‘Blue Lagoon’ Star, 65, Looks Completely Different Now
The ‘80s heartthrob had fans buzzing after sharing a video on social media.
Images Press/Sonia Moskowitz/Getty Images
Christopher Atkins looks nearly unrecognizable from his 1980s heartthrob days in a new video.
The 65-year-old actor, who starred opposite Brooke Shields in The Blue Lagoon in 1980, spoke to his fans directly in an Oct. 7 Instagram video showcasing his woodworking projects.
Christopher Atkins became famous for playing teenage castaway Richard Lestrange in the 1980 film "The Blue Lagoon."
Columbia Pictures
“Well, I haven’t done a video in a while, and I’ve sort of been off Instagram a little bit too long, so I apologize to everybody,” Atkins said.
As the actor displayed a blue-green bowl and a large sanded piece of wood that he intends to turn into a table, fans couldn’t help but notice how different he looked from the 22-year-old Atkins who played Peter Richards on the long-running drama series Dallas.
In the video, Atkins wore a casual burnt orange T-shirt and styled his platinum blond hair tousled, a change from the curly, sandy blond hair of his youth.
Actor Christopher Atkins in a 1983 home photo shoot and in a recent 2026 video.
Pic 1: Getty Images Pic 2: Christopher Atkins/Instagram
Fans quickly showed their support for both the crafts in progress and Atkins’ appearance in the comments.
Sign up to receive news and updates from The Looker
By clicking “Sign Up” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
“Good to see you, Chris,” one person said.
“Blast from the past! You look awesome,” another person commented.
Fans expressed their support in response to actor Christopher Atkins' Oct. 7 Instagram video.
“I’ve watched Blue Lagoon so many times!” added another.
“Christopher is fabulous!” another fan said.
Brooke Shields and Chris Atkins pose at a celebrity Halloween event on Oct. 27, 1996, at Susie Field's home for the Children of LA Children's Hospital in Beverly Hills, California. The actors starred together in the 1980 film "The Blue Lagoon."
Steve Granitz/SGranitz/WireImage
The Blue Lagoon sparked controversy during its 1980 release, as Atkins and Shields were just 18 and 14, respectively.
After skyrocketing to fame, the young actor faced several hurdles, including alcohol abuse and financial instability.
The actor, who is now nearly 40 years sober, revealed in July that his struggles with alcohol cost him the lead role in 1984’s Footloose.
Actor Christopher Atkins at a private screening of the Oculus Virtual Reality short film "Defrost" on August 17, 2015, in Los Angeles, California.
Paul Redmond/Paul Redmond/Getty Images
“I was a mess back then. I was partying it up way too much,” Atkins admitted during a Q&A panel at the Fanboy Expo Knoxville in Tennessee.
In a 2024 interview with iHeartRadio, the actor said his son, Grant Bomann, now 40, played a major role in his sobriety.
Chris Atkins and his family at the Los Angeles premiere of "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle" on June 24, 2000, at Universal Studios Cinema in Universal City, California, United States.
Steve Granitz/SGranitz/WireImage
“I wanted to be a dad more than I wanted to be a drunk. I mean, it just came down to that,” he said.
He shares Grant and his daughter, Brittney Bomann, 39, with ex-wife Lyn Barron. Atkins and Barron married for 22 years before divorcing in 2007.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Looker and The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.
Sign in or create an account
Login dialog
Loading comments…