Ellen From Family Ties Is Aging Like Fine Wine. See Her Gorgeous Evolution

Tracy Pollan was 25 years old when she first captivated hearts as Ellen Reed on "Family Ties," joining the cast four seasons into the series in 1985. Pollan's fun chemistry with her co-star (and future husband), Michael J. Fox, instantly delighted audiences, who still look back at her character's arc with fondness. Of course, fans were just as enamored by the star's beauty and grace, which she effortlessly wielded during her time on the show. Despite her popularity, however, Pollan departed "Family Ties" at the close of Season 4, in the pursuit of "other projects" (via Chicago Tribune). Fortunately for her fans, she's still around, and aging like fine wine!

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Tracy Pollan is one of those celebs who are much older than you think. The actor, who still works in entertainment (she appeared in the 2025 Hallmark film "Hollywood Touchdown: A Bills Love Story"), turned 66 years old in 2026. However, we'd believe her if she claimed to be in her early 50s. Of course, she had a great foundation. The photo on the left was taken during her time on "Family Ties," landing somewhere between 1985 and 1987. Back then, she was still a starry-eyed young actor, whose voluminous brown hair, sprinkled with subtle blond highlights, inspired hair envy at every turn. By November 2025, when the photo on the right was taken, Pollan had completely ditched her brunette mane to take a walk on the blond side. And while we definitely think the lighter hair suits her better, her gorgeous smile is what really set off the second look.

Tracy Pollan certainly achieved her goal of pursuing other acting gigs after leaving "Family Ties." Over the past forty years, she's appeared in a number of huge properties, including "Bright Lights, Big City," "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "Medium," and "Inventing Anna," to name a few. She's also explored writing by venturing into vegetable-centric cookbooks. As of write time, she's authored three cookbooks. Her latest release, 2019's "Mostly Plants: 101 Delicious Flexitarian Recipes from the Pollan Family," which was written alongside several people in her family, including her mother and sister, was a New York Times bestseller.

Of course, one of Tracy's favorite titles is being the wife of Michael J. Fox. The adorable pair have been married since 1988, and have navigated various milestones, such as career ups and downs, starting a family, and most notably, Fox's Parkinson's diagnosis. Through all of life's changes, the long-lasting couple has remained committed to each other. "I think we really listen to each other, we are there for each other when we need each other," Pollan told People about her husband (who's also aging like fine wine). "And then we also give each other space when that's needed. Just feeling off of what's needed at the moment and trying to be there."