I'm sure you've all heard the popular saying "nice guys finish last". Well, I'm here to tell you that this is no longer the truth. Steering clear of the "bad boy" phase that erupted in the 80s, these days women are looking for a little more geek and a little less rugged. There is no doubt about it - Hollywood has developed a trend over the past few years that started somewhere along the lines of Seth Cohen's adoration for Summer Roberts on The O.C. and has yet to die down.
Take a look at one of the CW's most popular series, Gossip Girl. Brooding poet turned teacher's pet Daniel Humphrey (played by the ever-so-delectable Penn Badgley) has become somewhat of a fan favorite over the course of the show's two seasons.The question is, when did choosing a boyfriend come down to accepting a status quo? It isn't only the television that is setting the standards for who we date and who we turn away.
Adventureland, just released this month in theaters, stars newcomer
Jesse Eisenberg. What is his character like in the film? None other than an awkward, inexperienced, shy and ultimately adorable nice guy.
It wasn't always this way. Remember just a few years ago when we were drooling over Johnny Depp in his pirate costume? Not long before that, more than half of the teenage girls in the general population were obsessing over the lead singers of every major boy band to tour worldwide.
I don't think it is a coincidence that clean cut Zac Efron is Hollywood's latest sweetheart. As the times change, so do the men that girls want to see on magazine covers. I know from personal experience that without even realizing it, I slowly moved straight past my Jack Sparrow days (although I will admit, he still looks pretty terrific in that costume) and right into the screaming crowd of girls waiting anxiously for a glimpse of Zac when he appeared on Saturday Night Live.
Even the so called "bad boys" of today are much more tame and user friendly - take Edward Cullen, for example: a vampire who loves to spend his time alone listening to Clair De Lune. There is no doubt about it; women are constantly changing the guys that they want and so are casting directors.
What about you? Do you think that these celebrity trends have any influence over what type of guys you lust after?
Recommend
Comments (25)
I think it's the other way around. The type of guy I want in real life, it's probably the type of character I would like to see in movies.
I agree with xRiotGirl713x@xanga, I think it is the other way around. The type of guy I like and love is the type of character I would like to see in the movies also.
Comment ~
That is an atrocious picture of Zac Efron right there. I mean, he's not normally good-looking, but that is an extremely girly picture.
I think being influenced by TV and movies is really dumb. It's just the way that when Michael Cera did Superbad and Juno, every girl I knew was like, "Oh man, he's sooo cute/hot. I'd totally date him." No, he's not. In fact, you probably run into people like Michael Cera hundreds of times a day, an average-looking, skinny, and awkward guy. But no one gives those guys the time of day because they're not playing a funny character on the big screen. The same girls who were totally into Michael Cera probably don't go out of their way to kick it to guys like that.
I don't know, I think that in movies, as long as the guy is portrayed as somewhat romantic, a lot of girls will feel they're attracted to that "type" no matter what he looks like.
this post is lame. wasn't datingish just complaining about misogynist jerks? and now you're complaining about the slew of "nice guy" role models who seem to be getting the love.
pop culture doesn't really dictate the types of guys (most) girls will like. they still market all types. plenty of people still like the bad boys. if not, you wouldn't be able to explain the cult appeal of chuck bass (who gets 3x more google hits than dan humphrey, by the way). heck, with that i could argue that we heart womanizers.
hollywood knows that good-looking fellas will sell, and they'll market whatever angle of said fellow's personality they can - be it "good" or "bad." for most of the guys you mentioned, there's a character foil with the opposite traits (and still lots of fans). jack sparrow had good boy will turner; seth had broody, emo ryan; dan has chuck, and lame edward cullen doesn't count as a "bad boy."
i'll give you efron, though.
i don't even quite think it's the look; handsome, romantic guys sell no matter what they're wearing. it all boils down to all of these characters finding the hidden romantic in the guy. the end.
now, personally, i love cowboys... and marines- both of which are rarely portrayed in movies and still i adore most of the romantic characters in them. i like movies because they don't generally reflect my life. but maybe that's just me.
i have and always will love zac efron.
the picture was the only reason i read this.
I think tv and movies do influence people's love lives, but when it comes to famous guys I like whoever, doesn't matter about what category they fall into, I still love Johnny Depp, and do like the bad boy image, however I also like the geek etc. It's about giving everyone a chance.
