If you don’t evolve, you die. Harsh I know, but true nonetheless.
Workplace experts, culture commentators and even psychologist attest that reinvention is healthy. This can be in the form of taking on a new challenge, line of work, or a new image among co-workers. Even if you’re a corporate worker, an influencer or a business owner, controlling your brand can mean the difference between an unfulfilling job and a fulfilling career that’s reflective of your fullest self.
Forbes reported that results from a 2016 survey show that 38% of people like to leave their comfort zone. The survey participants clearly aren’t alone.
Celebrities are literally paid for their public images. NIL deals are being brokered everyday and often, brands include morality clauses that stars’ reputations should cleanly align with. If they don’t, ties are quickly cut. But beyond that, behavior can evolve for a myriad of reasons and we’re here for the positive evolution.
Here are the celebs who have stepped out of their comfort zone to forge new paths.
01
Rihanna
We know her now as the mostly social media silent self-made beauty billionaire but a decade ago, she was our favorite Bad Gyal. Since 2005, Rihanna has been a star but it wasn’t until the early aughts that we saw her in the boldest, most raw light. It was a much simpler time when celebs regularly interacted with one another on social media, namely Twitter. Rihanna was no exception. She’d had some public arguments that sparked big laughs and huge engagement among fanbases. Now though, the star has mostly focused her public image on keeping her fans and consumers abreast of the latest move in her growing empire.
02
Naomi Campbell
Naomi Campbell has been a supermodel (at least in our eyes) since the moment she first stepped on the runway at just 16 years old back in 1987 for Yves Saint Laurent. From there, she immediately became fashion’s IT girl because of her incredible presence and admirable work ethic. Unfortunately, in the 90s and early aughts she became known for something else, a challenging attitude. For instance, in 2007, Campbell reportedly pled guilty to assaulting her maid by hitting her in the head with a cell phone. As a result, she completed anger-management classes and serves a sentence of five days of community service. Since then, Naomi has completely shifted her public persona and immersed herself in global humanitarian work, and serves as a mentor to aspiring models, particularly Black ones.
03
Mike Tyson
In the 1980s, Mike Tyson was the heavyweight champion of the world. By the 90s he was synonymous with bad behavior including rape allegations, a tumultuous relationship with Robin Givens, and biting off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a boxing match in 1997. Nearly two decades later, Tyson has clearly done the work to be a better version of himself. Professionally, he pivoted into acting with appearances in comedic series and the blockbuster movie Hangover. But most importantly on a personal level, he’s shared that intense psychotherapy has helped him to unpack deep emotional traumas. Now, he’s a successful podcaster, tech investor and cannabis entrepreneur.
04
Oprah
Arguably the world’s most successful talk-show, The Oprah Show had become well-known as the premiere place for “soultainment,” spiritually enriching content through an entertainment lens. For years, Oprah was a steward and proponent of deep introspection and self-connection, but she wasn’t always peddling that type of content. In the early days of her show, Oprah followed the same salacious template as her daytime talk peers like Phil Donahue and Sally Jessy Raphael in which guests were encouraged to behave badly. After receiving harsh reviews, she pivoted, saying she wanted “to instead to discuss social and spiritual issues that would positively affect the lives of her viewers.” It clearly worked.
05
Ice T
When Ice T first came on the scene the 1980s, he was a hard-nosed rapper that made songs about illicit sex with women and hating cops. Now, more than two decades later he’s most known for his long-running role as a detective on Law & Order: SVU and his loving marriage with his wife Coco.
He addressed his 180 degree turn in an interview with the Washington Post: “It was a song about somebody who, during a moment like this, got so mad that they went after the cops. We don’t want that guy. But a lot of times you warn people by saying this can happen. I never killed no cop. I’ve written better songs that are more on point with what I believe today. I was a little more radical back then. ‘No Lives Matter’ addresses my feelings at this moment. You got to remember, 30-years-ago Ice is different than 62-year-old Ice.”
06
Ice Cube
As a member of the radical rap group NWA in the late 80s, Ice Cube rapped about violence and misogyny for much of his early career, but by the 90s he pivoted to acting with semi-autobiographical roles in cult classics like Boyz N The Hood and Friday. Now, he’s completely leaned into Hollywood, acting and producing family films like the Are We There Yet franchise.
07
Zendaya
Zendaya made history as the youngest Black woman to win an Emmy for her heart-wrenching role as a deeply troubled teen with substance abuse issues in the hit HBO series Euphoria. But this wasn’t the type of work she started her career with. Starting out as a teen star on Disney, over the years she continued to take on more layered roles taht eventually landed her on the A-list of actresses to watch.
