The recent airing of SNL’s 50th-anniversary special was a joy to witness in many ways. It brought back beloved former cast members such as Tina Fey, Kate McKinnon, Amy Poehler, and Adam Sandler. Not only did the episode harken back to the old, but fans received the newest installation of the internet’s favorite sketch and suave paramour: Domingo.
“Domingo: Vow Renewal” features a plethora of celebrity cameos. Sabrina Carpenter stars as the bride’s childhood bestie to help sing a parody version of her hit “Espresso.” Of course, Marcello Hernández returns as Domingo, bringing his two brothers with him, Santiago (Bad Bunny) and Rinaldo (Pedro Pascal).
The sketch features so many iconic moments, but in the aftermath of its airing, one clip, in particular, has gained traction on social media as an accurate representation of what all of us are feeling about Domingo’s older brother.
Now that SNL (and Carpenter) have reminded the world of Pascal’s dreaminess, we thought we’d take the time to compile a definitive (and highly opinionated) list of other hotties of a similar caliber, particularly men who have taken the world by storm as a niche paragon of male sexiness, which Pascal very much falls under. We’re talking about DILFs. The male counterpart to MILF (Mom-I’d-Like-to-F*ck), DILF affectionately stands for “Dad-I’d-Like-to-F*ck.”
Though not always an actual father, DILFs are typically labeled as such because of their attractiveness continuing into (or perhaps enhancing with) older age. This kind of guy also has a specific aura, a “je ne sais quoi.” They usually seem like they would take good care of you like they would their kid, a dependable “emergency contact” (in social media speak). However, it is not just any older celebrity that can measure up to the standards of DILF. Thus, we hope this article can serve as a need-to-know guide for those curious about who is deemed worthy of this auspicious credential.
our official dilf lineup
- Daniel Dae Kim
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Korea-born Hawaii Five-0 star and certified DILF Daniel Dae Kim is indeed worthy of his spot on our list because…well, look at him. Though he has many impressive accolades, we know him best for his role in Netflix’s live-action adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender as perhaps the most notable father in the show: Fire Lord Ozai. Despite his busy schedule and less-than-gentle approach to parenting, we think Kim’s smoking-hot Ozai is proficient at stoking our flames.
- Paul Rudd
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Though many of us probably first landed eyes on this cutie with his brotherly role in the iconic ’90s rom-com Clueless, Rudd certainly earns his DILF accolades as Marvel’s Ant-Man, who very well may be the best “girl dad” to ever “girl dad.” Between his handsome face and charismatic line delivery, how could you not fall in love with him? Also, there’s some overlap between the attractive qualities of a devoted father and a protective older brother. Same thing, different fonts, am I right?
- CHRISTOPHER PLUMMER
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This wouldn’t be a fair list if we didn’t acknowledge some of the first DILFs to DILF, and Christopher Plummer is, and will always be, one of the original DILF icons. He’s an actor best known for his role as Captain Georg Von Trapp in The Sound of Music, a father full of “tough love” and a grieving widower in need of some TLC; thankfully, Maria (Julie Andrews) is just the former nun to soften him up a bit. With his iconic dance skills and dulcet pipes, he’s certainly one of the dreamiest on our list.
- Billy Burke
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You know him, and you love him. It’s none other than Charlie Swan himself. Well, it’s his actor, Billy Burke, but he’s well known today for his role as Bella’s loving but emotionally constipated father. Though lengthy video compilations of his best moments can certainly prove our point, we think the first two seconds of this one will suffice. An expert rifle-handler with an exquisite handlebar mustache, we can only hope there’s enough room for us in his cabin between his werewolf buddies and vampire in-laws. So many ask, “Are you Team Edward or Team Jacob?” But we’re Team Charlie all the way.
- Sam Claflin
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Arguably the most unsuspecting pick on our list, we’d like to bring Claflin to the frontlines as quite the DILF. His most famous role as The Hunger Games’ Finnick Odair does make him a father by the end of the four-part saga. His more recent appearance as Billy Dunne in Amazon’s Daisy Jones & the Six adaptation brings him more confidently up to par, but Claflin does have kids of his own, and he’s hot as hell, so…need we say more?
- DAVID HARBOUR
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Harbour’s role as Sergeant Jim Hopper in Netflix’s Stranger Things showed the world what a true DILF looks like — an exemplum of the appeal towards the “dad bod.” Social media discourse proved nay-sayers wrong regarding his shirtless scenes; it’s not all about washboard abs. And besides, who would want to snuggle up to a rock? An undeniable stud, we appreciate Hopper as not just any old adoptive father…but the dad who “stepped” up.
