Top Ten Irish-American Hollywood Actresses

Irish lassies include Anne Hathaway, Lindsay Lohan and Katherine Heigel.

ByABC News
May 7, 2010, 4:50 PM

March 17, 2011— -- Here at the Irish think tank we have compiled a list of Hollywood starlets who wow audiences with their good looks, talent and Irish roots. Successful and talented, it is no surprise that many of the Hollywood starlets are proud of their links to the Emerald Isle.

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Lindsay LohanThe troubled star began her career in acting at the tender age of ten. Growing up she modeled for Calvin Klein kids and Abercrombie Kids as well as appearing in hundreds of television commercials. Both her parents have considerable Irish roots which explains Lohan's red hair and pale complexion. While her erratic personal life has overshadowed much of her career as of late, undeniable the child star demonstrated her talent in a number of her lead roles.

Orla BradyThe Dublin born starlet studied at the Ecole Phillippe Gaulier in Paris during her twenties. A career in modeling career later led her to acting. She has performed in both the Gate Theatre in Dublin and the Royal National Theatre in London. While she works on both sides of the Atlantic, much of her acting career has been focused in the UK and Ireland. She also appeared on the US drama "Nip/Tuck".

Brittany Murphy

Born on the 10th of November 1977, Brittany Murphy was just 32 when she died in 2009. The blond actress enjoyed a successful career with memorable roles in films such as "Clueless", "Just Married" and "Sin City" to name a few. Her Mother Sharon was of Irish decent raised her as a single mom in New Jersey.

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Zooey Deschanel

The thirty year old actresses career has really taken off in the last five years when she landed lead roles in films such as "500 days of Summer". The brunette is also a musician and singer songwriter and regularly performs with her band of She & Him. Of French and Irish decent the actress attended Crossroads a private school in Santa Monica, California where she befriended future co-stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Kate Hudson.

Katherine Heigl

Nicknamed Katie by her two elder siblings, Katherine Heigl is most well known for her role as Dr Isobel (Izzie) Stevens in the "Greys Anatomy", an ABC medical drama. Heigl has both Irish and German ancestry. A career in modeling began when she was nine years old after her aunt sent pictures of her to a modeling agent in New York. On September 16, 2007, Heigl won an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series for her role as Izzie Stevens.