The ’90s were the era for heartthrobs. Yeah, the ’80s had its babes, but there’s nothing like a classic ’90s star who graced the pages of J-14 magazine.
Whether they’re still in the Hollywood game or not, here’s some of your faves and what they look like today.
Hanson
The main reason that these three look so drastically different is definitely because they no longer rock long, blonde hair.
Hanson are still together, and they’re currently on tour! Perfect for those nights when you’re in the mood for nostalgia.
Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Home Improvement made a massive star out of Jonathan Taylor Thomas.
He rode the 90s wave of stardom for a while, but then retreated back into private life. He occasionally guest starred on Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing — though not as his son!
Ricky Martin
C’mon! The King of Latin Pop is “Livin’ La Vida Loca” now more than ever! Married to partner Jwan Yosef, the pair have three children together.
Jason Priestley
A beard really does speak a thousand words.
Jason Priestly joined the ’90s heartthrob club thanks to his role on Beverly Hills, 90210 .
He’s back in his role as Fitz in the rebooted 90210 .
Joshua Jackson
Joshua Jackson’s time as Pacey Witter Dawson’s Creek cemented him in the hearts of teens everywhere. Most recently, Jackson has appeared in the powerful Netflix series When They See us as lawyer Mickey Joseph.
Erik von Detten
Erik von Detten appeared in a number of film and TV roles in the 90s, and even voiced Sid in Toy Story .
You probably know him best as Josh in The Princess Diaries (yes, it came out in 2001, but he still counts as a ’90s heartthrob, okay?).
Rider Strong
There’s no way anyone could have expected a show like Boy Meets World to launch such huge stars.
Rider Strong played Shawn in the original show, and picked the role back up in Girl Meets World in 2014.
Andrew Keegan
Gone are Andrew Keegan’s acting days on Thunder Alley , Full Housr and 10 Things I Hate About You .
These days, Keegan is a full-on spiritual leader for his own “spiritual organization” Full Circle.
Scott Wolf
I know what you’re thinking: hey, he kinda still looks like his past self.
Here’s the thing: he looks less like his past self, and more like Tom Cruise. Prove me wrong.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto went from ’90s heartthrob to 2010s alien, but not in a bad way!
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He has taken on a more unique, other-worldly vibe that not only works for him, but also makes waves on fashion red carpets.
Freddie Prinze Jr
Freddie Prinze Jr. has blessed us with many standout performances throughout the years. His 90’s classics I Know What You Did Last Summer and She’s All That had us all swooning.
These days he’s spending more time in the kitchen and on his YouTube channel, GEGGHEAD.
Brendan Fraser
Brendan Fraser defined “goofy handsome” in the ’90s.
Whether he was kicking butt in The Mummy or playing a befuddled Tarzan-like man in George of the Jungle , he was the heartthrob to end all heartthrobs.
Mathew Lawrence
Mathew Lawrence is best known for his role on Boy Meets World and the tragically shot-lived sitcom Brotherly Love .
He recently just got married to Dancing With The Stars pro, Cheryl Burke!
Mark-Paul Gosselaar
Come through, beard!
Mark-Paul Gosselaar basically defined the ’90s. He went from strength to strength, first starring in Saved by the Bell and NYPD Blue .
He’s still working in television, and recently finished a stint on FOX’s The Passage .
Joey Lawrence
Playing a character of the same name is kinda his thing. After playing Joey Russo on Blossom , he moved on to another Joey in Melissa & Joey.
He recently competed in Celebrity Big Brother . He came in 9th.
Devon Sawa
Devon Sawa charmed audiences when he took on the role of Casper alongside Christina Ricci in Casper .
He went from strength to strength, starring in Nikita and Final Destination …oh, and Eminem’s music video for “Stan.”
Nick Lachey
Never one to shy away from a nice throwback, former 98 Degrees boy band member Nick Lachey is looking better than ever!
Jeremy Jackson
Baywatch definitely made stars of all of its actors.
Jeremy Jackson starred as Hobie in the series, and actually tops David Hasselhoff for the most amount of episodes that he appeared in.
Barry Watson
Anyone remember 7th Heaven ?
Barry Watson played Matt Camden for 10 seasons on the show. Not only did he act, but he also wrote an episode!
He went on to star in Samantha Who? and What About Brian.
NSYNC
Do they really need an introduction?
N*Sync became one of the biggest bands in the world in the ’90s. Their astronomical success helped launch the careers of all 5 members, but I think we all know the most notable one is definitely Justin Timberlake.
Ryan Philippe
Ryan Philippe is best known for his roles in 90’s hits such as I Know What You Did Last Summer and Cruel Intentions . And from these pictures (which are nearly 20 years apart) it appears Ryan hasn’t aged a day!
The Backstreet Boys
Did you know The Backstreet Boys are still together?
Even though Kevin Richardson briefly left the band, they still released music in the 2000s.
These days, they’re still putting out number ones, and can be found touring on their DNA tour.
John Stamos
It was hardly worth doing a side-by-side because John Stamos has hardly aged at all! Stamos has recently gotten married and had his first child and looks just as good as he did in the 90’s!
Aaron Carter
Aaron Carter in the ’90s was a cute kid pop singer and, according to his own music, one hell of a basketball player. These days he’s sporting a LOT more tattoos, including a huge one on his face, and very little of his music is about basketball.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Leonardo was winning hearts as Jack in Titanic long before he was winning Oscars and trying to save the environment. He’s definitely still a cutie with leading man potential, given his recent turn in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood .
James Van Der Beek
James Van Der Beek was another heartthrob from Dawson’s Creek , which was practically a heartthrob factory. He’s still adorable, and just competed on Dancing With The Stars !
Joseph Gordon Levitt
Joseph Gordon Levitt was the cutest kid on 3rd Rock From The Sun and now he’s all grown up! I kind of miss the long hair, though.
Mario Lopez
Mario Lopez’ dimples on Saved By The Bell were legendary, and they obviously have stuck around til now!
