15 Photos Before Our Biggest Stars Hit Their ‘Glow Up’
We get so used to seeing Hollywood’s biggest names as the impeccable image they showcase, we forget that they had to start from somewhere. Their image is something carefully planned by more people than just them, so it’s always fun to see them before all that created makeover.
So that’s what we’ve brought here today, images of the world’s most famous people and how they looked before all that fame. You’ll notice that they still look as good as ever, meaning that they had a pretty good base to begin with.
Timothée Chalamet, Men, Women & Children
Before becoming a leading man in Dune and Wonka, Chalamet appeared in this 2014 drama about teenagers and their families navigating the internet. His early look is a fun contrast with his current red-carpet image.
Zendaya, Frenemies
Zendaya’s early Disney Channel movie role came before Euphoria, Spider-Man, and her fashion-icon status. In Frenemies (2012), she plays a young magazine editor whose friendship turns competitive.
Margot Robbie, Vigilante
Before The Wolf of Wall Street made her internationally famous, Robbie appeared in the Australian crime film Vigilante (2008). It’s an early screen credit from before the blonde Hollywood glamour became her signature.
Ana de Armas, Virgin Rose
Before Knives Out and Blonde, de Armas starred in the 2006 Cuban-Spanish romantic drama Virgin Rose. Her early screen appearance is especially interesting because her features are already so recognizable.
Florence Pugh, The Falling
Pugh made her feature-film debut in this 2014 British mystery drama, appearing alongside Maisie Williams. Before Midsommar and Dune: Part Two, she was already showing the intensity that would define her performances.
Anya Taylor-Joy, The Witch
Taylor-Joy’s breakthrough role came in Robert Eggers’ 2015 horror film The Witch. Her striking features and period styling already made her memorable, before The Queen’s Gambit turned her into a household name.
Chris Hemsworth, Star Trek
Before becoming Thor, Hemsworth played George Kirk in the opening sequence of J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek (2009). The role is brief but emotionally memorable, and offers an early look at the future Marvel star.
Ryan Gosling, The Believer
Before La La Land and his blockbuster leading-man era, Gosling starred in The Believer (2001), playing a Jewish neo-Nazi. The intense indie role shows a very different side of the actor’s early career.
Angelina Jolie, Cyborg 2
Before Girl, Interrupted and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, Jolie starred in the 1993 science-fiction film Cyborg 2. The futuristic costume and early-1990s styling make this a distinctive pre-superstardom look.
Dakota Johnson, The Social Network
Johnson had a small role in The Social Network (2010), years before Fifty Shades of Grey made her a leading star. Her brief appearance is a useful early-career image to track down.
Tom Hardy, Black Hawk Down
Hardy made his film debut in Ridley Scott’s Black Hawk Down (2001), playing a young Army Ranger. Before his roles in Mad Max: Fury Road and Venom, he was one of the film’s many fresh faces.
Chris Evans, Not Another Teen Movie
Evans played the popular jock in this 2001 parody of teen films. Long before Captain America made him a global star, he was poking fun at the very archetype that helped launch his career.
Robert Pattinson, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Pattinson played Cedric Diggory in the 2005 Harry Potter film, years before Twilight made him a global heartthrob. His clean-cut Hogwarts look is a natural fit for a pre-fame photo feature.
Paul Mescal, The Lost Daughter
Before Normal People made him a breakout star, Mescal appeared in Maggie Gyllenhaal’s 2021 film The Lost Daughter. The supporting role came before his leading-man fame and his rise as a fashion favorite.
Austin Butler, Aliens in the Attic
Before Elvis and Dune: Part Two, Butler appeared in the 2009 family science-fiction comedy Aliens in the Attic. The early role is a fun visual contrast with his later transformation into Elvis Presley.