4 Roles That Turned Adam Brody Into The Internet’s Boyfriend

For two decades and counting, Adam Brody continues to solidify his status as the Internet’s boyfriend. Yes, he played despicable roles in movies like Jennifer’s Body, Ready or Not, and Promising Young Woman, but after he gets the bad guy parts out of his system, he knows how to return to everyone’s hearts with his irresistible combination of quirk and awkwardness. At this point, no one can deny that Brody reached the stage of his career where any appearance in a film or show instantly piques his fans’ interests and brings extra eyeballs to a production.

Don’t believe it? Then explain how Netflix’s Nobody Wants This, starring Brody and Kristen Bell, skyrocketed to the top of the most-watched chart in its first week. It isn’t due to the streaming platform’s stellar marketing because everyone working in media knows that’s nonexistent. It’s time to face facts here: Adam Brody is a star and the world can’t get enough of his appeal. So, let’s take a look at the roles that made everyone wish they had him in their own lives.

Seth Cohen in The O.C.

Seth Cohen establishes himself as the prototype for every future Marvel fanboy in The O.C. Geeky but charming, Seth wears his love for comic books, Star Wars, video games, and indie rock music on his sleeve – never shying away from sharing his passions with others. In fact, it’s Adam Brody’s Seth who introduces his adopted brother – Ben McKenzie’s Ryan Atwood – to his various obsessions and gets him invested in a number of them, too.

What’s particularly appealing about Seth is that he isn’t quite a “lonely boy” type like Dan Humprhey from Gossip Girl. Even though he isn’t Mr. Popularity or the natural center of attention, he’s social when people get to know him and enter his world. Seth proves to be incredibly funny and intelligent, as he often catches people off guard with witty jokes and acute observations about the people around him. There’s also a certain confidence to him, as he owns the fact he embraces the nerdy life, and as long as no one messes with his toy horse – Captain Oates – everything is cool.

Dave Rygalski in Gilmore Girls

Adam Brody’s Dave Rygalski is never the central focus of Gilmore Girls, but every appearance of the character in Season 3 makes the show a million times better. Dave makes his mark after he connects with Lane Kim (Keiko Agena) over music. They’re both equally talented and seeking to play as a group, so he responds to her ad of a drummer-seeking-a-band and they jam together in the band known as Hep Alien.

It doesn’t take too long for Dave and Lane’s relationship to turn romantic, though. In fact, this is where Dave’s heart-melting personality comes alive. He’s a kind and caring individual who goes to extreme lengths to attempt to win over Lane’s mother – including pretending to be a Christian guitarist and reading the Bible in one night after misinterpreting a Shakespearan quote. How can anyone dislike someone who makes such an effort? Sadly, Dave moves away in the storyline, as he and Lane’s long-distance relationship falters, but everyone will always have sweet memories of the joy they shared in Gilmore Girls Season 3. If people like Seth Cohen, they’ll definitely like Dave Rygalski, too, because they’re practically the same person.

Abe Applebaum in The Kid Detective

The Kid Detective showcases a different side of Adam Brody. In this film, he plays Abe Applebaum – a down-on-his-luck thirtysomething detective who achieved celebrity as a child for solving minor mysteries in his town. However, a tragedy happened when he was 12, as his friend, Gracie Gulliver, disappeared and he wasn’t able to figure out what happened to her. The event changed him, as he not only felt like he let down Grace but also himself by not fulfilling his early potential as a masterful crimesolver.

Abe receives a chance at redemption as teenager Caroline (Sophie Nélisse) approaches him to help solve the murder of her boyfriend. While this makes him uncomfortable to revisit a case that bears so many similarities to what happened to Grace, it peels back the layers to showcase someone who still cares deeply about his friend after all this time. It also affords him the opportunity to forgive himself, while finally solving the mystery of what happened to Grace too. (Seriously, who wouldn’t want a friend who still searches for you after two decades?!) The Los Angeles Times gushed about Brody’s performance, writing: “For Brody, the role and performance are career bests (so far). And beneath the bells and whistles, The Kid Detective is actually about something. It’s a layered look at the loss of innocence.” Sounds about right.

Noah Roklov in Nobody Wants This

Relationships are messy because people are complicated creatures. In Nobody Wants This, the conflict lies in how Rabbi Noah Roklov (Adam Brody) falls for the agnostic sex podcaster Joanne (Kristen Bell). Despite the difference in their religions, they develop an immediate and heartfelt attraction as two crazy kids in love. However, Noah is a progressive and cool rabbi, who applies a more liberal view to the world. For example: He enjoys smoking joints and basketball. Nonetheless, he harbors dreams of heading up his synagogue and he believes in what he preaches. The future of Noah and Joanne’s relationship appears to hinge on if Joanne converts to Judaism or not.

As a character, Noah charms and captivates because of his laidback nature and approach toward life and people. He genuinely cares for Joanne, and an unforgettable episode sees him go all out to impress her parents when they arrive unexpectedly. While she develops the “ick” because of his actions on the day, he only does his best in a weird and uncomfortable situation. Perhaps most importantly, Noah showcases himself as an empathetic character throughout Nobody Wants This, as he follows his heart and tries to live as honestly as he possibly can. It should come as no surprise then that the role of Noah allows Adam Brody to cement his status as the Internet’s boyfriend, and absolutely nobody is ready to break up with him.