by Stephanie SoteriouBuzzFeedBuzzFeed StaffI’m an innately nosey and chronically online celebrity and pop culture journalist, with my specialist areas including deep-diving lyrics and calling out Terrible Men™.

Whenever anybody looks back at decades-old TV shows and movies, they’re all left asking the same question: Why did everybody look so much older for their age back then?!

Anthony Neste / Getty Images

A famous example of this is The Golden Girls, which premiered back in 1985, and follows four single women (three widows and one divorcée) living together in a house in Miami as they navigate their “golden years,” with the characters’ ages ranging from 53 years old to 79.

Mario Casilli / TV Guide / ©NBC / courtesy Everett Collection

And with everybody consistently looking younger and younger with age than the generations that came before them, it only felt right to see how the Golden Girls would look if it the gang was cast today — and I’m not gonna lie, the difference is pretty striking!

Alice S. Hall / ©Touchstone Television / courtesy Everett Collection

First up is Blanche Devereaux, who is 53 years old in Season 1, with actor Rue McClanahan around 51 years old during filming:

Nbc / Getty Images

In 2026, Blanche is therefore the same age as Gwyneth Paltrow:

Arturo Holmes / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Arturo Holmes / Getty Images

Sofía Vergara:

Jamie Mccarthy / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Jamie Mccarthy / Getty Images

And Gabrielle Union:

Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Gilbert Carrasquillo / Getty Images

Meanwhile, both Dorothy Zbornak and Rose Nylund were 55 years old in Season 1 of the show, with the actors who played them — Bea Arthur and Betty White respectively — age 63:

Nbc / Getty Images

Nowadays, Dorothy and Rose are age-representatives of people like Naomi Campbell:

Franziska Krug / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Franziska Krug / Getty Images

Claudia Schiffer:

Dave Benett / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Dave Benett / Getty Images

Melissa McCarthy:

Jc Olivera / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Jc Olivera / Getty Images

And Mary J. Blige

David Crotty / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, David Crotty / Getty Images

And Jennifer Lopez is currently older than Season 1 Blanche, Dorothy, and Rose at 56 years old:

Amy Sussman / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Amy Sussman / Getty Images

As is 57-year-old Jennifer Aniston:

Monica Schipper / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Monica Schipper / Getty Images

Plus 58-year-old Julia Roberts:

Frederic J. Brown / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Frederic J. Brown / Getty Images

And 59-year-old Halle Berry:

Lisa O'connor / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Lisa O'connor / Getty Images

Finally, eldest Golden Girl Sophia Petrillo was 79 years old in Season 1, played by 62-year old Estelle Getty:

Nbc / Getty Images

That's the same age as Sally Field:

Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty Images

Susan Sarandon:

Pablo Cuadra / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Pablo Cuadra / Getty Images

Cher:

Johnny Nunez / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Johnny Nunez / Getty Images

And Glenn Close:

Samir Hussein / Getty Images

Nbc / Getty Images, Samir Hussein / Getty Images

Who would you cast in a 2026 version of The Golden Girls? Let me know in the comments below!

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Golden Girls Ages In 2026: Celebrity Comparisons