Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Crush Wednesday



Shall I kick off, then? Let me praise Gerard Butler...
I was vaguely aware of him as the cute Scottish guy who dies early in Reign of Fire, but one day I found a DVD of Attila the Hun while in HMV and ... and ... I thought "Bloody Hell - it's Veraine!" Veraine is the main male character from my novel Divine Torment (and now he's in Burning Bright). I went into mild shock.The rest is, well, undying lust.


There are loads of pictures of him on www.gerardbutler.net (4 million hits and counting - I am not alone!)




Same actor, different look.

What's the attraction? Well, for me it's the fact that in real life he is by all accounts both smart (ex-lawyer) and a thoroughly nice guy, both of which are essentials. But when acting he can turn on, at the drop of a hat, an intense, and occasionally threatening, alpha-male physicality.

Just delicious. Sigh...

Janine

35 comments:

Nikki Magennis said...

I know someone who used to go out with Gerry Butler. I could tell some 'real life' stories...Ah, Glasgow's a village...

Portia Da Costa said...

Funny, that... With my crushes, I couldn't give a monkey's what they're like in real life.

It's the visual image I'm after... and sometimes it's something less concrete than that... just a way of moving or speaking... or just a particular role they've played when it's an actor... I fill in the personality I want them to have in my stories and fantasies.

Nikki Magennis said...

'a way of moving or speaking' - yes, I think my crushes are sometimes a bit hard to define. There's the way Christopher Walken breathes at the back of his throat, you know, like he's planning something devious to do to you. That gets me.

I also like the flaws. Joaquim's scarred lip, Sean Maguire's teeth (yes really!), a pot belly. The perma-tanned pretty boys don't necessarily light my fire. It's more like a quirk or something so striking - Peter O'Toole's ice-blue eyes - that make me quiver.

Oh, and skill. The way men concentrate so intently - playing the guitar, sawing wood, swinging a steering wheel. You just know how he'll pay attention when he touches you.

My all time biggest crush has to be a doubler: Newman and Redford, Butch and the Sundance Kid. How much do I want to be the woman who went on the run with them? Sand in their hair, dust on their skin, sweat and Mexican sunshine...I never found a pretty boy to beat that coupling. (Including, even, Gael Garcia and friend in 'Y Tu Mama'. Which takes some beating.)

Portia Da Costa said...

Oh, yes, Christopher Walken... one of my perennial faves, as you'll have noticed from my blog yesterday. A very unusual guy... the sort I like best.

Totally agree about flaws too. Sometimes it's the faults in them that turn me on the most in a backwards about way. Most people who know me know that my current lust object is Vincent D'Onofrio, and he's certainly one of the furthest from perfection heroes I've ever had. Fat sometimes, snub-nosed, greying, slightly knock-kneed, always plays the quirkiest roles and is often the only good thing in a very bad film. But he's complicated, never the same, and makes the most versatile hero material. And despite his flaws, he has height and presence and the most dazzling, angelically boyish smile when he turns it on.

I could go on, but I won't because I know he's not the kind of guy most will go for... but I'd certainly do him if I got the chance! LOL!

Nikki Magennis said...

So is it true?

You know, the old saw that It doesn't matter so much what men look like, women are more interested in their hmmm... je ne sais quoi than how white the teeth or how rippling the six pack?

Oh, and speaking of Christopher, have you seen this?

Portia Da Costa said...

Oh yeah... many times!

Portia Da Costa said...

Yeah, these bronzed, six pack, pin up boy types that adorn a lot of book covers and blogs leave me underwhelmed... I'd rather have an ugly bloke with a naughty twinkle in his eye [Gerard Depardieu, anybody?] any day.

The only really fit bodied type I ever went for was James Marsters, when he was really ripped for Spike's 'naked' season of Buffy. But even then, he's atypical for a hero 'cos he's quite short. Barely any taller than my five five, it seemed, when I met him.

Nikki Magennis said...

Well, if we're talking Buffy, I think I'll have to swerve from man crushes and go for the girl. Gellar's pretty hot.

Speaking of Buffy, where is Mathilde?

Portia Da Costa said...

Ack, I *hated* Buffy herself... yeuk! If there could have been BtVS without Buffy, that would have been much better!

Any road up... here's a pic of my Vin, not looking too fat or knock-kneed on this occasion. Particularly like the hands and the 'you know you want it' expression in his eyes...

Blue Vinnie

Sorry about the cheese joke!

Nikki Magennis said...

I see your Vin. He looks lovely. But I raise you:

Double crush!

Portia Da Costa said...

