Well, that, and a wealth of talent.

Mila Kunis, Gia, … | Twelve years before she shared an onscreen kiss with Natalie Portman in Black Swan , Kunis played the younger version of drugged-out, lesbian model Gia

Everett Collection

Hilary Swank, Hayden Panettiere, … | Five years before she gained notice as the cheerleader who would save the world, Panettiere played the mini Jeanne de Saint-Rémy de Valois (Swank), a

Warner Bros.

Dakota Fanning, Reese Witherspoon, … | Kewpie doll cuteness made Fanning a perfect choice to play young Melanie (Witherspoon) before she forgot her Southern roots.

Buena Vista Pictures

Charlize Theron, Jennifer Lawrence, … | Before she toiled to keep her family together in Winter’s Bone , Lawrence played a character who not only killed her mother (accidentally) but then

Magnolia Pictures

Mamie Gummer, Meryl Streep, … | In a role some would say she was born to play, Gummer personified the 1950s version of Lila, portrayed by her real-life mother Streep, in

Gene Page

Brad Pitt, Brad Renfro, … | Renfro captured the hurt and abuse that a young Michael suffered as an inmate in a boys' prison, and helped us all understand why his

Everett Collection(2)

Titanic, Kate Winslet | Playing young socialite Rose aboard the doomed Titanic — told through the memories of her older self (Stuart) — helped launched Winslet onto the A

Everett Collection(2)

X-Men | The upcoming X-Men: First Class is all about the young’uns, with a new crop of actors taking on Professor X, Magneto, Beast, and Mystique.

Cast of First Stand: Murray Close; Kerry Hayes(3)

Younger version: Robert De Niro ( The Godfather Part II , 1974) Older version: Marlon Brando ( The Godfather , 1972) Why it works: Both

Everett Collection(2)

Harrison Ford, River Phoenix, … | Before he met with his untimely real-life passing, Phoenix was a young Indy and showed us how our adventurous professor (Ford) got his scar.

Murray Close/Lucasfilm Ltd(2)

Vanessa Redgrave, Atonement | Big blue eyes and an ethereal look went a long way in Ronan’s portrayal of the meddling Briony, who would age into a thoroughly remorseful

Alex Bailey(2)

Big Fish | Truth may be fuzzy in this tale, but what’s bright and clear is McGregor’s gleeful romp as the young Edward Bloom, even if we don’t

Everett Collection(2)

Kirsten Dunst, Little Women (Movie - 1994) | Dunst’s focused young Amy who heads off live with Aunt March, then grows up to be quite the self-absorbed beauty (Mathis).

Everett Collection(2)

Blanchard strode down the yellow-brick road that marked the beginning of the legendary Garland’s career, while Davis inhabited the diva’s later years.

ABC