Daryl Hannah
A Hollywood star who traded red carpets for tree-sits, becoming a fierce and uncompromising voice for environmental justice.
Born 1960 (age 66)·American actress and director·Birthday: December 3·Baby Boomers
Biography
Daryl Hannah arrived in Hollywood with an ethereal presence, landing memorable roles as a replicant in 'Blade Runner' and a mermaid in 'Splash.' Yet, the glare of fame never suited her. Instead, she carved a path defined by a deep-seated passion for the planet, often putting her body on the line in direct-action protests. Her activism, which includes being arrested for defending urban farms and protesting pipeline construction, became her defining work. While she continued to act and later direct films with environmental themes, Hannah's legacy is that of a principled figure who found her true power not on a soundstage, but on the front lines of ecological defense.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Daryl was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Daryl Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Daryl's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Starred as the iconic mermaid Madison in Ron Howard's blockbuster film 'Splash'.
- Co-founded the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance to promote renewable fuel sources.
- Was arrested multiple times for civil disobedience while protesting the Keystone XL pipeline.
- Directed and starred in the activist documentary 'The Last Winter,' focusing on climate change.
Did You Know?
She was diagnosed as borderline autistic as a child and found comfort in watching movies.
She lives in a Colorado home that is completely off the grid, powered by solar panels.
She taught herself to play the accordion for her role in 'The Clan of the Cave Bear.'
“I think the most radical thing you can do is to be a happy, well-adjusted person in this society, because everything is geared to make you the opposite.”
