What People Who Have Worked With 1990s Heartthrobs Said About Them
- Photo:
- 10 Things I Hate About You
- Buena Vista Pictures
Heath Ledger was a talented actor the world lost far too soon. We first fell in love with him as Patrick Verona, the bad boy with a hidden heart of gold in 10 Things I Hate About You. Off-screen, Ledger was known as a giving, graceful, and generous human. In interviews with the movie's cast, published by the New York Times, Julia Stiles, Gabrielle Union, and David Krumholtz reminisced about working alongside Ledger.
Union:
Heath had the ability to look at you, and [make] you feel like Princess Diana. In a very crowded Hollywood landscape, he could make you feel special and seen. That’s a pretty special gift, and I don’t think it’s talked about enough.
Krumholtz:
To fans, he’s a movie star that died. To me, he was flesh and bone, soulful, sweet, and I know for a fact he was in recovery prior to his death. He was trying to get healthy.
Stiles, discussing her emotional poem-reading scene:
I remember Heath, when they turned around to do his reaction shot, he said something like, “I don’t need to do anything because this isn’t about me.” A lot of times you get one actor crying in a scene and the other actor feels like they have to cry, and he knew to be sort of restrained. I thought that was really cool.
Speaking with US Weekly, Stiles also recalled:
He was so nice. He was such a force; he was - even at that age - a very, very powerful, lovely human being.
- Photo:
- Photo:
- The Matrix
- Warner Bros.
Keanu Reeves has never really been a typical actor or celebrity. He has set himself apart with his low-maintenance lifestyle, and most impressively, his integrity and humility. However, he was and still is a Hollywood hunk who has evolved both on and off the screen. From a surfer to a time-traveling teenager and on to a futuristic freedom fighter - Reeves's career has continued to mature. He's also branched into film production, making him an extremely well-rounded artist.
Director Christopher Kenneally, who worked with Reeves in Side by Side, found him skilled in far more than acting. In fact, the documentary, which explores the evolution of filmmaking technology, was inspired in part by Reeves's curiosity. Kenneally elaborated in an interview with Tribeca Studios:
He [Reeves] was really curious and wanted to know how post-production worked and how the technology was changing. One day we were sitting in Technicolor, and we were watching the two colorists at work - side by side - to make sure that the chemical print matched the digital work that we had done. The two guys were kind of characters, and there was just this way they talked to each other that was funny.
As Keanu and I started talking naturally about a lot of the topics and questions we would eventually explore in Side by Side he said, “You know what? We should make a movie about this.”
- Photo:
- Photo:
- 10 Things I Hate About You
- Buena Vista Pictures
Joesph Gordon-Levitt matured from a scrawny teenager to a hunky leading actor under the public eye. Winning the hearts of audiences and co-stars alike, Gordon-Levitt is admired for his positive vibe, but also for his deep commitment to his roles and craft.
He first appeared in TV shows like 3rd Rock From the Sun and films like Disney's Angels in the Outfield. In 1999, he was cast as Cameron - a lovesick teen in 10 Things I Hate About You. The on-set culture and filming experience was enjoyable for the entire cast.
David Krumholtz and Gordon-Levitt played best buds on-screen and, according to Krumholtz in an interview with AV Club:
That was the most fun I ever had making a movie. Everyone got along really, really well from day one. It was like summer camp... I don’t know when we made it that we ever thought it would last in popularity as long as it has, but I think that speaks to the strength of the bond of the cast... I think you can tell that we adored each other and that we were real friends. To this day, Joe Gordon-Levitt is a good friend...
- Photo:
- Photo:
- She's All That
- Miramax Films
Freddie Prinze, Jr. was the '90s heartthrob we all rooted for, especially in She's All That. He was cast as Zack, a popular high school jock who turns soft for artsy outcast Laney, played by Rachael Leigh Cook.
The movie gave us all the feels when Zack lost the cruel bet to turn Laney into prom queen, falling for her irresistible quirkiness instead. In a US Weekly interview, Cook recalled that Prinze was a pleasure to work with as she discussed the pinnacle scene when Laney finds out about the bet:
I remember Freddie shooting that scene. I think he really struggled with knowing that he was playing a character who he knew to be good at heart but is still the same person who did something like that. And I think that made it really difficult for him and made it really beautiful to watch...
