YAM Magazine’s Top 25 Hottest Film Performers
Kou Shibasaki
You know her as Mitsuko on the Japanese student-Survivor-style drama Battle Royale, but Kou Shibasaki is so much more, making a somewhat comeback to the acting world since 2010 when she starred as the mute restaurateur in Rinco’s Restaurant and the scene-stealing female Shogun in Ohoku.
The coming year is of great excitement with her “Hollywood debut” in 47 Ronin, sharing the screen with fellow actors Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano and Rinko Kikuchi — and, well, Keanu Reeves — as well as Su-chan Mai-chan Sawako-san where she will star opposite Shinobu Terajima.
– Amy
Ken Watanabe
While one of his earlier starring roles was in the 1985 ramen comedy Tampopo, which won Best Foreign Film raves from American film critic groups, Watanabe kept to TV and film work within Japan until his Hollywood break in The Last Samurai.
He remained in the mainstream eye with films like Letters from Iwo Jima, and both trained Batman and “bought the airline” in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins and Inception.
In 2012 he can be seen in Hayabusa: The Long Voyage Home, a Japanese film chronicling the real-life drama behind the unmanned Hayabusa spacecraft project.
– 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.