The 25 Most Seductive Water Scenes In Movies
Get ready for World Water Day tomorrow by drowning in film's wettest heart-pounding moments.
Image via Complex Original
Eight years ago tomorrow, the United Nations General Assembly officially dedicated March 22 as World Water Day, a 24-hour span designated for all countries to focus on bettering their respective water resources. We’d all perish without the clear liquid, of course, so World Water Day is quite alright with us; besides, it’s much better and more useful than pointless holidays such as World Laughter Day (the first Sunday of every May), Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day (fuck out of here) and, even worse, Valentine’s Day.
Aside from, you know, keeping us all alive, water also serves a purpose that’s far less important in life’s grand scheme yet undeniably pertinent around here: When splashed on good-looking women, the wet stuff adds an extra coat of sexiness. Frat guys who seek out wet t-shirt contests can no doubt agree. Over the years, filmmakers have acknowledged water’s universal power, finding new and clever ways to douse some of the industry’s hottest actresses for both dramatic and erotic effects. Instead of binging on Poland Spring bottles today and tomorrow, grab a towel and check out the 25 Most Seductive Water Scenes In Movies, all of which are guaranteed to make you perspire.
RELATED: Best Car Sex Scenes
Bring It On
25. KIRSTEN DUNST AND ELIZA DUSHKU IN BRING IT ON (2000)
Call us crazy, but Kirsten Dunst rarely turns us on, not even in those Spider-Man movies in which she played the object of every geek’s whimsy, Mary Jane Watson. She’s always been a bit too plain Jane, sort of cute in that girl-next-door way but never to the point where we’ve longed for a swimsuit photo spread.
It’s amazing what a bikini and buckets of soapy water can do for a woman, though. Playing the head cheerleader in the perky comedy Bring It On, Dunst momentarily changed our minds in the movie’s car wash scene. Of course, she’s no match for Eliza Dushku, whose sexiness trounces that of Dunst here. Yet, the fact that Dunst registers on our sexual radars at all while standing alongside a scantily-clad Dushku is quite an accomplishment in and of itself.
Splash
24. DARYL HANNAH IN SPLASH (1984)
When one thinks of mermaids, chances are that the fish-ladies are gorgeous specimens, looking like men’s magazine models from the waist up. But something tells us that if we were to ever come across a real-life mermaid, it’d be a scary, not sensual experience. Think about it: It’s a half-human, half-fish monster from the depths of the sea. Just imagine how ugly your kids would be.
So give fiction writers and filmmakers a hand for perpetuating the myth that mermaids are all beautiful hybrids seeking male affection. Some might choose Ariel (if they’re into lusting after animated chicks), but we’re more partial to Daryl Hannah in director Ron Howard’s fantastical romantic comedy Splash. After seeing Hannah in underwater action for the first time, we briefly considered following in Jacques Cousteau’s professional footsteps. But then it dawned on us that deep sea exploration would teach us about actual fish and not hot blondes with flippers for legs. And that just sounds way too educational.
Just Go With It
23. BROOKLYN DECKER IN JUST GO WITH IT (2011)
OK, so it’s obviously a bite-off of both Ursula Andress in Dr. No and Halle Berry in Die Another Day, even though it’s in a dumbass Adam Sandler comedy and not a 007-like thriller. And, yes, Brooklyn Decker’s acting in Just Go With It made us wish she’d stick with the pages of Sports Illustrated and steer clear of movie casting agents.
But that’s all mute whenever we re-watch Decker’s walk of fame from the ocean toward Sandler. As the yellow bikini top visibly struggles to contain her twins, the model-turned-actress gives her best performance in the entire movie by saying nothing and doing something very familiar to James Bond heads. So don’t ask yourself, “How the hell could Sandler pull a babe like that?” And forget about Decker’s lack of thespian chops. The movie’s title says it all: Just go with it, fellas.
The Last Legion
22. AISHWARYA RAI IN THE LAST LEGION (2007)
Before Colin Firth’s award-winning work in The King’s Speech, the veteran English actor built his reputation up by dabbling in a variety of genres. One of his lesser discussed films is 2007’s The Last Legion, a Gladiator-light period adventure that proved Firth’s inability to convince as a Russell Crowe-like brute.
At least he had one of the hottest women in the world as his co-star. We’re referring to Indian actress, and former Miss World, Aishwarya Rai, a stunner who’s unfairly content with dominating her native country’s film market. “Unfair” to guys who watch Slumdog Millionaire as a reason to say they’ve actually seen a Bollywood production.
