Disney/Pixar

In the UK, redheads or "gingers," once considered evil demonic spawn, are regularly insulted and abused. But we in America have a long-standing love affair with strawberry locks, so much so that many blondes and brunettes have dyed their hair to become famous fiery redheads, a la Lucille Ball, Nicole Kidman and Emma Stone.

In honor of Pixar's new "Brave" heroine Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), we've assembled our list of favorite cinematic gingers -- and by that we mean the characters were redheads, not necessarily the actors. Yes, they're all ladies, but we'd love it if more actors like Damian Lewis, Michael Fassbender and Kevin McKidd let their ginger flags fly high. Rupert Grint can't be the only one to represent, guys.

9. Giselle in 'Enchanted' (Amy Adams)

Disney

A mashup of all the fairest of princesses, Giselle (like the actress who portrays her) is so adorable, it's impossible not to smile when she's twirling around Central Park encouraging guys not to take the ones they love for granted. As the great Bruce Springsteen puts it, "It takes a red headed woman to do get a dirty job done," and Giselle can make anything sparkly clean with her can-do spirit. That's what the Boss meant, right?

8. Rose in 'Titanic' (Kate Winslet)

Paramount

Is there a more romantic movie image than the sight of Rose standing in Jack's embrace "on top of the world," the ocean breeze fluttering through her auburn curls? We think not. High-born Rose may have worn her hair in a tightly controlled up-do at the beginning of the film, but by the time she's pledged herself to steerage's passionate Jack Dawson, her red hair blazes free and wild, just like their love.

7. Black Widow in 'The Avengers' (Scarlett Johansson)

Marvel/Disney

We adore women who can kick butt, and Black Widow (aka Natasha Romanoff) is precisely the sort of beauty you should never mess with -- ever. Look beyond the skin-tight uniform (we know it's hard) and spectacular display of fighting skills and see how vulnerable she is whenever Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is mentioned. Tasha may be a mysterious badass, but she's no ice queen. We can't wait for her crimson-haired heroics in "Avengers 2."

6. Vivian in 'Pretty Woman' (Julia Roberts)

Buena Vista

If this were a list of our nine favorite movie streetwalkers, Vivian would top it. Roberts rocked her iconic role as the hooker with the heart of gold who wanted the fairy tale, not just a rich john. Give in to the pull of Roy Orbison's classic theme song and picture Vivian's Rodeo Drive makeover, dazzling smile and infectious laugh, and it's obvious why Richard Gere gave her everything.

5. Leeloo in 'The Fifth Element' (Milla Jovovich)

Columbia Pictures

It would be easy to dismiss Leeloo as just a sexy alien wearing an intergalactic bikini, but she's actually an extraterrestrial heroine, people, not just Jovovich stuffed into four strips of cloth. There's a lot of exposed skin, but this is Jovovich at her best -- a femme fatale who knows what she has to do to save our skin. Cheers to the redheaded rescuer of humanity who can rock a teeny-tiny costume for two hours.

4. Ariel in 'The Little Mermaid' (Jodi Benson)

Disney

We could've gone with the more predictable (not to mention red-hot) Jessica Rabbit, but there's something magical about Ariel. The irresistibly sweet mermaid princess is desperate to be part of the world above, and she sacrifices her one talent -- her voice -- in exchange for legs just to meet with her crush, Prince Eric. Disney infused Ariel with unmatched beauty and a transcendent voice that, along with the Oscar-winning soundtrack, gave "The Little Mermaid" legs.

3. Little Orphan Annie in 'Annie' (Aileen Quinn)

Columbia Pictures

Leapin' lizards! Annie is the most delightful ginger of the bunch. The character's signature red curls were a comic-strip legend long before she ever hit the silver screen, but Quinn brought the cute and scrappy orphan to life in the cherished '80s movie musical. Annie's the ultimate underdog, and with her sheer optimism -- even in the face of a hard-knock life – she helps audiences young and old realize that no matter how gray and lonely things get, there's always "Tomorrow."

