Fabulous And (Turning) Fifty!

Several Hollywood Leading Ladies Hitting Big Five-Oh This Year

(CBS)  Sharon Stone, Michelle Pfeiffer, Annette Bening, Madonna and Holly Hunter are all turning 50 this year -- and fabulous, in our opinion!

So, Early Show entertainment contributor and People magazine Executive Editor Jess Cagle took a look at their long careers, on The Early Show Tuesday.

The first movie that made Stone famous was the steamy thriller "Basic Instinct," in which she starred alongside Michael Douglas as a manipulative and sexually inhibited novelist who is the prime suspect in a murder case. Stone was 34 when she filmed "Basic Instinct." At age 37, Stone starred in her next big movie and earned herself a Golden Globe for her role as a seasoned Vegas hustler in "Casino." And on she went from there!

Stone's real-life, longtime friend, Michelle Pfeiffer, is also in the turning-50 group. Arguably one of Pfeiffer's most memorable roles is that of a cocaine-addicted trophy wife to Al Pacino's character in the 1983 classic, "Scarface." Pfeiffer was only 25 when she starred in "Scarface" and only 31 when she went on to star in the critically acclaimed "The Fabulous Baker Boys" as a young and talented singer.

Next, Cagle talked about Annette Bening, who's appeared in a number of movies, but many argue that some of her best work was in "American Beauty," in which she plays a suburban wife and real estate agent going through a midlife crisis of sorts. The role earned her an Oscar nomination for best actress in a leading role at the age of 41, but her first Academy nomination, for best actress in a supporting role, came at the age of 32, when she portrayed a sexy con-artist in the 1990 film "The Grifters."

From Bening, Cagle turned to someone many people can't believe is 50, Madonna. Although Madonna's film career has hit many more sour notes than her music one, she's made several movies worth seeing. Cagle discussed her role in the 1985 flick "Desperately Seeking Susan," when she was 27. Madonna was inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame Monday night.

Last but certainly not least, Cagle addressed a favorite of most broadcast producers, Holly Hunter in "Broadcast News." Hunter played a neurotic TV news producer out of Washington, D.C. who falls for the new correspondent, who represents everything she hates about the new trends in TV news.

[amyblue45]

Maybe We all could look fabulous if we had the money like they do. Get real------they''''re not!!!!!!!I don''t think I can have fun here,I shall go to EquestrianCupid.com/photo/girl!

[keithle1]

Thank God for plastic surgery. What did women do before that? Throw the makeup on with a trowel I guess. Stay out of bright lighting.

So much better to be a man. Gabriel Byrne plays a psychiatrist who is starring in HBO''s series "In Treatment." Almost 58. Not a bar in the world where women of all ages wouldn''t check him out when he walked through the door. Even if they didn''t know who he was.

How many 58-year-old women could say that?

Keep young & beautiful if you want to be loved, gals.

Air kisses!

[bigpedaler]

ok, hold the sour grapes -- it is true that their money allows better personal care (& nip/tucks, in some cases!), but we can all choose to look good in this age group -- i personally cycle as a lifestyle, and regularly pass for late 30''s (could lower that even further w/ a little ''just for men'', but PLEASE! VANITY!)the main reason i do, though, besides the passion for it, is to bust the poor longevity curve in my ancestry; i''d like to see 80, so i''m embracing the healthy aspects, and shooting for 100!

[moonglo2]

We all could look fabulous if we had the money like they do. Get real------they''re not!!!!!!!

[frank-e1]

Like they say in the old fast food commercials - "Parts is parts"

Luckily most warehouse help can work well into their 50s without public ridicule.

By the way, do you ever feel there''s a magazine they sell in Hollywood where the stars get to read about how average joes like us are doing?

[oleander8]

Turning 50 and looking fab because baby-boomers are the majority now. In another couple of decades they''ll be saying "70 is the new 50".