What 20+ Stars Would Look Like in Their Iconic Scenes If They Recreated Them Today

When we think of a very famous movie, like one that has garnered a cult following, we don’t imagine that anyone other than the chosen actors could play those iconic roles, not even the same actor at a different age. It would be interesting if the actors could travel back in time to reprise those key roles in their careers.

At Bright Side, we wanted to remember 14 really famous movies and see how some of their most iconic scenes would look with more mature actors in them.

1. Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future

Back to the Future was one of the most successful films of the ’80s, winning a wide variety of awards and nominations. The leading man was Michael J. Fox, who at 24 years old, achieved worldwide recognition, as did Christopher Lloyd at age 47.

Fox has continued acting to this day, with Lil Nas X: The Origins of “Holiday” (2020) being his most recent project. Lloyd also remains active in show business, and in 2021, he participated in Queen Bees.

2. John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson in Pulp Fiction

The film, Pulp Fiction (1994), is considered a classic in film history, directed by Quentin Tarantino. It brought John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson great popularity at the time. Today, after more than 25 years, Travolta was part of the commercial, Capital One: Christmas Ad, in 2020, and Jackson is in pre-production for Futha Mucka.

3. Tom Hanks in Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump was the second highest-grossing film of 1994 in the United States. It was also considered a historical and cultural classic. When Tom Hanks was 38 years old, he starred in the film, and the following year, he received an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role. Hanks is currently in production on the mini-series, Masters of the Air.

4. Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osment in The Sixth Sense

Sixth Sense was a film that starred Bruce Willis at the age of 44, along with his co-star, Haley Joel Osment, who was 11 at the time. Both benefited from the popularity that the film brought them, but for Osment, it was his leap to fame since his career as an actor was just beginning. Willis’s last film appearance was in Cosmic Sin, while Osment is currently in post-production for Not an Artist.

5. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in Titanic

In 1998, a global trend was set after the release of the movie, Titanic, thanks to the winning combination of a romantic plot and chaotic scenarios. The film went around the world with its 2 protagonists, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, who in their youth, achieved worldwide fame. Currently, DiCaprio is part of the cast of the film, Don’t Look Up, which is in post-production, and Winslet is the star of the mini-series, Mare of Easttown.

6. Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone

Actor Macaulay Culkin was only 10 years old when the first film of the Home Alone saga was released, playing the lead role of Kevin, which got him a nomination for Best Comedy Actor. This film is acclaimed as a Christmas classic for families and is what put Culkin on the map. Today, he is one of the main characters in the series, American Horror Story.

7. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint were the lead actors in all the Harry Potter films. Together, they started the first film in 2001, when they were 12, 11, and 13 years old, respectively. The 3 actors achieved popularity in the world of cinema thanks to this film.

Today, Radcliffe is currently filming a new movie, called Lost City of D; Watson recently appeared in Little Women (2019); and Grint acted in the second season of the TV series, Servant (2021).

8. Johnny Depp in Edward Scissorhands

In 1990, Johnny Depp, at the age of 27, gained worldwide recognition with his role in the movie, Edward Scissorhands. It was a commercial success and was critically acclaimed by film experts. Depp is currently working on a new animated mini-series, Puffins.

9. Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman

In 1990, the film Pretty Woman became a box-office hit, helping lead actors Richard Gere and Julia Roberts to win worldwide recognition and Roberts to win her second Golden Globe at the age of 24. Gere continues his work as an actor, appearing in the TV series, MotherFatherSon, from 2019, and Roberts is in pre-production for a new TV series, Gaslit.

10. Sam Neill and Laura Dern in Jurassic Park

Actors Sam Neill and Laura Dern starred in the 1993 film, Jurassic Park. It was ranked as the highest-grossing film in the history of cinema until 1997. Both celebrities are recognized for the fame they obtained with this film. The Portable Door is Neill’s most recent work, and Dern, in 2021, voiced Sue Murphy in the series, F is for Family.

11. Kirsten Dunst in Jumanji

In 1995, when Kirsten Dunst was a 13-year-old girl, she got one of the leading roles in the movie, Jumanji. It is considered a classic film of the mid-’90s, giving the young actress recognition and popularity. She is currently part of the cast for the movie, The Power of the Dog, set to be released in 2021 in the United Kingdom.

12. Keanu Reeves in The Matrix

In 1999, the first installment of the Matrix trilogy was released. Thanks to the incredible praise it received, several video games and comics based on the film were made. It was classified as a cult movie and starred Keanu Reeves, who was 35 years old, and along with the movie, gained a huge fan base. Reeves’ last on-screen appearance was in 2020’s Bill & Ted Saving the Universe.

13. Tom Cruise in Top Gun

Top Gun was one of the most successful films, both critically and commercially speaking, starring Tom Cruise at the age of 34, and one of the highest-grossing films of the ’80s. After more than 25 years, the second part of this production, called Top Gun: Maverick, will be released at the end of this year, keeping Cruise as the main character.

14. Drew Barrymore in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial

At just 6 years old, actress Drew Barrymore caught the attention of viewers with her part in the main cast of the movie, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982), which was the highest-grossing film worldwide until Jurassic Park was released in 1993. Barrymore, during 2020 and 2021, worked on her own television show, The Drew Barrymore Show.

Who is your favorite actor? In which movie did you like their performance the most?