Vanity Fair Goes Hollywood

A host of Hollywood’s hottest young actresses appear on the cover of the March issue of Vanity Fair, the magazine’s annual Hollywood issue. They are, left to right: Abbie Cornish , Kristen Stewart , Carey Mulligan , Amanda Seyfried , Rebecca Hall , Mia Wasikowska , Emma Stone , Evan Rachel Wood and Anna Kendrick . The nine rising stars are photographed (by celeb shooter Annie Leibovitz , natch) in the grass, much like the stars who adorned the cover of the 2000 edition of the Hollywood Issue. But since that cover included such duds as Marley Shelton , Sarah Wynter , Wes Bentley and several stars whose resume highlight involves the words “Fast” and “Furious,” let’s hope the Class of 2010 fares better.

So what makes these leading ladies so special?

* Kristen Stewart, 19, reached overnight success when she brought her teen angst to her role as Bella Swan in the “Twilight” saga, but soon audience will see her real passion lies in edgier films, like the upcoming Joan Jett biopic “The Runaways” and “Welcome to the Rileys.”

* Abbie Cornish, 27, may be best known in tabloid fodder as Ryan Phillippe’s girlfriend, but the Australian actress has made a name for herself in indie films like “Bright Star.”

* Carey Mulligan, 24, played a supporting role to Keira Knightley in 2004’s “Pride and Prejudice,” but the British actress has now earned her own acclaim for her standout performance in “An Education.” She stars next in Mark Romanek’s “Never Let Me Go,” as well as Oliver Stone’s “Wall Street 2.”

* Amanda Seyfried, 24, gained her comedic chops opposite Rachel McAdams in “Mean Girls,” and soon impressed critics for her starring roles in “Mamma Mia!” and “Big Love.” Up next, she stars in the modern-day fairy tales, “Dear John” and “Letters to Juliet.”

* Rebecca Hall, 27, became a stand out performer for her work in Woody Allen’s “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” and David Frost’s “Frost/Nixon.” Next up for the actress is Nicole Holofcener’s “Please Give,” and Ben Affleck’s Boston crime drama “The Town.”

* Mia Wasikowska, 20, was a little known actress in 2009’s “Defiance,” but will soon be on everyone’s mind after audiences watch her play the title character in Tim Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland.”

* Emma Stone, 21, proved that her decision to ditch Hollywood for an acting career is smart. She’s stolen hearts – and scenes – in comedies like “Superbad” and “Zombieland.”

* Evan Rachel Wood, 24, may draw attention to her high-profile romance with rocker Marilyn Manson, but the talented actress earns praise for her off-the-beaten-path roles in films, such as “Thirteen” and “The Wrestler.”

* Anna Kendrick, 24, is best known of Bella Swan’s human best friend in “Twilight,” but the actress has shown an impressive range in her acting skills playing opposite George Clooney in “Up in the Air.”