If there is one thing we can be certain of, it’s that with the pressure of being in the public eye, celebrities are notorious for getting work done to enhance their physical appearance. While some maintain a youthful appearance with basic cosmetic procedures, such as getting botox injections, other famous people take the surgery route.
As such, some modifications may appear more obvious than others, and the rich and famous’ flawless looks consequently often spark wild speculations. And as some celebrities candidly admit to going under the knife, others play it very coy.
Bored Panda takes a look at 20 cases of famous people who have directly addressed plastic surgery rumors.
#1 Sylvester Stallone
Sylvester Stallone addressed plastic surgery speculations in a 1992 interview with People, admitting to undergoing a procedure on the left side of his face due to a naturally crooked mouth.
The 77-year-old actor clarified that people mistook the scar from that surgery as evidence of a facelift, pointing out the absence of a scar on his right ear.
Image credits: Sylvester Stallone
#2 Renée Zellweger
In 2014, Renée Zellweger stunned people at the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards, with her appearance sparking plastic surgery accusations.
In a 2019 New York Magazine piece, the 54-year-old actress said the rumors had actually helped free her.
She told the publication: “Nothing like international humiliation to set your perspective right! It clarifies what’s important to you. And it shakes off any sort of clingy superficiality … that you didn’t have time for anyway.”
When it was suggested that fans were worried Renée somehow did not look like herself, the Bridget Jones star said their criticism also came with “the implication that I somehow needed to change what was going on because it wasn’t working.”
She explained: “I got hired in my blue jeans and cowboy boots with my messy hair. I started working like that. I didn’t have to change to work. So why was I suddenly trying to fit into some mold that didn’t belong to me?”
Image credits: Miramax
#3 Ariana Grande
Ariana Grande said she was embracing a new chapter of her beauty journey, years after getting work done on her face, in a makeup video for Vogue shared in September 2023.
In the video, the 30-year-old singer said: “For a long time, beauty was about hiding for me, and now I feel like maybe it’s not, since I stopped getting fillers and Botox.”
Ariana revealed that she “had a ton of lip filler over the years and Botox”, but she admitted that she had taken a break from cosmetic procedures in 2018 because it felt “too much.”
Image credits: Ariana Grande
#4 Bella Hadid
In 2022, Bella Hadid gave Vogue a candid interview about her physical and mental health struggles.
The 27-year-old model also revealed she had a nose job at 14 and wishes she hadn’t. “I wish I had kept the nose of my ancestors,” she said. “I think I would have grown into it.”
The American fashion star with Palestinian and Dutch roots insisted that claims she had gotten her eyes lifted and jaw shaved were untrue.
Bella said at the time “People think I fully f***ed with my face because of one picture of me as a teenager looking puffy. I’m pretty sure you don’t look the same now as you did at 13, right? I have never used filler. Let’s just put an end to that. I have no issue with it, but it’s not for me. Whoever thinks I’ve gotten my eyes lifted or whatever it’s called—it’s face tape! The oldest trick in the book.”
Image credits: Bella Hadid
#5 Kaley Cuoco
Back in 2016, when she was 30 years old, Kaley Cuoco revealed in an issue of Women’s Health Magazine that she had undergone plastic surgery at a younger age.
The Big Bang Theory star recalled at the time: "Years ago, I had my nose done and my boobs — best thing I ever did."
The actress added: "Recently I had a filler in a line in my neck I’ve had since I was 12,” before admitting: "As much as you want to love your inner self ... I’m sorry, you also want to look good. I don’t think you should do it for a man or anyone else, but if it makes you feel confident, that’s amazing."
Image credits: Kaley Cuoco
#6 Chrissy Teigen
Chrissy Teigen has previously admitted to getting some cosmetic treatments for her face.
In September 2021, the 38-year-old TV personality revealed she had fat removed from her cheeks with a buccal fat removal procedure.
She said in an Instagram story at the time: "I did that Dr. Diamond buccal fat removal thing here,” as she showed off her defined cheekbones.
“And since I quit drinking, I’m really seeing the results.”
Image credits: The Late Late Show with James Corden
#7 Zac Efron
In 2022, Zac Efron was asked during an interview with Men's Health about speculation that he had plastic surgery on his jaw.
The rumors surfaced in April of that year, with many alleging the 36-year-old actor looked different.
Acknowledging his appearance had changed in recent years, Zac explained his looks evolved after he fell over at his home and broke his jaw in November 2013, making his face and jaw muscles have to work extra hard.
Image credits: Netflix
#8 Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton opened up about aging during an episode of The Howard Stern Show in November 2023, explaining that she's always been very methodical when it comes to plastic surgery.
Howard said at the time: “If I was going to do something to myself, I would go to your doctors. Do people call you all the time and say, ‘Dolly, how do you do it?’” to which the country music star replied: “Oh yeah, and I always say, ‘Just find the best doctors’. Some of my celebrity friends, I give them the names of the doctors that I’ve used.”
