Myron Breckinridge is waiting for his sex-change operation while a stoned surgeon stumbles into the operating room. Before the drugged doctor begins Myron's operation, he counsels him. Myron persists and the doctor goes through with it. An enthusiastic audience observing the operation applauds the medical achievement and rises in a standing ovation. After the operation, Myron arrives in Hollywood as Myra while in the rest of the film Myron pops up from time to time as Myra's alter ego. Myra goes to an acting academy owned by her uncle, Buck Loner, a former cowboy star. The real reason for Myra's arrival is to claim her half of Uncle Buck's estate, which she says she's entitled to. Buck Loner stalls by giving her a job teaching the history of motion pictures. Buck Loner has several friends. One of them is Letitia Van Allen, an ancient Hollywood talent scout. The sex-starved septuagenarian runs an acting agency "for leading men only."

主演为艾赫尼奥·德伯兹，他在片中饰演Maximo，是一个被女主人赶出家门的堕落舞男，被迫和他较疏远的妹妹以及妹妹正处在青春期的儿子住在一起。

艾丽（瑞茜•威瑟斯彭 Reese Witherspoon 饰）虽然拥有羡煞旁人的美貌——金发，白肤，高挑，精通打扮，就像一个精美的芭比娃娃。美貌和活泼的性格，让艾丽成为了一个完美的女生。她的男友沃纳（马修•戴维斯Matthew Davis饰）条件也不俗，拥有富贵的出身和出众的外表。两人十分般配，却想不到沃纳根本就没把艾丽当成终身伴侣，在他眼中，艾丽只是一个花瓶，除了漂亮别无所长，于是他考上哈佛法学院之后，甩了艾丽，与旧女友重拾旧爱。艾丽不甘心，千方百计也考上了哈佛，她要用行动来证明自己并非徒有外表。哈佛的学习生活非常枯燥，而且这个金发美人还处处受到歧视。令大家大跌眼镜的是，艾丽竟然机智的干了一番事业。