It was Andy Warhol who once said: “In the future, everybody will be world famous for fifteen minutes." This idea of everyone getting their “fifteen minutes of fame” has become scarily accurate in the last few decades, with the rise of reality television and our increasing obsession with pop culture and mass entertainment.
While some celebrities stay relevant for years and years, others fade away from memory almost as quickly as they came on the scene in the first place. But one thing’s for certain, most celebrities will do almost anything to stay relevant, including changing their appearance entirely in order to do so. Other times, because time eventually catches up with everyone and because of our societal pressures to always looks perfect, many celebs resort to drastic surgery in order to retain their looks.
As we’ll see with these 20 celebrities, many have succumb to pressures put on them to stay looking youthful, while others have suffered the full weight of the stresses that come with being famous, and therefore have ended up looking completely different than how we once knew them in their prime. Take a look at these 20 celebrities, and witness just how much they’ve changed since they were at the top of their game.
20 Amanda Bynes Went Way Off The Rails
Former Nickelodeon star Amanda Bynes went through a very public breakdown back in 2013, and faced a heap of charges against her. She was clearly suffering from some real, traumatic mental health issues, and it was heartbreaking to see the young actress derail her life in such a dramatic way. Since 2015, Amanda has kept a fairly low profile, and was recently spotted out and about last year looking a whole lot different from her former self. Apparently, Bynes has recently said she’s doing ok, but we wouldn’t be surprised if she were still working on her recovery from what can only be described as a very rough patch in her life. Compared to her days as a teen movie star, Bynes doesn’t exactly look like how she used to. Only time will tell if she decides to get back in the public eye and resume her acting career.
19 Meg Ryan Had One Too Many Procedures Done
In 2016, Meg Ryan stepped out at the Tony Awards, revealing a drastically different look than we’d seen from her so far. Meg hardly looked like the 90s rom-com actress we all knew and loved, and it seemed like the Hollywood star got some very unfortunate plastic surgery done. Looking at Ryan’s face now compared to how she once looked, it can’t be denied that she was much more beautiful before she got the work done. Clearly, the actress has had some fillers as both her lips and her cheeks are a lot plumper than they were before. Meg has always steadfastly refused to confirm or deny going under the knife, but looking at these pictures, it’s more than a little obvious that she’s had some pretty serious surgery.
18 Jennifer Grey Is Fifty Shades of Different
Grey’s most iconic role is surely her performance in 80s classic Dirty Dancing, which has continued to enchant and delight viewers with its great tunes and sensational dancing since it was released in 1987. A lot has changed since then - not only did Patrick Swayze sadly pass away in 2009, but Jennifer Grey has gone through some changes that make her unrecognizable from her former gorgeous self. The 1980s really were Jennifer Grey’s era, not only for her role in Dirty Dancing, but also for her performances in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Red Dawn, among others. Looking at the actress now, she looks nothing like she did in her prime. One of the most drastic changes she went through was getting a nose job, which was a serious mistake as her signature nose was one of her most defining traits. This just goes to show, sometimes you really shouldn’t mess with a good thing.
17 Nate Richert Is Hardly Harvey Anymore
Former star of Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Nate Richert, looks like a completely different person when comparing photos of him now and when he was in his acting prime. We all knew and loved Nate as Harvey, Sabrina’s hunky love interest in the show, but now if we saw him walking down the street, there’s a good chance we wouldn’t even recognize him! His former floppy hair is now practically all gone, and he certainly has a paunch that wasn’t there before. Nate has swapped his acting career for music and is apparently happy in his new direction in life. To us he’ll always be heartthrob Harvey, although we might have to ignore these recent pictures of him to keep that old image of him in mind.
16 Renee Zellweger Bought Herself A Brand New Face
The world reeled in collective shock when Bridget Jones’ Diary actress Renee Zellweger revealed her completely different face in 2014. The actress’ drastic change in appearance had everyone wondering what had happened to her, as her facial structure was entirely different than it was before. Admittedly, Renee looked gorgeous, but she looked nothing like her previous self, and none of us could quite figure out why she had changed her looks so drastically. Maybe it’s just the effect of ageing or maybe we just got used to not seeing her as she was out of the public eye for a while. But, the fact that she looks nothing like her former self is undeniable and we still can’t get used to this new Renee.
15 Christina Aguilera, Same Voice, Different Look
Christina Aguilera has one of the best singing voices of all time, but lately, the Dirrty singer has been a little off our radars. Looking at pictures of Christina in her 2000s heyday compared to her looks now, there’s no denying that the singer looks more than a little different. As most women do, Christina has had some fluctuations with her weight, but whether she’s rocking curves or a lean physique, she’ll always look beautiful. What has distracted her fans though, are suspicions that Christina has had some plastic surgery done. At last year’s American Music Awards, Xtina belted out a tribute to Whitney Houston, but a lot of people couldn’t appreciate her performance fully as they were distracted by the singer’s noticeably plumper lips. Has Christina had some surgery done? Well, she hasn’t confirmed or denied it, but we wouldn’t be surprised if she had given into surgery, considering the pressures that come with stardom.
