Looking at Kat Dennings’ impressive filmography, it’s hard to see why she isn’t a bigger star. The actor born Katherine Victoria Latwick has been a staple of the Marvel Cinematic universe, playing Darcy Lewis in all three “Thor” films and the Disney+ show “WandaVision”. She’s starred in one of the best comedies of the ’00s (“The 40-Year-Old Virgin”) and one of its best rom-coms, too (“Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist”). And although critics weren’t always kind, her sitcom “2 Broke Girls” still ran for six seasons.
And we’ve not even mentioned the Pennsylvanian’s starring and executive producer roles on “Dollface,” voice work on “Dallas and Robo” and “Big Mouth,” and performances in indie favorites “Charlie Bartlett” and “Defendor.” Perhaps the fact that Dennings prefers to keep a low profile is the reason why she hasn’t quite yet graduated to the A-list. Indeed, as one of those Hollywood names who prefers to let her work do the talking, relatively little is known about her private life compared to her more publicity-seeking peers. But we do know that she’s faced some hardships during her rise to reluctant fame. From the deaths of friends and family to health woes and umpteen romantic heartbreaks, here’s a look at nine.
Kat’s close friend Anton Yelchin died in a tragic accident
In 2016, “Star Trek” actor Anton Yelchin died outside his Los Angeles home when his Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled back a steep incline and pinned him against his driveway gates. It was a freak accident that shocked the world, including close pal and one-time co-star Kat Dennings.
“Anton Yelchin was one of my best friends,” the Pennsylvanian tweeted (via Variety) following the tragic news. “Can’t say anything that conveys what this feels like.” Dennings, who’d played the actor’s boyfriend in Charlie Bartlett” nine years earlier, also took to Instagram to further express her disbelief and pay her respects. “I’ll think about this kid every day for the rest of my life,” she captioned one particular photo of a younger Yelchin. “I’m so lucky to have had him as long as I did.”
Dennings had previously discussed how her friendship with Yelchin originated at the audition stages for the indie dramedy they starred in together. She also revealed (via Yahoo! Entertainment) that their respective mothers had become bosom buddies, too: “… So three times a day I get an Anton update and he gets the same about me. It’s really cute.”
Kat was repeatedly told to change her appearance by casting agents
In 2020, Kat Dennings leaped to the defense of Billie Eilish after the chart-topper faced a barrage of online criticism for her appearance, arguing that the trolls responsible needed to take a long hard look at themselves. And the “Shifting Gears” star knows exactly what it’s like to be body-shamed.
Speaking to ET soon after, Dennings further explained why she felt “personally affronted” by the abuse, noting that she had a horrible time when she was a similar age to Eilish. “I think things have improved as far as body image for girls and boys and everybody — things are more inclusive now. But when I was growing up it was not like that.”
Dennings had spoken about the difficulties she faced as a young woman in the entertainment industry during a chat with The New York Times nine years previously. The Pennsylvanian admitted that she was repeatedly told by casting agents to modify her appearance, whether it was dyeing her hair, getting a suntan, or losing weight. But proving that she’s always been headstrong, the actor ignored such damaging advice.
Kat suffers from severe migraines
Kat Dennings is one of 40 million American citizens who regularly deal with chronic migraine headaches. The “Daydream Nation” star has suffered from the condition since the age of 12 but only officially received a diagnosis in early adulthood. And she’s since aligned herself with several initiatives to raise awareness and advocate for care reform.
In an interview with Healthline to promote the Migraine Blackout campaign, Dennings revealed that the condition has had a detrimental effect on her social life: “I cancel personal plans all the time due to my migraine attacks, and that’s the worst because I feel like the ultimate flake. But the truth is, when I have a migraine, I struggle to do anything.”
However, proving that she’s the ultimate professional, Dennings also stated that she’s refused to allow migraines to impact her career. But she also wondered aloud whether this was the right approach: “I’ve always pushed through the pain because I don’t want to let people down and wasn’t sure if people would understand if I took time off because of it. But that says something, doesn’t it? There was a part of me that felt like having a migraine attack wasn’t a legitimate reason to rest up.”
Kat was repeatedly unlucky in love
Kat Dennings finally got a fairytale ending in 2023 when she married “Party Hard” rocker Andrew W.K. in an intimate ceremony at their Los Angeles home. The “To Write Love On Her Arms” star has previously endured her fair share of heartbreak thanks to several other failed celebrity romances.
Dennings was rumored to have dated “One Tree Hill” star Ira David Wood IV in the mid-’00s before moving on to “Criminal Minds” regular Matthew Gray Gubler, Academy Award nominee Ryan Gosling (allegedly), and then “Thor” co-star Tom Hiddleston. She then spent three years with her “2 Broke Girls” colleague Nick Zano. She later got serious with everyone’s favorite adult contemporary crooner Josh Groban.
Luckily, Dennings took something positive from all these experiences. While promoting the second season of “Dollface,” the Pennsylvanian told Schön! that she could relate to her heartbroken lead character Jules: “I haven’t had this kind of breakup experience, but I’ve certainly had times in my life when I was gone for a long period and felt like I had missed major things when I came back. It’s a similar feeling, so I had plenty to pull from.”
Kat lost her soulmate cat
Kat by name, cat lover by nature. As proven by her work with several animal charities, Kat Dennings is a feline fan, which made the sudden passing of her “soulmate” pet, Millie, in 2023 a shock to the system.
“It was very unexpected and horribly traumatic, and I was like, ‘What do I do?'” Dennings told People during a chat at the Best Friends Animal Society’s Los Angeles Pet Adoption Center. “I still can’t believe this. I thought she was going to live to be 30, and it was just the worst.” But on the advice of a friend, the “Suburban Gothic” star decided to deal with her grief by adopting not just one but two new cats.
