90s heartthrob is totally unrecognisable 36 years after first major TV role-Josie Copson-Entertainment – Metro

Richard Grieco rose to fame more than 30 years ago (Picture: Aaron Rapoport/Corbis/Getty Images)

Richard Grieco looks very different over 30 years after finding fame.

The 59-year-old actor is best known for his role on 21 Jump Street as Detective Dennis Booker on the popular show which ran from 1987 to 1991 and produced an impressive 103 episodes, but now spends his time creating art and music.

The Fox TV series’ plot revolved around undercover police officers tasked with investigating crimes in schools, gangs, and other teenage venues.

The concept later inspired two films starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill – 21 Jump Street and 22 Jump Street. Richard even popped in for a brief cameo as an easter egg for long-term fans and Johnny Depp, who also had a role in the original.

As a fresh-faced actor on the eighties TV show, he favoured a clean-shaven face and his dark hair worn in a voluminous quiff. His trademark look served him well for a long time, but Richard has opted for an overhaul.

In a recent photo posted on his Instagram, Richard now has shoulder-length hair and a full-grown beard.

Richard is famed for his role on 21 Jump Street (Picture: Rex)

He looks very different now (Picture: Instagram/@realrichardgrieco)

In the update, he wore a baseball cap and sunglasses while he looked off into the distance, and informed his 20k followers he was ‘pondering about…. Hmmmm many things’. Same hun.

Some fans were shocked at his changing appearance. Dannell Deanne wrote: ‘This doesn’t look like you.’

‘Booker??? Where is he?’ wrote Chance M Flouviere making reference to his 21 Jump Street character. Others remarked how different he looked.

He ditched Hollywood for a creative career (Picture: Instagram / Richard Grieco)

Fans commented on his new look (Picture: Michael Kovac/Getty Images for IMDb)

His teenage crush status may be in the past, but his fans have matured with him and still appreciate his aesthetic.

Account Trail boss wrote: ‘Do you age… u looking Awesome…Brotha.’ Benkenanne gave it the ultimate stamp of approval and promised to give the snap a special role. ‘This is the perfect picture for my iPhone display,’ they typed.

His good looks meant that Richard found work as a model working for prestigious brands Armani, Calvin Klein and Chanel, before his work on the small screen.

Richard first landed a role on the soap opera One Life to Live before his big break on Jump Street. Following the finale, the creators got to work on a spin-off based on his character, Booker, but it lasted just one series.

Richard at the premiere of 22 Jump Street in 2014 (Picture: Albert L. Ortega/Getty Images)

He now has interests in music and art (Picture: Instagram/@realrichardgrieco)

Moving across to films, Richard played a high school student who is mistaken for an agent (not Booker), which led to people wishing the character dead on If Looks Could Kill. It wasn’t a commercial success, grossing only $7.7 million against a $12 million budget.

He went on to have roles in Mobsters, and a cameo of himself in A Night at the Roxbury, based on a Saturday Night Live sketch.

More recently, Richard has been in an episode of comedy It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, once again playing himself.

Richard worked as a model (Picture: Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)

Richard keeps fans updated on social media (Picture: Gonzalo Marroquin/Getty Images)

As well as acting, he is also passionate about music with his Instagram bio directs fans to listen to his song Six Feet Away. He also sells his ‘Abstract Emotionalism’ artwork on a website linked to his profile.

In 2019, it was reported by TMZ that Richard was refused permission to fly from Texas to Pennsylvania due to intoxication.

He called it an unfortunate incident that was ‘not that big of a deal’.

This article was originally published on March 25, 2024.

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