Now, these aren’t the all-time, end all be all top 10. Oh no, these are just my personal favorites from over the years that have made little homes in the nooks and crannies of my heart. From one of the first to put the angst of high school at the center of the action to one from the ‘90s that sent us all into puberty, and many others. These are the high school crushes who walked the halls of fictional schools on the big screen.
Chase Hammond, Drive Me Crazy
Some 87.3% of teen movies are just old ass plays and pieces of literature given a makeover. Which speaking of, I lived for Melissa Joan Hart working her ‘Pygmalion’ magic on Adrian Grenier in ‘Drive Me Crazy.’ I always thought, why the fuck didn’t I have a hot-ass neighbor to hide up in a treehouse with?!
Preston Meyers, Can’t Hardly Wait
This wasn’t ever about a physical attraction. I mean, Preston Meyers was adorable but come on – it’s his absolute dedication to get the girl that made my heart flutter.
Zack Siler, She’s All That
In the late ‘90s, it was almost criminal NOT to feel some sort of way about Freddie Prinze Jr.
Patrick Verona, 10 Things I Hate About You
Everyone loves that singing, dancing, running from security on the steps scene, but for me – when he takes ol’ Black Panties paintballing, I sighed and thought – I want THAT.
Duke Orsino, She’s the Man
Anyone who knows me knows I’m a Channing Tatum ride or die, and this is the movie that kick-started it all.
Jim Stark, Rebel Without a Cause
I’m not even sure why or how I got interested in James Dean, but omg – what a time that was, and when I watched this movie, I was so taken aback that it was from a time when teens were barely starting to get recognition as being their own person. They were no longer heading off to work, they were getting to enjoy adolescence, and this movie highlighted that it wasn’t all sock hops and soda pops. They were dealing with serious shit, and still fucking are today and just want to be heard.
Pike, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
For some reason my mom allowed my child self to watch ‘90210,’ so my crush on Luke Perry was already set in place by the time his bad boy ass rolled into this beautifully cheesy vampire movie starring the late love of my childhood and a crazy woman.
Evan, Superbad
Who can deny the sweetheart that would do just about anything to make sure you got the vodka you wanted?
Patrick Wheeler, Saved!
Patrick is sweet, kind, and understanding. I mean, for a high school boy – talk about fucking rarity.
Sebastian Valmont, Cruel Intentions
Who the fuck else was going to be at the tip-top if not the character that played a huge role in opening the puberty gates for an entire generation? His butt out of the water, the sexual tension between him and his stepsister that made you feel everything from excited to awkward for being excited, to that scene where he is in that blue shirt when Annette goes up that escalator? To this day, that Counting Crows song that was playing during that scene does something for me.
Crushgasm 