To paraphrase the Elvis Costello rendition of “She” that plays in the beloved rom-com Notting Hill, Julia Roberts has a face you can’t forget—just think of that grin, those sparkling eyes, the big, curly red mane. She’s impossible to miss—or, at least, she has been ever since she broke out as the charming wild child Daisy in 1988’s Mystic Pizza. Then came Steel Magnolias, a certain instant classic called Pretty Woman, and everything from My Best Friend’s Wedding to Erin Brockovich, with the latter marking the prolific actor’s official transition from glamorous romantic lead to Oscar-winning powerhouse.
It’s a delight, then, to discover the earliest red-carpet images of the future A-lister, in which she’s nearly unrecognizable—sporting a mousy, feathered, micro-fringed bob; crystal chandelier earrings; and shiny, textured button-downs. Back then, in the mid-’80s, she had just landed on the scene at the age of 18 and still had no credits to her name, an aspiring performer who was attempting to follow in the footsteps of her older brother, Eric Roberts, who had already parlayed a career in soap operas into a string of lauded, Golden Globe-nominated parts.
It didn’t take her long: She made her screen debut in 1987, as a traumatized teen in the NBC procedural Crime Story, and racked up a flurry of other roles before going stratospheric the following year. It’s easy to see why. Whether onscreen, at glittering industry events, or off-duty on the streets of New York or LA, her star power has always been apparent.
Now, in honor of of her 57th birthday today, we present 31 stunning throwback photos of Roberts from the first stage of her career, from her first Oscars (with then-fiancé Kiefer Sutherland) to her kicking back on Oprah’s couch with co-stars Shirley MacLaine and Dolly Parton.
Photo: Getty Images1/311985
Back in the mid-’80s, Julia Roberts was, astonishingly, best known as the younger sister of Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts. Here she is, aged 18—wearing distinctly era-appropriate hair, big earrings, and a satin shirt—with Eric, their sister Lisa, and a young Jon Voight at the New York premiere party for Voight and Eric’s latest release, Runaway Train, which would go on to earn the pair Oscar nods a few months later.
Photo: Getty Images2/311986
On the streets of New York with her brother, Eric. A year later, Julia would make her screen debut in the NBC drama Crime Story.
Photo: Getty Images3/311989
After a string of smaller parts, Roberts broke out with 1988’s Mystic Pizza and began work on 1989’s Steel Magnolias, falling for her onscreen husband, future American Horror Story actor Dylan McDermott, in the latter. In the spring of 1989, the couple attended the fourth edition of the Independent Spirit Awards, where a 21-year-old Julia was nominated for best female lead for Mystic Pizza and wore a black suit with a bare face and mane of curls.
Photo: Getty Images4/311989
Flashing that famous megawatt smile at the New York premiere of Miss Firecracker, dressed in a simple black blazer.
Photo: Getty Images5/311989
A studio cast portrait showing Roberts in character as Steel Magnolias’s vivacious Shelby, alongside co-stars Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Dolly Parton, and Daryl Hannah.
Photo: Getty Images6/311989
Angelic in a chunky knit and boots at the Los Angeles premiere of Great Balls of Fire!
Photo: Getty Images7/311989
On The Oprah Winfrey Show, alongside her Steel Magnolias castmates, in blue jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black vest.
Photo: Getty Images8/311989
Serving ’80s glam alongside her co-stars Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Sally Field, and Dolly Parton at the Steel Magnolias premiere in New York.
Photo: Getty Images9/311989
In another embellished black suit with glossy curls at yet another New York event celebrating the release of Steel Magnolias.
Photo: Getty Images10/311989
Channeling Annie Hall in a corduroy waistcoat and big hat at the Los Angeles premiere of Back to the Future: Part II, hand-in-hand with producer Alan Greisman, then the husband of her Steel Magnolias co-star and friend Sally Field.
Photo: Getty Images11/311990
Celebrating her best-supporting-actress win for Steel Magnolias at the Golden Globes in an oversized grey Armani suit and patterned tie.
Photo: Getty Images12/311990
At her first Oscars—aged 22—in a slip dress, chandelier earrings, and a dazzling engagement ring, with her then-fiancé Kiefer Sutherland. She was nominated in the best-supporting-actress category that year for Steel Magnolias.
Photo: Getty Images13/311990
Pictured with Sutherland on the streets of LA, wearing a floral maxi dress and black blazer.
Photo: Getty Images14/311990
At the airport in jeans, a white T-shirt, black blazer, and trailing beaded necklaces.
Photo: Getty Images15/311990
With a 23-year-old Laura Dern at the Los Angeles premiere of Young Guns II.
Photo: Getty Images16/311991
Collecting her second Golden Globe at 23, this time for best actress in a motion picture: musical or comedy for Pretty Woman, in a pinstripe blazer and gently wavy crop.
Photo: Getty Images17/311991
With a young Andy Garcia and Richard Grieco at an annual theater owners’ convention, in her everyday uniform: trousers, a T-shirt, a blazer, and hoop earrings.
Photo: Getty Images18/311991
Back at the Oscars with Sutherland, in head-to-toe black with a brassy blonde bob, this time as a best-actress nominee for Pretty Woman.
Photo: Getty Images19/311992
A fresh-faced, 24-year-old Julia at the Richard Tyler fall fashion collectsion reception in New York.
Photo: Getty Images20/311993
With gloriously messy hair at a press conference for The Pelican Brief.
Photo: Getty Images21/311993
In clashing stripes at the ShoWest convention in Las Vegas.
Photo: Getty Images22/311995
You can’t get more ’90s than this monochromatic ensemble and oval shades on the streets of New York.
Photo: Getty Images23/311996
All smiles at the premiere of Michael Collins, in which she starred alongside Liam Neeson and Alan Rickman.
Photo: Getty Images24/311997
In a floor-length slip and cardigan at a Rainforest Foundation benefit concert, the year she starred in My Best Friend’s Wedding.
Photo: Getty Images25/311997
With a honey-colored bob, dark turtleneck, and trench at the New York premiere of Richard Gere’s Red Corner.
Photo: Getty Images26/311998
In a chocolate brown dress—and now with darker hair—at the BAFTAs in London.
Photo: Getty Images27/311998
At the Amnesty International Media Spotlight Awards in an embellished skirt, strappy top, cardi, and heeled sandals.
Photo: Getty Images28/311999
In a red sequined dress at the London premiere of Notting Hill, where she memorably sparked a frenzy with her armpit hair reveal. “It was a scandal,” she later told British Vogue, laughing.
Photo: Getty Images29/312000
Goofing around with Cameron Diaz at the Golden Globes, the year she was nominated in the best actress in a motion picture: musical or comedy category for Notting Hill, and her friend and former My Best Friend’s Wedding co-star was in the running for best supporting actress for Being John Malkovich.
Photo: Getty Images30/312001
Collecting her third Golden Globe, for best actress in a motion picture: drama for Erin Brockovich, in an impossibly sleek look.
Photo: Getty Images31/312001
In her famous black and white Valentino gown, worn to accept her best-actress Oscar for Erin Brockovich.
