It’s
February again, the season of love, the month of Valentines, and warm feelings are in the
air. So, for the occasion, let’s look back at … my earliest crushes. Now, I’m not talking
about in my personal life ... I mean the woman I grew-up watching on TV or saw
regularly in movies. I think most would agree that our earliest crushes are
with the performers we frequently saw on the box. So, I thought it would be fun to kick-off the Valentines season with the 10 actress that worked their magic on me at
one point in my lifetime, and I never forgot. This countdown has nothing to do
with their personal lives, what they do behind the camera, or even their
popularity, it’s just how they’ve left their mark on me though the various
movies and shows I’ve grown up with and watched.
#10 Kelly
Hu
When
it comes to different ethnicities of woman, I’ve always had a certain attraction to
Asians above all else, and I think Kelly Hu might have had something to do with
that. Despite starting her acting career with some stinkers like “Surf
Ninjas” and “Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan”,
Kelly Hu has managed to make a name for herself, and has certainly left a
memorable impression.
I was first introduced to the Chinese/American actress
when she brought one of my favorite comic-book villains Lady Deathstrike to
life with a live action portrayal in 2003’s “X2: X-Men United” ... which
is still one of the best installments in my favorite supper hero franchise. Over time, Kelly Hu has stood out as an exceptional talent in her own right, and one who I wish I saw in more movies. In the years that passed, I’ve mostly associated her with voice acting roles in projects like “Batman Under the Red Hood”, “The Spectacular Spider-Man”, and the voice of Karai on “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”.
She's also supplied her vocal talents to video games, such as voicing Visas Marr in the “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” game series. Most recently as the voice of Adira in “Rapunzel's Tangled Adventures”. However, my real feelings for the actress bloomed when I saw her play a Sorcerous
in 2002’s “The Scorpion King”. Holly cow, back then, my teenage mind was
viewing her as the most attractive person on the planet, and it wasn’t simply
do to the amount of skin she was showing off in that film ... or her perfect five star navel. There was something
about her face, eyes and smile that made me realize … Asian woman in general
just have perfect faces. W
eather it’s her physical appearance or just her voice, I think she’s
still insanely beautiful, and the one who made me discover my fondness for
Asian woman.
#9 Cameron
Diaz
For the majority of actresses on my countdown, I’ve developed
feelings watching them over a number of films … but in the case of this currently
retired American actress … it just took one movie for me to develop a massive
crush on her. The 1994 comedy “The Mask” was a childhood favorite of
mine, and one that still brings me joy to this day. Most of Jim Carry’s
comedies hold a special place in my heart, but in the case of “The Mask”,
he was only half the appeal. This was Cameron Diaz breakout performance after a
career in modeling, and I don’t think she’s ever lit-up the screen the same way
she did in that movie. It’s hard to explain but … there’s attractive woman …
and then there’s Cameron Diaz in “The Mask”. However, her insanely good
looks were matched by genuine charm and charisma that was all her own, and she
was able to stand toe-to-toe with Jim Carry’s larger than life cartoon
performance.
It was that signature charm of hers that became the foundation of
her career, and the driving force behind the majority of her comedies to
follow. Her charm also stood on equal ground with Julia Roberts in 1997’s “My
Best Friend’s Wedding”. While I personally wasn’t a fan of 1998’s “There's
Something About Mary”, I do still view it as a staple of classic 90’s
comedies, and her leading portrayal of Mary was nothing short of lovable.
Cameron Diaz then hit franchise fame voicing the Princess Fiona in the long running and highly successful “Shrek” movies. For whatever it’s worth, I
think the 2004 sequel “Shrek 2” has stood the test of time as one of the
funniest animated movies ever made, and I think it marked the peak of her voice
acting. Further appearances in films like “Day and Knight” or the “Charlies
Angles” movies have been perfectly enjoyable, but still, nothing has ever
quiet captured that fire she sparked back in the 90’s. As of 2014, Cameron Diaz
retired from acting, and I wish her well … she was a comedic talent bursting
with charm, and left her mark on me as one of my earliest movie crushes.
