In 2023 the Oxford English Dictionary designated "rizz" as its word of the year. The slang term, which derives from "charisma", describes a natural ability to charm, attract and seduce others. In celebration of this new addition to the English language, the Evening Standard team got together to pick out some famous faces who showed the most rizz in 2023. What follows is our ranking of the top 25.
25. King Charles
He doesn’t do much, but he does it in style. Who else could pull off a coronation featuring most world leaders while looking slightly bored throughout? An address in French and a sophisticated trip to Kenya showed admirable class abroad.
24. Kate Moss
In 2023, beloved supermodel Kate cemented a long-running transformation of her public image from tabloid spectacle into successful businesswoman, as she celebrated the first anniversary of her Cossmoss brand, further expanded the Kate Moss Agency and gave three major interviews about her work (an unusual amount of publicity for this self-confessedly "shy" public figure). While some former friends have claimed the new sober Kate is a "bore", we say good on her. A recent disclosure that she is "in disbelief" about her approaching fiftieth birthday shows the old Kate is still with us.
23. Emma Corrin
Everything they do is drenched in rizz. Walk the Miu Miu catwalk in gold sequin knickers? Yup. Own the Garrick theatre’s stage playing Orlando? Done it. Expertly channelling Princess Di at The Crown premiere for a season they are not even in? Simply another day in the life of Emma Corrin. From pulling off a buzzcut to the no trousers trend, they made it look good.
22. Maryam Moshiri
We were charmed enough by the BBC News presenter's funny faux pas (flipping the bird at viewers at the start of a programme). But it became an even more outstanding demonstration of rizz when the full tape was released, showing Moshiri's finger-flipping was part of a well-rehearsed behind the scenes routine in which she cooly counts down to the day's headlines. Bravo.
21. Jonathan Bailey
Toe sucking, chequered shirts, describing his new partner as “a lovely man” (aw), we were here for all of it.
20. Alan Edwards
"The uber PR is genuinely charming, and has remarkably avoided becoming jaded. People seem to respond to him incredibly well, but then that's maybe because he sounds exactly like David Bowie." - Dylan Jones, editor-in-chief of the Evening Standard
19. Jodie Comer
It was the year the already beloved British actor stormed America with a sell-out run of Prima Facie on Broadway. She ended 2023 as Vogue’s cover star. Supremely talented yet faultlessly down to earth, we say the scouse sensation has bagfuls of rizz.
18. Gillian Keegan
In the chaos of the RAAC scandal, education secretary Gillian Keegan was caught on-mic expressing genuine frustration about incompetence by other politicians. “Does anyone ever say: ‘You know what, you’ve done a fucking good job, because everyone else has sat on their arse and done nothing?’ No signs of that, no?” She took flak for the colourful language, but her brutal honesty was rizz-tastic.
17. Dilara FındıkoÄlu
The straight talking London-based, Turkish-born designer is arguably fashion’s most rizzy new candidate. Her corsets simultaneously squash up 80 per cent of London’s It-girls breasts on a nightly basis, she cancelled her Fashion Week show in the final hour last season, replacing it with an f***-off, Halloween mega party (the invite came with a 48-page PDF reference deck for outfits), and, in her words, “I always love to be the only goth in the room.” She’s got it.
16. Leonardo DiCaprio
In 2023 Leo, who is knocking 50, proved he’s still got it. He played the leading man in Killers Of The Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese’s best film in year, and unveiled his new girlfriend Vittoria Ceretti, a 25-year-old model.
15. Amelia Dimoldenberg
Comedian Dimoldenberg has been everywhere this year, from TV commercials to red carpets. Her whole schtick is her rizz: she even got Cher to appear on her Chicken Shop Date series.
14. Angela Rayner
Where she’s smoking vogues or calling her opponents scum (though she later apologised for that last one), the deputy leader of the Labour Party has unstoppable self-confidence and charm. The debate goes on in Labour about whether she is an electoral asset or liability, but she definitely makes the rizz list.
13. Taylor Swift
Her eras tour was credited with reviving the US economy post-covid by some super fans. It was the first live music tour in history to gross over a billion dollars. Plus she’s been out with sportsman Travis Kelce, actor Joe Alwyn, singer Matty Healy all in 2023.
12. Adwoa Aboah
Very high on London’s list of cool people want to see when you enter a party — her deep voice is rizz. She looks great, has a really tall hot boyfriend, runs her own non-profit Gurls Health for mental health, is sober, stars in Top Boy and hit the catwalks again this fashion season with outings for Burberry and Moschino. Keep it up, Adwoa.
11. Mick Jagger
The indefatigable Rolling Stones frontman had a creative year, launching the band’s first album of original music in 18 years. Hackney Diamonds got a spectacular launch in Jagger’s native London town.
10. Sadiq Khan
“I sat next to him at our Christmas lunch while a cavalcade of people came by to pay their respects. I had forgotten what a brilliant politician he is - he remembered the names of everyone’s football team, the names of their kids, everything. It was extremely impressive.” - Dylan Jones, editor-in-chief of the Evening Standard
9. Barry Keoghan
For that dancing scene at the end of Saltburn alone. Nothing says confidence like agreeing to close a film naked and filming the scene eleven times.
8. Akshata Murty
Her husband Rishi wears trousers that are too short and can come across a little like an irritated prefect, but Akshata is a different class. She even tried to save Rishi at Tory Conference by reminding people who he was before his speech… though it didn’t quite come off. Her outfits are always glamorous, and she welcomes the great and good to Downing Street with authority. It helps to be a multi-millionaire who doesn’t need to be there, of course.
7. Princess Diana (RIP)
Yes, the people’s princess makes our list from beyond the grave. Who has ever done rizz better? In 2023, there was a sparkling yet tragic depiction of her final years in The Crown, plus the revelation that she had once referred to Donald Trump as an “anal fissure” after meeting him.
6. Oli Green
The beautiful, completely unknown posh boy who has found himself in the very comfy looking spot of being Sienna Miller’s new baby daddy. Look to the cover shoot in January’s US Vogue, and expect to see him caressing the bump. 14 year age gap? No problem for this pair. Flashpan cameo in the new season of The Crown? Why the hell not.
5. Thomas Straker
Many had pronounced last rites on the era of the bad boy chef, but Thomas Straker tried single-handedly to bring it back this year with a mix of controversy-baiting social media activity and actually impressive restauratering. He gets a lot of criticism, some of it justified, but Straker has rizz.
4. Socks House Meeting
The Instagram meme account has taken the piss out of east London since January and everyone loves it, even the targets.
3. Mary Earps
Arise Mary Earps MBE, who got an honour from the King for her sporting brilliance this year. The highlight moment was her expletive-laden celebration in the World Cup final when she blocked a penalty from Spain’s Jennie Hermoso.
2. Troye Sivan
He made the sexiest video of 2023 with Rush, his house is amazing enough for Architectural Digest even though he’s only 28, he has his own candle range to set the mood and even It boy Timothee Chamalet parodied him on SNL.
1. Ryan Gosling
Ken had all the best lines in the hit film of the year, Barbie, and Ryan Gosling put in a show-stealing performance which he carried on through the movie’s global publicity tour. Picking a winner is tough, but we reckon Gosling was rizz artist of the year.
