A romantic comedy is pretty much the key to anyone’s heart. What can be more entertaining than a movie that is, at its very core, built to make you laugh and set off the butterflies in your stomach? However, constructing the perfect rom-com is not easy. With so many out there, for people to watch, a memorable leading man is just as important as an engaging, funny, and heartwarming plot. With names like Mark Ruffalo, Adam Sandler, Hugh Grant, and even Tom Hanks fitting that bill, the standards for being a heartthrob in a rom-com are incredibly high.
Update August 17, 2023: This article has been updated with even more great romantic comedy leading men.
A rom-com is nothing without the all-too-important leading man to make our hearts burst out of our chests. Throughout film history, casting the perfect actors to play certain roles can make or break the movie-watching experience. For a romantic comedy, the balance between being charismatic and irrefutably lovable is a true test for any actor. In fact, there are many who have graced our screens and have completely embodied the fuel to our hopeless romantic fantasies. Now, since we just love to talk about love so much, here is our ranking of some of the best leading men in romantic comedy history.
14 Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner is one of the most versatile actors of all time. Of course, he is well-known for his roles in both great action and drama films such as The Untouchables, Field of Dreams, JFK, and many others. However, he doesn't get enough credit for his rom-com films. Bull Durham, Tin Cup, Rumor Has It, and The Upside of Anger are all classics. Costner knows how to be serious in very serious roles. But it shouldn't be lost that the Academy Award-winning actor is cleverly funny and loving in the romantic comedies that made movie lovers fall in love with him. His demeanor and expressions are very hard to forget and very hard not to love.
13 Glen Powell
A relatively new addition to the list, but one who has left an impact. While Glen Powell is known more for action films like Top Gun: Maverick or the horror-comedy series Scream Queens, Powell left an impression as the star of the popular Netflix rom-com, Set It Up. Powell will next co-star in the romantic comedy Anyone But You alongside Sydney Sweeney, which is set for release on December 15, 2023. Powell looks to have a look career ahead of him and one that is perfect for romantic comedies.
12 Henry Golding
Henry Golding has not been on our entertainment radars for that long, but, man, has he made an imprint. In 2018, Crazy Rich Asians came out and completely shifted the romance genre in profound ways. Also, we got introduced to a brand new instant heartthrob in the rom-com space: Henry Golding. Golding plays Nick Young, the son of an elite and very wealthy family from Taiwan.
This film, also starring Constance Wu, Awkwafina, and Michelle Yeoh, explores Asian culture across multiple generations alongside a beautiful (and unbelievably hilarious) love story. Continuing along with the heartthrob narrative, Golding also starred in a holiday rom-com called Last Christmas next to Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke. With his career just beginning to blossom into superstardom, we cannot wait until he graces our screens again as a leading man.
11 Michael Ealy
Michael Ealy is perfect for a rom-com and with titles like About Last Night, Think Like a Man, and Kissing Jessica Stein as a part of his filmography, he did not disappoint in filling in the role of leading man. The recipe for a good rom-com includes incredible chemistry between the leading actors, witty jokes, loads of heart, and charisma. Well, with Ealy as a leading man, all the boxes are checked. Whether you've seen him as Danny Martin in About Last Night or as Dominic in the Think Like A Man film series, you know that he has earned a place on this list.
10 Paul Rudd
Everyone thinks of Paul Rudd as one of the best comedic actors and jokesters of the last two decades. This is certainly true. One of the reasons Rudd was such a great pick for Ant-Man was the series was looking to build a believable romance between him and Hope, and Rudd had plenty of experience in that department. From This is 40 to Clueless to I Love You, Man, these are just a few of the great rom-coms that Rudd has starred in. His creativity, lovably-funny mannerisms, and quotes make him a rom-com and overall acting icon.
9 Patrick Dempsey
Of course, "McDreamy" made the cut. The Grey’s Anatomy star has a very strong history of performing in great rom-coms. Made of Honor, Enchanted, Valentine's Day, and Bridget Jones's Baby are four of the best rom-coms that Patrick Dempsey headlined. It's hard not to look at Patrick Dempsey and understand why his nickname in Grey's Anatomy was "McDreamy." His experience in dramatic films and shows, his good looks, and his quietly brilliant touch of comedy is what earned him one of the top spots on this list.
