Top 10 Celebrities You've NEVER Seen Young

He’s been such a prolific comedian for so long that it’s hard to imagine him doing anything else. However, Ricky Gervais once had a very different career goal in mind. His original aspiration was music, which led him to create a new-wave duo called Seona Dancing. Although they didn’t top the charts, they encapsulated the 80s perfectly. After that fell through, he exited the limelight for a few years before pivoting to writing and comedy. By the time “The Office” premiered in 2001, he was 40. From there, he flourished and has since created other programs and hosted several prestigious events. He’s even maintained a good attitude about his humble beginnings and isn’t afraid to crack a joke at his own expense.

Pursuing acting post-retirement is a feat that not many can pull off. However, Albertini Dow was too busy working as a teacher to make time for the silver screen. Fittingly, she taught acting classes for several years, before deciding to enter the business herself. She landed her first gig at 72, and she didn’t stop there. By the time she took to the mic in 1998’s “The Wedding Singer,” she was in her mid-80s. She even appeared in several prolific television shows, such as “Seinfeld.” She had a love for the craft, and she continued to perform up until her death in 2013, at 101 years old. She’s the ultimate proof that age doesn’t have to be a barrier in the entertainment industry.

Even the most accomplished man in comics had a humble beginning. He started out at a lower-level position at Timely Comics as a young man. He was halted in the 1940s when he joined the military and served in World War II. He did everything from fixing important equipment to writing manuals. While serving, he continued to write stories for Timely. By the time Lee started shaping Marvel as we now know it, he was just about to hit his 40th birthday. He entered the public sphere later in life and became the face of the company in his 50s. From that moment on, his public perception as an older man was sealed. His cameos in later Marvel films cemented that image for generations to come.

He’s been in the film business for so long that it’s hard to believe he started so late. He had always had a love for the arts. He got his start early on with the Royal National Theatre. However, those plays never truly broke out to a wider audience, leaving him in relative obscurity for years. Hopkins wouldn’t see film success until 1980 when he was 43. Since then, he’s taken on his most compelling work to date, from “Silence of the Lambs” to “The Father.” Both performances brought him the Academy Award for Best Actor, the latter making him the oldest man in history to win in that category. Despite his advanced age, he hasn’t slowed down - and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Many entertainers worry that when they get older, the good parts will stop being offered to them. The complete opposite happened to Judi Dench. She had her start in live drama, performing both plays and musicals. Everything changed in 1995 when she took on the role of M in the “James Bond” franchise. She was in her early 60s at the time, and she enchanted viewers with her effortlessly cool demeanor. The portrayal immediately launched her into superstar status, and she continued to play the director for two decades. Although she exited the series in 2015, Dench didn’t stop there. She’s continued to act well into her 80s and still has the ability to command an entire audience with just her presence.

Like many actors on this list, she got her start in theater. Mirren first found slight fame on the stage, where she specialized in Shakespeare. She also lent her skills to a few filmed projects in the late 1960s as a younger woman. However, her breakout role came over a decade later when she was already in her mid-30s. Her star continued to grow as she branched out into television in the 90s, and she hit a new stride in the new millennium. She won her first Academy Award in 2007 when she was 61. Since then, she has taken on countless different genres, and even played one of the most memorable characters in 2023’s “Barbie”— just short of her 80th birthday.

She lived a whole life before she even thought about getting in front of a camera. Arthur didn’t start out in the arts. She joined the Marine Corps. Women Division, and served during World War II. Following the war, she tried her hand as a medical technician. However, she quickly lost passion for that and pivoted to performing. She was 49 when America first saw her as Maude in “All in the Family.” Her comedic prowess made them fall in love immediately. Her most lauded works soon followed, and she continued to make people laugh well into her 60s. She isn’t the only Golden Girl to enter the limelight later in life. Co-star Estelle Getty didn’t get her big break until she was 62.

While the roles he took on later were larger than life, they didn’t start out that way. Stewart worked hard for years before ever being recognized. He worked in the theater and on television, taking small roles and building a name for himself. By the time he accepted the part of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, he was already middle-aged. While he had reservations about science fiction, it catapulted him into superstardom. From there, he dropped his qualms and took on another sci-fi project in the 2000s - “X-Men.” He’s played the Professor for over 20 years, and he still looks the same as the day he first started. His contemporary, Ian McKellen has had a similar career arc - and they’re both still thriving today.

With his iconic voice becoming a staple of modern cinema, it’s hard to believe he didn’t reach the mainstream until his 50s. The first part of his adulthood was spent in the Air Force, where he served for four years. Freeman then became a dancer. While he did well there, he knew he wanted to branch out into acting as well. He eventually found a role on “The Electric Company,” where he built up his reputation. He kept acting steadily until his work finally broke through to the general public. By the mid-1990s, Freeman was a household name. He’s only become more sought after as he’s gotten older and has continued to lend his voice and effortless charisma to various projects to this day.

From day one, it was clear that she was meant to be a star. She got her start young, taking to the stage to perform various plays. She quickly rose the ranks and became one of their most prolific performers, winning awards at a young age. She received accolades early on in her career when she won an Academy Award for 1969’s “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.” However, the characters she has taken on later in life have become what she’s truly recognized for. Her work in the “Harry Potter” franchise alone has cemented her legacy across generations. She’s proven that you can still teach an old dog new tricks, still taking on new movies, even as she’s approaching her 90th birthday.

Which celebrity’s younger self surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments below.