Back in the day, these iconic actresses were beyond a sight for sore eyes. Having taken the world by a storm in the golden years of Hollywood, you’d be incredibly surprised to see where they ended up now.
Sofia Vergara
Sofia Vergara is most recognizable in the recent years from her gig in the comedy series “Modern Family”, where she portrays the hilarious and passionate Gloria Delgado-Pritchett. Prior to that Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award winning role, the Colombian beauty queen was famous for several other gigs, one of them being co-hosting two shows on Univision TV networks. Vergara appeared in films such as “Four Brothers” and “Madea Goes To Jail”, and is now married to actor Joe Manganiello.
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda, to this day, impresses her fans with her enthusiasm and beauty. Having won two Academy Awards throughout her career, as well as receiving a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ from the American Film Institute (AFI), Fonda shot to fame back in the 60s and hasn’t stopped since. The actress’ breakthrough role was in “Barbarella”, and at the moment Fonda stars in “Grace and Frankie”, an Original Netflix Series. Moreover, Fonda has always impressed with her workout videos!
Diana Rigg
Today’s kids will probably remember Diana Rigg as Olenna Tyrell on the recent hit show “Game of Thrones”, but Rigg was a star decades before the show was even around. In the 60s, Rigg gained recognition with her role in “The Avengers”, as well as her Tony Award-winning role in “Medea” on Broadway in 1994. What many fans may not know about Rigg is that she spent a lot of her childhood in India and therefore knows some Hindi.
Morgan Fairchild
If you remember her from the 90s, then you recall her guest appearances in the timeless sitcom “Friends”, starring as Chandler Bing’s writer mother. However, Morgan Fairchild was well-known due to her notable appearances in “Dallas”, “Flamingo Road” and “Falcon Crest”. The actress is now approaching the 70s mark, but what her fans may not know is that Fairchild learned kung-fu after being held hostage twice.
Raquel Welch
Raquel Welch, born to an American mother and a Bolivian father, is still making us do a double take at the age of 75. Welch, born Jo-Raquel Tejada, earned her breakthrough role in 1966 when she was asked to starr in “Fantastic Voyage” alongside Stephen Boyd. Since then, Welch signed a contract with 20th Century Fox and landed some of the biggest roles in Hollywood, including “Myra Breckinridge” (1970).
Farrah Fawcett
Farrah Fawcett’s trademark blonde curls and piercing blue eyes made her one of the most recognizable faces in the 70s, especially after her “Charlie’s Angels” gig alongside Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith. Fawcett will always be remembered for her successful acting career and beautiful persona. She met her first husband, Lee Majors, as she appeared on “The Six Million Dollar Man”. Sadly, after a long battle with cancer, Fawcett passed away at the young age of 62.
Catherine Bach
Catherine Bach definitely started the trend of insuring beautiful body parts! After her infamous performance as Daisy Duke on “The Dukes of Hazzard”, Bach’s legs gained so much attention that she insured them for a whopping $1,000,000 – and that is probably the most expensive set of legs to this day! Prior to her booming TV and film career, Bach worked as a tailor for theater groups to earn some extra money. Since 2012, she took on the role of Anita lawson on “The Young and The Restless”.
Katey Sagal
You probably recognize that fiery red hair from “Married… With Children”, where Katey Sagal played Peggy Bundy. Since the series ended, Sagal went on to do a number of projects, including starring in a family comedy “8 Simple Rules” and providing her voice in the animated series “Futurama”. From 2008 until 2014, Sagal took on the role of Gemma Teller Morrow in “The Sons of Anarchy”. The show was written and created by Sagal’s husband, Kirt Setter.
Molly Ringwald
Molly Ringwald was definitely the first of her kind – she wanted to show everyone in the world that she was having fun being a celebrity and she put in the effort to look good while doing it. Ringwald’s first iconic role was in “Sixteen Candles”, which was followed by another hit – “The Breakfast Club” – as well as offers from the producers of “Pretty Woman” and “Ghost”. Most recently, Ringwald pivoted her career to a different direction and now writes a column for “The Guardian”.
Sissy Spacek
Spacek became a well-known name in the industry, but her career started out quite tragically. Spacek admitted that her motivation to act came from her youth, specifically after the passing of her brother. Best known as the leading role in “Carrie” – an adaptation of one of Stephen King’s classics – Spacek definitely achieved her dreams. Today, Spacek is still well-known and stars in a Netflix original series, “Bloodline”.
Barbara Bach
Barbara Bach may have been born in New York City (specifically Queens), but make no mistake that the star is more diverse than it seems. Bach speaks several languages, including Italian, French, and Spanish; this skill landed her several roles in Italian films, and her beauty landed her a modeling contract. Bach started off her career as a Bond girl, and married Ringo Starr in 1981. The two started “The Lotus Foundation” charity, and her contribution to the world was far from merely gracing us with her presence on-screen.
Ally Sheedy
Ally Sheedy always spoke of her desire to pursue a career in dancing, especially since she embarked upon it at the tender age of 6 with the America Ballet Theater. However, Sheedy’s career took a turn when she made a debut in “Bad Boys” alongside Sean Penn in 1983; the film instantly became a classic. Some of other Sheedy’s notable performances include “The Breakfast Club” and “Elmo’s Fire”. Since then, Sheedy landed several smaller roles on television and has written two books.
