In honor of Bel Powley's stellar performance as Minnie, an arty teenager having a fling with her mother's boyfriend in the wonderful new film, Diary of a Teenage Girl, we decided to round-up our favorite on-screen teens in cinematic history. From Cher Horowitz to the Fabulous Stains, here are all of our tender, angsty characters from the coming-of-age cannon.
Dawn Wiener, Welcome to the Dollhouse
Dawn Wiener's awkwardness and hatred for her preening, tortuously perfect little sister Missy spoke deeply to anyone who ever felt like an outsider in the viper pit that is junior high. She also forever changed how we'll view finger foods.
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The Stains, Ladies and Gentleman, The Fabulous Stains
Teenage Diane Lane and Laura Dern star in this early '80s tale of an all-girl punk band dragged into the evil, cut-throat wilds of the recording industry only to emerge triumphant. It stars members of the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Tubes and some of the best eyeliner in cinematic history.
Lydia Deetz, Beetlejuice
A hero for sun-averse strange and unusual girls everywhere.
Troy, Crookyln
Zelda Harris is heartbreaking as the head-strong Troy, the only girl in a family of boys growing up in 1970s Bed-Stuy. It's one of the best coming-of-age movies from the past twenty years and have never seen this movie and not cried. (Nor have we ever looked at fold-out couches quiet the same and small dogs quite the same. Warning: The above clip is traumatizing.)
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Marjane, Persepolis
The animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name, Perespolis follows the story of Iranian teenager Marjane (voiced by Chiara Mastroianni) growing up during the Iranian Revolution and her struggles with cultural identity living abroad in Europe and the difficulty she has re-adjusting when she returns to life in Iran.
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Ana, Real Women Have Curves
Based on Josefina Lopez's play, Real Women Have Curves brought America Ferrera to the public's attention as Ana, a teen in East Los Angeles. In addition to giving us Ferrera's career, the movie also focuses squarely on questions of young women dealing with body image.
Andie Walsh, Pretty in Pink
Molly Ringwald makes a strong case for making your own prom dress (and having your suspicions about people named Blane) in this John Hughes classic. Plus, Annie Potts' entire steez in this movie continue to be our ultimate fashion goal -- and this includes her '80s makeover in the end. We never met a bolo tie we didn't like,.
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Allison Reynolds, The Breakfast Club
A goth with dandruff. What's not to love.
Cher, Clueless
In the hands of Alicia Silverstone, Cher Herowitz is a warm, oddly likeable pretty, popular girl who just wants everyone to be happy. Including, refreshingly, herself. Like you wouldn't date Paul Rudd if he was your ex non-blood related step brother?
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Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner's Daughter
Spacek played country legend Loretta Lynn from aged thirteen to her thirties and it was such a great performance that even though she was 30 when she filmed it, she made our list. Spacek is so believable as a naive country girl from Butcher Holler and, hello, she did all her own singing.
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Cady Heron, Mean Girls
As Cady, Lindsay Lohan had the irresistible innocence of a child star and the sophistication of a more grown-up ingenue. Her perfect delivery and on-screen magnetism helped make this little comedy a cult classic, with lines like 'You can't sit with us' and 'She doesn't even go here' still a major part of pop culture.
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Stef, Goonies
Martha Plimpton was always the smartest, sassiest teen in all her movies. Plus in Goonies she loads on the accessories: glasses, scarf and dangly earrings. The chicest pirate-ship explorer there ever was.
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Gogol, The Namesake
We now mostly think of Kal Penn as a comic actor, star of the Harold & Kumar series (or, for a certain type of nerd, an adviser to the Obama White House), which makes it easy to forget that he's actually a pretty good actor. In The Namesake, he plays Gogol, a mistakenly named, second-generation Indian-American struggling with his heritage and adopted home -- and does it well.
Jeff Spicoli, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
As Spicoli, Sean Penn's made kids across America wish they were cool, pothead, deadbeat surfer boys who ditched school to go ride waves to say things like, "Hey dude! Let's party!" Not to mention putting checkered slip-on Vans on the map.
Dallas Winston, The Outsiders
The cast of The Outsiders is a who's who of 1980s heartthrobs. Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez. But even in that drool-inducing ensemble Matt Dillion shines as Dallas Winston, the doomed hero of his band of wayward badboys.
