I mentioned in a comment how much the overly-beefed heroes pictured on book covers bother me, especially when the hero is described inside as lithe, slender, and not at all ‘roided and ripped within an inch of his life. I like to think the heroes of the books I read can straighten their arms with ease, and aren’t walking around with bow-flexed biceps and triceps that keep their arms in a permanent “Ugga eat. Ugga sleep. Ugga get woman!” position.
So who do I picture when I read these books? A much-taller Hugh Grant who is not so almighty twitchy. Colin Firth. Hugh Jackman. That really hot dude from the Weather Channel. It depends on the setting but I’m almost never thinking of Fabio when I read.
What about you? Who is on your list of mental heroes?
Forgot to mention, I actually don’t envision real actors either when I read, just some vague nebulous dream males, but if I were going to, the above guys would be it.
Oh, oh—Jon Stewart is HOT!
Okay, last comment for this post (and then you guys can slap me if I lie), but I just checked and Alain Delon is pretty old but definitely not dead.
Ok, I shut up now.
Oooh! So many choices. OK, here’s top five from my list of twenty sex dream gods:
1. Kwon Sang Woo [his smile? Fucking hell. 😀 I shan’t say any more because I could feel my face starting to burn]
2. John Cusack [a friend says he’s a badly-aged man with bags for eyes, but fuck it, in my eyes, he’s still a sex god, especially when in The Grifters mode.]
3. Chiwetel Ejiofor [this man REEKS of charisma, sexiness and presence. I mean, seriously. One of most sexy British actors in a long time. In fact I’d say that Chiwetel is the new Richard Burton. Fucking gorgeous. OK, I need to wipe up this drool]
4. Tôru Nakamura [I refuse to embarrass myself here by gushing madly over this seriously sexy chap]
5. Sam Rockwell [I know, everyone looks at me strangely when I admit to drooling over SR, but he has that thing that makes my heart go pitter-patter]
The rest? Eric Stoltz, Gabriel Mann, Taye Diggs, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Ben Browder, Colin Salmon, John Lone … I’d better shut up or it’ll never end. 😀
Dirk Benedict was Starbuck? I thought it was Richard Hatch? Crap. I just did a net search. It seems that I got them wrong way round.
When Richard Hatch made his appearance in recent Battlestar Galactica mini series, I pointed at the screen and shouted, “Look! Starbuck!” Someone laughed hysterically, but didn’t explain why.
…I feel so traumatised now.
My eyes are permanently scarred by the Viggo link. I cannot tell you what a tragedy that has occured and how I now must go watch all three of the LoTR movies just to get him back to good.
But the Naveen Andrews pic did much to lift my spirits. Yum.
I’d go with these as my solid choices:
Tom Welling
Michael Rosenbaum
Colin Firth
Jude Law
Matthew McConaughey
George Clooney (as the aging perfectly man)
And, okay, I just went to see Mr. and Mrs. Smith so tonight Brad Pitt makes the list
I have to admit that I do appreciate the rips on Vin Diesel.
Should I laminate this list like Ross did on Friends? I’m sure dh would be fine with it.
Okay, last comment for this post (and then you guys can slap me if I lie), but I just checked and Alain Delon is pretty old but definitely not dead.
Haha, whoops. I’m a stupidhead for not checking. For some reason I thought he was dead. Durr! From some recent photos, it looks like he’s aged somewhat gracefully.
And YES to Jon Stewart. Funny + smart = hot. In that respect I find Chris Rock very attractive too.
Dayum. Just looked up pictures of all the people Maili mentioned whom I’ve never heard of, and woo woo! Those are some very beautiful mens.
And YES to Taye Diggs. Another black man who is so pretty he made my jaw drop when I first saw him is Tyrese. I was with some girlfriends and we literally stopped talking when some music video of his came on because we were all “HOLY SHIT WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY?”
Yay, Selah!
Clever Bobby Goren/Vincent D’Onofrio… he’s the one!
