The 1990s were golden days when we had our first taste of CDs, VHS tapes (from Blockbuster!), and cordless phones. Not to mention the young pretty faces in our memories. Scroll down to find the 20 most beloved female stars from the '90s, and see what they're up to now.
1. Jenny McCarthy
At the age of 21, Jenny McCarthy became a model for Playboy's October issue, thus earning $20,000 and becoming their Playmate of the year. The lucky girl has since performed in a number of television shows, and she is currently a judge on The Masked Singer.
2. Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston became a household name for her portrayal of Rachel in Friends in the 1990s, and every woman wanted the same hairstyle as hers. Later on, she had a hard time transitioning into a movie star. Her personal life also changed: after her divorce from Justin Theroux in 2018, she was rumored to be dating David Schwimmer, the "Ross" in Friends in 2021.
3. Gwen Stefani
In the late '80s, Gwen Stefani's brother invited her to join his band No Doubt. However, they didn't achieve mainstream popularity until 1996, when their album topped the charts. Later on, her career as a solo singer and TV personality took off. Stefani's love life also thrived: she married her "The Voice" co-star Blake Shelton in July 2021.
4. Courtney Cox
Almost no one can look at Courteney Cox without thinking of Monica and hearing the theme from Friends. Cox should have played Rachel, but she convinced producers that the best character fit for her was Monica. She was right. In May 2021, Cox, Aniston, and the other Friends co-stars reunited for a special on TV. Good for them!
5. Cameron Diaz
In 1994, Cameron Diaz was still new to acting but surprisingly passed her audition for The Mask. The high-grossing film made her name in Hollywood, yet no one expected her to suddenly quit acting in the prime of her fame in 2014. Six years later, Diaz opened up about her retirement, "I got a peace in my soul because I finally was taking care of myself."
6. Yasmine Bleeth
Yasmine Bleeth started acting in a baby shampoo commercial when she was just ten months old. Bleeth made it big for her role on Baywatch, which put her on People's "50 Most Beautiful People" list. At that time, she even parlayed her influence into her swimwear line. But she quit acting in 2003.
7. Jennifer Love Hewitt
In the very beginning, Jennifer Love Hewitt was featured in several commercials. Later on, she skyrocketed to prominence for her parts on the TV show Party of Five and the film I Know What You Did Last Summer. Today, she is still very active in both the film and the television industries.
8. Pamela Anderson
Pamela Anderson has always focused more on modeling than acting. Her selection in Playboy got her the roles in Home Improvement and Baywatch. Today she works mainly with charities like PETA.
9. Mandy Moore
Mandy Moore initially shot to stardom as a singer in the late '90s. Her debut single Candy ranked number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the 2000s, she became an actress by starring in The Princess Diaries alongside Anne Hathaway and voiced Princess Rapunzel in Disney's animation Tangled.
10. Julia Stiles
When Julia Stiles was fifteen years old, she made a name for herself by starring in 1999's 10 Things I Hate About You opposite Heath Ledger. She also showed up in the award-winning drama Mona Lisa Smile in 2003. Now she continues acting but has admitted that she might never become a mainstream actress again.
11. Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson thrived on the hit show, American Idol. Since then, she has sold out stadium tours, been a coach on The Voice, and put several Grammy awards under her belt. Recently, Clarkson is in the middle of an expensive divorce from Brandon Blackstock, who was said to "use her for her money."
12. Alicia Silverstone
Alicia Silverstone's most outstanding performance was in Clueless. Before that, her appearance in The Crush had brought her to the attention of director Marty Callner, who later made her a star. Since the 2000s, Silverstone has cooperated more with small, independent productions.
13. Meg Ryan
Meg Ryan was recognized internationally for her roles in When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, and Sleepless in Seattle. Subsequently, she became one of the most prominent '90s rom-com stars. Though Ryan is not as active in showbiz as before, she is still acting and even made her directorial debut in 2015 with Ithaca.
14. Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey's first album and single were both released in 1990. Since then, she has made quite a few hit singles such as All I Want For Christmas, Hero, Without You, and Always Be my Baby. Famous for her 5-octave range, she is dubbed "Queen of Christmas," but can hardly hope to achieve the same heights in this century.
15. Britney Spears
Britney Spears is still the world's best-selling teen artist. Her two debut albums were both hits. On the contrary, she has gone through a lot in her private life: two publicized marriages and breakups, a head-shaving led by a mental breakdown, and the claimed controlling behavior by her father and conservator for decades.
16. Demi Moore
Demi Moore began acting in the early 1980s, yet she finally got recognition for her role in Brat Pack. In 1996, Moore managed to become the highest-paid actress in film history for "Striptease," which paid her $12.5 million. Fast forward to today and she has undergone three divorces and is focusing on her relationship with herself.
17. Christina Applegate
People born this century may mistake Veronica Corningstone in Anchorman as Christina Applegate's most prominent role. In fact, she was all the rage for her role as Kelly Buddy on the sitcom Married…with Children. In August 2021, the 40-year-old actress revealed her diagnosis of MS to the public.
18. Liv Tyler
In 1993, Liv Tyler showed up in an Aerosmith video for the song Crazy. Subsequently, she made her silver screen debut in Silent Fall but shot to international fame after appearing in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy as Arwen. In 2003, she remarried Royston Langdon and has been with him until now.
19. Marisa Tomei
Tomei has had several successful roles on As the World Turns and A Different World but made herself a household name for the 1992 hit My Cousin Vinny. Her latest movies are Avengers: Endgame (2019) and Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019). Moreover, she has worked on stage with the Naked Angels Theater Company.
20. Cindy Crawford
Cindy Crawford's career began as early as high school. She won the Elite Model Management's "Look of the Year" contest and continued to pursue her dream in New York City, thus becoming one of the most famous faces in the world. Surprisingly, she quit modeling in 2000 and turned her attention to her lines of cosmetics and furniture.
Source: buzzfond.com