The Complete Transformation Of Jennifer Love Hewitt

When it comes to popular actors of the early aughts, Jennifer Love Hewitt is definitely one of the first names that comes to mind. The star's captivating beauty and undeniable talent had millennials in a chokehold in the 2000s, and more than two decades later, Hewitt is as stunning and confident as ever.

However, the actor is no longer the shy young girl she used to be. Today, Hewitt is not only a loving mother and wife, but she has also grown into a woman who exudes confidence, always ensuring her voice is heard and respected. Of course, getting there wasn't easy, but Jennifer Love Hewitt's transformation over the years is inspiring and raw, showing that even the rich and famous deal with self-doubt, loss, and hardship. And in Hewitt's case, she did it all while maintaining her own sense of style. Sharing her life story so openly with the world has undeniably led to Hewitt's 2025 comeback — something we couldn't be more excited about!

In 1989, a 10-year-old Jennifer Love Hewitt joined the cast of the Disney Channel show "Kids Incorporated," officially kicking off her career in the spotlight. In 2013, Hewitt opened up about her beginnings, revealing that she always wanted to work in the entertainment industry. "I had started singing back in Texas," she said, adding that she was six or seven at the time (via Modern Dog). "I used to perform at livestock shows, because that was a very Texas thing to do. And at state fairs. I didn't really know it was the entertainment industry that I wanted to be a part of, I just knew that I loved entertaining people and making them happy," the actor explained.

By the mid-'90s, Hewitt was a well-known teen star, and her style was all about embracing the simplicity of '90s fashion. High-waisted jeans and cropped tops were a staple, but the young actor also loved going for a darker and grungier vibe with black velvet pieces. In fact, Hewitt rocked plenty of the early aughts and '90s fashion trends that have come back in style in the 2020s.

The second half of the '90s was when Jennifer Love Hewitt's career exploded, and she became the scream queen we know and love today. Her role in the cult horror classics "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "I Still Know What You Did Last Summer" propelled her to international stardom, and Hewitt quickly became one of Hollywood's most well-known young stars.

"I've made a promise to myself that the one thing I'm never going to do is grow up," she said in 1997 (via Texas Monthly). "But I like growing up to the degree that I like learning more." With growing up, Hewitt embraced a sexier look, often going for curve-hugging fashion and revealing cuts. For the 1999 MTV Video Music Awards, the actor opted to go with a navy-and-silver matching set that was fun and unexpected, proving that while she may have risen to fame as an actor, she definitely has the fashion sense of a pop diva. And this certainly checks out, as Hewitt has dabbled in music, releasing songs in the late '90s and early aughts.

By the early aughts, Jennifer Love Hewitt was a household name in the industry, with projects like "Can't Hardly Wait" and "Heartbreakers" under her belt. Hewitt effortlessly leaned into 2000s fashion and beauty trends, and she even explored having blond hair for a while. Brown fashion and leather pieces were a staple for her red-carpet looks, and Hewitt always made sure to rock just the perfect amount of Y2K accessories. 

Of course, being super busy in the spotlight means that finding love isn't easy, but Hewitt revealed that she had changed her tactics. "I recently in my dating life have really decided that guys are going to have to like kind of come to me at this point," Hewitt said in 2004 (via Black Film). "It just leaves you feeling more hurt when you're the one that kind of goes out and does all the work." The actor explained that she is "a hopeless romantic" and that she tends to go above and beyond for her partner. "I am very much the person in a relationship to go, if things are going well, I'll buy the flowers, I'll remember the dates of things, I'll plan fun nights out, I'll do all of that stuff and then if they don't really want to be with me or it doesn't work out, then I'm like, 'I've done everything possible,'" she admitted. 

It's no secret that the public was shamelessly scrutinizing women in the spotlight in the 2000s, and over the years, numerous stars whose careers peaked at the time have spoken up about the effects of the constant negative comments by the media. Unfortunately, Jennifer Love Hewitt was yet another young woman who had to deal with the public dissecting every part of her. The actor, who was in her late 20s at the time and had just gotten engaged to Scottish actor Ross McCall, was ready to speak up. She was doing it not only for herself, but also for all the younger stars who didn't have the courage to point out that the way celebrities were treated in the media was wrong.

