Celebrity Prom Photos That Need To Be Seen

Published on February 26, 2023
Think your prom photos were embarrassing? Wait until you see these cringe-worthy snaps of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars before they made it big. From bad hairdos to questionable fashion choices, these awkward celebrity prom photos show that even the rich and famous had their fair share of fashion mishaps in their teenage years. You won’t believe some of the celebrities featured in these throwback pics, but one thing’s for sure – they’ll make you feel a whole lot better about your own prom photos. So grab a bucket of popcorn and get ready to laugh and cringe your way through these hilarious celebrity prom photos.

Natalie Portman

Before being on Star Wars and attending Harvard, Portman looked adorable in her green dress and tan lined dress at prom.

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman

Harry Styles

Known as the baby-faced hottie in One Direction and now his bold floral suits, Harry Styles has certainly evolved since his teenage days. Even back then he rocked the suit but this time it was plain black with signature curls.

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Harry Styles

Harry Styles

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Amy Poehler

Before her role in Parks and Recreation as well as being a cast member of SNL, Amy Poehler was rocking a feminine dress that contrasts with her recent pant-suits. She went to prom with a strapless ball-gown and a necklace with pearls.

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Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler

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Blake Lively

She is now constantly making us laugh through tongue-in-cheek Twitter exchanges with her husband Ryan Reynolds and has an impressively long resume of movies. Back then, she looked super 2000s chic with her tiara, sidebangs, and blinged out barbie-pink dress.

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Blake Lively

Blake Lively

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Gigi Hadid

Gigi is now considered a supermodel with her Vogue covers, runway walks, and her Maybelline makeup collaboration but she wasn’t always this cool. Her prom look was a minimalistic, body-hugging mini dress that matches the red carpets she frequents these days.

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Gigi Hadid

Gigi Hadid

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Lady Gaga

She is unrecognizable in her blue dress with her tan skin, but this is how Lady Gaga decided to dress for her prom. It’s a far cry from her controversial style involving the infamous meat dress and spiky silver ensemble.

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Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga

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Meryl Streep

Having won three Oscars and been nominated for a dozen more, Meryl Streep was a star before she even began acting. She looked classic with her date at prom in a boat neck white dress and silky, white, gloved hands.

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Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep

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Brad Pitt

He was a total heartthrob in the 1990s and not much has changed since then. He has aged like a fine wine, keeping his boy-next-door good looks. In his teen days, he looked adorably dorky in a shimmery, silver suit.

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Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt

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Britney Spears

Britney has recently been performing at a resident show in Vegas called “Britney: Domination” but she will always be remembered for her iconic “Hit Me Baby One More Time”. At prom, she definitely turned heads with this gorgeous coral dress.

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Britney Spears

Britney Spears

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Robin Wright

Wright is acclaimed for her roles in House of Cards and The Princess Bride, but back then she was just a girl dressed up for a magical night. Her strapless dress, string of pearls, and tiny tiara show her classic style.

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Robin Wright

Robin Wright

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Demi Lovato

Demi was already a Disney star by the time her prom rolled around, but nobody can escape awkward prom photos. She chose to attend her friend Nolan’s prom and wore a strapless coral dress. Her curly short hair was fashionable at the time.

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Demi Lovato

Demi Lovato

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James Charles

He rose to internet fame in high school and now has gained over 15 million Youtube subscribers for his creative makeup looks. Because of his role as Covergirl’s first ‘cover boy’, he ruled his prom with a full face of makeup.

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James Charles

James Charles

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Fergie

The Black Eyed Peas singer wasn’t always a trendsetter. She was subject to cringe 80s photos but wore a sparkly black dress and opted for spaghetti straps instead of typical puffy sleeves. She also wore straight hair instead of permed.

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Fergie

Fergie

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George Clooney

Before starring in dozens of movies like “Ocean’s 11” and “Up In The Air”, Clooney was just a regular teen. He donned his best gear for prom – a three-piece grey suit and a very ruffled shirt, which is quintessential 70s.

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George Clooney

George Clooney

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Jennifer Aniston

She is best known for starring in Friends and the sitcom even had an unforgettable prom episode in which Aniston wore the puffiest baby blue dress. For her real prom, Aniston went classier with a sweetheart neckline, black, strapless dress.

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Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston

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Jessica Alba

She hasn’t aged a day and looked better than ever in Fantastic Four. This is by far the most unique prom dresses we have ever seen with the square neckline, the shiny black material, and the white pom-poms scattered on the bodice.

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Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba

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Jon Hamm

He is well known for playing Don Draper in “Mad Men” and was part of the critically acclaimed movie “Baby Driver”. At prom, he was just another goofy guy with the classic black tuxedo, shaggy haircut, and teeny tiny bowtie.

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Jon Hamm

Jon Hamm

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Matthew McConaughey

This dorky prom photo surfaced when a girl pulled out her aunt’s photobook and was surprised to find that her aunt was Matthew McConaughey’s prom date! She then tweeted the photo and we can now laugh at McConaughey’s blue bowtie.

