Presenting The 2010 AfterElton Hot 100!
Just kidding. Truthfully, we can’t imagine anything less appealing than
the attitudes expressed by this out gay journalist who recently argued,
ridiculously, that gay actors can’t play straight roles.
So who did come out on top? If you’re the kind of person who opens your
Christmas presents early, go here to find the start of the list.
The three of you left might be interested to know that the most
noteworthy thing about this year’s list is that the top seven positions
are occupied by out gay men, five of whom are actors; last year, only the top three were out gay men, and only four of the top ten were gay.
Of the entire list, 26 were out gay or bisexual men — up from 20 last year. And for
those who really like statistics, our 2008 list had 18 out gay/bi men
— and that was up from 15 in 2007. That’s a pretty great progression, no?
We here at AfterElton.com certainly think so. There is nothing
hotter than a gay or bisexual man with the courage to be open and
honest about himself. And how great is it that we live in an era where
that’s increasingly becoming the norm?
For our fourth annual list, gay and bisexual male readers of AfterElton.com nominated over 1800 different men.
As usual, the final list is made up mostly of TV, movie, and Broadway actors:
88 in all. Only twelve come from some other field: musicians Adam Lambert, Ricky Martin, Kris Allen, Jason Mraz, and Jay Brannan; athletes David Beckham, Ben Cohen, Gareth Thomas, and Matthew Mitcham; journalist Anderson Cooper; screenwriter Dustin Lance Black; and designer and film director Tom Ford.
Overall, thirty-one new faces made the list, which we think is a nice
turnover. Who are some of the new faces? Well, the sensation that is Glee rocketed five entries onto the chart: Jonathan Groff, Chris Colfer, Matthew Morrison, Mark Salling, and Cory Monteith.
What, no Kevin McHale? (He did get votes, but just didn’t make the top 100.)
Want to read what some of the winners, including Neil Patrick Harris and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, had to say about making the list? Neil was cheeky and Jesse felt moved to do a haiku.
There is a bit of unpleasant news. Only six men on the Hot 100 (Ricky Martin, Taye Diggs, Wilson Cruz, Darryl Stephens, Gael Garcia Bernal and Eddie Cibrian)
are men of color – down from seven last year, and down from nine the
year before. We think this speaks to the relative lack of racial
minorities – especially Asian men – among the ranks of TV and movie
celebrities (from which most Hot 100 picks come from). But it’s also
worth asking: do some gay and bisexual men need to broaden their image
of what it means to be hot?
Before you head off to see who ended up where on the list, we also
think it’s worth asking: why does the AfterElton.com Hot 100 matter? We
confess that when we first started doing this four years ago, we simply thought
of it as something fun – a nice, frivolous change from some of the more
“serious” journalism we do on this site.
But this year, we’ve been struck by the incredible passion of our
readers when discussing their picks. Spend a few minutes reading the
discussions and scanning the endless pictures posted, and it’s
impossible not to come to the conclusion that this list is somehow …
empowering. Too often gay male sexuality has been denied and ignored by
the greater society, unless those against gay rights are somehow demonizing us for it.
With the announcement of these results, news of your choices will
spread far and wide, bringing positive attention to the whole idea of
gay and bisexual men celebrating and appreciating male beauty, and allowing all of us, through social
media like Facebook and Twitter, to more fully integrate all aspects of our lives.
One more fun-fact about this year’s results: out of nearly 30,000 votes registered, Tom Cruise got a grand total of four votes. Ouch.
One reminder: No doubt folks will have a lot to say about the
list, but please don't reveal the winner in your comment's subject line
since some folks like to be surprised. Finally, we kindly ask that you do not copy and reproduce the entire Hot 100 anywhere else. We work very hard putting this together and ask that you just link back to the list.
Next page: This year's Hot 100!
