Hollywood’s Oldest Celebs Share The Crucial Actions That Keep Them Feeling Young

Have you ever wondered how Jane Fonda manages to keep her looks so flawless after more than half a century in showbusiness? What’s going on: is it luck, or hard work? Well, let’s find out the answer from some of the most legendary performers to ever make it in Hollywood. Over the years, they’ve shared some stellar advice on what keeps them feeling youthful and looking their best. So, from Dick Van Dyke to Goldie Hawn, let’s discover the secrets behind maintaining your youth.

40. Don’t retire

This tip comes from the great, extremely long-lived comedian Mel Brooks. In 2018 when he was 91, the talent shared to the newspaper Financial Times, “In order to stay alive, work. Keep working no matter what if you can, at something you love to do. Never ever retire. Never sit when you can stand, never stand when you can walk.”

39. Eat a Mediterranean diet

Have you ever wondered why Sophia Loren looks so healthy all the time? Well, a lot of that is apparently down to her diet. She eats Mediterranean food – fish, spaghetti, wine, olive oil and plenty of fresh vegetables. And there’s great news if you want to try the same thing. Many studies have shown that the eating regime even helps prevent strokes and heart disease.

38. Eat plenty of blueberries

At the time of writing, Dick Van Dyke is still performing at the age of 95. So, you best believe the actor knows what he’s talking about when it comes to health. In 2016 Van Dyke told the Daily Mail newspaper that along with having a penchant for fried chicken, he also ate blueberries every single day. Apparently, those little things are absolutely bursting with healthy properties.

37. Have a good sense of humor

Of course it would be the legendary Betty White who said this one. When asked by Parade magazine what her secret to good health was in 2018, she answered, “Enjoy life. Accentuate the positive – not the negative. It sounds so trite, but a lot of people will pick out something to complain about, rather than say, ‘Hey, that was great!’ It’s not hard to find great stuff if you look.”

36. Regularly cleanse

When Julie Andrews was young, she was taught about skincare matters by her mother. The iconic actress told Elle magazine in 2015, “She always insisted, no matter what, no matter how late or how tired I was, that I cleanse not once, but twice. With cream and washing my face. And she was right!”

35. Walk and cycle as much as possible

Susan Sarandon goes to the gym often, but she makes sure to exercise outside of the gym as well. In 2020 she told People magazine, “It helps to live in New York [City] because I walk everywhere. I ride my bike down the West Side Highway, and I get 30 minutes on the treadmill.”

34. Say daily affirmations

Goldie Hawn has a curious trick for staying young, but it seems to work for her. Every morning after the actress wakes up, she takes some deep breaths and says affirmations to herself. Hawn told The Wall Street Journal paper in 2020, “You have to keep – throughout the day – reminding yourself of affirming messaging, whether it’s a message to yourself or a message to what it is you want to affect positively.”

33. Cut down on meat

Eating less meat is good for you and the planet as well! And Jane Fonda is one of those who eats very little of it. She told the website Well+Good in 2020, “I eat fresh fruits and vegetables every single day. I eat almost no meat. And I’ve cut way back on fish.”

32. Do sit-ups and push-ups every morning

Star Trek actor George Takei is in his 80s, yet he does a truly impressive amount of exercise every morning. The actor gets up at 6:00 a.m. and then does 50 sit-ups and 100 push-ups – wow! He proudly informed CNBC’s Make It in 2020, “I have got very tight, hard abs.” Go George!

31. Don’t let yourself get too stressed out

Caren Marsh-Doll is 102 years old at the time of writing, and she has had quite an amazing life. The star is one of the very few still living cast members from The Wizard of Oz. And even more incredibly, Marsh-Doll survived a 1949 plane crash that proved fatal for all but 13 people. Her advice? Well, she told Syracuse.com in 2011, “I don’t let myself get stressed out about anything. I don’t worry about anything. Whatever comes, I just try to go with the flow.”

30. Do crossword puzzles and read newspapers

Naturally, it’s important to keep your brain and body healthy once you reach a certain age. Angela Lansbury – who is a very impressive 96 years old – ensures her mind remains sharp by completing crossword puzzles and reading the newspapers. Also, many believe that doing brain-teasers can help improve your memory.

29. Pursue your passions

Betty White is big on living life to the full – it’s one of the reasons she’s such an icon. She told Katie Couric in 2017 that one of the things that keeps her young is pursuing her passions. Simple! White explained, “It’s not hard to find things you’re interested in, but enjoy them, and indulge them, and I think that keeps you on your toes.”

