Top 20 Teen Heartthrobs You Forgot About

This actor was in his early teens when he got cast in the titular role of “The Famous Jett Jackson.” Playing a child actor from the South raised by a single mother, the role hit home for Young, which definitely enhanced his performance. After the success of his Disney Channel show, Young had significant roles in “Johnny Tsunami,” “Friday Night Lights,” and “Akeelah and the Bee,” among several other projects. Tragically, Young’s life was cut short when he took his own life in 2013. The Lee Thompson Young Foundation, started by Young’s family, honors his legacy while fighting against the stigma surrounding mental health.

The enduring popularity of Tina Fey’s 2004 hit movie “Mean Girls” all but ensures Jonathan Bennett will never be forgotten. Perfectly cast as the crush-worthy and kind Aaron Samuels, Bennett’s performance is truly a highlight of the film. But how well have you kept up with him since? Still a working actor, these days Bennett is primarily known for his roles in made-for-television Christmas movies, the feel-good guilty pleasure kind. In 2017, Bennett came out as gay, and in 2022, he starred in Hallmark’s first LGBTQ+-led Christmas movie, “The Holiday Sitter.”

Even though he played the ultimate sleazebag Josh in “The Princess Diaries,” we couldn’t help but swoon for his blue eyes and floppy 90s hair. Von Detten got his start in acting at about ten years old, playing Nicholas Alamain on “Days of Our Lives.” You might also be surprised to learn that von Detten was the voice actor behind roles like Sid from “Toy Story” and Erwin from “Recess.” A few years after his “Princess Diaries” success, von Detten was having a difficult time getting consistent work as an actor. He decided to change career paths, and now works as a sales manager at a commodities brokerage firm, though he still dabbles in amateur theater.

Shad Gregory Moss was discovered by Snoop Dogg at the age of six when he was rapping under the name “Kid Gangsta.” Snoop renamed him “Lil’ Bow Wow” and the rest is history. His first album, released when the rapper was just 13, went double platinum and launched his music career to new heights. Young fans found him totally adorable, and he quickly rose to heartthrob status as he released his next five studio albums. In more recent years, the rapper has taken a step back from his music career to focus on his family. Since 2016, Bow Wow has teased one last album before he retires from the music industry, though years have now passed and no release date has been set.

Although he proved himself a certified triple threat – actor, singer, and dancer – when he played Chad in “High School Musical,” Corbin Bleu has been shockingly absent from our screens since the trilogy ended in 2008. Don’t worry, he’s still putting his talents to good use, just primarily on the stage instead of screen. Performing both off- and on Broadway, Bleu has starred in musicals such as “In the Heights,” “Godspell,” “Hairspray,” “Mamma Mia!,” and so many more. You can still see his dazzling smile in his occasional television appearances, but it’s clear Bleu has an affinity for live performance.

This rapper rose to fame following the release of his debut solo single, “Pony,” in 1996. The hit song brought a lot of new eyes onto Ginuwine, and those eyes decided he was pretty cute. Charming and charismatic to boot, Ginuwine became an iconic 90s dreamboat, but lately, he’s been pretty quiet. Though he hasn’t announced his retirement, he hasn’t released any new solo music since his 2011 Christmas album. Though he still performs his music, it’s clear Ginuwine has decided to hold off on recording new music and instead focuses on living a quieter, simpler life with his family.

Even though he couldn’t have been a bigger jerk as aspiring model Joey in “10 Things I Hate About You,” Andrew Keegan was just too cute to dislike. He also stole our hearts as sensitive single dad Wilson West, a recurring character on “7th Heaven” and Mary’s first serious boyfriend. At the end of the millennium, it seemed Keegan was poised to become a huge star, but it seems his career never fully took off. For a few years in the 2010s, Keegan ran a community spiritual center loosely based around Hinduistic philosophies, but the center closed in 2017. Since then Keegan’s taken on a few acting roles, but we’d love to see him make a bigger comeback soon.

