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As much as youth and beauty are celebrated, the world of celebrity gossip is slowly coming around to the fact that, surprise surprise, most of us continue to age past twenty-five. On the other end of the spectrum, some people achieved fame later in life, so the vast majority of the population doesn’t even have a frame of reference for what they may have looked like at a younger age.
So here is a collection of actors, actresses, musicians, and other assorted famous people at the age of forty, a perfect midway point in age. So scroll through, upvote your personal favorites, and be sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
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#1
Keanu Reeves
In 2004.
Rigor Moreno 2 years ago
That's in between Matrix and Constantine timeline... Upvote for Mr. Reeves. :D
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
I'm a damned asexual woman and I find Keanu attractive. Furthermore, he just seems like a genuinely good and kind person.
Aboredpanda 2 years ago (edited)
Ehhh... he looks older now, (looks very young here. Sure.) What're you talking about, guys.
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Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
Anyone else notice that if Keanu is involved he always is #1? Of course he is! It’s a given. Loved The Lake House.
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#2
Betty White
In 1962.
Dick Fint 2 years ago
Betty looked not much different in here last interview. But I do recall watching Lake Placid with her in it and here use of "slightly colorful" language had me close to losing bladder control. Despite the language, she was just as funny as ever, while being mostly completely serious. Never expected this from Betty. Made it that much more amazing.
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Tiki Stanford 2 years ago
She doesn't look sixty, but her clothing and hairstyle do. This was the way adults dressed in 1962. As that generation got older, many kept the style of dress and hair the same way they had it when they were younger. So we now associate those styles with an elderly person. However, in this photo she is stunning. Absolutely beautiful and such a quick wit. rip Betty White, you are missed.
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Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
This is a publicity shot for PASSWORD, her husband Allan Ludden (in the pic) was the host. They actually met on the show when she appeared as a celeb partner. Here's an episode of TO TELL THE TRUTH from the same year (she's on the panel with Johnny Carson) to prove she looked a LOT better in "real life" than she does here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwDseg1jX6U
The Veil of Fire 2 years ago
She was/is a most wonderful person, inside and out. That is why she is a most remarkable beauty and was forever young.
Couragetcd 2 years ago
I thought she looked old when I was a little kid watching reruns of Mary Tyler Moore. Then I thought she looked old watching the Golden Girls as a slightly older kid. Then I saw her trotting around in the decade before she passed and realized just how young she had been.
#3
Dolly Parton
In 1986.
Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
"I'm not offended by all the dumb blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb... and I also know that I'm not blonde." Gotta love that Dolly!
Howl's sleeping castle 2 years ago (edited)
Anne potts looks like Dolly Parton a lot. Smiles are very similar.
Pascal’s Swagger 2 years ago
Good call! Never noticed before but I do see it!
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Justin Thyme 2 years ago
Still awesome-- met her when she was expanding Dollywood last year-- smart lady.
As morbid as it sounds, a famous person reaching forty, or at least twenty-eight, is already a good start. There is a long list of artists who all passed away in one way or another at the age of twenty-seven. Famous examples from the 1960s and 1970 include, but are not limited to Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Jim Morrison.
More recently, Amy Winehouse and Kurt Cobain all passed away at that age, cementing this concept in two new generations' minds. So regardless of how one feels about these celebrities, it is somewhat nice that they all made it past that age successfully.
#4
Sandra Bullock
In 2004.
Vic_UA 2 years ago
I had no idea she's 59! when i saw 2004 - I went to wikipedia to doublecheck, cause I thought there was some kind of mistake of 10 years or so
Random Panda 2 years ago
Right?! I had to go Google it myself because that didn't seem correct, but it is and I also learned her long term partner has recently passed away. I feel so bad for her.
Load More Replies... J Adams 2 years ago
My ultimate girl crush, can’t think of anyone who has such poise and elegance mixed with such a goofy sense of humour and silliness. If everyone was a little more Sandra B the world would be a much better place
#5
Sir Ian Mckellen
In 1979.
Couragetcd 2 years ago (edited)
I think he looks even better as he aged. He pulls off a natural gravitas and charisma that suits his experienced person.
Load More Replies... LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago (edited)
Yes, this was taken before he came out. He was always gay, but there was still such a huge stigma around being gay back then.