- Antonio Banderas
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We hope we’re not alone in asking this, but how on Earth could Nicole Kidman cheat on this beefcake in Babygirl? Banderas’s alluring voice and big brown eyes are certainly not lost on us. A DILF now and a DILF 24 years ago, his mark on the iconic 2001 film Spy Kids will forever remain within Gen Z’s hearts as a reminder of what true DILF-hood looks like. He caused an awakening or two.
- Sam Heughan
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It’s your mom’s favorite actor, a Highland hottie torn straight from the pages of her steamy bodice rippers — we’re talking about none other than Jamie Fraser of Outlander fame. Though Heughan isn’t reported to have kids of his own, Jamie certainly amasses a whole web of offspring throughout the series: an adopted son, a biological son, a biological daughter, and two stepdaughters. With that mess of auburn hair and eyes like the sea, we’ve got to give props to Mom on this one. She’s got a point.
- Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
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A look at this Danish actor’s Instagram page shows him as quite the devoted dad, featuring frequent posts of his daughters. However, his most iconic role is responsible for another famous Jaime on this list — that is, Game of Thrones’ Jaime Lannister. Though Lannister’s status as a father was kept well under wraps (for obvious reasons), we knew he was a DILF from the very beginning because he was always giving “daddy.” Filthy, rich, and problematic, I think Brienne of Tarth would agree that he’s slaying more than just kings.
- Jensen Ackles
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You probably know this actor as the elder brother of the infamous Supernatural duo Dean (Ackles) and Sam Winchester (Jared Padalecki). Though Dean certainly has a rebellious older brother kind of charm, we would like to submit to the DILF jury Ackles in Amazon’s The Boys. There’s something inexplicable about the full beard, the longer hair, the deep, Southern drawl, and the tired-of-everything demeanor.
Yep, that’s gonna do it for us. (He is also an IRL dad.)
- Idris Elba
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Though Elba’s daughter often makes him the butt of the joke in her TikToks, we regard his sexiness as a serious matter. His role as a doctor and protective father in the 2022 film Beast exemplifies what we think makes him a crowning jewel of our DILF list. His deep stare permeates through you, as does his voice. When he tells you to run from the deranged lion, you sure as hell listen.
- Adam Driver
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This Star Wars heartthrob is more than his multimillion-dollar franchise…he’s a loving father to his son and a fictional father alongside Scarlett Johansson in the 2019 film Marriage Story. Though the divorce was messy, his face card never declined. Driver was also featured as an audience member in the SNL 50th special, which we are convinced was just a DILF convention. His qualifications are: talented, a staggering 6-foot-2, and hands that can dwarf a champagne flute.
- Gregory Peck
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We want you to think back to high school English class. You’ve just finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird, so your teacher pulls down the projector screen and rewards the class’ hard work with a movie day. Of course, you’d rather be anywhere else, so you’re daydreaming about lunch, soccer practice, or art club. And then, all of a sudden — this hottie shows up on your screen. Your eyes are glued. You can’t look away. He’s the OG DILF who will live on in English classes for years.
Thank you for your service, Mr. Peck.
- Pedro Pascal
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He’s the muse of our article and the air under our wings. He’s the man we’re all thinking about. Ladies and gentlemen, he’s Pedro Pascal. Though not an IRL dad, Pascal defined the modern conceptions of DILF with all the wonderful acting he’s done, particularly as Joel from HBO’s The Last of Us. Sabrina’s right. We’re all biting our fingers when we look at him. He may be no one’s father, but he’s the internet’s “daddy.”
- Oscar Isaac
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Yes, we know we cited Pedro Pascal as the inspiration for our list, but our duty is to the truth, and we fear there’s no one alive hotter than the DILF of all DILFS, Oscar Isaac. From the looks of it, he’s a real-life and fictional father and a devastatingly sexy man. If we loved him less, we might be able to talk about him more. Another Star Wars heartthrob turned starring-husband-in-a-domestic-drama, his role alongside Jessica Chastain in Scenes from a Marriage proves our point quite well. Don’t believe us? Watch the red carpet footage from its premiere that left the internet speechless.
We could go on and on about our favorite DILFs, but we hope this list will suffice. We’re sure there are some strong arguments for those who didn’t make the cut, but at the end of the day, the DILF is in the eye of the beholder. It’s up to you to decide who’s DILF enough for you and who’s just a hot old man.