100. Jason Mraz
Rank last year: 97
99. Tom Ford
98. David Burtka
97. Alex O'Loughlin
96. Paul Wesley
95. Gael Garcia Bernal
Rank last year: 59
94. Dennis Grabosch
93. Darryl Stephens
Rank last year: 45
92. Wilson Cruz
Rank last year: 99
91. Eddie Cibrian
Rank last year: 68
90. Jusin Timberlake
Rank last year: 42
89. George Clooney
Rank last year: 73
88. Daniel Craig
Rank last year: 32
87. Michael Urie
86. Robert Downey Jr.
85. Jay Brannan
84. Jesse Tyler Ferguson
83. Dustin Lance Black
Rank last year: 82
82. Mitch Hewer
Rank last year: 53
81. James McAvoy
Rank last year: 57
80. Igor Dolgatschew
79. Chad Allen
Rank last year: 25
78. Milo Ventimiglia
Rank last year: 31
77. Ben Cohen
Rank last year: 64
76. Paul Rudd
Rank last year: 23
75. Scott Herman
74. Kris Allen
Rank last year: 98
73. Robert Pattinson
Rank last year: 40
72. Jamie Bamber
Rank last year: 58
71. Cory Monteith
70. Jude Law
Rank last year: 77
69. Lee Pace
Rank last year: 60
68. Gavin Creel
67. Colin Farrell
Rank last year: 66
66. Gerard Butler
Rank last year: 71
65. Kellan Lutz
64. Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Rank last year: 61
63. Taye Diggs
Rank last year: 51
62. Justin Hartley
Rank last year: 89
61. Ben McKenzie
Rank last year: 81
60. Andy Whitfield
59. Christopher Meloni
Rank last year: 52
58. Nathan Fillion
Rank last year: 85
57. Johnny Depp
Rank last year: 29
56. Tom Welling
Rank last year: 35
55. Gareth Thomas
54. Brad Pitt
Rank last year: 18
53. Robert Gant
Rank last year: 36
52. Randy Harrison
Rank last year: 33
51. Ryan Phillippe
Rank last year: 91
50. David Boreanaz
Rank last year: 47
49. David Beckham
Rank last year: 24
48. Mark Salling
47. Bradley Cooper
46. Sam Worthington
45. Nick Adams
Rank last year: 62
44. Misha Collins
Rank last year: 93
43. James Marsden
Rank last year: 27
42. David Tennant
Rank last year: 37
41. Channing Tatum
Rank last year: 30
40. Gareth David-Lloyd
Rank last year: 14
39. Chace Crawford
Rank last year: 26
38. Ryan Kwanten
37. Jared Padalecki
Rank last year: 12
36. Zac Efron
Rank last year: 11
35. Jake Silbermann
Rank last year: 22
34. Mathew Rhys
Rank last year: 34
33. Chris Pine
Rank last year: 75
32. Taylor Lautner
31. Zachary Quinto
Rank last year: 94
30. Ewan MacGregor
Rank last year: 48
29. Russell Tovey
Rank last year: 38
28. Matthew Morrison
27. Chris Colfer
26. Alexander Skarsgård
25. Eric Sheffer Stevens
24. Ian Somerhalder
Rank last year: 80
23. Danny Miller
22. Matthew Bomer
21. James Franco
Rank last year: 10
20. Hugh Jackman
Rank last year: 8
19. Brett Claywell
18. Jonathan Groff
17. Thore Schölermann
Rank last year: 19
16. Matthew Mitcham
Rank last year: 15
15. Gale Harold
Rank last year: 9
14. Jensen Ackles
Rank last year: 5
13. Jo Weil
Rank last year: 17
12. Ryan Reynolds
Rank last year: 21
11. Anderson Cooper
Rank last year: 13
10. Chris Evans
Rank last year: 6
Chris Evans has made a name for himself playing superheroes – as the Human Torch in the Fantastic Four movies (how many years in a row can we make the pun about him being scorching hot?), in this year’s The Losers, and as Captain America in several upcoming movie franchises.
So now you think we’re going to say that what we like about Chris is his down-to-earth, “everyman” quality, right?
Nope, it’s pretty much his godlike beauty and that body that was made to be squeezed into form-fitting spandex!
