What 15 Stars Looked Like the Year They Became Superstars

Before the fame, the flashbulbs, and the red carpets, these stars were just chasing a dream one audition at a time. But there’s always one year when everything changes. Hop into our Hollywood time machine and see what these 15 stars looked like right when they became A-list.

1. Timothée Chalamet

Timothée Chalamet’s big breakthrough came in 2017, a year that completely changed his career. With his unforgettable performance in Call Me By Your Name, he instantly captured audiences’ hearts and earned major award buzz. That same year, he also stood out in Lady Bird, proving he could shine in very different roles. After 2017, it was clear that Hollywood had found its next rising star.

2. Zoë Kravitz

For Zoë Kravitz, becoming an actress was a long-time goal. At the age of 15, she made her debut in the movie, No Reservations, playing a babysitter. 15 years later, she fulfilled her goal of becoming Catwoman in the movie, The Batman.

3. Amy Adams

With dreams of pursuing a career in musical theater, Amy Adams began working as a dancer in several different theaters. But it was in 1999 that the comedy film Drop Dead Gorgeous changed the game for her. Immediately after that, Adams found her film role to be an opportunity to further her screen career.

4. Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt grew up with a special love for movies. Although at one point in his life he aspired to be an advertising art director, his life took a different path. In 1989, he made his big-screen debut in the horror film Cutting Class, which brought him into the Hollywood spotlight.

5. Leonardo DiCaprio

Before melting our hearts in Titanic, Leonardo DiCaprio began his acting career at a very young age by making cameo appearances on television shows. But it wasn’t until the movie This Boy’s Life that, along with his co-star Robert De Niro, he showed he had what it takes to become a great actor.

6. Priyanka Chopra

Priyanka Chopra’s rise to fame didn’t happen overnight. In India, she had already been a well-known face since 2003, when she landed her first Bollywood role and quickly became a major star. But her career reached a whole new level in 2015, when she made a powerful global breakthrough as the lead in the US crime drama Quantico. That role introduced her to audiences worldwide and marked the moment she truly became an international star.

7. Angelina Jolie

She started acting at a very young age, but it wasn’t until 1999 that Angelina Jolie would make a name for herself in the industry forever. Her performance in the movie Girl, Interrupted resulted in an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.

8. Natalie Portman

At the age of 11, Natalie Portman was discovered by a Revlon cosmetics representative, who encouraged her to pursue a modeling career. However, deep inside, she wanted to become an actress. And in 1994, she made her big debut in the movie Leon: The Professional, in which she caught the attention of all of Hollywood.

9. Tom Hanks

The Academy Award-winning actor began his career with several small roles on television shows and a few supporting roles in movies. But it was his starring role in the movie Splash, where he played a man who falls in love with a mermaid, that gave him his first big break in Hollywood.

10. Keanu Reeves

Before starring in The Matrix, Keanu Reeves first got attention for his roles in teen movies. In 1986, he gained the eye of Hollywood thanks to his performance in the movie River’s Edge.

11. Ryan Reynolds

One of the performances Ryan Reynolds is likely most remembered for is his leading role in Deadpool. But he first turned heads in 1993 when he made his acting debut at the age of 13 in the movie, Ordinary Magic.

12. Julie Andrews

Her unique voice transcends over time in 2 of Hollywood’s most memorable films. Julie Andrews made her way into the film industry thanks to her leading role in Mary Poppins. Her stunning portrayal of the magical nanny won her an Academy Award for Best Actress.

13. Robert Downey Jr.

The actor, best known for his role as Iron Man, made several movie appearances in the early 1980s. But it wasn’t until 1987 that Robert Downey Jr. had his first big-screen starring role in the romantic comedy, The Pick-Up Artist.

14. Meryl Streep

Regarded as one of the greatest actresses around, Meryl Streep began her career in the late 1960s, appearing on stage in various Broadway productions. Her first big break in Hollywood was in 1978, when she appeared in the movie The Deer Hunter. The role earned the actress her first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.

15. Sydney Sweeney

Sydney Sweeney first started turning heads in 2018, when she popped up in a string of buzzworthy shows. She brought her charm to the Netflix teen comedy and proved she could handle darker, more intense stories with roles in The Handmaid’s Tale and HBO’s Sharp Objects. Those early performances didn’t just put her on viewers’ radar—they hinted at the breakout star she was about to become.

It’s hard to picture a time when our favorite Hollywood stars were just hopeful actors trying to make it. They may have changed a lot over the years, but one thing has stayed the same: that spark in their eyes—the mix of confidence and ambition that pushed them to the top. Get ready for another compilation of celebrities who looked totally different before becoming big Hollywood A-listers.