At 80, Helen Mirren says the secret to aging well is enjoying every part of it.
In an interview with Allure published on Tuesday, the actor said she finds “everything” about being 80 fabulous.
“Fuck it, I’m alive and I’m working and I can drink a glass of wine and I can wear makeup and I can listen to music and I can watch a beautiful sunset and I can go to the theater and I can watch a movie and I can binge Netflix and I can live life. It’s a beautiful thing,” Mirren told Allure.
However, aging comes with its downsides, including losing some of the thickness in her hair, she said.
The pandemic also made her feel like she’d lost two precious years of her life, especially “when you realize you don’t have that many years left,” Mirren said.
Despite that, the “Thursday Murder Club” actor says she is skeptical of the modern obsession with longevity and biohacking.
“I mean, already the age I am is probably way past the age I would’ve lived to 100 years ago,” she said. “But I think it’s a bit of a dream and a fantasy [that life extension stuff], because when they think of being 150, they don’t think of actually being 150 years old. They’re thinking of being 30 for 150 years. And that’s just not the way the world or nature works.”
Mirren doesn’t have a beauty routine, but says her biggest beauty tip is to avoid smoking. She also doesn’t avoid the sun, but wears sunblock on her face and body.
“I love sunbathing and everyone says you’re not supposed to do that, but I just love the sun,” Mirren said.
As for people who dread growing older, Mirren has a simple message: “You can be as afraid as you like, but that’s not going to change anything. It’s going to happen. So live with it,” she said.
As a teenager, the idea of turning 30 seemed “awful,” she said.
“And then you get to be 30. And you know what? It’s great being 30, actually, I think 30 to 40 is the best age of all, and you do not want to be 16 again. It’s fabulous, being 30, and likewise 40, 50, 60, and beyond,” Mirren said.
“There are disadvantages, no question. But there are also great advantages. And you learn this as you travel through life,” she said.
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Mirren added that she is eager to see what the younger generations “make of the world.”
“It’s their turn. I’ve had my turn, and now it’s theirs. And that’s the natural order of things,” she said.
Speaking to The Times in April, Mirren said it’s “never too late” for people in their 50s and 60s to start exercising.
“It doesn’t have to be joining a gym. It can be small changes like taking a short walk or practicing yoga, which I still enjoy,” she said.
Mirren’s go-to workout is a 12-minute military routine developed by the Royal Canadian Air Force in the 1950s.
A representative for Mirren did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider.
Mirren isn’t the only celebrity who has spoken up about what it’s like to grow older in the spotlight.
In September, Elizabeth Banks, 51, said her antiaging routine consists of sleep, water, and a positive mindset.
“It’s your attitude. Getting rid of negative self-talk and just being positive about how you feel about yourself,” Banks said.
In October, Nicole Kidman, 58, said the “best part” of growing older is all the experiences she’s accumulated.
“So you go, ‘Oh, I’ve been here before. I actually know how to handle this now.’ Or, ‘Maybe I haven’t been in this place, but I’ve experienced something similar to this, and I do know that I will get through it,'” she said.