First alternative is James Marsters. Then Gil and Greg from CSI, as well as John Cusack and Mr Depp.
Love
Wendy
James Marsters, even with his short hair.
Tommy Lee Jones—I know he’d old, but he’s got a wicked grin.
In my younger days:
Sebastian Bach of Skid Row
Simon Le Bon/Duran Duran
Val Kilmer
Brendan Fraser
Zakk Wylde
Yes,I was a trash-rock groupie, what of it?
Totally agree with you on Jet Li. I also think the psychiatrist on Law and Order SVU is a hottie.
Also, whatshisname who played Lestat in Queen of the Damned. Yee-ha.
Amazingly, I think ALL of the guys who have been on my “list” over the years have been mentioned here. Starting (when I was 9) with:
Cary Grant
Anthony Andrews (Yes, Scarlet Pimpernel, but also Danger UXB and Brideshead!)
Harrison Ford (who’s sexier than Indiana Jones?)
Eric Stoltz (how many times have I seen Some Kind of Wonderful?)
Sean Bean
Hugh Jackman
Keanu Reeves
My unexpected list: Dave Foley, Hugh Laurie
Oh, and I forgot—both of the guys in House of Flying Daggers! I really didn’t know WHO I was rooting for.
Actually, I thought Eric Stolz was hottest in The Prophecy.
Oh, Maili, thanks for naming Ben Browder. That man is delicious.
I don’t really picture actors in the books, which is strange because I always have a “visual image” of my characters when I write.
But this is a partial list of guys who tend to stop me dead in my tracks (also remember I’m old enough to remember Alain Delon when he was hot).
Brendan Shanahan (left wing Detroit Red Wings—yes a hockey player, he’s gorgeous)
Michael Vartan (of Alias)
Gerard Butler
Colin Firth
Liam Neeson
Colin Farrell (I know he’s young, but oh my)
Harrison Ford (before he went into his creepy dirty old man phase)
Matthew McConaughy
Dennis Quaid
And the granddaddy of them all and I DON’T CARE HOW OLD HE IS
Sean Connery
Bron: you can certainly claim to grow ‘em well down under, because men from Oz are HOT HOT HOT. Which, I understand, matches the weather.
However, I am pleased to somehow claim Jon Stewart, who is of “the Tribe.” The Hubby calls him “Little Jonny Leibowitz.”
Also, Iron Chef Japanese? Morimoto?! THAT is AWESOME.
Now to figure out how to Photoshop fugly-Viggo’s head on a hot bod and send it to Candy for sheer scientific reason: can a scream in Portland be heard in New York City? Stay tuned for carefully researched results!
Oh jeez, I forgot
Sean Bean (HOW COULD I FORGET SEAN?)
Clive Owen
Sam Elliott (yes he’s old now, but you youngsters go check out the movie Lifeguard)
Oh, I also forgot Tom Brady. Gotta love those tight football pants.
Ok, so I’m a Patriots fan, too.
Adam Vinateri ain’t bad, either.
All those gentlemen are nice, but too pretty. My mental heros always have a bit of quirk or danger.
What about Christopher Walken?
What about James Woods and John Malkovich?
What about every thinking woman’s Romeo, John Cusack?
And what about the funny guys—Steve Martin and Wil Smith?
Wow. Triple word on Tony Leung.
I loved him in Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love, 2046… Okay, all of Wong Kar Wai’s movies. All that restrained passion and pretty, pretty eyes.
He was muy delicioso in HERO.
I can’t believe Hollywood is remaking Infernal Affairs. That makes me want to lose my will to live.
I can’t believe it took over 50 posts before someone remembered Johnny Depp. I can’t I forgot to mention Johnny Depp.
And Joyce: YES to John Malkovich, and Will Smith and Steve Martin are adorable. Christopher Walken, though? I love him, he’s a cult hero, but the thought of him boinking makes me cry like Baby Jebus.
Edited to add: Can you imagine what his O-face would look like? Aaaaah!
