Jennifer Love Hewitt's Transformation Has Been Killer At Every Age

Jennifer Love Hewitt has been a staple on our screens for decades. With big roles in the likes of "I Know What You Did Last Summer," "Party of Five," and "Ghost Whisperer," it feels like this beauty has lived a league of lives before our very eyes. The star was born in Texas in 1979 and originally had big dreams of becoming a singer, having developed a passion for performing around 6 years old. "I had started singing back in Texas. I used to perform at livestock shows, because that was a very Texas thing to do. And at state fairs," Love Hewitt told Modern Dog. "I didn't really know it was the entertainment industry that I wanted to be a part of, I just knew that I loved entertaining people and making them happy," she said.

Before she even hit double digits, Love Hewitt was making waves in the entertainment world. Her performance talents earned the little girl a trip to Russia to perform for locals as a U.S. goodwill ambassador. That caught the attention of an agent back in the States, who encouraged her and her mom to fly to Los Angeles for a meeting. The youngster began to consider a serious career in acting soon after. "We went out for one month ... and then never went home," Love Hewitt recalled. It was the beginning of one killer transformation.

In 1989, at her new home in Hollywood, up-and-coming star Jennifer Love Hewitt landed a role on the sing and dance show "Kids Incorporated." Later, in 1992, she appeared in her first major movie "Munchie," before getting cast in "Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit" the following year, alongside Whoopi Goldberg (amid her head-turning weight loss transformation).

Love Hewitt opened up about the experience in a video message on "The View" years later, saying (via People), "I was very young, a teenager in fact. I got to work with the queen, Whoopi Goldberg. She was the kindest, coolest person to me ever." But while acting took a front seat, the youngster still had a passion for pop and released her debut album, "Love Songs" in 1992.

The singer and actor credited her beloved mom for keeping her grounded while she found her footing in the spotlight. "I'm very grateful in hindsight that she was always there checking on my experience, checking on my mental health, checking on how I was taking in and processing all the things that were being thrown at me at a young age," she told First For Women. As a teen actor, Love Hewitt was determined to stay on the straight and narrow, avoiding substances like alcohol. "As a child I was offered lots of different things ... but I chose not to go there because I had respect for my job and what I wanted to be," she told We Are What We Share.

In the mid-1990s, Jennifer Love Hewitt's name was on everyone's lips. She'd landed one of her most notable roles on TV show "Party of Five" after a stellar audition. "We completely changed the character to fit with who she was when she came in," show creator Amy Lippman told Rolling Stone. Around age 18, Love Hewitt was cast in the smash movie "I Know What You Did Last Summer," in 1997. The young star was fast becoming a tabloid darling. When asked about her sex symbol status, she responded, "I don't consider myself [beautiful], so it makes me feel good when other people do."

However, she later realized the attention may not have been as flattering as it seemed. "Instead of people talking about ['I Know What You Did Last Summer'] they were like, 'Well, her boobs look bigger than they did on TV, so she must have gotten [implants],'" Love Hewitt told Elle in 2018. The "Criminal Minds" star also highlighted the disturbing narrative on Mayim Bialik's podcast, recalling, "There were grown men talking to me at 16 about my breasts just openly on a talk show ... In hindsight it was very strange to become a sex symbol for people before I even knew what that was."

Love Hewitt's career was still going full throttle, though. She enjoyed a slew of other movie roles in the '90s and early '00s, including "Heartbreakers," "The Tuxedo," and "Garfield: The Movie." The superstar also continued to chase her popstar dreams and released three more albums.

Jennifer Love Hewitt was a fully-fledged movie star by 2005, but was ready to turn her attention back to TV. Her next series, "Ghost Whisperer," aired for five seasons and became one of her most successful projects. The actor later told First For Women how different she found TV and movie acting. "Movies are so great because it's a challenge acting-wise to tell a lot about a person in a very short period of time. TV is the opposite. It's a challenge because you want to show all those little changes a character goes through over time," she explained.

