Parks and Recreation actress and comedian Mara Marini puts Britain’s most beloved boy bands head-to-head in our weekly debate and asks you to decide: Who’s hotter?
One Direction
“One Way Or Another,” you know of One Direction. And if you’re under 16 and female, chances are you probably have a crush on this Brit pop quintet (well, one is from Ireland). If I were a few years younger, I’m sure I’d have their posters plastered all over my walls and ceiling, and a Harry Styles pillowcase to go with it. They’re coming out with a movie this Friday called This Is Us, have more than 14 million Twitter followers and have sold more than 10 million albums. With all the guys 21 years old or under,these boys definitely know how to “Live While We’re Young.”
The Wanted
It’s a “Warzone.” Another English-Irish boy band under 25, The Wanted is also making a big splash in the pop world. They have a reality show on E! called The Wanted Life. Their debut single, “All Time Low,” hit the No. 1 spot on the UK singles chart, and “Glad You Came” went double platinum in the States. Talented, handsome and successful, these boys are “Invincible.”
Talent
One Direction: They are the first UK musical group to debut their first album at No. 1 on the Billboard album chart, which puts them ahead of The Beatles!
The Wanted: Like One Direction, they claim they don’t dance (although they actually can), but unlike One Direction, they play their own instruments. Tom Parker, Max George and Siva Kaneswaran play the guitar, Nathan Sykes plays the piano and Jay McGuiness can play the drums, box and tambourine.
Lifestyle
One Direction: For being rich, young and on top of the world, these boys seem pretty grounded. Liam Payne also doesn’t drink alcohol.
The Wanted: The band has less of a clean-cut reputation than One Direction. Max was rumored to have been involved in the fight that led to Lindsay Lohan’s arrest last November. They do, however, seem to be good guys. Jay’s motto is “Work hard and be nice to people.”
Fitness
One Direction: “What Makes You Beautiful?” With their ages ranging from 19 to 21, they have youth on their side. And it sounds like they get enough of a workout onstage and in rehearsals that they can eat whatever they want.
The Wanted: Max loves sports and played for the Preston North End football club. He now loves push-ups and performs a few hundred every day. Siva runs for 30 minutes every day. It sounds like all the members like to keep fit and eat healthy.
Kindness
One Direction: They bought their parents cars and have supported the Alzheimer’s Association and Greenpeace.
The Wanted: After their performance on The Tonight Show, the boys sang with fans in the parking lot. Max also stripped down for AXM Magazine‘s naked issue to support cancer research.
Pets
One Direction: “One Thing” they apparently all want is a dog. But it sounds like their schedule is pretty intense. They’ve also donated to some animal rights causes.
The Wanted: Apparently Max has four dogs and two lizards. Jay also has a lizard and was named Sexiest Male Vegetarian in 2011 by PETA.
Intelligence
One Direction: These boys are young, but they have it together. They all have different roles in the band. Liam is touted as the smart one, and enrolled in the Wolverhampton College to study music technology. Harry is the flirt (who speaks French fluently, by the way). Niall Horan is the funny one, Louis Tomlinson is the leader and Zayn Malik is the bad boy.
The Wanted: The boys work hard on their music. Siva spends a lot of time in the studio writing and recording and is the soft-spoken, sensible member of the group. Tom Parker is the oldest member and the leader; he also dropped out of Manchester Metropolitan University to pursue music. Max is the ladies’ man, Jay is the party animal and Nathan is the youngest.
Commitment
One Direction: Even though they’re quite young, Louis is in a long-term relationship, Liam is dating his childhood crush and Zayn and Little Mix’s Perrie Edwards just got engaged. Harry may only be 19, but he’s already been linked to a couple supermodels and singers Rita Ora, Lily Halpert and Taylor Swift.
The Wanted: No “Heart Vacancy” here. Max was engaged to actress Michelle Keegan, Siva and Tom are in long-term relationships and the latest rumor is that Nathan and singer Ariana Grande are dating.
Vote: So are you “Up All Night” or “Chasing The Sun”? Vote for your favorite boys in the poll below, and leave a comment about your vote!
About Mara Marini
Mara Marini is a Canadian film, television and theater actress perhaps best known for her recurring role as Brandi Maxxxx on the hit NBC comedy series, Parks and Recreation. Marini has also appeared in a number of indie comedy and horror films. In 2013, she launched a popular digital comedy video series called Inside Dating on Break.com. She will soon be guest-starring on Disney’s Kickin’ It and shooting a politically incorrect feature comedy this fall. For more information on Mara, check out her official website, www.maramarini.com, and follow her on Facebook or on Twitter at @popgloss.
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