Childhood Photos Show Celebrities Before They Became Famous
It might be hard to imagine actors, singers, and even supermodels being anything but how society sees them on screen or in magazines. However, once upon a time, they were nothing more than little kids with big dreams.
From awkward phases and babies to silly sibling shots and some with parents, here are pictures of celebrities before they became famous.
Nicole Kidman
This little girl grew up to be much more than an Academy Award-winning actress. Nicole Kidman has also been the Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 1994 and was appointed Companion of the Order of Australia in 2006!
Of course, she is arguably best known for her talents on the small and silver screen in projects such as Big Little Lies, Virginia Woolf, and Moulin Rouge!
Mindy Kaling
Funny lady Mindy Kaling seems to have had a soft spot for humor and performing back in the day if her sock puppet friend has anything to say about it! A grade-A actress and a genius screenwriter, Kaling has demonstrated she is a woman of many talents.
Some of her most famous projects include The Office, Never Have I Ever, and the Broadway musical A Strange Loop. She won a Tony Award as a producer on the production.
John Stamos
Cute as a button as a kid, John Stamos grew up to be one of television's favorite uncles -- Uncle Jesse on Full House. Stamos gained recognition for his role as Blackie Parrish in General Hospital, making his way back to hospital dramas in ER as Dr. Tony Gates.
Outside of acting, Stamos is a music lover, having even had the chance to play alongside The Beach Boys!
Anne Hathaway
Actress Anne Hathaway has come a long way from the little girl in the picture. She has starred in numerous classics, including The Princess Diaries, Interstellar, and The Dark Knight Rises.
A versatile actress, Hathaway has won countless accolades throughout her marvelous career, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Fantine in the movie adaptation of the Broadway play Les Misérables.
Brie Larson
Even from a young age, Brie Larson knew she was destined for great things if the queen costume says anything about her personality! Starting her acting career in 1998, Larson made big waves in Hollywood.
She's starred in Captain Marvel, the sitcom Raising Dad, and The Room, the latter of which earned her an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Bruno Mars
It's good to know that Bruno Mars always had a solid head of hair! The thing is, this little boy probably didn't know at the time that he was going to grow up to be one of the biggest singer-songwriters out there.
As of 2022, Mar has won a total of 178 awards, including 15 Grammy Awards.
Jennifer Aniston
The daughter of actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow, Jennifer Aniston found herself in front of a camera at an early age. Her first film credit, though, didn't come until the 1993 film Leprechaun.
Of course, most people don't remember her for that role but for her role as Rachel Green in the sitcom Friends.
Britney Spears
The Princess of Pop, Britney Spears, began her career on the stage as a member of the Mickey Mouse Club. From there, Spears' career skyrocketed, with the singer releasing album after album and becoming a household name throughout the world.
In 2021, Spears was even named one of the top 100 Most Influential People in the World by Time magazine.
Celine Dion
While her hair changed color, Celine Dion still sports the smile from her childhood! The powerhouse singer has been on stage pretty much her entire life, starting with piano bar performances with her siblings and parents.
From there, she eventually reached international stardom after winning the 1982 Yamaha World Popular Song Festival. She is considered one of the highest-grossing musical artists of all time.
Gisele Bündchen
It seems as though Gisele Bündchen's been practicing her model face since she was a small girl living in Horizontina, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. While she is known as a trailblazer in the industry, making fit bodies "in" and too-skinny bodies "out," Gisele was rejected a whopping 42 times before landing her first gig!
Since 2021, she's been credited as one of the highest-paid models in the world.
Amanda Seyfried
Many people might know actress Amanda Seyfried from the comedy-drama film Mean Girls, her first film role ever, but she has way more projects than just the one under her belt since she began in the industry at age 11.
In fact, as of 2022, Seyfried has appeared in over 40 films!
Ryan Reynolds
One of the highest-grossing film actors of all time, Ryan Reynolds has been in numerous films of varying genres, from comedy to drama. Some of his most notable performances include Deadpool, Free Guy, and Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.
Throughout his career, Reynolds has received numerous accolades, including the Entertainment Weekly Entertainer of the Year Award in 2016.
Mandy Moore
From braces to a dazzling smile suited for the red carpet, Mandy Moore has come a long way in her marvelous acting career.
First gaining recognition for her role in A Walk to Remember, Moore went on to star in numerous projects, including the critically acclaimed television series This Is Us.