I would just like to take this moment to say: I do not like Zac Efron.
*snort* Edward Cullen is "user-friendly"? What... in the sense of a drug user? He's the bad boy every teenage girl is addicted to.
Because, deep down, we all want a creepy stalker who could snap our neck with his pinky finger.
All i ever really wanted from the time I was 14 to now, was a guy who could build or fix a computer, and skateboard (and of course was on occasion cheesetasticly romantic).
Won the romantic lottery at age 14 back in 8th grade. Met boy who can skate and fix computers. I'm keeping him. And it had nothing to do with any media influence.
@LadyLibellule@xanga - I adore what you had to say ^.^
You're a tool if your ideas of romance and relationships are overtly influenced by modern fictional characters.
If I was a pre-teen girl, sure - Hollywood would be able to influence me into wanting a girlyboy. Yet.. I'm not a 12 year old, I'm not a little girl, so I'm not influenced by such dumb things.
I also agree with methodElevated.
I think I screamed when I saw the picture of Zac Efron... not in a good way, in a bad way.
& For me? No. I like my guys unique but of course, they still have to be romantic & somewhat chivalrous. I don't care if they're not the long lost twin brother of Leo DiCaprio or Hugh Jackman. As long as he is original, respectful, & has an amazing personality, I'll be fine :) Hollywood alters so many things, it's just unrealistic to search for your dream guy under the impression of him being some DiCaprio look-alike.
I kind of think they just pick good looking people. Maybe it just happens that the style of clothing influences how "bad boy"-ish people are. Personally, I'd like to let the chips fall where they may (even if I can't help but ogle a few cute guys in magazines, sometimes ;D).
good question YES. This does not shatter the earth as we are all connected it makes sense that each influences each other.I am aware of what writers do and I will write the definitive complete works of fiction based on my life or assuredly NONE ELSE SHALL.I'm a bore but using other examples writers can invent other legs from another angle.Writers are free to write whatever a person gives them to think is real.Write pretty sentences about bones and little meat if you worry about this or if you thought that can't happen.Psychotic people often rant so and indeed many times an ill person has had the hardship of running across famous or influential people who are unaware of the harm they caused the simple fool in overly jesting in an their offhanded manner.They would rather prefer unhappy seeds and harvest than admit this or say sorry.They would rather never be happy then admit anything like this! Maybe just sour grapes eh????????
@arableparable@xanga - wow I sound like myself!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I <3 Zac Efron. That is all.
i NEVER like Dan Humphrey but CHUCK BASS<3
let's say i hate Dan Humphrey which is downright a hypocrite.and big NO to Zac Efron that he's too juvenile to me.
btw its actually Dean Winchester on Supernatural im all for ever.loll
Yah.
THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE.
I prefer boys who are human and realistic. Loving, caring, NOT ASSHOLE, willing to treat me as an equal and yet still present an adventurous kind of leadership.
As in, really nothing Hollywood could ever present in a packaged deal. But! What I've found in my guy :) take that!
when teenage girls go crazy over some drool-tastic guy on the big screen, they generally get called "Teenies" where I'm from. they over-exaggerate how much they adore someone like Edward Cullen or Zac Efron. I think the media makes impressions on naive 12/13 year old girls who see a certain type of guy on the screen and want a boyfriend just like him. newsflash: they are fictional characters, and therefore very rare. I'm not into Zac Efron, but I do like Edward Cullen, and I'll tell you why. He's a great fictional character in the books, and the actor who plays him in the films is a very talented human being. Yes, he's good looking, but that's not why I like him.
Finally they're casting guys in movies that I have liked all the time, shy/awkward/dorky guys. Haha Maybe I've just been ahead of the trend this whole time?
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://popularbiographies.files.wordpress.com/2008/03/sexy-zac-efron.jpg&imgrefurl=http://popularbiographies.wordpress.com/2008/03/13/zac-efron-quick-facts/&usg=__zvL73bblO-VUOitavhOFM1Y3SLM=&h=300&w=300&sz=16&hl=en&start=10&sig2=TQr0nihtjF-fwDKuU9tSaQ&um=1&tbnid=df14QhXRI6M6zM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dzac%2Befron%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS317%26sa%3DN%26um%3D1&ei=zGEESvbGC42KtAPk-4zqAQ
There's the link to prove it actually is Zac Efron.
Though I'm quite certain that wasn't the point of this blog.