10 Actresses Famous for Their Blonde Characters
It may not be completely true that blondes have more fun, but in Hollywood, they sure know how to leave a lasting impression. From natural to bottle-acquired, that golden mane has become a signature for some of the most iconic on-screen roles. Consider iconic parts like Marilyn Monroe’s classic bombshell charm, to Reese Witherspoon’s brilliant Elle Woods, and let’s not forget Jennifer Aniston’s ten-season stint as Rachel Green. It’s clear that some actresses have made being blonde part of their on-screen brand.
These characters have managed to shape pop culture in some pretty monumental ways, whether they’re playing into or pushing back against the “dumb blonde” trope. In fact, some actresses have actually switched up their looks just to fit the part. But beyond just delivering a classic look, these roles have gone a long way to prove that there’s no such thing as a one-dimensional blonde.
1. Marilyn Monroe
Image Credit: 20th Century-Fox
Whenever Marilyn Monroe’s image comes up, it is an instant reminder of the crucial part she played in making blonde bombshells iconic. This is even more impressive considering that Monroe wasn’t born blonde, she dyed her hair platinum blonde in the 1940s, and by the early 1960s, she was already a major blonde persona with charisma and charm that never went unnoticed. As the roles trooped in, she explored being a blonde in TV series and movies alike.
Monroe fully leaned into her blonde persona on screen, but it was her role as Lorelei Lee in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes that truly changed the game. Altogether, she played a quintessential ‘dumb blonde,’ but the twist was in her charm, witty ways, flawless looks, and healthy zest for diamonds. That was one blonde role in a sea of many others, including Monkey Business and How to Marry a Millionaire. All in all, Monroe’s characters were often characterized by naivety, sexual allure, and a certain superficiality that defined the era’s portrayal of blondes.
2. Reese Witherspoon
Image Credit: 20th Century Fox
As soon as Reese Witherspoon hit the screen in 1991 with a role in The Man in the Moon, it was clear that she was packing some serious star power. So, it’s no surprise she’s become one of the highest earners in Hollywood, with roles in films like Election, Mud, and Walk the Line. While her filmography is as impressive as they come, there’s one movie that really propelled her to the forefront. Witherspoon’s blonde character in Legally Blonde is undoubtedly one of her most iconic roles.
In the movie series, she plays Elle Woods, a bubbly blonde whose character is initially introduced as a bubbly, over-the-top blonde (in every sense of the word). But, against all odds, she becomes a successful Harvard Law School student, proving that beauty and brains are not mutually exclusive. Elle’s character gives another definition to blondes — there are no “dumb blondes” in her world, only intelligent, bubbly, and positive blondes.
3. Jennifer Aniston
Image Credit: NBC
A leading figure in the cinema since the 1990s, Jennifer Aniston is as versatile as they come. But her embodiment of Rachel Green in Friends remains unmatched. The character gave Aniston most of her fame, even winning her an Emmy and Golden Globe Award. The character is also often seen as one of the greatest and most influential characters in TV history, because while Rachel’s quotes are famous, her hairstyle, “The Rachel,” was rocked in the 90s.
Rachel Green is this bubbly, rich girl-next-door type who’s introduced on the show as a runaway bride. Her transition from trust fund baby to a strong, independent woman is as inspiring as it is comical, especially when you consider her stint as an incompetent waitress. All in all, she’s another character that proves that blondes are as multidimensional as they come.
4. Amanda Seyfried
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
There aren’t many women whose onscreen personas have as much influence as Amanda Seyfried’s Karen Smith from Mean Girls. Karen is the fabled ‘dumb blonde’ who offers some much-needed color and comic relief as a member of a group call ‘The Plastics.’ Other members of the crew included Regina George (Rachel McAdams), Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), and Gretchen Wieners (Lacey Chabert). Besides being your classic airhead, she was quirky in all the right ways and somehow believed she could predict the weather with her breasts.
Playing Karen in Mean Girls was a major milestone in Seyfried’s career and a defining moment in pop culture. The film remains one of the most quotable films of all time. Its impact even led to October 3rd being dubbed “Mean Girls Day” across social media. Her signature pink outfits in the film have also inspired fans to wear pink—especially when celebrating Mean Girls Day.
