While Winona Ryder is trying to choose between Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg, we scanned last week's top 50,000 Web user queries for the names of TV and movie actors.
The top 25:
Brad Pitt
Leonardo DiCaprio
Jet Li
Keanu Reeves
Will Smith
Robin Williams
Tom Cruise
Ryan Phillippe
Josh Hartnett
Kevin Spacey
Adam Sandler
Joshua Jackson
Christian Bale
Johnny Depp
Chuck Norris
Chris Klein
Regis Philbin
Jackie Chan
George Clooney
Bruce Willis
Jude Law
Harrison Ford
Jim Carrey
Ben Affleck
John Cusack
Bottom line: if you aren't good looking or funny, kick somebody.
Because of these top 25 actors we see 13 heartthrobs, 3 comedians, and 3 martial arts specialists. Six don't fit any clear category: Will Smith, Kevin Spacey, Regis Philbin, Bruce Willis, Harrison Ford, and John Cusack. Regis isn't even really an actor, it's true, but isn't it interesting that he's more popular than Jim Carrey or George Clooney?
Jet Li is uncommonly popular right now because of his hit movie Romeo Must Die. Ditto for Chris Klein and Josh Hartnett, co-starring in Here on Earth. (You had heard of them, right?) On the other hand, if hit movies were the only thing that put a guy on this list, Brad Pitt would never have made the top 100. What is keeping him at the top of the heap?
Other surprises: Robin Williams at #7? Chuck Norris more popular than Ben Affleck or Bruce Willis? Tom Hanks, David Duchovny, and Denzel Washington don't make the top 25 at all? Sorry, Mr. Hanks: those Oscars don't seem to carry much weight vs. the hunky newcomers.
And what about Damon vs. Wahlberg? Neither one made the top 25. Damon came in 29th (barely above Sean Connery) and Walberg was around #38 (beaten by Bill Cosby!). Perhaps Winona should set her sights on Jet Li instead.
