Where Your Favorite Stars From The 80’s Are Now

Published on February 6, 2019
Ahhh, the 80’s. The era of big hair, sweatbands, leg warmers, and some of the greatest pop culture references of all time. This decade was full of incredibly beautiful and talented women, but have you ever wondered where your favorite stars from the 80’s are now?

Christina Applegate In The 80’s

Christina Applegate made her acting debut when she was just a few months old, but it wasn’t until the 80’s that the teenager really started to make a name for herself. During the start of this decade, Applegate managed to score herself small roles in movies and television shows, but it would all change in 1987. This was the year that she was given the chance to take on the role of Kelly Bundy in the hugely popular sitcom, Married…With Children.

Christina Applegate Then

Christina Applegate Then

Christina Applegate Now

Christina Applegate has only really known life in the limelight, and doesn’t show signs of slowing down anytime soon. Since the 1980s, this blonde beauty has gone from strength to strength and truly shown her impressive acting talent off to the world. In recent years, she has taken on leading roles in Hollywood movies such as Vacation, Bad Moms, and the Anchorman series. As if that wasn’t enough, Applegate is currently working as the star and executive producer of the Netflix comedy, Dead to Me.

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Christina Applegate Now

Christina Applegate Now

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Brooke Shields In The 80’s

Like many other stars of the 80’s, Brooke Shields actually first made her mark as a model. She was posing for the camera from a very early age, and she landed her first acting role when she was just 12 years old. Although this role was considered extremely scandalous at the time, it gave the actress the chance to show the world what she had to offer. Although she continued to act during the 1980s, she largely focused her attention on her studies at Princeton University.

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Brooke Shields Then

Brooke Shields Then

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Brooke Shields Now

Brooke Shields has spent almost all of her career in front of the camera, and it seems as though she is a natural. She doesn’t show any signs of slowing down anytime soon. Over the past few years, she has worked on various different television shows, including Mr. Pickles, Creative Galaxy, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and Jane the Virgin. Despite her talent, many fans still remember her for her friendship with Michael Jackson.

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Brooke Shields Now

Brooke Shields Now

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Melanie Griffith In The 80’s

Melanie Griffith made her first official acting debut in the 1970s, which meant that she was at the top of her game during the 1980s. In fact, she truly found herself in the spotlight after she took on a leading role in the 1984 thriller movie, Body Double. This is largely because Melanie played a rather saucy adult actress that really got hearts racing. From that moment on, she became the actress to watch, and directors were lining up to work with her.

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Melanie Griffith Then

Melanie Griffith Then

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Jessica Lange In The 80’s

Jessica Lange first burst onto the scene in the late ‘70s, and it’s fair to say that the 80’s was a great decade for the blonde beauty. She was utilized for various different movie roles, and everyone wanted her on their team. Yes, everyone soon knew her name, especially as Lange became the first actor in a whopping 40 years to be nominated for two Academy Awards in the same year. This was all thanks to her roles in Frances and Tootsie.

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Jessica Lange Then

Jessica Lange Then

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Jessica Lange Now

Although Jessica Lange has worked on some major productions over the course of her career, she just seems to be getting better and better. During her impressive reign, she has worked on major productions such as E.T: The Extra-Terrestrial, King Kong, Blue Sky, and more. In recent years, she has found her way onto the smaller screen and has since taken the world of anthology horror by storm. As one of the major characters in American Horror Story, she now has a whole new generation of fans.

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Jessica Lange Now

Jessica Lange Now

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Geena Davis In The 80’s

After graduating from high school in 1979, it wasn’t long before all eyes were on Geena Davis. She was quickly snapped up by a modeling agency, and this soon transitioned into an acting career. In fact, she truly came to the center of our attention when she was cast as Sydney Pollack in the 1982 movie, Tootsie. During this decade, she also worked on the likes of Beetlejuice, The Fly, and Accidental Tourist. For the latter role, she received an Oscar Award.

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Geena Davis Then

Geena Davis Then

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Geena Davis Now

There’s a high chance that you’ve seen Geena Davis on your screens recently because this woman is still a huge name in the acting world. She continues to star in front of the cameras today, but she has also made her way behind the camera as a producer and writer. Nowadays, most people know Davis for her role as Dr. Nicole Herman in the hugely successful medical drama, Grey’s Anatomy.

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Geena Davis Now

Geena Davis Now

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Dianne Wiest In The 80’s

Although Dianne Wiest made her Hollywood debut in the 1970s, she truly came into her own In The 80’s. In fact, during this year she teamed up with hotshot filmmaker Woody Allen to work on five of his movies. These included Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway, September, The Purple Rose of Cairo, and Radio Days. During this decade, Dianne also kicked off her Sunday shoes to appear alongside Kevin Bacon and Lori Singer in the 1984 movie musical, Footloose.

