Once-Popular '70s Actresses Who Are Completely Unrecognizable Today

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No one stays young forever, and though film and television may immortalize youthful versions of iconic faces, time has a way of shifting appearances. These iconic actresses from the 1970s are far from immune to the effects of decades on their looks. However, just because they may not be identical to their much younger selves, their beauty hasn't faded. 

The aesthetic values of the 1970s were comprised of equal parts glamor and earthiness as disco and bohemian styles converged and informed the predominant trends of the time. Popular actresses of the era left their mark on beauty history, introducing iconic hairstyles and unforgettable wardrobes to the rapt eyes of the public. Though some of these styles remain frozen in time, those who wore them have matured and embraced not only the process of aging, but the new stylistic values of the decades that followed the prime of their careers. 

Comparing the past to the present can make these actresses appear unrecognizable in some aspects. However, aging is a privilege not afforded to all, and change is often a mark of incredible growth. 

Jane Fonda became a household name in the 1970s for her role as Bree Daniel in the psychological thriller, "Klute." Her broody expression, grungy beauty, and iconic dark brown shag haircut were style emblems of the decade, all of which were featured in her famous mugshot photo from 1970, which was taken after Fonda was arrested at an airport in Cleveland because authorities suspected the vitamins she had packed in her luggage were illicit substances. Fonda was soon released, but her uncommonly gorgeous mugshot still garners much-deserved fascination. In regard to that mugshot, she noted in her 2006 memoir, "My Life So Far,"  "It was my first hair epiphany." Hair silliness aside, the arrest was only one of many hardships Fonda has endured throughout her life. 

Since 1970, Fonda's appearance has changed in a manner one would reasonably expect. Over five decades have passed since the premiere of "Klute" and the capture of her mugshot. She has aged with incredible grace and exhibits a refined beauty that only improves with time. Fonda has traded her once-carefree, dark, shaggy haircut for a gorgeous silver bob, embracing the natural color shift. Her style preferences have also matured as she leans into more structured, elegant clothing for public appearances. 

Longtime actress Sally Field wowed audiences with her versatility and prowess exhibited in the film "Steel Magnolias," but her acting career first took flight in the previous decade with her roles in "Stay Hungry," "Hooper," and other films. She also scored impactful roles in television, such as her performance as Nora Walker in ABC's "Brothers & Sisters." Field's look in the '70s was smoldering and sultry with her brown hair, often fluffed and wavy, and a gorgeous tan. In recent years, Field has traded her dark locks for a shoulder-length salt and pepper cut.  

Though it has been a few decades since the start of Field's acting career, she is still gracing our screens in the 2020s, delivering roles such as Marilyn Cowan in "Spoiler Alert" and Betty in "80 for Brady." She has also been slated to play Tova in the 2026 Netflix adaptation of "Remarkably Bright Creatures," proving her talent and appearance age like fine wine, and the best is yet to come. 

"Carrie" actress Sissy Spacek's look has changed drastically since the 1976 cult classic film. In this interesting case, Spacek is not remembered for fresh-faced beauty in her most popular role. Conversely, Spacek leaned into the less desirable aesthetic aspects of "Carrie," which contribute to the lasting image fans hold in their minds all these years after its premiere. "I wanted to feel really badly about myself," she told CBS of her method. "There's nothing like not ... washing your face or brushing your teeth in the morning. I put Vaseline in my hair ... That made me feel really bad about myself. And that helps with the character." 

Spacek is unrecognizable because of her skin's glowy freshness – which is easier to achieve than you might think – and overall current look in comparison to the horror-inducing images from "Carrie." Now over 70 years old, Spacek's gorgeous, glowing skin leaves fans in envy and disbelief that her aging journey has not been altered by cosmetic surgery.

Actress Faye Dunaway is known for so much more than her looks. She was among the first actresses in Hollywood to introduce a level of feminine sexual liberation and expression formerly unexplored in American filmmaking. She was nominated for an Oscar for her role as Bonnie in the 1967 film "Bonnie and Clyde," which would go on to become an indisputable classic. 

Dunaway is another memorable Hollywood presence who has chosen to go the natural route in terms of aging. She is of the mindset that aging "is what it is. It's not something to moan or complain about," she told People (via Huffpost) in 2016. "I still have a lot of creativity and emotion and it almost gets deeper as you get older — the more you understand and absorb."

