Five fresh faces take stage in summer blockbusters

http://www.tulsaworld.com/scene/article.aspx?subjectid=282&articleid=20110501_282_D1_CUTLIN438443

By MICHAEL SMITH World Scene Writer
Published: 5/1/2011 2:29 AM
Last Modified: 5/1/2011 7:00 AM

The stars of some of this summer's biggest movies are Chris Hemsworth, Michael Fassbender and Astrid Berges-Frisbey.

Who? That's what you're saying now, but some will be household names by the end of the season, with more roles lined up for the future.

Consider this a primer on performers you may not know, but whom you may see a lot of in the coming years.

Chris Hemsworth
Hot summer role: Thor, the Norse god of thunder in "Thor" (May 6).

If you know him, it might be from:"Star Trek," in which Hemsworth in the opening minutes played doomed starship commander George Kirk, father of Chris Pine's Capt. James Kirk. The 6-foot, 3-inch Australian is the older brother of Liam Hemsworth, co-star ("The Last Song") and former boyfriend of Miley Cyrus.

Where you'll see him next: If MGM can emerge from bankruptcy to release two long-completed films, Hemsworth stars in the studio's remake of "Red Dawn" as well as the horror film "Cabin in the Woods." If not, Hemsworth will next play Thor in May 2012's "The Avengers."

Astrid Berges-Frisbey
Hot summer role: Syrena, an alluring mermaid in "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 20).

If you know her, it might be from:"Un Barrage Conte Le Pacifique" with Isabelle Huppert and Gaspard Ulliel, if you're a watcher of films made for French cinema and TV, of which she's made eight in the past four years.

Where you'll see her next: Her next film role is undecided, but she also has her modeling. She began after becoming an actress and is now fronting the retailer French Connection's line.

Michael Fassbender
Hot summer role: Erik Lehnsherr, a.k.a. Magneto, in the comic-book prequel "X-Men: First Class" (June 3).

If you know him, it might be from: His most acclaimed roles include Mr. Rochester in the new "Jane Eyre" and in the indie film "Fish Tank" in 2010; his most widely seen role was as Lt. Archie Hicox in "Inglourious Basterds," an English soldier who goes undercover as a German officer.

Where you'll see him next: The intense, blue-eyed performer is a hot property. He's in David Cronenberg's "A Dangerous Method" this fall, in Steven Soderbergh's "Haywire" later this year, and in next summer's "Prometheus," Ridley Scott's next movie in the "Aliens" series.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
Hot summer role: Carly, the new love interest of Shia LaBeouf's character in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (July 1).

If you know her, it might be from : Her stint as a Victoria's Secret model for the past five years. "Dark of the Moon" is her film debut.

Where you'll see her next: Promoting "Dark of the Moon" all summer, or on the arm of her 20-years-older boyfriend, actor Jason Statham. Her next film is undecided.

Jessica Chastain
Hot summer roles: Mrs. O'Brien, the wife of Brad Pitt's character in "The Tree of Life" (June 24) and as Celia Foote in "The Help" (Aug. 12).

If you know her, it might be from: Hearing about this Juilliard graduate's still-building resume of films that haven't even been released. Al Pacino picked her to be Salome in his "Wilde Salome." Ralph Fiennes selected her for his Shakespeare work "Coriolanus." Director Terrence Malick liked her work in "The Tree of Life" so much that he cast her in his next untitled project, which shot last fall in Bartlesville.

Where you'll see her next: The redhead with the ivory skin appears this fall in "The Debt," an espionage thriller opposite Sam Worthington and Helen Mirren.

Jason Momoa
Hot summer role: The title guy in "Conan the Barbarian" (Aug. 19).

If you know him, it might be from: His TV work, either in "Stargate Atlantis" as the dreadlocked warrior Ronon Dex, or in HBO's new medieval series "Game of Thrones," as the warlord Khal Drogo; or perhaps as the father of two children with his longtime girlfriend, Lisa Bonet.

Where you'll see him next: The 6-foot, 4-inch native Hawaiian's future depends on the reaction of the public to his filling Arnold Schwarzenegger's sandals in "Conan," but "Game of Thrones" has already been renewed for a second season.

http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/sexiest-men-of-summer-2011/

The 15 Sexiest Men of Summer
By Sandie Angulo Chen | May 4, 2011 |

Every summer, moviegoers flock to theaters to fill up on concessions and witness explosive action sequences, envelope-pushing comedies, and plenty of sexy eye candy.

Whether you're into the perfectly sculpted, old-school handsome, broody young things, or smart-and-sexy types, chances are there's a gorgeous and talented man of summer for you. Meet the 15 sexiest men of summer movies.

Chris Hemsworth

Starring In: "Thor" (May 6)
Summer Heat: We proclaim Hemsworth the blond of summer. His impressive golden mane tops an even more impressive body in the season's first big-budget adventure. The Aussie wonder (who gained 20 pounds to play the beefy titular Norse god) first wowed audiences as Captain James T. Kirk's courageous father in the opening sequence of "Star Trek." After a two-year wait, moviegoers can finally see Hemsworth headline a movie, and the wait'll be worth it

Jon Hamm

Starring In: "Bridesmaids" (May 13)
Summer Heat: Whether he's playing a dashing but troubled '60s ad exec on AMC's "Mad Men," a beautiful but clueless doctor on NBC's "30 Rock" or a sexy but unlikable egomaniac in Paul Feig's funny-ladies comedy "Bridesmaids," Hamm is always irresistible. We love his tall, dark, and handsome looks and his resemblance to Old Hollywood leading men such as Clark Gable and Cary Grant, but we adore his willingness to poke fun at himself in supporting comedic roles.

Cam Gigandet

Starring In: "Priest" (May 13)
Summer Heat: In a supernatural thriller also starring Paul Bettany, Karl Urban and Stephen Moyer, it's hard to pick just one example of sexiness, but we have to go with Cam Gigandet, whose perpetually half-lidded gaze, exceptionally ripped body and cocksure posture make the model look like David Beckham's just-as-hot younger brother. Best known as James the Bella-hungry vampire in "Twilight," Gigandet is sure to make new fans as a vampire slayer trying to save his kidnapped girlfriend, Lily Collins.

