How the 'Cinnamon Roll man' is replacing the brooding alpha male
Make mine a Cinnamon Roll Man! How brooding alpha male is being replaced by ‘sweeter, kinder’ heartthrobs such as Harry Styles, Timothee Chalamet and Paul Mescal
- The term was coined in romantic literature as novelists’ main male leads are becoming more thoughtful, complicated characters and less alpha male
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Close the door on your way out…apparently the brooding, over-muscled alpha male stereotype is ding-dong dead, replaced with a new incarnation that is sweeter and softer – but still looks great.
Dubbed the ‘Cinnamon Roll Man’, the latest kind of heartthrob is an erudite two fingers up to toxic masculinity – with Harry Styles leading the CRM field.
With a passion for high culture, ethical collaborations and beautiful clothes, while still loving their mums, the Cinnamon Roll Man is apparently on the rise.
Where does the phrase ‘Cinnamon Roll Man’ come from? Apparently its origins are in romantic literature, where a new generation of writers are featuring male protagonists who are anything but the traditional knight in shining armour, reflecting a more modern, less overtly masculine male.
Harry isn’t flying the Cinnamon Roll man flag alone though, there’s a whole raft of gentler, sweeter souls capturing hearts. Here, FEMAIL looks at the main contenders….
Move aside alphas, there’s a new breed of man in town; first coined in romantic literature, ‘the cinnamon roll man’ is a more thoughtful heartthrob
HARRY STYLES: THE CINNAMON ROLL MAN POSTER BOY
Harry Styles continues to woo, well, most of the world, with his exuberant outfits and on-stage charm
Need a masterclass in how to shrug off an alpha male persona? Refer to former One Direction hero Harry Styles, who has shimmied his way into the world’s hearts wearing everything from spangles to spandex while performing in almost every continent.
His chart hits exude the sweet, squidgy Cinnamon Roll message; imploring people to ‘treat people with kindness’ and telling fans that he just wants to ‘adore you’.
On chat shows, he’s the epitome of self-deprecation… polite, charming and never crude. And his ascent from boybander to global star has been carefully crafted, he’s chosen interesting roles from the off; a soldier in Dunkirk, a gay officer in The Policeman and heading back to the stylish 50s in Don’t Worry Darling.
Mad about Harry: The star ticks every Cinnamon Roll Man box
Critical acclaim for his film work eludes him but they’ve all been wise moves in helping create a more thoughtful persona for the star.
It’s on stage that Styles has mastered his thoroughly modern man craft though; offering to be the vehicle for proposals, coming out stories and gender reveals and interacting with his audience in a way other more aloof stars might look down on.
Romance? After a long-term romance with Olivia Wilde, there’s been a recent dalliance in a Japanese car park with Emily Ratajkowski, but mostly Harry seems in love with his audience, as any self-respecting Cinnamon Roll Man would be.
MARCUS RASHFORD: A FOOTBALLER WITH A CONSCIENCE
Bucking the trend that footballers like to just party off the pitch, Rashford has been outspoken on food poverty since before the pandemic
Forget floppy-haired, rippling calved Jack Grealish and his party hard antics, Marcus Rashford is arguably known just as much for his work off the pitch as on it.
Determined to make a difference to those in food poverty, the Manchester United striker has helped fund millions of meals for families across the UK via his work with charity FareShare.
Rashford, 25, partnered with the charity around the start of the first lockdown, concerned that school closures could lead to millions of pupils going hungry.
Awarded an MBE in November 2021, he said he would give it mum Melanie, who raised Rashford and his four siblings single-handedly during his childhood in Manchester.
After his recent split from childhood sweetheart Lucia Loi, he’s also single and ready to mingle.
TIMOTHEE CHALAMET: VOGUE COVER SHOOTS AND SUSTAINABLE COLLABS
American-French actor Timothee Chalamet looks like a rock star and frequently shows off his sensitive side in interviews
The actor has focused on ethical collabs – including with vegan shoe brand Tretorn
The tousled-haired Charlie and the Chocolate Factory star, rumoured to currently be dating Kylie Jenner, is, like Harry Styles, regularly dubbed a Cinnamon Roll man…
What do we know? The raven-haired actor is more than partial to a fashion shoot – posing up a storm for Vogue in September 2022 – and, like Styles, unafraid of outlandish stage outfits.
He’s a sensitive soul too, and has frequently spoken out on the nuances of living in a peak digital age.
At the Venice Film Festival last year, he told reporters how much he hated social media, saying: ‘To be young now, and to be young whenever—I can only speak for my generation—is to be intensely judged.’
When it comes to on-brand collaborations, he’s often chosen less than mainstream partnerships including with Swedish vegan shoe brand Tretorn. When he agreed to represent Chanel Bleu this year, a certain Martin Scorsese directed the accompanying film.
PAUL MESCAL: PARTIAL TO A BROOCH
Seemingly shy in interviews, Normal People star Mescal cuts a stylish figure on the red carpet
Mescal has the world at his feet, but remains attractively grounded; he took his mum to the Oscars after his nomination for Aftersun
County Kildare-raised Mescal, 27, who shot to fame as sensitive student Connell in the hit lockdown adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People, played perhaps the most alpha of males in the West End this year.
