People love lists, don’t they? Magazine publishers, especially. Just as we’ve gotten past all the best/top/worst/hottest of 2008, Venus Zine gives us their first-ever “25 Under 25,” featuring “badass ladies” who’ve already accomplished more in their lives than many people twice their age do. Scale Mt. Everest? Easy. Top the charts? No big deal.
Evan Rachel Wood tops the list, as yet another reminder than she’s only 21. More than just the young girl who dated Marilyn Manson, Wood has had quite the acting career already. Her role as the rebellious adolescent in Thirteen thrust her into the limelight and her recent role as Mickey Rourke‘s lesbian daughter in The Wrestler proves she’s not going anywhere anytime soon. In fact, she’s set to star in Woody Allen‘s new comedy, Whatever Works.
Speaking of lesbian, California activist Marina Gatto makes the list for her work in the LGBT and Latino communities. Gatto, 20, has two lesbian moms and began working for same-sex equal rights when she was eight. Eight! I believe I was pretty busy with my New Kids on the Block dolls at that age.
If Rachel Maddow were under 25, she’d totally make this list (as though we don’t put her on enough of our own lists). No worries —Abby Elliott made the cut. One of the newest Saturday Night Live cast members, Elliott did a pretty spot-on impersonation of Maddow. So there’s that. Let’s watch it again:
The list includes plenty of musicians, which is to be expected from a music magazine, including Lady Sovereign, who’s ditched the side pony and is putting her new album out next month on her own label, Midget Records.
And it seems I can’t read any music blog or magazine without seeing Adele plastered all over it. The singer naturally made the list: she’s won Grammys, a BRIT Awards Critic’s Choice prize and had the No. 1 album in the UK. Not bad for a 20-year-old.
Other musical ladies include Baltimore-based emcee Rye Rye, Saudi Arabia’s first all-girl rock band, The AccoLade, Alice Glass of the electro duo Crystal Castles and Brooklyn-based trio The Vivian Girls.
While the list is heavy on the music, it also includes Samantha Larson, the youngest non-Nepalese woman to climb Mt. Everest. Check out the rest of the 25. Who do you think is missing?
