Top Ten Bald Babes of Science-Fiction

For some reason, more than any other genre, women in science-fiction frequently appear bald. Perhaps it’s because hair has become an aspect of femininity in our culture. A bald women is shocking, even alien, which of course goes well with the sci-fi genre. But a bald woman can also be kinda hot. Here’s a run-down of some of the best bald babes in movies and television.

10. Agatha (Samantha Morton) in Minority Report (2002) – In a movie about future cops who solve crimes before they happen, Agatha is a psychic who sees who will commit murder before they even do it. She lived in a tube of milky water and had wires hooked up to her bald head. The movie never explained why having a shaved head was important to the psychic process, though. On the sexy scale, she ranks on the low end, since I thought she was more creepy than sexy.

9. Lady Jessica (Francesca Annis) in Dune (1984) – Based on Frank Herbert’s novel of the same name, Dune features a powerful all-female cult called the Bene Gesserit, whose followers have shaven heads for no apparent reason. One of the Bene Gesserit is known as Lady Jessica, and is also the mother of Paul Atreides, hero of the tale. Very exotic and mysterious, Lady Jessica had hair in most of the movie, but looked pretty good when she was bald, too.

8. LUH-3417 (Maggie McOmie) in THX-1138 (1971) – In a dystopian underground city in the distant future, all emotions are suppressed by drugs and people live in a dull and totalitarian police state. LUH-3417 is one woman who breaks free and leads her partner THX-1138 in a rebellion. In real life, Maggie McOmie was one of the few actresses willing to shave her head for the role, and pretty much disappeared from acting for twenty years. I guess the head shaving traumatized her. Now the sexy scale is starting to move, because I thought LUH was really cute with no hair. Much like Portman (see below), it gives her a vulnerability that adds to her character.

7. Adira Tyree (Fabiana Udenio) in Babylon 5 (1994) – The series Babylon 5 must have the record for most bald women on a TV program. There were two alien races whose females had no hair – the Centauri and the Minbari. We’ll get to the Minbari in a minute. Adira Tyree is a stripper and the one true love of alien ambassador Londo on Babylon 5. Technically, the actress didn’t shave her head – she wore a bald cap – but still looked really good. Plus, she has a spicy alien Latina flavor.

6. Asajj Ventress (Grey DeLisle) in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2003) – A deadly Sith warrior who wields two lightsabers, Asajj battled against Anakin Skywalker in the Clone Wars mini-series. She ended up being so popular that they made her a regular villain in the Clone Wars TV series, and she’s also appeared in the comics. Interestingly enough, Asajj was originally developed as a possible villain for Episode II: Attack of the Clone Wars. Her character was abandoned in favor of Count Dooku, but they resurrected her for Clone Wars. I think Asajj is really hot. I’d wield lightsabers with her anytime.

5. Delenn (Mira Furlan) in Babylon 5 (1994). In the space station Babylon 5, Delenn is an ambassador and leader of an alien race called the Minbari. The Minbari have a crest made of bone instead of hair. However, in the first season series finale Chrysalis, Delenn undergoes a transformation that makes her “part human” and gives her hair. I’m guessing this had more to do with the actress not wanting to wear the bald cap anymore. Personally, I preferred her bald. The bald head and mysterious accent made her seem quite elegant.

4. Pa’u Zotoh Zhaan (Virginia Hey) in Farscape (1999-2002) – In the TV series Farscape, Zhaan is an alien priestess who serves as the moral conscience for a group of escaped prisoners in a living spaceship. Behind the scenes, Virginia Hey really did shave her head and eyebrows for most of the series, but ultimately quit the show because the blue makeup gave her liver problems. Mature and voluptuous, Zhaan already breaks the mold for attractive women in sci-fi. The bald head and blue skin are just a bonus. I thought she was incredibly sensuous and thoroughly enjoyed every moment of her on the series.

3. Evey Hammond (Natalie Portman) in V For Vendetta (2005) – Portman played a young woman who becomes the unwitting apprentice of a revolutionary freedom fighter known only as V. Evey and V battled together to overthrow a fascist dictatorship in a futuristic England. In one brutal scene, Hammond is kidnapped, accused of treason, has her head shaved, and is forced into a prison cell. The harsh treatment forges her resolve in steel to face her war with the government. In real life, Portman got a lot of press shaving her head for this role. I think she is one of the rare actresses who could pull this off. It made her pixie-like features more striking, and gave her a vulnerability that made you want to protect her.

2. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) in Alien 3 (1992) – In Alien 3, Alien hunter and female warrior Ellen Ripley crash-lands on a penal colony and is forced to shave her head to avoid lice. According to reports, the original script called for Ripley to land in an outer space monastery, requiring her to shave her head to fit in among the monks. Script revisions changed it to a penal colony, but the baldness was a carry-over that stayed in under the pretense of head lice. Weaver’s shaved head went beyond the movie itself and has become a part of pop culture. When Britney Spears shaved her head, Weaver and Demi Moore’s shaved head in G.I. Jane were frequently cited.

1. Lt. Ilia (Persis Khambatta) in Star Trek the Motion Picture (1979) – Lt. Ilia served as the Enterprise’s alien navigator in the big-screen debut of the classic sci-fi series. When she’s killed by the alien invader V’Ger, Ilia is reborn as an android in a skimpy white outfit. In terms of bald babes, I will happily argue with anyone who doesn’t agree that Lt. Ilia is at the top of the heap. Her baldness gives her an alien appearance, but makes her super-hot. Khambatta has a perfect head for it, too, and her features are made all the more striking. She’s one of the few women who I think honestly looks more beautiful bald than with hair. Lt. Ilia inspired a generation of men to look at baldness in a whole new way.

Do you agree with the bald babes run-down? Can you think of another bald sci-fi babe to add to this list?