Before they were famous: Lady Gaga, Scarlett Johansson, Bradley Cooper and more in sweet yearbook photos

By Jody Thompson

Last updated at 3:25 PM on 24th August 2011

It was an age of innocence, before fame and fortune when they were just the goofy kid in class - and these old yearbook pictures give a fascinating glimpse of some of the world's best-loved stars before they were famous.

Released by Ancestry.com as part of their US School Yearbook Collection, they show Lady Gaga, 25, when she was just plain Stefani Germanotta and Scarlet Johannson before she started wearing her trademark red lippy.

In a rather cute picture, a make-up - and tattoo - free Gaga is seen aged around 18 dancing with her father in 2004 during her senior year at the Convent of the Sacred Heart School in New York.

Before The Fame: Lady Gaga, then known as Stefani Germanotta, is pictured dancing with her father in 2004 - but didn't look that different last week (R)

However, as her gaze holds the camera while she wears a chic black dress, some could perhaps see that The Fame was just around the corner.

Meanwhile, Scarlett, 26, is shown in 2002 aged 15 during her senior year at Professional Childrens School in New York.

Wearing a frumpy jumper and totally bare-faced as she decorates a Christmas tree in one shot, though it would be difficult to forsee she would be become a fashion icon and muse, her beauty is still unmistakeable.

Not lost in Translation: Scarlett Johansson is pictured decorating a Christmas tree in 2002

Stunning then and now: The star's beauty shone through even at a young age

Certainly, in the picture where she has donned lipgloss, she dazzles despite wearing the schoolgirl staple of jeans and crew neck top.

Hangover star Bradley Cooper's picture meanwhile dates back to 1992 - presumably a long time before he had a Hangover.

The now 36-year-old is shown during chemistry class in his junior year at Germantown Academy in Fort Washington.

Upon the fence: Jennifer Lopez posed near some shubbery for her pic at the Bronx's Preston High School

Stunning: J-Lo as she is now, seen yesterday filming a car commercial

Leading man: Hangover star Bradley Cooper appears to be trying to look into his future in this 1992 pic

However, the despite the star's current heartthrob status, his inner geek was as clearly evident then as it is now.

Green Latern star Ryan Reynolds, 34, meanwhile is shown with a host of his classmates from Kitsilano Secondary School in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Taken in 1993, it shows Scarlett's ex during his junior year at the school.

Future superhero: Ryan Reynolds posed with friends for his 1993 yearbook photo

Unlike the rest of his Yearbook co-stars however, it seems that Ryan was already the cool kid in class, with his gelled hair do and cheeky look at the camera.

Paris Hilton, 30, is shown winning the accolade of 'the finest girl' in her year as she posed, complete with mortar board, for her Grade 8 Graduation Photo from St. Paul the Apostle School in Los Angeles.

Jennifer Lopez, 42, meanwhile was frizzy haired and perched on a fence at Preston High School in the Bronx, New York, for her 1987 photo.

Award winning: Paris Hilton was named 'the finest girl' in her yearbook

Notorious curlyhead Justin Timberlake, 30, meanwhile had managed to tame his locks for his 1991 4th Grade pic at E. Jeter Elementary School in Millington, Tennessee - but there was no disguising the gap between his front teeth.

Elsewhere, Leonardo DiCaprio, 36, proved that he was a joker even back in 1991, when he psed for his 1991 Sophomore Year yearbook picture with a comedy speech bubble coming from his head declaring: 'I'm so smart!'

He went to the grandly-named Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies.

Cry me a river: Justin Timberlake had a huge gap in his teeth in his 4th Grade pic in 1991

And last but not least, 40-year-old Matt Damon appeared to be in training for his role in Good Will Hunting with his swotty in-class pose for his 1988 Senior Year picture at his school in Cambridge, Massachussetts.

Ancestry.com has released its U.S. School Yearbook Collection, as the genealogy website recently expanded its yearbook database to include nearly 7 million images from thousands of schools across the United States.