Her youthful, firm features of past decades have gracefully matured, and she has adopted an elegant, modest wardrobe in current times. She has kept a soft wash of blond in her hair along with its length, but has changed her makeup routine to lean on the more subdued and natural side. Though the change in her features through the years has been noticeable, as it is for everyone, she maintains a graceful, timeless approach to beauty. 

Helen Mirren once recited Shakespeare with unfathomable grace and continues to amaze fans with her pragmatic approach to beauty. The Royal Shakespeare Company alum found her footing on the big screen by the 1970s, an era that was reflected in her trendy appearance. This former bombshell blond has since traded her long golden locks for a sophisticated and equally ethereal silver bob.

In a 2026 interview with ELLE, Mirren opened up about her approach to beauty, societal pressure in regard to one's looks, and the non-issue of aging. "If women or men are seriously diminished, defeated, or depressed when they look in the mirror and are brought down by what they see, and they have the financial ability and the mental ability or whatever to change it, fine," said Mirren. Though she affirmed that it is a person's right to change their appearance however and whenever they see fit, she believes that, in many cases, serious medical intervention is premature. Mirren even noted that the aesthetic grievances of many who turn to cosmetic surgery could be alleviated by something as simple and cost-effective as a well-lit bathroom. "It's a lot cheaper than getting a facelift," she continued. "Bad lighting is so depressing."

"Night Moves" actress Melanie Griffith looks much different now than she did in the 1970s, but not just because of natural aging. Griffith had a complicated relationship with the cosmetic procedures she sought over 20 years prior. 

In a 2017 interview with Porter Magazine (via E! News), in which she discussed some hardships she experienced throughout her life and career, Griffith broached the subject of being among the celebs with cosmetic surgery regrets. "No, I didn't [realize] until people started saying, 'Oh my god, what has she done?!' I was so hurt," she said. "I went to a different doctor, and he started dissolving all of this s–t that this other woman doctor had put in. Hopefully, I look more normal now."

Despite her dissatisfaction with the results of her cosmetic treatments and the variation in her appearance when compared to her pre-intervention features, Griffith's aging process still has a graceful appearance. She maintains an element of edginess in her looks with a tousled, soft blond bob haircut and a sleek wardrobe. 

Since her roles in major films like "The Exorcist" and "Same Time, Next Year,"  Ellen Burstyn has dedicated herself to healthy living. It is a constant effort that has allowed the actress to maintain her health and external radiance. Having made it to her 90's, Burstyn's appearance has obviously changed a great deal since the beginning of her career, but those changes don't take anything away from the Hollywood legend's natural beauty. Burstyn has embraced snowy white hair and mature skin, which not only displays the richness of her life but the aesthetic benefits of allowing one's body to accept the changes that accompany aging.

Burstyn said in a 2021 interview with AARP magazine that she stays healthy and vibrant due to her responsible lifestyle choices. "I don't drink. I don't smoke. I don't do drugs," she told the outlet. "I eat healthily and I exercise. I just got a new stationary bike. You have to do the things that will get you there." 

Though she may not have the same innocent, perfectly smooth face as she did in 1971's "The Last Picture Show," Cybil Shepherd's natural, graceful aging transformation is one for the books. The star's shift into her older age has brought the inevitable markers of a life well lived while maintaining an appearance that is both elegant and beautiful in its own way. 

Unsurprisingly, given her classically beautiful features, Shepherd began her public career as a model and was awarded the coveted title of model of the year from Stuart Models in 1968. She has been featured multiple times on the cover of Glamour Magazine, and it was her success in this field that led to her career pivot to acting in the early 1970s. Shepherd would go on to have a successful career in both film and television through the decades following "The Last Picture Show," therefore proving that one does not need to chase youthful looks to have a fulfilling career on screen. 

"Shamus" actress Dyan Cannon's appearance has shifted significantly since her acting days, but she is still revered as a great beauty. Over the course of her career, which extends beyond six decades, Cannon has walked the line between inviting the anatomical shifts of aging and preserving the features of her youth. Though she hasn't publicly spoken about cosmetic surgery, many fans and viewers are convinced that she has had a significant amount of work done through the years, including a facelift. However, Cannon seems largely unbothered by the commentary. 

She has also maintained much of the same stylistic flair from her past, incorporating current trends into her wardrobe and not shying away from some tasteful bling. Over the years, Cannon has kept her long, luscious, honey blond hairdo rather than cropping it short. Plus, her easy-breezy, beachy mermaid waves give her a fresh, modern look that complements her fun, youthful style.