Yet he emerged from playing brutal, complicated Stanley Kowalski in Rebecca Frecknall’s version of A Streetcar Named Desire with his Cinnamon Roll reputation still very much in tact.
The 27-year-old received an Oscar nomination for his role as a doting father in Aftersun and has described his ascent to the A-list as ‘kinetic and energised’, telling the BAFTA red carpet last year that he’d felt a wave of ‘kindness’ in response to his films.
His ‘idols’ remain high profile members of the Irish acting fraternity including Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson.
Down-to-earth and almost shy in interviews, Mescal has a slick dress sense, with a diamond stud and brooches making frequent appearances on his award ceremony suits – and his mullet going nowhere fast.
His closeness to his family have won the hearts of many fans – his mother Dearbhla, who has breast cancer, sat next to her son at the Oscars this year.
QASA ALOM: A TENNIS GEEK WITH A PASSION FOR CLIMATE CHANGE
Anyone for tennis? New Wimbledon host Alom is a self-proclaimed ‘tennis geek’ and has spoken out frequently on climate change
A huge tennis fan (and self-proclaimed tennis ‘geek’), Wimbledon’s new host Qasa Alom is a breath of fresh air in the alpha male dominated arena of sports.
Last summer, he was part of the team on the BBC’s coverage of the Commonwealth Games as well as the London Marathon – and has also been at the helm of shows on the BBC’s Asian Network and 5 Live.
Elsewhere, the filmmaker runs his own YouTube channel, QasaVision, which explores issues stemming from the climate crisis, and he is passionate about protecting the environment.
A snappy dresser, Alom regularly shares photos on his Instagram account of his travels…but is apparently single. Adorable dog, Rafa – who may well have been named after tennis star Rafa Nadal – will do nothing to harm his Cinnamon Roll credentials.
MONTY DON: GREEN-FINGERED WONDER IN A LINEN SUIT
Marvellous Monty: The horticulturalist has been open about his struggles with mental health, and how being in nature has helped him
At the grand old age of 67, Monty Don has long been called the thinking woman’s heartthrob thank to his lifelong love of nature. Now, the Chelsea Flower Show stalwart might also be included in the Cinnamon Roll Man collection.
He looks far more comfortable in his famously baggy linen suits than a sharp tux – and even more comfortable with a spade in hand tending to plants.
Frank about his struggles with depression and an eating disorder, Monty has paved the way for younger men to open up about their mental health.
The celebrity gardener, who has OBE for services to horticulture, said in his memoir: ‘Earth heals me better than any medicine.’
When his dog Nigel died in 2020, his frankness about pet grief saw a nation weep alongside him, after he wrote: ‘Rest now old friend. See you in the sweet bye and bye.’
The golden retriever had become the surprise star of BBC Two’s Gardeners’ World, receiving his own fan mail, social media fan accounts and even lent his name to Don’s book Nigel: My Family And Other Dogs.
JOE KEERY: FLOPPY-HAIRED STRANGER THINGS STAR WHO’S A DEVOTED BOYFRIEND
Cute! Rising to fame as a bad boy in Netflix hit Stranger Things, Keery’s fans have come to love him for his softer side in real life
Fancy a soft boy with a taste for adventure? The star of Stranger Things has won over legions of fans thanks to his character Steve Harrington, who sheds a bad boy personal to become a central part of the Netflix hit’s intrigue.
Steve’s unserious plots – which even saw him sporting a sailor outfit throughout the majority of the show’s third season, only added to his popularity.
Keery’s cinnamon credentials include a sweet, happy-go-lucky demeanour during interviews and a sweeping hair of hair that has become a running joke on Stranger Things itself.
The Massachusetts native, 31, is also known for his musical musing as part of his band Post Animal, a psychedelic rock band formed in 2014.
However, he had to leave the band in 2018 to focus all of his energy on Stranger Things.
The Netflix beau has been a devoted boyfriend to actress Maika Monroe since they met on the set of After Everything in 2017.
And Joe has also won over fan with his sense of humour, always delighted to make fun of himself.
FRANK OCEAN: RAPPER TURNED SWEET SOUL, WITH ‘LOVE AND JOY’ A PRIORITY
Stylish, cultured and seeking ‘love and joy’, singer Frank Ocean screams Cinnamon Roll Man
The sweet jams of Frank Ocean’s Blonde has been regarded as an anthem for the Soft Bois of TikTok – the Cinnamon rolls’ cousin, described as a softer and cuter version of a player.
Ocean is cinnamon down to his choice of breakfast, telling Dazed in 2019 he liked to start the say with a milky bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch and Apple Cinnamon Cheerios.
In the same interview, the singer, 35, described himself as a ‘little synthetiser’ and called ‘love and joy’ the ‘ultimate luxury’.
The singer has been waving the LGBTQ+ flag since he suggested he was bi or gay in a Tumblr post in 2013.
However, if you were hoping to get a slice of that cinnamon bun, he is currently rumoured to be dating Omar Apollo.
The singer also cultivates his cultured side and has recently published a book with photographs taken by none other than himself.
Ocean has a knack for fashion as well, and founded Homer, his independent luxury brand in 2023.
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