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Matthew McConaughey

Matthew McConaughey

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Reese Witherspoon

She looks so young in this photo with her wide eyes and thin 90s brows. We’re sure her Legally Blonde character Elle Woods would totally approve of her bold lip choice, chic spaghetti straps, and hair pulled back in a bun.

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Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon

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Taylor Swift

She went from girl next door to polished in the years between her albums “Fearless” and “1989”. At prom, she matched her date in so many ways. First, they both wore super white outfits and second, they were both way too tan.

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Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift

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Will Ferrell

These days, who hasn’t seen “Elf”, “Anchorman”, or “Step Brothers”? It’s clear that Ferrell was always the funniest guy in the room with this photo. He switched out the typical tux jacket with a tiara and has never looked so cute.

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Will Ferrell

Will Ferrell

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Josh Duhamel

Josh Duhamel is the ultimate romance actor, so prom was no sweat for him. The Safe Haven star looks shocked that the photo is even being taken but still looks fantastic. The teal cumberbund and bowtie really tie the look together.

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Josh Duhamel

Josh Duhamel

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John Stamos

Everyone’s favorite Uncle from “Full House” was incredibly 70s in this photo. His long light brown hair is totally enviable. His bowtie and ruffled shirt are over the top and we love it as much as we love Uncle Jesse.

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John Stamos

John Stamos

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Ellen Degeneres

She’s a successful television show host and has been for 16 years. She is now married to Porsha, but before that she attended prom in a button-down plaid dress. This is a far cry from her usual blazer or sweater vest.

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Ellen Degeneres

Ellen Degeneres

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Jaden Smith

He is a jack of all trades with a clothing line, music, acting, and even cooking under his belt. It’s no secret that the son of Will and Jada Smith, Jaden, can pull off a suit but this one is particularly interesting.

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Jaden Smith

Jaden Smith

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Ariel Winter

Ariel is best known for her role in “Modern Family” that is now in its eleventh season. She has grown up on screen, so this photo was bound to surface sometime. She looks gorgeous in this lacy black gown, though.

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Ariel Winter

Ariel Winter

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Beyonce

She is the Queen of her Beyhive and has been iconic for decades, so it’s no surprise Beyonce looks like an angel in her prom photo. Even in her awkward years she was drop-dead-gorgeous in this white halter-necked gown with cutouts.

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Beyonce

Beyonce

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Kim Kardashian

Kendall and Kylie Jenner never got the typical high school experience, but Kim did before the family became superstars. Unlike Kylie, Kim attended her own prom with a big pageant hairstyle and smile to match. It’s clear she has aged gracefully since then.

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Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian

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Liam Payne

We loved his Bieber-like haircut and he looks like such a baby here – now he has his own baby and has just released an album! He chose to match with his prom date with a lavender tie and black tux.

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Liam Payne

Liam Payne

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Elle Fanning

This actress and model has recently been seen in films like “Maleficent” and “Super 8”. She was another kid we saw grow up on the silver screens. In her prom photo, she looks stunning in a ballgown, embellished with jewels and flowers.

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Elle Fanning

Elle Fanning

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Carrie Underwood

Carrie is a well-known country singer, fashion designer, and actress but she was just a small town girl that went to prom once too. She is pictured wearing her hair down and a strapless dress. This proves that she’s always been cute.

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Carrie Underwood

Carrie Underwood

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Ashton Kutcher

Everyone has been rooting for Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis since the days of “That 70’s Show” and it’s easy to see why. The charming Ashton Kutcher’s version of an embarrassing prom photo is him dancing the night away, surrounded by friends.

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Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher

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Tana Mongeau

She shot to fame through her honest story videos on YouTube and has since branched out into music and fashion. Before all of Tana’s success, which allowed her to leave high school early, she went to prom in a gold and blue dress.

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Tana Mongeau

Tana Mongeau

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Lance Bass

This is a two for one photo, including Lance Bass of NSYNC and Danielle Fishel of “Boy Meets World” fame. Two of our childhood crushes in one prom photo is a sheer blessing. They look like the epitome of the 90s.

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Lance Bass

Lance Bass

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Nicole Polizzi

Nicole Polizzi has gone through a huge style change since her days on Jersey Shore, but she will always be the wild Snooki we know and love. She went to prom with her signature tan and blinding smile, looking adorable.

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Nicole Polizzi

Nicole Polizzi

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Porsha Williams

Porsha has been on “Real Housewives of Atlanta” since 2012, stirring and reacting to drama to give us entertainment. In her prom photos, though, she looks innocent with a simple black dress, her hair down and completed with cute white corsage.

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Porsha Williams

Porsha Williams

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Tom Brady

Currently the quarterback of the New England Patriots and dating supermodel Gisele Bündchen makes Tom Brady the ultimate football player. There’s no doubt he played football in high school, but he put the helmet down for prom night and chose a black tuxedo.

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Tom Brady

Tom Brady

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John Krasinski

Krasinski’s legendary facial expressions and comedic timing makes his role as Jim Halpert unforgettable. Everyone loves Jim and Pam from the Office, but before that, we can see John was a dork at prom with that bright pink patterned tie.