Working with Freddie is just a dream. He’s just one of the most kind-hearted people you could ever want to meet. He’s such a giving actor.
- Photo:
- Photo:
- She's All That
- Miramax Films
Another actor gone too soon was Paul Walker, who passed in a car accident at the age of 40 in November 2013. Walker is most recognized for playing Brian O'Conner in The Fast and the Furious franchise. Before he played a street racer, he entered the scene as a teen idol playing the hot jock in the '90s films She's All That and Varsity Blues.
Following his death, thousands of fans and Hollywood actors shared their messages of sadness and fond memories. She's All That co-star Rachael Leigh Cook had great admiration for Walker:
Paul’s an excellent actor. People don’t say that enough, because they’re sort of blinded by how just absurdly attractive he was… We [all] seem like actors a little bit. It’s kind of lame. Paul was just not. He was way more. His energy would just sit under everyone else’s, and you could tell that he was thinking and engaged, but he had this vibe about him that he would rather be surfing. He was athlete-level cool. Yeah, way cooler than the rest of us.
- Photo:
- Photo:
- NCIS: Los Angeles
- CBS
A talented actor, musician, and repeat Grammy Awards host, LL Cool J emerged as a pioneering rap artist in the '90s. His powerful voice, signature sweatsuits, gold chains, and Kangol caps helped to style hip-hop. James Todd Smith (his birth name) dropped out of high school in 1985, and just seven years later won his first Grammy for "Momma Said Knock You Out" - an instant sensation and rewarding comeback after an underwhelming third album.
LL Cool J has fought to stay relevant in both the music and film industries, appearing in smaller films and shows throughout his career. He co-starred as a special field agent on NCIS: Los Angeles alongside Chris O'Donnell, with whom he developed a strong friendship.
Having starred in all 280 episodes together, O'Donnell joked about the on-set relationship and constant "I love yous" in an interview with Entertainment Tonight Canada:
The same way you would pick on your sibling and drive each other crazy - it’s similar to the relationship that Todd and I - LL and I have - in real life. I mean, he is someone I have great respect for and there is a mutual admiration, but we also love to... just torture each other and constantly drive each other crazy.
O'Donnell also bragged about his on-set brother:
LL is a pretty extraordinary individual... I think that what he’s done throughout his career, the longevity he’s had, and the ability to reinvent himself in so many different ways and to have his toe in so many different areas of the business, and other businesses.
- Photo:
- Photo:
- Romeo + Juliet
- 20th Century Fox
Leonardo DiCaprio is a Hollywood staple known for his ability to perfectly capture the characters he plays. He was widely popular in the '90s even before being cast in James Cameron's Titanic. He understood and mastered the craft of acting from a very young age.
By the time he found himself playing Romeo in 1996's Romeo + Juliet, DiCaprio was already prized to play a star-crossed lover. However, for Claire Danes, Romeo + Juliet offered a chance at a leading role she took very seriously. She understood what a successful blockbuster film could do for her career, being just 17.
DiCaprio, at 21, had already appeared in several films and TV shows, including What's Eating Gilbert Grape and Growing Pains. It comes as no surprise that Danes was rumored to be crushing on her co-star during filming and gushed during a 1996 Entertainment Tonight interview:
He’s brilliant. I mean, he’s actually amazing at what he does. And he’s one of the most interesting and smart people I think I’ve ever met - and I’ve had a really good time working with him and learning about him as a person. I have a lot of respect for him; he’s a good guy.
Conflictingly, Danes also found DiCaprio to be immature and was bothered by his lack of seriousness on the set. And she wasn't the only one. His Growing Pains castmate Joanna Kerns also recalled:
He loved to mess around on set and make fun of his co-stars... He was totally mischievous.
- Photo:
- Photo:
877 VOTESHollywood, fans, and family are still saddened by the sudden passing of Luke Perry at the young age of 52 in 2019. In the '90s, Perry played Dylan McKay, a rebellious teen on the wildly popular TV series Beverly Hills, 90210. His character was the perfect delivery of a sensitive bad boy who captured fans and hearts.
