45. SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR
It's weird to think that in the beginning, Buffy the Vampire Slayer was a movie, not a TV show. Even weirder: imagining anyone other than Gellar in the title role. Whether performing quippy comedy, ass-kicking, or intense drama (Buffy's struggle with the sudden death of her mother in ''The Body'' was one bravura hour), Gellar defined the full-service cult-pop diva. Her maybe-it's-Maybelline celebrity status among young women helped build The WB and usher in the era of demo-driven TV.

Get This! Buffy the Vampire Slayer, season 5