Male British stars before and after: impressive transformations

Chester-born actor, Daniel Craig is best known for his portrayal of 007 - but we can't forget his great performance in Layer Cake in 2004. Him, like many famous male British stars have changed over the years in terms of their professional performances as well as their physical transformations.

Craig's commitment to his roles should be celebrated. He has proved himself to be a complete star internationally and has been nominated for more than one Best Actor Award - for 'James Bond' and for his role in the 2019 film, 'Knives Out'. 2021 saw Craig say goodbye to his James Bond character and see himself reinvented as an actor. Many are looking forward to the upcoming to his revival of Benoit Blanc in 'Knives Out 3: Wake Up Dead Man' in 2025.

As the lead in DC's 'The Batman', Robert Pattinson has proved himself a star. The actor has been doing amazing things professionally for many years, since making his debut as Cedric Diggory in 'Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire' all those years ago. Of course, he shot to fame as the secretive vampire in the 'Twilight' series.

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

He had made a mix of small independent films and larger scale productions - but has always taken the roles which would challenge him as an actor and give him the most artistic joy. Although we are sure he makes a fair dollar, he was paid $3m for his Batman - which seems puny compared to Chris Hemsworth's whopping $20m for his Marvel hit, 'Thor: Love and Thunder'. He is set to impress with his 2025 sci-fi film, 'Mickey 17'.

A well known Welsh born actor, Christian Bale was already acting by ten years old - playing opposite Rowan Atkinson in the London’s West End. He then landed his first Hollywood role at just thirteen, playing the lead in Steven Spielberg’s 'Empire of the Sun.'

Image: Warner Bros. Pictures

Christian Bale’s most notable films include 'American Psycho,' embodying a banking executive who has an alternate psychopathic ego; 'The Machinist,' where he really proved he has what it takes to transform himself on every level for a role; and, of course, 'Batman Begins,' donning the Batman mask passed to him by George Clooney. This versatile actor has devoted himself to a number of charities during the years and is an avid animal lover.

Here is Wayne Rooney - the young footballer who made a big impact on British and international football. This is the Walkers Under15 International Tournament - England v Spain when he was just a sprout.

He was England's youngest player, record goalscorer for England and Manchester United of all time and a multiple award winner. He managed Championship team, Derby County and, as of 2024, is head coach of EFL Championship club Plymouth Argyle.

Here is a younger David Walliams on stage with Matt Lucas. The couple became famous for their controversial sketch show 'Little Britain' but he has changed an awful lot since then...

Not only has he appeared in some pretty acclaimed BBC roles, but he has also made a name for himself as a judge on 'Britain's Got Talent.' He didn't stop at acting and became a children's author, writing books that have been incredibly successful both in the UK and internationally. Here he is all smiles when his book 'Mega Monster' became number one in the best selling charts in 2021.

Robbie Williams was always energetic and loved posing for the camera. Anyone could say that a career in the spotlight was always going to be his path and he absolutely made his mark on music, fashion and British culture. Here he is in 1993.

From Take That to an incredible solo career, singer Robbie Williams has sold more albums in the UK than any other British solo artist in history and has won more BRIT Awards than any other artist to date.

Everyone knows that Ed Sheehan started off his professional career by busking in the streets of London and quickly made a name for himself on music's international stage. Here we have a very baby-faced Ed Sheeran unveiling his Madame Tussaud's wax statue in 2015.

It has been few years since you haven't been able to turn on the radio without hearing Ed Sheeran's individual tone. Since his hit 'Thinking Out Loud' in 2016, the talented singer seems to be everywhere. Many loved his new sound with his hit song, 'Bad Habits'. He's not just been singing, however, and he made his acting debut in The Beatles film, 'Yesterday' in 2019. He has a tour upcoming in 2025.

It is no surprise that a young David Attenborough spent his childhood collecting fossils, stones and other natural relics. He first started working for the BBC in 1950 and has a famously established career reporting and writing about the natural world.

He is the voice of the natural planet for many and is a UK national treasure. He has recently used his experience to tell the world about the changes in the natural world he has witnessed since starting his professional career. He is now also the voice of environmental sustainability.

