Maude star Adrienne Barbeau, 81, looks ageless in rare new red-carpet appearance


The actress stepped out in Spain for a film festival that celebrated her remarkable career.


© CBS via Getty Images
Faye James
Faye JamesSenior Editor
39 minutes ago

Adrienne Barbeau knows the power of a little black dress, and a fabulous pair of glasses.

The Maude favourite, 81, looked radiant in newly released photographs from Spain's Sitges Film Festival, posing with one hand on her hip and a broad smile for the cameras.

Seen at Meliá Sitges Hotel on Sunday, 11 October, the actress joined her Oddities co-star Lilimar and the film's director, Tyler Savage, for the red-carpet appearance. And there was another reason to celebrate during her visit: the festival honoured her decades of work with its WomanInFan Award.

Adrienne Barbeau attends the red carpet during Sitges Film Festival © Getty Images
Adrienne Barbeau attends the red carpet during Sitges Film Festival

Adrienne Barbeau's glamorous Sitges Film Festival look

Adrienne chose an elegant black dress with a fitted bodice and draped fabric across the neckline, adding a statement necklace with cascading strands of black beads.

The jewellery brought a touch of drama to the otherwise understated outfit, while her oversized pink glasses provided a playful pop of colour.

Her dark hair was styled in a voluminous, shoulder-skimming cut with a full fringe, framing the distinctive smile that television viewers will remember from her sitcom days.

Adrienne Barbeau and Bea Arthur hug each other in a scene from the TV sitcom 'Maude,' © Getty Images
Adrienne Barbeau and Bea Arthur hug each other in a scene from the TV sitcom 'Maude,'

Rather than competing with the necklace, the dress's simple silhouette allowed the intricate beading to stand out. It was an elegant combination, with those rose-coloured frames giving the ensemble plenty of personality.

Adrienne Barbeau's life after Maude

For many viewers, Adrienne will always be Carol Traynor, the divorced daughter of Bea Arthur's formidable title character in Maude. The sitcom ran from 1972 to 1978, introducing her to an audience far beyond the theatre. 

But she had already made her mark on Broadway, originating the role of Rizzo in Grease and earning a Tony nomination.

Her career subsequently took her into horror with films including The Fog, Creepshow and Swamp Thing. Younger fans may also recognise her voice as Catwoman in Batman: The Animated Series. 

Adrienne Barbeau joins Beatrice Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Hermione Baddeley on Maude© Bettmann Archive
Adrienne Barbeau joins Beatrice Arthur, Rue McClanahan and Hermione Baddeley on Maude

She remains busy on screen, with her official biography listing recent television work including Harlan Coben's Shelter and Duster. Her latest thriller, Oddities, also featured in this year's Sitges programme, giving the festival a chance to celebrate both her earlier performances and her current work. 

Adrienne Barbeau receives special career honour

On Tuesday, 13 October, Adrienne accepted the WomanInFan Award at the Meliá Auditorium, where audiences were shown a montage of her screen appearances.

The presentation recognised a career spanning musicals, television comedy and some of horror's best-known titles. According to the festival's official account, she received the honour to enthusiastic applause.

Adrienne with the cast of "Maude" in 1976© Getty Images
Adrienne with the cast of "Maude" in 1976

For an actress whose work has reached several generations of viewers, the occasion clearly carried particular significance. Accepting her award, Adrienne said: "It's the highlight of my life today."

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