It’s no secret that Hollywood sets certain standards for beauty that don’t quite mix with the natural passage of time. Indeed, the very notion of ageing is enough to send your average A-lister running to the hills – or, more likely, to the plastic surgeon, who promises to turn back the clock with an extensive menu of surgical and non-surgical procedures that’s longer than a Tolkein trilogy, and even more other-worldly.
But while, in the past, the pressure mainly fell on female celebs to primp and plump their appearances beyond recognition, it hasn’t escaped anyone’s attention that – in recent times – their male counterparts have started looking a little tweaked too. In fact, some of the most famous men in Hollywood are seriously raising some eyebrows (not least, theirs) with their seemingly massively modified mugs, prompting experts to weigh in and speculate on whether anything, and if so, just what they’ve had done. Let’s take a look at the hunks that seem to be partial to more than a little Bro-tox.
Ryan Gosling
He’s the man of the moment – earning an Oscar nomination earlier this year, and recently winning plaudits for his new film, The Fall Guy. But fans are worried that Ryan Gosling may have gone a tad too method in his performance as Ken in Barbie last year, taking the “be plastic” memo literally in his pursuit to look like the perfect male doll.
Over the past few months, the 43 year old has been modelling a much fuller face, prompting speculation that he’s turned to dermal fillers to keep his visage looking line-free. Taking to TikTok in March, aesthetics doctor Dr Jonny Betteridge gave his two cents on Ryan’s transformation. “It’s clear to see the change in his facial proportions and the fullness to his mid-face and cheeks,” Dr Jonny said. “This is further exacerbated on dynamic movement of the face when someone smiles and this appearance is classic of what I see when someone’s had too much filler put in this area.” See, Ryan? Life in plastic isn’t always fantastic.
Brad Pitt
It can’t be easy being the sexiest man alive – especially when the ticking clock takes you further away from your glory days as the 90s heartthrob. So, we wouldn’t be surprised if Brad Pitt had turned to some more invasive measures in the hope of evading the ageing process. The 60 year old has been looking suspiciously less lined recently, with experts now suggesting he’s potentially had a face lift.
According to cosmetic practitioner Amar Suchde, Brad has been showing some tell-tale signs of going under the knife. “It does look like Brad has had some work done in recent years,” Amar tells us. “It could very possibly be that he’s had a face lift, as you can see a tautness and an uplift around the ear, which is a tell-tale sign. I’d also say he’s had some Botox, as the lines on his face have smoothed out. I’d also suggest he’s undergone some laser work to regenerate the collagen and surface the skin.” Is that what they call the Benjamin Button special, we wonder?
Tom Cruise
At 61, Tom Cruise is still defiantly jumping out of planes for the day job; but – despite his youthful athleticism – even he can’t outrun the passage of time. Or can he? The movie star has recently been displaying an extra puffy face, leading many to believe that he too has resorted to age-evading fillers.
“He seems to have had some dermal filler to give some structure back to his face,” Amar tells us. “It’s possibly that this filler placement has pushed that superficial fat compartment a little bit more, so it’s made him appear more puffy.” Of course, the actor might just have put on weight – but knowing his gruelling workout regime and notoriously strict diet, it seems strange that he’d only gain weight around the cheeks. In fact, we’d call that a Mission: Impossible.
Simon Cowell
Unlike many of his contemporaries, Simon hasn’t denied having the odd tweakment or two. In 2022, he admitted he’d potentially overdone it, saying, “There was a phase where everyone was having their face pumped full of this and the other. There was a stage where I might have gone a bit too far. I saw a picture of me ‘before’ the other day, and I didn’t recognise it as me first of all.” He added that his waxy appearance had left his son, Eric, 10, in “hysterics”.
However, despite claiming that rumours he’s had a facelift “just make me laugh”, there’s no denying that the 64 year old, who’s also lost weight thanks to a diet and lifestyle overhaul, continues to amaze us with his ever-evolving appearance, which Amar reckons is the result of a mix of Botox and fillers. Comedian Stephen Merchant even took the X-Factor mogul’s frozen face to task in a recent appearance on Saturday Night Takeaway, doing an impression of Simon before adding, “It’s not very convincing because my face moved.” We’re sure Simon would have giggled if he could risk the laughter lines.
David Beckham
While most fans focus on Victoria Beckham’s fitness and beauty regime in her efforts to stay looking young, she’s not the only one in the family who’s apparently partial to an injectable or two. According to Amar, it’s highly likely that Vic’s husband has avoided ageing with the help of cosmetic intervention.
“It looks like David is a fan of Botox, but makes sure that it’s administered in a subtle way,” Amar suggests. “He’s kept some lines around his eyes to give him a more rugged and natural effect. I’d also say he’s had a bit of filler to enhance and rejuvenate the cheek structure. As we get older, we tend to lose a lot of deep fat and our face structure can deplete over time. So I’d say he’s subtly used filler to enhance some of that lost buccal fat to keep him looking young.” At 49, no one can bend time like Beckham.
Zac Efron
Remember that High School Musical-bopping teenager who sent girls’ hearts aflutter in the noughties? Well, this era’s Zac Efron looks like he ate him. Seriously, it’s hard to believe that the 36 year old is the same person, as his appearance has changed beyond comprehension in recent years.
In 2021, the actor debuted a new jawline, admitting he’d undergone reconstructive surgery after a nasty fall “shattered his jaw”. However, he’s since exhibited a much puffier face, with Hollywood surgeon Dr Gary Motykie suggesting Zac’s had filler in his cheeks, having lost fat to prepare for movie roles.
“It may be that he lost weight and then tried to put it back, but couldn’t regain volume in his face,” said Dr Motykie last month, adding it was also possible that Zac had taken testosterone, which could have likewise altered his appearance.
Ben Affleck
His marriage is the subject of intense scrutiny right now, but Ben Affleck’s love life isn’t the only thing under the microscope. After he made a surprising appearance earlier this month on Netflix’s The Roast of Tom Brady, viewers quickly took to social media to comment on Ben’s face, which, freshly shaven, looked significantly line free.
“It’s no secret that Ben’s dabbled with Botox here and there over years, and the word is he got a heavy load of it ahead of going on Tom’s roast,” an insider tells heat. “In hindsight, even he would have to admit privately it was a bit extreme. His excuse is that every actor in Hollywood gets Botox, which is totally fair, but the feeling among his friends is that he went a little too far this time.”
Listen, when you’re married to J-Lo – who’s clearly made some sort of Faustian bargain, as she hasn’t aged for decades – we can’t blame you for pursuing eternal youth. Here’s hoping that, with enough Botox, they can iron out the creases in their relationship.