Remember those posters you wouldn’t let your mom take down? The VHS tapes mysteriously worn out at certain scenes? Yeah, the 80s blessed us with man-candy that sparked many awakenings (and ruined many a VCR).
Let’s check in on the dreamboats who made our teenage hearts – and other parts – race faster than a John Hughes soundtrack.
1. Rob Lowe (Current Age: 61)
Those cheekbones could cut glass. That jaw could deflect bullets. And those eyes? Illegal in at least seven states. Rob’s performances in St. Elmo’s Fire and The Outsiders had us all suddenly “interested in cinema.”
The infamous “Brat Pack” member has aged like the good stuff that costs more than your rent.
After surviving a scandal that would’ve ended lesser careers, Rob’s renaissance with The West Wing and Parks and Recreation proved his staying power. More recently, we’ve seen him in 9-1-1: Lone Star and Netflix’s Unstable.
The man still looks so good it makes you want to throw something. Just rude, honestly.
2. Christopher Atkins (Current Age: 64)
If you were alive – and gay – during the early 80s, you remember Christopher Atkins in The Blue Lagoon.
That poster of him barely covered by that ridiculous loincloth? Pure gold. While our straight friends were busy with Brooke Shields, we knew where the real treasure was.
These days, Christopher – who was 18 when Lagoon was filmed – is a grandfather (feel old yet?) who’s leaned into the entrepreneurial life with his own fitness line.
He still pops up on TV occasionally, and whenever he posts a beach pic on social media, we’re all instantly 15 again, imagining our own private lagoon adventure.
3. Matthew Broderick (Current Age: 63)
No self-respecting gay boy from the 80s could have missed Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Matthew was so geekishly adorable that we forgave him for spending the whole movie chasing Sloane instead of, say, Cameron. And yes, we ALL remember that shower scene. Don’t pretend you didn’t rewind it.
These days, Matthew bounces between Broadway and Hollywood, still married to Sarah Jessica Parker in what has to be the universe’s most unexpected long-term relationship.
His boyish charm has matured into dad energy, and honestly? We’re not mad about it.
4. Corin “Corky” Nemec (Current Age: 53)
As Parker Lewis, Corky made us all wish he’d use his scheming powers to end up in our bedrooms.
That blonde forelock flopping just so? The colorful shirts unbuttoned just right? Chef’s kiss. The dreams I had of Parker Lewis transferring to my high school still make me blush – and how did it not get a modern reboot?
These days, Corky’s been surfing the B-movie wave with gems like Lake Placid vs. Anaconda and Place of Bones, and hitting the convention circuit. That hair might be different, but when he flashes that smile, we’re all still scribbling “Mrs. Parker Lewis” in our notebooks.
5. Christopher Daniel Barnes (Current Age: 52)
Most people probably remember him from the 1995 Brady Bunch Movie, but true fans crushed on him in the short-lived series Day by Day where he was mysteriously always in a bathrobe (not that we were complaining).
Those wholesome good looks with just a hint of mischief? Catnip for the gays.
Christopher found his niche as a voice actor, most notably as animated Spider-Man. While we miss seeing his face, there’s something strangely satisfying about knowing that’s Peter Parker’s voice coming from the guy whose poster you may or may not have kissed goodnight.
6. Darren E. Burrows (Current Age: 59)
We’re cutting it close here, since Northern Exposure debuted in 1990, but sweet lord, those eyes and lips couldn’t be left off this list.
As Ed Chigliak, Darren’s soulful, artistic half-Native Alaskan character was the perfect blend of sensitive and sexy that had us all suddenly interested in moving to Alaska.
Darren has floated between acting, teaching, and indie films (most recently – Magpie Funerals) since those days.
The man could still read a phone book and we’d all be mesmerized by those eyes that somehow managed to look right through the screen and into your most private thoughts.
7. Michael Biehn (Current Age: 69)
The Terminator wasn’t just a great movie – it gave us Michael Biehn as Kyle Reese, the time-traveling soldier with arms that could both fight robots and hold you tight.
The way he looked at Sarah Connor had us all wishing for our own apocalypse if it meant having a protector that hot.
Michael’s career has had more ups and downs than a roller coaster, but his intensity never faded. Whether in cult favorites like Aliens or indie horror films, he brings that smoldering “I’ll die for you but first let me take off my shirt” energy that still makes us weak in the knees.
8. Ralph Macchio (Current Age: 63)
The boy who inspired millions of gay kids to beg for karate lessons, Ralph was unbelievably in his twenties when he filmed The Karate Kid.
Was it because we wanted to learn self-defense, or because those karate scenes showcased his surprisingly toned physique? The mystery remains.
Ralph hit the jackpot with Cobra Kai, proving comebacks can be even hotter than first impressions.
The man simply refuses to age, leading to widespread theories that he’s either a vampire or has a portrait aging in an attic somewhere. Either way, we’re here for it.
9. Andrew McCarthy (Current Age: 62)
Part of the infamous “Brat Pack,” Andrew’s sensitive soul in Pretty in Pink had us wishing WE were Molly Ringwald.
Personally, I thought he was at his hottest in the ridiculous Weekend at Bernie’s – something about those preppy shorts and that slightly flustered energy just worked.
These days, Andrew’s reinvented himself as a travel writer and director, showing those soulful eyes have seen the world – but he also appears on screen, such as his recurring role on The Resident.
He’s written candidly about his “Brat Pack” days, giving us the behind-the-scenes tea we’ve been thirsting for since 1986.
10. Cary Elwes (Current Age: 63)
Whenever I see pictures of him from The Princess Bride, I still get shivers. That perfect hair, those tights, and the line “As you wish” delivered with that slight smile?
I always wanted him to forget about that princess and say those magic words to me instead.
Cary’s balanced his career between mainstream hits like Stranger Things and horror flicks like Saw, and more recently in Rebel Moon and Mission Impossible.
He’s embraced his status as a fantasy boyfriend for multiple generations, proving that farm boy charm never goes out of style. The man could still scale the Cliffs of Insanity and we’d be there to catch him.
11. Richard Gere (Current Age: 75)
The moment Richard Gere did that infamous nude scene in American Gigolo, VCRs across America mysteriously wore out at exactly the same timestamp.
His smoldering gaze in An Officer and a Gentleman had us all fantasizing about being swept off our feet – preferably while he was still in that white uniform.
Richard has aged into distinguished silver fox territory while focusing on humanitarian work in recent years, but recently showed up in the film Maybe I Do.
Proof that when you combine smoking hot looks with actual substance, the resulting hotness has no expiration date. Some wines just keep getting better.
12. Jason Bateman (Current Age: 56)
From his late 80s film work in Teen Wolf Too and early 90s roles, Jason combined the guy-next-door vibe with just enough sass to make him interesting.
That perfectly feathered hair had us all heading to salons with magazine cutouts demanding ‘The Bateman.’
Jason pulled off the rarest of Hollywood feats – transitioning from teen heartthrob to respected actor/director without a tragic middle phase.
His work on Arrested Development and Ozark showed his range goes far beyond the pretty boy roles, and recently he was the villain in Netflix’s Carry-On, though let’s be honest – we’d still watch him read the weather.