Mila Jovovich
Let’s start this countdown with the not-at-all evil resident (hehe, see what we did there?) of our list: Mila Jovovich. After moving from the Soviet Union to the United States, Jovovich started her career. She had already appeared in the films Two Moon Junction and The Night Train to Kathmandu when she landed her breakthrough role in 1991’s Return to the Blue Lagoon.
Jovovich is a renowned model and actress mostly known for playing Alice in the Resident Evil franchise. She has also appeared in The Fifth Element, Zoolander and Hellboy.
Tiffany
Which better way to continue with our countdown than with the embodiment of pop music from the 80s? Tiffany Darwish, mostly known as Tiffany, rose to fame with her #1 hit song, I Think We’re Alone Now. The singer was quite successful for a time, but her music career didn’t take off as much as anyone wishing to become a star would have wanted to.
That didn’t stop her from releasing music, though. Apart from that, Tiffany decided to start a whole new career as a reality star in shows such as Celebrity Fight Club and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! She also starred in the Syfy TV movie Mega Python vs. Gatoroid.
Alyssa Milano
Alyssa Milano’s career started when she appeared on Who’s The Boss? as Samantha Micelli, and the actress has never left the public eye ever since. Perhaps people mostly remember her role as Phoebe Halliwell on the American fantasy drama Charmed.
Milano has also been involved in the #MeToo movement since 2017, when she encouraged people to spread the phrase “Me Too” to draw attention to sexual assault and harassment.
Molly Ringwald
Perhaps younger readers only know her as Archie Andrews’ mother on Riverdale, but the truth is Molly Ringwald has been in the entertainment business for quite a while. After starring in The Facts Of Life, she starred in the coming-of-age films Sixteen Candles and The Breakfast Club.
Molly was also featured in Pretty In Pink and has been acting non-stop since her career began. But that’s not all. The actress has also released a jazz album and has worked as a translator, providing the translation of a French novel into English.
Kadeem Hardison
The American actor started his career when he landed the role of math wiz Dwayne Wayne in the spin-off sitcom A Different World. He also appeared on Disney’s sitcom KC Undercover, which is probably his most known role.
Apart from acting, Kadeem Hardison has lent his voice to several video games, one of the main ones being Beyond: Two Souls. In 2020 the actor was cast as Bowser Jenkins in Nextflix’s Teenage Bounty Hunters.
Robyn Lively
Known for acting in Teen Witch, Wildcats, and The Karate Kid Part III, Robyn Lively is nothing but a consummate actress. In fact, at the age of 19, she had already been nominated for an Emmy Award.
Despite the successful career she enjoyed at a young age, Robyn Lively no longer acts full time, and only appears in some TV roles. Perhaps she decided to pass the torch to her younger sister, Blake Lively. We are sure you have heard of her before, haven’t you?
Jennifer Jason Leigh
Actress Jennifer Jason Leigh began acting at a very young age during the 70s. Soon after, in 1982, to be more specific, she landed a role in the 80s classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High. The actress had several appearances in many films throughout the 80s and the 90s and was highly praised for some of them.
In 2015, director Quentin Tarantino chose her to star in his western, The Spiteful Eight. Her performance was very well received, and she was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, and a Bafta Award.
Rob Lowe
Rob Lowe rose to stardom in the 80s, when he starred in the TV film Thursday Child, which earned him his first Golden Globe nomination. During that decade, the actor appeared in numerous films: The Outsiders, St. Elmo’s Fire, and Youngblood, among others.
After a sex tape scandal, the actor’s career took a wrong turn, but he managed to bounce back from that incident and continued to work in films and television. He is currently starring and producing the American drama 9-1-1: Lone Star.
Emilio Estevez
Alongside some celebrities on this list, Emilio Estevez was a member of a group of actors who were extremely successful during the 80s, called the Brat Pack. He was considered the leader of said group.
While the career of some members of the Brat Pack withered away during the 90s, this was not the case with Emilio’s. He managed to have a fruitful career thanks to his role in The Mighty Ducks and its sequels. The actor is also an accomplished director.
Jeremy Miller
You may recognize Jeremy Miller from his role in the American sitcom Growing Pains. After the show ended, the actor reprised his role as Ben Sealer in the show’s two reunion movies.
