Popular Celebrity Heartthrobs Back In The Day And Today (88 pics)
Tony Danza
A former professional boxer, Danza became best known for two very popular television shows, "Taxi" (1978-1983) and "Who's the Boss?" (1984-1992).
The actor continued appearing on several other TV shows. He was also seen on the silver screen in films like "Crash" (2004) and "Don Jon" (2013). Danza is also active in the theater circuit, most notable being his role in Mel Brook's Broadway musical "The Producers" (2006-2007). He was most recently seen in an episode of Comedy Centrals' "Broad City" in 2016.
Elisabeth Shue
Shue’s memorable cinematic moments came in the 1995 blockbuster “Leaving Las Vegas," and then in “The Saint" (1997) and "Hollow Man" (2000). In the '80s, she was known for her roles in the films "The Karate Kid" (1984) and "Back to the Future" series.
In February 2012, she joined the team of the hit CBS police drama "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" playing Julie Finlay, a consulting specialist in blood splatter reconstruction. She played the character until the end of the series in 2015.
Leonardo DiCaprio
The child star of the '80s, DiCaprio hit the limelight with Baz Luhrmann's romantic tragedy “Romeo + Juliet” in 1996. The following year, James Cameron's “Titanic” made him a global phenomenon.
Since then, the actor has delivered stunning performances in movies such as “Gangs of New York” (2002), “The Departed” (2006), “Blood Diamond” (2006), “Inception” (2010), and “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), among others. In 2016, he won the Best Actor nod at the Oscars for the film "The Revenant."
Backstreet Boys
The Orlando, Florida-group started their career in 1993 and sold over 130 million albums across the world. The group’s super-hit albums include "Backstreet Boys" (1996) "Backstreet’s Back" (1997) and "Millennium" (1999).
Although the group is still active, each one of the band members are doing their own thing as well. Nick Carter (2nd L), one of the most popular artists in the band, chalked out his solo career in 2002, gaining marginal success. He has also starred in reality TV show ("Carters," 2006). Kevin Richardson (2nd R), the eldest member of the band, left in 2006 and has modeled for Versace along with some Broadway shows. A.J. Mclean (L) has his own apparel brand—Skullee Rose. Brian Littrell (C) has gained popularity in the Christian music scene. Howie Dorough (R) released his solo album "Back to Me" in 2011, which was marginally successful.
Christopher Atkins and Brooke Shields
Atkins and Shields became overnight stars in the early '80s with the coming-of-age blockbuster “The Blue Lagoon” (1980). While Atkins won a Golden Globe nomination for New Star of the Year in a Motion Picture (1981), Shields was named as Time magazine’s face of the '80s.
Atkins, who has patented his own fishing lure, now owns a sports company. Shields had major success on the small screen with "Suddenly Susan" (1996-2000). Since then, she has appeared in a number of TV shows such as "That '70s Show" (2004) and "The Michael J. Fox Show" (2014). Her book on postpartum depression was also well-received.
'Friends' guys
(L-R) Cute, goofy and adorable, Matthew Perry (Chandler Bing), Matt LeBlanc (Joey Tribbiani) and David Schwimmer (Ross Geller) from the blockbuster TV series "Friends" (1993-2004) became the heartthrobs of millions around the globe.
Perry (L) went on to feature in several successful TV series, like "The West Wing" (2003), "Studio 60 on the Sunset Trip" (2006-2007), "Go On" (2012-2013), and "The Odd Couple" (2015-2016). After a hiatus, LeBlanc (C) came back with a bang with "Web Therapy" (2013) and "Episodes" (2011-2015). Schwimmer (R), too, has been a regular face on the small screen and will be shortly seen on the TV series "American Crime Story."
'Friends' girls
(L-R) Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe Buffay), Courteney Cox (Monica Geller) and Jennifer Aniston (Rachel Green) were the leading ladies of the TV series "Friends" (1993- 2004). The show not only made them a household name, but also popular fashion icons. Be it Rachel's hairstyle or Phoebe’s bohemian ensemble, fans loved and followed these stars.
The most successful of the lot, Aniston (R) went on to become a rom-com queen. With movies such as “Bruce Almighty” (2003), “The Break-Up” (2006), “Marley & Me” (2008) and “We're the Millers” (2013), she has cemented her stardom. While Cox (C) turned into a producer with “Cougar Town” (2009), Kudrow has been a regular face both on the big and small screens.
Kelly McGillis
McGillis is best remembered for her role as Charlie Blackwood, the smart and beautiful flight instructor in the 1986 mega hit “Top Gun.” Her other well-known movies include “Witness” (1985) and “The Accused” (1988). McGillis was nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in “Witness.”
