Who do you think of as charismatic ?

Clare Balding. Helen Hunt. Phoebe Waller -Bridge. Sarah Lancashire. Judi Dench. Daniel Day-Lewis. JohnSimm. Bill Nighy. Robert Redford.

Jeanette Winterson, the only one on my list. Did anyone see her giving the Dimbleby lecture and speaking for an hour ? Without notes, without notesfolks. She is incredibly charismatic. Her lecture was awe inspiring.

JFK

Alan Rickman had charisma in spades.
Joanna Lumley has it.

Carlos Acosta the Cuban ballet dancer
Penelope Wilton actress
Jonathan Miller
Ludovic Kennedy

I think many of us are confusing charisma with sex appeal, beauty, lust frankly.
Men in particular don’t have to be particularly attractive to be charismatic.

I actually think Jess Phillips the Labour MP is charismatic. When she lets rip in the Commons you have to watch. Of actresses Jodie Foster has a presence and a fascinating accent and way of talking and Meryl Streep seems to have am inner strength and an infectious smile so I would say these two and maybe Goldie Hawn.

I think we can all agree charisma is an elusive quality and not necessarily a good one if Hitler had it. Don't forget that psychopaths and sociopaths use their charisma to charm you. They are masters at it! Then they take control.

I think it's easier to identify when you meet in person and spend some time with them because it's a chemistry thing.

Don't confuse charisma with the essence of 'cool' which applies to people like Steve McQueen, Jeff Goldblum and Ringo Starr.

Jonathan Miller, yes. I always said he would be the one I'd want to sit next to at a dinner party. Was so sorry he died recently.

I think Michael Caine always comes across as utterly delightful and a wonderful story teller. I could listen to him all day. Whether that's charisma I'm not sure. And he's not a woman.

Of men there is no-one more charismatic when he is performing on stage than Bruce Springsteen. Men and women of all ages fall at his feet.

I have heard that about Springsteen a few times.
My friend went to see him with her husband who was a huge fan.

She felt pretty lukewarm about going, but came back a fan.

Thanks everyone. Much food for thought.

I can see that some undesirable people have charisma - for example Hitler - and I wonder what I would have thought of him if I had lived in Germany in those times without the great benefit of hindsight.

Michelle Obama has been mentioned by a few . I don’t particularly like her but I’d be hard pressed to explain why . Charismatic ? Yes I suppose so.

I think modern day charisma is shown by people who give you their undivided attention , smile a lot seem genuine and have a twinkle in their eye and I can only think of men !

No , paddyanne, I have never met Ruth Davidson but I have liked what I’ve seen on TV.

Now this will get me shot down in flames but it is my opinion so here goes .... I feel that many women have a hidden agenda or a fake persona that they present. I could name names but I’d rather not have the usual suspects rolling their eyes and saying ‘here we go again ! ‘ Do men find women more charismatic ?

Tipi Hedren came to mind immediately.

I think I need to watch more tv - I don’t know who half these people are!

I’ve met Alan Rickman and he was sex on legs charismatic. I was so overcome that I could barely get a word out edgewise, despite being 40-something at the time.

Freddie Mercury, too. I saw him in concert and he radiated personality as soon as he hit the stage.

I imagine Florence Nightingale must have had charisma, to do all that she did, in the face of much opposition.

Marilyn Monro, too.

I can’t think of any modern-day women, though. Oh, Glenda Jackson. She starred in Elizabeth is Missing and I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen.

A friend’s son has charisma by the bucketload, always has since he was a small boy. Even without seeing him, you know when he’s walked into a room. It’s quite unsettling, in a way.

I always warned my DDs growing up "beware the charming men" They have hidden agendas. Would liked to have met Steve McQueen and Elvis Presley though (just so I could gawp at them )both had Charisma but both very strange humans

Many years ago I saw a man getting on a train and I was transfixed. He was just beautiful, not handsome, beautiful. Tall, thin, blond, not really my type but for a moment there time stood still, ladies. We never spoke, he didn't see me looking and I've never seen him since but I often wonder about him. Was that charisma? Probably. (Silly moo.)

Anyway.

Yanis Varoufakis
Barak Obama
Elvis

I can't think of any women.

A very thought -provoking topic Gemini.
One that hasn't been mentioned is our own Boris Johnson. Before he was elected PM there were a few people on LBC saying he has that magical quality that you can't resist.
Personally I find it easy to resist him !

My OH says I need to put a vote in for Whoopie Goldberg ,he says she has fantastic charisma and he'd rather spend half an hour in her company than a month with some glamourous women his friends think are "amazing"

Barak Obama

Michael Portillo

George Clooney

Hermione Norris especially when she played Ros in Spooks

Margaret Thatcher

Jacqueline Kennedy

For me..
Bob Mortimer
Susan Sarandon
Melvyn Bragg
Monty Don
Brian Cox(professor)

Jacqueline Kennedy apparently had charisma to a degree that men couldn't take their eyes off her - and I agree with those posters who suggested Joanna Lumley.

After reading these posts, just been watching on you tube Bruce Springsteen’s Dancing In The Dark.
Yes, I think he has charisma, or certainly did back then, but also has great hips, muscles, hair, dance movements....
Just off to lie down.

Brian Ferry.

I think Barrack Obama has charisma, although I have never met him, but he appeared almost from nowhere and won the US Democratic nomination and the Presidential election just be being himself and people were drawn to follow him in the way the children followed the Pied Piper of Hamelin.

It is this x factor in someone that draws followers, almost against their will, that I would describe as charismatic. Billy Graham was charasmatic, Mother Teresa, The 1st Duke of Wellibgton, in war and in peace. His soldiers said the sight of him on a battle field was worth 10,000 men and in peace, even when he was neither in politics or government, it is clear that in every national crisis people looked to him, including governments for advice and reassurance.

Most of the people mentioned here are high achievers and many have led admirable lives, but charismatic means that someone can be dropped into a desert hundreds of miles from human habitation and by the end of the first day have attracted a small group of people to them who are looking to them them for support and advice and leadership.