Heather Graham navigates the pressures of staying youthful in Hollywood with ease.
Graham shared her secrets with Retreat Magazine about her philosophy when it comes to aging.
“I think what matters most is how you feel inside. Decide that you’re hot and enjoy your life. What other people think of you is none of your business. If you feel good about yourself, no one can take that away from you. Pursue the things that fill you with joy, and surround yourself with loving people,” the 55-year-old actress said.
Graham continued, “I don’t drink or do drugs, and I get a lot of sleep. Eating healthy makes me feel good. I like cooking for myself and other people. And I love it when people cook for me. Basically, I like eating! Also, I do affirmations. I think they are very powerful. I work on strengthening my inner loving parent muscle, so I can be supportive and loving to myself. One of my affirmations is: ‘This is the best time of my life.’”
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During an interview with People in April, Graham admitted to being a happier person after she turned 55.
“I feel like as I get older, I just care less about things that don’t matter. Everyone gets upset sometimes, but I think that I’m happier. I’ve done enough hard work on myself that I feel like I’m a happier person now,” Graham, who turned 55 in January, told the outlet.
The “Boogie Nights” star has been focused on wellness since she was 21. Graham works out, eats healthily, does yoga and meditates.
The actress told Retreat Magazine that even incorporating those things into her daily routine does not compare to having “loving people around you.”
“I have some wonderful friends, and I am so grateful for them.”
“I think the most important thing is to love yourself, because then you have more love to give. Fill up your cup first before you give to other people. Also, it’s so good to have a sense of humor!” Graham said.
Along with her wellness secrets, Graham does not drink or do drugs. However, she is part of an AI-Anon, which is a 12-step group for people who have a friend or family member who struggles with addiction.
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“I have never had a problem with drinking or drugs, but sometimes I have problems with relationships. Or if you have any difficult people in your life, it can help you learn how to deal with them better, in a more loving way, and most importantly, to take better care of yourself,” she told Retreat Magazine.
During her interview, Graham shared that she is “ahead of her time” when it comes to embracing her sexuality.
“Nowadays, so many women are enjoying their sexuality, but when I was coming up, there was definitely judgment around that. It’s great to watch younger women feel freer to be sexual and not to worry about cultural bias,” she said.
Graham got her start in the entertainment industry when she left her parents’ home at 18 and moved to West Hollywood, California, with a roommate.
At the time, her father warned her that Hollywood would “claim [her] soul.”
“He regularly told me that the entertainment industry was evil and that Hollywood would claim my soul,” Graham said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in 2024. She noted that her parents “were part of a generation that didn’t believe in therapy or discussing personal things, so I never felt I could talk to them.”
Following the premiere of her movie “License to Drive” in 1988, Graham knew it was time to move out of her parents’ home.
“When the movie came out, I was 18, living at home had become more difficult,” she said. “I said to myself, ‘I’ve got to get out of here, I’ve got to be successful, and I’ve got to be a movie star.’”
Graham graduated from high school with a 5.0 GPA and went on to study English at UCLA. After her junior year at the university, she decided to drop out to focus on her acting career.
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At this time, Graham landed major roles in the films “Austin Powers” and “Swingers,” which made her realize she was “self-sufficient,” and she began to reevaluate her relationship with her parents.
“I stopped talking to my parents when I was 25, and I’m estranged from them now,” Graham admitted. “My friends are proud of me, and I’m proud of myself. I have really good friends.”
The actress is proud of the life she has created for herself. “I live in Los Angeles in a house I bought last year. I also have a loft in New York,” she said, noting that her West Coast home “has views of the Pacific.”
