Tues Top Ten: Hottest Hotties of 1989
Tuesday, August 19, 2014 at 12:11PM Here's abstew to continue our celebration of 1989 as the 'year of the month'. Happy 25th, 1989!
As we look back at 1989 in preparation for the Smackdown, it's important not to forget what the movies have always been about: really attractive people. The Me Decade of the 80's, perhaps the greatest/craziest time in regards to fashion and hairstyles, if they taught us anything at all, it isn't that less is more. Oh, no. More is MORE! More shoulder pads, more eye shadow, more crunchy perms with mall bangs. So let's celebrate the 80's excess with these cinematic hotties of 1989.
Honorable Mention: Julia Roberts "Blush and Bashful Hottie", Daniel Day-Lewis "Method Actor Hottie", Meg Ryan "I'll Have What She's Having Hottie", Kenneth Branagh "New Shakespearian Hottie", Nicole Kidman "Just An Ozzie Girl On a Boat With Billy Zane Hottie"
10. Sean Connery
You Call This Archeology Hottie
Why Him: The once and eternally forever Bond star proved that even at the age of 59, he could still make the ladies swoon when he played Indiana Jones' father in the number one box office hit of 1989, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. Romancing women half his age, and even managing to make a tweed travel suit and bow tie as sexy as one of Bond's tuxes, Connery like a fine aged wine, just got better with age.
Sexiest 1989 Moment: People magazine named the Scot The Sexiest Man Alive for its 1989 cover story. The headline hilariously reads, "Older, balder...and better! Here's one leading man who doesn't need to fake it." No word on exactly what other leading men were faking at the time. And apparently John Goodman was up for the title that year, so...yeah. People magazine - the nation's leading authority of unconventional sex appeal.
9. Rosie Perez
(and 8 more sexpots after the jump)
Fight the Power Hottie
Why Her: Aggressively dancing her way into our hearts in her film debut, Do the Right Thing, Perez was a pint-sized spitfire of sex appeal. Having previously worked as a dancer on Soul Train, she was urged to audition for Spike Lee's controversial classic film after she insulted the director at a dance club the year before. She's a woman that isn't afraid to let you know exactly how she feels.
Sexiest 1989 Moment: A Hot Brooklyn summer night and a sensuous cooling down with an ice cube. Perez neglected to tell her family about her nude scenes in the film and upon seeing this particular scene, her father thought he was suffering a heart attack and was taken out of the theatre in an ambulance.
8. Kevin Costner
If You Build It He Will Come Hottie
Why Him: After the previous year's sexy romp with Susan Sarandon in Bull Durham, Costner proved that America's favorite past time was a look that suited him well when he starred in the Best Picture nominee, Field of Dreams. The quintessential, attractive leading man of this time period showed that sometimes old-fashioned Americana and wholesomeness can be just as effective as overt sexuality.
Sexiest 1989 Moment: In a tight white T-shirt alongside his daughter and wife, Costner drives a tractor and hammers nails while turning his cornfield into a ballpark - making every Mom of 1989 swoon in the process. So handsome and so handy. And what a family man...
7. Ariel
The Little Mermaid Hottie
Why Her: She may appear in an animated children's film, but there's no denying that the flame-haired, fish-tailed heroine was kinda hot. Sporting a bikini top made of purple sea-shells (and a face reportedly based on Alyssa Milano), Ariel was the first princess for the modern age. So ahead of her time, the natural redhead even went bottomless years before Julianne Moore in Short Cuts...
Sexiest 1989 Moment: Eh, not so much sexy, but she's never looked better than when she emerges from the water decked out in a fabulous sequined gown. King Triton must've been a stylist in a previous life cause he knows how to make a girl look good!
6. Denzel Washington
The Golden Glory Hottie
Why Him: He's not a doctor, but after playing one on TV for the past 6 years on St. Elsewhere, Denzel finally reached the leading man status he was destined to achieve when he won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for Glory. Charming and charismatic, he left television behind in 1989 to become one of our most talented movie stars.