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Dianne Wiest Then

Dianne Wiest Then

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Dianne Wiest Now

Thanks to her impressive acting talent, Dianne Wiest is still a huge name in Hollywood today. She has appeared in countless movies and TV shows, and some of them have thrust her into the realm of legends. After all, nobody can forget the fact that she opened up her home to Edward Scissorhands! Although Dianne has continued to work on movies in recent years, she has found a more solid place in the television world. Since 2015, she has appeared as a series regular in Life in Pieces.

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Diane Wiest Now

Diane Wiest Now

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Kim Basinger In The 80’s

During the 1970s, Kim Basinger was one of the biggest modeling names in the business. The blonde beauty was all the rage, and everyone wanted to photograph her. However, she didn’t want to continue her modeling career, so she moved to Hollywood in search of even bigger fame and fortune. She landed her first acting role in 1976, and by 1983 she had secured herself as Domino Petachi in the James Bond movie, Never Say Never Again.

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Kim Basinger Then

Kim Basinger Then

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Kim Basinger Now

Since the 1980s, Kim Basinger has continued her path to success. She has worked on countless movies over the years, including Batman, L.A Confidential, 8 Mile, Fifty Shades Darker, and more. However, she is most famous for her family and her personal life. During her nine-year marriage to Alec Baldwin, Kim and Alec welcomed their model and actress daughter into the world. Ireland Baldwin is now taking over the reins and continuing the family name so it never goes out of style.

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Kim Basinger Now

Kim Basinger Now

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Madonna In The 80’s

Although it’s hard to imagine a life without Madonna, she has only really been in our lives since the 1980s. The Queen of Pop released her very first album in 1982 and quickly became one of the most recognizable faces and voices in the world. With her catchy songs and her quirky sense of style, everyone In The 80’s wanted to be this woman. She pushed boundaries in terms of her music and her personality, and this was a revelation during that decade.

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Madonna Then

Madonna Then

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Madonna Now

After making her debut in the 1980s, Madonna has since earned her title as the Queen of Pop. While she hasn’t released any new music over the last few years, she doesn’t need to. Madonna has sold over 300 million records across the globe and has even experienced her own stint in Hollywood. It’s believed that Madonna is currently finishing up a new album, and it’s fair to say that she is still impressing and intriguing her fans with her fashion choices.

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Madonna Now

Madonna Now

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Kathleen Turner In The 80’s

Kathleen Turner was one of the biggest names in The 80’s, and although it was her acting talent that stood out from the crowd, it’s fair to say that the trademark rasp to her voice also helped her along the way. Turner truly rose to fame during this decade and put her name to huge Hollywood movies such as Crimes of Passion and Body Heat. As if that wasn’t cool enough, Kathleen also voiced the sultry Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

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Kathleen Turner Then

Kathleen Turner Then

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Kathleen Turner Now

After her success In The 80’s, Kathleen Turner was struck by a debilitating diagnosis. Rheumatoid arthritis meant she could no longer put her name to big productions, and the work slowly dried up. Thankfully, Turner went into remission in the early ‘00s and made her way back to the top. Since then, she has worked in television and film and has been extremely busy. Most recently, she took on the character of Mary “Old Bones” Shaw in the 2019 anthology television series, Heartstrings.

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Kathleen Turner Now

Kathleen Turner Now

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Alyssa Milano In The 80’s

Alyssa Milano had the pleasure of making her acting debut on the cusp of the decade, and she landed her first acting role in 1980 when she was cast as Annie in a touring production of the show. After wowing fans, she continued this reign on the stage before making her way onto the screen. In 1984, fans across the globe were able to watch the youngster take on the legendary role of Samantha Micelli in the sitcom, Who’s the Boss?

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Alyssa Milano Then

Alyssa Milano Then

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Alyssa Milano Now

There’s no doubt about the fact that Alyssa Milano is one of the most famous women in the world. Over the course of her career, she has worked on some of the biggest television shows to ever grace our screens, including Charmed, Melrose Place, and Spin City. Since then, she has continued to rock the acting world. She currently stars as Coralee Armstrong in the comedy-drama, Insatiable, and she also serves as the host and judge on Project Runway: All Stars.

