2000s Teen Heartthrob Viciously Trolled For His Unrecognizable Appearance At 48

A group of furious fans has rushed to defend 2000s heartthrob Tom Welling after one X user went viral for comments describing his looks at age 48 as “below average.”

The social media troll contrasted a recent photo of Welling with one taken when he was in his early twenties.

Welling, who made headlines last January for driving under the influence, famously played Clark Kent in the superhero series Smallville for a decade, from 2001 to 2011.

2000s teen heartthrob with tousled dark hair and green eyes posing at a movie premiere event.

Tom Welling sparked online chatter about his appearance two decades after rising to fame on Smallville

Image credits: Getty/J. Merritt

He is also known for appearing in Lucifer as Lt. Marcus Pierce/Cain and in Cheaper by the Dozen, where he played Charlie Baker, the eldest son of Steve Martin’s character.

The anonymous post by The 4Chan Archives described a young Welling as “one of the best-looking actors ever” with a “model face,” claiming he had become “below average” two decades later.

The post has racked up 6.4 million views on X at the time of writing, along with hundreds of replies.

Man at a fan convention wearing glasses, a black cap, and a dark hoodie, a 2000s teen heartthrob now aged 48.

Image credits: Getty/Tristar Media

Users on X criticized the comparison between a professional photo from Welling’s Smallville days and a lower-quality image taken in unfavorable lighting.

“Bruh he is a handsome dude, what y’all on about,” one fan wrote.

“That’s just a bad photo of him from 2022, he probably just put on weight and let himself go a bit through the pandemic, a lot of us did,” shared another.

Social media trolls contrasted a photo taken when Welling, 48, was in his twenties with a recent image

pic.twitter.com/K9ZEWWiZtI

— The 4Chan Archives (@blacknredtext) December 23, 2025

“Bro is a happily married dad, he’s not worried about what 4chan dorks think about his looks,” remarked someone else.

One user said Welling is “still a gorgeous man,” while another asked, “What are you talking about?! He can still get it.”

“Idk why they expected him to look 23 forever,” a separate comment read.

Screenshot of a tweet discussing the appearance of a 2000s teen heartthrob, referencing hair and a goatee.

Image credits: Liberty_Vegan

Young 2000s teen heartthrob smiling, wearing black blazer and blue shirt at an evening event outdoors.

Image credits: Getty/Evan Agostini

“’Below average’ and it’s the hottest picture of a man you’ve ever seen,” another user chimed in.

Others said Welling looks like a typical 48-year-old who has not undergone any cosmetic procedures. “This is how most white guys age without surgical enhancements.”

Fans also agreed it was “weird” to compare two photos taken decades apart to analyze how “well” or “badly” someone has aged, adding that the actor was still handsome.

Man wearing a cap and casual shirt smiling while holding a microphone during a panel discussion about 2000s teen heartthrobs.

Before becoming an actor, Welling modeled for brands including Tommy Hilfiger and Calvin Klein

Image credits: Getty/Barry Brecheisen

Welling lives in California with his wife, equestrian Jessica Rose Lee, and their two sons: 7-year-old Thomson Wylde and 4-year-old Rocklin Von.

The New York native was a construction worker in the late 1990s when he was discovered by a casting director who suggested he try modeling.

Screenshot of a tweet discussing the 2000s teen heartthrob being trolled for his unrecognizable appearance at 48.

Image credits: x_rondo1

Middle-aged man outdoors near river and hills, representing 2000s teen heartthrob with unrecognizable appearance at 48.

Image credits: sxnthwave

He later relocated to Los Angeles and modeled for Tommy Hilfiger, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Calvin Klein.

Still, he said his ambition was always to become an actor, a dream he pursued while modeling for the major brands.

“To me, it’s not a very expressive job,” he said of modeling. “It’s really based solely on what’s the outside. I didn’t find that it was fulfilling at all. I find acting to be much more fulfilling. You can be much more expressive and you can show a lot more of who you are.”

Actor and 2000s teen heartthrob in a black suit posing at a charity event with hands in pockets.

He portrayed Clark Kent in the superhero series Smallville, which follows the character’s life before becoming Superman

Image credits: Getty/Stefanie Keenan

His first acting role came in 2001 in the legal drama Judging Amy, in which he played a karate teacher, Rob “Karate Rob” Meltzer, the10-years-younger love interest of Amy Gray.

Though he had originally signed a contract to appear in three episodes, the storyline received positive feedback, and producers kept him on for three more.

Young 2000s teen heartthrob with shirtless torso and red S painted, tied to wooden post in a cornfield at night.

Image credits: Warner Bros

After a long audition process, he was cast as Clark Kent in the WB superhero drama Smallville.