Sexiest 1989 Moment: In an early 1989 release, The Mighty Quinn, Denzel plays a sexy Caribbean policeman outfitted in a form-fitting white uniform. Roger Ebert was so dazzled by Denzel in the film he compared the actor to previous leading men Robert Mitchum and Sean Connery in the Bond films.
5. Keanu Reeves
Totally Excellent Hottie
Why Him: As Ted "Theodore" Logan, one half of the airheaded teen duo of Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, who would have thought that the gourgeously dumb Keanu would be able to parlay that unexpected success to the still thriving career he has today. But his slacker persona, laid-back surfer vibes, and the adorable way that he's definitely not the brightest guy in the room have a certain sway over audiences. Whoa.
Sexiest 1989 Moment: As the boyfriend Dianne Wiest doesn't approve of in Parenthood, Keanu and Wiest's on-screen daughter Martha Plimpton take sexy photos of each other. If only the photo developer dude hadn't accidentally given them to Wiest. Major bummer...
4. Isabelle Adjani
Prestigous French Hottie
Why Her: That face! That mouth! Hollywood has always had a love affair with French Actresses, but when Adjani scored her second Best Actress Oscar nomination for the foreign language film Camille Claudel that year, the Academy was pretty much letting the world know that she was the favorite. The only Actress to gain 2 nominations for performances in French, she has more Oscar nominations than Catherine Deneuve, Isabelle Huppert, Fanny Ardant, and Jeanne Moreau combined. In 1989, she also began to date Daniel Day-Lewis. Yeah, she pretty much won at life that year.
Sexiest 1989 Moment: While picking up her third César award for Camille in this, her beauty still managed to transcend the tacky monstrosity that was 80s fashion.
3. Kim Basinger
Vicki Vale Hottie
Why Her: Despite going bankrupt buying a town in Georgia that year (most have seemed like a wise investment at the time, I guess), Basinger (it's BAY-singer not BASS-in-Jur...) took on the role of Batman's hard-hitting journalist girlfriend in the year's 2nd highest grossing film Batman. The Vicki Vale of the comics was said to be based on Marilyn Monroe and Basinger with her cascade of blonde hair and white satin ballgowns evokes the earlier legend. But she's certainly not as ditzy as Marilyn, after all Vicki wears glasses!
Sexiest 1989 Moment: Were you aware that Basinger dated Prince in 1989 and that she not only guest starred on his Scandalous Sex Suite single in which she contributed some sexual moans and pillow talk with her lovah, but she also recorded an album of her own called Hollywood Affair that you can listen to here? No? Well, you're welcome.
2. Jean-Claude Van Damme
Action Hero Muscle Hottie
Why Him: I think it was Monica Geller that said it best, "Jean-Claude Van Damme. He's so hot. The Muscles from Brussels. Wham, Bam, Van Damme..." And while the year before's Bloodsport was Van Damme's breakout hit, 1989 continued his winning streak of trademark beefcake, fighting, and bad acting with Cyborg and Kickboxer. Much hotter than Schwarzenegger, more of a guilty pleasure than Stallone, Van Damme was a product of the late 80s when watching a muscleman do the splits (and also not afraid to show his ass) was the height of entertainment. But Monica's right, he's so hot.
Sexiest 1989 Moment: Pick any scene where he's shirtless and sweaty. Or this hilarious dancing scene from Kickboxer which you can view in its entirety here. I'm pretty sure the guys from the Jersey Shore have been using this as their guide to life.
1. Michelle Pfeiffer
Makin' Whoopee Hottie
Why Her: I think we all know around these parts Nathaniel's thoughts on this actress (and if not, you must be new here - just click on the Michelle Pfeiffer tag at the bottom and find out). But I swear he didn't make me include her, this list could only have Pfeiffer in the top spot because, for me, nothing tops the sexiness of 1989 quite like Pfeiffer's Susie Diamond in The Fabulous Baker Boys. Sure, she had been sexy before in films like Scarface, but with this film she showed her range as an actress and secured her place as a star.