9. Van Hansis
Rank last year: 20
It hasn’t been a good year for gay couples on American soap operas. “Kish” was shown the door on One Life to Live, and “Nuke,” the original gay super-couple on As the World Turns, will cease to exist this September when that soap goes off the air for good.
But before all those other gay soap super-couples, there was Luke Snyder, the first in the latest wave of gay soap characters. As played by the terrific Van Hansis,
the character had a fundamental integrity and a quiet dignity that made
us like him, even as his passion and occasional hot-headedness made us
relate to him.
Sure, we’ll miss Kish and Noah, but as Dorothy says to the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz, it just might be Van’s Luke Synder that we’ll miss most of all.
8. Jake Gyllenhaal
Rank last year: 4
We still can’t quit him. Sure, he’s fallen a few spots since claiming two Brokeback Mountain-influenced Hot 100 victories in 2007 and 2008, but that’s nothing a few shirtless scenes in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time can’t rectify.
Way too much has been made about how “brave” straight actors are for
taking on gay roles, so instead let’s get superficial and simply
celebrate Jake for his piercing blue eyes, that rockin’ bod, and, of
course, that wonderfully goofy grin.
7. Cheyenne Jackson
Rank last year: 7
Readers of this website know that Cheyenne Jackson has long been a favorite
of the staff here. What can we say? It’s a love affair that began with those incredible short-shorts he wore in the campy
stage production of the musical Xanadu and deepened as a result of that photo-shoot he did with reFRESH Magazine where he posed in his underwear.
Okay, his sensational performance last year in Broadway’s Finian’s Rainbow and his hilarious turn on TV’s 30 Rock
didn’t hurt either. But we especially love him for his outspokenness,
most recently demonstrated when Jackson, along with fellow actor Michael Urie, shared their unvarnished opinions about Ramin Setoodeh with the world.
Talented, sexy, smart and outspoken? How could he not have been in the top ten again this year? That just makes us all the more excited to watch him host the NewNowNext Awards on June 17th.
Plus, um, he’s really, really, really hot.
6. Ricky Martin
Okay, maybe we always knew. And maybe we got a little frustrated with
Ricky over the years with his caginess on the topic of his sexuality.
But it’s a measure of how graceful and heartfelt his coming out was,
and how much goodwill he’s generated over the years from his music,
that the GLBT community has so completely embraced him, voting him in
the top six of this year’s Hot 100, despite his not even making the
list at all last year.
Which pictures make Ricky look the hottest? Those incredible 2005 photos of him frolicking on a beach in St. Barts in a Speedo? Or was it those wonderful photos of Ricky holding one or both his new twin boys?
No, it’s any photo of him lately, looking particularly serene and
content. Bask in the love, Mr. Martin – you absolutely deserve it!
5. Adam Lambert
Rank last year: 16
the 1950s are calling: interestingly, they don’t want their pompadour
back. In fact, they’re fully admitting that no one back then managed to
Adam famously didn’t win American Idol, despite
dominating the competition all season long – a result widely believed
to be the result of American discomfort over Adam’s perceived
sexuality. And he probably didn’t do himself any favors with his
deliberately-provocative performance at last fall’s American Music Awards.
But what makes Adam such a dynamic performer is precisely what sometimes
lands him in hot water: his utter refusal to compromise his own unique
artistic vision. Now that’s hot.
But the hottest thing about Adam? Under all that hair gel and eyeliner,
behind the whips and chains, is obviously a very kind-hearted soul, and
maybe just the tiniest touch of geek. Adam, you have a charisma of “18”
– and if you’re truly the closet geek we suspect you are, you know
exactly what we mean.
4. Luke Macfarlane
Rank last year: 3
He sings too! Did you catch that on the most recent episode of Brothers & Sisters where Luke Macfarlane
sang that touching Irish funeral song? Granted, he was singing about
Ojai Foods, which is hard to get too worked up about, but who knew he
had such a beautiful voice?
As Scotty Wandell, Kevin’s love interest on ABC’s primetime
soap, Luke caught our attention early on. Some have wondered what
Scotty sees in the famously neurotic Kevin, but no one has ever
wondered what Kevin sees in Scotty: not only is he the calm at the
center of the Walker family storm, he’s got classically handsome good
looks. And now that we’ve seen Scotty in both his swimming trunks and his underwear, we also know he’s got a body to die for.
