Remember '80s Star Adrienne Barbeau? She's Still A Stunner Today
Adrienne Barbeau delighted audiences with her roles in the sitcom "Maude" and horror movies like "The Fog." However, being seen as a bombshell by viewers surprised the '80s star, who felt like her roles didn't really exude the sex appeal fans perceived. "I don't know who was viewing me that way because if you look at my career ... my first love scene was with a monster," said Barbeau on the "Still Here Hollywood Podcast," referencing her role as Alice Cable in the 1982 film "Swamp Thing." "I never saw myself that way. I never really played those kinds of roles... I never was a Raquel Welch or anything like that."
Today, the 81-year-old is still a stunner, as we saw when she attended the 20th Annual HollyShorts Film Festival Awards Night at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood. Beaming the same radiant white smile she had during the peak of her career, Barbeau wore a low-cut black dress with a statement necklace — a youthful outfit that's beautiful and still age-appropriate on older women.
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It's been decades since some of Barbeau's biggest roles, and she's still getting praise from fans on social media. "Still spectacular. Once the most beautiful woman on TV before cable," one of her followers commented on a recent Instagram photo of Barbeau holding her dog during an August horror convention. "Goddess!!!" exclaimed another commenter.
The scream queen loves a simple beauty moment
One of the things that makes Adrienne Barbeau so gorgeous, even at 81, is that she keeps her glam simple. When the '80s star makes public appearances, she generally prefers more minimal makeup looks that enhance her eyes and smile. Full coverage makeup doesn't usually work with mature skin, so Barbeau's minimalist approach gives her a healthy glow, often complemented with some light blush and a nude or orange-red lip. It's a look that accentuates your beauty rather than masking it, which is why using a light touch with makeup is a 2026 beauty trend that's perfect for older women.
Though Barbeau seems to have perfected a makeup look that works for her, the extensive hair and makeup routine that came with filming movies and TV shows could be kind of a drag. So the actor has a particular fondness for her role voicing Catwoman on "Batman: The Animated Series" in the '90s. "It's wonderful," she told The Hollywood Times. "No makeup, no wardrobe, no worrying about your hair. You just show up and have fun." Whether she's out and about going makeup-free or glammed up for an event, Barbeau has shown herself to be a stunner on and off set.