Jennifer Aniston
American actress and producer Jennifer Aniston gained worldwide recognition in the 1990's for portraying Rachel Green on the television sitcom Friends, a role which earned her an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Aniston has also enjoyed a successful Hollywood film career with films like She's the One (1996), Office Space (1999), The Good Girl (2002), and Friends with Money (2006). She has had her greatest commercial successes with the films Bruce Almighty (2003), The Break-Up (2006), Marley & Me (2008), Just Go with It (2011), and Horrible Bosses (2011). Aniston has been selected for a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2012. Reuters

Who's the hottest woman of all time? Jennifer Aniston, Madonna, Marilyn Monroe, Raquel Welch -- or Gloria Steinem?

A new Men's Health poll says it is Aniston, the former Friends television actress turned film star who was once married to Brad Pitt, but seems to be holding her own in the aftermath. Aniston beat out all-time hottest greats, including Welch and others, to win the distinction of being the No. 1 hottest woman of all time.

Other sex symbols drift toward one-dimensionality, becoming flat icons in the process, but throughout her career Aniston has remained sexy, funny, and unmistakably real, Men's Health wrote, in naming Aniston to the top spot.

The list contained more than 100 names of actresses. Welch placed second.

It's one of the most iconic posters of all-time: a vulnerable Raquel Welch, clad in mankind's first bikini. So vaunted was the still-shot that Andy Dufresne picked it to guard his escape route in the final act of 'The Shawshank Redemption,' the magazine said.

Aniston has her own opinion about this matter, however. It's a tie between Bridgette Bardot and Gloria Steinem, she told Men's Health. But if I had to choose one, I'd say Gloria because, well, she's the full package. That's sexy.

Aniston, who has had many different big-screen roles in addition to her starring role in the long-running hit series Friends, said not all of her roles have been sexy.

The least sexy character was Jeannie Bueller on the TV version of 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off,' Aniston told Men's Health.

As for how Aniston was voted ahead of such big names over the years as Monroe and Welch, the magazine had this take: Funny is sexy, and Jennifer Aniston is funny -- she was invited to join 'Saturday Night Live' before her big break with 'Friends' ... She rarely plays the airhead, and she seldom overplays a role: she's funny in a quiet, refreshingly human way.

But some people, including Men's Health readers, are not so impressed with Aniston's win. Wrote one reader in an online comment: Really? Are you kidding? Who is doing the voting here? Talk about one dimensional. How much did she pay for this? She doesn't even belong in the top 10. Someone needs to recount the ballots or fire the idiot that made this call!!!!

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