1. Viola Davis in her first role as a nurse in The Substance of Fire in 1996: Viola now: Monica Schipper / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
1996 vs. now: Miramax / Monica Schipper / The Hollywood Reporter via Getty Images
2. Gabrielle Union in one of her first roles as Ashli in Moesha in 1996: UPN
Gabrielle now: Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty Images
1996 vs. now: UPN / Axelle / FilmMagic / Getty Images
3. Idris Elba in one of his first roles as a pizza delivery man in Space Precinct in 1994: Idris now: Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images
1994 vs. now: Sky One / Samir Hussein / WireImage / Getty Images
4. Regina King in her first role as Brenda Jenkins in 227 from 1985 to 1990: Regina now: Jc Olivera / FilmMagic / Getty Images
'80s vs. now: Columbia / Jc Olivera / FilmMagic / Getty Images
5. Samuel L. Jackson in one of his first roles in The Displaced Person in 1977: Samuel now: Rodin Eckenroth / FilmMagic / Getty Images
1977 vs. now: PBS/ Rodin Eckenroth / FilmMagic / Getty Images
6. Halle Berry in her first role as Emily Franklin in Living Dolls in 1989: Halle now: Michael Kovac / Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines
1989 vs now: ABC / Michael Kovac / Getty Images for Champagne Collet & OBC Wines
7. Denzel Washington as Robert Eldridge in Wilma in 1977: Denzel now: Momodu Mansaray / WireImage / Getty Images
1977 vs. now: NBC / Momodu Mansaray / WireImage / Getty Images
8. Angela Bassett in her first role as Salina McCulla in Search for Tomorrow in 1985: Angela now: Todd Williamson / NBC via Getty Images
1985 vs. now: NBC / Todd Williamson / NBC via Getty Images
9. Zendaya in her first role as Rocky Blue in Shake It Up from 2010 to 2013: Zendaya now: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Early '10s vs. now: Disney / Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
10. Jamie Foxx in In Living Color from 1991 to 1994: Jamie now: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
Early '90s vs. now: 20th Television / Frazer Harrison / Getty Images
11. Lupita Nyong'o as F in East River in 2008: Lupita now: John Phillips / Getty Images
2008 vs. now: 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: Nbc / NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Will now: Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images
1990 vs. now: NBC / Jon Kopaloff / FilmMagic / Getty Images
13. Don Cheadle in one of his first roles as Elliott Washburn in Hamburger Hill in 1987: Don now: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
1987 vs. now: Paramount / Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty Images
14. Octavia Spencer in her first role as Nurse Annette in A Time To Kill in 1996: Octavia now: David Livingston / Getty Images
1996 vs. now: Warner Bros. / David Livingston / Getty Images
15. Tracee Ellis Ross in her first role as Kiki in Far Harbor in 1996: Tracee now: Steven Ferdman / Getty Images for CultureCon
1996 vs. now: 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: Abc Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Laurence now: Frazer Harrison / WireImage / Getty Images
'70s vs. now: ABC / Frazer Harrison / WireImage / Getty Images
17. Keke Palmer in her first role as Gina's niece in Barbershop 2 in 2004: Keke now: Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
1996 vs. now: MGM / Dia Dipasupil / Getty Images
18. Mahershala Ali in his first role as Dr. Trey Sanders in Crossing Jordan from 2001 to 2002: Mahershala now: Amy Sussman / Getty Images for Deadline
Early 2000s vs. now: 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: Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection
Whoopi now: 1985 vs. now: Warner Bros / Courtesy Everett Collection / ABC
Black History Month is here! Join us from Feb. 1 to Feb. 28 (or all year round) and support our content celebrating the culture. Logan Perrin / BuzzFeed
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