12 Celebrities Who Stunned Us After Deciding to Transform Their Public Persona

year ago

The celebrity world is always changing. All artists, even the most established ones, are forced to reinvent themselves and step out of their comfort zone to tread new paths. Many of them have risen to the challenge and even started a new stage in their career by taking that first step in another direction.

Bright Side shares with you the case of some celebrities who went through a big makeover with their public image for having experienced a new facet in their artistic career.

1. Matthew McConaughey

In the early 2000s, Matthew McConaughey was a leading man in romantic comedies, like How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and The Wedding Planner. However, thanks to the great turn that the Oscar for Dallas Buyers Club meant for his career, the actor is now considered a great dramatic performer and has practically left behind his more rom-com record.

Not only did he manage to make a great turn in his career as an actor, but he has also successfully ventured into the world of writing with his autobiography Greenlights.

2. Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba gained fame in the acting world for almost always playing the role of the pretty girl, and was practically typecast in that role. However, her life took a 180-degree turn when she started The Honest Company, which began as a baby product company that later expanded into general beauty products.

The company went on to have a 2017 stock price of 1 billion dollars, which is why today Alba is seen as a respected entrepreneur within the beauty world.

3. Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift began her career with a marked influence of American country music, to which she added a slightly more modern tone, which made her stand out from the rest. But stardom undoubtedly came with the mega-hit album 1989, in 2014, where her music was much more in the pop genre, which made her the super celebrity she is today.

Although she occasionally returns to her country roots and has proven to be a diverse and eclectic songwriter, it was the radical shift to more mainstream pop that made her a celebrity.

4. Tom Hanks

Tom Hanks is one of the most recognized actors of his generation, with multiple awards to his credit and a large number of classics in his vast career.

However, few remember that at the beginning of his career, he had roles in pretty simple and nice comedies, like Splash, Bachelor Party, or Big. It was with the Oscar for his great performance in Philadelphia that he became the dramatic icon he is today.

5. Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus rose to stardom at a very young age with her well-remembered starring role in the Hannah Montana series, where she revealed herself as a new Disney icon with her charm that transmitted an aura of innocence.

Once the show ended and she had to forge her own path, the singer showed a radical change of style. She began to exhibit herself in a more extroverted and rebellious way, which transformed her into one of the most relevant artists of the decade.

6. Kristen Stewart

Kristen Stewart had a hard time shaking off the complicated role she took on during the Twilight saga. However, thanks to her great work on smaller films, she has seen the resurgence of her career to the point of being one of the favorites in the Oscar race for her portrayal of Diana of Wales in her next film, Spencer, the story of Lady Di.

7. Jonah Hill

Jonah Hill made his fame in the acting world working in absurd and lighthearted comedies like Superbad or 21 Jump Street. However, after his Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for Moneyball, Hill has sought to become increasingly respected as a dramatic performer, and along the way, he managed to work with the legendary Martin Scorsese on The Wolf of Wall Street.

8. Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage began his career standing out as a reliable dramatic actor, and appeared in films by well-known directors such as David Lynch, Brian De Palma, and the Coen brothers.

However, after winning the Oscar for Leaving Las Vegas, the actor focused mainly on films where he appeared as an action hero and switched to a profile of a box-office star which led him to make many films of that style in the early 2000s.

9. Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian is undoubtedly one of the most recognized celebrities today, largely thanks to the success of the documentary series Keeping Up With the Kardashians. Lately, she has also focused her career on the business side, as her beauty line KKW Beauty has allowed the diva to amass a fortune that tops out at approximately 900 million dollars.

10. Dwayne Johnson

Before becoming the king of Hollywood action blockbusters, Dwayne Johnson was one of the most relevant stars in the world of wrestling. Very slowly, but steadily, he was consecrated as a great figure of the film industry, to the point of being one of the most recognizable faces of the moment.

11. Ariana Grande

Ariana was first cast in the Nickelodeon sitcom Victorious. In 2012, when the show came to an end, she decided to start writing songs and producing music, which led her to become one of the most beloved pop singers today.

12. Caitríona Balfe

Caitríona began modelling at the age of 18 before moving to Paris. Her career highlights include appearances in fashion shows for Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, and Louis Vuitton, among many others. Despite her successful modelling career, Balfe had always wanted to be an actress. So she moved to Los Angeles in 2009, spent over a year in acting classes, and the rest is history.

Do you like it when artists change their style or do you prefer them in their original persona?

Please note: This article was updated in October 2022 to correct source material and factual inaccuracies.
Preview photo credit Angela Weiss / WireImage / Getty Images, AFP/EAST NEWS

Comments

Get notifications
Lucky you! This thread is empty,
which means you've got dibs on the first comment.
Go for it!

Related Reads