Rai’s best scene in The Last Legion is yet another one of those “sexy woman emerges from under water” bits that you’ll find throughout this countdown, but there’s something additionally exotic about hers. Maybe it’s the simple fact that we don’t see her often, or perhaps it’s to the director’s credit. Nope, it’s none of the above. Rai is just exceptionally hot.
Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story
21. RANDOM GIRLS WEARING BIKINIS IN DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY (2004)
The first mistake made by Vince Vaughn and his boys in Dodgeball’s car wash scene is right there on that sign: “All Male!” You don’t have to obtain a Master’s degree in marketing to understand the stupidity in that tagline. Obviously it’s used for comedic effect here, but come on—the guys never stood a chance.
Vaughn’s crew of misfits could’ve offered three wishes and free beer with every wash and they still would’ve attracted no customers other than a truck-driving perv. Why the bikini-clad girls scrubbing down hoods and windshields are hosting an automotive cleansing session is irrelevant; just be happy that they’re doing so in the first place. Close-ups of derrieres. Boobies pressed against windows, covered in suds. And half-naked chicks giggling together, on the verge of hosing each other down mid-wash. They’d need sponges the size of Range Rovers to wipe away our dirty thoughts.
Kangaroo Jack
20. ESTELLA WARREN IN KANGAROO JACK (2003)
Weren’t expecting to see Kangaroo Jack on this list, huh? Well, that must mean that you’ve never actually seen the film; those who have know that it’s one saving grace is stunning Canadian model/actress Estella Warren, and that the movie’s best scene has nothing to do with a kangaroo wearing a Brooklyn hoodie.
It’s a short tease, but this scene starts off in highly promising fashion. Underneath a rather scenic waterfall, Warren splashes the clear wet stuff all over her body, silhouetted in shadows and just tantalizing enough to make one feel less ashamed to sit through Kangaroo Jack. But then Jerry O’Connell has to walk into frame and fuck everything up. Instead of a prolonged, one-girl body cleansing session, we get a sequence that’s deflated faster than a pin-pricked balloon. It sure was good while it lasted, though.
Old School
19. WILL FERRELL IN OLD SCHOOL (2003)
Forgive us for getting all film geek heavy here. But whenever we watch Old School’s hilarious “You got a fucking dart in your neck scene,” Todd Phillips’ interesting choice of tone near the bit’s end always catches our attention. Specifically, the hallucinogenic way he shoots Will Ferrell’s tranquilizer-influenced stumble into the pool, and the haunting folk music that plays over his fever dream of kissing his estranged wife.
OK, so we’re thinking way too deeply about a scene that ends with Seann William Scott locking lips with Ferrell for laughs. That doesn’t change our perception of the scene, though, nor does an admission of guilt make the overall sequence any less funny.
Alpha Dog
18. AMANDA SEYFRIED, AMBER HEARD, AND ANTON YELCHIN IN ALPHA DOG (2006)
We couldn’t dream up a better “first time” if we brainstormed after watching a Sasha Grey movie marathon. Alpha Dog doesn’t end well for Anton Yelchin’s character, but he does get to experience his first round of intercourse inside a pool with two incredibly hot blondes (Amanda Seyfried and Amber Heard, before either’s name was recognizable).
But that’s not all, folks. Not only does he get two-for-one, his threesome partners are a few years older, giving him something to brag to his young friends about, had he survived the film. The remainder of Alpha Dog after this chlorine-thick act of physicality ends is rather bleak and pretty tragic, but we’ll give the filmmakers credit for prefacing the darkness with the dripping wet pair of Seyfried and Heard.
Beowulf
17. ANGELINA JOLIE IN BEOWULF (2007)
Thankfully, the motion capture technology used by director Robert Zemeckis for Beowulf was top-notch; if it looked like NES-level crap, Angelina Jolie’s naked, though nipple-free, performance as the monster Grendel’s water-demon mother would’ve most likely missed the sexual boat. As it is, the film’s impressive special effects make Grendel’s mother look exactly like Jolie, right down to the pouty lips and all-around gorgeousness.
The scene in which she tries to seduce Beowulf is probably the closest to get a full nudity shot of the actress any time soon, now that she’s gone all legit and change-the-world high and mighty. Oh, well—for the real thing, and not some computer-animated version, we’ll always have 1998’s Gia.
Wild Things 2
16. SUSAN WARD IN WILD THINGS 2 (2004)
Didn’t know that Wild Things 2 existed? We’re not surprised. In the pantheon of shameless straight-to-DVD sequels of big-screen hits, it rests alongside non-events such as Ace Ventura: Pet Detective Jr. and Dr. Doolittle: Million Dollar Mutts.