Johnny Depp

Starring In: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 20)
Summer Heat: At 47, he’s the oldest actor on our list, but with Depp, there's absolutely no expiration date to sex appeal. Boozy, womanizing, and sharp-tongued, Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow is everything we've come to love about Depp's compelling persona. He's roguishly charming, fabulously dressed; if only his raised eyebrow were inviting you to be his private wench for the night. Combining humor with hotness, Depp’s the only reason we’re "Yo ho ho-ing" at Disney's high-seas franchise for a fourth time.

Bradley Cooper

Starring In: "The Hangover Part II" (May 26)
Summer Heat: We first fell for the Coop in 2001 when he played Jennifer Garner's adorable best guy-pal Will Tippin on "Alias." Ten years later, he keeps getting better. From his Matthew McConaughey-rivaling chest and perfectly mussed hair to his constantly stubbly chin and breathtaking smile, there's a reason Cooper has risen to living sex-god status. In the raucous "Hangover" sequel, Cooper isn't likely to show off his romantic side, but he sure looks pretty shirtless and suntanned.

Brad Pitt

Starring In: "The Tree of Life" (May 27)
Summer Heat: Terrence Malick's epic visual treatises on humanity aren't the kind of movies that provide the visual eye candy we'd love to see in a Pitt flick. But what else can we expect from an actor who has purposely tried to draw attention away from his beauty and to his art instead? It doesn't matter if we get swoony love scenes a la "Benjamin Button" or a disciplinarian '50s father in "Tree of Life" -- regardless of his roles, Pitt is always one of the sexiest men in Hollywood (possibly Earth).

Michael Fassbender

Starring In: "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: He's half-Irish, half-German and all sexy. If he looks familiar, you probably saw him practice his German as the undercover British officer in Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds," recite Brontë as Mr. Rochester in "Jane Eyre," or throw a spear as Stelios, one of the six-pack-sporting Spartans in "300." But we think the versatile, bedroom-eyed actor will catapult to super-stardom when he debuts as the younger (and hunkier) mutant leader Magneto in the long-awaited "X-Men" prequel. Then no one will deny his magnetism.

James McAvoy

Starring In: "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: With his crooked smile and piercing blue eyes, McAvoy joins Gerard Butler as the sexiest Scotsman in Hollywood since Sean Connery, and he's got an impressive number of on-screen pulls to prove it. He's taken Keira Knightley against a wall ("Atonement"); romanced Anne Hathaway ("Becoming Jane") and even scored with the holy grail of hotness herself, Angelina Jolie ("Wanted"). In "X-Men" he's the young Professor Xavier; if he could really read minds, he'd blush to discover what a smart-and-smoldering hottie we consider him.

Ryan Reynolds

Starring In: "Green Lantern" (June 17), "The Changeup" (Aug. 5)
Summer Heat: Excuse us a moment while we daydream about Ryan Reynolds'… talent. OK, we’re back, and yes we think Reynolds has it going on: He's a really hot comedian (as opposed to hot-for-a-comedian) with the body of an action star and the range of a character actor. This summer we get back-to-back Reynolds: first "The Green Lantern" opposite Blake Lively and then the body-swapping comedy "The Change-Up" with fellow funnyman Jason Bateman. Both offer physical evidence of Reynolds' awesomeness.

Justin Timberlake

Starring In: "Bad Teacher," "Friends With Benefits" (June 24)
Summer Heat: Was there every any doubt the man responsible for bringing sexy back would make the cut? One of Hollywood's best singers-turned-actors, JT is truly a Triple Threat. After last year's scene-stealing turn in "The Social Network," we wouldn't be surprised if he winds up on the EGOT list one day. In the meantime, we can all delight in JT's upcoming comedic roles -- as cougar-prey to (his real-life ex) Cameron Diaz in "Bad Teacher," and as Mila Kunis' no-strings-attached sex buddy in "Friends With Benefits."

Tyrese Gibson

Starring In: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (July 1)
Summer Heat: Some models transition to acting looking dazed and confused (if pretty) on-screen. Not so with Tyrese, who has successfully managed to pop up in 15 films playing more than just a pretty face. He's bald; he's beautiful; and he's definitely badass in the third "Transformers." When he and Josh Duhamel are on the screen, it's easy to forget the movie's really about Shia LaBeouf and a bunch of aliens that turn into GM cars.

Josh Duhamel

Starring In: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (July 1)
Summer Heat: Most men would look ugly standing anywhere near co-star Tyrese, but Duhamel's Major William Lennox actually doubles the hotness factor (we do love men in uniform). Duhamel has been melting fans' hearts since his prime-time premiere on the casino drama "Las Vegas" in 2003, and it's no secret why -- the 6'3" North Dakotan is also a former model. Off-screen, he's married to leggy front-woman Fergie, but on-screen his devilish grin, broad shoulders and taut bod belong to us all.

Chris Evans

Starring In: "Captain America" (July 22)
Summer Heat: A superhero alum, Evans played the fiery and overconfident Johnny Storm in two "Fantastic Four" movies. But after a decade of almost breaking into the industry’s A-list, the super-fine guy-next-door seems poised to finally make it with his high-profile role as the genetically enhanced Steve Rogers -- "Captain America." He certainly looks up to the task of depicting a patriotic avenger, and we can’t wait to see him start kicking Nazi butt in the WWII-set saga.

Ryan Gosling

Starring In: "Crazy, Stupid, Love." (July 29)
Summer Heat: The Oscar-nominated, chameleonic Gosling is always ready to morph into his characters, from lanky crack addicts ("Half Nelson") to pudgy introverts ("Lars and the Real Girl"). But there's no doubt that the default Gosling is quite the heartthrob. In the upcoming comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," his physical gifts are on full display (watch the trailer -- we promise you'll hit replay), as he reintroduces a newly separated Steve Carell to the world of dating. Rule one: Looking like Gosling is always a plus.

