It seems for plenty of Hollywood’s finest, life begins at 60. In their golden years, many silver screen stars are kicking ass and leading the casts of action flicks. New generational actors should take note of these six stars who are more than just fighting fit.
1. Denzel Washington
The 60-year-old actor was back on screens in 2014′s The Equalizer. Denzel, known for his previous roles in The Flight and Malcolm X, plays the retired secret agent turned vigilante Robert McCall. He fights off a Russian Mafia ring and corrupt coppers, all in the name of equalising the playing field for the disadvantaged, including a befriended prostitute. The New York-born actor is no stranger to kick-ass roles and his cool and calm performance of McCall shows him at his best.
2. Liam Neeson
The Taken trilogy became a huge box office hit that catapulted Liam Neeson into action movie star realms. The 62-year-old Irishman had established himself in critically acclaimed dramas such as Schindler’s List and Les Miserables, with Star Wars stints and a turn as a Batman villain thrown in. It was his role in Taken that cemented his place as a silver screen, silver haired action hero.
3. Helen Mirren
Starring in Red, short for Retired and Extremely Dangerous, and Red 2, Dame Helen Mirren embodies the femme fatale at 69 years old. She plays deadly former assassin Victoria among a cast of golden oldies, as the action comedy rollercoasters through the streets of London, Paris and Moscow. While the English treasure cut her teeth on the Shakespearean stage and with an array of awards for her hard-hitting dramas, Helen flits from genre to genre and proves herself an actor in action.
4. Sylvester Stallone
It’s hard not to picture a sweating Sly Stallone bounding his way to victory on the Rocky Steps whenever you hear Eye of the Tiger. The New York native won rave reviews for his portrayal of tough soldier John Rambo in the Rambo saga, which made the name synonymous with the bad ass. Sly has also received critical acclaim for his screenwriting and directing of the action-packed hits and, with a starring role in The Expendables at 68, he’s a veteran of the business.
5. Ian McKellen
With more than a few awards under his belt, Sir Ian McKellen is a legend in the industry, with a career spanning almost five decades. The 75-year-old, who holds an honorary degree from Cambridge, is best known as the towering, white-bearded Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit sagas, as well as the villainous mutant Magneto in X-Men.
6. Morgan Freeman
At 77, Morgan Freeman is known for his stand-out roles as much as he is for that distinctive drawl. The Oscar-winning star has been in a wealth of action films, from the most recent sci-fi flick Lucy, to Red (alongside other stars on this list) and The Dark Knight. His performance in the mind-bending Lucy, alongside Scarlet Johansson, drove a thrilling, rollercoaster of a film.
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