Susan Sarandon turns 80 on October 4, celebrating a career that has spanned more than five decades, from cult classics such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Thelma & Louise to her Oscar-winning performance in Dead Man Walking.
Born in New York in 1946, Sarandon has also become known for her political activism, outspoken views and high-profile relationships. Here are eight facts about the actress.
Italian roots
Sarandon was born on October 4, 1946, in New York, the eldest of nine children of television producer Phillip Leslie Tomalin and Lenora Marie Criscione.
She has Italian ancestry on both sides of her family. Her grandfather, Giuseppe Vincenzo Cosimo Cascione, came from Ragusa in Sicily, while her grandmother Anita Rigali was the daughter of Italian immigrants from Coreglia Antelminelli in the province of Lucca, Tuscany.
She worked with Mario Monicelli
Sarandon made her film debut in 1970 in Joe, and a year later appeared in Italian director Mario Monicelli’s La mortadella.
The film was one of her early opportunities in an international career that would eventually make her one of Hollywood’s most recognisable actresses.
Her breakthrough came with The Rocky Horror Picture Show
In 1975, Sarandon played Janet Weiss in Jim Sharman’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which went on to become one of the most enduring cult films in cinema history.
She once recalled that she had not even wanted to audition because she was afraid of singing. She was persuaded to perform Happy Birthday during the casting process and eventually secured the role.
Sarandon later described landing the part as a stroke of luck.
She was rejected for Rocky
Sarandon auditioned for the role of Adrian in Rocky in 1976 but was rejected because producers reportedly considered her too sensual for the character.
The role eventually went to Talia Shire, who appeared opposite Sylvester Stallone in the film that became a major box-office success.
Five Oscar nominations and one win
Sarandon has received five Academy Award nominations during her career.
She was nominated for Atlantic City in 1980, Thelma & Louise in 1991, Lorenzo’s Oil in 1992 and The Client in 1994.
Her fifth nomination came for Dead Man Walking in 1995, in which she played Sister Helen Prejean. She won the Oscar for best actress for the role.
Her daughter is also an actress
Sarandon was married to actor Chris Sarandon from 1967 until their divorce in 1979.
She subsequently had relationships with several prominent figures, including director Louis Malle, David Bowie and Sean Penn.
She also had a relationship with Italian filmmaker Franco Amurri, with whom she had a daughter, Eva Amurri, in 1985. Eva followed her mother into acting.
Her 23-year relationship with Tim Robbins
Sarandon met actor Tim Robbins while working on Bull Durham in 1988. The pair began a relationship that lasted 23 years.
They had two sons, Jack Henry, born in 1989, and Miles, born in 1992. Robbins later directed Sarandon in Dead Man Walking, released in 1995.
The couple largely kept their private life away from the spotlight, despite their status as one of Hollywood’s best-known pairs.
Their separation was confirmed in 2009.
A long history of activism
Sarandon has spent decades campaigning on political and human-rights issues, often speaking publicly about causes she supports.
Her activism has also affected her professional career. In September 2026, she was arrested during protests surrounding Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s presence at the United Nations.
Speaking at the Venice Film Festival shortly before the incident, Sarandon said she had recently lost opportunities to work because of her political views, claiming that some agencies were still advising people not to hire her.
Her activism remains an important part of her public identity — alongside a film career that has made her one of the most distinctive actresses of her generation.
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