Joe Burrow’s popularity has rapidly increased since he became an absolute star for LSU during the 2019 season. He has only raised his profile by leading the Bengals to a Super Bowl 56 appearance and returning the team to the AFC Championship Game during the 2023 playoffs.
As such, it’s only natural that Burrow would draw much attention on social media. And it’s not just about his skills on the field.
Indeed, Burrow has become increasingly popular on TikTok in recent weeks. Why? Because many are posting thirst trap videos involving him.
Even the NFL put one out. I wish I was kidding.
@nfl joe brrrrrr forreal ? #joeburrow #cincinnati #bengals #nflplayoffs ? hey daddy – dev
Those posts will evoke feelings from cringe to comical among those that see them, but at least some of the Joe Burrow TikToks out there have brought forward interesting points about Burrow. Case in point, NFL fans now know that Burrow looks very much like one of the heartthrobs who starred in the original “High School Musical” back in 2006.
And no, it isn’t Zac Efron.
This isn’t the first time that a Joe Burrow lookalike has been noted. In fact, there are a few notable actors who look like Burrow and could easily play him if any studio wants to make an “American Underdog”-type story about his rise from Ohio State transfer to LSU and Bengals star.
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Who are Joe Burrow’s lookalikes? Here’s a rundown of a few of them.
Joe Burrow lookalikes
Lucas GrabeelI (a.k.a. “High School Musical” character Ryan Evans)
OK, I get it. Looking at the picture comparison of Joe Burrow and Lucas Grabeel, who played Ryan Evans in “High School Musical,” may make you wonder what people are thinking about when they compare these two.
But in a wide sample, it’s easier to see exactly how closely Grabeel resembled Burrow during the height of his acting career.
The comparison between the two was noted in a TikTok by Annie Lynch. Below is a look at various pictures of a young Grabeel, and you can certainly see more Burrow in his face and eyes.
@annieslynch Who knew Ryan Evans was the TRUE Troy Bolton? @Cincinnati Bengals #joeburrow #joeyb #HSM #nfl #bengals #cincinnatibengals #highschoolmusical ? Cool Kids (our sped up version) – Echosmith
Obviously, it isn’t perfect, but that’s still a pretty close look to Burrow. Add in that Grabeel’s character Ryan was a snazzy dresser in the “HSM” franchise, and it seems like the two would have more in common than one might initially realize.
The only thing that Bengals fans must hope is that Burrow doesn’t have a controlling, drama-queen sister like Sharpay.
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Macaulay Culkin
This comparison has been around a bit longer than the Burrow-to-Grabeel connection. There have been countless tweets and memes comparing Burrow to the legendary “Home Alone” actor over the years, so this is another pairing that seems to be accurate.
Even Burrow is aware of it. The Bengals quarterback was asked before Super Bowl 56 who would play him in a movie, and he acknowledged that many believe that it would be right to tap Culkin for the role.
Of course, Culkin, 42, is a bit older than Burrow, so the age gap would need to be addressed for that to happen. Even still, it’s easy to see based on Culkin’s facial structure and features why he is often regarded as one of Burrow’s closest lookalikes.
And perhaps if Culkin had gone on to be an athlete instead of an actor, the similarities would be even more striking.
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Bill Skarsgard
This is probably the best Burrow comparison out there. He could easily pass for a member of the Skarsgard clan, but he particularly looks like Bill, the 32-year-old who is noted most for his role as Pennywise in the 2017 adaptation of Stephen King’s “It.”
The Burrow-Skarsgard comparison hasn’t quite reached the level of the Culkin one, nor has it gained the overnight success of the Grabeel comparison. Still, there have been plenty of mentions of the two together on Twitter throughout the years dating back to Burrow’s first season as a starter at LSU in 2019.
Were any studio to make a movie about Burrow today, Skarsgard would probably be the top choice for the role given his similar age, looks and excellent acting skills. Until then, Skarsgard will continue to take roles in blockbusters like “Barbarian” and “John Wick 4” as he adds to his impressive resume.
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Is Joe Burrow in “John Wick 4?”
Speaking of “John Wick: Chapter 4” — no, Burrow is not in it. Let’s just get that out of the way. It’s Skarsgard that you and other sports fans are seeing in the trailer, not Burrow.
It wouldn’t be out of character for a movie like “John Wick 4” to cast an athlete as one of its main villains. After all, 7-4 NBA player Boban Marjanovic played an assassin named Ernest in “John Wick: Chapter 3,” so the casting director could have targeted Burrow for a role if they so desired.
That said, getting Skarsgard is probably the better bet since he is a well-versed actor. You can get a glimpse of him in the movie via the trailer below.