#8 Tia
Carrere
Just like with the previously mentioned Cameron Diaz, Tia Carrere
… or if we were to go by her proper name Althea Rae Duhinio Janairo … was another
case of love at first sight in the role of Casandra, from one of my all-time
favorite comedies “Wayne’s World”, along with its equally funny sequel “Wayne’s
World 2”. Actually, Mike Myers reaction to his attractive co-star mired my
own. She had it all … style, charisma, charm, fashion, and killer looks. Once again, it was a case of a female lead standing head-and-shoulder with the larger than life comedic talents of both Mike Myers and Dana Carvey. Due to her
portrayal in the film, I was always under the impression that Tia Carrere was
authentic Cantonese, when she is in-fact American, born in Hawaii …
specifically Honolulu, which just happens to be the same place my sister was
born … imagine that. In 2002, there was a little animated picture from Disney set in Hawaii titled “Lilo & Stitch”, in which Tia Carrere voiced the older sister Nani. While I didn’t know that initially, she was already my favorite character in the film, and in my view has always been an underappreciated female Disney character. She also stood firm acting along-side Arnold Schwarzenegger
as a shady femme-fatale in James Cameron’s 1994 action movie hit “True Lies”. She’s also a talent when it comes to music, with two Albums on her resume, and
the ladder of which titled “Hawaiiana” received a Grammy nomination for Best
Hawaiian Music Album. Earlier in 1993, she performed the main theme song “I Though I Never Knew You”, from one of my
all-time favorite superhero movies “Batman: Mask of the Phantasm”. Weather she’s in
one of my favorite comedies, or acting along one of my favorite action stars,
or performing a song in a favorite Batman picture, or voicing one of my
favorite Disney characters … Tia Carrere always seems to be paired with
something that’s a “favorite” of mine, and she herself is absolutely one of my
favorite actresses.
#7 Zoe
Saldana
In many respects, I look at Zoe Saldana as one of the generations
leading faces of Sci-Fi cinema. While I was first introduced to her in a
supporting role in the 2003 adventure hit “Pirates of the Caribbean: The
Curse of the Black Pearl”, it was her portrayal of Lt. Uhura in the 2009
reboot of “Star Trek”, along with its two sequels that she really caught
my attention as someone bursting with both flair and charisma.
She then
continued to electrify the screen in a number of Sci-Fi blockbusters, including
her portrayal of a bad-ass alien princess in James Cameron’s 2009 hit “Avatar”.
At last, the role that solidified her status as a favorite was her portrayal of
the green skinned anti-hero Gamora from “Guardians of the Galaxy” and
subsequently it’s sequel and further Marvel spin-offs. She’s an actress who can
juggle drama, charisma, hummer and feminine whiles all at once. Heck, she’s
beautiful just when voice acting in animated pictures like 2014’s “The Book
of Life”. No mater what kind of alien she appears as, or if it’s just her
voice alone, both her talents … and beauty … continues to shine.
#6 Jennifer
Connelly
I first fell head over heels for young American actress Jennifer Connelly in the 1986
fantasy “Labyrinth”. While that certainly wasn’t one of her best
performances, it was the novelty of seeing a girl brave her way through so many
frightening pearls in this dark fantasy setting which really left an impression
on my youth. Most beautiful young girls in fantasy films are unfortunately
reduced to the cliched pretty face that needs to be rescued, but Connelly was
leading the whole adventure, and it set the template for how she’d tilt stereo
types on their heads.
Even when she became a figurative damsel in one of my
childhood favorite superhero movies “The Rocketeer”, she still proved
strong, resourceful, and just illuminated the screen with what feels like classic Hollywood
style beauty, that I find lacking these days. She was quiet literally a bright
spot in the gloomy 1999 Sci-Fi “Dark City”. Then I really began to
admire her acting talents in the 2000 drama “Requiem for a Dream”, in
which she really left an impression on me as a great talent. Heck, even though
I hated the 2003 comic book adaption of “Hulk”, I thought her portrayal
of love interest Betty Ross was spot on, and was easily the best thing about
the whole movie.
She also made for an appealing villain in the 2019 adaption of
“Alita: Battle Angle”. Heck, I thought she was hot even as the
disembodied voice of “Suit Lady” in “Spider-Man: Homecoming”. Combining
both glamour and charm in her portrayals, Jennifer Connelly was one of those actresses
I feel like I’ve gone on a journey with, as I’ve watched her career progress,
and I look forward to seeing where she goes from here.
#5 Salma
Hayek
If there was any actress unaffected by age, it’s Salma Hayek, who’s
53 years old, and still look’s as hot as a bomb shell. I was first introduced
to Salma Hayek through a number of movies I watched when I was a kid, including
“Wild Wild West” and the Robert Rodriguez directed sequel “Spy Kids
3-D: Game Over”. Neither of which rank among her better films, but they at
least allowed me to recognize her face and screen appeal. As I grew up, I became a devoted fan of Robert Rodriguez directed filmography, and Salma Hayek was a regular player in his films. I knew I developed a crush on Salma in her
role as Carolina in both Robert Rodriguez’s “Desperado” and “Once
Upon a Time in Mexico”. Then I was absolutely smitten after seeing her play
a seductive vampire Queen in another Robert Rodriguez picture titled “From
Dusk till Dawn”. She also makes for a dynamite pair with Antonio Banderas,
and even when the two are voice acting together in “Puss in Boots”,
they’re still a perfect match. Salma received her first Oscar nomination for
best actress in the 2002 picture “Frida”, which proved that she was a
talent to watch ... certainly one to look at.
