20 Actors From Teen Dramas Who Were Absolutely, Positively Perfect Casting Choices

Anyone who can say things like "jingle jangle" with a straight face deserves an Emmy.

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community what actors from teen dramas stood out from the rest of the cast. Here are some of the most submitted!

Note: Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.

1. Leighton Meester as Blair in Gossip Girl

The CW

"Leighton was such a scene-stealer from the very beginning. She turned a character like Blair who could've easily been a stereotypical queen bee into a fully-fledged character that made the series worth watching."

—mavmag

"Leighton’s performance as Blair was skillful enough to keep her grounded in reality and relatable (to me, at least) even when Blair was doing over-the-top things."

—everlee_c

2. Dylan O'Brien as Stiles (and the Nogitsune) in Teen Wolf

MTV

"He played Stiles as relatable and realistic when everyone else sounded a little too scripted. Not to mention that he was equally talented at humor and emotion without going over the top! Plus, dark Stiles was INCREDIBLE!"

—emariasheldon

3. Sophia Bush as Brooke in One Tree Hill

The CW

"Sophia Bush elevated Brooke Davis to unbelievable heights. Even in early Season 1, there was a vulnerability and relatability to Brooke's acting out. As Brooke grew as a character, so did Sophia as an actress. Her emotional scenes moved me like no other's, and her love for Brooke was always crystal clear, which eventually made Brooke the heart of the show."

—mrspancakes

4. Kristen Bell as Veronica in Veronica Mars

UPN

"Kristen Bell is the reason Veronica Mars was so amazing. She made the emotional scenes so incredibly vulnerable and realistic. And while Veronica’s one-liners could be cringey, she made them funny and clever!"

—campbells4dbe23c87

5. Bethany Joy Lenz as Haley in One Tree Hill

The CW

"She was by far the most talented actor and her versatility was incredible. Joy executed every version of Haley to perfection, from the girl next door to a young woman forced to grow up too soon to the protective mother. All her cast members said she was the only one who could get away with improvising and could snap in and out of character within seconds!!"

—emilyrusso

"She gave 110% in every scene. I always found her to be the rock in storylines and her acting always made a scene feel more grounded and relatable."

—myprovincialife

6. Joshua Jackson as Pacey in Dawson’s Creek

The WB

"He oozed so much charm into that role that the writers changed course to make him Joey’s endgame instead of Dawson. Now that’s some BCE (Big Creek Energy)!"

—alicebraz

7. Brett Gray and Jason Genao as Jamal Turner and Ruby Martinez in On My Block

Netflix

"They both are electric in their scenes. Jamal is such a quirky and goofy character and Ruby is so dramatic but means well — the actors do such a great job with the characters. They provide a good contrast to the weird relationship drama with the other main characters."

—ktk8895

8. Paul Wesley as Stefan, Silas, Tom, and Ambrose in The Vampire Diaries

The CW

"Not only was the whole show Stefan’s story but Paul’s acting was just straight brilliance! He portrayed four different characters throughout the show (on top of ripper Stefan!) and each character felt unique and emotionally connected."

—carolync4178cbdc3

9. Cassie Steele as Manny Santos in Degrassi: The Next Generation

Sony Pictures Television

"Manny made so many mistakes that it’s absolutely a testament to Cassie’s acting that she was still a fan favorite."

—ambam8813

"She was so dislikable at times, but by the end of her arc she was one of your favorites. She also gave us *the thong moment* (which was a total cultural reset)."

—oliviastyles1d13

10. Janel Parrish as Mona in Pretty Little Liars

Freeform

"They threw a number of absolutely ridiculous plotlines at her and she still managed to ground her character in reality. By the end of the show, Mona was the only character I was rooting for."

—jennr4ab11fa64

11. Lili Reinhart as Betty in Riverdale

The CW

"Even with cringey dialogue and plotlines she KILLS every scene she is in. She is going to have a long and beautiful career after Riverdale ends!"

—sbg42288

"Of all the young cast, Lili and Cole are the strongest actors. Lili especially makes the ridiculous storylines and dialogue somewhat bearable and gives the most convincing performances."

—kg1429

12. Nina Dobrev as Katherine, Elena, Tatia, and Amara in The Vampire Diaries and The Originals

The CW

"Nina's reactions to loss were outstanding — Elena turning off her humanity was gut-wrenching. Plus, it was amazing that she played Elena and Katherine so perfectly! They felt like they were played by two entirely different actors."

—jliz0801

13. Lea Michele as Rachel in Glee

Fox

"Especially in Season 1. She played Rachel so well and hilariously!"

—rocketgirl07

14. Joseph Morgan as Klaus in The Vampire Diaries and The Originals

The CW

"Even though he really shined in The Originals, Joseph Morgan did a wonderful job in The Vampire Diaries, too. Klaus was such a complex character, and he really did him justice."

—samantham46531ff01

"The Vampire Diaries was good before he was cast, but he took it to a whole other level!"

—elexisgrace

15. Jack O’Connell as Cook in Skins

E4

"Skins was a frequently ridiculous show that also frequently hit you like a bag of bricks. I SOBBED when Cook refused to give the keys to Cook Sr. Season 7 showed off how good Jack is at saying a whole lot without actually speaking."

—throwaways

16. Darren Criss as Blaine in Glee

Fox

"He shows so much emotion with the parts that he plays and deserves much more recognition! Not to mention his incredible voice — he sings like an angel!"

—creativechipmunk40

"Darren Criss was able to make a cheesy show much more watchable, especially in the later seasons. He showed so much emotion in the Season 3 episode 'On My Way.'"

—g_berniee25

17. Adam Brody as Seth in The O.C.

Fox

"He was seriously one of the best characters in television. He had the best quotes and stole every scene!"

—reecew40a6d43e5

18. Brandon Flynn as Justin in 13 Reasons Why

Netflix

"Listen, 13 Reasons Why is a terrible trash fire, but Brandon Flynn does an amazing job. Justin is absolutely heartbreaking and steals every scene."

—ohhowthecamera

19. Eliza Taylor as Clarke in The 100

The CW

"The show got progressively worse (in my opinion) as the seasons continued but the acting only improved. I’ve watched Eliza mature and improve greatly, and now she has so much talent!"

—compassionatellama

"Eliza Taylor in The 100 is seriously underrated, especially in Season 6!"

—katiafernandes

20. And finally, Ester Exposito as Carla in Elite

Netflix

"She stole literally every scene! Her character was so great. Plus, she's only 20!! Such an icon."

—abi1310