The 50 Hottest Biracial Women

45 years ago today, a landmark court case changed race, love and sex in America.

In Loving v. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court found Virginia's Racial Integrity Act of 1924 unconstitutional, thus legalizing marriage between people of different races.

You read that right: Before 1967, in 17 states—all the former slave states, plus Oklahoma—it was illegal for people of different races to marry.

It seems like ancient history, and considering the rainbow of races we now have in celebrity culture, it's hard to conceive that that it took an act of the Supreme Court for beautiful women like Alicia Keys and Rashida Jones to legally exist.

And yet, if you had asked Richard and Mildred Loving, the couple who fought that legal battle against Virginia, whether one of their mixed-race kids (they had three, the first born in the late '50s) might grow up to be president, they would have been skeptical, to say the least. Today, we have a biracial president who was born around the same time that the Lovings were having kids.

Today is Loving Day, and it's a suitable time to think of all the sexy ladies who've come about thanks to people of different races procreating. And it's not just blacks and whites. Hispanics with Asians! Asians with blacks! Whites with Hispanics! American Indians with the other kind of Indians! So, here, enjoy these mocha-colored, honey-tinted, caramel-complected babes: The 50 Hottest Biracial Women.

Written by Josh Robertson

Karyn Parsons

Races: Black and White
Age: 45
Occupation: Actress

On the Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Karyn played Hilary Banks, Will Smith's pretty but snobbish and sometimes airheaded cousin. For her, the series was an endless stream of misadventures, hijinks, and bad '90s hairdos.

Tamara Taylor

Races: Black and White (Canadian)
Age: 41
Occupation: Actress

Dr. Camille Saroyan from Bones has Party of Five to thank. A stint on the Fox series some 15 years ago set Tamara Taylor on her way.She wasn't even supposed to last on Bones. The original storyline from season two had her dying in the sixth episode, poisoned by a serial killer.

Tamia

Races: Black and White
Age: 37
Occupation: Musician

Canadian-born soul singer Tamia burst on the scene in 1997, receiving a Grammy nomination a best new R&B artist. Her career hasn't totally delivered on that promise, although she has proven tremendously popular in South Africa, it seems.

Sophie Okonedo

Races: Black (Nigerian) and White (Polish-Russian)
Age: 43
Occupation: Actress

Like several others on this list, Sophie was a black-looking girl who was brought up Jewish, although she did not end up making a parody music video about it. Too busy receiving her OBE (Order of the British Empire) from the Queen of England, perhaps. She's done a lot of British TV, although you may remember her best as Don Cheadle's wife in Hotel Rwanda (2004).

Sherri Saum

Races: Black and White (German)
Age: 37
Occupation: Actress

She's been a successful TV actress for a decade and a half, with recurring roles on Sunset Beach, Rescue Me, and In Treatment.

Persia White

Races: Black (Bahamian) and White
Age: 39
Occupation: Actress

She played Lynn Searcy on Girlfriends, and she is a black and white mix, not Persian and white. That would have been a bit too literal, wouldn't it?

Gloria Reuben

Races: White (Canadian) and Black (Jamaican)
Age: 48
Occupation: Actress

She did 102 episodes on ER, playing a doctor as envisioned by Robert Palmer. "Doctor Doctor," he said, "Gimme the news. I gotta bad case of loving you."

Maya Rudolph

Races: Black and White
Age: 39
Occupation: Actress

Maya was a fairly minor cast member for most of her seven-year run on SNL, but began blossoming toward the end; she's now proving her worth with good stuff like Bridesmaids (2011), which we know you saw and Away We Go (2009), which we know you didn't.

Mariah Carey

Races: Black and White (Irish)
Age: 42
Occupation: Musician

Mariah has taken racial ambiguity to a new level, seeming to fit whatever the viewer is looking for. You want her to be white? You got it, she's white. You want her to be black? You got it, she's black. You want her to be Puerto Rican? Well, okay, just don't tell J.Lo.

