History Main / GirlNextDoorTurnedSuperstar

** However, Mary Jane discovers his secret identity by the end of the film - making Peter the "Boy Next Door Turned Superhero" - and decides to be with him, despite the risks, making it a [[GenderFlip Gender-Flipped]] DoubleSubversion.

Compare with UptownGirl (which this trope may overlap with) and SingleGirlSeeksMostPopularGuy. See also GirlNextDoor, TheOneThatGotAway, ChildhoodFriendRomance, JustFriends, SuddenlySuitableSuitor, BoyMeetsGirl and PeerlessLoveInterest.

-->'''Angie:''' Just tell me, Oscar, 'cause I'm curious. Why do you think she's interested in you, huh? Do you think, for one minute, that she would even be ''with you'' if you weren't the rich-and-famous Sharkslayer? Are you that blind?!
-->'''Oscar:''' At least ''she'' treats me like I'm somebody!
-->'''Angie:''' Yeah, but would she love you if you were nobody?!
-->'''Oscar:''' ''Nobody'' loved me when I was nobody!
-->'''Angie:''' ''I '''did!''''' Before the money... And before the fame... Before the ''lie''... To me, you ''were'' a somebody, Oscar. And now, you're nothing... but a ''fake''. A sham, a con. You're a ''joke''.
* ''WesternAnimation/WishDragon'': Din and Li Na are a platonic example of this trope. They were the best of friends as children but eventually were separated when Li Na's father got a very important job that forced him to move away with his family. Years later as a young adult, Li Na is now a famous wealthy model who Din still hasn't seen, Din then makes several attempts to reconnect with his friend before eventually doing so with a series of events relating to him finding the magic teapot containing Long and reconnecting with her through the activities they loved to do as children.

* Niki from ''VisualNovel/LessonsInLove'' was Sensei's childhood girlfriend, until he broke contact with her in the yet-unexplained period following his brother's death. In the game's present she's a massively popular singer and idol, and admits that part of her success was an attempt to invoke this trope so that Sensei would realize what he'd skipped out on and come groveling back. A totally unsuccessful attempt- not only has he not been pining for her, his amnesia has left him with no memory of her at all and he's somehow managed to not even notice her despite her ubiquitous media presence.

* Rara/Countess Coloratura from ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' is a platonic, same-gendered variant of this trope with Applejack. The two were childhood friends, but, when they meet again for the first time in years in "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS5E24TheManeAttraction The Mane Attraction]]", Applejack learns she'd become a pop sensation in the interim. But when she acts distantly, refuses to accept Applejack's use of her "Rara" nickname and performs an act that has no resemblance to the pony she once was, Applejack realizes she's been trapped under the influence of a controlling manager, subsequently helping her break free from him and adopt a style that's much more true to herself.

** Mary Jane was literally the girl next door to Peter growing up, who Peter has a long-time crush on. Two years after Peter [[JustFriends rebuffed her love confession]] [[Film/SpiderMan1 after almost losing her to the Green Goblin]], Mary Jane is an up-and-coming model/actress and starring in a successful off-Broadway show, while Peter is trying to balance working odd jobs and going to college (and secretly fighting crime as Spider-Man). While Mary Jane still loves him, is still friends with him, and even suspects his secret, she pursues a relationship with astronaut John Jameson since [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies Peter keeps pushing her away]], subverting the trope since he is actively ''not'' pursuing her.

** Mary Jane was literally the girl next door to Peter growing up, who Peter has a long-time crush on. Two years after Peter [[JustFriends rebuffed her love confession]] [[Film/SpiderMan1 after almost losing her to the Green Goblin]], Mary Jane is a model/actress and starring in a successful off-Broadway show, while Peter is trying to balance working odd jobs and going to college (and secretly fighting crime as Spider-Man). While Mary Jane still loves him, is still friends with him, and even suspects his secret, she pursues a relationship with astronaut John Jameson since [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies Peter keeps pushing her away]], subverting the trope since he is actively ''not'' pursuing her.

** Mary Jane was literally the girl next door to Peter growing up, who Peter has a long-time crush on. Two years after Peter [[JustFriends rebuffed her love confession]] [[Film/SpiderMan1 after almost losing her to the Green Goblin]], Mary Jane is a model/actress and starring in a successful off-Broadway show, while Peter is working odd jobs (and secretly fighting crime as Spider-Man). While Mary Jane still loves him, is still friends with him, and even suspects his secret, she pursues a relationship with astronaut John Jameson since [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies Peter keeps pushing her away]], subverting the trope since he is actively ''not'' pursuing her.

* ''WesternAnimation/SharkTale'': Before Oscar becomes famous with his "Sharkslayer" ruse, his friend and co-worker Angie is shown to harbor a secret crush on him. She finally confesses her love when confronting him about his AcquiredSituationalNarcissism and hot new girlfriend Lola.

