Lifestyle

Extreme Makeovers That Made People Unrecognizable

10. The Jonah Hill of Superbad is still hilarious, but slimmer with his amazing makeover. Just like many of us, actors’ career interests change. Even then,… Trista - August 29, 2021

If you ever stayed at a slumber party, you probably know all about makeovers. Celebrities undergo plastic surgery and extreme makeovers on a regular basis. No one is surprised to hear that success and fame change people. Nevertheless, some people really transform during their lucrative careers, especially in their faces. Can you expect much else from people who are always in the public eye? It’s one thing to change your hair style or adapt to a better style with fortune and fame. However, these makeovers are so jaw-dropping that we even forgot how the star originally looked. These before and after makeovers are intense. We’ve gathered a list of 15 celebrities whose extreme makeovers will leave you wondering if they’re the same people at all.

15. Miley Cyrus went from innocent singer-songwriter to rebellious pop star.

You might remember Miley Cyrus’s days as an innocent young actress on Hannah Montana. Her acting and singing career began in 2006 when she starred in her titular show as the Miley/Hannah double identity. The records Miley released as Hannah Montana — including the soundtrack to the show — were also met with rave reviews and cemented her reputation as a pop star. However, as with many children or teen actors, the fame got to her. When she turned eighteen, she quit Hannah Montana to pursue more mature interests and took on a punk, “bad girl” appearance to reverse the public’s perception of her “innocent” persona. Remember her infamous shaved head, double topknot look?

Miley’s rise to stardom and continuation on the path of fame has been rife with controversy. She’s been accused of racism and promiscuity, but today, she has held firm and continues to live as her most authentic self. One fun fact is that Cyrus initially auditioned for the role of Hannah Montana’s best friend but was called back to audition for the lead role thanks to her acting and singing skills. Which makes us wonder: where would she be today if she hadn’t gotten the lead role? Would she be the cool, breezy girl she is now or more of the innocent Hannah Montana type?

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14. The Kardashians love beauty improvements, and Khloe is no exception to makeovers.

Khloe Kardashian has often gotten the short end of the stick regarding public attention. That is especially true in her early years of fame. A socialite and reality television star, Khloe is known for her role in the famous Kardashian clan. Furthermore, she has often been compared to her sisters, Kim and Kourtney. The Kardashian clan rose to fame through Robert Kardashian’s role as a defense attorney for OJ Simpson. Kim’s notorious tape leaked in 2003, and put the family in the center of the public spotlight, leading to the launch of their reality TV show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

Appearing on TV next to her sisters, Khloe endured frequent body-shaming comments from the audience, who also criticized her facial features. Due to, or in spite of, these remarks, Khloe has transformed her looks with makeovers since the early 2000s and now shows off a toned body. She’s even started a TV show called Revenge Body, which features participants receiving a fitness and style makeover — similar to what Khloe herself has undergone. While some critics accuse Khloe of undergoing plastic surgery, she denies these accusations and attributes her “new” face to her weight loss and makeup artist. Whatever the case, her makeover was undoubtedly dramatic.

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13. Chris Pratt is nowhere near his former Andy Dwyer persona.

Chris Pratt became known for his role as Andy Dwyer on Parks and Rec. With this silly, dorky character, his personal appearance matched well — pudgy and lots to love. Rumor has it that Chris gained 40 pounds for this role, leading him to become recognized as the odd, unaware guy. However, few people know that in Pratt’s first-ever role in the short-lived television series Everwood, he was just as hunky as he is now.

Today, Pratt is almost unrecognizable from his breakthrough character, Andy Dwyer. Instead, you can find him playing action-oriented roles — due to his significant weight loss. His now-toned, fit body suits his handsome face well, and he definitely put in the effort the old-fashioned way to achieve this new physique – working with a personal trainer and nutritionist and exercising six days a week. This actor lost 60 pounds in six months, slimming down from around 300 pounds for his Marvel movie auditions. The effort paid off as he landed the role of Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy and launched his new hunky persona.

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12. Posh Spice no more, Victoria Beckham is now a top fashionista.

Victoria Beckham was a founding member of the Spice Girls, known as Posh Spice. She was a full-on pop singer complete with questionable mid-90s style in those days — remember platform sandals? Her looks back then screamed pop icon and, although they weren’t the most stylish around, Beckham’s extreme success with the Spice Girls launched her to global fame. Even now, the group is credited for being the best-selling female band of all time.

