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“As If Nothing Happened”: I Used Artificial Intelligence To See How Some Celebrities Would Look Today If They Were Alive (10 Pics)
I am Alper Yesiltas, a lawyer and photographer living in Istanbul, Turkey. I've been imagining scenes and capturing memories for about 19 years now. During that time, some of my photos have been edited worldwide in books, magazines, exhibitions, and websites and were awarded in several photo contests.
I would like to share with you the first collection of images of my AI-based project called "As if nothing happened". Behind this project lies the question of "how would people look photo-realistically if some great events had not happened to them". I look forward to your feedback and suggestions.
More info: Instagram | rarible.com | twitter.com
This post may include affiliate links.
Freddie Mercury
I wish he hadn't got that disease.
With the development of AI technology, I've been excited for a while, thinking that "anything imaginable can be shown in reality". When I started tinkering with technology, I saw what I could do and thought about what would make me the happiest. I wanted to see some of the people I missed again in front of me and that's how this project emerged.
Heath Ledger
I wish he hadn't been affected by the exhaustion of his role.
Janis Joplin
I wish she hadn't sought the inspiration she needed elsewhere.
The hardest part of the creative process for me is making the image feel "real" to me. The moment I like the most is when I think the image in front of me looks very realistic as if it was taken by a photographer.
I am using various software programs. The time it takes for me to create one fully finished image varies, but I would say it takes a while for an image to feel "real" to me.
Michael Jackson
I wish he hadn't faced vitiligo.
I absolutely love seeing this. Michael was naturally super handsome and it would've been wonderful to see him like this
Unfortunately, after all the plastic surgery, specifically on his nose, he never would have looked like this. But it would've been great if he had.
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You mean if he hadn’t ruined his face with all those ridiculous surgeries. If he’d just left his face alone, look how handsome he would have been!! He could have shown the world that vitiligo is beautiful, instead of destroying himself. So sad
Agreed. Vitiligo was not the problem. Makeup isn’t what killed him…
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It would have been beautiful if he actually could have come close to looking like this, sigh he chiseled away so much of his natural beauty and became a different person.
Amazing. It's sad he felt he had to do all those surgeries. This is a beautiful pic
Listen I can understand wanting MJ to have been more confident in his appearance, but Vitiligo is not something to be wished away. It’s just a skin pattern. There’s no reason for you to feel bad for him because he had vitiligo. Vitiligo is beautiful, and pity like this, treating it like some sort of illness, is not the way to normalize differences
No pity from me on the vitiligo. He should’ve worn it w pride.❤️💜
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Yall I'm seeing a lot of these comments saying he died from his vitiligo- that's not true.. he wasn't able to sleep at night so he would take anesthesia I believe so he could sleep. Well the doctor who gave it to him was supposed to stay in the room with him until he fell asleep, but the doctor went into the other room (also gave Mr. Jackson too much of the medication) . Michael could've been saved if he was watched and taken care of properly. Hope this informed you on the true passing of this amazing man.
Ironically, he probably would have died anyway due to lack of rem sleep. Propofol doesn't let the user experience ren sleep. Complications from that would have been fatal, even though he probably woke up feeling like he had a good night's sleep. Another way his doctor let him down. Fatally.
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My mom has vitiligo and she is beautiful. Like a porcelain doll. And she has no strange, surgery fetishes
I think this one's missing bars, as the bastard would probably be in prison for molestation
The baldness was likely alopecia due to damage from misuse/overuse of chemical relaxers, also he had that accident when his hair caught on fire so possible scalp damage from that. So if he had embraced his natural hair along with his natural features this is how he’d look.
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This photo tells me that Micheal finally found Happiness and Peace in his life, and finally felt comfortable being himself.
The text description underneath is dumb. It's like putting Peter Dinklage and saying "wish he wouldn't have faced dwarfism" or lee Scharf "faced down syndrome".
Michael was my "celebrity crush" as a young girl. SO handsome. Though I liked him with the natural look instead of the plastic surgery. .
He had so many issues because of how he grew up. I wish he had been able to be happy as himself. He was so talented and so exploited. His dad only cared about what Michael could do for him.
More like how he COULDN’T grow up (he was thrust into stardom too early)
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wasn't he bleaching his skin or something? also I thought he OD'd
He had Vitiligo which causes areas of your skin to depigment. He tried masking it by bleaching it. Technically it was an OD but not like what you think. His dr. gave him too much of an anesthetic he was using to sleep. He did not do it to himself.
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You do not die of vitiligo. You die of, as you have said on other drug overdose photos, seeking inspiration (or comfort) elsewhere.
they forgot to add in all his plastic surgery this is what he would have looked like with out that surgery.
