Male celebrities who are almost unrecognizable without their signature look
Have it be Tom Selleck’s mustache, Billie Joe Armstrong’s eyeliner, or Prince Harry’s full beard, there are some male celebrities out there who rock a signature look. The thing is, when that look falls by the wayside, these men look totally different. Without their go-to look, these male celebrities are almost unrecognizable.
Guy Fieri Occasionally Dresses Down
Celebrity chef Guy Fieri is not exactly the kind of person who blends into a crowd. With his bleached and spiked hair, vivid sunglasses, tattoos and bright, bold shirts, it’s safe to say that the Mayor of Flavortown has his own unique style.
That’s what makes it almost shocking when Fieri dresses in a (comparatively) low-key fashion. He’ll occasionally dress down in a plain shirt with no intricate designs, along with no sunglasses.
Jeff Goldblum Rarely Dresses Down Anymore
Jeff Goldblum is a decidedly iconic actor, one who’s celebrated as much for his unique and esoteric personal style as he is for his long film career.
While it’s difficult to find any recent photos of Goldblum where he isn’t wearing distinctive glasses and making a fashion statement, he was considerably more dressed-down earlier in his career. This 1989 photo of him with Geena Davis shows him in a smart, casual suit.
Travis Barker Was Unrecognizable in His Younger Days
The Blink 182 drummer is immediately recognizable when he collaborates with any artist in a music video, as Travis Barker is frequently shirtless, with plentiful tattoos adorning his body and face.
While he was still tattooed in his younger days, he had less body art. The image on the right, taken at the 2000 MTV VMA’s, shows Barker not only with less tattoos, but also a full head of hair.
Zach Galifianakis Is Barely Recognizable
Comedic actor Zach Galifianakis has a certain style: chubby, with scruffy hair and (usually) a scruffy beard to match.
While he’s taken on a few variations on this theme throughout his career, his appearance at the 2015 SAG Awards may have been his most dramatically different to date. A slimmed-down Galifianakis with a five o’clock shadow certainly wasn’t on anyone’s bingo card that night.
Angus T. Jones Has Grown Up
Fans of Two and a Half Men may feel like they grew up alongside child star Angus T. Jones, who starred on the show from 2003 to 2013 — the years spanning age 10 to 20 for the young actor.
Jones has largely stayed quiet since his time on the hit sitcom, and it’s difficult to recognize him as his adult self.
Elton John Without His Signature Colored Glasses Is Just Wrong
The amazing Elton John has been making music since the late ’60s. While he is known for his funky onstage outfits and persona, there is one accessory that he tends to keep on even when he’s not performing.
John’s iconic colored lens glasses never seem to be far from the Tiny Dancer singer’s face. In fact, his face looks pretty empty without them!
Louis C.K. Looks Odd Without His Beard
With the peak of Louis C.K.’s popularity coming during his middle-aged years, many fans could scarcely picture him without his trademark red goatee and receding hairline.
That said, C.K. was indeed a young man, believe it or not, and photos taken during his early career show him looking more like Bill Burr.
Rowan Atkinson Before Bean
Even if you’re not familiar with the name Rowan Atkinson, you’re almost certainly familiar with his most famous role: That of Mr. Bean, an idiosyncratic and hapless character who elicited laughs while barely speaking a single line.
While focusing entirely on the Mr. Bean character does a disservice to Atkinson’s venerable career, it’s safe to say that most people can hardly picture him without his shabby tweed suit and bright red tie.
Jason Momoa Looks Very Young Without His Long Hair
Aquaman star Jason Momoa definitely had the long-haired merman thing going for him! The long locks are a signature look that he’s had for a few years. But, as people with long hair know, it takes a while to grow.
During the first season of Game of Thrones, Momoa was actually sporting short hair below his Dothraki wig! Doesn’t he look young?
Tom Arnold Slimmed Down
Tom Arnold has had a busy career in Hollywood, but his most memorable role was also his first: Playing Arnie Thomas on Roseanne, which also starred his then-wife Roseanne Barr.
Fans of the series remember Arnold as being a large, jovial figure, which makes this image of a slimmed-down Arnold all the more jarring. In all, he lost nearly a hundred pounds from his heaviest weight.
Prince Harry Looks Very Different Without His Red Beard
With his full head of hair and striking red beard, it’s hard to imagine Prince Harry without his signature look. Well, sometimes even a prince likes to do a clean shave and throw everyone for a loop.
Not only does Prince Harry look years younger without his beard, but he looks totally different, too.
Drake Was A Teen Idol
Drake varies his look from time to time, but it’s safe to say that the rapper has an iconic, immediately recognizable aura. But before his rap career, Drake — known by his real name of Aubrey Graham — was a TV star in his native Canada.
Drake played Jimmy “Wheelchair Jimmy” Brooks on the TV series Degrassi: The Next Generation as a teen, which explains this appearance at the Teen Choice Awards. For those who didn’t grow up watching Degrassi, this version of Drake is almost unrecognizable.
The Rock Clean Shaven With Hair
It might be hard to believe since many people believe Dwayne “The Rock: Johnson was born with a bald head and muscles, but once upon a time, the actor did have a head of hair and a clean-shaven face.
And while he looks different with that brown hair, the shoulder muscles make it hard to mistake him for anyone else.
Shaq Doesn’t Look Right With Hair
Shaquille O’Neal is one of the largest, baldest men on the planet — and the baldness is likely a stylistic choice rather than male pattern baldness, as it’s a look that he’s rocked dating back to his earliest days in the NBA.
Photos of Shaq with a buzzcut do exist, but this picture from a 2001 Los Angeles Lakers media day shows what Shaq looks like when he’s growing his hair out. He’d go back to his trademark bald look when the season started.
Jake Gyllenhaal Actually Looks Older Without His Facial Hair
Academy Award-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhaal is one of those Hollywood heartthrobs that has been around for quite some time. But even with all of the publicity he gets when a movie is about to be released, there is one thing that is usually always with him on the carpet — his full beard.
Amazingly, he looks not only different when he’s totally clean-shaven but also older.
David Beckham Wasn’t Always An Icon
David Beckham made waves beginning in the ’90s, not just for his prowess on the pitch, but also for being one of the first athletes to cross over into the world of mainstream international fashion.
Many people remember various iconic Becks looks, as he changed up his appearance quite a bit over the years. But this 1990 photo shows a 15-year-old Beckham, still a prospect for the Manchester United youth academy squad, long before he developed his own fashion sense.
Odell Beckham Looks Unrecognizable Without His Blonde Curls
NFL wide receiver Odell Beckham is known for his curly bleach blonde locks. In fact, he’s so known for them that when he stepped on the red carpet for the ESPYS, more than one person did a double-take.
Without his signature hairstyle, this NFL player looks more than red carpet ready.
Leslie Nielsen Was A Leading Man
Here’s a vintage pic of Leslie Nielsen, who’s best remembered for his comedic turn of the ’80s and ’90s. During this era, Nielsen had a distinctive look, with snowy white hair and a deadpan delivery.
While his earlier career is almost entirely forgotten today, Nielsen spent his early years as an actor in more dramatic roles. He never rose to the level of some of his leading man contemporaries, but he was a reliable choice for directors of the ’50s and ’60s.
Jon Bon Jovi As A Clean-Cut Man
Rocker Jon Bon Jovi started with long hair-band hair, went to a shaggy shoulder-length cut, and then decided to throw a twist into his signature look and chop his hair off altogether!
For fans of the musician, it was a sad day in the rock and roll world when Jon Bon Jovi decided to “clean up” his style.
Rainn Wilson With Long Hair Is Something Else
Rainn Wilson is best known for his role as Dwight Schrute on The Office. The thing is, his signature look while the show was running looks nothing like his look now.
Just look at those long Daryl Dixon-esk locks and that salt and pepper beard! Wilson is ready to fight off some zombies with the rest of The Walk Dead cast with this look.
Kit Harington Doesn’t Look The Same Without His Curls
The King Beyond The Wall, Kit Harington, is known for his iconic role as Jon Snow in Game of Thrones and his thick curly hair that more than one person would kill for.
While fans will surely miss his shoulder-length locks, his recent cut does give him a more distinguished look.
Robert Downey Jr. Looks Naked Without His Signature Glasses
More often than not, Robert Downey Jr. will be seen wearing colored glasses during appearances. Even his character Tony Stark sports them a time or two! They’re just a signature look for the actor.
The thing is, because RDJ wears them so often, his face looks a tad naked without them.
Vin Diesel Actually Makes A Bald Head Look Good
Vin Diesel did the right thing when he decided to shave his head. The closely shaved head and scruffy facial hair didn’t do much for the actor and made him look a little rough around the edges.
Now, the Fast and Furious star is rocking his signature bald head and clean-shaven face!
Timothée Chalamet Without His Signature Messy Hair
Even though Timothée Chalamet has only been a Hollywood A-lister since his breakthrough in the 2017 film Call Me By Your Name, he already has a signature look — the perfect messy bedhead.
Anything other than his signature curls makes the actor look overly polished on the red carpet. Even so, he still looks great.
Jonah Hill Without A Full Beard
Funnyman Jonah Hill has pretty much sported a beard since he became a big star in the early 2000s post-Superbad.
His signature look is a staple on a solid majority of his red carpet appearances, so when he walks into a camera’s view with a clean-shaven face, it’s definitely a lot to take in.
Mark Zuckerberg Actually Looking Like A Professional
When a multi-billion dollar company is thought up in a dormitory, it’s safe to say the creator isn’t going to be the fanciest of people. The prime example being Mark Zuckerberg.
The creator of Facebook, Zuckerberg, tends to favor causal t-shirts and even zip-up sweatshirts. So much so that when he actually puts on a suit, it looks like he’s playing dress-up.
Jared Leto Without His Brunette Hair
Academy Award-winning actor Jared Leto is known to switch up his look. But one thing has kind of remained consistent, his brunette hair. Whether it’s short, long, or slicked back, Leto seemed to like his natural hair color.
So, his switch to bleach blonde is quite the change! He looks totally different, especially with the clean-shaven face, too.
Harry Styles Without Super Long Hair Just Isn’t The Same
Singer Harry Styles looks good no matter what type of hairstyle he decides to sport. But it was a sad day for fans everywhere when he decided to chop off his iconic long curly hair.
While he looks a bit more refined and suave with his shorter haircut, the long locks were such a signature look.
Robert Pattinson Isn’t The Same Without His Twilight Hair
While actor Robert Pattinson eventually had to grow up from his Twilight days, it doesn’t mean he had to cut his messy bedhead hair! He rocked that signature look for years, gracing the covers of magazines, posters, and on the red carpet.
Alas, early-2000s teenagers cried the day he decided to forego his signature Edward Cullen look.
Justin Bieber Sporting A Longer Hairstyle
Throughout his career, Justin Bieber has sported various hairstyles, starting with the early-2000s skater boy look. As he got older, his signature look became a solid blonde bouffant, a very clean-cut look.
Then, he began growing his hair out, sporting a longer hairstyle that looked completely different and way less red-carpet-ready.
Nick Offerman With An Overall Shorter Look
Nick Offerman, aka Ron Swanson from Parks and Rec, is known for his onscreen mustache. Off-screen, though, he’s typically seen sporting a full beard and a nicely styled head of hair.
Shave everything off, and the guy in the dark blue shirt is what is left — someone who really doesn’t look like Offerman.
Steven Tyler Switched It Up
Steven Tyler has been the frontman for the rock band Aerosmith since the 1970s. Over the years, his signature long feathery hair hasn’t changed much, if at all. He’s still rocking it as he can still fit into his old leather pants.
But in 2019, Tyler decided to channel his inner librarian, pulling his long locks up into a bun and wearing glasses. Honestly, it works for him.
Alexander Skarsgård
Ever since he played the role of Eric Northman on True Blood, fans of Alexander Skarsgård got to know him as the actor with the Swedish blonde hair, a signature style that abruptly went away in 2017.
That year, Skarsgård scared his fans when he walked onto a carpet with a partially bald head! The style was for the film The Hummingbird Project.
Pharrell Williams Without A Hat Is Kind Of Strange
Singer-songwriter Pharrell Williams can make a catchy tune, ballad, and even a piano solo. But when it comes to walking the carpet and making various appearances, he’s bound to keep one thing consistent, wearing a hat.
It’s actually rare to see Williams without something on his head, especially a wide-rimmed bucket hat.
Tom Selleck Without His Iconic ‘Stache
While actor Tom Selleck is known for playing private investigator Thomas Magnum, he’s more well-known for something else altogether — his signature ‘stache! Selleck and his mustache graced the screen throughout his career; when he decided it was time for a shave, he was practically unrecognizable.
If not for his eyebrows and dimples, he’d just be another guy on the street!
Taylor Kitsch Without Long Hair Doesn’t Hit The Same
Honestly, Taylor Kitsch’s shoulder-length hair that was always the perfect amount of messy on Friday Night Lights is what made him a heartthrob. Or, at the very least, it definitely helped!
When the show came to an end, though, fans were startled to see that Kitsch had ditched his signature look. The short hair just doesn’t hit the same.
Jeff Bridges… Is That You?
It’s amazing what a haircut and shave can do to a person! Academy Award-winning actor Jeff Bridges doesn’t even look like himself without his signature shoulder-length hair and full beard. Seriously, is that even him?
If it wasn’t for his smirk and blue eyes, it’s safe to say more than one person would be questioning the identity of his short-haired picture.
Sam Elliott Isn’t The Same Without His Mustache
Seriously, is the man in this picture even Sam Elliott? The Academy Award-nominated actor is very much known for his thick white and gray mustache, a signature look only a few people can pull off.
Even though his bushy brown eyebrows and stark white hair make his identity pretty obvious, the Tombstone actor looks nothing like himself without the ‘stache.
Pete Wentz Without His Straightened Side Bangs
In the early 2000s, no one came close to the angst-driven style of Fall Out Boy’s Pete Wentz. Not only could he rock an all-black outfit, complete with eyeliner and nail polish, but he also got his hair pin-straight with side-swept bangs that a pre-teen could only dream of.
Now, with a slicked-back man-bun, Wentz looks totally different and way less punk rock.
Billie Joe Armstrong Is Far Less Punk-Rock Without Eyeliner
Since 1985, Billie Joe Armstrong has been the lead singer of the punk-rock band Green Day. But Armstrong is known for more than his angst-driven vocals. He’s also known for his iconic eyeliner and inky black hair.
The look is so iconic to those who follow Green Day, and even those who don’t, that Armstrong looks like a totally different person, and far less rock star-like, without it!