Luckily, sisters Barley and Lentil have adapted to their new environment immediately, and Dennings couldn’t be happier. “… It’s really like they keep each other company, which is fantastic. They could care less if I’m out of the room. They’re like, ‘Whatever, lady.'” And even though he’s allergic to cats, rocker husband Andrew W.K. also now seems just as enamored. “I know he was scared, but now he loves them,” she added.
Kat was one of many celebs whose private photos were leaked online
Kat Dennings’ worst nightmare appeared to come true in 2010 when nude photos of the “Friendsgiving” star were allegedly uploaded online without her consent. The incident occurred four years before the scandal known as the Fappening, in which the likes of Jennifer Lawrence, Ariana Grande, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead all had their privacy invaded in equally traumatic ways.
Dennings has never confirmed nor denied whether the images in question were of her. But she did speak out about the double standards when her “London” co-star and one-time Sexiest Man Alive Chris Evans appeared to accidentally share an image of his manhood while showing his camera roll during an online game of Heads Up.
“The public respect for Chris Evans’ privacy/feelings is wonderful,” Dennings tweeted (via The Independent), referring to the amount of sympathy the one-time Captain America received following his apparent faux pas. “Wouldn’t it be nice if it extended to women when this kind of thing happens?” she added, referring to how female celebrities are often blamed and shamed in similar circumstances.
Kat Dennings was bullied during her very brief stint at high school
The majority of Kat Dennings’ education was homeschooling by her speech therapist mother Edith Judith Litwack and her molecular pharmacologist father Gerald. But on one occasion, she did get to spend at least a few hours at an actual school in her native Pennsylvania. The experience, however, no doubt left her feeling mightily relieved that it was only a one-off.
Discussing her very brief time at Friends Central in an interview with Philly Mag, Dennings stated that it well and truly broke her spirit. When asked to expand, “The House Bunny” star made it clear that she hadn’t forgiven or forgotten during the intervening years. Dennings revealed that she was yelled at and poked fun at over her sartorial choices. But, the incident that appears to haunt her most is the questionnaire in which she misspelled the word ‘friend.’ “I remember feeling so stupid,” the actor added. “And I thought, f*** this, ‘I’m going back to the woods.'”
Kat lost her father in 2023
Kat Dennings’ intimate wedding to rocker Andrew W.K. in 2023 was a bittersweet occasion. For just a few weeks earlier, the bride had lost her father, former molecular pharmacologist and college professor Gerald J. Litwack, just a few months short of his 95th birthday.
In an interview with Vogue, Dennings revealed she thought about postponing the ceremony at the Los Angeles home she shares with the “Party Hard” hitmaker before adding, “But I realized it was even more of a reason to grasp any joyous feeling where I could.” Shortly after tying the knot, Dennings took to Instagram to pay her first public tribute to the man raised and schooled the actor and her four siblings.
“Even though I knew he had less time than more, it still didn’t prepare me for the reality of the loss and the resulting existential crisis,” Dennings captioned a black and white photo of her father at work, going on to celebrate his achievements in various fields including cancer research and molecular cellular medicine. “He really wanted to leave a mark on this world, and I believe he did.”
Kat finds fame hard to deal with
While most Hollywood stars like nothing more than seeing their faces staring back at them from the magazine aisles, Kat Dennings isn’t particularly interested in being a cover girl. In fact, she admitted to feeling “really uncomfortable” after gracing the front page of Philadelphia Style in 2011.
Indeed, while chatting with The Philadelphia Inquirer at a launch party for the issue in question, Dennings acknowledged such promotional duties are part of her job, and that she was prepared to tolerate a certain level of discomfort in the line of duty. But the newspaper noted that she visibly appeared unsettled while serving as the night’s guest of honor.
Of course, having only just booked the lead role in the long-running sitcom “2 Broke Girls” at the time, the Pennsylvanian had to get used to even more schmoozing. Judging by her confession to The A.V. Club several years later, that was easier said than done. “Every single social situation makes me uncomfortable, but you know what I don’t like? And this is real weird: I really don’t like restaurants … I find it so psychologically strange to sit down and be forced to stay there for like an allotted amount of time, like a social contract of the restaurant thing. It makes me really want to go home.”
Stars You Wouldn’t Even Recognize Anymore
The following stars have changed so drastically over the years, they’re darn near unrecognizable. In fact, most people would probably have a tough time picking them out in a lineup. With the rise in plastic surgery and fillers in recent years, it is no surprise that many celebrities look significantly different from when they first came into the spotlight.
Of course, not every celebrity who changed up their look went under the knife, but some of the most infamous shapeshifters did reveal they had plastic surgery. For example, some of the “Keeping Up With the Kardashian” stars have admitted they look different due to plastic surgery. In 2015, Kylie Jenner confirmed what many fans already suspected about her suddenly plump lips. “I have temporary lip fillers. It’s just an insecurity of mine, and it’s what I wanted to do,” she said on an episode of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” per E! Entertainment. “I’m just not ready to talk to reporters about my lips yet because everyone always picks us apart.”
Plastic surgery aside, celebrities also transform when they opt for a different style. For instance, Billie Eilish traded in her neon hair and baggy clothes for a classic Hollywood look on her June 2021 Vogue cover. There are many more celebs who took their transformations to an even greater extreme. Some of these stars simply aged into a new look while others purposely altered their appearance. From America’s sweethearts to ’80s icons, find out who has aged, um, interestingly over the years.
Shelley Duvall
While you probably know her best from “The Shining” (1980) or “Popeye” (1980), Shelley Duvall today hardly resembles the actor who portrayed Wendy Torrance and Olive Oyl, respectively. While her looks are certainly different — as one might expect for a woman in her 60s — the more stunning transformation has been a mental one. Since her retirement in 2002, Duvall has apparently lived the life of a recluse at her home in Blanco, Texas.
