Chances are that the name Alana Thompson doesn’t ring too many bells. However, you almost certainly know her by another name: Honey Boo Boo, the breakout child star who made a splash when she starred in the controversial TLC reality series Toddlers and Tiaras. The show premiered in 2009, and she stole our hearts while also stealing every scene.
Eventually, Honey Boo Boo got her very own TV show: Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. And those that carefully follow her career know that she made appearances on her mother’s reality show (Mama June: From Not to Hot) starting in 2017. Since then, though, she’s mostly shied away from the spotlight, which means many of her biggest fans have no idea what she looks like or what she’s been doing.
That’s where we come in. We’ve got killer photos of this child star that help chart her transformation into a strong and independent woman. Just keep reading to discover the jaw-dropping transformation of Honey Boo Boo!
A star is born
This is Honey Boo Boo when she made her television debut on Toddlers and Tiaras. These days, she’d likely tell you that she had no idea how much this show would change her life. But we knew she had superstar potential from the first time we saw this precocious young talent on the screen!
A pageant star
When Honey Boo Boo was actually part of a beauty pageant, she looked completely different. This was part of what made Toddlers and Tiaras so controversial, of course…these pageants made their young contestants look like tiny adults. Controversy or no controversy, though, nobody can deny that Honey Boo Boo is radiant in this image!
Changing up her look
From her early reality television appearances, Honey Boo Boo was a bit like Superman. That is, her normal self and her pageant self often looked completely different, as if she were rocking a secret identity. In this image, we see a third look, one featuring smoothed-out hair that she debuted at Jessica “Chubbs” Shannon‘s sweet 16 birthday party.
A star in her own right
Toddlers and Tiaras was an ensemble show intended to focus on a number of different young talents. Nonetheless, Honey Boo Boo quickly became a fan-favorite, one that audiences just couldn’t get enough of. Soon enough, she got a reality TV show of her very own! And in this picture, we can see her celebrating her success by visiting New York with her mother in April 2013.
Saying hello to the nation
Honey Boo Boo wasn’t some niche celebrity that only a handful of people new about. At the height of her fame, she was a household name to families all over the country. Accordingly, she made a 2014 appearance on Good Morning America to say hello to her countless fans. As you can tell from this image, it was a bit colder than the reality star is accustomed to!
Helping her mother shine
After becoming a child star at a very young age, Honey Boo Boo began craving the spotlight less and less. But she still appeared in her mother’s reality show, and the two continued to make appearances at various high-profile events. Here, we see the two of them attending the second Bossip Best Dressed List event in Los Angeles. At the time, most people paid attention to Mama June’s awesome weight loss, but we couldn’t help but note Honey Boo Boo herself was looking great.
Honey Boo Boo vs…Bridezilla?!
Remember when we said Honey Boo Boo continued to make various media appearances? Here, she is looking fabulous at the 2019 red carpet premiere of Bridezillas. She wasn’t a bridezilla herself, but we’re willing to bet that in a fight, she could hold her own against any of those pretentious prima donnas!
Honey Boo Boo looking all grown up
Unlike some celebs and fellow child stars, Honey Boo Boo never gave herself anything like an overnight glow-up. Instead, she started focusing on a variety of fitness and fashion goals, slowly transforming into a young adult with a style of her very own. Here, she shows off both a nose ring and long nails during a break from shooting her family’s reality TV show.
The prom queen is here!
In April 2023, Honey Boo Boo attended her high school prom with Dralin Carswell. All we can say about this adorable photo is that we know a queen when we see one.
Life comes full circle
Life always comes full circle, even for child stars. In this May 2025 image, Honey Boo Boo is striking a pose in New York City. She was there to help promote the new biopic about her life, I Was Honey Boo Boo. Thanks to that film one thing’s for sure: Honey Boo Boo is about to have an entirely new generation of fans!