Al Weisel
The E*List
By Al Weisel
Premiere, October 2000, pp. 62-75
Forget the A list. Here is Premiere's exclusive ranking of the
Internet's biggest stars: the ten actors and ten actresses whose cool roles,
edgy talent, and, let's face it, sheer sex appeal make them the Web's most
wanted.
ACTRESSES
1
JENNIFER LOPEZ
AGE: 30
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Lopez has lit up the screen in films ranging
from Selena and Out of Sight to this year's The Cell. She
hit Billboard's top ten with her debut album, On the 6. And then
there's her penchant for risqué gowns . . .
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 65
OFFICIAL SITE: Jennifer Lopez Online Official Website (www.jenniferlopez.com/)
QUIRKIEST SITE: Do You Have a Chance in Hell With Jennifer Lopez (www.ecrush.com/quizes/lopez),
a quiz you can take to find out if you and Lopez are compatible
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "She can act, dance, sing, is beautiful,
incredibly self-confident, can cook . . . what can't she do?! We may never
know."
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: She had her body insured for $1
billion, plus a $300 million rear-protection policy. ("That's not true," says
one of her representatives.)
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "Aside from the fact that she looks like she was
pulled from a fashion magazine, you could totally imagine her as your next-door
neighbor."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Does she deserve better than Puff Daddy? Why
does she dress that way?
2
ANGELINA JOLIE
AGE: 25
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Jon Voight's daughter became a movie star
with her Oscar-winning turn as a troubled young woman in Girl, Interrupted.
But the dagger-collecting, tattoo-sporting, bee-stung-lipped actress has long
inspired interest on the Internet because of her flirtations with the dark
side. Her upcoming role as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider (inspired by a
popular video game) will only increase her Web appeal.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 55
OFFICIAL SITE: None
QUIRKIEST SITE: Wuthering Jolie/The Voight Domain Portal (www.personals.galaxyinternet.net/jiji/jolie.htm), which features an exhaustive
collection of fan art, including paintings, poems, and letters
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "She speaks her mind and is open, honest,
slightly 'nuts,' and incredibly talented. Plus, she has killer lips."
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: She had a crush on Dr. Spock when
she was younger. She once dreamed of becoming a funeral director. (Both true.)
MOST PUZZLING SITE NAME: Why Sodomize Dragonflies? (www.gurlpages.com/art/gen-wh0re/angelina.html). Allegedly, it's her favorite quote.
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "I've never wanted to have children until I saw you
for the first time in Foxfire. . . . I hope to have a daughter someday
and raise her to be a bold woman like you."
SPECIAL FAN OFFER: "I would give all of my limbs to die and come back as
your lipstick."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: What's the deal with her brother? Is it the
eyes or the lips?
3
JENNIFER LOVE HEWITT
AGE: 21
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: After winning fans on TV's Party of Five,
this sexy-yet-sweet actress (she still lives with her mom!) had a hit movie
with I Know What You Did Last Summer, appearing in the most famous
shower scene since Psycho.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 90
OFFICIAL SITE: Jennifer Love Hewitt Official Website and Fan Club (www.jennifer-love.com/)
QUIRKIEST SITE: Jennifer Love Hewitt's Breasts (www.jenlovehewitt.com/jen.html). "I like that website," Hewitt says. "I
get a laugh out of it. I hear they judge them from outfit to outfit, so now I
think of those people when I dress and I try to make sure that they're not
disappointed."
WHAT SHE THINKS OF THE INTERNET: "Any recognition that people appreciate
your work is only good. I look forward to getting a computer and talking to
some of these people. I'm going to get a special code name so no one knows it's
me."
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: She wants to be a child
psychiatrist one day. "That was always my dream," she says. "I don't see it
happening now."
MOST PUZZLING SITE NAME: Justice League of America vs. Jennifer Love
Hewitt (www.geocities.com/jlavsjlh). Who would win a battle between these two mighty forces?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Did she break MTV veejay Carson Daly's
heart? "I don't think anyone in their right mind would ever set out to break
someone's heart," she says. "We were two people who were not meant to be
together. I think it was a hard situation for both parties."
