Ian

Ian is the Wasp-Protestant vegetarian school teacher (played by John Corbett) who woos the very Greek Toula in the 2002 movie, “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”. This is a delightfully warm-hearted take on the intermingling of cultures in our society, with gentle zingers and lovable characters. This includes our Ian, who is the genuine article, struggling to adapt to the overwhelming size and force of his beloved’s family and good naturedly handling the inevitable jokesters who teach him basic Greek “phrases”. His name, Ian, is particularly indicative of a divide – every male in Toula’s family is named either Nick or Gus.

Ian O’Shea is a character in Stephanie Meyer’s 2008 science fiction/romance novel, The Host, about a race of aliens who take over Earth’s inhabitants. Ian is a rebel human. He is a tall, blue-eyed, gentle, strong and handsome man in his mid-twenties whose initial resistance to the “Souls” is tempered by his growing love for Wanda, one of them. He is the ultimate heart-throb romantic hero – not really too good to be true, but edging up there. After reading about him, most teen-aged fans will want to become “Souls” in order to better enjoy his company!

Ian is the uncle/guardian of teen-aged spy Alex Rider in the popular British series of novels by Anthony Horowitz. An agent for the Special Operations division of MI6, Ian is a perfect example of the smooth English gentleman - a product of Cambridge University, a devotee of fine wines, multi-lingual, well-travelled, handsome and physically fit. In addition, this paragon of virtue takes on his nephew after the infant’s parents die, and teaches him everything he knows. We should all have such an “Uncle Ian”! His portrayal by Ewan McGregor in the 2006 movie, “Stormbreaker”, is right on the money.

Ian is the mathematician who warns of impending disaster in Michael Crichton’s 1990 novel, Jurassic Park, made into a highly successful movie in 1993. Jurassic Park, of course, is an elaborate theme park featuring cloned dinosaurs, who are gradually gaining control over their environment. As portrayed by Jeff Goldblum, Ian is an intense and pessimistic character who correctly predicts the cataclysmic outcome of this genetic tampering. He is rewarded for his diligence by serious injuries sustained during a tyrannosaurus attack.