Load More Replies... #6
Jason Momoa
In 2020.
Couragetcd 2 years ago
I would have thought at least a decade younger. If I put any thought to it. I hadn't.
Despite its prevalence in culture, there are enough “famous people” who die before and, obviously, after 27 to debunk this “curse.” In fact, dying at 27 isn’t even statistically more likely, just that, perhaps, the stars who passed at that age were particularly famous at that point in time. The Conversation found that 56 is actually the most common age for musicians, which is still, sadly, well below normal life expectancy.
#7
Harrison Ford
In 1982.
baby frog 2 years ago
go to sleep. eat a proper meal. drink enough water.
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Artsy Bookworm 2 years ago
He was my first Hollywood crush. I watched the Last Crusade in school and I was like damnnnn.
Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
My first big-screen crush, too, only my awakening came in 1977, the first time he played Han Solo in STAR WARS. Same effect, just different eras!
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#8
Barack Obama
In 2002.
VonBlade 2 years ago
No matter which team you support, it's clear from any world leader that being in power takes a serious toll.
The Darkest Timeline 2 years ago
Unless you spend all your time golfing and fomenting insurrection to feed your own ego rather than trying to make life better for your people.
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LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
I remember seeing photographs of Obama before he started his presidential term and after. It is mind-boggling how four years of absolute pressure ages and changes the body.
#9
Angela Lansbury
In 1965.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
She had such a distinctive face that I think I could look at a picture of her from her childhood and still know it was her.
Terry Tobias 2 years ago
She was really young when she was in the 1944 movie 'Gaslight'. Her performance was great.
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Mary Kelly 2 years ago
nobody could have played the mother in the manchurian candidate better...not even meryl streep
This is likely a result of the depression, isolation, and subsequent addiction that often comes with fame. It’s easy to see the fortune that comes with being a celebrity, but the difficulties are often hidden. Despite access to personal trainers, the best medicine in the world, and luxurious lifestyles, the normal markers of age are visible on some of the people listed here, a reminder that time doesn’t stop for anyone.
#10
Meryl Streep
In 1989.
Mary Kelly 2 years ago
god love meryl...great actress...good looking...but never any sense of style and never even the sense to hire a stylist
#11
Cher
In 1986.
DeVille 2 years ago
When it’s my time, I want to walk slowly into the first wearing this, and find a nice bed of leaves to lie on for eternity. People will be confused for decades to come.
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Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
Iconic! And the dress is pretty spiffy, too. Called her "revenge dress", this was designed by the equally iconic Bob Mackie and was her way of getting back at the Academy for not nominating her for her fantastic work in MASK. One year later, she picked up her first Oscar for MOONSTRUCK.
#12
Ryan Reynolds
In 2017.
Aboredpanda 2 years ago (edited)
46. He was always a fair bit older than me (a grown up when I was a teenager, I'm 35 now) so this doesn't surprise me in the slightest, but I'm guessing he's younger than you? Or you're MUCH younger. ;)
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Of course, everyone dies and people die every single minute, if not second. These particular people were elevated as a result of their status as celebrities, meaning that a critical number of people would actually pause and remember their death. This, in turn, makes it “newsworthy,” so the death is reported, particularly in cases where the deceased was young, 27 for example.
#13
Paul Rudd
In 2009.
kissmychakram 2 years ago
Honestly, he looks like he is wearing his first uniform for "big" school.
#14
Clint Eastwood
In 1970.
Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
Depends on your definition of rugged ;-) Clint-East...6910ee.png 
#15
Idris Elba
In 2012.
Edison Lima 2 years ago
I like him. I just wish he took more relatable roles. Every role of his I've ever watched he is absolutely untouchable, no matter if he is fighting 50 bad guys at once, he always comes without a scratch. There is a reason the first Die Hard movie is a classic while the 4th and 5th aren't. Invulnerability, on a protagonist, is not as thrilling as one might imagine.
To a certain extent, celebrity culture has only been possible since the advent of mass media and, to a lesser extent, the internet. Local stars will always be prevalent, but if their work is not recorded and distributed, they will remain obscure. In the pre-modern world, only a select few individuals would achieve enough fame to be considered “well-known,” as we would think of it today. For the most part, these would be religious figures and rulers.
