Hottest Actors Over 40

Gerard Butler is back on the big screen this week with his new movie Machine Gun Preacher.

Now it may not have passed you by but the actor is rather a good looking fellow - and seems to be getting better with age.

So this got us thinking who are the hottest actors over forty?

1. Johnny Depp (48)

I don't think that anyone can argue that Depp has always been a good looking bloke but at the age of 48 he is still as lovely as ever.

It seems that Depp's good looks have no plans to desert him as he edges ever closer to the big 5-0

Who would have thought that a pirate would be sexy!!!

2. Hugh Jackman (43)

Jackman burst onto the big screen with X-Men back in 2000 - and a superhero has never caused such a stir.

Since then he has mixed his movie and theatre roles melting the hearts of legions of women along the way.

And at the age of 43 he shows no sign of slowing down with The Wolverine on the way.

3. Robert Downey Jr (46)

Everyone knows that Robert Downey Jr has had his problems but at 46 he had put all that behind him and he is one of the most in demand actors in Hollywood at the moment.

He has this rugged and dangerous demeanour has brought the character of Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes alive in recent years.

He will be reprising the role of Holmes over Christmas with A Game of Shadows.

4. George Clooney (50)

George Clooney is like a fine wine he just seems to be getting better and better with age.

And having seen him in person I can confirm that he is as beautiful in real life as he is on the big screen - not there are no make-up tricks going on there.

He was back in the director's chair last month with The Ides of March and he is already being tipped for an Oscar nod for his central performance in The Descendants.

5. Daniel Craig (43)

You have got to love a bit of Daniel Craig!! And he makes the perfect James Bond - a role that he will be reprising next year.

He may be able to get down and dirty for that role but boy he does scrub up well.

But sadly he is off the market ladies as he has just got hitched to Rachel Weisz - what a lucky lady.

6. Brad Pitt

In his younger day Brad Pitt was one of the hottest actors who graced the big screen - in recent years that has been a bit hit and miss.

Now I know that he has a whole hoard of children but that is no excuse for that awful scraggily beard.

But in his new movie Moneyball the beard is gone and he is back looking his lovely self as he brings the real life story of Billy Beane to the big screen.

7. Matthew McConaughey (41)

Now you can't look at hot actors over the age of 40 without including Matthew McConaughey - who is just as lovely know as he was in A Time To Kill back in 1996.

At the tender age of 41 McConaughey is the young actor in our Hot Top Ten and we are going to be seeing a lot over him as he has a lot of projects in the pipeline.

Killer Joe, The Paperboy, Magic Mike and Thunder Run are all on the horizon - hooray!!

8. Patrick Dempsey (45)

Now I don't know about you but if Patrick Dempsey turned out to be my doctor then I would be ill for as long as is humanly possible.

And it seems that many ladies share my view after he was nicknamed Dr McDreamy for his stint in Grey's Anatomy.

We have been seeing more and more of the actor on the big screen recently with Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Flypaper and Valentine's Day all released in the last 18 months.

9. Will Smith (43)

There has been a depressing lack of Will Smith on the big screen - his last movie being Seven Pounds back in 2009.

Every woman loves a man who can make her laugh and Smith's humour and charm has made him one of the hottest actors to grace the big screen.

And he will be back next year as he reprises the role of Agent J for Men in Black III.

10. Russell Crowe (47)

Russell Crowe rounds off our top ten as his ruggedness has won an army of female fans over the years.

At the age of 47 he is as popular as ever and has a string of projects in the pipeline.

The Man With The Iron Fists, Man of Steel and Les Miserables are just a few of the movies that we will be seeing Crowe in over the next couple of years.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw