Whatever Happened to Shane West, A Walk to Remember Heartthrob?

Back in the early 2000s, the whole world was in love with Shane West, as this adorable heartthrob managed to build a reputation in just a few years, leading millions of fans to declare him the next big thing in Hollywood. While the actor's small roles in movies like Whatever It Takes, Dracula 2000, and Get Over It garnered him a lot of attention, it was 2002's A Walk to Remember that really made Shane West a household name.

In this romantic drama, West starred as a rebellious teenager opposite Mandy Moore, and the chemistry between the two was so great that the film became a box-office success just weeks after its premiere. Both critics and general audiences praised Shane's performance in the movie, seeing him as a true megastar in the making.

But unfortunately, the actor's career took a nosedive right after that, leading some fans to wonder what happened to him and why we're not seeing West on the big screen anymore.

First of all, West never really disappeared from the movies and is still working today, but his big career in Hollywood was indeed stopped in its tracks just one year after the success of A Walk to Remember. The thing is, the actor decided to capitalize on the success of the little indie drama and chose to star in the blockbuster The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

10 Romantic Comedy Series for the Bitter, Sarcastic, and Hopelessly RomanticEven though the Sean Connery-led film was a financial success when it premiered in 2003, it was actually so hated by viewers and critics alike that West has not been able to straighten out his career since. After The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the actor never starred in a high-budget production again, instead sticking to movies like Echelon Conspiracy, The Lodger, and Awakening the Zodiac.

Fortunately, West was able to delight audiences a bit thanks to his starring roles in the TV series Nikita and Salem, which premiered in 2010 and 2014, respectively. However, the straight-to-DVD movies he is now shooting are probably not very popular with A Walk to Remember fans.

Shane West is still very busy these days, starring in four movies last year and performing all over the US with his band Twilight Creeps.