The Hollywood Reporter has an interesting story about the five "hottest" television actors who are looking for plum roles. And by "hottest", the publication means they're most in demand (plus, they're good-looking).The five actors that all the networks are trying to scoop up are: Jeremy Sisto, Paul Rudd, Peter Krause, Simon Baker and Gabriel Macht. Honorable mentions include Christian Slater, Steve Zahn, and Michael Vartan, who just took a role in an untitled ABC drama. A look at their profiles on IMDB show that most of these guys (except Slater & Zahn) currently have a break in their schedules.
So far, all but Vartan have been passing on a number of roles offered to them for network pilots. But the networks are relentless-- these guys are the ones who get the offers the first time, every time. Why are they so in demand? They're in their 30s, good-looking, and have been around the block in this business. And that makes them super expensive.
The most in-demand females for television roles are Christina Applegate, Lucy Liu, Debra Messing, and Jordana Brewster. Unfortunately, the number of female leads pales in comparison to the number of male leads available each pilot season. These ladies are --smartly-- playing hard to get.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
1-29-2007 @ 1:06PM
innamorata said...
Personally I'd be thrilled NOT to see Vartan and Rudd EVER again in ANYTHING. They make me hit the remote at warp speed.
I love Sisto though. But I still wouldn't force myself to watch his show if it featured Vartan or Rudd, or worse both. *shudders*
I also love Krause but WOW! the Lost Room sucked ass. Sorry for the language but it makes Dirt look terrific. That's a whole lot of bad right there.
All the others I truly couldn't care less. None of them would attract me to watch their pilot just based on their name/face/resume. I've seen their work before, it wasn't my thing. They're not attractive to me either at all. I wouldn't seat through commercials expecting them to grace my screen with batted breath. Huh huh.
In a take it or leave it situation, the balance is already ticking on 'leave it'.
Unsettling that all the top males listed are Caucasian while two out of four of the ladies are from minorities.
Why can't a(n undisputed) 30 something male lead be Asian, Black, Hispanic, etc?
And could the characters played by women from minorities not be stuck in tired cultural fantasies?
I liked Liu in her ER stint, she actually was touching with little screentime but I didn't care about her 'Ling' in Ally Mc Beal (granted I was no fan of the show to begin with).
That said, Debra Messing? Seriously? Blah.
Anyways...I just wish there'd be more diversity among the male leads and more women leads courted for TV.
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1-29-2007 @ 2:01PM
Melanie said...
Hmm, I disagree. I would watch Paul Rudd in anything, BECAUSE HE'S AMAZING.
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1-29-2007 @ 5:11PM
TomB said...
All the networks are trying to scoop up Peter Krause and he chose the Lost Room on SciFi?!?
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1-29-2007 @ 5:41PM
Porchland said...
What? Wayne Brady didn't make the list? ;-)
Seriously, I'm really hoping David Dean Bottrell who played Lincoln Meyer this season on "Boston Legal" gets a pilot. Awesome presence.
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1-29-2007 @ 9:49PM
Squishy said...
The list of female actors is indeed paltry, though the list of male actors doesn't have much to write home about either.
I watched Kidnapped because of Jeremy Sisto having loved him on Six Feet Under. That show wasn't up to much though and not even Sisto was enough of a saving grace. However it'd be nice to see him in something sucessful again, so for me, going by that list, he's top draw.
innamorata nailed it when refering to Debra Messing as blah so personally I would be compelled to watch her. Lucy Lui on the other hand, is to my mind vey much top of that grouping. (word also to the point on minorities)
On the flip side the fact that both lists are lacking can only mean better actors are already employeed, which is really kind the point. Right?
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1-30-2007 @ 2:34PM
tiptop said...
I totally disagree with innamorata. May be this person likes over acting and those actors who cannot convey so much in such a subtle way. Michael Vartan is a wonderful actor and I will watch anything that he is in. He can convey so much emotion in just one look. I have no idea who the others are - and nor am I interested in finding out who they are either. As long as Michael is in a tv series or movie I don't care who else is there heck I watched 4 seasons of Alias and sat through most of Jennifer Gardners childish grating voice and poor over acting.
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