#4 Rachel
Weisz
Next is a generations actress who’s certainly known, but I don’t
think she ever achieved the acolytes or attention that she really deserved. Regardless, British-American actress Rachel Weisz has made a comeback in recent years, and has proven time and time
again to have a great range of talents. She won her first Academy Award for
best supporting role in the 2005 drama “The Constant Gardener”. 
She was recently nominated for an Oscar in the 2018 picture “The Favourite”, and also received a Golden-Globe nomination for her leading role in the 2011 drama “The Deep Blue Sea”. She’s also appeared in a number of franchise films
including “The Bourn Legacy” and most recently “Black Widow”.
Rachel Weisz has also proven to make for a menacing villain actress as a wicked
witch in “Oz the Great and Powerful”. Heck, she’s even managed to be a
bright-spot in some terrible movies, like as the voice of a Dragon in the 2006
adaption of “Eragon”, and as a girlfriend in the 2007 holiday stinker “Fred
Clause”.
Yet of course, I’ll never forget how she first won my heart when I
first saw her as a beautiful and intelligent Egyptologist named Evie in the
1999 adventure horror “The Mummy”. While I’ve loved the actress in all
the previously mentioned pictures, it was unmistakably because of her role in “The
Mummy” that I had a huge childhood crush on her. Rachel Weisz was just so
naturally lovable in that role, and marked a first for me as a kid, as I looked
past her obvious beauty, and was really drawn to the spirit and charisma she
brought to the role. Honestly, I think she’s one of the lucky actresses who can
beat the curse of aging, as her appeal for me always went beyond her physical
beauty, and was always for the flair she ignited in her performance.
#3 Rosario
Dawson
Boy oh boy, American actress Rosario Dawson is often described as one of the
decades most beautiful actresses … as well as exceptionally talented, funny,
charismatic, and even has a fine singing voice. I was first introduced to her
in the Blockbuster sequel “Men in Black II”, and I’ll admit she didn’t
leave much of an impression at first … but things were just getting started. I
then saw her in the 2005 musical “Rent”, and needless to say, I was
smitten after that. Everything from her charm, to her theatrics, to her beauty
was on full display, and I knew she was one to watch. 
I then saw her thrilling conviction as a hard as nails hit-girl in the 2005 adaption of “Sin City”, and its 2014 sequel “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For”. She also proved one
of the funniest comedic actresses of the decade as she was able to stand on
equal ground with Chris Rock in the breakout 2014 comedy “Top Five”. Heck,
she manages to steal the show with minor roles in films like “Zombieland:
Double Tap”, and “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief”.
She’s also proven time and time again to be a stirring voice actress, largely
in her superhero roles of Wonder Woman in various DC animated films, and even
as Bat-Girl in “The Lego Batman Movie”. One of her best roles is Claire Temple in the Marvel expanded TV shows.
First beginning
with “Dare
Devil”, and continued on with “Luke Cage”, “Jessica Jones”, “Iron
Fist” and “The Defenders”. Finally, as a side-note, I’m a long time
“Star Wars” fan, and Rosario Dawson again shines as the live-action portrayal of one Jedi by the name of
Ashoka Tano … who prior to Dawson's performance was already one of my all-time favorite of all the “Star Wars” characters. Not only did the actress look the part and acted the
part, but it was awesome to see one of my biggest movie crushes become one
with my biggest “Star Wars” crush.
