These Famous '80s Actors Are Practically Unrecognizable Now

From "The Breakfast Club" to "Dirty Dancing," the '80s gave us a plethora of films that instantly reached cult-classic status, and for good reason — the stories were great, the fashion was impeccable, and the actors did remarkable jobs. In particular, the decade's women stars left a long-lasting impression on folks across the globe, primarily because they were bold, authentic, and honest — something that wasn't too common in the industry up to that point.

Four decades later, plenty of our faves from the era aren't as famous anymore, and some have changed so drastically that we had to do a double take to recognize them. Of course, aging is a beautiful privilege, and all of these women look stunning in their 60s and 70s today. Some have changed their style, others have embraced gray hair, and a couple have had some beauty enhancements and plastic surgery. Nevertheless, each of these ladies has shown us how fun, different, and unique aging is, and we can't wait to see what the next decades hold for them. 

A teenage Melanie Griffith rose to fame in the mid-'70s thanks to her role in the thriller film "Night Moves," and after that, her career quickly skyrocketed. In the '80s, she appeared in films like "Body Double," "Something Wild," and "Working Girl," officially cementing her status as one of the most beloved female stars in the industry. While her career still thrived in the '90s, Griffith's work slowed down by the 2000s, and even though she was still well-known, her fame was nowhere near where it was in the late '80s.

In 2009, the Hollywood star was diagnosed with first-stage skin cancer, and ever since, she's been open about it. "Bandaged again after having dermabrasion, the final step to fix the now-removed basal cell skin cancer. If any of you have it, get it fixed," the actor urged to her followers on Instagram in 2018. "If you lie in the sun, are exposed to lots of sun, be careful. Use sunscreen. Get checked out by your dermatologist. If you don't have one, get one, or go to your nearest clinic and ask to be tested for it," Griffith wrote. 

We couldn't agree more — getting regular checkups is crucial in catching anything in an early stage, and if you're wondering what to expect when you go for a skin cancer check, our dermatologist explained everything in detail! Ultimately, this star has aged gracefully, and while she doesn't look like she did in the '80s (no one would!), Griffith proves that beauty knows no age.

Molly Ringwald was a crucial part of the iconic '80s Brat Pack thanks to her roles in the decade's classics, including "Sixteen Candles," "The Breakfast Club," and "Pretty in Pink." John Hughes often cast the actor in his projects, and her fame quickly rose. Today, Ringwald is still acting, even though most would argue that her prime success has passed. However, she has notably appeared in more recent projects like "Riverdale" and "The Kissing Booth."

In 2015, Ringwald wrote a love letter to her skin for Marie Claire. "I hated my freckles and did everything I could to eradicate them from existence. I applied lemon juice, bleaching cream, I even took sandpaper to them," she explained. "Eventually, I gave up on eradicating my freckles and settled on simply preventing myself from getting any more." The actor went on to share that with age, she accepted the beauty that comes with imperfections, and even though it has been more than four decades since her breakthrough, Ringwald's vibrant energy is still just as contagious.

From the sitcom "The Cosby Show" to films like "Blue Velvet" and "Angel Heart," Lisa Bonet was a well-known star in the '80s. Since then, however, her career has slowed down. Today, the actor is mostly known for being Zoë Kravitz's mother, and it's no secret that the young "The Batman" actor is one of the celebrity kids who inherited their parents' famous style. Kravitz is great at achieving a nonchalant and cool vibe, but Bonet invented it.

While Bonet has changed over the years, there's no denying that she looks fabulous in her 50s, and it may be thanks to her strict skincare regimen. "I use pretty active things at night to keep the cells turning over," she told The New York Times in 2016. "I've always taken skin care very seriously — from when I was a kid and would go to the drugstore and buy that Apricot Scrub. I also have really sensitive skin that requires a good amount of care," the actor added. Honestly, we would've never known, but that just makes her routine that much more impressive.

"Flashdance" star Jennifer Beals was one of the biggest Hollywood actors of the early and mid-'80s, and thanks to the cult classic's success, she went on to star in numerous projects throughout the '80s and '90s. But as with many of her fellow '80s stars, Beals' career began to wind down in the 2000s.

