See 7 Celebrities Over 80 Years Old at the Start of Their Careers and Now

Aya Al-HakimSun, May 10, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC

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Robert De Niro in 1976; Robert De Niro in 2025.
Credit: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty; Mike Marsland/WireImage

They’ve headlined era‑defining films, shaped entire genres, broken barriers and collected Oscars, Tonys, Grammys and Emmys along the way — and now, well into their 80s, these legends are still creating, performing and inspiring.

Celebrities like Jane Fonda, Morgan Freeman, Al Pacino and Diana Ross have each spent decades at the center of American culture, and their stories continue to evolve.

Some are taking on new roles, others are returning to beloved characters and many are reflecting on the extraordinary careers that brought them here.

Here’s a look at the legends over 80 who are still making their mark today.

01 of 07

Jane Fonda, 88

Jane Fonda in 1970; Jane Fonda in 2026.
Credit: STILLS/Gamma-Rapho via Getty; Dia Dipasupil/FilmMagic

Fonda’s career gained major momentum in the early 1960s, when she made her film debut opposite Anthony Perkins in Tall Story (1960) and earned a Tony nomination for There Was a Little Girl on Broadway.

She spent the next several years moving between stage and screen, starring in George Cukor’s The Chapman Report (1962) and appearing in Broadway productions such as Invitation to a March and The Fun Couple.

In her career, Fonda has won two Oscars, eight Golden Globes, an Emmy and a Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.

“I didn’t think if I did live this long, that I would be vibrant and healthy and still working,” she told PEOPLE in 2017. “I’m grateful.”

02 of 07

Morgan Freeman, 88

Morgan Freeman in 1981; Morgan Freeman in 2026.
Credit: CBS via Getty; Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty

Freeman’s path to becoming one of Hollywood’s most recognizable actors began in 1968. That year, he landed a major early opportunity in an all–African American Broadway production of Hello, Dolly!.

National attention followed in the 1970s when he became a regular on the children’s series The Electric Company, where he played multiple memorable characters.

The show gave him steady visibility, even as he continued to pursue stage work, including a Tony‑nominated performance in The Mighty Gents.

Freeman’s film career shifted dramatically in 1987 with Street Smart, where his performance as Fast Black earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

Two years later, he earned a Golden Globe Award and a second Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Hoke Colburn in Driving Miss Daisy.

Despite his growing acclaim, Freeman has always kept his perspective steady. In a 2021 interview, he told Parade that he doesn’t plan to formally retire.

“I think this business retires you,” he explained, adding that as long as the phone keeps ringing, he’ll keep working.

Early in his career, he said, the goal was simple: “I just wanted to be a working actor … If you can just get enough work to pay your rent, you’re going to be a happy camper.”

03 of 07

Al Pacino, 86

Al Pacino in 1972; Al Pacino in 2026.
Credit: CBS via Getty; Monica Schipper/Getty

Pacino’s career began on the stage, where he trained at the Actors Studio under Lee Strasberg before moving into film work that defined a generation of American cinema.

He played roles that shaped his early career, including The Godfather (1972), Serpico (1973), Dog Day Afternoon (1975) and And Justice for All (1979).

These performances established him as one of the most influential actors of his era and led to a long list of major honors, including an Academy Award, two Tony Awards and two Primetime Emmys.

In 2024, Pacino published his memoir, Sonny Boy.

“It was due,” he told PEOPLE of deciding to write the memoir. “I’m in my 85th year. When you get there and you start experiencing age, you understand why they do put things down.”

04 of 07

Harrison Ford, 83

Harrison Ford in 1967; Harrison Ford in 2026.
Credit: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty; Stewart Cook/Apple TV via Getty

Harrison Ford’s career has spanned nearly six decades, beginning with small television roles and uncredited film parts in the 1960s.

His early work with George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola led to his breakthrough as Han Solo in Star Wars (1977), followed by his lead role as Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981).

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Through the 1980s and ’90s, he anchored major films including Blade Runner, Witness, which earned him an Academy Award nomination, Patriot Games and The Fugitive, solidifying his status as one of Hollywood’s most reliable leading actors.

Ford continued to revisit his most iconic characters in later years, reprising Han Solo in The Force Awakens and The Rise of Skywalker, Rick Deckard in Blade Runner 2049 and Indiana Jones in the franchise’s latest installment, Dial of Destiny (2023).

More recently, Ford expanded into television with the Apple TV series Shrinking, earning Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations for his performance. In 2026, he received the SAG‑AFTRA Life Achievement Award.

“I don’t want to be young again,” Ford told PEOPLE in 2023 of aging. “I was young, and now I enjoy being old.”

05 of 07

Diana Ross, 82

Diana Ross in 1963; Diana Ross in 2025.
Credit: James Kriegsmann/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty; Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Ross’ career began in Detroit, where she rose to prominence as the lead singer of The Supremes, Motown’s most successful group of the 1960s.

After establishing herself as one of the era’s defining voices, she launched a solo career that produced decades of hit records and international tours.

She also transitioned into film, including her Oscar‑nominated performance as Billie Holiday in Lady Sings the Blues (1972), followed by starring roles in Mahogany (1975) and The Wiz (1978).

Ross has continued to perform worldwide and maintained a career that spans more than 60 years.

In 2026, her son Evan Ross told PEOPLE that she is still active creatively and continues to work on new music.

“I’ll always work with my mom, just in the sense of like, she’s one of one, and I always want to make sure that we are supporting and creating things around what she’s created in her life,” said Ross.

06 of 07

Robert De Niro, 82

Robert De Niro in 1974; Robert De Niro in 2025.
Credit: Michael Ochs Archive/Getty; Daniele Venturelli/WireImage

Robert De Niro’s career spans more than five decades across film, television and theater.

The actor's early collaborations with Martin Scorsese — including Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980) and Goodfellas (1990) — established him as a defining figure in American cinema and earned him two Academy Awards.

Through the 1990s and 2000s, De Niro added major titles across genres, including Cape Fear (1991), Casino (1995), Meet the Parents (2000), Silver Linings Playbook (2012) and The Irishman (2019).

De Niro’s recent films include Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), for which he received his ninth Oscar nomination.

When asked by CNN's Chris Wallace in 2024 if he "hate(s)" aging, the father of seven responded that he has "no choice."

"Embrace it. Embrace whatever you've been given," he said.

07 of 07

Helen Mirren, 80

Helen Mirren in 1968; Helen Mirren in 2026.
Credit: Robert Rice/Fairfax Media via Getty; Matthew Taplinger/CBS via Getty

Over six decades, Helen Mirren has built one of the most wide‑ranging careers in film, television and theater. In that time, she has earned an Oscar, five Emmys, five Actor Awards, a Tony and more, placing her one award away from EGOT status.

She was made a Dame of the British Empire in 2003.

Mirren’s breakthrough came onstage in 1965, when she played Cleopatra in the National Youth Theatre’s production of Antony and Cleopatra.

The performance earned the then-19‑year‑old an agent and led to her joining the Royal Shakespeare Company.

Mirren’s first major film role came in Age of Consent (1969). She continued to build her screen career through the 1970s and early 1980s, and earned her Oscar for her performance in 2006's The Queen.

Following her 80th birthday in 2025, Mirren told Allure that reaching the milestone age is "a beautiful thing."

"I find everything about it [fabulous]," she told the outlet. "F--- it, I'm alive and I'm working and I can drink a glass of wine and I can wear makeup and I can listen to music and I can watch a beautiful sunset and I can go to the theater and I can watch a movie and I can binge Netflix and I can live life."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”