10 Male Heartthrobs Who Became Known for Something Else

Plenty of actors, singers, and athletes were dubbed male heartthrobs over the years. In many cases, this label continues to define their public persona, but occasionally, male celebs will go on to do something that overshadows their sexy image. A career change may alter the public’s perception of them. Sometimes, they might become famous for something else purely by accident. These are 10 male heartthrobs who are now better known for something else.

Related: 10 Child Actors That Struggled to Handle the Fame

10 Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

When it comes to royal families, it is not uncommon for a younger sibling of a future monarch to become very popular in their own right. A “spare” is often viewed as someone who gets to have all the fun with little responsibility. If this person also happens to be attractive, stylish, and charming, they may rival the monarch for attention and even turn into a royal celebrity like the British Royal family’s late Princess Margaret or, more recently, her great-nephew, best known as Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex.

While his marriage to Meghan Markle had a big impact on the public perception of him, during his bachelor days, he was seen as a roguish, fun-loving heartthrob. With his mischievous smile, the athletically built, rusty-haired prince was the object of infatuation for many young women in the UK and around the world, offering a spicy alternative to his preppy older brother, Prince William.

News coverage of Harry’s love life exploded when American actress Meghan Markle entered the picture. Following their engagement and subsequent 2018 wedding, Harry was viewed as one half of a golden couple, now best known for setting off controversy and feuding with other members of the royal family.^[1]

9 Pat Boone

It’s easy to get the impression that rock ‘n’ roll was virtually the only music kids listened to in the 1950s and ’60s. However, there were alternatives for those with more conservative tastes, and Pat Boone was very popular in this wholesome niche. Not only did he sell records and movie tickets, but Boone was also considered a heartthrob among teenage girls during this period. He recorded numerous romantic hit songs such as “April Love,” “Moody River,” and “Love Letters in the Sand.”

With his good looks and warm, affable demeanor, he was also a good fit in movies and on TV. Boone has continued to be an active entertainer, releasing dozens of albums, but has leaned into his image as a clean-cut family man, which has significantly impacted his choice of songs and film roles. The large number of inspirational and gospel tracks he has recorded over the years underscores this reputation. In a jaded society, Pat Boone is often seen as a comforting representative of a more innocent time.^[2]

8 Desi Arnaz

There’s no doubt that the legacy of Cuban-born musician, actor, and producer Desi Arnaz is primarily defined by the iconic TV series I Love Lucy, in which he co-starred in opposite real-life wife Lucille Ball. Arnaz’s biggest achievements are his role as the nonsense but likable bandleader Ricky Ricardo and his impressive work behind the scenes, producing the groundbreaking sitcom. This image of him is so deeply ingrained in pop culture it is easy to forget that in his early career years, Arnaz was a heartthrob who gained popularity while singing and playing the conga drum on tour with bandleader Xavier Cugat.

A 2024 Woman’s World article quoted writer Geoffrey Mark, who said that “he stood out because of his incredible good looks, showmanship, and sex appeal. Before Tom Jones, before Elvis Presley, their direct ancestor is Desi Arnaz, who used to dance swiveling his hips, showing off what he had and making the girls swoon.”

Arnaz was soon leading his own band and starring in the hit musical Too Many Girls on Broadway. After he had reprised his role in the film version, co-starring a young Lucille Ball, his life would be forever changed, and his image was notably altered a decade later.^[3]

7 Kirk Cameron

In the 1980s and ’90s, there was no shortage of teen heartthrobs on American television. One of the most popular of these was Kirk Cameron, co-starring as the cocky and charmingly sly Mike Seaver in the hit family sitcom Growing Pains, which ran on ABC from 1985 to 1992. The cute adolescent won over many viewers, especially young girls, with his portrayal of the Seavers’ eldest child as a slightly naughty boy-next-door type. Cameron also co-starred in prominent feature films such as the hit comedy Like Father Like Son during this period.

Now viewed in a somewhat different light, Cameron has spent many years focused on eagerly sharing his spirituality and religious convictions with the world. When he was 17, Cameron was reborn. He went from being an atheist to a Christian following an impactful church sermon he had reluctantly attended. His faith spread into his career, influencing which projects he did. Cameron starred in the faith-based apocalyptic Left Behind film series beginning in 2000. In 2010, he and his wife, Chelsea Noble, launched their production company CAMFAM Studios, through which they made religious-themed movies such as Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas and Mercy Rule.

The magazine Life:Beautiful quoted Cameron explaining his mission: “I’m trying to get the Gospel out there and remind our people that, hey, our Lord is on the throne.”^[4]

6 Alec Baldwin

Despite all the success he has had over the years, actor Alec Baldwin has become as well known for scandal as he is for his on-screen roles. During the 1980s and ’90s, the handsome, charismatic Baldwin was a definite heartthrob, appearing in soap operas and eventually transitioning to romantic big-screen leads in movies like The Marrying Man (1991). Baldwin has continued to work steadily, but much of the media attention he has garnered in recent years is focused on his legendary temper and altercations in public.

