You Won’t Believe These 35 ‘Time-Traveling’ Celebrity Lookalikes From the Past
Few things fascinate us more than celebrity doppelgängers who look so much like a famous person that it's totally uncanny—but we think there's an added element of intrigue when they're from far, far in the past.
Sometimes, people from these historical images are so identical to modern-day stars that it even leads to some speculation that they're either time-travelers or immortal vampires with everlasting youth. Maybe that's a stretch, but it's fun to look at them, regardless. Keep clicking through for our very favorite images of "time-traveling" celeb lookalikes.
1. Zubaida Tharwat & Jennifer Lawrence
If you haven't heard of Zubaida Tharwat, that might be because she was an Egyptian actress whose biggest hits were released in the 1960s. She was known for having the most beautiful eyes in all of classic Egyptian cinema, and her signature look was one-of-a-kind—that is, until Jennifer Lawrence came about. The similarities between the two truly are striking.
2. This Man in 1939 Harlem & Jay-Z
Does the man on the right of this 1939 Sid Grossman photo look familiar? If you ask us, there's no way that isn't the iconic rapper Jay-Z. This image of "Harlem Loiterers" has generated a lot of buzz because, even though it was taken more than 80 years ago, the resemblance between the two is impossible to ignore.
3. Nicolae Grigorescu & Orlando Bloom
Nicolae Grigorescu was a renowned painter born in 1838 in Wallachia and is considered to be one of the founders of modern Romanian painting. But on top of being a remarkable artist, he also has a notable appearance, and wouldn't look all too out of place if he were to walk onto the street today. In fact, we think he looks a lot like British actor Orlando Bloom.
4. A Redditor's Dad & Michael C. Hall
One Reddit user posted this old school image of their father holding a baby on his shoulder in a photo taken a long time ago in Florida, and noting the freaky resemblance between this father figure and Michael C. Hall. Hall is best known for playing the title character in Dexter, which funnily enough also took place in Miami, Florida.
5. Another Redditor's Dad & Matt Damon
Reddit really is a great source of people showing off some gold time-traveling celebrity moments. For example, one user posted this pic of their dad at their parents' wedding in February of 1961. We're still struggling to believe that this isn't an actual picture of Matt Damon from some kind of period film.
6. Hermann Rorschach & Brad Pitt
Hermann Rorschach was a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst born in 1884. He's probably most famous for inventing the Rorschach test, which uses inkblots in psychiatric evaluations to learn more about a person's unconscious psyche. While we find those inkblots intriguing, we're positively stupefied by the fact that he's practically twins with actor Brad Pitt.
7. Alice Roosevelt Longworth & Zooey Deschanel
Alice Roosevelt Longworth was the oldest child of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, herself becoming an important writer and socialite. Though her relationships were considered quite controversial at the time, we don't think it'll stir up too much controversy to say she looks just like actress Zooey Deschanel. For us, it's the signature bangs that really make the comparison apt.
8. Joseph Stalin & Zayn Malik
Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin isn't exactly fondly remembered. He was born in 1878 and is best known for ruling the Soviet Union for more than two decades with a heavy hand, implementing his own unique brand of communism dubbed Stalinism. Regardless of all that bad stuff, he definitely had a look in his youth. In fact, with that hair, we think he almost resembles English singer-songwriter Zayn Malik.
9. Ernest Hemingway & Alden Ehrenreich
Born in 1899, Ernest Hemingway remains one of history's most famous American authors and journalists, with his novels such as A Farewell to Arms, The Old Man and the Sea and The Sun Also Rises being a staple on many high school required reading lists. However, in his youth, he also appeared to share quite a few features with actor Alden Ehrenreich, known for his roles in Hail, Caesar! and Solo: A Star Wars Story.
10. Damien Thomas & Jimmy Fallon
Remember what we said about actors being vampires? Actor Damien Thomas played one called Count Karnstein in the 1971 horror flick Twins of Evil. Perhaps it's appropriate, then, that the actor bears a striking resemblance to comedian and talk show host Jimmy Fallon in the film. Perhaps it's this role that gave him everlasting life.
11. Mahir Çayan & Jimmy Fallon
If it wasn't weird enough that an actor playing an immortal looked just like Jimmy Fallon, he's not even the only man on this list to be indistinguishable from the actor. The other one is Mahir Çayan, born in 1976, a Turkish communist revolutionary who led the People's Liberation Party-Front of Turkey. The two probably didn't have much in common, besides exactly the same face.
