Living through the '80s wasn't always easy: the Cold War was raging, fashion was - well, problematic to say the least, hair was big and New Wave was bigger. Still, it's difficult not to look back on this period without feeling a certain pang of nostalgia. Movies were great, and pop culture as we know it today was slowly being established.
The stars of the '80s redefined what it means to be a star, and without them, we wouldn't have the celebrity culture we love (and love to hate!) today. But while the stars of the '80s have made way for younger talent, they're still around, and still active. Where are they today, and what are they up to?
Claudia Wells in "Back to the Future"; @ClaudiaWellsActress / Facebook
Read on to find out.
Brooke Shields
By the time she started high school, Brooke Shields was already an international supermodel and a highly successful actress. Shields starred in hits like The Blue Lagoon and Endless Love when she was a teen, and went on to star in numerous other successful films, as well as to head international campaigns for major brands and designers.
After graduating from high school, Shields put her career on hold in order to attend Princeton University and get a degree in Romance Languages - after which she returned to acting.
Rtmcbride/Mediapunch/REX/Shutterstock (8978866a); Henry Lamb/BEI/REX/Shutterstock (558804ac)
Today, Shields continues to act, as well as to take part in various business ventures.
Jennifer Connelly
Jennifer Connelly first started acting as a child. She got her first major break in 1984, when she was 14 years old, with the film Once Upon a Time in America, but she is perhaps still best remembered for her role two years later, in 1986's Labyrinth, playing opposite David Bowie.
Her career didn't stop there, though. Connelly continued to work through the 1990s and 2000s, appearing in films like Dark City and Requiem for a Dream.
Jennifer Connelly in "Once Upon a Time in America";Broadimage/REX/Shutterstock (4232309d)
Today, Connelly continues to act, but also serves as an Ambassador for Human Rights Education on behalf of Amnesty International.
Demi Moore
Demi Moore started her career at the age of 16, when she dropped out of high school in order to become an actress. She went on to star alongside Emilio Estevez and Rob Lowe in films like St. Elmo's Fire and About Last Night.
As she grew up, she took on more mature roles in films like A Few Good Men and Indecent Proposal, and eventually became one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood for her roles in Ghost and G.I. Jane.
Demi Moore in "St. Elmo's Fire"; Gregory Pace/BEI/Shutterstock (8864078cr)
Today, Moore continues to act, but has shifted her focus from blockbusters to more artsy, independent films.
Linda Hamilton
Linda Hamilton first rose to fame playing the brave and resilient Sarah Connor in 1984's The Terminator. The science fiction action horror film helped turn Hamilton into a celebrity, and she went on to reprise the role in Terminator 2 - widely considered one of the best action films ever made.
But it wasn't just fame that the Terminator series helped Hamilton find - she also found love, at least briefly. In 1997, Hamilton married Terminator's director (and the future director of Titanic and Avatar), James Cameron.
Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock (1633528a); s_bukley / Depositphotos
Following her Terminator roles, Hamilton continued to act and has been consistently appearing in film and television ever since. She's even won two Golden Globes and an Emmy for her work!
Glenn Close
Glenn Close's talent and screen presence are undeniable. The 3 time Emmy and Tony award winner and 7 time Academy Award nominee had her film debut in 1982's The World According to Garp, but many might remember her best from her role in Fatal Attraction.
Glenn Close in "Fatal Attraction"; Carolyn Contino/BEI/REX/Shutterstock (817765eb)
Close has been acting ever since, appearing in countless films and television shows. Recently, she's even made an appearance in the Marvel cinematic universe as Nova Prime Irani Rael in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy.
Bo Derek
Bo Derek, born Mary Cathleen Collins, was huge in the early '80s. She first made a name for herself as a model, and was later cast as Jane in 1981's Tarazan, the Ape Man, which was directed by her husband, legendary actor and director John Derek.
Bo Derek in "Tarzan the Ape Man"; s_bukley / Depositphotos
Bo continued to act in a variety of films and television shows, but following her husband's passing in 1998, she herself went into semi-retirement, and only participates in the occasional film or production today.
