Home Celebrity Time Has Not Been Kind To These Aging Celebs

Celebrity

Time Has Not Been Kind To These Aging Celebs

Monica May 16, 2024

Everyone ages. It’s just how life goes, and we could consider ourselves lucky we get to age. One day you wake up with wrinkles and gray hair. Before you know it, you’re almost unrecognizable from your younger self. But it happens to everyone, so all we can do is accept the inevitable. Some people age better than others, thanks to levels of stress, exercise, and lifestyle throughout the years. Even celebrities are included in the aging process.

And when we look back at photographs of their younger selves, it’s clear who’s aged well and who hasn’t. Some celebrities tried to cheat aging by undergoing botox and plastic surgery, which did nothing but come back to bite them as they grew older. We’ve curated a list of celebs to who the aging process has not been especially kind. Check out those celebs who aged poorly here.

Courtney Love

Nirvana singer Kurt Cobain helped Courtney Love make her way to fame during the 1990s. Even so, Love was an icon on her own. Thanks to her alternative lifestyle, lush red lips, and messy hair, many people fell in love with her. But time took its toll, and she’s one of many celebs who succumbed to aging. Nowadays, she looks rugged and permanently tired, though she’s managed to keep the same hairstyle. At least the star embraces the aging process, and in an interview said, ”To me, aging gracefully is to let it happen and accept it. Fighting it always seems to backfire and make people look ridiculous. You see actresses get work done and it makes them look unrecognizable. I look at these actresses like Diane Keaton, who has never had anything done, and I think that’s cool. It’s sexy.” When you put it that way, it is sexy (via AZ Central).

NEXT >>

Brendan Fraser

Once the star of many big hits, Brendan Fraser peaked in the ’90s. His face blessed the screens of The Mummy, George of the Jungle, Bedazzled, and The Mummy Returns. His acting skills took a huge pause in the early 2000s, as did his looks. He was once a handsome face on screen but is now one of those celebs who was negatively impacted by the stress of acting and always being in front of the camera. He also went through a messy divorce with Afton Smith, which certainly contributed to his aging process (via US Magazine).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Johnny Depp

It all started with Edward Scissorhands and 21 Jump Street. The pretty boy from Pirates of the Caribbean started as a heartthrob that made us want to jump ship in the hopes he would save us. But time and stress caught up to the rogue darling, which isn’t surprising, considering he spent decades in front of the camera and sleepless nights partying with Hollywood celebrities. His long, luscious, dark hair has turned gray, and the chiseled features that could slice through our hearts have dulled and disappeared. We’re not sure what’s going on underneath that suit either, but it’s not the six-pack the actor used to have in his early days. People even claim the star has aged several decades overnight (via The Times).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Billy Idol

Rockstar Billy Idol certainly had his glory days, but unfortunately, those are long gone. Some consequences come with living a rock ‘n roll lifestyle, which isn’t something you can keep up with forever. It’s a youthful endeavor. His outfits are not something a sixty-year-old should wear. He maintains the punk look, wears makeup, and keeps his rings on his fingers. We’re sorry to say, but no amount of eyeliner can cover the wrinkles and dehydration that come with drinking alcohol and doing drugs every single day. He even defied his age and performed topless on stage. While it’s something most of us could live without seeing, he stayed confident and did it anyway (via Artsfuse).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Mark Hamill

As Luke Skywalker from Star Wars, Mark Hamill instantly made his way to fame by participating in one of the most well-known trilogies in the world during the ’70s and ’80s. For his role, the makeup artist even had to de-age him, using a series of professional skills to make him look much younger than he was. Too bad that doesn’t stick to real life, and unfortunately, his good looks went downhill. He now has gray hair and a wrinkled, sagging face. Ever since his appearance on the screen 40 years ago, time and aging took their toll. At least he had his fame when he did (via Screen Rant).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Kathleen Turner

For over four decades, Kathleen Turner graced the screens of Hollywood. The height of her career took place in the 1980s when she starred in Body Heat and Romancing the Stone. Some even say she has a sexy, raspy voice, which likely helped her crawl her way to the top. Even though her good looks helped her pave the way to beauty, her looks slowly declined over the years thanks to bad habits and the natural process of aging. Her outlook on aging is inspiring, though, and in an interview, she said, “You have to get to that place as a woman where you know your worth isn’t dependent on [looks]. I’m proud to have such a vibrant career. Acting’s never gotten tired of me.” At least she has acting, which is something most of us don’t have (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Shelley Duvall

