22 Hot Onscreen Teachers That Will Make You Want to Go Back to School

School is back in session for a lot of folks, so we've got academia on the brain, particularly its role in movies and TV. Some of our favorite films and TV series feature inspirational teachers, but right now we're highlighting those teachers who are more than just good at educating — they also look good doing it. With their horn-rimmed glasses and elbow patches, teachers are some of the big and small screens' sexiest characters. From Ryan Gosling to Zooey Deschanel, here are the actors who've played teachers and used blackboards and classrooms to highlight their hotness.

01
Ben Wrightman, Fever Pitch
20th Century Studios

Ben Wrightman, Fever Pitch

  • Played by: Jimmy Fallon
  • Teaches: Honors geometry
  • Why he's so hot: Ben is passionate about getting his students excited to learn math . . . almost as passionate as he is about the Red Sox.
02
Jess Day, New Girl
Fox

Jess Day, New Girl

  • Played by: Zooey Deschanel
  • Teaches: Elementary school; principal
  • Why she's so hot: Quirky and bubbly, Jess isn't afraid to be herself or be a little different to be a good teacher.
03
Henry Jones, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
Paramount Pictures

Henry Jones, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade

  • Played by: Harrison Ford
  • Teaches: History and archaeology
  • Why he's so hot: Dr. Jones has a need for adventure and a sense of humor. Let's not forget about his knowledge of ancient civilizations and languages.
04
Elizabeth Halsey, Bad Teacher
Columbia Pictures

Elizabeth Halsey, Bad Teacher

  • Played by: Cameron Diaz
  • Teaches: Seventh grade
  • Why she's so hot: Miss Halsey is a dream for any middle school boy, showing some sass (and skin) while teaching her students.
05
Eric Taylor, Friday Night Lights
NBC

Eric Taylor, Friday Night Lights

  • Played by: Kyle Chandler
  • Teaches: Coaches football
  • Why he's so hot: With his clear eyes and full heart, he can't lose. OK, but really, he's a real man who's fair, has strong convictions, and is totally in love with his wife. Oh, and that face.
06
Dan Dunne, Half Nelson
ThinkFilm

Dan Dunne, Half Nelson

  • Played by: Ryan Gosling
  • Teaches: History
  • Why he's so hot: All right, so he's got a nasty drug habit, but the power of the Gosling allows one to overlook that. The beard, the devotion to his students, the history knowledge . . .
07
Sharon Norbury, Mean Girls
Everett Collection

Sharon Norbury, Mean Girls

  • Played by: Tina Fey
  • Teaches: Math
  • Why she's so hot: Where other teachers' attempts have failed, Ms. Norbury gets a group of high school girls to get along again.
08
Sam Coulson, Never Been Kissed
Everett Collection

Sam Coulson, Never Been Kissed

  • Played by: Michael Vartan
  • Teaches: English
  • Why he's so hot: His looks, charming personality, and passion for Shakespeare make our hearts flutter when he gives Josie confidence and her first kiss.
09
Ezra Fitz, Pretty Little Liars
Freeform

Ezra Fitz, Pretty Little Liars

  • Played by: Ian Harding
  • Teaches: English
  • Why he's so hot: Must we explain this one? Must we? OK, well, to start, he teaches the sexiest subject, English, and he has that excited lust for life thing. He may have movie on to bigger and better things career-wise, but we'll always remember how sexy he was at the blackboard.
10
Holly Holliday, Glee
Fox

Holly Holliday, Glee

  • Played by: Gwyneth Paltrow
  • Teaches: Various (she's a substitute)
  • Why she's so hot: Holly isn't your ordinary substitute teacher. She has edge, wit, and a good voice, making viewers and students wish she were full-time.
11
Alaric Saltzman, The Vampire Diaries
The CW

Alaric Saltzman, The Vampire Diaries

  • Played by: Matthew Davis
  • Teaches: History
  • Why he's so hot: He's not just a good teacher; he's secretly a vampire hunter.
12
Winton Childs, The Five-Year Engagement
Universal Pictures

Winton Childs, The Five-Year Engagement

  • Played by: Rhys Ifans
  • Teaches: Psychology
  • Why he's so hot: Ifans rarely plays a heartthrob, but throw some stylish glasses on the man and give him an impressive vocabulary, and suddenly he's even got Emily Blunt's eye.
13
Miss Marquez, Jack
Everett Collection

Miss Marquez, Jack

  • Played by: Jennifer Lopez
  • Teaches: Fifth grade
  • Why she's so hot: Patient and caring, she is understanding with her students' individual needs and offers Jack compassion, which he needs.
15
Will Schuester, Glee
Fox

Will Schuester, Glee

  • Played by: Matthew Morrison
  • Teaches: Spanish and glee club
  • Why he's so hot: Will Schuester takes an interest in his students' lives, mentoring them when their personal and home lives aren't going so well.
16
Julia Fitzpatrick, Valentine's Day
Everett Collection

Julia Fitzpatrick, Valentine's Day

  • Played by: Jennifer Garner
  • Teaches: Elementary school
  • Why she's so hot: With a bubbly personality and adorable style, Julia is the ultimate romantic.
17
Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother
CBS

Ted Mosby, How I Met Your Mother

  • Played by: Josh Radnor
  • Teaches: Architecture
  • Why he's so hot: Ted is excited to teach his college students . . . even though he ends up trying to date one.
18
Scott Delacorte, Bad Teacher
Columbia Pictures

Scott Delacorte, Bad Teacher

  • Played by: Justin Timberlake
  • Teaches: Various (he's a substitute)
  • Why he's so hot: A friendly softie with a cheesy personality and a nerdy style, Scott is completely oblivious to Elizabeth's none-too-subtle flirtations.
19
Ryan Matthews, 90210
The CW

Ryan Matthews, 90210

  • Played by: Ryan Eggold
  • Teaches: English literature
  • Why he's so hot: Ryan Matthews has an unorthodox teaching style that often puts him at odds with his fellow teachers . . . and sometimes brings him a little too close to his students.
20
Mercedes Tainot, Larry Crowne
Everett Collection

Mercedes Tainot, Larry Crowne

  • Played by: Julia Roberts
  • Teaches: Speech
  • Why she's so hot: Dissatisfied and depressed, that famous smile eventually shines under the gentle pressure of Tom Hanks' sunny influence.
21
Veronica Vaughn, Billy Madison
Everett Collection

Veronica Vaughn, Billy Madison

  • Played by: Bridgette Wilson-Sampras
  • Teaches: Third grade
  • Why she's so hot: Not easily impressed, she uses incentives to get her students up to par (including a little stripping for Billy).
22
John Pressman, Admission
Focus Features

John Pressman, Admission

  • Played by: Paul Rudd
  • Teaches: Teacher at an alternative high school
  • Why she's so hot: He's cute, he's smart, he wants to do the right thing. He's Paul Rudd!