Most of us know the nostalgic feeling that comes with looking back at our pics from prom night. Apparently, celebrities are no different. Here are some iconic prom throwbacks shared by celebs over the years.
Matthew McConaughey
"Alright, alright, alright!" Before Matthew McConaughey rose to fame playing a hormonal teen whose main concern was picking up chicks, the Dazed and Confused star was a giddy prom kid just like us.
Looks like this guy has been breaking hearts since long before he was dubbed the Sexiest Man Alive. The throwback above went viral on Twitter when his prom date's niece posted it back in 2014. "My aunt's high school prom date just won an Oscar. Congrats, Matthew McConaughey!" she wrote. Pretty impressive...
Kerry Washington
From playing the part of a crisis manager in the drama series Scandal to taking on other roles in thriller/action movies, Kerry Washington seems to have done it all. And on top of all that, she apparently also aced prom when she was in high school, just like so many of her fans.
The Django Unchained star stepped out of her celebrity shoes for a brief moment to share this iconic throwback photo of herself from her high school prom. "I'm throwin' it back… to prom! Well, one of 'em. I went to a few. Tee hee," the actress wrote in the caption.
Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani wasn't always a "rich girl" who lived a "luxurious" life - but one thing she clearly always did have was style. And for those like us who wondered what she looked like before her rise to fame, this throwback snap from her prom day tells us all we need to know.
Dressed in a classy, off-the-shoulder dress with her signature blonde hair cut short around her ears, the Hollaback singer looked as giddy on prom night as ever. We also can't help but wonder if country singer Blake Shelton, her future husband, was her date for that night.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Before she was Dr. Rainbow Johnson on the ABC comedy series Black-ish, Tracee Ellis Ross was just another young teenager posing for her high school prom pic. Looking fierce in her vintage gown, the Hollywood star definitely looked like she was already destined to appear on the big screen.
When she shared the throwback photo, Tracee wrote, "18 year old me in 1990 ready for my prom in this @giorgioarmani dress, bangles, and shoes." We think she totally rocked the look. Today, the singer and actress even has her own beauty company called Pattern Beauty.
Paris Jackson
Being the daughter of Michael Jackson has probably always left Paris Jackson in the spotlight. However, her career has since taken its own path, and the now-23-year-old has signed a deal with Republic Records to make her own dreams come true. But her fame hasn't kept her from living her life.
The Let Down singer went to prom as her most authentic self - sporting short blue hair that matched the color of her friend's dress. "Only true friends dye their hair to match their gal's prom gown," Jackson captioned the picture. We love to hear it.
Lance Bass
Former NSYNC member Lance Bass' career seems to have covered almost everything he ever dreamed of. From successful music to starring in Eric Bross' On the Line in 2001 to joining season 7 of Dancing with the Stars - to being certified by NASA as a cosmonaut - he's literally done it all.
But before his days of fame, the actor and television producer went to prom just like the rest of us. However, unlike the rest of us, his date was none other than Boy Meets World star Danielle Fishel. The two dated for a year, although for some reason, Bass later revealed that they actually didn't enjoy the event.
John Stamos
Those who kept up with Uncle Jesse on ABC's Full House know that no one did the 80s better than John Stamos. The actor's throwback photo - to his prom night - in which he's standing next to his prom date - is definitely taking us back in time. Have a look!
Other than his center part and feathered locks, which looks like it matches his prom date's 1980s hairstyle, Stamos appears to have dressed in a white tuxedo with a matching white bowtie. His date, on the other hand, chose the color pink for her prom look.
Elle Fanning
Just like her older sister Dakota before her, Elle Fanning has certainly made a name for herself in Hollywood. It all started with her breakthrough role in 2011, where she starred in J. J. Abrams' science-fiction film Super 8, which was soon followed by other roles. And from there, she made a quick rise to fame.
But before gaining attention in the film industry, Fanning flaunted a flowery dress for her high school prom. The sparkling dress was shared by the actress in an Instagram post, writing, "Reliving my Senior Prom!" A glamorous throwback picture indeed.
Tony Goldwyn
Tony Goldwyn's acting career began when he made his debut in Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives in 1986. From there, he went on to receive various accolades for the several roles he's played. But apart from acting, Goldwyn also went on to become a political activist.
The actor posted his prom picture in 2020, attempting to urge young people to vote. In the caption, he explained that the voting age was 21 at the time of his prom, so he wasn't involved in politics as a teenager. He added that the post was an attempt to encourage 18-year-olds today to participate in the elections.
Shailene Woodley
Shailene Woodley is one of those Hollywood stars that also doubles as an activist. And apart from acting, what she's most passionate about is the environment. But looking back to more than a decade ago, Shailene Woodley was attending prom in a dress that looked quite... uncomfortable.
"Don't front. I know you looked this comfortable at prom too," read the caption on the Big Little Lies star's throwback post. And behind her, looking cool in a dark pair of shades, was her prom date. We're not sure who the mystery guy was, but he looked quite happy to be going to prom with Woodley. And we don't blame him.
