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26 Superhot Australian Exports

26 Superhot Australian Exports

It's a big week for stars from Down Under: All eyes will be on Hugh Jackman in ''Wolverine'' on Friday, and yesterday was (yes, really!) Hug an Australian Day. Wrap your arms around these faves, from Jackman and Naomi Watts to Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett

By Jean Bentley and Aly Semigran

Updated April 22, 2009 at 07:00 PM EDT

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Naomi Watts

Credit: Ben Watts/Corbis Outline

Technicalities aside (Watts spent her childhood in England but moved to Oz as a teen), the blond beauty first turned heads Stateside as an aspiring actress in David Lynch's Mulholland Dr. She's since become the go-to choice for tortured-female roles (21 Grams, The Ring, Funny Games).

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Isla Fisher

Credit: Rankin/Icon

Hysterical and gorgeous isn't something a lot of actresses get bragging rights to, but Fisher can lay claim to both descriptions. Her star turns in Wedding Crashers and Confessions of a Shopaholic have made her our favorite comedian and crush.

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Hugh Jackman

Credit: James Dimmock/Corbis Outline

He's Wolverine, for crying out loud! What else is there to say? Well, the top-notch Oscar-hosting gig and his current status as People magazine's Sexiest Man Alive certainly haven't hurt either. Australia and illegal Internet downloads be damned, we'll watch Jackman in anything (especially when there are white tanks and bitchin' sideburns involved).

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Emilie de Ravin

Credit: Darcy Hemley/Corbis Outline

We wouldn't mind being stranded on a desert island with Lost's de Ravin, much like her character Claire's fellow passengers on Oceanic Flight 815. Absent from the Lost stage for a while now, de Ravin turns up in this summer's Public Enemies, alongside the equally hot Christian Bale and Johnny Depp.

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Alex O'Loughlin

Credit: Andy Ryan/Corbis Outline

With his longish hair, chiseled facial features, and strategically unbuttoned shirt, the Moonlight star looked like he could have graced the cover of a romance novel — not just the promos for his now-canceled show. Up next is Whiteout, an Antarctica-set thriller with Kate Beckinsale. Here's hoping they find lots of excuses for O'Loughlin's parka to come off.

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Kylie Minogue

Credit: Leanne Buckham

The singer had a hit in the late '80s with ''The Loco-Motion,'' but it wasn't until 2000 that the pop princess claimed her crown as dance-music queen. Minogue also moonlights as an actress: She got her start on the Aussie soap Neighbours and most recently played the Green Fairy in fellow Aussie Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge!

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Jesse Spencer

Credit: Adam Olszewski/Corbis Outline

The actor best known as House's dreamy Dr. Chase also paid his dues on the Aussie soap Neighbours, and in romantic comedies with the Olsen twins and Brittany Murphy before joining the staff at Princeton-Plainsboro Hospital. It's okay; those blond, shiny locks are perfect for mooning over. And you've got to start somewhere, right?

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Yvonne Strahovski

Credit: Nicola Majocchi/Corbis Outline

Strahovski plays ass-kicking Sarah, a CIA agent charged with protecting electronics-store employee Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi), who's got government secrets stored in his head. She's a little like Alias' Sydney Bristow, only blonder and funnier.

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Ryan Kwanten

Credit: Mitchell McCormack/Corbis Outline

As the dim-witted but lovable hunk Jason Stackhouse on HBO's True Blood, Kwanten bared it all in some steamy, drug-fueled sex scenes. The racy role is a far cry from the easygoing surfer he played on The WB's Summerland, though his sculpted abs would suit any character just fine. Especially if said character was required to spend as much time as possible shirtless.

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Rose Byrne

Credit: Daniela Federici/Corbis Outline

The brunet beauty has been scorching up television screens (as Ellen on Damages) and movie theaters (in this year's Knowing and Adam). We can't wait to see her show off her comedic chops in the Forgetting Sarah Marshall spin-off Get Him to the Greek. Sexy and funny? Yes, we might just hate her a little.

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Chris Egan

Credit: James Dimmock/Corbis Outline

This on-the-verge Sydneysider starred in a string of almost-hits (the canceled TV series Vanished, the would-be blockbuster Eragon, the straight-to-DVD Virgin Territory) before landing the lead as gallant soldier/resident dreamboat David Shepherd on NBC's royal drama Kings. The status of the show isn't looking good (it's just been exiled to summer), but at least Egan's nice to look at. And come on, who doesn't love a man in uniform?

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Olivia Newton-John

Credit: Michelle Day

The singer-actress first charmed American audiences as innocent Sandy in 1978's Grease, then strapped on some roller skates for Xanadu in the '80s, before getting ''Physical.'' But have you seen her lately? Chills = still multiplying.

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Simon Baker

Credit: Ben Watts/Corbis Outline

It makes sense that Baker would play the title character in The Mentalist, because he's been on our minds a whole lot. The Tasmania native, who turns 40 this year, has an effortless appeal that works on the ladies of the small and big screen (see: Something New, The Devil Wears Prada).

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Cate Blanchett

Credit: Alan Gelati/Corbis Outline

Using the word stunning to describe the Oscar-winning actress (The Aviator) almost feels like a disservice. The Melbourne native seems to transcend all beauty and acting boundaries. Much like Benjamin Button, we'd meet her in the middle too.

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Julian McMahon

Credit: Bradley Patrick/Retna Ltd.

You can't get more Australian than McMahon — his dad was the prime minister. Fortunately for the rest of the world, he defected to L.A. in the '90s to become a TV and movie star. McMahon's made a habit of playing bad boys — whether of the womanizing-doctor variety (Christian Troy on Nip/Tuck) or the actual bad-guy variety (Dr. Doom in Fantastic Four, the demonic Cole on Charmed).

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Rachel Griffiths

Credit: Adrian Green/Retna Ltd.

Unconventional? Sure. But she's a knockout — and an undeniably talented one at that. The Oscar-nominated Aussie has done some of her finest, not to mention sexiest (she and Peter Krause on Six Feet Under? G'day, indeed!), work on the small screen, effortlessly burying her accent in the process.

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Hugo Weaving

Credit: Danielle Levitt/Corbis Outline

The Nigerian-born Weaving spent part of his childhood in Australia before finally settling there as a teenager. He's played some pretty diverse roles over the years, from drag queen (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) to sci-fi villain (The Matrix) to elf (The Lord of the Rings), but we haven't seen his face in a while. The actor — who portrayed the masked freedom fighter in V for Vendetta and voiced characters in Happy Feet and Transformers — could stand to grace the silver screen again.

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Eric Bana

Credit: Anthony Mandler/Corbis Outline

Even though Hulk wasn't the smash it was supposed to be, Bana is still one of Hollywood's most versatile actors. Not to mention one of the most desirable. Perhaps Seth Rogen said it best in Knocked Up, regarding the virility of Bana's Jewish assassin in Munich: ''If any of us get laid tonight, it's because of Eric Bana.''

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Jacinda Barrett

Credit: Roberto D'Este/Corbis Outline

The Real World's most successful alum, Barrett used her stunning looks, class (a key ingredient missing from most Real World-ers), and talent to rocket from reality TV star to respected actress. Just check out her performances in dramas like The Namesake and The Human Stain.

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Guy Pearce

Credit: Ben Watts/Corbis Outline

A rule of thumb: If your name is Guy, you'd better be hot and cool. Luckily for Pearce, he's got both of those markets cornered. We couldn't forget his memorable turns in Memento and L.A. Confidential — even if we wanted to.

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Poppy Montgomery

Credit: Nigel Parry/Warner Bros. Television Entertainment

Hailing from Sydney, this blond bombshell gets our pulses — as well as Aussie costar Anthony Lapaglia's — going every week on Without a Trace. And she's got an adorable name to boot!

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Keith Urban

We won't lie: We're a little envious that Nicole Kidman snagged this country crooner. But we can't blame her, since her Kiwi-born hubby has delivered swoon-worthy songs like ''But for the Grace of God'' and ''Once in a Lifetime.''

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Toni Collette

Credit: Patrick Fraser/Corbis Outline

While she's not your traditional sex pot, Collette certainly knows how to disguise her accent (The Sixth Sense, anyone?) and looks (she takes on multiple personalities in United States of Tara). We always figured Muriel Heslop would turn from ugly duckling to swan, and did she ever.

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Sam Worthington

Credit: Jeff Vespa/WireImage.com

Never heard of the brooding Perth native before? Believe us, after this year, you will, and you'll wonder how you ever lived without him. The 32-year-old actor is appearing in two of 2009's most hotly anticipated blockbusters, Terminator Salvation and Avatar.

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Emily Browning

Credit: Simon Schulter/Fairfax Photos

At only 21, this Melbourne cutie has already starred opposite acting heavyweights like Meryl Streep and Jim Carrey (in Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events). Heck, we'll even forgive her for The Uninvited.

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The Blue Wiggle (Anthony Field)

Toddlers may love him, but their mothers do too. The so-called ''Hot Wiggle'' from the primary-colored children's band gives moms some much-needed eye candy in a sea of family-friendly entertainment. Seriously — a cursory blog search reveals these mom reactions: ''Wiggle Anthony is freaking hot. He's the one in the blue shirt that loves to eat fruit. I would gladly set out a bowl for him.'' ''I wonder if anyone else realizes how hot the blue wiggle is?!?'' ''The blue wiggle is hot. I am ashamed to admit I think so, but I sure do.'' He's even inspired his own tribute video

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Up Next

By Jean Bentley and Aly Semigran

Account

26 Superhot Australian Exports

1 of 26

Naomi Watts

1 of 26

2 of 26

Isla Fisher

2 of 26

3 of 26

Hugh Jackman

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4 of 26

Emilie de Ravin

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5 of 26

Alex O'Loughlin

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Kylie Minogue

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Jesse Spencer

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Yvonne Strahovski

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Ryan Kwanten

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Rose Byrne

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Chris Egan

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Olivia Newton-John

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Simon Baker

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Cate Blanchett

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Julian McMahon

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Rachel Griffiths

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Hugo Weaving

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Eric Bana

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Jacinda Barrett

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Guy Pearce

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Poppy Montgomery

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Keith Urban

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Toni Collette

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Sam Worthington

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Emily Browning

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The Blue Wiggle (Anthony Field)

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