# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/61 "2018-01-19T02:05:23Z")
The other two guys on Voyager look about the same. [https://goo.gl/images/oxJ37A](https://goo.gl/images/oxJ37A) Kate has piled on serious weight, but she still, sort of looks like the Captain. Six months on a diet and she could star in a Trek reunion movie. [https://goo.gl/images/Lq6eWY](https://goo.gl/images/Lq6eWY) ---
**Author:** ![glowacks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/glowacks/32/5548_2.png) [@glowacks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glowacks)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/62 "2018-01-19T02:08:47Z")
I may have made a thread once whose premise was that Gillian Anderson looked, to me, like a completely different person in the new X-Files than the character she originally played. I still don’t recognize her. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/63 "2018-01-19T02:45:42Z")
Alfred Molina. Compare his character in **Boogie Nights** (a good two decades into his career, there are probably better examples) with his turn as Dr. Octopus in **Spider-Man 2** , seven years later. Barely recognizable as the same man. Also from **Boogie Nights** , compare Philip Seymour Hoffman there with Hoffman in **Almoist Famous** , only three years later. Quite a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/64 "2018-01-19T02:47:18Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > I may have made a thread once whose premise was that Gillian Anderson looked, to me, like a completely different person in the new X-Files than the character she originally played. I still don’t recognize her. In fact, I _didn’t_ recognize her in **The Last King of Scotland**. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/65 "2018-01-19T02:50:49Z")
I kinda want to say **Adrian Edmondson** , because while I am a HUGE fan of his I totally, utterly and completely missed his appearance in _The Last Jedi_. Oddly enough I had just spent a week re-re-re watching “The Young Ones” and “Bottom” before I saw the movie and didn’t notice it was him until I got home and read about cameos. Obviously he looked completely different to me in the movie so as to be missed! But I dunno…it’s kinda hard to [compare his first big character with his most recent one](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DSLZqv0VAAAhauf.jpg), considering the first character was so cartoonish and made-up. And then after that it was rare to see him without glasses, as he was in _The Last Jedi_. [This is him recently](https://metrouk2.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/ade-edmondson-e1459766358943.jpg) and this is [him in the 90s](http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/styles/main_wide/public/2/26//bottom_header.jpg). He really does look the same. I guess it was just a huge flake on my part. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/66 "2018-01-19T02:57:52Z")
The only ones I’d have trouble recognizing are Mike Nesmith and the kid from Stand By Me. Maybe Paul Reiser. Springsteen looks weirdly like his [first Time cover](http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/1975/1101751027_400.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/67 "2018-01-19T03:09:04Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Remember the punk Archie from [Repo Man](https://www.picsofcelebrities.com/celebrity/miguel-sandoval/pictures/large/miguel-sandoval-hd-wallpaper.jpg)? And the Columbian Drug Lord bad guy from [Clear and Present Danger](http://cdn-static.denofgeek.com/sites/denofgeek/files/7/72//clear_and_present_7.png)? > > Same guy. The giggly Constanze Mozart from [Amadeus](https://justineneedsapizza.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/so-pretty-jealous.jpg) and the dour policewoman from [The John Larroquette Show](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/589/14549johnlarroquette3.jpg)? Same woman. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/68 "2018-01-19T06:35:55Z")
> [@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. PMT has aged less than DJ. He just has a beard. His visible facial features look almost exactly the same to me. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 6:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/69 "2018-01-19T06:39:45Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > A recent New York magazine cover featured [Bruce Springsteen](http://variety.com/2017/music/news/bruce-springsteen-politics-trump-marriage-1202576624/). He turns 70 this year, and he is not aging well. What the heck kind of 70 year-olds do you hang out with? ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/70 "2018-01-19T06:49:07Z")
> [@Jacquernagy](#): > > [Jon Favreau](http://static.tvgcdn.net/rovi/showcards/feed/110/thumbs/30665110_1300x1733.jpg) in _Rudy_. > > [Jon Favreau](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BODMxOWIxZjgtMDYwZC00NGM2LTliMjMtOTBjNDkzMjBjMjcyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjAwODA4Mw@@._V1_.jpg) in _Rocky Marciano_. > > Whuh…?!? At first I was expecting the opposite, since this guy seems to have the most weight fluctuation in Hollywood, especially facial fat distribution, over the past 25 years. So I wasn’t sure which direction he was going. For example, look at Rudy to Swingers and then from Swingers to Friends and then Replacements, Elf, cameos in movies he directed or produced, and so on. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/71 "2018-01-19T08:46:05Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > The giggly Constanze Mozart from [Amadeus](https://justineneedsapizza.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/so-pretty-jealous.jpg) and the dour policewoman from [The John Larroquette Show](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/589/14549johnlarroquette3.jpg)? > > Same woman. Yeah – I had a crush on Elizabeth Berridge in “Amadeus.” When I saw her on “The Powers That Be” (a Norman Lear comedy from 1992-93, in which she played the [frumpy, slow maid](http://www.sitcomsonline.com/photopost/data/1238/powerseliz0.jpg)), I couldn’t believe that it was the same actress. After that show was cancelled, she moved to the Laroquette show, in which, as you note, she was playing another decidedly frumpy role. ---