A co-star in The Shining, Shelley Duvall, had an iconic role during the ’80s. We all know her for her stellar performance playing the clueless wife in The Shining and fell in love with her ability to act on the big screen. But she’s one of those celebs that fell away after her famous debut. Even though aging is a natural process and everyone in the world ages, it seems like Duvall got the short end of the stick when it comes to aging. Her weight fluctuated over the years and paired with cosmetic procedures, her face and looks took a big hit. Either way, she hasn’t lost her job because of it and is expected to make a comeback in The Forest Hill after living under the radar for quite some time (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Val Kilmer

At some point during his career, Kilmer was a beautiful model that appeared in movies like The Doors, The Ghost and the Darkness, Top Secret!, The Saint, and Batman Forever. His looks, whispy blonde hair, blue eyes, and boyish features certainly helped him towards his fame in front of the camera. But in the last couple of decades, his career and looks suffered. He succumbed to numerous health issues like cancer, and the star is unable to use his trachea (via Ranker).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart

This celeb’s real name is María del Rosario Cayetana Alfonsa Victoria Eugenia Francisca Fitz-James-Stuart y de Silva. As Spain’s Duchess of Alba, she was someone women could look up to. She led her own life by her own rules, flaunted her style, and loved to marry younger men. Unfortunately, the star loved plastic surgery as much as she loved younger men, and because of it, she suffered a facial deformity. She suffered from numerous plastic surgery disasters, but was oblivious to all the criticism, even saying, “I am not a person who allows herself to be managed.” She did not allow herself to be managed by plastic surgery, either (via Tatler).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Renee Zellweger

You probably recognize Zellweger from Bridget Jones as the lovable role helped her climb the ladder to fame. She also played in Chicago, Jerry Maguire, and Cold Mountain. But she succumbed to the stress of being a famous actress, and because of it, wanted to keep her youthful looks and beauty. Zellweger has big opinions about anti-aging creams, and said, “All those ads telling us we don’t need to look our real age if we just buy all their creams and their fixes and all that garbage they want to sell us? I’m like, what, you’re saying I’m not valuable anymore because I’m 53?” Even though it’s clear her age got the best of her, at least she’s trying to fight the beauty stigma trap that many celebs fell into (via Harpers Bazaar).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Leonardo DiCaprio

The child star made his way to fame from What’s Eating Gilbert Grape. From there, it was game over, and Leonardo DiCaprio climbed his way to the top with Titanic and Romeo and Juliet. The teen heartthrob melted a lot of hearts throughout the years, and many people around the world wished they could jump through their movie screens and into the arms of Leonardo. But because he maintained a wild, party lifestyle, his age caught up to him. The star is only 46 years old but looks a lot older than that. There’s a reason they say alcohol is a poison! At least he’s living for pleasure and enjoying his older age (via Quora).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Nancy Sinatra

As the daughter of Frank Sinatra, she had music in her blood from birth. She came up with the classic These Boots Are Made for Walking, Somethin’ Stupid, and Sugar Town. Even though the star gave acting a shot, her true passion, and skill lay in music. The star’s beauty did well on stage, and every time she performed, the crowd wanted more of Nancy Sinatra. You can’t say the same about her nowadays, considering, age took a toll on her looks. Even though she beautifies herself with makeup, the star’s skin lost its elasticity (via Winter Is Coming).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Pamela Anderson

There’s a reason Pamela Anderson was a Baywatch babe and former Playboy playmate. She was the icon of beauty in the ’90s with her perfect features and beautiful body. Her face graced the pages of tons of magazines and television screens around the world. On multiple occasions, magazines listed her as one of the most beautiful women on the planet. Not everyone can run down the beach in slow motion and look beautiful doing so. She does have some tips and tricks to try and defy the aging process, and said, “Moisture is the best anti-aging trick. I use a humidifier in dry climates, and a healthy rose water spray,” though she’s trying to embrace the aging process. But just like many other celebs on this list, age and time caught up to the star, and she lost her good looks along with her job offers (via People).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Brigitte Bardot

