Old Hollywood Stars Who Still Rocked Red Carpets In Their 70s & Beyond

In an era when youth is praised above everything else and movies like "The Substance" hint that a woman's career in Hollywood is over as soon as she turns 50, it's important to remember that getting older is a privilege, not a curse. Some actresses are not willing to let prejudice about their age limit them. They will keep being themselves, enjoying the spotlight, and, in some cases, fueling decades-long feuds, like Jane Fonda and Barbra Streisand did at the Oscars.

The Hollywood stars in this list have dazzled audiences for decades. Some of them are no longer with us, but still rocked the red carpet right until the end. Others, well into their seventh, eighth, and even ninth decades, are still going strong. They keep turning heads on every red carpet, their confidence and effortless grace born of years of experience still making them the center of attention at every event.

Sophia Loren is one of the last stars standing from the beautiful Golden Age of Hollywood generation. At age 91, this Italian icon has been rocking the red carpet since the 1950s. She has never wanted to slow down and doesn't see growing older as an obstacle. As she told Vogue, "Never more than at the threshold of 90 have I realized that age is a state of mind."

For her, getting older has not changed her perspective on life. Her latest fiction role was as recent as 2020, and in 2021, she appeared in a fictionalized documentary about her career. "I wake up, and it is hard for me to imagine that I've been on this earth for almost one century because I still can see a long road ahead of me with so many things to do, places to see, people to meet," she explained, before jokingly adding, "I wish my knees and my back felt the same way because they are the only ones reminding me that I am the age that I am."

Raquel Welch will go down in history as one of the most iconic actresses of her generation. She died in 2023 at age 82, but well into her 70s, she was dazzling fans on the red carpet. Welch was an international sex symbol in the 1960s and '70s, but it wasn't just her looks that sustained her incredibly prolific career. As she grew and changed, she adapted to different roles, proving her talent and versatility at every turn. Her last film role was in the movie "How to Be a Latin Lover" in 2017, before she quietly stepped away from the public eye. TMZ revealed after her death that she was struggling with Alzheimer's disease. Her loss rattled the world of cinema, but her legacy, spanning over five decades, will never be forgotten.

Diane Keaton was undoubtedly one of the biggest losses of 2025. The 79-year-old actress' health had sharply declined over the last few months of her life, but fans would have never known if they saw her in the last years of her life. Every public appearance was radiant and positive. Yes, she was getting older, as was evidenced by the unapologetically gray hair she rocked for every red carpet appearance, but she had been working right up until the year before her death. It was sudden, and it left a gaping wound in show business, but Keaton's perpetually youthful spirit will live on forever.

This legendary comedy star has not let age slow her down. At the age of 80, her appearance at the promotion events for her latest venture, a children's book titled "The After-School Kindness Crew," proves that she's as sharp and comfortable in front of the camera as ever. In her long career, she has done everything, from singing to acting to producing. And the fact that she's still innovating, even in her 80s, proves just how full of life she still is.

There is very little Cher hasn't done. And very little she has stopped doing because of her age. She first became famous as a music icon, quickly becoming known as "The Goddess of Pop," but in the late 1960s, she added leading lady of Hollywood to her many accolades. At age 80, Cher has refused to give up her sex symbol title. Her 2026 Met Gala appearance is proof of that. She showed up in a leather corset, smiling dreamily as she walked the red carpet for all the world to see.

With film credits as recent as 2026, the incomparable Dame Judi Dench has remained the epitome of class ever since she started her career on the 1950s theater circuit in her native England. She became a stage actress of renown throughout the '50s and '60s, then moved on to the silver screen. She had a triumphant film and TV career spanning over six decades and has won countless awards, including an Academy Award and six BAFTAs. Now, the 91-year-old's dignified and effortlessly graceful demeanor continues to stop people in their tracks. As soon as you see her, it's clear: You're in the presence of an icon.

"Thelma & Louise," "The Client," "Dead Man Walking" ... the list goes on. Susan Sarandon's iconic roles have shaped cinema as we know it today, and from her very beginnings, she has been a force to be reckoned with, not just as an acting talent but as an advocate for women in the arts all over the world. Nowadays, the legendary actress is in her late 70s but continues to make a statement with her presence wherever she goes. And she has no intention of slowing down.

Ever since her 1955 film debut in legendary Golden Age of Hollywood director Alfred Hitchcock's black comedy "The Trouble With Harry," Shirley MacLaine has been one of the most influential actresses of her time. After over 70 years in the business, MacLaine is still active, even in her 90s. Her movie "American Dreamer" premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2022. Although age comes for us all, nothing seems to dim her talents or her eternally youthful demeanor.

