Erica Durance

A fixture on TV sets across the country, Erica Durance is the Canadian-born actress who molded the character of Lois Lane into her most alluring form ever on the WB’s hit series Smallville. Off camera, Durance has had some shaky starts -- marrying in 1996 only to file for divorce in 1999, for example -- but she seems to be on firmer ground since her she married Canadian actor David Palffy in 2005.

After years of hard work and endless guest appearances on TV series such as The Chris Isaak Show, Tru Calling, Andromeda, Stargate SG-1, and The Collector, Durance completed her first full season as Lois Lane on Smallville in 2006. Voted the sexiest Lane of all time by AskMen.com readers and making her debut on the Top 99 this year, Durance parlayed her small-screen success into some motion-picture work this past year, playing the female lead in the sequel to The Butterfly Effect and starring in the thriller Stranded.

Currently stationed in Vancouver, close to the filming locations for Smallville, Durance will test out her serious acting chops in 2007 by appearing in Ecstasy alongside renowned British thespians Richard E. Grant and Billy Boyd. Adapted from the hit novella The Undefeated by Irvin Welsh, Ecstasy will feature Durance in the middle of a world full of drugs and sex.

Diane Lane

With more than 50 acting credits to her name and a career that has spanned over two decades, Diane Lane has always managed to remain relevant, deftly progressing from precocious child star to sultry siren to bona fide movie star. She’s worked opposite some of Hollywood’s best and brightest -- including Nicolas Cage, Richard Gere and Keanu Reeves -- and has appeared in box-office hits like 2002’s Unfaithful and 2003’s Under the Tuscan Sun. And though she’s been linked with familiar faces like Christopher Lambert and Jon Bon Jovi, Diane is currently enjoying marital bliss with actor Josh Brolin.

2006 was a fairly uneventful year for Diane as she appeared in only one film, the Ben Affleck drama Hollywoodland. The movie, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival to rave reviews, offered Diane the opportunity to step into the shoes of a glamorous 1950s sexpot alongside such distinguished performers as Bob Hoskins, Adrien Brody and Robin Tunney. Diane’s inclusion on this year’s Top 99 and on lists in the past -- she ranked No. 85 last year and No. 45 the year before -- are testaments to her enduring popularity, and there’s little doubt that she’ll continue to be a fixture on similar lists in years to come.

With three films scheduled for release, Diane will be busy in 2007. Killshot, based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, pits Diane opposite such heavy hitters as Thomas Jane, Mickey Rourke and Rosario Dawson, while Fierce People, in which Diane stars as a drug-addicted masseuse, has already started to garner Oscar buzz for the actress. Lastly, Diane will be seen in Appaloosa, a Western starring, cowritten and directed by Ed Harris.

Ivanka Trump

Don’t write off Ivanka Trump as just 'The Donald’s daughter. Born in New York City in 1981 to Donald and Ivana, Ivanka didn’t pass the time spending Daddy’s money like so many other trust funders. She studied first at Georgetown, then at the University of Pennsylvania, from which she graduated summa cum laude in 2004 with a degree in economics. Her name helped open doors, to be sure, but they weren’t necessarily held open for her. For example, the family covered her school tuition, but that was all. In fact, she began modeling at age 16 to cover her expenses. Today, she appears on NBC’s The Apprentice and is vice president of real estate development with the Trump Organization.

Trump’s debut appearance on our Top 99 list is no accident. Voters clearly recognized that she possesses ample beauty and intelligence. After filling in for Carolyn Kepcher on The Apprentice, Trump soon won Kepcher’s judging role. Making desperate corporate wannabes dance still allowed Trump enough time to continue modeling -- she retains representation through Elite Model Management -- and to lead an active dating life. She announced her breakup from Bingo Gubelmann early in the year, took a brief ride with Lance Armstrong and ultimately wound up with Topher Grace. As if she needed the endorsement, her father commented that he’d date her if she wasn’t his daughter. We’ll assume the best and take that as a well-intended compliment.

So far, 2007 has begun with Ivanka defending her father in his volley of jabs with Rosie O'Donnell, though the fairer Trump is taking the high road with her comments. Indeed, Ivanka has an air of class all her own; we look forward to seeing her in the boardroom and anywhere else she favors us with her presence. There’s not much word about her planned 2007 projects and appearances, so we’ll patiently wait to see what’s next.