Susan Lucci Then and Now: See the Daytime Star Through the Years – Hollywood Life

Susan Lucci Then & Now: See Her Incredible Transformation on 77th Birthday

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December 19, 2023 10:47AM EST
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Susan Lucci is still stunning as ever as she celebrates her 77th birthday on December 23. See why Susan is still the “Queen Of Daytime TV” in photos spanning her six-decade-long career!

A Hollywood legend! Susan Lucci began her reign as the “Queen of Daytime” back in 1970, when she was introduced by Erica Kane on ‘All My Children‘. She would play the sharp-tongued, alpha-diva on the soap until the series left TV in 2011, making both Susan and Erica icons.

While Susan was an undeniable star, it took some time for the Daytime Emmys to fully recognize her talent. She was nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress 21 times, but only picked a trophy up in 1999 during her 19th nomination. Susan hasn’t slowed down since ‘All My Children’. She’s also had roles in ‘Devious Maids’, ‘Hot In Cleveland’, and the feature film ‘Joy’.

Sharing her definition of success in 2019, Susan said, “Success is not what you have, it’s who you are. Being able to put your head on your pillow at night and feeling happy, grateful, joyous, excited, and all of those good things in your life.” Scroll through to see photos of how Susan Lucci transformed through the years!

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Susan Lucci on ‘All My Children’

Susan Lucci on ‘All My Children’
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Susan Lucci steals the spotlight during a shoot of ‘All My Children’.

The star was born Dec. 23, 1946 in Scarsdale, New York and ‘All My Children’ was her first big role. When the series was canceled by ABC after 41 years in 2011, Susan bid goodbye to her character Erica.

“It’s been a fantastic journey,” she said. “I’ve loved playing Erica Kane and working with Agnes Nixon and all the incredible people involved with All My Children. I’m looking forward to all kinds of new and exciting opportunities.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci in 1985

Susan Lucci in 1985
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Susan Lucci wraps herself in fur in stunning portraits from around 1985. The star graduated from Marymount College, Tarrytown in 1968 with a BA in drama before making it big.

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci Circa 1980

Susan Lucci Circa 1980
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Susan Lucci looks flirty in a strapless dress and pearls in a photo circa 1980.

Susan talked about what an honor it was to play her ‘All My Children’ character Erica Kane during a 2011 interview with NPR, where she said, “Erica Kane was a spectacular role for any actress to play, and I felt so lucky to be the one who got to do it.”

She went on, “To find the part of a 15-year-old girl that was that juicy and had that much potential, I really thought Erica Kane had the possibility to be a modern-day Scarlett O’Hara.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci Circa 1987

Susan Lucci Circa 1987
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Susan Lucci rocks teased, 80s locks in a photo taken circa 1987.

Susan said she loved her over-the-top role on ‘All My Children’, telling NPR in 2011, “I got to do the romance and I got to do the ladies room brawls and the knock-down drag-outs and all of that, so I got to play a lot of range within that part.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci at the 1999 Daytime Emmy Awards

Susan Lucci at the 1999 Daytime Emmy Awards
Tina Fineberg/AP/Shutterstock

Susan Lucci is the definition of elegance as she escorted into New York’s Madison Square Garden by her husband Helmut Huber for the 1999 Daytime Emmy Awards.

At the ceremony, Susan won her first Emmy, following 18 years as a runner-up. She received a standing ovation before thanking her friends, family, and co-workers. “Thank you very much. I truly never believed that this would happen,” she said, later adding, “I’m going to go back to that studio Monday and I’m going to play Erica Kane for all it is worth.”

December 23, 2021, 12:54PM
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Susan Lucci at the ABC 50th Anniversary Party in 2003

Susan Lucci at the ABC 50th Anniversary Party in 2003
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Susan Lucci looks marvelous in magenta during the 50th Anniversary celebration for ABC on Mar. 16 2003.

Susan remembered her iconic Emmy win during a 2020 interview with Entertainment Weekly, admitting it was sort of a blur. “I hear [presenter] Shemar Moore when he opened the envelope,” she revealed.

“When he said, ‘The streak is over,’ I thought he was announcing the playoff scores… I thought, ‘Isn’t that nice? They decided to fill everybody in.’ When he said my name, I didn’t hear it.”

“After I think, what was the ninth time, I started to blackout, I don’t know if it was self-protective… My biggest fear [was] that someday, I might just think they called my name and go up there.”

December 23, 2021, 12:54PM
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Susan Lucci With Eva Longoria in 2005

Susan Lucci With Eva Longoria in 2005
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Susan Lucci and Eva Longoria wow at a cocktail party thrown by designer Robert Verdi in honor of New York Fashion Week in Sep. 2005. The ladies worked on ‘Devious Maids’ together from 2013 to 2016. Susan played the posh but air-heady Genevieve Delatour while Eva executive produced.

Eva lavished Susan in praise while talking about the series in 2012 with TV Guide. “She’s hysterical — so amazing,” raved Eva. “[She] missed her true calling. She’s a strong comedic actress and the loveliest person you’d ever meet. Not at all the soap opera diva.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci on Dancing With the Stars in 2005

Susan Lucci on Dancing With the Stars in 2005
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Susan Lucci shows off her moves with partner Tony Dovolani on ‘Dancing With The Stars’ in 2005.

