Inside Hook claims the original himbos began with characters played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, and Sylvester Stallone. The über tough guy, who became a symbol for fanboys as a more attainable hero, was birthed in action films. Not surprisingly, the himbo has evolved within the action genre and comes in varieties. As The Washington Post outlines, the “himbo erectus” are all muscle with no interest in romance whereas the “himbeau sapiens” are chauvinistic tough guys. The true flexibility of the “himbo” is in movies and TV shows, where he begins as a joke, but grows to be a wholesome and lovable character.
A “himbo” is typically large, beefy, and relatively handsome, but friendly. Across movies and TV shows, the himbo is the muscle and, typically, not the sharpest tool in the shed. One way the himbo is humanized is by pairing them with an organized love interest or a crotchety best friend. Whomever the himbo is paired with, their partnership makes them tolerable. Typically, the himbo has a moment (in movies), or a handful of moments (in TV), where they prove they’re smarter than assumed. After they prove themselves, they are taken a little more seriously. The following eight are the best himbos in movies and TV shows.
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8 Johnny Storm — Fantastic Four (2005)
Constantin Film
The younger brother of Sue Storm, Johnny’s body was altered by a blast of radiation from the sun that allowed him to voluntarily set his body on fire. In his first superhero role, in 2005’s Fantastic Four, Chris Evans portrayed the youngest member of Marvel’s First Family, well, marvelously. Johnny Storm is a classic chauvinist. Additionally, he is the team prankster and risk-taker. Once he receives his powers, he does everything to avoid boredom, including showing off for attention. These risks often result in Johnny being on TV or surrounded by the women he objectifies.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 Andy Dwyer — Parks and Recreation
NBC
In Parks and Recreation, Andy begins as an innocent but dopey boyfriend to Ann, whom he takes advantage of quite frequently. In fact, Andy was originally meant to be Ann’s deadbeat boyfriend for one season, but the writers enjoyed Chris Pratt’s performance so much, they kept him on the show. Andy becomes ambitious in later seasons due to his wife April’s encouragement, but he remains off base in many social situations. Despite not connecting all the dots, Andy’s childlike excitement about life makes him one of the most beloved himbos in TV.
6 Kronk — The Emperor’s New Groove
Disney
As the right-hand man to Yzma, the Emperor’s advisor, Kronk is very dedicated to her, despite her verbal abuse. Throughout The Emperor’s New Groove, he often seems out to sea, especially when the plan to murder Kuzco goes awry, and his main concern is the dinner he made getting cold. Kronk nevertheless gets to prove himself a couple of times in the film. First, he takes over a restaurant kitchen with ease, though it did stall Yzma’s pursuit of Kuzco, and his final redemption comes when Kuzco makes him head chef and the leader of the Squirrel Scouts.
5 Jason Mendoza — The Good Place
The ultimate Florida Man in The Good Place, and the former Jacksonville resident, Jason Mendoza brings distraction in the form of a Molotov cocktail, causing distressful but necessary chaos to his friends in the afterlife. Jason is not the brightest, especially where logic is needed. This Molotov cocktail-loving himbo redeemed himself several times in the afterlife and once when he was back on earth. Of course, his biggest redemption moment comes when he saves everyone from being obliterated.
4 Kevin Beckman — Ghostbusters (2016)
Columbia Pictures
When Abby (Melissa McCarthy), Erin (Kristen Wiig), Jillian (Kate McKinnon), and Patty (Leslie Jones) started their ghostbusters business in 2016’s reboot Ghostbusters, they realized they needed a secretary. Their vacancy was filled by aspiring actor Kevin Beckman (Chris Hemsworth). Though his hiring was solely because Erin had a crush on him, he spent most of his time preoccupied with choosing headshots. Unlike other himbos, Kevin doesn’t necessarily redeem himself as he becomes possessed and wreaks havoc on the city. Even though he survives the possession, he remains virtually unchanged and goes to a deli to make a sandwich.
3 Mr. Peanutbutter — BoJack Horseman
Netflix
The bane of BoJack’s existence in “Hollywoo,” Mr. Peanutbutter had a copy-and-paste style show like his in the 1980s. Ultimately, he had a better career in the long run, as he didn’t struggle with fame the same way as BoJack. Mr. Peanutbutter is annoyingly positive in BoJack Horseman, but like most himbos, remains not the brightest of light bulbs. He eventually finds love after a failed marriage, but can’t keep up with Diane’s ambitions to do more than what “Hollywoo” can offer.
2 Rambo — First Blood
Carolco Pictures
One of the reasons the himbo exists, and why action films are so beloved, is because of Sylvester Stallone’s characters — in particular, his portrayal of Rambo in First Blood. The film is based on David Morrell’s novel of the same title and follows a Green Beret Vietnam Veteran. Rambo is an expert at guerrilla warfare, knife-fighting, and hand-to-hand combat. He is also a stealth master and survivalist. Essentially, he is set apart from other himbos due to his knowledge of various languages.
1 Joey Tribbiani — Friends
The beloved sitcom Friends gave himbos a new direction in TV and film: humor. Joey, portrayed by Matt LeBlanc, was an aspiring actor and food lover. Whenever the group was in a situation or just hanging out, Joey had some of the best reactions, even if he didn’t fully understand what was happening. Joey is typically hitting on women or doing something physical that gets him — or someone else — hurt.
