The Art Of Aging Well: Famous Stars Who Flaunt Their Gray Hair
Many people will naturally go gray or silver at some point in their lifetime. Gray hair is most commonly thought of as a sign of aging, but many of today's biggest celebrities have started to embrace their silver strands.
Instead of trying to hide their gray, celebs such as Steve Carell, Anderson Cooper, and Jane Fonda can walk the red carpet or be caught by the paparazzi while letting their natural hair color shine in all its glory. Read on to see how some famous stars have effortlessly transitioned to gray hair.
Matt LeBlanc Said His Gray Hair Came In During Friends
Fans most likely know Matt LeBlanc for his role as Joey Tribbiani on the hit sitcom Friends. Although he was known for his dark brown hair on TV, he actually revealed that his gray hair started coming sooner than most thought.
He spoke about this on The Late Late Show with James Cordon, saying that he noticed his gray hair during Friends' second season. It was growing in on the sides, so the executives on the show made him dye it. Now, he's in his 50s and has let all of his natural gray come in.
Steve Carell's Gray Hair Went Viral Online
Steve Carell has been in comedy for the majority of his adult life, but audiences really got to know him as Michael Scott on NBC's The Office. When Carell left the series in the middle of its run but came back for the final episode, fans noticed his hair had completely turned gray.
Carell went viral on Twitter for his silver fox status and when asked about it he said, "I am so sick of people just looking at me for my physical attributes. It's just genetic. There's nothing I can do." He later admitted he liked the attention, "I'm bursting with pride. That's very nice."
Jane Fonda Found The Perfect Colorist For Her Icy Gray Color
The public has watched Jane Fonda grow up for almost all her life. Even though she is now in her 80s, her hair color only recently transitioned to gray. She had golden blonde hair for most of her life, but wanted to switch things up before the 2020 Academy Awards.
Colorist Jack Martin said that Fonda reached out to him to give her the exact icy gray color she wanted. Martin specializes in coloring gray hair and has helped numerous people make the gray transition. Fonda isn't the only celebrity client he's done; he recently posted that he did the same for Sharon Osbourne.
Tom Hanks Isn't Afraid To Change His Hair
Screen icon Tom Hanks has been in the movie business for quite some time. Audiences met him in his early 20s and have seen his abundance of diverse roles. Many of his parts have caused him to alter his appearance, including his hair.
For example, Hanks dyed his hair white to play Captain Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger in Sully. Also, he recently made a cameo in the Borat sequel and was sprouting a full head of natural gray hair. There have been reports that Hanks had a hair transplant because his hairline has shifted.
Rita Moreno Feels Lucky To Be Alive
Rita Moreno is approaching her 90s and has lived a very full life so far. She is one of the few people who've had the distinct honor of becoming an EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner and is best-known for films such as West Side Story, The King and I, and Singin' in the Rain.
Her current gray hairstyle is age-appropriate, modern, and chic. Moreno told People magazine that she considers herself lucky to be alive. "If I get a hangnail, I don't dare complain! Life is good. I wake up humming."
Jamie Lee Curtis Didn't Want To Burn Her Head Anymore
Born to actors Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis has been famous for her entire life. Most would likely recognize her from movies such as Halloween, A Fish Called Wanda, and Freaky Friday. She has been rocking a pixie haircut for decades, but she only recently went gray.
In 2017, she told Everyday Health she had an epiphany while sitting in a salon. She thought to herself that it wasn't worth keeping the gray away if she had to put a burning chemical on her head.
Anderson Cooper Doesn't Like Being A Silver Fox
Those who have heard of Anderson Cooper most likely know that he is the son of heiress Gloria Vanderbilt and is a top news anchor on CNN. He's a few years away from approaching his 60s, but he already knows what it's like to live with gray hair.
Cooper was born with brown hair, but it started turning silver in his early 20s. He noticed a small patch of gray and by the age of 30, it had all turned gray. He told Kelly Ripa on her morning talk show, "I wish I still had brown hair. If I could, I would probably color my hair."
Diane Keaton Believes Older People Should Have Gray Hair
Well into her 70s, Diane Keaton has spent decades in the entertainment industry. Some may recognize her from The Godfather trilogy, Father of the Bride franchise, and The Family Stone. For most of her life, she wore a dirty blonde hair color, but she wanted a more natural hue.
Keaton kept her long bob hairdo and let it go gray. She debuted her look in 2014 and has kept it ever since. "My hair is now white. It's better to have light around your face. I think it looks better on older people," Keaton told People magazine.
George Clooney Made The Best Out Of His Early Gray Hair
The first major role George Clooney got was Dr. Doug Ross on ER. After leaving the show, Clooney became one of the world's most famous movie stars in films such as Syriana, Up in the Air, and The Descendants. He is almost 60 now, but started to go gray in his early 30s.
According to Regal Gentleman, Clooney was always aware of his looks and didn't want to change them. "It's never been an option. I'm a big believer that you can't try to look younger, you can just try to look the best you can at the age you are."
Helen Mirren Got A Great Life Lesson From Her Mother
British actress Helen Mirren has excelled in both stage and screen with numerous accolades to her name. Those who remember her earlier roles have seen her with her natural golden blonde hair. Now, Mirren is in her mid-70s and knew she couldn't stay blonde forever.
She told The Daily Mail that she thinks of herself as "fearless" when it comes to her hair. Mirren transitioned from blonde to gray, but has also dyed her hair fun colors such as pink. In a Vogue interview, she shared that her mother always used to tell her, "Never worry about getting older."
