Love stories always look wonderful on the big screen – handsome young actors form romantic couples that delight audiences for years to come. However, in reality, film couples age and change in ways that are often disproportionate. (Scroll through the photos in the article by clicking on the arrow.)
When it was announced that Tom Cruise would star in the sequel to Top Gun, everyone remembered actress Kelly McGillis, who played the main character’s love interest in the 1986 film Top Gun. In the 1980s, she was a radiant star, shining in numerous romantic comedies. Today, unlike Tom Cruise, she no longer appears on screen as the object of someone’s affection.
In 1997, Julia Roberts and Rupert Everett starred in the romantic comedy ‘The Wedding Wars’. The actress occasionally appears on screen in romantic roles, such as in ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ and, more recently, in ‘Ticket to Paradise’. Rupert Everett, who was also known for his romantic roles, has long since moved away from this image.
One of the standout romantic comedies of the early 1990s was the 1994 film ‘It Could Happen to Anyone,’ starring Nicolas Cage and Bridget Fonda. After a decade, the actress left the film industry to become a housewife, making it difficult to recognise the once slim movie star. Meanwhile, Nicolas Cage continues to fascinate, as he recently proved in the comedy ‘The Unbearable Weight of Mass Talent’.
Matthew Perry rose to fame thanks to the sitcom Friends and went on to star in numerous solo comedies. One of his biggest successes was the romantic comedy Crazy Love (1997), in which he starred alongside Salma Hayek. The actor has long since lost his former charm, while the actress continues to land roles as beautiful and desirable women.
The stars of the 1999 film Blast from the Past, Alicia Silverstone and Brendan Fraser, both struggled to maintain public interest in their careers in the 2000s. The actress may have lost her slim figure, but she still retains her attractiveness. Brendan Fraser, on the other hand, is often barely recognisable to his fans.
Andie MacDowell is one of the brighter stars of 1990s romantic comedies. She starred alongside Gérard Depardieu in the film ‘Green Card’ (1990). Although both have moved away from romantic roles, Andie has aged much less than her partner, who has gained a significant amount of weight.
In the erotic drama Nine and a Half Weeks (1986), Kim Basinger and Mickey Rourke formed a stunning duo. Today, although the actress may no longer be young, she remains beautiful and desirable – no wonder she starred in the major erotic project of the 2010s, Fifty Shades of Grey. Mickey Rourke, on the other hand, has long since ceased to resemble the handsome young man captured on camera in the late 1990s.
John Travolta is no longer as athletic and attractive as he was at the beginning of his career, but when compared to his co-star from the film ‘Honey, I Blew Up the Kid’ (1989), Kelly Preston, it is clear that she has aged more dramatically than he has.
Sandra Bullock continues to amaze audiences with her remarkable ability to maintain an almost unchanged appearance. In 1995, she starred in the romantic comedy While You Were Sleeping alongside Bill Pullman. Comparing how the man looked then and how he looks now, the actress’s youthful features and unwavering beauty are even more evident.
