Andie MacDowell Wants to Change the Aging Conversation

For Andie MacDowell, 66, embracing her gray hair was about more than just aesthetics. It was a way to pay homage to her late mother, who died at 53 when MacDowell was only 23. “I never got to see her with silver hair. I only had my father to go by, and I look a lot like my father. And he had salt-and-pepper hair, and I just always found it so beautiful,” she says. The actress stars on the Hallmark Channel series The Way Home — a drama about three generations of women who time-travel to find their way back to each other — and as Michael Keaton’s wife in the new comedy Goodrich, in theaters Oct. 18. She spoke to AARP about how she feels about aging in Hollywood, being a grandmother and embracing this next chapter of her life.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What was it like being directed by Hallie Meyers-Shyer — Nancy Meyers’ daughter — in Goodrich?

I got to see Hallie give this really beautiful speech that she had prepared for her crew. And I had only been there that day, and I had tears in my eyes to see this beautiful young woman be so poised and grateful and eloquent. I really loved that. You don’t see that all the time. And of course I love Nancy Meyers’ work, but they did a beautiful job with their daughter. She turned out just lovely.

Andie MacDowell stars with Michael Keaton in the comedy "Goodrich," which hits theaters on Oct. 18.

Courtesy 42West

How are you enjoying your role on the fantasy-drama The Way Home?

This is my third season on The Way Home, and there are days when I show up, and as I walk into a set, I feel like I’m the luckiest person in the world. I’ll quite often say out loud, “Can you believe they pay us?” Because we are like a bunch of kids. It’s really a unique job. It truly is. It’s fantasy. I think it’s so joyful.

Do you feel that Hollywood’s approach to aging has changed? Has the narrative changed?

We can create a new narrative. We only get caught up in the idea that we are invisible. Though I do feel like sometimes it does happen, and you have to recognize it and do something about it. I have actually said to someone before, “Can you see me?” because I was being dismissed. Because there is so much emphasis on youth that when you’re on set as a mature person … you can get overlooked. You really can. And I’ve had to stand up for myself and say, “Hello, can you see me? I’m right here. I’m right here.”

You’ve said your kids were supportive of your decision to embrace your gray hair [daughters Rainey, 35, and Margaret, 29, and son Justin, 38, with ex-husband Paul Qualley]. How did that come about?

My girls definitely were advocates. As it started to grow out during COVID, they would say things like, “You look badass.” And I just really liked it. There weren’t a lot of women out there in my position with silver hair. It’s just because of what my job is. I think there’s plenty of women in the world with silver hair in their 60s, but probably not in my line of business.