The
celebs in this compilation are used to walking down the red carpet. But everything has a first time, and when these celebrities were on their path to becoming famous, they probably haven't gotten used to posing for photos just quite yet.
Change is common, and even important, for performers and singers who are constantly looking for new opportunities. However, some celebrities just look and feel so different that it's difficult to recognize them in previous photos. It's understandable because, over the years, these celebs have probably gotten a ton of media training.
We can scarcely believe that today's prominent celebrities appear like the photos in this article. When we compare their latest red carpet performances to their first time, we can see why we are so astonished.
#1 Salma Hayek (1995)
Source: Jim Smeal / Ron Galella Collection / Getty Images, Invision / Invision / East News
Hayek rose to prominence as the main lady in the popular Mexican serial Teresa in 1989, establishing her as a national performer. The film Desperado, released in 1995, popularized Salma and drew Hollywood's attention to her.
#2 Leonardo DiCaprio (1989)
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Leonardo made his film debut in 1991 with the comic horror film Critters 3. Later that year, in 1993, he co-starred with Johnny Depp in the drama What's Eating Gilbert Grape. DiCaprio portrayed Arnie Grape, Gilbert's mentally challenged brother, in this film. The film was a critical hit, earning Leo his first nominations for a "Golden Globe" and a "Oscar."
#3 Meryl Streep (1979)
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Streep made her film debut in 1977 with the film Julia. Meryl won her first Oscar for playing the main character's wife in the drama Kramer vs. Kramer.
#4 Ryan Gosling (2004)
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Since 1995, he has been in television shows such as Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Adventures of Shirley Holmes, and Young Hercules. But he rose to prominence as the main character in the film The Notebook.
#5 Kristen Stewart (2005)
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Stewart appeared in David Fincher's 2002 Hollywood film Panic Room. Her next performance was in the teen comedy Catch That Kid (2004), when she played the lead for the first time. Kristen portrayed a girl who loved mountain climbing and planned to rob a bank to pay for her gravely ill father's surgery.
#6 Zoe Saldana (2005)
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Zoe made her film debut in the 2000 film Center Stage, where she played the brilliant ballerina Eva. Later, the actress co-starred alongside Britney Spears in the film Crossroads (2002). Saldana starred as the pirate girl Anamaria in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl in 2003.
#7 Zac Efron (2005)
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Zac played one of the main characters in the 2006 film High School Musical, which was a box office success. Following that, Efron was cast as Link Larkin in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical Hairspray, which catapulted him to fame.
Source: Michael Germana / Everett Collection / EAST NEWS, Invision / Invision / East News
The singer's breakthrough hit, "Tim McGraw," was published in August 2006, and the album on which this track was included, Taylor Swift (2006), is what made her famous. The Nashville Songwriters Association named her the best songwriter and artist of the year in October 2007. This makes her the youngest singer in history to receive this honor.
#9 Shailene Woodley (2008)
Source: Michael Germana / Everett Collection / EAST NEWS, Invision / Invision / East News
This actress rose to prominence as Amy Juergens in the television series The Secret Life of the American Teenager (2008-2013). Shailene received five Teen Choice Award nominations for this role. Her work in the Divergent trilogy (2014, 2015, 2016), in which she played the main character, catapulted her to international recognition.
#10 Rachel Weisz (2003)
Source: CJ Contino/Everett Collection/ East News, Invision / Invision / East News
Rachel's early acting credits include Chain Reaction (1996) and Stealing Beauty (1997). (also in 1996). However, The Mummy (1999) and Constantine (2005) were the films that made Weisz famous.
#11 Tom Cruise (1986)
Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS / East News, AP / Associated Press / East News
Tom began his acting career in 1981, with a little part in the film Endless Love. His breakthrough part came in the film Risky Business (1983).
#12 Gwyneth Paltrow (1997)
Source: Shakespeare in Love / Universal Pictures, Invision / Invision / East News
Gwyneth made her screen debut in 1991 with the film Shout. In 1998, she won her first "Oscar" for the film Shakespeare in Love.
#13 Cate Blanchett (1999)
Source: East News, LISA O'CONNOR / AFP / East News
Cate's career began in the theater. She was named the best newcomer of the year in 1993 after appearing in the play Oleanna. Her first appearance on television was in 1989, when she was cast in the G.P. series. Blanchett rose to international prominence after starring in the 1998 film Elizabeth.
#14 Anne Hathaway (1999)
Source: The Princess Diaries / The Walt Disney Studios, ANGELA WEISS / AFP / East News
Anne's journey began with the series Get Real (1999). However, it was her role as Princess Mia in the film The Princess Diaries that catapulted her to international recognition.
#15 Jake Gyllenhaal (1999)
Source: Ron Galella / Ron Galella Collection / Getty Images, Invision / Invision / East News
Jake's first acting role was in the 1991 comedy City Slickers. Gyllenhaal gained international acclaim in 1999 for his performance as teenaged Homer Hickam in the film October Sky.
#16 Kate Beckinsale (1999)
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Kate made her television debut in 1991 with the film One Against the Wind. Beckinsale rose to international prominence after her performance in Pearl Harbor in 2001.