2. Olive in 'Easy A' (Emma Stone)

Screen Gems

If Molly Ringwald is the epitome of the angst-ridden middle-class girl wondering if she's worthy, Stone's Olive is the embodiment of what we wish we'd been like in high school: confident, whip-smart, daringly subversive and unapologetically close to her awesome family (we want Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson as parents). Olive's "Scarlet Letter" experiment is at once a brilliant feminist statement and a comically misguided teen stunt, but through it all, Olive remains ridiculously lovable.

1. Molly Ringwald in Any '80s Movie

Universal

Ringwald will forever be known as the queen of '80s teen flicks. Her collaboration with writer-director John Hughes led to the Me Decade's most unforgettable suburban high-school movies, and she managed to make us believe that a swoon-worthy guy could fall for someone other than the busty blonde cheerleader. Ultimate props go to her fashion-forward misfit Andie in "Pretty in Pink" and her adorably insecure sister-of-the-bride Samantha in "Sixteen Candles."

Bonus Male Ginger: Ron Weasley in the 'Harry Potter' Movies (Rupert Grint)

Warner Bros.

We've already bemoaned the fact that there aren't enough redheaded guys in showbiz (and no, we aren't going to count Carrot Top, Chucky or the Lucky Charms leprechaun), but we can pay tribute to the ultimate male ginger: Ron Weasley in the seven "Harry Potter" films. He may not be the hero of the story, but Ron is more than just comic-relief sidekick: He saves Harry, faces his biggest fears, destroys a horcrux AND gets to finally snog the witch of his dreams.

Taylor Kitsch as "John Carter," the Confederate captain who finds himself transported to Mars, is certainly a sight to behold (rippling abs, etc). But if anyone can rival him for hottest life on Mars, it's Lynn Collins as princess Dejah Thoris. If we'd known Martians were this sexy, we would colonized the planet years ago, are we right?

Collins is just the latest instance of sexy femininity in sci-fi, a legacy that stretches back decades and encompasses everything from bikini-clad bounty hunters to pleasure robots. Take a look at 20 of the hottest sci-fi sirens to grace the silver screen.

Originally published December 8, 2010.

DreamWorks

Cinematic aliens, for the most part, like to sow terror once they arrive in our midst -- think of the acid-blooded "Aliens," the people-mulching tripods of "War of the Worlds," the uber-hunter in "Predator," and "Gerard Depardieu."

Aliens that do come in peace are usually too otherworldly to be compatible for romance -- no one wants to date "ET." But every now and then, a humanoid alien lands, looking hotter than the two suns over Tatooine, and we can't blame anyone for wanting to visit the dark side of the moon with them.

Starting with Alex Pettyfer's gorgeous extra-terrestrial in "I Am Number Four" (now on DVD and Blu-ray), here are nine movie aliens we'd definitely hook up with -- as long as we could stay alive afterwards.

John Smith (Alex Pettyfer), 'I Am Number Four' (2011)

He's blond, broody, and has super-sexy scars. If that's not enough to make Pettyfer's Lorien-born "John Smith" an extraterrestrial teenage dream, he also has some useful skills -- he runs fast, jumps high, and shoots light beams from his hands. As Dianna Agron's small-town beauty discovers, Smith is also a brave, young gentleman. If only he didn't arrive with such baggage -- metalhead-looking sadistic aliens trying to kill him -- he'd be perfect.

DreamWorks

Sil (Natasha Henstridge), 'Species' (1995)

She's really a hybrid of alien and human DNA, but that's good enough for us. The ultimate femme fatale, Sil went through guy after guy looking for a suitable baby-alien-daddy. Those that didn't make the cut got cut -- like the guy Sil impaled with her tongue during a French kiss. Since some of us not-so-fondly remember our dates drooling over Sil, it's hard to find a better "hot alien" for this list.

