‘90s teen heartthrobs: where are they now?

One of the biggest breakout heartthrob of the ‘90s, Devon Sawa was everyone’s childhood crush as the human version of the titular friendly ghost in Casper (1995). The star followed the blockbuster kids film up with the rom-com Now and Then (1995), starring as the charming Scott Ray alongside his Casper co-star Christina Ricci. Sticking to the spooky genre – albeit much more frightening – he then went on to lead the first Final Destination (2000) film, continuing to make hearts flutter (though partially from fear). 

After a slower start in the millennium – he appeared in the Eminem music video for “Stan” and later the CW thriller Nikita (2010–2013) – everyone’s favourite ghost returned with a vengeance in the 2020s. Returning to his horror roots, he starred in the critically-acclaimed Chucky (2021–2024) TV series, and recently the romantic slasher flick Heart Eyes (2025). 

Looking back on his heartthrob days, Devon told the New York Times, “There was a certain amount of years I just didn’t want to talk about it anymore…Now, I’ve come to peace with it. It’s never going to go away.”

After landing guest roles on shows like Family Matters (1995), Freddie Prinze Jr. skyrocketed to fame with the slasher hit I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) and its sequel, which instantly cemented his status as a bona fide teen heartthrob. He seamlessly transitioned into rom-com royalty with the iconic She’s All That (1999), a film that defined an entire generation of teen cinema. 

Who could forget Scooby-Doo (2002), where he shared the screen again with his real-life girlfriend Sarah Michelle Gellar – because if we couldn’t have him, it might as well have been Buffy.

While Freddie largely stepped back from leading roles in the 2000s, he remained active in the industry, lending his voice to beloved animated shows like Star Wars Rebels (2014–2018). The star also recently reprised his role as Ray Bronson in the I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025) sequel. 

Beyond acting, he’s also the host of Wrestling With Freddie, a professional wrestling podcast – and has reportedly gotten Sarah hooked on the sport, too.

The definitive floppy-haired bad boy of Bayside High, Mark-Paul Gosselaar became a household name as the mischievous Zack Morris on Saved by the Bell (1989–1993). After leaving Bayside behind, Mark-Paul took on more schoolyard antics in big-screen comedy Dead Man on Campus (1998), later swapping campus life for the police precinct as Detective John Clark Jr. on the long-running procedural NYPD Blue (2001–2005).

Since his heartthrob heyday, Mark-Paul has remained a steady presence on our screens, starring in the legal dramedy Franklin & Bash (2011–2014) and taking a lead role in the Black-ish spin-off Mixed-ish (2019–2021). 

He also delighted longtime fans by stepping back into Zack Morris’ shoes in the Saved by the Bell revival (2020–2021), where he also served as a producer. Still a ‘90s heartthrob at heart, he told NBC that rolled-up jeans were the one trend he’s dying to bring back – very Zack Morris of him!

Capeside’s resident brooding romantic, James Van Der Beek forever cemented his name in TV history as the titular Dawson Leery in Dawson’s Creek (1998–2003), becoming a defining heartthrob of the late ‘90s – and 2000s internet culture, with the iconic ‘crying face’ meme. Alongside his most well-known role, James also went on to pop up in fan-favourite shows like Ugly Betty, How I Met Your Mother, and One Tree Hill. 

Since the show wrapped, he joined the cast of the sitcom Don’t Trust the B- - - - in Apartment 23 (2012–2013), playing a very meta version of himself that riffed on his Dawson-era fame. Looking ahead, James will also appear in the upcoming Legally Blonde spin-off series Elle as Dean Wilson, which is slated for release in 2026. 

Off-screen, James has been very vocal about his ongoing fight with stage 3 colorectal cancer, but still managed to make a heartfelt appearance at the Dawson’s Creek reunion in September. 

The ultimate smouldering heartthrob of the era’s music scene, Enrique Iglesias stormed onto the music scene with his self-titled Spanish-language album in 1995, racking up number one singles like “Si Tú Te Vas” and “Experiencia Religiosa” and earning a Grammy Award. His meteoric rise to fame worldwide made him a staple on pop radio and MTV, and there wasn’t a bedroom wall or school locker that didn’t have his picture plastered on them.

With over 100 million albums sold worldwide, Enrique has built a long-lasting career beyond his teen heartthrob days, and was crowned the Top Latin Artist of All Time at the Latin Billboard Awards in 2022. There’s good and bad news for fans: while his last major music release, Final (Vol. 2) (2024) lives up to its name – his twelfth and final studio album – Enrique is continuing to tour and has promised more sizzling singles in the near future.

The quintessential ‘90s girl-next-door, Claire Danes starred as the copper-haired teen Angela Chase on the cult-classic drama My So-Called Life (1994–1995), before capturing our hearts – and Leo’s, too – in Baz Luhrmann’s inimitable Romeo + Juliet (1996). A Miu Miu muse and chic style icon, she perfectly captured the era’s “It-girl” energy – everyone was either crushing on, or wishing they were her.

Continuing her Emmy-winning acting career into the millennium, Claire received further recognition for portraying the title character in Temple Grandin (2010) before going on to star as CIA agent Carrie Mathison in the long-running thriller series Homeland (2011–2020). Alongside continuing to dazzle us on red carpets worldwide, she’s also set to star in the upcoming HBO drama The Applebaum Curse, which will reunite her with My So-Called Life creator Winnie Holzman.

The ‘90s weren’t just about boybands – the voice of a generation, Alanis Morissette’s Jagged Little Pill (1995) brought a raw, confessional sound to the mainstream, giving teens everywhere the perfect soundtrack for their angst. From the blistering honesty of “You Oughta Know” to the witty lyricism of “Ironic”, the album earned her five Grammys and cemented her as the era’s ultimate queen of alt-rock – and let’s face it, we all wanted her effortless cool-girl wardrobe.

Alongside continuing to release albums, most recently The Storm Before the Calm (2022), her bestselling album was adapted for the Broadway stage in 2019, scoring her another Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album. After taking to the Glastonbury stage for the first time in 2025, Alanis is currently in the middle of a Vegas residency, bringing her endlessly magnetic presence and raw sound to generations both old and new.