Before & After Pics Show What The Leading Ladies Of St. Elmo's Fire Look Like Now

The '80s were marked by plenty of unforgettable pop culture moments. Some of Madonna's best-dressed moments were in her most iconic style decade: the '80s. So much of the fashion of this decade still resonates today, and we have plenty of tips for incorporating the best '80s dress trends into your 2026 outfits. What we always remember most from this decade, though, were the films that defined a generation. One film in particular that you may have fond memories of is "St. Elmo's Fire." This coming-of-age tale featured some of the most iconic leading ladies of the era. The stars of this film included gorgeous and talented actors we still see on screen today including Demi More, Andie MacDowell, Mare Winningham, and Ally Sheedy.

You don't exactly have to wonder where most of these ladies are today, because they're still very much an active presence in Hollywood. But, in case you want to see how much each has changed, before-and-after pics prove what elegant and refined stars they've morphed into over the years.

"St. Elmo's Fire" was just the beginning of a long and prosperous acting career for Andie MacDowell. The photo on the left of MacDowell was taken in 1985 around the same time that the movie came out, and the photo on the right was taken in May 2026. As you can see, the actor still looks fabulous at 68. 

She shared in a 2024 interview with Vogue that her secret to keeping her skin fresh and luminous is nonstop hydration. "I also can't leave the house without doing my eyebrows," she said. "I also like a little blush but so it looks like I've been in the sun or I've been working out because I always like how I look when I've worked out so I'll hit different places than people would normally apply blusher."

MacDowell is also one of those celebrities who proudly show off their gray hair. She got candid about going gray in a 2023 interview with Katie Couric saying, "I thought that it would suit me ... I thought it would look good on my face," she said. She then went on to say that the color made her eyes pop once it started growing out, so she knew that embracing the gray was the right decision.

Demi Moore is another actor from "St. Elmo's Fire" that we still love to see on our screens today. The photo on the left is a still from the film taken in 1985 and the photo on the right was taken in May 2026 at the Cannes Film Festival. Moore is timeless, to say the least, and she essentially looks the same to us, even decades after her role in "St. Elmo's Fire." While her hair is a dark blond shade in the photo on the left, we love the rich brunette shade she now favors in her 60s. 

Moore shared a few details about her anti-aging skincare routine with Harper's Bazaar in 2019, stating that she sticks to a less-is-more philosophy due to her hypersensitive skin. She loves luxury brands like Biologique Recherche, Retrouvé, and Cosmedix for keeping her skin youthful and achieving an all-over glow. She also embraces the aging process with absolute grace. In a 2025 interview with People, the actor opened up about growing comfortable in her own skin, a challenging feat in a youth-obsessed business. She said, "I have a greater appreciation for all that my body has been through that brought me to now ... The greatest freedom that I have found is in deepening into my acceptance of myself as I am."

Ally Sheedy appeared in several notable films in the '80s including "The Breakfast Club," "WarGames," and "St. Elmo's Fire." The photo on the left was taken in 1985 and the photo on the right was taken in 2025. While Sheedy used to rock a shaggy bob with bangs in the '80s, she now favors a chestnut lob which really suits her face shape. It also appears as though her flashy '80s fashion has since been replaced by more elevated, chic looks. 

Although her acting resumé is impressive to say the least, Sheedy didn't always have an easy time in the business. In fact, she admitted that her career felt stalled at some point in a 1998 interview with Salon. "I did not do the things I was supposed to do to make myself into a movie star," she said. "Part of it was I realized at a certain point that being a movie star isn't what I wanted to be." Sheedy became a professor in the theater department at City College in New York and she also works as a book editor. In 2022, she starred in the series "Single Drunk Female." She shared with Vanity Fair, "I just did not know if another role that would resonate this much within me would come again."

It's safe to say that Mare Winningham has seen plenty of success since her "St. Elmo's Fire" days in the '80s. The actor has won two Primetime Emmy Awards and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Golden Globes, and two Tony Awards. The photo on the left was taken in 1988 and the photo on the right was taken in 2025. As you can see, Winningham rocked a serious mullet back in the '80s, but we won't fault her too much — it was the style back then. Now, the actor wears a simple, shoulder-length lob with a side part, highlighting her naturally gorgeous eyebrows and face shape.

Winningham is also multi-talented, known for her work on Broadway in addition to being a singer-songwriter. In a 2022 interview with Broadway Direct, Winningham discussed what it was like working on a Broadway show. At the time, she starred in "Girl From the North Country" for which she received a Tony nomination. "I've never been in anything for this sustained a period," she said. "For me, three or four months seemed long. And it's still a great joy in my life to come to work. I used to love singing in the choir at school, and I feel the same way here — harmonizing with this cast, sharing our voices."