Moonlightaholics

I don't know if there has been a previous thread on this topic but it is something I have been thinking about recently - sometimes when I am trying to fall asleep. I am definitely old enough that Alex could be my son. My oldest daughter is actually only a few years younger than him. I imagine I am one of the older women on this board but I suspect there are plenty in their 40s and perhaps 50s - not necessarily old enough to be his Mother but definitely his senior. Brad Pitt is closer in age than Alex but he does nothing for me. Actually in terms of Alex - I am in a happy marriage that has lasted a long time - so it isn't like I am looking to go to bed with him (although I would love to do that in my dreams) - it's more that I want him to have what makes him happy, while at the same time, wanting to keep a little part of him for us fans.

So what is it about Alex that resulted in my joining a web-site, making contributions for pizza during the Writers Strike, making contributions for coffee after the strike ended, sending a lot of feedback and letters to CBS, flying cross country to the Paley event including standing and sitting outside for a whole day, sending in more money, flying to Chicago, and then ultimately taking a middle of the night trip to Pittsburgh on the hopes of seeing him? The key element in almost all of this is Moonlight, not just Alex, but without him, it wouldn't have happened. I haven't really felt this way about any actor since I was a teenager when I couldn't always differentiate fantasy from reality. As a married adult, the closest I probably came was Richard C. and that was mainly because of the Thornbirds. Of course, as it turned out, he was gay. But at least he was older than me.

Yes Alex is a very talented actor and certainly great looking. But to be truthful not all of his looks appeal to me - The Invisible definitely did not. But there have been other wonderful good looking actors - I really liked Christopher Reeves in Superman 2 and Somewhere in Time - but I wasn't sending him birthday cards. For me I think there is something about Alex that makes him seem a little more accessible - since he hasn't really hit it super big yet - but he isn't as accessible as Jason seemed to be for instance. And I realize the accessibility factor will probably go by the wayside once the movie comes out.

Alex's voice is something I absolutely adore, but there probably have been others with wonderful voices. I think for me that I wind up skipping the age issue somehow, because I still foolishly think of Alex as being connected to Mick St. John, and Mick is old enough to be my father. So that makes the age issue okay although I know Mick isn't real. Another factor involving Alex is that I see him as so connected to Mick St. John and Mick was absolutely so in love with Beth that he gave up the thing dearest to him to save her life. Oh to have a love like that!

As I am writing this, I realize I probably really sound stupid, but I just wanted to get this off my chest, and also ask what others think? What is it about Alex that has made us love him so?

Thanks for reading.

MoonlightSonata,

I have thought about this a lot myself. It is an odd phenomenon isn't it?

I have a theory.... I think it has everything to do with Mick and his circumstances. Then, how we relate that to our own mortality. Consider the question "If you had the chance to be a teenager again, would you do it?". In most of my conversations, most people say that they would never do that. If the question is changed to being "in your 20's", a few more say they'd do it but still mostly not. When the question becomes being "in your 30's", the balance shifts. Most people think of their 30's as still young but still old enough to have a sense of yourself.

Now, let's change the question to "If you had a chance to be a teenager again AND you get to know all that you know now", there is a much bigger number of takers on that. Having the wisdom gained over so many years is important even though our youth oriented culture has tried to beat it out of us.

So, let's look at Mick. Here's a man who has gained a lot of knowledge in his 85 years. He has experiences that I share (I lived through Duran Duran "Hungry like the Wolf"). His flaws endear Mick to us and brings out the female "I can fix this man" need as so many bad boys tend to do to women. Except that Mick wants to be fixed AND he looks like he's the vision of someone I might have had a crush on when I was younger. Personally for me, Mick's hair reminds me of a boyfriend I had back in high school. Sort of makes me remember when I was that age. Yet, he has this wonderful moral compass.

As I've read blog entries from Alex, I've seen that, even though he is a lot younger than Mick, he seems to share Mick's moral compass by being kind to people, etc. He was also deeply affected by Moonlight's cancellation which sort of bonded us in a very one-sided way. I've probably transferred a lot of Mick's personality traits to Alex with very little real reason to do so.

