One thing that’s always been apparent, teenage girls have the tendency to glom onto certain actors for extended periods of time. This is by no means a bad thing, but it is a phenomenon that seems to cross most cultures. I, of course, was no exception. For the sake of simplicity, “actors” in this post includes both men and women. After all, I’ve always been an equal opportunity stan. So, let’s take another trip down memory lane and take a look at all the actors I was once borderline in love with.
- Tom Felton
I’ve alluded to this before, but I was obsessed with Tom when I was in high school. Like, way more than anyone else on this list. Best known for his role of Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter films (and the only role I’ve ever actually seen him in), this actor was once the man I wanted to marry. Yes, you read that right. Between his performance as my then-favorite character, his music side project, and his own personality, I had fallen in love with him… inasmuch as an inexperienced and naïve girl can fall in love with someone she’s never met. I had it all planned out. When I turned twenty, I was going to move to London and become a writer. Somehow, I would then meet him and we would inevitably fall in love. We would get married and have two sons named— get this— Draco and Scorpius (What can I say? I had a one-track mind.). During this period I was experiencing what I like to call a willful delusion. Deep down I knew this couldn’t really happen. But I told myself that, as long as I never admitted it, it somehow still could. Like the universe was listening or something. Anyway, these days he’s still an actor I admire, but I’ve long since gotten over my deep infatuation with him. Still, I do think I’d like to eventually get around to seeing him act in something else.
- Rider Strong
Back in 2011, I went through a pretty hardcore Boy Meets World phase. Naturally, I immediately fell for one of the biggest teen heartthrobs of the ‘90s. Rider, for those of you without culture, played Shawn Hunter. I loved that wayward teen with a heart of gold. Unlike with Tom, I actually did go on to watch Rider in other roles. I watched this horror movie called Cabin Fever because he was one of the stars. It was awful, but I loved it because of him. My dumbass even bought the movie (which I now regret). He’s also the reason I got into Veronica Mars. I’d heard he guest starred on an episode and watched all the clips he appeared in. From there, I decided to watch the whole show (an excellent choice and I thank Rider for it daily). But my favorite Rider Strong memory? Oh, just this:
- Jennifer Lawrence
Yes, I was once a fan of old JLaw. I thought she was so talented and relatable. I saw all her movies that were out at the time (except Winter’s Bone). I loved how she didn’t seem to have a filter and talked about food all the time. However, as time went on and I got more educated (and Jennifer kept talking), I realized she really is a pretty problematic person. And she never learns. Shortly after that, I realized that she mainly plays the same character over and over (i.e. girl-who-screams-at-Bradley Cooper). She made a good (albeit white-washed) Katniss, but I am absolutely no longer a fan.
- Jensen Ackles
You all know by now that I used to be a massive Supernatural fan. Dean was my favorite character and so, as it usually goes, Jensen was my favorite cast member. I thought he was funny and charming. But mostly, I thought he was hot. And, objectively, he is a good-looking man. But he’s kind of a messy person. At the time though, I thought he was excellent. I watched all his movies. I even included him in a fancast once (one of those cringy fancasts I talked about on my last Top 5 Wednesday post). When I abandoned Supernatural, I also abandoned him. And, all I can say about that is, my timing was excellent.
- Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen
I’ve mentioned this once before, but my sister and I used to idolize the Olsen twins. We watched all their shows and movies, we had their dolls, and we read their books. I grew away from them right as they were fading out of the spotlight— by which I mean, they were diagnosed with eating disorders and Hollywood turned on them. I was only about ten or eleven at the time and had only recently discovered eating disorders were a thing. In my young, ignorant mind, I thought eating disorders were a bad thing. Well, I mean, they’re not a good thing, but I thought it was a strike against them. I simply didn’t understand it was a mental illness. I have since learned that it very much is a disease like any other, but I still feel bad for those days. However, I don’t regret the years Mary Kate and Ashley dominated our lives. They were cute and wholesome and just what two sisters with a limited amount in common needed to fully bridge that gap.
What were some actors you used to be obsessed with? Let me know in the comments!
Strange Storyteller 