We don’t even have to ask if you know who Barabara Eden is. The I Dream of Jeannie actor established herself as a Hollywood icon many decades ago. And each generation, there are new fans who admire her ageless grace and timeless beauty.
Recently, Eden appeared on the red carpet and left everyone speechless as to how she still looks so good. Just how did her career “magic” happen, and what’s the real secret to her youthful beauty? Keep reading to find out!
She almost had a different career
As we noted before, Barbara Eden has been a household name for one generation after another thanks to the success of I Dream of Jeannie. Frankly, we can’t imagine a world where Eden and her considerable talents went into a different career. However, that’s very nearly what happened back in 1931.
Barbara Eden was born in Tuscon, Arizona, but like many talented performers, she felt the need to move to San Francisco and start a new life. That life didn’t include acting…at least, not at first. In 1931, Eden enrolled in the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and she seemed destined to spend a lifetime making beautiful music instead of beautiful films and TV shows.
The dream of acting
If Barbara Eden was so focused on a musical career, then why did she decide to embrace Hollywood? In short, the acting bug bit her hard, and since she was already living on the West Coast, it was easy to audition for roles and network with various movers and shakers.
Fortunately for Eden, her beauty and talent got noticed almost right away. Before her big breakout role (more on this very soon), she went from making occasional appearances on The Johnny Carson Show to starring in series like How To Marry a Millionaire and films like Flaming Star. Her biggest break, however, was right around the corner!
Her big break
Without a doubt, Barbara Eden’s big break was the 1965 premiere I Dream of Jeannie. If you’ve never seen it, it’s an impossibly cute show about a millennia-old genie falling in love with a mortal astronaut. Eden plays the title character, and her performance was never anything short of “magical.’
After I Dream of Jeannie ended, Eden remained a Hollywood mainstay, and she’d often pop up in shows like Dallas. When not on the big or small screen, you can usually find Eden on the stage. For example, she toured the nation in the Odd Couple: The Female Version.
Dazzling at the red carpet
While she’s always been an icon, you’re probably asking the obvious right now. Why are we talking about Barbara Eden all of a sudden? Simple: she made an appearance on the red carpet recently and looked so good that we’re starting to think she might really be an ageless genie (instead of someone who just plays one on TV).
In 2023, the I Dream of Jeannie star made not one but two different appearances on the red carpet. This always takes plenty of confidence for older celebs because, frankly, they are walking alongside next year’s models. It’s always easier for younger actors to turn a cameraman’s eye.
At these red carpet events, however, Barabra Eden looked as radiant as she ever has. This is the same thoughtful face and dazzling smile you fell in love with as a child. She looked so good at these events, in fact, that we had to find out what her beauty secret is!
Exercise keeps Eden looking young
Let’s get right to it: what is it that keeps Barbara Eden looking so young and gorgeous? If you’re cynical, you’re probably thinking she must have the best plastic surgeon in the world. In reality, though, Eden’s beauty is all nature, as is her simple method to keeping that beauty intact.
To hear Eden tell the story, much of her youthful appearance comes from the fact that she maintains a very active lifestyle. This includes doing exercises like resistance training and getting regular sessions with her personal trainer. Instead of succumbing to a relaxed lifestyle of sitting around the house, Barabra Eden has stayed active and subsequently stayed gorgeous!
Diet: her secret weapon for staying beautiful
In addition to great skin, one of the qualities of Barbara Eden that makes her seem young is her vitality. How does she have a radiant glow at her age, and is there anything we can do to add some vitality to our own faces?
According to Barabra Eden, a chief source of her vitality is eating a balanced diet and getting plenty of proteins. She’s also a huge veggie lover; put it all together and you have someone whose diet makes her practically look younger by the day!