Happy Birthday, Freddie Prinze Jr.! Celebrate with His Best Throwback Photos

Freddie Prinze Jr. turns 48 years old on March 8, 2024 — and he's still all that

<p>Miramax/Courtesy Everett</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. in

Miramax/Courtesy Everett

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'She's All That'

Happy Birthday, Freddie Prinze Jr.!

The actor turns 48 on March 8, and has spent much of his life in front of the camera, moving from TV to movies to voice work and outside of Hollywood, fatherhood.

As Prinze Jr. celebrates another milestone, celebrate his birthday with a look at some of his career highlights and dreamy throwback photos.

Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Family Matters'

<p>ABC</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Family Matters'

ABC

Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Family Matters'

Freddie Prinze Jr. was born in Los Angeles on March 8, 1976, to mom Kathy and dad Freddie Prinze, who was an actor. Though he spent much of his childhood in New Mexico, Hollywood called him back, and he had his first on-screen credit in a 1995 episode of Family Matters opposite Jaleel White.

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 1997

<p>Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty</p> A young Freddie Prinze Jr.

Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty

A young Freddie Prinze Jr.

Prinze Jr. smiled at the 1997 premiere of The House of Yes. That year he'd also feature in the TV movie Detention: The Siege at Johnson High and the film Sparkler.

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'

<p>Columbia/courtesy Everett</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'

Columbia/courtesy Everett

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'I Know What You Did Last Summer'

That year he also starred in a little teen slasher hit called I Know What You Did Last Summer, alongside other '90s favorites including Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ryan Phillippe and his future wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar.

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'She's All That'

<p>Miramax/Courtesy Everett</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'She's All That'

Miramax/Courtesy Everett

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'She's All That'

Prinze Jr. cemented his leading man status the next year in She's All That, which saw him play high school heartthrob Zack Siler in a modern take on My Fair Lady.

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'Summer Catch'

<p>Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'Summer Catch'

Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'Summer Catch'

He kept the rom-coms coming, starring opposite Jessica Biel in the teen dream, Summer Catch.

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'Scooby-Doo'

<p>Warner Brothers. Courtesy Everett</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'Scooby-Doo'

Warner Brothers. Courtesy Everett

Freddie Prinze Jr. in 'Scooby-Doo'

Next up was the part of Fred in the 2002 live-action Scooby-Doo alongside wife Gellar, plus Matthew Lillard and Linda Cardellini.

Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Friends'

<p>WB / Courtesy Everett</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Friends'

WB / Courtesy Everett

Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Friends'

That same year, he had a memorable one-episode guest role on Friends, playing a manny to Ross and Rachel's baby — one who is quickly let go by Ross (David Schwimmer).

Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Boston Legal'

<p>Danny Feld/Fox/Courtesy Everett</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Boston Legal'

Danny Feld/Fox/Courtesy Everett

Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Boston Legal'

In 2004, Prinze Jr. continued his pivot to TV with a three-episode arc on Boston Legal (pictured) and the next year, a series loosely based on his life entitled Freddie, which ran for one season.

Freddie Prinze Jr. on '24'

<p>Kelsey McNeal/FOX/courtesy everett </p> Freddie Prinze Jr. on '24'

Kelsey McNeal/FOX/courtesy everett

Freddie Prinze Jr. on '24'

He also played opposite Kiefer Sutherland's Jack Bauer (not pictured) on the 2010 season of 24. Prinze Jr. later opened up to ABC News about how he "hated every moment of it," and took a break from acting afterward as he wanted "to quit the business."

Freddie Prinze Jr. and the WWE

<p>Jesse Grant/WireImage</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. and the WWE

Jesse Grant/WireImage

Freddie Prinze Jr. and the WWE

Around that time, Prinze Jr. was also working as a writer on WWE Smackdown!, a job that came his way from his love of wrestling. Here, he's pictured with wrestlers The Miz and John Morrison in Los Angeles in 2008.

Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Punky Brewster'

<p>Trae Patton/Peacock/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty </p> Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Punky Brewster'

Trae Patton/Peacock/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty

Freddie Prinze Jr. on 'Punky Brewster'

With voice work and TV appearances keeping him busy through the 2010s, the actor returned to episodic TV in 2021 for the Punky Brewster reboot, opposite original star Soleil Moon Frye.

"It was wild, I was kinda done acting. I was a full-time father and nothing got filmed in L.A. anymore so I didn't want to leave for six months a year," Prinze Jr. told Kelly Clarkson at the time. But after reading the script and connecting with the cast, "it just worked," he added.

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar

<p>SGranitz/WireImage; Jerod Harris/Getty</p> Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar

SGranitz/WireImage; Jerod Harris/Getty

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Sarah Michelle Gellar

In September of 2023, longtime loves Gellar and Prinze Jr. celebrated 21 years of marriage.

“@realfreddieprinze what’s customary for 21 years?,” Gellar captioned an Instagram tribute. “I believe it’s @celine or is it @loewe ?!?”

Together, the stars share two children, Charlotte and Rocky.

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