Within a couple of hours of putting Stylist’s December cover featuring Adam Brody on Instagram, it had racked up over 6,000 likes and 100 comments (and counting). 

The love for Brody is very real, and it has been reignited by his starring role alongside Kristen Bell in Nobody Wants This, one of our favourite TV shows of 2024. But it’s not Brody’s first rodeo as the object of our affection. The actor, who’s married to Leighton Meester (when teen idols collide…), has been a romcom hero for years. 

Here’s where he did it best. 

Gilmore Girls (2002) 

Before there was Seth Cohen and Noah Roklov, there was Dave Rygalski. Brody played Lane Kim’s (Keiko Agena) secret boyfriend, who she had to keep hidden from her tiger mum. 

He was only in Stars Hollow for nine episodes (in season three), but what a time it was – he even read the Bible in one night to impress Mrs Kim. If only Lane had accompanied him when he went away to study instead of having twins with the annoying Zack, she might have had the big exciting life she deserved.

The O.C. (2003–2007) 

The OG hot geek, Brody’s Seth Cohen made a generation of women (and probably many men too) yearn for an awkward, rumpled, indie music-obsessed funny guy, rather than a jock like Ryan (Ben McKenzie). 

The huge mansion by the sea, lovely family and gorgeous girlfriend (Summer, played by Rachel Bilson) didn’t hurt either. 

Jennifer’s Body (2009) 

We’ve all got a dark side and Brody’s was on full display in this satirical high school horror film that has since become a feminist cult classic.

He starred as a wannabe rock star alongside Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried in a film about a popular girl (Fox) who’s possessed by a demon and is filled with lust for classmates who never previously stood a chance.  

Brody has recently come to the film’s defence for how it was received at the time. “To have it receive such tepid reviews – and in a way, to be a punching bag – felt shitty,” he told the Independent. “The film was directed by a woman, starring two women, written by that year’s screenwriting Oscar winner [Diablo Cody], and instead they’re like, ‘Let’s bury all of that. Don’t tell anyone that. This is for people who like Transformers.’”

New Girl (2014)

Brody is ticking off the cult comedy favourites at this point. His time on New Girl was brief (to the disappointment of many), but it counted. He played Berkley, an ex of Jess (Zooey Deschanel), who is called in to help Jess prove to Nick that you can be friends with a former partner. 

Only Berkley still held a flame for Jess and was ready to leave his wife for her. He probably should have done, tbh. 

Fleishman Is In Trouble (2023)

In the adaptation of Taffy Brodesser-Akner’s wildly popular 2019 novel, Brody goes full finance bro. He plays Seth (again), an old school friend of Fleishman’s (Jesse Eisenberg), who reconnects with him after the disappearance of Fleishman’s wife, Rachel (Claire Danes). This Seth stays out all night, is professionally successful and has worked out how to game the dating apps to only show him women under 35, and yet somehow (the Adam Brodyness of it all) still remains wildly charming. 

Nobody Wants This (2024) 

Has “Put your ice cream down” ever sounded so compelling? 

The line delivered by Noah before cupping Joanne’s (Kristen Bell’s) face and kissing her passionately has broken not only the internet but also streaming devices worldwide. Brody plays a rabbi just out of a long-term relationship who can’t help falling for podcaster Joanne despite the fact they’re from very different worlds. 

The series has topped Netflix’s most-watched list since launching last week, and it doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere soon. 

Images: Netflix; Disney+, Fox, Warner