On “The O.C.,” outsider Seth Cohen was adopted into the Atwood family and became a brother to his close friend Ryan. Awkward, nerdy, and a loner, the popular kids at high school bullied him relentlessly. Nevertheless, you couldn’t help but root for this guy due to his baby face and quirky ways.
On the show, Adam Brody’s character lacked a cool edge. In real life, however, the dashing actor, who married beauty Leighton Meester, has no problem hanging with the cool kids. And he’s become a bit of a hunky actor in his middle age, starring in shows such as “Fleischman Is in Trouble.”
Janel Parrish – Pretty Little Liars
Nicknamed “Loser Mona” in high school, Mona Vanderwaal uses her smarts to plot revenge against the popular girls in "Pretty Little Liars." As a villain, her intelligence as a hacker and language expert makes her dangerous.
In real life, Hawaii native Janel Parrish has a very sweet side, and no one would dream of pairing her with another group but the 'pretty girls.' Over the course of her career, Parrish participated in many films, TV shows, and even music videos. But the coolest thing she has done yet was coming in third in season 19 of "Dancing With the Stars."
David Schwimmer – Friends
No one is going to deny that Dr. Ross Geller is the only one of the close-knit "Friends" group who lives the nerdy life. The lovable and naïve academician barely fits in, and he's always desperately trying to shoehorn paleontology into every conversation. What's up with that?
But, seriously, David Schwimmer’s a dashing A-lister. On top of it all, he’s a real smarty in real life, having graduated from Northwestern. Schwimmer is not only a successful actor, but he is also a social activist and is especially involved in treating victims of abuse. Nothing cooler than a man who deals with such important issues.
Tina Fey – 30 Rock
Nothing says dork like a single woman who's married to her job, eats nothing but off-brand Mexican Cheetos and leads a disastrous dating life. This is exactly Liz Lemon — a quirky, overworked comedy writer who is one of the most entertaining characters on the show "30 Rock" or generally on television.
Tina Fey, the legend, is really married with two kids and a much better sense of style. She is also a great screenwriter, penning classics such as "Mean Girls." Not to mention, she stands at the helm of some of the most successful "SNL" skits out there. Cool, cool.
Zach Braff – Scrubs
J.D.’s quirk as a medical doctor is an epileptic fit of daydreaming. The complicated mind of Dr. J.D. Dorian is revealed to us through a voice-over stream of consciousness which also serves as the narrator of "Scrubs." His bromance with Donald Faison's character is a quintessential nerdism that has stood the test of time.
In real life, the actor has a pilot license and a Porsche and has even been in a live-in relationship with Florence Pugh. Bonafide cool. He has also written movies such as "Garden State" and "A Good Person." This guy really is a jack of all trades, at least in the film industry.