Even though Miller’s career has not been as prosperous as the careers of some other celebrities on our list, the actor still acts occasionally. Currently, he has some upcoming projects and has participated in several TV series in the past years.
Nicole Eggert
Nicole Eggert’s career began at the very beginning of the 80s when she was eight years old and managed to land a role in the movie Rich and Famous. During the 80s, the actress continued acting on television, both as a protagonist and in recurring roles.
Even though she appeared in several shows during the 80s, her most notorious performance came in the early 90s when she became a lifeguard for the second and third seasons of Baywatch. Nowadays, the actress is quite known for her roles in Lifetime original films.
Catherine Bach
American actress Catherine Bach became everyone’s favorite girl when she played Daisy Duke on The Dukes of Hazzard. Even though she caused quite a stir during the 80s, the star’s career became somewhat low-profile.
Things changed in 2012 when the actress joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as Anita Lawson. She had a recurring role until 2019.
Jamie Gertz
Jamie Gertz enjoyed a steady career during the 80s and continued to do so in the following decades. Having played roles in The Facts Of Life, Crossroads, The Lost Boys, and many more, the actress became quite popular.
Gertz had several recurring roles in shows like Ally McBeal and ER; she also starred in Still Standing and The Neighbors. Now, she is happily married to Tony Ressler, and they both own NBA’s Atlanta Hawks.
Kelly LeBrock
American actress and supermodel Kelly LeBrock was the epitome of beauty and sexiness during the 80s. In fact, she was often cast as the “fantasy” woman in films such as The Woman In Red and Weird Science.
LeBrock enjoyed a lasting career in reality television when the 80s came to an end. She made memorable appearances not only in Celebrity Fit Club but also in Britain’s Hell’s Kitchen. After her brother passed away, the star became a philanthropist. She is currently the spokesperson for an organization devoted to helping children who have cancer.
Scott Baio
Happy Days, Joanie Loves Chachi, and Charles in Charge are just some of the shows you may know Scott Baio from. The actor had roles (both in movies and television) in over 10 shows during the 80s, so it is pretty safe to say that he was a sitcom fixture.
Baio, apart from being an actor, is also a director who has directed several episodes belonging to different sitcoms from 1987 to 1998. But that’s not all! The actor/director also ventured into being a reality television personality when in 2007, he starred in his own reality show.
Robin Givens
Head of the Class star Robin Givens had several appearances in some 80s and 90s TV movies before disappearing from the public eye for a while. However, in 2008, the actress made some sort of comeback when she starred in The Family That Preys alongside Kathy Bates and Tyler Perry.
These days, Robin Givens has been pretty active in the acting scene. She became Sierra McCoy in Riverdale when the show aired in 2017. Apart from acting in the show, Givens has also directed two episodes from season 5.
Phoebe Cates
American actress Phoebe Cates was one of the most gorgeous women of the 80s. Of course, it was not only her beauty but also her talent that made her a fix in several films such as Gremlins, Drop Dead Fred, and Fast Times at Ridgemont Highs.
Despite having a fairly successful career, the actress decided to retire from acting to raise her family with her husband, actor Kevin Kline. In 2005, Cates opened a boutique in New York called Blue Tree.
Tawny Kitaen
Tawny Kitaen quickly rose to fame after making memorable appearances in a few music videos from the 80s. She appeared in Whitesnake’s “Still of the Night” and “Here I Go Again” and in Ratt’s “Back For More".
The actress died in May 2021. During her lifetime, Kitaen enjoyed not only a modeling career but also an acting one. She appeared in several films and TV shows, including Seinfeld and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Elisabeth Shue
Back to the Future and Karate Kid star Elisabeth Shue enjoyed a long and steady career in the 80s and early 90s. The actress has appeared in numerous films and TV shows, including Leaving Las Vegas and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.
Recently, she reprised her role as Ali Mills in Karate Kid’s sequel Cobra Kai. Also, she is set to star in Showtime’s anthology drama Super Pumped.
Tempestt Bledsoe
From 1984 to 1992, American actress Tempestt Bledsoe played Vanessa Huxtable on The Cosby Show. After that, in the mid-90s, she was offered the possibility to host her own daytime talk show, which she accepted. The Tempestt Bledsoe Show aired from 1995 to 1996 until it was canceled.
The actress has managed to be quite active since her career began in the 80s and has appeared in several films and TV shows, including her reappearance as Vanessa Huxtable in Nickelodeon’s Instant Mom.
