21st century gay icons: three out experts speculate about which new stars are ready to fill the shoes of Hollywood's legends and the walls of adoring gay fans. (The Hollywood Issue).

                             JOAN CRAWFORD

Jenni Olson                  Julianne
Author, critic, producer     Moore

                             Who else possesses
                             this kind of
                             mythical persona anymore?
                             Winona Ryder could
                             be a budding Joan clone if
                             she could get it together.

Anderson Jones               Michael Jackson
E! Entertainment
                             Like Mommie dearest,
                             Jackson's a control freak
                             who seems less in touch with
                             reality than ever--or at least
                             that's what he wants us to
                             think. He's a master of his own idealized
                             image, just like Joan. He seems to have
                             produced children only to improve his
                             image, and I bet that there are nights
                             when those kids don't sleep because Daddy
                             wants to go shopping at Toys "R" Us.

Frank DeCaro                 Catherine
The Daily Show               Zeta-Jones

                             She scares the hell out of
                             me when she yells "Stop!" in
                             those commercials. I'1 use whatever
                             cell phone provider she wants. Just
                             don't hurt me.

                             EVE ARDEN

Jenni Olson                  Patricia Clarkson
Author, critic, producer
                             Until about 15 minutes
                             ago, she seemed destined
                             for permanent eccentric
                             sidekick status (much
                             like Eve herself). Runners-up:
                             Brooke Shields
                             and Tori Spelling--both
                             terrific comic
                             actresses when
                             given the chance.

Anderson Jones               Jane Kaczmarek
E! Entertainment
                             When will someone rescue her from
                             the certainly lucrative but
                             not-quite-as-high-profile
                             life on Malcolm
                             in the Middle--where she
                             nails every comic bit with
                             a ferociousness no one
                             else on TV can
                             match--and put her
                             in a movie beside
                             Julia, Cameron, or
                             whomever?

Frank DeCaro                 Janeane
The Daily Show               Garofalo

                             Nobody makes a better
                             self-effacing sidekick
                             than our plain Janeane.
                             When we're both in our
                             60s, I'm hoping we'll a
                             do a remake of The
                             Mothers-in-Law
                             together.

                             ROCK HUDSON

Jenni Olson                  Mark
Author, critic, producer     Wahlberg

                             He's got the major
                             sexy bed under the
                             simple butch-guy facade,
                             Honorable mention to Vin
                             Diesel for the naming strategy.

Anderson Jones               Brendan Fraser
E! Entertainment
                             Brendan's a big, hunky
                             romantic lead with a big
                             heart and a square jaw
                             that could crush VW
                             bugs--he hasn't nailed romantic
                             comedy just yet, but give him time.
                             I think, like Hudson, he's underestimated
                             as vapid and pretty, when there's a lot
                             going on behind his eyes. But would Rock
                             ever do a movie opposite another guy
                             named The Rock? In a heartbeat.

Frank DeCaro                 Ben Affleck
The Daily Show
                             Twenty years from
                             now, J. Lo will write a
                             tell-all memoir about
                             the handsome daredevil
                             and call it
                             My Husband,
                             Ben Affleck.

                             CARY GRANT

Jenni Olson                  Jude Law
Author, critic, producer
                             Give him a dye
                             job, and he takes the
                             cake--that accent, that
                             slightly fey British elegance,
                             and the chin
                             dimple! Plus they're
                             both Capricorns.

Anderson Jones               Colin Farrell
E! Entertainment
                             Conventional wisdom
                             says George Clooney--he
                             may be doing Cary on
                             purpose--but I'm going
                             with Farrell as the prototypical
                             lovable rogue
                             who, like Grant, makes
                             no apologies for his scandalous
                             reputation or for
                             the wine, women, and
                             song that fill his nights.

Frank DeCaro                 George Clooney
The Daily Show
                             The guy knows the facts
                             of life and just gets
                             sexier with every
                             passing year. On
                             a scale of 1 to 10,
                             he's Ocean's
                             Eleven.

                             MARLENE DIETRICH

Jenni Olson                  Nicole
Author, critic, producer     Kidman

                             She's the young
                             woman most poised for this
                             kind of legendary icon status
                             right now. Next in line to the
                             throne: Salma Hayek.

Anderson Jones               Angelina
E! Entertainment             Jolie

                             Ballsy. Political.
                             Fearless.
                             Ambiguous.
                             Sexy. Outspoken.
                             She's built
                             for girls and boys, and
                             when she wears pants,
                             she wears pants.

Frank DeCaro                 John
The Daily Show               Cameron
                             Mitchell

                             Smoldering. Elusive.
                             Pansexual. Often blond.
                             This "blue" angel definitely
                             knows what the boys in
                             the back room will have.