Dolly Parton might be better known as the woman who changed country music forever, but in addition to writing unforgettable anthems that transcend generations, she has also left an indelible mark on Hollywood history with movies like "9 to 5," "Steel Magnolias," "Rhinestone," and more. She has won three Emmy Awards, has been nominated for two Academy Awards, and has even done a stint on Broadway. She continues to release music, to make fashion statements with every appearance, and to inspire new generations of artists.

Jane Fonda has had many eras throughout her long and rich career. From her time as a Broadway star to becoming a rom-com icon and a fitness guru, she has done it all. Or, rather, she still does it all. After all, aging has never been an obstacle for Fonda. In 2015, she and her longtime friend and collaborator Lily Tomlin embarked on a long journey with the seven-season comedy series "Grace and Frankie." While the show was still coming out, she worked on the last of her many collaborations with Robert Redford, the 2017 film "Our Souls at Night." Furthermore, in March 2026, it was announced that the 88-year-old star had accepted the starring role in "The Correspondent," a screen adaptation of Virginia Evans' New York Times bestseller by the same name, according to Entertainment Weekly.

Bette Midler is another example of a curious, multitalented, and daring artist who has left her mark not only on Hollywood but on every area of show business. Her career began on Broadway in the 1960s, but soon enough, her incredible singing voice catapulted her to stardom. After taking the world by storm in the 1970s, she finally made her silver screen debut in 1979 with "The Rose." In her 70s, she decided to return to her roots, making a triumphant comeback to the stage and captivating fans all over again.

Baby boomers will remember Jessica Lange from her film debut in the 1976 remake of "King Kong." Millennials remember her from her role in Tim Burton's 2003 film, "Big Fish." And Gen Z will see her and immediately think of "American Horror Story." That is a level of range and relevance that very few artists are lucky enough to maintain. In her later career, fans have been able to witness Lange's ever-evolving talent on Broadway stages, but that doesn't mean she's abandoning the screen. Deadline  confirmed in April 2026 that she will be returning to "American Horror Story" for a 13th season, and there will surely be more to come.

Nowadays, young people probably associate Glenn Close with her incredible performance in the 2025 movie "Wake Up Dead Man," the third installment in the "Knives Out" film series. But long before she joined this mystery franchise, Close carved out a name for herself both on the silver screen and onstage. A three-time Tony Award winner, Close spent decades dazzling her audience on Broadway stages. She was just as successful when she moved on to film and TV, earning eight Academy Award nominations and three Primetime Emmy Awards. Even though she's closer to 80 than 70, she seems as active and creative as ever in every public appearance.

At age 80, when most actors might gracefully withdraw from the public eye and enjoy their hard-earned retirement, Dame Helen Mirren, the incomparable British icon, continues to wow audiences with her flawless talent. She has done everything, from Shakespeare to royal dramas to sci-fi to superhero movies. And judging by her public appearances and announcements, she's not done finding new projects to get excited about. Deadline reported that she will be starring in Anton Corbijn's upcoming thriller "Switzerland." So, for any fans who might worry the reign of Dame Helen Mirren is coming to an end, do not fret. There's a lot to see of her yet.

It's really hard to find a single flaw in this incredible artist. Like many other actresses on this list, Meryl Streep started her career as a stage actor. However, before becoming the icon she is now, she earned two degrees in drama and worked obsessively on honing her craft. Her hard work clearly paid off as she went on to be recognized as one of the most technically proficient and versatile performers of her generation. Her leading role in "Sophie's Choice" is what truly showed the world what she was capable of, but her catalog is very diverse. Cases in point: her role in the 2021 political satire "Don't Look Up," and most recently, in the 2026 sequel to one of her greatest successes, "The Devil Wears Prada." Streep's talent, creativity, and drive are as strong as they ever were, even at age 76.

Candice Bergen's acting career famously took off in the 1970s, but before she became the movie star she has been for the past five decades, she first set foot in show business through the modeling world. She started modeling as a teenager in the 1960s, and even got to be on the cover of Vogue, but as she told People, she knew immediately that it wasn't what she wanted to do. She grew bored with it quickly and knew that acting was her true passion.

Nowadays, at age 80, she couldn't be happier with the career she's had and is excited about what comes next. In a conversation with AARP, she said that "the grace of getting older is something to be grateful for. It's a gift. It's not always the purest gift, but it's important to be grateful for it."

