80 Years Old Females

With several prestigious honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, under her belt, Diana Ross is one of the most popular and influential singers of all time. In 1976, Billboard named her the Female Entertainer of the Century. She has influenced popular artists like Madonna, Beyoncé, and Michael Jackson.

Michelle Phillips is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and former model. She is credited with co-founding the folk rock vocal group The Mamas & the Papas and is the last surviving original member of the group. After the disbandment of the group, Phillips went on to establish herself as an actress, playing lead roles in TV films like The California Kid.

Brenda Lee is a singer best-known for performing country music and pop. One of the earliest pop singers to enjoy a contemporary international following, Lee was among the most-charted singers during the 1960s. A Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award winner, Lee is the only female performer to be inducted into both the Country Music and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame.

Jane Hawking is an English teacher and author. She is best known as the ex-wife of popular physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking. She was married to Hawking for 30 years, during which she doubled up as his caretaker. Jane Hawking took good care of Stephen Hawking despite struggling from depression, for which she is much-respected in the scientific community.

Swoosie Kurtz is an American actress who has received prestigious awards, such as Tony Awards and Primetime Emmy Award in a career spanning more than half a century. Over the years, she has contributed immensely to the success of several popular TV series, such as Carol and Company.

A seasoned lawyer and a Harvard and Trinity College alumna, politician Mary Robinson has also taught law at Trinity. The Labour Party member later rose to be Ireland’s first female president. She was also a founding member of the global group of peacekeepers and leaders The Elders.

Actor Diahnne Abbott is best known for her supporting roles in films such as Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy. She was married to Robert De Niro for over a decade. She also played a cameo in New York, New York and appeared in the series Crime Story.

Swedish-American actor Gunilla Hutton is best known for the series Petticoat Junction and Hee Haw. She was also in the news for her long-term extramarital relationship with singer Nat King Cole, which ended after Cole was diagnosed with cancer, but not before Hutton called up his wife to confront her.

Arlyn Phoenix, or Heart Phoenix, is the mother of actor Joaquin Phoenix. Her other son, River Phoenix, died of a drug overdose. Her three other children are also actors. She and her first husband were members of the cult The Children of God. She is now a renowned peace activist.

Karen Armstrong is a British commentator and author best known for writing books on comparative religion. Her work emphasizes the commonalities of major world religions like the Golden Rule and the importance of compassion. Karen Armstrong has received several prestigious awards, such as the Freedom of Worship Award and the Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize for Global Cultural Understanding.

Princess, Michael of Kent, is one of the members of the British royal family. Princess Michael, who is of Hungarian, Austrian, and German noble descent, worked as an interior designer before shifting her focus towards writing. Having held a long time fascination for cheetahs, Princess Michael serves as a patron for Namibia's Cheetah Conservation Fund. 

Sarah Weddington was an American law professor, attorney, and advocate for women's rights. She is best remembered for representing Norma McCorvey in the famous Roe v. Wade case before the US Supreme Court. The case was adapted into a TV film in which Sarah Weddington was played by Amy Madigan.

Isabel Allende Bussi is a Chilean politician best known for her service as the President of the Chilean Senate from 2014 to 2015. She was the first woman to serve as the president of the Senate in Chilean history. An important and influential member of the Socialist Party, Isabel Allende is currently serving as Senator for Valparaíso.

Antonia Novello became the first female and the first person of Hispanic origin to become the U.S. surgeon general. Initially a pediatric nephrologist, she later switched to Public Health Service, after realizing she was too emotional to be a pediatrician. The Puerto Rican physician was also a UNICEF representative.

Sonal Mansingh is an Indian classical dancer best known for her skills as an Odissi and Bharatanatyam dancer. Over the years, Mansingh has been honored with several prestigious awards like Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship. In 2003, she became only the second woman after Balasaraswati to be honored with India’s second-highest civilian award, the Padma Vibhushan.