Beckham broke away from her Spice Girls period and began charting her own path to success in the early 2000s with the release of her solo album. Around the same time, she started her modeling and fashion career. Her first modeling job was at London Fashion Week in 2000, an impressive gig for a first-time model. Since then, Beckham has modeled for Dolce and Gabbana and Rocawear and launched her own clothing line. Resulting from all this success in the fashion world, Beckham has successfully rebranded herself more as a designer than a singer. It is evident in her makeover today: smart, stylish, and elegant.

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11. Kylie Jenner, the world’s youngest self-made billionaire, has many cosmetic-made features and makeovers.

Before the world had Kylie Jenner as we know her today, she was a pretty ordinary-looking teenager. Kylie made her first public appearance in Keeping Up with the Kardashians alongside her half-sisters Kim, Khloe, Kourtney, and full sister Kendall. Back then, she was a quieter, awkward preteen but soon rose to fame. She began amassing fame as her publicity increased, being named teenage fashion icons with Kendall and appearing in music videos for artists such as Jaden Smith. It’s clear from her physical appearance that Kylie’s looks changed dramatically with these makeovers and commensurately with her increased renown.

Kylie has come a long way, both personally and professionally, illustrated in her physical appearance. While she has social media to thank in large part for her meteoric movement to the forefront of America’s cultural consciousness, she can thank plastic surgeons and cosmetologists for her picture-perfect face. Perhaps most noticeable in her changed appearance is her lips, which transitioned from thin to full due to lip injections. People speculate that Kylie has also had plastic surgery on her body due to her curves’ rapid and extensive development. However, she’s denied these allegations and attributed the changes to puberty. Regardless of her transformation, Kylie is an undeniably successful celebrity with a knack for marketing.

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10. The Jonah Hill of Superbad is still hilarious, but slimmer with his amazing makeover.

Just like many of us, actors’ career interests change. Even then, some actors cannot escape their typecast roles no matter how hard they try; others successfully pivot. Jonah Hill is a prime example of changing direction in his acting career, starring purely in comedic roles initially and moving onto more serious endeavors. With this redirect has come a dramatic change in his appearance. In his days on Superbad, the movie that launched his film career, Hill had a silly and fun-loving persona that manifested in his disheveled look. His chubbiness and long hair gave him the appropriate on-screen charisma for such roles.

Although Hill’s success as a comedic actor led to a snowball of similar roles, he wanted to take on more serious roles. To that end, he lost a significant amount of weight and landed parts in films such as Moneyball and Wolf of Wall Street — as noticeably non-funny characters. Hill’s makeover for a less comedy-oriented career didn’t just end at weight loss; he also upgraded his style, donning sleeker outfits that genuinely state, “creative actor.” While Hill still occasionally returns to his roots in comedic acting, like in the recent movie Don’t Look Up, he has demonstrated his ability to be flexible. His physical makeover is a testament to his adaptability.

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9. Ariana Grande’s signature high ponytail didn’t always exist.

Ariana Grande today churns out hit song after hit song like it’s her job. (Oh wait, it is.) Nevertheless, before her global renown as a pop star, she started as dim-witted character Cat Valentine in Nickelodeon’s Victorious. In those days, Grande clearly lacked the iconic style that defines her today. There’s no denying that she was always beautiful. However, the actress-turned-singer had a more plain-faced, innocent look — not to mention naturally curly black hair before entering show business and straight, red hair for her Nickelodeon role. Of course, she was also a less-developed teenager who had yet to grow into her full, mature beauty.

While Grande earned her fame in acting, she was always focused on pursuing a music career. She had performed in musicals for most of her life, and by the time she was in her late teens, Grande worked hard to make that career a reality. With the release of her debut album, Yours Truly, in 2013, she became a pop star virtually overnight. Grande has received two Grammy’s, among many other awards, and is the most-streamed female artist in music history. She is an undeniable force and her trendsetting fashion today shows it: signature straight ponytail, winged eyeliner, and fresh sneakers.

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8. This Keeping Up with the Kardashians star keeps up with her makeovers and procedures.

