Top 10 Actors You've Never Seen Young

After appearing in three minor British films in 1969, McKellen took a roughly 12-year break from the big screen, focusing on his first love: the stage. By the time the classically trained actor’s next movie was released, he was already over 40 years old. But that hasn’t stopped him from leaving an indelible mark on pop culture. As Magneto, he proved that supervillains could be both theatrical and menacing. And his portrayal of Gandalf has been so impeccable, we can’t imagine another actor in the role. In addition to these highly recognizable characters, McKellen has also appeared in dozens of TV shows and other movies, and he shows no signs of slowing down.

Getting through medical school is tough enough, but pursuing a successful stand-up career at the same time? Now that’s really impressive. Medicine and acting have always gone hand-in-hand for “Community” star Ken Jeong. He practiced as a physician for almost 10 years while doing comedy and TV gigs before appearing in his first major film, which premiered when he was in his mid-to-late thirties. He played – what else – a doctor. Since then, Jeong has become much better known for his talent on screen, appearing in films like “The Hangover”. You can also notably catch him on “The Masked Singer” panel. Through it all, he reportedly still has a medical license.

Not many actors can claim such an unforgettable role as their first big screen appearance. But Rickman’s turn as Hans Gruber in “Die Hard” is still one of the best parts of the franchise. The late star was already in his forties when he landed the role, and he would go on to have an incredibly prolific career. To many he’s become best known for his unforgettable portrayal of Professor Severus Snape. From Sherwood Forest to the deck of NSEA Protector, Rickman seems at home in any setting. He even had a turn as American president Ronald Reagan, somehow managing to blend into the role while still being unmistakably Alan Rickman.

Although he had a number of smaller film and TV parts in his thirties, Simmons’ first big break came a bit later. The actor was in his early forties by the time more people took notice of him on their screens. Starting in 1997, he had major roles in two different TV shows, coincidentally on opposite sides of the law. On “Oz,” he played Vernon Schillinger, a prison inmate with troubling views. And on “Law & Order,” he was Dr. Emil Skoda, a psychiatrist who worked with the NYPD. These days, he’s also beloved for his portrayal of the fast-talking, Spider-Man-hating J. Jonah Jameson in a variety of projects.

She might have only played a Countess on “Downton Abbey,” but there’s no doubt Smith is a real-life queen of sass. Like many English actors of her generation, Smith made waves both on stage and on screen early in her career, mastering everything from Shakespeare to straight drama. She garnered even more attention for her Oscar-winning turn in 1969’s “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” But she’s been in the spotlight for so long that she was already out of her youth by the time most modern viewers became familiar with her. In more recent years, she’s become best known as Violet Crawley and the equally snarky Professor Minerva McGonagall.

“Star Wars” wouldn’t be “Star Wars” without the spine-tingling voice of James Earl Jones as Darth Vader. Already in his mid-forties when the first film premiered, Jones wasn’t as well-known by movie-goers worldwide prior to that epic performance – for which he initially wasn’t even credited. Since then, his distinctive voice has become as recognizable as his face. Over the course of his career, Jones has appeared in at least a dozen films that would go on to become classics. He’s even reprised his roles in sequels and remakes decades after his original appearances. If you ask us, that’s because James Earl Jones is simply not replaceable.

While it might seem like Jackson has been in every movie, you might be surprised to learn that he didn’t get his big break until the ‘90s. Maybe you first saw him in Spike Lee’s “Jungle Fever.” Or maybe Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction” is where he caught your eye. The latter film was released in 1994 , the same year the actor turned 46. Today, he’s amassed well over 100 credits! One of the hardest-working actors in Hollywood, he’s had major roles in some of the biggest IPs. As a “Jurassic Park” engineer, he was eaten by a raptor. Of course, he’s also played a Jedi. And the Avengers basically wouldn’t exist without him.

Though we currently know her as one of the most accomplished stars of our time, Davis started her screen career landing relatively small movie and TV roles. By the time 2008’s “Doubt” came out, she was 43. And her stellar performance demanded everyone pay attention to her. She’s since captivated audiences with her incredible performances in films like “Fences” and “The Woman King.” Her outstanding turn as lawyer Annalise Keating in the TV legal drama “How to Get Away with Murder” notably proved she has major small-screen chops, too. In 2023, she joined the exclusive EGOT club, further cementing her legacy.

Another thespian turned Hollywood star, Stewart first gained widespread attention playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard on “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” which started airing when he was 47. When the X-Men came to the big screen in 2000, Stewart was the obvious choice to embody Professor Charles Xavier. Over the last decades, he’s appeared in a slew of film and TV projects just playing those two roles. Although this classically trained actor manages to bring gravitas to any part, he also doesn’t take himself too seriously. While it might feel like we’ve never seen him young, we can also barely say we’ve seen him old, since the man basically hasn’t aged over the past 35+ years.

Who would you want to narrate the story of your life? We bet more than a few folks would choose Morgan Freeman. Born in 1937, Freeman started racking up acting jobs across mediums in the mid-‘60s and ‘70s. But while he was far from new to the industry, he arguably only broke out in film with an Oscar-nominated performance in “Street Smart,” released in 1987. After that, Hollywood discovered there’s nothing he can’t do, from action, to drama, to comedy. His dignified presence has led him to be cast as a number of memorable characters, including (fictional) American presidents, civil rights activist Nelson Mandela, and God. And of course, he’s served as the narrator for many projects with his iconic voice.