In the days before Harry Styles and Timothée Chalamet, the heartthrobs of the 1990s and 2000s included Leonardo DiCaprio, Heath Ledger, and Chad Michael Murray. And since this millennial mom hasn't changed her mind about any of them, she asked for her daughter's opinion, but she wasn't prepared for the results.
Lauren Budge, 34, from Idaho, asked her 11-year-old daughter Olivia to rate the iconic male celebrities out of 10, but she couldn't believe her answers. Budge told Newsweek that she "definitely took a wrong turn" with some of her rankings.
The hilarious footage was shared in a TikTok video (@laurenlbudge), showing the likes of DiCaprio, Corbin Bleu, Channing Tatum, and LL Cool J, before hearing the Gen Alpha's critical verdict. The clip has amazed many, with over 2.4 million views and more than 271,000 likes in a matter of days.
"In the 1990s and early 2000s, there was so much media to consume compared to generations before, so I think there was an influx of people who I would consider a heartthrob, whether from movies, TV shows, or boy band," Budge said.
"I think of all of us were smitten with DiCaprio after Titanic, and I was an immediate fan of Heath Ledger's after watching 10 Things I Hate About You. And while everyone else was a Justin Timberlake fan, I always admired J.C. Chasez for his incredible voice."
Back in the day, Budge would have given all of them a 10 out of 10, but her daughter was "thoroughly unimpressed." While the mom was not prepared for any of the responses, the ones that stunned her the most was Olivia's 3 out of 10 for Tatum, and the 5 she gave to Ledger.
Fortunately, Budge remains optimistic that she can improve her daughter's opinions over time.
She added: "I do think context might have something to do with it. I may need to sit her down to show her more of the work these men did, to show that maybe it wasn't strictly looks that influenced their heartthrob status."
The social-media reaction to the clip was very unexpected, but Budge has found so much fun and humor in the experience. Many fellow millennials have connected with her to "chuckle at the difference" between what they found attractive, and what kids today are looking for.
Millennials always have to look out for one another, and Budge said that she feels "extremely validated" after so many people of the same age defended her choices.
This online reaction is what has led to more than 6,800 comments on the viral post so far. One person wrote: "What's her idea of a 10?"
Another TikTok user responded: "She's grounded. Take her phone for the weekend."
Another comment reads: "take her back, she's broken."
Do you have any funny viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Alyce Collins is a Newsweek Life and Trends reporter based in Birmingham, U.K. with a focus on trending topics that ... Read more
