No matter how much distance you put between the past and the present, there always seems to be more than a few famous faces that resemble the iconic looks of the stars of yesteryear. From singers to actors to everything in between, there’s plenty of similarities. In some cases, these similarities are more than just passing resemblances. Take a look.
Harry Styles and Mick Jagger
Former One Direction bandmember-turned-solo act Harry Styles and iconic Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger share a lot more in common than the simple fact that they’re both famous for rocking in an all-male band. Despite being of absolutely no relation to one another, the two are quite similar-looking.
Take a close look at Harry Styles’s wild hair and chiseled looks. While he certainly sported a softer look during his One Direction days, the solo star gets closer and closer to looking like Mick Jagger’s long-lost son each passing day.
Katherine Heigl and Judy Garland
Renée Zellweger made history when she won the Academy Award for portraying The Wizard of Oz star Judy Garland in Judy, but there’s another actress out there who might’ve done an even better job due to a closer resemblance. It’s Katherine Heigl, a woman who could definitely play a younger Garland with ease.
First emerging on the acting scene via ABC’s hit medical drama Grey’s Anatomy, comparisons to a young Judy Garland started to emerge as more and more people began to enjoy her performances in feature films.
Taraji P. Henson and Tammi Terrell
Due to the massive popularity and record-breaking viewership of Taraji P. Henson’s Fox television series Empire, it seems the actress has something of an empire herself. She’s one of the most promising stars of today, but even she has plenty of similarities to a former celebrity from decades ago.
Tammi Terrell, to be specific. She earned her fame as a Motown singer in the 60s, which only makes her resemblance to Taraji P. Henson more impressive — after all, Empire‘s about music.
Lily Collins and Audrey Hepburn
Lily Collins is not royalty — unless you count being the daughter of chart-topping British musician Phil Collins as royalty, of course. This hasn’t stopped people from comparing her to one of the most notable actresses in all of Hollywood history, though.
The more famous that Collins gets, the more people seem to notice her resemblance to Austrian superstar Audrey Hepburn. Still one of the most instantly-recognizable actresses in all of film, comparisons to Hepburn should not be taken lightly by anyone, especially Lily Collins herself.
Ryan Gosling and James Stewart
When a handsome actor also has great comedic timing, he’s likely to go far. Take Ryan Gosling, for example: Throughout his career, the actor has managed to shine on screen whether he’s working on a goofy comedy like The Nice Guys or a serious drama like Blue Valentine.
Gosling’s performances recall Old Hollywood talent James Stewart for more reasons than just his versatility, though. While Stewart could also do a romantic comedy just as easily as a gripping drama, the two also look quite similar.
Jennifer Lawrence and Zubaida Tharwat
Despite the vast ocean, several countries, and many decades that separate the two, American actress Jennifer Lawrence and Egyptian actress Zubaida Tharwat look like they could be sisters. Perhaps even identical ones, at that.
While Lawrence has made a living from appearing in internationally distributed high-profile dramas and other movies, Tharwat had a somewhat more humble career. Many of her films remain inaccessible to Western audiences despite her relative fame in her home country of Egypt, while others are in desperate need of restoration to bring them back to their initial glory.
Zac Efron and Leonard Whiting
Teen heartthrobs might seem like a dime a dozen these days, with internet influencers and young actors all vying for the hearts of audiences. It can sometimes feel like society has hit a new level of boy craziness sometimes.
However, the truth is that teen heartthrobs have always been in direct competition with one another for as long as teens have been going to the movies. Take Zac Efron and Leonard Whiting, for example. Two stars from two different generations, yet one classic look.
Debra Messing and Lucille Ball
In many instances of celebrity doppelgängers, the two people being compared to one another don’t really have all that much in common. On the flip side, there is the rare occasion where the two lookalikes are practically the exact same person with only the decades separating them..
Take a look at these two popular redhead comedians, Debra Messing and Lucille Ball. While their TV careers couldn’t have been further apart, Messing and Ball can’t help but recall the other whenever one’s on screen.
Drew Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore
Naturally, there was bound to be a pairing that actually consists of real life relatives. However, unlike a mother-daughter or father-son duo that resemble one another, Drew Barrymore and Lionel Barrymore have quite a lot of time separating them and their respective careers.
They aren’t father-daughter or even grandfather-granddaughter. You see, Lionel is Drew’s great uncle. This is what makes their resemblance even stranger: despite their differing genders and vague relationship, the two members of the Barrymore clan have plenty of facial similarities.
George Clooney and Cary Grant
George Clooney spent decades being referred to as Hollywood’s most eligible bachelor until finding love with his wife, Amal. He’s far from the first actor to have fans clamoring for his hand in marriage, though. Just look at his celebrity look alike, Cary Grant. Married five times, Grant was not exactly a master of relationships, either.
It’s funny that these two share such similar looks on top of their comparable personal lives. It just goes to show that no matter how much filmmaking changes, there’s always going to be a demand for a leading man with charm.