After "Top Gun", McGillis played a lawyer in Oscar-winning drama "The Accused" (1988). Her acting career had a revival in the '00s, when she played Mrs Robinson in a stage version of "The Graduate" in 2004, and in 2007 she joined the cast of "The L Word" for its fifth season. She has been married twice and has two children. In 2009, she came out as a lesbian and was in a civil union with Melanie Leis from 2010 to 2012.
Josh Hartnett
Hartnett’s role in the TV show “Cracker” and movies such as “Halloween H20” (1998) and “The Faculty” (1998) made him a teen heartthrob. But it was his breakthrough performance in Michael Bay’s World War II saga “Pearl Harbor” and "Black Hawk Down" in 2001 that brought him global fame. Voted as the “sexiest vegetarian in the world” by PETA in 2003, Hartnett also featured in People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People” list in 2002.
Hartnett returned to the small screen and plays the character of Ethan Chandler in the TV series “Penny Dreadful” (2014 - present).
Christina Ricci
A child star of the early '90s, Ricci is best remembered for offbeat roles in movies such as “Mermaids” (1990), “The Addams Family” (1991), “Casper” (1995) and “Sleepy Hollow” (1999) (pictured).
Transitioning successfully into adult roles, Ricci has been praised for her work in movies such as “Bless the Child” (2000), "Monster" (2004), “Cursed” (2005) and “Lizzie Borden Took an Ax” (2014). She also made her Broadway debut in 2010 in Donald Margulies' "Time Stands Still" and has appeared on the small screen with TV series such as "Pan Am" (2011-2012) and “The Lizzie Borden Chronicles” (2015).
NSYNC
An immensely popular boy band of the '90s, NSYNC took the music industry by storm with Billboard hits such as “Bye Bye Bye,” “I Want You Back,” and “Tearin’ Up My Heart”. It took no time for bandmates (L-R) Lance Bass, Justin Timberlake, Joey Fatone, J.C. Chasez and Chris Kirkpatrick to become teen heartthrobs.
The band never officially announced their split and the boys have since been doing their own things. Timberlake struck gold with his solo career, belting out hit singles like "Cry Me a River," "Like I Love You," and "Senorita." He also featured in a number of films and TV series. Kirkpatrick (R) was seen in VH1’s “Mission: Man Band” (2007) and reality TV show “Gone Country 2” (2008). Fatone (2nd R) also switched to reality TV and appeared in shows such as “Dancing With the Stars,” “The Singing Bee,” and “Family Feud.” Bass (2nd L) came out as gay, featured on People magazine’s cover (2002), and also hosted radio shows such as “Dirty Pop With Lance Bass” and “The Pop Ten With Lance Bass.” Chasez (L) branched out his to a solo career with his album “Schizophrenic” in 2004, which was marginally successful.
Tara Reid
Model and actress Tara Reid was one of the hottest stars in the late '90s. Reid’s memorable cinematic moments came in the 1998 blockbuster “The Big Lebowski” and then in “American Pie” a year later. She was also ranked fourth in the Maxim Hot 100 list in 2002.
After some less-than-memorable movies, Reid turned to reality TV and participated in "Celebrity Big Brother" in 2011. She also appeared in the satirical "Sharknado" series and the parody "The Hungover Games" (2014).
Heather Locklear
Starting her career as a model in the late '70s, Locklear featured in TV commercials for major brands, such as Pepsi and Polaroid, and soon landed herself a role in the 1980 TV series “CHiPs.” But it was her back-to-back appearances in two TV shows—"Dynasty" (1981-1989), and "T.J. Hooker" (1982-1986)—that made her a well-known TV star.
After a great run in the '80s, the coming decades also saw Locklear’s growing stardom. From “Melrose Place” (1993-1999) to “Spin City” (1999-2002), she enthralled the audiences with her great performances. At present, she stars in the successful TV series “Hot in Cleveland” (2010-present) .
'Baywatch' girls
These “Baywatch” beauties ruled the small screen during the '90s. Appearing in different seasons of the hit series, (L-R) Angelica Bridges (Taylor Walsh), Krista Allen (Jenna Avid), Alexandra Paul (Stephanie Holden), and Gena Lee Nolin (Neely Capshaw) were some of the hottest pin-up girls of the decade.
