Thursday, December 31, 2015

December 31 - Nikola Tesla


Each day in December I've been celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They were revealed over December's 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...! Click the "Handsome men" tag at the bottom of this entry to see them all.

NIKOLA TESLA, 1856-1943
Now this one's taken you by surprise, hasn't it? Well,my last choice is indeed the Serbian-American scientist who was a pioneer in the field of electricity. Ever seen the 2006 film The Prestige? Tesla is who David Bowie portrays quite brilliantly in that, making one of the most impressive entrances in Hollywood history. But look at the man himself - wasn't he handsome? He looks really quite modern and contemporary too, with his little moustache, come-to-bed eyes and that little hint of a smile in the corner of his mouth. He has the look of a silent movie star! Nikola was 6ft 2in and was a known stylish figure in New York City, where he lived. He was meticulous in his appearance and grooming too. Very modern indeed! It's nice to end 2015 celebrating a man from the past who took pride in his appearance like the ultimate metrosexual modern man.


David Bowie as Nikola Tesla. Still pretty hot

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

December 30 - Jason Statham


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

JASON STATHAM, 48
Jason will have a place in my heart for all time. This guy simply embodies masculinity to me, and although he's not typically handsome, it's his stubbly, gruff, rough around the edges quality which does it for me. He has the type of accent you sometimes wonder if he's faking (something I also think about TV chef Gino D'Acampo), and he doesn't exactly have a broad acting range, but who cares when he looks like that? I love his action films for what they are - bloody good action films, and no more. The Transporter trilogy, Crank, The Bank Job, The Mechanic... love 'em! The scene in The Transporter where he wrestles with the bad guys in an oil slick will live with me until my dying day.


Tuesday, December 29, 2015

December 29 - Paul Rudd


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

PAUL RUDD, 46
This guy smashed into the big time with his role as Ant-Man earlier this year, and it's seeing that film that turned him from a good looking guy into a blimey-he's-husband-material kinda guy! My earliest memory of him is from the 2008 film Role Models, which seems to be on Channel 4 in the UK every other week. He's very handsome and possesses a quirkiness and a sense of humour which offsets his looks to make him a much more rounded, regular guy. I guess that's why they cast him in Ant-Man, because the central character has to come across as realistically incredulous. And he does not look 46, simple as.


Monday, December 28, 2015

December 28 - Stuart Reardon


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

STUART REARDON, 34
I've only really discovered this guy in 2015, and what a revelation he's been (often literally!). To follow him on twitter is to follow a man of such ridiculous beauty that it's hard to understand why he isn't better known outside of sport (he's a rugby player, don't you know!). He's also a model, and seems to pull off any look he tries - slicked back hair, scruffy curls, beard, you name it, he's tried it and rocked it. He's also got tattoos, something I don't usually go for, but in Stu case they do complement his physique and look great on him. He's not gone overboard, like so many other men (I'm looking at you, Messrs Beckham and Levine!). Stu's also a great advocate for inspirational speaking, and tweets uplifting remarks and messages all the time. And he tweets pictures of his body too, which I always find very uplifting.


Sunday, December 27, 2015

December 27 - Chris Pratt


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

CHRIS PRATT, 36
The man of the moment! But anybody who saw Chris in films such as Bride Wars (2009) or Delivery Man (2013) will know what a magnificent transformation he has affected to become one of 2015's most talked about Hollywood stars. He was pudgy, dare I say fat. he was scruffy and possessed little of the handsome, masculine charm that he would discover in blockbuster hits like Guardians of the Galaxy and Jurassic World. These days, he's a bona fide hunk! And now he's filming a remake of The Magnificent Seven for release in 2016, which might become the first Western I'll ever have paid to go and see at the cinema.



Saturday, December 26, 2015

December 26 - Gregory Peck


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

GREGORY PECK, 1916-2003
When Gregory Peck was young, he was A1 handsome. Look at him in Hitchcock's Spellbound, when he was 29, or even his film debut, Days of Glory, when he was a very fresh-faced 28. He didn't have a muscly body (he was actually quite gangly), but he did have a suave sophistication, jet black hair and soulful eyes. And, of course, a winning and dependable smile. Fantastic actor too, as anyone who's seen To Kill a Mockingbird will attest.