**Author:** ![gkster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gkster/32/14107_2.png) [@gkster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gkster)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/72 "2018-01-19T09:29:17Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > [Mike Nesmith](http://www.trbimg.com/img-5900fe1a/turbine/la-et-ms-michael-nesmith-infinite-tuesday-book-20170316) I showed the picture to a longtime Monkees fan and even with several clues (he was in a 60s show, music, comedy, with 3 other guys) it took several minutes before “OMG that can’t be Mike Nesmith!” ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/73 "2018-01-19T10:52:47Z")
> [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](#): > > At first I was expecting the opposite, since this guy seems to have the most weight fluctuation in Hollywood, especially facial fat distribution, over the past 25 years. So I wasn’t sure which direction he was going. For example, look at Rudy to Swingers and then from Swingers to Friends and then Replacements, Elf, cameos in movies he directed or produced, and so on. Favreau has had - fairly quietly - one hell of a career in Hollywood. He seems very deliberate in what he does and when he does it. Acting to directing to producing, he’s done most things with a bit of thought. Hell, it’s not too much to say he gave us - as much or more than Robert Downey, Jr - the Marvel Cinematic Universe. RDJ may have given us the character of Tony Stark and done it well, but Favreau’s the one who directed the movie and made it stick. Had Iron Man 1 and 2 not been good, we might not have gotten the rest of them. ---
**Author:** ![Smid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/838e76/32.png) [@Smid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smid)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/74 "2018-01-19T11:04:39Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > That said, [Renee Zellweger](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMTgyMzYwMDI2OF5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwMzg3NjYwMzE@._V1_UY317_CR30,0,214,317_AL_.jpg) is all over the map looks-wise - some of that is surgery, some of that is exercise and dieting, and some of that is aging. I have for years insisted on using the name “the Zellweger twins”, because the extremes of weight gain and loss repeated again and again meant this could not be the same person. She didn’t just get a little overweight and lose it, she went from a normal “model overweight” woman to the type of anorexic look which you can’t get when you’ve ever been normal. It could be that she got the skin removed when thin, but the type of thin she was was the kind who would have never let herself have any fat at all… ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/75 "2018-01-19T11:18:21Z")
Elvis. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/76 "2018-01-19T11:40:35Z")
[Grace Slick](http://www.bestinshowdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/GRACE-SLICK-THEN-AND-NOW-600x437.jpg). [Shelley](http://nitratexposed.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/shelly_duvall.jpg) [Duvall](http://www.etonline.com/sites/default/files/images/2016-11/1280_shelley_duvall_youtube_111716.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/77 "2018-01-19T12:11:21Z")
> [@Horatio\_Hellpop](#): > > Alfred Molina. Compare his character in **Boogie Nights** (a good two decades into his career, there are probably better examples) with his turn as Dr. Octopus in **Spider-Man 2** , seven years later. Barely recognizable as the same man… Or, for a wider age range: [“Throw me the idol and I’ll throw you the whip”](https://lifevsfilm.files.wordpress.com/2014/07/raiders-of-the-lost-ark-photo-2.jpg) The recent [Feud](https://i2.wp.com/vaguevisages.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/feud-fx-hagsploitation-three.jpg?resize=750%2C422&ssl=1) ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/78 "2018-01-19T13:11:59Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > [Grace Slick](http://www.bestinshowdaily.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/GRACE-SLICK-THEN-AND-NOW-600x437.jpg). > > [Shelley](http://nitratexposed.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/shelly_duvall.jpg) [Duvall](http://www.etonline.com/sites/default/files/images/2016-11/1280_shelley_duvall_youtube_111716.jpg). Ouch. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/79 "2018-01-19T14:42:05Z")
Kathleen Turner [https://www.google.com/search?q=young+kathleen+turner&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjF74SaoeTYAhVDKawKHXlMASYQ\_AUICigB&biw=952&bih=543#imgrc=j2P819tDTJflYM:&spf=1516372889254](https://www.google.com/search?q=young+kathleen+turner&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjF74SaoeTYAhVDKawKHXlMASYQ_AUICigB&biw=952&bih=543#imgrc=j2P819tDTJflYM:&spf=1516372889254) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2018, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869/80 "2018-01-19T14:49:19Z")
> [@wguy123](#): > > Good one! My wife and I both knew we knew him but we had to IMDB it to go “ohhhhhh”. I saw Paul Reiser’s name on the opening credits and recognized him after a few seconds when he came on, but only because I was looking for him. He seems to be playing the same kind of character he did in **Aliens** – a happy, empathetic guy you can relate to, but he works for the Big Bad Company. I think that, just as in Aliens, ST2 Paul Reiser will ultimately be shown to be nasty underneath that fun exterior. Undoubtedly the reason they got him for the role (it also lets them extend the 1980s vibe by having him play a similar character to the one he played in the 198s) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/celebrities-who-look-ed-significantly-different-than-earlier-in-their-careers/806869.md?page=5)