Good Genes Or Good Ops: Which Male Celebrities Don't Show Their Age?

We've all had that moment; looking at photos of our favourite celebs and then jumping out of our seats screaming, 'He's HOW old?!' Well, we've been doing a lot of that here at ContactMusic. Some stars seem to have crept up the age ladder pretty sneakily, the odd wrinkle and grey hair barely registering on our radar, while others don't seem to have aged at all! English football player David Beckham was in his twenties when he rose to global popularity and, looking at his recent H&M underwear advert, it seems that his iconic hairstyles and tattoos are our only way of working out the old from the newer pictures of him. However, he is only 37 and has plenty of time to catch up yet. It's the over-50s that have really had our mouths agape in recent times as we've been scouring the net for the most youthful looking middle to old aged stars. 

(Anthony Kiedis, Tom Cruise, Jim Carrey)

Rockstars are notorious for looking pretty damn haggard as they approach their senior years due to decades of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. However, Red Hot Chili Peppers frontman Anthony Kiedis, aged 50, doesn't look like that lifestyle has hit him too hard; he still has beautifully conditioned hair and it looks like a significant amount of moisturiser has gone into maintaining his spotless skin. It's truly a crime how few wrinkles have appeared on his face considering his hedonistic past. 'Top Gun' star Tom Cruise is the same age and also still a dish - Hollywood has clearly been kind to him. Maybe all those high-action blockbusters have kept him fit and fresh-faced. As for funnyman Jim Carrey, 51, comedy might be the key to his anti-ageing process; they say that facial exercises can help prevent wrinkles, and all those crazy faces he has pulled in his movies have definitely paid off.

(George Clooney, Eddie Murphy, Wayne Coyne)

George Clooney may have been grey-haired for a long time but that has always added to his sophisticated charm. He is arguably the ultimate Hollywood heartthrob, and, despite being 51, doesn't look like he's going to step down from that pedestal any time soon. Eddie Murphy also looks superb for 51, looking just as well-groomed as ever and with criminally immaculate skin. Though well-groomed doesn't necessarily equal youthfulness; Wayne Coyne from The Flaming Lips is anything but, and yet under the unkempt beard and messy mop of curly grey hair, he's still got that youthful glint in his eye and cheeks that don't look like they're going to start drooping anytime soon. If it wasn't for his hair, you would never think he was 52. 

(Bono, Antonio Banderas,  Colin Firth)

Looking the same as ever at 52 is Bono; always looking immaculate, though you never see him without his famous sunglasses on so who knows what he's really hiding under there? This is a trick we've seen more and more celebs inherit on the red carpet in recent years. Still living up his sex symbol status is Antonio Banderas, also 52. Sometimes sex appeal is intrinsic, and other times it is acquired through a particular TV or movie role. It's sort of a mixture of the two for Colin Firth; he attained his sex symbol status following his role as the mysterious and aloof Mr. Darcy in 1995's 'Pride and Prejudice' and now, 18 years on, he's still seen that way and it's no wonder; at 52 he's still looking dishy.

(Donny Osmond, Kevin Spacey, Prince)

The Osmonds star Donny Osmond, 55, is also one who defies the ageing process, still melting hearts with his charming smile and piercing eyes still sparkling like they belonged to a 25 year old. You would've thought that Kevin Spacey would have aged a little bit since he became a hit in the '90s for  'The Usual Suspects' and 'American Beauty', y'know, like a normal person. But he's suspiciously not developed a single new wrinkle! Well, maybe one or two but would you really have him down as 53? Legendary musician Prince is even older at 54 with skin more flawless than most women in their 30s; having said that, Prince is a fan of make-up and doesn't often step out in public without a good lathering. 

(Tom Hanks, Christoph Waltz, Anthony Bourdain)

'The Da Vinci Code' star Tom Hanks is managing to hold himself together pretty well for 56. He's slowly greying and has put on a bit of timber but he's still looking as fresh-faced as ever - though we much prefer him without moustache. 'Inglourious Basterds' star Christoph Waltz is also one who looks much younger than 56 and actually rather handsome without facial hair (we have to say, he did look rather old in 'Django Unchained'). Celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain, also 56, seems to have benefitted from his cooking & travel based job; could his youthful face be attributed to constant skin hydration from steamy kitchens in his youth? Given Gordon Ramsey's similar time in the kitchen and his cracked demeanour, we are lead to believe there must be another secret to his skin condition. Perhaps it's his penchant for exotic dishes? He certainly doesn't look like he was a heavy smoker for several years despite previously getting through two packs a day. 

