Primed and Ready
“This seems less like a twilight thing and more like a ‘go girl, kick ass’ thing—which is good because I’m not done.” Jane Fonda, longtime aging well champion, at age 87, strongly declaring she still has plenty to do, upon accepting the Life Achievement Award at the 31st Annual SAG Awards on Sunday night.
Fonda also noted she did one of her most successful movies in her 80s and predicted she’ll be doing her own stunts in action movies when she’s in her 90s.
Her fiery and inspiring speech challenged the status quo. As the New York Times quoted Fonda, “...We are in our documentary moment. This is it. And it’s not a rehearsal.”
Debbie Harry: Still a Badass Rock and Roller
Blondie frontperson Debbie Harry, the iconic rock and roller of the 1970s and 80s (and beyond) doesn’t seem too different these days from the person she was back then: bold, brash, and full of vitality. She is currently the focus of Gucci’s Cruise 2025 collection, which was shot by photographer Nan Goldin for the We Will Always Have London campaign. To catch up on more of what she’s up to, follow the link below to The Times.
Golden Roadies
While the music industry may skew young, there’s one sector of the profession that’s a surprising exception. Many of the industry’s most valued roadies, including equipment and sound technicians, are well into their golden years (despite the long hours and physical demands.) Read about how some of music’s most legendary artists depend on these experienced employees to keep them rocking and rolling all night.
Older Actors and Creators Win Big at Golden Globes
More than a third of the awards given out at the Golden Globes on Sunday, January 5, went to individuals over the age of 50.
The oldest to bring home an award: Jean Smart, 73, known as the sassy and savvy Deborah Vance in Hacks, won for Best Actress in a TV Series, Musical or Comedy.
Demi Moore, 62, who spoke of the double challenge of aging as female, won for Best Actress, Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy, for her role in The Substance. In her acceptance speech, Moore talked of having been “doing this” for more than 45 years without winning anything. She also talked about a producer telling her 30 years ago that she was “a popcorn actress,” a comment that she says corroded her over time, leading to a crisis in confidence that nearly convinced her to put herself out to pasture a few years ago. Until a certain script found her. Follow the link below to hear her acceptance speech.
Centenarian In Chief
Former President Jimmy Carter, who died on December 29th, was 100 years old–a milestone age not achieved by just anyone. To look at the lynchpins of his long and active life, Fortune spotlights Carter’s three strategies for longevity. Read on to see how fitness, love, and community factored in.
Can Do at 102
We recently had the privilege of visiting Rancho La Puerta in Baja California, MX, and attended a Q&A with its 102-year-old founder, Deborah Szekely. What an amazing life she’s led, from founding the wellness retreat and spa in 1940, to establishing San Diego’s New Americans Museum and Immigration Learning Center at age 80. Her advice for staying healthy and engaged? Maintain an active social network, be positive, and just move (she still walks one mile every day)! Read more about Deborah’s remarkable story in this Fortune interview.
The Dick Van Dyke Show Lives On
To honor Dick Van Dyke’s 99th birthday, Coldplay’s Chris Martin invited the actor and comedian to join him in recording a music video of the band’s song, “All My Love.” In the 7-minute version, Van Dyke sings, dances, and shares poignant memories of his decades-long career. Happy Birthday Mr. Van Dyke, and congratulations on this cool, co-generational collaboration!
Follow the link below to watch.
Meet Beatriz Coll
Once an avant-garde punk rocker in London, then a commercial architectural photographer, and later a pediatric nurse. Bea Coll lived a lot of life before retiring to Asheville, North Carolina where she now focuses on her art, quantum physics, and becoming a death doula.
Pragmatism + Optimism = 102 and Still Going Strong
Meet Hilda Jaffe, 102, who defies age and is the veritable embodiment of a ‘superager.’ As the Washington Post reports, at age 88, Jaffe decided to turn the page and start a new chapter, selling her home in New Jersey and moving to Manhattan, taking up residence in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood. More than a decade later, she is still actively enjoying the easy walks to grocery stores, seeing opera, and living independently in the city that never sleeps. According to Sofiya Milman, director of human longevity studies at the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, superagers typically have a very positive outlook on life, with built-in resilience. Read on to learn more about Jaffe’s approach to life and what studies of other superagers reveal.
A Friendship for the Ages, and Across All Ages
Andrea, 82, met Angelo, 16, through the nonprofit, Dorot, a Hebrew word meaning “generations.” Both cite the benefits of their intergenerational friendship, with Angelo, noting, “You get to…even learn from their experiences and get really great advice.” More organizations are connecting teens and elders as a way to address the loneliness epidemic, an ongoing trend exacerbated by the pandemic.
The Brilliance of Jean Smart
All hail Jean Smart. At the 2024 Emmys, the inimitable and talented, and sexy 73-year-old Smart won “Lead Actress in a Comedy Series” for her role as the inimitable, talented, and sexy 70-something-year-old Deborah Vance on “Hacks.” In the third season of the show, Vance pursues her dream job—host of a late-night talk show, and Variety writes, “This sets up an astoundingly rare situation for a television comedy – a female character over 70 aggressively and strategically going after a traditionally male-identified and very public position.”
These Aren’t Your Father’s Grandparents
Forget babysitting or spoiling the grandkids, today’s grandmas and grandpas are forging a different path: joining their young descendants in embracing adventure travel. As older adults are increasingly fitter, and for longer periods of time, they’re bonding with their grandchildren while trekking, hiking, and scuba diving.
Retiring the Notion of Retirement
“The Unstoppables” is a New York Times series on prominent creative people over the age of 75 who continue to pursue excellence. Read what Giorgio Armani, Paul Theroux, Lauren Hutton, and others have to say about what inspires them to work at an age when others are content with gardening and golf.
When it Comes to Aging Well, It’s About More than Keeping Your Head Above Water
In a new film about endurance swimmer Diana Nyad, we meet a woman who sees the last half of her life looming large and vows to reject all the customary beliefs and limitations. As The San Francisco Chronicle reports, “…This movie is very much and quite consciously about something more universal, namely what it’s like to be in one’s 60s. It’s a weird time of life: You feel good. You feel like your old self, but you know that something could easily go wrong…”
Success Has No Age Limit
Forbes recently released its 2023 "50 Over 50" list, sharing inspiring stories of women who have made significant strides, personally and professionally, later in life.