Dame Helen Mirren reveals the life advice her mother gave her: 'She told me to never be afraid...'
Dame Helen Mirren explains why she has "never been afraid" of getting older as she approaches her 80th birthday.
Dame Helen Mirren has "never been afraid" of getting older.
The 78-year-old actress - who is still one of the most celebrated stars in Hollywood more than 40 years into her career - recalled that her mother instilled into her when she was young that ageing is just a "natural" process of life.
She told E! News: "It's nature, it's what happens. And, as they say, along with getting older comes a certain kind of wisdom, a certain kind of understanding of that fact. My mother said the greatest thing to me: 'Never be afraid of getting older."
The 'White Bird' star reasoned that teenagers may think that the concept of middle age is like a "foreign country" but assured them that getting older is actually "cool" and full of rewards.
She said: "Of course, when you're 18, middle age is like a foreign country. It's so far away from you. But, you know, when you arrive in that country, you realize that country has great things. Maybe you like that country better than the country you left behind. All I can say is, don't worry [about aging]. It's cool."
The 'Barbie' actress also believes that life is about "taking risks" and that people should be more keen to take on "challenges" that might scare them despite the fear of failure.
She said: "You absolutely have to take risks. My mantra has always been: 'Do what you're afraid of.' If you're really s*** scared, do it because that means it's going to challenge you, and there's a reason why you're scared of it.
"We talk about success all the time
"But, in reality, success is built on failure. It's trying and failing, trying and failing, trying and failing. You might say, excuse my language, 'I f***** that up.' But next time, you'll have learned from that and do it in a different way, or you won't do that again. It's a positive thing."
