Famous 1980s Female Actors: Where Are They Now?

The 1980s gave us some of the best films and actresses ever. Many future movie stars got their start during this golden age of Hollywood, and countless legends were established. Many young women during this time period actively sought out leading roles in motion pictures.

Teenage comedies flourished in the 1980s, opening doors for future celebrities. In addition, the presence of women in action films has grown as a result of the crossover of many talented actresses. Let’s check in on some of the most famous 80s actresses and see what they’re up to now.

Glenn Close

Glenn Close’s birthday is March 19th, and she was born in Greenwich, Connecticut. Growing up in a creative household, she was exposed to many forms of art early on. Starring in iconic films like Fatal Attraction and Dangerous Liasons in the 1980s Stuff, Close shot to fame. Throughout her career, she has been nominated for eight Academy Awards.

Particularly chilling was Close’s performance as Alex Forrest in Fatal Attraction, which helped popularize the term “Bunny Boiler” to describe a woman who becomes obsessively vengeful after being rejected by a man. Close is widely regarded as one of the most gifted actresses in Hollywood due to her extraordinary ability to portray multidimensional characters. There are currently five projects listed on Close’s IMDB page for 2023. This includes a part opposite Peter Dinklage and Brendan Fraser in the comedy Brothers, directed by Max Barbakow.

Molly Ringwald

As a member of the original Brat Pack in the early 1980s, American actress and author Molly Ringwald rose to prominence. Acting in classics like The Breakfast Club and Pretty in Pink made her a cultural icon and teen idol. Her portrayals of strong, likeable characters in youth media were especially popular. Over the years, she has not only written several books and articles but also continued acting in films and TV shows. Her recent success is due in large part to her portrayal of Mary Andrews on Riverdale.

Michelle Pfeiffer

The birthplace of Michelle Pfeiffer is Santa Ana, California, on April 29, 1958. In the late 1970s, she began appearing on screen in supporting roles for shows like Fantasy Island and films like The Hollywood Knights. In the early 1980s, Pfeiffer appeared in notable films like Scarface and The Witches of Eastwick in supporting roles. But it was her performance in Dangerous Liaisons that truly catapulted her to the forefront of Hollywood’s elite cast of actresses.

Pfeiffer’s rise to fame continued throughout the 1990s, with roles in critically acclaimed films like Batman Returns and The Age of Innocence. She has been nominated for three Academy Awards, among many other honors. Wild Four O’Clocks, a drama written by Peter Craig, will star Pfeiffer in the year 2024.

Weaver, Sigourney

Sigourney Weaver is a well-known American actress who shot to fame in 1979 thanks to her portrayal of Ellen Ripley in Ridley Scott’s Alien. She went on to star in a series of box office successes after the film established her as a leading Hollywood talent. Her meteoric rise to fame, however, occurred in the 1980s. Starring in such sci-fi classics as 1986’s Aliens and 1984’s Ghostbusters and its sequel, Weaver became a household name in the genre.

The roles that Weaver played in these films helped to cement her status as a legendary Hollywood performer and one of the most adaptable actors of her era. She has been captivating audiences for quite some time now, and that hasn’t changed. Weaver’s breakout role came in James Cameron’s 2022 film Avatar: The Way of Water. In addition, in 2023, she was the leading character in the Prime Video series The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart.