Here’s our first annual list of 10 beautiful blondes to watch this year. These ladies were chosen based on their upcoming professional projects or personal events that will make headlines in 2012.

Charlize Theron – This South African beauty has taken some time off since winning the Academy Award in 2008. But she starred in the movie Young Adult last year that earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. Charlize has two new films that are coming out later this year — Prometheus and Snow White and the Huntsman.

Madonna – The legendary singer won a Golden Globe Award in 2012 for Best Original Song for Masterpiece in the film W.E. which she also directed. She’s also going to perform at halftime in this year’s Super Bowl.

Britney Spears – The pop star just got engaged and will get married this year to Jason Trawick, her former manager. This will be Britney’s third marriage and will likely generate huge tabloid coverage.

Chelsea Handler – She recently signed a new two-year contract with NBC Universal for a reported $25 million. The host of Chelsea Lately on E also has a new sitcom on NBC called Are You There Chelsea? based on one of her best-selling books. She will also develop and produce new shows for E and NBC.

Elizabeth Olsen – She’s the younger and taller sister of the Olsen Twins who made her movie debut in 2011 in Martha Marcy May and Marlene. She’s already filmed several more movies that will be released in the next two years.

Emily VanCamp – This Canadian actress is star of the new ABC drama Revenge that airs on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. She’s been reportedly dating her co-star on the show Joshua Bowman.

Beth Behrs – This gorgeous blonde from Pennsylvania stars in the hit CBS comedy 2 Broke Girls airing Monday nights at 8:30 p.m. Beth is a graduate of the UCLA School of Film and Television.

Jessica Simpson – She’s currently pregnant with her first child and will be appearing as a mentor in NBC’s new reality show Fashion Star.  Known for her singing and reality shows, Jessica has become a popular fashion designer of clothing, handbags and shoes. Her products could be the first celebrity line to break $1 billion in annual sales.

Caroline Wozniacki – This Dutch-born beauty has been the No. 1 ranked women’s tennis player for over a year. However, she hasn’t won a Grand Slam tournament yet. Could this be the year where she finally wins a title??

Stacy Keibler – This leggy blonde made a name for herself as wrestler with the WWE and her appearance on the second season of Dancing With the Stars. Now you know her as the girlfriend of movie star George Clooney. She’s been dating him for over six months and her media profile has increased dramatically. Will George end his single life and propose to Stacy this year???