Diary of a Wimpy Kid star Robert Capron looks completely different years after becoming a viral meme

You might remember him from the 2010s film series The Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but star Robert Capron looks very different today — 16 years on from the first movie.

Based on Jeff Kinney's 2007 illustrated novel of the same name, Diary of a Wimpy Kid chronicles protagonist Greg Heffley’s (Zachary Gordon) attempts to navigate the first year of middle school unscathed and achieve popularity.

By his side was his trusted best friend Rowley Jefferson, played by Capron. The character achieved a popularity of his own thanks to a scene from the second film in the franchise, 2011’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.

In the movie, the moment in which Rowley greets bestie Greg at church has entered the internet’s Hall of Fame.

After Greg accidentally sits on a chocolate bar while wearing cream-coloured trousers, his mum Susan (Rachel Harris) panics and gives him a pink shawl to style on top of the pants.

As the family walk down the aisle, Rowely intercepts his friend and waves at him enthusiastically, before noticing his pal’s improvised fashion hack with a puzzled look on his face.

The ‘Rowley Waves Then Looks Down’ meme has since become hugely popular, crystallising the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and its protagonists in time, but as it turns out, years have passed for the cast and it seems the Internet can’t handle Rowley star Capron now turning 28. Let that sink in.

The actor, whose other credits include 2017’s Jack Black movie The Polka King and procedural Elementary, has undergone a transformation since his puberty days. Leaving that blondish bowl cut behind, fans have confirmed Capron has grown up 'handsome' as they celebrated the star on his birthday on 9 July.

Afte X account Pop Crave shared side-by-side photos of Capron as his franchise character Rowley, one user pointed out that ‘the glow up is serious lol’ with someone else writing: “Oh, he’s so adorable!”

A third follower lamented, “Bro didn’t have to grow up,” while a fourth remarked, “Wait a minute! Who are you?”

"Damn, Rowley grew up handsome. Good for him," another added.

But the memes stay on, as Capron assured in a 2024 interview.

“From the bottom of my heart, my favorite part now, truly,” Capron said in a 2024 interview with Feature First. “As somebody who went to high school and sent around some goofy GIFs and all of that, it is so delightful to me that I am now being sent around as a reaction GIF, presumably in a lot of different high schools.”