Everett Collection

Starman (Jeff Bridges), 'Starman' (1984)

Decades before he was The Dude or Rooster Cogburn, Bridges played an alien clone of a widow's (Karen Allen) recently deceased husband. He's tenderhearted (he resurrects a dead deer!) and has abs to rival Matthew McConaughey's. Though he never quite masters English, he catches on to the ways of human love in a twinkle of a star -- "I give you baby," he tells Allen after just one bout of intergalactic union.

Everett Collection

Kitty (Tahnee Welch), 'Cocoon' (1985)

Tahnee is the daughter of legendary movie babe Raquel Welch, so, it's no surprise that she's irresistible to Steve Guttenberg's character, even if her body is just a shell disguising her inner alien. If you've never seen Ron Howard's awesome sci-fi tearjerker, let's just say you're missing one of the best inter-species love scenes ever. She peels off her skin, shows off her glowing alien life force, and makes Guttenberg a very happy man.

Everett Collection

Superman (Brandon Routh), 'Superman Returns' (2006)

He had a big cape to fill, but Routh managed to make the Bryan Singer-directed Man of Steel a sexy superhero for a new generation of smitten moviegoers. Routh is a Doppelganger to the previous Superman, Christopher Reeve -- all broad shoulders and imposing height -- and let's face it, who wouldn't want a date who could whisk you into the air, undress you with his eyes and carry you off into the sunset -- literally.

Warner Bros.

Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), 'The Fifth Element' (1997)

Jovovich's Leeloo is an alien savior sent to help humanity for once, so she's not only hot, she's on our side. Plus, it doesn't hurt that she can kick pretty much anyone's butt and spends most of the film wearing what looks like three strategically placed ace bandages. Despite all the skin-bearing, she's more Neytiri than Sil, and that's a good thing, boys.

Everett Collection

Princess Aura (Ornella Muti), 'Flash Gordon' (1980)

While Flash Gordon today is remembered largely for its campiness and Queen soundtrack, for boys of a certain age, Princess Aura brings back memories of the ultimate bad girl -- and not just because she's the daughter of the evil Ming the Merciless. Even though her royal sexiness had lovers stashed away in all corners of her planet, she tried to make room for one more, the titular football player and savior of the universe.

Everett Collection

Neytiri (Zoe Saldana), 'Avatar' (2009)

You've heard the smurf jokes, watched the hilariously bawdy "SNL" sketch, perhaps even donned the sexy Halloween costumes. But even though Neytiri's blue and prefers doing things with her tail, she’s still beautiful enough for us to believe that Sam Worthington's Jake would fall for the warrior princess. So what if she's a completely CGI creation? She is partly modeled after the beautiful Saldana, after all.

Fox

Superman (Christopher Reeve), 'Superman' (1978)

In his prime, the late Reeve was a gorgeous, strapping man, whose azure eyes and jet-black hair perfectly embodied the Krypton-born Kal-El. Raised on Earth as Clark Kent, he transforms into Superman whenever Metropolis needs a hero. Even if he didn't have heat and X-ray vision, the gift of flight, and superhuman strength, the comic-book icon would still be quite the catch in his tights and tall boots. Lois Lane was quite the lucky lady.

Everett Collection

Originally published Feb. 17, 2011.

Overture

When it comes to studying the history of bad hair in movies, you have to dismiss two chapters.

There's intentionally bad 'dos played for laughs ("Dumb and Dumber," "Kingpin," and really any other Farrelly Bros. comedy), and there's the dated looks of yonder years (one could write an entire screed against the asymmetrical, unnaturally dyed, and just plain ugly locks sported by the Brat Pack in the '80s).

That leaves 'dos like that of Edward Norton in the new dramatic thriller "Stone." Norton's cheesy style is just spit-take awful, so bad that it's both inspired and earned in a place in our cringe-worthy rundown of the worst cinematic hairstyles.