Andy Cohen Has Never Colored His Hair
Fans most likely know Andy Cohen from the Bravo network where he hosts a celebrity talk show called Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. Cohen is now in his early 50s and recently became the father of a son named Benjamin Allen Cohen.
Within the last 10 years, his hair has transitioned from a salt-and-pepper look to full-on silver. During a taping of Cohen's show, he revealed to his audience that he has never colored his hair. "I promise you I'm not dying my hair," he said.
Emmylou Harris Thinks Women Should Do This
Country music star Emmylou Harris is one of the most accomplished musicians of her generation. She won 14 Grammy Awards, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and has worked with several top musicians including Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt. Harris is in her 70s and has finally let her natural hair color shine through.
"I did color it for a while, and then it was just so much trouble. If I didn't think it looked good on me, I would color it. Women should do whatever makes them feel good, but I do wish that we would accept our aging selves," Harris told The New York Times.
Jeff Goldblum Doesn't Want To Mess With What Nature Intended
Jeff Goldblum started acting in his early 20s and has gone on to star in several blockbuster hits such as Jurassic Park, Independence Day, and The Fly. Some fans may not know that he also has his own jazz band: Jeff Goldblum and the Mildred Snitzer Orchestra.
Since Goldblum is only a couple years away from his 70s, his hair color now matches his age. In an interview with GQ he said, "My hair used to be dark, and now it's salt-and-pepper. I like the way it looks." Goldblum also mentioned he's never done cosmetic surgery and doesn't ever plan on doing it.
Glenn Close Rocks A Polished Gray Pixie Cut
Vanity Fair called Glenn Close "one of the greatest actresses of our time." A few years into her 70s, Close has won Emmys, Tonys, Golden Globes, and more. Her most prominent movie roles have included The World According to Garp, Fatal Attraction, and The Wife.
Her fans know that she has worn her hair blonde for decades, but she recently decided to switch things up. At the beginning of 2020, Close was seen sporting a new gray hairstyle when she attended the Screen Actors Guild Awards. She told The Guardian that she thinks it's good for kids to see adults embracing aging.
Do You Remember When Sam Elliott Shaved His Mustache?
One of the most popular Western stars of the 20th century was Sam Elliott. Some of his most famous roles were in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, Tombstone, and Conagher. While Elliott's looks have changed as he's aged, his signature mustache hasn't changed a bit.
Elliott is now in his mid-70s and dons a sleek silver haircut with a mustache to match. His hair started to gray in the early 1990s, but he would only alter his appearance if it was for a role. The most striking example of this is when he shaved his mustache for 2015's Justified.
Judi Dench Jokes That She Isn't Too Happy About Aging
Dame Judi Dench started acting professionally in her early 20s; mostly performing as the female lead in several Shakespeare plays. In the late 1960s, she branched out to the silver screen and became one of the most acclaimed actresses of all-time in movies such as Cabaret, Shakespeare in Love, and Chocolat.
During her early adult years, Dench switched between brunette and blonde hairstyles. As she aged she kept her familiar pixie cut, but allowed her hair to transition to gray. When Dench was asked about aging in Hollywood she hilariously responded, "There's nothing good about being my age."
Jon Stewart Is Aware That He's Aged A Lot
From 1999 to 2015, audiences watched Jon Stewart host Comedy Central's satirical news program The Daily Show. After handing off the show to Trevor Noah, Stewart decided to keep a low profile. Suddenly, fans noticed how different he looked.
During the taping of his show, Stewart's hair transitioned from dark brown to gray. The days after his time at The Daily Show led to him growing a gray beard to match his hair. He realized he looked a lot older and remarked at the Stand Up for Heroes benefit, "Oh, I can't believe it, it's Jon Stewart's grandfather!"
Patrick Dempsey Went Gray On Grey's Anatomy
Those who've followed Patrick Dempsey's career since the beginning may remember his 1980s films such as Can't Buy Me Love and Loverboy. Most of his fans know him from the medical drama series Grey's Anatomy where he played Derek "McDreamy" Shepherd. During his spare time, Dempsey loves to collect and race sports and vintage cars.
Dempsey spent about a decade on Grey's Anatomy, so fans got to see his hair naturally turn silver. He met his wife, Jillian Fink, at her hair salon in the 1990s and a recent Instagram post showed her still doing his hair after all these years.
Harrison Ford Wanted This Iconic Character To Have Gray Hair
Harrison Ford is only a couple of years away from entering his 80s and remains one of the top actors in Hollywood. He's starred in numerous blockbuster hits including the Star Wars and Indiana Jones film franchises.
Ford has worn his hair gray for decades and doesn't plan on trying to dye it anytime soon. According to Contact Music, Ford was asked to dye his gray hair for the most recent Indiana Jones film, but he refused. Ford said, "There was some early discussion about whether or not that would be a good idea. And I thought, 'Why can't Indiana Jones have gray hair?'"
Sharon Osbourne Ditched Her Famous Red Locks
One thing that fans have noticed about Sharon Osbourne through the years is her deep red hair. Osbourne revealed to People magazine that she had been coloring it that way for almost two decades and finally had enough of the grueling upkeep.
Similar to Jane Fonda, Osbourne went to celebrity gray hairstylist Jack Martin to get the perfect shade of gray. Martin said, "She explained to me that she wanted to do this transformation a long time ago, but every time she attempts it, it ends up being a disaster."