Friday, December 25, 2015

December 25 - Jason O'Mara


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

JASON O'MARA, 43
"Who?" you may cry. "It's Christmas Day, who the hell is Jason O'Mara?" Well, that's just the way the alphabetical-ness of this list has fallen. Jason is probably best known for playing Sam Tyler in the American remake of Life on Mars in 2008, but I've recently come to know him in the axed Spielberg fantasy series Terra Nova from 2011. Jason is Irish and has that automatic twinkly charm that seems to be in the DNA of anybody born there. He had a stint on UK screens, perhaps most memorably as Fergal in the 2001 series of Monarch of the Glen, but has had great success as a character lead actor in the US, more recently in Vegas, The Good Wife, Sons of Liberty and Complications. And he's actually a pretty good actor. He brings quirks to his performances to make them stand out, and his characters that little more unique or individual. Again, it's those eyes. I see themes developing as I unveil each handsome man every day - the eyes, the smile, the hair. Very rarely, if ever, does the physique come first for me.


In Monarch of the Glen in 2001

Thursday, December 24, 2015

December 24 - Paul Newman


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

PAUL NEWMAN, 1925-2008
Another contender for one of the best looking men in Hollywood history, along with Clift and Brando, and maybe Hudson. But Paul Newman had a real sensitivity, and a different look to the others. He had piercingly beautiful eyes and a vulnerability that Brando and Hudson rarely let show (Clift did in spades, though!). Paul looks fantastic in films like Cool Hand Luke, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and The Long, Hot Summer, and he continued to make good films into old age - The Hudsucker Proxy, Road to Perdition, and of course The Color of Money.


I mean, just... wow!

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

December 23 - Chris Mears


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

CHRIS MEARS, 22
Now I know I'm almost old enough to be Chris's father, but since when did that stop anybody appreciating a person's handsomeness? I much, much prefer Chris to his diving cohort Tom Daley - yes, Tom's a good looking lad, but to me he has yet to grow into his face. He's 21 but still seems very boyish and too close to a teenager. Whereas Chris looks more his age, more manly and mature. He has a better physique than Tom, and I like the fact he has other passions and pursuits other than swimming. He's a keen and successful DJ and musician, and this is obviously where his path lies after the allure of the swimming pool deserts him. And those eyebrows - I do like a good, thick eyebrow - and that scar on his belly. Somehow that makes him even more attractive, as he seems fallible, more human and normal than so many of his contemporaries.


Tuesday, December 22, 2015

December 22 - Dylan McDermott


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

DYLAN McDERMOTT, 54
When I saw Dylan in American Horror Story: Murder House in 2011, I couldn't believe he was 50 years old. He's aged very well, and has probably got better over the years, his ruggedness working for him. He's come a long way since Hamburger Hill in 1987, and if you look at him in that, when he's just 26, he really hasn't changed all that much in the intervening 25 years. Lucky him. Let's hope Father Time doesn't catch up with him too soon!


Monday, December 21, 2015

December 21 - Matthew McConaughey



Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY, 46
I've had a soft spot for this guy ever since I saw him in A Time to Kill back in 1996. He is pretty old school in Hollywood (or as old as modern Hollywood will allow) - he's a reckless, devil-may-care personality with an edge that makes him fun and slightly dangerous. I've followed his career closely over the years, and love him in U-571, Frailty, Reign of Fire and, of course, the wonderfully fulfilling Magic Mike. I like his hair and his cheeky dimples when he smiles, and that wild, unpredictable look in his eyes. And the fact he plays the bongos naked with his pals just adds to his dangerous allure.


