The AfterElton.com Hot 100 List

By Michael Jensen

July 23, 2007 / 12:03 AM

News Flash: People magazine doesn't cater to gay men. Every year they decree the "Sexiest Man Alive," and more often not, we're left scratching our heads over the selections. So following in the footsteps of our sister site AfterEllen.com (which created their own Hot 100 list last month in response to Maxim's annual list), we at AfterElton.com took it upon ourselves to see what would happen if we asked gay and bisexual men — and gay and bisexual men only — to vote for their favorite fellas. Thousands of votes later, we have the results.

Is our list different from People's? You betcha: three-time topper George Clooney (who took the most recent title in 2006) barely clawed into our bottom ten. Ashton Kutcher, Enrique Murciano, Leonardo DiCaprio, John Cho, Rodrigo Santoro, and Omar Epps — all in People's top 15 — didn't even rate on our list.

And People's 1990 "Sexiest Man Alive and frequent "50 Most Beautiful People" designee Tom Cruise not only didn't make our list, he didn't even receive a single vote.

Clearly, just as lesbians and straight men differ drastically in what they find sexy, so do gay men and straight women part ways over what makes a man hot.

For gay and bi men, "hot" means a lot of things, from Taye Diggs (#5) to T.R. Knight (#8) to LL Cool J (#63). The guys who made our Hot 100 are mostly actors, but there are athletes, musicians, newsmen, models and even a certain foxy fashion designer on the list. There are men of many races and national backgrounds, including Daniel Dae Kim (#68), Sendhil Ramamurthy (#67), Alexandre Despatie (#73), Gael Garcia Bernal (#17), Jensen Atwood (#43), and more.

The choices range from the rugged power of Jason Statham (#40) to the angular cool of Cillian Murphy (#94) to the youthfulness of Joseph Gordon- Levitt (#51) and cross just about every "type" along the way. Indeed, if this experiment has taught us anything, it's that there is no "gay type" at all, but rather a range from traditionally masculine to more androgynous; from handsome to beautiful to cute.

The list also shows that we like men who are not afraid to be associated with gay people and stories — of the 83 actors on the list, a whopping 49 (59%) have played gay. Fifteen of the men are openly gay or bisexual and they're noted with an asterisk (*) next to their name. (As readers will no doubt note, the list also includes men who are thought by many to be gay, but who are not publicly out.)

And although we may have tried to encourage unbridled shallowness in the nomination process, the list is full of men who are notable for more than their obvious physical assets. These men are entrepreneurs, activists, trend-setters, humanitarians and beyond, and most are just as pretty on the inside as they are on the outside.

How did the winners react to making the list? Scottish-American actor and singer John Barrowman (#10) said "I am extremely proud of who I am and what I can do for my community — the gay, lesbian, and transgender community. I am proud that you have put me in this position — that you've honored me and continue to watch and enjoy what I do because I will represent you guys in the best possible way."

CNN's Anderson Cooper (#32) reacted humorously telling us, "I'm flattered to be on the list. Clearly, they have not seen my pale skinny chicken legs. It's nice to know there is a market for pale, skinny, grey-haired people."

Broadway star Cheyenne Jackson (#36) reacted with surprise. "Wow! Hot 100? Moi? Well, my mom thinks I'm handsome. How incredibly flattering. Thank you AfterElton.com readers. This one is for all the big-boned gay nerds out there like me.

Former NBA player John Amaechi (#84) added "I am humbled and honored to be included on this list. I have been truly inspired by the interactions I have had, the relationships I have built and I hope my work continues to earn me a spot on your Hot 100."

And so, without further ado, we present to you the AfterElton.com Hot 100 list. The men are listed in ascending order according to your votes (any ties were resolved by random draw). At the end, you can add your comments telling us what you think about the men who ended up on the list. Enjoy!

1. Jake Gyllenhaal

It might seem like we only love him for playing a gay rancher in Brokeback Mountain, but really, we love Jake Gyllenhaal for being our favorite boy next door. Born and raised in L.A., Jake grew up around the business; his father was a director and his mother was a screenwriter. Not only is he sexy, but, before moving to Hollywood, Jake was saving lives as a lifeguard. Bet you didn’t know he’s sweet, too? (He gave ex girlfriend Kirsten Dunst a lovely little kitten for her birthday one year. Altogether: "Aaawww....") Jake is a matinee idol with legit acting chops (he was nominated for an Oscar for Brokeback) and a genuine respect for his gay fans; not only did he make a surprise appearance at this year's GLAAD Awards, but he also dedicated a rousing (and impressive) performance of Dreamgirls' showstopper to his gay fans — in drag — on Saturday Night Live.

