If there’s one thing the ladies of Citizen Dame understand, it’s thirst. We thrive on thirst. In fact, each of us have more than our fair share of crushes and understand the struggle of trying to watch an entire filmography in a matter of days. Some of us even remember the pre-Ebay and streaming days when an itty-bitty Dame could only cross our fingers in hope the local video store owned a copy of whatever random VHS she happened to be questing for at that time. The advent of streaming technology is one of the best things to happen to we thirsty fangirls with obsessive tendencies. Come back each week as the Dames revel in our thirsty natures in: Thirst Trap.
For our inaugural entry, I’m taking the opportunity to ramble about (one of!) the most recent object of my desires. He’s brunette… he’s British… no… he doesn’t star in a Star Wars movie… yet. (Come on Kathleen, he meets all the requirements to be in a contemporary Star Wars universe… give me this!).
Anyway, I knew about Charlie Cox before he tackled his career making role of Matt Murdock in Netflix’s refurbishing of the Marvel superhero series, Daredevil, it seemingly took his portrayal of the brooding, baggage-laden, blind, crime fighting superhero to truly open my eyes to the joy.
Charlie Cox came to Daredevil having made his screen debut in 2002, working primarily in the United Kingdom. Credits in well-known series like Lewis and Downton Abbey line his early years along with a starring role in the relatively cult fantasy film Stardust. Have I mentioned, Charlie Cox has an accent? Google it. It’s adorable.
He scored a fairly significant break-out in 2011 when he joined the cast of Boardwalk Empire for a season long arc of the popular HBO series. His career continued earnestly before finally scoring the lead role in Netflix comic book series in 2015.
Like Captain America: The First Avenger before it, Daredevil has one thing going for it… thirst. If IMDb is to be believed, Cox put on 30 pounds of muscle for the role, and my oh my does it show. Shirts look wrong on him somehow. In fact (to tie this to previous Citizen Dame discussions), Bad Times at the El Royale director Drew Goddard served as creator and show-runner on the first series of Daredevil, solidifying the fact that the man truly understands the concept of the female gaze. There are so, so, so many opportunities to gaze at Matt throughout the series.
Elektra gets it…
Here Cox is again with Elodie Yung’s Elektra, also in series two. For those of us who (somewhat embarrassingly) thrive on the romantic elements, that story kept on giving. Though, he still needs to suck it up and get with Karen… they deserve each other. I may or may not be forever on the search for sappy fan videos between the two of them….
I’ll just drop this here…
So, I’ve hit on the main plot-point of Matt’s shirtless nature. However, the series also serves a vital role in satisfying Kim’s thirst… suit porn. Yes, yes, I said it. He has an accent (even if he hides it!) and wears suits. There’s ties too! I’m happy as a clam while watching this show.
Okay, must take this beyond the superficial. That’s what people want to hear, right? Ground-breaking analysis? Intellectual thoughts? Well, after some introspection, it seems your’s truly likes some moody baggage… take a look at our Top 5: Cinematic Bad Boys list. That’s not concerning is it? The fact I apparently like a fixer-upper?
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCghUlTLKVA&w=560&h=315]
There is something about these confessional scenes which make me quite… thirsty. It is those sequences which drew me initially to the show, so much darkness and conflict inherent in the intensity of his character. There’s just so much… feeling… inside of Matt. So what if it might be some vaguely homicidal Catholic repression. He’s fighting for the betterment of society darn it!
Six episodes into a season three marathon, Matt’s frustration gave way into a “fuck it” mentality of almost epic proportions. Matt means business. He’s angry and intense… and fiery. The specter of death which hung over the character as The Defenders came to an end morphed into an outlet for the anger Matt’s struggled with since early in the first season.
Charlie Cox appeared at DragonCon a few years ago when I was lucky enough to attend, and between a panel and a photo opportunity he didn’t disappoint. I’ve seen celebrities all over the map in behavior in the uncomfortable situation that is a convention photo-op, and Cox is by far the kindest and most gracious individual I had the opportunity of meeting. He made sure to speak with each person in line, asking names, smiling and thanking them for coming. It meant a lot, and despite my calm cool exterior (I might be lying)… I almost passed out. I mean, that accent.
Charlie Cox’s career started in 2002 and has only picked-up speed. Daredevil continues to be a must-see for anyone into superhero, as it showcases some of the best filmmaking of the genre. All thirst aside, he’s a talented actor who only has one direction to go: up. Keep an eye on his career, this boy is going places.
You’ve been a bad boy… go to my room.
Netflix subscribers can currently stream all three seasons of Daredevil.