Queue-T: Simon Pegg is Our Most Modern Leading Man

What even IS a leading man in 2016? Do you have to be Jason Bourne? Kevin Hart? Star in one of those ubiquitous superhero/sci-fi films? Ooze Nicholas Sparks-levels of romance? Wait, what if all those guys could be balled up into one ultra leading man? Oh, he already exists?
He sure does, and his name is Simon Pegg. There is no genre of film that his man hasn’t conquered; he’s versatile AF. He’s been the nerd (several times), he’s been the sweet guy you can’t help but fall for, and he’s kicked some major ass, both on purpose and kind of by accident. So in other words, move over Goslings of the world (yeah right, there’s only one Gosling in this universe) because there’s nothing this dude can’t do.

Simon is perhaps best known for his work with his best pals Nick Frost and Edgar Wright on the films Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and The World’s End, known to film nerds as the Cornetto Trilogy. In all three, he’s the indisputable star, whether he’s seriously, silly, or somewhere in between. While the personality traits of the characters he plays over the course over those three movies change, one thing does not: he is always the leader. In Shaun, he leads his friends to safety from zombies. In Hot Fuzz, he was on a mission to lead the police force in a sleepy town away from corruption. And in The World’s End, he’s responsible for dragging his high school pals on a fateful pub crawl. It should be noted, he also served as co-writer on all three of those films.
Then there’s faithful sidekick Simon. In the Mission: Impossible and Star Trek films, Simon plays Benji and Scotty, respectively. Both characters are technology-capable, smart, problem solvers, for the most part. He’s the guy his pals look to when they’re in just a bit of a predicament. It’s up to him to help them sneak by danger, with the quick hack of a computer or by telling them the best route to use to flee the scene, then punctuating the excitement with a swipe of his brow.

Pegg is more than capable in his action comedies, but let’s talk about his roles in romantic comedies. Films like How to Lose Friends & Alienate People, Run, Fatboy, Run, and even most recently, Man Up, have gone criminally overlooked. He’s an expert at playing a total gentleman who knows to open doors for women, while also being kind of a wimp in a sweet way, and at the same time, balancing Gervais-ian levels of unearned confidence. But Pegg is at his best when he’s playing the kind of guy that cracks himself up, but not in a douchey way, in a nice way. He’s unassuming, yet able to charm anyone, whether they are co-starring with him or watching him.
Pegg is one of those actors that is so subtly good, we just might take him for granted. Very few other actors are able to convincing fall into roles that range from best friend to boyfriend to badass, from total nerd to dream man, from super smartypants to dopey dummy. He can be the heart, the brains, and the balls of a film, and sometimes all three at once. So wherever this man is leading, it’s very wise to follow.
If you want to see Simon for yourself, try these 5 picks:
1. Spaced

This British sitcom ran for 2 seasons (14 episodes total) and was the first time Pegg, Frost and Wright collaborated so closely together. They packed a ton of fun into such a short run for the show about two single people who pretend they are coupled up to get a sweet apartment. It’s nerdy, it’s funny, it’s weird and it’s totally great.
[Where to stream Spaced]
2. Man Up

You might want to watch this one with a lab coat on because the chemistry between Pegg and Lake Bell will pour out of any screen you watch it on. The rom com about two people who sort of accidentally go on a date is charming as hell and will make you wish you were the third wheel on their lovely night through London.
[Where to stream Man Up]
3. The World’s End

The third film in the Cornetto Trilogy finds Pegg as Gary King, a troubled guy who just cannot let go of his high school years, no matter how hard his friends try to help him to. It’s going to take an extraterrestrial force to help him grow up and face reality. Really.
[Where to stream The World’s End]
4. How to Lose Friends & Alienate People

If you’re in the mood for a light, harmless comedy that takes place in the world of celebrity magazines, featuring Pegg, Megan Fox, Gillian Anderson, and Kirsten Dunst, well this is the movie for you!
[Where to stream How to Lose Friends & Alienate People]
5. Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol

The action sequences in this movie never stop feeling impressive and Pegg fits right in with fellow action heros Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner and Paula Patton.
[Where to stream Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol]