Sometimes it can seem difficult to relate to the world of celebrities, with their excess glitz and glamour. These Hollywood stars, however, have chosen to embrace their natural gray roots. Here they are...
Sarah Jessica Parker
Most of us have come to know (and love) her from Sex and the City. So it may be surprising to hear that Sarah Jessica Parker isn’t quite as image-obsessed as her on-screen counterpart, Carrie Bradshaw.
Her looks, however stunning they may be, certainly aren't her top priority. Instead, she favors self-love and rocks her gray locks without much care for the opinions of others. "I make choices that make me feel comfortable and try not to worry too much about what other people think," she declared in an interview.
George Clooney
After all these years, it's hard to recall the days when George Clooney was a brown-haired heartthrob. These days he's known for being an out-and-out silver fox, and we can't get enough of it. But believe it or not, the actor has revealed that it wasn't intentional.
"It's never been an option," he said of his gray hair. That's right, he never tried to fight the incoming gray streaks. "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." And boy, he does a fantastic job doing just that!
Jamie Lee Curtis
She’s been on our screens for decades, even earlier than her iconic role in the 1978 classic horror film Halloween. And over the years, we’ve had the pleasure of watching Jamie Lee Curtis mature throughout her career, and there’s no denying that she’s done so with grace.
And according to Curtis, she couldn't be happier about it. "Getting older makes you more alive," she told Interview Magazine. "More vitality, more interest, more intelligence, more grace, more expansion." We couldn't ask for a more refreshing take on the aging process!
Taylor Kinney
From playing a werewolf in Mystic Falls to being the long-term boyfriend of pop icon Lady Gaga, it’s easy to see how Vampire Diaries heartthrob Taylor Kinney has gained so much attention over the years. And at 40-years old, it seems his salt and pepper look is officially here to stay.
Despite his break-up with Gaga, Kinney and his gorgeous grays aren’t going anywhere. He’s since jumped into exciting roles in films like Zero Dark Thirty and tv series including Chicago Fire and Chicago PD - and it looks like his success is only going to skyrocket.
David Beckham
Most soccer fans have been too busy watching David Beckham’s footwork to notice what’s going on on the top of his head - but we can’t quite say the same ourselves. This retired British athlete may be inching closer to 50 years old, but we would never know it!
And while his graying hair is one of the only things that might indicate his true age, it certainly doesn’t affect his charm - if anything, it elevates it. And no doubt he has the same confidence as he did in his younger years after being named an ambassador for the 2022 World Cup!
Whoopi Goldberg
Back in her younger years, Whoopi Goldberg had a lot of predictions about what the future would look like, even if they didn't quite come true by 2021. "I thought we'd have Jetson cars and stuff… Just all kinds of crazy stuff," she shared. We wonder if she had any idea that she'd be rocking those awesome gray dreadlocks...
"You think you're going to be so different when you get older. But basically, I'm still the same person," Goldberg acknowledged. While her locks might be changing (thanks to her role in Stephen King's The Stand), it's clear her outlook hasn't. And we love to see it.
Andie MacDowell
Andie MacDowell gained a lot of admirers with her youthful beauty, back when she was starring in films like Groundhog Day in the 80s. But we can’t help but think she looks even more beautiful in her 60s as she did when she was trudging through the snow in Punxsutawney. And in a way, she agrees.
"It's like I've taken a mask off or something. I feel so much more comfortable," the actress exclaimed in an interview after she debuted her silver hair at Cannes Film Festival. She continued on, explaining, "We're beautiful at every age… glorious in our own way." We couldn't agree more!
Steve Carell
The name Steve Carell might summon up images of Dunder Mifflin’s ‘World’s Greatest Boss,’ but this brunette has come a long way since his days playing Michael Scott on The Office. Today, the actor is sporting a thick wave of gray locks - and his fans are loving it.
There's no denying that when Carrell took to the red carpet with his new hair back in 2017, the press was rushing to ask about his new look. Carrel jokingly responded to the attention on ET, saying, "I am so sick of people just looking at me for my physical attributes. It's just genetic. There's nothing I can do!"
Andy Cohen
After years hosting reality shows on Bravo, it’s clear that Andy Cohen knows how to keep on top of the drama. But when his hair went from brown to gray in a short period, some viewers couldn’t help but wonder if his time managing the battling Bravo housewives had anything to do with it.
Cohen didn't bother to dispel the rumors, simply sharing a joke about how new 'do. "I'm not saying the Housewives turned my hair entirely gray, but they did," the Watch What Happens Live host said laughingly. It may not be the fault of the Real Housewives cast, but it probably didn't help!