Jason Momoa

Starring In: "Conan the Barbarian" (Aug. 19)
Summer Heat: He's not a household name... yet, but like the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1982, we're certain this finely chiseled 6'4" warrior will turn heads with his towering strength, sword-wielding prowess and exotic good looks in director Marcus Nispel's reboot of the scantily clad comic-book hero's nomadic adventures. Some of us have already taken notice of the imposing Hawaiian model-turned-actor thanks to his powerful, physically enthralling performance as a horse (and princess) mounting warlord in HBO's new epic series "Game of Thrones."

http://www.thefablife.com/2011-05-06/who-will-be-the-next-big-action-movie-hunk/

Friday, May 6th, 2011
Who Will Be The Next Big Action Movie Hunk?

It’s our favorite time of year again – summer movie season, when when bask in movie theater air conditioning and make M&M and popcorn sandwiches and support the inflated salaries of our favorite movie stars. Summer action movies are as American as apple pie, and 2011 has it’s share of hunky heroes on their way to a big screen near you. We’ve got five guys vying to be the Next Big Action Hunk — who’s got what it takes to win the blockbuster crown? Let’s take a look.

Action Hunk: Chris Hemsworth
Movie: Thor
Opening: May 6th
Hemsworth hails from that hunk factory otherwise known as Australia and is half of the most powerful Hollywood brotherhood since the Sheen-Estevez days. He beat out younger brother Liam (soon to star as Gale in The Hunger Games) for the role of Thor and will reprise the role in 2012′s The Avengers. Also, he’s absurdly good looking, which never hurt anybody.

Action Hunk: Michael Fassbender
Movie: X-Men: First Class
Opening: June 3
Fassbender has been cruising under the radar for sometime, with impressive stinks in Fish Tank, Inglorious Basterds and Jane Eyre. But it’s X-Men: First Class that’s set to put him on the radar of every housewife in the mid-west. Do with this what you will: He’s currently dating his much younger X-Men co-star Zoe Kravitz.


Action Hunk: Ryan Reynolds
Movie: The Green Lantern
Opening: June 17
Ryan Reynolds has been perched on the verge of stardom for years. People named him the Sexiest Man Alive, and his divorce from Scarlett Johansson has somehow made him even more desirable. (Er, cuz he’s single now, ya know?) He’s best known for him rom-com work, but Green Lantern could position him as one of the biggest action stars around.

Action Hunk: Shia LaBeouf
Movie: Transformers 3
Opening: July 1
In many ways Shia LaBeouf is the perfect movie star: he’s unconventional looking, volatile and loves to get into bar fights. He’s not new to the action hunk game—this is the third Transformers movie under his belt—but he’s only recently matured from baby-faced boy wonder to leading man. Wall Street 2 was a total bomb—can he reestablish himself this summer as the go-to guy for A-List action?

Action Hunk: Chris Evans
Movie: Captain America
Opening: July 22
Confession time: We’ve seen Chris Evans in a ton of movies (Fantastic Four, anyone?) and yet we still couldn’t pick him out of a movie dude line up. Then again, perhaps that’s the greatest compliment one can give an actor. But Captain America could finally be Chris’ BIG big break, as it’s a beloved, iconic character that will also be apart of The Avengers in 2012. Is this the year we finally recognize Chris Evans?

Who will be this summer's biggest action star?
Chris Hemsworth
Michael Fassbender
Ryan Reynolds
Shia LaBeouf
Chris Evans
VoteView Results

Posted by Kate Spencer at 9:00 am

http://www.starpulse.com/news/NextMovie/2011/05/06/15_breakout_stars_to_bet_on_this_summe

15 Breakout Stars To Bet On This Summer
May 6th, 2011 10:24am EDT
Transformers 3

The summer movie season is here, and that means one thing: AIR CONDITIONING!!! Also, we get to watch some cool movies with our air conditioning ticket.

There will be some familiar if not downright iconic faces to greet us there, but who's not looking to make some new friends? Lucky for us Hollywood is dishing out a promising group of cinematic newcomers who just might have made the leap to stardom by the time school's back in session -- including two sons, one daughter and one cousin of pop culture royalty.

Here's a list of actors on the cusp of becoming big-time screen idols.

Chris Hemsworth

Starring In: "Thor" (May 6)
Summer Heat: You may have already read our ranking of how Marvel's "Thor" stacks up to the one from "Adventures in Babysitting," but how will it fare against the blockbuster competition in one of the biggest movie summers in recent memory? If that giant friggin' hammer has anything to say about it, pretty good. Even without the great notices Hemsworth's been getting in the early reviews, he's in the unusually lucky position of getting to prove himself as Thor again in th"Avengers" (currently film), whether or not the God of Thunder's solo film captures lightning in a bottle.
Thor

Colin Egglesfield

Starring In: "Something Borrowed" (May 6)
Summer Heat: This former model and "All My Children" superstar is finally crawling his way out of the soaps and onto the big screen with a headlining role in "Something Borrowed." In the new rom-com he plays the fiancé of Kate Hudson, the one who her best friend Ginnifer Goodwin "accidentally" sleeps with after a drunken night. Happens. Whenever you see a poster with mega-familiar faces and then catch yourself saying, "What's a 'Colin Egglesfield?'" that usually means this dude just might have the goods.
Something Borrowed

Melissa McCarthy

Starring In: "Bridesmaids" (May 13)
Summer Heat: This adorable star of the CBS sitcom "Mike & Molly" just might be this summer's Zach Galifianakis since she clearly plays the wild card character in "Bridesmaids." Like Zach's Alan Garner in "The Hangover," McCarthy's aggressive, belching Megan has already stolen the trailer for Judd Apatow's attempt to bring raunch to the fairer sex. Best known as Sookie St. James on "Gilmore Girls" as well as being an alumni of comedy troupe The Groundlings, she gets bonus points for being the actual cousin of Jenny McCarthy.
Melissa McCarthy in Bridesmaids

Ellie Kemper

Starring In: "Bridesmaids" (May 13)
Summer Heat: Another stand-out of that crazy lineup of bridesmaids is Kemper, a prominent member of the New York sketch comedy scene who gained fans as Erin Hannon, the perky replacement for Pam's front desk job on "The Office." Before that Kemper managed nearly 20 million views on YouTube for the Derrick Comedy sketch "Blowjob Girl," in which she displayed a lack of finesse performing the title act on a fella. Her "Bridesmaids" character Becca looks to continue Kemper's tradition of the naïve, so-upbeat-they're-scary persona.
Ellie Kemper in Bridesmaids