When asked where she thinks her “Popeye” co-star Robin Williams is today during an episode of “Dr. Phil,” Duvall replied, “shapeshifting,” (via Pop Crush). She indicated that she still sees him sometimes (Williams passed away in August of 2014), and also shared some other troubling revelations — including delusions involving a man she calls the “Sheriff of Nottingham.”
While Dr. Phil pledged to help Duvall with her mental health, not everyone was thrilled about her appearance on the show. In an open letter, Vivian Kubrick — daughter of The Shining director Stanley Kubrick — condemned Dr. Phil and his show for using Duvall for his viewers’ entertainment. In a now-removed tweet, Kubrick called on others to join her in boycotting the show (via Pop Crush). Duvall later chimed in on the topic herself during an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “I found out the kind of person he is the hard way,” Duvall said, referencing the exploitative interview with Dr. Phil. “My mother didn’t like him, either. A lot of people, like Dan, said, ‘You shouldn’t have done that, Shelley.'”
Renee Zellweger
Renee Zellweger had everyone talking in 2014 when she showed up to the Elle Women in Hollywood party looking a lot different than she used to. According to People, even the event attendees had a hard time identifying the blonde beauty. The tabloids went into a speculative tailspin as rumors of plastic surgery erupted.
What happened? In a statement to People, the Oscar-winning actor credits her new look simply to living an improved life. “My friends say that I look peaceful. I am healthy,” Zellweger said. “For a long time I wasn’t doing such a good job with that … Rather than stopping to recalibrate, I kept running until I was depleted and made bad choices about how to conceal the exhaustion.”
Zellweger has no time for Internet gossip, based on her 2016 interview with “Today.” “It’s not really part of my life. It’s part of the job that I don’t really experience except when I step into this arena,” she said. “In my home I’m not aware of it. I don’t do any kind of social media, so I don’t see it. I like to have—I guess you would call them real experiences.” Well, okay, then. Fair enough. Zellweger opened up about how scrutiny regarding her new looks affects her in real life during an interview for SiriusXM. She explained that she overhead strangers in a train station speculate she’d had plastic surgery. According to the actor, the moment was hurtful temporarily but she didn’t let the cruel comments get to her (via Harpers Bazaar).
Val Kilmer
Actor Val Kilmer made headlines for his fluctuating weight for years, but tabloids took special notice of his sudden and drastic weight loss in 2014, forcing Kilmer to set the record straight. In a Facebook post published in December of that year, Kilmer claimed he had lost weight to portray Mark Twain in an upcoming movie. He also shared that he was healthy.
About a month later, Kilmer was rushed to the hospital amid rumors that he had a throat tumor. A rep for the actor later told TMZ Kilmer was simply undergoing tests for a possible tumor. The following December, Kilmer—who shot down reports that he’d been rushed back to the hospital—was spotted wearing a device that appeared to be a tracheostomy tube, according to People. He stepped out without the device a few months after People’s report.
Kilmer’s illness came to light in his documentary, “Val,” released in 2021. The film highlights the actor’s throat cancer diagnosis and recovery journey. “Now that it’s more difficult to speak, I want to tell my story more than ever,” Kilmer revealed in the documentary (via People). It appears that the star was just not ready to open up about such a sensitive topic at the start of his diagnosis.
Mickey Rourke
Oscar-nominated actor Mickey Rourke’s face has changed considerably since he emerged as a Hollywood icon in the early ’80s. As he tells it, his mug was damaged from his days as a professional boxer. “Most of it was to mend the mess of my face because of the boxing, but I went to the wrong guy to put my face back together,” Rourke told The Daily Mail in 2009. “I had my nose broken twice. I had five operations on my nose and one on a smashed cheekbone.” Sources for Page Six claimed in 2015 that Rourke was undergoing more surgeries to fix his nose and to get new dental implants.
Plastic surgeon Dr. Anthony Youn guessed what surgeries Rourke has received over the years in an article for CBS News. “The unnatural curve between his ear and cheek and his now-attached earlobe are also telltale signs of a facelift,” Youn told the outlet. He also speculated that the star received an upper eyelid lift and hair transplants. Another doctor, Hala Elgmati, told Mirror that the actor could have even nearly paralyzed the muscles in his face due to excessive botox. Of course, this is all just speculation given Rourke doesn’t seem to be open to detailing every procedure he’s had.
Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan’s drastically different face has been the subject of much speculation over the years, leading to headlines like “Misshapen Meg!” and the terribly blunt “What Has Happened to Meg Ryan’s Face?” To answer that question: we honestly don’t know. Although rumors of plastic surgery have surrounded the actor since the early ’00s, as far as we can tell, she’s never actually set the record straight. You be the judge.
While Ryan has not spoken up about the cosmetic surgery rumors herself, a plastic surgeon spoke with Hollywood Life about procedures the “As the World Turns” star may have had. “The most obvious thing that she’s had done is some sort of filler or fat transfer to her cheek,” said surgeon Mark Youssef. “It’s definitely too much because the apple of her cheek is too full and too large.” Youssef also speculated that the actor may have had a facelift, rhinoplasty, and botox.
Lil Kim
Lil’ Kim is another celebrity who’s battled plastic surgery rumors, as her face has looked drastically different at multiple events. According to E! News, Kim’s team finally spoke out after taking offense to a blog post. “We would like to inform fans, the media, and the general public that this is nothing more than the blog site doing its best to conjure up much needed publicity and what better way to do so, than to take an American music icon and create a fictitious platform in which to disrespect and humiliate,” a rep for Kim said. “We at Team Lil Kim are not taking this lying down and are taking this matter very seriously.”
