See 6 Celebrities Over 100, Then and Now
See 6 Celebrities Over 100, Then and Now
Zoe Kaplan, Laura MillarFri, May 8, 2026 at 10:30 AM UTC
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Dick Van Dyke in 2024; Sir David Attenborough in 2019
Credit: Stewart Cook/Getty; Shannon Finney/Getty
It’s safe to say that these celebrities are living legends.
From beloved actor Dick Van Dyke to renowned broadcaster Sir David Attenborough (who celebrated his 100th birthday on May 8), these stars have all reached triple digits — and have plenty of wisdom to show for it!
Just take it from Oscar-winning actress Eva Marie Saint: “The longer you live, I think, really the smarter you get,” she told film historian Robert Osborne during an interview at the TCM Classic Film Festival in 2014. “Because you’ve been around, you’ve been with people, you’ve seen things, you’ve gone through different emotional experiences in your own life. And hopefully, as an actress, that makes you a better actress because you can understand things better.”
Read on for six living celebrities who have celebrated 100 years of life or more.
01 of 06
Sir David Attenborough, 100
Sir David Attenborough in 1959; Sir David Attenborough in 2022
Credit: Ron Case/Keystone/Hulton Archive/Getty; David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty
Beloved conservationist Sir David Attenborough turned 100 on May 8.
At age 99, the English broadcaster made history as the oldest daytime Emmy winner for his work on The Secret Lives of Orangutans, a docuseries following a multi-generation family of orangutans in Indonesia.
In June 2025, Attenborough spoke with PEOPLE about his documentary, Ocean with David Attenborough, highlighting how many scientific discoveries have occurred over the span of his life.
“My lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Over the last hundred years, scientists and explorers have revealed remarkable new species, epic migrations, and dazzling, complex ecosystems beyond anything I could have imagined as a young man," Attenborough said in a statement.
02 of 06
Dick Van Dyke, 100
Dick Van Dyke in 1960; Dick Van Dyke at 98 years old
Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty; Monty Brinton/CBS via Getty
Legendary entertainer Dick Van Dyke turned 100 on Dec. 13, 2025, and according to his wife, Arlene Silver, “He is a little slower, but I mean, man, he's still got it!”
The Tony award-winning actor told PEOPLE in 2025 he “feels about 13,” and while he sometimes can’t remember what he ate for breakfast, he can still remember the lyrics to all his favorite show tunes. “I don’t know why but I just do,” he said.
Earlier in 2026, Van Dyke and Arlene Silver celebrated their 14th wedding anniversary.
“Neither one of us can think where the time went,” Van Dyke said during an Instagram Live. "We've had so much fun, been so many places. And I've fallen in love with her more every day. I do, I'm telling you. She gets better every day. I wouldn't even be here, I wouldn't be 100 years old if it weren't for her, and that's no kidding. She's pulled me through a lot of things."
Van Dyke added, "But I feel pretty good for 100. And she just keeps getting more and more gorgeous, doesn't she?"
03 of 06
Eva Marie Saint, 101
Eva Marie Saint in 1950; Eva Marie Saint in 2018
Credit: Archive Photos/Getty; Earl Gibson III/Getty
Academy Award-winning actress Eva Marie Saint turned 101 on July 4, 2025.
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Before hitting 100 back in 2024, the legendary actress told PEOPLE she was looking forward to spending the big day in Los Angeles with family.
“Four generations of family members will be gathering together from Los Angeles, Chicago, Santa Barbara and San Francisco,” Saint said.
She added, “I certainly don’t feel 100 years old. I continue to take walks out in the fresh air, like watching baseball — especially the Los Angeles Dodgers, and enjoy time with my family and friends. A good life.”
04 of 06
Lee Grant, 100
Lee Grant in 1951; Lee Grant in 2023
Credit: Paramount Pictures/De Carvalho Collection/Getty; Arturo Holmes/Getty
Acclaimed actress and filmmaker Lee Grant turned 100 on Oct. 31, 2025.
After receiving an Oscar nomination for her 1951 film debut in Detective Story, Grant’s professional ascent was put on hold due to the pursuit of alleged Hollywood communists, led by the House Un-American Activities Committee and Senator Joe McCarthy.
“I was blacklisted,” Grant recalled in a 2026 episode ofThe Thread. “And so for the next 12 years, I couldn't work in film or television. I kept on being called by the Un-American Activities Committee to name my husband, Arnie Manoff, who was a communist. And that's all they wanted. They wanted me to name my husband.”
Her refusal to testify put her career on hold until her husband’s death in 1965. That year, she was cast for the prime-time soap Peyton Place and won an Emmy for that role the next year. After that, her career took off again, with roles in In the Heat of the Night, Valley of the Dolls, The Landlord and Shampoo, among others.
05 of 06
Gene Shalit, 100
Gene Shalit in 1973; Gene Shalit
Credit: NBC/NBC NewsWire; TODAY
Today show legend Gene Shalit turned 100 on March 25, 2026. An on-air critic for 41 years, Shalit had a few notable interviews, one being a sit-down with Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher ahead of the release of the first Star Wars film in 1977. The Today show paid tribute to him on his 100th birthday.
“Happy 100th birthday to Today show legend Gene Shalit,” weatherman Al Roker said. “He is ringing in 100 by enjoying that fresh air in the Berkshires with his six kids, five grandchildren.” Shalit was celebrating by “getting ready to watch his beloved New York Mets as they gear up for opening day.”
06 of 06
Bambi Linn, 100
Rod Alexander and Bambi Linn in 1958
Credit: Jack Mitchell/Getty
Known for her role in the musical Oklahoma! when she was just 16 years old, Bambi Linn is the last living original cast member. The star celebrated her 100th birthday on April 26, 2026.
The first musical written by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Oklahoma! debuted in 1943. In a 2023 interview for the Rodgers and Hammerstein website, Linn opened up about her career. At age 6, she began dance classes and trained extensively with legendary choreographer Agnes de Mille.
“This was my first professional performance,” she said. “I had never acted on stage before. I was a novice.”
She added, “Oklahoma! was made for the people. And the people made Oklahoma! If the audience hadn't received it the way it did, Oklahoma! would not have been Oklahoma!” Linn said what made the musical “special” was that it was about “ordinary people.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
