Where are the 2000s teen heartthrobs now?

A true multihyphenate heartthrob, Jesse McCartney entered the noughties as frontman of the boyband Dream Street; after the group disbanded in 2002, he rode the wave of his superstar talent and boy-next-door looks to a successful solo career with chart-topping tracks like “Leavin”. Jesse also appeared in popular TV shows like Summerland (2004–2005) – and does anyone else remember when he starred as himself in Hannah Montana?

The Beautiful Soul hitmaker recently released his fifth EP, Weightless (2025), and welcomed his adorable son Archer the same year. He’s also currently on tour with the Jonas Brothers, supporting them on their Jonas20: Greetings from Your Hometown Tour – talk about a ‘00s reunion!

Alongside capturing hearts as Lucas Scott on One Tree Hill (2003–09), Chad Michael Murray was the go-to teen romcom lead, wooing audiences in flicks like Freaky Friday (2003) and A Cinderella Story (2004). Fans may also remember his earlier hits like Gilmore Girls (2000–2001) and Dawson’s Creek (2001–02), which helped propel him to noughties stardom.

Chad is currently starring in the hit drama series Sullivan’s Crossing (2023–), proving he’s still the ultimate millennial love interest, and recently reprised his role in the sequel Freakier Friday (2025). He’s also become a festive favourite, gracing screens in Netflix’s The Merry Gentlemen (2024) and Hulu’s must-watch new release Joy to the World (2025).

With clever one-liners and endless nerdy charm, Seth Cohen wormed his way into our hearts on The O.C (2003–07), a role Adam Brody delivered to perfection. After leaving Newport Beach, he went on to give us hit films like In the Land of Women (2007) opposite Kristen Stewart, and the cult-horror classic Jennifer’s Body (2009).

Though he’s continued to showcase his acting chops in films like Promising Young Woman (2020) and DC’s Shazam! franchise (2019, 2023), it’s his Emmy-nominated role as Noah Roklov in the Netflix series Nobody Wants This (2024–) that set the internet ablaze. The star is also married to Gossip Girl alum Leighton Meester, which is pretty much a match made in noughties drama heaven.

After first appearing as the dashing Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005), it was his infamous role as Edward Cullen in the Twilight saga (2008–2012) that cemented Robert Pattinson as a global teen crush. Alongside his brooding role in the infamous vampire romance, Robert was also the leading man in dramas like Remember Me (2010) and Water for Elephants (2011), alongside Reece Witherspoon.

Still a film sensation, the Twilight star has emerged as one of Hollywood’s leading actors, with recent global hits like Mickey 17 (2025) and Die My Love (2025). He’s also rounding out the star-studded cast of Christopher Nolan’s fantasy epic The Odysseywhich we can expect to see in 2026.

Team Edward or Team Jacob? Taylor Lautner was the other half of the notorious Twilight love triangle; the star had his breakout role in the film The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl (2005) before later taking on the role of werewolf Jacob Black in the hit franchise, where his dashing looks and physical transformation made him one of the biggest heartthrobs of the era.

While Taylor isn’t as prolific on our screens anymore, he hosts the popular podcast The Squeeze with his wife Tay, and posts no shortage of hilarious Instagram videos for over 10 million fans. Swifties may also remember Taylor starred in Taylor Swift’s video for I Can See You in 2023, putting an end to rumours of bad blood between the exes.

After first appearing in Summerland (2005–06) with Jesse McCartney, Zac Efron reached peak teen heartthrob status as Troy Bolton in the High School Musical trilogy (2006–08), where he sang and danced his way into the hearts of fans worldwide. His staggering popularity also earned him starring roles in Hairspray (2007) as well as the teen comedy 17 Again (2009).

After hosting the Emmy-winning docuseries Down to Earth with Zac Efron (2020–2022), Zac wowed critics with another career-defining performance in The Iron Claw (2023), further cementing his leading man status. We won’t have to wait long to see Zac on our screens again, as the star has several films on the horizon, including Famous alongside Phoebe Dynevor.

Hilary Duff brought TV It-girl and “outfit repeater” Lizzie McGuire to life in both the Disney series (2001–2004) and The Lizzie McGuire Movie (2003), a role which catapulted her to teen idol status. Fans will also remember her starring turn in A Cinderella Story (2004) opposite Chad Michael Murray, as well as her successful music career that brought us pop hits like “Come Clean” and “Wake Up”.

As well as her lead role in Darren Starr’s series Younger (2015–2021), the What Dreams Are Made Of hitmaker recently dazzled fans in the Hulu spinoff series How I Met Your Father (2022–23). The star also just announced her latest album, luck…or somethingwill be released in February 2026 – we can’t wait to hear her new tunes!

No one “underestimated his power” as a teen heartthrob after Hayden Christensen starred as Anakin Skywalker in the Star Wars prequels (2002–2005), a role which made him the ultimate poster-boy and XX. Hayden had already been a one-to-watch actor before reaching teen idol status, with an acclaimed role in the drama film Life as a House (2001).

Hayden took a hiatus from major Hollywood roles after Revenge of the Sith (2005), telling The Guardian that he “never really connected” with the teen heartthrob brand, though noted that his “focus has always been the work, and everything else is kind of peripheral”. The star reprised his role as Anakin in the Disney+ series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022) and Ahsoka (2023), much to the delight of fans.

Sorry Dean, but Jess became our ultimate Gilmore Girls crush when Milo Ventimiglia joined the cast as the brooding bad boy in the show’s second season (2001). The fan-favourite character, and Milo’s endless charm, solidified him as a teen idol, and the actor continued his noughties notoriety as Peter Petrelli in the popular superhero drama Heroes (2006–2010).

In addition to his Emmy-nominated role in the heartwarming (and heartbreaking) drama This Is Us (2016–2022), Milo recently starred in the thriller film Land of Bad (2024) with Liam Hemsworth; he’s also set to front the upcoming Netflix miniseries I Will Find You based on Harlan Coben’s bestselling novel, which is shaping up to be a high-stakes must-watch.

After giving us infectious pop tracks like “Candy”, Mandy Moore added “film star” to her arsenal with starring roles in the heartbreaking drama A Walk to Remember (2002) and the romcom Chasing Liberty (2004). With her girl-next-door look, she quickly became a favourite among teen audiences, rounding out a successful decade by voicing Rapunzel in Disney’s hit Tangled (2010).

The I Wanna Be With You hitmaker famously played Milo Ventimiglia’s love interest in This Is Us (2016–2022); although she seems to be more focused on acting right now, with an upcoming role in The Breadwinner (2026), Mandy released her seventh album In Real Life in 2022, which is definitely worth adding to your playlist.