If the world of pop culture and everyone who loves and follows it (that’d be you, E! News reader) were a high school, celebrities would undoubtedly be the cool kids.
Just think how breathlessly we consume the minutiae of their daily lives. We cheer for the class couples (hi, Chrissy Teigen and John Legend!), speculate over who is most likely to succeed (at the Oscars, on the Met Gala red carpet, throughout television’s fall schedule) and campaign for who we’d like to see as president. (So, Oprah Winfrey, that’s a firm no?)
And we’re forever declaring someone queen. See: Zendaya, Ariana Grande, and, as always, Beyoncé.
So no shock here that in real life, future celebs were already being crowned in high school with everyone from Meryl Streep to Halle Berry honored by their classmates from New Jersey and Ohio. (Also, Will Ferrell just straight up snagged his date’s tiara, which we’re absolutely here for.)
And while pretty much no high schooler is able to go to prom this year, unless it’s the virtual kind or a backyard date put together by the sweetest babysitting charge you ever did see and there are many heavy, entirely imperative conversations happening, we can all still enjoy a bit of levity with these throwbacks of your favorite stars at the big dance. Because while some promgoers were every bit as impossibly chic as you’d imagine (though, to be fair, Yara Shahidi was a high school senior in Ungaro all of three years ago) others fell victim to the same trends we all tried. (Remember two-piece formalwear?)
Also, if you need more convincing, we’ll leave you with two words: ’80s hair.
Allure
Taraji P. Henson
The Empire actress was homecoming queen when she attended Oxon Hill High School in Maryland. She graduated in 1988. She told Allure in a June on-camera interview, “I really didn’t think I was gonna win. That’s a very surprised look. I used to rock honey blond in high school. I was blonde before Beyoncé.”
Lance Bass & Danielle Fishel
Can you believe the ‘N Sync singer went to prom with the Boy Meets World beauty?!
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Jaden Smith
Looks like Smith is in high demand for this season’s prom nights. The Hunger Games actress Amandla Stenberg took her pal to high school’s most anticipated evening.
Courtesy Giuliana Rancic
Giuliana Rancic
It looks like the E! News cohost always had a flair for fashion.
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Britney Spears
Looks like the singer has always been a daddy’s girl! The pop star poses with her father for her freshman formal dance.
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George Clooney
The good-looking star flashes his handsome mug at junior prom.
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Reese Witherspoon
The Oscar winner was a stunner way before she was Legally Blonde! The Southern beauty rocks dark red lips in this shot from senior year.
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Carrie Underwood
The country crooner was always destined to be a star, even in her senior prom pic.
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Jaden Smith
The ultimate superhero prom king! The 16-year-old makes a bold fashion statement dressed in the same Batman costume he wore to Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding.
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Dianna Agron
Looks like the Glee star didn’t use her own high school persona to channel mean girl Quinn Fabray. The TV star flashes an adorable smile after being crowned junior homecoming princess.
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Amanda Seyfried
The blond beauty looks adorable as she poses with her pals in her junior homecoming pic.
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Elizabeth Banks
The Hunger Games star is barely recognizable in this shot from her senior-year dance, where she was crowned queen.
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Fergie
Looks like this mama-to-be was just as Fergalicious in her high school days! The singer was all smiles in her senior prom court pic.
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Paul Rudd
Apparently, the funnyman has been stealing hearts since his high school days. The This Is 40 star proudly poses in a pic for the senior homecoming court. Love the mullet, man.
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Sandra Bullock
The Oscar-winning actress looks elated as she dances with her senior year homecoming date.
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Renée Zellweger
The Bridget Jones star rocks her best ’80’s bangs at her senior Christmas dance.
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Halle Berry
All hail Halle! The actress was crowned prom queen back in her high school days.
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Kellie Pickler
Apparently, the country crooner had killer abs (and wasn’t afraid to flaunt ’em!) at her junior prom. We’re jealous.
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Kim Kardashian
The E! star is gorgeous in her senior prom pic.
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Kristin Chenoweth
The singer was cute as a button—and brunette!—in her 8th grade dance photo.
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Lance Bass
The high school sophmore sports suit for the formal dance.
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Lindsay Lohan
The 26-year-old actress—who is currently serving 90 days in locked down rehab—looks innocent as ever in her freshman homecoming photo.
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Brooklyn Decker
We bet the brunette beauty had no idea she’d grow up to be a Sports Illustrated stunner when she posed for this junior homecoming pic.
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Ryan Seacrest
How handsome! The American Idol host flashes his now-famous smile during his senior homecoming night.
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Snooki
The pint-size reality star was all smiles on her senior prom night in Marlboro, N.Y., back in 2006.
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Debra Messing
The Smash star shows off her ’80s hairstyle in her senior homecoming shot.
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Lizzy Caplan
The Mean Girls star wasn’t afraid to push the boundaries in her senior homecoming pic. Janis Ian would be proud!
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Faith Hill
Where’s Tim McGraw?! The singer was all smiles on senior homecoming night, long before she met her hubby of 16 years.
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Meryl Streep
Before she took home any Oscars, the Academy Award-winning actress was voted senior homecoming queen.
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Montell Williams
The talk-show host shows off some serious swag on his senior prom night.
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Meg Ryan
Before she was adorably exchanging emails with Tom Hanks on the silver screen, the actress was voted prom queen.
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Will Ferrell
Of course, the funnyman rocked a crown for his prom pic (as if we’d expect anything less!).
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Randy Jackson
Before his days as a judge on American Idol, the singer was busy showing off his best tough guy ‘tude in his senior prom pic.
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Stacy Keibler
George Clooney’s gal’s style may have changed, but the 5-foot 11-inch stunner still towers over her pals in her semi formal shot.
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Magic Johnson
Johnson hasn’t just been king of the basketball court, he was also crowed homecoming prince!
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