Gwen Stefani and Marilyn Monroe
Some stars achieve such fame that it’s almost impossible to imagine ever seeing their like again. Sometimes, however, even those stars end up with next-generation doppelgängers — even if they can’t quite live up to the original.
While both sport iconic blonde curls, there’s no arguing that Marilyn Monroe has reached a higher status over time than Gwen Stefani has. No matter how good or bad you find her music, Monroe is a once-in-a-lifetime icon that can’t be trumped by anyone, even by someone as talented as Stefani.
Christina Aguilera and Vivien Leigh
Much like Stefani and Monroe, Christina Aguilera and Vivien Leigh are also bonded across time. Aguilera is not a movie star at her core, and Leigh never reached Aguilera’s music icon status, but their status as doppelgängers is indisputable.
It’s all about the hair color, it seems. When Christina Aguilera is showing off her blond hair, it’s harder to see the singer’s resemblance to the brunette locks that Vivien Leigh so famously sported.
Lindsay Lohan and Elizabeth Taylor
While the mind doesn’t necessarily pair the controversial modern celebrity Lindsay Lohan and the Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor together without a bit of prompting, there are actually plenty of similarities between the two that make a comparison of both women all the more fascinating.
First and foremost, both Lindsay Lohan and Elizabeth Taylor were all the rage when it came to celebrity gossip publications. No matter what they did or who they associated with, the tabloids just couldn’t get enough of the personal inner workings of the two’s respective personal lives. And when Lohan starred as Taylor in the movie Liz and Dick, that resemblance became crystal clear.
Daniel Craig and Bing Crosby
One’s a tap-dancing, musical-starring, charisma-oozing superstar from the Golden Age of Hollywood. The other’s a sometimes-brooding, occasionally-comedic, extremely-talented British actor who’s managed to revitalize the James Bond series for modern audiences.
If you haven’t figured it out, these men are Bing Crosby and Daniel Craig. Their respective celebrity statuses are pretty different on paper, but comparing their looks shows that Hollywood likes a certain type of star no matter what year it is. With that being said, it’s pretty funny to imagine a world where Bing Crosby plays James Bond.
Mark Ruffalo and Burt Reynolds
Two iconic men from two completely different eras, one being former rom-com star and current Marvel Studios hunk, Mark Ruffalo, and the other being arguably the most notable leading man of all time, Burt Reynolds, aren’t necessarily a pairing many would consider when thinking of celeb lookalikes.
Check it out, though: both Ruffalo and Reynolds have a lot more in common than just a last name that starts with R. Looking at it on paper, both are huge action stars with comedic timing who also possess a real sense of charm, as well. Maybe it would help to see them both in mustaches.
Chloë Grace Moretz and Joan Fontaine
Two former child stars who eventually managed to keep ahold of their stardom as they entered into adulthood, classic Hollywood star Joan Fontaine and Chloë Grace Moretz resemble one another more than you would think.
Both had a hard time adapting once they stopped getting shunted toward younger roles, but both inevitably prevailed as blonde-haired actresses with a special something to set them apart from the competition. As such, it must be said that both these two stars deserve far more praise than they typically receive.
Scott Eastwood and Clint Eastwood
While there are plenty of father-son duos that actually end up looking almost identical, Scott Eastwood and Clint Eastwood stand apart even from that list. They are something to behold! A Western icon and a budding action movie lead, the Eastwoods seem to be cut from the same exact creative cloth.
Clint has gone down in history for starting out in B-movies before evolving into one of the most esteemed dramatic directors of today. It remains to be seen, however, if Eastwood’s son Scott can transcend today’s B-movies and live up to his dad.
Brad Pitt and Robert Redford
Considering Robert Redford’s long and well-known history as both an actor and a film producer, it makes a weird sort of sense that his doppelgänger would chart a similar course. While he’s been a beloved talent for decades now, Brad Pitt has just recently started to make a name for himself as an Oscar-winning producer.
The two could absolutely play father and son if not for Redford’s retirement from acting. One thing’s for certain, though: With Redford’s career waning, there’s not even a single doubt that Pitt will continue to soar.
Michael Fassbender and Christopher Plummer
One’s German, the other’s Canadian. Still, the resemblances between dramatic-actor-turned-Marvel villain Michael Fassbender and longtime acting legend Christopher Plummer are impossible to be ignored once they’ve been pointed out to you. Forget about Ian McKellen as old Magneto — Plummer could’ve been an even more perfect casting.
While the two don’t have much time left for a collaboration, there’s a sliver of hope that the two A-listers might get one last chance to work together before it’s too late. There’s no denying that they could really deliver a doozy.
Maya Rudolph and Dorothy Dandridge
While one is a comedian first and the other is a gripping dramatic actress with a relatively short-lived career as an Old Hollywood star, the undisputable doppelgänger status of Maya Rudolph and Dorothy Dandridge has to be addressed.
