Then Meets Now: The Artist Who Photoshops Actors Hanging Out With Their Younger Selves

What if Sylvester Stallone could give advice to a young Rocky Balboa? Or if Michael J. Fox could share a moment with Marty McFly today? Dutch graphic designer Ard Gelinck makes these surreal reunions happen, masterfully blending past and present to show actors alongside their most iconic roles.

For about 10 years, Gelinck has been creating these "Then and Now" photo manipulations, delighting his 285,000 Instagram followers. His work doesn't just place two pictures side-by-side; it creates a new, single image where the actor and their character seem to be genuinely interacting, bridging the gap of decades in a single frame.

"The 'Then and Now' series is quite old when you consider that me and my brother made the first image for it about 10 years ago," Gelinck told Bored Panda. After finding success with Dutch celebrities, he expanded to international stars. "The first one was Madonna, and she even posted my image on her own Instagram."

The Queen of Pop isn't the only star to notice. According to Gelinck, his work has earned shoutouts from an impressive list of celebrities, including Sylvester Stallone, Tina Turner, Lionel Richie, and Ricky Gervais, who have all publicly admired his unique creations.

Gelinck believes the secret to his work's popularity is its ability to take people on "a trip down memory lane." The images act as a powerful catalyst for nostalgia, instantly transporting viewers back to their childhoods or sparking an urge to rewatch a beloved film. It's an experience that transcends a simple digital edit.

PRISM Insight: Gelinck’s work is more than just clever nostalgia bait; it's a visual commentary on how pop culture characters become modern myths. By collapsing the timeline, these images juxtapose the finite, aging reality of the performer with the timeless immortality of the character they created, raising questions about identity, legacy, and the passage of time.