protect his corrupt son. Kerr stars as his long-suffering wife, who grows to resent the way he spoiled their child.
This movie, From Here to Eternity, shows Army barracks in Hawaii in the days preceding the attack on Pearl Harbor. Kerr in the film has left her admirers awed with her stunning looks as visible in the image.
Jane Russell – The French Line, 1953
Ernestine Russell is an American actress, singer, and model known as one of Hollywood’s leading beauties of the 40s and 50s. Her most popular movie, The Outlaw, depicts western legends Pat Garrett, Doc Holliday, and Billy, the kids who played against each other over the law and the attentions of vivacious country vixen Rio McDonald.
The shown still is from her other famous movie, The French Line, in which Russell played an oil heiress with a fortune so immense that it intimidates most men, leaving only an eager line of gold-digging suitors. Posing in white and black lingerie, Russell looks retro darling in the movie.
Brigitte Bardot – Girl In The Bikini, 1958
Though today she is a hardworking animal rights activist, there was a time when this French beauty could actually steal all hearts with her angel-like face and amazing body. Brigitte Bardot is a former actress who got into the spotlight after appearing in the French movie Manina, la fille sans voiles, also released in the US as Manina, the Girl in the Bikini.
Apparently, Bardot’s father signed some contract to not show anything indecent about her daughter. But, amidst the filming, a picture of her was released wearing a white bikini that became a major highlight of the film.
Marilyn Monroe – How To Marry A Millionaire, 1953
Marilyn Monroe is a well-known American actress, model, and singer of the mid-90s, and her films grossed $200 million even by the time of her passing. Her most famous movie is the 1952 thriller Don’t Bother to Knock. Nell Forbes’s character is a beautiful but melancholy young woman taking a babysitting job after being released from a psychiatric facility.
Her movie, How to Marry a Millionaire, is about three women on a mission to marry millionaires. They leave no stone unturned to accomplish this task but eventually settle for true love rather than riches. Her iconic swimsuit look reveals her style.
Sally Field – Gidget, 1965
Sally Field’s list of achievements is never-ending. She is a woman who possesses sheer professionalism and unmatchable talent. She is an actress and a director who has done films like Stay Hungry, Heroes, The End, and Hooper. Her most noted work also includes a few Television shows like Gidget, The Flying Nun, and The Girl With Something Extra.
However, Gidget remains one of the most prominent shows Sally has been a part of. She was just 18 years old when she first appeared in the show. A cutesy girl wearing a cute two-piece set stole everyone’s attention.
Rachel Welch – One Million Years B.C, 1966
Rachel Welch is an American actress who caught attention after appearing in Fantastic Voyage and instantly signed a contract with 20th Century Fox. From there, she came in contact with Hammer Film Productions and became part of their film One Million Years B.C.
She barely had any lines in the film, yet she was the most talked-about of the movie’s characters. The reason was her ravishing images from the film in the fur bikini, which turned out to be the best-selling posters and one of the main pointers in the movie’s massive success.
Rachel Welch – Bedazzled, 1967
Rachel Welch is considered an icon of the 1960s and 1970s. She is an actress, singer and a model. She is known for her on-screen portrayal of strong female characters. Rachel rose to a whole another level of stardom in the 1960s when she tried and ended her image of “blonde bombshell” and got recognized not only for her face and body but also for her talent.
She starred in the British comedy movie Bedazzled in 1967, where she played the role of “Lilian Lust,” one of the seven sins. Her glamorous avatar in the film and fantastic acting got her really nice reviews.
Trina Parks – Diamonds Are Forever, 1971
This black beauty was born on 26th December 1947 in Brooklyn, New York. She is a brilliant actress who started off as a theatre artist and later became a popular television and film actor. Apart from these, Trina is also a fabulous vocalist, dancer, and choreographer.
One of her most cherished achievements in her entire career was when she became the first African American woman to be cast in a James Bond movie series. The film was titled Diamonds Are Forever and released in 1971. Parks played the character of Whytes’s bodyguard Thumper. Some of her memorable scenes from the film are still genuinely exceptional.
