Life begins after 40: these women mastered the 'second act'

We've all heard the expression 'Life begins at 40' and, perhaps, some of us have experienced something to prove it's the case.

These women - from Hollywood actresses to entrepreneurs - are definitely examples that there isn't an expiration date on finding success, getting started in a new field or finally receiving the flowers long overdue.

Life begins after 40: these women mastered the 'second act'

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart hasn't just had two acts, she's had several. And each one has been daring, rule-breaking and inspirational in its own way.

Before she was the record-breaking 80-year-old Sports Illustrated cover model and general cultural icon she is today, Martha Stewart was, of course, renowned for her lifestyle brand.

From magazines to TV shows, she was dubbed America's first self-made female billionaire. This all started small - with a catering business she set up in her late 30s, when she had given up her first act as a trader on Wall Street (one of the few women to succeed in the male-dominated field back in the 60s and 70s.)

That business became the starting point of a true global empire - and it led to second and even third acts, including a prison stint and a massive comeback.

Kris Jenner

There's Kris Jenner before 2007 and a Kris Jenner after.

Before, her main jobs included raising her large family - with six children and four step-children shared with her ex-partner, Caitlyn Jenner - and she also managed Caitlyn's career as a motivational speaker.

Post 2007, with the debut of Keeping Up with the Kardashians when Kris was 51 years old, the world's most glamorous and iconic 'momager' was born.

Kris' second act has been one for the ages - she has helped steer her family (including daughters Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner) into a global empire, with a reported combined net worth of over $3bn.

Pamela Anderson

She was one of the defining sex symbols of the 90s, famous for her big, bleach-blonde hair and other large assets. But Baywatch icon Pamela Anderson has had a second act that nobody could've predicted.

From her introspective autobiography and revealing Netflix documentary, a new side of the actress emerged. What followed was the star ditching makeup on the red carpet and a career renaissance, earning her first Golden Globe nomination for her performance in 2024's The Last Showgirl.

Dame Judi Dench

Perhaps an odd inclusion at first glance - doesn't it feel like she's been a national treasure forever? - Dame Judi Dench didn't actually become the globally recognised star she is until much later in her career.

Treading the boards in the United Kingdom, she was known best for her Shakespearean chops and work in theatre. Some television work followed, but Dame Judi really broke through to mainstream success when she took on the role of M in the James Bond franchise.

What followed was a steady output of box office successes, plus seven Oscar nominations and a win for Shakespeare in Love.

Jane Lynch

Jane Lynch had been a working actress for years, but her second act success came when she stole the show in the musical-comedy series, Glee.

Aged 48 when she took on the breakout role of Sue Sylvester, Jane has gone on to win an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

Post-Glee, her career hasn't missed a beat, starring in series' like Only Murders in the Building and The Marvellous Mrs Maisel.

Jane has spoken about being grateful for her second act success taking a bit longer to come. She told Parade, "I was almost 50 when Glee started. Had I become quote-unquote successful and quote-unquote famous before 40, it would have been a totally different Jane unleashed upon the world. I would have allowed the opinions of others (especially on social media if that were around) affect how I felt about myself. I probably would’ve suffered a lot."

Vera Wang

Can you imagine a world without Vera Wang's iconic wedding gowns?

From Victoria Beckham to Mariah Carey and a slew of other A-Listers, Vera is *the* designer of wedding gowns, but she didn't start until 40.

Vera Wang's first couple of careers saw her pursue figure skating, before enjoying a lengthy stint working at Vogue. At 38, she left Vogue and joined Ralph Lauren for two years. But, at 40, she gambled on herself and set up her eponymous label.

"If anyone had said, [I’d be] the girl who didn’t get married until she was 40 [and] would build a business based on wedding gowns, I would have laughed," she previously told CNBC Make It of her second act.

Ina Garten

Ina Garten has built a brand that includes numerous successful TV shows, best-selling cookbooks and, as of 2024, an autobiography.

A beloved figure who makes cooking seem doable for all, and a warm presence on screen, Ina's life as a culinary goddess is a far cry from where her career started out.

Ina used to work in the White House during Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter's presidencies, analysing budgets and even writing the nuclear energy budget. Giving up life in Washington, Ina bought Barefoot Contessa, a luxury deli and food store in the Hamptons. From there, her books and TV show followed.

Vivienne Westwood

The late, great Vivienne Westwood was one of the most prolific names in fashion, but she didn't actually launch her first official fashion collection until she was 40 years old.

From then on, her name carried weight in the fashion world, and she revolutionised the industry, bringing activism and fashion together like no one else before her.

Melissa McCarthy

While Melissa McCarthy had a perfectly thriving career anyway, it's fair to say that, at 41, her career pivoted - and ultimately skyrocketed to new heights.

Finding success playing supporting characters like Sookie in Gilmore Girls, Melissa had found a lane for herself, but with 2011's Bridesmaids, when she was 41, she unleashed a brand new side to her.

Her outrageous performance stole the show and cemented her as a leading lady. From then, she's fronted massive franchises like Ghostbusters and turned to more dramatic acting, earning an Oscar nomination for Can You Ever Forgive Me?

