1981: Another Show Lowe signed with ABC and shot the pilot to the sitcom Mean Jeans in 1981sadly the show never aired. ABC Photo Archives - Getty Images
1982: Overnight Success Lowe shot his first feature film in 1982, The Outsiders. His role as Sodapop Curtis turned him into an overnight success and he became the next big teen heartthrob. Sunset Boulevard - Getty Images
1983: A New Image Throughout the '80s, Lowe embraced his pretty boy image and starred in numerous teen films like St. Elmo's Fire and Oxford Blues. Ron Galella, Ltd. - Getty Images
1984: Continued Success Lowe starred alongside Jodie Foster in 1984 in The Hotel New Hampshire. The two actors have since remained long-time friends. MGM Studios - Getty Images
1984: Young Love Lowe began dating TV star, Melissa Gilbert, in the early '80s. "I fell instantly, hopelessly, and stupidly in love," Gilbert wrote in her memoir, Prairie Tale . Ron Galella - Getty Images
1985: A Statement Hairstyle For his role as Billy Hicks in Joel Schumacher's St. Elmo's Fire, Lowe rocked a mullet, a popular style at the time. Ron Galella - Getty Images
1985: The Brat Pack In 1985, Lowe and his frequent teen costars, Emilio Estevez, Demi Moore, Anthony Michael Hall, Judd Nelson, and Ally Sheedy, were dubbed the Brat Pack by the press. Ron Galella - Getty Images
1986: Another Big Role Lowe starred in the popular '80s flick, About Last Night, alongside Demi Moore and Jim Belushi in 1986. Columbia TriStar - Getty Images
1987: A Broken Engagement Lowe and Gilbert dated on and off throughout the '80s. The couple got engaged in 1986, but eventually parted ways in 1987. Ron Galella - Getty Images
1987: Best Actor Nomination In 1987, the actor scored a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Square Dance. Walter McBride - Getty Images
1988: A Public Scandal While campaigning for Presidential candidate, Michael Dukakis, Lowe became involved in a scandal: A sex tape of him with a 16-year-old girl , whom he had met at the convention, was leaked. Lowe stated that he had no knowledge that she was underage and agreed to 20 hours of community service. He took a brief hiatus from the spotlight afterward. Ron Galella - Getty Images
1989: New Love On the set of his film Bad Influence, Lowe began dating makeup artist Sheryl Berkoff. Alexis DUCLOS - Getty Images
1990: An Important Gig Lowe hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time in 1990. During the show he appeared in Dana Carvey's "Church Chat" bit and poked fun at his 1989 sex tape scandal. NBC - Getty Images
1990: A Sober Life In 1990, the actor entered rehab for alcoholism. He credits his girlfriend at the time, Berkoff, for helping him get sober . Ron Galella - Getty Images
1991: Saying "I Do" After two years of dating, Lowe married Berkoff. "Ninety percent of moviemaking is casting. Same with life. When I met my wife, Sheryl, I knew I'd seen the perfect woman for the job," Lowe told GQ in 2015 . Ron Galella - Getty Images
1992: A Healthy Lifestyle The '90s were a turning point for the actor. Not only did he become a father (his first son was born in 1993 and his second in 1995), but his health became a top priority. He told Men's Health in 2019 that exercise became an outlet for his newfound sobriety: "I funneled the addiction, frankly, into that. Ron Galella - Getty Images
1993: A Long Road Back Lowe's career also shifted in the '90s. He began branching out into comedy, starting with a role small role in Wayne's World in 1992. NBC - Getty Images
1995: Comedic Aspirations In 1995, he appeared in Tommy Boy with Chris Farley and David Spade, another one of his first comedic roles. Ron Galella, Ltd. - Getty Images
1997: Giving Credit The actor credits Mike Meyers and his Wayne's World role for helping him make his return to acting after taking a brief break and helping him transition into comedy. Ron Galella - Getty Images
1997: Austin Powers Success He also had an uncredited role in the 1997 movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, which was the first of several appearances he made in the franchise. Ron Galella - Getty Images
1999: A Career in Television Another career shift Lowe made in the '90s: a move to TV. He scored a starring role in the critically acclaimed TV drama The West Wing, a political drama written by Aaron Sorkin and Felicity Willson in 1999. Getty Images - Getty Images
2000: Most Beautiful People And in case you were wondering, he was still a heartthrob. People voted Lowe one of their 5o Most Beautiful People in 2000. Ron Galella - Getty Images
2001: Raising Sons Lowe and his two sons, Matthew and John Owen, who are two years apart, at the Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone premiere. Kevin Winter - Getty Images
2002: More Awards In 2002, Lowe bagged a Screen Actors Guild Award for The West Wing. The popular show was also nominated for three Golden Globes this year. J. Vespa - Getty Images
2004: Diet Changes When the actor turned 40, he switched to a high protein and low-carb diet, although he still has a strong penchant for pizza and a milkshake . Jim Spellman - Getty Images
2005: Staying Motivated The actor maintains a healthy balance in his life by taking each day as it comes. "Just do the best you can do for yourself today," he told Insider in 2015. Tim Whitby - Getty Images
2006: The End of an Era The actor left The West Wing in 2006 to pursue other roles. Later that year he appeared in the dramatic comedy Thank You for Smoking with William H. Macy and Aaron Eckhart. E. Charbonneau - Getty Images
2007: More Television Accolades Lowe landed a role on ABC's TV drama Brothers and Sisters, where he played Robert McCallister for five seasons. Ron Tom - Getty Images
2008: A Healthy Routine The actor revealed that he works hard to stay in shape: His workout routine begins with a 45 minute Peloton bike ride or run, accompanied by a lifting or circuit training session. Jeffrey Mayer - Getty Images
2009: Back to Films In 2009, Lowe stared in the romantic comedy The Invention of Lying, alongside Jennifer Garner and Ricky Gervais. Kevin Winter - Getty Images
2010: Comedic Success In 2010, Lowe left Brothers and Sisters and took on the role of Chris Traeger in Parks and Recreation. He was on the show for five years. NBC - Getty Images
2011: Sharing His Stories Lowe released his memoir Stories I Only Tell My Friends in 2011. The book focuses on his crazy youthful years before he found sobriety and his wife. David Livingston - Getty Images
2012: A Balanced Diet Want to eat like Lowe? The actor revealed that his typical meal plan consists of Greek yogurt, berries, and nuts for a mid-morning snack, a chopped-chicken salad for lunch, followed by steak and vegetables for dinner. Handout - Getty Images
2014: A Successful Marriage Lowe and his wife Sheryl will be married for 28 years next year. Jeff Vespa - Getty Images
2015: Sharing His Secrets In an attempt to share his anti-aging secrets with the world, the actor launched a skincare line named Profile in 2015. Noel Vasquez - Getty Images
2016: Embracing New Hobbies Lowe's two sons Matthew and John Owen, who are currently 25 and 23 years old, are credited with getting the actor into surfing . Alberto E. Rodriguez - Getty Images
2017: A Reality Show Lowe and his sons appeared in the reality series The Lowe Files in 2017. However, it wasn't renewed for a second season. Tommaso Boddi - Getty Images
2018: Becoming a Spokesperson The actor, who had been following a low-carb diet for years, became a spokesman for the Atkins Diet in 2018. Jean Baptiste Lacroix - Getty Images
2019: As Youthful as Ever After more than three decades in Hollywood, Lowe proves he only gets better with age. Stephane Cardinale - Corbis - Getty Images