At 94, June Squibb Shares How She Really Feels About Aging and Her Best Advice
June Squibb shared her outlook on aging in a series of new interviews.
The actress just debuted her first starring role at 94—in an action movie, no less.
Thelma draws attention to a growing phone scam issue and also stresses that there are “no rules” to aging, Squibb said.
Last week, Thelma starring June Squibb, hit theaters, marking the 94-year-old’s first leading role in her decades-long career. The accomplishment is proof that it’s never too late to follow your dreams, or, in her case, turn out Tom Cruise-inspired electric scooter stunts. In a new interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Squibb shared her aging and life advice, including the carefree mindset that got her on Clarkson’s couch to begin with.
Thelma follows Squibb as Thelma, a grandmother who is scammed out of $10,000 via a fake phone call. Once she realizes she was duped, she set out on a mission to avenge herself with the help of the aforementioned electric scooter. It’s a real-deal action movie, and Squibb made it clear that she did all—well, most of—her own stunts.
“That was me,” she told Clarkson, disclaiming that the only thing she didn’t do was a wheelie featured in one scene. “But other than that, it was me driving the scooter.” She also perfectly executed a super spy-esque bedroll while holding a gun. “Oh yeah, it was fun,” she laughed.
Aside from the movie’s primary message, which aims to draw attention to the scam problem that faces the most vulnerable, Squibb hopes Thelma drives home to her peers a lighter, but equally important point.
“Life is to be lived, my God,” she said. “OK, I’m 94. There are no rules when you stop and think about it. You make your own—forget rules. Everything should be forgotten, I think, except: Go out and have a good time! Live the life you want to live. To hell with how old you are.”
Take it from someone who started out in entertainment over six decades ago: She debuted in Broadway’s Gypsy in 1959, went on to play many side characters in movies and TV (Alice, The Age of Innocence, Ghost Whisperer, Shameless), and just now, at 94, is headlining a film.
Squibb recently shared a similar sentiment with The Daily Beast. “There are no laws about age, about aging,” she said. “You can continue to do so many things. And people are so different at my age. I know other 90-year-olds doing different things than I’m doing. You just shouldn’t stop yourself. That’s the whole thing.”
She continued: “I’ve always felt that. I guess I’ve always broken rules. I just don’t know how to live otherwise.”
You Might Also Like
