5 actresses who made it BIG later in life

Whether you're after superstardom or just a solid slew of work, thoughts of age needn't plague you. Yes, the front pages of entertainment websites and glossy magazines are packed full of stories about sensational youngsters making it big early on, but there are also plenty of excellent thespians who didn't hit their stride until later in life. 

Here are five actresses who made it big beyond their 20s and have sparkling careers to show for it:

Kathy Bates (69)
With a steady stream of TV and minor film roles under her belt since the early 60s, it wasn't until American actress Kathy Bates hit the age of 41 that director Rob Reiner's adaptation of Stephen King novel Misery came a-knocking. The role earned her an Oscar and Kathy has since found herself much more in demand, gathering up a number of Golden Globe and Oscar nominations, as well as starring in one of the biggest shows on TV, American Horror Story.

Judi Dench (83)

Dame Judi Dench is such a British acting institution in and of herself that it seems like there was never a time that she wasn't top of the heap. But it wasn't really until Goldeneye, where she played M, at age 66, that the British actress broke into the big time. Since she began her career in 1959, Dame Judi accrued many credits mainly in theatre and British film and TV productions. 

Goldeneye took her mainstream and stateside, and jettisoned her into Hollywood stardom. Since then she has been nominated for seven Oscars – winning one for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her work on Shakespeare in Love – 12 Golden Globes and 13 BAFTAs. Dame Judi still regularly does theatre and British television and most recently appeared in Oscar-nominated Victoria & Abdul and Murder on the Orient Express.

Jane Lynch (57)

A regular supporting actor in films like Role Models and The 40 Year Old Virgin, Jane Lynch was consistently cast in minor roles until she landed the part of cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester in musical comedy-drama series Glee. The show was a world wide smash hit, gained Jane a Golden Globe, ran for six seasons and led to her voicing the character of Calhoun in Disney blockbuster Wreck-It Ralph as well as earning her an Emmy for her role in new sitcom Dropping the Soap – and she got Glee at 47.

Jessica Chastain (40)

Jessica Chastain has starred in some gigantic movies shot by major A-list directors, including Christopher Nolan's  Interstellar, Kathryn Bigelow's  Zero Dark Thirty and most recently Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut Molly's Game. So you'd be forgiven for thinking it's been plane sailing for the American actress and producer. But Jessica struggled with castings for a large portion of her career, and her break only came when awards season movies The Help and Tree of Life came out in close succession. She then broke into the mainstream, aged 34.

Melissa McCarthy (47)

When wedding comedy  Bridesmaids became a sleeper hit in 2011, Melissa McCarthy's marvellous Megan was the standout character – brash, loud, rude, loveable and hilarious. The hit movie led to a whole host of leading roles for McCarthy including The Heat, Tammy, The Boss, Ghostbusters, Spy and Identity Thief. But – as so often is the way – McCarthy was no overnight sensation. Her success all came well after she started out in 1997, taking smaller roles in comedy shows and bit parts in movies. 

Bridesmaids happened for McCarthy when she was 40.