Sir Sidney Poitier was a force to be reckoned with in the 60’s and 70’s. Denzel Washington came onto the scene in the late 80’s and instantly stole the hearts of women around the world. And we can’t forget about the Blair Underwoods, Morris Chestnuts and the Shemar Moores of the 90’s.
But while many of these men are still around knocking roles out of the ballpark, we can’t help but notice the push for one major newcomer: Sterling K. Brown.
Although having been in the business for some time, it was Brown’s portrayal of Christopher Darden in FX’s The People v. O.J. Simpson that really stole the attention of audiences around the nation.
And if that wasn’t enough, Brown became one of the most idolized characters on NBC’s This Is Us, playing a successful Black man in a successful Black marriage, navigating his way though his relationships with siblings.
Now after picking up two Emmy Awards, there seems to be a big push in the media to make Brown the new universal “it” man. Sure he is the ultimate trifecta — ear to ear smile, impeccable acting chops and a banging body.
But there’s a very direct narrative being told. Is Sterling on his way to becoming Hollywood’s new beef cake? Is Hollywood setting the star up to have the same level of celebrity and placement in this bizarre hierarchy as the beloved Denzel?
On Monday, Brown even appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres show for the first time somehow ended up with his shirt off.
Sure the popular daytime series had a “reason” behind having the actor ride a tractor without his shirt on … but this is clearly another way of reminding the world that the sex appeal is on point.
Needless to say, nobody will replace the many men who have led the way for stars before them. But there’s no doubt the industry is holding it’s arms wide open for Brown to come running in for the largest embrace of a lifetime.
