The 1970s were a cultural kaleidoscope. A decade of bell-bottoms, disco balls, gritty cinema, and anthemic rock, it forged a unique pantheon of celebrities. They weren’t just famous; they were symbols—of rebellion, glamour, spiritual seeking, or raw authenticity. They stared down from movie screens, roared from concert stages, and defined a generation’s soundtrack and style. But four decades is a long time in the life of a star. The spotlight moves on, trends evolve, and the once-irrepressible energy of youth transitions into something else entirely. So, what happened to the icons of the ’70s? Where are they now, and what legacies do they carry?
The Trailblazing Activists: From Red Carpet to Front Lines
For some ’70s icons, fame became a platform, not an endpoint. Their journey from star to sage is marked by a deliberate pivot from entertainment to advocacy, using their hard-earned visibility to spotlight causes far larger than themselves.
Jane Fonda
The archetype of this transformation. In the ’70s, Fonda was a box-office titan (Klute, Fun with Dick and Jane) and a controversial political firebrand, famously photographed on a North Vietnamese anti-aircraft gun. The backlash was severe, but she weathered it. Her post-’70s career saw a strategic retreat from acting and a full-throttle commitment to activism, particularly feminist causes and environmentalism. Her “Jane Fonda’s Workout” videos in the ’80s made her a household name again, but she consistently funneled that influence into social justice. Now in her mid-80s, she remains a vigorous, sometimes polarizing, but undeniably potent voice for progressive change, regularly arrested at protests and using her platform to mobilize younger activists. Her sagehood is one of relentless, fearless engagement.
Harry Belafonte
Belafonte was already a major star by the ’70s, the “King of Calypso” and a groundbreaking Black leading man. But his most profound work was always off-stage. A close confidant of Martin Luther King Jr., he used his fame to bankroll the Civil Rights Movement and challenge segregation. In the ’70s and beyond, he became a global humanitarian, working with the UN, advocating against apartheid in South Africa, and championing arts education. Even into his 90s, he was a sharp critic of social injustice. His death in 2023 at 96 marked the passing of a true elder statesman whose stardom was inseparable from his moral courage.
Keeper of the Flame: Legacy and Cultural Preservation
Other icons from the era have become curators of their own legacy, acting as guardians of a cultural moment that still resonates.
The Rock Legacy: The Rolling Stones
Few bands embodied the ’70s like The Rolling Stones. After the decade of Exile on Main St. and Sticky Fingers, they faced a period of uncertainty. Yet, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood, and (until his death in 2021) Charlie Watts refused to become museum pieces. They continually toured, released albums, and adapted, ensuring the Stones’ primal energy remained a living, roaring entity. Jagger, in his 80s, is still a mesmerizing frontman. Richards, the band’s Slavic spirit, has become a beloved, philosophical raconteur of rock ‘n’ roll history. They are not just surviving; they are actively defining what it means to be a legacy act with vitality.
Carole King
The Brill Building songwriter turned superstar with her 1971 masterpiece Tapestry. In the ’70s, she was a female pioneer, controlling her own career as a performer. Since then, she has largely stepped back from the recording studio to focus on environmental activism (especially forest preservation) and philanthropy. A Kennedy Center Honoree and a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, King represents a quieter sagehood—one of immense influence behind the scenes and a steadfast commitment to causes she believes in, her iconic status allowing her a respected megaphone for the planet.
The Reinventors: Still in the Game
Some ’70s stars never really left; they just changed the rules of the game, proving adaptability is the highest form of longevity in show business.
Cher
An ’70s icon as half of Sonny & Cher and with her own show, Cher’s career has been a masterclass in reinvention. She navigated the ’80s with rock anthems, became a movie star (Moonstruck, Oscar win), and in the 2000s, embraced Auto-Tune and dance-pop with stunning success (“Believe”). Now in her late 70s, she is a social media powerhouse, a fashion icon, and a tireless touring performer. She openly discusses her use of cosmetic procedures and maintains a fiercely independent persona. Cher’s sage wisdom lies in her understanding that relevance is a choice, and she has chosen, relentlessly, to remain relevant on her own terms.
Ian McKellen
A founding member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, McKellen was a celebrated stage actor in Britain in the ’70s. His transition to cinematic superstardom came later, but his ’70s work laid the groundwork. Now a beloved global figure (Gandalf, Magneto), he uses his platform for tireless LGBTQ+ advocacy. One of Britain’s most decorated actors, he frequently speaks about the importance of arts funding and the dangers of aging. His sagehood is intellectual, articulate, and deeply humane—a reminder that artistic excellence and social conscience can fuel each other across a long career.