Councillor Corbyn - British Labour Party activist and borough councillor, Jeremy Cornyn. Here he is in 1987 at an Amnesty International event in Covent Garden

He was voted in as the Labour Party leader in 2015 and has had a rocky road. Now 'former Labour party leader', he supports the unions in these troubled times. He joined members of the Communication Workers Union (CWU) during a rally in Parliament Square, London, as Royal Mail workers marked another strike in the increasingly bitter dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.

It's 1998 and Boris Johnson was still a British Conservative politician and journalist. No Brexit and no Pandemic. Letting his hair loose as he is taught how to dance by Ulrika Jonsson.

After many tough years, Britain's ex-Prime Minister Boris Johnson has seen an awful lot. As Mayor of London he made himself very known to the public whilst hanging from a zip wire as Santa. Those funny days for Boris are over, however, and his days as PM are up.

The late Princess of Wales, Diana, with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, at the piano in Kensington Palace.

A life not free of scandal. Harry stepped down from his royal duties along with wife, Meghan Markle, and moved to California where they live with their son Archie and daughter Lilibet, away from the royal pressures but still definitely in the spotlight. That Oprah interview will go down in history as one of the biggest TV moments ever. Now the pair are sold to Netflix.

PJ and Duncan. The duo from Newcastle that made it big on Byker Grove, took their names and became a pop music duo. For a while. Of course, everyone remembers 'Let's Get Ready To Rhumble' (they even did a remake of it a few years back), and the 2002 FIFA World Cup tune, 'We're on the Ball'.

They now host 'Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway', and even have their own production company. They were named the eighteenth most influential people in British culture and the comic duo are a much loved pair on the British screens, still presenting 'I'm A Celebrity'.

Photo: ITV

Before his role in ‘Love Actually’, Martin Freeman had dallied with more extrovert roles. Here is a very young-looking Martin Freeman at the London premiere Of Ali G ‘Indahouse' in 2002, having played Ricky C in the movie. He went on to make a name for himself in ‘The Office’ in 2004 where he played still-living-at-home and King-of-unrequited-love, Tim Canterbury.

Martin Freeman shot to fame thanks to his role of Dr Watson in the BBC’s ‘Sherlock’ series and won a BAFTA Award for his contribution. He has then played tiny hobbit, Bilbo Baggins in ‘The Hobbit’ franchise, a government agent in the MCU, and alongside actress Diane Kruger, in ‘The Operative’.

Colin Firth, mainly recognised for his role in the ‘Bridget Jones’ franchise is the epitome of a British gentleman. Although he came across as a mumbling goofball turned emotionally available bachelor in the chick-flick films, he has since gone on to really prove he has real British acting talent. Photo from ‘Bridget Jones' all those years ago.

With roles under his belt such as Mr Darcy in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ (1995) and muttering George VI in ‘The King’s Speech’ (2010), actor Colin Firth has also transitioned to musicals, starring (and singing) in ‘Mamma Mia’ in 2008. He appears here in 'The Staircase' for HBO.

London-born Idris Elba moved to New York after a few British television roles but ended up working as a doorman at comedy club, Carolines, trying to make ends meet. After he landed a role in critically acclaimed ‘The Wire’, Elba took on a range of characters from a mechanic in ‘Daddy’s Little Girls’ to a general killing zombies in ’28 Weeks Later’ and here you can see him from the 2009 film ‘Obsessed’ where he played a devoted husband opposite Beyonce Knowles.

His versatile career didn’t stop there and he became a God in Marvel’s Thor, a ship captain in ‘Prometheus’ and tortured detective in ‘Luther’. What surprised the public, however, was when he took on the role as a CGI, seemingly commando, criminal cat. Here is Idris Elba in 2022. And he hasn't aged a day.

Actor Tom Hardy in 2009. But before this moment, he had already caught the eye of many in films such as Ridley Scott’s 'Black Hawk Down,' 'Star Trek: Nemesis' and Guy Richie’s 'RocknRolla.'