#2 Nicole Kidman
I first took note of the
Australian/American actress as a reoccurring partner with Tom Cruise. Of
course, the two were married for ten years, but they also appeared in a number
of movies together, including “Days of Thunder”, “Eyes Wide Shut”,
and the first time I saw them together was in Ron Howards 1992 romantic
adventure “
Far and
Away”. Also, back
when I was a kid, I was obsessed with Batman, and the 1995 movie “Batman
Forever” was the one I watched the most by far. As such, it was Nicole
Kidman, with her bright blond hair, hot red lips, imposing eyebrows, and black
attire who always came to mind as Batman’s most memorable love interest ...
maybe not the most compelling character, but unmistakably the most attractive. Then came the big one in 2001, a little musical directed by Baz Luhrmann called
“Moulin Rouge!”, and from that first viewing, Nicole Kidman was the one
actress I was holding on the top of my list of favorites. Her portrayal of Satine
got her an Oscar nomination for best actress, and has sense stuck with me as
one of my all-time favorite character performances. She is so passionate in the
role, and runs the whole gambit of different emotions and theatrics. I’ve admired
Nicole Kidman as a very talented actress, and this is the role that proved she
could do it all. It’s a performance that’s everything whimsical, tragic, fiery,
adult, and she just shines on the screen. Also, as a side note, I think she
even makes for a more attractive red-head then she does a blond. That same year
she also stared in one of my favorite horror movies of the decade called “The
Others”, which was both one of the most original, and thanks to her
performance, one of the most emotional haunted house movies I’ve ever seen. Her
career then skyrocketed from there, as she’d finally win the Academy Award for
Best Actress in 2003’s “The Hours”, which was well deserved. She
received yet another nomination for best actress in a leading role for the 2011
movie “Rabbit Hole”, which I honestly think was her second-best
performance behind “Moulin Rouge!”. Still in the late twenty-teens,
she’s proven a dynamite actress with an Oscar nomination for best supporting
role in 2017’s “Lion”. She also joined
forces once again with director Baz Luhrmann back in 2008, with the romantic
epic “Australia”, which admittedly wasn’t one of her best movies, but it
wasn’t bad, and it was a real treat to see her acting on her home turf. Back in
2007, there was a pointless forth remake of “Invasion of the Body Snatchers”
simply titled “The Invasion”, and it was absolutely Nicole Kidman’s
committed performance in the lead role that made that remake worthwhile. She
also appeared in yet another DC comic adaption, this time in 2018’s “Aquaman”
as Queen Atlanna … which was awesome, just to see her in a position of power as
opposed to another attractive damsel like in the previously mentioned “Batman
Forever”. In both 2004 and 2018, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most
influential people in the world, and … call me a lover, because she’s one
gifted talent I’ve adored watching over the years, and even in her 50’s, I
think she still has a bright career in acting.
Before I
reveal my #1 biggest crush, here are some honorable mentions …
Scarlett
Johansson
Emma Stone
Marina
Sirtis
Emilia
Clarke
#1 Catherine
Zeta Jones
Here she is, the actress who’s stolen my heart a hundred times
over, and the one I had the biggest childhood … teenage … young adult … grown
man crush on. I was first introduced to the sizzling Welsh actress in a rather unique
role … a belly-dancing spy who wins the attention of a young Indian Jones.
That’s right, I grew-up with the “Adventures of Young Indiana Jones” series,
and one such entry titled “Daredevils of the Desert” was a favorite I
owned on home video. While I didn’t know her name at the time, I already
thought she was something. Catherine Zeta Jones would continue to surprise me with her wicked talents in further films. She shined as a dramatic actress in the 2000 picture “Traffic”, which won her Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance in a motion picture. Jones did take a small nose dive with a pointless, and scare-free remake of "The Haunting", but she wasn't bad, it was just the movie that sucked. Then I saw her paired with another action adventure
hero from my childhood ... the swashbuckling Zorro, in the 1998 action hit “The Mask of Zorro”.
Still to this day, it remains one of my favorite entertainment movies, and
still to this day … I think Catherine Zeta Jones in
her leading role as Elena is the most striking and beautiful woman I’ve ever
seen on film. Again, she’s an actress who seems to have that classic Hollywood
look that goes a step beyond just an attractive face. It was also the first
time I saw a woman in an old-school action adventure that went beyond a cliched
damsel, as she was every bit as awesome as the films lead hero. She absolutely bounced back and lit up the screen again in the 2003 musical “Chicago”, in which
she displayed great skill as a dancer, singer and personality. This was also
the role in which she won the Academy Award for best Actress in a supporting
role. She even dabbled in voice acting with her leading role in Dreamworks 2003 "Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas".
While her career quieted down in the two-thousand-teens, she still stays
active, and had another stand out role in the breakout 2013 thriller “Side
Effects”. Now days, her career is strongest on TV, namely in the series “Queen
America”, in which she delivers an enticing and poised performance. While
many talented actresses will continue to come and go, it’s Catherine Zeta Jones
who will always resonate will me as the most special, and the one who I had the
biggest crush on.
Thanks for reading my countdown ... and continue to enjoy the talents you Love!
Happy
Valentine’s Day!
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