Photoshop Pro Creates "Then and Now" Mashups of Celebrities

Celebrities Reunite With Their Past Selves in Realistic Photoshop Edits

By Emma Taggart on October 22, 2024

Dolly Parton

Ever wonder what it would be like to meet your younger self? Digital creator Ard Gelinck brings this idea to life with his Photoshop skills, creating realistic portraits of celebrities posing side by side with their younger selves. Aging is inevitable, even for celebrities. And Ard Gelinck’s fascinating image mashups highlight this journey, revealing how famous faces have transformed over the years. Child stars like Daniel Radcliffe, Macaulay Culkin, and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen have all grown up before our eyes.

Gelinck has been sharing a new “then and now” image almost daily for over five years. Through this consistent practice, he’s been able to master the art of photo manipulation, creating blends of photos that look just like untouched originals. Gelinck’s edits are so seamless, it’s hard to tell which version of the celebrity was added and which one was part of the original scene. He even nails tiny details, like stray hairs, making the end result look completely natural.

One of his latest creations features a fun “then and now” of Pedro Pascal, showing a young, clean-shaven Pascal next to his current scruffy self. While the passage of time is evident, the image highlights that Pascal’s signature charisma has remained constant throughout the years.

Other recent mashups feature stars like Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, and, each offering a glimpse of how their lives began. Some of his other images highlight just how little some celebrities have aged over the years. Beyoncé and Lauryn Hill look barely a day older than their younger selves. Gelinck also pays homage to stars we've recently lost, including the late James Earl Jones, Tina Turner, and Sinéad O'Connor.

Scroll down for some “then and now” celebrity photos that will make you do a double-tack and find even more by following Ard Gelinck on Instagram.