Helen Mirren turns 80: No pressure to be beautiful: Why we can all learn something from Helen Mirren

Actress Helen Mirren, 80, can look back on a successful career spanning over 60 years. She has an Oscar and still looks as fit and vital as she did at the beginning of her career. How does she do it? And how has she managed to withstand the pressure to be beautiful in Hollywood? Quite simply: with a good dose of humor.

How joie de vivre keeps Helen Mirren young – and what we can learn from it

At 80, Helen Mirren is more in demand than ever. She can currently be seen in the series "MobLand" and, from August, in the film "The Thursday Murder Club," and is already in front of the camera for a new film project. In an interview with " OK! Magazine," she reflects on her age and what bothers her when people compliment her on her appearance. One of her most important concerns when it comes to aging is not aging "gracefully," but rather "aging with fun." When people tell her how good she looks for her age, she finds it "condescending" and not flattering in any way.

"I'm not aging gracefully at all! I hate that term—it sounds like you have to be elegant and accepting, but no, I'm not. I'm aging with fun, with commitment, but not gracefully. Who cares about grace?"

Helen sees the word "dignified" as a kind of restraint, a conformity to the norm, something that doesn't align with her idea of aging. "We're getting older, there's no getting around it. You have to come to terms with your own body, your own face, and the changes. It's not always easy, but it's inevitable." For her own happiness, she follows the approach that body-neutral movements also strive for: the path of self-acceptance. This doesn't mean surrendering to age without a fight; on the contrary, the 80-year-old does a lot to stay fit and healthy—she just skips a visit to the plastic surgeon.

Vitamins and a healthy lifestyle keep you fit

The Hollywood star has adopted the phrase "true beauty comes from within" as her motto. " I always take my vitamins with me everywhere. They're probably the most important thing in my beauty bag. What you eat, what you drink, and not smoking—that makes a huge difference for your skin, especially later in life." A good diet and a healthy lifestyle are Helen's best anti-aging tips. And the younger generation, in particular, can learn a thing or two from this, because who needs Botox and the like when you can look as good and natural as Helen Mirren in old age?

Brigitte