Speaking to W Magazine about beauty and skincare in 2022, Beals revealed that standards have changed over the years. "In this day and age, sometimes I'll throw [mascara] on if I've got a Zoom meeting that requires me to look like I haven't just gotten out of bed," the actor explained. "But then you start to realize nothing is a requirement. That's your decision. It feels really nice not to have to go around thinking you have to look a certain way to please other people." While Beals may have changed over the years, her love for bold fashion and makeup is still there, and frankly, we're here for it! For us, she will always be one of the few stars who defined the most iconic '80s hairstyles, so we can't wait to see where her style goes next.

From "Back to the Future" to "Dennis the Menace," Lea Thompson starred in several '80s and '90s classics. While the actor looks rather different in her 60s, one thing that remains recognizable is her red hair. In fact, cowboy copper has been one of our favorite hair colors for fall for years now, so Thompson's shade is just as chic and trendy today as it was in the '80s.

In 2014, Thompson participated in the popular reality competition "Dancing with the Stars," ending up in sixth place, and at the time, she revealed what beauty and health mean to her. "One of the big secrets about staying vital is to keep working on yourself as a person," she explained (via the Chicago Sun Times). "If you just keep growing, you'll never really grow old. If you're happy in your heart and happy with yourself, that's half the battle." Speaking of beauty, the actor revealed that for her, less is more when it comes to skincare. "I keep my beauty regimen pretty simple and natural," she said, adding, "I can't use those intense glycolic acids. I keep it pretty basic." Now, while active ingredients can be somewhat intimidating, glycolic acid has numerous skincare benefits, as a cosmetic chemist explained to us. Still, we respect that everyone's skin journey is their own.

Debra Winger's most memorable work is from the '80s and early '90s. "An Officer and a Gentleman," "Terms of Endearment," and "Shadowlands" showcase the star's acting talent, and all three films earned her an Academy Award nomination. Today, while Winger is still actively involved in the industry, the projects she takes on sadly aren't as successful.

Over the years, Winger's appearance has naturally changed, and today, the actor is one of the celebrities who proudly show off their gray hair. In 2017, the star opened up to People about the pressures the industry puts on women's appearances. "The emphasis on the outside is tiring for a girl, and it can, in the end, take up all your time," she explained. "I have less time for it, not more time. But as you get older, you're going to be using a lot of time getting ready. Makeup turns into triage."

Even though she's best known for her portrayal of Amanda Woodward on the '90s hit soap opera "Melrose Place," Heather Locklear actually starred in another major soap opera in the '80s: "Dynasty." From 1981 to 1989, Locklear portrayed Sammy Jo Dean Carrington, and thanks to this role and "Dynasty," Locklear graced television screens consistently for two decades. Today, the actor isn't as popular, but her contagious smile is just as stunning.

In the past decades, Locklear's appearance has changed, and looking back on her past self, the actor admitted that the platinum-blond hair with visible brown roots she rocked in the '90s is a look she would never go for today. "It wasn't trendy for me, it was lazy," the actor said in an interview at 90s Con Florida in 2024 (via People). "I would slap that girl today, I would slap her so hard — 'Get your roots done!'" While Locklear is loyal to a light-blond hair color even in her 60s, her roots are much more blended nowadays, creating a subtle shadow-root effect.

We absolutely can't talk about '80s icons without mentioning the woman who made "Dirty Dancing" one of the most memorable films of the decade. Jennifer Grey, alongside Patrick Swayze, will forever be pop-culture history, but the cult classic isn't the only '80s project the actor was in. Grey also appeared in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," "Red Dawn," and "The Cotton Club," establishing herself as one of the most recognizable faces in the industry.

Four decades later, Grey's appearance has changed quite a bit. Even though the star still looks great, it's clear that she has had some work done. In fact, in 2022, Grey opened up to People about her experience with the two rhinoplasties she had done, joining a number of celebrities who have opened up about their plastic surgery experiences. "In the world's eyes, I was no longer me," she said, "I was so upset with my mother for always telling me I should do my nose. I really thought it was capitulating. I really thought it meant surrendering to the enemy camp. I just thought, 'I'm good enough. I shouldn't have to do this.' That's really what I felt. 'I'm beautiful enough.'" We believe she's beautiful either way.

More than four decades after it first premiered, Catherine Bach is still best known for her portrayal of Daisy Duke on the hit series "The Dukes of Hazzard." In the 2010s, Bach joined the cast of the soap opera "The Young and the Restless," and by that time, she had already changed quite a bit.