SITE WITH A BONE TO PICK: Hepburn Fans Against Jennifer Love Hewitt
(members.aol.com/hecubas/hephew.htm). Outrage at Hewitt's portrayal of Audrey
Hepburn in a TV biopic. "I can understand why an Audrey Hepburn fan wouldn't be
happy with my being in The Audrey Hepburn Story," Hewitt says. "She was
also my favorite actress. Had I not been given the amazing opportunity to play
her, I probably would have been critical of whoever took that role, too. I hope
they see that it wasn't me trying to be Audrey Hepburn, but to say thank you."
SITES SHE LIKES TO BROWSE: "I have surfed the Internet on my television
in a hotel room. I went to some horoscope website."
4
DENISE RICHARDS
AGE: 28
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Her roles in Starship Troopers and The
World Is Not Enough may have made her a movie star, but it was her ménage à trois with Matt Dillon and Neve Campbell in Wild Things that made her an
Internet star.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 55
OFFICIAL SITE: "I'm in the process of meeting different companies that
put together official websites," Richards says. "Hopefully, if real fans know I
have an official website, they'll start going to that one as opposed to those
that have a lot of false information."
QUIRKIEST SITE: Denise Richards Desktop Collages (denise.angband.org),
a collection of collages with titles like "Lucky Leno" (which features a
picture of Richards's appearance on The Tonight Show With Jay Leno)
WHAT SHE THINKS OF THE INTERNET: "It's a great way for people to get to
know me, but at the same time a lot of rumors get started through the Internet.
I've had people put information out there that was absolutely not true, and had
people put my head on other people's bodies. That kind of thing is
frustrating."
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: Her most prized possession is a
big silver vibrator engraved WILD THINGS '97. "Oh, God, no, that is not my most
prized possession," Richards says. "When I wrapped Wild Things the crew
gave me that as a joke, because it was supposed to be in one of the scenes but
I didn't want to do it. I don't even know where it is, to be honest. My most
prized possession is this Tiffany diamond cross necklace I wanted forever and
finally splurged and bought for myself as a Christmas present."
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "I need pics of Denise or other celebrities wearing
backpacks!"
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Does she live with Patrick Muldoon? "I've
never lived with Patrick Muldoon." Is a sequel to Wild Things planned? "Not
that I know of." What was it like making out with Neve Campbell? "I don't
understand [fans' obsession with this scene]."
SITES SHE LIKES TO BROWSE: "I get information on different vacation
spots. I look up stuff on dogs. I have three."
5
ALYSSA MILANO
AGE: 27
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Though she's starred in such TV hits as Who's
the Boss? and Charmed and was a teen pop sensation in Japan,
Milano's Internet fame rests largely on a few B-movies she made in various
states of undress. She and her mother sued websites that posted topless stills
from her movies and used the money to fund an Internet empire that includes safesearching.com,
a search engine that steers Web users to nonsalacious sites, and cyber-tracker.com,
which helps stars hunt down sites that use their images without authorization.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 35
OFFICIAL SITE: The Official Alyssa Milano Site (www.alyssa.com).
Milano started this, she says, so that she could have "some control over my
image. A good defense is a good offense."
WHAT SHE THINKS OF THE INTERNET: "It's an exciting arena. But we need to
come up with legislation so that musicians and actors aren't getting screwed.
[My mother and I] have pissed off a lot of webmasters. Some of those people
were making $30,000 a month on my body."
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: Milano was an inspiration for
Ariel in the Disney feature The Little Mermaid. "That's true. They drew
her from pictures of me."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Is she dating a grip from Charmed?
"I'm not dating anyone, but beggars can't be choosers." Was she engaged to Double
Dragon's Scott Wolf? "I was."
SITES SHE LIKES TO BROWSE: "I like horoscope sites. There's a great one
called Astrology Zone. Of course, I'll go over to Amazon and try to find that
CD that's out of print."
