Let's talk about those Diverse Actors that move me. And why you should check them out. Part 2

 Something in the way she moves

Attracts me like no other lover.

Something in the way she woos me

I don't want to leave her now

You know I believe and how

Somewhere in her smile she knows

That I don't need no other lover

Something in her style that shows me. 

- Something, by The Beatles, released on the Abbey Road album in 1969

What a great song! The Beatles were true masters of their craft. Just as the men on this list are masters of theirs. Obviously, none of these men are my lovers. 1 of them is happily married to a stunning and amazing woman that I admire and respect. The other 3 are silent about their relationships, a decision I respect and do not go looking for the answer too. But this song captures, in the ways that matter, how I feel about these men and how amazing they are at their craft. 

Before I get into this list, let me just say that it does include all men. Not because I do not value female actresses. Because I do. And there are several that I admire and respect, very much. I just have yet to find any that move me the way that these men do. But then, I have never related well to other women. That is true in both my personal life and my celebrity love. 

So, let's jump into this. The list is organized by how influential they - and their work - are on me and my dreams and aspirations. For lack of better way to say it, they go from lowest to strongest influence. 

First is Joshua Jackson. Josh has a really nice balance of notable tv and movie roles. Josh entered my life (as well as most of the rest of America) in 1992 as the adorable, talented, and sassy Charlie in The Mighty Ducks movies. On The Skulls, he is Luke - an orphan who pulled himself up from the wrong side of the tracks and got himself into a prestigious law school, then tapped to join a secret society. In Cursed, he is werewolf Jake who falls in love with a human - with dire repercussions. In Shutter, he is Ben - a photographer who moves his wife to Japan for a job - which leads to quite an interesting and tragic turn. He also had small and guest roles in Scream 2, Urban Legend, Cruel Intentions, and many others. 

On the television front, Josh's big role was on Dawson's Creek in 1998. He played Pacey - the best friend who quickly stole the show and the hearts of most viewers. On Fringe, he played the mysterious, sexy, and sarcastic Peter Bishop - the son of genius and mad scientist Walter Bishop. They end up working with a special section of the FBI solving cases others cannot. On The Affair, he is Cole Lockhart - the sexy former ranch hand whose crazy wife cheats on him and sets his life into a spiral. On Doctor Death, he is Christopher Duntsch - a plastic surgeon who was maiming and killing patients due to his all too real lack of talent and knowledge of what he was doing. On Fatal Attraction, he was Dan Gallagher - the successful DA with the wonderful family who threw it all away because he was bored and got suckered by the wrong kind of girl. 

Second is Skylar Astin. Yes, I know this is a name that you hear from me a lot. But this guy has so much talent, it is insane. I am leaning toward the belief that he is not human. Skylar is not just a tv and movie actor. He is a stage actor. He got his start on Broadway - and we all know how much I love Broadway. 

Skylar came into my life - the first time - in 2007, when I was gifted the pleasure of seeing Spring Awakening during one of my visits to New York City. SA was the first Broadway show that I actually got to see on the real Broadway. Yes, the ones I saw in Columbus count as Broadway, but NYC is the REAL Broadway. 

I was highly impressed with the whole show - obvious by my still strong love for it, 15 years later - but Skylar stood out. His part was small, with solos here and there - even playing the piano during some songs - but damn if he didn't make that part count. His vocal turn during Touch Me is still one of the most epically phenomenal vocal works I have ever heard. 

A year later, he showed back up in the highly entertaining and underrated Hamlet 2. A couple years later, I heard that he was going to be a new movie with Anna Kendrick so I kept my eyes and ears open for it. 

Sure enough, 2012 brought him into my life - for the second time - with Pitch Perfect. And he has done so many amazing things, both musical and non, since. 

In 21 & Over, he plays Casey - a typical college guy partying with his buddies. In Cavemen, he is Dean - a playboy who grows tired of the game and looks to settle down. In Ghosts of War, he is Eugene - a 1944 soldier who finds himself caught in a supernatural mystery with 4 other members of his troop. 

On television, he had an early role as Derrick - a patient of Dr. House's team in the last season of House. In Glee, he is Jean Baptiste - the leader of Throat Explosion who were New Directions big competition in the 2014 Nationals. In the fourth season of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, he took over the role of Greg - Rebecca's sarcastic, fun-hating, recovering alcoholic ex. On Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist, he is Max - Zoey's sweet, funny, sensitive best friend and later love. He also took over the voice of Branch in Trolls: The Beat Goes On and TrollsTopia. 

Currently, he stars in the new show So Help Me Todd, where he plays Todd. Todd is a laid back, free spirited private investigator and the black sheep of his family. Though they are estranged, he ends up working with his high powered attorney Mother - bringing about many shenanigans, and maybe, some family healing. 

