19 Celebs Who Were Smokin' Hot When They Were Young

Wowza, people. These 19 celebrities were so hot when they were young that your eyeballs might catch on fire just looking at these photos. Seriously, you might want to keep a glass of water handy. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

The biggest surprises? Ricky Gervais, James Earl Jones, Ian McKellen and Jeff Bridges were total hotties back in the day (not that they’re too tough to look at now!). Alec Baldwin was pretty much the hottest man who ever lived decades before he channeled Donald Trump on Saturday Night Live, and LL Cool J was definitely the “type of guy that shows up on the scene/and gets the seven digits, you know the routine.” And hello! Who knew Prince Philip was such a royal bae?

Most stars are stunning, but if you hop into the Wayback Machine, these guys were even more gorgeous. Without further ado, we present 19 male celebs who were smokin’ hot back in the day.

A version of this article was originally published in July 2017.

Frank Sinatra

Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.

Way back in 1938, before he became the crooner we all know and love, Frank Sinatra was arrested for adultery and seduction — yes, seduction. But he looked damn good in that mugshot.
Jon Stewart

Image Credit: WENN.

In 1996, three years before he joined The Daily Show and became the comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor and television host we all know, Jon Stewart was a stand-up comedian making frequent TV appearances.
James Earl Jones

Image Credit: John D. Kisch/Separate Cinema Archive/Moviepix/Getty Images.

Before he would become the voice of Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise and rack up 190 acting credits, actor James Earl Jones starred in The Great White Hope in 1970.
Prince Philip

Image Credit: Keystone/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images.

Here's Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh and husband to Queen Elizabeth II, smizing in 1947.
Richard Gere

Image Credit: WENN.

Here's Richard Gere in 1972, a year before his very first IMDb credit for a small role in the TV movie Chelsea D.H.O. He would go on to star in 59 more roles, including roles in Pretty Woman, Runaway Bride and Chicago.
LL Cool J

Image Credit: Paul Natkin/WireImage/Getty Images.

Here's LL Cool J in 1993 at the height of his Grammy-winning hip-hop career, years before he became a TV mainstay. LL Cool J just wrapped up a nine-year stint as Sam Hanna in NCIS: Los Angeles.
Clint Eastwood

Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.

Clint Eastwood was quite a dish back in 1956. Since then, the Good, the Bad and the Ugly actor turned his attention and efforts to directing, winning an Oscar for Best Motion Picture of the Year in 2005 for Million Dollar Baby.
Alec Baldwin

Image Credit: SGranitz/WireImage/Getty Images.

It's not hard to see why 30 Rock actor and SNL Donald Trump impersonator Alec Baldwin was considered one of the world's most gorgeous men back in 1991.
Ricky Gervais

Image Credit: Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images.

Little known fact: The Office OG Ricky Gervais was in a new wave band in 1983 — this is one of his publicity photos from that era.
Ian McKellen

Image Credit: George Wilkes/Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

Ian McKellen's cheekbones are out of this world in this 1974 photo. Of course, he would go on to steal the show in The Lord of the Rings and X-Men franchises as Gandalf and Magneto, respectively.
Eddie Murphy

Image Credit: Barry King/WireImage/Getty Images.

Comedian and Beverly Hills Cop 4 actor Eddie Murphy could give a hell of a smolder back in 1983.
Sean Connery

Image Credit: United Artists/Getty Images.

Sean Connery was inarguably the sexiest James Bond from 1962 to 1983. Well before that, though, he stole hearts in Another Time, Another Place in 1958 and in Dr. No in 1962.
Jeff Bridges

Image Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

Long before he was The Dude in The Big Lebowski, Jeff Bridges was just a hot dude in 1987.
Robert Redford

Image Credit: Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

1975 Robert Redford could give 1997 Brad Pitt a real run for his money. Redford is still going strong in the entertainment industry, moving on from actor to producer, with his latest film The Old Man & the Gun slated to hit theaters in October.
Denzel Washington

Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images.

Two-time Oscar winner Denzel Washington was on the verge of stardom in 1980, two years before his breakout role on St. Elsewhere. Since then, he's had 81 wins and racked up 166 nominations.
Ben Affleck

Image Credit: Bob Riha Jr/WireImage/Getty Images.

Ben Affleck saved the world with his hotness in 1998, when Armageddon was released. Since then, he's won another Oscar — for Best Motion Picture of the Year in 2013 for Argo, which he starred in and directed.
Brad Pitt

Image Credit: Dominique CHARRIAU/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Images.

Here's Brad Pitt in 1997, the year Gwyneth Paltrow broke his heart. Pitt would go on to star in many, many other major films, including Mr. & Mrs. Smith, where he would meet his future ex-wife, Angelina Jolie.
Johnny Depp

Image Credit: Pool BENAINOUS/DUCLOS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images.

Here's Johnny Depp in 1995, eight years before he decided the pirate life was for him — and years before his personal life would allegedly blow up, revealing reported multimillion-dollar lawsuits.
Matt Dillon

Image Credit: Waring Abbott/Getty Images.

Here's Matt Dillon in 1980, just a year after the release of his first movie, before we would come to know him as Sam Lombardo in Wild Things.