Tom Hanks in 'The Da Vinci Code' (2006)

Hanks really gives his all for a role, follicularly-speaking (see his wild-man beard in "Cast Away"). As Robert Langdon in "Code," Hanks runs wildly around Paris, trying to solve a murder that took place in the Louvre, and hints about a secret society of the ancient men who "created history." Apparently, Langdon was too busy saving humanity to ever wash or cut his hair. It sits atop his head like a sleeping cat -- with, natch, a little length in the back and winged out in the front -- affixed with some sort of super-strength styling balm. This 'do is the epitome of a failed "I'm in My Fifties, But I Am Still Cool" coif attempt.

Sony

Angelina Jolie in 'Life or Something Like It' (2002)

In this box-office bust, Jolie came scarily close to looking – gasp – unattractive. Director Stephen Herek and the makeup crew came up with an almost-unwatchable hairstyle for her news reporter Lanie Kerrigan – a short, over-processed mop. You can chart the arc of her character -- who is told she will die shortly by a homeless man (Tony Shalhoub) -- through her locks. Early on, Kerrigan's a go-go career gal who looks like she starts the day with hot rollers and loads of Aqua-Net. After Kerrigan starts contemplating her life after the run-in with homeless dude, she realizes that there is more to life than work. After this heavy revelation, Jolie literally lets her hair down. She wears her ice-blond locks lanky and straight, often topped by a trucker cap. How Ashton.

20th Century Fox

Taylor Lautner in 'Twilight' (2008)

We know how much the ladies love Jacob Black, but there's no denying the monstrosity that was the teen wolf's straight long coiffure in the first installment on this beloved series. It's a good thing you took the scissors to it: Jacob didn't stand a chance against Edward in the battle for Bella's love with that flowing flagrant foul. She wants a warrior who fight for her honor, not Anne Hathaway in "The Princess Diaries." It's a wonder he wasn't kicked out of the anti-vampire resistance for this offense.

Summit

Brad Pitt in 'Johnny Suede' (1992)

In this ahead-of-its-time fairy-tale-ish film noir from Tom DiCillo, Pitt is the eponymous wannabe retro-rocker with a sky-high pompadour and a passable style, but less-than-great luck with his career (and the ladies). That is, until he finds that life-changing pair of black suede shoes. After romantic drama leads to Catherine Keener, Johnny realizes what real happiness is, and that life doesn't revolve around cool shoes. Almost immediately, of course, his super-high hair deflates.

Everett Collection

Tina Turner in 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome' (1985)

As Aunty Entity, "bad guy" to Mel Gibson's angry hero in the third "Mad Max" installment, Turner runs the post-apocalyptic village known as Bartertown, and more importantly, sports a truly evil weave. Her dry, long-haired blond wig waves in the desert heat cries out for a dose of Kiehl's Creme with Silk Groom.

Everett Collection

Edward Norton in 'Stone' (2010)

In this cat-and-mouse thriller, Stone (Norton) is a shifty arsonist who uses his hot girlfriend (Milla Jovovich) to manipulate his parole officer (Robert De Niro) to gain freedom. But the true star of the movie is Norton's tight, white-dude cornrows. Norton is a helluva an actor, stoic and passionate at once, yet we're too distracted by his braids here to get a feel for his character. Now that we've broached the subject, can we please call a moratorium for white guys and cornrows?

Overture

Chris Tucker in 'The Fifth Element' (1997)

Wearing what can only be likened to a giant-sized loofah on his forehead like a horn, Tucker plays the evil DJ Ruby Rhod in "Fifth Element," the colorful sci-fi flick starring Bruce Willis…humanity's only hope. The movie was directed by auteur Luc Besson, which begs the question, who said the French have superior taste?

