https://www.metv.com/stories/estelle-getty-was-20-years-younger-than-her-golden-girls-character-heres-why-she-took-the-role

The oldest of The Golden Girls was actually the youngest.

Bea Arthur said producers had previously passed on The Golden Girls because they didn't believe a series focused on older women would succeed (https://www.metv.com/stories/bea-arthur-revealed-that-producers-had-previous-passed-on-the-golden-girls-because-they-didnt-believe-a-series-focused-on-older-women-would-succeed)

"It never really dawned on me that it was about these older women," said Arthur.