The 2000s gave us many teen heartthrobs who ruled our screens, dominated magazine covers, and lived quietly but rent-free in millions of teenagers’ hearts. From charming movie stars to musical talents, these teen heartthrobs won the hearts of an entire generation.
It is hard to believe how much time has passed since their posters covered bedroom walls, but here are the ten teen idols you probably adored but almost forgot.
10. Drake Bell
After starting off as a child actor, Drake Bell caught our attention for the first time in ‘The Amanda Show’. He had a unique sense of comedy that quickly made him a fan favorite on the series.
But it was Nickelodeon’s ‘Drake & Josh’, where we truly saw him shine. Moreover, he could sing, perform, and carry a show all by himself. In recent years, he has mostly been focusing on independent music, but for 2000s teens, he was the ultimate crush with a guitar.
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9. Erik Von Detten
This Californian boy with floppy blonde hair and blue eyes skated his way right into our hearts. In the role of Brink, he was the embodiment of effortless cool. Though he did play the jerky Josh in ‘The Princess Diaries’, but that didn’t stop him from becoming the ultimate crush.
Erik von Detten had that unique mix of charm while also being slightly goofy that made him instantly captivating. Recently, he has been best known for lending his voice to Sid in ‘Toy Story’.
8. Sean Patrick Thomas
We are always ready to take some dance classes from Sean Patrick Thomas. He had that screen presence that was impossible to ignore. While he became famous because of the classic teen series ‘Cruel Intentions’, it is undeniable that he will forever remain in our heads because of ‘Save the Last Dance’.
From those smooth dance moves to the confident energy and the electric chemistry with Julia Stiles, he was an instant favorite amongst teens. He really did dance his way into everyone’s hearts.
7. Adam Brody
After starting in ‘Gilmore Girls’, Adam Brody rewrote the teen heartthrob archetype with his beloved character in ‘The O.C.’. Seth Cohen was the hunky nerd who stole everyone’s heart back in the 2000s.
He was geeky, awkward, and funny, but also completely irresistible. His lifelong crush on Rachel Bilson was just so pure that we all were rooting for these two.
6. Jesse Bradford
Bradford actually started his acting career way before he became a teen idol. He was a successful child actor, acting in films like ‘Prancer’ and ‘Presumed Innocent’. As he grew older, he smoothly transitioned into teen classics.
From ‘Romeo + Juliet’ to ‘Bring It On’, Jesse Bradford had that soft and sincere appeal that could win anyone’s heart. Amidst many louder personalities, Bradford definitely stood out as a charming yet relatable crush.
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5. Jesse McCartney
If anyone can be the definition of a multi-talented teen idol, it has to be Jesse McCartney. With a beautiful face and soul, he instantly caught our eyes way back during his short-lived boy band era with Dream Street.
Then the drama series ‘Summerland’ gave him the ultimate boy-next-door archetype that was an instant success because of his soft voice and gentle image. Recently, you might remember him for lending his voice to many animated favorites, including Theodore from ‘Alvin and the Chipmunks’.
4. Josh Hartnett
That brooding look and those intense glares will always stand out amongst 2000s teen heartthrobs. Can you even imagine this is the same guy who played the role of nuclear physicist Ernest Lawrence in ‘Oppenheimer’?
This only proved the range Josh Hartnett had. From a mysterious teen crush archetype to critically acclaimed and complex roles, he had it all covered.
3. Tom Welling
Weiling spent nearly a decade portraying a young Clark Kent in ‘Smallville’, balancing action, romance, and comedy all at the same time with surprising ease. The role brought him overnight success and won him millions of teen hearts.
Most recently, you might recall seeing him in the role of Cain in ‘Lucifer’. But for many, he will always be the innocent and responsible farm boy, learning to become superhuman.
2. Shane West
Before ‘The Fault In Our Stars’, we were all crying over ‘A Walk To Remember’, which gave us the rebellious but deeply sincere golden boy Landon Carter. West managed to make everyone cry and swoon at the same time.
With his soft, charming looks and equally contrasting bad-boy personality, Shane West is unforgettable. He definitely secured a permanent place in the teen heartthrob hall of fame just for his role as Landon.
1. Chad Michael Murray
The most memorable teen heartthrobs of all time will forever be Chad Michael Murray. From his side character roles in ‘Gilmore Girls’ and ‘Dawson’s Creek’, we knew that he has the ability to steal the show anytime from the main leads.
So, it wasn’t long before he landed a lead role in ‘One Tree Hill’. Then came the big-screen roles in ‘Freaky Friday’ and ‘A Cinderella Story’, which only cemented his status as an all-time crush. The Chad Michael Murray fever also made a recent resurgence, which only proves that he is forever etched in our memory as the ultimate teen heartthrob.
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