Megan Fox: Worth the Hype?

She’s raven-haired, tattooed, and drop-dead gorgeous. If that makes Megan Fox the next Angelina Jolie, then go ahead and say so. Those of us less prone to lazy comparisons, however, can say that the starlet is a force all her own — one who is not afraid to say exactly what’s on her mind. An example? While promoting her latest flick, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, the 23-year-old Tennessee native had red state conservatives up in arms over a little piece of political commentary. When asked how she would stop Megatron from demolishing the world, she said, “I’d make a deal with him — instead of the entire planet, can you just take out all of the white trash, hillbilly, anti-gay, super Bible-beating people in Middle America?” Who said bluntness isn’t a virtue?

See photos of Megan Fox.

Then there’s the matter of her physical appearance. In the age of Photoshop and airbrushing, it is safe to say that Fox is a Hollywood rarity: a bombshell that oozes sex appeal so naturally, she couldn’t turn it off if she wanted to. And why would she? She is the first to admit, “If I weren’t attractive I wouldn’t be working at all.” With only one major film to her credit (although Transformers 2 will likely be her second) it begs the question: Is her fame warranted or is Megan Fox just another pretty face that will vanish faster than she can say ‘more botox, please!’?

CAREER

No surprise here — Fox began her career as a model, a gig that she quickly parlayed into an acting career. “I always knew what I wanted to do, which was be an actress,” she said. Her first professional acting appearance came quickly, as she starred alongside Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen in Holiday in the Sun, one of too many straight to DVD tween Olsen films. While it was a far cry from cinematic gold, her next job found her on the big screen, co-starring opposite Lindsay Lohan in 2004’s Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen.

Taking a break from film, Fox tried her hand at television, landing guest-starring roles on such shows as What I Like About You and Two and a Half Men before finding a recurring role from 2004 to 2006 on the short-lived sitcom, Hope & Faith. While Fox refers to the show as “really bad,” she was still nominated for a Young Artist Award in 2005.

Her return to the big screen came in 2007 as Mikaela Banes, the lead female role and love interest to Shia LaBeouf in the Michael Bay-directed summer blockbuster Transformers. Her performance not only left tongues wagging, but put Fox on the map in what is widely regarded as her breakout role.

In the years following her Transformers success, Fox’s career teetered; she appeared in a minor role in the box office failure How to Lose Friends & Alienate People. With Transformers 2, Fox has returned to her original launching point and doesn’t seem to be taking the future for granted. This time around, she is tackling bigger roles, including the title character in the upcoming film Jennifer’s Body, written by Juno-penning Academy Award winner Diablo Cody. Also on her agenda: the role of a gun-wielding beauty and love interest to Josh Brolin in Jonah Hex and a starring role in the comic book-based Fathom, which she is set to help develop and co-produce.

PERSONAL LIFE

When Fox met 90210 alum Brian Austin Green on the set of Hope & Faith in 2004, it was love at first sight. “I was like, oh my God, I have to be with you,” she said. The only problem? Fox was 12 years his junior. “I had to convince him that I was slightly more responsible and well-spoken and had other things to bring to the table.” Four years of dating and a marriage proposal later, it is safe to say that Megan’s mission was accomplished. The seemingly levelheaded actress made the classic ‘girl in love’ mistake, however, when she tattooed “Brian” on her lower hip — a bad omen in any relationship. As such, the pair never married.

In early June 2009, Fox ended speculation of the on-again, off-again status of her relationship with Green, making the announcement heard ’round the world by lusting males. “I’m currently what you would call single I guess.” Enter the inevitable hook-up rumors. On the top of that list was Twilight star Robert Pattinson. “I just randomly asked someone for a light and it was him. That was the extent of our ‘relationship,’” she said. Even if R-Patz would have pursued her, she has news for him and other similar young Hollywood heartthrob types. “He and Zac [Efron] — they’re just too pretty with the big hair and the suits. And Rob is, what, 22? Zac is 21? That’s a joke. Boys in their twenties are a waste of time. They have nothing to offer conversationally; they’re immature. I feel like I have a better shot with someone in his thirties.” Sorry, boys.

Fox has also made no secret of the fact that her love knows no boundaries. “I have no question in my mind about being bisexual,” she admitted. “I’m also a hypocrite: I would never date a girl who was bisexual, because that means they also sleep with men, and men are so dirty that I’d never want to sleep with a girl who had slept with a man.”

FINAL VERDICT

In a world of ‘no comments’ and half-hearted denials, Fox’s no-nonsense, tell it like it is demeanor is a breath of fresh air against the cookie cutter celebrity trend of rehearsed rhetoric. While many chalk her frank commentary up to ‘foot-in-mouth’ syndrome, I believe Fox knows exactly who she is and what she is saying and is perfectly OK with it. While she has not earned the iconic status of Marilyn Monroe, whose face is prominently tattooed on her forearm, Fox is one of, if not the, hottest young stars in Hollywood right now. And let us not forget that, in her day, even Marilyn was judged primarily by her sexy exterior.

Fox’s career is still in its early stages, and at 23 years old she has plenty of time to leap into super-stardom. With more leading roles on the horizon as well as plans to produce one of her upcoming films, she is showing no signs of slowing down, and I think the best is yet to come for the young starlet. In the meantime, she works hard for her money and keeps us all entertained, wondering what she will say next. For that, I say she is — pardon the pun — way more than just a fox.

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