The 78-year-old songstress who has been open about plastic surgery in the past also warned: "You've just got to be very careful not to overdo it because you never know. Anytime you go under the knife, you could come out looking not good. You just never know how you’re going to heal. You never know what's going to go. So you absolutely need to find the best doctors, the most talked about doctors or the ones highly recommended if you're going to do anything (to) your face."
In 2012, Dolly spoke with Reuters about her penchant for plastic surgery and explained why she thought she needed it.
She said: "Because I am in show business. I am not a natural beauty. And I am on camera all the time. I don’t go to extremes with it. I just do little bits and pieces, just to try and keep things touched up, just tweaking."
Image credits: Madison Beer
#9 Courteney Cox
Courteney Cox admitted last year that she had “messed up” when it came to using fillers in her face.
The Friends star opened up in the Gloss Angeles podcast, saying it was a “domino effect” and that she hadn’t realized she looked “a little off”.
The 59-year-old actress said: “You look in the mirror and go, ‘Oh, that looks good’. You don’t realize what it looks like to the outside person.”
Image credits: Courteney Cox
#10 Katy Perry
In a conversation about plastic surgery, Katy Perry told Refinery29 in 2018: "I haven't had any.”
The 39-year-old singer added at the time: I've done lasers and got [filler] injections under my eyes for the hollowing, which I'd recommend for everyone who wants a solution for their dark circles, but all of my assets are real. People tend to think they are fake, but it doesn't really matter."
Image credits: Katy Perry
#11 Sarah Hyland
In 2017, Life and Style magazine published an article in which doctors weighed in on whether or not Sarah Hyland had had cosmetic surgery.
At the time, the 26-year-old Modern Family star expressed her discontent with the article, which showed a timeline of how her face has changed since 1999.
"I have had the worst medical year of my life and to create an entire article surrounding the question of if I've had plastic surgery is the MOST insulting thing. Adding insult to injury," Sarah, who suffers from kidney dysplasia, wrote in a statement.
To treat her condition, the actress was taking prednisone, a steroid known to cause facial swelling.
"MY face has been altered by LIFE[-]SAVING medication," she explained.
Image credits: ABC
#12 Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell opened up last year about his cosmetic enhancements after a dig from British television presenting duo Ant and Dec.
As they promoted a new series of Britain's Got Talent last year, Dec told the audience: "We have a new face joining the judging panel," referring to Bruno Tonioli. But Ant quipped in reply: "What? Simon has another new face?" as per Birmingham Live.
Simon, who has insisted he has not had plastic surgery, was one of the first male TV stars to admit to having Botox and filler.
However, he insisted that all the rumors about his many procedures were exaggerated.
"I think it's hysterical. I mean it just makes me laugh — I haven’t had a facelift or anything,” Simon replied.
He explained: "I have had a bit of Botox or whatever, but kind of nothing drastic. So when I hear about this stuff, honestly, it does make me laugh.”
Image credits: Simon Cowell
#13 Jennifer Lawrence
In November 2023, Jennifer Lawrence chatted with Kylie Jenner for Interview Magazine, where she addressed rumors that she had had plastic surgery.
The 33-year-old actress said: “Well, apparently I’ve had full plastic surgery,” before explaining that it was in reality all thanks to her makeup artist.
Jennifer explained: “I also think it’s incredible what makeup can do because I work with Hung (Vanngo), who overlines the lip, and I call him a plastic surgeon because everybody in the last few months, since I’ve been working with him, is convinced that I had eye surgery.
“I’m like, ‘I didn’t have eye surgery. I’m doing makeup.’”
While discussing changing appearances and being in the spotlight, the Oscar-winning actress told Kylie she just “lost baby weight” in her face.
She admitted: “I started at 19, so I get the before and after pictures from when I’m 19 to 30 and I’m like, ‘I grew up. I lost baby weight in my face, and my face changed because I’m aging’.”
Jennifer continued: “Everybody thought I had a nose job, and I’m like, ‘I’ve had the exact same nose. My cheeks got smaller. Thank you for bringing it up’.”
Image credits: Sony Pictures Entertainment
#14 Adriana Lima
In November 2023, Adriana Lima sparked plastic surgery rumors when she attended the new Hunger Games premiere.
While certain trolls body-shamed the Victoria’s Secret angel, others have accused her of altering her face with dermal fillers and cosmetic procedures, such as a facelift.
This prompted the 42-year-old mom of three to post a selfie to her Instagram story, referring to the picture as “the face of a tired mom of one teenage girl, two pre-teens, one active boy, a one-year-old learning to walk, and three dogs…Thanks for your concern.”
Image credits: Adriana Lima
#15 Adele
Adele recently cleared up some speculations regarding cosmetic surgery during one of her performances in Las Vegas earlier this week (February 2024).
Speaking to the crowd, the 35-year-old singer addressed a video of herself that had become a meme where she was photographed during a basketball game that she had attended with her partner, Rich Paul.
