Robert Capron, who played Rowley Jefferson in the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movies, looks almost unrecognizable compared with his early days in the franchise — and it’s been 16 years since the first film arrived.
Adapted from Jeff Kinney’s 2007 illustrated book, Diary of a Wimpy Kid follows Greg Heffley, played by Zachary Gordon, as he tries to survive middle school and climb the social ladder without too much disaster. The first film opened in 2010, with the franchise later stretching across multiple sequels and an animated reboot.
One of the series’ most memorable characters was Greg’s loyal best friend Rowley, portrayed by Capron. Over time, Rowley became a fan favorite, helped in no small part by a brief but unforgettable moment in 2011’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules.
That church scene, where Rowley spots Greg and reacts to his outfit, has become one of the most widely shared moments from the franchise online.
In the film, Greg accidentally squashes a chocolate bar while wearing light-colored trousers. His mother Susan, played by Rachel Harris, hurriedly hands him a pink shawl to cover the stain, setting up the now-famous reaction from Rowley as the family walks by.
The meme, often referred to as ‘Rowley Waves Then Looks Down,’ has kept the character firmly embedded in internet culture. Even so, time has moved on for the cast, and many people have been stunned to realize that Capron turned 28 on 9 July.
Capron has also appeared in projects including 2017’s The Polka King with Jack Black and the procedural drama Elementary. He has continued working beyond acting too, and in 2024 he talked about his short film Vial and how surreal it is to still be sent around online as a reaction GIF. Far removed from Rowley’s signature blond bowl cut, the actor’s appearance today has drawn plenty of attention from fans, especially after people marked his birthday on 9 July.
Happy 28th birthday to 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' star Robert Capron. pic.twitter.com/iK9QZHbEd3
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) July 9, 2026
After Pop Crave posted side-by-side images comparing Capron then and now, social media users had plenty to say about the change.
“the glow up is serious lol”
“Oh, he’s so adorable!”
“Bro didn’t have to grow up,”
“Wait a minute! Who are you?”
“Damn, Rowley grew up handsome. Good for him.”
“Rowley all grown up is making an entire generation of millennials and Gen Z feel ancient right now,”
Capron himself has spoken about the staying power of the memes, and it seems he’s more amused by them than anything else.
“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.”