19 Famous Black Actors In Their First Role Vs. What They Look Like Now

1.Viola Davis in her first role as a nurse in The Substance of Fire in 1996:

closeup of a young viiola davis

Viola now:

closeup of viola smiling
Monica Schipper / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

1996 vs. now:

side by side of the two
Miramax / Monica Schipper / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images

2.Gabrielle Union in one of her first roles as Ashli in Moesha in 1996:

closeup of Gabrielle in a cheerleading uniform
UPN

Gabrielle now:

closeup of Gabrielle with hair cut in a bob
Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty Images

1996 vs. now:

side by side
UPN / Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty Images

3.Idris Elba in one of his first roles as a pizza delivery man in Space Precinct in 1994:

closeup of Idris in a dirty uniform

Idris now:

closeup of idris smiling
Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images

1994 vs. now:

side by side
Sky One / Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images

4.Regina King in her first role as Brenda Jenkins in 227 from 1985 to 1990:

closeup of regina sitting on a couch

Regina now:

closeup of regina at an event
Jc Olivera / FilmMagic / Getty Images

'80s vs. now:

side by side
Columbia / Jc Olivera / FilmMagic / Getty Images

5.Samuel L. Jackson in one of his first roles in The Displaced Person in 1977:

closeup of samuel wearing a bucket hat

Samuel now:

closeup of samuel wearing a beanie and glasses
Rodin Eckenroth / FilmMagic / Getty Images

1977 vs. now:

side by side
PBS/ Rodin Eckenroth / FilmMagic / Getty Images

6.Halle Berry in her first role as Emily Franklin in Living Dolls in 1989:

closeup of a younger halle with gold hoop earrings

Halle now:

closeup of halle smiling at an event
Michael Kovac / Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines

1989 vs now:

side by side
ABC / Michael Kovac / Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines

7.Denzel Washington as Robert Eldridge in Wilma in 1977:

closeup of denzel

Denzel now:

closeup of an older denzel smiling
Momodu Mansaray / WireImage / Getty Images

1977 vs. now:

side by side
NBC / Momodu Mansaray / WireImage / Getty Images

8.Angela Bassett in her first role as Salina McCulla in Search for Tomorrow in 1985:

closeup of angela in a blazer with short hair

Angela now:

closeup of angela smiling at an event
Todd Williamson / NBC via Getty Images

1985 vs. now:

side by side
NBC / Todd Williamson / NBC via Getty Images

9.Zendaya in her first role as Rocky Blue in Shake It Up from 2010 to 2013:

closeup of zendaya in a dance uniform

Zendaya now:

closeup of zendaya
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Early '10s vs. now:

  Disney / Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Disney / Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

10.Jamie Foxx in In Living Color from 1991 to 1994:

closeup of a younger jamie wearing a backwards cap

Jamie now:

closeup of jamie
Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Early '90s vs. now:

  20th Television / Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
20th Television / Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

11.Lupita Nyong'o as F in East River in 2008:

lupita wearing  gold hoop earrings and a dress

Lupita now:

closeup of lupita smiling
John Phillips / Getty Images

2008 vs. now:

  Kozak Films / John Phillips / Getty Images
Kozak Films / John Phillips / Getty Images

12.Will Smith in his first role as Will Smith in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air in 1990:

closeup of will making a face at the camera wearing gold necklaces and a hat
Nbc / NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Will now:

closeup of will
Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images

1990 vs. now:

  NBC / Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images
NBC / Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images

13.Don Cheadle in one of his first roles as Elliott Washburn in Hamburger Hill in 1987:

closeup of don sitting on the ground

Don now:

closeup of don smiling wearing large square frame glasses
Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

1987 vs. now:

side by side
Paramount / Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images

14.Octavia Spencer in her first role as Nurse Annette in A Time To Kill in 1996:

closeup of octavia in a nurse uniform

Octavia now:

closeup of octavia smiling on the red carpet
David Livingston / Getty Images

1996 vs. now:

side by side
Warner Bros. / David Livingston / Getty Images

15.Tracee Ellis Ross in her first role as Kiki in Far Harbor in 1996:

closeup of a younger tracee looking pensive

Tracee now:

closeup of tracee smiling at an event with a long ponytail
Steven Ferdman / Getty Images for CultureCon

1996 vs. now:

side by side
Castle Hill Productions / Steven Ferdman / Getty Images for CultureCon

16.Laurence Fishburne in one of his first roles as Josh Hall in One Life to Live from 1973 to 1976:

a young laurence with his hand on his hip
Abc Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

Laurence now:

closeup of laurnence
Frazer Harrison / WireImage / Getty Images

'70s vs. now:

  ABC / Frazer Harrison / WireImage / Getty Images
ABC / Frazer Harrison / WireImage / Getty Images

17.Keke Palmer in her first role as Gina's niece in Barbershop 2 in 2004:

closeup of keke with two pigtails

Keke now:

closeup of keke at an event
Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images

1996 vs. now:

side by side
MGM / Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images

18.Mahershala Ali in his first role as Dr. Trey Sanders in Crossing Jordan from 2001 to 2002:

closeup of Mahershala Ali

Mahershala now:

closeup of Mahershala Ali in a velvet suit
Amy Sussman / Getty Images for Deadline

Early 2000s vs. now:

side by side
NBC / Amy Sussman / Getty Images for Deadline

19.And finally, Whoopi Goldberg in one of her first roles as Celie in The Color Purple in 1985:

closeup of whoopi goldberg sitting in a rocking chair
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection

Whoopi now:

closeup of whoopi on her talk show

1985 vs. now:

  Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection / ABC
Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection / ABC

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  Logan Perrin / BuzzFeed
Logan Perrin / BuzzFeed