Cliches be damned; a great deal of the smartest women in Hollywood (and the world) happen to be blond. And some of them are even naturally so! Let's take a look at some of best golden-tressed smarty-pants starlets.
Claire Danes must be getting smarter over the years seeing as her boyfriends get progressively more attractive. Leaving Yale after only two years of study, Claire must have decided that she's just too successful and smart to be hanging out in that dump. Why slum it when make-out sessions with Steve Martin await you?
In a famous Saturday Night Live skit parodying her precociousness, Dakota Fanning casually references the works of Thomas Pynchon and condescends to celebrity guests on a mock talk show. Kidding aside, this young actress displays a poise and intelligence much beyond her 15 years. And she's already unclenched herself from the associative clasp of Tom "Crazy Eyes" Cruise, so needless to say, she's off to a promising start.
A card-carrying member of the smart blonde millionaire's club, Ellen DeGeneres' media empire has made her a cool $65 million in net worth according to Forbes. Plus her public marriage to another smart, successful blonde frees her from doing any more scary rom-coms co-starring Bill Pullman.
Graduating magna cum laude from Yale, Jodie Foster has supplemented her Hollywood royalty status with some real academic chops. Perhaps her smartest move has been in rarely divulging her personal life to members of the press. Regardless, the woman is pretty darned good at her job, if her two Oscars have anything to say about it.
One of the most lauded actresses of our generation, Kate Winslet's seeming bajillions of award nominations show that the girl's got the smarts to stay on top in Hollywood. Or maybe her British accent just makes her sound smart. Either way, we're buying it.
Any list of smart celebrity blondes would be glaringly incomplete without the mention of Meryl Streep. Like Claire Danes and Jodie Foster, Meryl is a Yale alumna, begging the question: What's up with your prejudice against blondes, Harvard? Sheesh.
Dolly Parton has famously said, "I'm not offended by dumb blonde jokes because I know that I'm not dumb. I also know I'm not blond." Say what you will about Dolly's fashion choices, but the lady sure knows how to build an empire. With a successful music and film career longer than her drawly pronunciation of vowels, Dolly has solidified herself as an American icon. How many of you can say you have an ironically named theme park dedicated to yourself? That's what we thought.
Hold the tuna. In the vein of Dolly before her, Jessica Simpson has taken the dumb blonde act and applied it with wild success to the hungry consumerism of our culture. Branded fragrance, shoes, handbags, lingerie, television shows, not to mention (what's left of) a respectable career as a musician and actress. Maybe we're the dumb ones.
Believe it or not, it's previously been reported that Sharon Stone has a genius IQ score of 154, tragically proving that smart doesn't necessarily trump crazy in terms of one's public image. Of note is her longstanding commitment to charities, though, so we'll forgive her for the awkward moment that ensued while watching "Basic Instinct" with our parents.
Funny lady Amy Poehler was just about the only thing that kept "Saturday Night Live" afloat through a period of prolonged darkness and Horatio Sanz (see the aforementioned "Dakota Fanning Show"). Now that she has a sitcom of her own, we can't wait to see where a starring vehicle will take her. Also worth mentioning: her equally funny, talented husband, Will Arnett. We'll have what she's having.
The first truly viable female candidate for president, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton creates history just about everywhere she goes, making her a role model for strength and grace for blossoming blondes everywhere. Also, we love those tender moments she shares with us but rarely. Go ahead, girl, let your hair down.