Ali MacGraw, now 87, started her career in the early 1960s, working as an assistant at Harper's Bazaar, as she told The Cut. She styled celebrities, fetched coffee, and organized schedules. Through that job, she got into modeling. And then, in 1969, she got her first leading role as an actress in "Goodbye, Columbus," which finally made people pay attention to her talent. She only went up from there. She starred in "Love Story," then "The Getaway," then on Broadway. Nowadays, she's taking it easy and enjoying the fruits of her labor, but every time she decides to show up at a red carpet, she still turns heads.

Faye Dunaway sightings are rare these days. She's very protective of her privacy and will only share details of her life in specific situations, according to Vogue. But when she does step out, everyone pays attention. Dunaway's success came quickly, and when she was very young. In 1967, she did both "The Happening" and the legendary film "Bonnie and Clyde." Faye Dunaway is 85 now, and she has more than earned the right to play by her own rules. But we can't deny that it's always a thrill to see her walk a red carpet with her signature charm.

Before Patti LuPone became a bona fide Hollywood star, she had already taken Broadway by storm. She starred in "Evita," worked on "Anything Goes," "The Robber Bridegroom," and many more, and then, after she had established herself, she went on to thrive in Hollywood as well. She worked on "Witness," "Wise Guys," "Family Prayers," to name a few. Theater, however, remained her true love. Her latest stint on Broadway was in 2024, and her passion and love for her craft are evident every time she steps onstage, no matter how much time passes.

In the early 1990s, Anjelica Huston took on the iconic role of Morticia Addams in "The Addams Family" movies, and even now that she's 74, it's difficult for some not to see Morticia every time the actress walks into the room. Unfortunately, for a few years, she has been keeping a low profile, and in 2025, she revealed to People why. After she worked on "John Wick: Chapter 3 — Parabellum" in 2019, she had a "bout with cancer."

"It came as a big shock," she said of her diagnosis, "but it made me conscious of what I shouldn't do, of places I shouldn't go. One of those places was taking life too seriously. So now when the opportunity arises, I laugh, and I try not to make a big deal out of things." This awareness and positive approach to life must be what keeps her looking so joyful as she ages.

Like many other Golden Age Hollywood stars, 96-year-old Tippi Hedren rose to fame in the 1960s, working on Alfred Hitchcock movies "The Birds" and "Marnie". However, her history with Hitchcock is incredibly turbulent, as The Daily Mail and many other outlets have reported. And while she learned a lot and grew as an actress under his guidance, it took her a long time to break free from her contractual obligations to him. When she did, though, she proved over and over again that she didn't owe the director anything. Her talent was the product of her own hard work, and even well into her 70s and 80s, she continued to work both in Hollywood and in other ventures. At 88, she became the face of a Gucci jewelry line. It doesn't get any more iconic than that.

In her youth, Claudia Cardinale was heralded as "the most beautiful woman in the world," but while this Italian icon was incredibly beautiful, it would be sacrilegious to reduce her to just that. Throughout the late 1950s and early 60s, Cardinale worked on several European films. She reached Hollywood in 1966, when she did three movies in a row: "Blindfold," "Lost Command," and "The Professionals." After a very prolific stint there, she returned to Europe in the late 60s to work in Italian and French productions, going back and forth between Hollywood and her native Italy. When she died in 2025 at age 87, she left behind one of the richest filmographies ever. She worked until well into her 80s and remains a huge icon for cinephiles around the world.

Dame Julie Andrews shaped childhoods across decades. Most people will remember her as Mary Poppins or as Maria von Trapp in "The Sound of Music." But while those movies have undoubtedly stood the test of time, younger fans might know her better as the beloved Queen Clarisse in "The Princess Diaries." Her beautiful voice, inherently comforting presence, and undeniable talent have been constant companions to multiple generations, and while she told Forbes in 2023 that she's "pretty much retired," her voice and iconic characters will always be a part of pop culture.

Seeing Rita Moreno at 94 is almost jarring. She remains the dazzling, joyful, smiling icon she was back in the 1950s. Moreno has won countless awards since her early supporting roles in movies like "Singing in the Rain" and "The King and I." Her breakthrough role was in "West Side Story," which earned her an Academy Award. In 2023, at age 91, she appeared in the sports comedy "80 for Brady" alongside Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Sally Field. That same year, she worked on "Fast X," the 10th movie of the "Fast & Furious" franchise. And if her latest red carpet appearances are any indication, she's not planning on slowing down, even in her 90s.