As a former French actress, model, and singer, Bardot was considered a beautiful icon of her time. People from around the world adored her looks and charisma. Men loved her beauty, and women did everything they could to mimic her hair and makeup. At the age of 87, Bardot participates in philanthropic and activist work. She stands out from the crowd with a unique fashion style, though you wouldn’t recognize her by her looks today. Though because of her desire to stay away from cosmetic surgery, she’s become an age-defying legacy (via NY Times).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Joan Van Ark

It’s usually better to accept the natural process of aging. Celebs who undergo tons of surgery to try and alter the course of time oftentimes end up looking far worse than usual. It’s better to embrace your wrinkles with confidence as opposed to trying to fit something natural. Joan Van Ark is one of those celebs who tried to fight time. She was once a beautiful actress on the soap opera Knots Landing, with her big eyes and cute features. But now, her lips and face look severely dehydrated, and it’s another sign that time did not fare well for this aging actress (via Life and Style Mag).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Jim Carrey

As one of the most hilarious celebs in history, Jim Carrey tugged at hearts around the world solely with his humor and good looks. His way to fame began in the ’90s and early 2000s. But that fame and fortune did not come easy, and for a while, he struggled with addiction and depression. Even though he managed to overcome that difficult period in his life, it left a mark on his looks. His once youthful and vibrant features turned into sunken and dark features, with sunken cheeks and a periodic scruffy beard to match the look. But we can leave it up to Jim Carrey to take aging hilariously. In a video, he pretended to be a toothless old man and said, “I’m 60 and sexy!” (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Barbara Streisand

If there’s one celebrity on this list who earns the title of most prestigious and successful, it’s Barbara Streisand. Throughout her life, she won four prestigious awards, including the Tony Award, an Emmy, an Oscar, and a Grammy. She’s multi-talented and a true, natural beauty. Though the star is 79, time did take its toll on her face. It’s excusable, though, considering how successful she was and how much she accomplished in her past. And compared to the other celebrities on this list, she looks rather stunning (via Mirror).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Jack Nicholson

Once known as Hollywood’s bad boy, Jack Nicholson took a turn for the worse. He was one of those celebs that could play multiple roles and excel at it. At the height of his career, he was seen on The Shining, Chinatown, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. He spent over 40 years in front of the camera and was once the most sought out actor in the world. He had a big reputation with women and loved to party, but that all caught up to him as he aged. From the photograph, you can tell the actor gained weight and is not the most flattering version of himself. He’s deathly afraid of being alone when he dies, which might happen if he keeps up his looks, and reports claim he doesn’t want to face reality anymore (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Steven Tyler

In the ’70s and ’80s, the leader of Aerosmith stole the hearts of millions of women around the world. He had long, black, curly hair and thick lips that made the ladies swoon. His flamboyant fashion and cool guy attitude completed his attraction. Even though Aerosmith still tours the world and Steven Tyler is still a part of the rock ‘n roll world, his looks took a turn for the worse. That’s what happens when you’re involved in drugs and alcohol for years and years. That, paired with stress, is a recipe for disaster, even if he continues taking part in nude photoshoots in his ’70s (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Ozzy Osbourne

Women around the world fell in love with those long locks and bad boy style in the 1960s, ’70s, and ’80s. The English singer, songwriter, and frontman was a part of Black Sabbath. During the pinnacle of his musical career, he fell into the party trap and took an immense amount of drugs and alcohol. Because of his wild lifestyle and past addictions, the celeb now has partial memory loss. That’s not surprising to hear, Ozzy (via MD Linx).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Russell Crowe

This scruffy celebrity earned several awards, including an Oscar, something most celebrities dream of receiving. His acting, combined with his boyish, rugged looks, made people around the world fall in love with him. But over the years, as he aged, he kept his unkempt looks. The messy look only looks good when you’re younger, not when you’re a fully grown man. Now, he carries a little bit more weight and hair than he used to, which isn’t as appealing as it used to be. Compared to his glory days, he certainly has a more relaxed look (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Angie Dickinson

In 2009, Angie Dickinson retired from an acting career of over 50 years. She starred in Police Woman, won an Academy Award, and portrayed stellar performances in Gun The Man Down and Dressed to Kill. The beautiful redhead had a successful acting career but succumbed to the stress of acting and the depression that followed her daughter’s suicide in 2007. Despite the fact she’s now 90, she still looks relaxed, even if she’s not anywhere near as youthful looking (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Lindsay Lohan

