How to age gracefully lesson #1: Say no to the scalpel

My husband has had a mild crush on Kim Cattrall ever since she played Lieutenant Valeris in one of the Star Trek movies. I think she was a Vulcan, maybe? Of course, it probably didn't hurt that she's gorgeous and seems more than willing to take off her clothes in front of the camera. And who can't love the fact that she's 51 glorious years old and has pointedly stated that she has no intention of going under the knife. Her face? It looks older than most 51-year-old actors in Hollywood, but that's because it's actually aging, rather than being stretched and pulled and puffed and 'Toxed out of recognition. Seriously, in 1985, if someone had told you that Meg Ryan was going to do this to herself, would you even have believed it? Not my Sally!

There's nothing attractive about stretching your face until you start looking like the puppet Madame and sure, it's one thing when you're aging extremely gracefully, as is Ms. Cattrall, but I do wish more women were telling Hollywood's impossible beauty standards to go take a flying leap. There was nothing wrong with Kathy Griffin, for instance. Not a thing!

So I have to say "Go Kim!", especially when you look at the kind of insidious nonsense that she's fighting from all courts. She might not quite be my own personal girl crush just yet, but she is definitely my body image hero. But if she starts looking in Esteban's direction, the gloves are off and lady is going down.

Get gold-medal advice. 12 Olympic athletes share their secrets for toning up, taming stress, eating right and more

MORE FROM ELASTIC WAIST AND SELF:

The Daily Special
Watch our daily show from Elastic Waist!
Body of Work
One woman's amazing weight-loss surgery transformation
Crave
Fab fashion recommendations from Elastic Waist
Subscribe to SELF for Just a $1 an issue and get a free pink striped tote!

[photo credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images]

From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 13

First
« Prev
Next »
Last

Posted by MBT Thu Jul 24, 2008 8:24am PDT

i think she looks great. She is aging better than most women in Hollywood or in the real world.

Report Abuse

Posted by kaliluna Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:47pm PDT

Kim is so beautiful and is such an inspiration for actually aging gracefully and beautifully. I agree, Kathy Griffin was just fine the way she was before the knife... has anyone else noticed that she's started to look like a female Andy Dick? Not pretty!

Report Abuse

Posted by tania_ferdouse@ymail.com Fri Jul 25, 2008 4:45am PDT

iamgeting much helthy.iwant to loos my exta wait and wish to get a sleem & fine body extracture.

Report Abuse

Posted by Kitten Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:34am PDT

I think she looks wonderful. You go Kim! Too bad Meg Ryan didn't do the same.

Report Abuse

Posted by Veronica Fri Jul 25, 2008 6:35am PDT

I had almost totally forgotten what an aging celebrity without comestic surgery looks like...like everyone else. I think it's awesome that she has chosen to stay natural.

Report Abuse

Posted by Disgruntled Fri Jul 25, 2008 12:00pm PDT

Kim Catrall is beautiful and I love the fact that she is proud of who she is and doesn't hide her age. She's still foxy enough to get a hot boyfriend half her age too!
I have to agree that Kathy Griffin does look like Andy Dick! I like her but she has had waaaaay too much plastic surgery.

Report Abuse

Posted by Oh.........soDefiant Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:06am PDT

yeah, i liked her in star trek 6: the undiscovered country check it out, 1 of my favs, she was always fine even in big trouble in little china w/ kurt russell, kim cattrall could definitely GET IT!!! OHHHH BABY !!!

Report Abuse

Posted by Oh.........soDefiant Sat Jul 26, 2008 5:32am PDT

SHE IS THE VERY DEFINITION OF MILF-DOM.

Report Abuse

Posted by sexybeautiful Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:11pm PDT

I think kim cattrell is beautiful for her age, and for someone who have never been under the knife, many of us hope that we age that gracefully.

Report Abuse

Healthy Living