Everett Collection

Cameron Diaz in 'Being John Malkovich' (1999)

Think Cameron Diaz can't possibly look ugly? You must not have seen "Being John Malkovich," wherein her beauty is completely obliterated courtesy of her messy 'do. Sporting what could only be called an "I Don’t Give a F**k" 'do, Diaz co-starred with the almost equally badly groomed John Cusack, who plays a puppeteer who finds a portal into the mind of John Malkovich. As Lotte Schwartz, Diaz's locks scream mousy…she has a loose frizzy perm with bangs (ouch); girlfriend needs a hot-oil treatment, stat!

Everett Collection

John Travolta in 'Battlefield Earth' (2000)

Travolta's Terl -- leader of the Psyclos, who are killing off humans and stealing all of the planet's remaining resources -- has some of the nastiest stuff emanating out his scalp that we've ever witnessed. In what can only be called fake-rubber-snake-like dreads, Terl's hair and beard are the scariest thing about the movie, and that's saying a lot about this infamous turkey. Even more disturbing are the two mini dreadlocks hanging below Travolta's nose like giant, furry boogers.

Everett Collection

Javier Bardem in 'No Country for Old Men' (2007)

The Coen Brothers are famous for creating ugly beauty in their movies (just consider poor Frances McDormand's Marge in "Fargo"). In "No Country for Old Men," the Coens do what some might have thought impossible -- they made a haircut itself terrifying. As the uber-evil Anton Chigurh, Javier Bardem wears a Prince Valiant pageboy 'do that's incongruous enough to unsettle viewers. Yeah, the whole "murder by cattle gun" thing is pretty intimidating, but the hair's what really scared us.

Miramax

Dwayne Johnson in 'Be Cool' (2005)

As Elliot Wilhelm, a rhinestone-cowboy-meets-gangster, The Rock sports a short, meticulously sculpted 'fro and goatee that's just one of many, many things wrong with this critically reviled sequel to the beloved 1995 gangster comedy "Get Shorty." We'll just say that this look is most definitely not cool.

MGM

Natalie Portman in ' Star Wars' (1999-2005)

Portman's Padmé (wife of Anakin Skywalker, for all you non-geeks) is a true beauty, but she's too often made scary-looking by an overzealous hair-and-makeup department. Her hair has a number of bad, bad incarnations. One look involves long spiral dreadlocks, some spangled with beads, held back with a "futuristic" metallic headband. And harking back to Carrie Fisher's 'do in the original "Star Wars," Padmé  also wears her hair gathered into two donut-like side-buns. George Lucas, haven't you made women suffer enough?

Lucas Film

Johnny Depp in 'Cry-Baby' (1990)

Depp is Wade Walker, a 1950s-style "greaser" whose locks certainly live up to the slang. Director John Waters, who came of age in the post-WWII era, gave Depp an over-the-top "drape" 'do so insulting it made us break our rule that we'd resist "of the time" hairstyles for this list. Lacquered by at least an entire tube of Brylcreem, Cry-Baby's hair is combed within an inch of its life on the sides, pushed up into a lustrous tangle of hair that hangs down over his gorgeous face. How does he get the girl again?

Everett Collection

Halle Berry in the 'X-Men' Trilogy (2000-2006)

In all three "X-Men" movie, poor Berry (who plays Storm) is saddled with a trio of wholly unique, yet equally awful, hairdos. In "X-Men," there's what looks like a cheap, unruly stripper wig; long and white-blond with bangs. In "X-2," Berry sports a Gwen Stefani-hued longish shag that is way obviously a wig -- viewers can clearly see where the net foundation attaches to her forehead. Finally, in "X Men: The Last Stand," Berry's wig can only be described as what happens when a grey-haired suburban mom asks for a "kicky, choppy cut" and gets what she deserves.

20th Century Fox

Nicolas Cage in Anything

We love the guy, but the prematurely bald actor has had horrific hair in pretty much every movie he's made, from his breakout role in 1983's "Valley Girl" to this summer's "The Sorcerer's Apprentice." Go ahead, IMDB him, we'll wait.

Sony/Summit/Paramount/Disney