We also started to see a more sophisticated side to her style. While the beauty previously embraced flirtier looks, we saw her sport more mature ensembles as she entered her mid-20s, including the ethereal, white strappy dress she wore to a 2005 Golden Globe party. Love Hewitt joked about growing up that year, quipping on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," "26 feels like you really have to start growing up and learning to do laundry and stuff." The star also confirmed she was still living with her mom — and there's nothing wrong with that.

But it seemed she'd abandoned her musical dreams. Love Hewitt failed to release another album after 2002's "BareNaked" and explained to Modern Dog she'd moved away from the studio because her passions lay elsewhere. "I got to a point with it in the recording industry that it started to feel like work. It was a time that I was very busy with other things," she said.

In 2007, Jennifer Love Hewitt was viciously body shamed. A notorious People cover featured a candid ocean shot of the actor in a strapless bikini alongside the caption, "Stop calling me fat!" She was also victimized by an insensitive Daily Mail headline, which read, "A holiday swim reveals Jennifer Love Hewitt has piled on the pounds." The celeb expertly clapped back at the body shaming haters in her blog, writing (via TV Guide), "I've sat by in silence for a long time now about the way women's bodies are constantly scrutinized ... I'm not upset for me, but for all of the girls out there that are struggling with their body image." 

The star later opened up about how tough she found the hyper-fixation on her body, telling Vulture almost 20 years later, "I don't think I was ever really insecure until that cover. And then when it happened, I don't know that I've ever recovered from it." The Texan relied on advice from her mom to help her regain her confidence and own her success after Hollywood tried to tear her down. "She was like, 'You don't get it. You can't win. This is just people having a problem with the version of you they think belongs to them.' And she said, 'Take your power back. Belong to yourself, and don't worry about it,'" Love Hewitt said.

By 2009, Jennifer Love Hewitt was entering her 30s and was ready for a new challenge, so she directed an episode of "Ghost Whisperer." She also went on to work behind the camera on "The Client List" in 2012 and the holiday movie "The Holiday Junkie" in 2024. "Directing is my favorite thing to do. I would honestly quit everything else and only do that if I could, although I would probably pop in as an actor, because I can't help it," she told First For Women. Speaking about her behind-the-scenes work on "The Holiday Junkie," she said, "I had some nerves, but it was really great."

The star also got candid with Elle about how she wanted to be perceived differently as she entered her 30s. "I started to ask, 'Isn't there more? Can [people] ask me more questions than whether or not I feel sexy or if I dated this person or if I sleep in lingerie?' That's when I thought, 'Oh, maybe I am putting out what I think people are wanting from me.'" 

We saw that shift represented in Love Hewitt's style choices. At the 2009 Emmys, she stunned in a mature maxi dress but still injected some fun into the ensemble via its youthful, butter yellow color (that went on to be on-trend in spring/summer 2025). She looked every inch the movie star with her long, light brown locks curled in a flattering, half-up, half-down style.

Jennifer Love Hewitt began starring on the risqué Lifetime series "The Client List" in 2012 – and found love. She reunited with her former co-star Brian Hallisay on the set, and later told People, "I thought he was the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my life. I said to my manager and friend at the time: 'I'm going to marry that man, and I'm going to have his children.'"

We also saw a physical transformation from Love Hewitt, as she kicked her workouts into high gear for the saucy masseuse role. "I try to mix up my workout routine a little bit. The more that you can surprise the muscles every day with different movement, the better the results," she told Women's Running. "I do yoga, a little bit of Pilates and obviously running on an incline is great." The actor also spoke to Shape about how she updated her beauty mantra in her 30s. "[I]n the morning, before I leave the house, I say five things I love about myself ... That way I can go out into the world with that little bit of extra confidence," she said.

But, unfortunately, 2012 wasn't all highs. Love Hewitt also experienced a heartbreaking tragedy when she lost her mom, who had been diagnosed with cancer. The actor later told The Hollywood Reporter that the press knew about her mother's tragic passing before she did. About her mother, Love Hewitt said, "She was light, she was joy." 

