Helen Mirren speaks the truth. (Source: Getty.)
“I’m not the normal sort of grandmother,” Dame Helen Mirren told Daily Mail. Damn straight. The septuagenarian British actress recently spoke about her ageing and wisdom she’s picked up over the years.
No, it’s not something worthy of an inspirational meme.
“At 70 years old, if I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it would be to use the words ‘fuck off’ much more frequently,” declares Mirren.
Can you get that printed on a T-shirt so I can wear it, Helen?
Mirren got married at the age of 52 to director Taylor Hackford 11 years into their relationship, she’d highly recommend not jumping the marriage gun if you can.
“I think marrying late is a very good idea – it worked out for me. In general, I’d say it’s not a great idea to marry young. And it’s a really terrible idea to get married for the frock.”
When it comes to reflecting on her relationship with her adult step-children, Mirren is just as frank.
“I come and go in their lives. I’m not baking them cookies on weekends! All I’d say to them is that ageing is an adventure. It’s a frightening adventure because health becomes an issue. Growing old is not for pussies – you’ve got to have courage. But then, you’ve got to have courage in life anyway."
And as for ageing physically, Mirren couldn’t care less. (Post continues after gallery.)
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“I’m pretty laissez-faire about my beauty routine. I climb on the bus and get snapped with no make-up on, and I rarely go to the hairdresser’s. As I get older, I don’t look as good but I don’t give a damn.”
Her hair tool of choice? Forget pricey Mason Pearson boar bristle hairbrushes, Mirren reaches for an old toothbrush instead.
"When we were younger, my sister and I used to add highlights to each other’s hair using an old toothbrush!"
What advice would you give to your younger self?