On stage, Skylar played some of the greats. In Spring Awakening, he was Georg - a friend of Melchior's who lusted after his piano teacher and spent his time dreaming. In West Side Story, he was Tony - whom you all should know. In God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, he was Norman - a shady lawyer scheming to get his hands on the Rosewater fortune. In Little Shop of Horrors, he was Seymour Krelborn - and I should NOT have to tell you who that is. He also did a special engagement of Rent, where he played Mark. This is one of my all time favorite versions of Rent with Aaron Tveit as Rodger, Vanessa Hudgeons as Mimi and Wayne Brady as Tom. 

Skylar is, also, building a music career. He has released several singles over the last couple of years that are just phenomenal. His singles range from make-you-want-to-dance pop to heartbreaking soulful ballads and even a techno-rock song done with the formidable Burnboy. 

And did I mention that this man can dance? And I mean full on choreographed and fancy dancing. His talent is completely out of this world. He is the very definition of Triple Threat. 

Third is Dylan O'Brien. Another name I mention, often. And with good reason. Like everyone else with any taste in tv shows or actors, Dylan came into my life in 2011 when the tv series Teen Wolf premiered on MTV. From the moment Dylan's character appeared - hanging upside down from a porch roof and spewing the most brilliant sarcasm - I was hooked. 

Dylan was only 18 at the time. And Teen Wolf was his first acting job - outside a web series. The talent that this kid showed, just in those first few episodes, was astonishing. And as Season 1 went on, he showed a talent and understanding of his chosen craft that others - that had been in the business much longer - did not have or understand. Here he played Stiles Stilinski - the sarcastic, mischievous, and oh so clever and intelligent best friend of a werewolf. Stiles not only taught Scott how to be a werewolf, he kept him out of trouble and alive for six seasons. 

And now, 13 years later, that fact remains true. And the cataloug of work he has done is phenomenal. Everything from love stories to action stories to dystopians and any combination of - and he has done them all with believability, grace, humor, and that epic talent. I could go on for hours about this man and his talent and the attention he deserves, but I won't bore you with all of that. But hopefully, you'll be inspired to check out even one of his movies. 

Speaking of, while Dylan did get his big break on a tv show that lasted for 6 seasons, he has pretty much been strictly movies, since. And I am addicted to every single one. Just to give a bit of context, the first 7 movies Dylan did - he filmed in conjunction with or during breaks from Teen Wolf. 

In 2012, he played Dave in The First Time - a high school senior who meets the girl of his dreams at a party. Turns out losing your virginity can actually be as awkward in the movies as it is in real life. And Dylan and Britt nail it ... so to speak. 

2013 gave us The Internship and Stuart Twombly. Stuart is a 21 year old intern at Google, trying to win a coveted paid position. On his team are two older guys - played by Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn. As expected, shenanigans and hilarity ensue. With a very satisfying ending. 

2014, 2015, and 2018 gave us The Maze Runner Trilogy - to this day, in my top 2 of favorite trilogies with LOtR. This was Dylan's first more serious role, playing Thomas. Thomas finds himself - with a small band of other teen boys, fighting for their lives against a corrupt government using them as experiments and sacrifices looking for a cure against a sun-born disease that is wiping out most of humanity. The trilogy is intense and funny and heartbreaking and epic. Dylan leads the cast with true leadership, both on and off the screen. 

2016 gave us Deepwater Horizon, based on the true events of the worst oil spill in America. Dylan played Caleb Holloway - a member of the drilling crew on the rig. Dylan's preparation for this role included meeting and spending time with the real Caleb. It was important to Dylan to get Caleb's take on the disaster and to make sure that he played the role right and make the real Caleb proud. I would say that Dylan succeeded because he is fabulous in this movie. 

2017 gave us Dylan in his most physical role, up to that point. In American Assassin he is Mitch Rapp. Based on the book by the same name, Mitch becomes a vengeance filled killing machine after terrorists attack the spot where he and his fiancée are vacationing. His fiancée dies, setting Mitch on his path. A path that is filled with twists and turns, adventure and adrenaline. And, setting my bias aside, Dylan looks damn good doing it all. 

2020 gave us two Dylan movies. 

In Flashback he is Fredrick Fitzell - a young man with a whole lot of craziness going on in his adult life. He starts having flashbacks of an incident that happened when he was a teenager. This leads to time jumps between that past and his present and, eventually, other lifetimes. Ultimately, he is given the choice of which life he wants to live out. A choice that I did not see coming. Because Dylan is just that good, it was very easy to believe that we were watching this guy jump from teenage to adult and back again. It's a fascinating movie and plays into my love of past life situations. 

In Love and Monsters he is Joel Dawson. This is another Dystopian but much more light hearted than The Maze Runner - mostly. In this apocalypse, the world has been over run by run of the mill insects and creatures, that have been genetically altered due to mankind's decisions. Survivors take refugee under ground, including Joel. Until he discovers that his high school sweetheart survived and is in a colony only 80 miles away. Joel embarks on a harrowing and very entertaining journey to find her. This movie is proof that Dylan can do more than funny, sarcasm and being a badass. He can do sweet and romantic, too. 