Amanda Sudano

Races: Black and White (Italian)
Age: 29
Occupation: Musician, Model

Amanda has pursued a musical career, as one might expect from a daughter of disco diva Donna Summer and composer Bruce Sudano. (Sister Brooklyn Sudano is an actress.) When not singing in the soul/folk duo Johnnyswim, she models for companies like Louis Vuitton.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw

Races: Black (South African) and White (English)
Age: 28
Occupation: Actress

You probably haven't seen this young British actress in anything (might have glmpsed her in Larry Crowne), but let's hope that changes. Gugu is mighty nice to look at and, let's face it, fun to say.

Kali Hawk

Races: Black and White
Age: 25
Occupation: Actress

Not only does she have a badass name and a role in Bridesmaids, she also made the brilliant parody of Wiz Khalifa's "Black and Yellow" called "Black and Jewish" with Katerina Graham.

Sydney Tamiia Poitier

Races: Black and White (Canadian)
Age: 38
Occupation: Actress

Life imitated art in a superficial way when Sidney Poitier, who'd taken on racial barriers in Look Who's Coming to Dinner, married a white girl of his own, the very pretty Joanna Shimkus. Their daughter Sydney had really no chance of all of being ugly, and she certainly isn't. Her biggest TV roles were recurring characters on Joan of Arcadia and Veronica Mars, and she played Jungle Julia in the Death Proof segment of Grindhouse (2007).

Megalyn Echikunwoke

Races: Black (Nigerian) and White
Age: 29
Occupation: Actress

She's had stints on That 70s Show, The 4400, CSI: Miami, and 90210, but all you need to know is her current gig: The stripper who has a lot of crazy mad sex with Don Cheadle on House of Lies. Oh, yeah, that girl.

Vanity

Races: Black and White (German)
Age: 53
Occupation: Musician

She was born Denise Matthews but, so the story goes, was dubbed Vanity by Prince because he felt like he was looking in a mirror when he met her. Next stop, pop career as the lead babe in Vanity 6, singing "Nasty Girl," a song so provocative it could have been written by Prince. And as a matter of fact, it was. She became a born-again Christian in 1994.

Thandie Newton

Races: Black (Zimbabwean) and White
Age: 39
Occupation: Actress

While making her first film, Flirting (1991), she met Nicole Kidman, who would become one of her best friends and who is the exact opposite of biracial.

Sara Paxton

Races: White (Scotch, Irish, English) and Hispanic (Mexican)
Age: 24
Occupation: Actress

Her most substantial gig to date was as the lead character in Darcy's Wild Life, a series that ran from 2004-2006 on Discovery Kids, which is a TV channel you may very well be paying for and not know it. In 2012, she's been in one film that has been released (The Innkeepers, female lead) and has perhaps five more in production. She's on the verge.

Kidada Jones

Races: Black and White
Age: 38
Occupation: Model, Actress

Rashida's older sis has the same quality Peggy Lipton/Quincy Jones genes. She's been in national magazines and acted a bit, but here's the money factoid: She was engaged to Tupac Shakur at the time of his death.

Faith Evans

Races: Black and White
Age: 39
Occupation: Musician

Faith isn't in fighting shape these days, but she was a hot number back when she was jockeying with Lil' Kim for Biggie's affection. And we defy you to find a hotter mug shot than the one she took when she was busted for drugs in 2004.

Carmen Ejogo

Races: Black (Nigerian) and White (Scottish)
Age: 37
Occupation: Actress

Jeffrey Wright is no dummy. He married this alluring babe, who will be next seen on the screen in Sparkle playing older sister to the also biracial Jordin Sparks.

Soldad O'Brien

Races: Black (Afro-Cuban) and White (Australian)
Age: 45
Occupation: Journalist

Soledad is a serious journalist, she's all up on CNN and stuff. She interviews Senators and captains of industry. And can we just say she's adorable? Because she is.

Samantha Mumba

Races: Black (Zambian) and White (Irish)
Age: 29
Occupation: Singer, Actress

There's a vague sort of term, "Black Irish," that was used to refer to brown-eyed, dark-haired, less-pale Irish folk. But just try teling that to the kids now. Today you say "black Irish" and people get visions of Samantha Mumba dancing in their heads. Which are pretty good visions.