Bridges (L) later appeared in a number of other shows such as “Conan” (1998) and “The Bold and the Beautiful” (2004). Post-Baywatch, Allen (2nd L) got major roles in TV series such as “Charmed” (2001) and “What About Brian” (2006-2007). While Paul (2nd R) got some noteworthy roles in "Spy Hard" (1996) and "Melrose Place" (1992), Lee Nolin (R) is now an active campaigner for those battling thyroid illness.
'Baywatch' guys
The “Baywatch” hunks were equally popular. Actor-producer David Hasselhoff (L) played the main protagonist Mitch Buchannon. Along with Parker Stevenson (C) (Craig Pomeroy) and Jeremy Jackson (R) (Hobie Buchannon), Hasselhoff created one of the most successful TV series with a cult following.
Latest reports suggest that Hasselhoff (L) is moving to Finland to start a talk show. While Stevenson (C) was last seen in the TV series “Longmire” (2014), Jackson (R) has been in news but not for the right reasons; recently he was kicked out of "Celebrity Big Brother" for allegedly harassing a housemate.
Marcus Paulk
Young Paulk tasted success for the first time when he got recognition for his voice-over job for hip hop artist M.C. Hammer’s “Hammerman” in 1991. His appearances on “Thea” (1994), and “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” (1994) also got him noticed. But it was the TV series “Moesha” (1996-2001) that gave Paulk the real stardom.
The '90s TV star has been in news lately for all the wrong reasons. In February 2015, Paulk pleaded guilty for DUI and possession of marijuana and was placed under unsupervised probation for a year.
Joshua Jackson
Jackson debuted on the big screen at the age of 11 in the critically acclaimed film “Crooked Heart” (1991). By the mid-90s, Jackson had appeared in a number of films and TV series. But it was his breakthrough performance in “Dawson’s Creek” (1998-2003) that made him a teen star.Joshua Jackson
Jackson debuted on the big screen at the age of 11 in the critically acclaimed film “Crooked Heart” (1991). By the mid-90s, Jackson had appeared in a number of films and TV series. But it was his breakthrough performance in “Dawson’s Creek” (1998-2003) that made him a teen star.
Jackson has made the transition from boyish roles to mature performances in TV shows, such as “Fringe” (2008-2013) and “The Affair” (2014-2015). In 2005, the actor made his theater debut at West End, London in David Mamet’s “A Life in the Theatre,” which was well-received and ran to packed houses.
Aaron Carter
Apart from being the younger brother of Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys, Aron Carter’s claim to fame was his pop and hip-hop music career in the ‘90s. Carter had his first solo performance at the age of nine, and released his album “Aaron Carter” in 1997. His second album “Aaron’s Party” (2000) went on to achieve triple-platinum certification and made him hugely popular among the teens.
Since then Carter has tried his luck with acting in movies, such as “Popstar” (2006) and also appeared on reality TV show “House of Carters” (2006). In 2013, the singer filed for bankruptcy due to debts of over $3.5 million.
Selma Blair
The actress started her professional career with guest roles and minor appearances, but gained widespread popularity later with roles in the movies “Cruel Intentions” (1999), "Hellboy" (2001), and “Legally Blonde” (2001).
The actress now successfully moves between movies and TV shows. She has appeared in “Anger Management” (2012-2014) and “Columbus Circle” (2012). Blair will next be seen in crime thriller “American Crime Story” where she plays Kris Jenner, the Kardashian matriarch.
Heather Graham
A regular name in ‘most beautiful’ and ‘sexiest people’ lists, Graham made quite an impression with movies such as “Drugstore Cowboy” (pictured) (1989), “Boogie Nights” (1997) for which she gained critical acclaim, and “Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me” (1999).
Seen in blockbusters such as “The Hangover” (2009) and “The Hangover Part III” (2013), Graham enthralled the audiences with her stellar performance as Corrine Foxworth in TV movie “If There Be Thorns” (2015).
Seen in blockbusters such as “The Hangover” (2009) and “The Hangover Part III” (2013), Graham enthralled the audiences with her stellar performance as Corrine Foxworth in TV movie “If There Be Thorns” (2015).
Johnson has not been able match his dizzying success of the '80s and '90s. Recently, he has appeared in TV series such as “From Dusk Till Dawn” (2014) and “Eastbound & Down" (2010-2012). Fans hope that his upcoming TV series "Blood and Oil" (2015) will reinstate his stardom.
Sarah Michelle Gellar
The petite beauty is best known for her roles in films like “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997) and “Scream 2” (1997) and the TV series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” that was also aired in the same year. The actress won an Emmy for playing Kendall Hart Lang in "All My Children" (1993-2011).
