Many of the stars we know today found fame in the '80s as teen idols, sitcom stars or in high definition on the big screen, but not many celebs were born ready for their close up. Instead, Hollywood's greatest names took a little time to find their feet in the industry or adjust to fame on their own terms.
We're looking back at some famous faces before they found themselves in the spotlight — from early roles to high school photos, see how many of these iconic '80s A-listers you can recognize...
© Getty ImagesDemi Moore showed off LA's best spots for trendy teens in the '70s
Demi Moore
Before she was part of the '80s favorite in-crowd, the Brat Pack, Demi Moore was the same as any 15-year-old growing up in Los Angeles.
The future Oscar nominee even took part in a photo shoot documenting the typical life of an LA teen while studying at Fairfax High School.
© Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesPhoebe was a beloved icon of the '80s and quickly rose to fame, but before that she was busy working as a model
Phoebe Cates
Before she became a teen idol with roles in '80s hits like Gremlins and Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Phoebe Cates had a career in modeling during the seventies.
In childhood, she attended performing arts schools like Juilliard and the Professional Children's School, but a knee injury forced her to end her dancing dreams. Phoebe began taking modeling more seriously but decided to move into acting, landing her debut role in 1982 with Paradise.
© Getty ImagesMichael J. Fox found international fame in the '80s but, like many actors, worked up from smaller roles in the late '70s
Michael J. Fox
Now he's known and beloved as the time-traveling adventurer Marty McFly, but before that Michael J. Fox had a few smaller roles to his name.
Four years before the Back to the Future role that would define his career, Michael worked on two seasons of Palmerstown, U.S.A. between 1980 and 1981 as the character Willy-Joe Hall.
© Getty ImagesKristy's big break came in the mid to late '70s and she reached the height of her fame in the '80s, but her fame was built with smaller appearances
Kristy McNichol
Kristy McNichol got her start onscreen in the '70s with appearances on rom-com series Love, American Style and family drama Run, Joe, Run, working up to a 16-episode run on Apple's Way.
Her most-loved roles came later on in the '70s and into the following decade, including the film Little Darlings and shows like Family and Empty Nest.
© NBCUniversal via Getty ImagesMolly Ringwald defined the '80s, and her career grew alongside the decade
Molly Ringwald
Brat Pack superstar Molly Ringwald defined '80s adolescence with roles in The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink and Sixteen Candles. The actress started on-screen with Diff'rent Strokes and its spinoff, The Facts of Life, in 1979 and 1980.
Stardom soon followed in the mid-'80s with the release of Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club in 1984 and 1985, respectively.
© Getty ImagesRalph's iconic run as the karate kid himself earned him a place in the history books of '80s cinema
Ralph Macchio
We all learned to wax on, wax off under the guidance of Mr. Miyagi alongside Ralph Macchio in '80s classic The Karate Kid (1984) and witnessed the chaos of graduate life in The Outsiders (1983).
Prior to landing those major movie roles, Ralph's career started at the beginning of the decade with a role in the comedy Up the Academy (1980) and on the series Eight is Enough (1980-81).
© Getty ImagesDaryl Hannah (far right) had an exciting end to the '70s with a role in body horror 'The Fury'
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah reached mainstream fame with her role in the Ridley Scott classic Blade Runner (1982), following it up with features like Splash, Wall Street and Steel Magnolias.
Before her big break in the early '80s, Daryl had a small role in body horror The Fury (1978), her first role on-screen and her only credit of the '70s.
© Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty ImagesRob Lowe stole plenty of hearts in the '80s, achieving widespread fame soon after he appeared in the sitcom 'A New Kind of Family'
Rob Lowe
Just a few years before Rob Lowe was stealing teenage hearts in The Outsiders, the actor starred in the short-lived series A New Kind of Family, which aired between 1979 and 1980.
Rob reached '80s fame with The Outsiders in 1983 and in 1985 with other Brat Pack members in St. Elmo's Fire.
