What 10+ Famous Heartthrobs From the ’80s and ’90s Look Like Today

We humans have learned to control many things, but one thing we still cannot master is the passage of time. Years, days, hours, and minutes pass constantly without us being able to do anything to stop them. And, in this cadence, they gradually leave their traces. We begin to grow some gray hair and our skin starts to wrinkle, but on the other hand, we become wiser and more appreciative of the important things in life. This happens to everyone, even to the most coveted beaus that made us sigh when watching movies in the ’80s and ’90s.

Bright Side loves to review celebrities’ careers and remember their beginnings, so we prepared this list with the before and after of 11 men whose showbiz industry peak happened in the ’80s and ’90s.

1. Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin first became popular thanks to the great performances he delivered on the small screen back in the early ’80s, when series like The Doctors were popular all over the US. But the role for which we probably all remember him is Adam in Tim Burton’s classic film Beetlejuice. In addition to being a full-fledged heartthrob, the actor has had a prolific career. He worked in Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation, A Star Is Born, and Pixie, among numerous other productions that confirm he’s one of the greatest actors of our time.

But Baldwin has something that other Hollywood actors can’t really brag about. He’s successful not only in terms of acting but also in his personal life. He has been married to Hilaria Baldwin for more than 20 years and they have just welcomed their sixth child (the seventh child for Alec, who already has a son from his previous marriage to actress Kim Basinger).

2. Mel Gibson

Mel Gibson’s professional career is so broad that it is pretty hard to choose just one starring role that defines him as an actor. However, if we had to do it, we might have to talk about one of the film franchises for which he is most recognized: Lethal Weapon. Still, we think that we can confidently say that his most successful role came when he played Sir William Wallace in Braveheart. Later he was part of the cast of What Women Want, Signs, and Force of Nature.

The actor has been in a relationship with Rosalind Ross since 2014 and they have a son together. In addition, Gibson has 8 other children from previous marriages and while he has had a less stable life than the previous actor in this compilation, Gibson seems to have found his own happy place.

3. David Hasselhoff

In addition to being one of the most handsome men in the industry, David Hasselhoff turned out to be a multifaceted person. At the age of 7 he began taking acting, dancing, and singing lessons, and, initially, he thought his path would lead to mostly Broadway musicals. We now know this was far from being true.

His role as Michael Knight in the series Knight Rider launched him to international fame. He was later cast in one of the most successful series of all time, Baywatch, and more recently in Killing Hasselhoff, among other productions.

You’ll hardly be surprised to learn that in his spare time, he enjoys practicing outdoor sports, like scuba diving. And, as if that weren’t enough for him to be perfect, he spends many hours visiting children in hospitals around the world.

4. Kevin Costner

According to the man himself, it was pure chance that led him to become an actor. Let’s rewind to when Costner was 22 years old flying back from Mexico with his new bride. On the same plane, all by himself in an empty row, sat 7-time Oscar nominee Richard Burton. The 2 of them talked, Burton gave him some advice and wished him good luck, and, for Costner, that was a sign to start his career. Success came when he starred in the film The Untouchables and was part of the cast of The Bodyguard.

But, besides movies, this actor is interested in other things. He acquired a company dedicated to the development of centrifuge machinery that helps separate oil from water. And not only that, but he also showed his musical side by forming the band Kevin Costner & Modern West, with which he’s released 5 albums.

5. Lorenzo Lamas

Muscular, long hair, rides a motorcycle... Lorenzo Lamas caught everybody’s attention when appearing in the series Renegade and set a standard for a new type of masculinity. After appearing there, the actor was cast for The Paradise Virus, Air America, and Las Vegas Vietnam: The Movie.

Although Lorenzo is still connected to acting (he is preparing 2 movies), he recently resumed a profession he had hidden, an airplane and helicopter pilot, and started working for the touristic flight company HeliNY.

