Here Are 33 Of Your Favorite 2000s Heartthrobs, Then Vs. Now
Every decade comes with a group of performers who gain the affection of audiences due to their talent, charm, and charisma. This includes, of course, the 2000s.
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If there was ever a "2000s Heartthrobs 101" course, Ryan Gosling's performance in The Notebook would be the first topic covered.
Allow this list to take you back to the entertainers who you were totally crushing on back in the day, and also learn more about what they're up to now.
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1.Chad Michael Murray then:
Then: You knew Chad from starring in projects like A Cinderella Story and One Tree Hill.
Chad Michael Murray now:
2.Zac Efron then:
Then: Zac rose to fame with the High School Musical franchise and starred in Hairspray and 17 Again.
Zac Efron now:
Now: Zac's latest film is Firestarter. His character has a young daughter in the movie, so, it's official, Troy Bolton is now mature enough to have kids.
3.The Jonas Brothers then:
Then: The JoBros released awesome music and made some epic fashion statements in the '00s.
The Jonas Brothers now:
Now: Some things never change — Nick, Joe, and Kevin are still putting out great tunes and remaining fashion-forward while doing so.
4.Omarion then:
Then: Omarion was B2K's lead singer before moving on to a successful solo career. He also acted in projects like the live action Fat Albert film.
Omarion now:
Now: Omarion is still recording and performing music, and his Millennium Tour received two Billboard Music Award nominations in April 2022.
5.Taylor Lautner then:
Then: Taylor's role as Jacob in the Twilight movies quickly made him a well-loved '00s teen heartthrob.
Taylor Lautner now:
Now: Taylor is still acting, and his next release will be the film Home Team. He also recently got engaged to his girlfriend of three years, Taylor Dome.
6.Usher then:
Then: Usher's many hits like "Love in This Club," "U Remind Me," and "Yeah!" made 2000s listeners fall in love.
Usher now:
Now: Usher performed a very successful set of Las Vegas shows in 2021, and this July he will begin his second Vegas residency.
7.Orlando Bloom then:
Then: Orlando stole your heart as he took on lead roles in the Lord of the Rings and Pirates of the Caribbean film franchises.
Orlando Bloom now:
Now: Orlando's last movie release was Needle in a Timestack, and he'll next be in the action-thriller film Red Right Hand.
8.Channing Tatum then:
Then: Channing showed off his comedy chops in She's the Man and proved he has some impressive dance skills while he acted in Step Up.
Channing Tatum now:
Now: In 2022, Channing starred in The Lost City alongside Sandra Bullock and Daniel Radcliffe. He's now shooting the third Magic Mike film.
9.Shane West then:
Then: Shane played Landon, a bad boy with a heart of gold in A Walk to Remember. This classic '00s Nicholas Sparks film adaptation which also starred Mandy Moore celebrated its 20th anniversary this year.
Shane West now:
10.Corbin Bleu then:
Then: Corbin reached heartthrob status with lead roles in the High School Musical movies and another '00s Disney Channel flick, Jump In!
Corbin Bleu now:
Now: Corbin reunited with his HSM costar Monique Coleman for the Lifetime holiday film, A Christmas Dance Reunion in 2021.
He has several projects lined up, such as appearing in upcoming High School Musical: The Musical: The Series episodes and starring as Bert in a stage production of Mary Poppins this summer.
11.Jesse McCartney then:
Then: Jesse sang awesome 2000s hits like "Beautiful Soul," "Leavin'," and "How Do You Sleep?" He also portrayed Bradin in Summerland, and who could forget his guest starring role playing himself in The Suite Life of Zack & Cody?
Jesse McCartney now:
Now: Jesse is on tour now through June for the release of his fifth studio album, New Stage.
12.Raviv Ullman then:
Then: You probably remember Raviv, who was previously known as Ricky, from Phil of the Future, in which he played Phil Diffy, a teen from the year 2121 whose family got stuck in 2004.
Raviv Ullman now:
Now: Raviv recently told E! News he just directed an opera show at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. He'll be an associate director on another upcoming opera, and he is also currently engaged.
13.Tom Welling then:
Then: Fans of Smallville and the Cheaper by the Dozen films will recognize Tom from his roles as Clark Kent and Charlie Baker.
Tom Welling now:
Now: Tom played Vincent in Professionals in 2020, and his next film, Deep Six, has begun filming as of April 2022.
14.Oliver James Hutson then:
Then: After appearing as romantic leads in What a Girl Wants and Raise Your Voice, Oliver was a fan favorite '00s hunk.
Oliver James Hutson now:
cold… but happy.
15.Sean Faris then:
Then: Sean made you swoon as Steve in Sleepover and William in the 2005Yours, Mine & Ours remake.
Sean Faris now:
16.Adrian Grenier then:
Then: Adrian was a star of Entourage and played Nate in The Devil Wears Prada.
Adrian Grenier now:
17.Enrique Iglesias then:
Then: With songs like "Hero" and "Could I Have This Kiss Forever," Enrique was a soulful and crush-worthy 2000s vocalist.
Enrique Iglesias now:
Now: Enrique has recorded more chart-topping music since the '00s, like the singles "Tonight (I'm Lovin' You)," "I Like It," and "Bailando." He has two upcoming North American performances this year and also just celebrated his 47th birthday.
18.Robert Schwartzman then:
Then: When Mia Thermopolis was invisible, Robert's Princess Diaries character, Michael Moscovitz, saw her. His performance was a standout in early '00s rom-coms.
Robert Schwartzman now:
Now: Robert is the lead singer of the band, Rooney, and is a co-founder of Utopia Movies, a film distribution company.
