Today (December 28) is the b-day of my ALL-TIME fave actor- Denzel Washington! Can you believe that Denzel is 54? Wow!
My fave films of Denzel’s are: Glory, Malcolm X, Cry Freedom, Mississippi Masala, Philadelphia, The Pelican Brief, and Crimson Tide.
I have created my own list of hotties. (Warning: Some are SUPER-HOT!) Some are rising stars, while others have been making their mark in TV/film/etc., for years. Not only are these gents good-looking, they’re good actors!
Aaron Eckhart
He’s not just Two Face, but an actor of MANY faces and facets. Aaron grew up in Cali, was raised Mormon, and attended BYU (where he met director and close pal, Neil LaBute.) They both come from a similar background, and have collaborated often. LaBute operates outside the mainstream, working on topics he likes. Aaron is unafraid to take on unusual projects; he’s gained lbs. and changed his hair/looks for many roles.
This is a screen shot from Possession (one of my fave films of ALL time!) In it Aaron plays an underappreciated American researcher (post-PhD) in London who happens upon a JUICY secret (at least in the field of Romantic poetry). He joins up w/ an icy Brit Womens Studies prof (Paltrow) to get more info… Too bad no REAL poetry experts look like him- LOL!!!
I smile a lot in public because I tend to look too serious.
Adrian Lester
Wow, check out those EYES!!! Like many performers of the “old days”, Adrian Lester can sing, dance, AND act onstage and onscreen. He’s a BIG talent (physically, too- he’s around 6’4″) who has a rather soft voice.
After I saw him in Primary Colors, I wondered why he wasn’t in more (big) films. Fans of the bard can check him out in Branagh’s musical film Love’s Labour Lost and As You Like It. His smile is VERY sweet!
Chiwetel Ejiofor
With a (Nigerian) name like that- you’re gonna have a nickname (Chewy)! This young actor (under 35) can pretty much play ANY part, as the song goes. He’s done Shakespeare (screen/satge), played a transvestite (Kinky Boots), and acted opposite Denzel (Inside Man / American Ganster)!
He made a HUGE impression w/ Dirty Pretty Things, a smart, sensitive view of immigrant, working-class London. He played a Nigerian immigrant (and former doc) who worked days driving a cab and nights at a hotel. Chewy based this character partly on his OWN immigrant father (who was a real-life doc). Unfortunately, he lost his father in a car accident when he was 11 y.o. The scars on his forehead are a reminder of that.
He disappears into roles like few other actors can, which makes him valuable to any film, but it also makes it difficult for him to become a star.
I enjoy every role that I’ve seen him perform. His acting seems effortless and his interaction with colleagues is a beautifully timed dance.
A superb artist and I believe he will win that Oscar one day. A magnificent actor!
-Fan comments from IMDB
Christian Bale
Welsh-born Bale has appeared in Shakespeare, dramas and comedies demonstrating a versatility, depth and range that has made him one of the best reviewed actors today and one of the most popular actors on the Internet.
-IMDB
Though born in Wales, he calls himself British (as he didn’t grow up in Wales). Christian grew up onscreen; his 1st movie role was at age 14 in Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun. He trained for 10 weeks in dancing and martial arts for the dance sequences in Newsies (1992) and Swing Kids (1993).
Since it’s holiday season, check out Little Women w/ Winona Ryder, Claire Danes, and Kristen Dunst.
An actor should never be larger than the film he’s in.
–Spin magazine, March 1996
I only sound intelligent when there’s a good scriptwriter around.
In American Psycho, Christian tackles a very, very EVIL businessman consumed w/ his own desires.
It’s the actors who are prepared to make fools of themselves who are usually the ones who come to mean something to the audience.
I don’t think I was particularly in need of superheroes. I never had any fascination with Superman or Spider-Man or a Batman kind of character. If it happened at all, it was imagined characters that I had invented. My dad was a role model for me. He was a fascinating man. There was intrigue and entertainment growing up with him. He gave me an edict that I still pursue: Life should never be boring.
Denzel Washington
Did you know one of Denzel’s twins, Katia, is now at Yale university?
On Oprah, Julia Roberts commented that “working with Denzel (on The Pelican Brief) was like working with The Beatles.” Dir. Ed Zwick uses a lot of close-ups on him, because “even when he’s not saying anything, the audience is looking at him.” His wife in Crimson Tide, Vanessa Bell-Calloway, told People that “Denzel has wit, style, and intelligence.” But the coolest thing about this big Hollywood success is that he’s willing to help young actors!
