Top 10 Iconic Movie Nerds
#10: Kevin Gnapoor “Mean Girls” (2004)
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Anyone who carried a business card in high school that read “badass”... definitely wasn’t one. This flick wouldn’t have been complete without Kevin Gnapoor, the math nerd desperate for a date and even more so for popularity. Who could forget the rap he performed at the high school talent show? His confident attitude makes him a bit of an outlier on this list, but that doesn’t make him any less of a nerd. The lines he drops while attempting to hit on women are downright cringe-worthy. From ripping his shirt open at a math tournament to rapping about the silent “G” in his name, Kevin is a truly iconic nerd.
#9: Gary Wallace & Wyatt Donnelly “Weird Science” (1985)
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Talk about a nerd’s dream come true! In this classic 80’s comedy, two boys, Gary and Wyatt, use their computer skills to create a beautiful woman. The curveball? In addition to stunning good looks, she has an unbelievable set of powers. The nerds in question fit the stereotype perfectly; they are constantly bullied, physically inferior and socially awkward. But what these dweebs lack in popularity, they more than make up for with their uncanny ability to conjure a up a woman out of thin air. The look on their faces upon completing the task is pure cinematic gold!
#8: Lewis & Gilbert “Revenge of the Nerds” (1984)
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This memorable 80’s flick features a group of nerdy college students facing off against the personification of stereotypical masculinity: jocks. Throughout the film, the two protagonists, Lewis and Gilbert, find their pleas for help falling on deaf ears, as they continue to be ridiculed by the stronger, more popular men of Alpha Beta. But everyone has their breaking point, and eventually, these nerds decide to take action and get even. To do so, Lewis and Gilbert turn to the one thing they have in spades: brains. Their ability to outwit their opponents more than earns these two nerds a spot on the list. #7: George McFly “Back to the Future” franchise (1985-90)
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Did this guy really father one of the coolest movie characters in cinematic history? It’s hard to believe considering he himself is one of the biggest weenies ever put on film. He is a comic book loving, sci-fi writing, peeping tom, who’s not above doing a bully’s homework. We literally get to see him with a “kick-me” sign taped to his back. If that isn’t the ultimate sign of nerdom… we don’t know what is. Only through sheer willpower is his son able to rescue him from the depths of his own social awkwardness. One wonders how he ever got Lorraine to marry him in the first place…
#6: Egon Spengler “Ghostbusters” franchise (1984-89)
Much of this film’s success can be attributed to the core team and the incredible rapport that quickly developed between them. From the deadpan one liners delivered by Peter Venkman to the wild-eyed vitality of Ray Stantz, the characters just work. Nowhere was this more apparent than in the portrayal of straight-laced scientist Egon Spengler. Played to perfection by Harold Ramis, this by the books nerd seemed to have a logical explanation for everything; including the supernatural. From his hilarious inspection of the Ghostbusters headquarters to an impressively nerdy array of science-based jokes, Egon makes being a nerd look seriously cool
#5: Brian Ralph Johnson “The Breakfast Club” (1985)
Auf Dino-Spurensuche mit Brian Switek
Is roughly 1 out of 5 high school students a nerd? In the world of John Hughes, it would seem so. In his seminal film about what happens when five very different people are forced to spend a Saturday at school in detention together, it becomes clear very early on that Brian is the archetypal nerd. From his hilarious story about why he is there, to his neatly packed lunchbox, Brian is ridiculed for much of the film. However, like many movie nerds, beneath his awkward exterior is a person who just wants to be accepted. And by the end of the film, he has made friends out of those who originally doubted him.
#4: Hermione Granger “The Harry Potter” franchise (2001-2011)
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It’s hard to imagine Harry Potter accomplishing all that he did without the help of this character. Over the course of eight films Hermione served as the brains of the operation. Although seemingly most comfortable when nose-deep in a gigantic textbook, or asking questions in an otherwise dull lecture, Ms. Granger never fails to apply those book smarts to real world scenarios when the situation calls for it. Despite her knack for adventure however, her greatest love appears to be school itself – often appearing more concerned about being expelled than getting killed. Nerd status and all, she’d get our vote for Minister of Magic.
#3: Peter Parker “Spider-Man” franchise (2002-07)
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Bruce Wayne aside, superheroes tend to have pretty lackluster alter egos. This serves to make them look all the more awesome when they eventually don their super duds and hit the streets to fight crime. Unfortunately for Peter Parker, when he isn’t slinging web from Manhattan's skyscrapers, that alter ego is seriously nerdy. His portrayal by Tobey Maguire in this film was excellent, creating a believable dual personality - one that gets bullied for his intellect by day, the other taking down supervillains by night. Oddly enough, it’s his love of science that gets him bitten by a radioactive spider in the first place. He’s one nerd you don’t want to mess with.
#2: Mark Zuckerberg “The Social Network” (2010)
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It may seem ironic calling someone who is now worth over $50 billion a nerd, but the version of Mark Zuckerberg that was presented to the world in this film definitely fits the description. The first scene of the film is a perfect amalgamation of the two sides of the characters personality: highly intelligent and oblivious to social norms. From that point on we watch as Zuckerberg’s character continues to showcase his impressive intellect and baffling lack of social skills. However, as the final scene of the movie demonstrates, all the money in the world can’t necessarily get you the date you want. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Sherman Klump “The Nutty Professor” (1996) Data “The Goonies” (1985)
#1: McLovin “Superbad” (2007)
From Seth’s penis drawing past to Evan’s horrible sexy talk, this is a film made up almost entirely of memorable scenes. However, this vest wearing, fake ID purchasing, all-around nerd by the name of Fogell, aka McLovin, delivers arguably the most laughs. Regardless of whether he is lecturing Seth on what the most commonly used name in the world is or hilariously trying to purchase beer with abysmal results, McLovin is one nerd you can’t help but cheer for. His character truly comes to life after befriending a couple of crazy police officers looking to have fun. He may be a nerd, but he’s also the life of the party!
