Sydney Sweeney may be one of today’s biggest Hollywood bombshells thanks to her breakout role as Cassie in Euphoria, but decades before her rise, several stars of the 1970s defined what it meant to become a screen siren.
Sweeney has openly embraced her image while pushing back against criticism that her success is based solely on her appearance. In a 2025 interview with Variety, the actress said she hopes to encourage women to feel confident in their own skin rather than apologize for their sexuality.
Alongside acting, Sweeney has expanded her empire with the launch of her lingerie brand Syrn in 2026 and her production company, Fifty-Fifty Films, which she founded in 2020.
Long before her, however, a generation of actresses became cultural icons after unforgettable breakout roles transformed them into international sex symbols.
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett became one of the defining bombshells of the 1970s thanks to her glamorous blonde feathered hairstyle and athletic California-girl image.
Her fame skyrocketed in 1976 after joining Charlie’s Angels, the same year she posed for her legendary red swimsuit poster. The image went on to sell more than 12 million copies and is still considered one of the most iconic celebrity posters ever produced.
Fawcett later explained that she agreed to the shoot partly because unauthorized posters were already being made without her involvement.
Bo Derek
Bo Derek shot to fame after starring opposite Dudley Moore in the 1979 romantic comedy 10.
One unforgettable scene — featuring Derek running along the beach in a gold swimsuit with braided hair — instantly cemented her status as one of Hollywood’s biggest sex symbols.
Despite the attention, Derek later said she never took the label too seriously and viewed it simply as part of the job during an era when films were pushing boundaries surrounding sexuality and nudity.
Cheryl Ladd
After replacing Farrah Fawcett on Charlie’s Angels in 1977, Cheryl Ladd quickly became a star in her own right.
With her wholesome “girl next door” appeal, sun-kissed beauty, and glamorous style, Ladd frequently appeared in fitted outfits and swimsuits on the hit series.
Still, the actress later admitted she sometimes felt uncomfortable being viewed as a sex symbol and said some of the revealing costumes pushed her outside her comfort zone as a young performer.
Pam Grier
Pam Grier brought a completely different kind of bombshell energy to the 1970s, combining toughness and sensuality in groundbreaking action roles.
The actress became a major star through films like Coffy and Foxy Brown, where she portrayed fearless heroines who carried weapons and took on criminals while still embracing glamour and confidence.
Unlike many blonde bombshells of the era, Grier’s appeal came from her commanding screen presence and trailblazing performances, which helped redefine beauty standards in Hollywood.
Cybill Shepherd
Before becoming a successful actress, Cybill Shepherd first rose to prominence as a model and one of the early faces of L’Oréal’s famous “Because I’m Worth It” campaign.
Her Hollywood breakthrough came in The Last Picture Show, where a controversial diving-board scene drew widespread attention and even led to the movie being banned in some areas.
Throughout the 1970s, Shepherd was frequently cast as the glamorous “dream girl” archetype and later reflected on the influence beauty had on her early career, once famously remarking, “Beauty is power.”
