The main actresses of "The Golden Girls" were significantly older than their characters, with varying age differences:
- Bea Arthur (Dorothy Zbornak) was about 63 years old playing a 53-year-old character.
- Betty White (Rose Nylund) was also around 63 when she played Rose, who was about 55.
- Rue McClanahan (Blanche Devereaux) was 51 playing a character aged 53, making her the closest in age to her role and the youngest actress in the main cast.
- Estelle Getty (Sophia Petrillo) was about 54 playing Sophia who was supposed to be around 79 years old, notably younger than her character and even younger than Bea Arthur who played her daughter.
In summary, the actresses were roughly in their early 50s to early 60s during filming, with Estelle Getty as an exception being much younger than the elderly character she portrayed.
