20 Best Actresses Who Started Acting Late

Plenty of performers find their footing young, but many remarkable actresses came to acting after other careers or long stretches away from the spotlight. Their paths show how experience in different fields can lead to memorable screen work once the timing is right. This list brings together women who began acting in adulthood or shifted to screen later than most, then built substantial bodies of work.

You will find former nurses, teachers, airline employees, photographers, and models who turned a fresh start into acclaimed roles. Each entry highlights what they did before acting took hold, how they made the leap, and the credits that defined their rise once the door finally opened.

Kathryn Joosten

Before she ever booked a set visit, Kathryn Joosten spent years as a psychiatric nurse and raised two sons. In her early forties she joined a community theater in Illinois, then relocated to Orlando to perform at Disney and take on regional roles, which led her to pursue television work in Los Angeles.

Her first steady TV parts arrived after dozens of commercials and day roles, followed by national attention as Mrs. Landingham on ‘The West Wing’. She later played Karen McCluskey on ‘Desperate Housewives’ and won two Primetime Emmys for that performance.

Estelle Getty

Estelle Getty worked as a secretary and performed in small theater productions while raising a family. She kept auditioning well into middle age and toured in the stage version of ‘Torch Song Trilogy’, which brought new visibility.

Television finally made her a household name as Sophia Petrillo on ‘The Golden Girls’. She earned an Emmy and a Golden Globe for that role and appeared in the spin off ‘The Golden Palace’, along with guest spots across network comedies.

Phyllis Smith

Phyllis Smith held jobs as a professional cheerleader and later as a casting associate, reading opposite actors during auditions. Producers noticed her timing while she worked behind the table and encouraged her to step in front of the camera.

She was cast as Phyllis Vance on ‘The Office’ and appeared across the entire run. She later voiced Sadness in ‘Inside Out’ and returned to live action work in projects like ‘The OA’.

Lynn Cohen

Lynn Cohen turned to screen acting after extensive theater work and life experience that included raising a family. Her television break came with a recurring role that introduced her to a wide audience.

She became well known as Magda on ‘Sex and the City’. Film credits followed, including Steven Spielberg’s ‘Munich’ and the franchise entry ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’.

Ann Dowd

Ann Dowd trained in theater and spent years in regional productions while balancing other work and family life. Sustained screen roles arrived later, built on a steady run of character parts.

Her harrowing turn in ‘Compliance’ drew wide notice and set up major television roles. She won a Primetime Emmy for playing Aunt Lydia in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and also had a pivotal part in ‘The Leftovers’.

Ellen Burstyn

Ellen Burstyn worked as a model and dancer before studying acting in New York and joining the Actors Studio as an adult. Early credits were scattered, then momentum built once she focused on dramatic roles.

She earned acclaim for ‘The Last Picture Show’ and ‘The Exorcist’, then won the Academy Award for ‘Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore’. Later highlights include ‘Requiem for a Dream’ and recurring television work.

Zohra Sehgal

Zohra Sehgal trained as a dancer and toured internationally before moving into theater in India. She shifted to film and television later, bringing decades of stage presence to each screen role.

She charmed global audiences in ‘Bhaji on the Beach’ and ‘Bend It Like Beckham’, and appeared in ‘Cheeni Kum’. She continued performing into advanced age, becoming a beloved figure across generations.

Joanna Scanlan

Joanna Scanlan lectured in drama at the University of Leicester and worked in arts administration, including time at the Royal Shakespeare Company. She transitioned to on screen acting after thirty, drawing on a deep understanding of performance craft.

Television credits include ‘The Thick of It’ and ‘No Offence’, with earlier acclaim for the hospital comedy ‘Getting On’, which she co wrote and starred in. She later won a BAFTA Film Award for her leading role in ‘After Love’.

Gwendoline Christie

Gwendoline Christie began as a model and trained at Drama Centre London as an adult, then built a career through stage and independent projects. Her height and physical presence became defining assets once she reached mainstream casting rooms.

International recognition arrived with Brienne of Tarth on ‘Game of Thrones’. She went on to prominent roles in ‘Star Wars’, ‘The Sandman’, and ‘Wednesday’.