2. Chris Evans

Besides his infamous role in Not Another Teen Movie (naked and dairied up), Chris Evans has slowly been proving that he’s more than just a beautiful face (although honestly, we may have settled just for that). He’s even let us in on how he stays so, well, sculpted: vegetarianism and a naturally fast metabolism with a blessed lean physique (ugh, pretty people…). Chris Evans is a rising Hollywood star, but if it weren’t for fame (and good looks), he would be pursuing a degree at NYU!

3. Daniel Craig

Undeniably handsome, Daniel Craig stole our hears as the first blond Bond in Casino Royale. Proving that fantasies really do come true, Daniel grew up playing rugby and was raised in a hard-working household; his father was a merchant seaman turned steel erector. Cast for a major movie role even before graduating drama school, Daniel’s talent was as irrepressible as his considerable charm. Craig hasn't shied away from gay roles and has a penchant for losing his pants ... neither of which have raised many complaints from gay fans. And who can't love the man that brought serious sexy back to the Bond franchise?

4. Gale Harold

If his passion for Italian motorcycles hadn’t almost driven him to financial exile, Gale Harold might have never become our own Brian Kinney on the groundbreaking Showtime series Queer as Folk. Harold started his glorious career when he met Joan E. Scheckel, soon thereafter starring in several theater based roles. Gale grew up in a devoutly Christian household and, thankfully, found his way to us from the "dirty dirty" — better known as good old Atlanta, Georgia.

5. Taye Diggs

Although he sadly isn’t gay, his gay fan base might like/love that Taye Diggs has a bachelor’s degree in musical theatre and played gay on Will & Grace — and totally starred in Rent! Diggs impressed us with his charm in How Stella Got Her Groove Back and has continued to do so with The Wood, Best Man, and the gay-friendly comedy Go. Diggs, married to Broadway diva Idina Menzel, will next appear on the Grey's Anatomy spinoff Private Practice, and we will be delighted to invite him into our living rooms on a weekly basis. Taye Diggs is, for lack of a better synonym, most impressive.

6. Ryan Reynolds

Sometimes being sexy isn’t enough to make it in this business. This holds very true for Ryan Reynolds, who has had his fair share of disappointments (he even briefly quit acting in 1996) … but thank heaven he never gave up. Hailing from Vancouver, British Columbia, Ryan grew up the youngest of four brothers, two of whom are policemen (sigh). Ryan's breakout role was in the sitcom Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place as the sexy, laid-back, Berg, a pre-med college student attending Boston University.

Besides being the former partner of our favorite angry girl (Alanis Morissette), a newly-buff Ryan Reynolds won our hearts when he started the "himbo" craze by taking it off for Blade: Trinity and The Amityville Horror, giving us guys a reason to go to horror movies again. This former grocery store employee plays gay in his next film, gay filmmaker John August's The Nines, and we're glad to have him!

7. Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman is one sexy Aussie with class, charm and good looks to spare. He might be pretty, but he’s also smart; he earned a communications degree from Sydney’s University of Technology along with a pursued field of study in drama at the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts. Hugh starred in theatrical productions of Beauty and the Beast and Oklahoma! in his native Sydney early on in his career, showing off his gifted singing talents, and of course took the stage on Broadway as gay musician Peter Allen in the critically celebrated Boy from Oz.

Although most may know him for his gruff (and buff) turn as Wolverine in the gay-friendly X-Men movies, Hugh is still a song-and-dance man at heart, having lent his vocals to Happy Feet. His musical drama Viva Laughlin (in which he cameos) will be on screens this fall.

8. T.R. Knight*

The media firestorm around the Grey's Anatomy on-set f-bomb made a lot of people forget something: T.R. Knight is a cutie. Hailing from Minneapolis, Minnesota, T.R. moved to NYC to pursue his dreams and appeared in several Broadway plays. He graced our tubes for the first time with the TV series Charlie Lawrence, produced by fellow gay actor Nathan Lane. Coming out, whether officially or unofficially, is always tough, especially when it’s unplanned. But Knight exhibited class and restraint through it all, and just days ago scored his first Emmy nomination. All this, and adorable, too?

