The late nineties and early 2000s were a time when certain movie stars seemed to be in just about everything. However, as the film industry has grown, some of the A-listers we grew up watching have begun to recede into the background.
Fortunately for millennial and Gen Z cinema-goers, this year has seen a revival of noughties classics. Most notably, Mean Girls was given a musical remake with a new cast including Renee Rapp. Sadly, audiences didn’t take to the film, giving it a disappointing average of 2.6 stars on Letterboxd, reports the Manchester Evening News.
Nevertheless, the nineties and Y2k stars who made their comeback this year have delighted fans – and one in particular has reignited viewers’ childhood crushes.
Lindsay Lohan
No stranger to fame, Lindsay is best known for her roles in iconic romantic comedies such as The Parent Trap, Mean Girls, Just My Luck and Freaky Friday. The 38 year old actress made her return to the screen in Netflix’s 2022 festive film Falling for Christmas, alongside Glee star Chord Overstreet.
Since making her comeback, she has excited fans with the announcement that the much-loved comedy Freaky Friday will be getting a sequel, with the actress reprising her role. This year alone, she’s taken the lead in two romantic dramas: Irish Wish and the newly-released Our Little Secret. If Lindsay’s performances in both films are anything to go by, we could be seeing a resurgence of the actress’ golden era.
Irish Wish and Our Little Secret can be streamed on Netflix.
Adam Brody
Much like Lindsay, Adam Brody was a key figure in the coming-of-age genre. He got his big break as the lovable Seth Cohen on The O.C in 2003, shortly after appearing in teen drama Gilmore Girls.
The 44 year old star hasn’t been completely off the radar over the past few years, he recently starred in Emerald Fennell’s 2020 thriller Promising Young Woman. Adam also had a role in the Oscar-winning film American Fiction last year, but it was his leading role in Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, that thrust him back into the spotlight.
The romantic series, which sees Adam play a newly-single rabbi, pulled in 10.3 million viewers in just four days and rocketed to the top of the streaming service’s most-watched charts. Fans of the heartthrob were thrilled to see him back on their screens and have affectionately dubbed him the ‘Hot Rabbi.’
Nobody Wants This can be streamed on Netflix.
Chad Michael Murray
While Adam Brody has been winning viewers over, Chad Michael Murray is the latest icon to cause a stir on social media. Now aged 43, Chad Michael has starred in popular dramas including One Tree Hill, Dawson’s Creek, A Cinderella Story and Freaky Friday.
Over the past decade, Chad Michael Murray has taken on a variety of roles, and his recent festive flick ‘The Merry Gentlemen’ is causing a stir among fans. Fans flocked to X, previously known as Twitter, to express their adoration for the actor. One wrote: “I never expected my crush on Chad Michael Murray to resurface after 15 years but here we are.”
Another enthusiast tweeted: “Ugh Chad Michael Murray is so hot still omg,” while another eagerly shared: “The Merry Gentlemen is an excellent Christmas movie. No plot, just shirtless Chad Michael Murray for an hour and a half. And that’s really all you need tbh [to be honest].”
Chad Michael is preparing for a nostalgic return with Disney in the forthcoming ‘Freaky Friday’ sequel ready to revive many childhood crushes once more.
You can catch ‘The Merry Gentlemen’ streaming now on Netflix.
Joshua Jackson
In another wave of nineties nostalgia, Joshua Jackson captured hearts worldwide as Pacey Witter in the hit series ‘Dawson’s Creek,’ and now he’s back charming viewers anew. His role in the Ryan Murphy drama ‘Doctor Odyssey’ has become a hot topic.
Just as the allure of Pacey caught viewers’ attention, modern-day fans can’t resist sharing TikTok videos of 46 year old Jackson, swooning over how good-looking he remains.
A devoted fan proclaimed on X: “Adam Brody and Joshua Jackson both back on our tv screens as of late is something so special for us late 90s/early 2000s teen drama enthusiasts.”
Despite being a constant presence in Hollywood, starring in ‘Dr Death’ from 2021 to 2023, it’s this year that Joshua Jacksons star truly seems to be shining brighter than ever.