6. Bruce Willis

We’re not sure if you were aware of this, but Bruce Willis, besides being super handsome is one of the top 10 stars in terms of box office earnings. However, the story of his life isn’t all that simple.

His acting career started when, while working hard as a waiter in a restaurant, he was spotted by a director who decided to include him in a movie where he actually needed a waiter. But he was so skilled, that from that moment on, his career began to rise and he was part of films like Pulp Fiction, Sixth Sense, and Armageddon, to name just a few.

Regarding his personal life, Bruce Willis is in a relationship with Emma Heming but maintains an excellent relationship with his ex and mother of his 3 daughters, Demi Moore.

7. Matthew Broderick

If Matthew Broderick hadn’t injured his knee when he was in school, we might never have had the pleasure of seeing him on screen. It was only after that injury that the young man and soon-to-be star began taking acting lessons.

However, chances were high for him to become an actor, as he is the son of actor James Broderick. Today, his extensive career is full of titles that you are probably familiar with, like The Cable Guy, The Freshman, Addicted to Love, and Manchester by the Sea, among others.

He is married to Sarah Jessica Parker and they have been together for 23 years now. “An actor I love on and off the stage,” the actress says jokingly when asked about her husband.

8. Russell Crowe

Russell Crowe is probably one of the most sought-after heartthrobs in Hollywood and one that has one of the most interesting careers in the whole industry. His path to success started when he was still a child. He jumped to fame after he became a star on Australian television. After that, he appeared in 2 films, one of which, The Sum of Us, helped him break into the American scene.

From that moment on, his career was on the rise and never stopped. In 1997 he starred in L.A Confidential alongside Kim Basinger. Then in 2000, he dazzled us with his performance in Gladiator, and later he was part of the casts of The Mummy and Unhinged, among other productions.

As for his personal life, the actor is currently engaged to Britney Theriot and they enjoy playing tennis together.

9. Emilio Estévez

For Emilio Estevez, the road to acting was a little smoother than for some of his co-stars. He is the son of actor Martin Sheen, who helped him a lot to get some roles and we can’t blame him for that, after all, Hollywood can be a difficult place to get around if you don’t know anyone there.

In any case, he had to wait until he was 18 years old (when he finished his studies) to officially start his career. He started with a few side roles, like in Tex, but it was in 1983 when he made his leap to fame with the film The Breakfast Club. Among his latest films are The L.A. Riot Spectacular and The Public.

The actor was married to Paula Abdul, but after they split up, he has kept a very low profile and has not been seen with another partner, or at least not publicly.

10. Michael J. Fox

It’s very likely that, just like us, you also would have liked to jump in Michael J. Fox’s car to travel through time with him and check out what secrets the future holds for all of us. Back to the Future was one of his most iconic movies, but he has also appeared in many other important movies and series, like Tales from the Crypt, Annie, and most recently in Netflix’s See You Yesterday.

Currently, the actor is going through a bit of a rough patch. He’s facing health problems, as he suffers from Parkinson’s, a disease he was diagnosed with several years ago. However, he has not lost his optimism and spends his time with his wife and children. “The last few years have been the most difficult. But I have things I’ve been blessed with, which are just amazing. Life is good,” he said.

11. Tom Cruise

If you were a teenager in the ’80s either you (or one of your friends) had to have had a Tom Cruise poster hanging in your room. It is very difficult to summarize the career of this heartthrob in a few lines since it’s full of different experiments, movies, series, etc. However, if we had to choose just a couple of them, we can confidently say we will always remember him for his role in Top Gun and the action franchise Mission: Impossible.

Recently Cruise finished shooting a sequel for one of his most famous movies, Top Gun: Maverick. He is also busy shooting Mission: Impossible 7 and 8. And it seems that with these projects he has also found love, because he is in a relationship with his co-star in the movie, British actress Hayley Atwell, at the moment.

Who was your favorite actor or actress of the ’80s and ’90s? Why?

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