The hottest screen stars of the 00's and where they are today.

Adam Brody became one of the '00s biggest teen heartthrobs as Seth Cohen on The O.C. between 2003 and 2007. With his witty lines and indie-rock style, he was a shoe-in for the teen poster boy of choice. He also had an earlier turn on Gilmore Girls as Lane Kim's besotted boyfriend Dave Rygalski and later starred alongside Kristen Stewart and Meg Ryan in 2007's In the Land of Women, playing screenwriter Carter Webb.

Twenty years later, he's still got us feeling all gooey as the lead of Netflix hit Nobody Wants This, starring as Noah the "hot rabbi" opposite Kristen Bell. Other recent projects include Promising Young Woman, American Fiction and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Adam has been married to actress and singer Leighton Meester since 2014, welcoming a son and daughter together.

At just 19 years old, Jessica Alba cemented her acting talents with a Golden Globe nomination for her role as genetically-enhanced soldier Max Guevara in Dark Angel (2000-2002). She continued her star run with projects like Fantastic Four, playing The Invisible Woman Sue Storm, and Into the Blue, as well as earning top spot on Maxim's Hot 100.

More recently, the '00s star has appeared in a music video for Katseye, cameoed as herself on Lena Dunham hit Too Much and starred in 2024 action thriller Trigger Warning. Per IMDb, the star has several screen projects in post-production, including the upcoming remake of 13 Going on 30 and A Tree Is Blue, a drama directed by Dakota Johnson starring Charli XCX. 

The '00s wouldn't have been what they were without Lizzie McGuire. Hilary Duff starred in the sitcom between 2001 and 2004, earning a loyal fanbase as an ordinary middle schooler working through classic teenage problems. As well as the sitcom's big screen feature, Hilary appeared in films like A Cinderella Story, Cheaper by the Dozen and Cadet Kelly. She also had a successful music career, including tracks such as "So Yesterday" and "What Dreams Are Made Of". 

But what's she been doing since the star defined Noughties street style, with low-rise jeans and layered tank tops? Hilary is still acting, with a long-running appearance in rom-com series Younger and a star role in How I Met Your Father. She's also been focussing on continuing her music career, releasing 2026 studio album Luck... or Something and recent hit single CATastrophe for upcoming feature The Cat in the Hat. 

Heath Ledger was a '90s star thanks to Shakespearean rom-com 10 Things I Hate About You, but in the '00s he translated his acting talents to blockbuster features and proved he was so much more than a pretty face. Heath worked alongside Mel Gibson in The Patriot, starred as William Thatcher in A Knight's Tale and earned an Oscar nomination for his performance in Brokeback Mountain. 

The actor's last role came in 2008 with The Dark Knight, casting Heath as the Joker in a genre-defining performance for comic-book adaptations to come. Heath tragically passed away the same year at the age of 28, earning a posthumous Academy Award for his performance as the big screen villain.

Megan Fox made her movie star debut alongside Lindsay Lohan in 2004's Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, followed three years later by a star role in Transformers as mechanic Mikaela Banes, cementing her as one of the decade's major heartthrobs. In 2009, she appeared opposite Amanda Seyfried in comedy horror Jennifer's Body which has grown into a feminist cult classic.

She's still working today, appearing in 2024's Subservience and 2025 series Overcompensating, as well as voice acting in projects like video game Mortal Kombat 1 Khaos Reigns and Five Nights at Freddy's 2. She shares three children with ex-husband Brian Austin Green and a daughter with ex-boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly.

Chad Michael Murray was a beloved regular on One Tree Hill as Lucas Scott and had recurring roles on other Noughties classics like Gilmore Girls and Dawson's Creek. The actor's star status extended to feature film projects like A Cinderella Story, Freaky Friday and House of Wax.

He recently starred as Cal Jones in CW hit Sullivan's Crossing, nostalgic sequel Freakier Friday and is due to feature in upcoming drama Disconnecting Peter. Chad has been married to Sarah Roemer since 2015, welcoming a son and two daughters with his wife. 

Tom Welling started out as a model for Tommy Hilfiger and Abercrombie & Fitch, transitioning into a career in acting and being cast as the lead in 10-season superhero series Smallville in 2001. He became a teen idol as a young Clark Kent, also starring in hits like Cheaper by the Dozen and horror The Fog alongside his work on Smallville. 

He's since moved away from Los Angeles for a quieter life in Northern California, raising horses with wife Jessica Rose Lee, though Tom does continue to appear on screen occasionally in projects like Chasing Summer, Deep Six and Clear Cut.