Michael Schoeffling
Former actor and model Michael Schoeffling starred, alongside Molly Ringwald, in the coming-of-age film Sixteen Candles. During that time, there was no other male character that could hold a candle to Jake Ryan, his character in the film.
Despite being given such an honor for that time, the actor could not succeed as much as he may have wanted to and decided to retire from acting. He is currently the owner of a woodworking shop and has made no appearances neither in films nor in TV since the 90s.
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah has been on our radar for a long time. Her career began in the late 70s when she starred in Brian De Palma’s film The Fury. Since then, the actress has landed many roles in films such as Splash, Blade Runner, Steel Magnolias, and Wall Street.
Even if you have not seen her in these films, we are sure you remember her for her role in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill. Hannah played the role of Elle Driver, the one-eyed assassin. The actress is also an avid environmental and Native American rights activist.
Ally Sheedy
Ally Sheedy’s career peaked during the 80s when the actress starred in The Breakfast Club, alongside Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, and Anthony Michael Hall. As you might have already guessed, Sheedy was also considered a member of the so-called Brat Pack.
Since the 80s, Ally Sheedy has continued to make appearances in several films and TV shows, including Welcome To The Rileys, Sins of Our Youth, Oz, and Psych.
Soleil Moon Frye
Soleil Moon Frye is mostly known for playing Punky in the NBC sitcom Punky Brewster, yet the actress is also quite popular for her performance as Sabrina Spellman’s best friend, Roxie King. Soleil played the role of Roxie from 2000 until the series ended in 2003.
Apart from acting, Soleil is also a director, screenwriter, and producer; but that is not all, as the star is also a writer and a businesswoman who has written two books and founded her own company, dedicated to the sale of party decoration kits.
Jennifer Beals
While Jennifer Beals made her film debut in 1980s comedy My Bodyguard, it was her performance in Flashdance that gave her star status. However, the actress put her acting career on hold to finish her studies.
Beals resumed her acting career after graduating from Yale and, since then, has had numerous appearances both in film and television and continues to do so. She is mostly known for being Bette Porter in Showtime’s drama The L Word.
Lisa Bonet
Lisa Bonet’s career began when the then young actress played the role of Denise Huxtable in The Cosby Show and its spin-off, A Different World. After these shows ended, Bonet continued acting throughout the 80s and the 90s.
Bonet has also directed a few music videos, including one for her then-husband Lenny Kravitz, with whom she had a daughter, actress Zoë Kravitz. Over ten years after divorcing Kravitz, the actress met Game of Thrones actor Jason Momoa. The pair got married in 2017 and welcomed a daughter in 2007 and a son in 2008.
Brooke Shields
After starring in somewhat controversial films (Pretty Baby, Blue Lagoon, Endless Love), Brooke Shields’ career took off, and the then young actress became a fixed name in the entertainment business.
Shields stepped away from the limelight to finish school and returned during the late 90s. She went on to star in numerous TV movies and shows, including the sitcom Suddenly Susan. A few years ago, she made a cameo in Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens.
Kim Basinger
Before starting her acting career, Basinger used to be a model. Although her modeling career was quite lucrative, switching from modeling to acting was the best decision she could have made. Once she began pursuing acting, Kim starred in several successful films, including Batman and Blind Date.
Her biggest career moment came in 1997 when she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film L.A. Confidential. Currently, Basinger is still acting. She last appeared in the second and third installments of the Fifty Shades of Grey films.
Lea Thompson
Lea Thompson is best known for her role as Lorraine Baines-McFly, Marty’s mother in the Back to the Future franchise. Before landing that role, the actress starred in a few films and continued doing so after the final installment of the film series.
For the past years, Thompson has acted in both films and TV shows. Her most recent role is that of Aunt Carol in the 2021 film Mark, Mary & Some Other People. She will also be appearing in the upcoming American comedy Unplugging.
Matt Dillon
Matt Dillon is, undoubtedly, one of the most (if not the most!) successful actors featured in our list. The star made his film debut in 1979 when he landed the role of Richie White in the American coming-of-age film Over the Edge.
The Outsiders, There’s Something About Mary, and The House That Jack Built are only a few of the many, many films the actor has acted in. On top of that, he has made several TV appearances in hit shows Modern Family and Wayward Pines.