Lily Collins

Starring In: "Priest" (May 13)
Summer Heat: Featured as one of our 25 Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2011, one of the best Phil Collins releases in decades is the iconic singer's 22-year-old daughter Lily. An actress-model-columnist, Collins caught us in our "Blind Side" opposite Sandra Bullock, and will star in two big productions next year, "Mortal Instruments" and "Odd Thomas." In the meantime, you can worship her in "Priest" as the title character's niece who gets kidnapped by vampires, thus causing Paul Bettany's badass man of the cloth to go all "Taken" on the bloodsuckers.
Priest

Christopher Jordan Wallace

Starring In: "Everything Must Go" (May 13)
Summer Heat: This son of the late legendary rapper Biggie made a big splash in a small role playing his own father (at a young age) in 2009's "Notorious," but is now co-starring opposite a seriously B.I.G. star: Will Ferrell. In "Everything Must Go," Ferrell plays a down-on-his-luck dude who sets up camp on his lawn selling all his possessions. He befriends a young neighborhood boy named Kenny Loftus, played by the 16-year-old Wallace, in what looks to be a sympathetic, semi-serious turn for both of them.
Everything Must Go

Sam Claflin

Starring In: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 18)
Summer Heat: If you've seen some of the larger posters for "Pirates" floating around you may have noticed a striking gentleman holding a mermaid and asked yourself, "who's this chap where Orlando Bloom used to be?" That's Claflin as Phillip Swift, a young missionary who falls for a mermaid named Syrena (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey) during his voyage with Johnny Depp's Captain Jack. Expect his career to be in full bloom, especially after just landing the part of the Prince in "Snow White and the Huntsman."
Pirates Poster

Gemma Ward

Starring In: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 18)
Summer Heat: One of the top It-girl models on planet Earth, this otherwordly Australian has been bit by the acting bug, the side effects of which appear to be her million-dollar legs turning into a fish tail. You see, Ward features in Johnny Depp's latest pirate fling as a mermaid, but perhaps not the kind with a seashell bra that sings "Part of Your World." These mermaids are more of the "seduce men then drag them to their deaths at the bottom of the ocean" variety. Sexy.
Gemma Ward in Pirates
Mason Lee

Starring In: "The Hangover Part II" (May 26)
Summer Heat: What the hell has the Wolfpack done with Ang Lee's son? This "Hangover" features Stu getting married, and after another wild night with the boys in Bangkok, he loses his fiancé's little bro Teddy, played by Mason Lee. Mason made his film debut as a toddler in papa Ang's 1993 classic "The Wedding Banquet," but this is his first high-profile gig. If his fate is anything like Justin Bartha's in the original, it might not equal a lot of screentime, but it doesn't hurt to have the entire plot revolve around finding your character, which could also prove an excellent audition if they decide to make a "Where's Waldo" movie.

Michael Fassbender

Starring In: "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: We always thought Fassbender had a magnetic personality, but this is ridic. After taking on Persians ("300") and Nazis ("Inglourious Basterds"), the German-Irish actor with some of the leading-est leading man looks in the biz is moving forward to the '60s where he'll take on a new enemy: prejudice against mutants. Also, Cubans and Kevin Bacon. Unlike those other two hit films, we have an inkling his character Magneto might just survive this ordeal in prequel country. With Fassbender as the raging yang to James McAvoy's yin, Erik and Professor X are not yet enemies, so expect great chemistry and an X-tra nice new trilogy if all goes well.
Michael Fassbender in X-Men: First Class

Joel Courtney

Starring In: "Super 8" (June 10)
Summer Heat: In a summer deluged with sequels and comics adaptations, leave it to filmdom's own P.T. Barnum, J.J. Abrams, to add the spice of mystery to the mix with "Super 8." Despite some extended footage screened for reporters, the film and its central creature or force is still shrouded in C.I.A.-level confidentiality. Equally unknown is 15-year-old lead actor Courtney, who makes his film debut as the heroic leader of a team of 1970s kids making an amateur zombie film in Ohio when all hell breaks loose as a… something or other… unleashes chaos.
Super 8

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Starring In: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (Jul. 1)
Summer Heat: Is it even possible to follow-up the crazy-hot force of nature that is Megan Fox? How about with FHM's "World's Sexiest Woman?" Okay, no complaints. Between babes and cars, incendiary filmmaker Michael Bay knows curves, which Rosie has definitely got, but can the Victoria's Secret model act? Since we know the "Transformers" formula by now (robots, explosions, Shia), it's fair to say this ain't exactly an Ibsen play, so we'll leave it to the next director to mine those talents after all the hoopla over the rock 'em sock 'em battlebot trilogy ends.
Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in Transformers 3

Matthew Lewis

Starring In: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (Jul. 15)
Summer Heat: Hogwarts most gifted young Herbologist, Neville Longbottom, has been played quietly sublime by Lewis for the entire decade-long run of "Harry Potter" in cinemas. For the final chapter, Lewis will finally get his chance to shine as an integral part of the battle between Good and He Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken. He'll reform Dumbledore's army, take care of the last Horcrux, and… hey, we're not telling.
Matthew Lewis in Harry Potter
Hayley Atwell

Starring In: "Captain America: The First Avenger" (Jul. 22)
Summer Heat: This doll-faced Brit has been making our heart skip several beats as a corset queen in chamber pieces like "The Duchess" and "Brideshead Revisited." Now Atwell will finally see how we do things America-style as Cap's WWII babe-in-arms Peggy Carter, and by "arms" we mean that girl knows her way around a pistol. In the original Stan Lee/Jack Kirby comics Captain America was always moping around in present-day regretting the loss of Carter, and with Atwell in the role that emotion shouldn't be too hard to muster for star Chris Evans.
Hayley Atwell in Captain America
Jason Momoa

Starring In: "Conan the Barbarian" (Aug. 19)
Summer Heat: We knew Momoa had the whole "ripped and grim" thing down pat from production stills, but with the brand-spanking new trailer we can finally see him in action as Robert E. Howard's deadly Cimmerian. One word: DAMN. Whether you think the movie itself looks like a rollicking sword and sorcery adventure or a CG-filled heavy metal album cover come to life (we're not sure either of those are bad), Hawaiian Momoa seems poised to obliterate three-decade-old memories of Schwarzenegger in the role. As long as he crushes his enemies, sees them driven before him, and hears the lamentation of their women, we're good.

http://www.ivillage.com/sexy-male-superheroes-film/1-b-346584#346614

Men Who Make Us Say 'Mmm': Sexy Superheroes!

