What The Trailer Park Boys Looked Like As Kids
For a television program to stick around in the cultural zeitgeist requires a handful of very particular qualities. Strong writing, a compelling premise, and witty dialogue are all great starting points, but the heart of the most successful shows is their characters. Without memorable cast members, a show has no chance of sticking around for the long haul. This is one of Trailer Park Boys' strongest qualities.
Trailer Park Boys made its big debut back in 2001 on the Canadian channel Showcase, eventually wrapping up its original run in 2008. Now, nearly 20 years after its first episode, the series is as popular as it ever was. The fervent fan reaction to the show helped produce a revival and even an animated series, continuing the misadventures of Ricky (Robb Wells), Bubbles (Mike Smith), and Julian (John Paul Tremblay).
The outlandish presentation of the cast is a huge part of why it's stuck around in pop culture for so long. Even though they are all just a bunch of lower-class Nova Scotia natives, their appearances are unique, to say the least, in conjunction with their personalities. Looking back to a time before Trailer Park Boys, the cast looks incredibly different from their well-known in-show appearance. From beards to outfits, the residents of Sunnyvale Trailer Park definitely aged into their iconic images.
Mike Smith
THEN: In his younger years, Mike Smith didn't have a clue that some day he'd hit it big on a Canadian sitcom. Back then, he had very different aspirations: Rock stardom. Considering the era in which he grew up, when rock and metal were on the rise, his appearance is quite fitting. The disheveled hair and casual clothing call back to his rebellious youth. It's especially jarring seeing him without his signature magnifying glasses.
NOW: These days, Smith has cleaned up his act as far as his appearance goes. His hair is shorter and well-kept, and his choice of outfit resembles that of a middle-aged man. He still plays guitar for the band Sandbox, but his looks align much closer to those of his fictional alter-ego Bubbles. More often than not, he wears his goofy bifocals during public appearances, bringing his evolved look full circle.
Robb Wells
THEN: Before he could grow the goatee and sideburns, Robb Wells rocked a clean-shaven babyface. For the most part, his facial features and stature stuck around as he got older, and even his pompadour hairstyle was around pre-Trailer Park Boys. All things considered, he hasn't changed a whole lot from the time period this picture represents, in a visual sense. This photo from his Nova Scotian childhood is very much foreshadowing his time as Ricky LaFleur.
NOW: Wells mainly retained two things from his youth: His hair, and his smile. Otherwise, he's undergone some major physical changes over the years, most notably in the facial hair department. The mustache, goatee, and pointed sideburns quickly became integral features for Ricky on Trailer Park Boys, and made Wells recognizable from the beginning. If only his younger self knew what a hit his bizarre beard would become in his adult life.
John Paul Tremblay
THEN: John Paul Tremblay as a teenager looks nothing like he does today. He kept his naturally colored hair in a tight mullet, which was, of course, all the rage back in the day. Much like Wells, Tremblay's signature goatee is missing, not to mention his hair isn't the dyed black fans of Trailer Park Boys recognize when they see his character, Julian, on screen. He's not even wearing a plain, black, too small t-shirt in this picture! Suffice to say, Tremblay underwent quite the metamorphosis as the years flew by.
NOW: Comparing the two pictures of Tremblay side by side, there isn't a whole lot in common between them. He's rarely seen without his goatee nowadays, and he certainly isn't pulling off such an extreme mullet anymore. His current wardrobe is more akin to that of Spongebob Squarepants, in that there isn't much variety, if any at all. His most noticeable feature is his nose, which stayed thin as he aged.