5 Surprising Things Daryl Hannah Is Doing Now: From Hollywood Siren To Eco-Director

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The iconic actress Daryl Hannah, known for her captivating roles in Splash, Blade Runner, and Kill Bill, has significantly shifted her professional focus from acting to directing and full-time environmental activism in recent years. As of December 23, 2025, the 65-year-old star is making headlines not for a new blockbuster, but for her intimate work behind the camera on a project centered on her husband, legendary musician Neil Young, solidifying her status as a creative force and a dedicated global advocate.

Hannah's current life is a vibrant blend of art and advocacy, deeply rooted in her long-standing commitment to sustainability and green living. While fans still cherish her cinematic legacy, her most recent and notable work involves chronicling the life of a rock legend and championing ecological causes, proving that her career evolution is as dynamic and compelling as her most famous on-screen characters.

Daryl Hannah: Full Biography and Career Milestones

Daryl Christine Hannah was born on December 3, 1960, in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Her parents divorced early, and her mother, Susan Jeanne Metzger, later married businessman and Olympic skier Jerrold Wexler, the brother of cinematographer Haskell Wexler. This familial connection to the arts and business world set the stage for her unique career trajectory.

  • Full Name: Daryl Christine Hannah
  • Date of Birth: December 3, 1960
  • Birth Place: Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
  • Profession: Actress, Director, Environmental Activist
  • Notable Spouse: Neil Young (m. 2018)
  • Film Debut: The Fury (1978)
  • Breakthrough Roles:
    • Pris Stratton in Blade Runner (1982)
    • Madison the Mermaid in Splash (1984)
    • Darien Taylor in Wall Street (1987)
    • Roxanne Kowalski in Roxanne (1987)
    • Annelle Dupuy DeSoto in Steel Magnolias (1989)
    • Elle Driver in Kill Bill: Volume 1 & 2 (2003, 2004)
  • Television Roles: Angel in the Netflix series Sense8 (2015–2018)
  • Activism Focus: Environmentalism, Sustainable Biodiesel, Veganism

The Director’s Chair: Hannah’s New Creative Chapter in 2025

In the most recent chapter of her career, Daryl Hannah has traded the spotlight for the director's lens, focusing heavily on documentary filmmaking, particularly those involving her husband, Neil Young. This shift has been her most significant professional endeavor in the last few years, showcasing a talent for intimate and personal storytelling.

Her latest and most talked-about project is the documentary film Coastal. This film provides an intimate look at Neil Young's 2023 solo tour along the US West Coast, which was his first post-COVID run. Hannah's direction captures the raw, behind-the-scenes moments of the legendary musician, offering fans a uniquely personal perspective.

The film premiered at the 2024 Woodstock Film Festival and has been featured at other significant events, including a Q&A session at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, where Hannah appeared to promote the work. This project follows her previous directorial success, the documentary A Band, A Brotherhood, A Barn, which earned her a Grammy nomination, cementing her credibility as a serious filmmaker.

This directorial focus allows Hannah to collaborate closely with Young, a partnership she has described as a source of happiness and creative fulfillment. It highlights a powerful second act for the actress, moving her from a celebrated muse to an accomplished director in her own right.

A Lifelong Commitment: Environmental Activism and Veganism

Beyond the film set, Daryl Hannah is perhaps even more intensely focused on her role as a dedicated environmental activist. This is not a new hobby but a decades-long passion that has fundamentally shaped her life and public image.

Hannah is a staunch advocate for a sustainable future. She is the founder of the Sustainable Biodiesel Alliance (SBA), an organization dedicated to promoting the use of clean, sustainable, and domestically produced biodiesel.

Her commitment is visible in her personal lifestyle. Hannah is a well-known vegan, a choice she made early in her life due to her profound empathy for animals. Her home in Colorado is a testament to her principles, running primarily on solar power, and she famously drives a car that runs on biodiesel.

She actively uses her platform to raise awareness about critical issues like climate change and sustainable farming energy. In recent years, she has expanded her efforts by opening an online store that exclusively sells environmentally friendly goods, demonstrating a commercial commitment to her green philosophy.

The Enduring Legacy of an Iconic Film Career

While her recent work is in directing, Daryl Hannah’s enduring fame rests on her unforgettable performances in some of cinema’s most beloved and influential films. Her career is a masterclass in versatility, spanning romantic comedy, sci-fi, drama, and action.

Her 1982 role as the replicant Pris Stratton in Ridley Scott’s neo-noir masterpiece Blade Runner remains one of her most iconic, cementing her place in science fiction history.

Two years later, she captivated audiences as the beautiful mermaid Madison in Splash (1984), a role that launched her into mainstream stardom.

Hannah continued to take on diverse and challenging roles throughout the 80s and 90s, including:

  • Wall Street (1987): Playing the sophisticated socialite Darien Taylor alongside Michael Douglas.
  • Roxanne (1987): Starring as the title character, Roxanne Kowalski, in the modern retelling of Cyrano de Bergerac.
  • Steel Magnolias (1989): Her performance as the shy and religious hairdresser Annelle Dupuy DeSoto was a highlight of the star-studded ensemble cast.

In the early 2000s, a new generation discovered her as the ruthless, one-eyed assassin Elle Driver in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill: Volume 1 and Volume 2. This role proved her ability to tackle intense action and drama, earning her a new wave of critical acclaim.

More recently, she starred in the critically acclaimed Netflix series Sense8 (2015–2018) as Angel, a key figure in the global sci-fi drama, further showcasing her commitment to contemporary and boundary-pushing television.

What’s Next for Daryl Hannah?

The future for Daryl Hannah is likely to see a continued focus on her dual passions: directing and environmental advocacy. While new acting roles are less frequent, her work behind the camera and her dedication to the planet are only growing stronger.

Fans of her acting work can look forward to the upcoming credit for Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair (2025), a rumored single-film version of Tarantino's epic that will likely reintroduce her iconic role to a wider audience.

However, her primary focus will remain on promoting sustainability, combating fossil fuels, and utilizing her platform to advocate for a greener world. Her journey from Hollywood’s mermaid to a Grammy-nominated director and a leading voice in the green movement is a powerful testament to a career defined by passion, principle, and creative evolution. The story of Daryl Hannah now is one of purpose, deeply intertwined with the future of the planet she fights so tirelessly to protect.

daryl hannah now
daryl hannah now

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