If you grew up in the 1990s, your bedroom walls were likely a shrine to a specific group of young men who defined the “pretty boy” aesthetic of the decade. These heartthrobs were everywhere; plastered on the covers of Tiger Beat and J-14, starring in every teen sitcom, and causing a frenzy at every mall appearance. For a few glorious years, it seemed like their fame would last forever, but as the millennium turned, many of these icons chose to walk away from the flashing lights in favor of a life that offered a bit more stability and a lot less scrutiny.
Seeing these former heartthrobs today is a fascinating reminder that fame is often just a temporary chapter rather than a permanent destination. Instead of chasing a dwindling spotlight, these men pivoted into careers as varied as professional landscaping, culinary arts, and even corporate law. They traded their scripts for spreadsheets and their fans for families, proving that there is plenty of life to be lived once the screaming stops. Let’s take a nostalgic look at the faces we once swooned over and see what they’re up to in their very normal, very relatable adult lives.
1. Andrew Keegan – 10 Things I Hate About You
After playing the arrogant Joey Donner, Andrew Keegan eventually moved away from mainstream acting to explore his spiritual side. He famously founded a community spiritual center in Venice Beach called Full Circle, which made headlines for its unique approach to “new age” activism. Today, he stays largely out of the Hollywood circuit, focusing on his young daughter and community-based projects that are a world away from the high school drama of the late ’90s.
2. Freddy Prinze Jr. – She’s All That
The ultimate “it boy” of the late ’90s, Freddie Prinze Jr. could have spent decades in rom-coms, but he chose a path that prioritized his family and his love for food. He became an accomplished chef and released his own cookbook, Back to the Kitchen, featuring recipes inspired by his Puerto Rican heritage and his time cooking for his wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar. He also works as a producer for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), merging his childhood love for wrestling with a steady behind-the-scenes career.
3. Devon Sawa – Final Destination / Casper
Devon Sawa was the quintessential blond crush of the ’90s, but he took a long hiatus from the industry to focus on raising his children in Canada. While he has recently returned to some TV roles, he spent years living a quiet life as a “real-world” dad, far removed from the teen idol madness. He often jokes on social media about his “dad life” chores, proving that even the boy from Casper eventually has to worry about lawn maintenance and school runs.
4. Nate Richert – Sabrina the Teenage Witch
As Harvey Kinkle, Nate Richert was the sensitive boyfriend everyone wanted, but after the show ended, he realized his heart was actually in music. He stepped away from acting to become a professional bluegrass and folk musician, often performing in small, intimate venues under his own name. He also isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty, having worked various “regular” jobs in maintenance and construction to support his creative passions over the years.
5. Jason Zimbler – Clarissa Explains It All
Known to millions as the annoying younger brother Ferguson, Jason Zimbler left the acting world behind shortly after his Nickelodeon days ended. He headed to the University of Notre Dame and eventually built a career as a software engineer, even working for major tech companies like HBO. It’s the ultimate irony that the kid known for his “nerdy” character actually grew up to be a highly successful and sophisticated tech professional in real life.
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6. Will Horneff – The Sandlot / Born to be Wild
As the star of The Sandlot and the face of countless ’90s teen posters, Wil Horneff seemed destined for a lifelong career in Hollywood. However, he eventually stepped away from the cameras to focus on a much more physical and disciplined path. Today, Wil is a high-level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt and owns his own martial arts academy in New Jersey. He finds the “real-world” challenges of teaching and training far more rewarding than the scripted drama of his youth.
7. Rider Strong – Boy Meets World
Rider Strong played the “bad boy with a heart of gold” Shawn Hunter, but in real life, he was a dedicated scholar who graduated magna cum laude from Columbia University. He shifted his focus from acting to writing and directing, even hosting a popular literary podcast called Chat 10 Looks 3 for a time. He prefers the quiet life of a writer and a father, often expressing that he finds more fulfillment in a good book than a red carpet event.
8. Christopher Castile – Step by Step / Beethoven
Christopher Castile was the “smart kid” of the ’90s, playing the brainy Mark Foster and the lovable Ted in the Beethoven movies. He chose to take his onscreen intelligence into the real world, earning a master’s degree and becoming a professional educator. Today, he is a highly respected high school history teacher and a college professor in California. His students often get a kick out of the fact that their professor was once a major sitcom star.
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9. Jonathan Taylor Thomas – Home Improvement
The ultimate poster boy of the mid-90s, “JTT” was the voice of Simba and the face of every teen magazine in existence. At the height of his fame, he chose to walk away from the spotlight to prioritize his education, attending Harvard, Columbia, and even St. Andrews in Scotland. Today, he leads an incredibly private life in California, focusing on directing and writing behind the scenes rather than returning to the “teen idol” circuit that defined his youth.
10. Erik von Detten – The Princess Diaries
With his signature blond locks and “surfer-boy” charm, Erik von Detten was the face of the Disney Channel’s extreme sports era. After a few more voice-acting roles (including Sid in Toy Story), he transitioned into a completely different field. Today, he works as a successful sales representative for a large commodities firm, enjoying a quiet life as a husband and father who prefers the beach over a movie set.
11. Michael Vitar – The Sandlot
As “Benny the Jet” Rodriguez, Michael Vitar played the coolest kid in baseball history, but his real-life calling was even more heroic. He left acting shortly after the ’90s ended to become a professional firefighter with the Los Angeles Fire Department. He has been serving the city as a first responder for over two decades now, trading the cinematic diamond for a career that truly saves lives every day.
12. Jamie Walters – Beverly Hills, 90210
Jamie Walters was the ultimate “bad boy” musician as Ray Pruitt, and his song “How Do You Talk to an Angel” was a massive chart-topping hit. After the frenzy of the ’90s died down, he decided he wanted a career that felt more meaningful and grounded. He eventually trained to become a professional firefighter and paramedic in Los Angeles. He has spent the last two decades saving lives in the real world, proving that his “hero” energy was much more than just a character trait.
13. Austin O’Brien – Last Action Hero / My Girl 2
Austin O’Brien was the go-to kid for big-budget ’90s adventures, but he eventually discovered that he preferred life on the other side of the lens. He stepped away from acting to pursue a career in professional photography and cinematography, eventually starting his own successful photography business. He specializes in high-end weddings and commercial work, using the visual storytelling skills he learned on movie sets to capture real-life memories for his clients.
14. Ross Hull – Are You Afraid of the Dark?
As the leader of the Midnight Society, Ross Hull was a staple of ’90s Saturday night television. His interest in the “elements” eventually turned from campfire ghost stories to the actual weather. He pursued a degree in meteorology and is now a well-known professional meteorologist for a major news network in Canada, proving that he still knows how to keep an audience’s attention during a storm.
15. Danny Cooksey – Terminator 2 / Salute Your Shorts
From his red-haired mullet in Terminator 2 to his role as the neighborhood bully Budnick, Danny Cooksey was everywhere in the ’90s. While he still does impressive voice-over work, his primary focus shifted to his first love: music. He has spent years as the frontman for various rock bands and works as a musician in Los Angeles, embracing a lifestyle that is much more about the art than the fame.
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Revisiting these ’90s heartthrobs is like looking through an old yearbook; it’s a mix of nostalgia and the realization that everyone eventually grows up. While their faces might still be frozen in time on a vintage poster somewhere, their lives today are a testament to the fact that there is no single “right” way to handle success. If you enjoyed catching up with these former idols, be sure to check out these 15 Former Child Actors Who Now Have Regular 9-to-5s, or these 15 Stars Who Had to Grow Up Famous. You can also enjoy these 15 Saga Actors Who Regret Taking Their Most Famous Roles.
