Benicio bucks the trend as women take over all our roles

Benicio del Toro has been signed up to be the first 'Campari man'. In doing so, he's bucking a trend of women taking over male roles. JOE looks at five women who've successfully muscled in on previous men-only positions.

By Conor Hogan

Campari have announced the star of its 2011 calendar, and for the first time in its history they have chosen a man to front it. Benicio Del Toro has posed for pictures for acclaimed contemporary photographer Michael Comte. The Puerto Rican takes over from previous faces including Salma Hayek, Eva Mendes, Jessica Alba and Bond Girl Olga Kurylenko.

It's great that Benicio is getting the work, but he's definitely bucking the trend, as our list of  five women who have taken over the jobs of men proves.

1. Katee Sackhoff

Starbuck, everybody’s favourite starfighter pilot named after the largest coffee franchise in the world was originally played by Dirk ‘Face from the A-team’ Benedict in 1978. He was Battlestar Gallactica’s gambling, womanising and cigar-chomping son of a gun.

When the show was rebooted in 2004, producers decided that the new Starbuck would be a woman, played by actress Katee Sackhoff. Starbuck was still a drinker, fighter and cigar-smoker, as well as the best damn star fighter in all twelve colonies; her biggest pleasure was shooting fracking Cylons out of the sky.

The character was no longer a womaniser, however, and instead had a lingering love affair with Lee ‘Apollo’ Adama (played by Jamie Bamber). In the original series, any sexual tension between Starbuck and Apollo (Richard Hatch) was merely subtextual.

2. Mary Robinson

Douglas Hyde, Sean T. O’Kelly, Eamon de Valera, Erskine H. Childers, Cearbhall Ó Dálaigh, Patrick Hillery. Between 1938 and 1990, every Irish President was a man. Every Irish President had also been Fianna Fail, but that is another matter altogether. Mary Robinson changed all that. The Ultra-liberal Labour nominee surprisingly defeated Brian Lenihan, and as such became the Republic of Ireland’s first ever female President.

Her presidency was an undisputed success, and at one stage during her reign, she attained an approval rated of 93% - an unheard popularity outside of countries like North Korea. She resigned in 1997 to take up a position as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights; and ever since every single president we’ve had has been a woman called Mary.

3. Angelina Jolie

In 2007, Tom Cruise was originally offered the part of Edwin A. Salt – CIA agent on the run in the film Salt. He could not commit to the role, citing other commitments as well as concerns that Salt too much resembled Ethan Hunt from the Mission Impossible movies.

Losing out to Cruise made the producers of the movie completely rethink the film; and as such the entire script was re-written. Edwin Salt became Evelyn Salt; and instead of Tom Cruise, the part was to be played by Angelina Jolie. The film has been financially successful, and moderately successful critically. To read JOE’s review click here.

4. Judi Dench

Bernard Lee played M from 1962 and 1979, while Robert Brown took the role between 1983 and 1989. There was a six-year gap between the underrated Timothy Dalton flop Licence to Kill and Goldeneye, and in that time it was decided to completely retool the franchise. ‘M’ was to be a woman – and Dame Judi Dench was chosen. The character was somewhat based on Stella Rimington, who became the first woman to be appointed Director General of MI5 in 1992.

5. Geraldine Kennedy

The institution that is The Irish Times was founded in 1859, and has generally been perceived to be socially liberal. It didn’t have its first female editor, however, until 2002, when Geraldine Kennedy took over from Conor Brady. Kennedy is also notable for having successfully sued Charles Haughey in 1987 for wire-tapping, and was elected as a TD in 1987 for the newly formed Progressive Democrats Party.