Gellar has been a regular face on the small screen. From “Ringer” (2011-2012) to “American Dad!” (2011-2012), and more recently, “The Crazy Ones” (2013-2014), Gellar continues to charm the audience with her performances.
John Stamos
A well-known face in the 1980s, Stamos won rave reviews and awards for the role of Blackie in “General Hospital” (1983). But the global TV audiences still remember him as the happy-go-lucky Jesse Katsopolis from the hit series "Full House" (1987-1995).
From appearing in various TV shows to performing in Broadway theaters and on the big screen, Stamos explored and expanded his portfolio with a bunch of projects in the late '90s and 2000s. He is all set to reprise the role of Jesse Katsopolis in 2016 in the new series "Fuller House."
Calista Flockhart
Flockhart got the role of a lifetime when she played the title role in the hit TV comedy series “Ally McBeal” (1997-2002). The role won her a Golden Globe and soon she became a household name.
Flockhart has been in news more for her personal life. Her relationship and subsequent marriage to Harrison Ford was widely discussed in tabloids. Since her “Ally McBeal” days, Flockhart has done shows such as "Brothers & Sisters" (2006-2011), “Web Therapy” (2014) and “Full Circle” (2015).
Freddie Prinze Jr.
Prinze Jr. became an overnight star with the teen horror hit “I Know What You Did Last Summer” (1997). He is also known for his portrayal of Fred in “Scooby-Doo” movies (2002, 2004) and “She's All That” (1999).
The actor has appeared is a number of TV series, such as "Freddie" (2005-2006), "24" (2010), and "Witches of East End" (2013). He has also lent his voice in “Star Wars Rebels” (2014-2015).
Bridget Fonda
Granddaughter of Henry Fonda and niece of Jane Fonda, the talented actress made an impression with her stellar performances in movies such as “Strapless” (1989), “The Godfather: Part III” (1990), “Doc Hollywood” (1991), “Singles” (1992), “Single White Female” (1992), and “It Could happen to You” (1994) (pictured).
Fonda has proven her versatility in portraying diverse roles in movies like “Lake Placid” (1999) “Monkeybone” (2001), and “Kiss of the Dragon” (2001). She has also appeared on the small screen, notable of which is TV series "The Chris Isaak Show" (2002).
Alanis Morissette
The alternative rock singer wowed the world with songs like “Hand in My Pocket," "You Oughta Know" and "Ironic," from her debut album “Jagged Little Pill” in 1995. Winning Grammy for the album, the Canadian crooner went on to belt out hits for movies such as “City of Angels” (1998) and “The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” (2005).
Twenty years since her debut, Morissette plans to take “Jagged Little Pill” to the Broadway.
Chris O'Donnell
O'Donnell started his acting career in the '90s with “Men Don't Leave” (1990). With movies such as “Fried Green Tomatoes” (1991), “Scent of a Woman” (1992) and "The Chamber" (1995), he gained stardom. One of his most memorable roles was playing Batman’s sidekick Robin in "Batman Forever" (1995) and "Batman and Robin" (1997).
Since 2009, O'Donnell is playing the suave G. Callen in the TV series “NCIS: Los Angeles” (2009-2015).
Macaulay Culkin
The most successful child star of all time, Culkin became a darling of the masses with his performance in the “Home Alone” series in the '90s.
After staying away from limelight for some years, Culkin returned to big screen with “Party Monster” (2003) without much success. His adult career has not replicated the success of his child star era. He hit the headlines in 2005 when he defended Michael Jackson during a molestation trial.
Alicia Silverstone
Silverstone is best remembered as the ditzy yet endearing Cher from the 1995 hit “Clueless.” The teen star also appeared as Batgirl in 1997’s “Batman and Robin.”
Silverstone made a successful transition to the Broadway with appearances in plays such as "The Graduate," "Time Stands Still" and "The Performers." She is now an active animal rights advocate.
Ronan Keating
As part of the successful boy band “Boyzone”, Keating charmed the world with his boyishly handsome looks and amazing singing abilities. With hits such as “Love Me for a Reason” and “Words,” the Irish singer and his band became a pop sensation.
The singer branched out in 2000 with his solo album “Ronan.” His last studio album was “Fires,” which was released in 2012.
Val Kilmer
The talented actor with a deep resonating voice made his big screen debut with “Top Secret!” in 1984. However, it was his performance in “The Doors” (1991) that catapulted him to stardom.
Kilmer is now a regular on the small screen with shows such as “Knight Rider” (2008-2009), “Psych” (2014) and “The Spoils of Babylon” (2014). He played Mark Twain in 2014's "Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn."