6
NATALIE PORTMAN
AGE: 19
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Her role as Queen Amidala in Star Wars:
Episode I—The Phantom Menace—the film that's the subject of more Web
tributes than any other in history—made her the Queen of the Internet for
sci-fi-obsessed Web surfers.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 100
OFFICIAL SITE: None
WHAT SHE THINKS OF THE INTERNET: "It's a great resource, but you also
have a huge problem with misinformation," Portman says. "The major issue with
the Internet is anonymity—once people have anonymity all rules are lost, all
human values and morals are gone. People in anonymous circumstances will do
things they would not normally do. People will lie or be mean or harass, and
they are just not accountable. The problem is that technology has moved faster
than the laws guiding the Internet, so it's gotten out of control."
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: She hates the way the word coconut
sounds, but she loves the word clutter. "I said that in an interview when I was
11," Portman says. "It's not a huge thing about me."
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "I'm listening to Fugazi, I've got my parents' house
to myself, and I've got two Queen Amidala Band-Aids on; how much better can
life get?"
SITES SHE LIKES TO BROWSE: "At a party once we went on to Mullets Galore
[www.mulletsgalore.com],"
she says, referring to the website dedicated to the spiny fish and the bad
haircut. "I do most of my research for papers and stuff on the Internet."
7
JENNIFER ANISTON
AGE: 31
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: The Friends actress's forays onto the
big screen include The Object of My Affection, Office Space, and
the upcoming Metal God, but it's her love match with Brad Pitt that's
launched a thousand Web hits.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 85
OFFICIAL SITE: None
QUIRKIEST SITE: The Ross and Rachel Fan Club (www.welcome.to/rossandrachel),
a support group for fans of the Friends pair's rocky relationship
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "Jennifer, I think that you are great. I admire
you so much but I'm not too sure if it's because you are with the most gorgeous
man on earth or if it's because you have a great life and a great job. I hope
that Mr. Pitt knows what he's got."
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: When she was 11, a painting she'd
done was displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. (True.)
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "Metal God's being filmed now; they are using
my van as the main vehicle. It's the brown van. She is going to autograph the
inside of the door after the last shot."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Why didn't Rachel and Ross work out? Is
there a lesbian kiss in Metal God?
8
SARAH MICHELLE GELLAR
AGE: 23
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Her role as TV's Buffy the Vampire Slayer
led to such movies as I Know What You Did Last Summer, Scream 2,
and the deliciously nasty Cruel Intentions.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 135
OFFICIAL SITE: Official Buffy the Vampire Slayer Site
(www.buffyslayer.com). Gellar is in the process of starting up her own site as
well.
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: She collects rare editions of
children's books. "Yes," she says. "My goal is to have a first edition of every
Dr. Seuss book." When she was young she did a commercial in which she claimed,
"I only eat at Burger King," and for a time thereafter she couldn't enter a
McDonald's unless she was in disguise. "Yes—truth in advertising! Only when
you're five, everyone has their parties at McDonald's, so I had to wear
pigtails and a baseball hat. Nowadays, I go into McDonald's disguise-free."
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "She would have been perfect as Scarlett O'Hara in Gone
With the Wind."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION: Does she have a brown belt in tae kwan do? "I
was just about to get my brown belt when I stopped studying."
HER FAVORITE FAN SITE: "I've looked at some of the sites. It's really
special that people out there want to spend their time doing it. It's an
honor."
9
SALMA HAYEK
AGE: 32
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Fans of this Mexican beauty applaud her
healthy (not stick-thin) proportions and look forward to seeing her in roles
more complex than those she had in From Dusk Till Dawn and Wild Wild
West— such as that of artist Frida Kahlo (a role Madonna coveted) in an
upcoming biopic that Hayek has long had in development.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 60
OFFICIAL SITE: None
QUIRKIEST SITE: The Salma Hayek versus Friedrich Hayek Scorecard (pages.nyu.edu/~dgw0244/dgwhayek.html).
It's a comparison between the actress and the free-market economic philosopher.
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "Quite possibly the most beautiful woman in
Hollywood today. Someday she'll star in a movie that's worthy of her talent and
glamour."
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: She wore a fake prosthetic penis
that she unleashed as a joke during the filming of her love scene with Breckin
Meyer in 54.