Sexiest 1989 Moment: A red dress. A grand piano. A legend is born.
Who made your heart (and loins) skip a beat back in 1989... or, if you were too young or not yet born, who does it for you retroactively? Let us know in the comments.
Reader Comments (22)
Tom Cruise needs to be on this list for the Risky Business underwear dancing scene alone.
And as for Van Damme, bad acting is never sexy.
these choices are perfect. I am especially happty to see Rosie Perez shaking what her mama gave her.
that headline for Sean Connery is the best. haha
I think Ariel's sexiest moment is when she emerges from the water right after Ursula turns her into a human. It's unintentional sexy but it just looks fierce. lol
sanfran -- in 1989 Tom Cruise was playing a paraplegic crying about nobody loving his dead penis so um... that would have been a weird choice for this top ten list.
I'm feeling this 1989 flavor! And it's the name of Taylor Swift's new album! :-)
Mmmm...Antonio Banderas debuting the new short haircut and glasses in "Women On The Verge Of A Nervous Breakdown." Ay caramba.
I totally would've gone Rick Moranis in "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids."
Arguments can be made, though, for Joanna Whalley in "Scandal" ...
Thank you for understanding that the hotness of Rosie Perez in Do the Right Thing cannot be contained in a still photo! Dat gif.
@And as for Van Damme, bad acting is never sexy.
... you could say the same about Keanu Reeves...
Margaret - yasss.
Everyone -- i would just recommend clicking on that Jean Claude Van Damme gif. mesmerizing for about 12 different bad-movies-we-love reasons.
I had a big crush on Kenneth Branagh that year. Love seeing Rosie though!
Everything about Women on the Verge deserves to be up there, even Lucía (Julieta Serrano-in her own way) but I think Rosy de Palma and María Barranco were the top sex objects in that glorious film.
Bad acting may not be sexy, but JCVD's ass more than compensates.
Costner was so hot. Shame it all went to his head.
And as for Van Damme, bad acting is never sexy.
Oh please. Acting talent and sex appeal are two separate things. Van Damme made growing up gay bearable. I could watch his movies because my parents like all American parents raised their children on a steady diet of tough guy movie violence. And in all those movies it was always about his ass and doing the splits and wearing sexy clothes and being fine. I love me some Van Damme in his late eighties and early nineties prime.
"Van Damme made growing up gay bearable."
I am speechless.
margaret: it's all about that dance with rosie!!! i found myself just mesmerized by that gif all day today...
erik: haha. nice choice on moranis! that's just that type of outside thinking that gets guys people magazine sexiest man alive covers...
and van damme's ass truly is a work of art...
I had given up Dez (in Desperately Seeking Susan) for Remington Steele, then landed squarely in the lap of Tom Farrell/Crash Davis, so of course by 1989 it was all about Kevin Costner.
I also remember having a crush on Juliette Binoche and Lena Olin.
Funny how all five are remarkably still very attractive.
Gregory Hines makes my heart lighter just to look at him. I love his singing, his easy acting style, and his love and commitment to his craft and his respect for its practitioners of all ages. Such a great dancer, I wish he could have lived as long as Sammy Davis Jr. and had someone making movies about him as the great old man.
Boooo! I like the Ariel mention but if she's in it, then Prince Eric most certainly deserved to be in here too. He's arguably the hottest Disney prince!!
I choose to believe that the Turner in War of the Roses is getting her own post.
P.S. Where is Laura San Giacomo?
A good list, I love that Rosie Perez is included, whatever happened to her career?
I won't argue with Michelle at no. 1 - the Fabulous Baker Boys is my favourite film of hers.
Back in 1989 I was enthusiastic about "Dead Calm", and was pushing it on my friends.
Nicole Kidman did go on to quite a career...
Banderas, Banderas...
I love that Rosie Perez is included, whatever happened to her career?
The accent and the attitude. Also, Hollywood's cruel lack of interest in non-white actresses doing anything. Hence so few studio produced leading projects for them.