Viola Davis

Viola Davis was already a successful actress before her major second act success came in 2008. Finding success on the stage and with smaller parts, it was her star turn in 2008's Doubt, when she was aged 43, that turned her into a true force.

What followed was worldwide recognition, including winning the rare and prestigious EGOT - an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony.

Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Clinton had been a political presence for years, being the First Lady to President Bill Clinton between 1993 and 2001.

But it was when she finally stepped into her own political power at age 53 that her second act began, and became historic. She was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, becoming the first female senator from New York and the first First Lady to simultaneously hold elected office.

In 2016, she became the first woman nominated for president by a major political party and the first woman to win the national popular vote.

Kathryn Bigelow

Kathryn Bigelow is a powerhouse in Hollywood - and one of the most successful women in the industry who isn't an actress.

And that's even more impressive considering she got started later, in an industry already notoriously hard on older women.

The director was 40 years old when her movie, Point Break, became a massive hit in 1991. Years later, when she was 59 years old in 2010, she made history as the first woman to ever win the Best Director Oscar for The Hurt Locker.

Jennifer Coolidge

Although being a working actress for decades, it took Jennifer Coolidge until her late 30s to really break through to the mainstream - and then a few more years to soar to new heights once more.

Jennifer, who had starred in episodes of Seinfeld, became a household name in 1999, after being cast as the scene-stealing Stifler's mom in American Pie. She was 36 at the time and it led to other roles in the likes of Legally Blonde.

It was with 2021's White Lotus that she once again commanded the spotlight, showcasing a new side of her acting skills and sweeping the awards, including two Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe.

Tina Turner

Tina Turner - Queen of Rock'n'Roll - is one of the most iconic music stars, inspiring everyone from Beyonce to Mick Jagger. And it's unfathomable to ever imagine there was a time when it all seemed over for Tina. But, aged 36, she had left her abusive marriage to Ike Turner and found herself in debt, with four children, and resorting to performing in smaller venues to make ends meet.

It seemed unlikely she could ever reach the heights she once enjoyed as a duo with Ike, but she would not only do that, she'd eclipse it and become a global icon.

Tina's second act came in 1984, pulling off one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Emerging from what was seemingly a hiatus, she exploded back onto the radio with What's Love Got to Do With it? and the subsequent album, Private Dancer.

The album sold over 12 million units worldwide, swept four Grammys and set Tina Turner up as a viable solo star.

Bea Arthur

Bea Arthur remains a fixture on TV, living on through repeats of classic sitcoms like The Golden Girls and Maude. And these successful roles came later on.

Bea was a working actress before landing these television roles, but she earned a reputation as a theatre actress working mostly Off-Broadway.

A star turn in Mame when she was 44 years old won her the first Tony of her career, and she would catapult to new levels of fame by appearing in the long-running American sitcom, All in the Family, aged 49.

She won an Emmy for Maude in 1977, then again for the role of Dorothy in The Golden Girls in 1988, when she was 66 years old.

Kathryn Joosten

One of those faces you recognise but you might not always be able to place, Kathryn Joosten has enjoyed an Emmy winning career popping up in scene-stealing, supporting roles in shows like Scrubs and The West Wing.

But acting wasn't necessarily always something she envisioned for herself. For years, she worked as a psychiatric nurse until her divorce in 1980. What followed was forays into local theatre, and eventually, she would appear in major network shows, her most famous being nosy neighbour Karen McCluskey in Desperate Housewives, for which she won two Primetime Emmy Awards in 2005 and 2008.

Toni Morrison

Spending the first part of her adult life teaching and working in a publishing house, Toni Morrison published her first book, The Bluest Eye, just before she turned 40.

And what a triumphant second act it was that followed. Her work - including Beloved and Song of Solomon - is regarded as some of the most important in literature, most notably for her portrayals of Black women and Black life.

In 1993, she won the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Rea Ann Silva

Even if the name isn't immediately familiar, it's a fair assumption that women and makeup lovers everywhere know Rea Ann Silva - or, at least, her creation.

Rea Ann invented and founded the Beauty Blender in 2003, aged 43. A working makeup artist, she knew what people needed to expertly blend their looks.

Cath Kidston

From Prince George and Princess Charlotte to the likes of Taylor Swift, Cath Kidston's unique aesthetic has found many high-profile fans over the years.

The brand - famous for its florals - has since been bought by UK retailer Next, but it enjoyed a thriving place on high streets for years. And the woman behind the brand (and its name) didn't open her first standalone store until her mid-30s, and it took her until her early 40s to grow and expand.

Betty White

A beloved figure on both sides of the Atlantic, Betty White was a fixture of television and film for decades, working right up until her death in 2021 aged 99.

And while she was most definitely a working actress and TV star in her earlier years, it wasn't until she starred in The Mary Tyler Moore Show at age 51 that she became a bona fide comic actress.

What followed was one of the longest-lasting second acts, including Emmy-winning turns in The Golden Girls and roles in films like The Proposal.

Julia Child

Julia Child worked for the US Military in her 30s, during the Second World War. What followed was a positioning in France alongside her husband, and she developed a love for French cooking.