Busy Philipps
Actress Busy Philipps has come a long way from being a baby glaring at the camera. In 1999, she starred as Kim Kelly in the sitcom Freaks and Geeks before portraying Audrey Liddell in the teen drama Dawson's Creek.
Philipps even released a memoir in 2018, titled This Will Only Hurt a Little.
Rhianna
Born in Saint Michael, Barbados, Rihanna made an impression on American record producer Evan Rogers when she was still in high school. With an "in," Rihanna began releasing some of the best dance music around, including "Don't Stop the Music," "Pon de Replay," and "SOS."
Since 2022, Rihanna has earned 33 Grammy Award nominations, winning nine.
Ariel Winter
Born in 1998, actress Ariel Winter's first-ever gig in Hollywood was in a Cool Whip commercial in 2002. Of course, fans aren't going to recognize her from her few seconds of commercial fame but from her role as brainiac Alex Dunphy in the critically acclaimed series Modern Family.
Winter and her co-stars went on to win four consecutive Screen Actors Guild Awards for the series.
Keith Urban
A country music icon, Keith Urban clearly had his sights set on music from an early age. With 11 studio albums as of 2022, Urban has made waves in the country music scene, earning four Grammy Awards for his efforts.
In 2013, Urban even released his own line of guitars and music accessories.
Gigi Hadid
Starting her modeling career at the age of two, it seems as though Gigi Hadid was destined for the spotlight. Her breakthrough came in 2013 when she signed with IMG Models, one of the leading agencies in the world.
From there, Hadid walked the catwalks of huge brands, such as Versace, Fendi, Marc Jacobs, and, of course, alongside the other Angels in the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.
Zendaya
Actress Zendaya started her career as a Disney Channel star, quickly showing both her musical and acting chops to fans. After leaving the network, Zendaya found herself on the silver screen in films such as Spider-Man: Homecoming and its sequels, The Greatest Showman, and Dune.
She is also known for her portrayal of Rue in Euphoria, a performance that earned her a Primetime Emmy Award.
Reese Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon left her cheerleading days behind to become an Academy Award-winning actress in the bright lights of Hollywood. Making her breakthrough in the 1999 film Cruel Intentions, Witherspoon went on the star in some classics.
Some of her credits include Sweet Home Alabama, Walk the Line, and the critically acclaimed series Big Little Lies.
Gwen Stefani
Before going off on a solo pop career in 2004, most people knew Gwen Stefani as the lead singer of the rock band No Doubt. Some of their most popular songs include "I'm Just a Girl," "It's My Life," and "Don't Speak."
Of course, Stefani has done a lot outside of her singing career, including being a judge on the hit competition series The Voice.
Ashley Benson
Ashley Benson has been all over the entertainment industry, starting with competitive dance at the age of three! From there, she began modeling in advertisements before heading to the silver and small screen.
From there, she found herself starring in Bring It On: In It To Win It and as Hanna Marin in the teen mystery drama Pretty Little Liars.
Drake
Starting his career as Jimmy Brooks in the teen soap opera Degrassi: The Next Generation, Drake went on to make a name for himself in the music industry.
With the release of his first three studio albums, Drake launched himself to the top of the hip-hop charts, becoming a major player in the genre.
Bryce Dallas Howard
As the daughter of director Ron Howard, it was only a matter of time before Bryce Dallas Howard found that adorable smile in front of the camera on some movie premiere carpet!
In fact, she has been in many well-known motion pictures, including Spider-Man 3, Rocketman, Jurassic World, and even The Twilight Sage: Eclipse.
Adele
Adele made her way into the spotlight starting in 2008, with the release of her debut album, 19. While the album was a huge hit in the United Kingdom, Adele didn't reach international stardom until her second album, 21.
It became the world's best-selling album of the 21st century and earned the powerhouse singer a whopping seven Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel was always destined for the Broadway stage if this Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz costume has anything to say about it! Menzel has been the leading lady in numerous Broadway productions, including Wicked, Rent, and If/Then.
Known as the "Queen of Broadway," Menzel has won the Best Actress in a Musical Tony Award for her portrayal of Elphaba in Wicked.
Jenna Dewan
Born with dancing feet, Jenna Dewan made a career of showing off her moves, either as a backup dancer for Janet Jackson or on the silver screen in movies such as Step Up.