Snoop Dogg
Snoop's fans who follow him closely on social media probably already know of his wife, Shante Taylor, who the rapper frequently mentions in his Instagram posts. But one rather special photo Snoop shared of his wife dates all the back to the couple's high school prom!
"19. Years today @bosslady_ent Happy anniversary been a1 from day 1," the Drop It Like It's Hot rapper captioned the throwback photo, before adding, "thanks for my kids." Awww. Although we have to admit we sort of wish he was sporting his famous shades for prom night too.
Bethenny Frankel
Thanks to an Instagram photo she shared with her followers in 2014, we have an idea of how Bethenny Frankel made her entrance at prom in the 80s. As it appears in her throwback photo, she rocked a pink puff sleeved prom dress, which she paired with a white corsage.
Since her 80's prom debut, Frankel has made quite a name for herself in various fields, including the entertainment world and the business world. Her fame began as a finalist on The Apprentice: Martha Stewart, leading to her starring in The Real Housewives of New York City and finally to her founding SkinnyGirl. What a ride!
Jimmy Fallon
Apparently, Jimmy Fallon's date took him a little by surprise when she showed up for a quick photoshoot just before they headed to prom together. The comedian and talk show host shared why that was in the caption of the throwback photo he tweeted in 2017.
"My date didn't tell me she was getting a tan and high heels for the prom," he joked. "Standing next to her, I looked so pale and so small," the caption continued, before including a #promfail hashtag. Jokes aside, though, we think Fallon and his date look like they made quite an entrance at prom.
Nick Kroll
In 2020, Nick Kroll tweeted a throwback photo of himself with his prom date, sharing a little story to go along with the picture. "After the prom, I got a group of friends to go see Jazz in NYC. Shoulder-length hair and a love of live jazz? Shocked I didn't get laid in high school," he laughed.
Apparently, Kroll's date to prom also hadn't been a student in his grade. "Tatyana graduated the year before and was nice enough to come back and be my date..." the caption continued. Like a true comedian, the Big Mouth star's caption and grin added an adorably funny twist to a relatable story.
Debby Ryan
Her Suite Life fans know her as a "small town, down-to-earth girl" from the fictional town of Kettlecorn, Kansas. But before she made her Disney debut, Debby Ryan appeared to be quite the party girl. At least, that's what it looks like in the throwback photo from prom that she shared.
"#tbt prom with my bestfriend. high school never ends with @emmgren," she captioned the Instagram photo, tagging her pal. In the picture, Ryan appears to be having the time of her life on the dance floor. And in our opinion, red hair looked great on the Disney star too.
Harley Quinn Smith
The 22-year-old actress made her acting debut back in 2001 when she starred in her own father's movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back as Silent Bob (the child). Since then, she's taken on other roles in Hollywood, some of which also involve working with her dad, Kevin Smith.
Apparently, she's also friends with Lily Rose Depp, the daughter of actor Johnny Depp. Smith's dad shared a photo of the two girls attending prom together in 2016. The caption explained that the two "had dates of course, but (ever on guard for thee) they were there strictly to chew bubble gum and squish Bratzis!"
Michelle Obama
Former First Lady Michelle Obama has been keepin' it classy since way back in 1982. In a throwback photo she shared on Instagram in 2020, Michelle is seated in what appears to be a wicker chair, wearing an elegant satin dress with a slit and smiling at the camera.
"Throwing it back to my 1982 prom night and this pink satin, polka-dotted dress," she captioned the photo, which was posted as part of the 2020 "Prom Challenge." We have to admit we sort of wish her prom date was the country's 44th president, though!
Josh Duhamel
Josh Duhamel's career began with some work he had done in the modeling industry before he made his acting debut on All My Children. His fans would then go on to see him star as Colonel William Lennox in four of the Transformer movies. But before all of that, he was a high school student like us.
In 2014, the actor tweeted a throwback photo of himself in a tux and green bowtie on prom night, captioning the tweet, "The look a high school kid has before prom when he realizes he may see a real live girl naked for the 1st time." Seeing the expression on young Duhamel's face, we're surprised this hasn't become a meme.
Porsha Williams
The Real Housewives of Atlanta star's career quickly began presenting her with several opportunities after she starred on the series from 2012 to 2021. She now has her own spin-off series, Porsha's Family Matters, as well as a role as the host of Dish Nation since 2013.
But Williams decided to give her fans a glance at what her life was like before all that fame. She shared a prom throwback photo to her Instagram account, captioning it, "Wow my cousin sent me this offline! #Prom 1998 Who scratched my date's face... he was cute lol." Guess we'll just have to take her word for it!
Tom Brady
The legendary Tom Brady announced his retirement from sports in February 2022, after playing with the National Football League for 22 seasons. But in a photo he shared in 2014, his fans got to see what he looked like away from all the awards he won over the course of his career.
Brady shared a prom throwback photo of himself all dressed up in a tux with a black bowtie, posing for the camera with the cutest grin on his face. NBC Sports Boston later shared the photo to their Twitter account, saying that Brady was "lookin' sharp" in the pic.
