A beloved actor since she first appeared on the screen in the 1980s, Andie MacDowell, once known for her distinctive curly brown locks, is now advocating for gray pride as a silver-haired starlet.
Gracefully aging, MacDowell said she likes to “compare herself to George Clooney, because why not?”
Andie MacDowell (Photo by Ron Galella/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
Andie MacDowell, a senior citizen since her birthday on April 21, is a 65-year-old natural beauty, who’s got nothing to hide.
Starting her career as a model with high-fashion brands like Armani, Yves St Laurent and Calvin Klein, the southern belle made her screen debut in 1984’s Greystroke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. Because her drawl was too pronounced for the role of Jane in the Oscar-nominated film, MacDowell acted but her voice was dubbed by Glenn Close.
The soft-spoken glamorous actor then wowed audiences with a supporting role in St Elmo’s Fire, playing alongside the close-knit Brat Pack.
She then appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s directorial debut Sex, Lies & Videotape (1989), a role that earned her the first Golden Globe nomination.
But it’s perhaps her starring role with Bill Murray in Groundhog Day (1983), a film that influenced popular culture decades later, that started her commercial success, which was elevated more after the comedy Four Weddings and a Funeral (1984) with Hugh Grant.
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Known as a method actor, MacDowell went on to appear in a range of roles in films like Harrison’s Flowers and the family TV series Cedar Cove.
Not surprisingly, MacDowell–with her beautiful brown locks–was selected to promote L’Oréal hair products in TV commercials.
MacDowell, who was recently spotted in Cannes on a casual outing, proudly shows her make-up-free face that’s framed by her now gray-silvery hair, which was tied into a low bun.
The Green Card actor, who was in the city for the 76th Cannes film festival, was boasting her natural beauty, in a comfortable white striped mini dress, that she paired with brown and black platform heels along with dark shades.
MacDowell earlier said that she embraced the coming of her gray locks during Covid. “At the very beginning of quarantine, my hair started growing and every time my kids would see me, they kept telling me I looked badass with my gray hair,” she said in an interview with Vogue. “When I pulled it up in a bun, all you could see was the salt and pepper, which is what I am, you know, dark and silver. I like to compare myself to George Clooney because why not? I’ve been saying for a while now it was time for me, personally, to make that transition because I felt like it was appropriate for my personality and just who I am.”
And despite her managers saying that “It’s not the time” for her to go gray, she said, “I’m going to be more powerful if I embrace where I am right now. It’s time…If I don’t do it now, I won’t have the chance to be salt and pepper. I always wanted to be salt and pepper!”
In 2022, McDowell posted a photo on her cover of Style magazine, flaunting her gray hair and natural look. She captioned it, “As we age, we deserve dignity and pride.” She continued, “We deserve to feel glorious! I’ve always said there’s no expiration date on beauty.”
There’s also no expiration date on her acting career.
In 2021, MacDowell starred in the Netflix drama series Maid, alongside her daughter Margaret Qualley, 28, whom she had with ex-husband Paul Qualley. MacDowell and Qualley–married in 1986 and divorced in 1999–share two other children, son Justin, and daughter Rainey.
Andie MacDowell attends the screening of “Mother And Son (Un Petit Frere)” during the 75th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 27, 2022, in Cannes, France. (Photo by Stephane Cardinale – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
Speaking with USA Today about working with her mom, Margaret said, “You walk in the room and you have your mom playing your mom–that’s the biggest cheat in the world. That goes all the way from the inherent eye rolls that are built-in when your mom says something.” The young actor continues, sharing how there’s a moment in Maid where her mother, playing Paula, tells her character, Alex “that she’s proud of her. It felt like my mom was telling me that she was proud of me, and it was just one of the coolest things that’s ever happened to me.”
MacDowell is currently filming Goodrich–starring Mila Kunis, Kevin Pollak, and Michael Keaton, with whom she shared the screen in 1996’s Multiplicity.
The film is written and directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer, who like Margaret, is one of many “no babies” of rising stars and starlets, with super famous parents.
Andie MacDowell attends the “The Old Oak” red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 26, 2023, in Cannes, France. (Photo by Marc Piasecki/FilmMagic)
Hallie, the daughter of Nancy Meyers (Something’s Gotta Give, It’s Complicated), and Charles Shyer (Baby Boom), appeared as a child actor in some of her parents’ films, like Father of the Bride and What Women Want.
There’s also Maya Hawke, daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, who stars in the popular Netflix show Stranger Things, and Kaia Gerber, whose mother is Cindy Crawford, is a world-renowned model who’s dating Austin Butler, of the biopic Elvis (2022).
The daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, Dakota Johnson is famed for the Fifty Shades franchise, while Tom Hank’s son Colin has appeared in numerous movies and TV series.
Meanwhile, MacDowell said she hopes there will be more opportunities to act with her daughter.
She said, “Every moment was precious to me. I really wanted to do a good job because it meant everything to me because I was scared it would never happen again.”
Andie MacDowell is seen at the “Le Majestic” Hotel during the 76th Cannes film festival on May 23, 2023, in Cannes, France. (Photo by Pierre Suu/GC Images)
Andie McDowell looks absolutely fabulous with gray hair and we love that she’s embracing her natural beauty!
What do you think of McDowell with gray hair? Are you also an advocate of gray pride?
