21. Ryan Reynolds 
20. Van Hansis
Van Hansis, half of daytime’s first gay supercouple, stormed into
our lives when he was paired with the sexy, but emotionally reserved
Noah on As the World Turns. Van’s character has survived a
rough if interesting couple of years in the surprisingly complicated world of Oakdale
where he’s been shot, kidnapped, served as best man at his boyfriend’s
wedding, had his step-grandfather grope him, become a gay activist,
and danced with the iconic Cyndi Lauper.
But Van’s got talent beyond
playing a wealthy young man in an insane small town. He’s done theater
work, getting all glammed up for Dance Dance Revolution on the
stage. He makes appearances for a number of charitable organizations
and does PSA’s for GLAAD. Then there are those daytime Emmy nominations.
It’s not just these accomplishments
or his cute blond mop that the stylists can’t stop messing with that
warms us up. Beyond giving us daytime’s first gay male kiss, first
Pride celebration, and first gay male sex (even if it was off screen), it’s
really another title we most admire about Van: trailblazer.
Leading the way is hot.
19. Thöre Scholermann
Last year, Thore Schölermann zoomed from nowhere
to land in our Top 20, quite a feat for an actor in his first role and
that only being a smallish part on a German soap opera. But a lack of
exposure doesn’t matter when you’re this hot – not to mention
you play Christian, one half of Forbidden Love’s supercouple
Ollian.
Like his character, Schölermann
doesn’t commit to something half-heartedly. While the actor told us
he took some time to ponder the ramifications of playing gay, once he
agreed, he jumped into it with both feet. Indeed, much of the reason
for the success of the Ollian storyline is due to the fact that both
actors committed so wholly to the part, rehearsing scenes again and
again and adding in extra looks, touches and kisses to make the couple’s
loving relationship clear even when the writing didn’t.
While there is no arguing Schölermann
is physically very attractive, it’s the sort of commitment he’s
shown playing Christian that prompted gay men to place him in the top
twenty.