5. Sarah Michelle Gellar
Image Credit: UPN
Sarah Michelle Gellar has been on people’s screens since she was a kid, popping up in TV shows and commercials that propelled her to fan favorite level. Then, in 1992, she made her debut as Buffy Anne Summers in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer series. She was on the show until 2003, the same year she appeared in the show’s spinoff, Angel, and also as Buffy.
It’s safe to say that Buffy was not your typical blonde, she was the ass-kicking type, ridding the world of the undead. That makes sense considering the character was created to change the fate of “the little blonde girl who goes into a dark alley and gets killed in every horror film.” While the character remains one of the most successful and daring blonde personalities onscreen, the role equally turned Gellar into a household name.
6. Charlize Theron
Image Credit: Focus Features
These days, you can’t talk about iconic blonde characters without bringing up Lorraine Broughton. In 2017’s Atomic Blonde, Charlize Theron plays the fierce, no-nonsense triple agent, pretending to be an MI6 operative while working for the CIA. She leads the stylish 2017 action-thriller directed by David Leitch and completely owns the role.
Broughton’s blonde character is far-fetched from the stereotypical blonde concept. Much like Buffy, she’s a badass and a force to be reckoned with. No doubt her interpretation of the role propelled Atomic Blonde into the realms of a highly commercially successful movie, recording $100 million at the box office over a $30 production budget.
7. Alicia Silverstone
Image Credit: Paramount Pictures
Alicia Silverstone burst onto the film scene in the ’90s with plenty of promise and quickly made a name for herself. While she’s taken on a variety of roles over the years, one stands out above the rest — Cher Horowitz in Clueless. One of the few natural blondes on this list, Silverstone brought charm, confidence, and surprising depth to the iconic “dumb blonde” role.
Silverstone’s embodiment of the character has become a major influence in recent times, with catchphrases like “Uh! As if!” found among young people. It’s safe to say that most of Clueless‘ success is thanks to Silverstone’s portrayal of Cher. It’s no surprise that she’s equally influenced pop culture. Case in point, Donatella Versace’s fall 2018 collection and Iggy Azalea’s Fancy music video in 2014.
8. Suzanne Somers
Image Credit: CBS
Suzanne Somers has had a pretty solid acting career since she first got noticed in the late 1960s. Besides acting, she’s also been busy writing books and running businesses. But most people remember her best as Chrissy Snow, the fun and goofy blonde on Three’s Company.
Like many fictional ‘dumb blondes’, Chrissy is a sweet, funny, naive, charming, and sometimes witty young lady. She laughs at her own jokes and has a voice that won’t be stifled. Her character keeps things simple as a secretary sharing an apartment with Jack Tripper (John Ritter) and Janet Wood (Joyce DeWitt). But it’s Chrissy’s classic blonde moments that really steal the show.
9. Kaley Cuoco
Image Credit: CBS
Kaley Cuoco has a huge army of fans, which she has gathered throughout her versatile acting career. She is famed for being one of the top blondes in the movie industry, playing a number of blonde characters such as Cassandra Cassie Bowden in The Flight Attendant, and Penny Hofstadter in The Big Bang Theory. In both shows, she left quite a mark as a blonde to remember.
In The Big Bang Theory, Cuoco’s character Penny is confident despite her limited education and barely existent acting career. Penny is generally poor in many things, but not in street smarts. The evidence of Penny’s unforgettable performance is evident in the many awards she’s bagged. She has won the Critics’ Choice Television Awards, People’s Choice Awards, and Golden Raspberry Awards among many nominations.
10. Ana de Armas
Image Credit: Netflix
No, Ana de Armas was not born a blonde, but she became the first Cuban actress to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress in Blonde. Armas’ career started in her home country, Cuba, before she moved to the United States and gained notoriety for the first time as a Bond Girl, Paloma. One of her most notable roles — in which she also happened to be blonde — was as Norma Jeane “Marilyn Monroe” in the biopic Blonde in 2022.
Her role remains the driving force behind her career, making her one of the most notable women to portray Monroe and one of the most decorated Cuban actors in the US. She received positive reviews for the role, which was dubbed a performance “of breathtaking shimmer and imagination and candor and heartbreak.” But the film equally received its fair share of negative reviews and was described as controversial, without capturing the actual life of Monroe as a star in Hollywood… just the tragedy she experienced.