Unlike those other unnecessary follow-ups, though, Wild Things 2 manages to one-up its predecessor in one notable way: To replace the sexual tension between the original’s Denise Richards and Neve Campbell, the sequel’s makers recruited the even-hotter pair of Leila Arcieri and Susan Ward, two knockouts that have since fallen into the “Where Are They Now?’ category.
The movie as a whole is crap, a poor excuse for softcore eroticism. But there’s a brief yet wonderful scene in which Ward takes an outdoor shower and show no hesitation in nearly getting herself off in public. Though a golden opportunity was missed by leaving Arcieri out of the scene, it’s still pretty damn hot.
Flashdance
15. JENNIFER BEALS IN FLASHDANCE (1983)
It seems very unlikely that Flashdance director Adrian Lyne shot the film’s big on-stage dance number with any deeper thematic ideas other than the desire to provide steamy entertainment. When you’re working with an actress as nimble and sultry as Jennifer Beals, all one needs to do is point, shoot, and try not drop the camera and pass out.
How the scene culminates, though, feels a little symbolic to us. Watching Beals dance and grind all over the chair, it’s impossible not to sweat a bit, a direct result of the bodily heat caused by the sight of Beals doing work on said chair. So when the time the water comes crashing down on her stretched frame, the cool-down effect is felt in real-life. It’s on par with grabbing a cigarette after a round of bedroom exercise.
Weird Science
14. KELLY LEBROCK IN WEIRD SCIENCE (1985)
Every teenage boy dreams of showering with a beautiful woman—hell, heterosexual men of all ages share the fantasy. For kids who’ve recently experienced puberty, though, sharing bathroom landscape with a naked hottie would be a euphoric event rivaled only by the unveiling of an "A"-filled report card.
In John Hughes’ timeless comedy Weird Science, Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith) create “Lisa” (Kelly LeBrock) from scratch on a computer, so it’s only right that she rewards them in whatever ways possible. Thus, she invites them to shower with her and says she’ll do whatever they want, but, being mega-nerds, your boys Gary and Wyatt get cold feet. Watching the scene as kids, we wanted to punch through our television screens out of jealous frustration; today, not a damn thing has changed.
Showgirls
13. ELIZABETH BERKLEY AND KYLE MACLACHLAN IN SHOWGIRLS (1995)
For obvious reasons, we can’t show the sex-in-the-pool scene from Paul Verhoeven’s legendary clusterfuck Showgirls. It’s basically porn, albeit of the pretentious Hollywood studio variety. It’d be irresponsible of us to completely exclude the scene from this list, however, since Elizabeth Berkley’s moaning and commitment to delivering a lifelike fake orgasm are tough to forget. The movie itself is a colossal failure, and Berkley’s acting is bad enough to make the least talented of adult film actresses say, “This chick sucks!” But man can she sell a sex scene.
Shivers
12. BARBARA STEELE IN SHIVERS (1975)
One of horror’s oldest scream queens, Barbara Steele blessed genre fans with an amazing gift in David Cronenberg’s perverse and disturbing Shivers. The film, also written by Cronenberg, is about little worm-like parasites that turn people into lust-crazed deviants; one of the ways these monstrosities enter the human body can be seen in Steele’s big scene, a relaxing bathtub visit that bloodies up real fast. The parasite slithers its way down the tub and right into Steele’s you-know-what. The entry causes her to both scream in agony and climax. And it’s not even the sexiest moment in Shivers. Needless to say, the film is highly recommended.
10
11. BO DEREK IN 10 (1979)
No countdown of hot water scenes would be complete without Miss Bo Derek, who earned immortal pin-up status by simply running down the beach in a one-piece bikini and cornrows in the rom-com 10. She mastered Pamela Anderson’s slow-motion Baywatch run while Pam was still doing grade school homework.
Throughout the movie, a middle-aged composer (Dudley Moore) with a girlfriend of his own obsesses over Derek’s character, who’s also taken, not to mention unaware that she’s the star of Moore’s every little dream. The most well-known of his fantasies is the aforementioned bikini-and-cornrows jog—frankly, it’s the only part of 10 we recall, or even care about. It’s also the reason why we’ve tried time and time again to get our white girlfriends to braid their hair. Better that than ask ladies to run toward us in slo-mo, no?
Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery
10. FABIANIA UDENIO IN AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY (1997)
Here’s an experiment you should try sometime in the near future: Revisit Mike Myers’ Austin Powers movies and see if they’re even remotely as humorous now as they were a decade ago. Around here, the once-agreeable novelty has totally worn off; lines such as “Oh, behave!” sound downright corny today.
Giving the first installment of Myers’ franchise, 1997’s Austin Powers: International Man Of Mystery, another look will be dually beneficial. On one hand, you’ll realize that it’s no longer cool to yell, “Yeah baby!” in a shoddy British accent. Secondly, you’ll get reacquainted with Alotta Fagina, played by Argentinian bombshell Fabiana Udenio. Austin’s trademark mojo works wonders on Fagina, who jumps into a hot tub with intentions of experiencing the power(s) firsthand. Myers’ stale brand of comedy is tolerable during the Fagina scene, mainly because his words shoot right through one ear and out the other. Udenio’s plentiful cleavage poking out of the water is an insurmountable distraction.
Swimming Pool
9. LUDIVINE SAGNIER IN SWIMMING POOL (2003)
First off, allow us to use this as an excuse to recommend Swimming Pool, a taut and intelligent French thriller that uses its sexiness as a disarming weapon. Flaunting his barely-clothed young star Ludivine Sagnier’s body with minimal reserve, director Francois Ozon lures you in with a foolproof hook (hot blonde in a bikini) and wins you over with the tense and curvy story.
Sagnier is one hell of an attention-grabber, though. Playing the troublemaking daughter of a novelist’s (Charlotte Rampling) publisher, the French model/actress rarely has on little more than a bikini, showing off a tight body that attracts Rampling’s character as much as it does us. Swimming Pool has several shots like the one above, with Ozon’s camera examining Sagnier’s figure like a true voyeur. Can you blame him?
The Deep
8. JACQUELINE BISSET IN THE DEEP (1997)
Based on Jaws author Peter Benchley’s novel of the same name, The Deep was a box office success back in ’77, but, as an actual piece of cinema, it’s quite underwhelming. So, basically, we’re advising you don’t head off and rent it after reading this, even though it’ll be difficult to not want to have a closer look at Jacqueline Bisset, pictured above in all of her stunning glory.
Even if older film-lovers can’t remember every detail about the otherwise mediocre flick, they’ll most likely cite the scene in which Bisset swims underwater for an extended period of time in a skin-clinging wet T-shirt. The English knockout was one of the preeminent sex symbols of her day, and The Deep’s hypnotically arousing diving scene remains her greatest contribution to the art-form. She could also act pretty well, too, but that’s beside the point.
National Lampoon's Vacation
7. CHRISTIE BRINKLEY IN NATIONAL LAMPOON’S VACATION (1983)
It’s not like Christie Brinkley needed the exposure of National Lampoon’s Vacation to cement her status as one of pop culture’s all-time great sex symbols. Prior to the movie’s 1983 release, Brinkley has appeared on the covers of multiple Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue’s and was the face of cosmetics brand CoverGirl. She was already killing the game.
And then she had to go and skinny dip in the now-iconic Vacation scene, a short but sweet bit that catapulted her to the upper echelon of celebrity dreamgirls. First comes the white bikini, which perfectly complements her tan figure, and then that comes off and, like Chevy Chase, we’re left with jaws on the floor. To married men worldwide, it’s a scene of magical power.
The 40 Year Old Virgin
6. ELIZABETH BANKS IN THE 40 YEAR OLD VIRGIN (2005)
Elizabeth Banks is a true double threat, always able to make us laugh while at the same time think dirty thoughts. She’s done so in films like Definitely, Maybe and , but the best example of her talent can be seen in The 40 Year Old Virgin, the movie that first made us take notice.
Banks memorably co-stars as Beth, the super-horny bookstore employee with open legs for Andy (Steve Carell). In a drunken stupor, Andy heads to Beth’s apartment, where she introduces him to her Bed, Bath & Beyond-approved sex toy, a detachable shower head. After pointing out to the audience that the scene is “graphic,” Andy drops the ball and decides to skip an easy opportunity in favor of true love. In steps Cal (Seth Rogen), however, who’s more than willing to follow the shower head’s lead. Somebody had to do it.
Piranha 3D
5. KELLY BROOK AND RILEY STEELE IN PIRANHA 3D (2010)
Not for one second does Alexandre Aja’s gratuitously over-the-top horror blast Piranha 3D take itself seriously, which is a great thing. For some, the flick’s most tell-tale sign of ridiculousness is the sight of Jerry O’Connell’s knob being chomped off by one of the bloodthirsty creatures and spit at the screen. On our end, that just made us upchuck our popcorn.
