Nino Munoz.

It’s difficult to know whether Nino Munoz, who began his career in New York in the early 1990s, has led a charmed life or whether his charm has led his life in such positive directions. Maybe it’s a bit of both.

Nino’s first major fashion story, for instance—photographing Gisele Bundchen for British Vogue—sparked what has become a longtime artistic collaboration and (and friendship). The two have worked together on numerous shoots for magazines ranging from Muse to Rolling Stone. “I love fashion because it’s so colorful and emotional,” says Nino. “There’s a sexiness and a provocative nature to fashion photography that inspires me.”

Nino’s work is at once sophisticated and sexy, always polished but somehow also organic. It’s a tough balance to strike, but it seems to come naturally to him, probably because Nino is as attracted to the essence of a person as he is to the beauty of what they do and who they are. “I respect when people are devoted to their craft—whether you’re a designer or a housekeeper,” he says. “As long as you are expressing yourself, I respect you.”

Over the years, Nino has worked with some of Hollywood’s finest—Leonardo DiCaprio, Julianne Moore, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Tom Cruise, and many others. Celebrity portraiture can be a fraught process—there’s a lot at stake, the schedules are almost always really tight, and there can be trust issues—but Nino has his own way of keeping things in perspective.

“It’s really not that complicated to do, but so many people put on a front when dealing with high-profile figures that it becomes an obstacle,” he says. “I’ve noticed that people with a lot of fame are very sensitive to people who aren’t genuine. I just approach actors and models like I would anyone else—with respect and kindness.”

Here’s a look at Nino’s work.

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Tom Cruise and Amy Adams. Photos by Nino Munoz.

Ashton Kutcher and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Photos by Nino Munoz.

Anne Hathaway. Photos by Nino Munoz.

Ryan Kwanten (left) and Jake Gyllenhaal. Photos by Nino Munoz

Christina Hendricks for London Fog (left) and an ad from a recent campaign for Daffy's. Photo bys Nino Munoz.

From a series of True Religion ads. Photos by Nino Munoz.

Photos by Nino Munoz.

Photos by Nino Munoz.

Photos by Nino Munoz.

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Jon Hamm. Photo by Jeff Lipsky.

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…a werewolf, shot by Nino Munoz…

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Joe Manganiello. Photo by Nino Munoz.

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…and one of the few leading men to make facial hair work (think about it), also photographed by Nino…

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Jake Gyllenhaal. Photo by Nino Munoz.

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For your viewing pleasure, I’ve put together our own gallery of sexy men, featuring photos by Kwaku Alston, Matthias Clamer, David Drebin, Jeff Lipsky, Roxanne Lowit, Michael Muller, Nino Munoz, Matthew Rolston, Art Streiber, and Timothy White. It includes photos of Kevin Bacon, Christian Bale, Eric Balfour, Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Don Cheadle, Hayden Christensen, Daniel Craig, Tom Cruise, Eric Dane, Patrick Dempsey, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Dillon, Robert Downey Jr., Aaron Eckhart, Colin Farell, Matthew Fox, James Franco, Richard Gere, Neil Patrick Harris, Ethan Hawke, Dennis Haysbert, Hugh Jackman, Lenny Kravitz, Kellan Lutz, Gilles Maarini, Joe Manganiello, Matthew McConaughey, Hunter Parrish, Joaquin Phoenix, Brad Pitt, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Mark Salling, Rufus Wainwright, and Paul Walker. Click on the image below to have a look:

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Click on the image to see more.

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The Joe Manganiello photo that’s in People, incidentally, is from a feature that Nino shot for the current issue of Vanity Fair Italy. Here’s a look at the photos VF ran. (Prepare for eye burn—these pics are extra hot.)

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Joe Manganiello, who plays werewolf Alcide Herveaux on the HBO series "True Blood." Photo by Nino Munoz for Vanity Fair Italy.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Vanity Fair Italy.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Vanity Fair Italy.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Vanity Fair Italy.

Photo by Nino Munoz for Vanity Fair Italy.

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Click here to view the “Sexiest Man” gallery at People‘s site.

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Photo by Nino Munoz.

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He also photographed Erin Wasson and supermodel Tommy Dunn for a True Religion campaign. The concept, as noted at the Ford Models blog, was to make Tommy look “like the Young Guns seventh gun.” Where have all the cowboys gone, indeed…

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Photo by Nino Munoz for True Religion.

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So here are the current nominees. And below that is a link to massive slideshow of nominees and winners past. In many cases, the same performer was shot by more than one of our photogs, so I included the same person more than once because, you know, it’s fun to compare and contrast.

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Current Academy Award nominees:

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George Clooney
Best Actor, Up in the Air

Previously: Best Actor nominee, 2008, Michael Clayton; Best Supporting Actor winner, 2006, Syriana

Photo by Timothy White.

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Jeff Bridges
Best Actor, Crazy Heart

Previously: Best Supporting Actor nominee, 2001, The Contender; Best Actor nominee, 1985, Starman; Best Supporting Actor nominee, 1975, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot; Best Supporting Actor nominee, 1972, The Last Picture Show.

Photo by Michael Muller.

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Jeremy Renner
Best Actor, The Hurt Locker

Photo by Jeff Lipsky.

Photo by Matthias Clamer.

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Carey Mulligan
Best Actress, An Education

Photo by Jeff Lipsky.

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Sandra Bullock
Best Actress, The Blind Side

Photo by Timothy White.

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Maggie Gyllenhaal
Best Supporting Actress, Crazy Heart

Photo by Michael Muller.

Photo by Nino Muñoz.

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Mo’nique
Best Supporting Actress, Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire

Photo by Kwaku Alston.

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Woody Harrelson
Best Supporting Actor, The Messenger

Previously: Best Actor nominee, 1997, The People vs. Larry Flynt

Photo by John Midgley.

Photo by Kwaku Alston.

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Matt Damon
Best Supporting Actor, Invictus

Previously: Best Actor nominee, 1998, Good Will Hunting

Photo by Timothy White.

Photo by Jeff Lipsky.

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Slideshow featuring portraits by Stockland Martel photographers of more than 70 actors, including Alec Baldwin, Brad Pitt, Harrison Ford, Sharon Stone, Will Smith, Bill Murray, Tom Cruise, Jennifer Hudson, Jude Law, Robert Downey Jr., Johnny Depp…

Click on the image to access our slideshow.

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