20 Celebs That Are Confronting Aging With Confidence (God, That's Refreshing)

Getting older doesn't have to be thought of as some haunting and scary fear. Everyone ages, which means there is no escaping it. Since every person who lives long enough will experience what it feels like to get older, this is something that should be wholeheartedly embraced and accepted. Grasping for youthfulness by taking extreme measures should no longer have a place in society. This topic is especially important to discuss when it comes to noteworthy celebrities in Hollywood. 

When you're famous enough to always have spotlights aiming your way, it's easy to feel scrutinized by the public eye at all times. It doesn't help that Hollywood's ageism feeds into a culture where everyone is obsessed with how celebrities look. Showcasing your willingness to accept your older age as a celebrity is something that should be respected, honored, and celebrated. After all, aging doesn't dull your shine. Several celebrities who have been on top of the game for decades are now confronting their older age with nothing short of pure confidence.

Oprah Winfrey is currently living her best life at almost 70. Since breaking into the entertainment industry as a television host in 1988, the actor, producer, and author has changed millions of lives, growing into a household name.

The media titan recently opened up about the gift of aging on her own website, Oprah Daily. She said, "I am living my best life, I have to say. And you know, people say that you're never as young as you are right now at this moment. And while that may be true, I'm okay with that because aging brings great gifts—like being able to do more things that you want to do rather than what you have to do." When aging is described as a gift, it turns it into something people actually want to experience and reach.

Sharon Stone is the same talented actress who stunned audiences with her passionate performance in 1992's "Basic Instinct." Following the film's success, she went on to star in numerous thrillers, mysteries, and romances over the next two decades. Now in her mid sixties, Stone is someone fans can look up to with appreciation and respect. In 2022, she posed for a gorgeous photo shoot with Vogue Arabia and spoke with the outlet about getting older.

She said, "I feel like this is the most exciting and creative period of my life. I feel really, really happy. I've never been this joyful." Although she did also mention that it occasionally feels like women are ignored after the age of 45, it's wonderful to see that she also had a lot of good things to say about being in her 60s. Thinking of this stage of her life as exciting, creative, happy, and joyful is wonderful.

It might be shocking to hear that an actor as talented and noteworthy as Meryl Streep dealt with concerns about her career abruptly ending due to age. She told WSJ Magazine, "I remember as I was hovering around 40, I thought each movie would be my last, really. And all the evidence of other 40-year-old women at that time – this is 27 years ago – would lead you to believe it was over." 

Interestingly enough, Streep is now in her seventies with movie producers still reaching out to her on a regular basis. She most recently received an Emmy nomination in 2020 for her performance in HBO's "Big Little Lies." Clearly, turning 40 wasn't going to be the death of her career in any capacity. Streep's talent has always spoken for itself and carried her along throughout the years. Her concerns at the time were certainly valid, though, in an industry that glorifies youth. Streep stands as proof that getting older does not mean your career is over.

When you think of Emma Thompson's career, some of the amazing movies that come to mind might include "Matilda" and "Cruella." Now that she's in her sixties, she's getting brutally honest about her age is something she is more comfortable doing. When describing her mother in a personal essay for The Guardian, Thompson said, "She taught me to walk when I was a baby, and now, she teaches me how I will walk when I am old: how to reach for this, bend for that, move around the obstacles like an ancient, patient stream."

She continued, "Living between these bodies is an odd mixture of joy and grief. I exist between them. I'm grateful I can still get up a hill and I'm depressed about my thighs." Although her thighs don't leave her feeling the most confident, she still has a sense of gratitude for all the things her body is still capable of doing.

Getting older isn't slowing Patti LaBelle down as she lives her life. The award-winning singer-songwriter keeps herself feeling young from the inside out with the help of music. She told Oprah Daily, "I love Tupac, I love 'California Love' and 'The Club' and 'Ain't Nobody.' I like dancing to those gangster songs, you know? And I think it keeps me going. My grandkids say, 'Oh, Grandma, you know that song?' I say, 'Yeah, girls, that's before your time.'"