From Chris Hemsworth in Thor to Christian Bale in Batman, see the crime-fighting guys we wouldn't mind saving us (19 Photos)

Sona Charaipotra on May 6, 2011 at 4:00AM

Michael Fassbender as Magneto in 'X-Men: First Class'

German actor Michael Fassbender, who played a British spy in 2009's Inglourious Basterds, stars as a young Magneto -- who possesses control over all forms of magnets -- in the prequel X-Men: First Class (out June 3). The film reveals the mutant villain’s backstory -- as a holocaust survivor who’s trying to protect the mutant race from facing a similarly harrowing fate.

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/05/new_faces.html#photo=1x00007

The Nine Actors Most Likely to Be Anointed Big Stars in 2011

Michael Fassbender

Past projects: 300, Hunger, Inglourious Basterds, Fish Tank, Centurion, Jonah Hex
Likely breakouts: Jane Eyre, Haywire, A Dangerous Method, X-Men: First Class, Shame, … Take your pick. He's in everything this year.

Future projects: At Swim-Two-Birds, Prometheus (the Alien prequel)

Press anointment: "Mr. Fassbender, now 34, has moved steadily from background person to ensemble actor to leading man and bona fide pinup." —Sarah Lyall, New York Times

Odds of superstardom: 2:1. He's got Laurence Olivier's jaw, and can do comedy and magazine covers in equal measure. If the X-Men prequel works, he's got the best role in it.

http://www.reelzchannel.com/article/1368/summer-2011-movie-manhunt/

Summer 2011 Movie Manhunt
By Mandy McAdoo

It'll be a scorcher this summer … at least inside movie theaters, where there's no shortage of hot and handsome actors headed to big screens nationwide. Whether your preference is big and brawny, suave and educated, or strong and silent, there's a fella at the Cineplex waiting for you in Summer 2011.

Michael Fassbender
X-Men: First Class

The half-German, half-Irish, and all-handsome Michael Fassbender was clearly not old or craggy enough to play Rochester in the adaptation of Jane Eyre that came out this spring, but he sure was fun to look at. The fun should continue when he stars in the upcoming X-Men: First Class. Even if he weren't so handsome, it'd still be worth watching the new X-Men prequel because he absolutely has the chops to pull off a character as complex as the pre-evil Magneto.

http://www.unp.me/f163/the-hollywood-it-boys-152623/

UNP
The Hollywood 'It' boys
The Movie Star: Chris Hemsworth Age 27 Nationality Australian Hollywood CV Star Trek, Thor, Red Dawn, The Avengers He's hot! .....

The Movie Star: Chris Hemsworth

Age 27
Nationality Australian
Hollywood CV Star Trek, Thor, Red Dawn, The Avengers

He's hot! Spill the deets Like most Australian actors, Chris started out in soap operas, Neighbours and Home and Away, until he hit the jackpot when he was cast as Captain Kirk's heroic dad, George, in JJ Abrams' Star Trek reboot.

"We really lucked out," gushed Abrams of having cast Chris. "He's so crazy handsome and he's so strapping with the classic leading man look. I sort of wish I had dirtied him up a little bit, messed his hair up a little bit." And it was that role in the hit flick that led to Kenneth Branagh offering him the lead in his monster hit, Thor - which sat atop the US box office for two weeks.

Breaking Hollywood Gaining 20lbs to play the Norse god of thunder, director Branagh picked Chris for the role, revealing, "Some people are at ease in front of the camera… their inner being puts very little between them and the audience. In some ways there's nothing between them and the audience and there's everything between them. And [Chris has got] sex appeal." Agreed!

What next? The hot Australian actor has signed on to play the role of the huntsman in the Kristen Stewart-starring fairytale-with-a-twist Snow White and The Huntsman, but first there's a little movie called The Avengers coming up - which is promising to be one of the biggest blockbusters Hollywood has ever seen.

The badboy: Alex Pettyfer

Age 21
Nationality British
Hollywood CV Wild Child, I Am Number Four, Beastly

So, what's this guy's problem? Alex may just be the guy who took Hollywood by storm, only to crash and burn thanks to his runaway mouth. The gorgeous Brit actor was recently described by a producer as, "Pick your words: ambitious, hungry, cocky, very ahead of himself," thanks to his on-set behaviour while filming I Am Number Four. The only problem is, that I Am… didn't set the box office alight as expected, and resulted in a very public falling out with his now ex-girlfriend, Glee's Dianna Agron.

Set to implode? Amid his messy split from Agron came the accusation that she had moved out of her home as she was afraid of Alex, with a source claiming he behaved like a "psycho loose cannon" and that he threatened her over the phone - something his rep denies. And add into the mix rumours of a fight with Black Swan actor Sebastian Stan and the fact that he recently blasted LA as a "socially disgusting insidious pool", and Alex is gaining quite the reputation in T-town.

The method actor: Michael Fassbender

Age 34
Nationality German
Hollywood CV 300, Eden Lake, Inglourious Basterds, Jane Eyre, X-Men: First Class

Bit of a latecomer, eh? Not really, although it was certainly Tarantino casting him as the stiff upper-lipped Lieutenant Archie Cox in Inglourious Basterds that skyrocketed Michael to Tinseltown-style fame. But the German-born actor first made his name in Steven Spielberg's award-winning 2001 television series Band of Brothers, before landing a slew of roles in TV shows. Playing the six-packed Stelios opposite Gerard Butler in 300 made Hollywood sit up and take notice, and Inglourious producer, Lawrence Bender sums up Michael's talent, by gushing, "It's such a wonderful thing to watch an actor take control of the room. There were a lot of people being considered, for the role. But he was a powerhouse. He just knocked us out."

