Women of Summer 2012

We love summer. I mean, we realllly love summer. The sun, the sand, the beer, the barbecues, and the women. Ahhhh, the women. No matter where we look these days, there’s always a beautiful woman in sight. At the beach, at the mall, and when the temperature spikes and we’re forced indoors, on our screens. With the blockbuster movie season in full swing, summer TV shows rolling out, and the Olympics set to kick off any day now, we thought we’d take a moment to point out a few of the names, and beautiful faces you’ll be seeing a lot of this summer. So grab a cold one, fellas, it’s about to get a little warmer in here.

Emma Stone
It’s hard to believe that The Amazing Spider-Man is Emma Stone’s first film of 2012. It feels like those big green eyes have been staring back at us everywhere we look. We’re not complaining though. In fact, we love it and want more of it. Besides her obvious beauty and quick-witted personality, she’s just fun to watch in every role she plays. Crazy, Stupid Love, Superbad, Spiderman, Easy A, hell, even her 3 minutes of screen time in Friends with Benefits were great. Even though we prefer her as a redhead, the natural blonde is quickly becoming one of our favorite leading ladies in Hollywood, and with a number of big time projects in the works, like this fall’s Gangster Squad, we don’t expect her to slow down anytime soon. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

Meghan Markle
When the lawyer drama Suits premiered on the USA Network last Summer, we were sold within the first 20 minutes. Not because of the dicey pot dealer-turned-associate storyline, or because of the Draper-like three-piece suits that Harvey, the firm’s Alpha Dog, dons with such ease. Nope. It was all because of the alarming beauty of the firm’s paralegal, Rachel Zane, played by the drop-dead gorgeous Meghan Markle. Before landing a starring role on the show, the LA-born actress only had a handful of minor roles to her name, and we can’t understand why. Besides the fact that she’s actually a good actress, every time her leggy frame graces the screen, whatever make-or-break case that looms above the firm becomes irrelevant. When Meghan’s on the screen, it’s must-see TV. We hope to see Ms. Markle landing bigger roles in the near future. The world needs it.

Noomi Rapace
Ridley Scott’s Alien quasi-prequel, Prometheus, may have released a few weeks ago, but it remains one of the most buzzed-about movies of the summer, if not the year. At the center of the philosophical theories, gnarly gore, and mesmerizing CGI of the sci-fi thriller is Noomi Rapace, who plays an archaeologist and seeker of the origins of humanity. The Swedish actress, best know for her portrayal of Lisbeth Salander in Dragon Tattoo, gives a stunning performance in the futuristic film, capturing our attention with not only those high cheekbones, but with the intensity with which she played her character, Elizabeth Shaw. We couldn’t be happier to see Noomi’s star migrate stateside as she continues to land major roles, like in last winter’s Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows. Next up for Noomi is a psychological thriller, entitled Passion, in which she’ll star in, and possibly share a kiss with, Rachel McAdams. Go ahead and count us in for that one.

Aubrey Plaza
Don’t get us wrong, NBC’s Parks and Recreation is a fantastic show. It’s easily one of the funniest sitcoms on TV and we’re still cursing The Peacock for even considering the possibility of canceling it. But the show’s inaugural season got off to a pretty slow start, and one of the main reasons we stuck with it was because of the deadpan expressions and I-hate-everything-and-everyone attitude of April Ludgate, played by the lovely Aubrey Plaza. Now the comedienne has taken her talents to the big screen, headlining one of our favorite films of the summer so far, the indie hit Safety Not Guaranteed. The film has received glowing reviews and proved that Plaza is capable of shouldering a major production and not just playing second fiddle in a 30-minute network comedy. Next up, Aubrey will get the chance to see how her comedic chops stack up to a roster of veteran funnymen in A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, which will star Bill Murray, Charlie Sheen, and Jason Schwartzman. Do you thing Aubrey, and if necessary, do what your Parks & Rec character, April, would do…behead them all!

Lolo Jones
Along with a few other ladies on this list, Lolo Jones will undoubtedly be one of the faces of the United States Olympic team in London. Hailing from LSU, the hurdler, who looks more like a supermodel than a track star, was literally inches away from winning gold in the 2008 Beijing Games, but a stumble on the final hurdle sent her dreams up in flames. While Lolo was a relative unknown back in 2008, the same can’t be said for her 2012 run. In addition to the attention being paid for her looks, the Olympian also raised her profile—unintentionally, albeit—when she publicly acknowledged that she was saving herself for marriage. While that still seems to be all people want to talk about, Lolo isn’t letting it phase her. She recently solidified her spot on the Olympic Team, running the 100m hurdles.

Mila Kunis
As if this summer wasn’t hot enough, Hollywood has decided to turn it up a notch by throwing Mila Kunis into the mix. This Ukrainian beauty has been one of the hottest stars in Hollywood the past few years and she continues to shine this summer as she shares the big screen with Mark Wahlberg and his favorite teddy bear in the adult comedy, Ted. As Mark’s girlfriend, Mila wants more from their relationship and as a result, Mark must decide to stay with her or remain friends with the loud-mouthed stuffed animal. Kick that furry little bastard to the curb, Mark. Seems like an easy choice for us.

