Jonathan Bailey, who's already captured our hearts in Netflix's "Bridgerton" and last year's beloved Wicked, has found yet another way to keep us kicking our feet and blushing as we journal about our feelings. This time, it's thanks to his role as a charming museum paleontologist, and the glasses he dons are nothing short of spectacular.
But as they say, history repeats itself. While Bailey's bespectacled turn won't be forgotten anytime soon, he joins a long line of characters who've proven that "four-eyes" can absolutely bring out the heart-eyes. Here are our favorite glasses looks in film and television!
1. Cillian Murphy, Batman Begins (2005)
Long before Cillian Murphy stepped into the shoes of J. Robert Oppenheimer, he donned a burlap mask and terrorized Gotham as Dr. Jonathan Crane, a.k.a. The Scarecrow, in another Christopher Nolan hit, 2005's Batman Begins. The character may be menacing and a serious thorn in the Caped Crusader's side, but he sure knows how to dress to impress. Sporting the Alain Mikli A0304s, these frames are more rectangular and metallic than most glasses we see today, but this look has us wondering why we ever let this particular piece of eye candy (pun slightly intended) fade into the past. Hey, if low-rise jeans can make a comeback, then so can these beauties.
2. Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
The queen bee of Hollywood, holding the record for the most Oscar nominations of any actor, can be warm, commanding, or, when the roll calls for it, ice cold. While we might have a soft spot for her singing about Summer love on a sun-soaked Greek island, golden curls and all, it's hard not to marvel at the sharp, unflinching performance she delivers in 2006's The Devil Wears Prada. In it, Streep steps into the role of editor-in-chief at a highly esteemed fashion magazine, and, as you'd expect, she looks every inch the part. With high-end designer everything, the character also sports a pair of cat-eye frames that give both intellect and authority. While the brand behind the glasses remains a mystery, their impact on the film is undeniable.
3. Taraji P. Henson, Hidden Figures (2016)
We're not trying to state the obvious here, but it's worth noting our contenders all seem to be Oscar magnets. Not saying it's the glasses, but… Hidden Figures tells the true story of three brilliant Black women mathematicians, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, who played pivotal roles at NASA during the Space Race, most notably in launching astronaut John Glenn into orbit in 1962. This film is packed with powerful moments, from Taraji P. Henson's gut-punch monologue to the quiet intensity of her writing equations across chalkboards. But there's also power in the details – like the glasses she wears. Identified as MOSCOT's BUMMI frames, they're so effortlessly timeless and perfectly accentuate Henson's portrayal of Katherine Johnson.
4. Hayden Christensen, Shattered Glass (2003)
While we're used to seeing Hayden Christensen wield a lightsaber or frollicking with Padmé on Naboo, in 2003's Shattered Glass, he takes on a role that feels like a variant of a Matthew Gray Gubler character. And man, if we've ever seen a good pair of glasses, it's these. From asking his co-workers if they’d want to come over for Monopoly parties to manipulating everyone around him, the character is complex, to say the least. But, those peepers? Absolute stunners. Unfortunately, the brand of these glasses remains a mystery, sparking numerous Reddit threads and online sleuthing. But there's hope, as one user claims, "The Ottoto Atrium glasses are very similar." So, all is not lost we guess?
5. Denzel Washington, Malcolm X (1992)
Denzel Washington has long been one of the most consistently influential and precise actors of all time, and his talents are on full display in Spike Lee's Malcolm X. When it came time for Washington to embody the civil rights leader, the glasses were non-negotiable. He insisted on accuracy down to the finest detail, and costume designer Ruth E. Carter rose to the challenge, finding an almost perfect match: black-framed "Clubman" glasses by Art-Craft Optical, featuring a gold chassis that outlines the bridge and rims of the lenses. Although the film featured 4 different pairs of glasses, we can't help but admire the costume designer's attention to detail and Denzel's ability to wear each pair with effortless class and sophistication.
6. Zooey Deschanel, "New Girl" (2011-2018)
The theme song couldn't have said it better: She is that girl. Jess Day, the adorkable lead of the hit comedy "New Girl" played by the wonderfully eclectic Zooey Deschanel, is a strong female character who walks a fine line between quirky, confident, and delightfully absurd (a balancing act few attempt). And, much like the unexpected but perfect pairing of pizza and honey, it somehow just works. With a personality as larger-than-life as Jess's, it's no surprise the showrunners chose a pair of Oliver Peoples Sheldrake frames for her. These thick-rimmed glasses are both smart and offbeat, radiating a vintage charm that only makes her more likable than she already is.
7. Nicole Kidman, Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Before his passing in 1999, Stanley Kubrick gifted the world one last film: a psychological drama starring Nicole Kidman as a compelling stay-at-home mom who is never quite what she seems. Throughout her career, Kidman has taken on a wide range of roles, yet few looks have become as iconic as this one, thanks in large part to Oliver Peoples and their sleek OP-75 frames. These glasses are understated yet powerful, perfectly capturing Alice's emotional complexity, someone who sees far more than she lets on. Plus, they just look sick. One thing's for sure: these frames belong on all of our Pinterest boards.
@oliverpeoples #NicoleKidman wears OP-76 in #EyesWideShut by #StanleyKubrick. #90saesthetic #filmclip #movierecommendation #cinematic #cinematok #actress ♬ original sound - Oliver Peoples
8. Daniel Radcliffe, Kill Your Darlings (2013)
If we asked you to grab a pen and paper to list the top glasses-wearing characters of all time, chances are you'd jot down The Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter, whose round glasses are perhaps some of the most iconic glasses in all of pop culture. But this isn't a popularity contest; it's about the looks themselves. And yet, somehow, Daniel Radcliffe still made our list. His portrayal as American poet Allan Ginsberg is quietly electric, and those Oliver Peoples Emerson frames tie the whole look together, especially when paired with a sweater vest, button-down shirt, and plaid tie. Expecto patronum? More like expecto werkum, amirite?!
9. Jeff Goldblum, Independence Day (1996)
The '90s were truly the time to be alive. New episodes of "Friends" aired every Thursday, Britney Spears and NSYNC dominated the charts, and Jeff Goldblum rocked a seemingly unfair advantage in the glasses department across multiple films. While Steven Spielberg's Jurassic Park featured a nice pair of frames on Goldblum, most fans point to Independence Day as the true cornerstone of his iconic look. One TikTok user summed it up perfectly: "Jeff Goldblum walked so Jonathan Bailey could run." In this alien-invasion classic, Goldblum sports – what else? – Oliver Peoples Finley frames. Sleek and sharp, they perfectly complement his brainy, tech-savvy character and just might be the perfect pair for saving the world.
10. Hugh Grant, Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
If you disagree with this entry, we don't know what to tell you, except perhaps that you might need a new pair of glasses yourself (if so, we've got ten recommendations ready for you). Just as we admire a Da Vinci painting or a Michelangelo sculpture, we can appreciate this golden example of the perfect glasses look. Round, tortoise shell, and effortlessly channeling that Oxford-professor-meets-lovelorn-poet vibe, these Oliver Peoples O’Malley frames are the frames.
In an ever-expanding world of films, TV series, and other media, there are so many glasses to admire, and for many different reasons. Some help transform a character (we're looking at you, Clark Kent), while others simply elevate a look. Whatever their purpose beyond providing optical aid, we can all pause to appreciate the power of a great pair of frames.
Which glasses from our list would you add to your cart?