matinee idol
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Even better, he has used his beauty not to become a matinee idol but to unsettle and surprise us, portraying characters whose handsomeness is very much the point but not the whole story.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026
Olivier, who was playing Archie Rice, was at the peak of his acting career and considered something of a matinee idol.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2025
Indeed, Sessa has the appeal of an actor from that earlier era, when performers made their names with presence, chops and attitude more than matinee idol looks.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2023
He has matinee idol looks, but if you film him from another angle, he can look very disturbing, and that makes him rather ambiguous, and I wanted this ambiguity for the audience.
From Salon • Apr. 29, 2022
No matinee idol, nervously awaiting his cue in the wings, could have planned his entrance more carefully than Jock had planned this.
From Personality Plus Some Experiences of Emma McChesney and Her Son, Jock by Ferber, Edna
