From glow-ups and daring style reinventions to the subtle power of makeup, lighting and time, celebrity before-and-after photos keep us scrolling — and debating — for a reason.
The Before And After LookFamiliar faces never really stay the same, and the change is more visible under the spotlight. Watching some actors’ journeys makes you reflect on how time reshapes everyone, even legends.
Renee ZellwegerAt the 2014 Elle Awards, Renee Zellweger stunned the world with sharper features and a leaner jawline after a six-year hiatus. Rumors swirled, but she dismissed them as “mean-spirited fiction.” By 2025, her Vogue covers showcased slicked-back hair and angular makeup that ignited fresh talk about her changing appearance.
Meg RyanIn the early 2000s, Meg Ryan’s visibly altered facial features drew widespread speculation, which made headlines everywhere. After starring in In the Cut (2003), she stepped away, citing that she was uncomfortable with fame. Years later, in 2015, she directed Ithaca, and during promotions, you could notice her sharper cheeks and jawline.
Val KilmerVal Kilmer’s appearance changed dramatically after being diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. Treatments, including a tracheotomy in 2015, caused weight loss along with loss of natural speech, but with AI tech, he was able to speak again in Top Gun: Maverick. His 2021 documentary Val showed decades of unfiltered footage.
Bridget FondaAudiences once saw Bridget Fonda everywhere in the 1990s, but after a serious 2003 car accident that caused vertebral fractures, she chose to step away. That same year, she married composer Danny Elfman and embraced private family life. When she finally reemerged in 2022, she looked strikingly different.
Shelley DuvallShelley Duvall gained widespread recognition for her role in The Shining (1980). Over the decades, she exhibited visible signs of aging and physical decline, which drew considerable public attention during a 2016 television interview, where concerns regarding her health and well-being were widely discussed.
Johnny DeppJohnny Depp’s soft-featured 21 Jump Street era evolved into a bohemian style of tattoos and layered clothes. Recent appearances, however, highlight weight loss and a cleaner aesthetic, especially in Dior campaigns. His look reflects constant reinvention under both personal and public pressures.
Mickey Rourke Once hailed as Hollywood’s rugged outsider, Mickey Rourke left the spotlight for boxing. Fighting professionally as “El Marielito,” he notched 27 wins and three losses. Years of punches left scars, which forced cartilage grafts from his rib. By 2008, he returned triumphant in The Wrestler.
Mickey Rourke Rourke’s constantly shifting appearance became tabloid fodder—plumper lips and lifted brows. Plastic surgeons have speculated on facelifts and implants, while his oversized shades mask lingering scars. The fighter’s cowboy boots, silk shirts, and slick hairstyles recast the bruised fighter into a stylish, resilient figure determined to control his own image.
Matthew LewisFans still recall Neville Longbottom’s awkward wardrobe and prosthetics in Harry Potter. Post-franchise, Matthew slimmed down, corrected his smile, and posed shirtless for Attitude. The transformation was so dramatic that fans coined “Longbottoming” to describe glow-ups that shock everyone.
Edward FurlongAudiences first met Edward Furlong as John Connor in Terminator 2 (1991), a kid with striking intensity. Decades brought addiction and visible changes in weight and appearance. By the 2010s, fans barely recognized him. Yet his 2022 return in The Reunion marked resilience and a new chapter.
Dwayne JohnsonBefore superstardom, “The Rock” had a stockier frame and a full head of hair. Gynecomastia surgery and porcelain veneers refined his look by 2001’s The Mummy Returns. His bald head soon became a trademark. For action films, he bulks to 270 pounds, then leans for dramatic roles under 250.
Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks stunned fans in Cast Away when he dropped 55 pounds for authenticity. Two decades later, his rugged beard in Finch grabbed headlines again. Following a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis in 2013, noticeable aging included slower movements and a relaxed public image.
Sean Connery
As James Bond in the 1960s, Sean Connery personified lean, polished charm. After retiring in 2003 with The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, he lived quietly in the Bahamas. His final photos showed the toll of age, yet his dignified withdrawal left a legacy of restraint until his 2020 death.
The 1990s beach-glam persona of Baywatch star Yasmine Bleeth seemed unshakable. But by 2001, addiction struggles shifted everything, which led her away from Hollywood. Health and lifestyle changes altered her appearance, and with her last role in 2003, she chose privacy and a life completely out of public view.
Jonah HillJonah Hill’s body has been part of his story. He slimmed down over 40 pounds for Moneyball (2011), only to regain it for War Dogs (2016). Then came directing Mid90s, which signaled growth beyond the screen. His Brazilian jiu-jitsu posts and candid TV rebukes keep him both grounded and outspoken.
One snapshot can rewrite a public image: different hair, sharper contouring, weight shifts, fitness gains, filters — and sometimes cosmetic work — all combine to make famous faces look startlingly new. These transformations tell a story about aging, image-making and the pressure of fame more than they reveal any single “truth” about a person; glance at a side-by-side, remember the context (lighting, styling, era), and you’ll see that most changes are ordinary, human updates dressed up by media hysteria.