12. Charles Burns & Justin Timberlake
Charles Burns was a miner from Liverpool, England, and this mugshot was taken of him after he committed the crime of false pretenses—basically lying about his identity as a form of theft. He was sentenced to three-months at Newcastle City Gaol in the 1870s. This story probably wouldn't be all that notable if it weren't for the fact that he's a dead ringer for pop superstar Justin Timberlake.
13. General Douglas MacArthur & Bruce Willis
General Douglas MacArthur is probably one of the best-known officers in all of U.S. military history. During the '30s, he was the Chief of Staff of the United States Army, and he also became a five-star general and Field Marshal of the Philippine Army. Given his notoriety, it's a bit surprising to find that he also bears a strong resemblance to the prolific and beloved actor Bruce Willis.
14. Ned Kelly & Oscar Isaac
Ned Kelly was a notorious Australian outlaw who lived during the late 19th century, but just because he wasn't that nice of a guy doesn't mean that he can't look a lot like one of our very favorite stars today. In fact, his brow and cheekbone shape, in particular, remind us of the ultra-talented Guatemalan-American actor Oscar Isaac.
15. Jean Marais & Charlie Sheen
You may now know the name Jean Marais, but lovers of classic French cinema are likely to know the actor, writer and director who starred in more than 100 films in his time. He was born in 1913 and filmed many of his greatest works with the acclaimed French director Jean Cocteau. In his youth, we think he looked almost identical to American actor Charlie Sheen.
16. Earl Thomas Conley & John Krasinksi
Earl Thomas Conley was an American country music artist who was known for producing hit after hit, with more than 30 of his singles making the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in the '80s and '90s. But take a look at this record cover for 1984's Treadin' Water and tell us that's not just a picture of The Office actor John Krasinksi with a beard. He's not fooling us.
17. Caligula & Jack Gleeson
Caligula was the name given to the third Roman emperor, Gaius Caesar Germanicus, who ruled the empire for just under four years, ending in an assassination. Given that the kind was known his poor rule and horrible treatment of his people, it's easy to draw a comparison between him and Games of Thrones character Joffrey Baratheon—and the fact that the statue looks just like actor Jack Gleeson only seals the deal.
18 This Tennessee Man in the Civil War & Nicolas Cage
Not much is actually known about the man in this photo, which was supposedly taken in 1870. The picture surfaced when a Seattle man tried to sell the image on eBay for a cool $1 million, and is allegedly of a man in Tennessee during the American Civil War. What is known, however, is that the man in the photo strongly resembles Nicolas Cage, driving some to make the conclusion he's been a vampire all along.
19. This Pair of High School Friends & Andy Samberg and Daniel Radcliffe
A user on Reddit posted this gem of a photo found within a high school yearbook from 1978. Though we don't know pretty much anything about these teens, we do appreciate the fact that they look a lot like American actor and Saturday Night Live alum Andy Samberg and Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe went back in time and posed for the pic.
20. Amelia Earhart & Charlize Theron
Amelia Earhart is one of America's most iconic women heroes as an aviation pioneer and the first woman to ever fly by herself across the Atlantic Ocean. Her legacy is made even more intriguing by the fact that, during a 1937 attempt to circumnavigate the globe, her plane disappeared over the Pacific Ocean. No one knows exactly what happened to her, so who's to say she didn't lay low and reemerge later as South African-born actress Charlize Theron?
21. Alain Delon & Jared Leto
Alain Delon may not be a household name in America today, but during the '60s, he was one of France's biggest actors, known for his striking appearance and appearing in many notable films, as well as for his personal business endeavors, which capitalized on his popularity. The actor was a bit of a chameleon whose looks changed from appearance to appearance, but we can't ignore how much he looks like Oscar-winning actor and musician Jared Leto in this image.
22. Alain Delon & Hugh Jackman
As we just noted, Alain Delon sported a number of looks over the years, and had an ability to fit a wide variety of roles under a number of well-known directors. It's tough to believe that the man in this photo is the same as the one above, and that a single person can go from looking just like Jared Leto to being a dead ringer for Australian actor and singer Hugh Jackman in such a short period of time.
23. Sebastián de Morra & Peter Dinklage
Sebastián de Morra was a dwarf who served as a court jester to King Philip IV of Spain in the 1640s. In 1644 he was immortalized in this painting by Spanish painter Diego Velázquez, who set out to paint the man with a dignity not often provided to him in his job. When we compare him to Peter Dinklage, it's about so much more than stature. In fact, their facial structures and hair are so similar we can't believe it's not a painting of the Game of Thrones actor.