The TV guy: Matt Bomer

Age 33
Nationality American
Hollywood CV Flightplan, Chuck, White Collar

He's a male model, right? Surprisingly not, given those spectacularly chiselled looks, but it won't surprise you to learn that Matthew was in the running to play Superman in the 2006 movie Superman Returns, when director Brett Ratner was attached to the project. However, the Texas native soon found his niche in a line of long-running US TV shows, including Guiding Light, Tru Calling and Chuck.

Hot under the collar Matt really came to prominence with his latest TV show, White Collar, in which he plays Neal Caffrey, a con artist who helps the FBI catch, well, other con artists, by letting them in on some of the tricks of the trade. Keen to tread the boards on a more regular basis, father-of-three Matt has also penned a TV pilot called Nashville and stars in plays stateside in between seasons of White Collar.

http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/05/new_faces.html#photo=1x00007

The Nine Actors Most Likely to Be Anointed Big Stars in 2011

5/17/11 at 12:30 PM

The Nine Actors Most Likely to Be Anointed Big Stars in 2011 Watch the slideshow

Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life premiered yesterday at Cannes, and amid all the debates of "Boring!" vs."Masterpiece!" one thing remains constant: the buzz around one of its stars, newcomer Jessica Chastain, who plays Brad Pitt's wife. Unless you're a fan of her work on Law & Order: Trial by Jury — and you are not — she's an unfamiliar face, but one that you will likely be seeing everywhere this year: She's at the front of the pack of this year's next-big-things, the actors who are riding a wave of media and industry anointment with their upcoming much-hyped projects. But will they be the next Matthew McConaughey or the next Gretchen Mol? To help you get familiarized with the upcoming crop of "future A-listers!" we've put together a slideshow of this year's fresh faces, along with some key facts and their odds of superstardom. So study up! You'll want to seem educated by the time Vanity Fair's "Hollywood" issue comes out.

The Nine Actors Most Likely to Be Anointed Big Stars in 2011

Michael Fassbender

​The next: Tom Hardy

Past projects: 300, Hunger, Inglourious Basterds, Fish Tank, Centurion, Jonah Hex
Likely breakouts: Jane Eyre, Haywire, A Dangerous Method, X-Men: First Class, Shame, … Take your pick. He's in everything this year.

Future projects: At Swim-Two-Birds, Prometheus (the Alien prequel)

Press anointment: "Mr. Fassbender, now 34, has moved steadily from background person to ensemble actor to leading man and bona fide pinup." —Sarah Lyall, New York Times
Odds of superstardom: 2:1. He's got Laurence Olivier's jaw, and can do comedy and magazine covers in equal measure. If the X-Men prequel works, he's got the best role in it.

http://clubsauce.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/coming-out-party/

18
Jun
11
Coming Out Party
By clubsauce

Every few years, let’s say 8 or so, there’s a spate of movies starring the We’re-Gonna-Be-f#%@#&!-Big newcomers. Many of them have been building their oeuvre for quite some time, but, in a moment that resembles a flock of South Pasadena parrots taking flight in a flash of green, these actors march into the season and shove aside the previous class, declaring their “itness.”

This is one of those summers, and it’s a pretty exciting crop, actually. Every movie I’ve seen this summer provides a shining example of tomorrow’s people. The actors who are destined to be the Big Comedy Star, the Big Action Star, the Oscar Regular.

First, there was Thor–a somewhat slight film that is surprisingly better than it should be an yet not as good as it could be–starring that Chris Hemsworth, who is destined to grace screens in the coming years as that Ridiculously Charming and Handsome Guy who’s ridiculously, unbelievably, unspeakably tall and buff, and whose eyes are unnaturally blue.

Then there was Bridesmaids, the season’s entry in the “Duh, we’ve been here all along” category. This is Kristen Wiig’s moment. Those who called her too odd or skinny or goofy or old to be a Big Comedy Star (rather than a small-screener) just ate their words. And she brings with her a number of women who have also done their time on the tube, particularly Melissa McCarthy. They now get to chant: “We’re here, we’re funny, now get used to paying $14.50 for it!”

Next came X-Men, First Class, which is an embarrassment of tomorrow’s riches. Forget that a few stars in this treasure trove have already racked up a “starter” Oscar nod–it’s the future nods we’re all waiting for: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, and Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games!) are all poised to dominate the red carpets in the next few years. This bunch (add in Nicolas Hoult, who will star in the new Bryan Singer/Christopher McQuarry re-teaming) was clearly cast in an effort to gather a gaggle of talented unknownish actors with bright futures, a choice that earns the award for This Summer’s Brilliant Move.

Lastly, we have Super 8, which is less notable for all those new kids (this is less a coming out for this group, aside from Elle Fanning, than it is an amuse bouche) than for the appearance of the small screen’s Kyle Chandler, proving once and for all that doing time on a brilliant-but-not-watched TV show can yield a big screen payoff. Sure, he garnered an Emmy nomination last year for his fantastic work on Friday Night Lights (shame on you if you have not watched it), but his appearance on the big screen solidifies his post in the pantheon of go-to actors who play sympathetic dads. And Elle Fanning, with her giant, knowing eyes, will cause you to cry out: “Dakota who? That chick’s a has-been.”

So keep your eyes on the big screen this summer. It’s clearly a time for the type of discovery that leads to meteoric rise and ends in inevitable under-whelmingness. Enjoy the ride.

http://www.usatoday.com/life/people/2011-07-05-day-huntington-malek-chastain-fassbender-yelchin_n.htm

Fresh faces to watch on the big screen this summer
By Donna Freydkin, USA TODAY

Posted 4h 39m ago |

NEW YORK — Charlie Day is channeling a certain wannabe marine biologist.

"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" actor Charlie Day stars opposite Jennifer Aniston in "Horrible Bosses," out Friday.

By Stan Godlewski, for USA TODAY

"It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" actor Charlie Day stars opposite Jennifer Aniston in "Horrible Bosses," out Friday.

