7 actors who got their big break later in life
The entertainment industry has always been notoriously difficult to break into, but these stars never gave up on their dreams and today, they’re some of the most famous faces to grace the silver screen. Let’s take a look at 7 actors who scored their big break later in life.
1. Samuel L. Jackson
Today, he’s one of our favourite actors, but for the first 40 or so years of his life, Jackson struggled to make it big in Hollywood. It wasn’t until his iconic role in 1994’s Pulp Fiction (when Jackson was 45) that his talents were finally put on show for a larger audience.
2. Lucille Ball
We all have fond memories of Ball’s antics on legendary sitcom I Love Lucy, but did you know that was her breakthrough role? She had spent years appearing in low-budget movies and in the theatre before I Love Lucy came along when Ball was 40.
3. Alan Rickman
The late, great Alan Rickman was originally a graphic designer, who decided in his early 20s that if he wanted to get into acting, it was now or never. Despite having success in the theatre, it wasn’t until the age of 42 that he landed his first major role as Hans Gruber in the 1988 blockbuster Die Hard.
4. Kathy Bates
The now-67-year-old Bates had spent most of the 70s and 80s appearing in small TV and film roles, but it wasn’t until her starring role in Stephen King’s creepy classic Misery, which earned her the Best Actress Oscar,that she made her big break at the age of 43.
5. Christoph Waltz
59-year-old Waltz is still a relatively fresh face in the film industry, having scored his first major role in 2009 in Inglourious Basterds. In the 7 years since, he has established himself as an acting heavyweight, starring in Django Unchained, Big Eyes, and in the latest James Bond instalment, Spectre.
6. Judi Dench
Another James Bond alumna, the legendary Dench (now 81) had already amassed quite a profile in the UK but didn’t break into Hollywood until the age of 61, in 1995’s GoldenEye. She has since earned six BAFTAs, two Golden Globes, an Oscar and a Tony Award.
7. Morgan Freeman
One of the most recognisable voices on the planet, can you believe Freeman didn’t get his first major role until he was 52? The Oscar-winning actor has been in the business since 1964, but didn’t crack Hollywood until 1989’s Driving Miss Daisy.
It just goes to show you that it’s never too late to pursue your dreams! Tell us in the comments below, what would you like to achieve in your 60s?
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