Has anyone mentioned Owen Wilson (he’s hot AND he can write)? Or in the old but still hot category, Sidney Poitier? And as for strange but sexy, it’s Harvey Keitel all the way for me (Bad Lieutenant is definitely a guilty pleasure).
I realize now that I never visualize anyone in the known universe when I read Romance, either for the hero or heroine. They’re supposedly making a movie of the In Death series, and I’m terrified at who they’re going to cast as Eve and Roarke.
CANDY: Johnny Depp! YES! I just clicked back over here to post that- Johnny Depp.
*sigh*
I KNOW Sarah—what’s wrong with us? Rainbow Party must’ve been rotting my brain more than I thought.
And I also can’t believe nobody has mentioned Luke Wilson, the Other Hot Wilson brother. I know, swear to God, a guy here in Portland who reminds me so much of Luke Wilson—I mean, he looks kinda like him, but he’s also smart and quirky and funny. If I weren’t married, and he didn’t have a hot French girlfriend….
I can’t believe Hollywood is remaking Infernal Affairs. That makes me want to lose my will to live.
AMEN! You know who will do their roles? Leonardo di Caprico and Matt Damon.
*weeps*
Here’s the ‘re-imagined’ version of IA: “In Boston, a young mobster is rising through the ranks of the city’s elite police cadets in disguise.
But his only goal is to flush out the mole he believes, is hiding deep within his boss’ organization.
That mole is an undercover cop, who is becoming unglued from the pressures of his job. He’s out to find the man he believes is hiding within the Boston police squad.
But as the clock nears, someone’s identity is going to be revealed in what promises to be a war between those who uphold the law, and those who don’t abide by it.”
The title is The Departed. *sigh*
Who’s playing the Tony Leung role? DiCaprio? He DOES NOT have the quiet fury and ice-cold reserve that Tony Leung has (whoa… whoa… “ice-cold reserve”? What, I’m Connie Mason all of a sudden?). Matt Damon? Nah-uh. Scorsese is directing, yes?
I have not seen such blatant Oscar-whoring since… The Aviator.
Ok, had to pop back in when forgot to mention James Marsters (how could I??) and Chow Yun Fat and yes, Simon LeBon of Duran Duran…
And ok, call me crazy, but Jack Palance was HOT when he was young and played those tortured with unrequited love bad guys in the Roman toga movies….
And… and… ok, Tom Cruise!
Oh my, WAIT! Just remembered that ancient Franco Zeffirelli movie Romeo and Juliet, and Romeo was played by gorgeous Leonard Whiting. Be still my high school heart!
Had to start googling images. My goodness, that Kwon Sang Woo is seriously hot. Those lips!
I had no idea who Kwon Sang Woo was, but I googled him up myself and WHOA. Serious hottie.
Here I’ve been nursing a creepy white boy fetish for years, while neglecting my hot hot Asian brothers (and not like… blood relations or anything. by “brother”, I mean like how black people call each other “brother”… and I’m going to shut up now)?
I don’t picture particular people when I’m reading – I generally make up an amalgamated image in my mind based on the characteristics described. One thing I do is imagine voices if the author has made a particular point about it – the specific accent, melodiousness, deepness, etc. Then I’m all over the real person match up: Ewan McGregor, Jude Law, Rodrigo Santoro, Matthew McC, Sean Connery, Colin Firth, Colin Farrell, Olivier Martinez and more I can’t think of now have been featured. Mmmm, I so love those men’s voices!
Have to say you bitches have inspired a lot of look-ups this afternoon and it’s been fabulous! Keep the pretty boys coming.
