Minnie Driver, 52, reflects on being an older actress where ‘newness’ is valued over everything
‘It’s a very different time now’: Minnie Driver, 52, reflects on life as an older actress where ‘newness and youth’ are valued above all else.
Minnie Driver reflected on getting older during her appearance on The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show this week.
The Good Will Hunting star, 52, said the hard part was not acting, but trying to survive in an industry where “youth and novelty” are valued above all else.
She told the host that “everything is really different now” compared to when she started her career.
Candid: Minnie Driver, 52, reflected on getting older during her appearance on The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show this week
She said: ‘I don’t think acting is hard to survive. I think of getting old and being a known quantity where youth and novelty are valued and favored over old age and known quantity.’
“It’s very different now, it feels like a very different time for people who do what I do if you’re a woman.”
The actress looked sensational for the appearance in which she was joined by Michael McIntyre, Gordon Ramsay, Big Zuu and Adam Lambert.
Throwback: The Good Will Hunting star said it wasn’t acting that was difficult, but trying to survive in an industry where “youth and novelty” are valued above all else (pictured in 1998)
She cut a graceful figure in a plunging velvet suit that boasted deep shoulder pads and gold embroidery details.
Minnie accentuated her age-defying features with a gorgeous makeup palette and wore her brown hair in loose curls.
Elsewhere in the chat, Minnie opened up about her personal life and revealed how she met her partner, American filmmaker Addison O’Dea.
Different: He told the host that “everything is really different now” compared to when he started his career.
Elegant: She cut a graceful figure in a velvet suit that sported large shoulder pads and gold embroidered details
Speaking: She said: ‘I don’t think acting is hard to survive. I think about getting old and being a known quantity where youth and newness are valued and favored over old age and a known quantity’
She said: ‘The Woolsey fire in 2018 ripped through hundreds of thousands of acres and thousands of people lost their homes in California. They ended up on my street in Malibu and there were two firefighters who refused to evacuate.’
‘When you leave the fire department in California, they give you a fire hose. They flagged down a passing engine, opened the fire hydrants and fought the fire and basically saved our little community.’
You couldn’t enter where we lived. The Pacific Coast Highway had burned. The coast guard has put up a notice so that you cannot enter by boat or with proof that you live there.’
“These guys lived on one FEMA meal a day, which is an emergency meal, they had nothing. He had hatched this plan to get a ship to come in, he had to launch a sea raid.
Beaming: The actress was in great spirits during the appearance (pictured with Michael McIntyre (right) and Jonathan Ross (left)
Fun: The episode even saw the actress playing a series of Christmas games.
She continued: “I called everyone I knew and there was a guy I knew who made documentaries in hot spots, I met him once.”
“He showed up at the marina where I found this guy who would be driving this boat and he didn’t care that he was also arrested for delivering goods… The coast guard was after us.”
Asked by Jonathan if the romantic connection was instantaneous or gradual, Minnie said: “I knew he was an absolutely brilliant and kind person who had risked arrest and he was really interesting.” I didn’t think it was possible because it was too much like a high concept action movie.’
Watch The Jonathan Ross Christmas Show, Saturday 17th December at 10:05pm on ITV1 and ITVX
Guests: (L-R) Adam Lambert, Gordon Ramsay, Jonathan Ross, Big Zuu, Minnie Driver, Michael McIntyre