* ''WesternAnimation/WishDragon'': Din and Li Na are a platonic example of this trope. They were the best of friends as children but eventually were separated when Li Na's father got a very important job that forced him to move away with his family. Years later as a young adult Li Na is now a famous wealthy model who Din still hasn't seen, Din then makes several attempts to reconnect with his friend before eventually doing so with a series of events relating to him finding the magic teapot containing Long and reconnecting with her through the activities they loved to do as children.

** Mary Jane was literally the girl next door to Peter growing up, who Peter has a long-time crush on. Two years after Peter [[JustFriends rebuffed her love confession]] [[Film/SpiderMan1 after almost losing her to the Green Goblin]], Mary Jane is a model/actress and starring in a Broadway show, while Peter is working odd jobs (and secretly fighting crime as Spider-Man). While Mary Jane still loves him, is still friends with him, and even suspects his secret, she pursues a relationship with astronaut John Jameson since [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies Peter keeps pushing her away]], subverting the trope since he is actively ''not'' pursuing her.

* Storm Large's ''Fat Chick's Revenge'' is a dark take on this trope, where the singer is a formerly unpopular girl who's taunting the guy who knew her when she was in school. Rather than pining for her, he'd bullied her because of her weight back then but is now trying to get close to her because of her newfound fame and wealth. She makes it clear that she remembers exactly how he treated her back then and has no interest in him now. Her "revenge" is living well while taunting him for failing to make anything of himself.

** Mary Jane was literally the girl next door to Peter growing up, who Peter has a long-time crush on. Two years after Peter [[JustFriends rebuffed her love confession]] [[Film/SpiderMan after almost losing her to the Green Goblin]], Mary Jane is a model/actress and starring in a Broadway show, while Peter is working odd jobs (and secretly fighting crime as Spider-Man). While Mary Jane still loves him, is still friends with him, and even suspects his secret, she pursues a relationship with astronaut John Jameson since [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies Peter keeps pushing her away]], subverting the trope since he is actively ''not'' pursuing her.

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]

[[folder:Films - Animation]]

[[folder:Films - Live Action]]

* Used in the second movie of ''Anime/MacrossFrontier'' crossed with ForgottenChildhoodFriend: Alto remembers a childhood encounter with [[spoiler: Sheryl Nome, the most popular IdolSinger in the galaxy]], back when she was just an ordinary young girl with a dream who saw him on stage and praised his acting. Alto remembering this moment immediately resolves the series central LoveTriangle in her favor.

** Mary Jane was literally the girl next door to Peter growing up, who Peter has a long-time crush on. Two years after Peter [[JustFriends rebuffed her love confession]] [[Film/SpiderMan after almost losing her to the Green Goblin]], Mary Jane is a model/actress and starring in a Broadway show, while Peter is working odd jobs (and secretly fighting crime as Spider-Man). While Mary Jane still loves him, is still friends with him, and even suspects his secret, she pursues a relationship with astronaut John Jameson since [[ItsNotYouItsMyEnemies Peter keeps pushing her away]], subverting the trope.
** However, Mary Jane discovers his secret identity by the end of the film - making Peter the "Boy Next Door Turned Superhero" - and decides to be with him, despite the risks, making it a [[GenderFlip gender-flipped]] DoubleSubversion.

** However, Mary Jane discovers his secret identity by the end of the film - making Peter the "Boy Next Door Turned Superhero" - and decides to be with him, despite the risks, playing it straight.

See also GirlNextDoor, TheOneThatGotAway, ChildhoodFriendRomance, JustFriends, SuddenlySuitableSuitor.

* Music/AvrilLavigne: "[=Sk8er=] Boi" tells the story of a woman who had a crush on a guy since high school, but wouldn't admit to it because he was unpopular. Now, he's a celebrity, and she's still pining for him, but he's out of her reach.

There's this girl who the male protagonist grew up with. She was either the GirlNextDoor who was always nice to him, or the high school beauty queen who was way out of his league. Either way, she grows up and moves to the big city, and he watches on as she became a famous actress, model, or singer, and he longs for her just like he did when he was young.

* ''Film/LetItShine'': Cyrus has a huge crush on a popstar named Roxie, and has since they went to the same elementary school together.

* In the anonymous Russian Christmas story ''Lenochka'', written in the 18th century, the protagonist, having just arrived from the country to Saint-Petersburg, learns that the object of his ChildhoodFriendRomance, the eponymous Lenochka, has become a famous society beauty at court. It eventually turns out she loves him as much as before and uses her newfound influence to get him the promotions he needs to become a SuddenlySuitableSuitor, because her late uncle has left her very specific instructions about her choice of a husband.

* Josie [=McCoy=] is the lead singer and guitarist of ''Film/JosieAndThePussycats'', a local band in Midvale. She lives in meager house at the end of a cul-de-sac, and plays gigs for a pittance. One of her detractors notes, "Oh look: [Josie] held a concert, and nobody came." By happenstance, the Pussycats catch the attention of Wyatt Frame, who signs them on to Mega Records. This company propels the Pussycats to #1 on the Billboard chart, though this is done by subliminal suggestion added as a track in their album.