28. Go to bed early

Getting the right amount of sleep is, of course, very important. Generally it’s considered you should be getting at least six hours – if not more. Jane Fonda told the website Self in 2021 that she is usually in bed “by 6:30 or 7:00 p.m.” And the star sleeps under a weighted blanket given by her niece Bridget Fonda.

27. Have your spouse encourage you

Anthony Hopkins credits his wife with helping him get healthier. In 2010 he told PageSix.com, “My wife’s no dictator, but she said I must stick to a regimen. So I’m in the gym six days a week, I power walk, live on 800 calories a day. No pasta. No seconds. A sandwich occasionally. Now I’m a health nut.”

26. Buy yourself a good workout outfit

Helen Mirren is a very stylish woman, and that extends to her exercise regimen as well. In 2015 she offered a tip to People magazine for those who didn’t like the gym. The British actress said, “Buy yourself a fabulous workout outfit. Put it on and do four sit-ups and take it off and get in the shower.”

25. Take care of your hair

Apparently, Jane Fonda wants everyone to have hair as stunning as hers. She told the website Byrdie in 2018, “Healthy hair always looks good, so it’s important to look after your hair. Use the right products and take care of your hair like you would your skin.” And Fonda particularly recommended L’Oréal Paris treatments.

24. Eat lots of Raisin Bran

For his part, Mel Brooks is a big fan of one particular cereal. He told the Financial Times in 2018 that he credited Raisin Bran for his longevity, saying, “I don’t know whether it’s the raisins or the bran, or the combination… but you know, you’re clear.” That wouldn’t even be the last time he sang its praises either!

23. Say ‘yes’ as much as possible

In 2012 the then-65-year-old Susan Sarandon shared one of her secrets to Parade magazine. She said, “You have to say ‘yes’ to life. If you’re a good listener, you’re present, and say ‘yes’ to life, that is enormously attractive. That will get you through as everything else falls.” And it’s still working for her today!

22. Put the bare minimum on your face

When Rita Moreno was younger she had some intense acne treatments done on her face. And ever since then, the actress has been super careful with her skin. Moreno told People in 2017 that though no one liked to hear it, all she really did was keep her face clean and moisturized.

21. Drink a lot of water

Every health expert will tell you to always drink lots of water, and they’re right. Julie Andrews thinks so, too. She takes bottled water with her everywhere, and, well, you can see the result. Among other things water can keep you energetic, assist with your brain functions and help you lose weight.

20. Take control of your diet

In 2021 the then-76-year-old Helen Mirren shared some health tips with Vogue. One of them was, “Take control of your diet and find what makes you feel good. “I’m the first one at the fish and chips, but what you’re putting inside your body does influence how you feel about yourself, so start there.” Good advice, we’d say!

19. Treat yourself sometimes

One treat every once in a while isn’t going to hurt. Take Betty White and her hot dog obsession! She just loves the things. Her Hot in Cleveland co-star Jane Leeves snarked to Us Weekly in 2011, “Maybe she’s preserved because of all the preservatives,” but clearly the hot dogs haven’t done her any harm.

18. Try to come to terms with health conditions

Not everyone knows this, but veteran actor Morgan Freeman has the condition fibromyalgia. After being diagnosed he had to give up a lot of his hobbies – including horse-riding and flying. But the star was able to adjust, and he told Esquire magazine in 2012, “There is a point to changes like these. I have to move on to other things, to other conceptions of myself. I play golf, I still work, and I can be pretty happy just walking the land.”

17. Don’t study your own face too much

You can see why Goldie Hawn would want to study her own face. After all, the star’s beauty has been lauded for decades. She doesn’t do that, though. Hawn explained to the Wall Street Journal in 2020, “I… glance a lot at my face, but I don’t study it. I’m not a studier of my face, of my beauty.”

16. Take naps when you need them

George Takei is a big advocate for napping. Back in 2014 the then-77-year-old told GQ magazine, “I like to take naps. Children take naps – mothers make them take naps. I used to wonder why adults needed to take naps. I’ve reached that point in life. I call them power naps.”

15. Try writing with your non-dominant hand

Rita Moreno has an interesting tip for keeping your brain healthy. The star told People in 2017 that she often wrote with her left hand, because it “engages your brain.” Some folks use non-dominant hand writing as a form of meditation – seeing if it allows them to truly focus on the words they’re writing.

14. Have wine with vitamins

In 2018 Angela Lansbury dropped some wisdom via the Daily Express newspaper. She said, “I feel full of energy and I certainly don’t feel 93. I like a glass of wine and take a lot of vitamins – perhaps that keeps me going.” For reference, some scientists believe that red wine in particular can help prevent heart attacks.

