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50 Leading Men Reveal the Woman of Their Dreams

"She's beautiful but not vain. She's smart but not arrogant. It's like, all killer, no filler."

Every man, deep down in his psyche, has a detailed vision of the perfect woman—a fully three-dimensional unicorn of his imagination—which has grown and evolved and pranced through his dreams from his awkward teen years until the present day. Maybe she's beautiful. Maybe she's strong. Maybe she's funny. Maybe she's all of the above. Maybe she's a manic-pixie-dream-girl like Natalie Portman in Garden State or Penelope Cruz in Vanilla Sky. Maybe she's an untouchable apparition such as Taylor Swift or Emily Ratajkowski. Whatever the case, she's different for everyone. A friend of mine called me during former acting Attorney General Sally Yates's Senate hearing, in May, to say, "She is the perfect woman. She should run for president. I know it's probably wrong to say, but I am fairly certain that I'm deeply in love."

A-List leading men are no different. They have their ideas perfection, as well. We know this not only because they're men, too, but also because we've scoured their recent interviews and compiled their specific dream-girl descriptions right here. We've included everyone from the Chrises currently dominating Hollywood—you know, Pratt, Evans, Hemsworth, Pine—to major pop stars to globally famous athletes. Lin-Manuel Miranda imagines someone "beautiful but not vain." Dwayne Johnson says "you've got to laugh at my jokes." Harry Styles? Well, he really digs "ambition" in a woman. For more, read on—and if you come across your own ethereal goddess walking in this earthly realm, here's how to lock it down with the perfect marriage proposal.

1
Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey at a film premiere in a tuxedo
PAN Photo Agency/Shutterstock

"My ideal woman is beautiful and confident and comfortable with herself. Some women focus too much on the physical. In LA a lot of women have perfect breasts or bottoms or faces but they're not necessarily comfortable in themselves. But being beautiful and having nothing going on inside won't do at all. My interest in airheads would wane after about an hour." For more wisdom from Matthew McConaughey, learn about the one fight he couldn't back down from.

2
George Clooney

George Clooney and his wife Amal
magicinfoto/Shutterstock

"The ideal woman is a mixture. She should have Nicole Kidman's laughter, then the personality of Julia Roberts and the aspect of Michelle Pfeiffer, the quintessence of beauty. And finally, the ambition of Jennifer Lopez. I'll buy into the idea of finding the woman of my dreams. Who knows? Maybe one day." Well, luckily for Clooney, he did find the woman of his dreams, and they recently had twins.

3
Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum

"Communication and being brutally honest about the things that you want—what you fantasize about, or whatever…. No matter what, talk to each other. That stuff you might be nervous to hear? You gotta want to know."

4
Matt Damon

Matt Damon

"I can only speak to what attracts me. What attracted me to Lucy was her strength, her sense of herself. So I'd say don't worry about what everybody else wants you to be. And don't be afraid to be all those things I want for my daughters. There are always articles about what men want, but I guarantee you that any man worth his salt wants a woman who is smart and strong and secure in who she is." You can learn more about Damon's wife and what makes their relationship unique here.

5
John Mayer

john mayer average people celebrities non-celebrities

"I think about my wife all the time. I kind of obsess on it, and what I want to find is a person who can speak those kinds of magic words. I mean 'No complaints' is a great way to live. Also, I want a woman who doesn't hear 'How are you?' as 'I would like you to come up with something dramatic now that will allow me to sit in front of you and give you more attention than I would have if you had just said 'No complaints.' When I find the person I can relate to on that level and who is also a pinup and who also says 'Can I please take pictures of your ass?' then I am going to get married to her. That I can promise you."

6
Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton
Shutterstock

"She knows she's dope. She's beautiful but not vain. She's smart but not arrogant. It's like, all killer, no filler."

7
Chris Evans

Chris Evans

"I like girls that are self-deprecating. I like a girl that can make fun of herself. Whenever anybody takes themselves too seriously it's kind of a turnoff. I like people who are genuinely modest, not that forced modest." Speaking of Chris Evans, here's how he gets into superhero shape.

8
Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt

"Anna is a great wife. Very patient and understanding. Very supportive. So kind and genuine always. And she gave me a wonderful son and family of in laws that I truly love."

9
Will Smith

Will Smith passed on classic role
Shutterstock

"Jada has made me a better person than anyone on earth could have ever done. There is nobody on Earth at this point that in my life and in my career with the successes and the things that I've done, there is nobody on earth that I would still try to be better for. Just her passion, power, and relentless unwillingness to let me lay down at night when I've only done 92 percent of what I was supposed to do that day, holds me to a higher standard." And ead about the time Will Smith turned down a role in The Matrix.