During her career, Dewan has also worked with other huge names, such as Pink, Missy Elliot, and Christina Aguilera.
Jennifer Garner
Nothing like a silly sibling picture to see Jennifer Garner hasn't lost her sweet smile over the years! The actress didn't get her Hollywood breakthrough until 2001, when she landed the lead role of CIA officer Sydney Bristow in the spy action series Alias.
The role paved the way for Garner, allowing her to land silver screen roles in films such as 13 Going on 30, Elektra, and Dallas Buyers Club.
Dianna Agron
As cute as a button, actress Dianna Agron grew up to be the popular, pretty cheerleader Quinn Fabray on the ground-breaking musical comedy-drama Glee, Debbie Marshall on Heroes, and even Sarah Hart in the film adaptation of I Am Number Four.
Agron is also involved in numerous charities, a lot of which revolve around LGBTQ+ and human rights.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Joseph Gordon-Levitt began his career as a child actor, appearing in critically acclaimed films such as A River Runs Through It and Angels in the Outfield.
As he got older, Gordon-Levitt landed more mature roles and showcased his range from a teen trying to get the girl in 10 Things I Hate About You to a police officer trying to do the right thing in The Dark Knight Rises.
Karlie Kloss
One of the leading models in the industry, Karlie Kloss was a Victoria's Secret Angel from 2013 until 2015 and was even named one of the "top 30 models of the 2000s" at the age of 17 by Vogue Paris.
Aside from modeling, Kloss opened a camp, Kode with Klossy, to promote STEM fields to young girls.
Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson rose to international fame after her performance as Penny Lane in the 2000 film Almost Famous. From there, it was hard to see a rom-com without Hudson's face gracing the silver screen.
Apart from acting, Hudson is also the co-founder of the membership program and fitness brand Fabletics.
Uzo Aduba
While Uzo Aduba started her career on the stage, she soon gained small screen recognition for her portrayal of Suzanne "Crazy Eyes" Warren in the hit Netflix original series Orange is the New Black.
For her performance, Abuda earned two Emmy Awards, two SAG Awards, and one NAACP Image Award.
Jessica Chastain
Oscar-winning actress Jessica Chastain became interested in acting from a young age, with her professional stage debut as Juliet in Romeo & Juliet in 1998. It wasn't until 2011 that Chastain had her Hollywood breakthrough.
From there, she starred in numerous high-budget films, including Interstellar, The Help, and The Eyes of Tammy Faye. The latter earned Chastain an Academy Award for Best Actress.
Kelly Ripa
Considered one of the most powerful people in media, Kelly Ripa started off as nothing more than this cute little girl wearing pigtails. While she is known for her talk shows, Ripa actually started her career in television acting.
Her most well-known roles are portraying Hayley Vaughan in All My Children and Faith Fairfield in Hope & Faith.
Maisie Williams
Rocking the short hair and bangs duo since she was little, Maisie Williams shot to stardom when she landed the role of Arya Stark in the critically acclaimed medieval drama Game of Thrones.
For her performance, Williams earned two Primetime Emmy Award nominations and critical praise. In 2014, she moved to the silver screen in her first film, The Falling.
Matt Bomer
Born in Webster Groves, Missouri, actor Matt Bomer says, as a kid, he's always had an active imagination. Well, that imagination worked very well since Bomer has starred in numerous critically acclaimed projects, including American Horror Stories, The Sinner, and The Normal Heart.
The latter earned Bomer his first Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Rashida Jones
The daughter of Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton, it was only a matter of time before Rashida found her way to Hollywood.
An actress, director, and writer, Rashida Jones has worked on numerous projects throughout her career, including co-writing the script for Toy Story 4. She is also known for her roles in The Office and Parks and Recreation.
Shay Mitchell
This little girl grew up to be a leading lady, best known for her performance as Emily Fields in the teen mystery drama Pretty Little Liars.
Of course, actress Shay Mitchell has more titles under her belt than the teen show, including the hit television series You, Dollface, and Trese, her first voiceover role in TV.
Will Smith
Gaining fame as a rapper known as The Fresh Prince, Will Smith hopped from the music industry over to television and film, starting with the hit series The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.
Smith isn't just known for his work on the small screen, though. the Academy Award-winning actor has also starred in numerous films, including Men In Black, Bad Boys, and King Richard.