Basically, Scotty is damn nice to come home to. And ever since the
actor himself bravely came out in 2008, we can make a pretty good guess
that Luke would be wonderful to come home to too.
3. John Barrowman
Rank last year: 2
John Barrowman may be the Susan Lucci of
the AfterElton.com Hot 100: he placed second in our poll two years
running, and this year’s he’s fallen to third. Still, it’s not a bad
showing for an actor who is known in the U.S. mostly for his lead in
the UK hit Torchwood and a guest role as the evil Patrick Logan on Desperate Housewives.
Barrowman’s professional acting career began in 1989 with a role on London’s West End in a production of Cole Porter’s Anything Goes. That pretty much describes both his career, which includes movies like the notorious stinker Shark Attack 3: Megaladon and The Producers (where
he’s the Nazi who sings “Springtime for Hitler”), and his personal
life, where’s he known for his refreshing openness (not to mention his
ribald sense of humor).
And speaking of gay actors playing gay roles, Barrowman was reportedly turned down for the role of Will on Will & Grace because he was – you guessed it! – too masculine.
For better or for worse, the U.S. version of Torchwood is
currently on hold, which means John’s full-fledged American invasion is
temporarily delayed. But that’s okay. You’re welcome to invade us
anytime, John.
2. Scott Evans
It’s all about the voice, isn’t it? Or maybe it’s the furry chest. Or
is it the way his close-cropped hair looks so trimmed and neat against
his neck? There’s so much that’s hot about Scott Evans that it’s sometimes hard to know where to begin.
Evans played one of half of “Kish,” the sizzling hot same-sex couple that was recently unceremoniously dumped from ABC’s One Life to Live. But like Kate Winslet in Titanic, it’s a good bet our hearts are going to go on for Scott for some time to come.
Incidentally, there have been successful actors who have come out
mid-way through successful careers (see: Harris, Neil Patrick). But
Evans is part of a new breed: actors who are openly gay from the start
of their careers, even sometimes playing gay characters. To hear Evans
tell it, he never considered anything otherwise – and maybe that’s the
hottest thing about him of all.
1. Neil Patrick Harris
Rank last year: 1
Life doesn’t get any better than this for Neil Patrick Harris: first, he wins our Gay Man of the Decade
poll in January, and now he’s our Hot 100 pick for the second year in
row. And oh, yeah, he’s also the Emmy-nominated star of a hit TV show
with several major feature films on the horizon, has won raves for his
award event hosting gigs, and is in a fantastic relationship with actor
David Burtka (who came in at #98 in our poll).
It’s easy to look at someone as handsome and talented as NPH and think,
“All of this was inevitable.” But let’s be honest: it wasn’t. When he chose to publicly come out in 2006, he was taking a big risk. Earlier actors have seen their entire careers cut short from just such an acknowledgment.
But the fates were kind to Harris: the news has done nothing to hinder
the incredible trajectory of his career – if anything, it’s made plenty
of people like him even more. Indeed, blazing a path alongside Ellen DeGeneres,
Neil is rapidly redefining exactly what it means to be gay and out in
Hollywood – and oh, yeah, helping to change the world while he’s at it.
After all Neil has done for the GLBT community, we hate to ask him for
anything else, but we do have one more request: how about another
episode featuring Barney’s “The Naked Guy” on How I Met Your Mother?
_______________________________________________
Well folks, there you have the AfterElton.coom Hot 100 for 2010. We hope you had as much fun perusing the hot guys as we did compiling the list. Thanks to everyone who voted and we're already looking forward to seeing who makes next year's Hot 100. If you'd like to see a text-only version of the Hot 100 list for easy reference – go here.
Click on these images to go to our additional lists:
Also, if you're curious which women our sisters over at AfterEllen find attractive, check out the 2010 AfterEllen.com Hot 100.
Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, but please don't give away any of the results in your subject line!