Mario Lopez
Lopez was the '80s teen star who is best remembered for his role in “Saved by the Bell” (1989-1993).
After some forgettable roles, Lopez reinvented himself as a presenter. He has hosted a number of shows such as “Pet Star” (2002) and “The Other Half” (2001) and “Dancing with the Stars” (2006).
Ralph Macchio
The actor is still best remembered for his role in "The Karate Kid" series (pictured).
Macchio has appeared in many successful TV series such as "Ugly Betty" (2008-2009), "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" (2010), "Happily Divorced" (2012), and "Psych" (2010-2014).
Phoebe Cates
Her swimsuit scene in the 1982 movie “Fast Times At Ridgemont High" was the stuff of teenage fantasies. Soon, she landed herself a role in “Private School” (1983), followed by "Gremlins" (1984).
The '80s star has done a few movies such as “Princess Caraboo” (1994) and “Bodies, Rest & Motion” (1993). Married to actor Kevin Kline (R), Cates maintains a low profile.
Neve Campbell
Campbell started her career in 1991 with an uncredited role in the TV series “My Secret Identity.” But the world took notice of the beautiful actress in the hit series “Party of Five” (1994-2000). The success on the small screen soon gave her a chance in movies and she landed herself a role in "Scream" (1996). The movie was an instant hit and Campbell appeared in all the sequels.
Nowadays, Campbell is focusing on TV. She has starred in series such as “The Philanthropist” (2009) and “Titanic: Blood and Steel” (2012).
Dean Cain
Cain got the role of his life when he played Superman in 1993's hit TV series “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.”
He may not be Superman anymore, but Cain continues to act in small screen projects. He has done TV series such as “Clubhouse” (2004-2004), “Hope & Faith” (2005), "Las Vegas" (2005-2006) and “Hit the Floor” (2013-2014).
Peter Andre
The English singer who made his debut in 1993 has delivered hits such as "Mysterious Girl" and “Flava.”
The crooner returned to the limelight when he participated in the UK version of "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" (2002). His relationship with model and fellow contestant Katie Price was a sensation and he finished third on the show.
Hillary Duff
Duff came to fame with her breakthrough performance in Disney's TV series “Lizzie McGuire” (2001-2004). The show was an instant success that made Duff a household name.
The singer-actor, who launched her debut album “Metamorphosis” in 2003, has appeared in TV series such as “Gossip Girl” (2009) and “Younger” (2015).
"Sex and the City" girls
Four New York girls took the world by storm when “Sex and the City” (1998-2004) hit the small screen in the late '90s. (Pictured L-R) Kristin Davis (Charlotte York), Cynthia Nixon (Miranda Hobbes), Sarah Jessica Parker (Carrie Bradshaw) and Kim Cattrall (Samantha Jones) became household names overnight.
(L-R) Parker grabbed media attention with her choice of unique headgear at the 2015 Met Gala. Selective with her choices, Parker has appeared in “I Don't Know How She Does It” (2011) and the TV comedy series “Glee” (2012-2013) to name a few. Feisty Cattrall has done TV series such as “Producing Parker” (2011) and “Sensitive Skin” (2014). Both Nixon and Davis are also regular faces on the small screen. While Nixon was last seen in the second season of “Hannibal” (2013-present), Davis played the lead role in “Bad Teacher” (2014).
Linda Hamilton
The “Beauty and the Beast” (1987) star is best remembered for her action-thriller performance in “The Terminator” (1984) and “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991).
Hamilton has now turned to small-screen work and has done TV series such as “The Line” (2009), “Chuck” (2010-2012) and “Defiance” (2014).
Anna Paquin
Her breakthrough performance in “The Piano” won Paquin her first Oscar in 1993. At the age of 11, she became the second youngest Academy Award winner.
The talented actress made a successful transition into adult roles with movies such as “She's All That” (1999) and the "X-Men" series (2000, 2003, 2006). She has also done TV series such as "Susanna" (2013) and “True Blood” (2008-2014).
Ray Liotta
The actor became a well-known face for his performance in “Goodfellas” (1990).
Liotta has not been able to get the kind of roles that match up to his intense acting abilities. The talented actor will be seen in the TV mini-series “Texas Rising” and the film “Flock of Dudes” next.
David Boreanaz
Boreanaz got his big break in 1993 when he got the role of Frank in the series “Married with Children.” But it was not until “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (1997-2003) that Boreanaz came to fame. Soon, he got his own spin-off show “Angel” (1999).
Nowadays, Boreanaz can be seen as special agent Seeley Booth in the hit TV series "Bones" (2005-2015).
