Bryan Cranston
When Bryan Cranston began playing Malcolm's father, Hal, in the sitcom Malcolm in the Middle, he was already well over 40. It was not his first job, but it was the one for which he became known to the general public. But really, his most famous role worldwide is the one played in the highly famous series Breaking Bad, in which he gave life to the already iconic professor and family man turned drug lord Walter White. When he got that role, Cranston was already 52 and although he had appeared in other famous series and movies, it was AMC's fiction that made him famous throughout the world and for which he will be forever remembered.
Billy Bob Thornton
Born in Arkansas in 1955, Billy Bob Thornton is one of those charismatic actors who tend to be liked. In his filmography, there are great films The Other Side of Life, A Simple Plan, or, Monster's Ball, but the truth is that his artistic career began as a musician, not as an actor. He had a band and in the early 80's he moved to Los Angeles to find opportunities. It was not easy for him and he even had health problems, but in 1996 he wrote, directed, and starred in The Other Side of Life, which marked a before and after in his secondary school career. The film won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and the good work of the versatile Thornton put him on the map as one of the great talents of Hollywood when he had just turned 41.
Alan Rickman
The unforgettable Alan Rickman is another of the actors who rose to fame when he had already crossed the barrier of 40. Specifically, it was at the age of 42 that the interpreter left that comfort zone which for him was in the theater, to participate in Die Hard (1988). In John McTiernan's film, he gave life to the terrorist Hans Gruber, in charge of making life miserable for Bruce Willis' John McClane. A few years later, in 1996, he participated in the HBO movie, Rasputin, for which he won an Emmy Award. But without a doubt, one of his most memorable roles will always be that of Professor Severus Snape, whom he brought to life in the successful Harry Potter franchise.
Helen Mirren
It is also surprising to discover that the impeccable Helen Mirren did not achieve success on the big screen until she was well into her 40s. The British actress decided to dedicate herself body and soul to the theater, and although she made her debut in the seventh art, at the age of 22, with a small role in the film Herostratus (1967), her first success was achieved at the age of 49 when she received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in The Madness of King George (1994). In 2001, he would once again compete for the prized statuette thanks to his performance in Gosford Park, and finally, five years later, -and at 61 years old- he would win the highest award in the film industry, for his magnificent performance in The Queen (The Queen) (2006).
Connie Britton
Connie Britton's fame came, thanks to the television series Friday Night Lights, just 15 years ago, when she was about to turn 40. Her role as Tami Tyler, in the fiction starring Kyle Chandler, earned her two of his four Emmy Award nominations. The other two would arrive in 2011 and 2012 for her performance in American Horror Story and Nashville, respectively. Although in recent years the actress, born in Boston (United States), has been more closely linked to the small screen, she made her debut in the independent film The McMullen Brothers, in 1995.
Christopher Waltz
Christoph Waltz has been working non-stop since the 1980s and has been involved in numerous German films and TV series. However, international success would come several decades later, at the hands of Quentin Tarantino and his acclaimed film Inglourious Basterds. In it, Waltz played Colonel Hans Landa and his work earned him an Oscar. He was 53 years old.
Steve Carell
He is the undisputed star of The Office and also one of the most popular American comedians in the world, but Steve Carell did not have it easy from the start either and it took him many small jobs to achieve the international fame that would bring him the series adaptation of the famous British format created by Ricky Gervais. His first role was in a movie in 1991, La pequeña rogue when he was about to turn 30 and for more than a decade he was doing small roles in movies, series, and appearances as a comedian in variety shows. 2005, however, was his year. Not only because he started as Michael Scott in The Office, but because of the great success of Virgin at 40, in which he was the protagonist. He was 43 years old.
