The following 6 celebrity duos from different eras show how beauty standards and views on masculinity have changed over time. From Pierce Brosnan to Tom Holland, see how they looked at a similar age compared to now.
Delve into the different looks of some of the most well-known names in entertainment, then, and now. Our first duo is every bit as surprising as the last.
Pierce Brosnan and Timothee Chalamet in Their 20s
Pierce Brosnan, born on May 16, 1953, earned his first acting credit in 1980 starring as Donnelly in “Murphy’s Stroke. Two years later, Brosnan became a household name thanks to his lead role in the television series, “Remington Steele” from 1982-1987.
Pierce Brosnan as Remington Steele on July 02, 1983 | Source: Getty Images
The 90s took his fame to the next level when he took on the role of James Bond in “Goldeneye” in 1995. Undeniably handsome, Brosnan once revealed that good looks haven’t necessarily worked in his favor through the years.
“I’ve lost jobs through my looks. I desperately wanted to be in John Huston’s last film, The Dead, and although he saw me for it, he thought my face too young… and too good-looking. It’s very dangerous for an actor to start believing he can lean on his looks,” he explained.
Pierce Brosnan, London, United Kingdom, circa 1978 | Source: Getty Images
Brosnan’s advice when it comes to getting older, “Stay fit. Stay constant. Stay in touch with your emotions. And have a sense of humor.”
Timothée Chalamet, born in Manhattan on December 27, 1995, has some years to go before Brosnan’s aging advice could come in handy. But for now, he is making a name for himself in Hollywood.
Timothee Chalamet arrives at the 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards held at The Shrine Auditorium on January 27, 2013, in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images
Chalamet earned his first acting credit in the short film “Sweet Tooth” in 2008, and has since become known for his roles in “Dune” in 2021 and “Dune: Part Two,” released in 2024. In 2023, he was ranked as the most handsome face of 2023.
Pierce Brosnan [Left]. Timothee Chalamet [Right] | Source: Getty Images
John Wayne and Justin Bieber in Their 20s
This unlikely duo was born 86 years apart and followed diversely different career paths. John Wayne became famous for his roles in Western and War movies, while Justin Bieber’s loyal following came from his music career.
American actor John Wayne circa 1955 | Source: Getty Images
Despite Wayne’s extensive 184 acting credits between 1926 and 1976, he was concerned about his physical appearance onscreen and began shifting from acting to being a director.
“My problem is that I’m not a handsome man like Cary Grant … who will be handsome at 65,” Wayne, who died in June 1979, said during an interview. Wayne’s celebrity duo on the list, Justin Bieber, has also won over hearts with his looks.
Justin Bieber attends the 2009 Arthur Ashe Kids Day at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 29, 2009, in New York City | Source: Getty Images
Canadian-born Justin Bieber made a name for himself through his music, but he has earned some acting credits in films and series, including “Behaving Badly,” in 2014, and “Zoolander 2” in 2016.
Since Bieber burst onto the music scene with his first single, “One Time” in 2009, his physical appearance also gained him many fans. “Justin Bieber is the most handsome man alive❤️,” a fan wrote on X.
John Wayne [Left]. Justin Bieber [Right] | Source: Getty Images
Steve McQueen and Jared Leto at 33
Steve McQueen became the quintessential cool male film star during his acting career that began in 1952. While he sadly met his untimely death from mesothelioma at 50 in 1980, McQueen and his talents have not been forgotten.
“THE most handsome man on the planet, Steve McQueen. Yummy,” a netizen wrote, a sentiment shared by other fans as well.
Steve McQueen circa 1971 | Source: Getty Images
Jared Leto, born in December 1971, gained fame as the lead vocalist for the American band Thirty Seconds to Mars and only became a familiar face on screen in more recent years.
Notably, he snagged supporting roles in “The Thin Red Line,” which earned seven Oscar nominations, and “Fight Club” in 1999.
Jared Leto on March 30, 1994 | Source: Getty Images
But much like McQueen’s die-hard fans, Jared Leto’s fans are in awe of his looks.
