When it came time for the producers of That ‘70s Show to put together the show’s cast, they had the difficult task of finding actors that fit the time period but would also be embraced by modern viewers. Absolutely perfect cast as Donna, Laura Prepon managed to make the character a girl-next-door type that had an independent streak a mile wide and attitude for days.
Even though we loved the casting of Laura Prepon as Donna Pinciotti, we think that she has matured a lot as an actor and person in the years since That ‘70s Show came to an end. With that in mind, it is time to get to this list of 15 photos that show how much Laura Prepon has changed since the end of That ‘70s Show.
1. The Happy Couple
Likely introduced by their mutual friend Danny Masterson, what we do know is that Laura Prepon and Ben Foster met and then many years later they became a couple. Able to become friends first, Laura and Ben eventually tied the knot in 2018 and remain a couple who often seem to be delighted with one another to this day.
2. Cookbook
Even though there is no doubt that Laura Prepon is still best known for her acting prowess, as of late she has learned to diversify her career. For proof of that fact, look no further than the fact that she released a cookbook in which she included recipes and plans for food prep called “The Stash Plan”.
3. Lead Role
Unfortunately for everyone involved, the 2012 sitcom Are You There, Chelsea? only lasted one season before it was canceled. Still, Laura Prepn should be proud of the show for more than one reason. For example, she was the sitcom’s lead star which is remarkable since very few actors get to star in their own show.
4. Red Carpet
During her time starring in That ‘70s Show, it is safe to say that Laura Prepon made several appearances at red carpet events. However, this much more recent image of Laura walking in front of the media at the 67th Emmys is markedly different. Sporting a dress and makeup combo that shows off just how mature she has become, Laura radiates strength in this photo.
5. Orange Is the New Black
Even though we think that Laura Prepon embued her That ‘70s Show acting with nuance, there is no doubt that her Orange Is the New Black character is far more complicated. Seen here in character as OITNB’s Alex Vause, the fact that Prepon brought that character to life so effectively speaks to how much she has improved as an actor.
6. In Nature
Of course, it seems safe to assume that throughout Laura Prepn’s life she has taken the time to enjoy the beauty of nature from time to time. However, the fact that Laura posted this image of herself on Twitter alongside the text “This year, I really want to do more of this! It always feels so good being out in nature.” speaks to her maturing priorities in life.
7. Vidcon
For those of you who’ve never heard of Vidcon, it is an annual event that brings together the top YouTube content creators. With that in mind, it may seem surprising that an actor like Laura Prepon appeared at Vidcon and had her picture taken with the event’s two founders. Unlike many of her acting peers, however, Laura has embraced our new digital world with her own YouTube channel which has over 181,000 subscribers as of this writing.
8. The Girl On The Train
First able to attain fame after the premiere of That ‘70s Show in 1998, Laura Prepon has had a public profile for almost all of her adult life. However, throughout most of her career, Laura hasn’t been famous enough that you would expect her to share the screen with major movie stars. That certainly has changed as evidenced by this shot of Laura from The Girl on the Train, a movie in which she co-starred with the amazing Emily Blunt.
9. Cooking Segment
Earlier in this list, we looked at the fact that Laura Prepon wrote and released a cookbook recently. Of course, that is an impressive feat but penning a book without the prying eyes of the public is completely different than dealing with the stress of taking part in a cooking segment. Thankfully for Laura, when she showed off her cooking skill on Live with Kelly and Ryan it went very well.
10. Reunion
When That ‘70s Show came to an end in 2006, it marked the end of an era both for the show’s fans and the cast that helped bring the show to life. No longer in each other’s lives on a weekly basis, it must have been cool for most of that sitcom’s stars to reunite on the set of The Ranch in 2016. That said, this image of them all together shows just how much they’ve all changed over the years, including Laura Prepon.
11. Amazing Cast
Earlier in this list, we touched on Laura Prepon’s time as one of Orange Is the New Black’s stars and her great work in the role. Still, when you see this image of Laura alongside that show’s amazing cast it proves that these days she belongs among any group of incredibly accomplished women.
12. Motherhood
Given the fact that Laura Prepon’s That ‘70s Show character often was an irresponsible young adult, it is quite the switch to envision the person who brought her to life as a parent. Despite that, Laura not only has become a mother over the last few years, but she now has two kids she and her husband are bringing up.
13. Directing
Obviously an accomplished actor at this point in her life, Laura Prepon has played a long list of characters on both the big and little screen. On top of that, her time starring in Orange Is the New Black allowed her to give a new role a try, directing. Seen here in her role as the director of three OITNB episodes, Prepon looks like she knows exactly what she is doing.
14. Helping Others
For most parents, worrying that you are doing the best thing for your child is a natural but sometimes overpowering thing. As such, it can be really helpful to talk to other parents and get their advice. Thankfully for parents who don’t want to talk to people in their real life, they can always turn to Laura Prepon’s parenting book for her wisdom on the subject.
15. At Peace
As we all know, when you look at a photo of someone there is no way to truly know what is going on in their mind. Yet, when we look at this photo of Laura Prepon lounging around seemingly on a deck, we can’t help but feel like she looks totally at peace with herself. If you ask us, that should be the ultimate goal for all of us.
