Cougars have gone mainstream. Not too long ago the term's vaguely creepy, overtly predatory connotations kept it from a wider embrace, but these days it's something to be proud about.

Last week, the sequel to Sex and the City began filming in Manhattan, and in two weeks the Courteney Cox-led Cougar Town comes to network TV. With this mainstream conversion well on its way, the definition of cougar has expanded to include "females over 40 and still hot enough to attract younger men." Sure, it's basically the same thing as a MILF, but with fewer children required.

So what better time to launch our First Annual Top 25 Cougar Actresses list? Rest assured, it's complete with the photos we know you came here to see. (And a quick note: Cougars to look forward to next year include Jennifer Connelly, Lara Flynn Boyle, and Uma Thurman.)