Helen Mirren Reveals Why Turning 80 Is a “Beautiful Thing”

Heavy is the head that wears the crown.

Fortunately, Helen Mirren is enjoying life to the fullest. The Queen actress recently revealed she’s been loving absolutely everything about being 80 years old.

She told *Allure* magazine in an October 14th interview that she loves everything about her life right now. “I’m just enjoying being alive, working, and doing simple things like drinking wine, wearing makeup, and listening to music,” she said.

She went on to say that she could enjoy simple pleasures like watching a sunset, going to the theater or a movie, or even just relaxing with a Netflix binge. She felt grateful to be able to experience life and all its beauty.

The actress from *Red* is enjoying this new phase of her life, but she also recognizes how difficult it can be for many women to adapt to change.

She told me, and honestly, it really resonated with me. She said it *is* going to happen, no matter how scared I am, and trying to avoid it won’t change a thing. Her advice? Just accept it and embrace the ride – it’s my life, after all. It felt strangely empowering, like a permission slip to just *be* and experience whatever comes my way.

She admitted there were downsides, but emphasized there were also significant benefits. “You realize this through experience,” she said.

After all, every age comes with its own set of highs and lows. 

Helen observed that it’s completely understandable for a sixteen-year-old to feel anxious about turning forty. At that age, they see endless possibilities ahead of them – the world feels open and within their reach. She believes this generation has the potential to achieve great things and shape the future.

She smiled, saying she admired them. She was excited to see what they would do with the world, explaining it was now their time to lead, after she’d had hers. It felt like the way things should be.

Helen often looked to her mother, Kathleen Alexandrina Eva Matilda Kitty Rogers, as a role model. In an April 2024 interview with TopMob News, Helen shared the best advice her mother ever gave her: ‘Never be afraid of getting older.’

She explained it’s just a natural part of life. She added that, as people age, they often gain wisdom and acceptance of this reality.

Simply put, “All I can say is, don’t worry [about aging]. It’s cool.”

For more celebs who’ve embraced growing older, keep reading.

She told *Self* magazine that she doesn’t focus on whether aging makes you look better or worse—it’s simply a process of change. And that’s perfectly natural, because life itself is all about change.

It’s impossible to stop aging – we all do! Many women seem to take getting older personally, feeling like they’ve failed if they don’t maintain a youthful appearance. But I think aging is actually a gift, because not everyone gets the chance to grow old, she explained to Access Hollywood.

Throughout history, whenever women have made progress, societal pressures seem to emerge to hold them back. It feels like we’ve come a long way recently, but now there’s intense pressure to maintain a certain appearance – you’re not supposed to age or even show a pregnancy. In my opinion, this pressure has actually increased, and it’s a clever way to control people by making them dislike themselves. But I won’t be ashamed of simply being human,” she told the Los Angeles Times.

Turning 40 made me realize I’m much more comfortable with who I am,” she shared with *Harper’s Bazaar*. “It’s been a really comforting feeling.

She told *Popsugar* that she’s more content with her body now because it’s a result of her hard work. While she admits her body looked ‘better’ in her early twenties, she didn’t appreciate it then, as she was constantly comparing herself to others. Now, she has a much healthier relationship with it.

I’m okay with getting older and the changes that come with it, like wrinkles and losing some firmness. It’s a small price to pay for the experiences and understanding I’ve gained. Even if my body changes significantly, I won’t be concerned,” she explained to Bustle.

“F–k you. I’m 50. That’s what I’m going to say when I turn 50. Sorry,” as she told Popsugar

Okay, so after 60 years of *living*, I’ve realized one HUGE thing. Seriously, it’s this: being fearless is everything. For so long, I let fear control me, I was just… terrified of everything. And honestly? That’s my biggest regret. I wish I’d just been braver, you know? I told *PopSugar* that, and it’s so true. It’s like, don’t be afraid, just *do* things!

It’s funny how your perspective on age changes. When you’re young, older ages seem so far off and maybe even daunting. But then you reach those ages and realize they’re actually wonderful. You start to wonder about the next milestone, but then you find you appreciate that one too. With each age, you gain the wisdom to handle it and truly enjoy life, as she explained to Bustle.

“I do think about ageing. I have those moments of panic and vanity, but life keeps getting better, so you can’t worry about it too much,” she told Marie Claire UK.

She believes people don’t actually age, but rather grow wiser and gain knowledge, which she considers a beautiful process. She shared this with *Ok! Magazine*.

“Age holds absolutely no fear for me. There is so much enjoyment ahead,” as she told MarieClaire.

She expressed surprise that anyone wouldn’t agree women become more beautiful with age, explaining that confidence grows over time, and true beauty stems from self-assurance, as she shared with *Net-a-Porter Magazine*.

Lying about your age is a form of dishonesty that fuels a larger problem in our culture – the desire to be someone you’re not. She believes true fulfillment comes from accepting and embracing who you really are, as she shared in an article for *O, The Oprah Magazine*.

We can’t stop getting older, but we *can* control how we approach it. Looking at my face, I see my whole life story – every wrinkle, every line, every mark. There’s a saying that your face shows what’s inside. If you don’t smile much, your face will likely droop. But if you smile often, you’ll develop smile lines. Your wrinkles tell the story of your experiences; they’re like a map of your life. My face shows the effects of all my adventures – the sun, wind, and rain. It holds all my memories, so why would I want to get rid of them? I see them as a beautiful record of a life well-lived, as I shared with *Vogue*.

She told *Glamour* that as women age, they often become more comfortable and confident with their sexuality, losing any feelings of embarrassment or intimidation. She believes that sexuality and femininity grow with age, wisdom, and self-acceptance.

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2025-10-14 20:49