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John Krasinski

John Krasinski

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Taraji P. Henson

Henson’s most recent hits are the TV show “Empire” and the movie “Hidden Figures”. She is known for having a lot of personality but she looks sugary sweet in her prom dress, with those big poofy sleeves and curled updo.

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Taraji P. Henson

Taraji P. Henson

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Jimmy Fallon

We’ve never seen Jimmy look so pale. He pokes fun at his appearance on his nighttime show and it’s respectable how he can laugh at himself. The combination of his white skin, frightened smile, and his date’s dress is incredible.

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Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon

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Rihanna

Songstress Rihanna is known to be one of the world’s biggest fashion icons. We’re glad to see that her choice in prom dress was fashionable and classic. The royal blue color looks amazing on her, and she accessorized with a statement necklace the complimented the dress perfectly.

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Rihanna

Rihanna

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Bella Thorne

Bella Thorne starred on the Disney Channel’s show Shake It Up from 2010 until 2013 when she was thirteen years old until she was sixteen. She continued to star in many more TV shows and films, but she still didn’t miss out on the classic prom experience. She wore a classic tulle dress in teal and looked fantastic.

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Bella Thorne

Bella Thorne

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Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama’s date had absolutely no idea that he accompanied the future First Lady to prom. Lucky him! Michelle sported a silky outfit that consisted of a shimmery floor-length dress with a leg slit and topped it off with a matching jacket and a dainty necklace to finish off the elegant look.

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Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama

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Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan had quite a career, and then she became a teenager! While her acting success continued on through her twenties, she did find some time to attend prom just like any other teenager. Here she is seen with some friends enjoying their time together.

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Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan

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Claire Danes

Claire Danes is best known for her role on the hit TV show Homeland, but before then she also starred in many films like Romeo + Juliet, Brokeback Mountain, The Hours, and Stardust. Judging from her prom picture, it seems like Danes simply never ages.

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Claire Danes

Claire Danes

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Courtney Cox

Courtney Cox is known for playing the beloved Monica Geller on the popular TV show Friends. While we know that Monica was unpopular in high school, it seems like Courtney Cox was doing just fine, judging by her adorable prom photo.

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Courtney Cox

Courtney Cox

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Debra Messing

Debra Messing is best known for playing Grace Adler on the successful sitcom Will & Grace which originally ran from 1998 until 2006 and was then revived in 2017. She looked quite a bit different in her high school days but she still looked incredible in her prom photos.

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Debra Messing

Debra Messing

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Faith Hill

Country songstress Faith Hill looks absolutely stunning in her high school prom photo. Little did her date know that he was going to prom with a future country music legend!

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Faith Hill

Faith Hill

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Halle Berry

Halle Berry is an award winning actress who has starred in many films such as Monster’s Ball and Catwoman. However, way before the fame, she wowwed her fellow high schoolmates so much that she was actually voted prom queen!

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Halle Berry

Halle Berry

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Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera first captured our hearts as a member of the Micky Mouse club alongside fellow future superstars Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Despite the fact that she was a budding star, she still managed to find the time to make it to her prom.

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Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera

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Sandra Bullock

Judging by this high school prom photo, it seems like Sandra Bullock literally never ages. It looks like she had a great time while at her senior prom, laughing and dancing the night away.

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Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock

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Bruno Mars

Hawaii native Bruno Mars has been a performer since he was a young boy. Due to some family drama, he ended up moving from school to school, but found popularity at the last high school he attended. It looks like he managed to have a great time while at prom as well.

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Bruno Mars

Bruno Mars

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Ryan Seacrest

We all know Ryan Seacrest as the TV presenter and the host of many high-profile events, so it may be a little jarring to see him as a part of the event rather than the host! But he was just as handsome back in the day, and we hope he and his date had a wonderful time.

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Ryan Seacrest

Ryan Seacrest

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Tyra Banks

It seems like Tyra Banks was born to become a model, as she is striking quite the fierce pose even in her high school prom photo! Her date must love the fact that he took the famous Victoria’s Secret model to prom before she became a star.

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Tyra Banks

Tyra Banks

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Katie Couric

TV journalist and newscaster Katie Couric looks absolutely adorable in her prom photo. It seems like she and her date were quite excited to get to the dance.

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Katie Couric

Katie Couric

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Tupac Shakur

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Tupac Shakur

Tupac Shakur

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Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg is striking quite the serious pose with his date in this prom photo. Back then he was known as Calvin and is a few years away from being known to the world as Snoop Dogg, the famous rapper.

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Snoop Dogg

Snoop Dogg

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Tiger Woods

Golf star Tiger Woods seems to never age as we can see from his prom photo. He and his date are posing in the classic prom pose, but hey, they’re managing to pull it off quite well!

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Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods

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Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning has been famous since she was a little girl and she starred in the film I Am Sam when she was just seven years old. We’re glad to see that she was able to have a typical teenager experience by going to the prom with her friends. They all look great!

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Dakota Fanning

Dakota Fanning

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