Top 10 Forgotten Teen Heartthrobs of All Time

Forgotten but not gone! Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re going down memory lane as we countdown our picks of those forgotten teen heartthrobs from the 1980s to the 2000s. These hunks can be actors or singers, but didn’t necessarily have to be teens themselves. We’ll be excluding teen heartthrobs from the 2010s and beyond since they deserve a list of their own!

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 2002s 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.

As Seth Cohen on The O.C., Adam was the hunky nerd who stole our hearts. Quick-witted, quirky, and funny, Adam was arguably the true heart of the popular series. Like Chad Michael Murray, he got his start on Gilmore Girls, and quickly proved that he should be the star of his own show. Adam seemed pretty much like a lot of his characters, which made him a breath of fresh air in a sea of too cool for school types. Since The O.C. ended, he’s had a couple film roles, such as in In the Land of Women and Scream 4. We miss him on screen, but at least in real life he seems to be doing just fine, since he married Leighton Meester, aka Blair Waldorf, and is now a father.

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 lady-killer with high-profile relationships. Since his heyday, he’s dabbled in reality TV, all while being a very vocal Republican.

Tom seems to be mostly MIA these days, and we couldn’t be more upset about it! After a recurring role on Judging Amy, Tom landed his breakout role as Superman’s alter ego on the hit show, Smallville. He portrayed Clark Kent for a whopping 10 years on the small screen, which showed off his comedic timing, knack for action, and super bod. Understandably, Smallville didn’t give him much time for film roles, so Tom has only been in a handful like the Cheaper by the Dozen movies. Following 2016s The Choice, however, we can certainly hope we’ll get to see more of his chiseled good looks on either the big screen or the small screen. Before we unveil our number one pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

• Mark-Paul Gosselaar
• Shane West
• Bow Wow (aka Lil’ Bow Wow)

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.

Do you agree with our list? Which teen heartthrob did you have a crush on? For more can’t-miss Top 10s published daily, be sure to subscribe to MsMojo.