Who comes to mind when you think of the best romcom characters of the 1990s?
Is Vivian Ward going from Hollywood Boulevard to the Regency Beverly Wilshire Hotel in? beautiful woman? Is Cher Horowitz ‘totally hooked’ on the Los Angeles Freeway? clueless?
Maybe it’s Phil Connors, stuck reliving Groundhog Day over and over again?
Here at Watch with uswe love classic ’90s romantic comedies and the memorable characters in them that have become pop culture icons. Here are our five favorite 1990s rom-com characters.
When we say “1990s”, what genre of film comes to mind? It was probably a romantic comedy, because these delightful little films that combined humor and heart dominated the box office in the late 20th century. Stars like Julia Roberts, Richard Gere, Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks stole scene after scene as (…)
5. Annie Reed (Meg Ryan) — ‘Sleepless in Seattle’ (1993)
No sleep in Seattle follow widower sam (Tom Hanks), who moves to Seattle with his young son Jonah (Ross Malinger) following the death of his wife. When Jonah calls a radio show to try and find a new wife for his father, Sam reluctantly agrees, little does he know that a busy reporter named Annie Reed (i ryan), who lives in Baltimore, has suddenly fallen for him.
No sleep in Seattle is one of the best American rom-coms—written by the great Nora Ephron—and part of what makes it so classic is that Annie’s character is a bit off-kilter. She becomes so obsessed with this guy from across the country that she flies across the country to spy on him and his son (after having a private detective gather information on him as well). In the end, they end up together, and of course Annie is charming by virtue of Ephron’s writing and Ryan’s performance.
4. Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler) – ‘The Wedding Singer’ (1998)
After being dumped at the altar by his fiancée, wedding singer Robbie Hart loses all hope of ever finding someone to love him and sinks into a deep depression. However, everything changes when he meets a girlfriend named Julia (Drew Barrymore), who enlists Robbie’s help in planning their wedding. As the two meet in preparation for Julia’s big day, Robbie begins to fall for her and must race to win her back before their nuptials.
The wedding singer marks the first of three fruitful collaborations between Adam Sandler and Barrymore, who have undeniable romantic chemistry. But The wedding singer also notable for Robbie’s palpable charm, a role that avoids the typical Sandler abrasiveness seen in then-contemporary comedies such as The water boy and instead displays a surprisingly mature vulnerability. Robbie ends up embodying characteristics that would define many of Sandler’s lauded roles later in his career, in a serious and sweet performance that still retains that Sandler sense of humor.
3. Phil Connors (Bill Murray) — ‘Groundhog Day’ (1993)
On February 2nd, cynical meteorologist Phil Connors and his weather team travel to Punxsutawney, PA to cover the town’s annual Groundhog Day festivities. But when Phil wakes up in his hotel the next day, it’s Groundhog Day again. Stuck in a purgatory time loop, Phil goes through the five stages of grief as he accepts his fate, while he finds himself in love with his colleague Rita (Andie MacDowell), who can never remember their time together.
Phil Connors is one Bill MurrayThe best roles of his career, as well as being a legendary rom-com character. Phil’s character development trajectory is a rollercoaster experience, like Day of the groundhog oscillates between sharp humor and existential drama. Ultimately, the script delivers plenty of laughs as it chronicles Phil’s emotional journey from selfish narcissism to self-realization.
2. Vivan Ward (Julia Roberts) — ‘Pretty Woman’ (1990)
After hiring a sex worker on a whim, businessman Edward Lewis (Richard Gere) discovers that the free-spirited Vivian Ward has grown up with him, so he decides to hire her to accompany him to a series of social events for the rest of the week. As Vivian struggles to adjust to Edward’s mega-rich lifestyle (how does one behave at a polo match, exactly?), they find themselves developing an increasingly strong bond that is largely threatened by their differing tax levels. Can the couple bridge their worlds?
beautiful woman it’s the role that catapulted Julia Roberts to A-list stardom for good reason. The Oscar-winning actress has an irresistible presence throughout the film, and her Vivian Ward is iconic for the charm and intelligence she brings to it. The role helped make Roberts a ’90s America sweetheart and Vivian Ward a rom-com heroine for the ages.
1. Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) — ‘Clueless’ (1995)
This ’90s favorite is a modernized portrayal of Jane Austen Emma which is set in a Los Angeles high school and centers on spoiled teenage beauty queen Cher Horowitz. Self-proclaimed matchmaker Cher decides to put her romantic skills to the test by finding a boyfriend for awkward new student Tai (Brittany Murphy). However, her plan backfires when Tai becomes more popular than her, proving her disapproving half-brother (Paul Rudd) correctly about his misguided intentions.
Thirty years later, Clueless still has us hooked. The teen comedy classic, loosely based on Jane Austen’s Emma (but, like, way funnier), starred Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz, the queen bee of Beverly Hills who excelled at weddings, fashion, inner monologues, and crushes on her ex-sister (don’t judge!). Published on July 19, 1995 (…)
clueless is maybe the The definitive romantic comedy of the nineties, with Cher Horowitz the the most emblematic character of the romantic comedy of the 90s. Alicia Silverstone performance turned a line as simple as “Ugh! As if!” in a Hollywood classic, and her portrayal of Cher is filled with readings of memorable lines like “she doesn’t say RSVP to the Statue of Liberty.” Cher’s ’90s-era outfits are iconic, her sassy confidence is often hilarious, and most importantly, she goes through a truly impactful character journey, proving that even legends are human.