8 Mark Ruffalo
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We all know Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. However, if you are at all familiar with the earlier projects in his career, Ruffalo was already making us swoon long before he became a superhero. Ruffalo was the perfect combination of witty, charming, and incredible romantic lead for a rom-com. He starred in 2004's 13 Going On 30 alongside Jennifer Garner, 2005's Just Like Heaven with Reese Witherspoon, and with Keira Knightley in the 2014 musical rom-com Begin Again, just to name a few of his projects. With a history in rom-coms like that, no wonder we couldn't ignore him as a leading man in this beloved genre.
7 Heath Ledger
10 Things I Hate About You defined a generation and remains a romantic comedy that has aged like fine wine. The late Heath Ledger starred in this late-90s masterpiece as the mysterious and brooding Patrick Verona. Ledger and his costar Julia Stiles made movie magic together and cemented the actor's place in the rom-com ranks. Even to this day, every woman out there is waiting for their very own Heath Ledger to dance across a flight of stairs, serenading us with those kind eyes and stunning voice. He was just too good to be true, and we could not take our eyes off of him.
6 Matthew McConaughey
Matthew McConaughey is one of the most well-loved actors working in the industry today. We all just love to drool over McConaughey, but there is nothing quite like his performance in a classic romantic comedy. Under that genre of film, McConaughey and Kate Hudson were absolutely jaw-dropping in 2003's How To Lose a Guy in 10 Days. And how could we look over McConaughey in The Wedding Planner? Failure to Launch? McConaughey in a rom-com is chef's kiss, and we love to look back at the magic he created.
5 Tom Hanks
Time and time again, no matter what the project may be, Tom Hanks has never failed to steal the hearts of audiences all over the world. For years, Hanks has captivated us with his undeniable talent, golden retriever energy, and his ability to hone his role as a leading man in a rom-com. We have You’ve Got Mail from 1998, the absolute classic that is Sleepless In Seattle, and, of course, production for My Big Fat Greek Wedding all under Hank's already extensive filmography. What more can we say? One of the most genius rom-com actors and producers out there.
4 Richard Gere
When we think about a rom-com, one of the first names we think about is the one and only Richard Gere. Gere has been in the entertainment game since the 70s, and we have extraordinary rom-coms at our disposal as proof of his genius. Being a leading man in a romantic comedy is not easy. Not only would they need to build a relationship with their co-star, but they would also need the charisma and charm as an actor to stand alone and make a mark. Gere, especially in his roles in Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride, make him an exceptional example of what is needed to truly make a romantic comedy something special. Also, how could you not give credit to Gere and Julia Roberts as a match made in rom-com heaven?
3 Hugh Grant
Hugh Grant. Of course, we have Grant on this list! You know, an English accent can go a long way in a swoon-worthy rom-com. Well, Grant has just that. Grant has been working in film for years and has been a constant presence in entertainment for multiple generations of fans. You have definitely seen most, if not all, of his rom-coms including, but not limited to, Love Actually, Bridget Jones’s Diary, Notting Hill, and Four Weddings and a Funeral, just to name a few. So, if you find yourself feeling faint from seeing this leading man on screen, don't worry! You are not alone because we are right there with you.
2 Adam Sandler
Adam Sandler is a romantic comedy legend and, by far, one of the most dynamic actors on this entire list. If you are looking for a movie that is downright hilarious and full of heart, pretty much any Sandler movie should do the trick. If we were to take things way back, we have 50 First Dates from 2004, Click, Just Go With It, The Wedding Singer, as well as some more recent installments of Sandler's mix of laughter and tears like Blended, where he reunites with Drew Barrymore. Honestly, there doesn't seem to be anything that can top what Sandler has done and continues to do for new and old romantic comedies. Therefore, he fittingly sits near the top of this list as one of the best leading men in rom-coms.
1 Colin Firth
It is hard to make a list of this magnitude and not have Colin Firth on it. In many respects, the case could be made that he is the rom-com king. Firth has starred in countless rom-coms, from Love Actually, Bridget Jones's Diary, and Mamma Mia to The Accidental Husband, Easy Virtue, and Magic in the Moonlight. He is one of the most respected and revered actors of all time. His charm in rom-coms is iconic, as is his ability to captivate audiences around the globe.
The Academy Award-winning actor has done it all and has been charming audiences for over four decades. A major joke in Barbie was how appealing his Mr. Darcy in the BBC miniseries Pride and Prejudice is. It is hard to argue anyone is dreamier than Colin Firth. With Firth, Grant, and Dempsey on this list, that means all three major love interests in the Bridget Jones trilogy made the cut. Way to go, Bridget Jones.