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- She's All That
- Miramax Films
Facts About '90s Heartthrobs That Made Us Say 'Whoa'
From the long, middle-parted hair, to jawlines seemingly chiseled by the gods, these '90s heartthrobs taught us what it means to love. Or at least to have a borderline obsessive infatuation with a person we've never actually met.
Some of these '90s hunks are still smoldering their way through Hollywood, while others took a different path after spending their formative years in the limelight. Either way, you might be surprised to learn these tidbits about the idols whose pictures were hung up in many a locker. Turns out, many have fascinating factoids completely unrelated to their status as teen dreams, and you won't find them in your old issues of Tiger Beat. Vote up the facts that have you screaming like a No. 1 fan.
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- The Mummy
- Universal Pictures
While they may not have actually had to contend with a vengeful mummy coming back to life, the cast of 1999's The Mummy had some seriously close calls - particularly its protagonist with the perfect pout, Brendan Fraser.
In the film, Fraser's character gets hanged, but is saved in the nick of time. While filming, Fraser agreed to increase tension on the rope to get the best take, but then found himself actually choked out. As he told EW,
I remember seeing the camera start to pan around, and then it was like a black iris at the end of a silent film. It was like turning down the volume switch on your home stereo, like the Death Star powering down.
Other workplace hazards he had to contend with? A close encounter with a venomous snake. Brendan Fraser earns his paychecks.
- Age: 55
- Birthplace: Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
- Credits: The Mummy,The Mummy Returns, The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor,Bedazzled
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- 10 Things I Hate About You
- Buena Vista Pictures
Playing chess since he was a kid, Heath Ledger once told MTV.com that he played at least one game a day. Many of these games took place in New York's Washington Square Park, where the actor would play matches against park regulars and talk smack with the best of them.
His love for the game merged with an interest in directing when he spoke with Allan Shiach about a chess-related project. Shiach had adapted a screenplay for The Queen's Gambit from Walter Tevis's 1983 novel. Prior to his passing, Ledger and Shiach were working on subsequent drafts of the project, and had given a script to Elliot Page to play the lead.
They were planning to make the movie at the end of 2008, but Ledger tragically passed in January of that year, and the film version was put on hold. It would have been his directorial debut on a feature film.
- Age: Dec. at 28 (1979-2008)
- Birthplace: Perth, Australia
- Credits: 10 Things I Hate About You, A Knight's Tale, Brokeback Mountain, The Dark Knight
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- Point Break
- 20th Century Fox
Keanu Reeves may be a household name, but we almost had to watch The Matrix starring Chuck Spadina. Reeves revealed on Jimmy Fallon that when he first came to Hollywood as a 20-year-old, his agent and manager wanted him to change his name. They believed "Keanu" had an ethnic connotation that was "getting in the way." Reeves said he went to the ocean to contemplate, and came back with his big movie star name: Chuck Spadina.
While the name was certainly memorable, Reeves's agent and manager weren't feeling Mr. Spadina. Reeves attempted a few other options, including Templeton Page Turner, before it was decided he would henceforth be known as the bland "KC" Reeves.
Keanu being Keanu, he eventually ignored the instructions and gave his real name at auditions.
- Age: 59
- Birthplace: Beirut, Lebanon
- Credits: The Matrix, Speed, John Wick, The Devil's Advocate
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- She's All That
- Miramax Films
A lifelong wrestling fan, Freddie Prinze Jr. was attending WrestleMania circa 2007 when he started chatting with someone about his ideas. After the higher-ups got wind of said ideas, Prinze Jr. found himself commuting to Connecticut for his full-time job on the WWE writing team.
Prinze Jr. worked closely with WWE chairman Vince McMahon, pitching storylines and seeing his ideas through to the production side. Prinze Jr. recounted the details to GQ, saying:
Afterwards your wrestler comes up to you and looks at you like a puppy dog, even though they are six foot ten and outweigh you by 200 pounds, and say, "Did I do a good job?" And it makes you feel very strange and weird.
Prinze Jr. eventually left the gig to pursue another passion: fatherhood. And there he lives happily ever after with Sarah Michelle Gellar in a perfect '90s dream world.
- Age: 48
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, USA, California
- Credits: Scooby-Doo, She's All That, I Know What You Did Last Summer, I Still Know What You Did Last Summer
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- Titanic
- Paramount Pictures
Leonardo DiCaprio is arguably Hollywood's most successful child star turned serious actor. He was the leader of the "P*ssy Posse," once dubbed the "Prince of the City," and appeared to spend most of his early fame days as a club rat, as '90s child stars did. So, did he ever try drugs?
It's easy to assume he did, particularly after watching him play roles like Jordan Belfort in The Wolf of Wall Street. But according to Leo, it's a false one, since he's never done that stuff. He's just that good an actor. On set, director Martin Scorsese provided a drug expert to answer questions about symptoms, as the actors had to portray their characters on Quaaludes.
DiCaprio also did his own homework, watching a YouTube video titled "Drunkest Guy In The World" and getting the rundown from the real Jordan Belfort, who rolled around on the floor in a demonstration.
