These Are The Most Beautiful Women Of All Time

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, making any list of the most beautiful people in history up for serious debate. Many of these women became successful thanks to their looks, so if we've piqued your curiosity, check out which women we have selected!

A dancer from a young age, Brigitte Bardot moved on to acting in the '50s. She starred in the controversial Robert Vadim film, And God Created Women, which launched her to international fame in 1956. One American critic called her, "undeniably a creation of superlative craftsmanship." Brigitte Bardot's entrance onto the world scene during the conservative decade was so palpable that Simone de Beauvoir wrote a feminist essay titled Brigitte Bardot and The Lolita Syndrome. Later in life, she became an animal rights activist and, most controversially, was fined five times for inciting racial hatred.

Italian-Tunisian Claudia Cardinale's career began when she won the "Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia" contest, which earned her a trip to Italy. Although she struggled with Italian (as the Sicilian she knew from her parents is quite different), her beauty brought her offers to model and act. Her voice was actually dubbed over in the early part of her career due to her raspy tone and a French accent. She is an outspoken supporter of women's rights, becoming a UNESCO goodwill ambassador for the defense of women in 2000.

With her unique looks, Audrey Hepburn was launched to stardom after starring in Roman Holiday opposite Gregory Peck, a role which garnered her an Academy Award, a BAFTA, and a Golden Globe for Best Actress. Later in life, she concentrated on philanthropy, and she was honored for her humanitarian work both during and after her life. She succumbed to a rare form of abdominal cancer in 1993. Proof of her lasting legacy is evident in her appearances in popular culture throughout the decades since her death.

Russian-American Natalie Wood was in the limelight from the time she was a little girl, playing Maureen O'Hara in Miracle on 34th Street. Wood went on to star in classics such as Rebel Without a Cause and West Side Story. She died in dubious circumstances while on a weekend yacht trip to Santa Catalina Island with Robert Wagner, her husband; Christopher Walken, who co-starred in her latest movie; and the yacht's captain. She was only 43. The investigation was re-opened in recent years, and Wagner was named a person of interest in February 2018.