Eric Mabius

With his chiseled features and athletic frame, Mabius made an auspicious film debut as the pretty but vacant object of a tween girl's affection in the 1995 dark comedy Welcome to the Dollhouse. An immediate underground favorite, he racked up credits in a number of indie films while appearing in TV-movies and guest spots, often portraying rage-filled youths. He raised his profile with a supporting part as a closeted high-school jock in the 1999 teen-oriented hit Cruel Intentions, and his career continued to gain mainstream momentum as the title character in The Crow: Salvation. In the '00s, he made a string of low-rent action and horror flicks, notably the modest hit Resident Evil, which showcased his physique over his talent. Smartly, Mabius turned his attention to the small screen and quickly landed more challenging roles: a lesbian's resentful ex-husband on The L Word, an unscrupulous high-school dean on The O.C., and a star-making turn as a spoiled skirt chaser who begins to question his empty life on the delightfully campy dramedy Ugly Betty.