The ’70s was a decade full of memorable pop culture moments. In music, the original rock ‘n’ roll sound ended when Elvis Presley died. And the Beatles disbanded, releasing their last collective album “Let It Be,” per Pitchfork. But other rock bands like Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin were just getting started. And outside of rock, disco started to take over dancefloors all across the country. While the following decade made a greater stride forward in technology, the ’70s still gave us floppy disks, the first Apple computer, VCRs, and the first video game Pong, Paste summarized.

The nostalgia for the decade was so strong that it was the basis for the hit TV series “That ’70s Show,” which debuted in 1998, while frightening events impacted pop culture, too, like the movie “Apollo 13,” based on the nearly disastrous journey to space in 1970 (via The New York Times). The ’70s opened possibilities for celebrities in all types of entertainment. Many continued their craft for decades and seemed to never fall out of the public eye. Some reached a level of fame never achieved again — either by the celebrity or those who came after.

Looking at celebrities from the ’70s over 50 years later provides a one-of-a-kind connection between the past and future. Find out who is aging gracefully as we dive into what your favorite stars of the ’70s look like today.

Robert De Niro, with his signature tough-guy look, dominated the back half of the ’70s with memorable films. This included “Taxi Driver” in 1976 and “The Deer Hunter” in 1978. But nothing could compete with his standout performance as Vito Corleone in “The Godfather: Part II” in 1974. Marlon Brando played the part in the original film, so De Niro had big shoes to fill. To prepare for filming, De Niro told CNN he went to a screening room in New York City “and had an old video camera and videotaped all of Brando’s scenes.” With his bootleg copy, the actor recalled, “I took those and I studied those.” The work paid off because De Niro won Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars for his performance. And with the win, Brando and De Niro became “the only people to win Oscars for playing the same character.”

The actor continued to wow audiences throughout his career, often with Martin Scorsese as the director. In 2021, he and Scorsese united again to work in “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Sadly, De Niro injured his leg while filming. But in better news, Page Six spotted the veteran actor hanging with a friend in France while he turned 78 years old.