In 2021 he had a small role in the Mark Wahlberg led Infinite - another movie about past lives. And his second with Wahlberg, the first being Deepwater Horizon. It may have been a small role, but watching Dylan in a suit and swinging a sword - Ninja style - high above the city is well worth sitting through the movie for. And, it is a really good movie. Also, in this year, he showed up in Taylor Swifts short film for her song 'All Too Well.' Don't let anyone ever tell you TSwift is not a good business woman. She knew what she was doing with this video. Casting Dylan got me to watch the video and, in turn, effectively converted me into a diehard Swiftie. 

In this year, 2022, we got two more Dylan movies. The man does love to work. Lucky for those of us that are big fans

First out was The Outfit. Here he is Richie Boyle - the son of a mob boss in 1956 Chicago. This movie is absolutely beautiful in a sinister kind of way. The whole thing happens in one place, giving it the feel of a play. A few months later, he was Colin in Hulu's Not Okay. Colin is a social media influencer who only cares about traveling and having a good time. Watching Dylan play a big social media person, knowing that he does not do social media in his real life, always makes me giggle. But he put his all into the role and it paid off, beautifully. He nailed it. 

Since Teen Wolf ended, Dylan has put all his heart and focus into movies - as you can see from the above outline. He did make guest appearances on a few shows, including New Girl, Amazing Stories, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. I have seen every single thing he has done and I own every movie that is available. Maybe I am biased, but I love everything he is in. 

Last on this list is Jeremy Jordan. Jeremy's talent is off the charts on both singing and acting. The guys range and breath control is just insane. And inhuman. He is definitely a demigod sent by the Gods of Entertainment to the bless the world with his powerful and beautiful talents and words. And to inspire those of us looking for a place in the entertainment arts. Like Skylar, JJ is a tv, movie, and stage actor. Honestly, it is a crime that these two have not done anything together, yet. Maybe, someday, I'll get to be the one to change that. 

Jeremy got his start on Broadway, also. 

This man, quite literally, walked into my life in 2013 with the first episode of Season 2 of Smash. If you have seen the show, you get that reference. From that moment, I was a diehard fan. And, like with Dylan, as the years have passed, I become more and more so. 

In his movies, he has played several roles. In Joyful Noise, he is Randy - a troubled kid who comes to live in small town Georgia with his Grandma, played by Dolly Parton. Thanks to her and the love of a local girl, he changed and helped save Queen Latifiah's choir. 

In the Last Five Years, he is Jamie Wellerstein - an aspiring author who hit it big at a young age, while trying to maintain a marriage with an aspiring actress who was not as lucky. 

Only television, though not many, his role range is wide. On Smash he is Jimmy - a  bad boy with a shady past who desperately wants to be good and help his best friend become a star writer on Broadway. On Supergirl, he is Winn - Supergirl's  best friend and, later, the superhero Toyman. And on the animated series Tangled, he is the voice of Varian - a friend of Rapunzel's. 

And he has done two Hallmark movies. In Holly & Ivy, he is Adam - a local builder who falls for the new librarian and helps her get custody of her friends daughters when the friend dies. On Mix Up in the Mediterranean, he plays twins Josh and Julian Northrup. Josh is a rough and tumble guy who is afraid to leave their hometown in Alaska. Julian is a premiere chef in NYC, who is gay and married. Julian gets Josh to come to a cooking contest where Josh's role ends up being more than either twin counted on. And, let me tell you, Jeremy is so good in this dual role, that anyone that doesn't know better would believe that it is two different people. 

On the stage, JJ has played Jack Kelly in Newsies - the leader of the Newsboy Strike. In West Side Story, he is Tony - a role he has in common with Skylar. He played Clyde Barrow in Bonnie & Clyde - yes, that Bonnie & Clyde. He has played Dr. Jim Pomatter in Waitress - Jenna's OBGYN and brief lover. In Little Shop of Horrors he was Seymour - another role he has in common with Skylar. 

Jeremy also has several projects coming up, including a 3rd Hallmark movie out in December. And Spinning Gold, out next March - about the life of Neil Bogart. On top of all that, he has a rock band called Age of Madness that is absolutely phenomenal. The man is non-stop. I know, he was not in that musical, but it fits. 

I am telling you - DEMIGOD! 

I know this blog was a lot longer than normal. What can I say, I am very passionate about these actors. If you made it to the end, thank you. My hope in writing this one is that even just a few of you will read something that sparks an interest. And, maybe, inspire you to watch something you didn't think you would like. 

Like music, there are many genres of movie and television entertainment. And it is okay to enjoy multiple ones. 

Originally posted on November 6, 2022

UPDATE - Not really much to update, here. I am still very passionate about these actors. They continue to move me and inspire me. I continue to rewatch their works over and over. And I am very much looking forward to the new things they each are working on, currently.