CELEBS| Emma Thompson: “Being old is heaven. I’ve never felt so powerful”

She is one of the most versatile actresses in the show-biz, a screenwriter, campaigner on climate change, but also a pro ageing advocate. Dame, Emma Thompson, 60 years ‘young’, loves embracing every aspect of her midlife, including the wrinkles. “I feel like I look my age and I don’t mind that – she said-. I put concealer under my eyes, but I like looking my age. I accept that. The key to the spirit of youth is curiosity. If you’re curious you feel alive. Being old is heaven.”

Getting Old? Such a relief!

Regarded as one of the UK’s best actors for decades (now on the big screen with “Late Night” a American comedy-drama film directed by Nisha Ganatra from a screenplay by Mindy Kaling), unforgettable on her award-winning roles, like Sense and Sensibility, Love Actually, The Remains of the Day, just to name a few, she now approaches film projects in a very different way making sure they are stories she feels need to be told.

Getting older for her is a kind of relief: “I no longer bother. I’m free to go and look for new ideas and new voices. I’m able with absolute comfort and ease to reject so much. It’s fantastic being this age and I don’t care what anybody thinks”.

Although she’s faced some ups and downs – divorce, depression and IVF – she’s has been able to deal with life’s troubles with a good sense of humour. Ignoring negative self-talk is the key to her wellbeing. “I put as much thought as I’m sure you do into decisions in life, I try to balance stuff out, I don’t get too wound up or bruised about the mistakes that I make, I’m not a perfectionist and I’m never too hard on myself”.

On being straight and honest with life

She feels very positive about the ageing process. “If you look after yourself and you are healthy – she said- then you ‘ll have the energy to do things. But not to recognise getting older for what it is? I do think the infantilisation of our generation is one of the huge issues of our time. People wanting to be 35 when they’re 50 makes me think: why? Why don’t you be 50 and be good at that?”

Her approach to ageing is straight and honest, as well as her approach to relationships. Mother of two children, Gaia and Tindy, being married to her second husband, Greg Wise, since 2003, she doesn’t take life for granted.

“I see people starting life over and over again. And you want to say: just go deeper into the one you’ve got. Because you can skim very easily. It’s set up for that because we’re such a disposable society. And I think that relationships are regarded as more disposable than they were, and that’s short-sighted of us. When you get older – she said- it’s much easier to hold onto that appreciation of life because you’re more mortal. I want to enjoy every minute and use the wisdom that I’ve accrued whilst acknowledging my fallibility and the continuance of all sorts of foolishness. It’s so enjoyable to be alive in this state. I’ve never felt so powerful and so calm”.

Keep calm and be glamorous

But being glamorous at this age is not just a matter of DNA. As well as other celebrities, Emma Thompson has her own wellbeing guru. “I love Louise Parker Method – she confessed-. It is not a diet and is genuinely sustainable, so I can have my glass of wine and manage to avoid spending the rest of the week eating cheesy Wotsits.”

On her website, Louise Parker, the body sculpting expert, who has worked with hundreds of clients around the world for 20 years, explains the four pillars of the programme, for a total body transformation:

• Thinking successfully (including visualising and thinking positive),
• Living well (decluttering, detoxing digitally, and sleeping well),
• Eating beautifully (three meals and two snacks each day, full of fresh, balanced food)
• Working out intelligently (a mix of cardio and sculpting exercises).

In the end, feeling good at any age is the ultimate goal, not only for celebrities.