Actors who have continued to thrive after turning 70

One of the most-venerated actors of all-time, Streep’s perhaps not in her most-esteemed period. She hasn’t won an Oscar in over a decade, or been nominated in a few years, and has even been doing some television. That being said, she’s gotten plaudits for some of that TV work, such as “Only Murders in the Building,” and had a couple good film roles here in her seventies.

There was a time there when De Niro’s roles were…questionable. He started to make as many forgettable action films and unthrilling thrillers as notable, successful movies. Fortunately, Martin Scorsese still admires De Niro, and De Niro has gotten a chance to do high-quality work in “The Irishman” and “Killers of the Flower Moon.” In fact he got an Oscar nomination for that latter film while in his eighties.

Fonda’s films in recent years have not been good. “Book Club” and “80 for Brady” are pretty lackluster comedies. On the other hand, here’s Fonda co-starring in movies well into her eighties. Then, there was also “Grace and Frankie,” a Netflix show that got over 90 episodes before ending in 2022.

Since turning 70, Ford has gotten to reprise two of his iconic characters in Han Solo and Indiana Jones. The delightful curmudgeon even seemed to enjoy doing the latter (Han Solo has always seemed more obligatory to Ford). Now, in his eighties, he’s also in a TV show, and a comedic one at that! 

In 2023 alone, Mirren narrated the massive hit “Barbie,” played Golda Meir in a biopic, and had fun chewing scenery in a DC movie and a “Fast & Furious” movie. Not too shabby for a woman well past 70. Plus, if they do another season of “Documentary Now!,” you know Mirren will be presenting it.

Yes, it was a little awkward when Hopkins won the Oscar for Best Actor for “The Father” over the late Chadwick Boseman, as the show’s producers even took the step to announce Best Actor last hoping for a big moment. Let’s not blame Hopkins for that, though. Plus, when he won that Oscar at 83, he became the oldest winner. Not just for Best Actor. Of any acting award.

Squibb came to acting late. Her first film came out in 1990. She was already over 60. Then, thanks to movies like “Nebraska,” Squibb started to get good reviews for her acting work. In 2024 she appeared in three movies, including starring in “Thelma.” She did that in her nineties.

Let’s move from Squibb to her “Nebraska” co-star, though Dern is comparatively a spring chicken what with being in his late eighties. Dern has worked a ton since turning 70. Now, many of his projects aren’t good, or even noteworthy. The man clearly has never stopped loving to work. Plus, sometimes a project like “Palm Royale” comes around, and he gets to work with his daughter, Oscar winner Laura Dern.

Bates has stated that she intends for her show “Matlock” to be her last project before retiring, but that she hopes it runs for a few years. Given that it is a CBS procedural starring Kathy Bates, there’s a good chance it will. The very fact that an actor in the second half of their seventies is the lead of a network drama speaks to later-in-life success, and Bates has had plenty of other projects in recent years.

In his seventies, Keaton got to reprise his beloved role of the ghost with the most in the massively-successful “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice.” In the wake of that, he got to host “Saturday Night Live” for the fourth time. Keaton was once one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and though there was a period when his career was not as robust, he’s certainly enjoyed a Renaissance in recent years.

O’Hara only tipped into her seventies in 2024. However, that same year she had roles in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” “Argylle” and “The Wild Robot.” She’s going to be in the second season of HBO’s hit “The Last of Us,” so it does not seem like O’Hara’s career has hit a dead end just because she’s over 70 now.

When Terry Gilliam finally made his Don Quixote movie, Pryce played Quixote. The next year he would play one of the two Popes in “The Two Popes” opposite Anthony Hopkins. Pryce has been appearing in shows like “Slow Horses” and “The Crown” in his seventies and is in the upcoming movie “The Thursday Murder Club” alongside Helen Mirren.

