7 Celebrities Who Became Famous After 40

Contrary to popular belief, not all celebrities found fame and fortune in their twenties or even their thirties. There are a number of actors and TV personalities who became household names when they were much older. While many of today’s A-list stars have been in the business since they were children or young adults, not every person in show business got their start so early. In fact, some of the biggest names in Hollywood only got to where they are after putting in years of hard work and struggle. These celebrities may have gotten their big break later in the game, but that didn’t stop them from achieving great success. We couldn’t imagine the industry without them. These celebrities prove that you don’t have to have it all figured out by the time you turn 30. Here are seven celebrities who became famous after 40.

Betty White

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Betty White’s career in acting, writing, radio, television and comedy has spanned more than 75 years. She gained mainstream attention when she first appeared as Sue Ann Nivens on The Mary Tyler Moore Show in 1973, a role that she won an Emmy for. At the time, she was 51. She is also known for her Emmy Award winning roles as Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls, from 1985-1992. The Writers Guild of America has included both sitcoms in its list of 101 Best Written Sitcoms of All Time. White is regarded as a pioneer in television. She was one of the first women to have control both in front and behind the camera and is recognized as the first woman to produce a sitcom. The amazing part? She is still landing major acting roles in her ‘90s. You go, Betty!

Samuel L. Jackson

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While Samuel L. Jackson appeared in a few small roles in the ‘70s, he didn’t get mainstream attention until he landed a role in Spike Lee’s 1989 film, Do the Right Thing at age 41. The rest was history. Jackson achieved critical acclaim in the early ‘90s with films such as Jungle Fever, Patriot Games, Amos & Andrew, True Romance, Jurassic Park, Die Hard with a Vengeance and for his collaborations with director Quentin Tarantino, including Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and Django Unchained. The 2000s led to many iconic roles, including Unbreakable, Shaft, the Star Wars prequel trilogy, as well as the Marvel Cinematic Universe. During his career, he has appeared in over 100 films.

Nene Leaks

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The Real Housewives of Atlanta star became famous in 2008, at age 41, when the reality show first debuted. Today, Nene Leakes is one of the most popular and recognized figures in reality TV. She is best known for her eight-year stint on the reality TV series as an original cast member and for her recurring character Roz Washington on the FOX sitcom, Glee. She also played the role of Rocky Rhoades on NBC’s award-winning sitcom The New Normal until 2013. Leakes was also a participant on The Celebrity Apprentice and Dancing with the Stars in 2011 and 2014. She made her Broadway debut as Madame in Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella in 2014 and Matron “Mama” Morton in Chicago in 2015.

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