Hollywood's 10 Hottest Cougars

These successful stars are showing that the fountain of youth may just be hiding in a younger man’s body

-Amy Levin-Epstein

In the September issue of More magazine, Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell objects to being called a cougar — a reference to her marrying Charles Askegaard, who is 10 years her junior. She explains her choice of a younger partner as deeper than a boy toy: "What I have yet to see is a real woman choose a younger man because he spent six hours a day at the gym trying to sculpt his abs. The fact that a man is open to being with an older woman suggests that he doesn't give a hang what other people think of him. More likely, he's confident, open-minded and willing to make his own rules. All of which just happen to be qualities that, much more than a great six-pack, make for a great relationship."

Indeed, it is a somewhat silly term, given that the ladies on our list are serious, respected and dedicated career women who made professional names for themselves in their 20s, and are focusing on finding true love (or at least fun flings) in their 30s, 40s, and beyond. Nevertheless, in honor of the debut tonight of Courteney Cox’s new ABC series, Cougar Town, here are the 10 hottest celebrity “cougars” and their, ahem, prized “prey.”

Demi “The Original Cougar” Moore

This Charlie’s Angel, 46, took Ashton Kutcher, 31, under her wing in 2003, when he was a boyish 25. Within six years they have developed one of the most solid relationships in Hollywood — and despite Candace’s noted point, he still has those six-pack abs from his Calvin Klein underwear model days.

Mariah “And They Said It Wouldn’t Last” Carey

Despite their awkward kiss on Oprah last week, long-time Mariah fans (and cougars everywhere) purred when husband Nick, 28, confirmed “Age ain’t nothing but a number” when referring to the 11-year age gap the America’s Got Talent host and his 39-year-old butterfly.