24. Franz Schubert & Josh Gad
Franz Schubert was a classical Austrian composer who, despite his short life, left behind a rich legacy of hundreds of compositions that are still beloved to this very day, including "Ellens dritter Gesang," better known as "Ave Maria." Though many portraits of the artist exist, we can't look at this one by Viennese painter Franz Eybl without immediately thinking of actor and singer Josh Gad.
25. This Man & Eddie Murphy
Pretty much nothing is known about the man in a hat in this sepia-toned photo, but it's been making the rounds on the internet for years now because people simply can't see him without instantly being reminded of actor, comedian and singer Eddie Murphy. We can't blame them in the slightest.
26. John C. Breckinridge & Matthew Perry
John C. Breckinridge was an American lawyer who had quite the political career during the U.S. Civil War. He was vice president to United States President James Buchanan, and served the U.S. Senate at the start of the Civil War, only to be kicked out after joining the Confederate Army. Strangely enough, he also bears a strong resemblance to Friends actor Matthew Perry. Chandler would never do that to us.
27. Clarice Lispector & Scarlett Johansson
Clarice Lispector may have the look of a glamorous Hollywood starlet, but she was actually a Brazilian writer who focused primarily on novels and short stories. Her breakout hit was a book called Near to the Wild Heart, published when she was 23, which was written in an innovative style that captured hearts and minds. We also think she would have looked right at home on the big screen—and that's not just because she looks almost identical to actress Scarlett Johansson.
28. Philip IV of Spain & Mark Zuckerberg
Philip IV of Spain ruled the country for nearly 30 years during the last 13th and early 14th centuries and was known as Philip the Fair, not for his kindness or good nature, but because of his appearance. In fact, he was known for being quite strict. In this portrait by Spanish painter Diego Velázquez, we think he quite looks like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, from the shape of his face right down to his expression.
29. Mickey Dolenz & Gaten Matarazzo
Though the '60s pop-rock band The Monkeez may not be all that famous today, in their time, with musical albums as well as a television series that swept the nation, making them one of the most successful bands of the decade. Mickey Dolenz was the band's drummer, as well as the band's lead singer, making him quite the heartthrob. We can't help but be reminded of Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo when we see him.
30. This Guy's Great-Great-Grandfather & Matthew McConaughey
You're telling us this isn't just a digitally aged photo of Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey wearing a mustache? According to a user on Imgur, this is actually an antique image of their great-great-grandfather, who just happened to be the actor's doppelgänger. We still need more evidence to become fully convinced.
31. Paul Mounet & Keanu Reeves
Paul Mounet was a French actor born in 1847 whose early career primarily involved stage acting, including in many of William Shakespeare's plays, such as Othello and Hamlet. When he did make the transition to film, his most notable role was in a silent black-and-white version of Macbeth. Though he was older by that time, in this portrait by Louis-Maurice Boutet de Monvel, he looks shockingly similar to actor Keanu Reeves.
32. Paul Revere & Jack Black
Anyone familiar with American history knows the name Paul Revere. He was an American silversmith and patriot whose dedication allowed the colonists to know about the approach of British forces ahead of the battles of Lexington and Concord. Even so, this painting of Revere by John Singleton Copley isn't quite how we'd pictured the man in our heads all these years—but then again there's no real reason he shouldn't look exactly like comedic actor and musician Jack Black.
33. İbrahim Kaypakkaya & Robert De Niro
İbrahim Kaypakkaya played a pivotal role in leading the communist movement in Turkey, founding the Communist Part of Turkey/Marxist-Leninist. He's remembered today as a symbol of resistance, and have his life at the young age of either 23 or 24 for a cause he believed in. We also think he looks astoundingly similar to actor and director Robert De Niro. Technically, he was born six years after De Niro, but we still think the resemblance is powerful.
34. This Man From the 1860s & John Travolta
It only takes a quick glance at this photo, supposedly taken back in 1860, to see that the man in the image has exactly the same face as actor John Travolta. One intrepid eBay seller decided that this was enough to make his old photo worth $50,000 on the bidding site. While no one went for it, we're glad we can still enjoy this unusual photo—and wonder if John Travolta is really who he says he is.
35. This Imgur User's Great-Grandfather & Johnny Depp
Here's another Imgur user who dug up gold when they found an old family photo. This time, it was another image of a great-grandfather who happened to look exactly like actor Johnny Depp. From the shape of the face to the facial hair and the glasses, everything about this double is spot-on, causing us to think that something fishy is afoot.
Loved seeing these doppelgängers? Click HERE to check out 30 sets of celebrity twins you have to see to believe.