Although Kim’s team seemed to dismiss these rumors, plastic surgeon Dr. Jennifer Levine –- and the rest of the internet -– thinks the rapper had quite a few enhancements. “It’s clear that there has been some skin bleaching,” Levine told Us Weekly. “She’s probably used chemicals, which contain very high doses of acids, on her face, combined with high-acid creams to lighten her skin.” The surgeon also believes Kim had her facial features altered, and the rapper’s eyes show some of the most noticeable changes. Lil Kim opened up about her nose job during a radio station interview in 2005. She explained that an abusive boyfriend broke her nose, and the surgery was done to restore her appearance after the injury.
Lark Voorhies
It’s hard to believe this is the same actor who once played the bubbly, fashion-happy student Lisa Turtle on “Saved by the Bell.” After a little investigating, it seems there may be something darker going on beneath the surface. After Voorhies’ bizarre interview with “The Yo Show” aired in 2012, the actor’s mother alleged in an interview with People that her daughter was suffering from bipolar disorder. Voorhies claimed in a now-deleted Instagram post that her mother’s allegations were untrue (via Us Weekly). She has, however, been open about her lupus diagnosis.
“I continue to rise again and again to reinvent myself,” Voorhies told her Instagram followers in December 2015 in a now-deleted post (via Yahoo! Entertainment). “And most important, there is a part of me you can never touch without my permission, my soul. I am God’s child and you can never take from me what I refuse to give.” Despite her rumored mental health struggles, Voorhies returned to Hollywood for Peacock’s “Saved By The Bell” revival in 2021.
Anjelica Huston
Actor Anjelica Huston’s face raised quite a few eyebrows at a 2013 panel for NBC’s “Smash,” to the point where the Daily Mail claimed she was suffering from an offensive-sounding condition called “pillow face.” For what it’s worth, according to the Mail, Huston has been open about her experiences with plastic surgery, including a Botox injection that allegedly left her with a headache for four days.
The “Addams Family Values” actor spoke to Vogue UK about her opinions on plastic surgery in 2020. “When I look down in the mirror, my neck isn’t exactly what it used to be,” she confessed. “I figure that maybe I should do something about it, but then it’s a slippery slope. Once you start on the neck you’ve got to pick up the jowls and… I’m not sure. I think I’ll give it another year and see how I feel, which is what I’ve been saying for years now.” Huston then explained she dislikes the idea of going under the knife, so it sounds like any additional enhancements may not be in her future.
Daryl Hannah
Actor Daryl Hannah looks a heck of a lot different from her Splash days; but before you jump to any conclusions, she has said before that cosmetic surgery has nothing to do with it. “I am too much of a coward to go under a surgeon’s knife for something that wasn’t life-saving,” she told Daily Mail in 2010, adding that she has actually lost jobs over a photo that made her look like she had gotten work done.
While Hannah doesn’t admit to going under the knife, some experts speculate she isn’t being truthful. Hollywood Life asked plastic surgeons Dr. Richard Fleming and Dr. Adam Schaffner to chime in on the matter. “In my opinion there’s a lot more fullness and it’s not a natural contour. I have no idea what they did, but there is filler material in there,” Fleming said of the “Kill Bill” actor’s changed face. Schaffner added the star could have undergone another popular cosmetic procedure as well. “It could be lighting and makeup, but in [the more recent picture] her nose looks different,” the surgeon said, alluding to a possible rhinoplasty. So, has Hannah had work done despite denying it? We’ll let you decide.
Rupert Everett
Like many stars on this list, Rupert Everett’s face has been subjected to harsh criticisms over the last few years. At one point, Entertainment Weekly even published a blog post titled, “Rupert Everett’s Face Makes Me Uncomfortable.” Like many stars on this list, Everett claims he’s had no work done. “I haven’t had any surgery done at all,” he told The Daily Mail in 2014. “You can see my face. I have lines. But I also want more hair — that’s the way forward for me.”
A spokesperson for Everett also denied that the star had ever gone under the knife. “Why would Rupert need any surgery?” they told Daily Mail. “He’s a beautiful man and he even plays a woman beautifully.” They went on to insist the star looks great without any enhancements. “Any speculation is completely laughable. He hasn’t had anything done and he doesn’t need it,” the spokesperson said. We may never know the truth about his face, but we do know that “My Best Friend’s Wedding” is an amazing movie, and Everett should have been nominated for an Oscar for it. Just sayin’.
Mark McGrath
Singer-turned-TV host Mark McGrath looks almost nothing like he did as boisterous frontman of Sugar Ray in the ’90s. Which, come to think of it, might not be so bad after all because who wants to be immortalized as Sugar Ray?
When McGrath joined the “Celebrity Big Brother” cast in 2018, viewers speculated whether he ever had plastic surgery given his altered appearance. The TV personality took to Twitter to put an end to the speculation. His tweet read in part: “Silly I have to respond to ridiculous plastic surgery rumors, but here goes…I have NEVER had any plastic surgery done, I’m just naturally beautiful.”
This was not the only time fans wondered how McGrath changed his features. According to Life & Style, “Extra!” viewers expressed they were shocked at the star’s new look during a TV appearance in 2018. Maybe we’re all just seeing things, though, because McGrath has yet to admit to undergoing any cosmetic procedures.
Priscilla Presley
Whether you know her as Elvis Presley’s widow or as Jenna Wade from the long-running television show Dallas, you might have a hard time recognizing Priscilla Presley these days. The business magnate and former “Dancing with the Stars” contestant reportedly had an unfortunate run-in with an unlicensed plastic surgeon, Dr. Daniel Serrano. Serrano allegedly had several other high-profile clients besides Presley, including Larry King’s wife, Shawn.