- Age: 49
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California
- Credits: Inception, The Wolf of Wall Street, Titanic, The Departed
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- My So-Called Life
- ABC
If you were a big fan of My So-Called Life, you might have sent a letter or two professing your undying love for Jared Leto. But one particularly avid fan of the musician/actor was apparently inspired by Vincent van Gogh, sending their idol a full human ear.
And what does any sensible celebrity do when they receive a packaged body part on their front steps? Fashion it into a necklace, of course! Recounting the tale to radio station Xfm, Leto sounded honored by his mystery ear-sender, though he did admit it was "strange." Still, he later posted a picture of his DIY necklace on Instagram with the caption, "Are you listening?" The same phrase was written on a note with the ear.
The post has since been removed, and some following this saga have argued that the ear is actually a prop. Hear's hoping.
- Age: 52
- Birthplace: Bossier City, Louisiana, USA
- Credits: Requiem for a Dream, Dallas Buyers Club, Mr. Nobody, Artifact
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- Four Weddings And A Funeral
- Rank Film Distributors
Back in 2016, Hugh Grant popped in on The Howard Stern Show to inform everyone that he'd been bamboozling film bigwigs for years by posing as his own agent. Whenever someone wanted to send him a script or discuss a project, they'd have to go through James Howe Ealy, Grant's imaginary agent.
James Howe Ealy was actually Grant using a fake email account, or speaking in a Scottish accent on the phone if necessary.
Though Grant said he "saved [himself] an absolute fortune," the ruse hit a couple of snags. He had to fend off those wanting to build a relationship with Ealy and meet the agent in person. He also had a tendency to slip up after a few drinks and sign the emails with "Hugh." He's since returned to having a real agent.
- Age: 63
- Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, England, UK
- Credits: About a Boy, Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral, Music and Lyrics
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- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- NBC
Before he became the prince of a town called Bel-Air, Will Smith got himself in a bit of a financial hot spot with the US government - to the tune of $2.8 million dollars.
In 1988, Smith rose to fame with the hit "Parent's Just Don't Understand," which he released with future Fresh Prince co-star DJ Jazzy Jeff. Once he started earning large sums of money from his success, Smith did what any 19-year-old would do: He blew it all on cars and designer clothes. When his subsequent album didn't reach the same level of success, the IRS began seizing his assets. Smith recalled the unique circumstances of being famous but broke, saying, "People recognize you, but they recognize you while you’re sitting next to them on the bus."
Luckily for Smith, his wise girlfriend at the time encouraged him to hang around The Arsenio Hall Show in the hopes of meeting someone important. With that Will Smith charm, the plan actually worked, leading him to a party at the home of Quincy Jones, where he nailed an impromptu audition for Fresh Prince.
- Age: 55
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Credits: Men in Black, I Am Legend, I, Robot, The Pursuit of Happyness
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- Pearl Harbor
- Buena Vista Pictures
In the late '90s, the name Josh Hartnett was met with a collective shriek heard 'round the world. He was teed up to become the next box-office star, so it was a downright tragedy when his blockbuster roles began to dry up post-Pearl Harbor.
The plot twist? Apparently, there were offers on the table, but Hartnett didn't want them. After talking to Christopher Nolan about appearing in the new Batman franchise as the Caped Crusader himself, Hartnett decided he didn't want to be pigeon-holed as a superhero. Of course, this caused him to miss out on other Nolan films like The Prestige.
Hartnett admitted that it was the wrong move, telling Playboy, "Watching Christian Bale go on to do so many other things has been just awesome. I mean, he’s been able to overcome that. Why couldn’t I see that at the time?" If he weren't kicking himself enough, he also turned down playing Superman.
- Age: 46
- Birthplace: St. Paul, Minnesota, USA
- Credits: Black Hawk Down, Lucky Number Slevin, Pearl Harbor, 30 Days of Night
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- Saved by the Bell
- NBC
According to Mario Lopez in his memoir, Just Between Us, he got off to a rocky start in life. Lopez says that shortly after he was born, he experienced digestive issues and shrank to just 4 pounds. Doctors gave him IV fluids and told his probably terrified parents there was nothing more they could do.
Allegedly, his family took him to see a witch doctor, or bruja, near Rosarito, Mexico, who'd helped cure his father in the past. Using a concoction that included Carnation evaporated milk, Pedialyte, and goat's milk, among other ingredients, Lopez says he began to grow into the fat, healthy baby who would one day capture hearts everywhere as Albert Clifford Slater.
- Age: 50
- Birthplace: San Diego, California, USA
- Credits: Extra, Pet Star, The X Factor, Saved by the Bell
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In the '90s, FUBU founder Daymond John was putting hard work into making his brand a reality. He worked full-time as a Red Lobster manager while building his clothing business on the side. Then he got a little boost from a decade-spanning dreamboat famously loved by the ladies.
LL Cool J was excited to partner with a fellow Queens, NY, native on the brand, and gave them perhaps the best free advertising in history: It was paid for by another clothing company.
While filming a commercial for Gap, LL Cool J sported a FUBU hat and rapped lyrics including "for us, by us," which is what FUBU stands for. Don't feel too bad about the mistake you made at work today, because the Gap team didn't even notice the shout out until after the commercial aired - when people began storming the stores looking for FUBU merch.