I hope that makes some sense. It may not, but then I don't really understand my obsession with ML.

I think women that I know that are attracted to Alex were first attracted to Mick. Mick was our first impression of Alex and we were gonners before we ever really knew what the real Alex was like. Mick had experienced some of the same things we did or our fathers did (mine was in WWII). Mick had a moral code that a lot of us were raised with. Mick acted like a mature, serious man, a take charge but, yet, still polite man and very courteous of women. I think first impressions are BIG. We had a first great impression of Alex.


After first knowing Mick our attention turned to Alex. Alex is in his 30s, so that makes him 20 or more years younger than a lot of us. and Hey! fantasy-wise that's doable.... I mean it's within the realm of possibility anyway. Alex has a few wrinkles that show his life experience. Also Alex has amazing confidence that is very attractive, yet has a humility at the same time. Of course, his looks speak for themselves.

Alex has always tried to portray a maturity in all his dealings with his fans and has made himself accessible to his fans. His kindness and humor shows. I think once fans found out that Alex was quite a guy personally, they had even more reason to be a fan.

I think one of the biggest reasons why he follow Alex now is the Internet. Without discovering the Moonlight boards, my Moonlight obsession would have been forced to die long ago, and I wouldn't be exposed to Alex the way I have been and I wouldn't have sought out articles on him and found out what a nice guy he really is.

Here's one answer that may address this a bit. Yeah, I'm "older" (in my 50's), but somehow my self-image is still that I'm a young woman. I think that internally, most of us see ourselves as still young and vibrant--and that internal vision guides our responses. Besides, all personality issues aside (and valid points have been made above), you have to admit that Alex is a very physically beautiful young man, and hey, we may be older, but we're not blind. Aesthetically pleasing is still aesthetically pleasing, no matter your age.

Lucky

I have thought about this as recently as this morning, in fact.
I am 50. Old enough to be his mother, but I console myself that I'd be a fairly young one!
I find myself having conversations with him in my head, asking him this very question.
And just hope he doesn't think we are just a bunch of sick old ladies!
For me, I fell head over heels with Mick St. John, and what made him tick.
His "old fashionedness" for want of a better description.
Maybe that's the appeal to us 50 plussers?
Alex has got a slightly 'bad boy' appeal!
He's as sexy as all get out!!!!
But with a 'Mum brought me up right' attitude.
I have grown very fond of Alex. I like him. I would love to meet him.
And the first thing I would do is give him a hug and say thank you for bringing me Mick, then proceed to have a pleasant and interesting conversation over a glass or two of a preferred beverage.

I'm a lot older than you guys and can only speak for myself. It was and is Mick who "attracts" me. No matter how successful, educated or competent we may be, how "modern" we are, there is hard wired in our nature a desire,an absolute need for a Defender/Protector in our lives. Many of us haven't had that feeling of protection for many years. It's a tough world out there, and, while we cope very well, we sometimes feel we have to do everything ouselves and feel the void left by the absence of a strong defender propping us up when we "sag". A Mick St. John in our lives would allow us to rest awhile while he "took care of" things for a bit. We "older women" have spent too many years "doing it ourselves" with little or no help. The fact that Mick is also gorgeous doesn't hurt.

For me, I've always know what attracts me to Alex. Its just hard to put into words. Its always right there up front and center when he's interviewed...its his joie de vivre. He's always so full of life, so full of that quality that we all want but so few possess. His looks, of course, are a plus, but then I've been attracted to men who wouldn't rate very high on the hot looks scale. When I watch and listen to Alex, whatever it is that he has, his aura, just seems to reach out to me and for a time my pulse quickens and I feel just a small smidgeon of the energy coursing through him. I don't know. Like I said, its hard for me to put into words. The roles that he has played also seem to have that aura of energy and demand attention. I know women that claim Alex does nothing for them. And like sonata says above, Brad Pitt does nothing for me. So its definitely interesting to see that everyone is different. What attracts one to another sometimes is not mutual or exclusive. What's appealing to some, leaves others unfazed.

