Considered by many as the ultimate sex symbol, Madge's sexiness spans three decades. And at 47, some say she's looking better than ever check out her recent 'Hung Up' video, where she prances about in a pink leotard, for proof. From her 1980s obsession with crucifixes and lace, to the pointy bras and platinum hair extensions of the 1990s, Madonna oozes sex, never more blatantly than with the release of her 'Sex' book in 1992. She's also squeezed in a few film roles, most notably Desperately Seeking Susan (1985) and Evita (1996), for which she won a Golden Globe. Not only that, but now she's a Brit!

One of the most celebrated stars Hollywood has ever produced, for many Marilyn Monroe is the most famous sex symbol that ever lived. Her first role was in The Asphalt Jungle (1950), but after 20th Century Fox signed her, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953) and The Seven Year Itch (1955) propelled her star into the stratosphere. Haunted by psychological problems, Monroe would turn to drugs and be dead by 1962, but she has remained an icon of sex in the West (rather ironically as she is supposed to have hated it). Although her acting talent is often ignored, Monroe also turned in marvellous performances in Some Like It Hot (1959) and The Misfits (1961).

Considered one of the finest actors America ever produced, Marlon Brando was a powerful sex symbol. Forget the incredibly large man we knew towards the end of his life, Brando in A Street Car Named Desire (1951), Julius Caesar (1953), The Wild One (1953) and On The Waterfront (1954) was the sexiest thing the screen had ever seen. His acting revolutionised Hollywood, without Brando there would be no James Dean, Paul Newman or Robert De Niro. He also remained a potent force well into middle age, as his towering performance in the explicit Last Tango In Paris (1972) demonstrates.

He's risen from being a good old Texas boy to Hollywood star. Matthew McConaughey's big break came in Richard Linklater's stoner movie Dazed And Confused (1993). His performance as the school girl loving David "I keep getting older, they stay the same age" Wooderson brought him to Hollywood's attention. Since then, McConaughey has brought his toned physique to the big screen in Lone Star (1996), A Time To Kill (1996), The Wedding Planner (2001), Reign Of Fire (2002) and Sahara (2005).

Sex is power, and Mel Gibson is one of the most powerful men in Hollywood. The ultra religious star of such films as Mad Max (1979), Lethal Weapon (1987) and Braveheart (1995) is famous for playing unhinged, but morally right, characters that use violence to solve their problems. Gibson's position as a Hollywood heavyweight was set in stone by his decision to pump $25m of his own money into The Passion Of The Christ (2004). The film was a mega hit in God fearing America, and is reported to have earned Gibson over $200m. Purchasing your own island, which Mel did in 2004, can make you very attractive.

Bad boy rock'n'roll star Michael certainly lived up to the name of his band, living his short life in excess. The singer perfected the 'just fallen out of bed' look, thanks to oh-so-tight leather trousers, the obligatory open shirt and an unruly hairdo. His many celebrity conquests, including Kylie Minogue, Helena Christensen and Paula Yates, added to the public's fascination. Dying young at 37 in true debauched rock'n'roll style cemented Michael's status as a rock legend and sex symbol.