In June 2013, Jennifer Love Hewitt was preparing for her biggest lifestyle change yet as she confirmed she was pregnant with her first child. "We're so thrilled and happy to start a family," she and her partner Brian Hallisay said in a joint statement obtained by Us Weekly. But that wasn't the only major announcement. Just one day later, Love Hewitt and Hallisay confirmed their engagement. Their first child, daughter Autumn, was born in November, the same month the couple secretly tied the knot in a lowkey ceremony. They went on to expand their family again when they welcomed their son Atticus in 2015  and son Aidan in 2021.

Love Hewitt's new normal was reflected in her clothes, as she proudly showed off her growing bump on the red carpet in 2013. She also spoke to USA Today about how her style changed, revealing she wore so many skimpy pieces on "The Client List" she'd developed a comfier aesthetic at home. "I've cut down on the lingerie a lot in my own life because I wear it all the time [on TV] ... I'm over it. So I'm a soft, cozy, T-shirt or tank top and big, baggy sweatpants girl," she said. The beauty gave a peek at her evolving style at a Pampers event, where she showed off a practical yet stylish bob and bangs 'do in a stretchy, long-sleeve black dress.

Jennifer Love Hewitt told Elle in 2018 she'd come a long way since her tabloid headline days and was enjoying a much quieter life than when she was on the cover of every magazine. "Sometimes I think I've been so boring that people kind of had to create drama [around me]," she joked. "Because, really, I'm doing my laundry and eating frozen yogurt at home." 

But while she may have been living a more lowkey life, she was still in the public eye. She landed the recurring role of Maddie on "9-1-1" and later opened up to First For Women about why she loved playing the character so much. "So many emotional things have stacked up on her since the show started, and she's one of my favorite characters that I've played," she said.

Love Hewitt was also ready to be perceived in a new way after years of being asked superficial questions on the red carpet and in interviews. "People always focused on very trivial things with me. So I go into the next phase now fully hopeful that changes," she told Elle. "Hopefully the narrative can be about how I feel instead of how much I weigh. And what size I am rather than what size people think I should be," she added.

Jennifer Love Hewitt was ready for a dramatic hair change in 2023. She chopped off her signature long locks in favor of a chic chestnut bob, which her hairstylist Nikki Lee showed off on Instagram. "Was time to spice things up," Lee captioned a video showing the process. The beauty, who was entering her mid-40s, also proved she wasn't afraid to change her look in a more permanent way, as she got a meaningful tattoo on her arm that read, "The universe always provides."

The Texas native reflected on her physical transformation over the years while speaking to Fox News. "People seem to have a really hard time accepting that ... I don't look [20] anymore," she said. "It's hard because I think as humans, we want to evolve," she continued, getting candid about how difficult she found the constant comments on her changing body. "It's hurtful sometimes when people reject you as you are, verbally on Instagram or the internet, because they're having a hard time adjusting to it," she said.

In 2024, the star also teased a potential return to her music career, despite it being over 20 years since her last album release. "I've been dipping back into it. It's fun. I don't know that I'd do it full-time, but I like doing little things here and there," she told First For Women.

Jennifer Love Hewitt returned to the "I Know What You Did Last Summer" world by appearing in the 2025 installment of the same name. But what really got everyone talking was her premiere look. She showed off her gorgeous red hair, which she had previously unveiled on Instagram, and wore a long, strappy black dress, which stirred yet more online chatter about her appearance. Thankfully, several social media users had her back. "Women do not look 22 forever. Jennifer Love Hewitt has aged with grace and with beauty, has had 3 children and her husband loves her. She's won at life," one X user wrote.

Love Hewitt — who looks ageless in makeup-free photos – has a positive attitude when it comes to physical health. "Jennifer is all about balance when it comes to her daily meals and workout plans," a source told Daily Mail. "Rather than push herself to extreme measures, she takes it all in her stride," they added. The best part though? It sounds like she wouldn't change a thing about her stunning transformation. When asked if she had advice for her younger self, she told First For Women, "I was very worried about whether I would find my place in this business and whether I had that 'it' factor that keeps you going for a long time. So now I would tell that girl not to stress — that it works out in the end and that you get to be here for a while, which is awesome."