Demi Moore spent decades in Hollywood, but in 2025, she got her first Academy Award nomination. At 62, the Ghost actress earned recognition for The Substance, a role that also won her a Golden Globe and Critics’ Choice Award. Despite her long career, she admitted at the Golden Globes, “This is the first time I’ve ever won anything as an actor.”
Moore’s journey has proved that success in Hollywood isn’t always instant. Apart from Moore, many other legendary actors waited years before winning their first Oscar. Clint Eastwood, Alan Arkin, Jessica Tandy, Morgan Freeman, and Christopher Plummer all received their first Academy Awards later in life.
Clint Eastwood and Helen Mirren won Oscar awards at 62 and 72, respectively
View this post on Instagram
Clint Eastwood started acting in the 1950s, but he didn’t win his first Oscar until 1993 at age 62. Interestingly, he took home two that year, one for Best Director and Best Picture for Unforgiven. Even though he was already a household name through acting, it was his work behind the camera that finally earned him Hollywood’s top honor. He later won two more Oscars for Million Dollar Baby in 2005.
Helen Mirren also waited years for her Oscar moment. She had been acting in films and television since the 1960s, but she didn’t win an Academy Award until 2007 at age 61. She won Best Actress for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in The Queen. Her performance earned her recognition and praises, and she has since remained one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses.
Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman’s wins were record-breaking
Jessica Tandy made history in 1990 when she became the oldest actress to win an Oscar at age 80. She won Best Actress for Driving Miss Daisy, proving that Hollywood success can come at any age. Though she had a long and successful career in theater, her biggest recognition in film came much later. Up till now, that record has not been broken.
Morgan Freeman also waited decades for his first Oscar, despite starring in major films like Glory and The Shawshank Redemption. He won his first Academy Award in 2005 at age 67, taking home Best Supporting Actor for Million Dollar Baby. Their stories, like Moore’s, show that success can come at any stage in a career. Hollywood rewards perseverance, proving that talent never fades, it only gets better with time.