13 Celebs Who Succeeded With Just One Role And What They Look Like Today

There are immortal characters that audiences will always remember and associate with the actors who played them. For example, think of Michael J. Fox from 1985 time-traveling in a DeLorean in Back to the Future. Since then, his image has always been associated with the image of Marty McFly. These are actors who have made such an impression with their roles that their image will always be associated with the character that made them famous.

We want to show you how some celebrities with iconic roles have changed over the years.

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1. Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in Back to the Future.

Early on the morning of October 26, 1985, Marty McFly traveled back in time in a DeLorean time machine. This unforgettable moment from Back to the Future (1985) has become an icon in film history. The film made the young Fox a star. The success of the feature film led to two sequels in 1989 and 1990. Fox continued his film career, although his biggest success was the time travel trilogy. In 1991, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease and years later founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation, an organization that helps people with the disease. After that, he continued to act in television series such as The Clinic (2004).

2. David Hasselhoff as Mitch Buchannon in Baywatch.

American actor and musician David Hasselhoff was already known in several countries for his role as Michael Knight in the TV series Knight Rider (1982–1986). His role as Mitch Buchannon in The Rescuers eventually made him a TV star. The first season of the series about the adventures of the rescue group was released in 1989 on NBC. However, it was canceled. Hasselhoff agreed to take a cut in his salary in order to restart the series in 1991. He remained with the series until 2000. In recent years, the actor has starred in films such as SpongeBob SquarePants.

3. Linda Carter as Diana Prince in Wonder Woman.

At the age of 24, Linda Carter played Diana Prince, Wonder Woman, in the TV series of the same name that aired from 1975 to 1979. This character marked her career. In 2020, at the age of 69, she made a cameo appearance in Wonder Woman 1984. She is expected to return in a possible third sequel to the franchise.

4. Michelle Pfeiffer as Elvira in Scarface.

In 1983, American director Brian De Palma presented the film Scarface, starring Al Pacino. Together with him, the film starred young Michelle Pfeiffer. She was 25 and played Elvira Hancock. She was impressed with her beauty and talent, which over the years cemented her status as a leading actress in Hollywood. Today, Pfeiffer is still strong in acting. In 2018, she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) as Janet Van Dyne. In 2019, she participated in the film Maleficent as Queen Ingrit.

5. Cameron Diaz as Tina in The Mask.

Cameron Diaz made her debut alongside Jim Carrey in the hit "Mask". She was 22 when she played Tina, a singer and villain's girlfriend who falls in love with Stanley Ipkiss (Carrie). Hits like "Charlie's Angels" followed. In 2014, she took a break from her career to devote herself to her family, and in 2017 she announced her final retirement from cinema.

6. Brendan Fraser as Rick O'Connell in The Mummy.

American actor Brendan Fraser's breakthrough came in 1999 when he played adventurer Rick O'Connell in The Mummy. The feature film's success led to the filming of two sequels, both featuring Fraser. Since then, the actor has starred in many films. However, some personal and health issues have kept him away from the big screen.

7. Julie Andrews as Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins.

English actress Julie Andrews has a long resume. But one of her iconic roles, which earned her an Oscar for best actress, is the role of the magical Poppins. The film was released in 1964 when she was 29 years old. In 1997, her sweet voice, which was one of her characteristics, suffered from throat surgery. In 2001, she co-starred with Anne Hathaway in another hit, The Princess Diaries, as Queen Clarissa Renaldi. The film had a sequel in 2004.

8. Geena Davis as Thelma Dickinson in Thelma & Louise.

In 1991, she starred in Thelma & Louise with Susan Sarandon. The film won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay. The film was considered a defense of women's rights at a time when the movie business was almost entirely run by men. In 2007, Davis created the Geena Davis Institute for Gender in the Media. In recent years, she has starred mainly in television series.

9. Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather.

The role of Michael Corleone, the youngest son of mafia boss Vito Corleone, was one of the most coveted in 1972. Actors such as Robert Redford and Jack Nicholson wanted to play him. But Pacino became the chosen one, who at the age of 32 was just starting his film career. Thanks to The Godfather, Pacino was nominated for an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. He reprised the role for the other two parts of the trilogy. Today, at age 81, the Best Actor Oscar winner for Scent of a Woman (1992) is still alive and well on the big screen.