by Anna Campbell
Hey, I guess that title makes me Snow White! How nice! Why am I suddenly craving a nice, shiny, red apple?
To celebrate the release of my seventh historical romance, SEVEN NIGHTS IN A ROGUE’S BED (you can see why 7 is suddenly the numero du jour), I’m blogging all over the place about 7 great things. Today, the great things are gorgeous Aussie men, most of whom hopefully you’ll have heard of. SNIARB features a scarred and reclusive loner as the hero (he learns the errors of his ways). I don’t think that describes any of the guys I’m about to give you in the interests of international relations!
7. Anthony LaPaglia: I find his screen presence amazingly intense and he’s a really great actor. He does such a great American accent, a lot of people out of Australia aren’t aware he’s an import from Down Under, but he is!
6. Patrick Rafter: Pat Rafter isn’t only a pleasure to look at, he’s a credit to his nation. He was a wonderful tennis player (he won the U.S. Open twice and is a former world number one), but even more impressively he was always so gracious and such a good sport.
5. Chris Hemsworth: Chris is a fairly new discovery for me but I thought he made a wonderful Thor. I’m not usually a fan of the VERY beefy guy but somehow he carries it off and he’s got a wonderfully deep voice.
4. Hugh Jackman: another all-round gentleman. And wow, what a talent (aside from what he looks like!). He can sing, he can dance, he can act. And he’s always so darn gracious. Another credit to his nation.
3. Eric Bana: oh, no, if I say another credit to his nation, you’ll think I’m just hitting copy and paste on this post. But seriously, he’s a CREDIT TO HIS NATION! And he’s fairly easy on the eye too.
2. Geoffrey Rush: OK, he’s not a rogue, but he’s amazingly talented and I couldn’t do a list of Aussie superstars and leave him out. He’s one of the very few actors to have won a Tony, an Emmy and an Oscar. I thought he was wonderful in THE KING’S SPEECH! I saw Geoffrey on stage once in Sydney, well before he won international fame playing David Helfott in SHINE. He was Horatio in HAMLET, which isn’t the greatest role in the world. Unless Geoffrey Rush plays it. Somehow the play became HORATIO, not HAMLET. Wonder what Shakespeare would have made of that!
1. Errol Flynn: how could I do a list of Aussie Rogues and miss out an extremely handsome fellow who was both an Aussie and a genuine rogue? Errol was from Hobart in Tasmania where his father was a professor at the university. Errol left Tasmania forever at the age of 20 in 1929, but his exploits down there as a boy are still so notorious that they feature in the tourist literature. And he only got worse once he left Australia. Wine, women and song could have been his motto – with not so much of the song. In Australia, we call someone who bucks the system in pursuit of their own pleasure a larrikin and Errol was the classic larrikin. So Errol is my number one – partly because nobody wears tights like he does! The quintessential Robin Hood!
Do you have a favorite rogue, whether Aussie or not? Why does he tickle your fancy? Let’s share roguish pleasures today!
And don’t forget to pop over to my website for more fun. I’ll have the links to my other blog tour stops. www.annacampbell.info/index.html
Yay! Happy to see you Anna, and I like your list.
My favorite rogue is one Mr. Nathan Fillon. Whatever character he plays the man just has a look that says ‘I’m naughty come and play’. I just like watching him walk, talk, and other things. He also has a great smile and a chin. Guess I’m a fan of the strong chin.
🙂
Hi Bev and Season peeps! Sorry I’m a bit late arriving. I’m away from home and having a few computer hiccups. You know how it is! Thank you for having me as your guest today!
Hi Landra! Thank you for checking out the list! I actually had trouble limiting it to seven! Hey, I think Nathan F is going to make a few appearances today. He definitely has the roguish vibe going!
Landra took the words right out of my mouth lol. He is definitely my number one crush at the moment. Sexy with a wonderful sense of humor but a bit of the naughty too lol. I also agree about Hugh Jackman and Chris Hemsworth. Have you seen pictures of Chris holding his new baby daughter – just melts my heart. And as always, can’t wait to read your story enclosed in a gorgeous covering!
Catslady, I must admit I’m a sucker for those photos of CH holding his daughter. Something really melty about big strong man being tender with a baby. I think you might have to fight Landra for NF!
My favorite rogue was always Errol Flynn growing up. He always played such interesting characters and his acting was bigger than life. I also like Hugh Jackman.
Cathy, I think Erroll really was the ultimate rogue! He certainly is on my list. As you say, larger than life both on screen and off. Hugh’s lovely – not sure he’s much of a rogue, though!
