Since the beginning of time, people have had crushes and since the beginning of fame, people have had celebrity crushes. Even back in ancient Rome, famed gladiators were the celebrity crush of many young girls. In fact, there was even a word for fangirls way back then, ludiae, literally meaning training-school girls. So before you click away thinking “Why am I reading about history I want to see beautiful people,” let’s get back to some heartthrobs of the modern day.
Jacob Elordi, Timothee Chalamet, Ross Lynch. What do all of these white men have in common? They’re all absolutely gorgeous and have acquired quite the teenage fanbase. Now we’re inclusive here at The Auroran Today, so we’ll also be discussing female heartthrobs like Jenna Ortega, Zendaya, and Renee Rapp.
Obviously the first, and perhaps most important, ingredient in someone’s ascension to the status of heartthrobs is their looks. Whether it be Timothee Chalamet’s sickly Victorian child appeal, Jenna Ortega’s emo-ness, or Ross Lynch as he sings shirtless on stage, there’s just something about their appearance that drives the public crazy. Senior Kenzie Lemkau explained why she’s so in love with her celebrity crush.
“Jacob Elordi is so fine, he has style and doesn’t dress in ugly Nike tech and his bag collection, if I met him I’d definitely want to steal one,” remarked Kenzie.
You’ll notice that most heartthrobs possess an awkward sort of relatability. Zendaya and Kenzie’s celebrity crush, Jacob Elordi. Since Zendaya is a celebrity that our generation has grown up with, she feels more relatable and endearing to teens and young adults. In a promo video for SNL, Elordi interacts with Renee Rapp. While Renee exudes confidence, Jacob has a more gawky, yet loveable presence. Many Elordi fans across the internet lost their minds at Elordi’s soft-spoken questions.
Another massive factor that goes into the creation of a heartthrob is the way their presence is marketed to the public. Renee Rapp, in particular, has been presented as a sultry vocal powerhouse as she’s taken on her role as Regina George in the new Mean Girls movie. With 2 million followers, it’s fairly unlikely you’ve never heard of Rapp, especially if you’re a queer teen girl. Rapp speaks openly about her queerness, which is crucial in curating her audience of sapphic teenage girls.
When you mix together looks, relatability, and marketing, add a dash of teenage delusion, BOOM! There you have it, a perfectly crafted, absolutely delicious heartthrob. So whether you love the art of a celebrity photo shoot, their kindness in an interview, or maybe their social media is simply inescapable, don’t be afraid to show your love for your celebrity crush! Share with us who your celebrity crush is in the comments below!