Eric Dane
It looks like “McSteamy” took the title of his show Grey’s Anatomy a little too literally. But we’re sure Eric Dane’s slowly graying hair hasn’t made his Grey’s fans adore him any less! After all, the locks match his blue scrubs just as much as his blond hair did.
And for anyone who wonders what he thinks about his new look, the answer is… not much. "My hair is naturally gray," he explained simply in one interview. "That just happened because of my age." It's great to see another celebrity embracing the natural aging process.
Matt LeBlanc
Even 15 years later, looking at Matt LeBlanc still brings back memories of his most beloved character - Joey Tribbiani, the meatball sub-loving bundle of fun from the hit show Friends. His character epitomized the kind of fun-loving young man who never wants to grow up.
And while Matt LeBlanc certainly has grown a lot since then, we can't help but wonder if he's still young at heart like his popular character no doubt would be. It's hard to say, but with his good looks and matching grays, we're sure a lot of people are still coming up to him and saying, 'How you doin'?'
Meryl Streep
Looking back at Meryl Streep’s illustrious career, one of her most unforgettable roles was in 2006’s The Devil Wears Prada. Miranda Priestly was iconic due to her impeccable dress-sense, sharp personality and jet-white haircut. But aside from the hair, Meryl has very little in common with Miranda.
She has no interest in trends, for instance: "the good thing about getting older is that you find your own way," she mused. "You have your own rules. You have your own understanding of yourself, and that's what you're going to count on… Not what your mother told you. Not what some actress told you… but the still, small voice."
Eric Stonestreet
Even with his head of gray hair, Eric Stonestreet certainly looks very youthful - but the Modern Family star has assured fans that he's young at heart too. "I'm a big baby," he declared in one interview. Just check out the kinds of shenanigans he got up to on set!
Stonestreet had no problem sharing the pranks he pulled on his co-stars, including his on-screen husband Jesse Tyler Ferguson. "I would write things with my finger on the back window of his car, like 'I'm the redheaded guy from Modern Family." We hope that childlike spirit never changes!
Stacy London
If there’s one thing we love, it’s someone who makes gray and white hair look like high-fashion. And former What Not To Wear host Stacy London does exactly that! The fashionista taught us about more than just our clothing styles - she taught us about self-love!
Since she was a teenager, she's had her signature streak of white hair, and as she grew older, she chose to embrace the unusual look. "Nobody else in my family has it," London confessed. "When I notice more gray hairs, I'll say little things to myself in the mirror, like, 'I can't wait to see more of you.'"
Hilarie Burton
After gaining fame as a teenager in the smash-hit teen drama One Tree Hill, it’s understandable that Hilarie Burton might have had difficulty just being herself while living in the spotlight. But these days, she’s left that self-consciousness behind her, choosing to live more authentically now she’s nearing her 40s.
And that includes embracing the new strands of silver that are popping up in her chestnut hair. "It's a small, silly symbol. Gray hair. Who cares, right?" she responded when asked about the change. These days she has more pressing issues, such as campaigning for women's rights on social media. What a role model!
Patrick Dempsey
Here’s another heartthrob doctor from Grey’s Anatomy who has chosen to buck the trend of perfectly colored and highlighted locks. Patrick “McDreamy” Dempsey has also transitioned into his “silver fox” era, just like his co-star Eric Dane. And we’re sure his fans are loving it!
But Dempsey doesn't let the fame and attention get to him, probably because his kids won't let him. "Oh yeah, they make fun of me," he said of the three children who manage to keep him down to earth. "They don't let me take myself too seriously." We love to hear it!
Ben Affleck
After years as one of the most famous, broad-shouldered brunettes in ‘the biz,’ Ben Affleck has officially joined the ‘gray hair don’t care’ club! He first revealed his graying hair at the 2010 Venice Film Festival, though he’s had them touched up every now and then.
That seems to have changed as he's gotten closer to 50, and we wonder if his new girlfriend has anything to do with it. Affleck has acknowledged J.Lo's ageless looks, jokingly asking, "Where are you keeping the fountain of youth?" in one of their joint interviews.
Tia Mowry
Tia Mowry may have gotten into trouble on our screens, sneaking out late at night and forgetting to do her chores, but these days she's much more settled. As a matter of fact, the Sister, Sister star is "all about authenticity." And she's shown this authenticity in all kinds of ways.
Whether showing off her new silver streaks or talking candidly about the pitfalls of pregnancy - in particular, the weight gain, Mowry is embracing it all. "I'm all about wanting to change the narrative that people think they need to be perfect," she shared. "Growing older is a blessing."
Gwyneth Paltrow
Despite some of the quirky skincare and health & wellness products her company has produced ("vampire repellent spray," anybody?) Goop founder Gwyneth Paltrow is insistent that her products aren't about reversing the aging process. In fact, she has loved getting older.
Just listen to what she has to say about the benefits of growing older (and grayer). "I would never want to go back to my 20s, or even my 30s for that matter," she told one interviewer. "I know myself, I like myself, and I am so grateful for the wisdom that comes with age."
Cynthia Nixon
SJP isn’t the only Sex and the City star who is embracing her gray hair, and everything that comes with it. Cynthia Nixon is proving time and time again that growing older and wiser is a blessing for women, whether it’s by running for governor of New York or sharing her wisdom with other women.
"As I got older - I could feel younger people looking up to me in a certain way and wanting to know things that I knew," she shared. "Now? When I meet women in their sixties and their seventies, I'm really interested in hearing from them. Because I understand in a way that I didn't... how much they know."
Karl Lagerfeld
We’ve had some fashionable faces grace this list so far, but few compare to this next gray-haired legend. Karl Lagerfeld was renowned for his boundary-pushing fashion label, as well as his own inimitable style - white hair pulled into a slicked-back ponytail, black glasses, and a suit jacket.
We don't doubt that when his ponytail began turning gray, he probably embraced it without a second thought. "Fashion is about change, and I like change. I'm not attached to anything," he famously said about his views on style. If this ground-breaking fashion designer thought grays were "on-trend," who are we to argue?
Billy Porter
"For years I tried to put myself in a box, and it frustrated me, so I had to let go and let the universe take its course." That's how Pose lead Billy Porter has described the decades spent trying to fit in. But these days, this gray-haired icon has built an entire career out of standing out!
In fact, Porter’s Grammy and Emmy award show outfits haven’t just turned heads - they’ve reached the front pages for their jaw-dropping, taboo-breaking looks! Even as the 52-year old grows older, he’s proving that he can still outshine his fellow stars of any age.
Arie Luyendyk Jr.
Arie Luyendyk Jr. already had gray hair before he starred on his season of The Bachelor. But he probably grew a lot of them during his time in the mansion, considering that it called for "the most dramatic season yet!" Then again, as a former race-car driver, we're sure he's used to a little turbulence.
And of course, all of the stress and drama was worth it, since it drove him into the arms of Lauren - the winner of The Bachelor. And today, he’s enjoying fatherhood and marriage with his beloved wife. We’re so happy for their beautiful little family!
Blake Shelton
If anyone asks Blake Shelton about his new head of grays and his more mature look, he’ll probably point them toward his wife, Gwen Stefani. But not for the reasons some might think! Just look at what she said when one interviewer commented on how gracefully the couple had aged.
"Love must look good on me. I feel like that does show through - it really does," she replied happily. And she's not lying - both she and Blake look fantastic as they move through their 40s. We just hope we look as good as these musicians when we get older.
Lisa Bonet
Most of us know the stunning Lisa Bonet from 80s tv, back when she starred as Denise Huxtable in the landmark sitcom The Cosby Show. But more than 30 years later, Bonet looks like she’s barely aged with her insanely smooth skin. We have to know her secret!
Well, according to Lisa, there's only one real answer - oil. "I was using coconut oil before the current craze," the actress admitted when one interviewer asked about her glowing skin. "Beauty starts from the inside," she continued. "Not only in terms of health but also in terms of keeping that light inside of us alive."
Seth Rogen
It’s one thing to look at how a celebrity is aging, but it’s another to think about how their career has aged. Just ask the gracefully graying comedian/actor/writer Seth Rogen, who has been questioned over some of the jokes and skits he produced in his early career.
"There are certain jokes that for sure have not aged well, but I think that's the nature of comedy," Rogen admitted. As time has gone on, he's certainly adjusted his material, so we're sure his new jokes will age a little more like fine wine (just like he has!).
Simon Cowell
After years playing the “blunt” judge on shows like American Idol and Britain’s Got Talent, we’d think it would have gotten the best of him. But nope! As it turns out, Simon Cowell is perfectly happy and content in the later stages of his life, gray hairs and all - and he’s generous too!
"He's into these health smoothies and is always giving away recipes," Amanda Holden, co-host of Britain's Got Talent, once said about her co-worker's offscreen antics. Those kale and spinach smoothies are no doubt doing their job because this veteran talent show host is looking fantastic!
Josh Duhamel
Even as he reaches the big 5-0, Josh Duhamel looks just as good as he did in his 2004 breakout role in Win a Date with Tad Hamilton. No matter how many gray hairs he gets, this out-and-out hunk will always be one of our favorites. And his Miss World America girlfriend agrees!
He seems pretty happy with life at the moment, and we don’t blame him. After all, he’s still charming the ladies and has plenty of success ahead of him. With roles in upcoming films like Shotgun Wedding and Blackout, he shows that we really can go from strength to strength as we get older.
Salma Hayek
After decades spent heating up our screens with her dazzling looks and magnetic acting, Selma Hayek has reached her mid-50s: and this Mexican actress is just as fierce as ever. In her eyes, aging should never hold anyone back - and we have to agree with her.
When asked how she felt about aging, Hayek had the perfect answer: "You can kick [butt] at any age. You can hold your own at any age, you can dream at any age, you can be romantic at any age. We have the right to be loved for who we are at the place that we are." Amen sister!
Gillian Anderson
After watching her act as sophisticated therapist and single mother Jean Milburn in Sex Education, we know Gillian Anderson is ready for anything! And of course, that includes the sometimes-scary aging process. In her eyes, it’s better to accept the things we can’t change.
And how could we disagree with that? "The thing to remember is, how one looks in the mirror is the youngest one will ever look again," the gorgeous actress clarified in a Vogue interview. "So you can't do anything but celebrate it!" If only everyone had that attitude about their gray hairs!
Selma Blair
Svelte and sophisticated, Selma Blair has been charming us ever since she walked onto the screen opposite Reese Witherspoon in Legally Blonde. Though she may have been unsure of herself in her role as Vivian, she certainly isn’t now that she’s in her 40s.
This silver-haired beauty has gone to great strides to use her platform for good, revealing her health problems and other life struggles while still inspiring people. "I've loved every minute of this Hollywood…" she said. "And I would love to see it be a changemaker, almost imperceptibly."
Wentworth Miller
He’s come a long way since the days of trying (and succeeding) to break out of prison in the aptly named TV show, Prison Break. And though it’s been years since his breakout role, Wentworth Miller has a lot to say about getting older and grayer while working in the industry.
In a post on his Instagram, Miller told his 2+ million followers that with age, one should insist on more from the world. "Deserve more respect. Nuance. Intention. Better representation," he shared. Age hasn't slowed him down, and today he's putting much of his effort into advocating for the LGBTQ+ community.
Richard Madden
Whether he’s campaigning as a young king on Game of Thrones or sweeping the titular character off her feet in Cinderella, we love seeing Scottish actor Richard Madden showing off his theatrical skills. And we also love his salt-and-pepper curls, which reportedly went through quite a lot during filming.
The Disney adaptation called for his hair to be chemically straightened and had extensions added to it, to bring his princely character to life, and the actor went along with it. All we know is - long or short hair, curly or straight - he’ll always be the perfect Prince Charming to us!
Jane Fonda
Jane Fonda has been turning heads and causing a stir since she started her Hollywood career back in the 1950s. In 84 years, this actress-cum-activist has always chosen to fight for what she believes in. And even after all that time, this gray-haired goddess hasn’t budged on her ideals.
The Grace & Frankie star talks openly about the need for people to make a change, saying, "Let all of us make an effort to expand that tent so everyone rises and everyone's story has a chance to be seen and heard." If that isn't inspiring, we don't know what is!
Alec Baldwin
From impersonating presidents on SNL to being embroiled in on-set controversies, Alec Baldwin (who some readers might simply know as “Hailey’s uncle,”) has been a Hollywood mainstay for decades. Good looks aside, he’s been impressing us with his powerhouse roles for years.
And if that’s not enough, he’s also a notable presence in the world of activism, particularly as a proponent for animal rights. He’s partnered with PETA as well as donating to various charities with his wife by his side. We think he’d probably like the title of silver “fox” after all!
Rob Lowe
Back in the 80s and 90s, Rob Lowe was a teen icon, a heartthrob best known for his sweeping brown hair and piercing baby blues. But in 2011, he surprised fans by appearing as Chris Traeger in Parks & Recreation, sporting a head full of grays. But it certainly wasn’t an overnight change.
As it turned out, Lowe's first silver strands began popping up when he was just 24 years old, and he had been dyeing his hair ever since. But these days, he puts much less importance on looks, both his own and others. "Never compare your insides to someone else's outsides," he once said.
Nicole Kidman
Since she was a 16-year old in Sydney, Australia, Nicole Kidman has been gracing our screens with her beauty and tenacious acting skills. And she’s covered a wide spectrum of roles since then, from haunted housewives to Golden Age comediennes. And she’s experienced a lot of changes too.
The change from her gorgeous strawberry blonde curls to streaks of silver is just one of those changes. But she's always taken the turbulence in her stride, sharing, "sometimes things will work out, and you'll shine for a moment - and sometimes they won't. But that slow and steady is a good way to approach life."
Brooke Shields
These days a lot of popular movies and music are about the glories, trials, and tribulations of being in our 20’s (Taylor Swift, anyone?). But not everyone puts their early life on such a pedestal. Actress and former supermodel Brooke Shields, for example, is one of those people.
"I would not go back to 25," the 55-year old insisted. And the reasoning is simple: in her eyes, as a 50-something, she is "so much more relaxed now. I'm in my own life… in my own skin and in my own happiness," she exclaimed. We've got to admit, she makes 50 look fantastic!
Brad Pitt
It really doesn’t matter how much he changes - Brad Pitt will always be loved by the ladies! Just look at his relationship history, dating some of the most famous women in Hollywood from Gwyneth Paltrow, to Jennifer Aniston, to Angelina Jolie. And he really throws himself into his relationships.
Just look at the title the Daily Express once gave him: "the man who likes to look like his girlfriend." But these days, he's embracing his gray roots and his own unique fashion sense, which makes us think he's much more settled on his own these days. Though that could change soon enough…
Timothy Olyphant
Few actors rock the silver fox look as well as Timothy Olyphant, though he clearly has a lot more to be happy about. Just look at the last few years of his career, as he’s been snapping up roles in hit films and Netflix shows left and right. And he’s more than happy to search for the right project.
As he's grown older, this thespian has also grown much more open to doing different things. "The last 15 years, I was very unwilling to leave L.A.," he told one interviewer. "[but] if someone says, 'It shoots in Budapest,' I say to my wife, 'Honey, you want to go live in Budapest for a while?' And why not?"
Caroline Manzo
For fans of Bravo’s Real Housewives of New Jersey, watching the Manzo household descend into near-constant drama can sometimes feel like we’re watching a fictional series. But they are very much real people, and Caroline Manzo is a testament to that.
She's a real woman, and she has no problem accepting the inevitable signs of aging. "I decided to embrace the gray," she wrote on an Instagram post. The accompanying picture showed her smiling, donning her usual pair of sunglasses, and rocking her new gray 'do.
Mark Ruffalo
He’s not 13 Going On 30 these days, but Mark Ruffalo has definitely come into his own now that he’s in his 50s. Almost 20 years since his beloved role opposite Jennifer Garner, he’s built a solid career for himself. And he’s not letting his new salt-and-pepper curls get in the way.
"You know, conceivably, if I'm still alive, and they don't mind a gray-haired Hulk, I could be in this universe for another 10 or 15 years," he remarked jokingly in an interview with Rolling Stone. Given that the Marvel franchise is gonna be around for a long time to come, we don't think it's a bad idea!
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
Since he sauntered onto the set of Game of Thrones as Jaime Lannister, Danish actor Nikolaj Coster-Waldau has had our attention. Though that’s not hard since he’s been compared to ‘Prince Charming’ throughout his international career. And now that his gray roots are coming through, he seems even happier!
And his acting skills haven’t let up at all - for GoT, he scored two Emmy nominations for his role as the tormented knight, and his career has only gotten larger since then. With a raft of new films coming out, and acclaim for the 2020 thriller The Silencing, we can’t wait to see where Coster-Waldau goes next.
Kate Moss
Believe it or not, not all gray hair is a result of the aging process. Just look at 90s supermodel and international ‘It Girl’ Kate Moss, who recently hit the red carpet at Longchamp with a head of silver roots. The press went crazy, but the look was explained later on.
According to the Daily Mail, the new look wasn’t an inspired fashion trend. Instead, it was simply the effects of a bad dye job that she didn’t have time to rectify. So no, Kate Moss isn’t going down the silver-gray road, though fans of hers might be considering it now…
Chad Michael Murray
Hilarie Burton wasn’t the only One Tree Hill actor embracing her gray roots. Fellow co-star Chad Michael Murray has also aged gracefully, no doubt pleasing his many 90s fans. The former teen heartthrob has come far since those days, but what does he think about the show that launched his career?
Well, it seems he doesn't miss those early days on the OTH set. "I look at my photos of myself and think, 'What a dweeb,'" Murray said jokingly. But despite his looks changing somewhat, he doesn't feel any different today, saying "I'm just a kid from Buffalo, moved out here, took a chance, and I fell headfirst into it.