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At 75, legendary actress Jane Seymour is embracing life with a fearless spirit and redefining her career by starring in an age-defying role on Harry Wild while producing, writing and enjoying time with family.
Key takeaways
- Jane Seymour says her fearlessness as an actress is strongest right now.
- In Harry Wild, she plays a crime solver in her 70s with fresh storylines.
- She stays active by producing, writing, creating and staying engaged with family.
Summary
Jane Seymour’s perspective on aging and creativity centers on fearlessness, growth and staying fully engaged in life. Speaking about her role in Harry Wild, she highlights how the series breaks norms by featuring a woman in her 70s as the lead, tackling modern themes while blending humor with crime-solving.
Beyond acting, Seymour emphasizes an active and fulfilling life that includes producing, writing, designing and giving back through her foundation. She underscores the importance of staying open to new opportunities, maintaining close family connections and believing it is never too late to learn, love or start something new.
The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
Full transcript
[0:00:00] I think I’m at, you know, at my peak right now.
[0:00:02] I think as an actress, I’m far more fearless than I ever was.
[0:00:05] I think I kind of broke the mold of worrying about what anyone would think.
[0:00:10] You know, you can actually laugh at yourself, laugh at life.
[0:00:14] I mean, have fun.
[0:00:22] You know, it’s such a gift this time in my life to have a series that is
[0:00:28] contemporary, that people love, and the main character is older than we would ever be allowed to have on television normally.
[0:00:36] I love the fact that she was an English professor who quits, and now what’s she going to do?
[0:00:40] And accidentally she finds that she’s really good at solving crimes.
[0:00:44] So I don’t think anyone’s ever seen a woman, you know, in her 70s with a kid who’s 15, and they have this real camaraderie.
[0:00:50] They really are there for one another, and it’s comedic, but it’s also really interesting.
[0:00:56] And now, of course, we have a new ingredient, because we have put in this really hot pathologist called Pierce Kennedy.
[0:01:04] It’s being played by my previous Doc Quinn costar Joe Lando.
[0:01:17] All the issues we dealt with are current.
[0:01:20] We’re talking immigration, current.
[0:01:23] Racism, very current.
[0:01:25] Different cultures, current.
[0:01:27] You know, choice in medicine.
[0:01:29] And somehow through this doctor who comes from Boston, who can’t practice as a doctor anywhere because she’s a woman, ends up saving lives, and there’s something very cool about that.
[0:01:45] I’m not sitting around waiting for someone to say, “Oh, Jane, yes, you can play this role.” I’m actively producing, writing.
[0:01:53] I’m also an artist.
[0:01:54] I’m a designer.
[0:01:55] I run an Open Hearts Foundation, which I’m really excited about.
[0:01:59] I write books.
[0:02:00] I produce movies.
[0:02:02] I exec produce movies.
[0:02:04] But I think the biggest ingredient is I’m happy, I’m living in the moment, I care about other people.
[0:02:10] If there’s something I can do, I do it.
[0:02:15] I’m a yes person, and I’m very engaged with my kids and with my grandchildren.
[0:02:22] It’s not too late to learn, to study, to, to kind of open up your life and to make new friends.
[0:02:28] And it’s also never too late to have, to have love.
[0:02:34] I mean, I, I found love.
[0:02:36] I can’t believe it, you know, this late in my life.
[0:02:39] I’m just so … I feel blessed.
[0:02:41] And so I say, “Don’t give up.” Just never give up.