“I went to the final screen test between me and another fellow. I was on my way back from the Warner Bros. studio, and I stopped in a gas station to call my manager and tell him how it went,” Welling recalled.

“I called and got him on the phone and he said, ‘Can you hold on a second?’ Next thing I know, there are literally seven people on the other line and almost in unison they say, ‘Tom, you got it!”

2000s teen heartthrob posing confidently with arms crossed against a red background in a dark shirt.

Welling was named one of People magazine’s Breakthrough Stars in 2001

Image credits: Fox

The pilot, which aired in October 2001, was the highest-rated debut for The WB at the time, with 8.4 million viewers.

That year, he was named one of People magazine’s Breakthrough Stars. He also took home the Teen Choice Award for Breakout Star (Male) in 2002.

Welling, who admitted that he wasn’t a Superman fan before landing the role, launched a podcast titled Talkville in 2022 with fellow Smallville actor Michael Rosenbaum, in which the co-stars comment on every episode of the show.

Collage of 2000s teen heartthrob at Mega Con in Costa Rica, posing in six photos with varying expressions and gestures.

Image credits: HellB0rn85

In February 2025, he attended MegaCon in Orlando to participate in a Superman panel alongside other actors who have portrayed the DC superhero in the past. 

The Winchesters actor’s appearance came a month after he was arrested for a DUI incident in a fast food restaurant parking lot in Yreka, California.

According to a TMZ report, his blood alc*hol level was measured at or above the legal limit of 0.08 percent.

Young man with dark hair wearing a tan jacket smiling, representing 2000s teen heartthrob appearance at 48.

The actor is also known for Cheaper by the Dozen and Lucifer

Image credits: Warner Bros

The charges against him were dismissed in May after he pleaded no contest. He was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay $619 in fines, $150 in restitution, and attend a DUI program.

Man in denim jacket and cowboy hat at ranch, illustrating 2000s teen heartthrob unrecognizable appearance at 48.

Image credits: Instagram/tomwelling

Man with gray beard and mustache shown in two photos, one in a car and the other on a ranch with horses, 2000s teen heartthrob.

Image credits: Zoomy_Trash

This year, Welling is set to star in Chasing Summer, a comedy-drama film about a woman who returns to her hometown and reunites with her childhood friends and former flings following a breakup and the loss of her job.

Tweet by a user reacting to the 2000s teen heartthrob's unrecognizable appearance at 48 with disbelief.

People reacted to the viral photo of 48-year-old Tom Welling

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Tweet screenshot showing user Damian Andrews-Wilson replying with a comment about aging and appearance, related to 2000s teen heartthrob.

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Screenshot of a tweet discussing the 2000s teen heartthrob’s weight and appearance at age 47.

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Social media reaction to 2000s teen heartthrob’s drastically changed unrecognizable appearance at 48.

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Tweet by AI researcher commenting on a 2000s teen heartthrob’s unrecognizable appearance at 48 being heavily criticized.

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Twitter reply from user discussing weight gain and choices, related to 2000s teen heartthrob's unrecognizable appearance at 48.

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Screenshot of a Twitter reply discussing goatees and appearance, related to 2000s teen heartthrob unrecognizable at 48.

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2000s teen heartthrob with changing appearance over the years wearing tuxedos at different events

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Screenshot of a tweet discussing the 2000s teen heartthrob’s unrecognizable appearance at age 48 and online trolling.

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Screenshot of a tweet defending 2000s teen heartthrob’s appearance at 48 against online trolling comments.

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Tweet from Mr Overprayed mocking a 2000s teen heartthrob’s unrecognizable appearance at age 48.

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Comment on social media post mentioning a 2000s teen heartthrob's unrecognizable appearance and weight gain at age 48.

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Tweet discussing a 2000s teen heartthrob’s changed appearance at 48 with critiques on weight and facial hair.

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Screenshot of a tweet discussing a 2000s teen heartthrob being trolled for his unrecognizable appearance at 48.

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Tweet commenting on the appearance of a 2000s teen heartthrob at 48, questioning the need to look good after 40.

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Screenshot of a social media post discussing the 2000s teen heartthrob’s unrecognizable appearance at 48.

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Tweet from user DeathNinja07 replying about a 2000s teen heartthrob with unrecognizable appearance at 48.

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Screenshot of a social media reply discussing the 2000s teen heartthrob’s unrecognizable appearance at 48.

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Tweet by user Jack Mehoff reacting to unrecognizable appearance of 2000s teen heartthrob at age 48.

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A 2000s teen heartthrob shown during a social media exchange about his drastically changed unrecognizable appearance at 48.

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