In a way, Nicholas Sparks might very well have returned the question to those heartthrobs who brought his romantic novels to life on screen for something that could have generated an enormous amount of online discussion. The bestselling author posted a loving tribute to the fine gentlemen through the years and requested her followers to name their favorites. And the response was a veritable nostalgia trip, from mostly forgotten Noah by Ryan Gosling to Zac Efron’s charming fare of The Lucky One.
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Sparks posted a collage featuring some of his biggest screen names, Gosling included, Efron, Liam Hemsworth, and an unexpected shoutout to Kevin Costner (more on that later). The post was minimal yet poignant: “A little tribute to the leading men who stepped out of my pages and into your hearts. Do you have a favorite among them?” Ready for the flashbacks?
Almost straight away, an anonymous user, IowaGirl, put a wave of nostalgia into motion with the mentions of James Garner’s older Noah in The Notebook and Costner. “The very first ~ Kevin Costner. I also loved James Garner’s Noah in The Notebook” sparked some mini-debate-style juxtapositions in the replies about whether Costner actually starred in a Sparks adaptation (he did not—but hey, the man is a legend, so we will let it slide). Another confused fan chimed in, “Omg wait, where did Kevin Costner become a leading man of sir Nicholas Sparks book?” Good question. Maybe it is just wishful thinking.
The name Ryan Gosling, on the other hand, came up loads of times. Like, really. “Kevin Costner, Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling 😍” states user Katarzyna Korycińska simply, while Linda Coleman hammers in the point of “Ryan Gosling, Benjamin Walker, and Zac Efron.” Safe to say Gosling’s brooding, rain-soaked performance in The Notebook still has a chokehold on people two decades later.
Still, Shane West should never be forgotten when it comes to co-starring as Landon Carter in A Walk to Remember. He was regarded as a favorite by many, one of them saying he “embodied Landon Carter so perfectly from page to screen,” while another said “Definitely Shane West as Landon Carter ❤,” and proving this early 2000s-era moody so very relevant.
Whereupon the diplomatic retaliations of Amy Crystal Sandlin went as follows: “Not a favorite bc they’re all so good 😊” while the touching comment from Alice Dauerkorn read, “I loved every single one of them for bringing all those great characters to life. But most of all the writer who created them.” Aw.
Then there were those who couldn’t quite decide, Armee picking Noah and John (from Dear John), while Katy Tiger said, “Landon and Luke will always be my favorites!!!” Luke presumably referring to Josh Duhamel in Safe Haven. Amber then took us on a trip, saying, “I remember reading Safe Haven for the first time while it was being filmed…it was so fun seeing the behind the scenes photos align with the story.” Now that is a dedication worth recognition.
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Aside from the verdicts, if the likes of this one mention anything, it is that Nick Sparks’ leading men have stirred up permanent hype in the shape of popular culture. Whether it was Gosling in his soulful stares, West with bad boy turned good-guy arc, or Efron as smoldering military man-vibe, these characters — alongside the actors themselves — mean so much to people even today. And honestly so do I; excuse me and whoever’s with me while we rewatch The Notebook for the 50th time!