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We live in an incredible time period where early-Hollywood and new-Hollywood are starting to meld. People like Betty White, Alec Baldwin, and Danny DeVito all worked through the back half of the 20th century, and they're still killing it nowadays. Here's what these celebrities looked like when they were young, compared to how they look now...
Betty White
The lovable and ageless Betty White hasn't always been an old lady. In fact, she started her modeling career in the 1930s, and she used that as an opportunity to get into television writing. She produced her own sitcom about herself called Life with Elizabeth on her own in the 1950s. After that, she starred in The Betty White Show, which unfortunately only lasted one season. Then, she starred in Golden Girls, which was her real opportunity to shine on the small screen.
Meryl Streep
Streep graduated from Yale before she decided to give up the Ivy League lifestyle and took a role in the movie Julia. She acted all the way from the time she was in her mid-20s until now. She's most known for her roles in Little Women, The Devil Wears Prada, Mamma Mia, and many others. She is now 71 years old, and she doesn't want to stop acting any time soon.
Goldie Hawn
Goldie landed her first role as a three-year-old. But, she abandoned the prospect to attend American University, and later, she dropped out to teach ballet lessons. She continued her dancing career in California where she got a role in Good Morning World. In 2003, she started The Hawn Foundation, which is a non-profit organization that is aimed at helping academically disenfranchised youth.
Alec Baldwin
Baldwin originally built his career on Broadway, which was centered almost completely around his good looks. Before he hit the big screen, he appeared briefly on Doctors and Knots Landing. When he turned 30, Baldwin debuted in the movie Forever Lulu. From there, he starred in The Departed, It's Complicated, The Hunt for Red October, and many more. Although, he is most known now for his time on SNL and 30 Rock.
Jennifer Aniston
Both of Aniston's parents were actors, and neither of them wanted her to get into the film industry. However, Jennifer Aniston showed passion and talent in acting at a very young age, and she went against her parents' advice. Flash forward a few years, she was in the middle of shooting Friends when she was offered a role on Saturday Night Live. She still writes for SNL occasionally, but she has taken a lot of time away from cameras to focus on her personal life.
Bill Murray
Bill Murray was actually a caddy before he hit the silver screen. He carried golf clubs at a local golf course while he was studying at Regis College when he wasn't singing in his band. After Murray graduated, he was invited to join a comedy club by his brother. By the 1970s, Murray landed a spot on Saturday Night Live. He then starred in the movie Meatballs, which led to him staring in Scrooged, Ghostbusters, and Caddyshack.
Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews was named the "Youngest Prima Doma" in Britain in the 1950s. She was then cast in Mary Poppins, which won Julie her first Academy Award. This led her to star in The Sound of Music, but she didn't stop there. Andrews starred in The Princess Diaries as the Queen of Genovia. Her presence in films has always completely changed how the public viewed them. Even when she took up voice acting, she was able to boost the popularity of movies like Aquaman and Despicable Me.
Morgan Freeman
Believe it or not, before Morgan Freeman became the "voice of God," he spent the majority of his life touring with a musical group. He acted in minor films as small characters until the age of 57 in 1990. That's when Freeman landed his big break in the movie The Shawshank Redemption.
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda actually began her acting career in the 1950s. She was a model prior to that, and apparently, she lived a much different lifestyle when she transitioned from model to actor. It's hard to believe that she's 81 years old, especially since her last appearance on Gracie and Frankie in 2005 made her look so young.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Sarah Jessica Parker was a Broadway star at just 11 years old in 1984. She was cast in the movie Footloose, which tossed her into stardom. But, her career completely transformed when she turned 33 because she got cast in Sex and the City. From then until now, people know her primarily as Carrie Bradshaw.
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon made her breakthrough right out of college in 1975s The Rocky Horror Show. But, she aspired to be much more than a niche musical star. She honed her acting skill for years, which eventually helped her land roles in Thelma and Louise, The Witches of Eastwick, and many more films. She still acts to this day.
