'70s & '80s teen heartthrobs – where are they now?

With a fan frenzy dubbed “Cassidymania” that rivalled The Beatles, David Cassidy was the definitive teen heartthrob of the ‘70s thanks to his breakout role as the shaggy-haired Keith in The Partridge Family (1970–74). The star later embarked on a solo career, bringing us hits like “Cherish” and “Could It Be Forever”, causing mass hysteria wherever he went.

After continuing to act into the millennium, and releasing his final studio album A Touch of Blue in 2003, the hitmaker passed away in 2017 from liver failure. “They called me everything, they called me an icon…but I was just an actor and a singer and songwriter,” David told The Yorkshire Post in 2012. “I’ve lived an insane life in a lot of ways, but I’ve been lucky to have the opportunity to do what I’ve been able to do.”

Being a teen heartthrob clearly ran in the family, as David’s younger half-brother Shaun Cassidy also shot to superstardom after his role in The Hardy Boys (1977–1979). While Shaun was also an acclaimed musician, even receiving a Grammy nomination in 1978, he eventually decided the idol life wasn’t for him, becoming a successful TV producer and screenwriter for shows like American Gothic (1995–96).

Shaun is currently still a big name in the TV industry, recently working on the show New Amsterdam (2018–2023), and is currently embarking on his first concert tour in decades – fans can expect the show to resemble a “live memoir”, according to the hitmaker himself.

Already a child star thanks to shows like Family Affair (1966-1971), Leif Garrett quickly rose to teen heartthrob status with his popular role in Three for the Road (1975), becoming a poster-boy staple in teen magazines. Known for his charming, boy-next-door looks – fans may remember him from the The Outsiders (1983) – Leif also dabbled in music, cracking the charts with his show-stopping hit "I Was Made for Dancin'” (1978). 

The former teen idol experienced a series of legal troubles, but has continued to appear sporadically on-screen; he released his memoir Idol Truth in 2019, which he described as “memoir of me at that time”. “I think that I was more out of control than I thought I was,” Leif confessed to Glide Magazine, adding that he’d now “like to be somebody who is able to offer up positiveness to a cynical world.”

A standout member of Hollywood’s Brat Pack, Rob Lowe first captured attention with The Outsiders (1983), appearing alongside the aforementioned Leif Garrett and future acting royalty like Matt Dillon and Ralph Macchio. Rob cemented his teen heartthrob status in Joel Schumacher’s coming-of-age drama St. Elmo’s Fire (1985) alongside Demi Moore – and quickly began dominating Tiger Beat covers.

From hit roles as Chris Traeger in Parks and Recreation (2009–2015) to Captain Owen Strand in the popular 9-1-1 spin-off series 9-1-1: Lone Star (2020–), Rob is still a familiar Hollywood presence today. The star is currently hosting the fan-favourite game show The Floor (2024–), and has also hinted at a Brat Pack reunion and St. Elmo’s Fire sequel – don’t leave us hanging!

Certainly not the last Brat Pack star deserving of a place on this list (though we’d had to be selective for space), Matt Dillon had his breakout role as edgy teen Richie in Over the Edge (1979), a brooding persona he continued to hone in The Outsiders (1983). Fans loved his rebellious roles, and Matt continued his acting journey to critical acclaim, particularly in the 1989 film Drugstore Cowboy.

Matt has remained a steadfast Hollywood presence, recently portraying legendary film star Marlon Brando in the Maria Schneider biopic Being Maria (2024). He’s also set to step into the shoes of Frank Stallone Sr., Sylvestor Stallone’s father, in the upcoming flick I Play Rocky, which will explore the turbulent production of 1976’s Rocky.

While John Travolta first reached teen heartthrob status for his role as the endearing Vinnie Barbarino in Welcome Back, Kotter (1975–1979), it was the big-screen stardom that followed which truly sent fans into a frenzy. From Saturday Night Fever (1977) to Grease (1978), his slick characters – and legendary dance moves – earned him countless places in teen magazines, not to mention pop culture history to this day.

“If I don't want to be considered a teen idol the rest of my life, then it's my responsibility to give the serious film audience a product that's quality,” John told The New York Times in 1977. The Hollywood heavyweight has done just that, and shows no signs of slowing down – he’s set to portray mobster John Roselli in the upcoming film November 1963, which will explore JFK’s assassination.

A renowned beauty who first began her career as a model, Brooke Shields became a household name with Pretty Baby (1978), later starring in the coming-of-age flick The Blue Lagoon (1980). Despite taking a break from acting to attend university in the early ‘80s, Brooke remained firmly in the public eye – notably for her infamous Calvin Klein jeans ad – and maintained her status as one of the biggest teen idols of the decade

While Brooke has discussed not being “personally scathed” by polarising films like The Blue Lagoon, she spoke to The Guardian about her image going through “so many different machinations” – “whatever anybody wanted to label me as, they did”. As well as continuing to shine on screen, most recently in an episode of All’s Fair (2025–), Brooke headlined the explosive documentary Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields (2023), reflecting candidly on her stardom.

The flaming-haired queen of the ‘80s, Molly Ringwald shot to superstardom as the definitive queen of the John Hughes universe, stacking her resume with legendary films like Sixteen Candles (1984) and The Breakfast Club (1985). She was the ultimate fashion icon, known in particular for her vintage-inspired red-carpet fashion – though she wasn’t a fan of some of her on-screen looks, in particular the rose-hued prom gown from Pretty in Pink (1986).

Molly has recently become a familiar face in the Netflix universe, starring in both Riverdale (2017–2023) and the The Kissing Booth trilogy (2018–2021), and recently portrayed model Joanne Carson on the second season of Feud (2024) alongside fellow ‘80s heartthrob Demi Moore.

After getting his start in the family pop group The Osmonds, singer Donny Osmond went solo in the early ‘70s, bringing crowds of adoring fans smooth pop hits like "Go Away Little Girl”. The teen idol found further fame in the variety show Donny & Marie (1976–1979), which he headlined alongside his sister, and became the definitive wholesome heartthrob for legions of young fans.

Donny recently shared candid musings on his career alongside fellow family members in the documentary The Osmonds: Faith, Family, & Fame (2023); he also delighted fans when he joined the cast of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (2024) in Edinburgh – a show he played the lead in during several ‘90s productions.