Side-By-Side Pics Of The Charlie's Angels Cast Show How Much They've Changed

Five decades on, "Charlie's Angels" remains a highly influential piece of pop culture. The original 1976 TV show may have only run for five years, but it inspired a number of reboots — including a short-lived 2011 TV series; a 2000 film starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Lucy Liu (which got a sequel in 2003); and a 2019 movie led by Kristen Stewart. The show has also been parodied countless times over the years, and it's been compared to new pieces of media like the animated series "Totally Spies!" Still, it's the original '70s version of "Charlie's Angels" that arguably remains the most iconic. Not only that, but the three main stars of the show's middle era remain good friends to this day, with side-by-side photos showing just how much they've changed over the years.

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During Seasons 2 and 3 of "Charlie's Angels", the show's three lead stars were Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, and Cheryl Ladd. Jackson and Smith were both original cast members, with Ladd joining the fray in Season 2 following the high-profile departure of the late Farrah Fawcett following Season 1. Jackson ended up following Fawcett out the door after Season 3, herself being replaced by Shelley Hack. Nevertheless, Jackson, Smith, and Ladd were all on hand for the "Charlie's Angels" 50th anniversary celebration that took place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood in April 2026 — proving that while it's been a long time since 1978 (which is when the photo on the left was taken), their bond endures. "It was about a sisterhood, and that's what made it beautiful," Smith told PauseRewind at the event (via Instagram), adding, "And I think the power of girlfriends is something that rings [true] through your life."

Given just how long it's been since they shared the screen together on "Charlie's Angels," you may be wondering just what Kate Jackson, Jaclyn Smith, and Cheryl Ladd have been up to in the years following. Smith and Ladd have both continued their acting careers well into the 2020s.

Smith — who holds the distinction of being the only member of the main "Charlie's Angels" trio to star in all five seasons of the original show — made a couple guest appearances on The CW's sports drama "All American" from 2021 to 2024. Prior to this, she reprised her most famous role for a cameo in the aforementioned "Charlie's Angels" reboot film in 2019. Ladd, meanwhile, has similarly remained a staple of the small screen in the decades since she became an Angel. She appeared on "American Crime Story" in 2016. At the time of writing, her most recent credit is in the 2023 Great American Family holiday television film "A Christmas for the Ages."

Finally, there's Jackson, who actually made the decision to leave Hollywood, and her final credit to date came in a 2007 episode of "Criminal Minds." During a chat with People at the aforementioned 50th anniversary event, Jackson cited the intense notoriety of being a TV star as the reason she stepped out of the limelight. "We lost our privacy, totally. We just absolutely totally lost every bit of privacy. And then, to make it worse, those horrible tabloids," she said, adding that her perspective on the matter extends to social media. However, she was glad to get back together with her former co-stars and told the outlet, "It's nice to have a sister. And that's what it feels like."