Of course, the most shocking event has been the tragic accident on the set of his 2021 western movie Rust, when Balwin’s prop gun discharged a bullet that hit and killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. Baldwin, who was also the film’s producer, was held responsible by critics who accused him of ignoring safety protocols. He and the movie’s armorer, Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, were charged with involuntary manslaughter. Reed was found guilty, but Baldwin’s charge was dropped when it was discovered that evidence had been withheld.

There was further outrage when the decision was made to release Rust despite the circumstances. Alec Baldwin has talked about how negatively the shooting affected his career, saying: “A lot of people cut my throat in this business,” according to USA Today.^[5]

5 Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood’s acting career took off in the 1950s with TV series like Rawhide and on the big screen with spaghetti westerns. His cool, ultra-macho demeanor and good looks drew lots of female fans. Whether playing cowboys or soldiers or police inspector “Dirty” Harry Callahan, Eastwood was popular with male and female audiences. And his magnetism, coupled with his powerful performances, made him a genuine heartthrob.

His directorial career started in 1971 with the famous thriller Play Misty for Me, which he also starred in. While he continued to be a prolific actor, Eastwood became a hugely successful director whose films are often critical and commercial hits. With many of his projects, Eastwood works solely behind the camera, even on some of his most memorable films like Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Mystic River, and American Sniper.

At over 90 years old, Eastwood helmed the crime thriller “Juror #2, which received widespread acclaim. In his eventful life, Clint Eastwood has been defined in a number of different ways: hunky action star, serious actor, and ultimately an iconic filmmaker.^[6]

4 Marlon Brando

From the beginning, actor Marlon Brando was unique. He did not fit the mold of a typical leading man, but that was also part of his appeal. Earthy, unpredictable, raw, and unconventionally attractive, the young Brando excited female moviegoers and was known to have a very active love life. He burned up the screen in films like A Streetcar Named Desire. Still, at the same time, Brando was impressing audiences and critics with his exceptional acting ability.

The winner of two Oscars, Marlon Brando compellingly portrayed a wide range of characters, from Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront (1954) to Major Lloyd Gruver in Sayonara (1957) and Don Vito Corleone in The Godfather (1972). So, it’s no wonder his stature as an amazing and revolutionary actor eclipsed his early image as a big-screen heartthrob. Brando’s talent, along with his much-publicized eccentricities, is what we think of most when remembering this one-of-a-kind performer.^[7]

3 Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner

Prominent athletes are often crush-worthy with their muscular build, robust performance, and impressive sports feats. A cute face and beaming smile increase their chances of becoming a heartthrob like the Olympic gold-medal-winning decathlete Bruce Jenner, now known as Caitlyn Jenner. During his athletic career and for years after, Jenner was considered a real stud, even appearing on the cover of Playgirl Magazine alongside his wife at the time, Linda Thompson, in 1982. He went on to become a popular TV personality as a sports commentator and later on the reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians” with his third wife, Kris Jenner, and their blended family.

It was a huge shock when Bruce Jenner came out as a transgender woman at the age of 65. Though it was difficult for many people to accept, given Jenner’s traditionally male public image, she explained to Diane Sawyer in an interview on ABC: “I’ve always been very confused with my gender identity. For all intents and purposes, I am a woman.”^[8]

2 Johnny Depp

Enigmatic actor-musician Johnny Depp quickly became a major teen heartthrob in his breakthrough role as undercover officer Tom Hanson on the TV series 21 Jump Street in 1987. Though some of his early films, such as Don Juan DeMarco (1994), proliferated this image, Depp didn’t want to be labeled a heartthrob. His often surprising career moves helped him to escape this mold long ago. The offbeat characters Depp has so often and expertly played throughout most of his career have re-defined him as an actor.

Depp’s own colorful, nonconformist behavior adds more credibility to such roles. While Depp has made his share of big commercial hits like the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, his frequent choice of more obscure and sophisticated movies has reinforced Depp’s reputation as a true artist rather than a traditional leading man. According to a 2016 Page Six article by Maureen Callahan: “He preferred to play freaks and outcasts in movies that made little money… and those risks earned him the respect of his peers.”^[9]

1 Bing Crosby

It has been well-documented that singer-actor Bing Crosby was a heartthrob in his youth. His velvety voice and easygoing style helped make him a radio star in the 1930s. However, the persona he projected during the latter years of his career has endured the most. We tend to associate him with the holidays due largely to his hugely popular recordings of Christmas songs, like “White Christmas,” and all the yuletide TV specials he did.

Other contrasts to the sex symbol image of his early crooner days include his memorable performances as priests in classic movies Going My Way and The Bells of St. Mary’s. Several years after the star’s 1977 death, a controversial memoir by his son Gary Crosby, Going My Own Way, deeply tarnished Bing Crosby’s legacy, painting him as an abusive father. However, there have been reports that Gary privately admitted to exaggerating these claims.^[10]