The show highlighted the complexities of teenage love, while off-set the group forged lifelong friendships. Discussing the upcoming reboot, the cast lovingly remembered Perry on the set of 90210:
Brian Austin Green joked:
Luke was smooth; he flirted, but in a very smart, smooth way.
Ian Ziering added:
But in a friendly way, you know, he [Perry] always had something nice to say about everybody.
Hollywood heavy hitter Leonardo DiCaprio, and Perry's castmate in Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood, shared similar sentiments about Perry in a group interview:
I was immediately struck by his kindness. And talking about being a native of Los Angeles, being around this industry my entire life, and really having it in a lot of ways shape who I am, there was this immediate excitement in seeing Luke Perry on set. I remember being in my teens and he was the manifestation of the new [James] Dean on television and everyone was crazy about him. And I felt this overwhelming feeling of being star-struck.
In the same interview, Brad Pitt added that Perry was an "incredibly generous man."
- Photo:
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- NBC
Will Smith dominated daytime audiences as a charismatic, witty, and comical Philly teen in the popular '90s sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. In the show, Smith moved to the affluent Bel-Air neighborhood of Los Angeles with his aunt and uncle. The theme song, characters, costuming, and script personified '90s pop culture and won the hearts and loyalty of millions of viewers. The show also tackled some sensitive and tough social, familial, and relationship issues with grace; however, off camera, there was conflict.
Janet Hubert, who played Smith's lovable Aunt Viv, struggled with a new baby and major marital problems during filming. She was eventually replaced after the show's third season, following Smith's comments that she was challenging to work with.
After her exit, Hubert was outspoken about Smith and the impact his words had on her career and well-being. She was able to confront him regarding their decades-long feud during The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion on HBO Max:
You took all of that away from me, with your words. Words can kill. I lost everything. Reputation, everything, everything. I understand you were able to move forward, but you know those words; calling a Black woman difficult in Hollywood is the kiss of death.
- Photo:
- Photo:
- Home Improvement
- ABC
Jonathan Taylor Thomas skyrocketed to sitcom stardom in the '90s, playing the role of Randy Taylor, middle son of Tim Taylor (played by Tim Allen) on ABC's Home Improvement. Thomas was in more than 170 episodes in almost eight full seasons, leaving the show in 1998. On the air and with audiences watching, he grew from a cute 10-year-old kid to a teen dream with his baby blues and chiseled jaw.
While Thomas embodied the '90s teen heartthrob, he stepped away from the spotlight, making only small guest appearances after voicing Simba in Disney's The Lion King and starring in I'll Be Home for Christmas. Recently, he reunited with his on-screen dad in an episode of ABC's Last Man Standing.
Allen shared how Thomas's interests have evolved in a Yahoo! Entertainment interview:
[Thomas] is interested in directing. He's always been wonderful [as an actor], then he went to college and he found other interests. He really was dedicated to his studies, and then kind of got away from TV. But he graduated and he came back, and loves directing, loves working with actors... But he's so shy. It's funny to see him so shy, so nervous...
- Photo:
- Photo:
- Saved by the Bell
- NBC
It seemed every teen in the US had one thing on their mind on Saturday mornings: Saved by the Bell. The sitcom followed a group of friends and the principal of the fictional Bayside High School in California as they navigated school, social, and family life.
Mark-Paul Gosselaar starred as Zack, the charismatic and comical teen with sun-kissed hair and a killer smile. His teenage love interest, Kelly, was played by Tiffani Thiessen. Of course, fans grew to love them together, so producers knew they couldn't just replace Kelly when she left the show in 1992. Instead, Gosselaar's character was written to fall for his beach club boss, Stacey, played by Leah Remini.
For Remini, it wasn't easy following Thiessen. She shared her feelings with Gosselaar on an episode of his podcast Zach to the Future:
I was petrified. I was like, "Oh, I’m not going to be this kid’s type. Is he going to be disappointed that they cast me?” [...] Tiffani-Amber Thiessen is so gorgeous. She was like "The Little Mermaid" to me. And I was just in awe of her face... Every day showing up, I was like, "Aggghhh! She’s a little mermaid..." I felt like a fat-a** cow there. I just felt old and not pretty... I was intimidated by you guys.
- Photo:
