When it comes to Hollywood beefcake one-time sex symbol Michael Douglas is clearly a little gristly these days, but the actor nailed it this week when he declared the Australian male invasion of Tinseltown as a "phenomenon".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Our actors know how to play "sexy", Douglas says.
"With the Aussies, particularly with the males, it's the masculinity," Douglas told The Independent. "In the US we have this relatively asexual or unisex area with sensitive young men and we don't have many Channing Tatums or Chris Pratts, while the Aussies do. It's a phenomenon.
"Clearly, it breaks down on two fronts. In Britain they take their training seriously while in the States we're going through a sort of social media image-conscious thing rather than formal training," Douglas said. "Many actors are getting caught up in this image thing which is going on to affect their range."
And Douglas has good reason to be nervous for his countrymen. The world's "Sexiest Man Alive" title is held by our very own Chris Hemsworth, who has managed to flex his way to the top of the Hollywood pecking order thanks to some pretty buff characters he has played, not in the least Thor.
His kid brother, Liam, has also cornered the eye-candy market in America, where there are entire blogs devoted to his physical appearance and his "Aussie" sexiness.
Former Sexiest Man title-holder Hugh Jackman continues to do well, especially in his guise as Wolverine, as do his peers Simon Baker and Eric Bana.
However, there is a new generation of beefcake flying the Aussie flag high in Hollywood, including Ryan Kwanten, who rarely appears on screen with his shirt on these days, Jai Courtney, Sam Worthington and former underwear model Travis Fimmel, who is now starring as a sexy Viking.
