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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

"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

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

—rocketgirl07

"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

"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

"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

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

—reecew40a6d43e5

"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

"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

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

—abi1310