The Stunning Transformation Of Emma Stone

Emma Stone is, among other things, funny, beautiful, and charming. We've watched the Hollywood it-girl grow up on screen, starting in teen comedies before moving into sophisticated and emotional roles. Through it all, Stone has stayed humble and has not let the fame get the best of her. She comes across as real and as a good friend you can hang out with (seriously, we're in). While her positive attitude hasn't wavered, we've seen her style adapt and excel over the years. Let's take a look at the always-classic Emma Stone and her transformation from playing class clown to exuding effortless elegance.

When Emma Stone and her mom moved to Los Angeles, Hollywood stardom didn't come right away. Stone had to do many auditions and struggled to get roles. She told Independent she didn't have the best agent and was sent out for roles that weren't right for her. "When I first moved to LA, I had this agent who thought, because I was blonde, that I only wanted to play cheerleaders. So she'd send me out for all these parts where they thought: 'What a weird 15-year-old. It's not going to work out!" So in 2004, the teen took a chance and made an appearance change. "So one day, in a fit of trying to do something different, I just dyed my hair dark brown and got my first role a week later."

Sometime later when Stone auditioned and later received the role that would put her on the map, she had another hair change come her way. The producer of Superbad asked Stone to dye her hair red for the camera test. The young actress listened, and, as Vogue described, it was "a look that would become her calling card." She received the part in the 2007 film, and had her big movie moment at 18 years old.

In 2009, 20-year-old Emma Stone continued to focus on film and experimented with different characters. In Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, she stuck with her familiar comedy bit. And in Paper Man, she added a bit of drama to the comedy. Then came one of Stone's biggest changes in roles. She starred alongside Jesse Eisenberg and Woody Harrelson in Zombieland. While the film still had comedic components, the themes also heavily included horror and sci-fi — a very different role for our Lucille Ball-esque Stone.

When interviewed by Collider, Stone expressed her excitement to be taking on a new, intense and more mature part. "It's been really fun and really different to learn to shoot guns and to try and look tough. I've never really played a woman before. I've only really played girls...It's really cool." Not only was Stone maturing on screen but off as well. Her fashion was shifting from young to fashionable, even having her variety of looks featured in Teen Vogue.

The big movie roles kept coming for 22-year-old Emma Stone in 2011. Stone starred in both The Help and Crazy Stupid Love that year. While both movies had a bit of comedy, they also had clear focuses on drama, which showed a very different side of the beloved Stone. She later spoke with W magazine about these different roles. "In real life, sometimes it's uncomfortable for me not to go for the joke. I've been looking at that in myself lately. Often, joking for me is a way of diffusing the awkwardness of a situation, so it's kind of exhilarating to be a part of projects where there's nothing funny or lighthearted."

But while the audience was able to see the vulnerable sides of Stone's film characters, the actress in real-life was trying to balance work and personal life — and the amount of information shared with the public about her life. She told Variety, "Talking about this stuff is pretty new...the only solution I've come to when it comes to things like that — the health of my family or dating, really personal things — is not to talk about it."

What makes Emma Stone so loved is that she's honest and stays true to herself. Hollywood has affected many young actors and actresses, but Stone has risen above. In 2013, as more and more eyes were on her, she continued to do that.

When discussing with Independent the difficulties of being in the movie industry, the then-24-year-old kept it real. She discussed the fickle side of the business, saying, "When I think about it for too long, which I sometimes let myself do, it really screws with my head. I don't always expect to be lucky like this. The life of an actress, it ebbs and flows...So I'm trying to remain unattached to whatever position I am in externally in the world."

And what came hand-in-hand with the films and acting was a look at Stone's personal life. A difficult way to live, Stone was not afraid to be vulnerable and discuss the difficulties, saying, "It makes being in Los Angeles a lot less fun, because a lot of photographers live there...And if I look at blogs or comments — which I have made the mistake of doing, and it's the dumbest thing you can do — the cynic in me just goes nuts. So if I don't look at it, and I just keep focused on myself internally, it's alright. Nothing is different because I know my truth, and that's what matters." You go, girl.

In 2014, while Emma Stone continued to excel on-screen, the media and fans were focusing on something else entirely — her body. With the surge of comments, the then-25-year-old opened up to several media outlets about her struggle to keep on weight, telling USA Today, "I firmly believe that nothing really affects you or can really bother you if you don't already feel that way about yourself. I've seen a lot of comments that say, 'Eat a sandwich' or 'She looks sick.' I've been looking at myself in the mirror being mean to myself. I'm not sick. I eat sandwiches."

She continued on, "I'm trying to figure my body out. It bothers me because I care so much about young girls. We're shaming each other and we're shaming ourselves, and it sucks." With the intense gossip surrounding her, Stone wanted to eliminate it from her life. Speaking with Seventeen, she shared the questions she asks herself often. "Am I taking care of myself in a healthy way? Am I respecting myself and being responsible?" And her answer was yes. Once she reached that point of acceptance, it became easier. "I remind myself to be kind to myself, and as slightly ridiculous as it may sound, to treat myself in the same gentle way I'd want to treat a daughter of mine. It really helps."

And even with some tough times, the good just keeps going. Emma Stone has continued to push the envelope with the movie roles she's taken on, including her roles in La La Land, Battle of the Sexes, and The Favourite. She also continues to be the honest, real woman we love in interviews and press tours. In 2016, the then-28-year-old talked about social media and the fake portrayals it can present. The star, who doesn't have Instagram or Twitter, discussed the overly-perfect images posted on social media with Elle, saying, "Not everything comes together in the best way ever, every day. It just doesn't. Even when your dream you set out for comes true, it's not always perfect ... That's not the reality of life."

Stone definitely keeps reality in check in her own life. When asked about possible Oscar nominations for her role in La La Land, she shrugged it off and said, "People seem to like it. That's so exciting and fun to hear. But I literally have no idea. I have no idea what's to come. I try to stay in the moment." Stone, of course, went on to win the Oscar for best performance by a lead actress for her role in the film. 

With all of this star's success, we're going to say this is Stone's moment, and we're all cheering for it to continue for a long time.