"I feel like George Costanza," says the actor, striking a mock-sexy pose on the floor of the Waldorf-Astoria during a photo shoot late on a Saturday afternoon.

Day, the good-natured star of the FX series It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is making a splash on the big screen as well. In Horrible Bosses, opening Friday, he's a wrongly convicted sexual offender forced to work for a rapacious, predatory, sexually insatiable dentist played by Jennifer Aniston. Day's Dale, loyal and in love with his fiancée, wards off Aniston's advances — until he reaches a breaking point and decides she must die.

"I've never had a dentist sexually harass me," says Day, 35, "but I did have some lousy bosses in the past, when I used to wait tables. Ask most waiters if they love their boss and see what answer you get."

Day is married to actress Mary Elizabeth Ellis, but he had no trouble being groped by Aniston in the name of art. "For me, having to squirm around, it wasn't that hard to do," he says. "Yes, they're uncomfortable situations to be in, but I had a blast working with her. We were getting a lot of laughs from the crew."

Day's forte is raucous, slightly manic comedy. But he's in talks with director Guillermo del Toro about co-starring in the monster action flick Pacific Rim, slated to start shooting in late summer or early fall. And someday, he'd like some downtime to golf, drink beer and hang out with his dog.

"Hopefully (Horrible Bosses) has a positive impact on my career when it comes out," Day says. "But after this, I'm gonna go back to work on Sunny. Right now, I'm always working, and Sunny is a full-time job. If I do get a day off, I'm going to sleep for 24 hours."

This Day is having a good year. And so are these other summer cinematic standouts.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, 24

Starring in:Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which marks her film debut as the action flick's stalwart stunner and the love interest of Shia LaBeouf. And yes, the willowy Victoria's Secret model had an affinity for messy, loud explosions. "That was my favorite thing, to do stunts. I landed head first and feet first in the right kind of movie," Huntington-Whiteley says. "Half of the movie, I'm running around looking like a completely scared person. You're dirty and hot and sweaty for months on end. It's not glamorous. You had to become one of the boys, for sure."

What's next: Huntington-Whiteley says she's open to anything, whether it's another explosive Michael Bay extravaganza or something more intimate and independent. "I'd love the opportunity to do another movie. I can't call myself an actress yet. I'm just taking it as it comes and seeing what life throws at me. I'm reading a lot of things."

And off-screen: Huntington-Whiteley is dating fellow British action star Jason Statham. "I'm really happy," she says, although paparazzi flashbulbs freak her out. "It's an unfamiliar feeling. It's very bizarre. I'm learning to deal with it."

Rami Malek, 30

Starring in:Larry Crowne, the dramedy written and directed by Tom Hanks. Malek plays Steve, an obnoxious college classmate of Hanks, whom he knew from their 2010 HBO series The Pacific. Steve "gets by on doing the least amount of work he can possibly do. He's a fun-loving guy who partakes in a little pot-smoking now and then," Malek says.

Next up:The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2, which features Malek as bloodsucker Benjamin. "The idea of playing a vampire always seemed very cool to me," Malek says. "I want to fly under the radar and do character parts, and this is one of them, but it also comes with the massive appeal of the Twilight movie." He's also shooting Paul Thomas Anderson's top-secret drama, about which he reveals nothing. "They made me refrain from saying anything other than I am in the movie. I'm not getting in trouble on this one!"

And off-screen: The California native loves the great outdoors and has a green thumb. "I live surrounded by nature and I like to be out and do all that stuff. I go for road trips. I just like getting out and enjoying the beautiful weather."

Michael Fassbender, 34

Starring in:X-Men: First Class, as deadly, enraged Magneto, who is friends, then foes, with fellow mutant Charles Xavier (James McAvoy). Fassbender has signed on for the next two films, should they happen. "They own us. X-Men in an old people's home. Magneto and Charles are still battling it out. Their powers are depleting. The best he can do is move a dinner tray across the room," Fassbender jokes.

What's next: The smoldering German-born actor plays Carl Jung to Viggo Mortensen's Sigmund Freud in David Cronenberg's 2011 drama A Dangerous Method, and he just wrapped Prometheus, opposite Charlize Theron. And then, Fassbender wants a break. "I think I'll disappear for a while — with four bodyguards. I'm going to take two or three months off for some downtime."

Off-screen: Fassbender, who's dating actress Zoe Kravitz, is only kidding about the bodyguards. He doesn't even have a publicist, much less any security. "I like the island part, but bodyguards only attract more attention to me. I think I can blend in pretty well."

Jessica Chastain, 30

Starring in:Terrence Malick's introspective, contemplative drama The Tree of Life, which opened in May and co-starred Sean Penn and Brad Pitt, and The Help, the adaptation of the rapturously beloved book that's out Aug. 12. In The Help, the red-haired actress is unrecognizable as Celia Foote, an undomestic goddess who can't even boil water but who sets the other women's husbands on fire with her cleavage-exposing get-ups. Tree of Life "was an exercise in doing less. No acting allowed, just being," Chastain says. As for The Help, Chastain became enamored with Celia. "She has a great sense of fun, a childlike excitement for life, and a huge heart. I also loved her sense of humor. I understood the loneliness she felt."

What's next: Chastain is in the reclusive Malick's next, as-yet-untitled film. And she's Salome to Al Pacino's King Herod in Wilde Salome, which premieres at the Venice Film Festival in September. "I always look for characters that are different from anything I've played before. I don't like to repeat myself. I take each project as a lesson. I'm a perpetual student that way."

And off-screen: Chastain is actually quite domestic, she says. "I love to cook dinner for friends. I play the ukulele and read books. I work a lot, so I try to just shut down for a bit."

Anton Yelchin, 22

Starring in: Yelchin voices Clumsy Smurf in the upcoming The Smurfs film (out July 29) and stars in the horror remake Fright Night, opening Aug. 19. Yelchin signed on to Night because the character Charlie was "fun to explore" and the original film gave him the jitters.

What's next: October's romantic drama and Sundance winner Like Crazy, co-starring Jennifer Lawrence. The Russian-born Yelchin says that when it comes to acting, he never wants to do the same thing twice. "I'm drawn to that which I have not done before, that which is challenging, that which allows me to create a different kind of character."