Kim Kardashian: a name sure to elicit admiration in some and annoyance in others. Her family name has become a household one, and Kim is perhaps the most famous member. Kim’s claim to fame was the release of her notorious and… explicit tape in 2007 (on top of her father’s high-profile engagement in the OJ Simpson trial), which catapulted the family into reality TV and Kim into a life of extravagance. Before this journey, Kim was a fresh-faced teen and young adult with an untouched face and body. While it’s clear that she always possessed a natural beauty, it wasn’t until her cosmetic procedures that she really acquired that “celebrity” look.

In the short time it took for Kim to reach star status. Her physical appearance changed noticeably. She altered her hairline, froze her face in time using Botox, and had filler injections to achieve fuller cheeks and lips. Her nose also appears smaller and more chiseled, but Kim has denied getting a nose job. Regardless of the procedures, Kim has undergone, there’s no doubt that she’s built an empire around her name. She owns her own beauty and fragrance lines (KKW Beauty and KKW Fragrance), does product endorsements, and has even posed on the cover of Playboy. Today, she fetches hundreds of thousands of dollars for each Instagram post. If that’s not a symbol of success, it’s hard to say what is.

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7. Marilyn Monroe’s natural allure only grew over time.

Marilyn Monroe’s story is as famous as it is heartbreaking. Monroe was born to an unknown father and a mother who was unable to support her financially. As a child, before she became a blonde bombshell, Monroe became a ward of the state. Monroe lived in foster care until her marriage at age 16. Fortunately, Monroe was discovered while working at a factory during World War II. And you know what they say: the rest is history. She got her start in modeling and later working tirelessly in film. At the beginning of the story, Monroe wore natural brunette curls instead of her famous blonde locks. Furthermore, she was not fully developed into her notable shapely figure.

Soon, though, Monroe went from a little-known pin-up model to a full-blown Hollywood celebrity. She dyed her hair the iconic blond for which she was both famous and typecast (appearing in films as the “dumb blonde”) and was signed to 20th-Century Fox. The film industry maximized her natural sex appeal and portrayed her with signature winged eyeliner on her downturned eyes, gazing down at the audience in seductive poses. In addition to her famous beauty, Monroe was extremely hardworking; in an early feminist move, she combatted Fox and their low-paying contract by founding her own production company. Over her career, Marilyn Monroe blossomed in both beauty and professional prowess — causing a stir then and still revered now.

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6. Angelina Jolie makeovers take her from gothic vampire to elegant princess.

Before Brangelina there was the original, independent Angelina Jolie. You may know her for her roles in Girl, Interrupted; Mr. and Mrs. Smith; and Beowulf. You might also remember her vampire makeovers in the late 90s and the rumors that she and Billy Bob Thornton were actual vampires who wore vials of blood around their necks. From Jolie’s pale days to her elegant looks today, she has gone through quite a glow-up makeovers over the years.

Before Jolie made her name in blockbuster films, she spent many years as a struggling actor. Many people don’t know about her troubled childhood, during which she endured mental health struggles and self-harm in the face of an absent father and stressful school experiences. This background led to a dark persona (recall: vampire) that made it difficult for her to land significant roles. However, Jolie had a breakthrough with a Golden Globe win for her role in the film George Wallace. She collected various other awards, such as two more Golden Globes and an Academy Award. With her rise to mainstream celebrity came greater sophistication in her appearance; Jolie shed her dark style for more natural makeovers. Either way though, she is still serious appearance.

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5. Kelly Osbourne overcame many difficulties to achieve her healthy look today.

The daughter of Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne (the famous heavy metal singer-songwriter), Kelly Osbourne seemed destined for a punk, rebellious lifestyle. Growing up in a dysfunctional household, as portrayed in her family’s titular reality show, The Osbournes, Osbourne developed several addictions and mental health challenges. Among them have been alcoholism, painkiller use, and emotional eating — all influencing her appearance throughout her public life. Osbourne wore a punk-rock look with her signature heavy eyeliner in her early days of fame.

Despite her challenges, Osbourne has succeeded in many endeavors, from starting a fashion line to releasing her own albums. While she has always worked hard in her career, her mental and physical health improved within recent years. The daughter of Ozzy saw a therapist for a year to strengthen her mindset. Not only that, but she underwent a gastric sleeve operation. Most importantly, Osbourne changed her lifestyle. Now, she’s 90 pounds lighter and seems to be in a much happier place from all the work she put in. She’s even grown out her hair (while keeping the lavender look) and adopted a brighter-toned makeup style that suits the positive changes in her life.

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4. Jennifer Hudson’s admirable work ethic has transformed her career and her body.

