What 40 iconic actors looked like when they were in their 20s

Now in his late 60s, Tom Hanks has had a prolific acting career spanning multiple genres. In his 20s, Hanks moved to New York City from California and got his first film role in the slasher "He Knows You're Alone" (1980).

In 1981, he met actress Rita Wilson while filming the show "Bosom Buddies." Then at age 29, Hanks acted alongside Wilson again in the film "Volunteers." The pair later married in 1988.

Decades later, Hanks is best known for his work in "Big," "A League of Their Own," "Cast Away," the "Toy Story" franchise, and "Elvis."

Meryl Streep is one of the most-awarded actors in Hollywood.

She was born in New Jersey in 1949. After graduating from the Yale School of Drama at age 26, Streep moved to New York City and was soon cast in multiple Broadway shows.

Streep's first feature role was alongside Jane Fonda in "Julia" (1977),. In 1978 she was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance in "The Deer Hunter."

Now in her 70s, Streep has appeared in dozens of popular films, including "Sophie's Choice," "The Devil Wears Prada," "Into the Woods," "The Post," and "Don't Look Up."

More recently, the actor has been starring on Hulu's "Only Murders in the Building."

Forest Whitaker has had a long and celebrated career in film.

Born in Texas in 1961, he largely grew up in California and went on to study drama in college. At age 21, Whitaker was cast in Cameron Crowe's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High."

Soon after, he received roles in "The Color of Money," "Platoon," and "Good Morning, Vietnam." Whitaker went on to star in acclaimed dramas like "Bird," "The Last King of Scotland," and "The Butler."

More recently, Whitaker appeared in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," "Black Panther," and "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey."

Born and raised in New York, Sigourney Weaver attended the Yale School of Drama and even acted alongside Streep in a theatrical production at Yale.

Although her acting background was theatrical, Weaver was cast in her first film in 1977 as a small character in "Annie Hall" at age 27. Just two years later she was cast as Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott's space thriller "Alien," one of her most iconic roles to date.

In the decades since, Weaver has risen to prominence through her roles in everything from "Avatar" to "Finding Dory."

Denzel Washington was born in New York, although he lived in Florida as a teenager and attended graduate school at the American Conservatory Theater in California.

In 1981, Washington made his first film appearance in the comedy "Carbon Copy," and was soon cast in the hospital drama "St Elsewhere" as Dr. Philip Chandler at age 28.

From then on his career skyrocketed. Washington has starred in an array of films that span from biopics like "Malcolm X" to thrillers like "Training Day," for which he won the Oscar for best actor in a leading role.

Washington continues to act in high-profile films including "Fences," "The Magnificent Seven," and "The Tragedy of Macbeth."

Diane Keaton was born in Los Angeles in 1946 and would later study acting in New York City.

After being nominated for a Tony for the Broadway play "Play It Again, Sam," Keaton received her first film role in "Lovers and Other Strangers" at age 24.

Her big break came a couple of years later in Francis Ford Coppola's film classic "The Godfather." In her late 20s, she was cast in a slew of films that included "The Godfather Part II," "Sleeper," and "Love and Death."

In 1978, Keaton won the Oscar for best actress in a leading role for her work in "Annie Hall.

She's since earned great acclaim for work in well-loved movies and TV shows like "Because I Said So," "And So It Goes," and HBO's "The Young Pope."

Samuel L. Jackson was born in 1948 and eventually studied drama at Morehouse College in Georgia.

After a background in stage plays, Jackson appeared in a few films made for television in his early 20s and made his film debut with "Together for Days" at age 24.

He moved to New York City and continued acting on the stage until he returned to film with a small role in "Coming to America," which introduced him to director Spike Lee. Lee later cast him in "Jungle Fever," which earned Jackson props at The Cannes Film Festival. 

Since then, the actor has gained fame for his work in "Goodfellas," the "Star Wars" franchise, "Jurassic Park," "Pulp Fiction," and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Jessica Lange was born in Minnesota in 1949 and moved to Paris as a young adult to study mime theatre and dancing.

When she was 24, Lange relocated to New York City and became a model, which later led to her film debut as the leading lady in 1976's "King Kong."

At 27, Lange won the Golden Globe Award for new star of the year for her role in the film.

From then on, Lange's career quickly accelerated. She now lays claim to award-winning roles in "Tootsie," "Frances," "Grey Gardens," and FX's "American Horror Story."

Robert Downey Jr. was born in New York City in 1965 and had his first film role at age 5 in Robert Downey Sr.'s film "Pound" (1970).