And off-screen: Yelchin is a thoughtful film buff, even off the set. "I'm into photography, anything film related, and music. I spend a lot of time watching movies and reading books."

http://www.totalfilm.com/features/the-30-hottest-rising-actors-right-now/michael-fassbender-4#content

The 30 Hottest Rising Actors Right Now

Funny girls, action men and the all-conquering Wilde one...

By Rebecca Lewis | Aug 10th 2011

Michael Fassbender

Who? Rising Brit star Fassbender most recently portrayed a young Magneto in this year’s X-Men: First Class.

Why So Hot? He's been stealthily creeping his way onto the A List with roles in Hunger, Fish Tank and Inglourious Basterds. Fassbender's mainstream moment came with this year's X-Men: First Class.

Next up, he has a starring role in Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and has just finished filming Steve McQueen’s sex-addiction drama Shame with Carey Mulligan. Plus, he has Good Vibrations with Robert Sheehan in pre-production and several films showing in autumn festivals – including David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method and Steven Soderbergh’s Haywire.

What’s Next? X-Men: First Class is at your local big-screen now, and Jane Eyre, opposite Mia Wasikowska, opens in September.

http://moviemusereviews.com/the-five-breakout-stars-of-summer-2011/

The Five Breakout Stars of Summer 2011

August 30, 2011 9:12 AM
Steven

For the third year in a row, I present to you my list of five stars who are bound to break out after big roles or impressive performances this summer. Why do I sound so confident? Because my track record is pretty good. Here’s last year’s list, for example. Although strangely a lot of those folks follow-up film haven’t even come out yet, they’ve been lining up projects or have been rumored to star in big ones. And truth be told, if a budding star has a lot of projects line up already, well, it’s an easy call to make. As such, I feel pretty confident about these newcomers.


5. Charlie Day – “Horrible Bosses”

If you’re a fan of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” Charlie Day has been an established comedic presence for years, but most fans of “Sunny” are not the mainstream comedy demographic.

With his part in “Horrible Bosses,” where he was the unquestioned standout as an assistant to the nympho dentist played by Jennifer Aniston, he got to shine for adult audiences and expose his talents to the 40-years-and-up moviegoers who generally don’t watch “Sunny.” That should spell a great deal more offers to star in R-rated comedies among other options for a long time, especially with “Horrible Bosses” cracking $100 million in the U.S.

Next seen in: “Pacific Rim,” Guillermo del Toro’s monster action movie coming July 2013 (though likely something before then)


4. Melissa McCarthy – “Bridesmaids”

The other comedic standout this summer was Melissa McCarthy. Long known to fans of “Gilmore Girls” and those who sawless famous shows “Samantha Who?” and last fall’s “Mike & Molly,” McCarthy has had a lengthy career, but when you star in a mainstream and acclaimed R-rated comedy alongside Kristen Wiig, you’re going to get noticed.

You might not think about it or like to admit it, but women comics don’t have it easy. The ones who shine the brightest are the pretty ones (Anna Faris, Mila Kunis), usually by playing rom-com leads and rarely getting to comic stars. McCarthy suggests the fat-and-funny model for male comics can work for females and by all means let’s hope she’s just the beginning.

Next seen in: “This is Forty,” Judd Apatow’s next comedy out Summer 2012
3. Jessica Chastain – “The Tree of Life” and “The Help”

Prior to a couple years ago, no one, I mean no one, knew who Jessica Chastain was. In 2008 she played the title role in the indie “Jolene” and then had a part in the little-known crime thriller “Stolen” with Josh Lucas and Jon Hamm. But I guess when you’re cast with Brad Pitt and Sean Penn as one of only three main actors in a wildly anticipated Terrence Malick film (“The Tree of Life”), people notice you quick.

In August she played the delightful change-of-pace character Celia Foote in “The Help” and now it seems all her indie projects (which were filmed at various times) are set to unload this fall, so expect Chastain to land on the mainstream map with a thud. She stars in “The Debt” on this Wednesday, Ralph Fiennes’ debut “Coriolanus,” Al Pacino’s pet project “Wilde Salome,” the supernatural drama “Take Shelter” and the crime thriller “Texas Killing Fields.” She has main parts in all of them, in case you weren’t impressed. At this rate, she’s fast-tracking herself to an Oscar nomination at some point in her career.

Next seen in: ”The Debt” on Aug. 31 and “Texas Killing Fields” on Oct. 7


2. Michael Fassbender – “X-Men: First Class”

Hollywood has been high on Fassbender for some time now, but there’s no question “X-Men: First Class” was his chance to strut his stuff for a mainstream audience and now he’s a bona fide action star. There’s no question (in my mind) that if James Bond was up in there air right now, Michael Fassbender would win cinema’s most coveted role in a heartbeat. An Irishman playing Bond? Hey Superman’s a Brit, I think we would survive.

After being overlooked in “300,” Fassbender wandered for a few years until striking gold with Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds,” where his scene in the German bar as a British soldier sporting a German accent won a lot of warranted attention. He just manages to make everything more emotional, which should make his turn as an android character in Ridley Scott’s sci-fi thriller “Prometheus” next summer all the more interesting.

Next seen in: ”A Dangerous Method,” the Sigmund Freud biopic, on Nov. 23


1. Chris Hemsworth – “Thor”

There are a lot of really talented actors, but not many actors who just have an “it” factor as a hero. Chris Hemsworth proved he has “it” in “Thor.” Many doubted whether a newcomer could carry an obscure comic book adaptation to glory, but he did and with plenty of charisma to spare.

The result? “Snow White and the Huntsman,” next summer’s “Snow White” action/adventure, was rewritten so the Huntsman character would fit him. He’s attached by rumor to numerous action films including Ron Howard’s biopic on Formula 1 racer Niki Lauda that was scripted by Oscar-winner Peter Morgan. More noticeably, he will return as the God of Thunder in “The Avengers” next summer.

Next seen in: Joss Whedon’s delayed horror film “The Cabin in the Woods” on April 13, 2012.