Should have had some balding and gray hair in there. This pic doesn't look like a 64 year old.
It would have been great to see this man in jail for all the lives he destroyed.
Your opinion of his allegations holds no weight, you are just another misinformed sheep. He was convicted of nothing and numerous children admitted to their parents influenced them to lie for a pay day.
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He would look NOTHING like this as he had already disfigured his face with so so many body dysmorphia-induced cosmetic surgeries. Plus I doubt very much he would ever grow facial hair as he had a need to be a perpetual Peter Pan.
Can we please stop ignoring the fact that he molested kids? Bored Panda, you need to regulate this. Glorifying a man who preyed on innocent children. If you don’t see, then you don’t want to
Seriously. I can't believe how few people are even mentioning it.
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That has to be younger picture of Michael. He doesn't even look 50 here
Yes, it does. See, this is what he would have looked like had he NOT had all of the surgeries. At least, they're all just the artist's speculation or fantasy of what these people would look like had things been different in their lives.
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Yeah people still idolizing Jackson is something I will never understand...
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Vitiligo wasn’t the problem. His low self-esteem was. He literally had no nose when he died. His face looked like a skull. Especially the way he had cut nearly his entire nose off! He wore a wig and didn’t apparently like his real hair. He wanted to take away the facial features that made him Michael Jackson! And couldn’t sleep without narcotics, which was the reason for his death, thanks to a ignorant, star-struck doctor!
His nose had nearly disappeared before he died…this nose is really not right. I think you must have taken a picture as a kid, before he had all that plastic surgery on his face.
I can hear him singing here… “ Each time the wind blows I hear your voice so I call your name…”
I can imagine him singing… “ Each time the wind blows I hear your voice so I call your name…”
No way, Michael Jackson would not look like this. Totally different face.
...Does he look weirdly like Antonio Banderas to anyone else or is that just me?
This is what he was trying to look like his entire life. The vitiligo , insecurities , the surgeries ... this IS Michael.
Omg!! Amazing!! This IS who he was trying to be his entire life! I love it!
This sent chills thru my spine, wow, I don’t even know how to feel looking at this I’m just in amazement, sad and idk then the title, “as if nothing happened” f**k man wow just wow
Remember he had a nose altering surgery, nose is wrong, but very accurate otherwise.
I feel so ever grateful to have been alive, to see these people come to be in my lifetime. God bless MJ
It sure would have. I was thinking how fortunate I have been to live the in the century I have and not later. 🥲💝
NO WAY mj would have let him self age. He would have continued to have plastic surgery.
How on earth does he have his original face back? He *did* have plastic surgery, isn't the point of this what they would look like if they were still alive not what they would look like if they hadn't done things while they were alive?!
Looks NOTHING like Michael Jackson - main thing is his NOSE looks nothing like this!! This one is a FAIL!!!
He wouldn’t have looked like that. This was before his plastic surgery. His nose and eyes would be completely different.
He wouldn't have looked like this. His nose was totally reshaped due to plastic surgery. I agree though IF he hadn't undergone surgery this is how he would have looked. Very handsome.
No way would he have all that hair. Think his father Joe and brother Randy.
I think he would have had to skip all the needless plastic surgery first and then not kill himself.
I wish he had not mutilated his face with absolutely hideous plastic surgery
Look around the streets of Bucharest, and you just might find this guy.
He had lupus AND vitiligo so no, he wouldn't have looked like that. People forget he had two serious medical conditions.
Nothing wrong with vitiligo, I have it myself. But this is a marvelous impression.
Download the image and find a company that will print it out
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He would have become such a handsome man if he didn't want to never look like his father.
Never mind the vitiligo, the lack of plastic surgery would have made a huge difference
This isn't remotely accurate - did they forget what that trainwreck looks like before he died. THIS is a normal looking person, anyone whose sent the pedo knows that his nose was barely hanging on in the end and he had some weird surgery on his face. Let's not forget that he loved to sexual assault children here.
Whoever downvoted you is in denial and defending a child molester and pedophile, which is disgusting. You're very correct.
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Thank you. I was starting to wonder if there was another Michael Jackson. Like, WTF? Yes, this normal, human face would have attracted and lulled many more kids.
Load More Replies...Kurt Cobain
I wish he had decided to stay.
There are 10 images so far in this project, I want to extend it but I want to do it in a selective way, so the process is a little bit slow for me. For future projects, there are various things I imagine about real life using AI technology. Like "Life in 2050" and "Alternate Museum".
Jimi Hendrix
I wish he hadn't sought the inspiration he needed elsewhere.
I see this and can picture him in retirement jammin out on a stoop teaching the younger generations how to shred.
John Lennon
I wish he hadn't been in New York that day.