Most of us grew up loving the American child film star, who starred in The Parent Trap, Freaky Friday, and Mean Girls. But over the years, the star suffered immensely. The stress of fame went straight to her head, and she fell into the trap of partying too hard and using Botox to undo all of her partying. Her drinking and drug use aged her quite a bit, and now it’s too late to reverse the damage. We can all agree she was 26 going on 40 at one point (via Fox News).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Lil’ Kim

In these two photos, the female rapper Lil’ Kim looks unrecognizable. Her musical debut in 1994 helped pave her way to fame at the young age of 19. But even though she was one of those celebs that earned her title at a young age, she didn’t manage to keep up her looks. It looks like she’s had tons of plastic surgery and other operations to make her look like a completely different, less attractive person than she used to be. Looking at her pictures throughout the years, it’s terrifying to see how different she looks thanks to plastic surgery (via Buzz Feed).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

La Toya Jackson

As a part of the Jackson family, it’s not surprising to learn La Toya Jackson made her way to fame. Her brother, Michael Jackson, was an extremely talented sibling, though he wasn’t the only one in his family to climb the fame ladder. In her early days, she posed for Playboy magazine and was considered to be one of the most desired women in America. But at some point in her life, she discovered Botox and plastic surgery, and couldn’t stop putting the plastic surgery knife to her beautiful face. Even though the star is 65, it doesn’t seem like she’ll stop getting plastic surgery anytime soon (via Life and Style Mag).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Kelly McGillis

This American actress climbed her way to the top in 1985 in the film Witness. A year later, she starred in Top Gun opposite Tom Cruise. The world truly recognized her for her beauty and talent. Over the years, she struggled with personal issues that changed her looks and made her nearly unrecognizable. Even then, she continues to perform on screen and still holds the title of being a successful celebrity. The star embraces her aged look, and said, “I’m old and I’m fat and I look age-appropriate for what my age is, and that is not what that whole scene is about. But … I’d much rather feel secure in my skin and who and what I am at my age as opposed to placing a value on all that other stuff.” That’s a statement we all need to live by (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Janice Dickinson

Rumor has it that Janice Dickinson is the world’s first-ever supermodel dating back to the ’70s and ’80s. It was then you could find her face on Cosmopolitan, Playboy, and Vogue. The celeb also had her modeling agency, and during the height of her career, she was considered as one of the most beautiful women in the world. Unfortunately, she wanted to try and surpass the natural aging process, and underwent tons of plastic surgery. Now, she has botoxed lips and puffy cheeks to so much of a degree, she’s unrecognizable. The star lost her beauty and is nothing like she once looked like (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Sofia Loren

In the 1960s and ’70s, Sophia Loren was considered one of the most beautiful women in the world. She won the Golden Globe five times and even claims she still feels 20, even though she’s now 87. In an interview, she said, “Sometimes when I say I’m 86, I don’t believe it. I feel 20. When I look in the mirror, I cheer for myself. I don’t ask, ‘Are you great?’ or ‘Are you beautiful?’ No! It’s how I feel inside, how secure I am, how happy I am. That’s what matters.” As long as she feels 20 inside, that’s all that matters (via NY Post).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Geena Davis

The celebrity has appeared in several films throughout her acting career, like Thelma and Louise, A League of Their Own, and Beetlejuice. You probably saw the star on your television and fell in love with her beauty. She also earned an Academy Award and Golden Globe, though those awards did not stop her from aging. Through a series of flops, she started the decline of her career and eventually put on weight. These celebs cannot escape the inevitable aging no matter how much they try (via Daily Mail).

<< Previous

NEXT >>

Mick Jagger

As the lead singer from The Rolling Stones, you’d think Mick Jagger could afford to keep himself looking youthful. But the complete opposite happened, and he’s one of those celebs that never slowed down or had a break. While touring, he fathered eight children, the last one of which he fathered at the ripe age of 73. His youthful photograph shows why women fell in love with him and how it was probably easy for him to father so many children. He was a heartthrob with his pouty lips and thick black hair. But those looks didn’t stick around, and by age 78, he looks tired and a lot older than ever before. He even agrees that you’re not supposed to be a rock star at his age, and said, “Rock ‘n’ roll, or any kind of pop music honestly, isn’t supposed to be done when you’re in your 70s. It wasn’t designed for that. Doing anything high-energy at this age is pushing it” (via Ultimate Classic Rock).

<< Previous