If his “Beautiful Soul” wasn’t enough, his beautiful face sure is. McCartney got his start in entertainment when he was cast in the national tour of “The King and I” at age ten, proving his talents in singing and acting from an early age. After a brief stint as a member of the boy band “Dream Street,” McCartney began his successful solo music career with his debut album “Beautiful Soul.” Beyond his music, McCartney also had a successful acting career that included multiple major voice acting roles. Though recent years have been quiet, it appears McCartney is poised for a comeback. He released a new album in 2021 and an EP in 2024 that featured none other than Yung Gravy. We love to see it!

After years of building his resume with roles on soap operas and television shows, Jonathan Brandis received his first major role at 13 as Bastian Bux in “The NeverEnding Story II: The Next Chapter.” Brandis’ most enduring performance would come from his role as Young Bill in the 1990 miniseries “It,” but it was his role in the science fiction series “seaQuest DSV” that made him a truly crush-worthy 90s heartthrob. His boy genius character stole the hearts of young fans across the country. They showed their love in the 4,000 letters per week that Brandis received. Sadly, after struggling with his mental health for years, Brandis took his own life in 2003.

Corey Haim’s famously adorable lopsided smile helped propel him from ordinary child actor to bonafide 80s teen heartthrob with his roles in “Lucas,” “License to Drive,” and more. Haim appeared with fellow Corey, Corey Feldman, in 1987’s “The Lost Boys.” The duo would go on to become the highest-paid teen actors of the 80s. Haim’s adoring fans wrote him thousands of letters every week. They faithfully purchased the many issues of “Tiger Beat” and “Bop” that featured Haim on the cover. In 2010, Haim passed away from complications of pneumonia. Tragically young, Haim’s legacy lives on through his enduring work.

Sometimes the first is the best, as it is with Joey, the oldest in the Lawrence brother trio – at least when it comes to the ‘90s. We like Matthew too, but it was Joey who had the biggest impact. Acting since he was a kid, it was teen Joey who got everyone talking with his role as the dumb jock brother on “Blossom.” Following the show’s end, Joey continued acting on TV shows like “Brotherly Love,” and in made-for-TV movie roles like Disney’s “Horse Sense.” Throughout it all, Joey dabbled in a music career, releasing pop singles like “Nothin’ My Love Can’t Fix,” and “Never Gonna Change My Mind.” Even though that part of his career never really took off, you can’t knock the guy for his continued hustle.

As the unofficial “president” of the Brat Pack, Emilio was the guy who had it all. The handsome older brother of Charlie Sheen, Emilio was known for his iconic roles in movies like “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “The Breakfast Club,” where he played the ultimate high school jock. During the ‘80s and ‘90s, his love life was also a topic of conversation, given his engagement to fellow Brat Packer Demi Moore, and his two-year marriage to Paula Abdul. His role as coach Gordon Bombay in “The Mighty Ducks” franchise served as one of his last big parts. Since then, he’s seemed to move behind the camera as a TV director.

Chad was definitely one of the biggest names in teen Hollywood back in the early noughties. With recurring roles on “Dawson’s Creek” and “Gilmore Girls.” it was only a matter of time before he landed a TV role in which he played the lead, as he did with “One Tree Hill” - one of the best teen dramas out there. He got to play a not-so-bad boy with a heart of gold, a role that’s perfect for his smoldering good looks. His roles as the romantic lead in teen movies like “A Cinderella Story” and “Freaky Friday” further helped to cement his status as a heartthrob.

The son of a famous comedian, it became clear by the mid-90s that Freddie inherited his dad’s knack for entertaining. Freddie was a powerhouse in movies targeted at teens, such as “I Know What You Did Last Summer” and “She’s All That”. He was able to play both comedic and dramatic parts, but always worked best as a romantic lead with movies like “Down to You,” making him the most sought-after guy. With his part as Fred in the “Scooby-Doo” movies as one of his last major big screen roles, it seems like Freddie is more focused on raising his family with wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar, as well as working behind the scenes these days, much like he did when he was a director/producer for the WWE.