MOST PUZZLING SITE NAME: The Beauty Made Woman (www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Cinema/4573/salma/sal4.html)
BRIEF ENCOUNTER: "I saw her at the De La Hoya-Mosely fight in L.A. and
introduced myself to her and Edward Norton. Salma is more of the speaker of the
two. It totally blew my mind that I was talking to the 25th sexiest woman in
the world."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Is there bad blood between Salma Hayek and
Jennifer Lopez? Are she and Edward Norton a good couple?
10
JULIA ROBERTS
AGE: 32
WHY SHE'S AN INTERNET STAR: It's no surprise that the hottest actress in
Hollywood is also one of the hottest on the Internet. Now fans are buzzing
about her bravura turn in Erin Brockovich and speculating about an Oscar
nod.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HER: More than 35
OFFICIAL SITE: Roberts is developing a website that will be housed on
Mediatrip.com.
DOMAIN-NAME BATTLE: In a recent landmark decision, Roberts was awarded
her domain name, juliaroberts.com, by the World Intellectual Property
Organization (a United Nations group that oversees domain names on the
Internet), when the name's previous owner, Russell Boyd, tried to sell it on
eBay. At press time, Boyd was still occupying the site and using it to publish
screeds against Roberts.
QUIRKIEST SITE: Thank You, Julia (www.juliaroberts.de).
This exhaustive site includes poems, paintings, pictures of Roberts in
Mongolia, and messages from fans from as far away as Indonesia.
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: When she's nervous, she tears out
of her left eye. (True.)
BRIEF ENCOUNTER: "I had the pleasure of meeting Julia in 1997 when she
got the Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year Award at Harvard University. I asked
her for her autograph & she said 'shit.' Taking this as a no I started to
walk away. She said, 'You did not let me finish. Shit it's cold!' She
signed my pic & gave me that smile & ran off to her limo."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Will Julia and Ben [Benjamin Bratt] get
married? Why does Julia keep changing her hairstyle?
ACTORS
1
RUSSELL CROWE
AGE: 36
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: After receiving acclaim for L.A.
Confidential and an Oscar nomination for The Insider, the New
Zealand-born actor fought his way to the top of the Hollywood heap with the
summer blockbuster Gladiator.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 25
OFFICIAL SITE: 30 Odd Foot of Grunts (www.gruntland.com),
a site devoted to his rock band
QUIRKIEST SITE: Crowe Illumination (www.angelfire.com/in2/croweillumination),
"a place for all who have been inspired by Russell Crowe to share the results
of that inspiration, be it fan fiction, poetry, artwork or . . .?"
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADES: "You have more sexual energy than any actor
I've ever seen. There is so much honesty in what you do, and in who you appear
to be. It's enough to drive a very sane person out of her mind with curiosity."
"Oh where did my sanity go?/I lost it because of a Crowe/Your buttocks, your
thighs/Those dark sexy eyes/Any chance of a cure/I'd say NO!"
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: He thinks women who have children
are sexy. "He said that in an interview," his publicist says. He turned down a
bottle of French champagne because he was boycotting French products in protest
of nuclear testing.
MOST PUZZLING SITE NAME: Russell Crowe: Only Connect the Prose & the
Passion (www.geocities.com/firthfan/crowe/main.html)
BRIEF ENCOUNTER: "I remember when you were much younger and you would
have lunch with us at the Academy of Performing Arts at Edith Cowan University
in Western Australia. You used to share cigarettes with us and you were so shy
and funny. Carol paid for that VB beer and you still owe her $20, mate."
2
TOM CRUISE
AGE: 38
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Hollywood's number-one actor has long been a
fixture on the Web, where fans debate the merits of his mixing mainstream
blockbusters (M:I-2) with quirkier, more adventurous roles (Eyes Wide
Shut, Magnolia).
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 25
OFFICIAL SITE: None
QUIRKIEST SITE: Tom Cruise vs. Kidman! (www.mrev.net/slack/main-event/superfights/cruise-vs-kidman.htm). That's Kidman the wrestler, not Nicole
Kidman, his wife.
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: Cruise once presented Robert Duvall
with a horse. (True.) He and Kidman have gone on a great white shark
expedition. ("Not yet, but Nicole has said many times that they want to go
diving with sharks," his publicist says.)
