Shayna punim alert

The popular website Askmen.com is out with its annual list of the world’s “99 most desirable women of 2011” — and Jewish lookers grabbed about 10 percent of the spots.

Here’s the Jewish countdown:

No. 97, businesswoman Ivanka Trump, 29. Trump, a convert to Judaism, recently announced that she and her husband, Jared Kushner, are expecting their first child; No. 91, Lea Michele, 24, the star of TV’s “Glee”; No. 83, actress Rachel Bilson, 29; No. 81, actress and “Glee” co-star Dianna Agron, 24; No. 55, actress Rashida Jones, 34.

No. 19, Israeli model Bar Refaeli, 25, down six spots from last year. She became famous worldwide when she graced the cover of the 2009 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue; No. 12, actress Emmanuelle Chriqui, 33, who was No. 1 last year; No. 11, actress Natalie Portman, 29, up six spots from last year; No. 7, actress Scarlett Johansson, 26; and No. 2, actress Mila Kunis, 27.

Kunis’ high ranking this year — up from No. 32 last year — is a reflection of her successful move into feature films, notably “Black Swan.”

By the way, Bilson and Michele are the daughters of a Jewish father and non-Jewish mother. Jones and Johansson are the daughters of a Jewish mother and non-Jewish father. The rest, save Trump, have two Jewish parents.

More on Dianna Agron

Agron (Quinn Fabray on “Glee”) is now co-starring in her first major feature film, “I am Number Four.” This sci-fi epic opened to mixed-to-bad reviews, but has done well at the box office.

In real life, Agron started dating her co-star, Brit actor Alex Pettyfer, soon after their movie began filming. However, they have since broken up.

Agron grew up mostly in Burlingame. Her father, Ron, was general manager of a Hyatt Regency hotel in Burlingame. Her mother, Mary, is a convert to Judaism.

Recently, I received a letter from Linda Yelnick, a music industry publicist (www.hyimvibe.com), who was the religious school coordinator for Peninsula Temple Sholom in Burlingame from 1989-1998. The Agron family (including Dianne’s brother, Jason) belonged to the temple and Dianna had her bat mitzvah there. Yelnick writes: “[Dianna] was very sweet as well as beautiful, and a real lady even as a pre-teen. Jason was a cool kid, too … Both parents were true mensches, and we were thrilled to have them all participate in the religious school.”

A Jewish iguana?

Opening on Friday, March 4, is the animated film, “Rango,” with Johnny Depp starring as the voice of the title character, a chameleon that lives in a terrarium. Actress Isla Fisher, 35, co-stars as the voice of Beans, a desert iguana. Fisher, who now mostly lives in Los Angeles and London, grew up in Australia. She converted to Judaism in 2007 and, in 2010, she wed comedian Sacha Baron Cohen, 39. The couple now has two children.

Actress Claudia Black, 38, has a smaller supporting voice role in as Angelique, a red fox. The native Australian is best known for her role as Aeryn Sun on the sci-fi cable series “Farscape.”

Interestingly enough, Fisher and Black are the only two Jewish Australian actors to be reasonably well known outside Australia (Aussie actor Geoffrey Rush is not Jewish, as many assume). Why the dearth of famous Australian Jewish actors and comedians? It’s not exactly clear, but until a generation ago, there were very few Australian actors, period, who were known worldwide. So, maybe in a generation hence, more Aussie Jews will become worldwide media stars.

Columnist  Nate Bloom, an Oaklander, can be reached at [email protected].