10
Josh Duhamel

Josh Duhamel
Shutterstock

"For any guy getting married, when you take that plunge—especially with the right girl—it makes life better. You are more grounded, you are more stable, and there is something consistent and real. That is one of the things I love about Fergs. It is never boring for sure, and she is someone I can trust that will always be there."

11
Robert Pattinson

Robert Pattinson

"I can't say I prefer blondes, brunettes, or redheads. I like emotion and elegance. Even expensive clothes do not guarantee a good look. You must be yourself above all." Now that you know how he defines his dream girl, know how Pattinson—and many others—defines success.

12
Travis Fimmel

Travis Fimmel

"I'm not drawn to actresses, but I have no rules about that. I just want to be around positive people. The toughest thing will be to find a girl who will be prepared to live in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the country. I don't think L.A.'s the place to find one."

13
Taylor Lautner

Taylor Lautner

"Obviously, loyalty. Honesty. Really important to me is somebody who can totally let loose and pretty much be themselves and have fun."

14
Kellan Lutz

Kellan Lutz

"My values are at the top of my life so might as well find someone who shares in those. I've been really searching. It's so hard to find a woman who is career driven with an ambitious attitude, someone who is proactive."

15
Jamie Foxx

celebrities heroes jamie foxx
Featureflash Photo Agency/Shutterstock

"I like a woman that has something, that they are doing something. That's attractive to me when a woman as a job." Next, read about the time Jamie Foxx became a real life hero.

16
Chris Pine

Chris Pine

"I think anything that any normal man would be looking for: intelligence, beauty and a sense of humor. You have to be able to carry a conversation after the initial attraction kind of dies down."

17
Dwayne Johnson

bottled water the rock dwayne johnson
Shutterstock

"Here's what you've got to do: you've got to be independent, and you've got to have a sense of self. You've got to have a great sense of humor. You've got to laugh at my jokes. Like, that's the key…You don't get me to settle down. Not me, no. I'm a rolling stone." Now, read about the football coach Johnson credits with turning his life around.

18
Jared Leto

Jared Leto

"Everyone has their moments but a woman is really sexy when she knows herself and not trying to be something she's not. I like them all! That's a blessing and a curse really. I like all the choices out there. But I don't seek people out just because they look a certain way." Speaking of Jared Leto, he's one of our coolest celebrities over 40.

19
Ethan Hawke

Ethan Hawke

"I personally don't think grand gestures are actually romantic. The most romantic moments of my life have been so subtle and small. A snowstorm breakfast, a walk, an accidental meeting. Whenever you start planning these grand things—I'm gonna pick the great flower from the top of Mt. Everest—you're already losing. You're trying too hard."

20
Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth

"Extremely happy and has a sense of humor about life…Happy, positive, fun- those qualities are good in anyone."

21
Simon Baker

Simon Baker

"You know how after a certain period of time, you feel comfortable around someone? That didn't happen with her. She's always kept me on my toes. I still feel like I'm trying to pick her up."

22
Jensen Ackles

Jensen Ackles

"Someone who gets it. Gets sarcasm, gets high-brow humor. Ultimately, someone who you can pal around with and also be intimate with. Someone who can laugh at your jokes—it may sound cheesy, but someone who can be your best friend as well as your lover."

23
Gerard Butler

Gerard Butler

"I'm often attracted to tall women with long dark hair. But there's no particular type. It just depends on the feeling you have with somebody."

24
Kevin Hart

Kevin Hart

"The way that she stepped up to the plate and just accepted me for who I am, accepted me as a man coming in with kids and not even blinking an eye. I think she's shown that she's a woman who has my back. And that's what you want when you're in the position that I'm in and you're in the entertainment business. Everybody's going to question everything you do. Everybody's going to question everything you say, but you have to come to a strong decision of what's right and what's wrong. And right now, the one thing I can say is right is having that woman in my life."

25
Adrian Grenier

Adrian Grenier
Shutterstock

"I look for somebody who cares about others besides themselves."

26
Penn Badgley

 

"Someone with confidence and command of her sexuality."

 

27
Aaron Paul

Aaron Paul
Shutterstock

"You know when people say, 'When you know, you know'? It was crazy. Even leading up to the kiss on the Ferris wheel, I couldn't imagine myself being without her… I was like, 'Wait, can this actually exist?'"

28
Michael C. Hall

Michael C. Hall

"She has a unique ability to place books with people, myself included, so that's a nice perk."

29
Stephen Amell

Stephen Amell

"I just like someone that can have regular conversation. I also like girls without a ton of makeup. A girl just relaxed in jeans."

30
Jonathan Rhys Meyers

Jonathan Rhys Meyers

"I think the saying that a man is only as good as the woman on his arm is true, and so, if you have a good partner, one who is supportive, smart, caring, and loving, then, yeah, you can become a much better man for it."

