Catch These 2022 Divo Performances, Both Grand and Subtle

Gay men worship their divas. From Jessica Lange to Cher to current TV-champion diva Jennifer Coolidge, we fall in love with their often-campy, sometimes over-the-top but always fabulous performances. And onscreen this year we've had several amazing female diva turns, from Cate Blanchett in "Tár" to Margot Robbie in "Babylon to Michelle Yeoh in "Everything Everywhere All at Once"–these mesmerizing thesps have captivated us with their sheer radiance.

But what of the male diva–or divo–onscreen in 2022? There have been plenty of testosterone-fueled, homoerotic machismo –both grand and subtle.

EDGE has compiled a list of the 10 most impressive divo turns this year. Whether you want to jump their bones or just give them a cuddle, these divos made an impression.

Austin Butler in 'Elvis'

Austin Butler recently stated that he didn't see his family for three years while preparing and shooting Baz Luhrmann's visual feast, "Elvis." That dedication and immersion paid off as his portrayal of the King is one of the most sizzling performances of 2022. This divo commands the screen for almost three-hours. The real Elvis was notorious for hip shaking that made conservatives apoplectic–always a sign that you're doing something right. Butler's dynamic moves, stunning good looks and outstanding acting chops make us giddy and excited.

Glen Powell in 'Top Gun Maverick'

Brimming with cockiness and confidence, Glen Powell's Jake Serasin in "Top Gun Maverick" could easily be the bastard child of Val Kilmer's Iceman from the original "Top Gun." Powell radiates charisma and a sexiness that seems to have unlimited boundaries. Powell gives the role his cocksure all with a brazen, bold divo turn, even saving the day in the end. In the required half-naked, homoerotic beach scene (to OneRepublic's "I Ain't Worried") Powell's allure is obvious and throughout the film, he displays a fluidity we rarely see in action films.

Diego Calva in 'Babylon'

In the opening moments of Damian Chazelle's decadent and depraved ode to old Hollywood, "Babylon," an intrepid Manny Torres (Diego Calva) smuggles an elephant across the border for a party and then casually walks through the debauchery unfazed– until he meets Nellie LaRoy (Margot Robbie). The smoldering Calva is the heart of the film, onscreen for much of the 3-hour, 8-minute running time. In one of the sexiest scenes, he helps Brad Pitt's Jack Conrad home and things feel very homo-friendly, until het-helmer Chazelle stops things from going there–a damn shame since Calva's Torres seemed up for anything.

Ram Charan in 'RRR'

The homoeroticism is off the charts in the Telugu-language international box office smash, "RRR" (Rise Roar Revolt) from director S. S. Rajamouli. The based-in-fact (but fictionalized) story centers on two very real Indian heroes, Komaram Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) and Alluri Sitarama Raju (Konidela Ram Charan), who both fought the horrific British authorities. Seething with ferocious sexual energy, Ram Charan, in particular, is the ultimate action divo–brimming with angst, bloodthirst and revengeful, he is also chock full of desire for his bestie (and vice versa). One can't help but breathlessly anticipate what coulda/shoulda been if the director decided to pave a bold path for these two. Rajamouli, intentional or not, has given us a new gayish icon with the ruggedly-gorgeous Charan.

Daniel Craig in 'Glass Onion'

In Aaron Sorkin's clever HBO series, "The Newsroom," Leona Lansing the owner of the network, played Diva-liciously by Jane Fonda, waxes on how much she adores Daniel Craig. The most recent and, arguably sexiest, James Bond, is now flying his comedic freak flag quite high as the eccentric, celebrated detective Benoit Blanc, who also happens to be gay (his lover is cameo'd by Hugh Grant). Craig gets to camp it up in high divo style in Rian Johnson's hilarious "Glass Onion," while effortlessly solving another murder and doing it with such panache. We fully understand Leona's intoxication with Craig.

Jack O'Connell in 'Lady Chatterley''s Lover'

From his naked rain dance frolic to his steamy sex scenes opposite Emma Corrin, Jack O'Connell reveals his considerable talents, but it's in the slow build quiet moments that O'Connell shatters us with his dynamic charisma as the Lawrencian gamekeeper Oliver Mellors in Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre's adaptation of the classic 1928 novel "Lady Chatterley's Lover." His raw, fully fleshed-out performance will have many women and gay men swooning.

Sebastian Stan in 'Fresh'

One of the first times queer audiences noticed Sebastian Stan was in the keen limited series, "Political Animals," where he played the fucked up gay son of Sigourney Weaver's former first lady. Recently he's made his mark in the indie film, "Monday," and the Hulu series, "Pam and Tommy"–both featured quite a bit of Stan in his naked glory. But the actor got to register a full-on divo performance in Mimi Cave's witty and warped film "Fresh" opposite Daisy Edgar-Jones, ("Normal People") about a date gone wacky and wildly wrong. Stan's over-the-top, sadistic performance channels Christian Bale's Patrick Bateman in "American Psycho." You don't know whether to want to kill him or fuck him...or both.

Harris Dickinson in 'See How They Run'

Hot and handsome Harris Dickinson has already enraptured the queer community playing wayward gay boys in "Beach Rats" and "Postcards from London." 2022 saw three very different performances from the young yummy. In Olivia Newman's "Where the Crawdads Sing" he is the seductive, yet treacherous jock, Chase Andrews. Ruben Östlund cast him as hottie model Carl who ends up prostituting himself for food in the keen satire, "Triangle of Sadness." But it is in Tom George's little-seen but wonderfully entertaining whodunnit, "See How They Run," that Dickinson is allowed to go full-on divo, chewing lots of scenery portraying the real life "Mousetrap" thesp Dickie (Richard) Attenborough (who would go on to win an Oscar for directing "Gandhi") with great flourish and even greater ego! Bravo!

Dominic West in 'Downton Abbey: A New Era'

While many fixate on his turn as Prince Charles in "The Crown," there are those of us who prefer to concentrate on Dominic West's charming and semi-closeted silent film star, Guy Dexter in Simon Curtis' "Downton Abbey: A New Era." The suave thesp charms everyone around him but saves his most sincere moments for butler Thomas Barrow (Robert James Collier). Initially there is apprehension on Barrow's part but, in the end, he is willing to take a grand leap of faith. West has played gay characters before ("Pride") but here he is super sexual in a decidedly understated manner, which adds to his magnetism.

Bill Skarsgård in 'Barbarian'

Is he a creeper or just a nice guy? Hard to know since we've learned never to trust Bill Skarsgård thanks to his roles in "It," "It: Chapter Two," and "Castle Rock." In Zach Cregger's spine-chillingly enjoyable thriller, "Barbarian," Skarsgård teases us as the stranger who is staying in Georgina Campbell's Airbnb when she arrives. Could he really be just a sweet hunky Samaritan trying to work out a strange situation...or is there something more sinister going on? The actor subverts expectations and creates anxiety-inducing excitement for the viewer. And boy is he nice to look at.