I Wondered What The Actors From My Favorite Teen Movies Looked Like Today, So I Looked It Up, And Damn I Still Love Them
Recently, I was watching Season 2 of The White Lotus (for at least the fourth time) and noticed a verrrrrrry familiar actor in the first few episodes.
NBC
Alongside the iconic Tanya McQuoid (played by Jennifer Coolidge) was Greg Hunt, a dude with a pretty recognizable face — but for the life of me, I couldn't pinpoint where I knew him from!
Enter ye olde IMDb — I tracked down the actor's name, and voilà: It turned out to be Jon Gries (aka Rico Dynamite from the 2004 teen classic Napoleon Dynamite!).
Fox Searchlight Pictures
This got me thinking about other teen movie actors, and what they look like now and what projects they've been involved with these days. So, here are some stars of popular teen movies back in the day vs. today:
Here's what Matthew Lillard looked like as Brock Hudson in She's All That (1999):
And here's what Matthew Lillard looks like today at age 53:
Matthew Lillard in 1999 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: Scream (1996), Summer Catch (2001), The Curve (1998)
Most recent movies/TV shows: He's All That (2021), Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms (2021), Scream (2022)
Here's what Natasha Lyonne looked like as Megan Bloomfield in But I'm a Cheerleader (1999):
And here's what Natasha Lyonne looks like today at age 43:
Natasha Lyonne in 1999 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: American Pie (1999), Scary Movie 2 (2001), Slums of Beverly Hills (1998)
Most recent movies/TV shows: The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021), DC League of Super-Pets (2022), Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
Here's what Molly Ringwald looked like as Andie Walsh in Pretty in Pink (1986):
And here's what Molly Ringwald looks like today at age 54:
Molly Ringwald in 1986 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: The Breakfast Club (1985), Sixteen Candles (1984), The Pick-up Artist (1987)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Riverdale (2017–present), Raising Expectations (2016), The Bear (2022)
Here's what Omar Epps looked like as Quincy McCall in Love & Basketball (2000):
And here's what Omar Epps looks like today at age 49:
Omar Epps in 2000 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: Don't Be a Menace to South Central While Drinking Your Juice in the Hood (1996), Scream 2 (1997), The Wood (1999)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Fatal Affair (2020), This Is Us (2019-2020), Power Book III: Raising Kanan (2021-present)
Here's what Donald Faison looked like as Murray Duvall in Clueless (1995):
And here's what Donald Faison looks like today at age 48:
Donald Faison in 1995 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: Can't Hardly Wait (1998), Remember the Titans (2000), Pitch Perfect (2012)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Legends of Tomorrow (2022), The Wave (2019), Embattled (2020)
Here's what Heather Matarazzo looked like as Lilly Moscovitz in The Princess Diaries (2001):
And here's what Heather Matarazzo looks like today at age 39:
Heather Matarazzo in 2001 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: Scream 3 (2000), Saved! (2004), The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004)
Most recent movies/TV shows: The Fiddling Horse (2019), Generation Wrecks (2021), Scream (2022)
Here's what Jon Gries (right) looked like as Rico Dynamite in Napoleon Dynamite (2004):
And here's what Jon Gries looks like today at age 65:
Jon Gries in 2004 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: More American Graffiti (1979), Stick It (2006), Real Genius (1985)
Most recent movies/TV shows: The White Lotus (2021-present), Dream Corp LLC (2016-2020)
Here's what Christopher Reid looked like as Christopher "Kid" Robinson Jr. in House Party (1990):
And here's what Christopher Reid looks like today at age 58:
Christopher Reid in 1990 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: House Party 2 (1991), House Party 3 (1994), Class Act (1992)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Apple & Onion (2021)
Here's what Larisa Oleynik looked like as Bianca Stratford in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999):
And here's what Larisa Oleynik looks like today at age 41:
Larisa Oleynik in 1999 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: The Baby-Sitters Club (1995), 100 Girls (2000)
Most recent movies/TV shows: The Healing Powers of Dude (2020), Auggie (2019), We Broke Up (2021)
Here's what Jessica Alba looked like as Kirsten Liosis in Never Been Kissed (1999):
And here's what Jessica Alba looks like today at age 41:
Jessica Alba in 1999 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: P.U.N.K.S. (1999), Honey (2003), Idle Hands (1999)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Killers Anonymous (2019), Trigger Warning (2022), L.A.'s Finest (2019-2020)
Here's what Gabrielle Union looked like as Isis in Bring It On (2000):
And here's what Gabrielle Union looks like today at age 50:
Gabrielle Union in 2000 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: She's All That (1999), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), Love & Basketball (2000)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Fearless (2020), Cheaper by the Dozen (2022), The Inspection (2022)
Here's what Kel Mitchell looked like as Ed in Good Burger (1997):
And here's what Kel Mitchell looks like today at age 44:
Kel Mitchell in 1997 vs. today:
Most memorable teen TV shows: Kenan & Kel (1996-2000), All That (1994-1999)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Deliciousness (2020-present), South Side (2019)
Here's what Winona Ryder looked like as Veronica Sawyer in Heathers (1989):
And here's what Winona Ryder looks like today at age 51:
Winona Ryder in 1989 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: Edward Scissorhands (1990), Reality Bites (1994), Mermaids (1990)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Stranger Things (2016-present), The Plot Against America (2020), Gone in the Night (2022)
Here's what Ice Cube looked like as Doughboy in Boyz n the Hood (1991):
And here's what Ice Cube looks like today at age 53:
Ice Cube in 1991 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: Friday (1995), Next Friday (2000), 21 Jump Street (2012)
Most recent movies/TV shows: The High Note (2020)
Here's what Meagan Good looked like as April Palmer in Stomp the Yard (2007):
And here's what Meagan Good looks like today at age 41:
Meagan Good in 2007 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: You Got Served (2004), Roll Bounce (2005), D.E.B.S. (2004)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Day Shift (2022), Death Saved My Life (2021), Harlem (2021)
Here's what Sean Patrick Thomas looked like as Derek Reynolds in Save the Last Dance (2001):
And here's what Sean Patrick Thomas looks like today at age 52:
Sean Patrick Thomas in 2001 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: Can't Hardly Wait (1998), Cruel Intentions (1999), Not Another Teen Movie (2001)
Most recent movies/TV shows: The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021), Trophy Wife (2022), Reasonable Doubt (2022)
Here's what Ally Sheedy looked like as Allison Reynolds in The Breakfast Club (1985):
And here's what Ally Sheedy looks like today at age 60:
Ally Sheedy in 1985 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: St. Elmo's Fire (1985), Blue City (1986), Oxford Blues (1984)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Single Drunk Female (2022)
Here's what Didi Conn looked like as Frenchy in Grease (1978):
And here's what Didi Conn looks like today at age 71:
Didi Conn in 1978 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: Grease 2 (1982), Almost Summer (1978)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Blue Bloods (2022), The Mimic (2020)
And finally: Here's what Anthony Michael Hall looked like as Ted Farmer in Sixteen Candles (1984):
And here's what Anthony Michael Hall looks like today at age 54:
Anthony Michael Hall in 1984 vs. today:
Most memorable teen movies: The Breakfast Club (1985), Weird Science (1985), Edward Scissorhands (1990)
Most recent movies/TV shows: Halloween Kills (2021), Clerks III (2022), The Class (2022)