By 27, he was starring as Charlie Chaplin in the biopic "Chaplin."

Downey had a drug addiction which followed him into his 20s and 30s. As he's gotten older, he's been open about it and his path to recovery.

Now in his late 50s, Downey is best known for playing billionaire superhero Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 

Famed actor Dame Julie Andrews was born in Surrey, England, in 1935 and grew up singing and performing as a young child.

On her 19th birthday, she made her Broadway debut in "The Boy Friend." Throughout her 20s, she went on to star in huge Broadway shows including "My Fair Lady," and movies made for television like "Cinderella."

At age 28, Andrews started filming the Disney movie musical "Mary Poppins," which would go on to become an iconic touchstone in her filmography.

Now in her late 80s, Andrews has built an incredible acting career that includes beloved films like "The Sound of Music," "Victor/Victoria," and "The Princess Diaries."

Harrison Ford was born in Chicago in 1942.

At age 22, he moved to California to pursue a career in acting and was cast in a few minor roles in his early 20s. When he was 25, he got his first credited role in the Western "A Time for Killing."

In his late 20s, his career stalled and Ford took up carpentry full time to support his wife and two children.

It wasn't until 1973 that Ford was cast in "American Graffiti," which opened new doors for him in the entertainment industry and made way for his starring roles in blockbuster franchises like "Indiana Jones" and "Star Wars."

Dame Maggie Smith was born in Essex, England, in 1934. She began studying acting at age 16 and made her film and Broadway debuts at age 22.

In 1958, she received her first BAFTA nomination for her role in the film "Nowhere to Go." Then, at age 26, she performed opposite Laurence Olivier in the Royal National Theatre's production of "Othello."

Throughout her late 20s, Smith continued to perform high-profile roles in theatrical plays and films.

Smith went on to become one of the most established actors of her generation. She made her mark in countless movie and TV roles, especially in franchises like "Harry Potter" and ITV's "Downton Abbey."

The actor died at the age of 89.

Jeff Bridges was born in Los Angeles in 1949 to parents who were both working actors.

Although he made minor appearances on his father's projects as a child, his first major acting role was in the 1971 movie "The Last Picture Show." At age 22, the role earned him an Oscar nomination for best supporting actor.

From then on, he began an impressive career in film and even performed alongside Clint Eastwood in 1974 in the film "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot." By 27, the actor was cast in the 1976 remake of "King Kong," alongside Lange.

Now in his 70s, Bridges boasts an acting career with an impressive range that includes dramas like "True Grit" and dark comedies like "The Big Lebowski."

Sally Field was born in Pasadena, California, in 1946 and was the daughter of actor Margaret Field.

At 19, she broke into television with the ABC sitcom "Gidget." Two years later, she was cast on ABC's "The Flying Nun."

When she was 29, the actor played the titular character on CBS' "Sybil," a performance that earned her an Emmy Award for best dramatic actress.

Now in her 70s, Field has earned a place among other high-caliber actors due to her work in films like "Norma Rae," "Steel Magnolias," "Mrs. Doubtfire," and "Forrest Gump."

Amitabh Bachchan was born in Allahabad, India, in 1942.

He made his film debut in 1969 at age 27 as a voice narrator in "Bhuvan Shome" and landed his first on-screen role the same year in "Saat Hindustani."

At 29, Bachchan earned the Filmfare best supporting actor award for his performance in "Anand" and starred in two more films, "Parwana" and "Reshma Aur Shera."

He didn't earn wide appreciation for his work until the action film "Zanjeer" a few years later. From there, his career blossomed and he became one of the top actors in Bollywood.

He's since starred in over 190 films in Indian cinema.

Rita Moreno was born in Humacao, Puerto Rico, in 1931 and has seven decades of acting talent in her blood.

Although she had her first Broadway role at 13, Moreno largely acted in minor film roles until she played a star in "Singin' in the Rain" at 21. Four years later, Moreno's career gained a huge boost from her supporting role in "The King and I."

When she was 29 years old, the actor was cast as Anita in "West Side Story" and went on to win the Oscar for best supporting actress for her performance.

Now in her 90s, Moreno has stayed active in film and television — even appearing in Steven Spielberg's remake of "West Side Story" in 2021.

Born in Hong Kong in 1954, Jackie Chan gravitated toward martial arts at a young age. After a few small parts as a child and young teen, he had his first starring role in "Little Tiger of Canton" right before he turned 20.