9. Ryan Phillipe

Ryan Phillippe is a good actor and has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Phillippe played gay very early on his career with the role of teenager Billy Douglas on One Life to Live. He has since staked his claim in Hollywood, most unforgettably as Sebastian Valmont, a sex siren known for deflowering young socialites and having an openly gay best friend in Cruel Intentions. After a series of teen-targeted flicks, Phillippe earned major roles in award-winning and critically-acclaimed Crash and Flags of our Fathers. Hailing from New Castle, Delaware, Phillipe went on to marry and father two children with fellow Hollywood star Reese Witherspoon. Now that he's single again, his boyish good looks will come in handy ... and hopefully he’ll continue to grace us with his presence in upcoming movie projects.

10. John Barrowman*

The openly gay star of the British runaway sci-fi hit Torchwood, John Barrowman is a sexy Scot (raised in the States) with a longtime committed partner, Scott Gill. Besides acting, Barrowman has done his part to further the gay rights movement, speaking out publicly on the issue and making appearances at several gay pride festivities with Gill. Having appeared in a number of musicals (Miss Saigon, Matador, Hair, Anything Goes), John has also brought his cabaret talents throughout the United States and will soon be releasing a solo album, as well as hosting a game show in the UK. Definitely sexy and undeniably talented, John Barrowman is a class act and an example to gay actors everywhere that out of the closet doesn't necessarily mean out of work.

11. Christian Bale

Christian Bale has become somewhat of a cult celebrity, earning distinctions such as one of Entertainment Weekly’s Top 8 most powerful cult figures and being named one of the most creative people in entertainment. Bale’s looks have not failed him either; besides making our top 100, he has been praised by Premiere and People magazines for his stunning looks. And he's put those looks to good use, baring nearly all (and often) in the scandalously funny adaptation of the "unfilmable" American Psycho and as a gay journalist who literally sees stars when he is made love to by Ewan McGregor's glam rocker in Velvet Goldmine.

What you might not know about Christian Bale is that he is the stepson of iconic feminist Gloria Steinem, and is also a devoted animal lover with two dogs and three cats (all strays!).

12. Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt is the poster child for classic, conventional good looks for our generation. Despite the incessant media coverage tracing his love life, Pitt has certainly earned a name for himself in Hollywood for his acting abilities. Since No Man’s Land (1987), Pitt has starred in many big-budget motion pictures, earning himself an Oscar nomination for his twitchy supporting performance in Twelve Monkeys.

Although banned from entering China due to his role in Seven Years in Tibet, Pitt is welcome atop our 100 list, and has made numerous appearances on others including People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" as well as being chose their Sexiest Man Alive. No doubt Pitt endeared himself to his gay fans when he and Angelina Jolie declared they themselves would not wed until the United States allowed same-sex marriage. Now that's hot.

13. Christopher Meloni

Any man that is comfortable playing the role of an inmate, especially one involved in a gay relationship, is a true man’s man. Christopher Meloni rose to fame back in 1998 for doing just that, playing the role of Chris Keller, convict and love interest of Tobias Beecher (Lee Tergesen) in HBO's groundbreaking prison drama Oz. Then there was the matter of his lip-lock with Tergesen at the GLAAD awards a few years back.

Meloni also played gay-ish in 2001’s Wet Hot American Summer as the shell-shocked but admirably agile cafeteria man. Before acting, he supported himself by working as a personal trainer, a bouncer and a bartender. Meloni, hailing form the nation’s capital, Washington D.C., definitely deserves his spot atop our Hot 100 list.

14. Robert Gant*

Out actor Robert Gant won our hearts as the hunky Ben Bruckner in the hit Showtime series Queer As Folk, playing Michael Novotny’s older love interest and partner. He’s also played other roles intended for gay audiences, such as Billy’s father in short film Billy’s Dad is a Fudgepacker. While he's a talented actor, he’s also a smartie — he attended the University of Pennsylvania for undergraduate school and went on to Georgetown Law. Gant, along with Chad Allen and Christopher Racster, is a proud co-founder of Mythgarden, an independent filmmaking company dedicated to producing entertainment that both challenges and inspires. Robert Gant will surely continue to do both.

