1985 Ebony Magazine Portraits of the Stars: What They Thought They Would Look Like by the Year 2000

In August of 1985, Ebony magazine attempted to predict what Michael Jackson would look like in the year 2000. The magazine stated,

“He will have aged gracefully and will have a handsome, more mature look.”

Of course, they were likely ignorant of the fact that Jackson had already suffered second- and third-degree burns all over his head and face, and could not have known that he would eventually endure vitiligo and undergo an immense amount of plastic surgery.

Below are images of Ebony‘s prediction and how Jackson and other black stars actually looked in 2000.

1. Michael Jackson

2. Muhammad Ali

3. Emmanuel Lewis

4. Debbie Allen

5. Kareem Abdul Jabbar

6. Billie Dee Williams

7. Kim Fields

8. Magic Johnson

9. Jane Kennedy