It’s Never Too Late: Celebrities Who Found Success After 30!

Truthfully, readers, it’s so easy to feel like your path to success is being shortened each day. The dreadful feeling of realizing you’re only getting older is stressful in itself. The pressure of having your life and goals not only mapped out but also achieved by the age of 30 is real! Especially when you log on to social media and see that one teenager who goes viral for the silliest thing, and you start to think to yourself, "What am I doing wrong?" Cars, money, homes, careers, luxury... Oh, how nice it would be for it to fall into our hands. But honestly, success shouldn’t feel like a rush against the clock. Not everyone’s success story will be the same. Some of the most successful celebrities to date have prevailed after the age of 30, and their impact is even greater than those who gained popularity young. Stay hopeful!

1. Morgan Freeman

One of the most iconic, distinct voices in Hollywood had a tremendous impact and didn’t strike big until his late-30s/early-40s. Morgan Freeman, an Oscar-winning actor, director, pioneer, narrator, and legend is a true testament to staying dedicated to your passion and never giving up. Freeman had an interest in acting at a young age; he would act in school plays and even won a statewide drama competition at only 12 years old. Freeman even explored other options, such as joining the U.S. Air Force. Nonetheless, he found his way back to acting and began to see his career blossom in his 30s and 40s. Freeman made his first Broadway debut in 1968 and acted in the Broadway play Hello Dolly!. Shortly after, Freeman was one of the lead cast members in the Emmy-winning television show "The Electric Company". At the age of 50, he received his first Oscar nomination for his role in the 1987 movie Street Smart. All it took was one opportunity, and Freeman has been soaring ever since. Other notable roles Freeman has held have been in films such as Driving Miss Daisy (1989) and The Shawshank Redemption (1994). Freeman is a legend and an incredible example of success after 30.

2. Stan Lee

It’s hard to imagine that the genius behind some of the most iconic superheroes didn’t become successful until his near 40s. Stan Lee, comic book writer, publisher, editor and producer is 1 of 1. Stan Lee has made an impact for decades, and plenty of generations to come. Lee always had a passion for writing; he even held numerous writing jobs. One of his most memorable jobs was working at Timely Comics, which would later turn into Marvel Comics. Lee worked at Timely Comics starting in 1939. Over 20 years later, he published his first comic and saw success. The first superheroes that Lee created were The Fantastic Four. Lee was 38 and found his way to success with The Fantastic Four. Thereafter, Lee helped co-create heroes like The Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Spider-Man, and many more. There’s no doubt Lee has made an impact. His characters are everywhere. Lee is a great example of continuously working on your craft and not letting success feel like a race.

3. Lizzo

From sleeping in her car to winning Grammys, American singer, rapper, and songwriter Lizzo has done it all. Before her hit song "Truth Hurts" boosted her career, Lizzo always had a drive for music. We see Lizzo with her flute today, and her flute has always been a prized possession of hers. She has been playing the flute since 6th grade and continued in college, where she joined her school’s marching band. Unfortunately, Lizzo hit some hard roads and faced homelessness for some time. She recalls spending Thanksgiving in her car and crying herself to sleep at night. Her passion for music, though? Still strong. She created her hit song "Truth Hurts" in 2017, and it did not pop off until 2019 when Lizzo was 31 years old. Lizzo stayed dedicated to her craft and has since won 4 Grammys and a plethora of other awards. Lizzo has even extended her career to acting and advocacy. Lizzo is still trending today, most recently for her journey through weight loss and her trendy remix to the popular song "Whim Whammie" where she highlights the ongoing Labubu phenomenon. 

4. Sia

Just like Sia, you can swing from the chandelier and not just early on in life. Australian singer-songwriter Sia did not receive success and fame until her mid-30s. Behind the cool, stylish hair is a star who prevailed in her 30s and 40s. Sia spent many years chasing her dreams as a musician. In the 1990s, she was a part of a jazz band as a vocalist. When the band split apart, Sia decided to take her talents solo and drop an album that didn’t do too well. Sia did not give up, though; she then decided to provide vocals for a British duo group. In 2000, Sia attempted to release another album and wasn’t pleased with the promotion. Sia took a break and focused on songwriting, where she began to find success. Sia wrote songs for the likes of Rihanna ("Diamonds") and David Guetta ("Titanium"). Soon after, in 2014, Sia had her breakthrough solo song "Chandelier", which stayed on the Billboard Top 100 for a while and also won many awards. This all happened at the age of 38, proving it's never too late to find your voice.

5. Quinta Brunson

Fixing phones at Apple in her 20s wasn’t ideal for Quinta, especially since she had always known comedy was her lane. However, creating comedy sketches in her 20s would lead the way for Quinta. She quickly rose to fame after her most well-known skit, “He got money!” But it wasn’t until her 30s that Quinta officially began to be noticed worldwide. Today, a lot of us know her for being the main character, Janine, in the Emmy-winning show "Abbott Elementary". The series didn’t air until Quinta was in her early-30s. Quinta didn’t let her age stop her rise to success. She continued to stay on her path, and it has now led her to many accolades and opportunities.