Besides, our realization that Piranha 3D basks in its own absurdity first came during a much earlier sequence: the naked underwater ballet. Haven’t seen the movie but are intrigued by that description? You’ll have to rent the thing, then, because it’s extremely NSFW. Here’s a tease, though: abnormally hot model Kelly Brook and porn star Riley Steele (seen above) take their bikini tops off, jump into the ocean, and swim in choreographed patterns together, fondling each other and kissing to boot.
Just because he’s looking out for every male filmgoer smart enough to watch his movie, Aja drags the sequence out longer than it really needs to be, but who cares? The French director slows the camera down and sets the glorious visuals to classical opera music, giving the smutty non-sequitur an elegance that’s hilariously inappropriate. We salute you, Mr. Aja.
Die Another Day
4. HALLE BERRY IN DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002)
Thanks to Daniel Craig’s dark and gritty James Bond movies, the 007 entries starring Pierce Brosnan have pretty much faded away from our memories. The only two things worth remembering about Irish actor’s run as Mr. Bond are Denise Richards’ unintentionally funny turn as a nuclear physicist (seriously) in The World Is Not Enough and Halle Berry’s fashionable entrance in Die Another Day. Let’s focus on the latter.
In a none-too-subtle nod to Ursula Andress in Dr. No, Berry’s first time on screen comes as she rises out of the ocean, looking hotter than ever—which says a lot—in an orange two-piece bikini. Bond/Brosnan watches her through binoculars, proving that the world’s coolest secret agent isn’t immune to Peeping Tom syndrome.
If we’d directed Die Another Day, Berry’s intro would’ve lasted much longer—ten minutes sounds about right. Extending the vision would be simple: She stands out of the water, starts drying herself off by hand, and then goes back underwater and repeats the cycle three or four more times. And then, after the fourth dip, she slowly walks toward the camera, puts her hands behind her back, unhooks the bikini strap, and—use your imagination.
Wild Things
3. NEVE CAMPBELL AND DENISE RICHARDS IN WILD THINGS (1998)
Part noir thriller and part twisty crime drama, Wild Things is a clever film complete with solid performances and—oh, screw it. We’ll save the critical analysis for film historians; all you need to know about Wild Things features an erotically charged scene in which busty Denise Richards and sexy Neve Campbell make out with ferocity while fondling each other inside a pool.
It’s the kind of scene usually left for softcore porn found on cable channels after the clock strikes midnight, but with known actresses and Hollywood’s backing. Even though Wild Things had no chance of dominating an awards season, its greatest sequence was the Natalie Portman/Mila Kunis in Black Swan of its time, and lent the film with additional interest from tongue-wagging men. The crazy part: We actually prefer this to Portman-and-Kunis. There must be something in the water. Like, Richards’ insane rack.
Dr. No
2. URSULA ANDRESS IN DR. NO (1962)
Arguably the granddaddy of all hot water-related movie scenes, Ursula Andress’ strut out of the ocean in the classic James Bond film Dr. No doesn’t necessarily strike a guy’s hormones with as much tenacity today as it did back the early ’60s. And it’s easy to explain why: These days, pretty women in bikinis are seen everywhere we look, which is, of course, a wonderful thing.
Memorable shots of beauties in swimwear weren’t as common back then, though. Not that Andress circa 1962 needed any contextual defense; what was sexy then is still sexy now, and seeing Andress, as Honey Ryder (have a euphemism field day with that name), cuff those seashells won’t ever lose its indirectly naughty appeal. Many actresses have tried to emulate this scene in the years since, but we all know who did it first, and best.
Fast Times At Ridgemont High
1. PHOEBE CATES IN FAST TIMES AT RIDGEMONT HIGH (1982)
It’s about as literal a wet dream as one man could ever have: using the mind’s eye to watch Phoebe Cates emerge from a pool in slow-motion, decked out in a teeny-weenie red bikini with hair soaking wet and a look of “take me now” in her eyes. Twenty-nine years later, no pool scene has come close to touching this one.
For Judge Reinhold’s character, the dream becomes a nightmare once reality Cates barges in on him yanking his chain to the poolside fantasy. Fortunately for dudes in our world, there are things known as the “fourth wall” and the Pause and Rewind buttons, meaning that “take me now” stare can remain forever and there’s no way she’ll ever catch us in the act. By which we mean drooling, of course. Get your mind out of the gutter.