What makes the best Leading Man?

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What makes a really good leading man? Is it someone who has the physical characteristics or someone who has the right personality traits? Is it the hero type or the sweet sensitive guy? Or is it the bad guy that you want to save from himself? And is there a difference between a movie leading man and a book leading man?

I admit that one of my favorite leading men is Harrison Ford. I fell in love with his character in the movie Witness, then again in Working Girl (who could forget that line by Melanie Griffth, - I've got a mind for business and  bod for sin!) and also in Sabrina. He personified the strong sensitive leading man who would always come through in a pinch. But what would he be like on the page?

If you are looking for a leading man along the lines of the Fifty Shades of Gray type then that is a very different type of leading man. He is someone who the protagonist is definitely trying to rescue from his demons. I couldn't bring myself to finish all three books because the writing was so atrocious so I won't ever know if he is redeemed from his sadomasochistic ways.

If comedy is what gets your blood racing maybe Jim Carey would be your ideal leading man. He doesn't have the six-pack abs or the classic good looks but he might keep you laughing.

I'm curious about what incites passion in a reader. What makes you want to see him frequently throughout a book, even when it's not a romance?  I hope to hear your comments and will try to dissect the characteristics of each type in future posts.

Happy trails,

Leslie

I couldn't resist posting this picture of Harrison from Witness



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