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Hollywood Hot Things 

The new Narnia movie hit the screens a couple of weeks ago and all eyes, especially the ladies, were on newcomer Ben Barnes playing the titular Prince Caspian. As a relative newcomer to the industry (he started in Doctors) he is part of a trend of very good lucking actors who look great but can they actually act? The jury is out on Barnes, he put in a solid performance with what could have been a silly accent but he carried it off. He will be back for the third installment in 2010 and has another couple of films in the offing so we will keep a very beady eye on his progress!

But what of his predecessors? How do they fare?

ORLANDO BLOOM:
Whom Barnes was dubbed “the next”, which is slightly unfair. Bloom’s managed to use his looks to great effect in fantasy fare such as playing ethereal Legolas the elf in Lord of the Rings trilogy and Will Turner in the Pirates of the Caribbean. However, neither roles were large enough for his acting ability to make him shine, his swashbuckling and effortless grace are what he is remembered for. It doesn’t help when you share the screen with Johnny Depp but who wasn’t hoping that Elizabeth Swan ditched simpering Will for Jack Sparrow? His attempt at playing the lead role in Kingdom of Heaven,a heavy piece on the Crusades, was met with cries of miscasting.

KEIRA KNIGHTLEY:
Onto his co-star in Pirates, the beautiful English rose Keira Knightley. There’s no doubt that this girl looks the part, all pout and willowness (her weight constantly scrutinised in the media) but can she back it up with a good performance? Hmm, only in a corset I’m afraid. Yes, she got a nod for an Oscar for Best Actress but what was it for? Pride and Prejudice! The girl does simpering, pouty longing until the cows come home (see also Atonement) but take her out of that confort zone and where is she? Anyone remember Domino or The Jacket? Thought not.
Catch her in The Duchess soon, in another corset.

SCARLETT JOHANSSON:
The exact opposite of Keira with brassy blonde hair and a voluptous figure that draws comparisons to Marilyn Monroe. Made her debut opposite Bill Murray in Lost in Translation, which earned her plaudits. What I would argue is that as there is minimal dialogue in this film and so half the acting is done for by her arse in the opening shot! She has gone on to play the girlfriends of leads in The Black Dahlia and The Prestige. But is yet to actually wow in anything. Playing in the menage a trois of herself, Eric Bana and Natalie Portman in The Other Boleyn Girl, she is no match for Ms Portman.

NATALIE PORTMAN:
Speaking of her co-star, she is a welcome exception to the recent trend. Well, she is more of an old timer, having made her first striking turn in Leon when she was just 13 when she forms a bond with a hitman. From then on she has pursued a variety of roles and has received kudos for her choices including a bald headed turn in the political V for Vendetta.

JAMES MCAVOY:
He has recently announced that he plans to take a break from acting and who can blame him? The rising star has cemented his status as real talent over a few small years. Easily leap frogging between romance (Penelope), gritty (Last King of Scotland) and all out action (Wanted), come back soon James!

SHIA LEBEOUF:
Rising through the ranks as a child star, Shia is firmly in the A List and with good reason. He has been compared to Tom Hanks, probably due to his everyman persona that can be turned to any genre of film. He has tested his abilities in such diverse material such A Guide to Recognizing your Saints to Transformers and the latest Indiana Jones movie.

So that’s my list the of the good, the bad and the beautiful.

Agree? Disagree?

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