Pam Grier
Pam Grier, born Pamela Suzette, is an American actress best known for her performances throughout the 70s. Grier commenced her acting career strong, with films like “Foxy Brown”, “The Bird Cage” and Quentin Tarantino’s “Jackie Brown”, which earned her the Golden Globe Award for best actress. You can probably also recognize Pam Grier from her appearances on “Miami Vice”, “The Bronx”, and “Above The Law”, where she acted alongside Steven Seagal.
Lisa Whelchel
Lisa Whelchel, best known for her performance on “The Facts of Life”, embarked upon her acting career in the 80s, but shortly after went on to be a musician. Having proven her talents to the world, Whelchel earned herself a nomination for a Grammy (Best Inspirational Performance) for her Christian album back in 1984. Most recently, Whelchel has spoken out about her passion for writing, and having written 10 books so far, she shows no signs of slowing down. In 2012, Whelchel earned second place on “Survivor: Philippines”.
Jodie Foster
Jodie Foster is a name that will never be forgotten in Hollywood. From her teenage years, Foster has been respected by some of the most globally renowned actors in the business. Foster’s breakthrough role was in the film “Taxi Driver”, directed by Martin Scorsese, where she played alongside Robert DeNiro. In 1988, Foster won her first Academy Award for her performance in “The Accused”. Today, the former actress works behind the camera and has two children with spouse Alexandra Hedison.
Daryl Hannah
Daryl Hannah first gained worldwide recognition for her performance as a mermaid in Ron Howard’s “Splash” back in 1984. However, Hannah made her serious debut in 1978 when she starred in horror film “The Fury”. Mostly known for her wispy voice and almost perfect features, Hannah played an assassin in Tarantino’s film “Kill Bill”, which earned her a Saturn Award. Aside from her acting career, Hannah is very involved with environmental activism; she also went on to create two board games.
Maggie Smith
Maggie Smith, best known for her performance in BBC’s “Downtown Abbey”, has an acting career spanning across six decades; she doesn’t seem to be slowing down, either! Smith, now with a Dame status, has over 50 film credits to her name and is one of the most loved and recognized actresses in United Kingdom’s film industry. Prior to her career in acting, Dame Smith was acting on stage and in 2012, received a Stratford Shakespeare Festival Legacy Award. You may also recognize Maggie Smith from the Harry Potter series (2001-2011).
Susan Sarandon
Sarandon first started her acting career in the 70s and is best known for her debut role in the cult classic film, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. Since then, Sarandon went on to dominate the industry in film, television, and even Broadway, proving herself to be deserving of an Academy Award as well as a BAFTA. Sarandon went on to be more involved in political and social activism, and is married to actor Tim Robbins, with whom she had a daughter – Eva Amurri – who is also an actress today.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton gained worldwide recognition after starring in “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” back in 1977; however, since then, every generation recognizes her for a different role. After forming a close relationship and partnership with Woody Allen, Keaton’s career was smooth sailing from the beginning. Keaton received an Academy Award nomination several times for films like “Reds, Marvin’s Room” and “Something’s Gotta Give”. Keaton is not only an actress, but also an author, photographer, and real estate developer. Keaton has never been married but has two children.
Lola Falana
Lola Falana made her acting debut in 1970 in the film “The Liberation of L.B. Jones”, starring as Emma Jones. In the same year, Falana went on to model for “Playboy”, and since then landed plenty of TV roles in shows such as “The Joey Bishop Show” and “The Hollywood Palace”. To add to her television success, Falana was also the first supporting actress hired by Bill Cosby for his show, “The New Bill Cosby Show”. Prior to her acting success, Falana was a dancer and a singer.
Meryl Streep
If you watch television at all, the name Meryl Streep will need no reminder; the actress is a force to be reckoned with. Streep is thought to be one of the most successful and talented women in the acting industry, with a myriad of awards to her name. Streep embarked upon acting back in college, receiving an MFA from Yale in 1975, as well as an Honorary Doctor of Arts from Dartmouth College in the beginning of the 80s. Since then, Streep still continues to wow Hollywood with her diverse skills and limitless capabilities.
Betty White
Now at the age of 95, we can freely say that Betty White has the longest spanning career in television amongst all women in performance history! To this day, White keeps herself occupied with projects, and back in the day was the first female to produce her own sitcom. Known to spread her humor and wit across more than seven decades, White is most recognized for her performances in “Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Golden Girls”. In 1981, White lost her husband to cancer.
Angela Bassett
Angela Bassett was always best known for her roles in biopic films, however after playing Tina Turner in “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”, Bassett became an award-winning actress. Having won a Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award for that role, Bassett went on to portray the roles of Katherine Jackson in “The Jacksons: An American Dream”, Betty Shabazz in “Malcolm X”, and Rosa Parks in “The Rosa Parks Story”. As you can see, her career had an impact in both entertainment and politics.
Audrey Hepburn
When one asks what a Hollywood icon looks like, you would probably refer to Audrey Hepburn. The epitome of class and beauty, Hepburn became an icon after her role in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, which made her recognizable beyond belief. The American Film Institute named Hepburn the third greatest female film star, and her awards only go to show how worthy she was of such an honor. Unfortunately, Hepburn passed at the young age of 63 in her home after a long battle with cancer.