Bruce Lee
I wish he hadn't taken that painkiller that day.
Rick the Dragon Steamboats twin. (80's WWE/WWF). But i still wouldnt mess with Mr Lee. Nope.
Elvis Presley
I wish he decided to live a life where he paid more attention to the health of his heart.
2pac
I wish he hadn't been involved in that event that would cause him to face the mafia.
Interesting that the OP knows who killed him, since law enforcement does not. 🤦♀️
I wish Phil Hartman was here. I wish he hadn't been as kind as he was to someone so undeserving. You are extremely talented.
Losing Phil was a shock to so many. I can't begin to imagine the projects he might've been involved with or the people he would've worked with if things had been different.
Load More Replies... Thinking of what the world would be like if we still had Karen Carpenter, Otis Redding, Buddy & Ritchie & JP, Ian Curtis, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison, and Selena, too. And 2016 was a horror show anyway, and there are too many losses, but oh, if we still had Bowie, Prince, and Carrie Fisher, the world might be slightly better.
let me guess... Mickael Jackson - John Lennon (Christopher Lee vibes :) ) - Freedy Mercury - Madonna - 2 Pac ? - Bruce Lee - Janis Joplin - Jimi Hendricks. very good work, very realistic.
Thank you so much, all correct. Actually John Lennon is my favourite so far, I loved that you found it similar to Christopher Lee, one of my favourite actors.
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not in the first version of the article, it was funnier :)
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I know OP only did music idols, but would love to see Princess Diana, Selena Quintanilla, Chadwick Boseman, Amy Winehouse... Heck even Bowie and Alan Rickman in their 90s
I only recognise one I'm guessing is Michael Jackson. Sorry without knowing their names I'm really bad at guessing lol x
This is interesting because from this projects reality perspective, the person with the most different appearance is him :)
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Love the JL and FM but the hubs thinks Bruce Lee looks like Jimmy Page. Great work!
I’m not big on AI, but these look really good! The aging looks really natural and they all still resemble themselves. I admit I don’t know who the fourth person is, though she looks really familiar.
Thank you so much, she's Madonna :)
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I wish Whitney Houston had understood how special she was. Also that none of these had ever taken drugs.
This has legit been my fave bp ever. I was absolutely crushed when Heath Ledger died. All of these people really. Janis Joplin was a bit before my time, but I still recognize her loss. I'm not sure I was comfortable with Madonna in this group- a different list with stars is they were just living a small life working retail would be interesting to me with her in that one, but looking into all the eyes of those we lost then seeing Madonna, It jolted me like I'd missed a big headline or something. 🥺 But, all in all, well done
I thought all of these were spot on, especially Michael if he hadn't altered his appearance. Freddy Mercury was so real and Janice was too. You did a wonderful job!
The musicians hit me the hardest, knowing how much we lost from not being able to enjoy anything new of their amazing natural gifts. And yours to capture them the way you did, thank you!
Absolutely fascinating and well done! Loved Freddie, Lennon, and Janis the most. I can't see the Madonna one on the list (although people do mention it), so I'd like to share it here (via Instagram) as I found it THE most interesting. It really grabbed me. She hasn't died, but she hasn't aged gracefully. What would she look like without all of the surgeries? Definite Bonnie Raitt vibe! Madonna-Al...6628f2.png 
I loved this article but the no revelation of the dead reason made me Google it (Bruce Lee and jimi Hendrix and now i feel like a morbid creepy. 😩
most of those great artists lived too much intensively and burned their rocket fuel. But they travelled the distance that was worth the ride. Sorry to say but they were saved from seeing the present decadence of music
"...if some great event hadn't happened to them?" ?!...You mean if they hadn't passed away?! Why not just say it?
The overall project speculated what they'd look like (for example, Elvis) if they'd taken better care of themselves and not gone down the fried peanut butter sandwiches and diet pills route in life. At least, that's how it came across to me. Also why I thought the Madonna one was so interesting. She hasn't died, but she hasn't aged gracefully. What would she look like without all of the surgeries?
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Well I was entranced by all ….a Lennon fan I certainly dug that pic…. The list could go on unfortunately… but thank you for sharing👍✌️
These are very good. My favorite is MJ. A view of what could have been....
How about Phil Lynott, Marylin Monroe, Ricky Nelson, Steve McQueen, James Dean, Bob Marley, Alexander Godunov, to name a few?
I feel like a lot of these offer either a gross oversimplification, or ignore almost entirely what went wrong in their lives. Was vitiligo a foundational source of Michael Jackson's angst? I suspect not having it wouldn't have made that kind of difference. Was "the exhaustion of (Heath Ledger's) role" what killed him? Maybe, except he had addictions and depression. I dunno, it feels like many of these intentionally do not accurately represent what went wrong.