31
LeBron James

LeBron James, championship ring

"Any woman that will chill with you while u watch hoops or any sporting events is A1!!! Perfection." Next, read about the insanely cool pair of matching cars LeBron got for himself and his mom.

Photo courtesy of Instagram.

32
Michael B. Jordan

Michael B. Jordan

"A sense of humor…And I want a woman who is comfortable in the kitchen. I'm old-school about stuff like that."

33
Cristiano Ronaldo

cristiano facebook

"I have to say the smile because a smile means beautiful teeth. I think it's more important to have beautiful teeth than eyes in my opinion."

34
Mark Cavendish

Mark Cavendish

"She doesn't make my life difficult about it and when I get back to the room she's someone I can confide in. I rely on her for advice. We share the same mindset. I trust her opinion completely."

35
Tom Hiddleston

Tom Hiddleston

"I like strong women. My mothers and sisters are very strong women, immensely independent and very capable and that's what I feel comfortable with." Hiddleston recently fell for Taylor Swift, not that we can blame him.

36
Idris Elba

"Be an independent woman. I love that…But at the same time don't be ashamed to, you know, throw your toys on the floor and let me pick them up."

37
Benedict Cumberbatch

Benedict Cumberbatch
Shutterstock

"A woman who knows that she doesn't have to get all decked out to look good is sexy. A woman who can make you feel smart with her conversation skills is also sexy…I also think someone who is good at working with others is sexy. It's like playing a tennis doubles match. You need to be able to work well together if you are to stay partners for a long time."

38
Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth

"She's fun. She's outgoing, and she has a sense of humor and a passionate attitude toward life, which is nice to try and keep up with." Also, dads especially, make sure you're following Chris Hemsworth on Instagram.

39
Henry Cavill

Henry Cavill

"What's important to me is that a woman has confidence in what she is, as opposed to trying to conform to someone else's type."

40
Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio

"Humility, a sense of humour and not a lot of drama." Leo probably doesn't have a hard time attracting such a woman given his brilliant haircut.

41
Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal

"Well, probably just an innate quality of being comfortable. That is sort of the biggest thing. Beauty is not always bad. For me, I think it's the comfortable factor. How does she feel about herself? Is she happy? That is so powerful and sexy to me."

42
Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman

"I run into people, really powerful, big people, who say, 'Congrats to you, but your wife is really one of the most talented.' And every time I hear that, it reminds me of the sacrifice she's made, her selflessness, her love and what she's done for the kids ..We always made family a priority but I'm acutely aware, everyday, that actually, when it comes to sacrifices, Deb has shouldered most of those. In fact, I was telling her right now, 'You need to get back to work because you're just too good to waste that talent. Everyone needs to see it." And we have even more wisdom from Hugh Jackman here.

43
Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy

"For me, Erica brings such a level of normality to everything. She has a calming presence, a sereneness and that's not just on me; it is noticeable in any company. She never wants to be the center of attention and is always very comfortable in the background."

44
Mark Zuckerberg

Mark Zuckerberg

"I met an amazing girl on this day exactly 11 years ago. Priscilla, thank you for keeping me grounded, and for helping me keep my sense of wonder about the world as we grow together." You should also read about just how Zuckerberg built his insane wealth.

45
Jude Law

Jude Law

"Humor, intelligence and I have to say, and I know this is incredibly misogynistic, but I do love a woman who can cook. I really do."

46
Tom Hardy

Tom Hardy woman
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"Going out with me and being my partner is a struggle because I demand a lot of attention and I'm quite needy… I'll do anything I have to do to clean up my act and be a better father and a better husband and boyfriend. That sounds really worthy, doesn't it? But I have to do it." Tom Hardy fans, be sure you've seen his brutal—and realistic—fight scene in the movie Warrior.

47
Adam Levine

Adam Levine

"What do I think is sexy on a woman? I don't know … confidence? That's not exactly an article of clothing, but you get the gist."

48
Justin Timberlake

Justin Timberlake, Jessica BIel woman

"Every once in a while I can catch a glimpse of her when she doesn't see me looking and I have this moment when I'm like, 'If you never make a good decision, if you only make bad decisions for the rest of your life, you made one really good decision.' It's nice to marry your friend, it's nice to marry your best friend. It suits me." Speaking of Timberlake, did you know he's a pretty fantastic golfer?

49
Harry Styles

Harry Styles woman

"I find ambition really attractive, too — if someone's good at something they love doing. I want someone who is driven."

50
Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds woman

"We went on a double date. She was on a date with another guy, and I was on a date with another girl. That was the most awkward date [from their perspective] probably because we were just like fireworks coming across. The best way to have a relationship is to start as friends." Reynolds fans, be sure to check out our list of his most underrated movies.

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Alex Daniel
A journalist based in Brooklyn, New York. Read more
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