#16
Anthony Hopkins At 40
In 1977.
Ellie Ahmed 2 years ago
Did anyone else scroll past this and think "oh, Alan Alda" before they checked the caption? He looks so much like "Hawkeye" Pierce in this photo, it's almost spooky
Pascal’s Swagger 2 years ago
Always though he and Mikhail Baryshnikov kind of resembled one another
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
I remember reading how some actors and actresses are quite intimated to work with Sir Anthony Hopkins as he generally likes to do scenes in one take!
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
I read that Jodie Foster was scared of him the entire time filming Silence of the Lambs. Not that he was a scary person, but because his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter was so terrifying it carried over into real life.
Dorothy Stovall 2 years ago
One of the very best actors, and by all accounts a really nice guy.
#17
Helen Mirren
In 1985.
Couragetcd 2 years ago
The perm wasn't good for anyone. She looks startlingly like Barbra Striesand here
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#18
Denzel Washington
In 1994.
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
I remember him from his start on St. Elsewhere. At first he wasn’t in the credits at all. I think the second season, there he was. One of the major characters on the show. I somehow just knew, even then, he was going to be a very big star.
Once the television entered most homes, people’s faces and voices became more recognizable, creating the first real celebrities. At some point, media executives realized that people were interested in famous individuals just because they were famous, creating an incentive to promote and maintain celebrity culture.
#19
Natalie Portman
In 2021.
The Deez 2 years ago
OHMYGOSH! SHE LOOKS EXACTLY THE SAME!! These past *checks caption* two years have really been kind to her! :D
Happy_Pandalover 2 years ago
haha same thought. It‘s truly interesting to see how some people looked when they were way younger. But she still looks the same… because obviously she‘s not much older than 40 yet 😂
Load More Replies... Weasel Wise 2 years ago
Jane Foster. You can tell by the lack of the square jaw and no male features at all that this isn't Thor. 🤣
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#20
Al Pacino
In 1980.
whaaaaaaaaaa 2 years ago
I would even go to say it is perfect! Well if he had a different hairstyle though
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#21
Maggie Smith
In 1974.
Bouche and Audi and Shyla, Oh My! 2 years ago
I've never considered her pretty, but she has always had so much presence that it never mattered.
Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
A publicity shot from a play (SNAP w/Barrie Ingham), she looks much better as a guest on Carol Burnett's show. Did you know she could sing?! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCuRwgq--dc
Tiny Dancer 2 years ago
I hear you, but, to be fair, she wasn't a Dame until 1990, 16 years after this was taken.
Load More Replies...The internet, and social media in particular, took this idea and blew it up to monstrous proportions. While in the past, music and film would be the main stairways to fame, now just a sufficient number of followers on the right platform can ensure stardom. While this might seem strange to some, it has allowed many people to, almost overnight, become self-made stars, circumventing the methods of the past.
#22
Catherine O'hara
In 1994.
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
"This is your bebe, Jocelyn, and an artistic cradle robber I am not!"
Miss Frankfurter 2 years ago
Proud that she is one of us🇨🇦. Once again, proving we are the funniest people in the world.
Lucille 2 2 years ago
“Who knows what will befall us tomorrow? You could be hit by a Mack truck or bopped on the head by a tiny piece of space debris.”
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#23
Macaulay Culkin
In 2020.
Orange Tabby 2 years ago
Nooooooo. He's on his 40s??????????????? Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.
#24
Julia Louis-Dreyfus
In 2001.
Biljana Malesevic 2 years ago
does she even change or age? She always looks the same, like a vampire
In some cases, internet fame can lead to more traditional forms of fame. Justin Bieber is a prime example, a huge pop star that was discovered after posting clips of himself singing online. Stories like this do create an ocean of copy-cats, attempting to emulate stars like this, but the bottom line is that the internet has democratized fame.
#25
Dwayne Johnson
In 2012.
Apple Jakes 2 years ago
If I was at a Renaissance festival and a food vendor was selling "The Rock Arms" I would totally eat one.
baby frog 2 years ago
i want to look like that. but it’s gonna take a sh- ton of work. it’s like 1 am so i’m gonna try in the morning
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#26
Joan Collins
In 1973.
tuzdayschild 2 years ago
The wig was beautiful in 1973. I try to see things and people in respect to their time.
