In a world where cosmetic modifications are increasingly becoming the norm for people of all ages, many celebrities over 50 have chosen to fully embrace their aging rather than trying to hide it. Living in a society where ageism is widespread can make it difficult for people from all walks of life to accept the natural process. In reality, Research has clearly revealed the prevalence of age discrimination and its impact on health.
A 2008 study In Aging and Society showed that women between the ages of 50 and 70 were more likely to want to modify their appearance in some way due to motivations primarily guided by ageism, including “the fight against invisibility, a lifelong investment in appearance, the desire to attract or retain a romantic partner, and employment-related ageism.” For public figures, many of these pressures may be felt more acutely because they are regularly subject to the harsh judgment of the public. Naturally, they feel the need to conform to Hollywood’s unrealistic standards.
It is worth noting that studies have proven this Your attitude toward aging can affect your health as you get older. A 2016 study A study in Personality and Individual Differences found that people who viewed aging in a negative light were more likely to develop cognitive impairment than those who saw it as a good thing. In addition, A 2015 study In PLOS One showed that people who saw their aging as a bad thing had slower walking speeds than those who did not. With all this in mind, it seems that celebrities over 50 who have decided to cherish the aging process may have made a better choice for their mental and physical health.
Hoda Kotb believes that the 1950s are one of the best decades in a woman’s life
During a 2017 episode of “todayHoda Kotb became emotional as she looked back on the struggles she endured when she was 43, with the end of her marriage to Porzis Kanga, her breast cancer diagnosis, and her feeling extremely dissatisfied with her job. However, nearly a decade later, she had the family life she dreamed of because she was able to spend her days with her adopted daughter, Hailey, and her then-partner, Joel Schiffman.
And also in the 2022 episode of the series “Today with Hoda and Jenna“Kotb said the 1950s were a magical time for women as they entered the decade having faced countless life experiences that helped them know themselves better than ever before. She went on to pass on a pearl of wisdom about aging to Jenna Bush Hager, saying, ‘Your best years — your most confident years, your clearest years — are ahead of you.'” Meanwhile, in a 2025 interview with Country lifeThe former “Today” host said she believes a person’s soul is immortal. To explain her position, she noted that she had seen vibrant 90-year-olds and 30-year-olds who did not share the same enthusiasm for life.
Then Kotb dispelled the idea that aging negatively affects beauty. “(Beauty is) how you walk into the room — you set the temperature, you decide,” she said. “Beauty, by the way, is confidence. I know that our appearance affects how we feel; I feel the same way. I think when we focus on other people and other things, (that) beauty comes out.”
Tracee Ellis Ross is looking forward to aging in her younger years
During a 2023 appearance on NPR’s “It was accuratePodcast, Tracee Ellis Ross said she particularly “loved” aging because she realized it was a privilege that not many people had. Unsurprisingly, the “Black-ish” star also feels incredibly confident in her body in her 50s, even though she has gone through many normal changes as she gets older. She went on to talk about how her life experiences have enabled her to read the room better and learn to set stricter boundaries.
At the 2017 event of Women in the worldRoss similarly spoke highly of aging. “I wanted to grow old,” she said. “I thought the lines on the woman’s face were evidence of her story and the life she lived.” As a result, she was naturally happy to see the lines forming under her eyes because they were a testimony to the experiences she had had in life. Meanwhile, in a 2022 interview with The Guardianthe “Girlfriends” alumna said that although there were moments when she felt insecure about her age, she ultimately didn’t find much comfort in trying to hide it either.
Plus, she couldn’t help but draw attention to Hollywood’s obsession with staying forever young. While chatting with luster In 2022, Ross admitted that she also couldn’t understand why people were so obsessed with anti-aging solutions. After mentioning that being young undoubtedly has its advantages, she said: “If we let go of that, people can really enjoy how profound and beautiful people become and become more beautiful as they get older.”
Angelina Jolie sees aging as a ‘victory’
talking to Vogue magazine In 2021, Angelina Jolie shared that aging felt like “a triumph, not a sorrow” because her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, died at the age of 56. And although the “Mariah” star already felt incredibly confident in her 40s, she still knows that her 50s will only change her for the better.
During a 2018 interview with InStyle (via the people) Jolie revealed another reason that made her love aging. “I look in the mirror and see that I look like my mother, and it warms me,” she admitted. “I also see myself getting older, and I like that because it means I’m alive – I’m living and getting older.” In addition, in 2017 Welcome! magazine In the interview, Jolie said her perspective on life and aging has changed after facing health struggles over the past decade and focusing on raising her children. In the aftermath, the “Maleficent” star realized that there was nothing more important than being healthy and ensuring the health of her children.
During her 2024 conversation with The timesJolie said that her career also continued to flourish as she got older since she was able to get better acting offers. “I don’t think about it in terms of the roles offered, but in terms of the life experience you contribute,” Jolie added. When 49-year-old Jolie spoke IndieWire In 2024, she doesn’t mince her words when addressing aging: “I feel like an older woman now and I accept that.”
Justine Bateman reached the depths of her concerns about aging and never looked back
talking to Entertainment tonight In 2021, Justine Bateman recalled how she searched Google herself when she was 41 and found that one of the autocomplete results was about aging. At the time, she unfortunately let online chatter about her aging get to her. During his 2023 appearance on “today“, the “Family Ties” alumna shared that she’s finally starting to feel like the fear of aging has actually been manufactured by entities that benefit from it in one way or another. Jason Bateman’s older sister explained that this fear instilled in women can make them question how aging affects their job prospects, their love lives, and many other aspects of their lives.
Once Justine reached the depths of her fears, she developed a new perspective on her aging. During a 2021 interview with Sydney Morning HeraldThe director shared that although she was not oblivious to the signs of aging on her face, she chose to see them as positives rather than negatives. “I think about how many tears have come down that face, how many joys, how many exhaustions or invigorations — it’s an amazing array of experiences that this really small area of my body has brought to me,” she added.
Meanwhile, in her interview with Entertainment Tonight, Justine encouraged those who were commenting negatively on her aging to stick with their work because it was just a reflection of who they are and not an accurate portrayal of who she is.
Jamie Lee Curtis is completely “pro-ageing.”
Speaking at the Summit on Radically Reframing Aging (trans today) In 2022, Jamie Lee Curtis said she hopes to remove the word “anti-aging” from the dictionary. The Oscar winner then stated that she was “pro-aging” because she wanted to fully embrace the natural process rather than running away from it. Meanwhile, during a 2025 appearance on NPR’s “Wild Card with Rachel Martinpodcast, Curtis shared that she believes that even though people may change their appearance through face-editing apps or plastic surgery, the reality of what they look like will still appear to them in the mirror.
By then, Curtis had no desire to hide her appearance. talking to The Guardian In July 2025, the “Freaky Friday” star claimed there had been “a genocide of a generation of women at the hands of the cosmetics industrial complex, who mutilated themselves.” Moreover, when it appeared on “today“In 2022, she called out celebrities who posted heavily filtered photos of themselves. As for the ‘Halloween’ star herself, she was more than happy to allow herself to look like her real life on the big screen because she felt it would send the message that it’s okay to age naturally.”
During his 2024 appearance on “today“, 65-year-old Curtis said she was thriving in her professional and personal life as she got older. “I’m less hard on myself,” she said. “I’m very accepting of what I look like and I own what I think and feel. This, to me, is maturity. You own what you think and feel.