Remember the good old days of American Idol when the OG judges — Paula, Randy, and Simon — reigned over the production? Those were also the days when Jennifer Hudson debuted on the national stage with her participation in the show and quickly won over viewers’ hearts. As a sweet, likable, and kick-butt singer, her time on the show launched her singing career. She also made her film debut on Dreamgirls, in which she wowed audiences. However, if you were to look at her now, you may not believe she used to have a curvy figure before her fame kicked off.

Hudson’s weight loss journey is one to admire. The beautiful singer lost more than 80 pounds following the birth of her son. Furthermore, she did it the old-fashioned way — that is to say, with alterations to her diet and dedication to exercise. The songbird did use Weight Watchers to facilitate her slimming down, primarily for figuring out how to eat well. That is why she became a spokesperson for the company. While many try to find a quick fix to lose weight, Hudson proves through her own experiences that the weight will only stay off with genuine self-motivation. Jennifer Hudson is undoubtedly a talented actress and singer. She has won an Academy Award and Golden Globe, among many others. Despite the makeovers, she looks beautiful at any weight. However, she is healthier today as a result of her transformation.

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3. Talented rapper Nicki Minaj didn’t always reveal her bubbly side.

One of the most famous female rappers of all time didn’t always look so glamorous and fierce. Nicki Minaj is a self-made star with humble beginnings, having grown up in a household with her grandmother, brother, and eleven cousins. She had an early knack for performing and was always beautiful. However, the rapper was far from developing the color-popping, eye-catching sense of style for which she’s become known. Before her pop stardom, Minaj put on little makeup, kept her hair naturally black, and wore simple clothing. It seems that she always had the flashy side to her, though, and it only took some recognition to bring it out.

When Minaj achieved her breakthrough with the album Pink Friday, the world got to know her genius with verse as well as her unique sense of style. True to the name of her debut album, Minaj loves to wear the flashiest colors of pink, often layered atop one another. She’s sported the edgiest hair colors and styles, from bleach, curly blond to color block rainbow hair. She also has found knock-out fashions that accentuate her famous curves. Minaj has become a superstar in all dimensions of her life.

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2. Even good-looking Jamie Foxx has had some procedures to perfect his celebrity look.

Jamie Foxx’s voice sounds like God’s gift from heaven. Foxx has always been a musical talent, starting as a choir leader at his church and was going to study music and performing arts composition in university. Nevertheless, he was also highly talented from a young age in acting and comedy. While those attributes inspired his fame, he didn’t always have the flawless looks he’s known for today. At the beginning of his career, Foxx had a gap-toothed smile and a hairline inches behind where it is today.

Foxx’s role in the comedy TV show In Living Color launched his career, and he’s had no shortage of significant acting roles since then. He won endless accolades for his portrayal of Ray Charles in Ray (including an Academy Award, BAFTA, and Golden Globe) and is known for drastically changing his looks for his many characters. However, even when he presents as himself, Foxx has physical attributes that were previously nonexistent because of makeovers. For one, his now pearly-white veneers give him a million-dollar smile. Moreover, his hairline has dramatically changed, moving forward significantly and developing a more structured shape, causing speculation about a hair transplant. No matter what procedures Foxx has gotten, they’ve only served to enhance an underlying handsomeness he’s always possessed.

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1. From bald to beard, Tom Hardy is an expert in manly makeovers.

Tom Hardy might be a muscular hunk today, but that wasn’t always the case. Born and raised in London, Hardy started his career as a model. He looked like one too — in other words, tall, thin, and largely lacking muscle. While Hardy still acted in those earlier days, he didn’t play the macho, action-oriented characters he does today. Some might say he was “skinny fat,” and Hardy himself even admits to having been a skinny, non-athletic youngster.

No one would guess Hardy was anything but a huge manly man today. Things in the muscle department changed for Hardy around 2010 when he performed as a mixed martial arts fighter in the film Warrior, for which he had to put on over 20 pounds of muscle. Since then, Hardy has become known for his dramatic body transformations for roles, particularly for Bane in Batman: The Dark Knight Rises and Charles Bronson in Bronson. For the latter part, Hardy claims to have put on seven pounds a week without taking steroids. It is a feat he attributes to eating large, daily portions of chicken and rice. His extreme and successful physical transformations have accentuated Hardy’s already-impressive acting skills.

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