(Bruce Willis, Jeff Daniels, Rowan Atkinson)

It's hard to believe Bruce Willis is 57; he's barely changed an inch since he appeared in 'Die Hard' in 1988 and now we're on to the movie franchise's fifth instalment, 'A Good Day to Die Hard'. It's no wonder he's still going strong in the world of action movies, he's definitely not losing his edge just yet. Jeff Daniels is also getting on a bit at 57, and yet, just like his 'Dumb & Dumber' co-star Jim Carrey, comedy has kept him looking as boyish as ever. Another comedian that has snuck up on us in terms of age is 58-year-old Rowan Atkinson. The only difference between him now and his Black Adder days is the fact that he has acquired a considerable amount of grey hair.

(Denzel Washington & Chris Noth)

Recent promo for his film Flight proves that Denzel Washington looks younger than most 40 plus year olds, his skin remains unfairly smooth for a man nearing 60 with his hair only just developing a grey tinge. 'Law & Order' star Chris Noth is a few years younger than Denzel, but for a man of 58 he is still maintaining a certain amount of charm with his Tom Cruise-esque grin.

(Liam Neeson, Jeff Goldblum)

Pushing sixty is Liam Neeson which was a real 'HOW old?!' moment. He may be fairly lined around the eyes but his energy in the recent 'Taken 2' would certainly not give away his age. 'Jurassic Park' star Jeff Goldblum is also defying his years, still maintaining how he looked twenty years ago on the seminal dinosaur movie with barely a glint of age in his eye. 

(Bruce Springsteen, Lionel Richie, Jeff Bridges)

We mentioned how rockstars don't age well earlier, but Bruce Springsteen is definitely another who goes against that rule. He's 63 now and, although he's not quite the catch he used to be, we wouldn't guess he'd aged that much. Lionel Richie is another musician intent on staying youthful in his old age. He may be stuck with a few lines here and there but he still has charm and, for a man of 63, still brushes up well. And if we're sticking with the music industry theme we have to mention Jeff Bridges who played a country musician in the film Crazy Heart. The actor may have chosen to grow a mature-looking beard, but has still maintained that charismatic sparkle. If we could ask 'The Dude' about his youth secrets, we're sure he'd attribute his youthfulness to his daily intake of White Russians.

(Samuel L Jackson, Jeremy Irons)

Jeremy Irons has always had a pale complexion, and it's really to his detriment, however over the past 20+ years he really hasn't aged much. With the exception of a few grey hairs, the Die Hard With Vengeance actor still looks the same age as he did when he appeared in the 1995 movie. Now aged 64 is Samuel L Jackson; he looks just the same as he ever did. I mean, if you took the hair out of the equation in 1994's Pulp Fiction, would you really think nearly twenty years have past?

(David Letterman, Ted Danson)

It's been 31 years since 'The Late Show with David Letterman' first aired and America's favourite interviewer is still going strong. David Letterman might be white haired now but that beaming smile has definitely boosted his youthfulness. The television host was born in 1947, the same year as a few other legends; Elton John, David Bowie and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Former 'Cheers' star Ted Danson is also pushing 65 and yet his famously well-defined features have kept away that dreaded hand of time.

(Amitabh Bachchan, Harrison Ford)

Hitting the 70 milestone is Bollywood star Amitabh Bachchan, the Indian actor does not look his age at all, his extremely slowly greying hair doing him plenty of favours. Despite his age Harrison Ford is thought to reprise his role as the intrepid adventurer in an upcoming fifth 'Indiana Jones' movie. Even at 70, he's still not over the hill. 

(Dustin Hoffman, Morgan Freeman)

Dustin Hoffman is now 75 years old, both he and Freeman them share the same birth year as Jack Nicholson and Bill Cosby though neither of them have are showing their mid-seventies too well. You can't get much more gracefully old than 75-year-old Morgan Freeman. The dimples in his cheeks maintain that youthful liveliness while all the lines on his face give the impression of a beautifully wise man.  

(Roger Moore, Dick Van Dyke)

For many years Roger Moore has managed to fight the good fight against the aging process, and whilst he's now looking a fair age, we can't help but feel that for an 85 year old, he's still holding things together incredibly well! Now, really pushing the years is Dick Van Dyke who, at 87-years-old still looks EXACTLY the same as he ever did - albeit with a head of white hair (a full head, mind). Perhaps it's that bright smile that's kept him so young.

(The Rolling Stones)

Okay, so this is a little bit controversial but, hear us out, The Rolling Stones are really doing well considering they are now between 65 and 71. They may be pretty gaunt and super lined these days but we don't think people will ever forget that they were once huge sex symbols who lived on a strict diet of Sex, Drugs & Rock 'n Roll. And, after the lives they've led for the past 50 years they deserve credit for still being alive yet alone playing a world wide tour.

So a lot of these guys may or may not have had some sort of cosmetic surgery in their lives but since when was that a crime? They fact they've managed to have surgery and still look young rather than have surgery and just look like an old person who's trying to win back their youthfulness deserves a certain amount of respect. But despite the possibility of good ops, we  must conclude that good genes are the biggest blessing for these over fifties.