Carrie Ann Inaba Is As Stunning As Ever In Throwback Photo To The '90s

Carrie Ann Inaba has certainly had an interesting career trajectory. After leaving her native Hawaii as a teenager, she moved to Japan to pursue a career as a pop star, which didn't pan out. She then relocated to California to study dance at UCLA, which led to being cast as a Fly Girl on "In Living Color" in the early '90s. 

In case that show isn't on your radar, here's the gist: It was a sketch comedy show that featured the Wayans brothers, along with other comedians like Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx, and between sketches, a troupe of hip-hop dancers called the Fly Girls would come on stage and perform high-energy routines. And Inaba was one of the OGs. Fast forward to 2005, when she became one of the judges on "Dancing with the Stars," a gig she's held since. Week after week Inaba has stunned at the judge's panel in full hair, makeup, and formal attire.

Some fans think she looks just as stunning now as she did in her "In Living Color" days. On a Facebook post of Inaba from her fly girl era, one fan wrote, "Carrie, you've always been gorgeous, but you look younger NOW than you did in THIS picture!" While she wasn't a household name like she is now, she nearly qualifies on the list of famous '90s actors who are nearly unrecognizable today – with her hair anyway. Gone is her fluffy black 'do, replaced by her signature long, layered, highlighted hairstyle.

"In Living Color" was not Carrie Ann Inaba's only role in the comedy realm. In 2002, she was cast in "Austin Powers in Goldmember" as one half of the Fook twins, playing Harajuku girl Fook Yu. In the movie, the third in the "Powers" trio, she and her sister, Fook Mi, have a couple of memorable scenes as fan girls of Mike Meyers' Powers character. There's even a deleted scene in which Beyoncé's Foxy Cleopatra almost brawls with the girls because she thinks they're swearing at her instead of introducing themselves.

Inaba surprised fans by posting a throwback pic on Instagram in 2018 from the set, where she looks unrecognizable with her co-star Diane Mizota. They're in full costume, including Harajuku-inspired hair and makeup from the '90s that made a comeback in recent years. The colorful outfits inspired by the girls in the Harajuku district in Japan became part of the influence for the weird-girl aesthetic in fashion and a big part of Gwen Stefani's early aughts existence with her Harajuku girl backup dancers.

In response to Inaba's throwback post, one fan wrote, "I had no idea you were a twin. That's so cool!" Don't we all love a good before-they-were-famous story in Hollywood? From "In Living Color" to a dancer on tour with Madonna and Ricky Martin, to a Fook twin, to the "DWTS" judge's panel, Inaba's proven that she has the talent to stay relevant in Hollywood.

More than a few of the Fly Girls who graced "In Living Color" with their presence over the show's five seasons went on to do notable things in the entertainment industry. Of course we know that Carrie Ann Inaba went on to become a household name as a judge on "DWTS." But perhaps the dancer who went on to the most acclaim is Jennifer Lopez, who looked very different with her natural hair color back in the '90s. 

Lopez was a Fly Girl from 1991 to 1993, at which point she left to pursue acting. She received bit parts until her breakthrough role in 1997 in the titular role in "Selena." From then on she became the award-winning recording star and actor that we know today.

Another star you may not have realized was part of the Fly Girls is Rosie Perez. While the actor was starring in roles including "Fearless" and "White Men Can't Jump" in the early '90s, she was also choreographing the Fly Girls. She continues to act and lend her voice to animated characters. Although it was short lived, actor Sasha Alexander also had a stint as a Fly Girl on "In Living Color." She went on to star in "Rizzoli and Isles" and "NCIS," among other shows.