The Biggest '80s Teen Idols, Then and Now

New Kids on the Block: Then

Boy band New Kids on the Block—Jonathan Knight, Jordan Knight, Joey McIntyre, Donnie Wahlberg, and Danny Wood—didn't find success with their 1986 debut album, but their 1988 album Hangin' Tough yielded hit singles like "You Got It (The Right Stuff)," "I'll Be Loving You (Forever)," and the title track, making them bonafide teen idols.

And for the most popular celebrity who shares your birth year, check out The Biggest Star Who's the Same Age as You.

New Kids on the Block: Now

After a 14-year break, the band reunited and released their comeback album, The Block. They've been touring and recording since getting back together in 2008 and even temporarily teamed up with latter-day boy band the Backstreet Boys as supergroup NKOTBSB.

Molly Ringwald: Then

Molly Ringwald captured the imagination and the envy of teen girls everywhere in the coming-of-age movie Sixteen Candles and was basically the princess of the Brat Pack, starring in a handful of John Hughes flicks.

And for the star you loved the most when you were in high school, This Was the Most Popular Teen Idol the Year You Graduated.

Molly Ringwald: Now

While most of today's teens probably know her as Archie's mom, Mary Andrews, on Riverdale, Ringwald has not only continued acting but also written books and essays and recorded a couple of albums, including a jazz record.

Michael J. Fox: Then

Michael J. Fox became a teen idol thanks to playing the conservative kid of progressive parents in the sitcom Family Ties, starting in 1982. But the character of Marty McFly and the Back to the Future trilogy would take his fame to another level.

To see how the most famous young faces of the next decade fared, check out The Biggest '90s TV Teen Idols, Then and Now.

Michael J. Fox: Now

While continuing to act (his most recent role was on the legal drama The Good Fight), Fox raises money and awareness for the disease he was diagnosed with in the early '90s through the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research. He also has another memoir coming out this year.

Tiffany: Then

Singer Tiffany had a huge hit in 1987 with her cover of "I Think We're Alone Now," and also singlehandedly established "the mall tour" as a way of hyping up teen-focused artists to their potential fans.

For the songs you still know every word to, check out 20 One-Hit Wonders Every '80s Kid Remembers.

Tiffany: Now

In 2019, Tiffany performed across the country as part of the Mixtape Tour, a multi-act show headlined by New Kids on the Block, who have credited her for helping them find an audience in their early career by having them open for her. Her most recent studio album came out in 2018.

Rob Lowe: Then

Rob Lowe was a teen idol from the moment he came onscreen in the 1983 movie adaptation of The Outsiders. His role as a saxophone-playing ladies man in St. Elmo's Fire solidified that fact.

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Rob Lowe: Now

Lowe currently stars in the spinoff series 9-1-1: Lone Star, which is coming back for another season, and is reprising his role of presidential speech writer Sam Seaborn in the HBO Max special A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote, airing this fall.

Kirk Cameron: Then

Kirk Cameron played charming troublemaker Mike Seaver on Growing Pains (1985-1992) and his poster graced many a bedroom wall.

Kirk Cameron: Now

These days, Cameron acts almost exclusively in movies with an Evangelical Christian theme, and also runs a ministry he co-founded. However, he did drop by the latest season of Fuller House, which stars his sister, Candace Cameron Bure.

Ally Sheedy: Then

Yes, Ally Sheedy starred in WarGames and St. Elmo's Fire, but her most iconic teen role has to be Allison Reynolds, the "weird girl" trapped in Saturday detention with the rest of the Breakfast Club.

Ally Sheedy: Now

Sheedy still takes on an acting role now and then. Her most recent credit is one episode of the Showtime series SMILF.

Ralph Macchio: Then

From Eight Is Enough to The Outsiders to the Karate Kid movies, Ralph Macchio connected with young audiences throughout the 1980s.

Ralph Macchio: Now

He's continued to act in movies, TV, and on stage, but what's most exciting for OG Macchio fans is that the Karate Kid universe has been revived into the series Cobra Kai, in which he returns to the role of Daniel LaRusso. It's already been renewed for a third season on Netflix.

New Edition: Then

Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, Bobby Brown, Ronnie DeVoe, Johnny Gill, and Ralph Tresvant made up the R&B group New Edition, whose smooth harmonies and slick choreography stole a lot of hearts in the '80s.

New Edition: Now

New Edition has remained active as a group, albeit with a fluctuating lineup. Though their last studio album was released in 2004, they went on the Greatest Hits Tour as recently as 2016. They were also back in the news when the miniseries The New Edition Story premiered on BET in 2017.

Matthew Broderick: Then

Matthew Broderick became the patron saint of likable slackers when he starred in the 1986 fantasy Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

Matthew Broderick: Now

Now known for his stage work as much as anything else, Broderick was set to return to Broadway alongside wife Sarah Jessica Parker in a revival of Neil Simon's Plaza Suite. Given the pandemic, the production has been delayed until 2021.

Emilio Estevez: Then

To '90s kids, he's Gordon Bombay, coach of the Mighty Ducks. But to '80s kids, he's one of the most prominent Brat Pack members, with memorable roles in The Outsiders, The Breakfast Club, and St. Elmo's Fire.

Emilio Estevez: Now

In recent years, Estevez has appeared in a handful of films that he also wrote and directed, including Bobby, The Way, and The Public.

Lisa Bonet: Then

Lisa Bonet seemed like just about the coolest big sister in the world during her run as Denise on The Cosby Show, so audiences were happy to follow her character off to college on the spinoff A Different World.

Lisa Bonet: Now

Bonet's most recent credit is a 2016 recurring role on the drama Ray Donovan. You may see her more frequently on red carpets with her actor daughter Zoë Kravitz and DC superhero husband, Jason Momoa.

Elisabeth Shue: Then

Elisabeth Shue starred opposite Macchio in The Karate Kid, but her most fondly remembered '80s role is that of Chris Parker in Adventures in Babysitting. I mean: She keeps the kids safe, foils a criminal plot, and gets a college boy to fall in love with her, all in one night!

Elisabeth Shue: Now

As for recent roles, Shue can be seen on the Amazon Prime original series The Boys, and she also costarred with Tom Hanks in the 2020 film Greyhound.

Judd Nelson: Then

Is there a more iconic Judd Nelson role than that of Bender, the anarchic bad boy who woos Ringwald's rich girl in The Breakfast Club?

Judd Nelson: Now

Recently, Nelson had a recurring role on the Shakespearean music business drama Empire and he also does voice work, usually in the animated Transformers universe.

Debbie Gibson: Then

Pop singer Debbie Gibson made a splash with her 1987 debut, Out of the Blue, which included the massive hit "Foolish Beat."

Debbie Gibson: Now

Gibson was also on the 2019 Mixtape Tour with Tiffany, the New Kids, and others. That summer, she released a song called "Girls Night Out" that made it to the Billboard Dance Chart.