Rare Photos From The 2000s No One Talks About

By Jack Ripley | March 13, 2023

The aughts were a decade where everything happened at once. A clash of styles occurred as civilization moved into the new millennium, while many people looked forward to a new era, others drew inspiration from the past.

These rarely seen snapshots from the 2000s show the enthusiasm and excitement that came with greeting a new decade, even if everyone was unsure of what exactly was going to happen. The excitement and sensuality of the decade spills over from each photo, so make sure you have plenty of time to spend on each shot.

If you’re ready to have your concept of the 2000s challenged then start scrolling through these fascinating photos from the first decade of the new millennium.

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After spending the ‘90s as one of the most desired women in genre films, Salma Hayek took the 2000s by storm with massive roles in films like Frida and Once Upon a Time in Mexico, but aside from these beloved roles she was a constant on red carpets across the world.

Hayek’s 2000s filmography may be light, but that’s because she spent much of her time trying to get Frida off of the ground, something that she’s extremely proud of, as well she should be. She explained to In Style:

I was nominated for an Oscar for my performance in Frida at the time. I had to fight for eight years to get Frida off the ground. Nobody wanted to make a story about a Mexican Communist artist with one eyebrow. It was really hard. But I had a vision for it. And I’m proud that I produced it too. There was no ‘Oh, can I please have a credit?’ No, no, no. I made that happen.

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source: pinterest

This is truly a photo of young love.  Vanessa Laine, was only 18 years old attending Marina High School when Kobe proposed and then a month later took home the first of his five championship rings in June of 2000 (pictured).

Bryant met Laine when he stopped by the filming of a hip hop video where his future fiancé was acting as a background model. The two hit it off and were inseparable from then on out.

After winning his first NBA championship, Bryant and his fiancé skipped her prom and instead went to Italy to celebrate. That's not a bad way to start off the decade.

After tying the knot at St. Edward Roman Catholic Church in 2001, Kobe and Vanessa began a long, and tumultuous journey as a couple. Kobe’s parents didn’t attend the wedding, and neither did his agent, which made it look like the union was off to a less than auspicious start.

Even so, in 2002 the couple moved into a $4 million home in Newport Beach while Kobe continued to dominate with the Lakers. His estrangement from his family ended just a year later when the couple’s first child was born on January 19, 2003.

The couple was one of the most revered of the 2000s, even if they had their ups and downs.  Sadly, just as Kobe started growing into an all-star dad and husband, tragedy struck on January 26, 2020, when his helicopter crashed killing him, his daughter, and several others. Impromptu memorials to Bryant went up around the world shortly after the news was announced.