"I've sat by in silence for a long time now about the way women's bodies are constantly scrutinized,” Hewitt said in 2007 (via OK! Magazine). "To set the record straight, I'm not upset for me, but for all the girls out there that are struggling with their body image.” By speaking up against the scrutiny, the "Ghost Whisperer" star undeniably helped change things for the next generations of stars. ”What I should be doing is celebrating some of the best days of my life and my engagement to the man of my dreams, instead of having to deal with photographers taking invasive pictures from bad angles," she added.

At the end of 2008, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Ross McCall called off their engagement and parted ways. While dealing with personal changes, Hewitt was once again under the magnifying glass, this time for losing weight. "I literally got a phone call saying, 'P.S. You're going to be on the cover of Us, and they're talking about you losing weight,'" Hewitt told TV Guide that year. "I didn't want people to think what I said [last year] wasn't true, because I stand by what I said. People's bodies are going to change. Sometimes you're going to go up, sometimes you're going to go down ... I wish people would stop talking about it all together, to be quite honest."

Hewitt's red-carpet style slowly became more sophisticated, with the star rocking stunning gowns for the industry's biggest events. In 2008, she attended the Emmy Awards in a strapless, white, A-line Carolina Herrera dress with black embellishments. At the time, Hewitt also rocked copper-brown hair — a tone that beautifully enhanced her features. In fact, we've talked about how crunette hair is the ultimate way to ease into the copper dye trend, and Hewitt's hair is the perfect example of it.

Speaking of her career as an actor, Jennifer Love Hewitt admitted that she likes the small screen as much as the big one. "I like them both for different reasons," she told PopEntertainment in 2012. "Films are amazing — to be a part of a movie is the greatest. It's so historic and exciting and all of that. Television for me is great because I love to act every day. I love to work that muscle. I love to learn, and I love to be able to just do what I love. It's when I'm at my best, so I love TV for that reason because it's every day."

In the early 2010s, Hewitt's style was once again very on-trend, with the actor embracing bodycon dresses in any shape and form. From edgy patterns and fun cutouts to classic monochromatic ones, she was wholeheartedly riding the wave of the popular trend. Even though the type of dress isn't as popular anymore, we still believe it's one of the 14 types of dresses everyone should own. While Hewitt looked stunning on red carpets, a big reason for her beautiful glow was undoubtedly the fact that the star was once again in love. In 2013, Hewitt announced that she and her "The Client List" co-star Brian Hallisay were expecting. By the end of the year, the couple tied the knot and welcomed their daughter Autumn.

In 2015, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Brian Hallisay welcomed their second child, a boy named Atticus. "I feel my best when I'm pregnant, which means I should probably have 18 children — it won't happen — but I do feel good," the actor revealed in 2015 (via People). "Your body changes so much and there's a sensuality about that. I say, accentuate the fact that your legs look thinner than they ever have and your boobs look great. Work it!" And there is no denying that Hewitt was rocking great fashion pieces during her second pregnancy, as well as after it. Black was a common color she gravitated toward for red-carpet events, often exuding a mysterious yet sophisticated vibe.

"As somebody who's been in this business for a long time and had to be all about what your figure looks like ... I think if you can let that stuff go and really embrace what you're doing, you feel kind of awesome," Hewitt added, ensuring she remained vocal about the importance of confidence and self-love. In fact, with our list of five mindset coach tips for owning your self-confidence, everyone can be just as radiant as the "Criminal Minds" star.

As the end of the 2010s was approaching, Jennifer Love Hewitt was all about the statement pantsuit. In fact, the extra-bold suit would become a major trend in the 2020s, and Hewitt was one of the stars who rocked it first. Whether she wore it in a vibrant color or classic black, the actor was undeniably taking her power back, and fashion was one of the ways for her to do it. "I think when you start [in Hollywood] younger, the narrative takes off without you," Hewitt told Elle in 2018. "And you kind of go, 'Oh, okay ... so I'm that person? Great!' Before I ever knew in my life what 'sexy' was, I was on the sexy list."

