The true sign of celebrity is that you recognize a famous person right away. But what about celebrities we can no longer recognize?
Whether due to plastic surgery, hard living, or just the passage of time, some of the biggest stars now look completely different. Here are a few of our fave celebs who’ve changed beyond recognition!
Tori Spelling
They say it’s not what you know but who you know, especially in Hollywood. As the daughter of TV producer Aaron Spelling, Tori Spelling proved this rule when she achieved fame in the show Beverly Hills 90210.
After that show ended, her fame slowly fizzled out. She directed her energies to endeavors like writing and motherhood. And while she looks happier than ever, it’s understandable if fans of her classic show no longer recognize Tori Spelling.
John Travolta
It’s no exaggeration to say that John Travolta was once a genuine sexual icon. After all, his fit form was captivating in movies like Saturday Night Fever and Grease. And he aged comfortably as he starred in other iconic movies like Pulp Fiction.
Now, however, a combination of age and possibly plastic surgery have rendered Travolta a virtual stranger to even his biggest fans. To top it off, he recently shaved his head!
Shelly Duvall
Shelly Duvall is one of those stars whose candle burned bright and then quickly burned out. With major roles in films like Popeye and The Shining, she seemed destined for Hollywood greatness. But between struggles with mental illness and waning opportunities, she faded into obscurity.
The former star is still around, and she’s doing her best to find inner peace and happiness. In the meantime, she enjoys the mixed blessing of walking among her fans while looking absolutely unrecognizable to most of them.
Jaleel White
It’s not always a bad thing when a star is no longer associated with his most iconic role. Just ask Jaleel White, the man who played Urkel on the hit TV show Family Matters.
Jaleel now guest stars on more shows than we can name, and he looks better than ever while he does it. He ditched the giant glasses and colorful suspenders for a look that really embodies modern cool and charisma.
Melanie Griffith
As we said before, most celebrity transformations have pretty basic causes: things like drugs, plastic surgery, and so on. In the case of Melanie Griffith, it’s a bit more dramatic (not to mention traumatic).
Back in 1977, she starred in the infamous film Roar. This movie featured a bunch of lions, but the director and crew did not follow any basic safety precautions for dealing with dangerous animals. This led to Griffith getting mauled and decades of rumors that she used plastic surgery to try to restore her youthful face.
Josh Peck
If you were a major fan of the show Drake & Josh, you may already know about Josh Peck’s new look. But if you were not, then prepare to be amazed!
On the early seasons of the show, he played an affably chubby character. He lost all that baby fat as time went on. Now, in the grand tradition of Matthew Lewis, he emerged from his cocoon of awkwardness transformed into a downright hottie.
Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson was once a pretty literal “poster girl.” As a star of Baywatch, her iconic and beautiful body graced posters, magazines, and all things print for the duration of the show.
Her fame slowly faded after the show ended, and she tried to retain her beauty through constant plastic surgery. And she ended up becoming another kind of poster girl: one advertising the dangers of going under the knife.
Haley Joel Osment
Haley Joel Osment has had a surprisingly versatile career. Nonetheless, he’ll always be “that kid from The Sixth Sense” to most of the world. But that kid is no longer around (and no, we don’t mean he was a ghost the whole time).
To put it bluntly, Haley is now a bit rounder than he was in 1999. Hell, so am I! But a few extra pounds hasn’t kept him from starring in things like the movie Tusk and the Amazon Prime hit show The Boys.
Renee Zellweger
Stars are often the center of mystery and gossip. This is quite true of Bridget Jones’s Diary star Renee Zellweger and her surprising new look.
There’s no other way to say it: her face looks completely different! While all the gossip pointed towards plastic surgery, the star insisted that she simply switched to a cleaner and healthier lifestyle. No matter how she looks, though, she is happy and fulfilled with her family.
Honey Boo Boo
Honey Boo Boo (real name Alana Thompson) shot to fame as an adorable five-year-old on TLC’s Toddlers & Tiaras. She soon gained stardom in her own reality series Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, which ran from 2012-2014.
Now a teenager, Honey Boo Boo has left her child beauty pageant days behind! Her mother, “Mama June,” has made her own transformation over the years, joining our list of celebrities who have lost 100 pounds.