Late to the party, but I can’t resist adding my list. Like others, I don’t actually picture these men as I read/write, but I’d sure rather have them as cover models than what we usually get:
Sean Bean (mostly as Sharpe, but Boromir too)
Ioan Gruffudd (mmm…Hornblower)
Karl Urban (I think that’s his name—Eomer from the LOTR movies)
Ichiro Suzuki
Alton Brown (he can come to my kitchen anytime)
Christopher Eccleston (aka “Hot Doctor Who” around my house)
Nathan Fillion
Alexis Denisof
J. August Richards
James Marsters
(You sure get a lot of hot guys in Joss Whedon shows)
Kevin Costner ONLY as Crash Davis from Bull Durham—not in any other role
I don’t visualize anyone when I read and sometimes skip the descriptions of the H/H if they are against what I have in my head. (eg. my visualized heroes don’t have facial hair (yet, my husband does and I love it) cannot be blonde (I know of no blonde man that I am attracted to but, I will think on it), and like Candy cannot have tree trunks for arms and legs and yes, I have seen these used as a description. Problem is, if it is brought up again and again how much muscle this guy has, I end up picturing a stocky man which isn’t attractive.
My guy has long lean muscles and has dark hair. Has always been this way and I always have the same hero in my head. Anne Stuart’s heroes seem to hit the whipcord lean description.
As to real men – most have been mentioned but here are some weird ones.
There was a (2 years ago) GAP commercial for jeans where this guy dances and he is HOT! I’ll go see if I can find it.
Also in love with Joss Whedon characters – NOT the Angel
David Duchovany – yep, not kidding.
Guy who played Chandler in Friends – my husband used to kid me that he was gay just to get my goat.
Holy Crap! No one mentioned Bruce Willis! I LOVE HIM! I have hated a few of his movies but I can’t wait to get my hands on the hostage and if you haven’t seen the movie Fifth Element get it – yeah, he is blond and extremely buff. Yum.
Okay, I’ll stop for now. Harrison Ford as Han Solo and Jones. Now I am done.
CindyS
Dang, I liked Spike with the bleach blonde hair but then I do tend to like dark characters. Not so keen on James Marsters without the do.
Oh, and Keifer Sutherland as Jack on 24
CindyS
Ha, found his picture but I wanted to find the commercial to link to. Anyways, this is a freeze shot and the person has helpfully circled his picture. The guy with his hands on his head is the dancer. Seriously though, the dance made him sexy!
http://www.tuckle.net/?p=2895
Hmm, you may have to copy and paste.
Anyone remember this guy?
There was a (2 years ago) GAP commercial for jeans where this guy dances and he is HOT! I’ll go see if I can find it.
Ahem. That would be Will Kemp. Here he is in the Gap “For Every Generation” ad campaign. And here are assorted pictures of him. And here’s the video of the Gap ad. Which I have seen about a million times, and I’m still not tired of it. God he’s hot. He was actually one of the few hot boy bookmarks I had on my old computer.
He’s a ballet dancer. Hot hot hot. He was also in the phenomenally awful Van Helsing as the Wolfman. That movie took two incredibly hot men (Will Kemp and Hugh Jackman—three, actually, because David Wenham’s in it too) and made them completely unattractive. It was enough to make me weep.
Candy
I love you!!
off to stare at Will ::sigh::
CindyS
Lots of tie-ins! Owen Wilson, yessss! He’s adorable, and he makes me laugh. What more could you want? Well, he’s got that, too.
Michael Vartan, double-yesss! Actually, he and Josh Wald are the “models” for the brothers in the screenplay I’m working on. I was so stalled on the story because I need a face before I can see the story. Anyway, when I saw this pic of Josh, (MAYBE NOT WORK SAFE)
http://www.zazlamarr.com/blog/wp-trackback.php?p=33
I nearly died.
He was a professional skateboarder before he started modeling, so he came by that buff bod honestly. And he and Michael Vartan look a fair amount alike, enough to make my imaginary brothers work for me. 😉 Check it out: http://www.zazlamarr.com/thebrothers.htm
The things I do to amuse my muse.
Those larger pics are both of them in Gap ads, so I guess the Gap ads are a real talent pool. Heh. The mostly nekkid one is Dolce and Gabbana. I can’t believe those people are just sitting there, mostly no even looking at him. Damn, if that strolled past me, I’d probably be forced to attack.
They’re both pretty lean and gorgeous, Cindy.