A decades-old teen-magazine crush came full circle when Lucy Liu finally shared the story of the poster that once hung on her bedroom wall.
> At a Glance
> – Lucy Liu taped a C. Thomas Howell pin-up to her wall after seeing The Outsiders
> – The pair later worked together on Southland, but she kept the crush secret
> – Why it matters: A nostalgic look at how childhood crushes can quietly shape Hollywood careers
The Charlie’s Angels star told W Magazine that her first cinematic crush was C. Thomas Howell in the 1983 classic The Outsiders. She saved up for a teen-magazine photo and stuck it to her wood-paneled wall.
> Liu recalled:
> “He had a very ’80s look, with his hair blown back and his hand in his jeans pocket.”
From Fan to Co-Star
Years later, Liu joined the cast of Southland for its fourth season. Ironically, Howell was already a recurring cast member as Officer Dewey Dudek.
- Liu’s role: Officer Jessica Tang (10 episodes, 2012)
- Howell’s role: Officer Dewey Dudek (27 episodes, 2009-2013)
Despite their shared screen time, Liu never mentioned the childhood crush.
> She admitted:
> “I never told him that I had a crush on him because I was so embarrassed. We were playing tough cops.”
The Outsiders Legacy
Set in 1960s Tulsa, the Francis Ford Coppola film followed greaser brothers and their clashes with the affluent Socs. Howell was just 16 when he starred as Ponyboy Curtis alongside a cast that included Tom Cruise, Diane Lane, Ralph Macchio, Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Emilio Estevez, and Patrick Swayze.
| Show | Years | Liu’s Episodes | Howell’s Episodes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southland | 2009-2013 | 10 | 27 |
Key Takeaways
- Liu’s first cinematic crush was C. Thomas Howell after watching The Outsiders
- She kept a magazine photo of him on her bedroom wall
- The two later co-starred on Southland without Liu ever revealing the crush
Sometimes the most memorable Hollywood stories are the ones that stay hidden for decades.
