Monica Bellucci at 62 Says Aging Is a Gift: "Accept the Process With Dignity, or You Die"

Monica Bellucci turned 62 on Wednesday, and she marked the occasion by reframing the entire conversation around aging. In Harper’s Bazaar Spain’s October issue, where she posed for dual covers in Valentino and Dolce&Gabbana, the actress delivered a line that’s already making the rounds:“Either you grow old and accept the process with dignity, or you die.”She’s choosing the first option, and she’s not quiet about it.

The“Malèna”star also opened up about her latest film,“The Birthday Party,”which competed at Cannes in May. She plays a reclusive painter who fears women become transparent after a certain age. Bellucci says she could only have played the part after truly living, and that maturing brought her the gift of detachment. Her pride in being a woman comes through clearly too:“Femininity is the strength of humanity,”she said.

Off screen, Bellucci is mom to daughters Léonie, 16, and Deva, 22, and she’s stepping into a new chapter after her split from Tim Burton about a year ago. She called love her greatest luxury. It’s a full-circle moment for a star who has spent decades in an industry obsessed with youth, and she’s offering a different script entirely.

What’s the best thing about getting older that nobody warns you about? Tell us in the comments.