Throughout the next decade, Chan starred in numerous films that featured his martial arts abilities, such as "New Fist of Fury," "Snake in the Eagle's Shadow," and "Drunken Master." Then at 26, Chan began acting in Hollywood movies, like "The Big Brawl" and "The Cannonball Run."

Now in his 70s, Chan has acted in over 150 films and has become one of the most prominent actors in the world.

Angela Bassett was born in New York City in 1958 and later earned her MFA at the Yale School of Drama.

At 27, she appeared in Second Stage Theater's production of "Black Girl" and made her first television appearance in the TV movie "Doubletake."

A year later she played a news reporter in the film "F/X" and soon moved to Los Angeles to pursue film acting full time.

Bassett has become a sought-after actor in Hollywood due to her work in multiple films like "Malcolm X," "What's Love Got to Do With It," "Notorious," and the "Black Panther" franchise.

Robert De Niro was born in New York City in 1943. He got his first acting role in "The Wedding Party" when he was only 20 years old, but the film wasn't released until six years later in 1969.

After its eventual release, De Niro was cast in "Bloody Mama" at age 27 and then "Bang the Drum Slowly" and "Mean Streets" right before he turned 30.

His breakthrough role wouldn't come until 1974 when he portrayed Vito Corleone in "The Godfather II," which earned him an Oscar for best supporting actor.

Now in his 80s, De Niro is an accomplished actor and director, best known for his performances in "Raging Bull," "Taxi Driver," and "Goodfellas."

The late Betty White was born in Chicago in 1922 and was raised in Los Angeles during the Great Depression.

She made a short appearance on television after graduating from high school, but she put her dreams of acting on hold during World War II to serve the troops.

In her 20s, White made money reading radio commercials and voicing bit parts in radio shows. At 27, the actor starred as a television cohost for the variety show "Hollywood on Television."

It wasn't until her 30s that White went on to host her own show, "The Betty White Show," and appear on a slew of sitcoms.

White's acting career spanned eight decades and included landmark shows like CBS' "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and, most notably, NBC's "Golden Girls."

Famed English actor Judi Dench was born in York, England, in 1934. She's now in her late 80s, and her acting career hasn't appeared to slow down.

Early in her career, Dench starred in the Broadway production of "Twelfth Night," which opened on her 24th birthday.

In the years since she's been nominated for her performances in films like "Mrs. Brown," "Chocolat," "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," and "Philomena." She also took home an Oscar for her role in "Shakespeare in Love."

Dench has stayed busy acting in films like "Victoria and Abdul," "Murder on the Orient Express," and the 2019 remake of "Cats."

The Mississippi-born/Michigan-raised actor was born in 1931. Throughout his 20s, James Earl Jones had a few small performing roles on Broadway and on TV shows.

At the age of 37, he got his big break starring in the play "The Great White Hope," which earned him a Tony Award in 1969.

He continued his Broadway career in productions of "The Iceman Cometh," "Othello," "Fences," and "You Can't Take It With You."

When he made his way to Hollywood, Jones became well known for voicing Darth Vader in the "Star Wars" franchise and Mufasa in "The Lion King."

The actor died at the age of 93 after a fruitful career. 

Shirley MacLaine was born in Richmond, Virginia, in 1934 and found abundant success on Broadway and in Hollywood. 

The actor moved to New York City right after high school and landed a role in the 1954 musical "The Pajama Game" when she was 20.

Later, MacLaine switched her focus to Hollywood and found early success in films like "Around the World in 80 Days" and "Some Come Running."

Now in her 90s, she's best known for "Sweet Charity," "Terms of Endearment," "Steel Magnolias," "Bewitched," and "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty."

Whoopi Goldberg was born in New York City in 1955. She's now in her 60s, but she's still well-known for one of her first film roles: Celie Johnson in "The Color Purple."

The film premiered right after her 30th birthday, but earlier that same year, Goldberg started performing her stand-up comedy show.

She went on to perform in Broadway productions including "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum" and "Xanadu."

In her 30s, Goldberg won an Oscar for her role in "Ghost." She later advanced her stardom in both "Sister Act" films, on CBS' "Star Trek: The Next Generation," and in "The Little Rascals."

Steve Buscemi was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1957. Right after graduating from high school, he studied acting with John Strasberg in New York City before getting his big break in "Parting Glances" at the age of 28. 

Buscemi has become a legendary character actor best known for roles in films like "Reservoir Dogs," "Pulp Fiction," "Fargo," and "The Big Lebowski."

He's also worked on a number of family-friendly movie series, like "Monsters Inc.," "Spy Kids," "Grown Ups," and "Hotel Transylvania."