14 Kelly Clarkson Isn't Here For Body-Shamers
Kelly Clarkson looks drastically different than she did back in her American Idol days, and although many have been quick to critique her for her weight gain, Clarkson is definitely not here for any body-shamers. Kelly has admitted that when she was thin, she was absolutely miserable, and as a result of her being so miserable and depressed, she became thinner and thinner. With fame also comes the pressure to maintain a certain look, and for many years, Kelly tortured herself inside and out to look the way she thought she had to for the public eye. Now, however, with her fuller, healthier frame, Clarkson is so much happier than she’s ever been, and is quick to shut down anybody who criticises her for her appearance.
13 Macaulay Culkin, Cute Kid No More
Everyone will always associate Macaulay Culkin with his most famous role as Kevin McCallister in the Home Alone movies, but looking at the actor now, he’s almost unrecognizable from his days as a child star. Macaulay has had his fair share of ups and downs and faced a challenging childhood despite his rise to fame as a 90s star. Since his Home Alone days, Culkin has enjoyed a rather low-key life, and has, for the most part, steered clear of any big roles apart from his performances in Party Monster in 2003. A lot of people have criticised Macaulay for his rather bedraggled look, and concerns arose about his health when he was photographed looking skeletally thin and pale. All child stars eventually grow up and naturally their looks change, but we have to say, Macaulay’s transformation is one of the most drastic we’ve seen.
12 Matthew Perry Is A Far Cry From His Former Friends Self
Matthew Perry is obviously best known for his role as Chandler Bing in Friends, but the former TV star looks a whole lot different than he did in his fresh-faced Friends days. Perry was actually the youngest out of all his co-stars on the show that ran from 1994 to 2004, but he is arguably the one that has aged the most drastically. Since his Friends days, Perry has been photographed many times looking a little worse for wear, and his scruffy look has now become expected of him. It’s no secret that Matthew Perry suffered with addiction back in his prime acting days, and this clearly took a toll on him, as we can see from his changing looks over the 10 seasons of the show and his appearance nowadays too.
11 Geena Davis Lost Her Edge
Geena Davis’ most notable role is from the 1991 classic movie Thelma and Louise which she starred in opposite Susan Sarandon as well as her performance in women’s baseball flick A League of their Own. There’s no denying that Geena was once a great beauty, but obviously the actress has aged a lot since her acting prime in the 80s and 90s. It’s no secret that some actors and actresses age more gracefully than others, but sadly it seems time has definitely taken its toll on Davis. There has been a lot of speculation whether or not Geena has gotten plastic surgery done on her, and the fact that her husband is a plastic surgeon has only fuelled the rumors! Geena Davis has definitely had some highs and lows when it comes to her appearance, and this picture of her here is definitely one of her lows.
10 Kesha Has Been Through A Lot, And So Has Her Look
Kesha has had a tough few years after being involved in a high profile court battle against her former producer Dr. Luke, whom she claims assaulted her. It’s only natural that with so much stress and trauma, the Tik Tok star’s looks will have shifted a bit as she’s put on weight and doesn’t look as youthful as she once did. However, besides her slight weight gain, Kesha’s features look quite different than they once did. It seems that the singer has had some lip fillers and there’s speculation over whether she’s also had rhinoplasty and breast augmentation as well. We’re not quite sure what Kesha’s had done, but we’d like her to know that she’s beautiful with or without any facial alterations. We just hope she gets her whole confidence back as soon as possible.
9 Mariah Carey Looks Radically Different But Is Still The Same Diva
There’s no denying that Mariah Carey is one of the biggest divas in show business, but over the past few years, the iconic singer has gotten bigger in more ways than just her diva-ness. When she first burst onto the pop charts in 1990 at just 20-years-old, Mariah was one of the hottest, most talented artists on the rise. While her incredible 5-octave-range voice got the most attention, her gorgeous body made almost just as many headlines. Over the years, however, as Carey has aged and gone through the many stresses that come with being mega-famous, her body has changed and the singer has admitted to having a fluctuating body type. While Mariah Carey looks a lot different than her days as a 90s pop queen, she carries herself with such confidence and attitude that she looks beautiful no matter what the scales say.
8 Kate Moss Is A Shell Of Her Former Model Self
At one point, Kate Moss was the most gorgeous, celebrated model in the whole world. Moss has spent her life working hard and partying even harder, and it’s no wonder that after decades of leading such an intense lifestyle, the years have started to catch up with her. It’s a known fact that Kate’s partying has often been narcotic and alcohol-fuelled, and looking at recent pictures of her, we can see the effects of her wild partying on her appearance. Of course, the former supermodel will always have a glow of her former beauty, but it’s hardly surprising to see her looking a little more worn than usual. Comparing recent pictures of Moss with pics from her glory days of modeling, we can see a very stark contrast, which serves as a warning of what non-stop partying can do to you.
