Boys to Men?

by Pam Ripling

What is a leading lad? Is that like a leading man, only younger? I guess all leading men were young, at one time... think Brad Pitt in “Legends of the Fall” (I once thought “the fall” might refer to the hair Brad wore, but it was actually his.)

Today’s leading lads include the ever-youthful Daniel Radcliffe, Shia LaBeouf, Emile Hirsch and Zac Efron. Shia (pictured below) gets my vote for leading man potential, esp after seeing him in “Eagle Eye.”

What does it take to be “leading” quality? Acting talent, sex appeal, lovable image? When I think of classic Hollywood leading men of the past, I think of Clark Gable, Gregory Peck, James Stewart. Later, Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, Denzel Washington. George Clooney, Hugh Jackman, Matt Damon.

My personal favorites? Johnny Depp. Oh, do I need more? Hmm. Okay, Gerard Butler... and Johnny Depp.

Does Shia have what it takes to be the next Jack Sparrow? The next Phantom? Stay tuned...

Pam Ripling is the author of middle-grade mystery, LOCKER SHOCK! Buy it at Quake, Fictionwise or Amazon today! E-book version now available for your Kindle! Visit Pam at www.BeaconStreetBooks.com.

Leading Lads: Heart-throbs from Past to Present

Hey, I was a teenager once (at least that's what I tell my kids) and I had my fair share of impossible crushes on the heart-throbs of my day. Those actors made an impression, and definitely have an impact on the leading men (young and old) I put in my stories.

Waaay back when everyone was nuts for Shaun Cassidy (you can look him up on wiki) I wasn't. But I like heroes with less flash - more substance. When Tom Cruise was THE man in Top Gun, I was watching Val Kilmer. Then and now, he still tops my list. I loved his comic brilliance and quick wit in Real Genius and thought he rocked years later in movies like The Ghost and The Darkness and The Saint.

Then you've got actors like Harrison Ford who evoke dreamy eyes and sighs from female fans of all ages from the original Star Wars to the latest Indiana Jones. He remains a hot commodity, but there are some younger leading men who show similar stage presence now and great promise for the future.

Now, you're probably thinking Robert Pattinson (a fine actor) tops my list but I warned you I buck trends. Shia LaBeouf has shown a solid range of talent and courage, and while we'll always think of him as Harry Potter, Daniel Radcliffe's already proved he's got a future beyond Hogwarts. And if your one who crushes on the geek, then you can't beat Michael Cera, in my opinion.

So who's your current leading man (past or present)? And now that you've got that dreamy expression on your face, can you remember why?

Happy Crushing!
Regan

Regan is the author of the Hobbitville series featuring four girlfriends known as the Pixie Chicks. Catch the latest adventure, Snow Covered Resolutions now!