Ever since Nobody Wants This landed on Netflix in September 2024 and promptly became one of our fourite rom-coms, Adam Brody has been basking in a well-deserved renaissance. Once the poster boy for the anxious indie boyfriend (The O.C.’s Seth Cohen, anyone?), Brody has reclaimed his place as our collective crush thanks to his turn as Noah, an unexpectedly endearing rabbi nigating faith, love and moral hangups opposite Kristen Bell’s sharp-tongued, agnostic podcaster Joanne. The series, hailed for its honesty and nuanced writing, earned Brody a Golden Globe nod and reintroduced him as a mature romantic lead — a far cry from the skater sarcasm of his early-2000s charm offensive.
In interviews, Brody has admitted that Noah’s blend of intellect, awkwardness, and conviction mirrors pieces of himself. It feels fitting — Nobody Wants This captures the things that make him fascinating to watch: sensitivity veiled by wit, a kind of charm best described as emotionally literate. It’s also made him newly bankable in Hollywood. In a landscape dominated by franchise fatigue and social-media virality, Brody’s appeal lies in the subtlety of his performance.
Whether he’s unreling over love or trying to se face in morally ambiguous territory, Brody reminds audiences that the most interesting men aren’t always the loudest ones. From Nobody Wants This to The O.C., we he created an affectionate ranking of Brody’s best on-screen moments — the performances that turned him from cult crush to cultural fixture (you're welcome).