13. Get at least a little exercise every day

Helen Mirren believes in exercise, and she does a 12-minute routine created by the Canadian Air Force. In 2021 she explained to Vogue, “Nothing extreme, but you need to do it every day. That’s a great start, because it’s all to do with taking control of yourself. I’m incredibly lazy and if I can avoid doing it, I will, but every now and then I pull myself back and do what I know works.”

12. Work with a personal trainer

When a then-82-year-old Billy Dee Williams needed to get back in shape for his final Star Wars film, he hired famous personal trainer Gunnar Peterson to help. The latter had him do exercises including walking lunges, bike riding, leg raises, and dumbbell rows, and Williams never missed or was even late to a session.

11. Be happy with what you have

Can you believe that Sophia Loren never actually considered herself conventionally beautiful? She told Al Roker on the Today show in 2016, “I was unique. I was not beautiful in the sense like a doll.” Instead, she talked of having an “inside” beauty which stemmed from a love for her family and all-round happiness with life.

10. Don’t tax yourself too much

Goldie Hawn exercises every day, but she’s careful not to overdo it. The actress told People magazine in 2020, “If I don’t have an hour, I’ll do 15 minute intervals. Actually, it’s a very good thing to do. If you’re taxing yourself too much in an hour, you’re taxing a lot of things.”

9. Don’t give up exercising as you grow older

Jane Fonda told the Daily Express in 2013, “I don’t run now, I walk. I don’t downhill ski, I snowshoe. I don’t lift 20 pounds, I lift 8 or 10. But I keep working out despite the hip and knee replacement. The mistake that so many people make is that if they can’t do what they once did, then they don’t do anything.” Fonda’s devotion to exercise is what keeps her skin looking so good, as movement improves the circulation.

8. Eat omelets with just the egg whites

The legendary actor Sidney Poitier maintains a careful diet these days. In order to avoid cholesterol, he eats omelets made only from the egg whites. There are many health benefits to egg whites – they’re packed full of protein, are low in fat and help you preserve muscle. And they’re definitely working for the now 94-year-old Poitier.

7. Don’t drink heavily

This one sort of goes without saying, but some people might not even be aware of how much they drink throughout their lives. And for her part, Susan Sarandon deals with that by barely drinking alcohol at all. She told Vogue in 2017, “I’m not really a drinker. I think a little bit of wine in moderation is probably good, but I think really if you drink heavily it’s not great.”

6. Practice mindfulness

Goldie Hawn has practiced mindfulness for years, and in 2003 she even created a nonprofit called MindUP to help children learn about mental health. Eleven years later she proudly told AARP magazine, “Mindfulness can help people of any age. That’s because we become what we think… But if you supplant each negative thought with three positive ones, you begin to restructure your brain.”

5. Play the piano

In 2017 the magazine Men’s Journal asked Anthony Hopkins, “What’s the key to staying young?” And he answered, “I paint, and I play the piano a lot – complex exercises in Bach and Chopin. It doesn’t matter if I play them well or not. I practice and practice to keep supple the coordination in my arms, my hands, my fingers.” Naturally, if you don’t know how to play the piano, it’s never too late to learn.

4. Always remain active

Betty White remembered to Parade in 2010, “My dad died when he was 83 and my mom died at 85. They were active right up until the very end.” The actress followed in their footsteps – keeping active every day and doing little things to keep busy. She said, “I have a two-story house and a bad memory, so I’m up and down those stairs all the time. That’s my exercise.”

3. Get therapy if you need it

In 2019 Al Pacino helped break down a barrier by telling the world he had undergone mental health counseling. He told newspaper The Hollywood Reporter, “I went to therapy five days a week for 25 years,” and this had helped him a lot. Taking care of your mental wellbeing is always important – regardless of how old you are.

2. Don’t worry about what other people think

Jane Fonda has long since perfected the art of not caring what people think about her looks or age. During an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – promoting a movie appropriately named Youth – she said, “It’s like what the hell do you have to lose? What can [critics] do to me now that they haven’t already tried?” And she’s right.

1. A tub full of olive oil

The Two Women star kept her skin glowing like an Academy Award statuette with a trick inspired by her home country on the Mediterranean Sea: Italy. That’s right: she doesn’t just swear by cooking with olive oil — she bathes in it, too! According to Glamour magazine, Loren would infuse her warm baths with a few capfuls of olive oil to nourish her skin. She also rubbed it directly onto her skin to keep it moisturized and shining. As you can see, that bottle in your kitchen can be used for more than just cooking!