MOST PUZZLING SITE NAME: Tom Cruise Estrogen Brigade (www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/2389/tceb.html)
BRIEF ENCOUNTER: "I met Tom Cruise. He's touring [Korea] for his movie M:I-2.
Tom and I talked for a while about his life, movie, and his hair-style! I still
feel that I am dreaming now."
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "My husband said, 'You're 42 years old & the
mother of three, aren't you embarrassed to have a crush on a movie star?' I
said, 'Nope!'"
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Is Tom's hair better long or short? Did
Tom's rock climbing scare his mother and John Woo? What's Scientology?
3
BRAD PITT
AGE: 36
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Though he has weathered some recent box
office disappointments (Seven Years in Tibet, Meet Joe Black, Fight
Club), he's as popular as ever in cyberspace, where fans appreciate both
his edgier fare and his romances with ex Gwyneth Paltrow and bride Jennifer
Aniston.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 65
OFFICIAL SITE: Pitt has aligned himself with Z.com, but at press time
his site was still in preparation.
QUIRKIEST SITES: Fight Club: Stickman Version (www.stickclub.com). A stick-figure take on Fight Club.
Myrhmaid's Kiss Brad Pitt Page (www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Boulevard/1464/bradkiss.html).
It lets you click on a variety of photos to virtually kiss Pitt.
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: His first jobs were handing out
cigarette samples, standing outside El Pollo Loco restaurant in a chicken
outfit, and driving strippers around in a limousine. (True.)
MOST PUZZLING SITE NAME: Tyler and Jack's Bloodstained Basement (www.tylerandjacks.com).
Tyler Durden for President? "Change mudslinging into bloodslinging."
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "BRAD PITT IS THE SEXIST MAN ALIVE ON THIS EARTH,
EVEN THOUGH HE IS 36. I DON'T CARE I STILL LOVE HIM."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Was Fight Club too violent? Why isn't
stalker Athena Marie Rolando in jail? (Plus many pertaining to Paltrow and
Aniston.)
4
WILL SMITH
AGE: 32
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Blockbusters such as Independence Day
and Men in Black have made this squeaky-clean rapper-turned-actor a role
model on the Web, where people of color are still few and far between.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 30
OFFICIAL
SITES: Will Smith (www.willsmith.com)
and Will Smith (www.willsmith.net)
QUIRKIEST SITE: "A Letter To Mr. Smith" (www.aletter2willsmith.free-servers.com), a missive from a young girl
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "I really think you're the best role model in
living history."
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: Turned down a scholarship to
M.I.T. to pursue his music career. He was known as Captain Correction because
he was the first to correct people who were using improper grammar. (Both
true.)
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "My dad thought all rappers were foul-mouthed,
illiterate gangsters. Well, I heard that your grandma wrote a letter to you
concerning some of your lyrics, and ever since then, you worked clean. That
convinced my parents that you were ok. You are also funny like Weird Al
Yankovic, and you encourage monogamy. Keep up the good work!"
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Is Will better at acting or at rapping? Does
he not get enough respect because of his clean image? Why do Eminem and Dr. Dre
dis Will?
5
LEONARDO DICAPRIO
AGE: 25
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: The Titanic heartthrob has inspired
more websites than there are stars in the heavens. Fans also mention his
efforts for the environment.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 270
OFFICIAL SITE: The Official Leonardo DiCaprio Site (www.leonardodicaprio.com)
QUIRKIEST SITE: The Church of Leonardo DiCaprio (members.tripod.com/~Claire_1979). Includes "Ten
Commandments" about the "God of the Screen" ("Thou shall not commit adultery,
unless with Leonardo DiCaprio") and a filmography titled "The Miracles Leonardo
Has Performed."
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "In like all of his films that he dies in he
always does this completely adorable dying thing. He has his eyes open and then
one single tear rolls down his cheek and he dies. It makes me weep."
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: Collects $5 sunglasses. Wouldn't
leave home without his Game Boy.
FAN
DREAM: "I was in this
really dark room; sorta like a club. The crowd split in two and out came
Leonardo wearing tight jeans on, cheap black sunglasses, and a black leather
jacket that said 'Luscious Jackson' on the back. He started to do the moonwalk
and breakdance. Then me and him were on the Internet talking about copyright
laws. . . . "
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Has Leo gained weight? Does he only date
models?