Struggle and Loss: The Fragility of Stardom
The ’70s were also a time of excess and turbulence, and for some stars, the decade’s pressures sowed seeds of long-term hardship. Their stories are poignant reminders of the cost of fame.
David Cassidy
The heartthrob of The Partridge Family was a manufactured teen idol who struggled fiercely against the typecast image, pursuing a serious rock career that found cult success. His post-’70s life was a turbulent mix of financial ruin, battles with alcoholism, and publicized legal troubles. He continued performing sporadically but never escaped the shadow of his ’70s persona. His death in 2017 was a sad coda to a life that highlighted the intense difficulty of breaking free from a carefully constructed pop-star image.
Margot Kidder
She soared to global fame as Lois Lane opposite Christopher Reeve’s Superman. Behind the radiant smile, she battled severe bipolar disorder and depression for decades. The relentless scrutiny and personal tragedies led to very public crises. In her later years, after periods of recovery, she became a vocal advocate for mental health awareness, using her own harrowing experiences to help destigmatize mental illness. Her tragic death in 2018 was a profound loss, but her candor in later life offered a hard-won sagehood, born from immense personal struggle.
Conclusion: Beyond the Spotlight
The icons of the ’70s are not a monolithic group. Their paths after the decade’s flashbulbs faded reveal a spectrum of human experience. Some, like Fonda and Belafonte, traded spotlight for purpose, using their fame as a lever for global change. Others, like the Stones and Carole King, became the curators and living engines of their own legendary status. Cher and McKellen demonstrate that reinvention and intellectual engagement can keep a career vital for half a century. And the stories of Cassidy and Kidder serve as necessary, sobering counter-narratives about the psychological toll of sudden, immense fame.
Ultimately, “Where are they now?” is more than a trivia question. It asks us to consider what stardom means over a lifetime. The ’70s icons who endure in public affection are those who, in one way or another, connected their ’70s persona to something authentic and enduring—whether it’s a social cause, an artistic truth, or a relentless drive to create. They remind us that the most interesting journeys aren’t the ones that stay on the cover of magazines, but the ones that deepen, complicate, and find meaning long after the final encore.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are many ’70s stars still acting or performing regularly?
A: Yes, many are. Cher and Mick Jagger are notable for still touring. Actors like Meryl Streep (whose career launched in the late ’70s) and Ian McKellen remain prolific in film and theatre. However, many have significantly reduced their public performance schedules due to age, health, or a shift in priorities.
Q: Which ’70s icon has had the most surprising career shift?
A: Jane Fonda’s shift from Hollywood starlet and political lightning rod to a beloved fitness guru and then a revered elder activist is arguably the most dramatic. Another strong candidate is Alice Cooper, the shock-rock godfather of the ’70s who reinvented himself as a golf enthusiast, radio host, and respected cultural commentator.
Q: What happened to the “disco divas” like Donna Summer or Gloria Gaynor?
Donna Summer, the “Queen of Disco,” had a successful pop career through the ’80s and 90s and remained a revered figure until her death in 2012. Gloria Gaynor, while forever linked to “I Will Survive,” has remained a touring performer and a motivational speaker, embracing her anthem’s message of resilience in her personal faith and public appearances.
Q: Did the ’70s punk rockers fare better or worse than mainstream stars?
A: It’s a mixed bag. The confrontational ethos of punk was inherently anti-establishment and anti-longevity. Some, like Patti Smith and Iggy Pop, achieved a revered, sage-like status through artistic integrity and influence. Others, like many members of The Clash or Sex Pistols, experienced bitter splits or struggled with addiction. The movement’s DIY spirit meant many simply left the spotlight for quieter lives, their ’70s work remaining a powerful footnote.
Q: Are there any ’70s stars who completely disappeared from public life?
A: Yes. Some chose to leave fame behind entirely. For example, Tatum O’Neal, the youngest Oscar winner ever (for 1973’s Paper Moon), largely retreated from acting in the late ’80s and lived a very private life for decades before a recent return to TV. Others, like certain child stars from the era or one-hit wonders, simply moved on to normal professions, families, and communities, valuing privacy over continued celebrity.
