Where Are They Now? 90s Stars Making a Comeback

The 90s gave us some of the most iconic pop culture celebrities who defined the decade. From sitcom stars to famous young actors to teen idols, many of these familiar faces faded from the limelight, while some of them never left our screens. But just as 90s fashion has made a comeback, so have the following beloved stars making a come back.

In the 90s, Winona Ryder was the embodiment of cool. With roles in films like Reality Bites, Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, and Heathers she was everywhere, and her grungy, alternative style made her a fashion icon (not to mention Johnny Depp’s gf). In the early 2000s, Ryder stepped back from the spotlight—only to come back stronger than ever in Netflix’s hit series Stranger Things and, of course, the highly celebrated new theatrical release of Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice starring alongside her equally iconic former castmates Michal Keaton and Catherine O’Hara.

Some people might be more familiar with the actor Ke Huy Quan today due to his stand-out performance in Everything Everywhere All at Once, earning him an Academy Award; who didn’t shed a tear during his heartfelt award speeches? But 90s kids might remember him from when he was a young actor appearing in Indiana Jones, the Temple of Doom, and The Goonies. Supposedly, he took a step back from acting after being discouraged by the limited roles available for Asian actors in Hollywood. We couldn’t be happier that he has made a comeback and look forward to his additional projects.

For 90s kids, Brendan Fraser was a familiar face in quirky action comedies, with roles in George of the Jungle and The Mummy that solidified his place in Hollywood. However, after a few quieter years, Fraser’s return to the big screen was nothing short of triumphant. His powerful performance in The Whale earned him critical acclaim and a well-deserved Academy Award for Best Actor.

Alicia Silverstone will always be remembered as the fashion-forward, lovable Cher Horowitz from Clueless. While her movie career didn’t go much further after the 90s, Silverstone has found new success in her passion for wellness and sustainable living. She’s written best-selling books on veganism, launched her own wellness brand, and has become an advocate for conscious living.

Neve Campbell was the face of horror in the 90s, thanks to her lead role in Scream. After laying low in the film industry for a while, Campbell made a glorious return in the 2022 Scream reboot, much to the delight of horror fans everywhere. And word is she will be returning to the upcoming Scream 7! She’s also stayed active in television, with notable roles in House of Cards and The Lincoln Lawyer, showing off her range and proving she’s still got it.

For anyone who spent their mornings watching Saved by the Bell, Mark-Paul Gosselaar was the epitome of cool as Zack Morris, the fast-talking, scheme-loving teen heartthrob. Since his Saved by the Bell days, Gosselaar has found steady work in television, with roles in NYPD Blue and Franklin & Bash. But his return to Saved by the Bell in the 2020 reboot had 90s fans buzzing.

One of the biggest 90s stars to make a comeback is Robert Downey Jr, who had a series of major ups and downs throughout the 80s, 90s, and 2000s due his addiction issues only to revitalize his career with Iron Man in 2008. Downey’s star has only continued to rise throughout the ascension of the MCU, but his career resurgence was capped off with an Academy Award win in 2024 for his role as Lewiss Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

Michael Keaton’s career began in down the middle comedies like Mr. Mom and Night Shift, but when he starred in Beetlejuice and Batman at the tail of the 1980s he hit a whole new level of fame. He spent the 90s performing in middling comedies like Multiplicity, but by the 2000s he was pretty much out of sight. Keaton had a massive resurgence in 2014 thanks to his role in Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), and today you can see him in everything from Spotlight to Spider-Man: Homecoming, and even The Flash.

Christina Ricci rose to prominence as a child star in the 90s known for playing quirky roles in The Addams Family films as well as coming of age movies like Now and Then. As she aged into her teens and early 20s Ricci gave standout performances in The Ice Storm and Buffalo ’66, and while these movies made her into a cult sensation she never found her footing in the mainstream. Ricci found her mainstream success thanks to the hit series Yellowjackets on Showtime. The show follows the surviving members of a girl’s soccer team whose plane crashed in the woods in 1996. Now 15 years later, the adult survivors have to reckon with their past. It’s fascinating that such a nostalgic show about the 90s is what put Ricci back on the map, but whatever the case we’re glad she’s here.

In the 90s, Natasha Lyonne was THE quirky alt girl to watch in indie film. From movies like But I’m a Cheerleader to the unstoppable American Pie films, Lyonne was everywhere. However, she suffered with drug and alcohol issues, and after suffering from a series of horrible setbacks ranging from a car accident to being thrown out of her apartment, and arrested, she finally made a major comeback. Lyonne made audiences take notice int he 2010s as ex-heroin addict Nicky on Orange is the New Black, the smash Netflix series, and she’s now the star of Poker Face, a super fun mystery show helmed by Rian Johnson on Peacock. We can’t wait to see what she does next.