- Age: 56
- Birthplace: Bay Shore, New York, USA
- Credits: Any Given Sunday, Deep Blue Sea, S.W.A.T., NCIS: Los Angeles
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- 10 Things I Hate About You
- Buena Vista Pictures
Like many a Hollywood child star, JGL has a famous family tree. In 1951, Gordon-Levitt's grandfather, Michael Gordon, was a successful Hollywood director of Academy Award-winning films. But then a couple of directors snitched to the House Un-American Activities Committee, telling them Gordon was a communist.
Gordon pled the fifth, unwilling to reveal whether he was or ever had been a member of the Communist Party. This wasn't the answer they were looking for, and Michael Gordon was blacklisted from Hollywood. Gordon moved to New York and spent the next eight years directing Broadway productions.
Apparently, he was just too good for Hollywood to let him get away. In 1959, he was brought on to direct the film Pillow Talk, with Rock Hudson and Doris Day, which went on to become a hugely successful rom-com.
- Age: 40
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Credits: Inception, The Dark Knight Rises, (500) Days of Summer, Looper
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- Home Improvement
- ABC
When Jonathan Taylor Thomas stepped away from the spotlight in 1999, he was still only a teenager. But unlike the dark path of many Hollywood child stars, JTT took a more wholesome turn.
Described by those who worked with him as introverted and intelligent, and deemed a "smart throb" by People magazine, Thomas ended up taking a much-needed break from his fame to pursue his education. This break came during the final season of Home Improvement - the show that catapulted JTT into the limelight - which meant the young star skipped making an appearance during the finale. His on-stage father, Tim Allen, commented about the abrupt change in career:
He said it was about going to school, but then he did some films. Did he want to do films? Did he want to go to school? I mentioned that I was confused [about the reasons for his departure]. I don't think he liked that.
He attended Harvard for several years, studying history and philosophy, studied abroad at St. Andrews in Scotland, and eventually graduated from Columbia University in 2010.
Indifferent to outside opinions, the tween idol dream has said he has no regrets about the decision.
- Age: 42
- Birthplace: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, USA
- Credits: The Lion King, Home Improvement, Tom and Huck, Wild America
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- 10 Things I Hate About You
- Buena Vista Pictures
He may have played the villain in 10 Things I Hate About You, but we still would've followed Andrew Keegan's slick hair anywhere. Modern-day Keegan apparently still holds the same allure, since he has a horde of people following him in his spiritual movement, "Full Circle."
According to Vice, Keegan founded his "new age temple" in Venice Beach in 2014. Highlights include sound healing, working with crystals to end global conflicts, and philosophies like, "If a mosquito bites you, that mosquito was meant to bite you."
Members of the group's "inner circle" have previously stated that Keegan has final say on all decisions, but with the COVID-19 pandemic and a recent return to acting, it's unclear what role he continues to play.
Keegan has pushed back against those who would call it a cult, describing Full Circle as follows: "Synchronicity. Time... Whatever, the past, some other time. It's a circle; in the center is now. That's what it's about."
- Age: 45
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
- Credits: Independence Day, 10 Things I Hate About You, O, Camp Nowhere, The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy
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- Full House
- ABC
Admittedly, one of these uncles was responsible for the lion's share of '90s throbbing hearts. Still, we were big fans of this prankster trio, who it seems made the Tanner household less a wholesome family home and more of a frat house.
Among other on-set shenanigans, Bob Saget claims that, while filming an episode focusing on Michelle's birthday party, a bored Danny, Joey, and Jesse stumbled across 40 cans of Reddi-wip in the prop room. They decided it was a good time to make whippets out of whipped cream.
Saget isn't sure if they actually got high from their attempts to leak the nitrous oxide out of the cans, but he did tell Pitchfork that their tampering with the props ended up ruining the birthday scene. How rude!
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- Dawson's Creek
- Sony Pictures Television
In terms of casting choices we're so glad didn't happen, Joshua Jackson playing the titular Dawson of Dawson's Creek is pretty high up there. Instead, Jackson ended up playing Pacey Witter, and James Van Der Beek was ultimately cast as Dawson Leery.
It seems fate wouldn't have it any other way. In Dutch, Van Der Beek's surname literally translates to "from/of the creek," proving the whole thing was meant to be. Just like Joey and Dawson, no matter what the script said.
- Age: 47
- Birthplace: Cheshire, USA, Connecticut
- Credits: Dawson's Creek,Castle in the Sky,The Rules of Attraction,Varsity Blues
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The souls of '90s fangirls and boys everywhere can rest easy - the band Hanson is still together. But the musical trio of brothers has proven they're no one-hit wonders. They took their biggest bop and made a beer out of it.
In 1997, "MMMbop" topped the Billboard Hot 100. As the brothers matured, so did their palates, eventually leading them to launch the Hanson Brothers Beer Company. That's when Isaac joked they should name a hoppier product after their hit, and the genius of Hanson was fully realized.
Now, instead of debating which brother's the biggest babe, you can discuss the merits of "Mmmhops" versus "Tulsa Tea."
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