Steve McQueen was the coolest man on earth. I’m not going to write a Bio, but trust me… the man was Cool Personified.
He was a Hollywood Actor as his Job, but when he wasn’t acting – he was out there in the world doing cool stuff all the time. Racing cars and motorcycles is seriously cool. High Octane and Awesomeness flowed in his veins. Even when he wasn’t doing cool stuff, he was just chilling at home – being cool. If Chuck Norris is the King of Asskicking… and could kick everyone’s ass on the planet… He couldn’t touch McQueen, because McQueen only had to given him a look of disdain and disappointment that would leave Norris in quivering ball of tears and vomit.
The world is much less cool because of the loss of Steve McQueen. This was the cause of Global Warming. Ask NASA.
So what actor could possibly replace Steve McQueen as being the new Super Cool?
Clooney? Depp? Not hardly. The new Bond Guy? Getting closer… but that’s not him… I think there is a guy – and he is pretty damn cool in real life.
Eric Bana. Look at his movies… awesome stuff… and he races. I think Eric Bana is the Heir to Cool.
Mad Ogre
Department of Torque and Recoil
Great post and Amen on McQueen. Bullitt and The Great Escape are the video guide / owners manual to “Cool.”
Marine, race car driver, ladies man, ass kicker when wronged, swam upstream from the Hollywood norm…between them, he and Clint Eastwood set the standard for cool. They’d have to share the crown.
As for Bana, eh, maybe. Definitely cool but still too early yet though his role in Blackhawk Down was in the McQueen tradition. I’d lean more toward Tom Selleck. Real life horseman, shooting enthusiast, purposely goes against the Hollywood grain, Army vet and yet he’s still a bit too friendly and approachable …and old. That’s about as close as it gets nowadays IMO.
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Yeah, I thought about Selleck. He is a great guy. But I think the much younger Bana has the role down pat. He just needs some more cool roles under his belt.
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Bana was pretty kick ass in Hannah.
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In The Hulk, not so much.
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Loved Hannah. Good flick.
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If memory serves me correctly Chuck Norris taught McQueen martial arts.
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…and McQueen taught Norris how to shoot.
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“LOVE THE BEAST”
‘Nuff said…
Jim
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I’ve a theory that too many people in the Movie industry are people who are uncomfortable around masculine men. The group of actors who grew up through depression and war and had to grow up are pretty much out of the Hollywood scene. I have this feeling that their are a whole bunch of potential actors out there with recent military service but the Hollywood twats are afraid of them.
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Excellent observation. Never thought of that but yeah, I’d have to agree.
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I’ve seen “Love the Beast.” Fantastic documentary. We almost lost Bana to a Ford Falcon XB.
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Pity he hates guns.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2000/11/22/eric_bana_chopper_2211_interview.shtml
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0051509/bio
LawDog
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I did not know that. That’s too bad…
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I liked his portrayal of Hektor.
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Yup, thought his acting over-shadowed Pitt.
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I love Bullitt the movie and the car OK OK call me a fan boy I’ve got an 08 Bullitt and I know the car does not make me cool but just being close in a manner of speaking makes me feel better, kinda like happiness is a warm gun, OK I’ll stop! lol
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I loved Ford’s commercial for it… With McQueen coming out of the field of corn…
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I’ll take the Founding Fathers when it comes to “cool.”
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Damien Lewis who stars as Charlie Crews in NBC’s two season “Life” could have been Steve McQueen’s kid.
I watched the series because he looked like McQueen and was cool like McQueen with guns, cars and women.
If you haven’t seen this seriously great cop show, I envy you if you are watching it for the first time.
http://www.hulu.com/life
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Season 1, Episode 1 Pilot Clip
http://www.hulu.com/watch/6671/life-pilot#x-0,vepisode,1,0
‘Nuff said.
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..every baby boomer honestly believes that
the average woman would rather sleep with a dead Steve McQueen
than a live Ben Affleck.” Joe Queenan in the latest GQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H09g3gZ7XAs
I think that says it all.
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He was a wonderful actor. Watch The Magnificent Seven.
Notice he’s always doing something…….
It drew attention away from Yul Brynner, the “star” of the film. Pissed him off too.
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Shouldn’t the King of Cool be American?
Bana is good though, and I’d have loved to have seen a Bana/Jackman Hulk vs Wolverine movie – the two are good friends and they would have developed a great chemistry on screen.
Still looking for the King of Cool…
I think Willis was actually better than Norris.
Ashton Kutcher might work. Ballsy enough to go buck naked in front of a live studio audience and hang out with Bruce at the shooting range while they were in-laws thanks to Demi.
Selleck, back in the 80′s, was the McQueen of that era. No doubt. Maybe Mark Wahlberg? That guy WORKS for a living – even though he was utterly wasted by Burton in Planet of the Apes.
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Ashton Kutcher? Are you for real? Seriously? Kutcher?
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