Sunday, December 20, 2015

December 20 - Rock Hudson


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

ROCK HUDSON, 1925-1985
Rock typifies the square-jawed Hollywood matinee idol look. I've always thought he had a look of a young Sylvester Stallone, but the two are genuinely incomparable in pretty much every way! Rock had lovely, smiley eyes and a physique straight out of Photoplay Magazine, and managed to make the transition from Westerns and war films to romantic lead, usually opposite Doris Day. His high profile death from Aids in 1985 was an important step in raising awareness of the disease across the world.


Saturday, December 19, 2015

December 19 - Jake Gyllenhaal


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

JAKE GYLLENHAAL, 34
As well as being extremely handsome, not to say cute, Jake is also a damn good actor. I like that he hasn't toppled into the Marvel Superhero chasm like so many other perfectly good but wasted actors (Chris Evans, Paul Rudd, Robert Downey Jr etc) and that his film choices are often brave, unexpected and altogether more interesting. Films like Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, Jarhead, Source Code, Enemy and Everest show that he picks and chooses his roles astutely. I suppose the closest he's ever got to a Hollywood blockbuster is The Day After Tomorrow, but that's not a bad film. We'll try and gloss over Prince of Persia (the only good thing about that is that it stars Jake Gyllenhaal and is set in a very hot country...)


It's less than a week until Christmas. This photo is topical, OK?

Friday, December 18, 2015

December 18 - Ryan Gosling


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

RYAN GOSLING, 35
Ooh look, another Canadian. They just have a look, don't they? There's something ruggedly friendly about them (I know, because I've met plenty of Canadians and they're all lovely). Now, as with Lucas Bryant (December 5), I don't think I've ever actually seen Ryan in anything. Never seen The Notebook, never seen Drive, never seen The Place Beyond the Pines. But I have seen pictures of him, and from that alone I just know he's deserving of a place on my list. He's apparently slated to appear in the new Blade Runner film, whenever that actually happens, so maybe that's when I'll get to see Ryan actually move!


Thursday, December 17, 2015

December 17 - David Giuntoli


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

DAVID GIUNTOLI, 35
I mean, blimey. Look at those eyes! David is the title character in the successful US fantasy series Grimm, in which he fights off various monsters disguised as humans. After a first series when it looked like the programme makers were actually trying to underplay his good looks, the series really took off when they dressed him better and did great things with his hair. The current series is the fifth and final so I'm very interested in seeing where David's career takes him next.


Wednesday, December 16, 2015

December 16 - Harrison Ford


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

HARRISON FORD, 73
Harrison Ford may be drawing his pension now, but the reason he's on this list is not because of his 21st century look. It's appropriate that his entry should fall today, the eve of the release of the much-hyped Stars Wars Episode VII - The Force Awakens, and it is iconic role as Han Solo that he will forever be remembered for. If not that, then that other iconic role, Indiana Jones! What a legacy he's leaving! When Harrison was younger - in his 30s and early 40s - he was ridiculously handsome, and has a built-in masculine charm which makes him attractive to men and women. That devilish quality he has as both Han and Indy is very attractive (who can fail to be attracted to Han's "Who's scruffy lookin'?" in The Empire Strikes Back?). Back in the day, Harrison's bearded look was quite contemporary for today.


Tuesday, December 15, 2015

December 15 - Joseph Fiennes


Each day in December I'll be celebrating a handsome man. You may ask why, but there's no meaningful reply I can give other than: why not? They'll be revealed over the next 31 days in strict alphabetical order, so no favouritism. And you never know, I might celebrate 31 women in January...!

JOSEPH FIENNES, 45
I've been a fan of Joe's for many years, since he first came to prominence as the Bard in that fantastic 1998 film Shakespeare in Love. I think he looked his best ever in that film, but a few years later he got the lead in a quickly axed American series called FlashForward, and again he looked very handsome indeed (it's something about the way he holds his mouth. Oh, and the eyes!). His co-star in that was John Cho, who has already popped up on this list (December 6), while another performer in that series was Michael Ealy (my December 13). It was a very productive series, FlashForward! I remember seeing Joe playing Merlin in another axed US series called Camelot, and he was sadly pretty poor in that (and the skinhead did not suit him), but now he's back on track, having more recently popped up in the second series of American Horror Story.