Charlize and the Hollywood hottie

She dates 'sexiest man alive' - and says she's ready to be a mother

I have no idea how one measures these things, but if a People magazine poll is to be believed, the sexiest man alive is Ryan Reynolds. Ryan who? Yes, you may well ask. Who is this guy who managed to edge out hunks like Robert Pattinson, James Franco and Jake Gyllenhaal?

For those who don't know, Ryan is a rather dashing 34-year-old Canadian actor who has starred in the sitcom Two Guys and a Girl and movies such as The Proposal and Green Lantern. More importantly in Hollywood terms, he was married to starlet Scarlett Johansson until the end of last year.

Presumably, Scarlett could give us a hint or two as to what it was like to be hitched to Mr Sexy. But after three years, she had had enough of his charms and dumped him.

Another who would know is the singer Alanis Morissette. They were lovers for four years and engaged for nearly three before she called it off. Does his beauty wear thin after a few years or is he just a regular Hollywood star ready to play the field?

Perhaps our own Hollywood star, Charlize Theron, could tell us a little more. If the Hollywood rumour mill is to be believed, she and Reynolds have just had a summer fling. The alleged romance was revealed in July by the magazine US Weekly. It claimed the pair had been dating for months. "They're exclusive, and it's very hush-hush," gushed the report.

Apparently, Ryan was spotted leaving Charlize's home in June and they were later seen kissing in the parking lot of a Los Angeles restaurant. The magazine's source explained that the pair would never be seen side by side on a red carpet, claiming Charlize would not go out in public with him. "That's not her style," the source said.

Our Charlize is very careful about keeping her private life private. A check of video clips on YouTube shows just how determined she is not to be photographed during her private time. She is happy to pose and be interviewed when she is on a movie set or red carpet, but she uses her modelling skills to avoid the cameras when she is out with friends, at an airport or visiting her gym.

Earlier this month, US Weekly broke the news that the romance was over. The magazine said that Ryan had called it off, as he was not ready for another serious romance. Charlize, on the other hand, was said to be ready to settle down, have kids and lead a family life.

Charlize broke off a nine-year relationship with Irish actor Stuart Townsend last year, but never talked about it publicly. Everyone had assumed that after nearly a decade together, they would marry and have a family. He was said to be devastated when she called it off.

During a recent interview with Piers Morgan on CNN, Charlize said that marriage and a wedding ceremony were not important to her. But she emphasised that she did believe in long-term relationships. Speaking in London this week, she said she wanted to have a baby and would be happy if it happened as soon as possible. She said she was open to the idea of adopting a child.

But, for someone looking to settle down, she has a very busy time ahead. She has been in Britain this week to promote her forthcoming film, Snow White and the Huntsman, in which she stars as the evil queen. And there is an Oscar buzz about her performance in Young Adult, due out later this year. She is also preparing to star in the latest in the Mad Max series.

She certainly doesn't have to worry about money. The millions have been rolling in for years and her movies have made a total of $800-million. All she needs is to find the right man. And that's easier said than done.

Scarlett is also on the lookout for someone new. After leaving Ryan, she turned to Madonna's ex, Sean Penn. But that lasted only a few weeks.

I know just how these girls feel. Why is it that Mr Wonderful always seems to be available when we aren't, and when we are ready, the landscape seems pretty bleak? And when you have already tried out the sexiest man alive, it's even tougher.