Hollywood actress Gillian Anderson has opened up about spending decades trapped in a cycle of self-criticism over ageing — and the deliberate work it took to break free. In a candid interview with Harper's Bazaar magazine, the 57-year-old actress described how relentless inner noise and self-judgment dominated much of her younger years, and how she has since found a quieter, more accepting relationship with herself.

Years of Inner Noise

Anderson recalled that her 20s and 30s were marked by a constant undercurrent of anxiety. 'I remember in my 20s and 30s feeling worried all the time, and it felt like I had a running intensity, almost like a running agitation in my head. Like an argument, constant conversations going on in my head the whole time, and just a lot of noise, and also self-judgment,' she said.

She added that she 'spent many, many years being very self-judgmental and negative' about herself, acknowledging she wasted 'a lot of hours and a lot of time' in that headspace. The admission is striking from an actress who has spent over three decades in the public eye, navigating the industry's well-documented scrutiny of women's appearances and age.

The Shift — And the Work Behind It

Anderson was clear that the transformation was not simply a byproduct of getting older. 'It's taken some work, as it's not just age that has put it in the rearview mirror, I've definitely worked at it,' she said. Today, she describes those negative feelings as no longer existing. 'Nothing matters so much anymore. I don't feel like I hold on to things so tightly. It's much easier to just shrug things off and let things be,' she explained.

This comes amid a broader cultural conversation about how women in the public eye experience ageing — and the growing number of prominent voices pushing back against the pressure to remain perpetually youthful. Anderson's candour adds a grounded, personal dimension to that discourse.

New Book 'More' Due in September

Anderson is also preparing to release her second book, More, due in September, a follow-up to her debut Want. Like its predecessor, the new volume collects anonymous fantasies submitted by women. 'It's similar in what the original ask was, asking women to submit their anonymous fantasies. It's the same ask, different women, and a much broader scope of submissions, more international,' she said, noting she is 'very pleased' with the result.

Anderson observed that the submissions for More felt notably 'more confident' and 'bolder' than those for the first book. She attributed this shift to the community that formed around Want after its release, driven in part by women journalists who 'really kind of took it upon themselves to champion it,' turning it into a cultural talking point.

On Community and the Sense of Being Seen

Reflecting on what readers took from Want, Anderson described how the act of submitting — or simply reading — someone else's fantasy offered a sense of recognition and relief. 'That they weren't the only one who had these thoughts or feelings, or beliefs, or fears. It really is a coming together in a way, and it has a tendency to bring women of all ages together, not just in conversation but in identification, and a sense of agency,' she said.

With More set to reach a wider international audience, Anderson appears to be building on that foundation — extending the conversation she started and, in parallel, continuing to model a more compassionate relationship with oneself as one ages.