They're classic heart throbs, aren't they? But I'm not going to get into any kind of totty bidding war. You can have them, and I'll have my Vin. And everybody else can have whomsoever they want too...

That way everyone's happy!

Vincent Copsey said...

Hi ladies, thought I'd better weigh in too. I'm afraid I like my pretty boys, not of the simple Mr Hollywood variety mind. They have to have something more than that, a naughty twinkle in their eyes, long hair, a hint of androgyny. Oh, and a couple of villanious roles under their belts doesn't hurt.

Anyway, if you've been reading my blog you'll know who my current obsession is, but just in case you don't here he is Camui Gackt (with one of Jonathan Rhys Meyers thrown in for good measure.

Vincent Copsey said...

Grr! I have no idea why my link won't work. So lets try that again.

Gackt

Nikki Magennis said...

I like the one with Mick Jagger cheekbones. Who's that?

Portia Da Costa said...

Actually, Madelynne, it's a v. obscure indie film, and virtually nobody has seen it, but my Vin appears with lushly long hair in a flick called The Velocity of Gary [looks like hair extensions rather than a wig] He's also quite thin in the film too.

[If you look at my blog and the faux cover for Suite Seventeen in the navbar, you'll see an image from TVOG]

And those of you into naughty boy on boy action would love the gay kissing in TVOG. My Vin kissing Thomas Jane [also quite pretty] in close up, with lots of wicked tongue action... phew!

Michelle Pillow said...

I tend to like characters more than a certain actor, though there are a bunch of cuties. Sexy is more than looks and I love imperfections if they have the right attitude-- confidence, playfulness, naughtiness, even the alpha. Like Portia said, twinkling eyes. :)

Though, in every day to day real life, I'd probably hit the super alpha over the head with a frying pan.

Shanna Germain said...

Mmm...crushes. Where to start? Lately, I'll have to admit, I'm all about lips (David Anders and Joaquin Phoenix) and eyes (anything blue, really, I'm a bit of a whore about blue eyes).

But mostly, it's about attitude for me, both on an off-screen. Right now that means: Jake Gyllenhaal and his fab sister, Maggie. Oh my!

Vincent Copsey said...

Hi Nikki,

The cheekbones belong to Johnathan Rhys Meyers, a fave of mine ever since he played Maxwell Demon in Velvet Goldmine and got smoochy with Ewan McGregor. Love him as Steerpike too.

Vincent Copsey said...

Hey Wendy,

I might have to check out TVOG, can't resist a bit of man-on-man action, especially since there's long hair involved.

Speaking of long hair. I've a bit of a thing for Michael Wincott.

Nikki Magennis said...

Phew! Had to check that one on google, Madelynne. I thought you meant Michael Winner and I got a fright.

Nikki Magennis said...

He's far too young, and I shouldn't really. But in the interests of promoting the fine men of Glasgow - have a look at our own wee Paolo

Portia Da Costa said...

TVOG isn't that great a film, generally, Madelynne, but that epic, full on, man on man, tongue action snog just about redeems the general trashiness of it... if you like that sort of thing. Or you're a Vin fan.

His hair extensions don't look too fabulous either. He looks a bit ill kempt a lot of the time... but the idea of him with long hair is a springboard for better images ie. how it'd look if it had a bit of Pantene and Aussie Three Minute Miracle lavished on it!

Like curtains of black silk sliding across your skin... mmmm...

Fiona Locke said...

I'm a voice whore. Just get Christopher Lee to tell me I've been a naughty girl. That'll keep me going for days...

Steve said...

I'd like to have a staring contest with Julianne Moore. She'd win, but that would be fine. Locking eyes with her might exorcise all my other crushes, combined. If you've seen Magnolia you know what I mean. Mmmmm.

Nikki Magennis said...

Fiona, if we're talking voices that opens up a whole new bag of fun!

First ever crush was Terence Trent D'arby. His voice was like the gravel at the bottom of a river...or there's Nick Cave. I love it when he swears with such cool conviction.

Oh yes, and I thought of another crush-fest: Lord of the Rings. Right through from the elfs to the hobbits to Gandalf. I'd do all of them.

Alison Tyler said...

From the sofa... chiming in with a nod to Portia for Gerard Depardieu (esp in "Too Beautiful for You," but also in "Going Places" and "Get Out Your Handkerchiefs"), but also James Gandolfini (particularly in "True Romance") and Colm Meany circa "The Snapper." My better half outed me to a group of friends once, teasing me for my long-standing crush on Gene Hackman. Oh, and then there's Jason Isaacs, but only when he's playing Lucius Malfoy. But probably my number one odd ball crush right now (and I know that's not the theme exactly) is Stephen Rae circa "The Crying Game." I could watch that film forever. I think I like men who look as if they wouldn't mind doing something unbelievably dirty.

