Photo: Pascal Le Segretain (Getty Images)
As much as we’d like to think that both actors and actresses in Hollywood are treated the same way, it’s simply not true. While men are expected to act for as long as possible, the women are ignored as soon as they hit 30. That being said, there are actresses who managed to stay relevant even in their 40s, both with their talent and astounding good looks. Here are some of the sexiest actresses in their 40s who are still as breathtaking as always.
Amy Adams (42)
First up is the big-eyed, perpetually sad-looking, redheaded hottie, Amy Adams. You might not believe it due to her small stature and youthful appearance, but she is actually 42 and has a seven-year-old daughter. She debuted on film in 1999, when she was just 25, in a black comedy called Drop Dead Gorgeous. One of her most noticed roles early on was the one in Steven Spielberg’s Catch Me If You Can. Nowadays, she’s one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood and has won numerous awards for her roles in Junebug, The Fighter, The Master, Big Eyes, Nocturnal Animals, and many others. Adams’ subtle acting style and undeniable beauty make sure she stays relevant for years to come.
Charlize Theron (41)
Charlize Theron is probably one of the most beautiful women, not just in Hollywood, but also in the world. This 41-year-old is still every bit as beautiful as she was at the very start of her career, back in 1995. Born in South Africa, Charlize moved to LA when she was 19 and was discovered accidentally by an acting agent standing behind her in a bank queue. Apparently, he saw talent in her yelling at the clerk who wouldn’t cash her check. One of her first noted roles was in Reindeer Games, opposite Ben Affleck, but it wasn’t until 2003 that she amazed the world with her powerful portrayal of a serial killer in Monster. Her latest action film, Atomic Blonde, showed us that she’s as hot as ever.
Jennifer Connelly (46)
Jennifer Connelly started her acting career extremely young, appearing in one of the most famous gangster movies of all time – Once Upon a Time in America. She was only 14. Just a couple of years later she starred in yet another cult film, Labyrinth, starring opposite the always fantastic David Bowie. In 2000, she acted with Jared Leto in the acclaimed Requiem for a Dream, and just a year later, she played the wife of the schizophrenic Dr. Nash in A Beautiful Mind. For this portrayal, she won a number of awards, including the Oscar. Most recently she appeared in Spiderman: Homecoming, though only as a voice. We’ll probably be seeing more of her in the upcoming TV series called the Snowpiercer, based on the somewhat underappreciated film from 2013.
Elizabeth Banks (43)
Although Elizabeth Banks never strived towards serious acting, it’s hard not to notice her outstanding talent and knack for acting in every movie she’s been. Throughout her career, she took on the roles of seductive, extremely hot, somewhat dumb blondes and carried them out perfectly. A lot of people, though, know her from her affiliation with the master of cringe comedy, Seth Rogen. In 2005, she appeared in the extremely funny and super awkward film 40-Year-Old Virgin and stole the show with her crazy character. The next time she and Seth Rogen got together, they made a superb comedy yet again, this time under the direction of Kevin Smith in Zack and Miri Make a Porno. In the recent years, she seems to be balancing out her comedic and serious acting style, best exemplified by the Hunger Games franchise. On the other hand, her performance was panned recently in the Power Rangers reboot, but no one can deny the fact that she still looks absolutely amazing.
Kate Beckinsale (44)
Finally, there’s the never-aging Kate Beckinsale. This English actress first appeared on screen in Much Ado About Nothing, when she was merely 20 years old. Today, most of the people know her for the sappy romantic film with John Cusack – Serendipity, and for her portrayal of Selene in the Underworld franchise. What people don’t really know is that Kate has quite an unexpected dry British sense of humor which makes her that much more irresistible. Closing in on her 45th birthday, Kate is as beautiful as ever and deserves nothing but full admiration. This year, you’ll get a chance to see her in a promising romantic drama called The Only Living Boy in New York. Needless to say, she looks absolutely amazing in it.
That was our pick of the sexiest actresses in their 40s. Do you agree with our list? Is there anyone you’d like to add?