“Excuse me but the sexiest man alive is Jared Leto,” a netizen gushed on social media. Another fan’s glowing review spared no words, “JARED is the sexiest man alive. He’s killing us. Jezzz, who can resist this body??🤭😏Holy guacamole. HOT STUFF. 🔥 🥵🤪”
Jared Leto [Left]. Steve McQueen [Right] | Source: Getty Images
Marlon Brando and Thomas Brodie-Sangster in Their 30s
Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Marlon Brando come from different eras in Hollywood. Born 66 years apart, Brando cemented his name in silver screen history as Don Vito Corleone in 1972’s “The Godfather,” while Brodie-Sangster’s best is yet to come.
Marlon Brando the set of his movie One-Eyed Jacks released in 1961 | Source: Getty Images
Widely considered the greatest film actor of all time, Brando earned 48 acting credits between 1949 and 2001, including two posthumously released projects in 2006.
Brodie-Sangster was born in 1990, fourteen years before Brando passed away from pulmonary fibrosis in July 2004.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster attends the 2003 Monte Carlo Television Festival -“Independence Day” Party | Source: Getty Images
Although Brodie-Sangster is now 34 years old, he appears to have barely aged since he starred in “Love Actually” in 2003. During an interview, Brodie-Sangster shared his “secret to eternal youth.”
“I don’t know. Erm, genes? I’ve always looked at least three to four years younger than what I actually am, and I don’t know why that is. It just seems to be the way. To me, I just look like me. People always ask me that,” the “Nanny McPhee” star said.
Marlon Brando [Left]. Thomas Brodie-Sangster [Right] | Source: Getty Images
Alain Delon and Kim Tae-Hyung in Their 20s
Both these stars are foreign to American soil. Alain Delon became known as the French James Dean, while Kim Tae-Hyung hails from South Korea.
French actor Alain Delon on January 01, 1955 | Source: Getty Images
Born in 1935, Delon went on to earn an incredible 107 acting credits from 1949 until 2019. Of his good looks, Delon once said, “I am handsome. And it seems, my darling, that I was very, very, very, very handsome indeed.[…]The women were all obsessed with me. From when I was 18 till when I was 50.”
Tae-Hyung, on the other hand, is a member of the boy band BTS and is known professionally as V. Born in 1995, Tae-Hyung made his acting debut in a 2016 historical drama “Hwarang: The Poet Warrior.”
V of BTS attends the press conference for 2017 Billboard Music Award at Lotte Hotel Seoul on May 29, 2017, in Seoul, South Korea | Source: Getty Images
Two years later, he became one of the youngest recipients of the fifth-class Hwagwan Order of Cultural Merit medal, but Tae-Hyung’s good looks have also caught attention.
“Kim Taehyung turned into the hottest and most handsome man in the world,” mused an X user. “Kim Tae-Hyung. You will always be the main character. The most handsome man in the world,” seconded another.
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Alain Delon [Left]. Kim Tae-Hyung [Right] | Source: Getty Images
Frank Sinatra and Tom Holland at 25+
These two stars were born a whopping 81 years apart. During Frank Sinatra’s career, he became one of the most sought-after performers of his time. Tom Holland, however, is still building on his legacy.
Frank Sinatra circa 1936 | Source: Getty Images
Hailed by some as the greatest American singer of the 20th century, Sinatra, who died in 1998, was admired for this talent and looks, much like Tom Holland.
Hailing from Kingston upon Thames in England, Holland has already amassed an impressive 43 acting credits from 2012, which notably include his role as Peter Parker in “Spider-Man.”
Tom Holland arrives at the 24th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala at Palm Springs Convention Center on January 5, 2013, in Palm Springs, California | Source: Getty Images
“One of the most talented actors who minds their own business has a nice personality, is handsome, and the gp loves him,” a fan sang his praises.
Holland’s fans also think he is the most attractive of all, as one wrote, “Tom Holland is the most handsome.❤” In celebration of his birthday in 2024, another fan posted, “Happy bday to the most delicious and handsome man of all Mr. Tom Holland.”
Frank Sinatra [Left]. Tom Holland [Right] | Source: Getty Images
While every star on this list gained the loyal support of their fans, it also shows the differences in preference in overall appearances. From rugged good looks to more refined or striking features, beauty standards have not escaped the sands of time.
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