Vertical microdramas are the new go-to for fictional romance — and much of the interest stems from the hot leading men.
Many TikTok users are familiar with ads popping up on their FYPs for fanfiction-esque shows. From age-gap romances to forbidden love stories, each miniseries feels like a mix between a soap opera and a Lifetime movie. The point of the ads is to drive users to download applications such as ReelShort and DramaBox that host the short shows, which usually last a minute or so per episode and are designed for mobile viewing.
CandyJar’s content — including Nick Skonberg‘s Loving My Brother’s Best Friend and Joseph Purcell‘s Falling for My Bodyguard — went viral as mostly female viewers tuned in to get their romance fix.
“CandyJar’s the only company I’ve worked with, but they really know their audience and what their audience wants. CandyJar [projects] are very directed from the female gaze and from the female point of view,” Skonberg previously told Cosmopolitan. “You see that the scripts follow a lot of romance tropes and character tropes, but also how they do the costumes and how they shoot the scenes and light the scenes. And we had a great intimacy coordinator, Sasha Smith. She was specific about: ‘OK, this is a moment when you stop her with a hand grab or you stop her with your voice.’”
Keep scrolling for a guide to the hottest leading men in the vertical microdrama space:
Cameron Porras
Cameron Porras probably looks familiar for vertical dramas such as My Stepbrother’s Dirty Secret, Taming My Bullies, Outplayed and more.
Joseph Purcell
Joseph Purcell, who is the son of actor Dominic Purcell, has taken over the vertical drama space with roles in His Nerd, Falling for My Bodyguard, Private Lessons and more.
Tyler Scherer
For fans of Heated Rivalry, Tyler Scherer caught Us‘ eye in CandyJar’s sports romance Did You Have to Be a Hockey Star? He may also look familiar for Professor, I’m Addicted to You, To Be by My Side, Ex-Husband Step Aside and many more.
Nick Skonberg
After going viral for his role in CandyJar’s Loving My Brother’s Best Friend, Nick Skonberg has also appeared in other shorts including The Cheer Scandal and Apollo.
Evan Adams
Evan Adams has won viewers over with Pucked by My Brother’s Rival, Kissing the Wrong Brother and the Twilight-inspired miniseries titled Kissed by Claw and Fang.
Ben Armstrong
Speaking of Kissed by Claw and Fang, Ben Armstrong is best known for playing none other than Asher King in If Loving You Is Sin Then I’ll Go to Hell but he has also been in Fake Dating My Rich Nemesis, Bad Boy’s Tutor and more.
Jesse Morales
You probably remember Jesse Morales from How to Tame a Silver Fox but he has also appeared in Pregnant by My Ex’s Professor Dad, Dominated by My Dad’s Boss and more.
Eric Guilmette
Eric Guilmette had a scene-stealing performance in Boss Please Behave but he has since remained booked and busy with Campus Rivals, The Healing Touch, My Silent Treasure and more.
Sam Morgan
Sam Morgan has captivated audiences with appearances in No Mercy for the Cuckoo, The Maid with His Blood: Came Back to Burn, The Lady Boss’ Small Town Valentine, A Mistaken Baby With the Mafia Enemy and more.
