February 14, 2008 | hero worship
A bit of fun for Valentine’s Day:
Members of the Romantic Novelists’ Association have voted Johnny Depp as the Number One Perfect Romantic Hero in a poll to mark Valentine’s Day. According to these authors, a romantic hero should be gorgeous, deliciously sexy, intensely masculine and have a commanding presence.
‘We should be qualified to judge,’ one writer commented. ‘After all, we create these heroes on paper every day.’
The top ten male celebrities voted the Perfect Romantic Hero were:
1. Johnny Depp
2. Daniel Craig
3. Sean Bean
4. Richard Armitage
5. Hugh Jackman
6. Colin Firth
7. Alan Rickman
8. Pierce Brosnan
9. George Clooney
10. David Tennant
A second poll, taken by members of the RNA bravely admitting to being ‘over a certain age’, voted for male celebrities over fifty who’ve ‘still got it’. Remarkable for his appearance on both polls, Pierce Brosnan took the crown for the over fifties by a huge margin.
The top ten Over-Fifty Perfect Romantic Heroes were:
1. Pierce Brosnan
2. Harrison Ford
3. Ranulph Fiennes
4. Bill Nighy
5. Liam Neeson
6. Sam Neill
7. Sean Connery
8. Peter O’Toole
9. Clint Eastwood
10. Omar Sharif
I think you can see which particular two I voted for. Though I wouldn’t say no to Johnny, Daniel, or Alan either.
By the way, do check out my post below, which is generating some interesting discussion.
Rosalind Mitchell says:
Julie, you are aware that Rima Horton, Alan Rickman’s long standing and long suffering partner, is an old friend of mine?
If it weren’t for that, I’d be ahead of you in that particular queue!
Ehle says:
Harrison Ford is HOT. But Johnny Depp?
Julie says:
You should let Rima know about the RNA poll, Rosie. And then she can come here and tell us if Alan is really a romantic hero!
Johnny Depp is mega-hot. Especially with weirded-out hair and scissors for hands. And, I suspect, with a bloody barber’s razor too, though I haven’t yet seen Sweeney Todd.
Leo says:
I agree wholeheartedly with Julie’s choices! The only one I’d add would be Colin Firth but only as Mr Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. Yummy!
amanda ashby says:
What? No David Boreanaz, Nathan Fillion or Gerard Butler? Brilliant. I hate sharing!!!!!
Julie says:
I know, there’s no Ewan McGregor, Cillian Murphy, Guy Pearce or Eric Bana either so I guess I get them all to myself too.
liz says:
Julie - not quite. I’ll pinch Ewan off you!
Rosalind Mitchell says:
Can I have Sting all to myself then?
Julie says:
Yes.
Liz…I think we might have a fight here between you and me over MY Ewan.
Kate Johnson says:
It did make me smile to see the ‘intensely masculine’ bit there, followed by Johnny Depp in the top spot. I mean, I adore him, but intensely masculine men shouldn’t look that good in eyeliner.
I see no one on this list has claimed Richard Armitage. Good, that means he’s mine.
Rosie Walker says:
I found it odd that Alan Rickman made the first list but not the over 50 list (He is considerable over 50) I’d think seeing as he was above Pierce Brosnan on the regular list he’dd of been number one on the other list as well. He sure makes my list.