Pam Grier – Coffy, 1973
Born on May 26, 1949, she was originally married to Pamela Suzette Grier. She has achieved herself the title of cinema’s first African-American action star. She began acting in action movies in the early 1970s. Grier rose to fame with her roles in the film Coffy and Foxy Brown Categorized.
In Coffy, she played the role of a nurse who wishes to take revenge on a few drug dealers in the town. Her character was defined as the “baddest one-chick hit-squad that ever hit the town!” and was even advertised in the trailer. The movie was filled with sensual and violent elements and was a hit at the box office.
Gloria Hendry – Live And Let Die, 1973
Gloria Hendry is a former model and an African-American actress who was born on March 3, 1949. Hendry initially worked as a playboy bunny at the playboy club of New York in 1965 and later stepped into acting with the movie “For the love of Ivy,” released in the year 1968.
Hendry is best known for her characters in films from the 1970s. She is most famous for her role as CIA Rosie Carver, starring along with Roger Moore as James Bond in the movie Live and Let die. The first African American actress who was romantically involved with 007 James Bond was Gloria Hendry.
Izabella Scorupco – GoldenEye, 1995
Izabella Dorota Skorupko was born on June 4, 1970 in Poland. She is a famous Swedish-Polish actress, model, and singer. She is best known for her work as a fictional character in the James Bond movie GoldenEye, which was released in 1995. GoldenEye is the seventeenth movie in the James Bond Series.
In GoldenEye, Scorupco played the role of a Bond girl named Natalya Simonova. The character of Natalya works as a programmer of Level 2 at the Severnaya lab, which involves missile guidance systems of the Russian Space Forces. She is the lone survivor of the iconic GoldenEye ambush, which was aimed at its own control center.
Salma Hayek – From Dusk To Dawn, 1996
Salma Hayek Pinault, who was born as Salma Valgarma Hayek Jiménez on September 2, 1966, is a Mexican American film producer and a well-known actress. She began her career as an actress in 1989, starring in the movie Telenovela Teresa and later shot to fame with appearances in movies like Dogma and From Dusk Till Dawn.
The movie From Dusk Till Dawn is an American horror action film in which Salma played the role of a vampire queen disguised as a stripper called Santanico Pandemonium who dies when George Clooney’s character Seth impales her by shooting the chandelier above her. Salma’s steamy table-top dance with snakes became quite popular.
Gwyneth Paltrow – The Talented Mr. Ripley, 1999
Gwyneth Kate Paltrow is a perfect example of beauty with brains. This American actress, businesswoman, author, and singer was born on September 27, 1972, and has won numerous awards. Her extensive list of awards includes a golden globe award, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Various movies became quite popular because of Paltrow’s appearance in the film, and one such movie was The Talented Mr. Ripley. This American psychological thriller stars Matt Damon as Tom Ripley and Gwyneth Paltrow as Marge Sherwood. This picture is an iconic beach scene from the movie.
Demi Moore – Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, 2003
Born on November 11, 1962, this American actress has been an important figure in the equal salary for women in the Hollywood movement despite being one of the highest-paid actresses in the 1980’s and 1990’s.
In 2003 Demi Gene Moore returned to the big screen as a villain in the movie Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle starring alongside Cameron Diaz and Lucy Liu. She was even nominated for the award for the best villain. In this American action comedy movie, Moore played the role of a former Angel who turned into an independent operative named Madison Lee. The film grossed over $259 million worldwide.
Phoebe Cates – Fast Times At Ridgemont High, 1982
Being a former American actress Phoebe Belle Cates Kline is popularly known for her roles in movies like Fast Time at Ridgemont High, Drop Dead Fred, and Gremlins. She was born on July 16, 1963, and began her career as a model, which was short yet successful.
Released in 1982, Fast times at Ridgemont High is a drama-comedy movie that earned more than $27 Million. Phoebe played the role of Linda Barrett in this film which brought her immense fame and took her to the cover pages of magazines like Tiger Beat and Seventeen. The Rolling stones described the movie as “the most memorable bikini-drop in cinema history.”