Who didn’t have a crush on Kirk? As Mike Seaver, Kirk played the oldest child on the hit sitcom, “Growing Pains.” Mike was the quintessential cool guy, known for his love of Bruce Springsteen, devil-may-care attitude, and ability to get out of any jam with his smirk. Teenage girls loved him and the guys wanted to be him. Outside of “Growing Pains,” Kirk had other TV roles like his guest spot on “Full House,” made-for-TV movies, and PSAs. In his autobiography, he said he was being sent over 10,000 letters of fan mail a week at the height of his success. But he walked away from superstardom when he became a born-again Christian at age 17 and shifted his focus to faith-based projects.

Known for his floppy brown hair and blue eyes, Rider was the nicest “bad boy” to have a crush on in the ‘90s. In “Boy Meets World,” he played Shawn Hunter, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks and Cory’s best friend. The part made him a well-known name with teenage audiences and he became a regular feature in teen magazines like Tiger Beat. He played the character for seven seasons on the hit ABC show and has since dabbled in a few movie roles like in 2002’s “Cabin Fever.” However, he did reprise the role of Shawn in the 2010s for the“Boy Meets World” sequel “Girl Meets World” along with former cast mates, such as his fellow teen heartthrob Will Friedle.

At just 16 years old, River Phoenix starred in “Stand by Me,” delivering a phenomenal performance that made him a huge name. Phoenix continued to make waves in Hollywood with his roles in “The Mosquito Coast,” “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” and “My Own Private Idaho.” More than just a total dreamboat, Phoenix had an obvious movie-star quality to his acting ability and presence. It was clear from the start that Phoenix was on track to be a major star before his life was heartbreakingly cut short in 1993. Though we’ll never know what heights Phoenix’s career could have reached, we can continue to honor his legacy and remember his work.

As one of the decade’s ultimate baes, Scott was pretty much a permanent fixture on the big and small screens from the late 1970s onwards. He played Chachi on “Happy Days” and endeared himself to the audience with his puppy-dog eyes and easy smile. His character was so popular that it landed him a spin-off with “Joanie Loves Chachi.” It only lasted a year, but Scott was able to bounce back with “Charles in Charge.” Off-screen he was known to be something of a lady-killer with high-profile relationships. Since his heyday, he’s dabbled in reality TV, all while being a very vocal Republican.

Even though he was only briefly featured in the movie “Casper” as the friendly ghost’s human form, his dreamy blue eyes and perfectly feathered blonde hair made the scene all too memorable for millions of viewers. His short scene in “Casper” made him an instant heartthrob, attracting so much attention from swooning fans that Sawa made a deliberate effort to take on edgier roles to distance himself from his teen dream image. He appeared in the music video for Eminem’s “Stan,” played a punk in “SLC Punk!,” and starred in the gory “Final Destination.” Though he’s mostly stayed out of the spotlight, his recent appearances in “Chucky” and “Hacks” indicate that Sawa might be poised for a long-awaited comeback.

Who was a bigger ‘90s teen heartthrob than Jonathan Taylor Thomas? You’re right if you answered no one. Jonathan, who will forever be known as JTT, was arguably the biggest teen idol of the decade due to his cute and approachable boy-next-door look and easy-going persona. Acting since he was a kid, we watched him grow up thanks to his part as the coolest son on “Home Improvement.” JTT also capitalized on his fame with roles in films like “Tom and Huck” and lent his voice to “The Lion King.” But after he grew up, JTT pretty much put his acting days behind him in a pursuit of an Ivy League education. While he’s only had some small roles here or there, along with doing some writing and directing, we can’t help but heart JTT.


Which of these teen heartthrobs do you miss the most? Let us know in the comments.