Renee Tenison

Races: Black and White
Age: 43
Occupation: Model

Playboy's first black Playmate of the Year is a truly stunning swirl of chocolate and vanilla. And what's even better, you can have more than one: She has a twin sister, Rosie, with whom she posed in Playboy in 2002.

Annie Ilonzeh

Races: Black (Nigerian) and White
Age: 28
Occupation: Actress

When you have the honor of being picked as the "first black Charlie's Angel," you must be some kinda hot. Unfortunately it was for the reboot series that didn't last a full season, but still. Hot.

Norah Jones

Races: Indian and White
Age: 33
Occupation: Musician

The first time you heard her sing you thought, "Oh, shit, my girlfriend is going to listen to this album for the next three years." And you were right about that. But just because her every-award-winning debut Come Away With Me was overplayed doesn't mean her voice isn't sexy. 'Cause it is.

Aubrey Plaza

Races: White (British and Irish) and Hispanic (Puerto Rican)
Age: 27
Occupation: Actress

It seems like just three years ago she was Daisy, bespectacled object of Seth Rogen's affection and Jason Schwartzman's swordsmanship in Funny People. And indeed, it was just three years ago. Now she's moping her way into your heart as the apathetic April Ludgate on Parks and Recreation.

Ann Curry

Races: White (French-German-Scottish-Irish) and Asian (Japanese)
Age: 55
Occupation: Journalist

Ann Curry doesn't get enough credit. We're not talking about her journalistic chops, charisma or gravitas. She doesn't get enough credit for being hot. Look at her! She's hot. In your heart you know it's true.

Jennifer Tilly

Races: White and Asian (Chinese)
Age: 53
Occupation: Actress, Poker Player

Jen has always been pretty sexy, but to think that today, at 53, she is still breaking men's concentration with her formidable cleavage—that's special. Try counting cards across the table from that. Can't do it.

Jessica Alba

Races: White (Danish-French Canadian) and Hispanic (Mexican)
Age: 31
Occupation: Actress

A bit of a NAFTA special, with mom's French Canadian-ness melding oh so well with dad's Mexican-itude.

Mya

Races: Black and White (Italian)
Age: 32
Occupation: Musician

The super-talented Mya got her start as a dancer, then sang, then acted in Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004) and Shall We Dance? (2004), then danced (With the Stars), and sang "Happy Birthday" to The Rock on WWE Raw. What?

Michael Michele

Races: Black and White
Age: 45
Occupation: Actress

She played Dr. Cleo Finch for 55 episodes of ER, making County General Hospital the nation's leading facility for hot biracial doctors (see also: Gloria Reuben).

Jennifer Beals

Races: Black and White
Age: 48
Occupation: Actress

Jennifer Beals wasn't sexy because she's biracial—hell, most people just assumed she was Italian—no, she was sexy because she played a stripper who wore a baggy gray sweatshirt in Flashdance.

Ida Ljungqvist

Races: Black (Tanzanian) and White (Swedish)
Age: 30
Occupation: Model

White doesn't get much whiter than Swedish, and Tanzania is pretty darn black. Ida's hue bears out the idea behind Public Enemy's Fear of a Black Planet. But who cares what color it is, if we're all going the way of Ida then it should be fear of a sexy planet. And that's nothing to fear at all.

Jasmine Guy

Races: Black and White
Age: 50
Occupation: Actress

She slugged it out with also-biracial Lisa Bonet for the spotlight on A Different World. Lisa left after one season and the show was Jasmine's for the five that followed.

Kimora Lee Simmons

Races: Black and Asian (Japanese)
Age: 37
Occupation: Entrepreneur, Model

Kimora may have lost a step or two in her old age (ah, sorry, make that late '30s), but back in the day she was crazy stunning. Russell Simmons won.

Katerina Graham

Races: Black (Liberian) and White (Russian-Polish)
Age: 22
Occupation: Actress

She's best known for The Vampire Diaries, but she was also good as a Fantana and in "Black and Jewish" with Kali Hawk.