6
RYAN PHILLIPPE
AGE: 25
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: The object of everyone's affection in last
year's Cruel Intentions has left more than a few teen swooning in front
of their computer screens.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 50
OFFICIAL SITE: Phillippe is developing an official site with friends and
fellow actors Seth Green and Breckin Meyer, but at press time it was not yet
up.
QUIRKIEST SITE: The Ryan Phillippe Garage (www.internettrash.com/users/ryanphillippe/index2.html): Play games like Warp Ryan! And Before
and After or browse fan art.
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "R is for the ray of sunshine that you make me
see. Y is for the youngster I wish you had with me. A is for the animal you
bring out of me. N is for never, we never could be."
ODDEST
"FACT CIRCULATING ON THE NET:
Has a pet scorpion at this office. ("That's not true," his publicist says.)
BRIEF ENCOUNTER: "I went to school with Ryan. . . . My little brother
was sick one day and in my dad's office at school. . . . Ryan was the one who
took him down to the nurse's office."
SAMPLE
WEBSITE DISCLAIMER: "I
am in no way afflicted [sic] with Ryan Phillippe or Reese Witherspoon
[his wife], I am not them, and I can't contact them any better than you can."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Is it pronounced Fill-EEE-pay or FILL-uh-pee
or Fill-eee-PAY? (It's FILL-uh-pee.) How do you feel about Ryan's being a
father?
SITES HE LIKES TO BROWSE: Surfers, beware: The following was posted on
the Ryan Watch Message Board in Ryan Intentions (www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Palace/9180/ryanintentions.html), but it wasn't Phillippe who was
online: "I have been reading the message board for the last few minutes and you
guys are so amazing. I don't know why you would ever like me? (go figure). I
don't think of myself as hot. Being a so-called 'hunk' actually disgusts me."
7
KEANU REEVES
AGE: 36
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: The webhead extravaganza The Matrix
boosted the already intense appeal of this actor (and musician, with his band
Dogstar).
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 75
OFFICIAL SITE: Official Dogstar Website (www.dogstaronline.com)
QUIRKIEST SITE: Keanumandu: The Online Virtual Temple of the Society for
Keanu Consciousness (www.empire_net.com/~rdaeley/skc). Ponders such questions as, Is the face
on Mars Keanu?
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "You'll watch the same movie over and over (no
matter how good or bad) just to see him in action. . . . You kiss buses because
there's a Johnny Mnemonic ad on the side and his face just happens to be
at eye level. . . . OKAY! Maybe that one's just mine!"
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: He's left-handed, but he plays
bass right-handed. He says the most mystical thing about him is a deodorant
crystal he uses. (Both true.)
SPECIAL FAN OFFER: "I have observed the anointing of the feet in Little
Buddha and of the torso in Much Ado and I now take the precaution of
keeping a can of maple syrup handy in the fridge in case Keanu should knock on
my door some day and request a quick anointing."
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: How did he get that scar on his neck?
(Surgery after a motorcycle accident.) Who is he dating?
8
FREDDIE PRINZE JR.
AGE: 24
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: Fans who weren't even alive when Prinze's
father, the star of TV's Chico and the Man, tragically committed suicide
have made Prinze the king of teen flicks, from I Know What You Did Last
Summer to She's All That.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 30
OFFICIAL SITE: None
WHAT HE THINKS OF THE INTERNET: "It's cool that people like me, and I
hope they continue to," Prinze says. "The Internet is both a valuable resource and
a place of misinformation."
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "This guy is a total sweetheart. Needless to say
my Leonardo DiCaprio days are over."
ODDEST "FACTS" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: He got a scar on his chin from
falling while pretending to be Luke Skywalker. ("Yes," he says.) He considers
one of his talents to be his ability to pick up things with his toes. ("Yes,
unfortunately.")
BRIEF ENCOUNTER: "I met Freddie at Bob's Big Boy in Burbank, California.
We talked about acting and agents and stuff like that and then when it was time
to go, he rode off on his bike. I thought it was so cool that he rode a bike,
and not in a really nice car!"
