Hollywood actress Jane Fonda once offered valuable advice to Mary Steenburgen, which later became particularly relevant in her life.
Embracing Ageing
Fonda encouraged Steenburgen to embrace the process of ageing during one of their early encounters, as reported by ‘Female First UK’. The two first met while working on the set of the 2018 comedy-romance film, Book Club, where the 88-year-old Hollywood icon sought to understand Steenburgen’s commitment to friendship, emphasizing that with age, time becomes increasingly precious.
Mary recounted to ‘People’ magazine, “When we became friends, I remember her almost walking out the front gate and then turning around, looking at me and saying, ‘Are we going to be friends?’ And I said, ‘Yes.’ She then asked, ‘Now don’t just say it by rote. Are you going to be intentional? We’ve got to be. Because at my age, I have to be intentional.’ I looked into her fierce, insanely gorgeous blue eyes and thought, ‘I see what she means.’”
Steenburgen expressed the importance of intention in friendships, adding, “I see the intention behind them because there’s a clock, and you don’t know how long you have. But as you get older, it’s shorter.”
Lasting Impact of Jane’s Wisdom
According to ‘Female First UK’, Jane’s advice about being honest and selective in friendships, along with the notion not to slow down as one ages, has significantly influenced Mary.
“Jane’s guidance has become a part of my life with people I love,” Mary reflected. “It’s about not wasting time on people that aren’t in my life for the right reasons and being honest with myself. All that stuff, ageing, actually makes it more interesting. She always said, ‘Don’t take your foot off the gas pedal. Push it down harder. Harder now.’ So we’re inspired by that.”
Celebrating Ageing
In a 2013 interview, Mary openly discussed her views on ageing, expressing excitement about turning 60. She stated, “I decided if you’re lucky enough to be alive, you should use each birthday to celebrate what your life is about.”
This celebratory outlook was influenced by her mother, Nellie Mae Wall, whom she described as a beautiful person with no vanity but a truly good soul.
Mary also shared her experience trying Botox, noting that although she experimented with the treatment to smooth out wrinkles, “it didn’t feel right” for her.