The other day an interviewer asked me to name my celebrity crush, and I answered as I do so often – Jake Silbermann. Who? You ask? Don’t worry. Doubt you know him. He was an actor on As the World Turns, and is currently on the New York stage. After I gave the answer, though, I stopped to think. Is he really my celebrity crush? More importantly do I have actually have a celebrity crush.
The answer is no. Not really.
Okay, maybe a little. I mean, I wouldn’t tweet about the guy as often as I do if I didn’t have a wee bit of a crush. But when I’m truly honest with myself, my fascination isn’t with Mr. Silbermann, his delicious blue eyes or his really well-defined torso. Truth is, other than those obvious traits, I don’t know two cents about Jake. No, my real fascination is with the character he played.
For a little background, Jake Silbermann played one half of a gay love story. His character, Noah Mayer, was closeted, raised by a harsh, homophobic, military father, lied to about the death of his mother (who was in fact not dead but had been driven away only to be killed by his father later). He was also annoyingly loyal and well-intentioned. In short, his back story was a romance writer’s dream. That’s what I loved. I loved the pain, the angst, the brokenness, even the blind obedience to authority. The blue eyes and abs were simply icing on the cake.
Don’t get me wrong – I love eye candy. I’ll be in line to watch Magic Mike along with the rest of the female population. After all, I’m only human. Dangle a half-dressed Matt Bomer in front of me, and I’m all yours.
But eye candy is not nearly is important to me as the personality. House is awesome not because Hugh Laurie is ruggedly handsome but because House is so damn snarky and broken, you can’t help but be fascinated. Orlando Bloom as an person does nothing for me But Will Turner in Pirates of the Caribbean…? Totally hot. I think that’s why I never swooned for Johnny Depp. He’s a handsome man, to be sure, but the characters he plays are, for the most part, so widely drawn that it’s impossible for me to take them to heart.
I doubt any of you reading this blog will disagree with me. Let’s face it, when we rate a romance novel, what’s one of the first things we consider? The hero right? I still have crushes on the heroes Mary Jo Putney created in the early 1990s. I am in love with Martha Grimes’ Melrose Plant, the sidekick from her Richard Jury novels. I’ll always route for Suzanne Brockmann’s Jules Cassidy, regardless of his sexuality, and I’m developing a serious fixation for Maisey Yates’ upcoming Iceman hero who she promises will be so dysfunctional it isn’t funny.
So I guess I should re-answer that interviewer’s question. Do I have a celebrity crush? Not really. But I have some serious literary ones! How about you? Celebrity or literary? And who?
Oh and Jake? No worries. You’re still my sorta crush. Feel free to follow me on Twitter. @BarbaraTWallace – in case you didn’t get my other messages. 
Known around here as the Goddess of Sweetness and Light, Barb Wallace’s latest book, Weekend Agreement, features one of her favorite characters – billionaire Daniel Moretti. Daniel has given up on ever being loved for himself. Then along comes Professor Charlotte Doherty? Will she be the woman who breaks down his walls and gives his heart the love he so desperately longs for?
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Hi Barb!
I have way more literary crushes I think… Haven’t tallied them in a while
But I can remember one of the first hero crushes I had was Anthony Malory from Johanna Lindsay’s book Tender Rebel. I was just starting to read a lot of historical romance and I loved her books. I have way more, but he was one of my first and will always hold a special place in my heart. 
I’ll be in line Friday night with the rest of the female population.. Ohh yeah, Matt Bomer! Can’t wait.
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Barbara Wallace Reply:
June 27th, 2012 at 9:01 am
I’ll see you in line Kim!
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I don’t watch TV at the moment. I had to give up something to make writing time and TV was it. I don’t really have a celebrity crush as such. Though whenever someone mentions Matt Bomer I will go and watch him sing in Glee on Youtube. I have a voice fetish so when my kids watched Moulin Rouge the other day I was so into Ewan MacGregor singing. Will love Sean Connery and Alan Rickman til I die. I have to say I am holding out for #TheIceMan as well. Love Maisey Yates damaged heroes. I torture my own something awful too. People look at me when I say I love Aragorn in LOTR as a romantic hero. But hey the guy fell in love with a 3 thousand year old elf when he was like twenty then had to wander in the wilderness for 60 years before he got his HEA. Oh yeah. Alan Rickman as Snape. Tortured hero. NO HEA.
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Barbara Wallace Reply:
June 27th, 2012 at 9:02 am
Fiona! So glad you stopped by! I loved Aragorn too! I think it was the fact he loved so singularly that made him sexy to me. In fact, that’s one of the appeals of a lot of characters for me – their singular heart. There is something about a man who loves so totally and completely.
Haven’t heard Matt Bomer sing. Now I have to Google.
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Fun post! The celebrity crushes I have tend to be athletes not actors but, like you, I also have some literary crushes. JR Ward’s tortured hero Zsadist is one of my favorites. Oh, I also love the silent but strong Malone from Catch of the Day by Kristan Higgins.
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Barbara Wallace Reply:
June 27th, 2012 at 9:03 am
Rita: To me, athletes are a whole different level of crushing. I’m usually inspired by their background or their work ethic. I think that’s why I’m such a Jon Lester fan – his backstory wins me over every time!
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Well i love a good piece of eye candy too – Gerard Butler anyone? – but I totally hear you, Barb, on looking beyond that.
I have a crush on Simon Stein from In Her Shoes ( played by Mark Feuerstein in th movie) and its everything to do with his character. He was such an honourable decent loving good-guy character. Also Mark Darcy in Bridget Jones’s Diary – same thing, good decent guy.
PS Is it sacrilege to admit I had no idea who Matt Bomer was until I googled him ten minutes ago……
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Barb Wallace Reply:
June 27th, 2012 at 9:04 am
But aren’t you glad you did…. Isn’t he gorgeous? I shall Tweet a really good photo of him this afternoon just for you.
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Amy Andrews Reply:
June 27th, 2012 at 3:50 pm
Yes. Gorgeous
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Great post! I think ‘literary candy’ can be a tougher challenge than ‘eye candy.’ Yes, eye candy takes years of physical labor and sweat but lets face it-we’ve all seen movies displaying great bodies held back by poor scripts and/or acting ability. But literary hunks have to speak to their readers. Their thoughts, appearance and actions all form the image-it’s more than photo. And if they fall short-they never make it to the deliciously ssweet and edible candy-level!
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barb Wallace Reply:
June 27th, 2012 at 9:05 am
Kym – that’s it exactly! I love the male form – don’t get me wrong – but without substance, candy is just that candy. I prefer something that stays with me. Which is why a good romance hero can stick with me for years!
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Wonderful post! I’d answer your questions, but I’m too busy staring at the Matt Bomer pic.
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Barb Wallace Reply:
June 27th, 2012 at 11:49 am
Poor Jake. He gets no love next to Matt
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I fell in love with Alan Rickman’s voice years before he played Severus Snape in the Harry Potter movies. Loved him in Love Actually also!
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