ARTICLES

Next generation of leading men nipping at heels of Cruise, Depp, Pitt 
Tuesday, July 2, 2002 http://www.sfgate.com/

Tom Cruise sits atop the Hollywood heap, an unstoppable box office force who can push even a puzzler like "Vanilla Sky" past the $100 million mark. He's now riding the critical and financial success of "Minority Report," which has made $58.5 million in two weeks. 

He's also getting older, like the rest of us. 

Cruise turns 40 Wednesday, just ahead of those other talented boylike men, Johnny Depp (39) and Brad Pitt (38). If these guys were actresses, they'd be in the twilight of their careers. But male stars get to push adolescence into middle age, then celebrate their dotage by continuing to romance nubile women onscreen. 

What if Hollywood's age standards for women also applied to men? Guys like Cruise, Pitt and Depp, or Jim Carrey (40) and Nicolas Cage (38), would be looking over their shoulders at the crop of younger, dewier actors now snagging juicy roles. 

We're not talking Matt Damon and Ben Affleck -- they're ancient compared with hot youngsters like Hayden Christensen (21) and Josh Hartnett (24). At 27, 

Tobey Maguire is the senior member of this new group of ingenues. 

These young bucks score in blockbusters, independents and, occasionally, offscreen with older female stars -- Maguire has been linked to Cruise's ex, Nicole Kidman, Ryan Gosling to his "Murder by Numbers" co-star Sandra Bullock. 

Here's a look at the new crop: 


JOSH HARTNETT
Age: 24 

Big break: "Pearl Harbor," after causing swoons in "Here on Earth" and "Virgin Suicides" 

He's best at downplaying his gorgeousness with an aw-shucks demeanor and dorky haircut. 

He might be the next George Clooney, his forebear in self-effacing squintiness. 


HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN
Age: 21 

Big break: Hmm. Either that German TV show he did as a kid or "Star Wars: Episode II -- Attack of the Clones" 

He's best at brooding intensity, more calibrated in "Life as a House" than in "Clones." 

He might be the next Mark Hamill . . . but he's got the goods for a bigger career. 


TOBEY MAGUIRE
Age: 27 

Big break: "The Ice Storm" 

He's best at lending quiet intensity to regular-guy characters, even regular guys who shoot Spidey string from their wrists. 

He might be the next Dustin Hoffman, after four or five "Spider-Man" sequels. 


JAKE GYLLENHAAL
Age: 21 

Big break: "October Sky." Also shone in the little-seen "Donnie Darko" and "Bubble Boy." 

He's best at handsome goofiness -- catnip to older women like Catherine Keener in this month's "Lovely & Amazing" and Jennifer Aniston in August's "The Good Girl." 

He might be the next Tobey Maguire 


RYAN GOSLING
Age: 21 

Big break: "The Mickey Mouse Club," alongside Britney. 

He's best at insinuating menace, as the brains in "Numbers" and an electrifying Jewish neo-Nazi in "The Believer." 

He might be the next Edward Norton. 


MICHAEL PITT
Age: 21 

Big break: OK, it was a little break, playing Hedwig's teenage lover in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch"; Gosling's partner in crime in "Numbers" 

He's best at sympathetic baby-faced creeps with homoerotic leanings. The edgiest actor out of "Dawson's Creek" 

He might be the next Leonardo DiCaprio. 


COLIN FARRELL
Age: 26 

Big break: "Minority Report," after false starts in "Tigerland," "American Outlaws" and "Hart's War." 

He's best at stretching his Next Big Thing status into pay dirt. He's a roguish Irishman adept at playing American earnestness and smugness. 

He might be the next Sean Connery. 


JAMES FRANCO
Age: 24 

Big break: "Freaks & Geeks" and James Dean biopic on TV; "Spider-Man's" roommate 

He's best at beautiful vulnerability. 

He might be the next Brad Pitt, if he reveals a sense of humor. 


HEATH LEDGER
Age: 23 

Big break: "The Patriot" 

He's best at projecting manliness (maybe because he's Aussie). Also smart to mix popcorn fare like "A Knight's Tale" with indies like "Monster's Ball" 

He might be the next Benicio Del Toro (Russell Crowe was too easy).