Unfortunately, it turned out that the expensive “European silicone” that Serrano was injecting his clients with was actually industrial-grade silicone sourced from Serrano’s native country of Argentina. Several of his clients developed issues after his misleading treatments, and Serrano was brought up on federal charges for his actions. He pled guilty to several of the charges in 2006 and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. While he’s now served his debt to society, many of Serrano’s victims — including Presley — will have to live with the effects of his treatments for a lifetime.
Tori Spelling
As the daughter of famed television producer Aaron Spelling, it’s no surprise that Tori Spelling punched her ticket to fame early as Donna Martin, one of the stars of her father’s ’90s production, “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Since her television debut, Spelling has been featured in several made-for-television movies as well as independent films like 2007’s “Kiss the Bride.” Her career in recent years has focused on the books she’s written and the reality shows centered on her family and her role as a mother. Spelling and her husband Dean McDermott announced in October 2016 that their brood of four was growing yet again and that they are expecting baby number five. For those of us that know her as the fresh-faced Donna, it’s hard to see the same girl when we look at pictures of her today.
So, why does Spelling look so different these days? Well, aside from the star simply aging like we all do, she has admitted to receiving a rhinoplasty. “I look completely different,” Spelling said in an interview for SiriusXM’s “Jeff Lewis Live.” “I look like I’ve had a nose job. Like, it’s straight now.” She went on to explain that her new look could also be the result of exosome therapy, which is a regenerative treatment that can reduce signs of aging in skin.
Melanie Griffith
Melanie Griffith, daughter of actor Tippi Hedren, got her acting start early in television commercials and modeling. She made her big-screen debut in 1975’s “Night Moves,” and continued her early career with more nymph-like racy roles in movies like “The Drowning Pool” and “The Garden,” per IMDb. She finally found her break-out role when she played secretary Tess McGill in the 1988 film “Working Girl” — a role which earned her an Academy Award nomination.
But when you compare photos of Griffith as the naturally pretty young woman of the ’80s and ’90s with pictures of her today, she’s barely recognizable. Part of the difference is likely due to an on-set incident from her early years: while filming Roar in 1977, Griffith was mauled by a lioness. The attack to her face required 50 stitches to repair, and a 1984 People interviewer noted that the scars from that attack were still faintly visible seven years after the incident.
Griffith opened up about getting carried away with her cosmetic procedures in an interview with Porter magazine. “I didn’t [realize it had gone too far] until people started saying. ‘Oh my god, what has she done?!” she said. “I was so hurt I went to a different doctor and he started dissolving all of this [stuff] that this other woman doctor had put in. Hopefully, I look more normal now.” The natural loss of skin elasticity as we age has likely also contributed to Griffith’s current visage — which now is more “Hollywood Matron” than “fresh-faced starlet,” if anything.
Jennifer Grey
She starred in the sleeper hit “Dirty Dancing” opposite Patrick Swayze; then, she practically dropped off of the Hollywood map. Whatever happened to Jennifer Grey, and what happened to her face? After the career-defining roles in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and “Dirty Dancing,” Grey’s acting career was halted in its tracks by two ill-advised nose jobs, which rendered Grey practically unrecognizable to fans. The botched rhinoplasty — combined with her own survivor’s guilt after surviving a fatal car crash in a vehicle driven by Bueller co-star Matthew Broderick — led Grey to effectively turn her back on Hollywood.
Grey spoke on her departure from the spotlight after her rhinoplasty made her unrecognizable. “I went into the operating room a celebrity and came out anonymous,” she said during an interview with Mirror. “It was the nose job from hell. I’ll always be this once-famous actress nobody recognises because of a nose job.”
While she appeared as a guest-star on a few sitcoms throughout the ’90s and 2000s, Grey kept a fairly low profile until she made a public comeback on Season 11 of “Dancing with the Stars,” which she won with partner Derek Hough.
Uma Thurman
“Kill Bill” star Uma Thurman is looking a little different, these days. When she catapulted herself to fame in Quentin Tarantino’s 1994 cult-classic “Pulp Fiction,” critics lauded Thurman for her performance, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress. Thurman took something of a break from acting during the late ’90s and early 2000s to focus on her family and relaunched her career as the steely-eyed Beatrix Kiddo in Tarantino’s Kill Bill movies.
Despite the hiatus, Thurman’s appearance had not changed much during the intervening years. It wouldn’t be until 2015 that a red-carpet appearance would reveal a drastically new look for Thurman—one that would draw ire from fans and tabloids who thought the star may have gone under the knife. Thurman quickly denied the rumors during a “Today” show appearance, telling the hosts that while she knows she looked different in the photos, her changed visage was simply the result of her makeup artist experimenting with her look.
Jaleel White
Millions of fans watched him grow up across nine seasons of “Family Matters,” which aired from 1989 to 1998. But the buffed-up and grown-up Jaleel White of today hardly resembles the slim and dorky teen we knew from the hit sitcom. Whether you preferred him as Steve Urkel, alter-ego Stefan Urquelle, or even female cousin Myrtle Urkel, it’s clear that White has left the past behind him today, nearly 20 years after he left the show. After he departed Family Matters at age 22, White struggled to continue his acting career. A 1999 sitcom, “Grown Ups,” was cancelled after only one season.
Unfortunately, White didn’t always feel welcomed during his time on “Family Matters.” The actor opened up about these difficult times during an episode of TV One’s “Uncensored” “I was not welcomed to the cast at all,” he revealed (via Deadline). “They know what it was…I didn’t think anything of it being cast to be on ‘Family Matters,’ because it was supposed to be a guest spot, one and done.”
