The Hunger Games: Mockingjay—Part 1 opens in theaters this week and, as expected, leading lady Jennifer Lawrence has been making the publicity rounds and, as expected, she’s been totally charming and lovable. (Not too many stars can get away with singing this terribly and still be endearing.) J. Law not only steadfastly remains America’s Sweetheart, but she only seems to be getting better at it. Whether she’s facing the celebrity nudes leak scandal head on or making a GIF-worthy funny face, the admiration for the Oscar-winning actress still seems to know no bounds. While the outspoken star has had her share of critics thanks to some of her seemingly insensitive comments or misconstrued jokes about Meryl Streep, there’s been no major backlash or outcry. In Hollywood, Lawrence is pretty infallible, but she’s not the only one. Here are 12 other stars that seem to forever be in our good graces.
Matthew McConaughey
Worst Crime: Playing the congas naked, Failure to Launch.
McConaughey could spout out his trademark catchphrase “Alright, alright, alriiiiiight” roughly a million times (which he, and all those around him, did during the 2013 awards season) and it’d still be as delightful as the first time we heard it in his star-making role in Dazed and Confused. McConaughey not only had a huge comeback over the past few years, but he had his very own comeback title: the McConaissance. Sure, McConaughey turned out some pretty lousy rom-coms for a few years there, but it’s all a distant memory thanks to his work in True Detective and his Oscar-winning turn in Dallas Buyers Club. McConaughey is still as hot as ever, and the star pretty much anyone would want to grab a beer with.
Plus, he defends his flops adorably.
Sandra Bullock
Worst Crime: All About Steve, Speed 2: Cruise Control.
Bullock, like McConaughey, went from being a mid-90’s superstar to have an early 2000s lull, only to come back bigger and better than ever. Bullock not only won an Oscar in 2010 for her performance in The Blind Side, but she basically won the hearts of America back thanks to her charismatic and self-aware persona. (She even attended the Razzies to graciously accept an award for the atrocious comedy All About Steve). Bullock endured a high-profile divorce, but faced it with such grace and dignity, it’s barely seems like a blip in her bio. She’s a bona fide movie star who seems just as delightful off-screen as she does on.
Channing Tatum
Worst Crime: The ending of The Vow.
He’s handsome, he’s humble, he’s a loving husband and father, he’s very funny, and he may just have the ultimate Hollywood rags to riches story. Or, in his case, stripper to potential Oscar nominee. Tatum has pretty much taken over Hollywood over the past few years, and it makes perfect sense. He makes quality movies that appeal to the masses (from Magic Mike to Foxcatcher to the 21 Jump Street movies, there is something for everyone) and comes off as a down-to-Earth dude with a strong work ethic. Seriously, what’s not to like?
He’s also the best friend Jonah Hill has ever had.
Emma Stone
Worst Crime: Being one of the many unfortunate stars to have their name attached to Movie 43.
Whether you’re admiring Stone on-screen in movies like The Help, Easy A, and Birdman or admiring her as a GIF (Stone, like Lawrence, is a major fixture of Internet culture and GIF-dom), you’re definitely admiring her. Heck, even if you are one of the few people mocking her on Twitter , she’s gonna take it in stride. Stone is beautiful, funny, easy-going, charming, and has turned her high-profile relationship with Andrew Garfield as a way to flip the script on the paparazzi and do something for the greater good. Not even those disappointing Amazing Spider-Man movies could make anyone dislike her.
The Birdman star also has vast knowledge of what celebrities look like in their underwear.
Tom Hanks
[Photo: Splash News]
He’s Tom Hanks. And that’s all we have to say about that.
Meryl Streep
Worst Crime: Nabbing Viola Davis’s Oscar in 2012.
We’ll let Cameron from Modern Family take this one: “Meryl Streep could play Batman and be the right choice. She’s perfection. Whether she’s divorcing Kramer, whether she’s wearing Prada…. don’t get me started on Sophie’s Choice.”
Samuel L. Jackson
Worst Crime: Star Wars: Episode I—The Phantom Menace, though to be fair, that’s not really his fault.
Is there anyone more fun to quote than the cooler-than-cool Samuel L. Jackson? (The answer, of course, is no.) The Oscar-nominated actor is not only a powerhouse on screen, but he is a master when it comes to handling some very awkward off-screen interviews.The guy has a resume that includes the likes of Pulp Fiction, Django Unchained, and, lest we forget, Snakes on a Plane. Find someone that doesn’t like Samuel L. Jackson, I DARE YOU. I DOUBLE DARE YOU, MOTHERFUCKER!
Kate Winslet
Worst Crime: Not marrying Leonardo DiCaprio IRL.
Kate Winslet can marry a guy with the last name Rocknroll and have a free trip to outer space courtesy of Sir Richard Branson, and no one bats an eye. That’s because the gorgeous Oscar-winning star captured our hearts in Titanic and we have never let go. The versatile actress has spoken out against and has been an advocate for positive body image. Oh, and she literally saves lives.
Bryan Cranston
Worst Crime: Cooking meth, poisoning a kid, manipulating everyone around him, letting Jane die. Okay, sorry, we may be confusing him with Walter White again.
Bryan Cranston is not only someone who worked hard to earn his place as one of the most respected actors in Hollywood today, but he seems like one of the most genuine and cool dudes out there. Whether he’s showing his Breaking Bad pride or helping fans ask girls to the prom or dancing with Stephen Colbert to “Get Lucky”, he’s pretty much the most lovable guy to ever play one of TV’s most iconic monsters.
Kerry Washington
Worst Crime: There’s no kind words for A Thousand Words.
She’s a fashion icon, a Twitter superstar, a gifted and stunning actress on one of the most popular shows on television (hello, Scandal), and she likes pizza?! It’s almost unfair how awesome Kerry Washington is, but we’re not complaining. Whether she’s totally killing it as an SNL host during a controversial episode or rocking magazine covers, Washington is a force to be reckoned with, and her fans everyone knows that.
Betty White
Worst Crime: Setting standards none of us can possibly live up to.
If we have to explain to you why Betty White can do no wrong… we can’t help you.
Chris Pratt
[Photo: Splash News]
Whether you’ve loved him since Everwood days or fell in love with him as big-hearted doofus Andy Dwyer on Parks and Recreation, you definitely stayed in love with him this year thanks to his charismatic work Guardians of the Galaxy and The LEGO Movie. Pratt is just as likable off-screen, if not more so, thanks to his general good-guy demeanor and his truly sweet relationship with wife Anna Faris.
[Photo: Getty Images]