In more recent years, Buscemi made it big by starring on HBO's "Boardwalk Empire."

John Travolta is now in his 70s, but his successful career really took off in his early 20s. 

The triple threat (actor, singer, dancer) was born in Englewood, New Jersey, in 1954. At the age of 21, he started his four-year career as Vinnie Barbarino on ABC's "Welcome Back, Kotter," which launched him into mainstream fame.

Over the next five years, he starred in hit movies like "Carrie," "Saturday Night Fever," "Grease," and "Urban Cowboy."

Decades later, Travolta is still well known for those early roles, and he's since found success starring in "Pulp Fiction," "Face/Off," "Hairspray," and on FX's "American Crime Story."

Daniel Day-Lewis was born in Kensington in 1957. The English actor has had a successful career that won him three Oscars and two Golden Globes.

Day-Lewis studied at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School before landing his first credited film role in 1982's "Gandhi" at the age of 25. Throughout the rest of his 20s, he appeared in notable films including "The Bounty," "My Beautiful Laundrette," and "A Room With a View."

The actor has been selective with his roles throughout his career, but his in-depth character work won him Oscars for his performances in "My Left Foot," "There Will Be Blood," and "Lincoln."

He also received an Oscar nomination for "Phantom Thread," which was his last role before he announced his retirement from acting. But after seven years off, Day-Lewis is returning to the screen to act in his son's film, "Anemone." 

Barbra Streisand was born in Brooklyn in 1942. She has enjoyed decades of success as an actor, singer, and performer.

Streisand started acting in Off-Broadway productions in her late teens, and she landed her first Broadway role in 1962's "I Can Get It For You Wholesale" just before her 20th birthday. Two years later, the actor originated the role of Fanny Brice in the musical "Funny Girl."

In her late 20s, Streisand starred in the film adaptations of the musicals "Funny Girl" and "Hello, Dolly!," which launched her film career.

In the years since, she has starred in "A Star Is Born," "Yentl," "Meet the Fockers," and "The Guilt Trip," and she has also released albums.

Jane Fonda was born in New York City in 1937. Now in her 80s, she's found continued success throughout her decadeslong acting career.

When she was in her mid-20s, she landed her breakout role in "Tall Story," which earned her a Golden Globe for most promising newcomer in 1962. The actor went on to memorable roles in "Period of Adjustment," "Fun With Dick and Jane," "9 to 5," "Monster-in-Law," and "Lee Daniels' The Butler."

Today, Fonda is also well known for her work as a feminist and environmental activist and for her starring role on Netflix's "Grace and Frankie."

Halle Berry was born in Cleveland in 1966. Now in her 50s, she continues to have a successful career as an actor.

Before working on TV and in films, Berry competed in the Miss USA pageants. In 1985, she won Miss Teen All American, and in 1986 she won Miss Ohio USA.

She went on to compete in the Miss USA pageant and came in second place. Later in 1986, she was the first Black woman to represent the US at the Miss World pageant. 

Soon after retiring from pageants, Berry made her acting debut on ABC's "Living Dolls" in 1989. By 2002, she won an Oscar for her role in "Monster's Ball."

Over the years, the actor has become well known for appearing in the "X-Men" and  "James Bond" series. 

Sir Ian McKellen was born in Burnley, England, in 1939. Now in his 80s, the knighted actor is well known for his legendary, decade-spanning career.

He grew up acting in school plays before graduating from Cambridge in 1961 and pursuing a career on the stage. By 1964, McKellen was making his first appearances on TV and in films.

In 1966, at the age of 26, he landed the titular role on BBC One's "David Copperfield."

The English actor went on to star in famous franchises like "X-Men," "The Lord of the Rings," and "The Hobbit." He also appeared in live-action adaptations "Beauty and the Beast" and "Cats."

Catherine O'Hara was born in Toronto in 1954. The celebrated actor is well known for her decadeslong career in comedy.

At 20 years old, she was working as a waitress at Second City Toronto (a famous improv theater) when she replaced Gilda Radner in the cast. She met longtime acting partner Eugene Levy at the theater, and they both went on to roles on Global's "SCTV" — Second City Canada's sketch-comedy TV show.

O'Hara later appeared in films like "Beetlejuice," "Home Alone," "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Waiting for Guffman," and "Best in Show."

Now in her 70s, the comedic actor is well known for playing Moira Rose on Pop's "Schitt's Creek" alongside Levy.

