5 Over 50 - July/August 2025

Model, Oscar-Winning Actress, Humanitarian

South African-born Charlize Theron began her career at 16 as a model in Milan before moving to the U.S. with her mother to pursue acting. She studied dance at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York, but her career was cut short by a knee injury. Her breakthrough came in 2003 with her Oscar-winning performance in “Monster,” where she stunned critics with her physical transformation playing serial killer Aileen Wuornos. Theron has become known for performing her own stunts in action films such as “Atomic Blonde” and the “Mad Max” franchise. The mother of two adopted children, Theron is also a UN Messenger of Peace and founder of the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project. This nonprofit focuses on fighting HIV/AIDS and violence against women. The versatile actress, who turns 50 on August 7, continues to produce and star in a diverse range of projects, including “The Italian Job,” “Hancock,” and “Snow White and the Huntsman.” When asked if she could, what would she tell her 20-something self? “I would say, ‘Calm down.’ I was always in a rush. I felt like time was going to run out. Now that I’m older, I know I am not missing out on anything.”

Baseball and Beyond

Alex Rodriguez, known as “A-Rod,” was born to Dominican immigrants in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan. He began his MLB career with the Seattle Mariners in 1994 at the age of 19 and became a 14-time All-Star and three-time American League MVP. Most of his career was spent with the New York Yankees, although he grew up a New York Mets fan. With 696 career home runs, he ranks #4 on the all-time list. A-Rod once said, “Enjoy your sweat, because hard work doesn’t guarantee success, but without it, you don’t have a chance.” Following his retirement in 2016, Rodriguez built a successful business as the founder of A-Rod Corp, investing in technology, real estate, wellness, and entertainment. He has also served as a guest shark on “Shark Tank” and has been a baseball analyst for Fox Sports 1 and ESPN. Rodriguez’s charitable work includes giving $3.9 million to the University of Miami to renovate its baseball stadium and $1 million to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Miami-Dade to build a state-of-the-art educational center. The father of two daughters, Rodriguez turns 50 on July 27.

Triple Crown Winner

Viola Davis was born in South Carolina but grew up in Rhode Island, attending Central Falls High School, where her love of acting began. She graduated from the Juilliard School of Performing Arts in New York and made history as the first Black performer to achieve the “Triple Crown of Acting,” winning an Oscar, Emmy, and Tony award. Her breakthrough role came in “Doubt” in 2008, earning her first Academy Award nomination. Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert wrote of her performance, “It lasts about 10 minutes, but it is the emotional heart and soul of ‘Doubt’ … She goes face-to-face with the pre-eminent film actress Meryl Streep, and it is a confrontation of two equals that generates terrifying power.” However, Davis’ powerful performance in “The Help” and “Fences” established her as one of Hollywood’s most respected actresses. Davis and her husband, actor Julius Tennon, founded JuVee Productions, a pioneering, artist-driven LA production company committed to producing narratives from a diverse range of emerging and established voices. In 2022, Davis executive-produced and portrayed Michelle Obama in the Showtime series “The First Lady,” and in 2023, she released her memoir “Finding Me”. The powerhouse performer turns 60 on August 11.

Country-Pop Queen

Shania Twain overcame a difficult childhood in Ontario, Canada, to become one of music’s best-selling female artists. After losing her parents in a car accident, Twain supported her younger siblings by singing at resorts before her big break came when producer Robert “Mutt” Lange heard her debut album. Their subsequent marriage and professional partnership produced her breakthrough album in 1995, “The Woman in Me,” which sold 20 million copies worldwide. This was followed by “Come On Over” in 1997, which remains one of the best-selling albums by a female artist. Following a diagnosis of Lyme disease and dysphonia, which affected her vocal cords, Twain made a comeback with a Las Vegas residency and new music. Now married to Frédéric Thiébaud, Twain, who turns 60 on August 28, recently released her sixth studio album and completed a global tour.

Icon at 70

Born Zara Mohamed Abdulmajid in Somalia, supermodel Iman was spotted by American photographer Peter Beard while attending university in Kenya. After moving to the U.S. in 1975 to pursue a career in modeling, Iman quickly became one of fashion’s most sought-after models, working with photographers like Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton, and Annie Leibovitz, and designers including Halston, Gianni Versace, Calvin Klein, and Yves Saint Laurent. Beyond modeling, she founded Iman Cosmetics in 1994, pioneering makeup for women of color. She was married for 24 years to rock legend David Bowie, who passed away in 2016, and together they had a daughter, Alexandria. Iman has received numerous humanitarian awards and is a Global Advocate for CARE. The businesswoman and fashion icon, who turns 70 on July 25, launched her first fragrance line, “Love Memoir,” in 2021. She also has a fashion and beauty collection, which sold on HSN.

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