He had Bruce but what about his son, Brandon? Or Robin Williams? Or Britney Murphy. I'd like to see those faces again
I wish Phil Hartman was here. I wish he hadn't been as kind as he was to someone so undeserving. You are extremely talented.
Losing Phil was a shock to so many. I can't begin to imagine the projects he might've been involved with or the people he would've worked with if things had been different.
Load More Replies... Thinking of what the world would be like if we still had Karen Carpenter, Otis Redding, Buddy & Ritchie & JP, Ian Curtis, Amy Winehouse, Jim Morrison, and Selena, too. And 2016 was a horror show anyway, and there are too many losses, but oh, if we still had Bowie, Prince, and Carrie Fisher, the world might be slightly better.
let me guess... Mickael Jackson - John Lennon (Christopher Lee vibes :) ) - Freedy Mercury - Madonna - 2 Pac ? - Bruce Lee - Janis Joplin - Jimi Hendricks. very good work, very realistic.
Thank you so much, all correct. Actually John Lennon is my favourite so far, I loved that you found it similar to Christopher Lee, one of my favourite actors.
Load More Replies... not in the first version of the article, it was funnier :)
Load More Replies... I know OP only did music idols, but would love to see Princess Diana, Selena Quintanilla, Chadwick Boseman, Amy Winehouse... Heck even Bowie and Alan Rickman in their 90s
I only recognise one I'm guessing is Michael Jackson. Sorry without knowing their names I'm really bad at guessing lol x
This is interesting because from this projects reality perspective, the person with the most different appearance is him :)
Load More Replies... Love the JL and FM but the hubs thinks Bruce Lee looks like Jimmy Page. Great work!
I’m not big on AI, but these look really good! The aging looks really natural and they all still resemble themselves. I admit I don’t know who the fourth person is, though she looks really familiar.
Thank you so much, she's Madonna :)
Load More Replies... I wish Whitney Houston had understood how special she was. Also that none of these had ever taken drugs.
This has legit been my fave bp ever. I was absolutely crushed when Heath Ledger died. All of these people really. Janis Joplin was a bit before my time, but I still recognize her loss. I'm not sure I was comfortable with Madonna in this group- a different list with stars is they were just living a small life working retail would be interesting to me with her in that one, but looking into all the eyes of those we lost then seeing Madonna, It jolted me like I'd missed a big headline or something. 🥺 But, all in all, well done
I thought all of these were spot on, especially Michael if he hadn't altered his appearance. Freddy Mercury was so real and Janice was too. You did a wonderful job!
The musicians hit me the hardest, knowing how much we lost from not being able to enjoy anything new of their amazing natural gifts. And yours to capture them the way you did, thank you!
Absolutely fascinating and well done! Loved Freddie, Lennon, and Janis the most. I can't see the Madonna one on the list (although people do mention it), so I'd like to share it here (via Instagram) as I found it THE most interesting. It really grabbed me. She hasn't died, but she hasn't aged gracefully. What would she look like without all of the surgeries? Definite Bonnie Raitt vibe! Madonna-Al...6628f2.png
I loved this article but the no revelation of the dead reason made me Google it (Bruce Lee and jimi Hendrix and now i feel like a morbid creepy. 😩
most of those great artists lived too much intensively and burned their rocket fuel. But they travelled the distance that was worth the ride. Sorry to say but they were saved from seeing the present decadence of music
"...if some great event hadn't happened to them?" ?!...You mean if they hadn't passed away?! Why not just say it?
The overall project speculated what they'd look like (for example, Elvis) if they'd taken better care of themselves and not gone down the fried peanut butter sandwiches and diet pills route in life. At least, that's how it came across to me. Also why I thought the Madonna one was so interesting. She hasn't died, but she hasn't aged gracefully. What would she look like without all of the surgeries?
Load More Replies... Well I was entranced by all ….a Lennon fan I certainly dug that pic…. The list could go on unfortunately… but thank you for sharing👍✌️
These are very good. My favorite is MJ. A view of what could have been....
How about Phil Lynott, Marylin Monroe, Ricky Nelson, Steve McQueen, James Dean, Bob Marley, Alexander Godunov, to name a few?
I feel like a lot of these offer either a gross oversimplification, or ignore almost entirely what went wrong in their lives. Was vitiligo a foundational source of Michael Jackson's angst? I suspect not having it wouldn't have made that kind of difference. Was "the exhaustion of (Heath Ledger's) role" what killed him? Maybe, except he had addictions and depression. I dunno, it feels like many of these intentionally do not accurately represent what went wrong.
He had Bruce but what about his son, Brandon? Or Robin Williams? Or Britney Murphy. I'd like to see those faces again