19.Jonathan Bennett then:
Then: '00s movie buffs will always and forever remember Jonathan as Mean Girls character Aaron Samuels, one of the most popular students at North Shore High.
Jonathan Bennett now:
Now: Jonathan and his husband, Jaymes Vaughan, recently launched an LGBTQ+ podcast called Pridecast. He was a lead character in Hallmark's first-ever LGBTQ holiday film in 2020 and signed a deal to star in more upcoming Crown Media movies in April 2022.
20.Penn Badgley then:
Then: Penn played Scott in John Tucker Must Die before he got his television big break, the role of Dan Humphrey in the CW series Gossip Girl.
Penn Badgley now:
Now: Penn's performance as Joe Goldberg in the first three seasons of the popular Netflix series,You, has fans hooked. Season 4 was in production as of March 2022.
21.Robert Pattinson then:
Then: Robert was first seen as Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter before he was cast as vampire Edward Cullen in theTwilight films.
Robert Pattinson now:
Now: 2022's The Batman was Robert's latest Hollywood venture. Variety reported in April that he'll return to the titular role for a sequel to the film.
22.Mark Ruffalo then:
Then: Mark charmed moviegoers with performances in numerous 2000s rom-coms like 13 Going On 30, Just Like Heaven and Rumor Has It.
Mark Ruffalo now:
Now: Mark has received three Oscar nominations, starred as the Hulk in four Avengers films and played Louis Reed in The Adam Project in 2022.
23.Chris Pine then:
Then: Chris was a dreamy leading man in '00s flicks The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, Just My Luck, and Star Trek.
Chris Pine now:
Now: Chris will next be featured in Olivia Wilde's film, Don't Worry Darling. He'll additionally reprise his role as Captain Kirk in the next Star Trek film installment, which doesn't yet have a definite filming schedule.
24.Ashton Kutcher then:
Then: From taking on the part of Michael Kelso inThat '70s Show to serving as the host of the MTV comedy series Punk'd, Ashton was everywhere in the '00s, and viewers couldn't get enough of him.
Ashton Kutcher now:
Now: Ashton is a cast member of That '90s Show, an upcoming Netflix spinoff of the original That '70s Show series. Aside from his continued acting success, Ashton is an activist dedicated to ending human trafficking.
25.Mario then:
Then: Fans loved Mario for his smooth vocals and noticeable stage presence. Plus, the lyrics of his hit, "Let Me Love You," conveyed how he would always treat you right.
Mario now:
Now: Mario released his fifth album, Dancing Shadows, in 2018. More recently, he dropped "Get Back," a duet featuring Chris Brown, in October 2021.
26.Patrick Dempsey then:
Then: Patrick was best-known for his longtime portrayal of Derek Shepherd, aka McDreamy, in Grey's Anatomy, which kicked off in 2005.
Patrick Dempsey now:
Now: Since Patrick's departure from Grey's Anatomy, he's been in Bridget Jones's Baby and the TV series Devils. He will be returning as Robert Philip for Disenchanted, the Enchanted sequel.
27.Heath Ledger then:
Then: Heath displayed his exceptional acting abilities in roles ranging from William Thatcher in A Knight's Tale to Ennis Del Mar in Brokeback Mountain.
Heath Ledger in 2007:
Heath sadly passed away in January 2008. In 2009, he earned a posthumous Oscar for his performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight.
28.Daniel Radcliffe then:
Then: The Harry Potter films and their merchandise were ubiquitous in the 2000s, so Daniel naturally became a widespread heartthrob.
Daniel Radcliffe now:
Now: Daniel was in The Lost City this year and is playing Weird Al Yankovic in a soon-to-be-released film on the parody singer's life.
29.Ryan Gosling then:
Then: Ryan absolutely set the standard for all other 2000s heartthrobs while starring as Noah opposite Rachel McAdams as Allie inThe Notebook.
Ryan Gosling now:
Now: Ryan's next film, The Gray Man, will be out on Netflix this summer. One of his upcoming roles is Ken in a Barbie movie with Margot Robbie in the lead role.
30.Bow Wow then:
Then: Not only did Bow Wow, formerly known as Lil Bow Wow, release '00s music bops, he also had noteworthy onscreen roles in films such as Like Mike and Roll Bounce.
Bow Wow now:
Now: In January 2022, Bow Wow, whose real name is Shad Moss, hinted on Twitter that his next album will be his final music release. He is also a businessperson and has his own durag line with KISS.
31.Joseph Gordon-Levitt then:
Then: Joseph was a lovable leading actor as he played Cameron in 10 Things I Hate About You and Tom in 500 Days of Summer.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt now:
Now: Joseph will next star alongside Lily James and Himesh Patel in a comedy film called Providence.
32.Nick Cannon then:
Then: Nick was a multitalented heartthrob of the aughts. He appeared in All That episodes, released his own music, and hosted the long-running MTV series Wild 'N Out.
Nick Cannon now:
Now: Nick has continued to host shows like America's Got Talent and The Masked Singer. He also led an eponymous daytime talk show from 2021 to 2022 and will take part in a Wild 'N Out tour this summer.
33.Milo Ventimiglia then:
Then: Milo's breakout role was playing Jess Mariano in Gilmore Girls. He went on to star in another 2000s hit show, Heroes.
Milo Ventimiglia now:
Now: Milo began starring as Jack Pearson in This Is Us, which has earned him three Emmy nominations, in 2016. He recently wrapped up filming the finale of the series.
Separately, in 2016 he reprised his role of Jess for the Gilmore Girls revival, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life.