Robert De Niro
De Niro started his career when he was very young. He landed his first role at the age of 20 in a movie called The Wedding Party. Next, he played a character in The Godfather II, which led him to get his role in Taxi Driver, and then Goodfellas. At 77-years-old, De Niro doesn't show any signs of quitting yet.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is one of the largest success stories in modern human history. She was born into abject poverty, she experienced nearly a lifetime of difficulties, and over time, she was given the opportunity to become one of the most influential women in human history (according to Time magazine). The Oprah Winfrey Show was one of the first of its kind, and Oprah herself is famous for being able to break social and societal norms. She was even able to create her own cable network.
Demi Moore
Moore started acting when she was in high school, and this led to her moving house 30 times before she even turned 18. At 16, the star quit high school to pursue her big break. She worked as a debt collector and a model before she was cast in General Hospital, which as we all know, became an enormous hit.
Jennifer Lopez
Lopez started her career as a dancer, but at 16, she found her way into Hollywood. She appeared in the movie My Little Girl in 1986, and she tried to focus on dancing until she realized that acting was her true calling three years afterward. In 1997, she played a major role in the movie Selena, which helped her rise to stardom. Now, she is an accomplished musician, dancer, actor, producer, and activist.
Ricky Gervais
Before Ricky Gervais became an actor, he was the frontman of a pop group while he was in college at UCLA. He continued down the music broadcasting road and did radio podcasts until he was 40 years old, then he took another path. He landed his role in The Office (UK), where he struck it big and has never had to worry about employment since.
Helen Mirren
Mirren is another actor who has won the "triple crown." For over 50 years, Mirren starred in industry-changing roles and characters. Despite her successful career, Mirren grew up as a working-class girl. Her father was a cab driver who eventually became a police officer. Her grandfather was Queen Victoria's butcher, which eventually helped her land more roles in movies.
Queen Elizabeth II
Now, Queen Elizabeth is 94-years-old. She's the longest-reigning monarch in the history of Great Britain, which is an extremely impressive feat. Long before she took the throne, Elizabeth represented her father, King George VI, in his public appearances. She delivered radio broadcasts during WWII to boost the morale of the soldiers as well.
Colin Firth
When Colin Firth graduated college he was asked to join an elite group of actors called the Brit Pack. This group of actors helped him land his first big gig in the UK, and at age 35, he was able to move over to Hollywood to get his career rolling here. He was cast in Mamma Mia and Love Actually, which were huge commercial successes. Thanks to talent, good looks, and a little luck, Colin Firth is still going strong.
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson is regularly referred to as one of the greatest actors of all time. However, before Jackson even considered acting, he was a social activist who participated in the Civil Rights Movement. Later in Jackson's life, he realized he was extremely good at acting, and his first role in Goodfellas cemented that. Four years later, Jackson got cast in Pulp Fiction, and the rest is history.
Clint Eastwood
Whenever someone mentions Clint Eastwood, you think about an old crotchety man who's holding a shotgun and yelling at some kids, probably. But, back in the day, Eastwood wasn't the same guy he is known as today, in fact, he was a lazy slacker who didn't think he was going to get anywhere in life. He took odd jobs after he graduated college with no prospects, which led to him going out for auditions, which eventually landed him his breakthrough role in the movie Rawhide.
Sissy Spacek
When Sissy was a child, she swam, rode horses, climbed trees, and explored the woodlands near her home in Quitman, Texas. She grew up wanting to be a singer, but her cousin convinced her to try acting. Fast forward to her 20s, Sissy landed her legendary role in Badlands. She became internationally recognizable. Over the course of her career, she won three Golden Globes and an Academy Award.
Slash
Before Slash was exclusively known as Slash, his name was Saul Steinberg. He grew up in London and played guitar since he was a child. He eventually managed to play his way all across the pond and settled in Los Angeles with his band Road Crew. In a very short period of time, Slash joined Guns N' Roses. He led the music industry for nearly 20 years, and when Guns N' Roses broke up, he started his solo project, which he still performs.
Ed Harris
Young media consumers would most likely recognize Ed Harris for his role in Westworld. But, before the show, Harris had a long career in television through the 70s and was involved in stage plays as well. When Harris got cast in The Right Stuff, his career began to explode outward. He was in The Truman Show, Apollo 13, and many more incredible films.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton is 74 years old now, but she's been going strong since she was a kid. She started her career in movie production and directing, but she also dabbled in singing, writing, real estate, and photography. Keaton landed a spot on Broadway, which ended up getting her a role in The Godfather in 1972. At 31, she won her first Oscar for the movie Annie Hall.
Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson's career began in Ireland, and after nearly a lifetime of trying to make it to the American stage, he landed his first gig in Hollywood. Schindler's List was Neeson's claim to fame, and he landed that gig when he was 42 years old. Then, he starred in The Grey, Taken, Star Wars, and many others. He still acts to this day.
Ellen Burstyn
Ellen Burstyn is still doing great at 87-years-old. She was a dancer and a model before she made a career in Hollywood. She landed a gig on Broadway in 1979, and from there she starred in movies like The Virginian and 77 Sunset Strip. Recently, she starred in a movie called Tale.
Blythe Danner
Blythe Danner is the reason Gwyneth Paltrow got her start. No, she isn't a talent recruiter, she's her mom. Blythe starred in her first movie, To Kill a Clown, in 1972. Since then, she hasn't stopped. Blythe just turned 77 years old, and she still acts in movies regularly. Most recently, she was in Meet the Parents, Strange But True, and The Tomorrow Man.
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr. started his career at just five-years-old. He starred in Pound, which was a movie that was both written and directed by his father. If it weren't for his A-list parents, Downey Jr. probably wouldn't be in the place he is today. Downey Jr. starred in dozens of hits in the 1980s, but he struggled to remain relevant in the 2000s until he was cast as Iron Man.
Gloria Stuart
Gloria Stuart got her start at the age of 22 in the 1930s. However, she took a break through the 1940s to make artwork, practice acting in theaters, and design books for clients. She returned to the camera in the 1970s, but her career didn't pick up until 1997 when she was 87 years old when Titanic was released. She died at 100 years old, leaving behind a huge legacy.
Bob Barker
Bob Barker may be 97-years-old and retired now, but back when he was younger, he was a shining star. Barker worked as a radio host while he was in college, and afterward, he moved to California. His first television appearance happened when he was 33 years old with the show Truth or Consequences, which ran from 1956 to 1972. As soon as that show ended, Barker took his role on The Price is Right.
Jessica Lange
Jessica Lange is one of the few actors in the world who have won the "triple crown" of acting. She won an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, and a Tony Award, all in the acting categories. Her career started when she was scouted as a fashion model in New York, which eventually led to her starring in King Kong in 1976. Nowadays, people can see her in American Horror Story and Grey Gardens.
Martin Sheen
Martin Sheen began his career virtually unable to get work. This was due to the fact that his birth name was Ramon Gerardo Antonio Estevez, and filmmakers often would deny him for major roles due to typecasting. He changed his name to Martin Sheen, and he received numerous offers afterward.
Charlie Sheen
When Charlie Sheen was a kid, he wanted to be a professional actor so badly that he actually got kicked out of high school for not focusing on his work. But, his expulsion landed him roles in the movies Red Dawn, Platoon, and Wall Street. These roles eventually blossomed into him starring in Two and a Half Men, which most people know he was fired from. Sheen still acts today, despite battling a myriad of addictions and personal issues. He seems to be doing significantly better than before.
Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith had been acting since the 1950s, but she never really left the stage until she got a bit older. Her first role was in the movie The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which landed her an Academy Award. She was later cast as Violet Crawley from Downtown Abbey, and Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series.
Mary Steenburgen
Since she was a child, Mary Steenburgen has been doing incredible things that showcased her talents. She wrote books, participated in talent shows, and she discovered her passion for acting, which landed her in Manhattan while pursuing a career. Steenburgen was given a Best Supporting Actress award for her role in the movie Melvin and Howard in 1980. She has won numerous other awards over the years, and she isn't done yet.
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken idolized Elvis Presley at his young age. However, he wasn't musically inclined, so he just wore the classic Elvis doo, and he focused on other things like lion taming and dancing in the circus. He eventually transitioned out of the circus and into Hollywood when he was offered the lead role in the 1978 film Deer Hunter. From there, he became one of the most recognizable and celebrated actors in history.
Jane Seymour
Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenburg changed her name to Jane Seymour when she turned 17. She is one of the most famous British actors of the 20th century. She starred in Live and Let Die, and numerous movies in the James Bond franchise. She later moved to America and starred in movies like Buttons, The War with Grandpa, and Little Italy. She still acts to this day.