Get your fill of on-screen teens with Diary of a Teenage Girl in theaters August 7th
GIF by Dawn Wiener, Welcome to the Dollhouse
Dawn Wiener's awkwardness and hatred for her preening, tortuously perfect little sister Missy spoke deeply to anyone who ever felt like an outsider in the viper pit that is junior high. She also forever changed how we'll view finger foods.
The Stains, Ladies and Gentleman, The Fabulous StainsTeenage Diane Lane and Laura Dern star in this early '80s tale of an all-girl punk band dragged into the evil, cut-throat wilds of the recording industry only to emerge triumphant. It stars members of the Sex Pistols, the Clash, the Tubes and some of the best eyeliner in cinematic history.
Lydia Deetz, Beetlejuice
A hero for sun-averse strange and unusual girls everywhere.
Troy, Crookyln
Zelda Harris is heartbreaking as the head-strong Troy, the only girl in a family of boys growing up in 1970s Bed-Stuy. It's one of the best coming-of-age movies from the past twenty years and have never seen this movie and not cried. (Nor have we ever looked at fold-out couches quiet the same and small dogs quite the same. Warning: The above clip is traumatizing.)
Marjane, Persepolis The animated adaptation of Marjane Satrapi's autobiographical graphic novel of the same name, Perespolis follows the story of Iranian teenager Marjane (voiced by Chiara Mastroianni) growing up during the Iranian Revolution and her struggles with cultural identity living abroad in Europe and the difficulty she has re-adjusting when she returns to life in Iran.
Ana, Real Women Have CurvesBased on Josefina Lopez's play, Real Women Have Curves brought America Ferrera to the public's attention as Ana, a teen in East Los Angeles. In addition to giving us Ferrera's career, the movie also focuses squarely on questions of young women dealing with body image.
Andie Walsh, Pretty in Pink
Molly Ringwald makes a strong case for making your own prom dress (and having your suspicions about people named Blane) in this John Hughes classic. Plus, Annie Potts' entire steez in this movie continue to be our ultimate fashion goal -- and this includes her '80s makeover in the end. We never met a bolo tie we didn't like,.
Allison Reynolds, The Breakfast ClubA goth with dandruff. What's not to love.
Cher, Clueless
In the hands of Alicia Silverstone, Cher Herowitz is a warm, oddly likeable pretty, popular girl who just wants everyone to be happy. Including, refreshingly, herself. Like you wouldn't date Paul Rudd if he was your ex non-blood related step brother?
Loretta Lynn, Coal Miner's DaughterSpacek played country legend Loretta Lynn from aged thirteen to her thirties and it was such a great performance that even though she was 30 when she filmed it, she made our list. Spacek is so believable as a naive country girl from Butcher Holler and, hello, she did all her own singing.
Cady Heron, Mean GirlsAs Cady, Lindsay Lohan had the irresistible innocence of a child star and the sophistication of a more grown-up ingenue. Her perfect delivery and on-screen magnetism helped make this little comedy a cult classic, with lines like 'You can't sit with us' and 'She doesn't even go here' still a major part of pop culture.
Stef, GooniesMartha Plimpton was always the smartest, sassiest teen in all her movies. Plus in Goonies she loads on the accessories: glasses, scarf and dangly earrings. The chicest pirate-ship explorer there ever was.
Gogol, The NamesakeWe now mostly think of Kal Penn as a comic actor, star of the Harold & Kumar series (or, for a certain type of nerd, an adviser to the Obama White House), which makes it easy to forget that he's actually a pretty good actor. In The Namesake, he plays Gogol, a mistakenly named, second-generation Indian-American struggling with his heritage and adopted home -- and does it well.
Jeff Spicoli, Fast Times at Ridgemont High
As Spicoli, Sean Penn's made kids across America wish they were cool, pothead, deadbeat surfer boys who ditched school to go ride waves to say things like, "Hey dude! Let's party!" Not to mention putting checkered slip-on Vans on the map.
Dallas Winston, The Outsiders
The cast of The Outsiders is a who's who of 1980s heartthrobs. Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, Emilio Estevez. But even in that drool-inducing ensemble Matt Dillion shines as Dallas Winston, the doomed hero of his band of wayward badboys.
Get your fill of on-screen teens with Diary of a Teenage Girl in theaters August 7th