Time and time again, Tom Hardy has shown to be incredibly versatile and he has gained the respect of many of Hollywood’s finest actors. A BAFTA, Laurence Olivier Award and Academy Award nominations later, he still devotes his life to charities close to his heart and continues to deliver outstanding performances including the recent Marvel 'Venom' instalment in 2024.

Another British actor who started out in theatre, Hugh Grant transitioned to film in 1982, starring in ‘Privileged’ but shot into the public eye when he won the best actor trophy at the Venice Film Festival for his role in ‘Maurice’. He has had the odd scandal, however, and the media frenzied when they saw his police mug shot in 1995 when he got fined and put on probation for a sexual encounter in a public place with a prostitute.

The ‘Love Actually’ and ‘Bridget Jones’ actor concreted his fame in the early 2000s with the rise of British comedy film. His most recent releases include the hilarious ‘Death to 2020’ Netflix film and action comedy, ‘The Gentleman’ in 2019 as well as made a great comeback in 'Dungeons and Dragons' as the bad guy. He will be reviving his role in the upcoming 2025 'Bridget Jones' film.

Patrick Stewart, from Mirfield in Yorkshire, comes from a dark and shady past and has been open about seeing his father repeatedly hit his mother when he was a child. His breakthrough came when he played Leontes in 'The Winter’s Tale,' and he found his escapism. This is a rare photo of Patrick Stewart, who was starring as Launce in The Royal Shakespeare Company's production of 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona,' with Blackie the dog in 1970

Sir Patrick Stewart is now aged 84 and, throughout his career, the world has seen him work a long run for the Royal Shakespeare Company and have a number of respected roles, gaining himself an OBE. An avid car enthusiast, you can see him near a racetrack; or at Huddersfield Town A.F.C.; or even fighting for stricter gun laws in the states, women’s equality and a patron of Humanists UK. Here is the actor attending the 73rd Primetime Emmy Awards at L.A. LIVE in September, 2021.

As well you may know, Gordon Ramsay was a professional footballer before an injury stopped that career dead. He turned to his love of cooking and we see him here at in 2001 as his Chelsea restaurant received three Michelin stars. Ramsey is only the second British chef to be awarded three stars in the French gastronomy bible Michelin.

Gordon Ramsay is a family man who splits his time between his children, cooking shows such as the ongoing 'Hell's Kitchen', running restaurants and cycling in his 'spare time'! He keeps his cool and even fits in pleasing his Instagram followers and fans with some real gems on social media.

Essex born and raised Jamie Oliver rose to fame in his 1999 TV show, 'The N---- Chef.' The 'Jamie’s Kitchen' documentary has also been a huge success and he is a well-loved Brit - mainly thanks to his 'Feed Me Better' campaign where he introduced school children to healthier food.

Now Jamie Oliver MBE, he lives in a £6m property in Essex along with his wife, Jools, and five children. Here he is taking part in the What An Eton Mess demonstration outside Downing Street, London, calling for Prime Minister Boris Johnson to reconsider his U-turn on the Government's anti-obesity strategy. His restaurant chain collapsed but is making comebacks on both TV and in the gastronomic world, opening venues that reflect his cooking style and sharing that with visitors in an engaging way.

Thrust into the spotlight at a very young age, baby-faced Daniel Radcliffe was picked to play Harry Potter in the movie of the books which was due to start shooting in 2000.

Actor Daniel Radcliffe has done quite well for himself, really. After the Harry Potter series he has continued to produce some great films and performed on the West End stage. Here he is at the "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story" Premiere during the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. He won a Tony Award in 2024 for his performance in the musical 'Merrily We Roll Along'.

Harry auditioned for the X Factor in April 2010 and wowed the judges with the classic song, “Isn’t she lovely?”. In July of the same year his journey in the competition came to an end at the show’s bootcamp but music mentor, Simon Cowell, allowed him and other solo acts to join together, creating the group that we all know as One Direction and entering as a group act in the show. They came third overall.

Worldwide fame was in store for Harry and he has become a face to watch for many years to come. Singer, composer and writer. Actor, lyricist and drummer. A friend: respected and loved. Model, designer, trend-setter icon and Vogue magazine’s front cover. He had a successful tour in 2024 and many can't wait to see what he does next.

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