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Alyssa Milano Now

Alyssa Milano Now

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Elle Macpherson In The 80’s

While most of the women from the 80’s on this list were famous for their acting talent, Elle Macpherson was known for her beauty and of course, her body. In fact, she was nicknamed “The Body” during this decade, thanks to her appearance on a whopping five Sports Illustrated magazine covers. The Australian model quickly became one of the most famous models of the decade, and that hasn’t changed much since. Considering Elle only became a model to buy college books, she did pretty well!

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Elle Macpherson Then

Elle Macpherson Then

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Elle Macpherson Now

Although she may now be in her 50s, that hasn’t stopped Elle Macpherson from being one of the most beautiful women in the world. After her initial fame in the 80’s, Elle has been able to ride the wave of this success and build up an impressive empire. She has since become a television personality, a businesswoman, and even an actress. At the moment, Elle is currently busy working as the executive producer and host of the reality competition show, Fashion Star.

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Elle Macpherson Now

Elle Macpherson Now

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Demi Moore In The 80’s

From a young age, Demi Moore knew that she wanted to be in the limelight. In fact, she was so confident that she was going to be a star, she decided to drop out of high school and pursue her dreams. This worked in her favor, as she landed her first professional modeling job in 1981. It wasn’t long before she was snapped up as an actress, and during this decade she was cast in movies such as Blame It On Rio and About Last Night.

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Demi Moore Then

Demi Moore Then

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Demi Moore Now

After her breakthrough in the 1980s, Demi Moore scored a role that would change her life. In 1990, she was given the chance to star alongside Patrick Swayze in the romantic thriller, Ghost. This skyrocketed her career, and it has since gone from strength to strength. After a few rather high-profile marriages to the likes of Bruce Willis and Ashton Kutcher, Demi is now single again and focusing on her career as a television and movie actress. As if that wasn’t enough, Demi is also an activist.

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Demi Moore Now

Demi Moore Now

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Kirstie Alley In The 80’s

When Kirstie Alley was a youngster, she had no idea that she would later become a huge name in the acting world. That’s largely because she spent her early adult life as a professional interior designer. In 1982, her whole life changed forever when she was given the chance to take on the role of Lieutenant JG Saavik in the famous sci-fi movie, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. This eventually led the way to various other opportunities including a lead role in the sitcom, Cheers.

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Kirstie Alley Then

Kirstie Alley Then

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Kirstie Alley Now

Since her breakthrough in the 1980s, Kirstie Alley has been able to maintain her place within the limelight. While she has continued to work on television and in movies, she has also turned her attention towards reality TV. She has not only starred in her own reality television show, but she also taken part in Dancing With The Stars and even made her way across the pond in 2018 when she took part in the British Celebrity Big Brother competition.

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Kirstie Alley Now

Kirstie Alley Now

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Molly Ringwald In The 80’s

Molly Ringwald rose to fame during the 1980s as part of the famous “Brat Pack.” This collection of young actors and actresses worked on some of the greatest movies of this era, thanks to the directorial work of John Hughes. In Ringwald’s case, she won over her fans with her impressive acting talent and her beauty in the likes of The Breakfast Club, Sixteen Candles, and Pretty In Pink. As if that wasn’t enough, Molly also began a short but sweet musical career during this time.

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Molly Ringwald Then

Molly Ringwald Then

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Molly Ringwald Now

After storming through the 1980s with millions of fans across the world, Molly’s career slowed down slightly as the decade came to an end. While she continued to act, her appearances were few and far between, mostly because everyone knew her as the star of the John Hughes era. Nevertheless, she is still acting today, and those who are fans of The CW drama, Riverdale, will recognize her as Mary Andrews. In 2018, Molly also starred as Mrs. Flynn in The Kissing Booth.

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Molly Ringwald Now

Molly Ringwald Now

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Cyndi Lauper In The 80’s

During the 1980s, Cyndi Lauper taught us that girls do just want to have fun. After releasing her first batch of music in the 1970s, her name was the talk of the town during the next decade. She released some of the most iconic music of all time, including “Time After Time,” “True Colors,” and All Through The Night,” and she even showed us all how to branch out in terms of our style. From the brightly colored hair to her wacky clothing, Cyndi was a style icon.

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Cyndi Lauper Then

Cyndi Lauper Then

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Cyndi Lauper Now

Today, Cyndi Lauper is still just as quirky as she once was. She is continuing to write her own music, but she has also opted to write and produce music for other artists and productions. Most notably, she wrote the music and lyrics for the popular Broadway production of Kinky Boots. As if she wasn’t cool enough already, Cyndi has also devoted her life to fighting for what she believes in. She is a huge advocate for basic human and LGBT rights.

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Cyndi Lauper Now

Cyndi Lauper Now

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