Putting herself through the Cordon Bleu culinary school, Julia then found unpredicted levels of fame as she brought French cooking to US audiences with her book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

A TV series followed, and a legend was born. Julia has become something of an icon for modern audiences too, impersonated by drag queens and being the focus of multiple films and TV shows, including Julie & Julia starring Meryl Streep.

Lynda Weinman

A role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, Lynda Weinman is proof that one should always bet on themselves and their ideas, whatever the age and you don't need to have 'made it' by 30.

In 1995, at 40 years old, Lynda co-founded the Lynda learning platform with her husband, Bruce. In 2015, she sold Lynda to LinkedIn for a staggering $1.5 billion.

She now works in film production with her company, Another Chapter Productions.

Octavia Spencer

Octavia Spencer was a successful working actress for years, but her 2011 breakout role in The Help completely changed her career and catapulted her into a soaring second act.

Aged 41 at the time, her role in the movie landed her the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and she would go on to land another nomination for 2016's Hidden Figures.

Nora Ephron

Nora Ephron was a successful and celebrated journalist for most of her early career, but it was her pivot into a second act that romantic-comedy lovers everywhere should be thankful for.

In 1983, aged 42, she co-wrote her first film script, Silkwood. This led to her first Oscar nomination - and a career in film that included writing the likes of When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle and You've Got Mail.

Vanessa Williams

It wasn't necessarily a comeback when Vanessa Williams stepped into the iconic role of Wilhelmina Slater in Ugly Betty, but it did herald a second act introducing the multi-talent to a new generation of fans.

Vanessa, the first Black woman crowned Miss America in the 1980s, had enjoyed a career in film, TV and music, which was thriving even before her turn in Ugly Betty in 2006.

But the role took her to new heights, and ever since, she's continued the momentum, starring in the likes of Desperate Housewives and Elsbeth.

Suzanne Collins

Suzanne Collins had enjoyed a career writing for children's television before her life-changing second act. In 2008, when she was 46 years old, her first Hunger Games novel was published, spawning a franchise that would include several follow-up stories and a film series led by Jennifer Lawrence.

Arianna Huffington

Greek-American businesswoman Arianna Huffington was known as a political commentator and a working journalist before her defining second act.

The Huffington Post was launched on May 9, 2005, when Arianna was in her 50s, and touted as an alternative to news aggregators such as the Drudge Report.

The Huffington Post was eventually sold to AOL for over $300M and Arianna stepped down to focus on a new venture, Thrive Global.

Ava DuVernay

Ava DuVernay always had a connection with the film industry, having worked in publicity and marketing, and setting up her own agency. But it was when she decided to become a filmmaker in her 40s that her star power really began.

She directed the historical drama Selma in 2014 when she was 42, and it led to her earning an Oscar nomination for Best Director.

Subsequent projects have included Disney's A Wrinkle in Time and Netflix's When They See Us.

Mae West

A glass-ceiling-shattering Hollywood icon who has been something of a blueprint for everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Madonna and beyond, Mae West's impact cannot be overstated.

As an actress, singer, comedian, screenwriter, and playwright, she was a force in Hollywood, railing against censorship and the limitations often placed on women in the studio system.

And she did all that while getting started relatively late, at a time when women were aged out of roles early on. She was aged 40 when one of her biggest movies, She Done Him Wrong, became a massive hit. The film was so successful it actually helped save the struggling studio, Paramount Pictures, from bankruptcy.

Tarana Burke

Tarana Burke's second act thrust her into the spotlight - and it benefited women across the world.

The activist was the catalyst behind the #MeToo movement, starting it back in 2006. However, in 2017, the movement picked up momentum following the outbreak of allegations of men in power exploiting women around them, including Harvey Weinstein.

Tarana, in her 40s at the time, helped spearhead a movement that changed attitudes for the better, and she continues to speak and work in gender equity.

Allison Janney

Allison Janney is a BAFTA, Emmy and Oscar-winning star, so it's almost hard to believe it took a second-act success to right the wrong of her being overlooked for years.

It was when she was in her 40s that she landed the defining role of CJ on The West Wing. What followed was a slew of roles showcasing her comedic and dramatic prowess, including I, Tonya and Mom.

Lucille Ball

It's not surprising news that Hollywood has something of an age problem - especially towards women. But it used to be worse. Stars had a shelf-life, and older women struggled to match the success of their youth.

So when Lucille Ball was approaching 40 and was still labelled the 'Queen of the B' - a reference to her roles in B movies and not really landing prime leading lady status - it all but seemed she was entering the twilight years of her career.

That was until she pulled off a defining second act. Shortly after turning 40, instead of giving up on her dreams, Lucille Ball spearheaded the sitcom, I Love Lucy. It was an immediate hit and one of the most iconic American television shows ever made.

13 Emmy nominations followed, not to mention revolutionary acts, like Lucille writing in her real-life pregnancy and addressing it on the show. At the time, it still was considered taboo for a woman to be pregnant on network TV, and even married couples in shows were shown sleeping in separate beds.

The success of I Love Lucy led to Lucille becoming more hands-on in production, and she became the first woman to run a major television studio in 1962.