Nearly 40 Years After Too Close For Comfort, Lydia Cornell Is Still A Blonde Stunner At 73

Lydia Cornell shot to stardom when she landed the role of Sarah Rush on the beloved '80s sitcom "Too Close for Comfort." We hate to break it to you, but that was over 40 years ago. Cornell, however, still looks just as gorgeous as ever. She's still blonde, and she still has that winning smile too. While the actor has gotten older just like the rest of us, she definitely lands on our list of actresses who have aged like fine wine. A quick scroll through the "The Dukes of Hazzard" star's Instagram account is proof that you can still look amazing at 73. Cornell frequently posts selfies to her page, proudly showing off her signature blonde locks as she checks in with fans (we'd also love to steal her skincare routine). 

"You look fantastic," one impressed fan commented. "That is a beautiful picture of you," another added. While it's been almost four decades since "Too Close for Comfort" originally aired, Cornell, like so many of her fans, has great memories of her time working on the hit sitcom. The actor told Remind magazine in 2025 that she looks back on that time fondly. "We had just a silly show. I remember Ted Knight [Henry Rush] just falling over the couch," she recalled. "It was silly, slapstick comedy. We had this lion episode [Season 1's 'The Location'] with a giant lion brought in. We had an animal trainer, [and] we all had to confront the lion. It could have been scary, I guess, but it was very silly."

Hollywood is notoriously unkind to women, especially as they grow older. Multiple celebs' age-defying looks have had people talking, and it's a common theme in Tinseltown. When you look your age, you've let yourself go. When you undergo procedures to maintain your youthful looks, you're scrutinized for that, too. We're constantly bombarded with tips and tricks to help slow the aging process, and Lydia Cornell pointed this out in her bio on her official website, professing that the beauty industry is built on making women feel insecure and convincing them that they're old by the time they hit their 30s. She even created a film, the "Venus Conspiracy," that showcases how this is orchestrated. It was heavily inspired by her own experiences in Hollywood.

In her bio, Cornell admits that having your body analyzed and scrutinized by casting directors and the media is incredibly debilitating — and humiliating. "I actually fainted from fear at an audition once. Of course my jeans were so tight I hyperventilated, but being critiqued for every flaw on your body is demoralizing," she confessed. The actor touched on the subject again with Fox News in 2020, sharing her experience with alcohol addiction. "It got to a point where I had to be beautiful and perfect at all times. I couldn't be anything else. When you're told that your only value is being pretty [...] alcohol becomes an easy way to numb the pain and put it all off until tomorrow," Cornell said, adding, "You soon realize fame lasts only as long as you're cute. In my era, if you were a woman over 35 or you gained a pound, you were put out to pasture."

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).