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION: Who was Freddie Prinze Sr.? (See above.)
HIS FAVORITE FAN SITE: "I once looked at one of my sites. I responded to
a few people, but no one believed it was me."
9
BRUCE LEE
AGE: November 27, 1940-July 20, 1973
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: The kung fu master and first Asian cinema
superstar died almost 30 years ago, but he lives on in cyberspace, where fans
dissect his martial-art performances in movies such as Enter the Dragon
and The Chinese Connection, and speculate about the cause of his death.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 55
OFFICIAL SITE: Bruce Lee Educational Foundation (www.bruceleefoundation.com).
"My mother and I are on the board of the foundation," says his daughter,
Shannon Lee, a martial artist and actress (Enter the Eagles, the
upcoming sci-fi film Epoch). "The foundation was set up as a resource
for people to get information about my father's art and philosophy. We're
thinking of setting up an official site for the family, but that's a long way
off."
QUIRKIEST SITE: Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do (members.aol.com/jeetkunedo).
Very mystical.
SAMPLE ONLINE ACCOLADE: "Bruce Lee was more than just another kung-fu
actor. He was a renaissance man and a serious example of A.K.M.A.-Asians
Kicking Major Ass!"
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: He was a champion cha-cha dancer.
"That's true," says Shannon. "He was the cha-cha champion of Hong Kong. He
taught dance lessons on a cruise boat to make enough money for his passage."
MOST PUZZLING SITE NAME: Bruce Lee—The Asian Elvis (www.michaelcho.com/filterlessbrucelee.htm)
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "Bruce Lee not Dead!!! Bruce Lee king of Kung Fu! He
talk to me!"
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTION: How did he die? Was he murdered for giving
out kung fu secrets using a "delayed death touch"? "After my father died there
were all these theories, and I'm sure new ones are being made up all the time.
I'm not going to go out there and battle people and their crazy theories. In a
nutshell, he had an allergic reaction to a pain medication, and that was
basically it."
10
GEORGE CLOONEY
AGE: 39
WHY HE'S AN INTERNET STAR: He's been making virtual house calls ever
since the debut of ER; starring roles in Out of Sight, Three
Kings, and the summer hit The Perfect Storm have kept fans' pulses
racing.
NUMBER OF SITES DEVOTED TO HIM: More than 55
OFFICIAL SITE: None
QUIRKIEST SITE: Earth and Fire: A George Clooney Star Chart (www.aristotle.net/~sehudnall/title.htm)
ODDEST "FACT" CIRCULATING ON THE NET: Michelle Pfeiffer and Nicole
Kidman have each bet Clooney $10,000 that he will be a father before he turns
40, as he has said he will never get married or have children. (True.)
SAMPLE FAN MESSAGE: "I'm looking for anyone that can get me in contact
with an agent to be Clooney's Stunt/Body double. I'm told every day that I look
exactly like him. I even dressed as Dr. Ross for Halloween and people thought I
was him."
FAN DREAM: "I had a dream that I was in a cafe in Hollywood and someone
pushed me on top of George and we could not get up. I caught a glimpse of his
boxers and they had the ER logos and his name all over them: 'Dr. Doug
Ross.'"
SPECIAL FAN OFFER: "George if you're ever in the area, we would be glad
to do a stress test on you for free!"
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: Will he return to ER? Is it true he
says he'll never get married?
About Our E-Stars Methodology:
To produce our twin top-ten lists of the most popular movie stars on the Internet, PREMIERE polled Yahoo!, Go, Excite, Lycos, and Ask for the actors and actresses who got the most search requests in May. We limited our list to stars with substantial movie credits (that's why Pamela Anderson didn't make the cut). It's impossible to say exactly how many websites a star has, but we did searches on Go, Lycos, Fansites, CelebSites, and Yahoo! to come up with the approximate numbers of fan sites devoted to our top 20 e-stars. E-star profiles are by Al Weisel.■
Note: Dead links have been removed or replaced with a version of the page from the Internet Archive.
Al Weisel is the co-author, with Larry Frascella, of Live Fast, Die Young: The Wild Ride of Making Rebel Without a Cause, being published in October 2005.
Return to Al Weisel's Homepage