Undaunted, White has continued to make guest appearances on various shows and has also done lots of voice-over work, including providing the voice of “Sonic the Hedgehog” in many of the “Sonic” animated series over the last 20 years. The actor later went on to reprise his role as Steve Urkel in 2021 for the animated special, “Did I Do That to the Holidays? A Steve Urkel Story.”
Ethan Suplee
Ethan Suplee rose to fame by taking on the roles of beloved overweight characters. The actor is best known for portraying the soul-singing football player in “Remember the Titans” and Randy from “My Name Is Earl.” In recent years, Suplee is inspiring others by shedding his heavy past for a transformed fit lifestyle.
On the podcast The Church of What’s Happening Now, Suplee told Joey Diaz that a year after “Remember the Titans” was released in 2000, he was a whopping 500 pounds. By January 2020, Suplee was embracing a new lifestyle, having launched “American Glutton,” a podcast centered on fitness and diet. In it, Suplee revealed his unhealthy relationship with food growing up. “I guess the first diet I was ever on, I was 5-years-old. I had not thought about food really other than enjoying food up until that point,” he revealed, adding that this led to a warped way of thinking. “Food was something people didn’t want me to have,” Suplee said, which resulted in private binge-eating sessions (via E! News).
Suplee’s new approach to eating has visibly paid off. “Food is a functional fuel I use to live and that’s how I am thinking about it right now,” the “Blow” actor said in the first episode of “American Glutton.” His body is already impressive (see more proof here). We’re rooting for you, Ethan.
Nick Nolte
Once one of Hollywood’s most prominent male stars, Nick Nolte was at the top of his game throughout the ’80s and ’90s — including his Oscar-nominated role in 1991’s “The Prince of Tides.” People magazine even named Nolte its “Sexiest Man Alive” in 1992. As he’s aged, though, Nolte has appeared less-frequently on the silver screen, and made headlines in 2002 when he was arrested for driving under the influence of GHB, which made his particularly unflattering mugshot photo national gossip fodder. While he definitely looks more in control of himself today, it’s clear that Nolte hardly resembles his younger self now that he’s in his 70s.
Nolte opened up about his life in his memoir titled “Rebel: My Life Outside the Lines,” which was released in 2018. The book reveals that the actor originally set out to become a football star. He later discovered his love for acting and began performing in community theatres (via USA Today). The book cover features a photo of Nolte in is younger years that shows just how much he’s changed since then.
Anthony Michael Hall
Like Jaleel White, Anthony Michael Hall first made waves as a teen actor — particularly with his appearances in coming-of-age and teen classics like “Sixteen Candles,” “The Breakfast Club,” and “Weird Science.” Unlike the Steve Urkel actor, Hall managed to successfully branch out from the “nerd” typecasting of his early roles by joining the cast of “Saturday Night Live” when he was only 17. He continued his string of successes in the ’90s with roles as a villain in “Edward Scissorhands” and a gay man in “Six Degrees of Separation.”
In recent years, Hall made a name for himself among television fans with his portrayal of psychic Johnny in the series adaptation of Stephen King’s book “The Dead Zone.” Hall definitely sports a much different look from his early “geek” days. While we recognize pictures of Hall today as being the actor from “The Dead Zone,” we actually didn’t realize he was the same actor who played Brian in “The Breakfast Club.”
Axl Rose
Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose has come a long way from his hard-rocking sex symbol status of the ’80s and ’90s. The platinum-selling recording artist has gone through multiple transformations over the years, including the cornrow phase and weight issues. The rocker pleaded with Google to have unflattering images removed from search results. While this may seem like a bold request, these photos resulted in a meme that poked fun at Rose’s weight. The singer embarked on a mission to relaunch his career in 2016 with a Roses reunion tour and also by filling in as the frontman for AC/DC on the rest of their tour after Brian Johnston had to quit touring following some serious problems with his hearing.
Despite the changes to his look over the last three decades, fans and reviewers who have seen him in action during his 2016 comeback agree that he’s still got the impressive vocal control and range that made him a force to be reckoned with all those years ago.
Jase Robertson
Much like the rest of the “Duck Dynasty” stars, Jase Robertson became famous among fans for his epically long beard and equally long locks. However, in September 2017, the 48-year-old reality TV star suddenly took a razor to his signature look and instantly became the poster child for how to succeed in the witness protection program. (Yep, that’s him wearing the “YETI” T-shirt.)
Of course, Robertson’s makeover wasn’t the result of some spontaneous decision. His new look served a greater purpose. It was all to help raise money for the Mia Moo Fund, a charity “dedicated to raising awareness and funds towards research, treatments, and causes of cleft lip & palate,” according to its website. The charity was founded in 2014 after his daughter, Mia, had surgery on her cleft palate.
After his makeover, Robertson returned to the spotlight in 2022 for his new show “Duck Family Treasure.” The series shows viewers Robertson and his family’s journey to uncover hidden treasure.
Jonah Hill
“21 Jump Street” actor Jonah Hill has gone through a drastic transformation since the start of his career. A quick browse through the star’s Instagram page reveals that he’s opted for bleached, shaved hair, which is quite different from the curly brunette tresses he sported when fans first saw him on the big screen. One of the most noticeable aspects of Hill’s transformation is his weight loss, but the actor has expressed he does not appreciate comments about his physique. In 2021, Hill took to Instagram to plead with fans amidst buzz about his weight loss. “I know you mean well but I kindly ask that you not comment on my body,” he wrote in a post. “Good or bad I want to politely let you know it’s not helpful and doesn’t feel good. Much respect.”
