Penélope Cruz Doesn't "Worry" About Turning 50

Spanish actress Penelope Cruz attends the 'L'immensita' photocall — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Penélope Cruz has been asked about her feelings on turning 50 since she was, like, 20. And while the questions were extra weird back then, now that she's turning 50 in April, the actress doesn't mind being asked about it at all. In fact, she's super grateful to get the opportunity to age.

Speaking to Elle about the way Hollywood treats her as she ages, the Vicky Cristina Barcelona star said, "But you know why I don’t worry about that? Because people have been asking me about age since I was twentysomething. I was more bothered then than now.

"Now it makes more sense, to discuss turning 50. It’s a huge, beautiful thing, and I really want to celebrate that with all my friends. It means I’m here and I’m healthy, and it’s a reason to have a party.

"But when I was 25, they would ask me these psychotic questions, things you would not believe, and the only weapon I would have was not to answer. Even now, on the red carpet, when they shout to 'Turn around,' I always pretend I didn’t hear what they said."

While Cruz didn't elaborate on which "psychotic questions" she used to be asked, we all know how weird and cruel people are to women about aging, especially women in the public eye.

For example, Jennifer Lopez once revealed (also to Elle, funnily enough) that her ex-boyfriend told her she should get botox when she was 23. Thankfully, she said, "No, thank you," and that was that.

And after Julia Roberts recently joked that "pickling" her head is the answer to her "agelessness" (ugh, yawn), perhaps we can slow down with the aging questions, k?

Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.