Barbara Hershey
Hershey has proven herself to be one of the most versatile actors in modern history. She struggled to get rid of her "hippie" reputation in Hollywood, so she completely shifted gears and only took roles that would drive her further away from that persona. She won several awards for her depiction of Mary Magdalene in The Last Temptation of Christ, and that helped her become pickier towards the tail end of her nearly 50 years in the industry.
Hugh Hefner
Hugh Hefner wasn't always the playboy mogul that he grew up to be. Playboy was intended not just to be a magazine that had pictures of nude women in it, it was a platform for new writers to make their voices heard. The articles that he approved typically discussed political issues, racial injustices, homosexuality, and some even challenged the mission and effect of Playboy itself. Hefner may have passed away, but his legacy and the ethics surrounding Playboy still exist today.
Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier was the first black man to win an Academy Award for best actor. One year after that, he got nominated once more for that role. This was in the 1960s, and he used his newfound fame to advance in the Civil Rights movement. In 1997, Sidney became the Bahamas Ambassador to Japan. He was ranked number 22 among the greatest male stars of Hollywood's cinema by the American Film Institute.
Prince Phillip
Prince Phillip was the Consort of the British monarch because of the ascension of Queen Elizabeth. Phillip was born into Danish and Greek royalty, and he held his first title in 1921 as the Prince of Greece and Denmark. He then married Queen Elizabeth in 1947, and he still lives happily today
Michael Caine
Michael Caine is actively delivering incredible performances, even in his old age. After he enrolled in military school as a kid, he was given the position of stage manager at his school and was appointed his first acting job. He took that job to Hollywood, which quickly blossomed into a lifetime career of major successes and adoration.
Donald Sutherland
Sutherland's distinct voice made him a legend in Hollywood, but due to his numerous medical conditions, he was never able to continue his life as an actor into his old age. Donald got into the industry by joining a comedy coupe and leaving Canada with it in 1957 to pursue his passion to be on the stage. He got a job working at a radio station at the age of 14, and the rest is history.
Suzanne Somers
Suzanne Somers was mostly known for her time modeling for Playboy before she grew into her old age. She made most of her career about modeling, but she pivoted to showbusiness in her 30s. Her career took a major shift when she started advocating for scientifically disproven therapy for menopause, and she lost a lot of her credibility from that. Nowadays, she appears in talk shows and exercises infomercials.
Jackie Chan
Jackie Chan is a famous actor, martial artist, producer, and choreographer. He is globally well known, and over his career, he has amassed over $350 million in personal wealth. Chan attended Peking Opera School as a child, where he studied acrobatics and martial arts. He sustained numerous injuries as a child, which prompted him to focus on safety and accessibility in martial arts and stunts in general.
Paul McCartney
McCartney started making music at an early age with the legendary British pop band, the Beatles. The Beatles are widely considered to be the most influential pop band in world history, and McCartney has made a lifelong career of making and sharing music with or without the band. Currently, McCartney has a solo project that occasionally tours when there isn't a global pandemic going on.
Danny DeVito
DeVito faced a ton of obstacles throughout his career. Early on, his height was the greatest hindrance to him. But, as he got older, his persona grew, and producers started writing him into roles in their scripts because he was such a recognizable person. Right now, DeVito only appears in It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, which has just seen its 15th season renewal.
Pierce Brosnan
Brosnan got his career started through sheer luck and hard work. He graduated from the Drama Center in London in 1975, and that led him to getting a job at the Rock Royal Theater as the assistant stage manager. After the 1980s, he appeared in the movie Mansions of America, which got him noticed by talent scouts. He was nominated to be the new James Bond in the 1990s, and he is still acting today.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee is the daughter of the legendary actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh. She was born into the industry, but she was able to make her own waves when she captured her first role in the notorious slasher movie: Halloween. Jamie Lee spanned her career over action, comedy, and horror, and now she just works as a blogger to fill her spare time.
Al Pacino
Pacino was featured in The Godfather, Heat, and Scent of a Woman early on in his career, which created a direct path to conventional stardom that he did not follow. Pacino constantly searched to better himself and act in more diverse roles all over Hollywood. Even at age 80, Pacino is making waves in the acting industry.
