# Actors and Actresses that look(ed) better at 30 than 20 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 5, 2009, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983 "2009-07-05T16:19:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/41 "2009-07-06T14:00:12Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > Melissa Gilbert was wholesomely plain as a child actor and seemed to be stuck at that “awkward” stage waaay into her 20’s. ( Of course, next to Rob Lowe, anyone would come off badly!) Now she’s in her 40’s, had some work done, and is quite strikingly attractive, IMO. Her sister Sara, while cute as a child, defintely looks better as she matures. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/42 "2009-07-06T14:11:21Z")
> [@Cumberdale](#): > > I was going to say the same thing. This is very noticable on TV. An actress will be attractive in season one, then by season two will look scrawny and unhealthy. Cf. Buffy, Season 1-5 vs. Season 6-7. ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/43 "2009-07-06T16:57:17Z")
Hugh Jackman has always been very good looking, but the man just becomes more smokin’ hot every time I see a picture of him. ---
**Author:** ![rivulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/839c29/32.png) [@rivulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rivulus)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/44 "2009-07-06T21:21:44Z")
> [@Cumberdale](#): > > I was going to say the same thing. This is very noticable on TV. An actress will be attractive in season one, then by season two will look scrawny and unhealthy. It took more than one season, but Gillian Anderson looked better at the beginning of the series than the end, IMO, when she lost all that weight. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/45 "2009-07-06T22:17:26Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > Cf. Buffy, Season 1-5 vs. Season 6-7. Hell, I’ve only just started season 3, but I’m already missing the softer side of Buffy. And now they’ve even changed the opening so much that I can’t see any of her there. > [@rivulus](#): > > It took more than one season, but Gillian Anderson looked better at the beginning of the series than the end, IMO, when she lost all that weight. Concur. Pregnancy did wonders for Gillian Anderson. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/46 "2009-07-07T01:07:02Z")
Not “better in her 30’s than in her 20’s”, but, imho, Stockard Channing looked _way_ better in **West Wing** than she did in her **Grease** days! ---
**Author:** ![bobkitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c67d28/32.png) [@bobkitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobkitty)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/47 "2009-07-07T01:12:46Z")
> [@norinew](#): > > Not “better in her 30’s than in her 20’s”, but, imho, Stockard Channing looked _way_ better in **West Wing** than she did in her **Grease** days! Agreed; and along those lines, Donald Sutherland got super-hot when he went white-headed- another actor that ‘grew into his face.’ ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/48 "2009-07-07T03:00:20Z")
> [@bobkitty](#): > > ‘grew into his face.’ I’d wish I had copyrighted it, but I probably stole it from someone else. ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/49 "2009-07-07T12:05:13Z")
I think people in general are more attrative in their 30s (and beyond) than in their 20s. Most really young faces are a bit mannequin-like, pretty and blank. Too much collagen, not enough character. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/50 "2009-07-07T12:23:06Z")
> [@DianaG](#): > > I think people in general are more attrative in their 30s (and beyond) than in their 20s. Most really young faces are a bit mannequin-like, pretty and blank. Too much collagen, not enough character. I agree. The bone structure starts to stand out more in the 30s. I recall a famous photographer saying something to the effect of “women don’t have a face until they’re 30.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/51 "2009-07-07T14:38:47Z")
I think Hugh Laurie is another actor who “grew into his face”. Compare [this](http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2007/03_02/hughwifeDM1803_400x432.jpg)to [this](http://lh3.ggpht.com/_UtyRdQ3inL4/Rui5Me2lhuI/AAAAAAAABhQ/_xzV27oYDc0/1175467602302.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/52 "2009-07-07T17:04:52Z")
May I be the first to nominate Jessica Alba to this thread? Or am I nuts? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/53 "2009-07-07T17:17:55Z")
> [@SCSimmons](#): > > May I be the first to nominate Jessica Alba to this thread? > > Or am I nuts? She’s still only 28. I know that’s like 40 in actor years, but it’ll be interesting to see what she looks like in 10 years on the big screen. Assuming anything she’s cast in doesn’t make the trip straight to DVD. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983/54 "2009-07-07T18:50:39Z")
It seems to be the case with men more than women, but this is an old sentiment. Even as a non-actor, I get probably 3x more twice-overs from women on the street than I did in my 20s, and I’m 46, ferchrissakes! I think women really begin to come into their own, looks-wise, after their mid-twenties. With men, I think there’s more of a attraction to their maturity and the inner confidence that brings than purely looks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/actors-and-actresses-that-look-ed-better-at-30-than-20/501983.md?page=2)