Will Close get her Oscar? She is tied with the late Peter O’Toole for the most Oscar nominations for acting without a win with eight. Maybe the two will remain tied, maybe Close will become the most-nominated actor without an Oscar, or maybe she will get her award and then just be a much-nominated Oscar winner. Now in her late seventies, the opportunities may be limited, but Close keeps working. She was in three movies in 2024 and has two lined up for 2025, including “Wake Up Dead Man,” the latest Benoit Blanc mystery.

Danson’s film career is largely in the past, and it never quite took off as some expected. However, he remains a sitcom icon. His time on “The Good Place” carried over into his seventies, and since then he has starred in the shows “Mr. Mayor” and “A Man on the Inside.” Maybe neither show is “Cheers,” but few shows are.

Though “Monarch” didn’t pan out, Sarandon got to be on a network show well into her seventies. She’s done a lot of work in this decade of her life as she approaches 80, including some odd stuff. Voices on “Robot Chicken.” An episode of “At Home with Amy Sedaris.” “Blue Beetle.” And she has plenty of stuff on the docket, it would appear.

Sure, neither “House of Gucci” or “The Beekeeper” are high art, but they are both notable films that Irons appeared in since turning 70. He also, um, played Alfred, Bruce Wayne’s butler, for hopefully the last time (for his sake). Irons was in a well-received bit of superhero fiction, the TV version of “Watchmen,” and co-starred in a 2024 limited series version of “Count of Monte Cristo.”

Smart was one of those actors where people would talk about how she’s so great, and then finally somebody decided, “Okay then, maybe somebody should give this great actor a great role!” While Smart has done plenty recently, mostly the focus is on “Hacks.” The HBO show has won her three Emmys and gave her a chance to host “Saturday Night Live” in her seventies.

We should probably just say Steve Martin and Martin Short. After all, the two are intrinsically tied together for many at this point. Short and Martin star together in “Only Murders in the Building.” They have done a live touring show together that got turned into a Netflix special. They seem to make every late-night and podcast appearance together. However, in 2024, Short also guest hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and played Jiminy Glick a bunch, and Glick earns him the extra bit of love.

Uggams has starred in a billion-dollar movie in her eighties! Okay, so we are being hyperbolic. Uggams is not the star of “Deadpool & Wolverine,” but since turning 70 she has had a small role in all three “Deadpool” movies. On top of that, she was in “Fallout,” and gave a strong performance in Best Picture nominee “American Fiction.”

When Jackson passes away, it will probably be after cut is called on his fourth movie of the year. He is a man with an extensive filmography, and he has added to that plenty in his seventies. The year after he turned 70 he was in eight movies (though two were cameos and one was a documentary). In 2024 he was in four movies and a TV show. Whether playing Nick Fury in a Marvel project or doing something else, the man has worked extensively after turning 70.

In her nineties, the comedy icon has not done a ton. However, she has done some notable work. For example, she had a supporting role in the final season of “Better Call Saul,” and also in “Palm Royale.” When she turned 90 in 2023, NBC dedicated an entire TV special to her. That’s how you know you’ve had quite a career. And yet, she keeps working!

Being in Jersey Mike’s ads is perhaps not the pinnacle of culture, but the number of ads DeVito has appeared in for the sandwich company speaks to his status as a beloved public figure. He’s done more than shill sub sandwiches in his seventies, though. Since entering his seventh decade of life he has been in “Dumbo,” a “Jumanji” sequel, and, of course, played Frank Reynolds on “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.”

Moreno has not rested on her laurels, or her EGOT, since turning 70. Even into her nineties she’s kept working. Sure, she showed up in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story” remake, but she was also in “80 for Brady” and “Fast X” in the same year. Moreno has had some regular TV roles over the last couple decades as well, such as in the remake of “One Day at a Time.”

Now in his eighties, Pacino has entered the time in life where he has written a reflective memoir. Much of it is about his life as a through-and-through New Yorker, and to that end he’s done Broadway work in his seventies. Broadway! On screen, he’s worked with directors such as Quentin Tarantino, Martin Scorsese, and Ridley Scott. He has a half-dozen projects in the works scheduled to be released. Pacino may be at the tail end of his career, but he’s not slowing down.