Thursday, June 4, 2009

Who's Bigger: Rob Pattinson or Shia LaBeouf?


Who would you say are the "hottest" male stars under age 30?
—jsheady, via Twitter

You people are not going to like this. And I am so gonna love this.

You want me to talk about Robert Pattinson. You want me to wax forth about his irresistible cadaver complexion, and his Englishy English accent, and his hair, which is so vertical it can pick up radio waves from any lonely 12-year-old heart on planet Earth.

Sure, I'll talk about him.

Here's the truth: He is nowhere near the "hottest" twentysomething actor on the planet, at least, in the eyes of producers, directors, casting execs and me.

Outside of the bubble of tabloids—and, um, E!—Pattz has little traction with the people who count. In fact, among the power players, several other young actors are kicking Pattz' concave buttocks...

Let's start with worldwide bankability—the ability to sell or greenlight a movie based on name, or face recognition, or reputation. Pattinson isn't even in the top 10.

According to the Ulmer Scale, which measures international star power, Will Smith, Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp are still the top three actors; even Will Ferrell is in the top 10, along with Nic Cage, Russell Crowe and George Clooney.

As for the under-30 set, Shia LaBeouf has way more power than Pattz. Factoring in every type of movie budget, from indie to blockbuster, LaBeouf scores a 226 of 300, compared with Zefron's 206, James Franco's 183—and Pattinson's 174. And just in case you're wondering if Ulmer's research is outdated, these numbers came out last month.

"I don't think he's ready to carry a big-budget movie on his own," James Ulmer, the creator of the scale, tells me. "I don't think vampire sequels may have legs as long as action franchises in the marketplace."

Before you pummel Ulmer, you should know that most casting directors agree with him. For a good casting exec, rising actor Emile Hirsch (who played Cleve Jones in Milk) holds much more interest that Pattz.

"It's up to producers to think about bankability," Cricket Feet casting exec Bonnie Gillespie explains to me. "But it's up to casting directors to look at an actor's depth. Hirsch has been on my list for a while—I hear he is great to work with—and Franco really has Paul Newman-level acting chops."

Sure, children, Pattz has plenty of talent—but a moonlike ability to reflect light doesn't count when tallying Hollywood hotness.

source

5 comments:

Juliet4Rob said...

I have a feeling that Mr. Pattinson's numbers have increased greatly since last months report! I would venture to guess that his bankability will be proven over the next year or so, even when he steps outside the Twilight vortex. He is a smart and talented actor who will continue to make quality movies that his fans will devour. And trust me, we are not all 12. We are very loyal fans who represent a very large share of the movie ticket sales. I am excited to see what the future has in store for Robert Pattinson. Only time will tell if he has the staying power of a Johnny Depp or a Brad Pitt, but I can guarantee that his fans will be with him every step of the way.

Kristi4Rob said...

I totally second that Juliet4Rob! I couldn't have said it any better. He does have VERY loyal fans. Look at the numbers just on the MTV movie awards. They were up 75% compared to previous years and the New Moon trailer pulled in what 5.9 million views in 24 hours!! You saw how popular he was in Cannes. I think it's safe to say everyone was like Emile who??? Rob has the talent,the looks,the fans, and the right attitude and fan base for this industry. He WILL for sure go far. We love you Rob. Oh and by the way I'm not 12 either. I am 32..:)

bbonin said...

I agree and I'm only 28.... :D

Unknown said...

i totally agree.emile who??? the writer of this article may just want to rile up rob's fans to get hits.btw,i am 33.

Kathy#1 said...

Ok, I totally agree with all of you. I think even Little Ashes shows what he can do outside of Twilight. I think he will be a huge star and I hope he never loses his down to earthness, honesty, and sweetness. He has a huge and DEDICATED fan base who will follow him everywhere. And most of us are not teens!