Here's What The Leading Ladies Of Family Ties Look Like These Days

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In 1982, NBC debuted "Family Ties." Set in the suburbs of Ohio during the Reagan administration, the sitcom was about two liberal, former hippie parents and their children, one of whom just happened to be a young Republican, Alex P. Keaton (played by Michael J. Fox). Although it's been decades since the series ended in 1989, the leading ladies of "Family Ties" are aging gorgeously. 

As a typical American middle class family, you could always count on the female characters to wear the fashion and styles of the decade, from oversized colorful clothing to the unforgettable big hair paired with mall bangs. Watching "Family Ties" these days is a lesson in the things people found attractive in the '80s, just as much as it's a fun series that managed to tackle even the biggest problems in thirty minutes. 

The leading ladies of "Family Ties" have all come a long way since the show ended — not just because the trends of the time have changed so much, but because they were all so young when the series first debuted. In fact, Meredith Baxter, who played the matriarch of the family, Elyse Keaton, was only 35 in 1982, while the daughters, Mallory and Jennifer, played by Justine Bateman and Tina Yothers were 16 and 9, respectively. In other words, there was a lot of growing up and style evolution happening amongst these characters and the actors who played them. 

As the matriarch of the Keaton family, it was Meredith Baxter's character's role to keep the eclectic group together and getting along. Although still a relatively new concept in 1982 when "Family Ties" launched, Elyse was a working mom with a successful career as an architect, who also managed to be there for her four children. Because of her job, she was often seen rocking perfectly '80s corporate wear, with a bit of boho flair. 

Not only has Baxter continued to act, but since becoming one of the celebrities to come out later in life, she's been an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Baxter has also finally ditched those long blond locks from the 1980s and 1990s, leaning into a chicer look, opting for one of the hair trends older women can and should rock: the iconic pixie. It suits Baxter perfectly, and we love that she's embraced her natural gray.

Justine Bateman played loveably ditzy oldest sister Mallory Keaton, whose '80s fashion was always on point. Chances are, you likely won't recognize Justine Bateman today, as she's been adamant about steering clear of cosmetic anti-aging procedures. So adamant, in fact, she wrote a book, "Face: One Square Foot of Skin," exploring society's attitudes towards women's maturing faces.  

In March 2023, Bateman sat down with "60 Minutes Australia," and when she was asked by the host, "Is there beauty in aging?" Bateman didn't miss a beat. "When you're saying 'is there beauty in aging,' aren't you really saying, do you think it's possible for other people to find aging beautiful? And, like, I just don't give a s**t," she replied. "I think I look rad. I think my face represents who I am. I like it." Bateman also continues to act, as well as write and direct. Her film "Violet," starring Olivia Munn and Justin Theroux, premiered at SXSW in March 2021.

When "Family Ties" first debuted in 1982, Tina Yothers played the youngest daughter, Jennifer Keaton. At the time, Yothers was only 9, and over the course of the series' seven seasons, she literally grew up in front of the camera. But it seems Yothers' real passion was music, as she released two singles in 1987 and fronted the rock band Jaded in the '90s. 

In the early 2000s, Yothers quit Hollywood to raise her family, and eventually dabbled in other acting endeavors and reality television, including VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" in 2006. Thanks to the show, Yothers dropped 42 pounds and five dress sizes, giving her the courage to rock a bikini for the first time in years (per People). Yothers also eventually ditched the big hair and mall bangs, the hip '80s look that was bound to come back, opting instead for a classic bob with bangs, proving she's stayed on top of the trends as they've come and gone. 

Unless you watched "Family Ties" religiously, you may not know that Courteney Cox was on the series from 1987 to 1989. Cast as Lauren Miller, the girlfriend of Alex P. Keaton, Cox was about to pack up and leave Hollywood before she landed the role. Since then, Cox, one of the celebrities whose regretted their face tune-ups, has learned to embrace aging in the public eye. 

"[I tried] to keep up with time in a way that was anything other than maintenance," Cox told People in February 2019, adding that eventually she felt like she didn't look like herself anymore. This inspired Cox to dissolve her fillers. These days, Cox adheres to self-care essentials to keep her skin looking glowy and healthy. "I would say: Hydrate, communicate, and weight train," she told Harper's Bazaar in December 2023 when asked what advice she'd give her fans.

Tracy Pollan was cast to play Alex P. Keaton's girlfriend on "Family Ties" in 1985 during Season 4. Although Pollan only played Ellen Reed for one season, she was deeply impacted by the show and the actors with whom she got to work. "In so many ways, it was such an important part of my life both, obviously, personally and also in terms of my career," Pollan told Today in October 2015. "And it was such a short, intense period of time. But, I mean, it changed my life in every way."

Pollan, who married Michael J. Fox in 1988, has stayed looking so fantastic thanks in part to her flexitarian diet. "In all the research we did, we've seen that this diet isn't just good for anyone, but [also] for anyone who has a lot of health challenges," Pollan shared while promoting her family's cookbook "Mostly Plants" in April 2019 (via New York Post). "It's just intrinsically a healthier way to live." According to the Cleveland Clinic, a flexitarian diet is essentially a flexible vegetarian diet, that's mostly plant-based but allows for occasional consumption of meat in small portions. This intentional way of eating might explain Pollan's gorgeous glowing complexion and shiny hair.