Fluffing up the pillows once more...

Vincent Copsey said...

Hi Alison,

I'm with you on Jason Issacs as Lucius Malfoy. Mind you, he was pretty damn amazing in The State Within, which has just been shown on UK TV.

Mmmm, I think it's his eyes... or maybe his voice.

Unknown said...

I'm sorry, but I'm very very sad lady with my oh so predictable crushes...I'm almost ashamed of myself.

voices: Alan Rickman and Jack Nicholson
Posh Brits:Hugh Grant and Colin Firth
and these even more unbelievably awful lot; Beckham, Timberlake and Pitt
girls? Angelina Jolie
Kate off to hang her head in shame...

Janine Ashbless said...

Nikki,your LotR crush is not as bad as mine: when the first film came out I got a crush on it as an abstract concept. Not just on the blokes (although actually Lurtz was an interesting bit of rough, and you know, Aragorn's an obvious choice...) - I would stand in the supermarket looking at elvish lettering on promotional cereal packets with this big cheesy grin on my face.

I've not had that experience before or since, thank goodness!

ADR Forte said...

Hmm... So I'm going to be the odd girl out on this one. I have no celebrity crushes. I can definitely agree on their uber-hotness (Jason Isaacs and Angelina- yum!)

But my crushes tend to be real life ones. At the moment, I have a Real-Life Erotic Muse. I have never laid a finger on him, nor vice versa but he inspires me all the same.

I think it must be the combination of killer cheekbones and blue eyes and being super smart... and being VERY off limits.

Which begs the question: would crushes be anywhere near as inspiring if we *could* get our sweaty little manicured hands on them? I wonder.

Nikki Magennis said...

Ah, ADR. I could tell you about a real-life crush I managed to wrestle into a hotel bed once...Yes, I'm still inspired by him. Though I suppose that could be the lack of him.

And I admit to crushing on my boyf too. Crushing as well as loving. Ogling when he's not looking, etc, etc.

Feel free to make puking noises : )

Shanna Germain said...

Aw, Nikki, I think that's really sweet! I actually use my honey's features a lot when I dream up characters. Just pieces-parts of him, though, because I don't want to embarrass him! So, whenever you see big lips, olive-colored skin or brown eyes in my writing, you know it's probably from him! (Or, at least that's what I tell him, anyway...)

Jenny said...

Okay, girls, I missed this! They made me do my job yesterday! I'm gonna be a rebel and play a day late.

I've been with my boyfriend (the caveman) for nearly 10 years and he still makes my tummy go flip flop. He has gorgeous brown eyes with lashes we'd kill for. And he's a perfect kisser. Full soft lips and his tongue sort of glides like warm butter in my mouth. The first time he kissed me I wasn't quite divorced yet. The papers had been filed and the court date set, but still married. (I was trying to be careful around my kids.) Anyway, Cavey came over to my house one evening with friends. I had a bad crush on him and he knew it. He was always trying to get me to flash him my boobs when no one was looking and doing obscene stuff with his tongue to see me blush.

Right before he left that evening he came into the kitchen and leaned against the stove and crossed his arms. I was on the other side of the room and he gave me a heavy lidded stare and then wiggled his finger for me to 'come here.' He is such a bad boy.

He kissed me so slow and so hot I nearly fainted. I stood there smiling at him for a few seconds, then I turned around to leave the room and BAM, ran into the wall.

But I admit to having a terrible crush on Jon Bon Jovi. My God! I could bounce a quarter off that man's ass! Plus, he's talented, has a beautiful smile, a gorgeous face, and that body! Whew.

Next up would be his right hand man, Richie Sambora. That man made my knees week with his voice. Not to mention his face.

Okay, I crushed and blogged.
Jen

Anonymous said...

I'm here, I'm here *running*

Mmm. Buffy. I'll just have the entire cast please. Angel (David Boreanaz) is my special delight. But I'll happily take Anthony Head, Alexis Denisof, Seth Green... *yum*. Portia can keep James Marsters - just to be fair.

See, I like pretty - nothing wrong with pretty; shallow is the new deep - but I am also a GEEK. That is why I chose the cast of Buffy and also have bad, bad things for most of the cast of Battlestar Galactica. Lost has pretties too.

And please, can someone get me a doctor. Daivd Tennant or Christopher Eccleston - I'm not fussy.

Alison Tyler said...

Can you believe I forgot my number-one cliched crush? Johnny Depp....