Guilty Pleasures

Spring is in the air. The mountains of snow at the end of my driveway have shrunk just a little. My car only takes two turns to start in the morning, and somewhere in Florida, the Toronto Blue Jays are already losing.

Yes, by Jove, 'tis the Ides of March and a young girl's thoughts turn naturally to hot men. (When I say "young girl", you understand that I'm speaking metaphorically.) Now, like everything else, hot men can be sorted into various categories: tennis players, musicians, movie stars, Italians ... you get it. But there's one category that tends to be overlooked, and that is the one I want to examine today. I speak, ladies, of Guilty Pleasures.

Of all the lists a girl could clasp to her bosom, Guilty Pleasures is one of the most precious. In it we find the names of unique men, extraordinary men, subtle and perverse in their attractiveness. They are often labelled "ugly" by others. Your list may elicit cries of "ewww!" and even "oh, gross!" from your peers. But they don't see what you see. They don't see the charm, the mystique, the brooding sexuality, the charisma that these men exude. There are only two words that adequately describe the feelings these men inspire: pure lust.

But hark! A voice on the breeze: Where the heck are the pictures?! Alright, calm down. Now, everyone has their own Guilty Pleasures list - but all I can do is show you mine. I've tried to pare it down to a round dozen, although I could add many more. Now, you may or may not agree, and doubtless there will be some ewwws. But I'm hopeful that at least one or two on my list will inspire you to expand your own. And maybe share??

Bon Appetit.


1. Oded Fehr

Now see, the very first thing you're going to say is "Who the heck is Oded Fehr?" Well, he's better known as "that hot guy with the sexy accent from The Mummy." And here he is.

2. Jeremy Irons

Jeremy Irons is one of those guys who seems to get better looking with age. Now you have to understand that older men are not my thing. I mean, they're just not. But there's something about Jeremy that's so sexy.

3. Viggo Mortensen

I was all over Viggo way before he became the Aragorn of my dreams. And I was all over Aragorn long before anyone thought of putting him into movies. Win-win!

4. Mark Kelley

This is going to make the Canadians on the blog laugh (oh hi JoJo!). Mark Kelley is a journalist with our own dear old CBC, and he's a little hottie. (I confess, I have a bit of a thing for TV presenters. Jeff Douglas, for example, from "Things That Move". Or my old mate from the UK, TV chef Jamie Oliver. Or that new hot chef, Curtis Stone. I could go on.)

5. Neil Gaiman

Neil, you ought to know, is the author of Coraline, Stardust and a host of other best-selling novels. He's also 50 years old and a bona fide hottie. He can sign my dustjacket anyday.

6. Sam Neill

Everyone's favourite Antichrist, Sam has played a wide variety of roles during his stellar acting career. I adore him as Merlin. He also wears a bush fedora with a sassy Aussie style.

7. Jeremy Northam

The second Jeremy on the list, he is a cheeky Brit who has played Mr. Knightley (to Gwyneth Paltrow's Emma) as well as, recently, St. Thomas More in "The Tudors". Even though he's getting older now, he still carries himself with a sensual, boyish charm.

8. Ray Stevenson

I first encountered Ray in the Clive Owen movie "King Arthur". He played Dagonay, the doggedly faithful friend of Bors (Ray Winstone) and one of Arthur's knights. I then found him again in the TV miniseries "Rome" as Titus Pullo. Ray is one of those British character actors who often find themselves landing a starring role. I don't normally go for the rugged, shaved-head types, but this time I'll make an exception.


9. Matthew MacFadyen

Oh, Mr. Darcy. OHHH, Mr. Darcy. Now, everyone has their favourite, their own personal Mr. Darcy, and I'm aware that for many people that is Colin Firth. Well ... I'm very sorry to rock the four-poster bed I mean the bandwagon, but for me, there is no other Mr. Darcy than Matthew MacFadyen opposite Keira Knightly as Elizabeth Bennett. He's just so .... so .... SO .... Ohhhh ....

I'm okay. I'll be fine, honest. *phew* What? Where am I?

10. Alan Rickman

Now seriously ladies, what would a Guilty Pleasures list be without The Rickman? Alan has surpassed himself in recent years. Although time is catching up with him, he has still managed to inject a little suave sexiness into Harry Potter. Not to mention his earlier work as the Evil Yet Dashed Handsome Villian in such movies as The Prince of Thieves, Quigley Down Under and Die Hard. Not to mention, his voice can melt panties at ten paces.


11. Edward Norton

Ah, Ed. My sweet, adorable Ed. "Fight Club" was where we first fell in love, and our passion was only deepened by "The Illusionist". But it wasn't until "Kingdom of Heaven", when all eyes were supposed to be on Orlando Bloom's prettiness, that I realized the truth: Ed Norton is the best actor of his generation. To be able to act when all you can see of your face is half an eye ... and to inject into that art, that body language, that voice, muffled as it was behind a mask ... to make the audience want to love you, to hold you, to lie down and weep when you died ... that, my friends, is talent.


12. Gary Oldman

Last but never, ever least: another fellow Brit, Gary Oldman. Never cute, always handsome, Gary is also aging gracefully. He carried a care-worn face even as a young man, but in person he is the kindest, most gentle human being you will ever meet. As an actor he can portray wickedness in its direst form, but always with a human edge. His features can turn on a whim. When he turns out to be the hero, the audience breathes again and cheers their throats hoarse. Oh, and did I mention he can do me any day?

I hope you enjoyed my Guilty Pleasures, and I would be very interested in your comments!

You can find my writing blog, Smoke and Mirrors, here:

http://anne-devereux.tumblr.com