Dylan McDermott
My theory about actors is we’re all walking milk cartons. Expirations dates everywhere.
After a very troubled childhood/family life, Dylan and his lil sis were adopted by his step-mom (actress/writer/feminist icon Eve Ensler). She encouraged him to go to acting school and Fordham. She also turned his life around. He had become a hard drinker and was constantly in fights. At age 23, he quit drinking. He also changed his name from Mark to Dylan in tribute to Eve.
This is a shot from The Mistress of Spices– a terrible film I suffered through just to see Dylan. In order to NOT alienate her Bollywood fans, Aishwarya Rai DID NOT kiss Dylan on the lips in Gurinder Chadha’s rom com film. Boy, talk about missed opportunity!
Hugh Dancy
In Elizabeth I, a great UK miniseries I previously wrote about, Hugh goes toe-to-toe w/ Jeremy Irons and Helen Mirren. Not bad for a guy just who’s just 33!
Who better to rescue a damsel in distress? LOL… Daniel Deronda is about a young man- sensitive, caring, and highly intelligent, but haunted by doubts about his identity. Is he a British gentleman like his adopted father? And why is he drawn to the Jewish faith?
Hugh is not just a pretty face; he graduated from Oxford University with a degree in English Literature & Language and speaks French fluently.
My dad is an academic but there was never any question of me following on that route. I’m thick.
Ioan Gruffudd
Isn’t he looking sophisticated in this pic? Ioan starred in Amazing Grace, and had a bit part (as Tony Blair) in Oliver Stone’s W. He’s done TV, historical stuff, action- you name it! An interesting fact about Ioan is that his first language was Welsh; he’s a bilingual, multicultural guy.
You don’t need blue eyes to be a hottie- warm brown ones can work, too. Did you know Ioan starred on a TV show (Horatio Hornblower) a few years back? It’s now sold in the US. You may have seen him in Wilde opposite Stephen Fry; he had gorgeous long hair then!
I’m looking forward to seeing one of his (older) films- Solomon and Gaenor. It’s a youthful love story between a Jewish boy and a Catholic girl in Ireland.
Jimmy Smits
Where else can you find cheekbones like that!? His height and striking looks (his heritage is Puerto Rican) make him a major presence onscreen. Jimmy Smits has been making his mark since the late 1980s, when he was cast on LA Law. Too bad he didn’t take the offer to star in CSI: Miami. (I’d rather watch him than David Caruso ANY day!) He grew up in one of the toughest neighborhoods of Brooklyn (Bushwick), and can be seen in ads for the charity NY Cares.
Here is a pic from The West Wing, where Jimmy played Matt Santos, a serious, sympathetic democratic presidential candidate w/ a young fam. Hmmm… sounds familiar.
Sometimes art imitates life! Like our future prez, Jimmy is someone who transcends race. He’s played Latino characters (from many backgrounds), but also characters that weren’t race-specific.
Toby Stephens
I like this longer hair A LOT! Toby is possibly the hottest Bond villain (aside from fellow Brit Sean Bean.) Speaking of Sean Bean… He and Sean acted in Sharpe’s Challenge (shot in Rajasthan, India). Speaking of India… He’s acted in English AND Hindi (alongside Aamir Khan in The Rising).
Like mom, Dame Maggie Smith (above w/ bro), Toby has an unmistakeable (posh) accent, confidant gait, large expressive eyes, and a wide smile.
In The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Toby plays a kind country farmer who falls for his new neighbor, and becomes a father figure to her little son. This character is VERY sweet and gentlemanly!
Toby took on the challenge of Mr. Rochester- a very “changeable” romantic hero who’s “larger than life.” Now he has MANY more fans!
The Cosby Show
Long before “The Cos” became a controversial international figure, he played Dr. Cliff Huxtable- a cheery father, loyal hubby, and successful OB/GYN (who just happened to be black). He was also a wacky dresser! Remember those baggy, patterned, and colorful sweaters? Some folks didn’t like the fact that race wasn’t a BIG ‘ole deal in the (very affluent and assimilated) Cosby household. But that’s how it is for MANY people I know- they don’t go around discussing race, culture, etc. ALL the livelong day!
