5 Multicultural Man Crushes Worth Swooning Over | The Odyssey Online
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5 Multicultural Man Crushes Worth Swooning Over

Gorgeous AND talented. These guys are the real deal.

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5 Multicultural Man Crushes Worth Swooning Over
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Ryan Gosling. Leonardo DiCaprio. Chris Hemsworth. Channing Tatum. What do these popular man crushes have in common other than their strapping good looks? Sadly, a lack of racial and cultural diversity. Well, this list will hopefully begin to fill the gaping hole in man crushes when it comes to men of color in Hollywood. These actors are not only blessed with beautiful genes, but also with remarkable talent that deserves more credit. This list seeks to highlight both of these extraordinary elements, since crushes are even better when they are on someone whose value extends beyond his looks.

1. Ki Hong Lee

YouTube fans may recognize Ki Hong Lee from his frequent cameos in short films created by Wong Fu Productions. He made his major Hollywood debut as Minho in "The Maze Runner," and starred in the 2015 sequel, "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials." In the future, he intends to work on the third installment of the series, which is set for release in 2017. As a Korean-American in the entertainment industry, Ki Hong initially grappled with his name, and at one point considered modifying it to something more stereotypically “American.” But he decided against this change, and discussed his important choice in an interview. Along with this loyalty to his personal identity, Ki Hong also fosters dialogue about Asian American representation in Hollywood. One of the best quotes about Ki Hong that incorporates his heritage and his dreamy looks comes from one of the short films in which he stars, where one of the characters exclaims, “When he smiles, his eyes turn into little half moons.” Yes, this description is completely accurate, and utterly endearing. Luckily, Ki Hong’s beauty has received some well-deserved attention. In 2014, People magazine named him the 4th Sexiest Man Alive.

2. Manish Dayal

Dayal was born in South Carolina as Manish Patel to parents from the Indian province of Gujarat, but for his stage name chose to use his grandfather’s first name, “Dayal,” as his last name. He made his television debut on the hugely successful teen show 90210, which premiered in 2008 on the CW channel. In the show he played recurring character Raj Kher, who struggled with cancer as well as shared a relationship with one of the show’s main characters. Dayal’s foremost onscreen moment in cinema arrived 2014 with the feature film The Hundred Foot Journey, in which he played protagonist Hassan Kadam, and starred alongside prominent actors Helen Mirren, Om Puri, and Juhi Chawla. The movie narrates the story of an Indian restaurant struggling to flourish in France, and depicts what Dayal describes as, “an immigrant experience,” that he endured “with his own family,” albeit in the United States. Dayal’s largest upcoming project is the film Viceroy’s Housea historical drama set in India to be directed by Gurinder Chadha, with music by Oscar-winning composer A.R. Rahman. As Dayal’s talent has risen him to fame, his handsome features have also started to gain their due credit.

3. Oscar Isaac

Guatemalan-American star Oscar Isaac—full name: Oscar Isaac Hernández Estrada—is a living example of multi-talent. Just this past year, he starred as the amiable and heroic Poe Dameron in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. He also won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor after starring in the HBO miniseries Show Me a Hero. Isaac will continue his acting streak in The Promise, a historical drama in which he co-stars with Christian Bale. Yet Isaac has proven himself to be not only an actor, but also a musician. He attended Juilliard School, one of the top-ranked and most competitive music and arts schools in the world. Isaac’s repertoire ranges from original music to serving as composer and songwriter for the music that he performs for his movie roles. As a Latino-American, when choosing the scripts in which he will eventually star, Isaac leans toward depth and avoids stereotypes. Isaac also advocates for representation on grander scales, such as during award shows. Along with diversity, he also understands the fluidity of gender. This intelligence regarding social causes further outlines his dashing good looks, as commemorated by People magazine last year on their “Sexiest Men Alive” list.

4. Michael B. Jordan

Jordan first cemented himself into the minds of television viewers when he played Vince Howard, a quarterback on the hit football drama Friday Night Lights. He starred in the series for two seasons, and continued this primetime television streak on the show "Parenthood" as Alex, who served as one of the main character’s romantic partners. While these lead roles garnered Jordan critical praise, his performance in the feature biographical film Fruitvale Station about Oscar Grant, a black man who was killed by an officer while on public transport in Oakland, California, was what truly catapulted Jordan into Hollywood and established him as an advocate for representation. Since "Fruitvale Station,"Jordan has starred in movies such as the 2015 version of "Fantastic Four," as well as "That Awkward Moment," which was a comedy that paired him alongside Zac Efron. The biggest of all his feature film appearances was Creed, the highly anticipated sequel in the Rocky series. Jordan played the titular role of Adonis Creed, which was critically acclaimed yet snubbed at the Academy Awards. Yet regardless, both Creed and Fruitvale Station showcased Jordan’s finest acting skills, and Jordan will work with the same director, Ryan Coogler, for two more films in the future.

5. Rami Malek

Egyptian-American actor Rami Malek has recently captured viewers on the USA Network series Mr. Robot, which stars him as the main character. In the show, Malek plays Elliot Alderson, who works as an engineer in cybersecurity but then later finds himself involved in underground hacker efforts to topple a multi-billion dollar corporation. The show has been met with overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, and Malek’s performance has earned him a Critic’s Choice Television Award, as well as a Golden Globe nomination. Before Mr. Robot, however, Malek was already showcasing his talents, as evident in the independent film Short Term 12, whose plot centers around a group home for troubled teens. Yet Malek has also demonstrated his comedic side in the roles he chooses to portray, such as King Ahkmenrah in all three "Night at the Museum" movies. In the future, Malek will continue his lead role in Mr. Robot, whose second season is set to release this coming July. As his career ascends to greater recognition, Malek recognizes the importance of diversity, especially for Middle Eastern people, who often face depictions as “terrorists,” he states in an interview. In terms of his looks, Malek has observed that he is often described as “unusual” or “exotic.” Regardless, he is a beautiful, golden-skinned man who will certainly be garnering more Golden Globes and other awards as he takes on increasingly captivating characters.

These actors, who each represent a different type of American “hyphenated identity,” all star in a variety of acclaimed television and film hits. Also, their looks are not so unbearable either. Next time man crushes or actors emerge as a conversational topic, try to name-drop one of these beautiful, multicultural men and their stellar projects.

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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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