Rob Lowe
We kick things off with ’80s heartthrob Rob Lowe. The star started acting at just 15 years old, putting him at the ideal age to become a teen idol in the ‘80s.
In fact, Rob was a member of the Brat Pack — a group of young actors who appeared together often in coming-of-age movies. Like many others on this list, Rob Lowe was a huge star in the ‘80s and then made a comeback later in his career. Not only has he appeared on several TV shows but he even hosts his own podcast!
Elisabeth Shue
Next up is American actress Elisabeth Shue, who starred in all sorts of huge ‘80s hits. At the beginning of the decade, she starred in The Karate Kid, and then later in Adventures in Babysitting and Back to the Future. Those are some serious ’80s credentials!
In the ’90s, Elisabeth Shue was nominated for an Oscar for her work. Nowadays, she stars in various streaming hits, including The Boys on Amazon, and the Karate Kid-inspired Cobra Kai on Netflix.
Judd Nelson
Without a doubt, one of the most iconic and memorable movies from the ‘80s is The Breakfast Club. The John Hughes directed flick starred various teen actors as high schoolers spending the afternoon in detention. Judd Nelson played John Bender, otherwise known as “the criminal.”
As well as starring in some other hits from the ’80s, Jude Nelson went on to work in both TV and film. He played Billy in Empire and voice acts for the Transformers franchise.
John Cusack
Interestingly, before Judd Nelson was cast as “the criminal,” actor John Cusack was up for the role. In fact, Cusack won the role but was replaced with Nelson when he didn’t look threatening enough. However, he did star in John Hughes’ first hit movie, Sixteen Candles.
John Cusack is a pretty prolific actor, and has starred in over ’80 movies. Most recently, he played Dr. Kevin Christie in sci-fi drama Utopia. The star has never married or had kids.
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate is still a pretty big star, so it may be surprising that she was also a teen idol in the ‘80s. The star started with smaller roles but didn’t become more well known until she played Kelly on Fox’s first-ever sitcom, Married… with Children.
We all know that Christina Applegate is in hit after hit. She won two Emmys for sitcom Samantha Who? and has been delighting audiences as Jen in Netflix’s dark comedy Dead to Me.
NOW | Christina Aguilera
Years later, Christina decided to leave behind the image of innocence projected by her music and surprised everyone with an album called Stripped. During this period she was linked to Fred Durst, had problems with Pink and made headlines after kissing Madonna at an MTV awards.
Despite all this, Aguilera’s career matured with her and her scandals stopped making headlines. She is now a mother of two, and has not produced music recently, only small collaborations with artists such as Demi Lovato.
BEFORE | Ryan Gosling
At just 13 years old, Ryan Gosling was already a star. Accompanied by his inseparable friend, Justin Timberlake, this little boy acted like a pro in his scenes of The Mickey Mouse Club, winning over the audience and becoming one of the most loved and remembered.
While he wasn’t as active in show business during his teenage years as his other peers, Gosling rose to stardom as an actor later in his career.
NOW | Ryan Gosling
Ryan Gosling is now one of the most sought after and talented actors in Hollywood. His participation in major films has led him to be nominated for Best Actor at the Oscar and Golden Globe Awards.
Now with his two daughters he leads a more private life alongside his actress wife Eva Mendes. The La La La Land star has expressed in multiple interviews how happy he is with his current life and the experience of being a stay-at-home dad.
BEFORE | Hilary Duff
Adorable teenager Hilary Duff gave us endless moments of happiness thanks to her role in the series Lizzie Mcguire. Her influence on pop culture and children of the 2000s is still present today.
Besides being the star of this show, she also had a successful career as a singer. This foray into music left hits like “So Yesterday” and “Best of My Heart”, which are still remembered and used in social media trends.
NOW | Hilary Duff
After keeping a low profile and participating in few projects, Hillary Duff is back on the scene and is currently working on the filming of a second part of the famous series How I Met Your Mother.
She was also in talks for a new season of Lizzie Mcguire, however, as she herself communicated, the necessary agreements were not reached. The actress is now happily married with three children, and regularly posts updates about her life on Instagram.
BEFORE | Kevin Jonas
The rise of the Jonas Brothers was unimaginable. No one expected these three brothers to have such a huge impact on the pop culture of the 2000s. Kevin Jonas was part of this triumph and together with his brothers participated in multiple projects.
Although Kevin was the least extroverted brother of the three, he also had his starring role in Disney series and movies. In addition, he participated in musical collaborations of other famous stars, giving him the renown he currently retains.
NOW | Kevin Jonas
Years later, Kevin left his teenage look behind once he retired from his brothers’ band. The guitarist stepped away from the public eye and devoted himself to family life with his wife and children.