7 Heidi Montag Got Addicted To Changing Her Look In An Unnatural Way
Heidi Montag, once famous for starring in reality TV show The Hills, has had a bucket-load of surgeries in order to transform her look from innocent-looking starlet into a plastic-surgery junkie. She reportedly had ten procedures in one day, in order to pursue her quest for looking “perfect.” She has had work done on almost every part of her body ranging from neck liposuction to a butt augmentation. She also had a mini brow lift, chin reduction, Botox in her forehead and frown area as well as fat injected into her cheeks, nasolabial folds and lips. Looking at pictures of what she once looked like compared to how she is now shows a dramatic change in appearance and a complete physical transformation.
6 Pamela Anderson Is A Beached Beauty
Once known for being one of the hottest women in the world and drooled over by millions of men for her buxom physique, Pamela Anderson has clearly tried and sadly failed, to keep up with the expectations the world has on her physical appearance. Famed for her role in 80s TV show Baywatch, Pam Anderson has undergone a whole host of plastic surgery procedures, including boob jobs and various kinds of facelifts. The former Baywatch star’s look has transformed quite a bit over the past few decades and looking at recent pictures of her, she appears almost unrecognisable from her former self. These days, Pam is sporting a more “natural” look with less makeup and fewer hair extensions, but that being said, there still isn’t anything very natural at all about this 80s and 90s icon.
5 Carla Bruni Bears The Stresses Of Politics On Her Face
Carla Bruni is an Italian singer and former model, who also rose to fame for being former French president Nicolas Sarkozy’s wife. She was once considered to be extremely beautiful, but as she has aged, her looks have faded considerably. This isn't so much because of natural aging, but rather because she has had just a bit too much work done on her. Comparing old pictures of the singer in her heyday against photos of her taken more recently, we can see that she has had quite a bit of Botox and injections put into her face, as well as some lifts and tucks to her other facial features too. People were taken aback when she first appeared with this brand new look, and some have compared her to looking like a cat and or even an alien. Poor Carla, the political life couldn't have been easy, but clearly, surgery wasn't the answer to relieve the stresses of it.
4 Carrot Top Isn't Looking So Fresh These Days
One of the best examples of celebrities who look completely different now than they did in their prime is comedian Scott Thompson, aka Carrot Top. Known for his bright red hair and his prop comedy shows, Carrot Top is also definitely an example of celebrity plastic surgery gone wrong. Looking at pictures of him from years ago compared to what he looks like now, the comedian is basically an entirely different person. His face has clearly been lifted and tucked, and the smoothness of his features is rumored to have been achieved through chemical peels. Luckily for Carrot Top, his change in appearance hasn’t really affected his career as people still flock to see him perform, but it’s likely they’ll still be distracted by his odd-looking face throughout his act.
3 Lil Kim Looks More Than A Lil’ Different
Ok, the only thing we think of when looking at this picture of Lil Kim is: what happened girl? The rapper has undergone a drastic transformation, and the results aren’t exactly great. The Grammy-winning artist looks completely unrecognizable from her former self, with dramatically different hair, skin tone, and face shape. Who is this new person and what did she do with Lil Kim? It seems like Kim has bleached her skin and clearly had some nose jobs and Botox injections. It’s sad to think that the singer felt the need to try and achieve this kind of aesthetic, as she was beautiful the way she was before this dramatic change. We just hope Lil Kim is happy and confident in her new look, but hopefully this won’t inspire others to go to such drastic measures to attain what they think is society’s idea of “beautiful.”
2 Jessica Simpson Has Morphed Before Our Eyes
Jessica Simpson has had her fair share of ups and downs during her fame, both professionally as well as personally, but perhaps the most noticeable change she’s gone through during her time in the spotlight is her fluctuating weight. Known for being a singer and reality TV star, Simpson was at her most famous in the late 90s and early 2000s, and at that time was associated with a slim physique, long legs, and of course, daisy dukes. Over the years, Simpson has undergone some drastic physical transformations, from weight gain to weight loss, and it also appears that she has had some surgery done on her face too. This includes very noticeable lip injections, although she has since said that she regrets having gotten this done.
1 Man, Shania Twain Feels Like A Different Woman
Once one of the biggest names in country music, Shania Twain has in recent years been more or less out of the limelight. She announced back in 2015 that she was retiring from country music, but last year Shania made her return with a brand new album and tour, as well as making an appearance as a guest judge on Dancing With the Stars. However, although fans were delighted to see her make a comeback, they couldn’t help noticing that Twain looked a little different than how they’d last see her. Shania Twain was always known for being a stunning beauty, but the public was left in shock at seeing Twain clearly having gotten some work done on her face. The surgery has left Shania looking rather different than she once did. That’s not to say she doesn’t still look beautiful, she still very much does. However, it might take us a little time getting used to her new look.
SOURCES: CNN.com, Thesun.co.uk, HollywoodLife.com, Mirror.co.uk, ETOnline.com