LaBelle went on to say, "They watch me for encouragement. As they turn seven and four, they'll say, 'Oh, Grandma is old, but she doesn't act old.' So I feel that doing things like dancing and moving around and, and pranking and all the fun things that I do has kept me happy." The little ones in LaBelle's life can acknowledge the fact that she doesn't act her age in the slightest!

Holly Hunter voiced the animated character of Helen Parr in the animated Disney movie "The Incredibles" back in 2004. In 2023, Hunter is 65 years old and keeping it real as ever. She opened up to The Guardian about landing morals at an older age than a younger one. 

She said, "I remember that when I was in my 30s, a hot age for an actress, lots of offers were coming in but nothing was great and I didn't work for 18 months. It was at a really fruitful age and I wanted to work. There was nothing coming down the pipeline that I thought was good and then I got 'The Piano.' I have never been an easy fit. I'm a leading lady character actor, I don't fit in one slot simply. I've always been used to a certain amount of struggle and that prepared me wonderfully for a mature age."

Susan Sarandon has been household name since the early '90s which she graced the screen as a lead in "Thelma and Louise." And though she's in her seventies, the actress doesn't appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Her most recent movie with Emma Roberts, "Maybe I Do," premiered in 2023, proving she's still at the top of her game.

In 2020, the actress told People, "If you want to age gracefully, you don't smoke cigarettes and probably laugh a lot, and get the normal amount of exercise, and eat well and stay out of the sun would be the main things. As is having an amazing makeup and hair team, that's really the secret." In other words, being in front of the public eye all the time as a celeb means it's important to take care of your health and ensure your highest levels of confidence.

With modern-day celebrities like Kim Kardashian dressing up like you for Halloween, it's obvious that you're doing something right. This is something Cher can claim at the age of 77. The talented singer was fondly labeled the "goddess of pop" by the media when she was releasing catchy songs for music lovers to listen to in her heyday. Her thoughts on getting older come from a comical point of view. 

On May 20, 2023, she took to Twitter to write, "Okay, will someone [prayer hands emoji] PLEASE tell me... When will I feel old [baby emoji]? This is ridiculous [eye roll emoji]. I keep hearing these numbers, but I honestly can't understand them." It's obvious that she isn't feeling "old," no matter what age she turns each year. If someone were to approach her and tell her that she should've started feeling old at the age of 70, she'd simply tell them they were wrong.

What better nickname to lovingly receive from the media than the "Queen of Pop"? Madonna had music lovers in a chokehold throughout the 80s and 90s with her long list of hit songs. The 64-year-old musician spoke up about ageism and misogyny to The Guardian by saying, "Once again I am caught in the glare of ageism and misogyny that permeates the world we live in. A world that refuses to celebrate women past the age of 45 and feels the need to punish her if she continues to be strong-willed, hard-working, and adventurous."

 Her willingness to open up about such a hot-button issue proves that she isn't scared about any blacklash she might receive. She's willing to speak up for herself and all other women who still deserve to be celebrated for their accomplishments beyond the age of 45. Getting older hasn't slowed Madonna down in the slightest.

The legacy of Sigourney Weaver will live on forever thanks to her impressive resume as an actor in the Hollywood industry. There's no denying that she is well-established with plenty of accolades backing her up to prove it. As far as aging goes, there's nothing too scary about getting older in Weaver's mind. She told People, "I like getting older. There's nothing more inspiring to me than a woman in her 70s who's full of life and still useful. I never notice age in people's faces. I just look at the whole person." 

Her view on aging is golden because it requires a full analysis of a person for everything they offer the world beyond their age. Someone's age is certainly a factor in who they are as a person, but it definitely isn't the only detail that deserves to be honed in on. This lovely fact is something Weaver deeply understands.