Amber Rose

Races: Black (Cape Verdean) and White (Italian, Irish)
Age: 28
Occupation: Dancer, Model

Amber Rose has come a long way, from, ah, Yeezy to Wiz. Other than her famous ex-boyfriend and fiance, why do we know who she is? Well there are certain physical attributes that get a girl noticed. Those and the Sinead O'Connor hairdo.

Stacey Dash

Races: Black (Bajan) and Hispanic (Mexican)
Age: 46
Occupation: Actress

Stacey sparkled as a green-eyed ambiguously exotic rich girl in Clueless (1995) and has ever since been criminally underused.

Leila Arcieri

Races: Black and White (Italian)
Age: 38
Occupation: Actress

You will not find a better example of a general-purpose hottie than Leila Arcieri. Never quite a standout but always good to have on board, Leila got her start dancing in videos for the likes of Boys II Men, went on to do 42(!) episodes of Son of the Beach, and generally made herself available for any production needing a green-eyed honey-skinned temptress. Which is really any production at all.

Shannon Elizabeth

Races: Middle Eastern (Syrian-Lebanese) and White
Age: 38
Occupation: Actress

That name, Shannon Elizabeth, was always a bit fishy. How many people do you know with the last name "Elizabeth"? Her Lebanese dad's last name is Fadal.

Lisa Bonet

Races: Black and White
Age: 44
Occupation: Actress

She's black. She's white. She's a good girl on the Cosby Show. She's sexy and naked in Angel Heart. If you didn't have a thing for Lisa Bonet in the '80s, there was something wrong with you.

Olivia Munn

Races: Asian (Chinese) and White (German and Irish)
Age: 31
Occupation: TV hostess, Actress

If you were going to create a geek's girlfriend in a test tube, Olivia Munn would be it. She deserves all of the movie star success that's followed her stint on G4.

Brooklyn Sudano

Races: Black and White (Italian)
Age: 31
Occupation: Actress

When your mother is Donna Summer, you're definitely going to grow up cooler than most girls. And there is also a good chance you'll be hotter than most girls. Brooklyn is best known as the show-stealer Vanessa Scott on the last two seasons of My Wife and Kids. She replaced Meagan Good, which is saying something.

Sade

Races: Black (Nigerian) and White (British)
Age: 53
Occupation: Musician

What the hell is Sade and where did she come from? Well, literally she came from Nigeria by way of London, but the persona, that voice—breathy and melodic, sweet and sexy—was just unlike anything else happening in the '80s. Sade is a trailblazer of biracial beauty.

Amerie

Races: Black and Asian (Korean)
Age: 32
Occupation: Musician

Her debut album was All I Have. Let's see, she sings, plays instruments, writes, and produces, all while looking exotically sexy. She has a lot.

Cassie Ventura

Races: Asian (Filipino) and Black
Age: 25
Occupation: Musician

Quick: What's your favorite Cassie song? Hmm... Thinking back to the pleasantries derived from her nude photo leaks is probably easier.

Rashida Jones

Races: Black and White
Age: 36
Occupation: Actress

Boston Public, The Office, Parks and Rec. It seems if you want a successful sitcom this celebrity offspring (Quincy Jones, Peggy Lipton) with girl-next-door charm is the way to go.

Alicia Keys

Races: Black and White (Italian)
Age: 31
Occupation: Musician

The utterly gorgeous and always composed Alicia Keys is the biracial superwoman, with more talent in her little finger than most of her pop-chart competitors.

Zoe Saldana

Races: Black (Dominican) and Hispanic (Puerto Rican)
Age: 33
Occupation: Actress

The year 2009 is also known as the year Comet Zoe smashed into the earth. Fist she was a relative unknown putting her spin on one of TV's earliest black sex symbols, Lieutenant Uhura in Star Trek. Then six months later, as if normal-exotic wasn't good enough, she turned blue for Avatar and blew sci-fi audiences' minds all over again. Next stop, Calvin Klein underwear commercials!

Halle Berry

Races: Black and White
Age: 45
Occupation: Actress

The beginning and the end. Halle Berry is to biracial babes what Barack Obama is to biracial Presidents. Maybe give Crazy Uncle Joe the boot and run for re-election with Halle as Veep on an all-biracial ticket? Hey, it's just a thought.