Now, Hewitt was all about exploring who she actually was and what she liked, putting her own needs to the forefront. "By my thirties, I started to ask, 'Isn't there more?'" the actor admitted. "Can [people] ask me more questions than whether or not I feel sexy or if I dated this person or if I sleep in lingerie? That's when I thought, 'Oh, maybe I am putting out what I think people are wanting from me.'" This revelation resulted in a change that was noticeable not only in the star's personal style but also in her social-media presence. Now, Hewitt embraced her authentic self, showing the world that she was so much more than just a pretty face.

In 2021, Jennifer Love Hewitt and her husband welcomed their third child, Aidan. Being a mother had become the most important role for Hewitt, who was now even more focused on making the world a better place by speaking up, ensuring the younger generations are smarter and kinder. "I just watched the Britney Spears documentary ['The New York Times Presents: Framing Britney Spears'], and there's that whole section in there talking about her breasts. At the time that I was going through it, and interviewers were asking what now would be incredibly inappropriate, gross things, it didn't feel that way," Hewitt told Vulture in 2021. "I mean, I was in barely any clothing the whole movie," she added, speaking of her "Heartbreakers" role. "For some reason, in my brain, I was able to just go, 'Okay, well, I guess they wouldn't be asking if it was inappropriate.'" Sharing her experience of being in the spotlight in the late '90s and early aughts definitely helps shed some light on just how mistreated female stars were at the time: "Now that I'm older, I think, 'Gosh, I wish that I had known how inappropriate that was so I could have defended myself somehow or just not answered those questions.' I laughed it off a lot of the time, and I wish maybe I hadn't." 

As she was getting older, Hewitt seemed to have finally allowed herself to have fun and explore what she liked, even if that meant dyeing her hair a vibrant-pink shade in her early 40s. While some may argue that the peak of her career had passed, there was no denying that the "9-1-1" star seemed at ease and happier than ever. Her personal life was continuously thriving, and Hewitt was embracing her true self, unfazed by anyone's expectations.

Jennifer Love Hewitt's mother passed away in 2012, and more than a decade later, the actor was ready to open up about the love and appreciation she has for her. "I don't know that we truly appreciate who our mothers really are until we've either lost them, unfortunately, or until we get old enough to realize all that goes into being a mom," she admitted to Variety in 2024. "So I've had such a new experience with my mother in this time — in really taking in, as an adult, all that she did for me, all that she went through in her life, and all that she was probably struggling with when I was a kid. And [she] still was able to create what I remember and take in as a magical childhood and a magical experience with her as my mom."

2024 marked a major career decision for Hewitt, as she agreed to reprise the role of Julie James in the slasher movie "I Know What You Did Last Summer," a project set to release in the summer of 2025. While Hewitt had mostly retreated from the spotlight in previous years — likely to focus on her family — her comeback was undeniably as necessary for us as it was for her, and she did it in style: often wearing power suits and even sporting a chic bob.

"I Know What You Did Last Summer" was released in July 2025, and Jennifer Love Hewitt admitted that saying yes to the project wasn't as easy as one might think. "All of my friends had to talk me into it," Hewitt admitted to Vulture in 2025. "Literally up until the last night before shooting, they were like, 'You know you're going tomorrow, right?'" The actor admitted that how people might react to her age is what frightened her the most: "What people were going to say about how much older I would seem than when I was 18. That's literally the only thing I was anxious about."

Of course, Hewitt had nothing to worry about, as she only looks more stunning and radiant with age. "Learning to love the skin I'm in more and more each day. This is for all my ladies out there who are feeling the same," Hewitt wrote alongside a stunning makeup-free selfie on Instagram. Over the past two decades, the actor has become a major role model for young people across the globe, one that is vulnerable and honest, and is allowing the world to watch her change and grow. And frankly, we can't wait to see just what the next chapters hold for Jennifer Love Hewitt. 

Meanwhile, make sure you check out the stunning style transformation of Keira Knightley.