Candice Bergen reflects on how turning 80 is different today

Candice Bergen, nearing her 80th birthday in May, shares her reflections on this upcoming milestone.

"I'm in denial! Honestly, I can't even face it. Turning 80 just seems beyond belief to me," Bergen told AARP in a recent interview.

The Emmy award winner describes feeling "the same," though she acknowledges the truths of aging.

"You feel as you always did. Only, you might move a bit slower, more cautiously, to prevent any falls. So stepping off a curb becomes a big deal for me," she admitted.

To maintain her health, Bergen exercises five days a week with a trainer she's been with for years.

"There's minimal cardio involved; I barely break a sweat. I joked today, 'You're just keeping me going, right?' It's about remembering movement, keeping joints active, and getting the blood flowing," she said.

When asked about the best part of growing older, Bergen shared she cherishes moments with her grandchildren and has come to value "the grace of aging."

"It's a gift. Maybe not always a perfect one, but a gift that I feel grateful for," she remarked.

As she nears another decade, Bergen insists she's not ready to slow down.

"Moreover, being 80 isn't what it once meant. My father passed at 75, and back then, I thought that was a full life. Now that I'm 79, I see it differently," Bergen reflected. "I plan on witnessing my grandson’s high school graduation. Ideally, my granddaughter’s too. That would be quite historic for me."

Bergen joins other celebrities who have spoken on the topic of aging.

In November, Jane Fonda revealed that turning 60 prompted her to reconsider how she wished to spend her remaining life.

In December, Kate Winslet shared that reaching 50 changed her perspective on success and self-value.