Isn’t this kitchen a BIT large for NYC? LOL…
Did you know that the Cosby family house (the outside) was a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights? This is one of the priciest, prettiest, and family-oriented ‘hoods in NYC.
I liked the fact that Claire (a corporate lawyer) knew what Cliff was up to, what he was thinking, and was NEVER a pushover. She was also (naturally) cool, elegant, and pretty!
Wasn’t Rudy adorable? The most positive aspect of the show- Cliff was a VERY involved father. He listened to his kids, teased them (sometimes a bit TOO much), and worked at problem-solving.
Family Ties
What other teen (besides Alex P. Keaton) had a poster of Reagan on his bedroom wall!? Alex was NEVER afraid to show his smarts (rare for sitcom kids these days). He knew what he wanted and went for it, BUT he was a likeable fellow! Michael J. Fox brought a kind of physicality to his role that was VERY humorous, especially when contrasted with the slow, deliberate movements of his (much taller) father, played by Michael Gross. The fact that Steven and Elise were ex-hippies made Alex’s Republicanism funny, too.
Remember how Alex used to leap up onto the kitchen counter to answer the phone? LOL…
Michael met his wife of many years, Tracy Pollan, while working on this comedy! In recent years, BOTH Tracy and Michael Gross made (very memorable) guest appearances on the Law & Order shows.
MacGyver
Wow, can you believe Richard Dean Anderson (RDA) is over 50 now!? With his blonde hair (making the mullet look COOL), blue eyes, and youthful face/form, RDA was a big audience draw for the ladies in the TV audience. Who says girls don’t like science (even far-fetched stuff)?
Okay, the big question- why didn’t Mac ever have a gf? After all, who doesn’t like a hottie who’s unassuming (he’s from Minnesota after all), lives on a houseboat (in SoCal), and never drinks? Because many female fans would NOT have it; they wrote letters against such a relationship. LOL!
Did you know that MacGyver was a big international hit? Some friends (who grew up in Bangladesh) said they watched this show regularly. Back then the main baddies were Russians, unlike today. Hmmm… what would Mac think of religious fundies?
This was the kind of action show ALL ages could watch. Mac was against guns, so he never used them- a good msg for young’uns!
My HS Economics teacher, Mr. Reff, once played against Richard Dean Anderson in a charity hockey tournament in Tucson. This was back when RDA had a role on General Hospital. Mr. Reff commented that RDA wasn’t as good a player as he was!
Star Trek: The Next Generation
This is one of my MOST fave TV shows of all time!!! This show had a GREAT cast, intelligent writing, subtle humor, and said a LOT about our time (though it was set in a fictional future). My dad said he didn’t understand it upon first glance- he called it “weird.” We kids insisted that he watch it more closely. You had to pay attention to discover the important issues ST:TNG explored. Remember the #1 rule of Star Fleet? “The Prime Directive” said that there can be no interference with the internal affairs of other civilizations. I guess W. and his crew weren’t watching- LOL!
It’s VERY tough to decide, but my fave characters were Capt. Picard (Patrick Stewart) and Data (Brent Spiner). Because Patrick was mature, confidant, and theatrically trained, the role of authority suited him to a tee. And who doesn’t LOVE his voice?
I kind of liked that fact that Picard and Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) didn’t hook up, even though they had GREAT respect for each other and FAB chemistry together! That’s how REAL life goes sometimes…
Data, under his odd contacts and golden make-up, sought to be more like the humans. He was an android (the first of his kind), so he was always an outsider. As a teen, it was EASY to relate to him! I liked the easy friendship between Data and Geordi. And remember when a pretty blonde engineer fell in love with Data? Fun stuff!
Remember when Data wanted to learn to dance so he’d be prepared for O’Brien’s wedding? He didn’t explain to Dr. Crusher that he wanted to learn social dancing, hence the tap dancing!
From Wikipedia: In response to a fan’s question at the 2008 Fan Expo in Toronto, Brent said when he was first auditioning for the role of Data on Star Trek The Next Generation, he was told he might have to read for the role of Riker. Brent’s response was he only wanted to read for the character of Lt. Cmdr. Data. He said he would not have been interested in doing the show if he had been cast as Riker.
Another cool thing about TNG– talented guest stars and recurring characters (like Q, played by John de Lancie). Q was one of the FEW guys who could unsettle, annoy, and (often) totally piss off the cool, professional Capt. Picard. Q even went on to other ST shows, b/c the fans LOVED him so much! He gave Data the gift of laughter in one memorable ep.
