Jewish actresses have been a driving force in Hollywood and beyond for decades. From comedy to drama, these talented souls have brought us some of the most memorable characters in film and television history.
Age is just a number, especially for extraordinary Jewish actresses who have left a significant mark in the entertainment industry and become legends.
From Emmy and Oscar-winning performances to notable roles in hit TV shows and films, they have shown the world that age shouldn’t limit one’s creativity and potential. They have defied stereotypes, challenged societal norms, and proved that true talent transcends age and time.
Here are 15 remarkable Jewish actresses over the age of 60 who have had an impact on the industry and the world.
1. Paula Abdul
Paula Abdul is a renowned American dancer, choreographer, and singer who was born on June 19, 1962. She rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s with her hit pop songs and successful music videos. Abdul has also worked as a judge on several reality shows, including American Idol and The X Factor. Abdul was born in Los Angeles, California, to a Jewish mother and a Syrian Jewish father. Abdul’s successful career in the entertainment industry has earned her numerous awards and accolades. She has won two Emmy Awards, two Grammy Awards, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
2. Jennifer Grey
Jennifer Grey was born in New York in 1960. She is the daughter of actor Joel Grey, and actress and singer, Jo Wilder, who are of Jewish descent. Grey is best known for her role as Frances “Baby” Houseman in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing. She also starred in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Red Dawn. Her performance in Dirty Dancing won her a Golden Globe nomination, and she won the show Dancing with the Stars in 2010.
3. Bebe Neuwirth
Bebe Neuwirth is an American actress, singer, and dancer. She was born on December 31, 1958, in Newark, New Jersey to Lee Paul Neuwirth and Sydney Anne Neuwirth. Bebe’s father was a mathematician while her mother worked as an artist. Her Broadway career began when she was cast as Sheila in the musical A Chorus Line in 1980. Her big break came when she played the role of Lilith Sternin in the hit TV series Cheers, which she reprised in Frasier. In 2004, Bebe described herself as an untrained plain Jew.
4. Gina Gershon
Gina Gershon is an American actress, singer, and author. She was born on June 10, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. Gershon’s father, Stan Gershon, was a businessman, and her mother, Mickey Koppel, was an interior decorator. Gershon was born to a Jewish family. She has appeared in a wide range of films and TV shows, including Bound, Showgirls, The Insider, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.
5. Jennifer Jason Leigh
Jennifer Jason Leigh, born Jennifer Leigh Morrow, was born on February 5, 1962, in Los Angeles, California. Her father, Vic Morrow, was of Russian Jewish descent, and her mother, Barbara Turner, was of Austrian ancestry. Leigh’s acting career began in the 1980s, and she quickly gained fame for her performances in films such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and The Hudsucker Proxy.
6. Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is an American actress and author, known for her work in the film industry. She was born on November 22, 1958, in Los Angeles, California, to actor Tony Curtis and actress Janet Leigh. Jamie Lee Curtis has Jewish ancestry from her father’s side. Curtis is best known for her roles in comedy, horror, and slasher films. Some of her most notable films include Halloween, The Fog, and Prom Night. Apart from her successful acting career, Jamie Lee Curtis is also an author of children’s books. She has won numerous awards for her work in both acting and writing.
7. Katey Sagal
Katey Sagal is an actress, singer, and writer, best known for her role as Peggy Bundy on the sitcom Married… with Children. She was born Catherine Louise Sagal on January 19, 1954, in Los Angeles, California to Boris Sagal, a Ukrainian-Jewish immigrant, and singer Sara Zwilling, of Amish ancestry. Sagal is also an accomplished singer and songwriter. She spent much of the 1970s as a backup singer for artists such as Bob Dylan and Bette Midler before transitioning to acting in the 1980s.
8. Phoebe Cates
Phoebe Cates is an American actress and model born on July 16, 1963, in New York City. She is of Jewish descent and her original name was Phoebe Belle Cates Kline. Her father Joseph Katz, was of Jewish heritage. Phoebe Cates started her career as a model at the age of 10 and later transitioned to acting. She rose to fame in the 1980s with her roles in films such as Fast Times at Ridgemont High and Gremlins. Throughout her career, Phoebe has appeared in numerous movies and television shows.
9. Julianne Moore
Julianne Moore was born Julie Anne Smith on December 3, 1960, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina. She was raised Catholic, but her mother, Anne Love, was of Jewish descent. Her maternal grandparents were from Lithuania and Poland and immigrated to the United States in the early 1900s. Moore is known for her outstanding performances in films such as Boogie Nights, The Hours, and Magnolia.
10. Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour, born as Joyce Penelope Wilhelmina Frankenberg, is a British-American actress popularly known for her roles in films and television shows. She was born in Hillingdon, Middlesex, England in 1951. Seymour’s father, Benjamin John Frankenberg, was Jewish. Some of her most notable performances include Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, Live and Let Die, and Somewhere in Time.
11. Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow is an American actress, comedian, writer, and producer best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay on the NBC sitcom Friends, for which she received several nominations and awards. Kudrow was born on July 30, 1963, in Los Angeles, California, to a Jewish family. Her mother, Nedra S. (née Stern), was a travel agent, and her father, Lee N. Kudrow, was a physician who specialized in the treatment of headaches. Kudrow has one older sister, Helene Marla, and one younger brother, David B. Kudrow.
12. Gabrielle Carteris
Gabrielle Carteris is an American actor and union leader, born on January 2, 1961, in Scottsdale, Arizona. She is well known for her role as Andrea Zuckerman in the popular TV show, Beverly Hills, 90210. Cartesis’ father is of Greek descent and her mother is Jewish. She and her brother were raised in San Francisco, where her mother relocated to after separating from her husband.
13. Fran Drescher
Fran Drescher is best known for her role as Fran Fine in the TV series The Nanny which aired from 1993 to 1999. She was born on September 30, 1957, in Queens, New York to a Jewish family. Her parents Sylvia and Morty Drescher were South and Central European Jewish immigrants.
14. Rosanna Arquette
Rosanna Arquette is an American actress born on August 10, 1959, in New York City. She comes from a family of actors and artists. Her father, Lewis Arquette, was an actor, writer, and producer, while her mother, Brenda Denaut, was a poet, actress, and acting teacher. Arquette’s Jewish background comes from her mother, whose family were emigrants from Poland and Russia. Her most notable works include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Pulp Fiction (1994), and The Whole Nine Yards (2000).
15. Debra Winger
Debra Winger was born on May 16, 1955, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, to an Orthodox Jewish family. Her father, Robert Winger, was a meat packer, and her mother, Ruth Felder, was a nurse. Her most notable work includes An Officer and a Gentleman, Terms of Endearment, and Shadowlands.
You may also want to check: Top 13 Black Actresses Over 70 You Need To Know
The incredible talent of Jewish actresses over the age of 60 prove that age is truly just a number. From the iconic performances of Paula Abdul to the fearlessness of Jamie Lee Curtis, these women have shown us what it means to age gracefully and still be at the top of their game. Their legacy reminds us that we can continue to strive for greatness, break down barriers, and leave our mark on the world regardless of our age!