(ahem) Forget being old enough to be his mother, I bet I'm older than his mother. I don't quite know how this atrocity happened to me because, as Lucky said, and unless I'm sick or really overdo it, I don't feel that old inside.
On another board, Helloeeze said that Mick was Mr. Darcy, Mr. Rochester and about five other romantic heroes rolled into one only better and he was. He looks about thirty but he is really 85 (so age appropriate), he has manners, taste, courtesy and time. He is nearly perfect and his imperfections are thoughtful, moral, ethical concerns not ugly, mundane issues. And I think seamus3333 is on to something, too:

seamus3333 wrote:I'm a lot older than you guys and can only speak for myself. It was and is Mick who "attracts" me. No matter how successful, educated or competent we may be, how "modern" we are, there is hard wired in our nature a desire,an absolute need for a Defender/Protector in our lives. Many of us haven't had that feeling of protection for many years. It's a tough world out there, and, while we cope very well, we sometimes feel we have to do everything ouselves and feel the void left by the absence of a strong defender propping us up when we "sag". A Mick St. John in our lives would allow us to rest awhile while he "took care of" things for a bit. We "older women" have spent too many years "doing it ourselves" with little or no help. The fact that Mick is also gorgeous doesn't hurt.

I fell hard for Mick St. John and consequently became interested in Alex. Does it feel awkward sometimes? Well, yes. I'm really glad that he comes across in his interviews as an intelligent decent man. I'd feel more than awkward if he opened his mouth and sounded like one of those spoiled brats, crude and vulgar louts or flaming idiots that the entertainment/news shows are always profiling.
So far he has, amazingly, lived up to my unrealistic, high expectations and I remain captivated by his talent, ability and looks.

I am an "older woman" and not attracted to Alex. I am attracted to Mick who seemed so mature and wise (and hot). Alex inhabited that character and that's what I am attracted to. I am a fan of Alex, wishing him the best out of gratitude and because his personality seems so earnest and sweet. If I had seen him in anything else, I doubt this attraction would have happened.

It could seem to be a strange thing, the fact that Alex has this 'older woman' fanbase, but I agree it's because of Mick St John. Mick was an incredibly appealing hero and obviously spoke to all of us on various levels and as ML had an audience that skewed older, Alex managed to acquire an older fanbase. I have not met one Moonlight fan over the course of the last two years who didn't love Mick. Most of us fell for Mick first and then our admiration for Alex grew from that after getting to know him through interviews etc., It was apparent from very early on that he had a very charismatic personality. I know not all ML fans love Alex, but I'm surprised at how many became firm fans of his because of the show.

If Alex was an airhead, shallow and lacking personality, then I imagine his fanbase would have largely been among those of the younger ML fans who are used to being blinded by the pretty without needing more to back it up. But every time he was interviewed he made us warm to him more with his genuine love of the show and the character he played (a love we shared and understood). I also found it very attractive that his co-stars clearly admired him as well. Jason and Sophia's genuine affection for him came through every time they mentioned him, and that was something that was impossible to fake. So, the combination of that as well as him being witty, self-effacing, and absolutely charming, had me sighing and chuckling every time I heard or saw him out of character. Even allowing for the filtering that all 'celebrities' must do when they speak publicly, Alex came across as a very genuine, appreciative guy who didn't take himself too seriously.

I also agree with Helloeeze that the internet has played a large part in keeping us interested in him. We get to read every word ever written about him, we see all the interviews, and because he's been so high profile in the last year or so, it's not been hard to stay in touch with his life and career. I know I also appreciate that he keeps his private life private. I respect him for that.

But first and foremost I think it was Mick that hooked us first, even though many of us are now very happy to follow his career in whatever direction he decides to go in. I sometimes wonder just how many of us older ladies would have given him a second glance if he'd played a different character on a different series and we happened to watch it.