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#27
Jake Gyllenhaal
In 2021.
Apple Jakes 2 years ago
Thus outfit was a assembled by someone with colorblindness, or [probably] a famous designer trying to be clever.
The increase in “celebrities” now means that this “category” of person starts to appear in more walks of life. YouTuber to a musician, reality star to a politician, these are all “normal” pathways in this day and age. Fame begets attention, and attention is a valuable commodity, as there is more competition than ever.
#28
Jennifer Aniston
In 2009.
Ellie Ahmed 2 years ago
In her John Mayer phase - so many poor women had one around that time. If you've never read Jessica Simpson's book then I absolutely recommend getting it, or at least listening to the deep dive that the podcast 'You're Wrong About' did on it, to learn a little more about John Mayer. This man was an absolute leech on the spirit of every woman he dated.
Manny 2 years ago
He's not even that good looking, I don't see the attraction at all
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AnkleByter 2 years ago
He looks like a cardboard cutout. I thought it was one, lmao
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#29
Jim Carrey
In 2002.
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
I've never really cared for him. I had to sit through Ace Ventura with my son & thought it was one of the stupidest movies I'd ever seen - until Dumb & Dumber came out. My best friend lost his movie picking privileges over that one.
#30
Jack Nicholson
In 1977.
While some see this as a sign of all that is terrible in the world, it’s worth considering what the alternative might be. Unless you were extraordinarily lucky to be discovered and given a chance, you would likely remain obscure forever. Now musicians can self-produce and release, actors can film themselves, and the traditional pathways to fame and fortune are no longer closed by a few powerful individuals.
#32
Britney Spears
In 2022.
VonBlade 2 years ago (edited)
Many people say they just do whatever makes them happy, she's actually out there doing it regardless of others opinions, and good for her. Control your own destiny.
Thenatural 2 years ago
She needs protecting from herself....maybe some kind of court order that could be overseen by a member of her immediate family..her father perhaps? Would definitely be in her best interests......
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#34
Brad Pitt
In 2003.
VonBlade 2 years ago
I know I'm alone, and 'top x handsome men' lists prove it, but I never thought he was all that.
DeVille 2 years ago
I’m with you. Always bugged me how he changed his looks to match his parters.
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#35
Nicole Kidman
In 2008.
#36
Elton John
In 1987.
#37
Lenny Kravitz
In 2004.
#38
Chris Evans
In 2022.
#39
Kate Winslet
In 2015.
#41
John Travolta
In 1994.
#43
Pharrell Williams
In 2013.
#45
Brigitte Bardot
In 1974.
#46
Madonna
In 1998.
#48
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow
#49
Leonardo Dicaprio
In 2014.
WindySwede 2 years ago
The formation of the title was 234 years ago. He would not be interested.... /s
Load More Replies... #50
Kim Kardashian
In 2021.
AnkleByter 2 years ago
The ugliest person too, inside and out. She only looks the way she does because she paid for every last inch of it, none of it's actually her. She doesn't really belong on a list with others who have aged (or not in the case of Paul Rudd, lmao), gracefully. There's nothing at all graceful about her.
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Ervin Conn 2 years ago
Wouldn't it be nice if everyone just agreed never to mention a Kardashian again?
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
Ugh, I am so tired of she the Katrashians. With the amount of plastic in her, I don't think there's anything natural about Kim. They are a toxic family and need to be out of the lime light.
Duckie Measles 2 years ago
Agreed. She may be trash, but all that plastic belongs in a recycle bin.
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Bec 2 years ago
I have never 'kept up' with the Kardashians, but somehow know all about them. Had ads come up on Hulu about them recently and they all look really really unhealthy thin, especially for women who have had a few kids - I almost felt sorry for them but remembered how they've built an empire on appearances.
Moezzzz 2 years ago
Why is she on this list? She's not an actress of any caliber, she's just a weird wealthy person with a "most popular" obsession
Lucille 2 2 years ago (edited)
She’s a public figure with a tv show (she’s had multiple tv shows in the past) and is doing some work with law and US prison reform, is currently a law student apprentice and owns a few businesses including Skims. She’s also done some acting work (see American Horror Story). There’s a reason she’s on this list of famous people lol. (I’m not her biggest fan but I always see people saying “she doesn’t do anything to be famous” and it’s like she kind of has/does though?)
