# Celebrities Who Look(ed) Significantly Different than Earlier in their Careers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 18, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869 "2018-01-18T01:44:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/1 "2018-01-18T01:44:46Z")
…to the extent that if they were a friend of yours when they were younger, you probably wouldn’t be able to recognize them. Not necessarily those who haven’t aged well, and certainly not due to plastic surgery or botox (we’ve had other threads on that topic). Example: Steve Earle [1975](http://www.nashvilleportraits.com/2007/49_EARLE.jpg) [Today](http://walkingthefloor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Steve-Earle-1.jpg) \*[Posthumous](http://www.viralnova.com/post-mortem-victorian-photographs/) pictures unnecessary/overkill ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/2 "2018-01-18T01:53:20Z")
I’d say Marlon Brando, but it really was just aging, not caring, and weight gain. I mean, compared to Paul Newman or Robert Redford, Brando looked a lot different. Michael Jackson? ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/3 "2018-01-18T02:01:39Z")
[Jack Elam](https://goo.gl/images/gX8eDf) ---
**Author:** ![Turek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/turek/32/18782_2.png) [@Turek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Turek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/4 "2018-01-18T03:13:57Z")
[Mickey Rourke](http://latestplasticsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Mickey-Rourke-Plastic-Surgery-Before-and-After.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/5 "2018-01-18T03:19:26Z")
> [@Turek](#): > > [Mickey Rourke](http://latestplasticsurgery.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Mickey-Rourke-Plastic-Surgery-Before-and-After.jpg) Plastic surgery… ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/6 "2018-01-18T03:22:39Z")
Peter Frampton ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/7 "2018-01-18T03:29:57Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Plastic surgery… And boxing ---
**Author:** ![AWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/bb73d2/32.png) [@AWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AWB)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/8 "2018-01-18T03:44:04Z")
[Tom Cruise](http://heightline.com/wp-content/uploads/Tom-Cruise-teeth.jpg), admittedly because he got his teeth fixed. ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/9 "2018-01-18T03:49:42Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Plastic surgery… Michael Jackson too. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/10 "2018-01-18T03:52:38Z")
[Philip Michael Thomas](http://staticimg.stantondaily.com/wp-content/uploads/Philip-Michael-Thomas-696x464.jpg) Okay, I know it’s been thirty years since he was on _Miami Vice_. But here’s a comparable picture of [Don Johnson](http://www.tworeddots.com/engine/static/articles/then--now-the-cast-of-miami-vice/images/1.jpg), who is also 68. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/11 "2018-01-18T03:58:41Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > …Michael Jackson? I challenge anyone to top this. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/12 "2018-01-18T04:10:55Z")
[Mike Nesmith](http://www.trbimg.com/img-5900fe1a/turbine/la-et-ms-michael-nesmith-infinite-tuesday-book-20170316) ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/13 "2018-01-18T04:14:16Z")
[Sean](http://www.joblo.com/images_arrownews/vlcsnap-2014-10-05-22h28m46s55.png) [Astin](https://www.biography.com/.image/t_share/MTMxMjY0OTMzOTU3NTA3NTUw/sean-astin-wikicommonsjpg.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/14 "2018-01-18T04:19:22Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > [Mike Nesmith](http://www.trbimg.com/img-5900fe1a/turbine/la-et-ms-michael-nesmith-infinite-tuesday-book-20170316) Wow, if you’d have shown me that picture and asked me to guess who he was, I wouldn’t have the faintest clue. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/15 "2018-01-18T04:55:30Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Peter Frampton He was on TV a few years ago (IIRC, PBS) and I had no idea who that skinny 60-ish guy with the white crew cut and wire-framed glasses was until he started singing. How about David Letterman and Michael Stipe, who currently look far more similar than most people could ever imagine? I think it’s the beards. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/16 "2018-01-18T05:41:05Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > [Philip Michael Thomas](http://staticimg.stantondaily.com/wp-content/uploads/Philip-Michael-Thomas-696x464.jpg) > > Okay, I know it’s been thirty years since he was on _Miami Vice_. But here’s a comparable picture of [Don Johnson](http://www.tworeddots.com/engine/static/articles/then--now-the-cast-of-miami-vice/images/1.jpg), who is also 68. The parts between beard and hat are very clearly the same guy. If they look significantly different to you, it’s just the facial-hair version of the Clark Kent effect. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/17 "2018-01-18T07:56:15Z")
[Frank Sinatra](https://www.biography.com/.image/t_share/MTE4MDAzNDEwNjg4MTE2MjM4/frank-sinatra-9484810-3-402.jpg)[Frank Sinatra](https://nyppagesix.files.wordpress.com/2015/10/sinatra_day.jpg?quality=90&strip=all) [Wayne Newton](https://cps-static.rovicorp.com/3/JPG_500/MI0001/914/MI0001914407.jpg?partner=allrovi.com)[Wayne Newton](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDEwMDA0MjY3NV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwNDA2NjM3OTE@._V1_.jpg)[Wayne Newton](https://www.exploringlasvegas.com/shows/images/wayne-newton/wayne-newton4.jpg) [Mickey Rooney](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c5/Mickey_Rooney_still.jpg/1200px-Mickey_Rooney_still.jpg) [Mickey Rooney](http://cimg.tvgcdn.net/i/r/2014/04/09/2cac573b-e552-4ea6-9b3b-36f868b14c2d/crop/660x494+0+0/thumbnail/350x262/99a2f7a2d4b693c78d2319e6d37f5565/140409Mickey-Rooney1.jpg) [Tyler Perry](https://www.billboard.com/files/styles/article_main_image/public/media/tyler-perry-The-Passion-press-photo-2016-billboard-650.jpg)[Tyler Perry](https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/753220525573431296/yxBMxHoN.jpg) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/18 "2018-01-18T08:15:56Z")
Original Iron Maiden lead singer [Paul Di’Anno.](https://www.metal-archives.com/artists/Paul_Di%27Anno/124) ---
**Author:** ![Kamino\_Neko](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kamino_neko/32/34_2.png) [@Kamino\_Neko](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kamino_Neko)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/19 "2018-01-18T08:16:05Z")
Melissa McCarthy’s weight loss has had a significant effect on her appearance. Watching the first season of Mike & Molly, I wouldn’t have recognized her based on seeing her in the later seasons, or Ghostbusters. ---
**Author:** ![Art\_Rock](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/art_rock/32/525_2.png) [@Art\_Rock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Art_Rock)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2018, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/20 "2018-01-18T12:23:10Z")
Abour Michael Jackson: > [@alphaboi867](#): > > I challenge anyone to top this. Caitlyn/Bruce Jenner. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869.md?page=2)