Ann-Margret Olsson, a quintessential Hollywood icon of the 1960s, captivated audiences with her dynamic presence and striking beauty in films such as “Bye Bye Birdie” and “Viva Las Vegas.” Despite the passage of over six decades, Ann-Margret continues to exude the same vivacity and charm that first catapulted her to stardom.
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Gaining recognition in the early 1960s, Ann-Margret initially made her mark with roles in musicals. However, she demonstrated her versatility by embracing more serious parts, earning an Oscar nomination for her performance in “Carnal Knowledge” in 1972. Her unwavering energy, both on and off the screen, remains undiminished by time. In 2024, at the age of 82, she revealed that she still enjoyed riding her lavender motorcycle, attributing her youthful spirit to the thrill of speed. “I love the speed,” she shared with People.
A year later, Ann-Margret spoke with Interview, crediting her boundless energy to her parents. “Lots of energy, lots of energy. I’ve always had it, that’s from my mother and father,” she explained. This vitality has served her well; in March 2026, she revealed to Parade that she had recently recovered from a broken elbow sustained in a fall. When asked about her recovery, the spirited actress confidently replied, “I sure am!” Her enduring liveliness at 84 is truly inspiring.
Ann-Margret’s zest for life is reflected in her active social engagements. She confided to Interview in December 2025 about her upcoming holiday plans. Alongside celebrating Christmas Eve with her family, she planned to visit her boyfriend of two years for Christmas. Although she expressed no intention of remarrying, she looked forward to sharing New Year’s Eve with him, adding that he would be her midnight kiss.
Fans of classic Hollywood remember Ann-Margret’s enduring marriage to Roger Smith, a relationship celebrated for its longevity. The couple wed in 1967 and remained together for 50 years until Smith’s passing in 2017. In a 2026 interview with Parade, Ann-Margret reflected on her late husband’s death, expressing pride in their marriage and lamenting its perceived brevity. “We were together [a total of] 54 years. It just flew by because it was really good,” she shared. Ann-Margret fondly recalled the laughter they shared, stating, “We would always talk about things that we had done and faux pas that we had made. We laughed a lot … I miss the laughter.”
Ann-Margret has a super active social life
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Perhaps one of the things keeping Ann-Margret so youthful is her social life, because she’s certainly not slowing down. Au contraire, her conversation with Interview took place in December 2025, and she shared that she had big plans for the holidays. In addition to hanging out with her family on Christmas Eve, she revealed that she’d be flying to her boyfriend of two years for Christmas itself. Though she said she wasn’t planning on getting married again, she did also share that they’d be together for New Year’s Eve and that he’d be her midnight kiss.
Old Hollywood aficionados will likely know that Ann-Margret and her late husband, Roger Smith, made up one of the longest-lasting couples in showbiz, marrying in 1967 and staying together for 50 years until the “Sunset Strip” actor passed away in 2017. In another 2026 interview with Parade, Ann-Margret opened up about his devastating death, revealing that their marriage was the thing she was “most proud of” and that she still felt it was too short. “We were together [a total of] 54 years. It just flew by because it was really good,” she gushed to the outlet. Ann-Margret also shared that the thing she missed most was being able to laugh with the late Smith. “We would always talk about things that we had done and faux pas that we had made. We laughed a lot … I miss the laughter,” she recollected.
Despite the sadness of her husband’s passing, Ann-Margret has soldiered on, and like we said, she maintains a very busy life even today. As she told Parade when discussing her broken elbow, “I have always learned from my parents that you just get up. You just start all over again.” Talk about a force to be reckoned with!