My very favorite is Nathan Fillon. I fell for him in Firefly and he’s awesome in everything he does. He has that quirky sense of humor and an ability to play that just makes me smile. He’s followed closely by Hugh Jackman (I love that he can sing), Robert Downey Jr. (now that he’s got his act together) and Sean Connery…yummy lineup 😉
Thanks so much, Glittergirl. Thinking of lists of hunky guys is never very painful! 😉 Nathan Fillion seems to be getting the lurve today! I love that Hugh can sing too – there’s a wonderful version of Oklahoma! around if you can get it where he plays Curly and really shakes the rafters with his singing. RD Jr and Sean Connery? Ooh, yum!
Ooh, how fun, Anna! And yes, Hugh Jackman does make for a very lovely rogue! I do still like Han Solo from way back when as played by Harrison Ford 🙂 A rogue for the ages 😉
Fedora, I love that Hugh has such a range. There’s also a nice connection with Beauty and the Beast – one of his big breaks locally that led to his big break internationally as Curly in Oklahoma is that he played the vain bad guy in Beauty and the Beast, the musical, in Sydney. Is that Gaston? Anyway, apparently he was AMAZING! Wish I’d seen it. The silly thing is I was working just around the corner from the theatre so it would have been no trouble going there. Definitely a missed opportunity. Love that you picked Han Solo. He’s definitely a great rogue!
I don’t watch much TV, so I really don’t have a favorite. Lot of rogues in books that I love though. To many to mention.
Mary, I love a rogusih character in book or film. There’s something about the glint in the eye that gets me every time. Even if I’m imagining it because he’s on the page not the screen!
I would pick Hugh Jackman as my favorite Australian rogue.
Maureen, Hugh is very easy on the eye and I like that he seems such a genuinely nice guy. I love his range too from romantic comedy through to tortured heroes like Wolverine!
G’day!
my fave is the young Mel Gibson in his role as Tim …but then I love love love Russel Crowe as well….
Take care!
Mel
Hi Mel! And G’day to you too! Mel was just gorgeous in those early parts, wasn’t he? You can see why he became a star. Russell Crowe is actually a Kiwi so I left him off my list although I think he pretty much lives in Australia now and he got his first big breaks here. Love his intensity on screen and I think Gladiator is such a great film.
Hi Anna,
Welcome back! Congrats on the new book and the new series!!! As for rogues, there are just too many to count. But I’ll agree about Chris Hemsworth if we’re talking hot Aussie rogues. 😉
Hey, Bev, lovely to be here again. It wouldn’t be a new book for me without a stop at the fabulous Season! The weird thing about Chris H is that he’s not at all the sort of guy I usually find attractive – I’m more into the long, lean, dark type. But he was great in Thor and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE his deep voice.
Sigh…. That voice. Soooooo sexy.
I would have thought Russell Crowe would be on your list. He seems to be quite a rogue.
Joye, he’s an honorary Aussie but he was actually born in New Zealand! Otherwise he’d definitely have made my rogues’ gallery. I think he’s a magnificent actor!
Thank you, Anna! I did not know Errol Flynn was an Aussie. How did I miss that all these years? I feel so sheltered! Thank you for opening my eyes and giving Hugh Jackman real competition for my Aussie Rogue award. I enjoyed your column and look forward to reading your newest.
Thanks so much, LSUReader! Really appreciate the support on the blog tour! It’s wonderful when people talk back!!! Errol was the original Aussie rogue, I think. And couldn’t he buckle a swash with the best of them. Still adore his Robin Hood and the Seahawks. Both brilliant films and romantic too amongst all the action. Sadly I think Erroll’s wicked ways caught up with him – he wasn’t nearly so pretty towards the end!
I guess my favorite rogue of all times would have to be Rhett Butler from Gone With the Wind. Clark Gable was just awesome.
Quilt Lady, what a great choice! He definitely hadd tthat roguishh glint in his eye!
Of your lust…um, list… My absolutely adore Hugh Jackman, he is multi-talented and seems to fit the bill just about, well, everywhere!! I can’t think of one thing I’ve seen him in that didn’t remain in love with him!! The first thing I remember seeing him in was “Swordfish”…and I was caught!! Others… Timothy Dalton, Russell Crowe, and Pierce Brosnon… Stop me before I get carried away!!
Tracey, clearly we share taste in gorgeous men. I’ve had a thing for Pierce B for years, way back from when he was playing supporting roles (generally the handsome rotter!) in BBC serials. He’s such a good actor – I think people miss that because he’s so decorative. And he always sounds like a nice guy too which impresses me.
