The ’80s Witnessed a Lot of Things: 45 of Them Are These Rare Photos of Our Favorite Stars!

TrendingAugust 9, 2022

The Bangles

The ’80s saw a lot of things, one of which was the rise of iconic music groups in the United States. One of the coolest groups would be The Bangles, a pop-rock band formed in Los Angeles, California. They are originally comprised of four founding members: Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson, Debbi Peterson, and Michael Steele.

The band dominated the charts with their hit singles “Manic Monday,” “Walk Like an Egyptian,” “In Your Room,” and “Eternal Flame.” Apart from their commercial hit, the band was also known for inspiring young women to pursue their love for music, pick up guitars, and write songs.

Brooke Shields

Brooke Shields took the world by storm during the ’80s and is considered the most famous teenager of the decade. She appeared on the cover of over 30 magazines and had brand deals for shampoo and clothes. Her biggest project as a supermodel would be modeling for Calvin Klein. She says the tagline, “You want to know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing.”

The audience received her jutting cheekbones and charm warmly when she pursued acting. She starred in “The Blue Lagoon” and “Endless Love.” She also graced television screens with appearances in the sitcoms “Suddenly Susan,” “Lipstick Jungle,” and the series “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.”

Kelly McGillis

The 1986 film “Top Gun” was top-billed by Tom Cruise and made many fall in love with the beautiful Kelly McGillis. She had expressed her interest in acting at a young age after dropping out of high school to move to New York City and study acting at the Juilliard School.

Shortly after graduating, she acted in a series of off-broadway and Broadway theater productions across New York. When she penetrated film and television screens, McGillis tasted success with her performances in “The Accused,” “The House on Carroll Street,” and “Witness.” The latter has earned her Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations.

The Bangles

Pamela Anderson

Before rising to stardom as the girl in a red bathing suit and a lifeguard in “Baywatch,” Pamela Anderson was like any young sports fan. While attending a BC Lions Canadian Football League game in Vancouver, she was wearing a Labatt’s Beer T-shirt on the big screen. Shortly after that event, the company hired her as a spokesmodel.

This launched Anderson’s modeling career, and she was in Playboy for 22 years. She went on to grace film and television screens, best known for her starring role as C.J. Parker in “Baywatch.” This earned her international recognition, and was awarded a Canadian Walk of Fame star.

Cameron Diaz

Way before becoming one of Hollywood’s most beautiful actresses, Cameron Diaz had always been a stunner since high school. This was photographed during one of her cheerleading stints in 1988 while attending Long Beach Polytechnic High School. This was almost the same time she signed a modeling contract with Elite Model Management and advertised for Calvin Klein and Levi’s.

After modeling, Diaz pursued her interest in acting and auditioned for “The Mask,” which eventually launched her onscreen presence, and the rest was history. Her most successful projects include “There’s Something About Mary” and “Annie.” In 2013, she was named the highest-paid Hollywood actress.

Heather Locklear

Heather Locklear is known for her roles as wicked and mean. Her strongly-styled hair and charming eyes ruled the ’80s with unforgettable television acting appearances. After a series of minor roles, her first major television character was Sammy Jo Carrington in “Dynasty.” This also set out her long-time collaboration with producer Aaron Spelling.

However, she reached breakthrough success by portraying Amanda Woodward in “Melrose Place” from 1993 to 1999. Her performance earned her four consecutive Golden Globe Best Actress nominations. Locklear also made it to films with the science-fiction thriller “Firestarter,” action-comedy “Money Talks,” and the romantic comedy “The Perfect Man.”

Sharon Stone

This was Sharon Stone in 1983 while doing her best to subsequently land film and television roles and establish herself as an iconic actress. It all started when she moved to New York and auditioned as an extra in a Woody Allen movie. In 1980, she was given a brief role in Allen’s dramedy “Stardust Memories” and the 1981 horror film “Deadly Blessing.”

Stone achieved mainstream success in the early ’90s with the projects “Basic Instinct,” “Casino,” and “The Quick and the Dead.” She is a recipient of various Primetime Emmy and Golden Globe Award nominations. In 2005, she was named Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters in France.

Kathy Ireland

This 1987 Sports Illustrated photo is just one glimpse of where it all started for Kathy Ireland. While attending high school, she was recruited by Elite Model Management and went on to appear in 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated issues. Her 1989 cover is widely considered the greatest swimsuit edition cover of all time by the magazine’s publisher.

Her success expanded in the ’80s and ’90s as she also covered for Vogue, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, Harper’s Bazaar, and Mademoiselle. In 1993, Ireland founded a brand licensing company, kathy ireland Worldwide (kiWW), which became a big hit and made her one of the wealthiest former models in the world.