Former Teen Heartthrobs Who Haven't Figured Out They Aren't Famous Anymore

Many stars rise to fame, but not all of them are able to stay shining. Teen heartthrobs grace every era with their stunning good looks and their charming personalities, but sometimes the roles they play in the entertainment industry prove to be short-lived. Of course, some of them manage to maintain their fame and transcend their teen idol status, such as Justin Timberlake and Leonardo DiCaprio, but many others wind up fading away without being able to ever recapture the fame and attention they were once able to command by simply making a public appearance.

There are a handful of celebrities that grace the childhood memories of their most ardent fans and will forever be cherished in spite of their inability to clamor back to the top of their game. Legends like Elvis Presley and James Dean will forever be commemorated for the impact they had during their time in the spotlight. Other famous faces have fallen from the pedestal fans had originally put them, due to drama, controversy, or serious allegations that have tainted their image. Here are some heartthrobs that once dominated the headlines but have since not figured out they simply aren't famous anymore.

Most of Mark Wahlberg's fans were first introduced to the heartthrob when he appeared as part of the hugely popular '90s group Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch, the hip hop group founded by Wahlberg, aka Marky Mark. The other members were Scottie Gee, Hector the Booty Inspector,  DJ-T, and Ashey Ace. Wahlberg quickly rose to International fame with the group's hit "Good Vibrations," which climbed the charts and took the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1991, solidifying his fame and heartthrob status. Posters of Wahlberg striking poses could be found in bedrooms and lockers across the nation, and his adoring fans couldn't get enough of the young star. He maintained his bad-boy image until the members went their separate ways in 1993.

When the band's fame and popularity began to fade, Wahlberg found success as a Calvin Klein model and went on to explore a successful acting career as an adult. His onscreen debut was in the movie "Renaissance Man" in 1994. He went on to star in "The Fighter" and "Ted," along with a slew of other movies, but in spite of his talents, he never gained the same level of fame that he saw in his younger days. Wahlberg is now a married man with three children.

Andrew Keegan melted hearts when he played the role of Jessica Biel's boyfriend on the smash hit "7^th Heaven." Fans flocked to catch a glimpse of the heartthrob and soaked in every opportunity to see Keegan's face staring back at them from their television sets. He went on to become the adorable bad boy cutie that on "10 Things I Hate About You," proving once again that his acting skills and stunning good looks were the perfect combination for success. His face was plastered on every major teen magazine in the '90s, and there was no mistaking the fact that America had fallen in love with the young star.

Keegan's career took a very different turn in his adult years, as he dove into darker roles in films such as the crime thriller "Adverse." He told OK! Magazine that he enjoyed playing a darker role in the movie. "I've got a production company we just set up, so I'm taking a more active role and have a couple of projects in development," he also revealed. Unfortunately for Keegan, his fan base has dwindled down to just 30,000 Instagram followers, and only his most die-hard followers are aware of his new projects. Keegan's new real-life role is spiritual leader, which seems to be flourishing in comparison to his acting career.

Isaac, Taylor, and Zac Hanson rose to fame with their catchy hit song "MMMBop" in 1997. Isaac was 11 years old when the song first came out. Taylor was 9 and Zac was only 6. Their song was played on every major radio station and quickly took ownership of the No. 1 spot on the charts. The brothers were admired for their good looks and quickly became recognized among the hottest heartthrobs of the '90s. Hanson would go on to reap the benefits of a hugely successful career, and unlike other entertainers, they continued to steer themselves in their very own direction.

Hanson is no longer mesmerizing fans with their boyish good looks and musical fame, but that's purely on their own accord, as revealed in a 2018 interview with The Washington Post. Danny Goldberg signed Hanson while he held the position of chairman at Mercury Records. "They beat the system," Goldberg said. "They used it, they got what they wanted out of it and then they've done things completely on their own terms, without worrying about any other metrics except their own." Goldberg went on to discuss Hanson's decision to fade away. "They could have done other things to make more money, but they put their personal happiness and contentment first," he said. The brothers have pursued their own paths but remain bonded. "Zac has been a visual artist, Isaac's done some producing. I love to work with other artists' songwriting," Taylor told Entertainment Tonight.

Young Joey Lawrence stole the stage on "The Tonight Show" starring Johnny Carson when he was just a boy. He was soon reintroduced to the world as the loveable Joey Russo on the hit series "Blossom" which saw huge success when it aired from 1990-1995. The young actor's role put more emphasis on his good looks than on his intelligence. His adorable, charming character quickly captured the attention of the swarms of teenage girls that tuned into the show, quickly launching Lawrence to fame. His catchphrase "Whoa!" caught on, and the actor parlayed his fame by diving into other projects. He released an album and took on a smaller part on the sitcom "Brotherly Love."

The light seemed to dim on his career, and he actor took on a series of roles in made-for-TV movies that were less popular with fans. He participated in "Dancing with the Stars," and in 2022, donned a costume on "The Masked Singer." Still, Lawrence holds a pretty impressive following of 269,000 on his Instagram page, which is primarily populated with images of his personal life with wife Samantha Cope. His social media outlets don't boast many new projects, and his popularity seems to have flat-lined compared to his earlier days.

Jesse McCartney became a household name as part of the wildly successful boy band Dream Street. The group rose to the height of their popularity in 2003 and released a hit single titled "Beautiful Soul" that spread like wildfire among fans. The catchy tune catapulted the band to fame, but within just a few months, they seemed to fade away. McCartney revived his reputation a full 15 years later when he referenced the song in a single tweet. Nostalgic waves took over, and he commanded the attention of his lost but loyal fan base. McCartney managed to use his talents as a singer and actor, doing both for a number of years. He quietly starred in "Summerland," "Zack & Cody," "Greek," and "Major Crimes," as well as "All My Children" and "Locke & Key." He wrote "Bleeding Love" for Leona Lewis and played Theodore in the live-action "Alvin and the Chipmunks" film, according to People. Sadly, his fans barely took note of his efforts.

In 2014, McCartney was scrutinized for sending a tweet containing an image of Eva Longoria's face alongside the caption, "that woman's feet are sexy!" according to NME. He also referred to the day as being "foot fetish Friday." Fans took note of the social media awkwardness, and McCartney seemed to lose his flavor among followers.

Young girls across the nation tuned in to hear Jonathan Taylor Thomas make some wisecracks and flash his adorable smile on the hit show "Home Improvement." The family sitcom was a hit with fans, many of whom were tuning in to watch Taylor Thomas in the role of Randy. Taylor Thomas starred alongside Tim Allen and remained committed to the series until the last year of filming, then decided to step away from fame. Shocked fans learned he left his acting career in pursuit of higher education. Taylor Thomas was greatly missed when he dipped out of the spotlight, but during an interview with People, he said, "I never took the fame too seriously. It was a great period in my life, but it doesn't define me. When I think back on the time, I look at it with a wink. I focus on the good moments I had, not that I was on a lot of magazine covers."

Taylor Thomas voiced Young Simba in "The Lion King" and later starred in "Man of the House," among other projects, but fans barely noticed. His disinterest in having a social media account has left him cut off from fans. Taylor Thomas' biggest claim to fame these days is being spotted casually walking down the street and snapped in a rare photo by the paparazzi.