Grab some popcorn and a pack of Junior Mints! We’re going behind-the-scenes to reel in the latest on must-see movies, film fashion, set design and more!

This month we’re catching up with the big screen’s most-compelling leading men. From swordplay to surfing, get the goods on what your favorite stars are up to!

Orlando Bloom
Orlando’s star outshines almost every other in the galaxy as far as we’re concerned. We’ve watched the Lord of the Rings trilogy an embarrassing number of times and enjoyed Pirates of the Caribbean as well. We even sat through box office bombs Kingdom of Heaven and Troy. Now we’re in an ecstasy of anticipation for Cameron Crowe’s Elizabethtown, which co-stars Kirsten Dunst. Meanwhile, the first of two Pirates of the Caribbean sequels is due out next year and he’s currently filming the romantic comedy Love and Other Disasters in the U.K. To us, too much Bloom is never enough.

Joseph Fiennes
To fashionistas like us, nothing is more inspiring than a good period flick with fabulous costumes and luscious scenery and sets. Joseph Fiennes has perfected the tight-wearing, swashbuckling role in movies like Shakespeare in Love and Merchant of Venice. A quick look at IMDB.com's current listing for Fiennes reveals that he has several adaptations up his lace-embellished sleeve. First he'll star as Laurent in a retelling of Emile Zola's tragic novel Therese Raquin with Franka Potente (Run Lola Run, The Bourne Supremecy) and Glenn Close. Then, next year, we'll see him as Neil Bookman in an adaptation of Augusten Burroughs' best-selling memoir Running with Scissors, a tough but true tale about the son of a mentally-ill poetess (with Gwyneth Paltrow and Annette Bening). 

Cary Grant
No list of leading men could be complete without the inclusion of classic film star Cary Grant. Originally born in Bristol, England, Cary remains one of the most beloved stars in American cinema. In films such as Hitchcock’s noir thrillers North by Northwest and To Catch a Thief and romantic comedies like Arsenic and Old Lace and The Philadelphia Story, he played the part of a suave, sophisticated, and witty gentleman to perfection. His co-stars included famed actresses such as Katherine Hepburn, Audrey Hepburn, and Grace Kelly.

Jake Gyllenhaal
We’ve been a fan of Jake since he wowed us in the cult hit Donnie Darko, where he portrayed a troubled teen with superhero tendencies. While Jake’s turn as a survivor in the action flick The Day After Tomorrow was a fun change from his usually serious roles, we’re looking forward to seeing him return to form in director Ang Lee’s (Sense and Sensibility, Ice Storm) upcoming Brokeback Mountain and the Sam Mendes’ flick Jarhead. When he’s not saving the world, Jake spends time surfing and hanging with gal pal Kirsten Dunst.

Heath Ledger
When Shakespeare-quoting Heath Ledger took lucky Julia Stiles to the prom in the hit high school flick 10 Things I Hate About You, we swooned! Since then the hunky Aussie has been busy starring in films like A Knight’s Tale and Lords of Dogtown as well as the limited-release Australian western Ned Kelly with former girlfriend Naomi Watts and Orlando Bloom (which we highly recommend). Next up, Heath co-stars with Jake in Brokeback Mountain and plays the title role in the historical romance Casanova. We can’t wait! Further down the road, Heath is scheduled to make another movie with Lords of Dogtown writer Stacy Peralta; this one about surfer Greg Noll.

Will Smith
What’s not to love about Fresh Prince rapper turned big-time actor Will Smith? His boyish charm and fan-friendly demeanor work just as well on the red carpet as they do in his box office smashes like Men in Black and Bad Boys. Plus, he’s shown off his bona fide acting chops with meaty starring roles in Ali and Six Degrees of Separation. 2006 has Will playing a superhero in Tonight, He Comes, a salesman in Pursuit of Happyness, and a father in Time Share (alongside Nicolas Cage).

Ioan Gruffudd
The strikingly handsome actor (King Arthur, The Fantastic Four) and noble seafarer Horatio in A&E’s Hornblower series is set to play a new kind of hero in the film Amazing Grace. Ioan will star as William Wilberforce, an 18th century British slavery abolitionist. He’s currently filming The TV Set, which satirizes the production of a TV pilot. (Ioan will perhaps be able to employ his own experience with the short-lived series Century City.) David Duchovny and Sigourney Weaver are also in the film. We can only hope that Ioan will find time in his packed schedule for a new Hornblower film.

Johnny Depp
A longtime favorite of cinephiles (film lovers) everywhere, Johnny made the leap from hit T.V. series 21 Jump Street to the big screen after playing the lead role in the quirky Tim Burton film, Edward Scissorhands. However, it was the box office triumph of 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean that finally launched Johnny into super stardom. With two Pirates of the Caribbean sequels in the works as well as upcoming independent films like The Libertine and The Diving Bell and The Butterfly, Johnny proves that success and artistic integrity don’t have to be a contradiction.

Make Movie Magic as a Costume Designer
When you watch a film, play, or TV show, do you notice what the characters are wearing? Maybe you always have the best or most creative costume on Halloween. Costume Designers create the designs that actors and actresses wear in film, TV, and theatre. The designs must work with the character and the script, whether it's set in the 1800s or 2050.

Click here to find out more about this major at FIDM.edu.