Jennifer Lawrence, the 22-year-old star of The Hunger Games, has been named the most desirablewoman of the year in a new online poll that drew more than 2.4-million votes. The title is said to reflect the actress's winning combination of sex appeal, talent, sense of humour, professional success (she's considered an Oscar frontrunner for her recent performance in Silver Linings Playbook) and potential for 2013, all of which were listed as voting criteria. 'Jennifer gained recognition through a more credible path than the gossip pages,' says James Bassil, editor-in-chief of AskMen.com, the Montreal-based website that conducts the annual poll.
'There's a lack of superficiality associated with her. You get the sense that she's someone who's hustled for her career -- and that image is reinforced by the roles she's played.'
Indeed, one of the notable trends in this year's poll, which ran online November through early December, is recognition of women who are perceived as powerful.
Claire Danes (No. 20), for instance, earns a first-time place on the list for her fearless portrayal of a bipolar CIA intelligence officer on the TV hit Homeland. First Lady Michelle Obama makes an appearance at No. 33, while Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer ranks at 59. And Anne Hathaway (47) and Marion Cotillard (39) -- dual forces to be reckoned with in The Dark Knight Rises -- both rank above Bar Refaeli (62), a swimsuit model thought.