Before they were red-carpet regulars, these future A-listers were just kids saying “cheese” in fluorescent-lit hallways. Some achieved their peak early, some underwent infamous awkward phases, and a few already appeared poised for Hollywood.
1. Paris Hilton
She posted a throwback carousel all the way from elementary school to her “Bad Bitch Academy” graduation. By her late teens, she was modeling, and, of course, would soon reboot fame itself with The Simple Life in 2003.
2. Chris Pratt
He shared this as part of the “Teenage Dirtbag” trend, but let’s face it, he was more of a “student sweetheart” than a dirtbag. At Lake Stevens High, he played football, wrestled, ran track, and gave the graduation speech. Later, he was famously discovered while waiting tables at a Bubba Gump in Maui.
3. Tom Hanks
Skyline High (Oakland, CA), Class of ’74. Honestly, he already has leading man energy. Before winning those two Oscars, Teen Tom had a deep passion for theater and considered community productions his second home.
4. Kevin Bacon
“Ninth grade. Don’t miss it,” Bacon joked, wearing a snazzy turtleneck and all. At 17, he moved to NYC to study at Circle in the Square, which was a bold move that paid off (eventually).
5. Jennifer Garner
Proud band kid with “Sally the sexy saxophone.” She also did years of ballet and later studied theater at Denison University before Alias turned her into an action icon.
6. Michelle Obama
In cap and gown, cheering on the Class of 2021: “You’ve got this.” She attended Chicago’s Whitney Young Magnet High before heading to Princeton and Harvard Law. Yearbook quotes wish they had that résumé.
7. Snoop Dogg
Behold Calvin Broadus, a.k.a. “high school Snoopy.” He was at Long Beach Poly—yes, the same place that cranked out star athletes—and he played a little football before the 213 era with Warren G and Nate Dogg.
8. Matt Damon
Is it a yearbook pic or a talent-agency headshot? At Cambridge Rindge and Latin, he was classmates (and future Oscar co-winner) with Ben Affleck. He later enrolled at Harvard before Good Will Hunting rewrote the syllabus.
9. Anna Faris
Edmonds-Woodway High School in Washington. Before Scary Movie, she was acting in community theater from age nine, aka, the prequel to her comedy-queen phase.
10. Melissa McCarthy
Even in high school, Melissa McCarthy was a fashion chameleon. She once said she went from super preppy to blue-black hair with shaved patches. She later tried stand-up in NYC and attended SIU Carbondale before Gilmore Girls and Bridesmaids blew the doors off.
11. Emma Stone
Emma Stone exudes an aura reminiscent of Jodie Foster here. She famously made a PowerPoint to convince her parents to move to L.A. at 15. That’s commitment and excellent slide design, presumably.
12. Winona Ryder
Petaluma High grad with a 4.0 GPA. Also, she grew up near San Francisco’s American Conservatory Theater. No wonder Heathers and Reality Bites hit so hard.
13. Reese Witherspoon
Sixth-grader Reese (1988) had already won the Ten-State Talent Fair at 11 and was booking commercials. She later attended Nashville’s Harpeth Hall, where she cheerleaded her way toward Election and Legally Blonde.
14. Jamie Foxx
Sixth-grade Eric Bishop had already been at the piano for a decade. In high school (Terrell, TX), he was a star quarterback and earned top-grade marks, then stole “Jamie Foxx” as a stage name from the club’s unisex open-mic list. What a legend!
15. Megan Fox
Second-grade Megan remembered that “unibrow era” all too well. She studied dance and drama as a kid and started participating in modeling competitions early.
16. Natalie Portman
Syosset High on Long Island, where she juggled her student life with Star Wars: Episode I. Later, she graduated from Harvard and even co-authored scientific papers. She’s the queen of extra credit.
17. Mariah Carey
Another Long Island alum—Harborfields High in Greenlawn. She earned the nickname “Mirage” in school due to her habit of skipping class to focus on her music, a trait that, in retrospect, seems perfectly fitting for the Songbird Supreme.
18. Jerry Seinfeld
Massapequa High, Long Island. After attending Queens College and performing at numerous open mic events, he secured a spot on The Tonight Show. Subsequently, a modest sitcom about nothing evolved into a significant milestone in his career.
19. Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman, an Illinois native, pursued his theater studies at the University of Illinois. Did you know that the carpentry you see in Parks and Rec isn’t just Ron Swanson lore? Offerman is a legit woodworker IRL.
20. Jimmy Fallon
Thank you, classmates.com, for the baby’s stache. Fallon grew up in Saugerties, NY, started stand-up as a teen, and later studied at The College of Saint Rose before SNL called.