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Add New Image
What do you think ?
zububonsai 2 years ago (edited)
I am the last person to point it out (until now) but even I noticed: where the f**k are some representatives of Asia, South America, Africa, Ozeania, Carribean...? Looking at 40 Hollywood/TV somebodyies in a row gets kind of repetitive. What's wrong with Kajol, Harry Belafonte, Miriam Makeba, ... ? 🫤🙄 Come on, it can't be *that* hard, @dear content compilator.
K- THULU 2 years ago
I agree totally!! It's a big world out there, why is "celebrity" defined through the lens of a single culture? (And Miriam Makeba!! One of the greatest voices ever!!! )
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Patricia Steward 2 years ago
You mean the guy with only one facial expression? Different squids for different kids, I guess.
Load More Replies... Justanotherpanda 2 years ago
Thank you for making me feel ancient now, if you are looking for me, I’m crying in the corner.
Jumping Jellyfishes 2 years ago
Most people I know looked pretty good at 40. It's not as old as you would think. 50 is where it starts to get a little dicey
Ms.GB 2 years ago
I'm 43, I felt like I didn't really age much until a couple years ago and now gravity is against me
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Lama 2 years ago
Why are we looking at a bunch of rich 40 year olds? I don't wanna sound conceited, but do we really not have more interesting things to talk about?!
Sexual Harassment Panda 2 years ago (edited)
If I may share this YouTube video about how we view age. https://youtu.be/vjqt8T3tJIE
Kristina Krpan 2 years ago
Oh my! So much negativity in the comments! I enjoyed the article, it was interesting comparing different decades.
Happy_Pandalover 2 years ago
It‘s interesting to see how some 50+ celebs looked like when they were younger. But some are only 42 or 43, i don‘t think there would be such a change in two years 🤔. Other than that i remember Sharon Stone once told in an interview that she reached her prime in her early 40s. But it was also the time when filmmakers started telling her she was already too old 🤦🏼♀️. Luckily times have improved, but now it‘s about the people in their 50s. How about we normalize ageing alltogether?
zububonsai 2 years ago (edited)
I am the last person to point it out (until now) but even I noticed: where the f**k are some representatives of Asia, South America, Africa, Ozeania, Carribean...? Looking at 40 Hollywood/TV somebodyies in a row gets kind of repetitive. What's wrong with Kajol, Harry Belafonte, Miriam Makeba, ... ? 🫤🙄 Come on, it can't be *that* hard, @dear content compilator.
K- THULU 2 years ago
I agree totally!! It's a big world out there, why is "celebrity" defined through the lens of a single culture? (And Miriam Makeba!! One of the greatest voices ever!!! )
Load More Replies... Patricia Steward 2 years ago
You mean the guy with only one facial expression? Different squids for different kids, I guess.
Load More Replies... Justanotherpanda 2 years ago
Thank you for making me feel ancient now, if you are looking for me, I’m crying in the corner.
Jumping Jellyfishes 2 years ago
Most people I know looked pretty good at 40. It's not as old as you would think. 50 is where it starts to get a little dicey
Ms.GB 2 years ago
I'm 43, I felt like I didn't really age much until a couple years ago and now gravity is against me
Load More Replies... Lama 2 years ago
Why are we looking at a bunch of rich 40 year olds? I don't wanna sound conceited, but do we really not have more interesting things to talk about?!
Sexual Harassment Panda 2 years ago (edited)
If I may share this YouTube video about how we view age. https://youtu.be/vjqt8T3tJIE
Kristina Krpan 2 years ago
Oh my! So much negativity in the comments! I enjoyed the article, it was interesting comparing different decades.
Happy_Pandalover 2 years ago
It‘s interesting to see how some 50+ celebs looked like when they were younger. But some are only 42 or 43, i don‘t think there would be such a change in two years 🤔. Other than that i remember Sharon Stone once told in an interview that she reached her prime in her early 40s. But it was also the time when filmmakers started telling her she was already too old 🤦🏼♀️. Luckily times have improved, but now it‘s about the people in their 50s. How about we normalize ageing alltogether?
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