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Geena Davis was one of Time magazine's Important People of 2005 for her portrayal of the first woman President of the United States in "Commander in Chief." The MENSA member and feminist - she of the see-through op art Academy Awards dress (yes, it was op art…you mean you didn't notice the print?) - took up archery at the impossibly advanced age of 41 and became a world class competitor in the sport. She won the California Cup and nearly made the U.S. Olympic team.

She gave birth to a daughter at age 46, to twin sons at 47.

	Fabulous at 40 These sexy ladies are living proof that forty is the new 30, and over-the-hill is gone. See who made the grade.>> Breaking the Age Barrier Catherine Zeta-Jones and their babies have been better than a face lift for rejuvenating Michael Douglas, who is 25 years older than his wife. See who else looks renewed.>>

Statisticians and scientists can show us quite clearly that we humans are living longer, with all that implies.

But none of that is as good as thinking about Geena, truly a torch bearer for the New 50, because, with the way her life is going and the way she looks, her age is no more than an interesting footnote.

And listen, Time magazine: for those of us born in 1956, that's another reason Geena is Important.

There is actually a tremendous group - a smart, sexy, accomplished crowd of entertainment royalty -- hitting the big 5-0 this year. It includes Tom Hanks, Joan Allen, Judy Davis and Mel Gibson, the latter of whom declared five years ago: "I'll tell you what really turns my toes up - love scenes with 68-year-old men and young actresses. I promise you, when I get to that age, I'll say no."

We'll be watching in 18 years, Mel.

The 1956'ers include Sela Ward, who looks so smashing in her black dress with the corseted bodice at the 2005 Emmy Awards, a photo may be placed strategically near one's refrigerator door as a preventive for cheating on one's diet. Don't ask me how I know.

Sexy & Gorgeous Older Women [Netscape] Best Looking Stars Over 40 [Netscape] What Makes Geena so Hot? [AskMen] Why Sela is Yummy! [AskMen] The Secrets to Ageless Beauty [eXtra] Get the Celebrity Look [ivillage] Hollywood's Sexiest Mature Leading Women? [Netscape Community]

At 40, Sela auditioned to be a Bond girl. Rejected as too old, she moved right along and produced "The Changing Face of Beauty," a documentary on ageism, for Lifetime. Obviously, she had no intention of being bound by passé Tinseltown strictures. In 2002, More magazine noted that Ward's "mature appeal is helping tear down Hollywood's rigid precepts on aging. Two years ago, a poll ranking television's sexiest stars put the actress and her seductively arched eyebrows at the top of the list - and above such 20-somethings as Alyssa Milano and Sarah Michelle Gellar."

And then, of course, there is the woman who wrote the book - literally - on being sexy, who proved five years ago that a middle-aged woman could be a sex symbol and then some: Kim Cattrall. Once dubbed "America's Favorite Slut" for her unforgettable "Sex in the City" man-eating character, Samantha Jones, she's still looking great and hits 5-0 this summer.

We have stunning, Stockholm-born Lena Olin, sexy Bo Derek, Lisa Hartman Black, Dana Delany, and Jerry Hall, who played Mrs. Robinson onstage in "The Graduate" and went on to star in last year's VH1 "Kept" reality show.

The latter had the former Mrs. Mick Jagger oversee the transformation of a group of shaggy, unrefined American twentysomething hunks into chic Euro-style sophisticates. People in her social circle "really didn't know at first" what was going on when she'd show up places with a "gorgeous young man. They thought, 'Jerry's got a new boyfriend.' Women would follow me into the bathroom and say, 'You go, girl!' and men would be irritated and say, "Is that your son?'" But turn-about, as far as younger romantic interests, is fair play, said Hall: "Mick's been doing it for years!" What did the old Rolling Stone think of her show? "He told me, 'I've been asked to do my own show, dating 16-year-olds.'" (Note to Mick: See Mel Gibson quote above.)

This year's Fabulous-at-Fifties also include Eric Roberts, Randy Jackson, dancing funny man John O'Hurley, incomparable entertainer Nathan Lane, and sigh-inducing Chris Isaak, Andy Garcia, Peter Gallagher, Tim Daly, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Gary Cole, Michael Biehn and Dwight Yoakam.

Social scientists have already declared that Baby Boomers are refusing to act their age, or what was previously considered to be appropriate behavior for 50-plusers. Entertainment notables who'll become eligible for AARP this year (at 50) will most likely reject the old "old" as well. The turning-50 group includes such powerful industry behind-the-scenes names as John Wells, David E. Kelley and Marta Kauffman. It also includes:

Carrie Fisher, Steve Harvey, Delta Burke, Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Jackee Harry, Mickey Rourke, Bob Saget, Joe Penny, Sinbad, Paula Zahn, Diane Warren, Judy Tenuta, Joe Penny, Paris Barclay, Bryan Cranston, Steven Bauer, Robby Benson, David Caruso, Bill Maher, T.K. Carter, Michael Feinstein, Keith David, LaToya Jackson, Rita Rudner, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Stepfanie Kramer, Rex Smith, Montel Williams, Richard Kind, David Copperfield and Mimi Rogers, a.k.a. the first Mrs. Tom Cruise, who is 22 years older than Katie Holmes, Mrs. Tom to-be.

And she's definitely still fabulous.

Interestingly, many sources report Geena Davis' birth year as 1957, but it isn't, and her reps - obviously on her instruction - readily say as much. Oscar Wilde once said, "Beware of a woman who gives her true age."

Some of us take that as a compliment.