Next season on Smallville, the Boy of Steel will encounter a force more powerful than even the Kryptonite that brings him to his knees: true love. Producers have begun scouring Superman’s adopted planet for an actress to play his eventual sweetheart, Lois Lane. And, while we may lack Clark Kent’s X-ray vision, even we can see that any of these rising starlets could turn Lana Lang green with envy.

Michelle Williams: The thinking fan’s Katie Holmes has proven in one independent movie after another that she was wasted among the loquacious poseurs of Dawson’s Creek. But, while the brainier writing of Smallville would better serve Williams’ intellect, even Lex Luthor probably couldn’t squeeze a few episodes into her busy film schedule. (Would it help if we begged?)

Shelly Cole: We have long looked forward to the pseudo goth chick’s every fleeting appearance on Gilmore Girls as Rory’s droll Chilton classmate, Madeline, and here’s why: The scene-stealer is just as cute as Alexis Bledel and arguably more capable of putting spin on a performance. So we have no doubt that she could make Clark’s heart skip a beat right along with ours. Christina Christian: Should the powers that be engage in color-blind casting, they’d have to be blind, period, to overlook this American Idol 1 stunner. Having made an admirer of curmudgeonly Simon Cowell, the sexy chanteuse would hardly be challenged by the prospect of dueting with hard-up Clark.

Ginnifer Goodwin: This irresistibly sardonic brunet deserved an A+ for her work in the Ed B plot that found her Stuckeyville high schooler, Diane, torn between two dorks. But rather than award her a gold star, we suggest WB set her up with a real star - Tom Welling, the sexiest so-called nerd since... well, Christopher Reeve.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead: Not only does this adorable ingenue have the plucky ’tude befitting a future Daily Planet reporter, but she is no stranger to the bizarre. She was enchanting as the next-door neighbor of a wicked witch on Passions and became an animal attraction on the short-lived Wolf Lake.

Mila Kunis: Since That ’70s Show is always letting out its regulars to moonlight - Topher’s movie career, Ashton’s Punk’d - this standout goofball should be able to get enough time off to change channels. Besides, as her Show character, Jackie, would put it, she’s way prettier than Kristin Kreuk.

Rachel McAdams: In Mean Girls, Lindsay Lohan’s nemesis revealed her aptitude for alienating people. But how would she fare if she were dating an alien? Since this chameleon even impressed us playing Rob Schneider playing her in The Hot Chick, we’d pay good money to find out. Or, rather, we think WB should.