Movie and TV men – illusion versus reality

July 28, 2008 by Sinéad Gleeson

If only Viggo looked like this all the time...

On this lovely Monday morning (it’s July, it’s actually sunny, what gives?), I’m looking for a little help with a definition. I’m not quite sure what to call it, but for now let’s loosely dub it “Man in certain role syndrome”. It all started way back when the first Lord of the Rings film appeared, and there like a vision of rugged, long-haired loveliness was Viggo Mortenson. It’s well over a decade since I had a thing for men with long hair (cringingly circa 17 years old, I considered leather trousers and the wearing of Doc Marten’s to be a prerequisite for going out with someone), so the Viggo-as-Aragorn thing crept up on me. And here’s the thing – I’ve since seen him in A History of Violence and Eastern Promises and I haven’t felt the same attraction. Recently, this has happened again, this time with Jon Hamm, aka Don Draper in Mad Men.

Smoking-is-sexy poster boy Don Draper

The excellent TV series (Season Two started last night in the US, download fans!) about the New York advertising scene in late 1950s/early 1960s features Hamm as a suave, quiffed chain-smoking sex God (well, to me anyway). After watching a few episodes, well and truly hooked on him, I sauntered off to IMDB to poke around his profile, something well within the acceptable non-stalkerish realm of fandom. And my heart dropped. There he was, in non-Don Draperish floppy hair and stubble. The illusion was shattered.

So what I want to know is this: Is there a name for this fetish/syndrome/predilection? And does anyone have any other examples they’d like to share? Any guys or queer gals got examples of women?

Posted in Film, Media, Men, Television | Tagged jon hamm, lord of the rings, mad men, viggo mortenson | 18 Comments

18 Responses

on July 28, 2008 at 10:42 am | Reply Catherine

How about Contextually Sexy Syndrome (CSS)?

John Corbett as Aidan in S&TC is a shocking one, given that he’s gone from hot furniture designer type to Tom Jones wannabe.

Also (cringe) the guy who plays Luke in Gilmore Girls…
on July 28, 2008 at 10:45 am | Reply Sinéad Gleeson

Dear me Catherine, I’m not digging the new JC at all BUT I also remember having the hots for him in Northern Exposure, which might mean that he’s just generally sexy, as opposed to role-specific sexy.

Also CSS = you are a GENIUS.
on July 28, 2008 at 10:49 am | Reply Penny Century

I only fancy Viggo Mortensen in The Lord of the Rings too! Why?!

And Jesus, Don Draper (or Jon Hamm, I should say). So, so attractive. Is it the suits? The cigarettes? The arrogant air? The inner torment? Whatever it is, it’s probably not entirely healthy, but I don’t care. I am too scared to look for photos of him in stubbly cheesy actor mode, lest the magic be destroyed for me too.

And Catherine, I fancy Luke in Gilmore Girls too! But, despite the backwards baseball cap, only as Luke. I saw him in something else and he was not attractive at ALL.

Also, CSS is an acronym of genius.
on July 28, 2008 at 1:55 pm | Reply Honoria

Hellooo? Aren’t we forgetting a certain Mr. Darcy? Sexy as all hell in Pride and Predujice and then never again. Sigh.
on July 28, 2008 at 2:14 pm | Reply Kitty Cat

For a nerd girl like me, it’s Alan Rickman in the Harry Potter films. Hummana hummana, there’s a knicker-dropping voice like chocolate if ever I heard it.
on July 28, 2008 at 2:22 pm | Reply Rosie

funny, i only fancied Viggo in A History of Violence.

the worst case of this i have come across is without a doubt Gerard Butler. King Leonidas was knicker-wettingly ridey… and then there was P.S. I Loathe You.
on July 28, 2008 at 3:34 pm | Reply Honoria

Kitty Cat, I have to agree with you on your fine choice. He is also DIVINE in Ang Lee’s Sense and Sensibility. Swoon, Colonel Brandon. It is all in the voice.
on July 28, 2008 at 3:41 pm | Reply Kitty Cat

Ooh the Colonel and his lovely trousers RAR! I think the Harry Potter films kicked it all off and I’ve just found him supasexy in everything since then!
on July 28, 2008 at 4:49 pm | Reply tcup

i think its alan rickmans voice really that gets me all a gaa gaa so he could be in a role really as long as it’s a speaking part.

now i like jeremy irons also but only again in certain roles ie NOT the missionbut his voice is yummy.

also these boys are hot in certain roles too.

robert de niro – taxi
toby maguire – spider man
christen bale – batman (ie NOT the machinist)
orlando bloom – kingdom of heaven/pirates
james galdolfini – the soprano’s

there are more but i can’t think of any now
on July 28, 2008 at 6:02 pm | Reply Medbh

It’s a fantasy thing. I didn’t find Viggo attractive in LOTR but he looked pretty hot with his gangster haircut in “Eastern Promises.” The bath house scene was pretty hot.
on July 28, 2008 at 7:53 pm | Reply kirstie

Yup. I too suffer from CSS with regards to Viggo. I feel all weird and wibbly when he’s Aragorn, but not when he’s being anyone else. Including himself. It’s the hair and cloak combo, has to be.
on July 28, 2008 at 9:22 pm | Reply Women Rule Writer

Ah yes, Aragorn. Not Viggo, just Aragorn. Raaar-tastic.

And good old Alan Rickman could be in ‘PS I Loathe You’ (NOT that I have seen it…) and I’d still love him. Maybe. He was even good in ‘Love, Actually’. Liam Neeson had a stinky horrible role in that. Soooo wet. But he is quite CSS elsewhere.

What about Brad Pitt? Disgustingly sexy in ‘Thelma & Louise’ but pretty silly in most other things.
on July 29, 2008 at 9:20 am | Reply tcup

brad pitt in fight club Women Rule Writer nuff said
on July 29, 2008 at 2:44 pm | Reply Lauren

Kyle MacLachlan in Twin Peaks – it may have been his character’s young, sharp, naive wholesomeness, though. Oh, and the suits. He was too young in Blue Velvet, and hasn’t aged particularly well since TP.

Great post – it’s nice to have a little corner of the ‘net to be unabashedly girly
on July 29, 2008 at 4:04 pm | Reply Penny Century

tcup, I’m with you on Brad Pitt in Fight Club – it’s the only time I’ve ever fancied him, which is also a bit worrying, considering the part he plays…
on July 30, 2008 at 12:20 am | Reply narocroc

Kim Basinger in LA Confidential springs to mind as does Linda Fiorentino in The Last Seduction. Neither floated my boat before or after but were so hot in those movies. Maybe it’s a Noir thing (Strong, dominant roles etc).
on August 18, 2008 at 8:41 pm | Reply Sarah Gostrangely

tcup –

absolutely agree with you on Alan Rickman, so posh, so snooty. Hmmm.

Also, Jeremy Irons in ANYTHING, or preferably nothing….;)

Even Brideshead Revisted, actually *especially* in Bridie, that slightly homosexual thing goes so well with his lovely cheekbones and creamery-inducing voice.

Yes, v. nice to have a girlie wet-dream corner alright.
on June 3, 2009 at 10:35 pm | Reply Mad Men randomness | Let's Fold Scarves

[...] read about specialised crushes over at The Anti-Room and I can only agree with the examples of Viggo Mortensen and Jon Hamm. VM as Aragorn is a honeypie [...]

Comments RSS

The Anti-Room