14 DAY TRIAL // In 1979, Bo Derek, who was only 23 at the time, emerged from the water in a skin-colored bathing suit in the movie “10,” and history was made. That image is now iconic, and it has helped the actress build an entire career around it.
She did it by objectifying herself and by selling her beauty as a commodity, Bo tells CBS in a new interview (video is available at the link). With all this, she doesn’t regret it.
But that still doesn’t make aging easy.
Aging is not for sissies, especially if you work in showbiz
Bo will be seen next in the third “Sharknado” film from SyFy, with the TV franchise dubbed a pop phenomenon. She plays the mother of Tara Reid’s character and laughs that the job didn’t really entail that much acting per se, since all she had to do was say a few lines and then duck-pretend from incoming sharks.
Even so, it’s a good opportunity for her to stop and look back. Bo Derek, real name Mary Catherine Collins, is now 58 years old, and even though she spends most of her time at her California ranch with her boyfriend of 13 years and their 4 horses, she still feels the pressure of industry.
Women, particularly women of a certain age, are caught in a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you-don’t phase as regards their looks and plastic surgery.
For someone who was one so famous because she was beautiful, the pressure to keep up appearances and to do whatever in her power to fight back the signs of the passing of time must have been huge.
Beauty is artificial, but aging is still hard
“I realize how artificial it is, beauty, I realize that it doesn't last forever, that's for damn sure,” Bo smiles. “Aging is really hard, and it's tough. Bette Davis was right; it's not for sissies, it really isn't.”
Because she was once a pin-up girl, expectations were pinned on her, she continues. It’s true, she encouraged them afterwards, by capitalizing on that image and trading her looks for a lasting career.
“I get credit on one hand for not having had a facelift, and then on the other hand it's, ‘Oh my God, why doesn't she do something?’ So you're just torn. I just have to keep busy, have other interests, and try not to think about it,” Derek says.