Cary Elwes, 63: ‘I’ve Been Very Lucky. I’ve Worked With People Who’ve Given Me Enormous Breaks’

‘The Princess Bride’ actor looks back on collaborating with Rob Reiner and Mel Brooks, and ahead to his latest project, ‘M.I.A’

Gayle Jo Carter,

AARP

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Published May 06, 2026

cary elwes smiling for a portrait in front of a green background

Actor Cary Elwes says that working with great people is the key to longevity in the industry. “For me, it’s like going to school. It’s the greatest school.”

Monica Schipper/Getty Images

As he’s gotten older, actor Cary Elwes hasn’t wasted time thinking about what he’s lost. He’d rather contemplate the things he’s gained.

“I don’t focus on the negative,” Elwes, 63, tells AARP in a recent interview. “That’s probably one of the luckiest things I have, is that I don’t dwell on these things. There’s nothing to be gained by dwelling on anything negative, is there?”

Elwes got his first taste of fame in his 20s, when he starred as Westley in 1987’s The Princess Bride, a fantasy-adventure-comedy directed and coproduced by Rob Reiner. He’ll soon be starring in the crime-drama series M.I.A., debuting May 7 on Peacock and May 14 on NBC. “This show grabs you literally from the first scene, and it doesn’t let go,” he says.

In a video call from his home in Los Angeles, Elwes shares how much he cherishes spending time with his family (wife Lisa Marie, 55, whom he’s been married to for nearly 26 years, and daughter Dominique, 19); what he learned from Reiner and Mel Brooks; his new exercise routine; and why he thinks The Princess Bride is so beloved.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Why do you think The Princess Bride is constantly being discovered by new generations?

It’s obviously a very sweet movie filled with love and compassion. It’s really a film about that: love, loyalty, sacrifice. These are themes that resonated with both Bill Goldman, the author, and Rob Reiner, which is what made him — one of the many reasons — perfect to direct it. Those themes resonate with people. They always will.

cary elwes and robin wright in a scene from the princess bride

Elwes starred with Robin Wright in “The Princess Bride” in 1987. The film still resonates with many today. It’s “filled with love and compassion,” he says.

20th Century Fox/Courtesy Everett Collection

What do you think is the key to longevity for an actor?

I’ve been very lucky. I look at it as a real blessing. I’ve gotten to work with remarkable artists throughout my life, and they’ve all been lessons. Every piece of work you do is an education. It’s an education in prep research. It’s an education in working with other people, in character development and learning from every department. And I mean every department. So for me, it’s like going to school. It’s the greatest school.

What did you learn from your new series, M.I.A.?

I learned that I fell more and more in love with Bill Dubuque [M.I.A.’s creator/writer/executive producer] as a creative artist than I thought I would. He’s just remarkable. My wife and I, we binged Ozark [the Netflix series Dubuque cocreated] the day it came out. When I got the call that he wanted me to be in this show, I was elated.

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What’s your character’s nuance?

I play Kincaid, an ex-Miami detective turned private investigator who has a lot of baggage. He has bills to pay, so he has to take a job for money. And he’s informed that he’s not to ask too many questions of his employer. But he has to try to solve … these murders that have taken place. This poor girl’s family had been killed. And the more he investigates, the more he realizes he has to reevaluate his moral compass.

I appreciated your character’s scruffy Florida-chic costume: floral shirt, baggy shorts, boat shoes, straw hat. What did you think of it?

I interviewed a couple of private investigators when I flew down to Miami, and a lot of them are ex-police officers or military. They all showed up to the meetings really casually dressed. I asked them, ‘Did you wear this for me?’ They said, ‘No, this is our new uniform.’ They told me that after wearing uniforms for as long as they had, they couldn’t wait to dress casually for work. So we leaned into that.

cary elwes in a scene from the t v series m i a

In “M.I.A.,” Elwes plays Kincaid, an ex-Miami detective turned private investigator. “The more he investigates, the more he realizes he has to reevaluate his moral compass.”

Jeff Daly/Peacock

How do you keep up your energy for some fast-paced shoots?

I work out — fiendishly. As soon as I finish this interview, I have my session.

What do you like to do?

We try to mix it up. I’m fortunate that I live near a pool. We work in the gym to begin with, and then we end the session with a lot of swimming and exercises in the pool, which for me is a delight because I’ve never had access to a pool to work out in before.

What’s the best part about getting older?

Oh gosh, here we go into AARP. Knowledge, wisdom. With age comes wisdom, right? And sure, you spend a lot of time reflecting and perhaps spending more time with family. You realize the clock is ticking and start to reevaluate. Not that I ever didn’t recognize the importance of family, but you start to really focus on it more. So yeah, I spend more time with my family than perhaps I ever have, simply because I don’t like going on location without them. I’m much more centered when I have them around while I’m working.

dominique elwes cary elwes and lisa marie kubikoff posing together

(From left) Dominique Elwes, Cary Elwes and Lisa Marie Kubikoff in 2024. “I spend more time with my family than perhaps I ever have,” he says. “I’m much more centered when I have them around while I’m working.”

Michael Tullberg/Getty Images

What’s the worst part about getting older for you?

I don’t really focus on the negative. That’s probably one of the luckiest things I have, is that I don’t dwell on these things. There’s nothing to be gained by dwelling on anything negative, is there? Unless it’s your health, which I think AARP [readers] will probably want to know about. As long as you’re healthy, maintain your health, eat healthy, and diet and exercise are very important. I’m very blessed that I have access to those sorts of things.

Over the years, you’ve worked with a lot of amazing directors. What did you learn from Rob Reiner?

He taught me a very valuable lesson, actually on the first day of shooting. The last thing he said to me before we turned over was, ‘Remember to have fun.’ And I’ve carried that through my life, both in my work and in my life. And I think that’s very sound advice. And by that, he didn’t mean go out and party. He meant just don’t sweat the small stuff.

rob reiner cary elwes and mel brooks posing together in 2014

Elwes with Rob Reiner (left), who directed him in “The Princess Bride,” and Mel Brooks in 2014. “The last thing [Reiner] said to me ... was, ‘Remember to have fun.’ And I’ve carried that through my life,” says Elwes.

Chelsea Lauren/Getty Images

And what did you learn from Mel Brooks, who directed you in 1993’s Robin Hood: Men in Tights?Mel’s just a wonderful human being. Very, very obviously a remarkable, unique, iconic individual. A man who changed — literally changed — comedy. There’ll never be another Mel Brooks. He’s one of a kind. And he happens to be a very nice person, and very sweet, and very gentle, and very loving, and very much a family man. I can’t believe I got an opportunity to work with him twice. [Elwes is set to play the president of the United States in FX’s in-development Very Young Frankenstein. Brooks is executive-producing the series, which is inspired by his classic 1974 horror-comedy film Young Frankenstein.]

If it all didn’t work quite as well as it had, what was your backup plan?

I don’t think I had one, which is probably why I was so driven. In order to enter the acting profession, you really do have to believe in yourself. I’ve been very lucky. I’ve worked with people who’ve given me enormous breaks and advice in my career that have helped me get to where I am today.

I’m told I have to wrap. Great to see you.

Gayle, thank you. Will I be getting my AARP card in the mail?

You should have already requested it years ago! It’s when you turn 50.

I’ll keep a lookout in the mail for it!

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Gayle Jo Carter is a former entertainment editor at USA WEEKEND, who during her 30-year reporting and editing career, has worked at USA TODAY, Voice of America and Feature Story News. When not interviewing high-profile people, she’s teaching reformer Pilates classes and doing her best to raise two empathetic, curious, healthy young people to adulthood.