The rebirth of Adam Brody feels like something of a perfect storm. Two decades after bringing Noelmoucca and Death Cab for Cutie to the general public in the role of Seth Cohen in THE OCBrody picks up where he left off: winning the hearts of millennial women.

The 45-year-old actor charmed audiences with his portrayal of Rabbi Noah Roklov in Nobody wants that opposite Véronique Mars star Kristen Bell. The romantic comedy series, which premiered on Netflix in September, quickly became a hit. streaming sensation. As a “sexy rabbi,” Brody’s character falls for Bell’s Joanne, a brash, atheist sex podcaster, following a breakup. The series created by Erin Foster is as heartfelt as it is funny and as endearing as it is relatable. He was praised for breathe life back in the romantic comedy genre and is ready for a Golden Globe in the Best Television Series — Musical or Comedy category. Both of its leads also landed acting nominations.

Fans compared Roklov to a “adult” version by Seth Cohen, the wealthy Southern California high school student who loves emo music and the comic books Brody starred in The CO from 2003 to 2007. The actor does not agree with these comparisons. “I don’t think Seth Cohen would have been a rabbi,” Brody said. Yahoo Entertainment in a recent interview.

It’s ironic that Brody stars in a show called Nobody wants that when in reality, many people want it. Everyone wants it.

Since the series’ release, Brody has been featured in a myriad of publications, including GQ and InStyle. He sent the fans into a tailspin with his cover photo shoot for the December issue of British magazine Stylist and was featured in People’s 2024 Sexiest Man Alive issue. Vogue called him “the defining crush of the millennial”. He and Bell, who were praised for their “crazy chemistry,” Also set the internet on fire with “greatest kiss ever.”

“We are looking for someone who will make us feel safe. Someone who’s going to make us feel seen,” Jane Owen, the founder of Jane Owen Public Relations, told Yahoo of Brody’s appeal. “He’s handsome in an approachable way where you could have gone to school with him.” He could be the guy you liked in high school, your best friend’s older brother, quite handsome. …It really touches your heart.

2024 was a career-rich year for the 2000s Idols from past teen dramas. Dawson Creek Pillar Joshua Jackson set sail as a newly hired doctor aboard a luxury cruise ship on Doctor Odyssey. A tree hill star Chad Michael Murray put his six hour dance class to use in the Magic Mike-coded romantic comedy, The merry gentlemen. Josh Hartnett, who debuted on the ABC drama series Cracker and became a heartthrob after appearing in films like The Faculty, The Virgin Suicides And Pearl Harborplays a charismatic serial killer in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film, Trap.

“All these guys represent a simpler time,” Owen said. “They remind us of our youth. In a way, they put us at ease because we know them a little. People love comeback stories. They like to think that people can breathe new life into their careers. People gather around (celebrities) who they remember fondly from their childhood as being a poster on their bedroom wall or someone they had a crush on.

“Millennials are very conscious of the fact that they’re getting older,” Erin Meyers, who studies celebrity, new media and audience culture at Oakland University in Michigan, told Yahoo. “At the same time, (they) look back and (realize that) those things that we loved before are still a part of our lives. “Here’s (Brody) and he always looks good and I always look good too.” … (It’s) the idea that you’re sort of watching your favorite stars grow up with you.

Brody, himself, doesn’t have any public social media accounts, but his online presence is bigger than ever. Not only was he number 3 on the list of most sought after actors worldwide in 2024, but it is appreciated on platforms like X and TikTok, where screenshots And fan-made videos of Cohen and Roklov, both separately and assembledwere created and shared en masse by fans.

As millennials age, they remain connected to pop culture online. While TikTok is traditionally considered a haven for Gen Z, its number of millennial users worldwide Age range 30 to 49 years is increasing. Fans in this demographic use the social media platform to strengthen their connections with Brody and, in turn, strengthen his online presence.

“It presents itself as this place where Gen Zers are, but it’s really a place where millennials, in particular, are also really finding their pop culture connections,” Meyers said of the Brody buzz on the platform.

Today, lusting after your celebrity crush is a more digital endeavor than it was in 2003. Rather than flipping through an issue of Us Weekly for photos of Brody off-screen, Meyers explained, social media allows fans to See more of Brody – whether it’s behind-the-scenes footage from the set or a photo of him out and about in Los Angeles – whenever they want. With options to repost, like, or comment, fans can also interact more personally with this content.

“We don’t just want to see (actors) doing their jobs on screen. We want to see them in “real life”. We’ve always wanted this,” Meyers said. “We wanted paparazzi photos and early 2000s blogging culture, but now we’re looking at (them) on Instagram, talking about how (Brody) is their favorite. I think it’s a participatory audience thing that social media helps us with, (giving us) a way to engage beyond just watching.

Celebrity culture has changed significantly since Brody’s first brush with fame. Our thirst for authenticity has intensified, Meyers said.

“The rise of things like influencers and other types of digital stars is all about being authentic and ordinary, and so we want to see that side of celebrities as well. Feeling that they are like us,” she said. “Our celebrity culture is really obsessed with authenticity.”

Brody’s continued renaissance depends on how he is “valued in the marketplace” and whether he is willing to continue taking on roles in “well-financed TV shows and movies,” Owen said. With Nobody wants that Season 2 on the way and a potential Golden Globe Award under his belt, Brody’s future looks bright.

“He is the right person, at the right time and in the right place in our times,” she said. “No matter what side you’re on politically, socially, economically or religiously, you can all say, ‘Yes, he’s a great guy.'”