Hill did, however, open up about what motivated him to embark on a weight loss journey during an interview on “The Tonight Show.” “I wanted to get in better shape, so I called Channing Tatum and said, ‘Hey, if I ate less and go to a trainer, will I get in better shape?'” Hill said (via CNN). The “War Dogs” actor spoke out about his image once again when he called out Daily Mail for posting photos of his shirtless body. “… the idea that the media tries to play me by stalking me while surfing and printing photos like this and it can’t phase me anymore is dope,” he wrote sarcastically in the caption of an Instagram post.
Khloe Kardashian
Much Like her sisters, Khloe Kardashian often changes up her look. However, the reality TV star seems to go for far more than just minor alterations. You may have noticed that she looks completely different these days. Fans have wondered whether Kardashian’s ever-changing appearance is the result of plastic surgery, filters, photo editing, or a combination of the three. The “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” star sparked an internet frenzy when she posted a questionable photo to Instagram where she looked drastically different. “I love her but why is her one eye higher,” one user wrote in the comment section of the post. Another user shared: “What, no, not authentic at all.”
Kardashian has addressed the backlash she receives over her seemingly altered Instagram posts. She even admitted to using filters. According to The U.S. Sun, the mother of two posted a series of filtered videos to her Instagram Story in June 2021. She captioned one of the clips: “Mary god bless your filter.” Fans now knew that the star alters her images, but what about her actual physical appearance? It turns out Kardashian has admitted to undergoing plastic surgery as well. “For me, everyone says, ‘Oh my gosh, she’s had her third face transplant.’ But I’ve had one nose job — Dr. Raj Kinodia — and everyone gets so upset, like, ‘Why don’t I talk about it?'” Kardashian said during a “Keeping Up With the Kardashians” reunion episode in June 2021 (via Yahoo! Entertainment).
Lorde
When Lorde released her debut album, “Pure Heroine,” in 2013, she promoted the work as an edgy teen with long curly locks in dark lipstick. To complete this look, the “Royals” songstress often wore dark clothing that made her seem even more mysterious. Lorde later made a drastic change to her appearance when she chopped off her long curls and began wearing her hair straight. This marked the start of a complete transformation for the star.
By the time the “Stoned at the Nail Salon” singer released her third album, Solar Power, in 2021, she took on a look — and persona -– that was the complete opposite of her previous image. She traded in the dark makeup for a natural, fresh face and began wearing clothes that were much more colorful. The musician poked fun at this change in the music video for her song “Secrets from a Girl (Who’s Seen it All).” The video features past, present, and future versions of Lorde alongside each other. The singer described the three versions of herself as: ” … the Child in her purple lipstick and silver jewelry, big curls thrown over to one side, skipping and bouncing like I did as a six-year-old; the Lover, a baby woman in red with a little diamanté eye, waking up hungover and divine; and the Gardener, me at my wisest and most crunchy, dressed in my own clothes,” per Paper. It sounds like fans may have one more transformation to look out for given Lorde hasn’t reached her gardener era quite yet.
Amanda Bynes
Amanda Bynes earned her first major role as a child star on Nickelodeon’s “All That.” She went on to star in “The Amanda Show,” “She’s the Man,” and more. Bynes’ successful career came to an end in 2010 when she took to Twitter to announce her retirement.
She later found herself in the spotlight again due to her bizarre behavior on social media and her shocking new look. She began switching up her hair color, she got a septum piercing, and she even shocked her social media followers with a heart-shaped face tattoo. You may recall that the retired actor’s mental health was brought into question around this time due to some shocking tweets. Some of the messages included sexual advances toward rapper Drake after she called him “ugly,” in since-deleted Tweets, per Entertainment Weekly.
It turns out Bynes was working through personal struggles at the time because the actor wasn’t released from her nine-year conservatorship until 2022. The former child star’s lawyer, David A. Esquibias, shared a statement that read: “Ms. Bynes’ parents have both been very supportive throughout the entire conservatorship, and have helped her work towards a positive transition into the real world, which was the goal from the beginning of the legal arrangement,” per Entertainment Tonight. So, it seems that Bynes is now in a better place.
Madonna
Madonna has always gotten people talking, but in February 2023, she set off a barrage of comments like no other at the Grammys. The Material Girl was introducing a performance by Sam Smith and Kim Petras, but all viewers could focus on was her face. More specifically, how different she looked. The feedback was harsh, to say the least, criticizing Madonna’s alleged overuse of fillers and her unnatural appearance. For her part, the singer clapped back on Instagram, accusing naysayers of ageism and misogyny. She also claimed her distorted look was due to the way she was filmed. “Many people chose to only talk about Close-up photos of me Taken with a long lens camera By a press photographer that Would distort anyone’s face!!” the Queen of Pop argued.
Madonna has never confirmed nor denied surgery rumors, but she did once say in 2012, per the Mirror, “I am certainly not against plastic surgery. However, I am absolutely against having to discuss it.” Over the years, there’s been speculation that she’s had dermal fillers, Botox, breast implants, and butt injections. In 2022, Dr. Ehsan Ali, CEO of Beverly Hills Concierge Doctor and Urgent Care, told Page Six that, in his professional opinion, Madonna has allegedly had a nose job while further claiming, “She for sure had a facelift. You can see her skin is pulled back and tightened.”
As for Madonna, she poked fun at critics two weeks after the Grammys fiasco, posting a selfie to Twitter and writing, “Look how cute I am now that swelling from surgery has gone down. Lol.”
Blac Chyna
While many celebs have been criticized for getting too much work done, Blac Chyna took fans by surprise when she got all of her cosmetic procedures undone. The model and influencer, whose real name is Angela White, took to Instagram in March 2023 to document her journey of, as she put it, getting “back to the baseline” — and her followers were all for it. Chyna received plenty of praise as she filmed all of her doctors’ appointments, starting with a visit to get her facial fillers dissolved. A visibly excited Chyna removed everything from her cheeks and jawline to get her natural face shape back.