I know my “Others” aren’t Aussies, but they ARE foreigners ! I DO love an ACCENT!!
Hi Anna,
Oh, I totally agree with you about Hugh Jackman!
Whenever I think of a sexy Rouge I always thinnk about Johnny Depp and his portray of Captain Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean but my favorite rouge is my husband of 42 years who after all this time still shares his “roguish pleasure” only with me!
Is there anything better than a reformed rouge?
Captain Jack Sparrow
Jeanne, I love your description of your roguish husband! Lucky you! Yeah, Jack Sparrow fits the rogue bill, doesn’t he? This will interest you – he’s based on a real character and his descendants live in Australia. I met one at a writing workshop a couple of weeks ago and she showed me a portrait of the real guy. Nowhere near as decorative as JD but still, pretty darn cool!
I agree with you on Chris Hemsworth, not usually my type but he so works. What a perfect Thor.
As for a rogue, I think Collin Farrell fits the bill.
Lexi, there’s something in an Irishman that lends himself to that roguish sparkle, isn’t there? Great choice!
I have to agree about Chris Hemsworth as Thor, though I think my favorite fictional rogue is Han Solo. Hey, one Aussie you didn’t mention that I really like is Anthony Warlow.
Janie, I LOVE Anthony Warlow. Are you an Aussie too? I assumed nobody would have heard of him. I love a man who can sing – that covers Hugh too. AW is wonderful in musicals and things like Gilbert and Sullivan. He’s got that really wicked sense of humor that comes across the footlights.
I don’t have a favorite rogue — I love them all 😉 wouldn’t want to hurt feelings playing favorites when each one has their own special qualities & charms 🙂
Donna Ann, I had to laugh – we’d hate to offend one of our lovely rogues by playing favorites, wouldn’t we? I must say that sparkle in the eye nearly always works for me!
Congrats on the book! I agree about Hugh Jackman.
BN, Hugh seems to be universally admired, doesn’t he? As I said, he’s a credit to his nation!
Congrats on the new release. The book sounds fantastic. Chris Hemsworth. *sigh* Enough said.
Sigh at CH too! And those photos of him with his daughter just make me melt, Joanne! Thanks for saying you like the sound of the book!
I still watch the old swashbuckler movies with Errol Flynn. I’m not sure today’s actors can truly compete.
Kim, I think even something like Pirates of the Caribbean which I really enjoyed doesn’t really measure up to the spirit of those old films. I think Erroll was the ultimate swashbuckler!
I love those old Errol Flynn swashbuckling movies, especially The Adventures of Robin Hood. My vote goes to Hugh Jackman. Loved him the film Australia!
Carol, I feel positively unpatriotic. I haven’t seen it although I’ve seen that delicious excerpt where Hugh takes an outdoor shower. Hubba hubba! Yeah, I’m with you on Errol. He was the KING!
congrats on your 7th release! you rock girl 🙂 love beauty & beast stories. I agree with others, it’s a wonderful feel good story in different ways. 🙂
Gamistress, it only struck me when I started doing this blog tour that my 7th book features 7 nights! How cool is that? And completely accidental! Thanks for swinging by – I think we’re all suckers for Beauty and the Beast stories, by sound of it. Which is a good thing.
Anna,
No, I’m not an Aussie. I discovered Anthony on You Tube! As you say, he has a wonderful voice, and he seems to be intelligent and to have a great sense of humor, my two favorite traits in a man in real life.
Janie, he made a huge splash here as the Phantom of the Opera. It’s such a rich, dramatic, strong voice, isn’t it? And he’s a real charmer in real life. He’s also been through his own troubles – had a really bad time with cancer and ended up having to leave the Phantom role to take treatment. How lovely that he’s getting an international reputation. He really was someone I would have loved to feature but I put in a few obscure types – and after all, I only had SEVEN to play with! 😉
I like Australian Keith Urban. He’s overcome a lot in his life. I like the family he’s created with his wife Nicole and daughter Sunday Rose.
Ooh, Laurie, how could I have forgotten Keith Urban? I agree with you that he’s been through a lot and seems to have come out the other side – a bit like one of my tortured heroes. He actually comes from Caboolture which is only about half an hour away from where I currently live!
Thanks so much, Bev, for having me as your guest. And thanks for everyone who swung over to talk about gorgeous Aussie men. Clearly a topic I need to return to!!! 😉
Hello all. My pick for Aussie men would have to be Simon Baker who plays Patrick Jane on the hit TV show The Mentalist. He is such an AWESOME actor. I believe that the role was written specifically for him. Does anyone agree?
–DREW