Sigourney Weaver
Weaver began her career as a sci-fi juggernaut, but over time, she has diversified her resume to include comedies and political films as well. In 2006, Weaver was invited to play a part in the UN General Assembly policy deliberation. She has become a climate and social activist and has used her platform to preach the necessity of societal change.
Sylvester Stallone
Stallone was a starving, struggling actor before he got picked up for the 1976 classic film: Rocky. Stallone played numerous legendary roles over the course of his career, and he is still creating movies that thrill and intrigue audiences around the globe.
Michael Keaton
Keaton was huge in the 1980s. He starred in Gung Ho, Batman, Johnny Dangerously, and Beetlejuice. In recent years, he has taken a bit of a career break, but when he is around, he appears in high profile films like Birdman and Spider-Man: Homecoming. Keaton has won several awards over the course of his career, and he hasn't stopped yet.
Cher
Cher is 75 years old now, but back in the day, she knew what her life trajectory was supposed to be. Cher always wanted to be an actor, and she moved to Hollywood before she turned 18. There, she met her first husband, Sonny, who was able to get her a job in the industry. She began focusing on her career full-time in the 1980s. She then became a practicing musician, and she's still succeding regularly.
Dennis Quaid
Quaid got started in his acting career by studying the philosophy of human behavior in college. Once he learned what he wanted to know, Quaid dropped out of school and started taking odd jobs to get by while trying to get into the industry. By 1978, Quaid landed his first role in the movie Breaking Away, and since then, he has become one of Hollywood's most recognizable actors.
Javier Bardem
Bardem made his first on-screen appearance at the age of five, and he's been acting full time ever since. In 1992, he got his first huge break in the movie Jamon, Jamon. He moved to America to be part of Hollywood, and in recent years, he showcased his talents in the movies Sanctuary, The Roads Not Taken, and Mother!
Steve Martin
Steve Martin actually started his career off as a musician at Disney World. He played the banjo in numerous night clubs until he was picked up by a talent scout. In 1969, Steve Martin earned an Emmy Award for his writing for the Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour. Steve Martin's life changed in 1977 when he starred in The Absent-Minded Waiter, which was a movie that he produced himself. The rest of his career was full of stand-up comedy and acting, and he's still active today.
Jon Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi started his musical career at the age of 13 with the band the Atlantic City Expressway. He partnered with David Bryan, who eventually became his lifelong business partner. with this band, and he landed them some recording gigs. Over the years, Bon Jovi crossed numerous genre lines, and he is still making music.
George Clooney
Clooney started his life wanting to be a baseball player. But, at the age of 21, he left the field to pursue the limelight. He moved to Los Angeles and he landed roles in the movies The Facts of Life and Roseanne, which served as the foundation for his success. Clooney is 60 years old now, and he is still relevant in the film industry.
Johnny Depp
Depp first got noticed because of his band, The Kids. However, they never went that far as a group, so Depp decided he was going to move to Los Angeles to pursue an acting career. Depp was introduced to Nicolas Cage, who immediately created a bond with the young star. Depp landed his first role in 1984's Nightmare on Elm Street, and he still stars in major films nowadays.
Bonnie Hunt
Bonnie Hunt was once an oncological nurse before she became an actor. She was studying to further her medical degree before she eventually decided to drop out of school and become a "storyteller." According to Bonnie, she was initially interested in writing scripts for TV shows. But, she eventually became a full-time comedy actor with the connections she made while in the industry.
Lionel Richie
Before Lionel Richie became a musician, he studied economics and played tennis at the Tuskegee Institute. He taught himself how to play the saxophone and was invited to join the funk band Commodores. Lionel quickly became a household name, and he started touring on his own solo act. He made the switch from Motown Records to Atlantic Records in the 2000s, and he's been there ever since.
Celine Dion
Dion became a star at just 12-years-old. She learned how to be a proper singer through osmosis because her entire family was musically inclined. Over the years, Celine Dion became a superstar, and she is still singing today at the age of 53.
Salma Hayek
Hayek started her career back in 1991. She was invited to star in the movie Desperado in 1995, which was directed by Robert Rodriguez. Salma was a huge reason why that movie was successful, and she went on to win numerous award nominations for many roles in over 50 productions. She is now 54 years old, but she still has her foot on the gas pedal.