Helen Mirren shares inspiring midlife message: 'Life and creativity don't stop after you turn 60’
Dame Helen Mirren has shared some wisdom on what it’s like to be a role model for women of a certain age.
The 77-year-old actor, who is currently starring in the new DC film Shazam! Fury of the Gods, as well as the Yellowstone prequel 1923, said that “life doesn’t stop [after 60] and creativity doesn’t stop”.
“Passion doesn’t stop, and energy doesn’t stop, unless you decide to stop it,” the Calendar Girls actor told ITV’s Lorraine. “[You just need] to be self-motivated really and to never give up. And find enjoyment, if it is possible, in your life.
Read more: Helen Mirren proves ages is just a number when it comes to having fun with fashion
“As you get older, you understand the struggles that people go through – either physical struggles or financial struggles. And life is tough, very tough and very demanding. And therefore all the more reason to maintain your energy as far as you can and your health as far as you can.”
The actor also told host Lorraine Kelly that growing out her hair in her seventies has been “quite radical”.
She added that she hasn’t had long hair since she was in her twenties, and decided to start growing it during the first wave of the Covid pandemic in 2020.
“You’re not supposed to have longer hair after a certain age. But during Covid, I started growing my hair, and I haven’t had long hair since I was in my twenties. And it sort of grew and grew, and I couldn’t be bothered to cut it basically,” she continued.
“Then I thought, ‘You know what? It’s pretty cool, I think I’ll stick with it for a little while.’ It will come off eventually, but I’m kind of enjoying it. It’s quite radical.”
The actor appeared on the chat show to promote Shazam! in which she plays the demi-god villain Hespera.
“I have done very diverse things in the past two years, and that’s what makes my life so fun,” she laughed. “To go from doing 1923 to doing Shazam. It is really what we enjoy as actors, jumping into these different worlds.”
Read more: Helen Mirren reveals the two unlikely household items she loved in lockdown
Mirren also explained that she broke her pinky finger while performing one of her own stunts on the film, which she now affectionately calls her “Shazam finger”.
The comments come after Mirren attended the Shazam! London premiere on Tuesday, wearing a vibrant pink cloak, next to co-star Lucy Liu who wore a bright yellow gown, and Rachel Zegler who wore a black off the shoulder dress.
Watch: Stars brave cold to walk Shazam red carpet