Regina King was born in Los Angeles in 1971. When she was 14 years old, the actor got her start playing Brenda Jenkins on NBC's "227." She later landed a role in "Boyz n the Hood" when she was 20.

Throughout her 20s, the actor appeared in a number of movies, including "Jerry Maguire" and "Enemy of the State."

She went on to play iconic roles in "Legally Blonde 2," "A Cinderella Story," and "If Beale Street Could Talk." She also appeared on shows like ABC's "American Crime," CBS' "The Big Bang Theory," and HBO's "Watchmen."

King broke into directing in 2013 and led the award-nominated movie "One Night in Miami" in 2020.

Nicolas Coppola, known as Nicolas Cage, was born in Long Beach, California, in 1964. He's now in his 60s, but his acting career took off in his 20s.

In his late teens, the actor got his start in the TV movie "The Best of Times" and in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High." He found continued success in films like "Valley Girl," "Peggy Sue Got Married," "Moonstruck," and "Time to Kill," all before turning 30.

Today, the actor is well known for his roles in movies like "Con-Air," "Face/Off," "National Treasure," "Ghost Rider," and "The Sorcerer's Apprentice."

Regina Hall was born in Washington, DC, in 1970. Since breaking into acting in her 20s, she's found success on TV and in film.

After a one-episode appearance on "New York Undercover" at the age of 26, Hall went on to appear in films like "Love and Basketball" and "Scary Movie" before turning 30.

The actor is still well known for her roles in the "Scary Movie" franchise — she appeared in the second, third, and fourth sequels — "Death at a Funeral," "Think Like a Man," "Girls Trip," and "The Hate U Give."

Hall also acted on Fox's "Ally McBeal," ABC's "Black-ish," and HBO's "Insecure."

Now in her 50s, she still acts in films like "Breaking News in Yuba County" and on Showtime's "Black Mondays."

Dana Elaine Owens, known as Queen Latifah, was born in New Jersey in 1970. Since then, she's built legendary careers in acting and music.

In high school, Latifah picked up her moniker and started her rap career with the album "All Hail the Queen." By the age of 21, she made her film debut in "Jungle Fever."

At 29, the celebrity added yet another medium to her career when she started hosting "The Queen Latifah Show."

She also went on to release seven studio albums and work on hit films and TV shows like Fox's "Living Single," "Chicago," "Last Holiday," "Hairspray," "The Secret Life of Bees," and Fox's "Star."

Jada Pinkett Smith was born in Baltimore in 1971. Now in her 50s, she's established herself as a prominent Hollywood actor.

In her late teens, she got her start appearing on TV shows like Fox's "True Colors." Right after she turned 20, she landed a recurring role on NBC's "A Different World."

The actor went on to well-known films like "The Nutty Professor," "Ali," "The Matrix Reloaded," and "Girls Trip." She also appeared on TNT's "Hawthorne" and Fox's "Gotham."

In 2018, Smith, her daughter Willow, and her mother started the successful web talk show "Red Table Talk," on which they discussed social and cultural issues.

Meg Ryan was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, in 1961. The actor has made a name for herself, especially in the rom-com genre.

She got her start in a few small film and TV roles before getting cast on CBS' "As the World Turns" at 20.

Now in her 60s, Ryan is well known for her roles in "Top Gun," "When Harry Met Sally," "Sleepless in Seattle," "Anastasia," and "You've Got Mail."

Will Smith was born in Philadelphia in 1968. Now in his 50s, the actor is one of the biggest names in Hollywood, but he got his start rapping as a teenager.

In the late 1980s, he gained some attention under the rap name The Fresh Prince, and he was catapulted to mainstream fame just before his 22nd birthday when he starred playing Will Smith on NBC's "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air."

He went on to star in films like the "Men in Black" series, the "Bad Boys" series, "Ali," "Hitch," "The Pursuit of Happyness," and "I Am Legend." More recently, the actor appeared in "Suicide Squad," "Aladdin," and "King Richard."

Like his wife, Jada, Smith has also been involved in the production side of the industry since his "Fresh Prince" days.

Martin Lawrence was born in Frankfurt, Germany, in 1965, but he mainly grew up on the East Coast of the US. 

When he was 22, he got his start on ABC's "What's Happening Now." Soon after, the actor went on to star on his own hit sitcom, Fox's "Martin."

Now in his late 50s, Lawrence is well known for his roles in the "Bad Boys" series, the "Big Mamma's House" series, and "Death at a Funeral." He also went on to CBS' "Panthers."

This story was originally published in January 2019 and most recently updated on October 21, 2024. 

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