The current issue of Time notes that in Guy Ritchie’s new action film RocknRolla “Gerard Butler stars, Tom Wilkinson makes a star turn, and Mark Strong steals the show.”
Mark Strong, a VERY talented British actor, played Mr. Knightley alongside Kate Beckinsale in my favorite movie version of Jane Auten’s Emma. I felt that his characterization of Mr. Knightley was close to the book; he was tough (lectured Emma loudly), haughty (knew his position in society), and rooted in the mores of the period. Don’t get me wrong- I LOVE Jeremy Northam’s work, but he made the character more light-hearted and fun in Emma with Paltrow. Even the way Northam moved was easy; Strong made Knightley darker, moodier, and more of a mystery.
Mark as Mr. Knightley
Jeremy as Mr. Knightley
In that same issue of Time, there is a review of the spy thriller Body of Lies starring Crowe and DiCaprio. Mark Strong has a crucial role in that film; he plays Hani Salaam, the chief of Jordanian intelligence (who helps out Leo’s character). Okay, Mark is definitely NOT Middle Eastern, but his looks could be considered “exotic” in Hollywood. His parents immigrated from Italy before he was born; they chose to give him a British name (because they felt it’d help him fit in).
DiCaprio has some unusual-looking facial hair in this film! A reviewer thought it was “squiggly” and “distracting”- LOL!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758774/
Next up for “my Mr. Knightley”- Sherlock Holmes with Robert Downey Jr. (Holmes) and Jude Law (Watson).
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0988045/
But the coolest of all- Mark has acted alongside Sir Ian McKellan! Below is a pic from a theater production of Richard III.
Bollywood should be consumed in VERY small doses IMHO. Otherwise, one risks becoming angry, irritated, etc. with it’s vacuous portrayals of women, recycled plotlines, and banal dialogue. A FEW films rise above the junk, to be fair to the industry. The more Bolly movies I see, the more I understand. It’s cool, BUT sometimes the songs (esp. when translated) are… cheesy. Okay, VERY cheesy!
Do YOU like cheese? Then read on (for some good laughs)!
A still from Devdas; my mom’s impression: “Oof, that movie hurts my eyes!” (It’s VERY bright, colorful, and melodramatic.)
“A thousand Romeos have been made crazy for love of me.” -Soniye Mil Jaa (Aaja Nachle)
This is my FAVE line from a Bolly song, ever! Not many ladies can say this- Elizabeth Taylor maybe?
“You’re reaching the stars of my heart. You tell me, after meeting you, why wouldn’t someone lose their life and love to you?” –Tauba Tumhaare Yeh Ishaare (Chalte Chalte)
What the heck are the stars of someone’s heart!?
“Your heart says beat, beat; my bangles say jingle, jingle. My god, my god, love has made me helpless.” –Tu Mere Samne (Chori Chori)
This is one of my fave Bolly songs; the movie resembles While You Were Sleeping.
“Look at this crazy girl- she is ignorant of this world. A gust of wind will come, and with it- her lover.” –Silsila Yeh Chaahat Ka (Devdas)
Yup, that’s how my fam says about me! LOL!
“You are the flower of his arms. I am just the dust of his footsteps.” -Dola Re Dola (Devdas)
Chandramukhi (th courtesan in love w/ Devdas) sings this to Parbati (the virgin in love with Devdas); it sounds SAD here in English. See, you can get affected by this stuff!
“Even if a mirror pays you compliments, my heart says I should break it.” –Tune Zindagi Mein (Humraaz)
This movie is about jealousy; the last half hour is EXACTLY like A Perfect Murder.
“My bracelets say, my bangles say I have become yours, my lover. Without you in my life, I will die.” –Bole Chudiyan (Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham)
Another one of my fave Hindi songs; this movie is HUGE and all-encompassing (of themes) in typical Bolly movies. The songs in it are REALLY good!
“The sun dims into twilight; the moon beams shimmer brightly. I stand still as the earth moves around me.” –Suraj Hua Maddham (K3G)
This isn’t SO bad- it’s romantic.
“Very troublesome, buddy, very troublesome- a fair, fair face with a dark, dark mole.” -Badi Mushkil (Lajja)
Yes, I was nearly ROFLMAO when I realized what it meant!!!
Poster for Lajja, a movie that tried to show feminist sensibility, BUT failed miserably!
Knightleyemma 
