#1,627 Jeri Ryan
The "franchise" is
Star Trek. Some 25 media properties - movies, TV series (live and animated). Plus books, video games, etc. One of the biggest revenue generating media franchises ever (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, James Bond, etc.).
Ryan came on the
Voyager series, which ran for its planned seven years from 1995 to 2001. She was formerly a "Borg" drone (fans know who the Borg are), an assimilated human that was liberated from the collective.
Joined the crew of the star ship Voyager, and became one of the franchises most popular (and maybe its "Hottest") character. I think they had to sew her into that costume.
Yeah, ya had to sort all that out. I tried to give clues that led you to sci-fi, to the Borg ("resistance is
futile"), to the character's return in the "Picard" television series, that is now in its last of three seasons. All that was to try to get you to Star Trek.
Picard was captain of of the Enterprise in
The Next Generation (TNG) series from the late '80's, and Paramount put him (and now most of TNG characters now up there in age in real life) in one of the many spinoff series of the franchise.
Age 22 as "Miss Illinois" pageant winner. Came in 4th at "Miss America" the next year
Her first US television appearance at age 23 in "Who's the Boss" in 1991
Now the "Picard" series streaming on Paramount with TNG cast .. Jeri is the "baby" of the bunch at age 54.