Every Hollywood star has to start somewhere. Long before they were headlining blockbusters, walking red carpets, and winning awards, they landed their first movie role. And for some, those early performances are almost unrecognizable today. From Oscar and Emmy Award winners to action heroes and rom-com favorites, here's what 26 of Hollywood's biggest stars looked like in their first role compared to their most recent role:
Note: These do not include voice roles or uncredited roles.
1. To start, here’s Zendaya in her first movie role, Frenemies (2012).
And here’s Zendaya in her most recent movie role, Dune: Part Three, which releases on December 18, 2026.
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
2. Here’s Tom Holland in his first movie role, The Impossible (2012).
And here’s Tom in his most recent movie role, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which releases on July 31, 2026.
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
3. Here’s Zac Efron in his first movie role, Melinda’s World (2003).
And here’s Zac in his most recent movie role, A Family Affair (2024).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
4. Here’s Angelina Jolie in her first movie role, Lookin' to Get Out (1982).
And here’s Angelina in her most recent film role, Couture (2025).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
5. Here’s Queen Latifah in her first movie role, Jungle Fever (1991).
And here’s Queen Latifah in her most recent movie role, End of the Road (2022).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
6. Here is Kate Hudson in her first movie role, Desert Blue (1998).
And here is Kate in her most recent movie role, Song Sung Blue (2025).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
7. Here is Jacob Elordi in his first movie role, Swinging Safari (2018).
And here is Jacob in his most recent movie role, Wuthering Heights (2026).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
8. Here is Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in his first movie role, The Mummy Returns (2001).
And here is Dwayne in his most recent movie role, Moana (2026).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
9. Here is Keke Palmer in her first movie role, Barbershop 2: Back in Business (2004).
And here is Keke in her most recent movie role, I Love Boosters (2026).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
10. Here is Glen Powell in his first movie role, Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003).
And here is Glen in his most recent movie role, How to Make a Killing (2026).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
11. Here is Amandla Stenberg in her first movie role, Colombiana (2011).
And here is Amandla in their most recent movie role, My Animal (2023).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
12. Here is Demi Moore in her first movie role, Choices (1981).
And here is Demi in her most recent movie role, I Love Boosters (2026).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
13. Here is Mindy Kaling in her first movie role, The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005).
And here is Mindy in her most recent movie role, Locked Down (2021).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
14. Here is Jenna Ortega in her first movie role, Insidious: Chapter 2.
And here is Jenna in her most recent movie role, Klara and the Sun, which releases October 23, 2026.
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
15. Here is Jennifer Lopez in her first movie role, Nurses on the Line: The Crash of Flight 7 (1993).
And here is Jennifer in her most recent movie role, Office Romance (2026).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
16. Here is Zoe Saldana in her first movie role, Center Stage (2000).
And here is Zoe in her most recent movie role, Avatar: Fire and Ash (2025).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
17. Here is Lindsay Lohan in her first movie role, The Parent Trap (1998).
And here is Lindsay in her most recent movie role, Freakier Friday (2025).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
18. Here is Leonardo DiCaprio in his first movie role, Critters 3 (1991).
And here is Leonardo in his most recent movie role, One Battle After Another (2025).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
19. Here is Robert Pattinson in his first movie role, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2005).
And here is Robert in his most recent movie role, The Odyssey (2026).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
20. Here is Robert Downey Jr. in his first movie role, Pound (1970).
And here is Robert in his most recent movie role, Oppenheimer (2023).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
21. Here is Will Smith in his first movie role, Where the Day Takes You (1992).
And here is Will in his most recent movie role, Bad Boys: Ride or Die (2024).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
22. Here’s Ariana Grande in her first movie role, Swindle (2013).
And here’s Ariana in her most recent movie role Focker-In-Law, which comes out November 25, 2026.
And here are those photos side-by-side.
23. Here’s Margot Robbie in her first movie role, Vigilante (2008).
And here’s Margot in her latest movie role, Wuthering Heights (2026).
And here are those photos side-by-side.
24. Here is Meryl Streep in her first movie role, Julia (1977).
And here is Meryl in her most recent movie role, The Devil Wears Prada 2 (2026).
And here are those two photos side-by-side.
25. Here is Anne Hathaway in her first movie role, The Princess Diaries (2001).
And here is Anne in her most recent role, The Odyssey, which comes out on July 17, 2026.
And here are those two photos side-by-side.
26. And finally, here’s Ryan Gosling in his first movie role, Frankenstein and Me (1996).
And here’s Ryan in his most recent movie role, Project Hail Mary (2026).
And here are those pictures side-by-side.
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