Betty White Was Supposed to Play Blanche! Fun Facts About 'The Golden Girls' Cast & Ages
Among all of the great roles she played over the course of her legendary career, the late, great Betty White—who died on Dec. 31, 2021, at the age of 99—was perhaps beloved most for her portrayal of the hilariously naive Rose Nylund on the smash-hit NBC sitcom The Golden Girls. For seven seasons, we delighted in Rose and her young-at-heart roommates Blanche Devereaux, Dorothy Zbornak and Sophia Petrillo as they navigated the single life as seniors in Miama.
Keep reading for more Golden Girls facts—including The Golden Girls' ages—how old the characters were supposed to be on the show, compared to the actresses’ ages in real life.
How old were The Golden Girls supposed to be?
How old was Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls?
Sophia, Dorothy's straight-talking mother, was the oldest character in the Golden Girls' house. In a flashback scene in the Season 2 episode “A Piece of Cake,” it’s revealed that Sophia celebrated her 50th birthday in April 1956, meaning her character was 79 years old when the series began in 1985.
However, in real life, the actress who portrayed Sophia, Estelle Getty, was just 62, making her one year younger than her onscreen daughter! She apparently wore aging makeup while in character to make her come across as a believable, eighty-something woman.
Related: Golden Girls' Facts
How old was Rose Nylund on The Golden Girls?
Betty White was 63 when the series began in 1985, but she completely pulled off playing a younger character. The sweet, innocent Rose Nylund was 55 when the series began, as Dorothy revealed in the Season 1 episode “Job Hunting.”