Dania Ramirez
We at The Gallant have a special place in our heart for Latin ladies, and the most noteworthy Latina this summer is the beautiful Dania Ramirez. This actress sensation came from humble beginnings in the Dominican Republic and has risen to stardom with roles in The Sopranos, Entourage and American Reunion, which hit theaters in earlier this year. This summer, Dania will be lighting up the big screen along side Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the action/thriller Premium Rush. This David Koepp-directed film features Dania as JGL’s love interest and partner in crime, as he finds himself on the run from a crooked cop. Premium Rush hits theaters on August 24th.

Alex Morgan
Last year, Hope Solo was the face of the Women’s U.S. Soccer Team, but this year, Alex Morgan has taken over as the darling of the squad. Having recently turned 23, Alex is a rising star who has proven to be a major asset to the Women’s team with her breakthrough performance in the semi-finals and championship game of the 2011 World Cup. With fancy footwork and a canon for a leg, this gorgeous striker from Diamond Bar, California should have more than the west coast cheering her on in London.

Allyson Felix
As Americans, we always support the home team in all athletic events. We cheer them on during the highs and cheer them up during the lows. We also cheer for some of them because they’re just that damn beautiful. That being said, gentlemen, say hello to Allyson Felix. This 26-year old Olympian will be sprinting across your TV screen in the 100m and 200m races in London. Check out the Olympic Track and Field schedule and be sure to tune in and support the lovely Allyson Felix. And be sure not to blink, or you’ll miss her.

Anne Hathaway
With the exception of her role as the batshit crazy Kym in 2008′s Rachel Getting Married, Anne Hathaway’s movie roles have largely consisted of squeaky clean, mild-mannered women. That’s why we can wait to see what those big beautiful eyes of hers can do when they take on a darker, more sinister appearance in this summer’s biggest film, The Dark Knight Rises. We also can’t wait to see her perfect frame squeeze into that black leather onesie, but that’s beside the point. She’ll be up against some stiff competition with a lady we love, Marion Cotillard, so it’ll be interesting to see who takes home the crown of Baddest Chick in Gotham City later this month. We have a soft spot for Marion, but we’re putting our money on Catwoman this round.

Charlize Theron
With lead roles in two major summer blockbusters and unmistakable beauty, Charlize Theron is our official Queen of Summer. She got off to a bumpy start with her villainous role in the underwhelming Snow White and the Huntsman, but the film still managed to rake in big bucks at the box office. Despite the lackluster plot, her acting and beauty shined above the rest in the Rupert Sanders-directed film. She then took it up a notch as the H.B.I.C. in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus. Stacked with an incredible cast, a captivating story, and amazing special effects, Prometheus is a must-see on its own, and Charlize’s beauty is just the icing on the cake.

Blake Lively
Not ones to watch Gossip Girl, the first real look we got at Blake Lively was as the trashy townie, Krista, in 2010′s The Town. We couldn’t be convinced to watch last year’s Green Lantern, so this summer’s Savages will only be the second time we’re seeing her on the big screen, and we’ve got to admit, we’re pretty stoked about it. She’ll be taking her skills and blonde locks to the big screen in the crime ring thriller from legendary director, Oliver Stone. Look for Blake to find herself in distress when she gets caught in a dangerous love triangle and is held captive by a Mexican drug cartel. Will Blake’s lovers save her or will we be forced to see her demise on the big screen? Check out Savages to find out.

Mary Louise-Parker
It’s been a fun seven seasons, but Mary Louise-Parker’s run as the pot-slignin’ suburban mom comes to an end this summer, as the Showtime comedy Weeds wraps up with an 8th and final season. Even though her character Nancy Botwin will likely go down in history as the worst mom of all-time, the Fairy Potmother managed to keep us entertained for more than a few summers. The show jumped the shark a few seasons ago to be perfectly honest, but what kept us coming back was the curiosity of seeing how many life-or-death situations that smile could get her out of. Spoiler Alert: Judging by the bullet she took to the head in the season 7 finale, the luster of those pearly whites is lost on at least one of the show’s characters. As Nancy tries to turn over a new leaf this season, it’ll be interesting to see if she can actually keep her hands clean for once and be a real mother to her children…Yeah, we don’t think it’ll happen either.

Kate Upton
What would this list be if we didn’t include the busty American model whose been pissing off girlfriends and mesmerizing men around the world for the past month? Since her appearance in GQ’s July issue, this 5’10″ blue-eyed bombshell has been the most searched name on the Internet. With a chest sent down from the heavens, Upton also has a face that’s more than easy on the eyes, and a figure that could make Manny and Floyd finally lace up their gloves and fight each other over. This woman could even make fellow Floridian Tim Tebow think twice about his life choices. We aren’t sure what Kate is up to next but after shooting a video like this, what is left to do?