We’re all used to the fact that most artists’ careers have a short span. With all the young people stepping on their toes, the senior actors stop getting good roles over the years, the public’s interest is waning, and, to be honest, their backs must really hurt. But just like with everything, there are exceptions, and in this case, they are movie legends who won’t quit their passion that easily.
Here are some of the oldest Hollywood movie stars who are still very successful.
1. Patrick Stewart, 81
Even if you’re not a fan of Star Trek: TNG, you should at least remember Patrick Stewart from FOX’s X-Men, where he played Professor Xavier. Here’s a weird factoid: Stewart played the same character throughout multiple movies for nearly 17 years, which granted him a Guinness World Record.
2. Chuck Norris, 81
Chuck Norris is a badass martial artist with a god-like beard who rose to fame after spin-kicking the bad guy on Walker Texas Ranger. Since 197, Chuck has appeared in hit movies like Delta Force, Missing in Action, Expendables, etc. Even though Norris is 81 years old, it doesn’t seem like he’s getting any older.
3. Al Pacino, 81
Did you know that Al Pacino was nominated for an Oscar eight times? It’s not that strange when you look back at his filmography: The Godfather, Scarface, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, and of course the Netflix hit — The Irishman, were all incredible pieces of cinema.
4. Anthony Hopkins, 84
The 1991 thriller Silence of the Lambs will forever be Anthony Hopkins’s calling card, even though he’s been doing this song and dance thing for two decades before he was cast as Hannibal Lecter. In 2003 Hopkins finally received his long-overdue star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Even at 82, this old man is a breath of fresh air and has new movies coming out every year.
5. Jane Fonda, 84
Jane Fonda never planned on becoming a Hollywood star, but, having studied under Lee Strasberg, she realized just how fun acting could be. She won her first Oscar in 1971 for the movie Klute and then another one in 1978 for Coming Home. Today she’s still doing movies, but for the past six years, Jane has been playing a Grace Hanson on Grace and Frankie. Other than that, she does a lot of voice acting.
6. Morgan Freeman, 84
Se7en, Million Dollar Baby, Bruce All-Mighty, Shawshank Redemption — these and over a hundred more astounding movies range from “watchable” to 10/10, mostly thanks to Mr. Freeman’s legendary acting skills. Five Oscar nominations, two Golden Globes, dozens of other awards — you name it, Freeman’s done it. And being 84 years old, he still pushes multiple movies every year.
7. Robert Redford, 85
Robert Redford is not just a prolific actor and filmmaker, he’s also the founder of the Sundance Film Festival. Robert was nominated for multiple awards, but winning an Oscar for directing Ordinary People was probably the highlight of his career. His last big role was in 2018’s The Old Man & the Gun and a brief appearance in 2020’s Avengers: Endgame. He’s still got it!
8. Clint Eastwood, 91
This legendary 91-year-old actor has become famous thanks to the Western genres, or maybe it’s the Western genre that got popularized by Clint Eastwood. We will never know the answer, but we do know that Clint’s best films include Unforgiven, The Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, and The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. His most recently announced project is the 2021 drama Cry Macho — a story about a one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder who tries to take care of his young son after snatching him from his alcoholic mom. Sounds like a real tear-jerker.