Sharon Horgan

Sharon Horgan worked a series of day jobs while writing and performing in small comedy shows. She moved into television in her thirties by developing original material and pairing with collaborators who shared her sensibility.

Her breakthrough came with ‘Pulling’, followed by the acclaimed partnership with Rob Delaney on ‘Catastrophe’. She created and starred in ‘Bad Sisters’ and co founded the production company Merman to develop more series.

Marla Gibbs

Marla Gibbs spent more than a decade with United Airlines in Detroit and Los Angeles. She studied acting at night, appeared in local theater, and gradually shifted into television auditions.

Her career took off as Florence Johnston on ‘The Jeffersons’. She then led the sitcom ‘227’ as star and producer and collected multiple NAACP Image Awards while maintaining a steady presence on screen.

Linda Gray

Linda Gray started in modeling and commercials, then pursued acting seriously later in life. Guest roles led to a career defining part that brought her international fame.

She played Sue Ellen Ewing on ‘Dallas’, earning multiple nominations from major award bodies. Gray continued the character in later revivals and worked across film and television dramas.

Kathy Baker

Kathy Baker studied in California and trained with theater companies before film work arrived in her thirties. A stage collaboration with playwright Sam Shepard drew attention from casting directors.

She won widespread praise for ‘Street Smart’ and added notable roles in ‘Edward Scissorhands’ and ‘Cold Mountain’. On television she led ‘Picket Fences’ and earned several Primetime Emmys for her work.

Hiam Abbass

Hiam Abbass worked as a photographer and acting coach and moved from the Middle East to Europe to pursue film. Substantial roles came after she established herself in French and international productions.

She starred in ‘Paradise Now’ and ‘The Visitor’, then reached new audiences with ‘Blade Runner 2049’ and ‘Succession’. Abbass has also directed features, adding filmmaking to an already diverse career.

Olympia Dukakis

Olympia Dukakis spent years in regional theater, taught acting, and co founded the Whole Theatre Company in New Jersey. Screen roles accumulated slowly until a single performance brought broad recognition.

She won the Academy Award for ‘Moonstruck’ and followed with ‘Steel Magnolias’ and a run of strong supporting turns. She continued to appear on television and in documentaries about her life and work.

Frances Bay

Frances Bay paused early performance ambitions to raise a family, then returned to acting in middle age through community theater and commercials. Casting directors welcomed her distinctive presence and comedic instincts.

She played the feisty grandmother in ‘Happy Gilmore’ and appeared in David Lynch’s ‘Blue Velvet’. Television viewers remember her from ‘Seinfeld’ as the woman with the marble rye and from many guest roles.

Estelle Harris

Estelle Harris first made her mark in national commercials and character spots after managing a household and working in family businesses. That late start on camera launched a prolific run in comedy.

She portrayed Estelle Costanza on ‘Seinfeld’ and voiced Mrs. Potato Head in the ‘Toy Story’ series. Additional credits span animated shows, sitcoms, and family films.

Brenda Blethyn

Brenda Blethyn worked as a secretary and bookkeeper before training at drama school and joining the National Theatre. Stage experience prepared her for complex film roles once she moved to screen.

She earned international acclaim for ‘Secrets & Lies’ and delivered another standout in ‘Little Voice’. She later headlined the long running detective series ‘Vera’ and appeared in a steady stream of British dramas.

Margo Martindale

Margo Martindale built a reputation on stage in New York and in regional theaters, then started a sustained screen career in her late thirties. Her character work quickly made her a sought after presence in dramas.

She won a Primetime Emmy for ‘Justified’ as Mags Bennett and added more wins for ‘The Americans’. Film credits include ‘Million Dollar Baby’ and ‘August: Osage County’, along with comedies and animated projects.

Aloma Wright

Aloma Wright trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and shifted to consistent screen work later than most, beginning with commercials and guest roles. Casting teams valued her grounded approach and reliability.

She became widely known as Laverne Roberts and later Nurse Shirley on ‘Scrubs’. Audiences also know her as Maxine on ‘Suits’ and from appearances in ‘Days of Our Lives’ and network dramas.

Share your favorite examples of late blooming screen careers in the comments and tell us who inspired you most.