Nowadays, Bach is in her 70s, and when she's spotted running errands, it's safe to say that most don't instantly recognize her as the woman who set off the daisy dukes fashion trend. On her social media and on the screen, Bach is often seen rocking a full face of makeup — usually the work of close friend Patrick Foley. "Visiting for a quick touch-up and he performs magic," Bach gushed on Instagram in 2023. "My lips are so soft... Thank you Patrick!" While the actor's appearance has undeniably changed with the years, her charisma and positive energy seem to be just as contagious as they were in the '80s.

As another member of the Brat Pack, Ally Sheedy definitely needed to be mentioned. Just like most ladies on the list, the actor's prime remains the '80s when her fame skyrocketed thanks to her work in the films "Oxford Blues," "The Breakfast Club," and "St. Elmo's Fire."

Today, Sheedy is known for her simple and natural approach to beauty. The star was never one who favored bold makeup, and now in her 60s, she's all about enhancing her natural beauty while staying true to herself. In 2022, Sheedy spoke to Page Six about a scene from "The Breakfast Club" in which her character undergoes a dramatic makeover. "It was uncomfortable even when we were filming it," the star remembered. "It was one of those things, though. It was the '80s, and we got to take this young woman who seems like a crazy person and make her into, you know, somebody pretty or whatever it was."

Kelly LeBrock rose to fame thanks to her role in the rom-com "The Woman in Red," after which she solidified her status as an '80s star, appearing in the films "Weird Science" and "Hard to Kill." Now, the actor looks quite different from what most remember, and some believe that plastic surgery might have played a role in that.

"She appears to be aging well, although I suspect some plastic surgery may be helping her," Dr. Anthony Youn, a celebrity plastic surgeon, explained to Radar Online in 2012. "Her face is smooth and virtually wrinkle-free, due to a possible combination of injectable wrinkle fillers, Botox, and laser treatments," he added. "Her lips retain their youthful fullness and poutiness, although they may be a little overdone." Plastic surgery or not, LeBrock is stunning, and we're glad to see her every time we catch her on a carpet.

Jennifer Jason Leigh rose to fame in the early '80s thanks to her role in the teen film "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." By the next decade, she was a staple in Hollywood, and her role in the '90s film "Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle" remains one of her most critically acclaimed projects.

However, today, Leigh looks a tad different than what she used to look like, and some speculate that some of that might be due to plastic surgery and fillers. "Why does Jennifer Jason Leigh's face look different this season?" a user posted on Reddit, referring to the comedy-drama series "Atypical," which Leigh starred in during the late 2010s. "I mean, I know she got bangs, but still something seems different about her face," they continued, and plenty of other users agreed that the actor seems to have had some work done. Now, while Leigh herself hasn't confirmed anything, we can't deny that the actor looks stunning in her 60s, fillers or no fillers.

While many know Betsy Russell for her role in the "Saw" franchise, the actor actually rose to fame in the '80s with appearances in the films "Private School" and "Tomboy." Apart from her talent, the star was always known for her beauty, and that remains true even with her in her 60s now.

Of course, just like all the '80s stars we've mentioned, Russell's appearance has also changed over the years. However, while she does look different, Russell still seems very youthful, and plenty of that is undeniably attributed to her active lifestyle. "If I don't work out daily, I do feel a bit down and lethargic," the actor responded to a fan in 2021 on her official website. "It's been my medicine since I was 15. ... I enjoy the gym and riding a bike and it feels good to my body as well."

No list about actors from the '80s would be complete without Cassandra Peterson, the star who gave us the horror hostess Elvira. A stage persona that later morphed into Elvira gained such popularity that the '80s classic horror comedy "Elvira, Mistress of the Dark" was born, bringing the vixen to the global stage. While Elvira's makeup and hair remain one of the most recognizable looks of the decade, Peterson looked nothing like the character she portrayed, primarily as the star had copper hair instead of black tresses.

Four decades later, Peterson still has copper hair, but there's no denying that the star's appearance has changed. Still, she says a good skincare routine maintains her glow. "I use a lot of SkinCeuticals! That is my main brand," the actor told New Beauty in 2025. "I started using one thing from them, then I bought the next thing and the next thing. I just keep going. Once you use them, you can't go back — that is how good it is," she gushed.

Now, for more stars whose appearances have undeniably changed, check out these OG supermodels you probably won't recognize today.