The Greatest Male Sex Symbols

Christian Bale, as with most other high-profile sex symbols, is unsure, humble and modest about the label, but he defines it most alternatively, sometimes conventionally, since he is jaw-droppingly beautiful and incredibly attractive both on and off screen. He oozes a distinctively darker brand of understated charisma, gravel-voiced, authentic sexiness and raw masculinity in every role he plays, in whatever form he appears, which is always different; transmogrifying himself into the physicality and personality of his characters, there is no limit to his dedication: he is an acting chameleon with an incredulous range, which only makes him more attractive in my eyes, if that's possible.
With his wistful, chiselled features and steely, smoldering gaze, Christian fills the screen with an irresistible, effortlessly commanding presence and is mesmerizing to objectify, but more to simply watch as an actor. Not only that, but he possesses the body of an Adonis to go with it: just watch American Psycho. He is definitely the greatest male sex symbol.

The boyish, sensitive, tragic misfit with classical good looks, angst-ridden, enigmatic charm and understated sexual magnetism, James Dean possessed a magical screen presence so powerful and inexplicable that he remains an icon for teen rebels and disaffected youth to this day.

Dark, exotic, moody and devastatingly attractive, Keanu Reeves has sex appeal in spades, but most of all during the peak of his success as a movie star in the 1990s. Keanu's flawless good looks are his trademark: his smoldering gaze, furrowed brow, pale skin and boyish smile mean that he has remained youthful well past his starring roles, but he was never sexier as the enigmatic, athletic, beautiful action hero in The Matrix, Speed and Point Break.

Take a look at the first photo, that is all.

Admittedly, it was a few years after Leomania when I did get what all the fuss was about; boyishly handsome in his youth, Leo then matured into an entirely macho sex god with the alteration of his slim frame into buffness. By his 30s, he became one of Hollywood's most prolific heartthrobs and rightfully so; he's hugely attractive and appealing in most of his roles, but has never been more effortlessly beautiful than in his "peasant garb" teaching Kate Winslet how to fly on the titular ship of dreams in Titanic.

Rock Hudson was the tall, ruggedly beautiful beefcake whose portrayals of both stylish, urbane charmers and gentle, salt-of-the-earth types meant that both men and woman flocked to the multiplexes either to admire or to swoon. He unconsciously embodied All-American masculinity and did so very seductively.

With his rakish looks and athletic physique, Harrison Ford fits snugly between the "handsome" and "hunk" tropes that define most sex symbols. His distinctive hazel eyes, lithe body and earthy charm met the prerequisites of his pin-up status back in the 70s and 80s, a fact people have now forgotten, but watch him in Blade Runner or Indiana Jones and try to deny how gorgeous he once was...

In the 1980s, during his relatively short stint as the frontman of The Smiths, Morrissey was the young counterculture heartthrob/pin-up for those disinterested with the shag-permed rock stars and overly blow-dried pop posers of the moment. With his striking good looks, outspoken personality and unusual sense of style, Morrissey became a timeless idol for the alternative crowd, but also a sex symbol, mainly for his immensely alluring stage presence. Upon going solo, Morrissey's appeal vastly increased and his distinguished, fashionable and sexy appearance was accentuated even as he entered his thirties and forties.

Al Pacino is one of the greatest actors of all-time, so it is hard to believe that even in his youth he was never considered a sex symbol. He was almost beautiful in The Godfather, and entirely sexy in Scarface, but the adulation from audiences and critics meant that he was taken far too seriously. How could anyone deny his rugged good looks and brooding sex appeal?

Clark Gable personified the term manly and his sex symbol status proved that male movie stars did not have to be soppy, glamorous and boyish to gain adulation from female audiences. In his movies Gable was rugged, charming, sardonic and roughly romantic, the epitome of hard-edged masculinity. He was not beautiful, but he was sexy.

Sensitive, broody and introspective, Clift was one of the most striking men ever to appear on screen, and at his peak, one of the most beautiful. Clift could express every emotion possible with his startling blue doe eyes. Clift was a new kind of leading man and despite his success at playing villains, he was soon touted as Hollywood's latest heartthrob and by the early 1950s, he was their top sex symbol with a large female following.

Elvis Presley's physical attractiveness and sexual appeal were widely acknowledged, especially at his peak, and he was a genuinely beautiful man, aside from his superstardom. Nevertheless, his performance style, as much as his physical beauty, was responsible for Presley's eroticized image: his deep, sexy voice, orgasmic gyrations and hip thrusts were seen as vulgar at the time, but not by young girls, who went crazy at the sight of him on stage. Elvis became the king of rock and roll in the 1950s, expanding the views of teenagers everywhere and remains the legendary icon of that era.

Anthony Perkins was exquisitely handsome, soft-spoken and gentle-looking, traits which exist in his most iconic role, as the unlikely killer Norman Bates in Psycho; it is the deep-seated suggestion of such darkness that makes him all the more beautiful.

Clive Owen's rugged good looks, gruffly masculine glamour and classical sex appeal are similar to George Clooney, but rather less-refined, with a caustic edge to his delivery and acting style, giving him a wider range. I do not debate as to who is more beautiful, I think they are on par with each other in that department as both are maturing into their features well and are still very sexy.

"Gorgeous George" as he is affectionately known in the media, was not generalised as a sex symbol until the early 2000s; he was ageing and grey-haired, but those features only made him more attractive, unlike most of his other Hollywood heartthrob counterparts. His sex appeal lies within his smouldering eyes, molten voice and brooding, rugged good looks.

Heath Ledger was not satisfied with his status as a pin-up and wanted to be taken seriously in Hollywood. He first depicted his extraordinary capabilities as a dramatic actor in Brokeback Mountain, the film that modernised cowboy iconography for a whole new generation. Heath's character Ennis Del Mar is a tortured soul whose scathing beauty radiates from his taciturn performance, one that transformed him into a sex symbol worthy of the critical notice that followed in the wake of his tragic death.

Prince oozes sexuality to the umpteenth degree in every aspect of his art, from his scantily clad stage performances, provocative dance moves and daringly erotic lyrics. Despite his diminutive, ambiguous physical appearance - he had an alter ego named Camille and often posed in an effeminate guise on album liners or publicity stills - his beauty and sexual appeal are undeniable, proving that the conventional macho image is not always the key to attracting women. Prince challenged conventions and redefined not only the preconceptions of sex appeal, but also pop music, so he's not just a pretty face.

Rudolph Valentino may now occur to film buffs as an iconic image of cinema's silent era, but once upon a time, he was the first male sex symbol. Oozing sex appeal as the 'Latin Lover', Valentino became a pin-up for millions of women who were attracted to his unique brand of ambivalent masculinity as the exotic romantic hero. He was so adored by women that several killed themselves when he died at the peak of his fandom.

Tall, dark and extremely handsome, Ryan Reynolds is the deserving example of the omnipresent Hollywood hunk of the 00's and beyond...

It wasn't until I watched Edward Scissorhands for the first time that I understood the hype over Johnny Depp. He was attractive, certainly, but for some reason, that film instantly changed my perception of him; he embodied unconventional beauty and quirkiness. But sadly his good looks and charisma peaked in the 1990s.

Enrique Iglesias is quite simply the sexiest and most romantic male pop star of the last ten years.

Twin Peaks wouldn't be the same without Agent Dale Cooper and his embodiment of David Lynch's quirkiness. But Kyle MacLachlan's dreamy good looks and charisma elevate the character to iconic proportions.