YAM Magazine’s Top 25 Hottest Film Performers
Byung-hun Lee
Since appearing as a conflicted border soldier in Chan-wook Park’s masterpiece Joint Security Area, Byung-hun Lee has proved himself more than the sum of his high cheekbones. He’s done steady movie and TV work in South Korea, and in recent years, he’s explored vastly different takes on mercilessness with director Kim Ji-Woon.
2008’s Korean western The Good, the Bad, the Weird saw him as a strutting and style-obsessed outlaw who revels in ruthlessness. 2010’s I Saw the Devil has Lee become a stone-faced, disturbed avenger whose catch-and-release torture of a rapist-serial killer brings horror to everyone in their path.
He’ll have his action star mode on showcase in the forthcoming G.I. Joe and Red sequels, which we hope might serve as a springboard for better work outside of his home country.
– Diandra Rodriguez
Ricardo Darín
Ricardo Darín’s resume includes a good amount of the films that were submitted by Argentina for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, such as Oscar-nominated El Hijo de la Novia, Kamchatka, El Aura, XXY, Carancho and Oscar-winning El Secreto de sus Ojos.
2011 saw him working on Un Cuento Chino (A Chinese Tale). This year, however, Darín reunites with Carancho director Pablo Trapero and Martina Gusmán again in White Elephant, which competed in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.
Television or films, Darín always performed very well and still remains one of Argentina’s biggest names in the entertainment industry.
– Rodrigo
Magaly Solier
Magaly Solier was a teenager selling street food when she was discovered to appear — and eventually, star — in the controversial Claudia Llosa’s Madeintheusa.
She’s moved on to work in other Peruvian and Peru-set films, exploring social issues such as poverty, abuse, and the effects of pollution (Altiplano). Her wide eyes and carved features are striking, and musical talents were also on display when she wrote and performed tracks for The Milk of Sorrow.
More recently she played the role of an immigrant caretaker in the Spanish film Amador, and also worked alongside Sam Shepard in Blackthorn, which imagines what could have happened if Butch Cassidy had lived out his years in Bolivia.
– Diandra Rodriguez
I hate to be “that girl”, but, seriously, our list is miles above and beyond what TotalFilms drummed up. That, for lack of a better word, shit was so unitnteresting and ridiculous. I was kinda shocked, but I guess not totally surprised given that the standard of hotness is based on a completely whitewashed understanding of beauty, pushed down our throats from the States.
Anyway, this isn’t a political list, per se. I just find that when you let people from all over the world decide what makes up a good list, you get a more entertaining and certainly better looking appreciation of actors and film.
@Camiele, I know our list had the condition of not using the actors listed on TotalFilms, but I’m sure most of the team would have easily included Fassbender, Hiddleston, Theron, Rapace, Gosling, Mulligan, Chastain, etc. But let’s be real: without the diversity and film condition, voting would have favored American/UK acts because, let’s not deny this, we also love a good amount of the actors that TF’s list shows. I’m aware of some of the foreign acts, but I’m also lazy to keep up with everything, lol.
Also, it’s hard for non-white people to promote their films and become draws. But that’s another story.
@Rodrigo, It’s not so much that the list included those people at all. It’s that the only thing you saw was an overwhelming amount of Anglo actors, when, as anyone can see from the list we compiled, that there is so much talent and sexiness in so many different forms.
And you do make a good point. It IS hard for non-white actors to promote their films. You’re also right that we shouldn’t get into it here… HaHA.
@Rodrigo, any of these picks over Kristen Stewart or Rooney Mara.
@Ghost Writer, I agree with Kristen Stewart. What’s wrong with Rooney Mara (other than playing Lisbeth Salander)?
@Rodrigo, but keeping track of a well-researched list makes one discover new talents :) and that makes the entertainment world go round xD
Did the casting director for Elysium read this list from the future or something?
@Diandra Rodriguez, I think if we had done our Most Anticipated Films list, Elysium would be on top now. LOL
@amy, next year!
@Diandra Rodriguez, But we’re anticipating it already! XDDD Don’t mind me, I just really really really really really really really really really need this movie in my life already.
@Diandra Rodriguez, NYAHAHA, I know, right?! The only 2 people from that cast that are not on this list are Matt Damon and Jodie Foster! I’m deathly excited for that movie. I’m SUCH a huge fan of Neill and Sharlto because of D9. Can’t wait to see Elysium.
@Marciana, yeah, when I was putting together the list with all the other writers’ contributions, I was pleasantly surprised by how many actors were linked to that movie! I’ve been a fan of Neill Blomkamp’s work ever since I saw “Alive in Joburg,” and then tracked some of his other ad/short film work when he was announced for the failed Halo movie project that eventually spawned District 9. I’m wishing the best for Neill and Sharlto too!
@Diandra Rodriguez, I saw “Alive in Joburg” on YouTube! Was pleasantly surprised at the level of effects considering what a tiny budget they had for that short, LOL. Seriously too excited for “Elysium.” The panel at San Diego Comic Con a few days ago has only made me more desperate for this movie already!
Totally agree with a majority of the names that appear here. I’m especially a huge Sharlto Copley fan. I saw him in The A-Team (on TV, not even in the cinemas omg), which made me want to check him out in “District 9,” upon which I promptly fell in love with it (the movie) and him. He’s going to be unstoppable in the next two years. I hope an Oscar is in his VERY near future.
@Marciana, his role in District 9 was Oscar-worthy. xD
@amy, TOTALLY. He was ROBBED that year, ROBBED! Matter of fact, D9 was robbed of the Best Picture Oscar too, by Avatar. I saw both, and thought D9 was far better storywise than Avatar. I think Avatar got away with eye-candy and coz it was Spielberg, but hey. Neill and Sharlto will have their time, I know it. They’re amazingly talented.
@Rodrigo, Rooney Mara is aloof, and so boring. If Stewart doesn’t try, Mara is a try-hard who wants so hard to look like she doesn’t try.