15. Patrick Wilson

Patrick Wilson is another man with a brain topping our Hot 100 list; he received his B.F.A. from Carnegie Melon University and was awarded the Charles Willard memorial Award for Undergraduate Excellence in music theater. On and off Broadway, Wilson has made his stage presence known, starring in works such as The Full Monty, Oklahoma and Romeo and Juliet, although most folks likely know him for his turn as troubled gay Mormon Joe in HBO's award-winning adaptation of Angels in America.

Since then, Wilson has shone in the otherwise unwatchable Phantom of the Opera, Little Children, Hard Candy, and Evening. His talent and passion for the bright lights of theater are likely attributable to his family which includes two TV anchormen and a professional singer. Wilson is a sexy, talented native of Norfolk, Virginia and will likely continue to earn praise for his performances on both stage and screen (and yes, we even love his GAP commercial with Claire Danes).

16. Mario Lopez

Mario Lopez, perhaps better known as the hunky A.C. Slater on Saved by the Bell, reaches our hot 100 list from San Diego, California. On Bell, A.C. Slater was the star of the high school wrestling team and, in real life, was an avid high school amateur wrestler. Besides starring in Bell, Lopez has played a sexy cop on Pacific Blues and is an accomplished dancer (as his turn on Dancing With the Stars proved).

Perhaps most notably, Lopez starred as Greg Louganis in Breaking the Surface: The Greg Louganis Story, a film which documented the tough times the openly gay Olympic diver faced on his way to becoming a top athlete. Or maybe Lopez' recent shower scene on Nip/Tuck is what landed him here? Either way, Mario Lopez will continue to win our hearts with his coy smile and sexy onscreen presence.

17. Gael Garcia Bernal

Gael Garcia Bernal is a versatile Mexican actor who has played major roles in several gay themed movies, including Bad Education and Y Tu Mama Tambien. From a young age Bernal not only exhibited a strong passion for acting, but proved to be quite talented. At 17, he became the first Mexican-born applicant to earn a spot in London’s Central School of Speech and Drama. So far he has twice been cast as the infamous Che Guevara, first in the miniseries Fidel and then in the feature film Motorcycle Diaries. In short, Bernal is a young actor both on the rise and easy on the eyes.

18. Ian Somerhalder

Although Ian Somerhalder is undeniably good looking, he doesn’t like to talk about his years spent modeling for fear of being dubbed "just another pretty face." But that's not to say that face isn't worth mentioning. At the young age of 10, Somerhalder was already working with several high end labels, including Dolce and Gabbana, Calvin Klein, Gucci and Versace. In fact, Ian was such a modeling commodity that he was the face of Guess? for two consecutive fall seasons.

Besides modeling, Somerhalder also made a name for himself by acting his sexy butt off, most notably on ABC's breakout series Lost. He has also played several gay-themed roles, such as Paul Denton in The Rules of Attraction and Russell Henderson in Anatomy of a Hate Crime. Somerhalder is one beautiful man and respectively earns his spot in the top 20 of our hot 100.

19. Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake’s smooth moves and sultry, alluring charisma make him an irresistible force of celebrity. As the frontman of teen sensation N’ Sync, teenage girls (and a number of boys) went wild for his impressive vocal range, smooth dance routines and great body. After leaving N’ Sync, Timberlake earned his solo career success with two successful albums. Timberlake played a young Elton John in one of his music videos, and if you ever have the pleasure of sleeping in the same room as him, make sure to try and stay awake to listen to him sing himself to sleep.

Recently Timberlake has brought his moxie and talent to other entertainment forms, appearing in movies Black Snake Moan and Alpha Dog, as well as participating in one of the most overhyped controversies of the decade, the Janet Jackson Super Bowl wardrobe "malfunction". Timberlake is an impressive artist who will continue to wow with his talent, sexiness and charm.

20. Heath Ledger

Although Jake might have won this battle, Heath Ledger is still a stunning specimen of a man. Early in his American film career, Ledger was cast in several teen movies (10 Things I Hate About You, A Knight's Tale) that focused on his pretty face but ignored his astounding range and depth. To overcome this, he took more adult roles in movies such as Monster’s Ball, The Patriot and Casanova.

Finally, he landed the role of his and our lifetimes, as Ennis del Mar in Brokeback Mountain, which earned him a well-deserved Oscar nomination for leading actor. His on set relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal must have been meaningful (oh yes!), because Jake is the godfather of Heath’s daughter Matilda (with Michelle Williams). Ledger, a man of few words but boundless sexiness, will hopefully continue to win our hearts and tease our eyes for years to come.

21. Paul Rudd