Susan said she’d be open to competing for the Mirror Ball Trophy once again while chatting to Closer in 2018. “You know, I would do it again,” she told the magazine. “It was a spectacular experience. I’m so happy I did it.”

Susan added, however, “Oh, it’s hard. It’s really hard. I didn’t know how hard it was going to be because I’m used to taking blocking as an actress and I’ve been on Broadway and I can take choreography. It’s very quick.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci at the 2006 Daytime Emmy Awards

Susan Lucci at the 2006 Daytime Emmy Awards
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Susan Lucci stuns before presenting at the 33rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles on Apr. 28, 2006. She dazzled in a black dress embellished with rhinestones with a daring side cut-out.

December 23, 2021, 12:54PM
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Susan Lucci at Her Planet Hollywood Handprint Ceremony in 2008

Susan Lucci at Her Planet Hollywood Handprint Ceremony in 2008
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Susan Lucci beams during her 2008 handprint ceremony at Planet Hollywood in New York on Dec. 18.

Erika remembered explaining how she transforms into her characters during a 2011 interview with NPR. “When my daughter was about 5 years old, one summer day she looked at me and she said, ‘Mommy, how do you act like Erica Kane?’ And she tossed her little hair like Erica did.”

She added, “And I was just so thrilled that my daughter saw the difference, that she knew there was a difference. That made me feel so happy.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci at the 2009 Daytime Emmy Awards

Susan Lucci at the 2009 Daytime Emmy Awards
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Susan Lucci wows in a coral gown at the 2009 Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. She looked every bit the icon in the dazzling dress.

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci at the 2012 Daytime Emmy Awards

Susan Lucci at the 2012 Daytime Emmy Awards
Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP/Shutterstock

Susan Lucci takes the stage at the 39th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards in Beverly Hills on Jun. 23, 2012.

Susan admitted to being angry after ‘All My Children’ was canceled in 2011. Remembering the day she learned the show was over with Yahoo in 2019, she said, “There was a lot of anger that day — from me and everybody else. It was really a period of mourning because we went through all of those stages — the anger, the denial, the sadness, the missing of each other.”

December 23, 2021, 12:54PM
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Susan Lucci at 2015 Elton John AIDS Foundation Benefit

Susan Lucci at 2015 Elton John AIDS Foundation Benefit
Andy Kropa/Invision/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Susan Lucci is eternally chic in white sparkles and a red, fur wrap a benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 2015.

Susan has been married to husband Helmut Huber since 1969, before she rocket to fame. Talking about their connection with Forbes in Feb. 2021, she said, “Time has gone really, really quickly. My instincts turned out to be good ones. Helmut is ten years older than I am. We married because we love each other and we got lucky. How fantastic to be in love with the man I married.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci at Harper’s Bazaar ICONS party in 2019

Susan Lucci at Harper’s Bazaar ICONS party in 2019
Stephen Lovekin/REX/Shutterstock

Susan Lucci is breathtaking in black, leather Richard Tyler at Harper’s Bazaar ICONS party during New York Fashion Week on Sep. 7 2018.

Susan talked about feeling great during her 70s with Harper’s Bazaar in 2018, saying, “I feel as good now as I ever did in my 20s and 30s, maybe even better physically.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci Walks The Runway in 2019

Susan Lucci Walks The Runway in 2019
Kristina Bumphrey/Starpix/Shuttertock

Susan Lucci struts down the catwalk at the 115th Annual Heart Truth Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection event during New York Fashion Week on Feb. 7, 2019. She looked radiant in a red Rubin Singer design during the even to raise awareness about heart health.

Susan endured a health scare in 2019 when she came down with sudden chest pains, so severe she went to the hospital. It was there she learned she was suffering from a severe artery blockage and had to have emergency surgery.

The experience made Susan an advocate for women’s heart health, teaming up with the campaign ‘Go Red For Women’. She talked about what her health crisis made her realize with Forbes in Feb. 2021, saying, “It made me realize that sometimes as women, we ignore our symptoms. We take our children to the pediatrician immediately but for ourselves, we’re not on our own to-do list. Listen to your body, if you have symptoms, get yourself to the hospital.”

December 23, 2021, 12:53PM
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Susan Lucci at Hallmark’s TCA Event in 2019

Susan Lucci at Hallmark’s TCA Event in 2019
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Susan Lucci is radiant at an event for the Hallmark Channel on Jul. 26, 2019.

Talking about how she stays happy and healthy with Fox News in 2019, Susan said, “I keep positive. I meditate and pray and practice gratitude every morning”. She added she was a fan of Maria Shriver’s quotes, which she finds “very inspirational”.

December 23, 2021, 12:54PM
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Susan Lucci at the 49th Daytime Emmys

Susan Lucci at the 49th Daytime Emmys
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Susan Lucci looked gorgeous in a pink gown for the 49th Annual Daytime Emmys. She’s won the award once and been nominated 21 times.

February 2, 2023, 1:40PM
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Susan Lucci at the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Event

Susan Lucci at the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Event
Shutterstock

Susan Lucci stunned in a red dress at the 2023 Go Red For Women event. She’s a very active supporter of the American Heart Association.

February 2, 2023, 1:40PM
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