Rudolph hails from Saturday Night Live, while Dandridge is best-known for her leading role in Otto Preminger’s Carmen Jones, but with Rudolph’s occasional dramatic roles and Dandridge’s fascinating life, there’s immense potential for a biopic about the 20th century actress starring this hilarious sketch comedian.
P!nk and Kim Novak
What’s the difference between pop recording artist P!nk and classic leading lady Kim Novak? One sings Top 40 hits, while the other starred in masterpieces from Alfred Hitchcock and Otto Preminger. In fact, the two are seemingly on opposite sides of the pop culture spectrum.
There’s one key thing that unites them: their looks. While P!nk has been known to sport all kinds of different hair colors, it’s naturally blond and almost always short like Novak’s. Despite their different careers, they look nearly identical.
Natalie Dormer and Gene Tierney
With HBO’s massively successful fantasy series Game of Thrones finally over (and a whole slew of spinoff series coming down the pipeline soon enough), many fans of the show are left wondering what star Natalie Dormer will do next. If she takes after her older lookalike, Gene Tierney, the answer could lie in startling dramas from prestigious directors.
Tierney is known for working with Alfred Hitchcock, Joseph L. Mankiewicz and many other landmark filmmakers. Perhaps Dormer could one day be as lucky as that. Given her early success, it’s certainly possible.
Ansel Elgort and Marlon Brando
There are stark differences between the careers of up-and-coming actor Ansel Elgort and the legendary acting icon Marlon Brando. That doesn’t mean that their similar looks aren’t worth looking into, though.
While Elgort struggles to land the perfect role, Brando seemed to have no problem cementing his legacy. Perhaps Elgort’s close resemblance to the Oscar winner means that he’s got a promising future ahead of him, though. With the upcoming release of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake starring Elgort, comparisons to Brando will undoubtedly continue.
Robert Pattinson and Paul Newman
Robert Pattinson has been something of a misunderstood talent for many years now. After spending the first part of his career in franchise films like Harry Potter and the Twilight saga, the young actor has settled into much smaller yet critically-acclaimed independent roles.
His lookalike, 20th century superstar Paul Newman, never struggled with such things. He was a titan of the craft almost from the get-go. With Pattinson set to star in an upcoming Batman reboot, it’s possible that the actor will finally reach Newman’s heights.
Millie Bobby Brown and Natalie Portman
Of all the actors, actresses, and singers that find themselves being compared to a recognizable talent from past years, it seems that Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown and former child star-turned-A-lister Natalie Portman might have the most in common.
Portman started out her career at a young age, just like Brown did. She went on to be a teenage star and now remains one of the most sought-after names in the industry. If Brown is lucky enough, this fate could await her too.
Saoirse Ronan and Meryl Streep
Saoirse Ronan and Meryl Streep are a set of lookalikes who have actually gotten the chance to work together before, most recently in 2019 with Greta Gerwig’s reimagining of Little Women. The two share more than just looks and roles, though.
Streep has long been considered one of the best actresses of all time. She’s practically nominated annually. However, despite being in her mid-20s, Ronan is already giving Streep a run for her money. She’s the most decorated actress for her age, and she’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Margot Robbie and Jamie Pressly
It’s not often that you see two actresses who look so similar reach stardom in such close vicinity to one another. For Margot Robbie and Jaime Pressly, the comparisons have been incessant since the former burst onto the scene in the early 2010s.
Pressly has been a big name in popular films since the 90s, so she definitely has seniority here. However, Robbie seems to be after much more serious roles than Pressly, who has long prided herself on comedies and TV sitcoms more than the dramas Robbie seeks out.
Cole Sprouse and Leonardo DiCaprio
When Cole Sprouse first appeared in Adam Sandler’s seminal crowd-pleaser Big Daddy, it’s not likely that people would’ve guessed that he’d still be relevant more than two decades later. That’s the reality for this Sprouse twin, though.
While Big Daddy was filming, Leonardo DiCaprio was continuing to climb the ladder of success. Today, the two doppelgängers are heartthrobs in their own rights, equally drawing the attention of fans both young and old. If anyone needs a young Leo or an old Cole, they know where to look.
Sebastian Stan and Mark Hamill
Marvel villain turned Avengers hero Sebastian Stan and Star Wars breakout Mark Hamill are on somewhat similar career trajectories at this point. Both rose to immense fame after living life as unknown talents, and the actors each owe their big breaks to a major franchise.
While Hamill struggled to score roles after the conclusion of the original Star Wars trilogy, Stan seems to have no problem branching out from his superhero origins. It’s okay, though — Hamill has enjoyed decades of voicework and now finds himself in new roles in his later years.
James Franco and James Dean
James Franco and James Dean are two intense and gifted actors who were born decades apart. However, despite this fact, they maintain an uncanny resemblance to each other.
Franco’s comparisons to Dean began right around the time he first debuted on the acting scene in the late 90s. His hair even retains Dean’s sandy color and when he’s placed in a retro-’50’s setting. Luckily, someone did just that by having Franco star as the lead in James Dean, a film about the titular actor’s brief life.