In the video, the Hello hit-maker looked quite put-off with her lips pursed together, "looking everywhere but in the camera."
Adele went on to explain the story of how the moment came to be, saying that some reporters were "filming me against my will" after she declined their request, and as a result, she was "sulking" and "annoyed", Parade reported.
This resulted in speculations that she had changed her features, as Adele said that while it "looked like I had filler," she did not, confidently declaring, "I know, I've got naturally big lips, right, I don't need filler."
Image credits: Q with Tom Power
#16 Erin Moriarty
The Boys star Erin Moriarty fired back at conservative media personality Megyn Kelly after she accused her of getting extreme plastic surgery in January.
In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram, Erin, who plays superhero Starlight in Prime Video's R-rated comic book series, slammed Megyn's comments on an episode of The Megyn Kelly Show as "bullying" and "disgustingly false."
As per Entertainment Weekly, the 29-year-old actress wrote: "This is something I truly never anticipated writing. We're all subject to levels of bullying throughout our lives but I am horrified, and I felt that I deserved to take a second to address these things. To receive a message about a disgustingly false, counterproductive to the degree of being ironically misogynistic video of Megyn Kelly commenting on the manner — to learn the widespread nature of this has left me horrified."
Erin said that the "before" photo Megyn had shown was actually a much older picture.
She clarified: "Megyn used a photo taken 'a year ago' according to her, that had in actuality been taken about a decade ago before I was of LEGAL DRINKING AGE (I'm about to turn 30) as an example (maybe do some research that would take 30 seconds)."
She added that the "after" photo Megyn claimed as proof that she had plastic surgery was from when she "got my makeup done that day and it involves major contouring and I remember leaving and feeling pretty."
Image credits: https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Video/b?ie=UTF8&node=2858778011
#17 Kylie Jenner
Kylie Jenner admitted that she “got [her] breasts done” before she and her ex-boyfriend Travis Scott welcomed their first child, Stormi, in 2018.
Speaking with best friend Anastasia Karanikolaou, the 26-year-old socialite said her natural breasts were “just gorgeous”, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“I just wish, obviously, I never got them done, to begin with,” Kylie said in an episode of The Kardashians in July 2023. “I would recommend anyone who is thinking about it to wait until after children.”
In an interview with Homme Girls last year, the reality TV star said she chose to get lip filler because of “lip insecurity”.
Kylie added: “It was the best thing I’ve ever done. I don’t regret it,” she said.
Image credits: Kylie Jenner
#18 Cardi B
Cardi B has been pretty honest about what procedures she has done throughout the years.
In December 2022, the 31-year-old rapper revealed during an Instagram Live that she got most of her biopolymers – also known as butt injections – removed.
At the time, she said she had 95 percent of her biopolymers surgically taken out in August, describing it as a “crazy process”, Life and Style Mag reported.
The Hustler actress warned: “All I’m going to say is that if you’re young, if you’re 19, 20, 21, and sometimes you’re too skinny, and you be like ‘OMG I don’t have enough fat to put in my a–,’ so you result to a– shots, DON’T!”
In a concert at Beale Street Music Festival in Memphis, Tennessee, Cardi told the audience: “I have some news for y’all. I should have canceled today. I shouldn’t really be performing because moving too much is gonna f–k up my lipo. But b***h, I’m still gonna get my motherf—ing money back, let’s go!”
Amongst a handful of other procedure admissions, Cardi gave a candid update on her second breast augmentation in 2019.
“I just got my boobs redone. I feel good, but then sometimes I feel like not, you know? [When] your skin is stretched out,” she told Entertainment Tonight at the time.
Image credits: Footwear News
#19 Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers admitted to plastic surgery during an interview with People in 2006. At the time, the late singer said he was "not happy" about the work he had done on his eyes.
Kenny, who died in 2020 at the age of 81, opened up about not including his experience with plastic surgery in his 2012 memoir.
He told Fox News: "I actually had written a whole segment on it but the publishers said, ‘Let’s not do that, that’s all people will talk about,’ and this book is about my journey and my musical connections."
The musician added: "It was a phase I went through. I improved myself. I didn’t like the way he did my eyes but I see all these other guys who have had it done and theirs are worse than mine. I’m not going to complain anymore."
Image credits: DoYouRemember?
#20 Madison Beer
Madison Beer has often been at the center of plastic surgery rumors as she entered adulthood.
Nevertheless, the 24-year-old singer has since addressed the ongoing speculation about her physical appearance, admitting to getting some procedures done.
In a TikTok live session she partook in, in 2020, Madison said: “Guys, I got my lips done when I was younger and I f--king regretted it and I hated it, and I got them dissolved. This is literally my f--king natural face! Shut up already! It’s so annoying! I’m sorry, I’m so mad right now ... I’m about to start crying, bro.”
Image credits: Madison Beer
