Monica Bellucci is embracing maturity and the “wonderful gift” that comes with growing older in Harper’s Bazaar Spain’s October issue.
For the Italian actress, la dolce vita only seems to get sweeter with time.
Bellucci, who turned 62 on Wednesday, opened up about aging in the magazine’s October cover story, reflecting candidly on the importance of accepting the passage of time.
“There’s no real alternative: either you grow old and accept the process with dignity, or you die,” the “Malèna” star said. “Looking at it that way, I’d much rather grow old,” she added with a laugh.
Her character in “The Birthday Party” may fear that women “become transparent” with age, but Monica Bellucci sees growing older from a very different perspective.
“Growing old means you’re fortunate enough to still be alive and have a future,” she said. “Besides, maturity brings with it a wonderful gift: detachment.”
In her latest film, “The Birthday Party” — also known as “Histoires de la nuit” — which competed at Cannes in May, Bellucci plays Cristina, a reclusive painter who believes women can become invisible after a certain age.
Bellucci, however, says the role is one she could only take on now.
“I could never have played this role when I was 30 or 40, not even with layers of makeup to age myself,” she said. “To give substance, weight, and truth to a character with that level of inner turmoil, you have to have lived.”
The mother of two, who shares daughters Léonie, 16, and Deva, 22, with ex-husband Vincent Cassel, also posed for the magazine’s dual covers in striking red looks by Valentino and Dolce & Gabbana.
“Life is a perpetual transformation,” Monica Bellucci said, adding that “femininity is the strength of humanity.”
Photographed by Rocío Ramos, the longtime Cartier ambassador was adorned in diamonds and emeralds from the Parisian jewelry house throughout the shoot.
For Bellucci, feeling beautiful today has less to do with appearance than with the life she has built.
“It’s about having a rich inner life, a passion that inspires you, watching your children grow, gazing at the sea, having friends, a family you love … a fulfilling life as a woman,” she said.
One year after her split from Tim Burton, the Italian actress also
