25 favorite ’80s and ’90s teenage heartthrobs and what they’re doing now
By Sundi Rose
LL Cool J
What made him a heartthrob: One look at this man and you can see why he’s a heartthrob. We have eyes in our head, and it’s widely known that the ladies love Cool J. Sure, we fell completely and totally in love with him as an R&B crooner, and nobody complained as he sang without his shirt on most of the time, but he transitioned quite nicely into an acting career.
What he’s doing now: Some readers might not even realize that Sam Hanna was actually a pretty naughty and controversial performer of the 1980s. They only recognize him from NCIS: Los Angeles, and to them, I say, “You’re really missing out.” He’s also done a few movies in the last few years, most famously appearing in Last Holiday with Queen Latifah.
Cool J’s best: I love him as the host of Lip Sync Battle on the Paramount network. Too bad Chrissy Teigen left because their chemistry is so fun.