Noah Centineo has major competition from KJ Apa for Netflix's teen heartthrob tag
Netflix came up with its 'Summer of Love' in 2018 and ever since, there has been no turning back for dreamy rom-com loyalists. The genre that had been slowly fading out saw a revival in Netflix's back-to-back young adult drama flicks like 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before', 'Sierra Burgess Is A Loser', 'Kissing Booth' among others. Along with the resurgence of the rom-com, the series of films also gave Netflix its very own heartthrob, Noah Centineo.
Centineo stole hearts as Yakult-drinking, popular jock Peter Kavinsky in 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before', before breaking some more hearts as a sensitive young adult in 'Sierra Burgess Is A Loser,' and then again in 2019 Netflix original film 'The Perfect Date'. The actor has built a massive fanbase for himself, who would go to great lengths to defend his deep brown eyes and pictures and videos with cute puppies that often go viral on social media.
But Centineo is facing some intense competition now. He is not the only heartthrob around, with many attractive young faces starring in Netflix original rom-coms and teen drama series. KJ Apa of 'Riverdale' fame is a major contender when it comes to seizing the teen heartthrob badge from Centineo, especially with a breezy, summer romance starring him and Maia Mitchell just around the corner.
Fans are more than just excited for Apa's latest Netflix release 'The Last Summer'. The Netflix romantic comedy is all set to drop on May 3, and the fuzzy summer romance is everything that rom-com fans have been waiting for. The cast includes Tyler Posey, Jacob Latimore, and Halston Sage too and revolves around a group of teenagers trying to make the most of their last summer vacation together.
The film comes after Centineo's 'The Perfect Date', in which he plays an ambitious teenager who makes money off an app that helps him get hired for dates. The app helps him raise funds for the Yale education that he had always dreamt of.
Centineo faced some flak for this role, as viewers found it unacceptable that someone would rent themselves out on dates for an Ivy league education. "One of Noah Centineo’s worst. And now I’m looking forward to this new one with KJ Apa," wrote a Twitter user about Centineo's role in 'The Perfect Date'.
While there is no doubt that Apa's hot Archie Andrews and his role in 'The Last Summer' have fans swooning all over, many flag-waving fans of the rom-com genre argue that Centineo's lopsided smile and charming ways have no competition whatsoever.
"I love the scar on his (Centineo's) face; so hot! Apa has his own charm but I'm team Centineo all the way," said Mia Lavoie, an ardent follower of romantic comedies. Responding to whether Apa would take away Centineo's heartthrob tag, a KJ Apa fan page said that there is no doubt that Apa is the ultimate heartthrob, as he can also "throw a punch" when the need arises. Well, an aggressive Centineo does not look very likely to go big in the rom-com landscape.
Centineo has the sequel to 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before' coming up and he also will be playing He-Man in 'Masters of the Universe' reboot.