There’s nothing quite like looking back at old childhood photos, especially when the faces staring back belong to some of today’s most beloved queer stars. Before the red carpets, hit songs, and award-winning performances, they were just kids posing for school pictures, family portraits, and those classic ’80s and ’90s candid shots.

From Jodie Foster’s child-star beginnings to Ricky Martin’s early boy-band days and Billy Porter’s unmistakable sparkle even as a kid, these snapshots capture the roots of icons who would go on to shape entertainment and culture. It’s fun to spot the features and mannerisms that hint at the legends they’d become.

So take a trip down memory lane and see if you can recognize these famous faces before the fame. Scroll below to see a plethora of queer celebs then and now, you might be surprised at how many you can guess right.

neil patrick harris as a kid
Photo: Bravo

neil patrick harris today
Neil Patrick Harris. Photo: Bravo
jameela jamil as a kid
Photo: SBS
jameela jamil as an adult
Jameela Jamil. Photo: ABC
robin roberts as a kid
Photo: Facebook
robin roberts as an adult
Robin Roberts. Photo: ABC
ricky martin as a kid
Photo: Popsugar
Ricky Martin at the 'The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story' Premiere
Ricky Martin. Photo: Getty Images
raven-symone as a kid
Photo: Facebook
Raven-Symoné as an adult
Raven-Symoné. Photo: CBS
matt bomer as a kid
Photo: Instagram
Matt Bomer as an adult
Matt Bomer. Photo: Getty Images
jodie foster as a kid
Photo: Facebook
jodie foster as an adult
Jodie Foster. Photo: NBC
jim parsons as a kid
Photo: Chron
jim parsons as an adult
Jim Parsons. Photo: Paramount
hayley kiyoko as a kid
Photo: Pinterest
Hayley Kiyoko as an adult
Hayley Kiyoko. Photo: Getty Images
dan levy as a kid
Photo: Instagram
Dan Levy as an adult
Dan Levy. Photo: Getty Images
colton haynes as a kid
Photo: Success Stories
Colton Haynes attends the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 11, 2024 in Elmont, New York.
Colton Haynes. Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images
Billy Porter as a kid
Photo: Medium
Billy Porter as an adult
Billy Porter. Photo: Shutterstock