“I’m tired of the look, and it’s just not flattering,” she told fans. “… It totally changed my face, and I’m just ready to get back to Angela.” In another string of videos, she had her breast implants reduced, calling it “one of the best decisions I could have done.” Finally, she got rid of her butt injections, which she opted for when she was just 19. The mom of two also used the opportunity to warn others not to follow in her footsteps. “Do not get silicone shots!” she urged, explaining the long list of possible complications.
As for why she had the procedures in the first place, Chyna admitted it was all about fitting in. “I was so young, I just wanted that body, ’cause I saw everybody, you know, my crew, getting it,” she told ABC News that April. “I wanted to be with the ‘it girls.'”
Angus T. Jones
Angus T. Jones became a household name at just nine years old when he was cast to play the half on “Two and a Half Men” back in 2003. However, growing up in the spotlight wasn’t always easy, and in 2012, the actor slammed the series that made him famous. The then-19-year-old joined Christopher Hudson, the founder and leader of a Seventh-day Adventist Church called the Forerunner Chronicles, for a headline-making interview in which he said he didn’t want to be on the show anymore. Jones also urged fans to stop tuning in. “Please stop filling your head with filth,” he proclaimed. Jump to 2014, and he was still rallying against the sitcom, telling KHOU-TV (via The Washington Post), “I was a paid hypocrite because I wasn’t okay with it, but I was still doing it.”
When the show ended in 2015, Jones decided to walk away from acting and enrolled at the University of Colorado at Boulder instead. In 2016, he told People he hadn’t totally written off Hollywood, and that same year, he made a cameo on Louis C.K.’s “Horace and Pete.” Then, he disappeared from showbiz. Jones has kept under the radar since, and when the Daily Mail spotted him in 2020, he looked unrecognizable — nothing like how America remembers him. These days, the former child star is all grown up and sporting a big, bushy beard and full mustache. In May 2023, Page Six photographed the reclusive actor for the first time in a year, and Jones was still embracing the scruffy look.
Courteney Cox
Not many A-listers are comfortable speaking honestly about plastic surgery, but Courteney Cox has zero qualms getting candid about her procedures. Over the years, folks began to notice that Cox’s face was slowly changing, and eventually, the “Friends” star looked nothing like her former self. She didn’t initially address the buzz, but in 2017, she told NewBeauty that a fear of aging had gotten the best of her. “I grew up thinking that appearance was the most important thing,” Cox shared. “I was trying so hard to keep up, and I actually made things worse.” Saying it’s easy to lose track — “You have no idea because it’s gradual until you go, ‘Oh s***, this doesn’t look right.'” — Cox revealed it was a friend who eventually told her she had to hit the brakes. She did, and then the star took things one step further by having her fillers dissolved. “I’ve had to learn to embrace movement and realize that fillers are not my friend,” Cox mused.
Since then, Cox has repeatedly spoken about learning that hard lesson. In 2022, she told The Sunday Times, “I didn’t realize that, oh s***, I’m actually looking really strange with injections and doing stuff to my face that I would never do now.” The actor even called fillers her biggest beauty regret, telling the “Gloss Angeles” podcast in 2023, “You don’t realize that you look a little off, so then you keep doing more ’cause you look normal to yourself.” Cox admitted, “I messed up a lot.”
Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis is no stranger to morphing into other people and becoming a whole different character on screen (he’s got three Oscars to prove it!), but his real-life transformation was something no one saw coming. You’ll likely recall how, in June 2017, Day-Lewis suddenly quit acting without much of an explanation. At the time, his spokesperson simply told Variety, “Daniel Day-Lewis will no longer be working as an actor.”
No official reason was given, and when Day-Lewis was asked to explain his decision in an interview with W magazine that November, he couldn’t. The star had just finished shooting 2017’s “Phantom Thread,” which would end up being his final film, and he shared that the decision also took him by surprise. “Before making the film, I didn’t know I was going to stop acting,” he said. Rather, he was overcome by an inexplicable sadness while working on the movie and, in the end, he felt he had to walk away. “The work can seem vital. Irresistible, even,” Day-Lewis mused. “And if an audience believes it, that should be good enough for me, but, lately, it isn’t.”
And just like that, the talented actor disappeared from the spotlight and has rarely been seen since. In May 2023, Page Six spotted him in New York City for the first time in four years, and he appeared nothing like the man who was a red-carpet staple. Wearing a jogging suit and baseball cap, Day-Lewis seemingly looked disheveled with his gray hair coming down to his shoulders.
Rebel Wilson
Rebel Wilson has always been confident in her own skin, but in January 2020, she announced on Instagram that she was embarking on what she called “The Year of Health.” That meant working hard with a personal trainer and watching her diet to hit a goal weight of 165 pounds. That May, she offered an update, telling followers in a since-deleted post that it wasn’t always easy, but she was sticking with it. And she encouraged fans to do the same. “Even if you have to crawl towards your goals, keep going, it will be worth it,” Wilson wrote.
Jump to November, and she told People she’d lost around 40 pounds and felt better than ever. The actor attributed a large part of her success to eating better and switching to a high-protein diet full of fish and chicken breast. “Before I was probably eating 3,000 calories most days, and because they were normally carbs, I would still be hungry,” Wilson explained. However, the “Pitch Perfect” star stressed, “Nothing is forbidden.” Not even In-N-Out Burger. “I can go there, I just might eat half of what I used to eat before,” she said.
Wilson has been understandably proud of her journey, and fans have been nothing but supportive of her new look, but as she told The U.S. Sun, it’s about more than a number on the scale. “It’s about dealing mentally with why I was overeating,” Wilson shared. She further explained to People, “I wasn’t loving myself enough.”