Sexiest Stars of 2013... So Far

Logan Browning

I think a lot of people are beautiful, but when I make these kinds of lists that are seemingly superficial judgments, it's not just about these men and women's exterior qualities. I look at their résumés. I avoid musicians generally and those whose sole profession is modeling, but actors, actresses and the occasional athlete whose work in these past six months have been exemplary or who have been outstanding in recent projects make the cut. I whittle them down into a top ten of each gender. Here are the 20 movie and TV stars who caught my eye:

20. LOGAN BROWNING - the 25-year-old, Georgia peach plays on the TV series Hit the Floor. Her character is a cheerleader for a fictional NBA team. The show is very much a prime-time soap opera, so I can say without meaning to be offensive that her character is a bitch. For soap opera lovers, this is actually a compliment. It helps that she's a great dancer and she's very, very gorgeous.

19. COREY STOLL - his acting ability is great and goes without saying. He was amazing on the short-lived Law & Order: Los Angeles, but that moustache he had wasn't doing him any favors, at least not opposite the bald head. His moustache in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris worked better because he had a decent head of hair on top. His look in House of Cards lands him on my radar, particularly his very first scene, which nakedly introduces his character.

18. RIN TAKANASHI - the 24-year-old, Japanese actress is unknown to most Americans, but she scored the lead in Award-winning filmmaker Abbas Kirostami's latest film Like Someone in Love. Most critics seem to agree that her face is the perfect canvas on which Kirostami paints. She goes from playing a Power Ranger Samurai to a Palme d'Or nominated prostitute, so you can imagine her body is a pretty perfect canvas too.

17. MIKE VOGEL - the 33 year-old started acting when he was 21. He had a recurring role in the TV series Grounded for Life. He made a lot of appearances in films, big and small. He became noticeable, co-starring in the Oscar-winning, hit film The Help (2011) in which he played Jessica Chastain's husband. That same year, because of his role on ABC's Pan Am, the Seattle-based web site BuddyTV ranked him as one of "TV's Sexiest Men of 2011." That show was cancelled, but for 2013, he has two shows that continue to prove his sexiness: Bates Motel and Under the Dome.

16. RACHELLE LEFEVRE - the long, curly-haired, Canadian beauty made a name for herself by co-starring in the first, two Twilight films. She's mainly done television, popping up in a lot of TV shows that have been quickly cancelled. She's currently crossing paths with Mike Vogel in CBS' Under the Dome.

15. VICTOR WEBSTER - the fellow Canadian has also done a lot of television. Only his shows last a bit longer. His first major gig was on Days of Our Lives. He goes from being a soap stud to playing in a Chippendales movie and being on Baywatch, which should give some indication of the body he possesses. My first recognition of him was in Mutant X, a superhero TV show. He's since done an amazing variety, including Noah's Arc, Charmed and Lincoln Heights. The 40-year-old is now starring on SYFY's Continuum and episode 7 had him engaging in a totally nude fight scene, almost outdoing that in Eastern Promises.

Rachel Nichols (left) and Victor Webster
in SYFY's 'Continuum'

14. RACHEL NICHOLS - the 33-year-old, Columbia grad in economics started doing movies in 2000, transitioning from modeling. She's currently crossing paths with Victor Webster in Continuum.

13. CHARLIE BARNETT - last year, I recognized that the NBC series Chicago Fire had the sexiest cast on TV with Taylor Kinney and Monica Raymund at the top of the heap. Barnett, however, is no slouch. He filmed several independent films prior to starting Chicago Fire. From Shakespearean tragedy to hilarious sex comedy, they show his diversity and how adorable he is. His latest is Rodney Evans' The Happy Sad, which is playing at select film festivals.

12. OLGA KURYLENKO - she was born in the Ukraine but moved to Paris at age 16 to pursue modeling. She was a Bond girl in Quantum of Solace (2008). That same year, she was on the cover of Maxim magazine. She's currently co-starring on the TV series Magic City, but the reason she made my list is her appearances this year in Terrence Malick's To the Wonder and in Oblivion opposite Tom Cruise.

11. DAVID RAMSEY - the 41-year-old actor popped on the scene in the mid 90s. His sexiest role to date might be his stint on Dexter for the third and fourth season. Ramsey now co-stars on the CW's Arrow, which had Stephen Amell's very muscular torso lead the poster campaign, but Ramsey is a black belt martial artist with a physique that gives Amell's a run-for-his-money.

10. BRITTNEY GRINER - last year, she won the Best Female Athlete ESPY Award. It makes sense that she's graced the cover of ESPN magazine several times. She was the 1st overall pick at this year's WNBA Draft. The 22-year-old plays for the Phoenix Mercury. She's broken so many records, won so many other awards that she can't be denied.

9. BRENDON AYANBADEJO - the 36-year-old, NFL linebacker was cut from the Baltimore Ravens after helping the team win Super Bowl XLVII this year, but this past year, he's become an advocate for same-sex marriage, writing articles and even appearing on news shows.

8. ISLA FISHER - I was so impressed with her this year. From her role, which put her in the middle of a love triangle, in Arrested Development to her role in the hit film The Great Gatsby, which also had her in a love triangle, I had to include the wonderful Australian actress.

7. BLAKE BERRIS - It's too bad he wasn't up for an Emmy Award this year because he has been doing phenomenal work. The story of Nick Fallon as portrayed by Berris has been nothing short of incredible. For the past month or so, he's been promoting a really, powerful, independent film called Meth Head, playing at select film festivals.

6. JESSICA MAUBOY - she's one of three Australian actresses on this list, but the 23-year-old was a contestant on Australian Idol. She didn't win, but she did sign a record deal with Sony and was subsequently put in two movie musicals: Bran Nue Dae (2010) and this year's The Sapphires.

5. ALEXANDER SKARSGARD - he's made the list before. Putting aside True Blood, the tall, blonde, Swedish actor has been doing phenomenal work, appearing this year in three indie films that I enjoyed: Disconnect, What Maisie Knew and The East.

4. BRIT MARLING - she wrote and produced The East. She also stars in it. She wrote and produced two films that premiered at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival. That and the acting work she's done since then has cemented her as a smart and beautiful force to the world of cinema.

3. DWAYNE JOHNSON - he's known in the WWE as "The Rock" but the man is now a bonafide movie star, filling the void left by the 80s and 90s action stars. He's beautiful, part African-American and part Samoan. He's charismatic. He's soulful and smart, in addiction to being a beefcake. He was in three #1 movies this year in the span of three months: G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Pain and Gain and Fast & Furious 6. He even put in great acting work in Snitch. The man is awesome.

2. NICOLE KIDMAN - the 46-year-old, Oscar-winning actress from Australia continues to delight and impress me. Her role in Park Chan-wook's Stoker is a prime example, if you weren't convinced with her turn in last year's The Paperboy. Yes, she's beautiful, but also bold. I'm eager to see her performance as actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly in Grace of Monaco.

1. LEONARDO DICAPRIO - he's always been boyishly handsome, but it's been over a decade since I've seen him do a film where he's had to be sexy and romantic. Baz Luhrman's The Great Gatsby granted Leo that opportunity and his performance in it is all that and more.