Candace Cameron Bure
Candace Cameron Bure may have shown a little bias in the "Team Steve" vs. "Team Matt" Fuller House war when she posted this throwback pic to her own prom. "#TBT to my real-life senior prom with @scottweinger," read the caption on the Instagram picture.
"Yup, this really did happen (Awwwww.) Should DJ and Steve be together, or is this ancient history?" she continued. Although it seems that the history between these two does seem to have roots that go far back, several fans might be wishing she had a prom throwback photo with Matt instead.
Kim Kardashian
Kris Jenner has been a big part of her children's lives for as long as we can remember. And apparently, things were no different before all the fame and wealth that are associated with the Kardashians' name today. Kim's prom photo from 1996 shows just that.
The throwback picture, posted by KKW Fragrance on Instagram, shows the mother and daughter side-by-side with sweet smiles on their faces. And Kim, whose hair is styled in a rare up-do, looks so young in the black-and-white pic! Definitely pre-spotlight era.
Storm Reid
The actress who played Rue's sweet little sister Gia from Euphoria attended her prom only recently in 2019! And the now-18-year-old Storm Reid's prom photos, which she posted on Instagram, were everything her fans could expect to see from the Gen Z TV star.
"Lifetime memories," read the caption on her post. "Thank you @SayeedShahidi for making 4.13.19 unforgettable," she continued, tagging 19-year-old actor and model Sayeed Shahidi in the post. And, like a true Euphoria star, Reid rocked her glamorous pink dress with face jewels around her eyes.
Gigi Hadid
A model who makes frequent appearances on Vogue magazine covers is certainly no stranger to legendary photos. And apparently, Gigi Hadid has been serving in front of cameras since before her career breakthrough. Just have a look at the iconic photo collage she put together for prom in 2013.
The photos, which the model posted on Twitter, honestly look like they could have been taken yesterday. It's hard to believe the blonde beauty in the pictures is nearly ten years older today. Those who look closely at the tiny pictures can also find her younger sister, Bella Hadid, posing with her in one of them.
Paul Scheer
Paul Scheer has given us some of the best moments in comedy. And in 2020, he also gave us a sneak peek at his prom look back when he was in high school. In February 2020, he became yet another celebrity to post a prom photo to his Instagram account as part of the "Prom Challenge."
"Did I rock a Gummi Bear Corsage for my High School prom? You're damn straight I did," he captioned the old photo of himself and his prom date. It appears to have been quite a colorful debut the couple made, with Scheer sporting his gummy bears and his date adorned in flowers.
Jeremy Renner
The 2016 Captain America actor's climb up the ladder of Hollywood success began back in the early 2000's, when he took on roles in independent films. After just a short amount of time, these jobs then led to an acting career that's won Jeremy Renner a few accolades, including two Oscars.
But another thing we believe is award-worthy about the actor is his throwback photo to prom, which he posted to Twitter in 2015. But, judging by the caption he wrote in the tweet, he wouldn't really agree. "Well glad this tux was a rental," he joked.
Terry Crews
We've seen Terry Crews scoring points on the football field, as well as starring in several films, including Friday After Next and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. And thanks to a throwback photo he shared on Twitter in 2015, we've also seen how he looked on prom night in 1986.
The actor and former linebacker tweeted the photo, captioning it, "Me and my date at my prom, Flint Academy 1986! (I finally grew into my hands and feet!)." In the photo, he stood beside his prom date, who was sitting and smiling for the camera in an elegant white dress.
Lourdes Leon
With over 300 million records sold worldwide, and as the best-selling female music artist of all time, Madonna's one of those celebrities who doesn't need an introduction. But perhaps fewer people are familiar with her daughter, Lourdes Leon, who Madonna introduced with a picture from Lourdes' prom night.
The singer shared the photo with her 17 million Instagram followers, captioning it, "Pre prom turn up!" We bet that, just like her mama, Leon stole the spotlight that night, surrounded by her friends. We love to see the daughter of the Queen of Pop with a smile on her face.
Jaden Smith
Jaden Smith has been a celebrity since the day he was born, thanks to his famous father, Will Smith. And since then, he's been sharing the various projects he's taken on with his millions of fans, including acting roles and music albums. And luckily for us, one of the things he's shared is a prom photo.
Jaden posted the picture on his Twitter account, captioning it, "We Went To Prom, This Picture Describes The Experience." And from there, it was up to the fans to decipher just how that experience went. Although, by the looks of it, the celebrity did seem to enjoy himself at the event.
Ellen Degeneres
In honor of National Prom Day in April 2020, Ellen Degeneres decided to revisit memories past, posting a throwback picture from prom night with her date. To her newest fans from more recent years, the young Ellen looks almost unrecognizable in her shoulder-length hair.
The host of The Ellen Degeneres Show shared the nostalgic photo with her 115 million Instagram followers, writing, "If your prom was supposed to be this weekend, I wanna see your gorgeous prom outfits. This was mine, so the bar is low." LOL - classic Ellen.